Posts
timewithgod.blog-city.com — October 2007
2 Kings 9 -- What is God calling YOU to DO?
hear it and do it
Our Sunday morning Bible study yesterday asked our youth to consider what God was telling them to DO as well as to NOT do. I thought of that as I read of Elisha sending an unknown prophet to do what God was asking -- anoint Jehu, an army commander, as king over Israel while Joram was healing from his battle wounds.
That prophet didn't question his task. He simply carried it out.
Jehu then had to determine whether he would do what God was asking. He didn't hesitate, setting out immediately for King Joram's headquarters. Joram rode out to meet him, thinking there was some important army business to attend to. Jehu did what God requested of him -- he started the removal of Joram and all of the male heirs of wicked King Ahab from the earth, which also happened to include King Ahaziah of Judah, who'd been colluding with Joram.
Next, Jehu went to find wicked queen (now queen mother) Jezebel, to do with her what God demanded. He called out to her servants to do their duty, and they threw her out of an upper window. Her body split upon impact with the ground.
For each of these people, it seemed so abundantly clear to them what God was asking them to do. And I remember so very clearly knowing what God was calling me to do in August, 2001 -- to adopt a son from the former USSR -- some 1.5 years before I ever met Josh (his 6th birthday). I wonder if he felt on that day that God would be calling him to do something soon -- decide to come to America.
Why is it so very hard for our youth to hear and discover what You are calling them to do, Father? Is the soil of their hearts filled with "weeds" right now -- the distractions of life? I know that time alone with You doesn't seem to be a daily priority for any of them. Help it to become a cherished time for them, Father. Place the desires in their hearts to hunger for You -- to long to hear Your voice above all others.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
2 Kings 10 Finishing Well
better than NOT finishing well
God had set Jehu on a course -- removing all traces of King Ahab from Israel and King Ahaziah from Judah. No heirs were to remain, it seemed. He even gathered all of the worshipers of Baal together, pretending to offer a great sacrifice, then had them all killed, wiping out Baal worship in Israel. The trouble was, he quit too soon. The golden calf idols in Bethel and Dan were never removed, and they would prove to be a sore spot for what remained of Israel. The telling tale was found in verse 32: "At that time, the Lord began to make Israel smaller."
He'll do that to us, too, if and when He finds that we value anything more than Him. Late last night I discovered unstudied test material and homework left undone. I told both boys that it had to be done this morning, but I was jealous of my time with God and did not want to miss it. It seems that God stretched time and got the boys up so that I could honor Him with my time.
Father, I'm glad that this isn't done out of routine, but out of love. I treasure my time with You. Thank You for working it out this morning. I want to finish well.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
2 Kings 11 The Worth of a Small Child
unimaginable
King Ahab's daughter, Athaliah, had married King Jehoram of Judah, and in doing so, she'd brought the curse on Ahab's family into the royal line of Judah. She had a thirst for power that rivaled her mother Jezebel's.
Upon hearing that her son, King Ahaziah, had been killed, she usurped the throne and became Queen. She was so ruthless that she ordered the execution of all of her grandsons to prevent a coup attempt.
The wife of the high priest was an aunt to the doomed sons, and she quietly entered the palace during the killing and removed a baby boy -- Joash -- hiding him in the unused Temple for 6 years with the help of her husband.
Satan was attempting to use Athaliah and her Baal worship to crush the bloodline of David and therefore prevent the possibility of the birth of the Messiah. But God intervened through this woman to work His will.
When Joash turned seven, his existence was revealed and his grandmother was executed. Jehoiada, the high priest, then made a new covenant between the Lord and the king and the people that they would be God's special people.
Father, You've certainly helped me to see the value of a small child to You. Over the past two days, both of my boys have struggled with homework late into the night. I've been so tired that I've at times been less than encouraging to them, and I'm sorry. I know You must have huge plans for them, to have cared for them and brought me halfway around the world to find them and bring them home. Let me remember never to downplay their importance, their worth, and their abilities, for they were both "fearfully and wonderfully made" by You.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
2 Kings 12 & 13 More On Finishing Well
Joash didn't
The young boy who became king was highly dependent upon his mentor, Jehoiada the priest, for spiritual direction. It seemed not enough that God had provided protection for him until he could assume the throne.
He did start out well, ordering the Temple to be repaired, but the lack of construction skills and project management by the priests kept the project from completion. Joash finally pulled the plug on their authority and brought in professionals, and he rerouted the Temple tax and certain offerings to pay for the project.
