KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Sunday, July 08, 2018
Chapters: II Kings 15, II Chronicles 26
Message: Always Looking Unto Jesus
Hello My Friend,
There was a question asked, “How often do you talk to Jesus?” I admit that I while I talk to God all day long, and do pray for things in Jesus’ name, but to have a one on one conversation with Him does not come as often as it ought to. I have to catch myself as while I do thank Him often for my salvation, and address some prayers directly to Him, I can get where I become stagnant. Perhaps we do struggle with some things in this life because we do not talk to Jesus as much as we should. After all, Jesus is our salvation, our strength, the one who changes us into who we are, and He is the one we look to when we have no other option. It is important that we never take our eyes off Jesus, He is the only one who can truly help us in this race of life. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:1-2.
The instant a person receives Christ as their Saviour they begin an everlasting covenant with God, which means He is attached to us like glue, and nothing can separate us. However, the life we live often plays a part in that, if we walk with Him than we find that we can do all things through Him. Azariah (Uzziah), was the longest running king in all of Judah, he had done more to restore the kingdom than any king since David. His success was due to the fact that he sought God in all that he did.
“Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did. And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper. And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines. And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims. And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.” – II Chronicles 26:3-7,14-15.
“and as long as he sought the LORD,” Here is the key to our success, look to Jesus, if we have to look to Him for every bite of food we take then we must do it. God is our strength, He knows what we need, what will harm or even destroy us, therefore, it is important that we watch for Him at all times and pray often. “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” – Philippians 3:20-21.
God designed His Word specifically as it is, every word, every story, every person is in it for a reason. He did not leave any books out, even thought there are others mentioned in Scripture. Why? Every every word in the Bible is inspired, meaning God told them what to pen down. The books mentioned like, the chronicles of the kings of Israel, these were written by someone who was not led by God to do so, therefore they are not inspired by God He did not put in with Scripture. It would be interesting to read if we could find them, but many of them have been destroyed, but if we did we would not count it as literally from God, it is just a history book. Do we enjoy reading every name? No. But the Bible is more than a book about God, He tells us about His people, how they were blessed, how they were cursed, and how we as Gentiles came to know and love Him. Now, we come to the beginning of the end of Israel as a nation. When God had Jehu anointed as king he said it would only be for four generations, now, God removes Jehu’s seed from the throne during the time that Uzziah was king in Judah.
“In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead. And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. This was the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass.” – II Kings 15:8-12.
“This was the word of the LORD” We think that the events in the world today are just crazy people doing these wicked things and there is no possible way that God would allow it. The truth is, if He judged Israel the way He did, He will certainly judge every nation the same. In fact, He warned us that every nation would be judged. While God does not want any soul to end up in hell, He is not going to force Himself on those who reject Him, even if they do know of Him. Knowing who Jesus Christ is as a person is not enough to be saved from judgment, in order to know God and become part of His Kingdom we need to look to the Jesus, more importantly the cross. The only way to Jesus is to believe on Him, His sinless death, burial, and resurrection and to receive Him as our Saviour. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” – John 3:14-15.
What happens when we stop looking to Jesus? We start thinking we are strong enough to handle things on our own and perhaps do not need Him so much. Let me tell you, we always need Jesus, the second we think we do not we not only become weak, we fall. As long as Uzziah sought God He prospered, but the second he became strong he thought he could do whatever he wanted without consulting God. In fact, he thought he was so powerful on his own that thought himself above the laws of God, went into the temple and burned incense, which was forbidden to all except consecrated priests. Azariah the priest tried to stop him, but would not listen and instantly became leprous.
“But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.” – II Chronicles 26:16-21.
“his heart was lifted up to his destruction:” Pride is the number one reason people stop looking to Jesus in the first place, you cannot make up your own rules and expect God to bless you. People who refuse to serve God on His terms might as well be sticking their finger in an electrical socket because they are going to be in for a huge shock when they do. God wants us to prosper, He wants to give us the best life we can possibly have here on earth well before He takes us to heaven, but He is not going to fight with us on this. Those who are saved and living the way they please, without even a second thought as to what God says about it, can be sure that they will be judged, unless they repent, and it will come by our own devices. “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.” – I John 4:16-17.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:” – II Chronicles 26:17.
Today’s Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for sacrificing Your life so that I do not have to face the judgment set before me for my sins. Everything we go through in this life is meant to grow, strengthen, discipline, and guide us to be a reflection of You. Just like a parent or teacher pushes us a little bit harder to excel, so do You, Your laws are not meant to keep us from living life, but to give us the best life we can live in a wicked and corrupt world. Lord, lead us and guide us, help us to watch, pray, and listen for You in everything that we do, let us never forget that You are our strength and power, and fill us with Your mercy and grace to keep us humble. In Your name Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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