KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Thursday, May 12, 2016
Chapters: 2 Chronicles 21-23
Message: Remaining Godly Under Ungodly Leadership
Hello My Friend,
The longer I live my life with Christ the more I realize how corrupt I use to be, and praise God He took me out of that life. You know, it is natural to want to do things to satisfy our flesh, not the lusts of our flesh, but things that sustain us. Most of us have been brought up, whether in a godly home or not, with some moral values, do not lie, cheat, steal, things like that, and while those values may help a little, they do not sustain us because something is missing, the word of God. The truth is this, saved or not, we are living in a world that gets more corrupt by the second, and unless we are grounded in the word of God we will perish. “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” – Proverbs 29:18.
As much as we would like to believe that we have the strength on our own to keep from falling into the corruption of the world, we do not. There is so much going on that we cannot possibly handle the temptations and trials of life themselves, let alone what the world throws at us. The problem is this, ungodly leaders promising quick fixes and no work necessary to satisfy the lusts of the flesh. If we are not grounded in the word of God we too will fall into this corruption. Jehoram reigned after Jehoshaphat died, and although he only reigned for eight years he did so much damage to Judah that it turned away from God. He married one of Ahab’s daughters, brought Baal worship into Jerusalem, and even had his own brothers killed, but one escaped to keep David’s seed alive.
“Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD. Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever. And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, which were better than thyself: Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:” – 2 Chronicles 21:5-7,12-14.
“and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.” We who are saved, born again Christians are also given a promise by God, eternal life and eternal security from hell for eternity. It does not matter how corrupt the world gets or how corrupt our leaders get, our true leader will protect and sustain us. Let me tell you, the thought of death may not seem like God is on our side, just remember who is on the other side. Salvation is not an excuse to live a corrupt life, our human reasoning cannot possibly understand God’s ways, which is why we need to be grounded in His word. But no matter how grounded we are, there is one thing that we can never escape, death (unless Jesus returns and raptures us), but we do not have to fear death because it is only the shell of our body that dies, we will be alive and well with Jesus. “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” – 2 Corinthians 5:8-10.
Now, with Jehoram gone, his son Ahaziah reigned and only for a year, he too was as corrupt as his father, and brought the kingdom further into corruption. “He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly. Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction. He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramothgilead: and the Syrians smote Joram. And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds which were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick. And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.” – 2 Chronicles 22:3-7.
“And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram:” If you cause God’s people to sin, He will bring His wrath upon you. I recently posted a devotion and found pornographic material on a Christian group. It was not the people who ran the group that did it, but someone who probably thought it hilarious to put that garbage on there. All I have to say is, they better beware of God’s wrath. This is the very thing that causes a nation to fall to begin with, ungodly and corrupt people preying on vulnerable and new Christians. We think that if we leave it and ignore the situation that it will go away, but that is not the case. Christians remain silent to what is going on do not keep make it go away, it increase it because they do not do anything to stand up for Jesus. We must not be afraid to stand up for what is right! While there is a time, place, and way to speak, it is time for all Christians to stop being afraid and start preaching the word of God. “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” – 2 Timothy 4:2-4.
Now, after Ahaziah died, his mother Athaliah, also of the seed of Ahab, overtook the kingdom herself, making herself queen. She killed every one of the royal seed of David, however a brave woman, Jehoshabeath, the kings daughter, hid the youngest boy Joash and was able to keep the seed alive. Seven years later, the priest and all the kingdom fought back. They gathered together as one, not only to make Joash king, but put an end to Athaliah and Baal worship in Judah.
“And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him. And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David. This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you entering on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the doors; And a third part shall be at the king’s house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD. But let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall go in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD.” – 2 Chronicles 23:1-6.
“and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD.” Thousands of people are literally outside the churches, they are weak, weary, searching for water in a dry and thirsty land, and dying because none will give them the water they really need. Jesus is the water everyone needs, He is the only one who can sustain our hell bound soul, and He is the only one who can give us the strength to stand up and fight. The battle is not ours, it is God’s, but we must do our part to reach as many as we can before they perish. There is nothing more powerful than the word of God, which is why the world hates it so, it will always give life to a dying soul. We are not going to reach them all because all will not listen, but we will be able to reach some. “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:11,12.
Jesus Christ Revealed: Today, Jesus is revealed through Jehoshabeath, who risked her life to save Joash. Jesus risked and gave His life for man, that none should perish. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16.
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for the eternal life sustaining water of Your Son, He is what sustains this once dry and thirsty soul. I know that I can never do enough to thank You for all You have done, but also know I do not have to do anything because I am saved not by my works, but the finished work of Your Son. Lord, I do not want to sit on the sidelines as watch my nation fall into the hands of a corrupt world, and while I cannot stop people from believing what they want, I can make sure that people know the truth, and that it can set them free. Lead me and guide me, give me Your power, Your strength, Your wisdom, to be instant in and out of season. Keep me preaching the Gospel as long as I have breath in me, and let not any corrupt communication come out of my mouth. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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