KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Monday, May 16, 2016
Chapters: 2 Chronicles 34-36
Message: Get Back To Work!
Hello My Friend,
I had an incident yesterday that still angers me, and I found myself wanting to say, “You can’t judge me!” As I thought about it and figured out that the person was technically doing the thing I was being accused of, I realized why Jesus says, “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?” – Matthew 7:3,4. As Christians, we probably get our sins (if there are any) pointed out more than anyone. While none of us are sinless, it would be wise to remove the sin from our own lives before we condemn someone for doing something that is not even sin. But the message today is not about judging people, it is about standing your ground when you are being wrongfully judged. God is our Judge, no one else, He is the one who determines what we do is sin, and no one has the right to bully us into believing otherwise. “Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?” – James 4:11,12.
For decades Judah had gone through two wicked kings, while Manasseh later repented and turned to God, Amon, never did, he only reigned for two years before being assassinated. Because of the wickedness that Manasseh had brought into Judah, God was about to judge them, they did not know when or how, but they were warned. Josiah was eight when he was made king, when he turned sixteen he chose God and by the age of twenty he began to purge Jerusalem and Judah from the things that caused them to sin. He removed all the groves, idols, abominations from the land, and eight years later began to rebuilt and repair the temple. While cleaning out the temple the priests discovered some, the word of God. They brought it to Josiah, read it out loud to him only to discover that God was about to judge the nation for the sins of their fathers. Josiah searched the land for someone who could help interpret more, and God sent a prophetess to explain further.
“Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah: Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched. And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard; Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD. Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.” – 2 Chronicles 34:24-28.
“and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace,” People think that death is something bad, but if you are a saved, born again Christian it can be a good thing. Do not get me wrong, no one wants or expects to die at this moment, unless they have serious mental issues or seriously ill and ready for God to bring them home. We will never understand death from our human reasoning, but God will bring many home so they do not have to suffer His wrath. A child dying in the hands of a cruel person is unfathomable, and they will have to deal with God’s wrath, but that child will be at peace with Jesus and never have to suffer something that what would have been much worse if they survived. By the way, God does not allow abuse, man does, but Jesus is the judge. “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 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 5:6-8,10.
Once Josiah and all the people found out that judgment was about to come a huge revival took place. Josiah, knowing that he would not have faced any of it could have just left things alone, but he chose to follow the word of God. Josiah went through all of Israel and purged it from everything that encouraged idol worship. He even gathered the remnants of Israel (the northern kingdom had already been taken over and the Jews scattered or taken to Syria) for a true passover.
“Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD, And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, which were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the LORD your God, and his people Israel, And prepare yourselves by the houses of your fathers, after your courses, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son. And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren the people, and after the division of the families of the Levites. So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.” – 2 Chronicles 35:1-6.
“and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD,” You know, those who are faithfully serving God ought to be encouraging others who are saved to be doing the same thing, not tearing each other down. I swear, those who call themselves Christians are more judgmental than those in the world. Instead of fighting with each other, fight for Jesus! Stand up for Him! People are dying and going to hell because Christians are not doing the LORDS work! Get to work! Stand your ground, do not be intimidated by those who try to discourage you. Purge the things from your life that are sinful, including your, I know more than God attitude, stop worrying about what others are doing, and start doing the LORDS work. “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:9-13.
Once Josiah died it did not take long for Jerusalem and all of Judah to return to its wicked ways, judgment was coming and it was coming now. God used Nebuchadnezzar to judge Judah, he carried most of the Jews into Babylon, only left the really poor behind, and completely destroyed the nation that God put His name on. “And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years. Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.” – 2 Chronicles 36:19-23.
“Who is there among you of all his people?” God is calling on you, He is depending on you. Are you going to stand up and help Him build His house? God needs willing vessels, people who are not double minded, not trying to be God, who are strong in their faith. We need to stand true to Jesus, not fight with each other, love one another as Jesus loves us. Stop letting the devil hinder you from doing what you ought to be doing, leading the lost to Christ. “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:15-24.
Jesus Christ Revealed: Today, Jesus is revealed through the passover lamb (35:1). Christ, our passover lamb, gave Himself to give permanent redemption to all who believe in Him. “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” – Hebrews 9:12.
Today’s Prayer: God, I admit that I can get wrapped up in life that I lose sight of what is more important, doing what You call me to do. I know as long as I do Your work I will be prosperous, not only in furthering Your ministry, but in all that I do. Lord, lead me and guide me, give me Your power to do Your work, let me not be intimidated by those who try to stop me, purge me of anything that brings sin into my life, let me not be judgmental of others, only give good judgment and encouragement to those who cross my path. My greatest work will be to lead others to Your Son, let me be the example Your need me to be, humble, lowly, meek, and mild. And let me not get angry at those who wrongfully judge me, only use it for good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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