When his mentor died, Joash was unable to muster the spiritual willpower to keep walking with God. Judah was threatened by the Syrians and Joash plundered the Temple he'd once reconstructed and robbed the royal treasury to buy-off the attackers. In other parts of the Bible, Joash even had Zechariah the prophet murdered! My commentary says, "It is vital that we persevere in godliness lest we hinder the kingdom of God."
I remember almost 10 years ago when my spiritual mentor, Michael, was about to move. I worried that, without his constant companionship and faithfulness, I too would fall away from God. But thankfully, God had a strong hold on my heart, and He has remained faithful in strengthening me to hear Him and to do His will. I would never have dreamed back then that I would hear His call and obey it, traveling multiple times to the former Soviet Union as He graciously gave me my sons.
Father, perseverance in godliness is important, and I ask You to continue to uphold me with Your right hand. Help me to be strong, and to pass along these values and beliefs to my sons. Let me finish well.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
2 Kings 14 Who's On First??
hard to tell at times
It's tempting to think of Judah as the "good" kingdom and Israel as the "bad" kingdom". But in this chapter, it seems like the good are defeated and the bad are considered good!
It states that King Amaziah of Judah did what the Lord said was right. Unlike the other kings, he is even compared to David (though not that favorably), yet he is chastised for allegedly being prideful in wanting to meet with Israel's king Jehoash for a show of force. He is captured, Jerusalem's walls are breached, and the Temple treasuries are stolen by Israel.
On the other hand, Jeroboam II became king of Israel, promoting the same idolatry as his namesake, yet he is credited with being used by the Lord to fulfill a prophesy of Jonah, providing deliverance of many suffering Israelites from Assyria's hand. He also won back towns lost to Judah, the "good" kingdom.
Father, I know this was all done in Your ultimate wisdom, and as far as You are concerned, we are all sinners. Yet it's tough to see apparently godly men losing and idolaters winning and even being used by You. But You are God and I am not. Your wisdom is supreme and You are sovereign. Help me to have the discernment You gave to this writer.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
2 Kings 15 & 16 WHY It's In There
for me
Three kings of Judah and 5 kings of Israel pass quickly in these chapters as God grows less patient with His people to give up their idol worship and return to Him. He begins to ready Israel for dissolution.
I got to the point of skipping over the same sentence that was quoted for each of the 5 kings of Israel here, as it had been for many kings before them: "Jeroboam son of Nebat had led the people of Israel to sin, and ______ did not stop doing the same sins." It got to the point of almost being aggravating. (I imagine that Jeroboam son of Nebat certainly would have been thinking so, as well.)
And I began to wonder why the writer was receiving this same message from God over and over. Was he tempted to simply write "ditto" each time?
It finally hit me -- the same sin was happening over and over, and in God's eyes, despite the fact that several dynasties and kings were involved, the nation of Israel was His child. So in His "big picture", it was a besetting sin, and He wants us to take notice.
I hate besetting sings. They are more than aggravations. The constant flurry of gnats around our faces outside right now, weeks after the flood, are aggravations. THESE are even worse -- those things that we have to keep coming back to God with, over and over, saying, "I'm sorry again!" and hoping that He is true to His word that He will forgive AND forget. They don't make us look any better to Him than Israel. Even though He has forgotten those we've asked forgiveness for, still there must be something within Him urging Him to repeat that same sentence over and over in these chapters, I suppose. Since He's forgotten, I'd imagine He'd find Himself thinking, "I love these children of Mine, and for some reason My love for them keeps urging Me to say this."
Father, I am thankful that You choose to forget those sins that I've admitted and asked forgiveness for. I wish I could forget them, too. But then I'd have little to urge me onward in my battle to not sin and to try to live a holier life than I have in the past. Keep repeating those nagging little phrases. They're there for a reason. They're there for me.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
2 Kings 17 -- All Over But The Screaming
what a shame
All was lost. God had finally had enough. What a shame to see that God had brought them out of Egypt, and their last act was to send messengers to the king of Egypt to help them throw off Assyria's attacks!
The kings were held responsible by God for the moral failure of their country. Verse 8 says, "They lived as their evil kings had shown them, secretly sinning against the Lord their God."
God had tried again and again out of love to call them back to Himself: "The Lord used every prophet and seer to warn Israel and Judah.... but the people would not listen.... They were stubborn... They rejected the Lord's laws .... They refused to listen to His warnings. They worshiped useless idols and became useless themselves....They always CHOSE to do what the Lord said was wrong.... They kept on doing the same things they had done before.... He removed them from His PRESENCE."
