KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Monday, May 09, 2016
Chapters: 2 Chronicles 12-14
Message: Being Humble To Find The Grace Of God
Hello My Friend,
Faithful, born again Christians are not perfect, in fact, they mess up pretty good sometimes, but thank God they do not have to worry about being perfect because they have a perfect Saviour. While being saved does mean that we will not have to spend an eternity in hell, it does not mean that we will not be chastened while we are on the earth. Sometimes we do get chastened for no wrong doing, but the majority of the time it has something to do with what we have done or allowed in our lives. The key to getting through any chastening is grace, the Favorable influence of God in renewing the heart and resisting from sin. “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” – 2 Corinthians 12:8,9.
Humble, to be submissive. Most of us have a resistance to being humble, being submissive to God, but the only way we can get God’s attention and find His grace is to first humble ourselves to Him. Rehoboam did very well as king in his first three years, but his prosperity got to his head, he forsook the laws of God, taking the kingdom with him. It was not until God sent the thorn of Egypt on his side that he humbles himself before God.
“And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him. And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the LORD, Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The LORD is righteous. And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.” – 2 Chronicles 12:1,2,6-8.
“that they may know my service,” No Christian has constant perfect faith for God, we can all push God to the side and get kind of arrogant when are doing very well in life. And if things get too far out of hand, God will bring chastening in our lives. God does not chasten us right away, He gives us some warnings first, it is only when we humble ourselves before Him that He will lessen or help us endure the chastening. God will never let us forget that His grace is what kept us from getting what we really deserved. “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” – James 4:5-7.
After Rehoboam died his son, Abijah reigned in his steed. Abijah walked in the ways of David, but there was a continual civil war with Jeroboam, and Israel the whole time he reigned. Abijah stood on top of mount Zemaraim, gathers Jeroboam and all of Israel together, and tries to knock some sense in them.
“Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord. And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them. And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods. Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods. But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business:” – 2 Chronicles 13:5-10.
“the LORD is our God,” You can trust in any god you want or try to worship the Almighty the way you choose, but there is only one God, and only one way to worship Him, and that is through the LORD, Jesus Christ. Thousands of people do some kind of service in a church every week, but they are consecrating (cleansing) themselves to them that are no gods. Meaning there is only one God, and one way to worship Him, unless they know Christ as their Saviour, their works are meaningless. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:8-10.
Now, after Abijah died, his son Asa reigned, God was so pleased with the way that Asa ran the kingdom that He gave him rest from war. It was during that time of rest that Asa cleaned up Jerusalem and built walls of protection to shield them from future attacks. “And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil. And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them. They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.” – 2 Chronicles 14:11-15.
“and in thy name we go against this multitude.” You see, it is not we who fight our battles, it is God. As Christians we are going to have all sorts of thorns in our side to try and get us away from God. Do not attempt anything on your own, give it all over to God, but prepare yourselves for future battles. You never know when life or anything else is going to sneak up on you, we must be prepared, and the best protection is putting on the armor of God. “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” – Ephesians 6:11-13.
Jesus Christ Revealed: Today, Jesus is revealed through Rehoboam, who humbled himself before God. Jesus, with all the power of God humbled Himself, becoming a servant giving all power to the Father. “Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” – Hebrews 2:8,9.
Today’s Prayer: God, You love Your children so much that You settle for nothing less than our best. When our best gets fizzled, You do what every Father does, you chasten us. Thank You for Your chastening, as painful as it is at the time, there is good reason for it, and always bring something positive coming out of it. Thank You for Your love, mercy, and endless grace, and for always being there for us, even when we mess up. You are an awesome God, and I’d rather be suffering with You than in the world with no one. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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