Father, it causes me to shiver when I think about being removed from Your presence. I went for so long without this intimate relationship that I can't bear the thought of ever losing it again, anymore than I could bear the thought of losing my boys. Everything about my old life that I gave up pales in comparison to what I have now. Yet I know that I still have work to do. Please help me to honor You and not to disappoint You.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
2 Kings 18 & 19 -- Our God Is An Awesome God!
mighty and powerful
Hezekiah was like a breath of fresh air. Finally, a king who did right, who removed the high places where gods were worshiped! He was described as one who trusted the Lord, who was loyal to Him, and who did not stop following Him. He obeyed, and God was with him.
Yet in the middle of this spiritual renewal, the Assyrian army shows up. Israel is captured and exiled. Hezekiah began to worry, and then he stripped the Temple of all gold to pay Assyria not to attack. The Assyrian commander had the gall to claim that God Himself had told him to come attack Judah!
Getting this news, Hezekiah went to the only One who could help him -- God Himself. He called on Isaiah to pray to God for him. He spread the Assyrian reply out before the Lord, and cried out for God's help, asking Him to save Judah for His own sake. And boy, did God answer!
God said to the king of Assyria: "You have insulted Me and spoken against Me .... Long ago, I, the Lord, planned these things. Long ago, I designed them, and now I have made them happen .... I will force you to leave My country .... I will defend and save this city for My sake."
That night, God proved His might by killing 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. And just as He promised, the Assyrian king left and ended up dying by the sword in his own country!
Father, thank You for being a God who hears and who listens. Thank You for rescuing us for Your name's sake, when we are in trouble. And thank You for having everything running along right according to Your plan. What a might God we serve!
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
2 Kings 20 & 21 Because They Want To Be Like Me
my sons need to see my relationship with God clearly
God loves us too much to leave us the way we are. And no man is without something that needs improvement. Hezekiah had done much to bring his nation closer to God, either through personal example or through coercion. Yet out of the blue, God tells him to put his affairs in order, because he is about to die. Hezekiah cried loudly and prayed fervently to God for mercy. God graciously granted him 15 more years. He even was willing to "adjust the heavens" by 10 degrees to prove His words were true.
God knew that, despite Hezekiah's good works and heartfelt prayer, he still suffered from pride, and He tested his heart by bringing messengers from Babylon. Hezekiah was trapped by his pride into revealing all of Israel's treasures to these men, and God promised that all of it would one day be shipped off to Babylon because of that pride.
For whatever reason, Hezekiah's son Manasseh adopted a lifestyle which was the exact opposite of Hezekiah's. What Hezekiah had torn down, Manasseh rebuilt. He must have been a terrible disappointment to his father and to God. Yet God showed even more grace to Manasseh, taking this man who sawed Isaiah in half into imprisonment in Assyria where he repented. God then allowed him to return to Jerusalem and to resume his reign, but the damage he'd done was so great that he found himself doing too little too late.
We cannot often undo the damage caused by our disobedience, indifference, and sin, and we will not know this side of heaven the far-reaching effects of our sins. That makes it all the more important that we be searching out God's will daily and insuring that our sons are brought up in the knowledge of God and in an intimate relationship with Him. They will see that best when it is modeled for them in our lives as fathers.
Father, more than anything else, I want to be more like You, because my sons want to be like me.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
2 Kings 22 - 23 Kid Nation
they ruled young
I was struck by the ages of the kings ruling in these chapters. Judah could have been called Kid Nation during this time! Josiah took the throne at age 8. His father had died at 39, and Josiah did as well -- with a 25 year old son! That means he was approximately 13 when his son was conceived!
Two of Josiah's sons became king at 23 and 25 after him.
Josiah was one of the few people in the Bible who were named before their birth, according to my commentary. God had chosen him for service, and he did well. With youthful exuberance and fire in his belly, he was unstoppable when it came to honoring God.
That's why it's so very important to win the hearts of our youth in middle school. In doing so, we tap into that fire and set them on a path where God can use them in mighty ways before disenchantment can set in. They still see the world as a set of possibilities rather than impossibilities. They aren't yet "tainted" by the mantra of many adults: "We can't do that!"
Father, I thank You for the way You are moving among our middle-schoolers. I pray that You will stoke their passion for You and allow them to lead out in what our youth group is doing. Bless them for their faithfulness and keep their hearts uncorrupted by the world as they grow into adulthood.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
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