Posts
timewithgod.blog-city.com — August 2010
2 Kings 13 & 14 -- STILL We Rebel
This is the part of 2 kings where it begins to get really tiring - " ... and he did what the Lord said was wrong" shows up way too often from here on out, it seems. Yet in the middle of rebellion, God doesn't give up. My com
This is the part of 2 kings where it begins to get really tiring - " ... and he did what the Lord said was wrong" shows up way too often from here on out, it seems. Yet in the middle of rebellion, God doesn't give up. My commentary says 13:5-6 represents "a parenthesis of grace". Jehoahaz, king of Israel, "begged the Lord, and the Lord listened to him ... The Lord had seen the troubles of Israel ... He gave Israel a man to save them ... Still, they did not stop doing the same sins ..."
I saw it again in 13:23 - "But the Lord was kind to the Israelites; He had mercy on them and helped them because of His agreement with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To this day He has never WANTED to destroy them or reject them."
Again, it shows up in 14:26-27 - "The Lord had seen how the Israelites ... were suffering terribly. No one was left who could help Israel. The Lord had not said He would completely destroy Israel from the world, so He saved the Israelites..."
It's so easy to bash the nation of Israel back then for their idol worship and their continual falling-away from God despite His mercies. But then God reminds me of the ways I keep falling away, letting Him down through my sin, and I find that I am really no different from them at all. None of us are! My sidebar says, "God always listens to a person who sincerely repents and returns to a life of obedience. God wants more than just an outward show of faith. He seeks true devotion.... One of the astounding things about human life is that even when we know that the purpose of life is realized in relationship with God, we choose to rebel and try to walk alone. It has been that way from the beginning."
Father, I'm not better than anyone else. We all are sinners. It breaks my heart each time I realize that I've broken Your heart. I don't want to be ruled by my sin-nature. I want You to have first place in my life. I hate it when I don't do what You want. Forgive me, and thank You for Your tender mercies and Your love.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
I saw it again in 13:23 - "But the Lord was kind to the Israelites; He had mercy on them and helped them because of His agreement with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To this day He has never WANTED to destroy them or reject them."
Again, it shows up in 14:26-27 - "The Lord had seen how the Israelites ... were suffering terribly. No one was left who could help Israel. The Lord had not said He would completely destroy Israel from the world, so He saved the Israelites..."
It's so easy to bash the nation of Israel back then for their idol worship and their continual falling-away from God despite His mercies. But then God reminds me of the ways I keep falling away, letting Him down through my sin, and I find that I am really no different from them at all. None of us are! My sidebar says, "God always listens to a person who sincerely repents and returns to a life of obedience. God wants more than just an outward show of faith. He seeks true devotion.... One of the astounding things about human life is that even when we know that the purpose of life is realized in relationship with God, we choose to rebel and try to walk alone. It has been that way from the beginning."
Father, I'm not better than anyone else. We all are sinners. It breaks my heart each time I realize that I've broken Your heart. I don't want to be ruled by my sin-nature. I want You to have first place in my life. I hate it when I don't do what You want. Forgive me, and thank You for Your tender mercies and Your love.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
2 Kings 15&16 -- Love That Defies Logic
Of Israel's kings, God wrote: "Zechariah did what the Lord said was wrong ... Shallum made plans against Zechariah and killed him... Menahem ... attacked Shallum ... He killed him and became king ... He did what the Lord said was wrong...
Of Israel's kings, God wrote:
"Zechariah did what the Lord said was wrong ...
Shallum made plans against Zechariah and killed him...
Menahem ... attacked Shallum ... He killed him and became king ... He did what the Lord said was wrong...
Pekahiah ... did what the Lord said was wrong...
Pekah ... did what the Lord said was wrong..."
Of Judah's kings, God wrote:
"King Uzziah did what the Lord said was right, BUT ...
Jotham did what the Lord said was right, BUT ...
Ahaz ... did not do what the Lord said was right ..."
It gets so discouraging reading this over and over. These were their kings. The people looked to them for leadership, and Israel's kings led their subjects away from God, while for the most part Judah's kings allowed idol worship to continue when they could have stopped it. And the number of years they ruled made me wonder if God will allow a similar apostasy to occur in our time. My Bible's sidebar picks up the discussion:
"God raised up the prophets ... and sent them to reveal Him in a warmer, more passionate manner ... The prophets cry the constancy of God in the face of human infidelity: ‘Israel, don't ever be so foolish as to measure My love for you in terms of your love for Me! Don't ever compare your thin, pallid, wavering, and moody love with My love, for I am God, not man.'"
It continues: "Human love will always be a faint shadow of God's love ... because it can never compare from whence it comes. Human love with all its passion and emotion is a thin echo of the passion/emotion love of Yahweh ... We cannot apply human logic and justice to the living God. Human logic is based on human experience and human nature. Yahweh does not conform to this model. If Israel is unfaithful, God remains faithful against ALL LOGIC an all limits of justice, because He IS."
What I really hate is that I have to admit that God's take on my life would resemble what I hate about this. "Gary did what the Lord said was right, but ..." and "Gary did what the Lord said was wrong ..." I imagine that He must get just as tired of hearing that as I did reading this.
Father, Your love for me is beyond my ability to comprehend. I find myself astounded that You still loved Israel and Judah, and that You still love me. I'm so glad that Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts, and Your ways higher than my ways. I'm glad that I have a God who doesn't ever give up on me - who loves me in spite of myself, against all logic and reason. That's just who You are! Thank You for loving me so much that You'd give Your only Son for my life.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
"Zechariah did what the Lord said was wrong ...
Shallum made plans against Zechariah and killed him...
Menahem ... attacked Shallum ... He killed him and became king ... He did what the Lord said was wrong...
Pekahiah ... did what the Lord said was wrong...
Pekah ... did what the Lord said was wrong..."
Of Judah's kings, God wrote:
"King Uzziah did what the Lord said was right, BUT ...
Jotham did what the Lord said was right, BUT ...
Ahaz ... did not do what the Lord said was right ..."
It gets so discouraging reading this over and over. These were their kings. The people looked to them for leadership, and Israel's kings led their subjects away from God, while for the most part Judah's kings allowed idol worship to continue when they could have stopped it. And the number of years they ruled made me wonder if God will allow a similar apostasy to occur in our time. My Bible's sidebar picks up the discussion:
"God raised up the prophets ... and sent them to reveal Him in a warmer, more passionate manner ... The prophets cry the constancy of God in the face of human infidelity: ‘Israel, don't ever be so foolish as to measure My love for you in terms of your love for Me! Don't ever compare your thin, pallid, wavering, and moody love with My love, for I am God, not man.'"
It continues: "Human love will always be a faint shadow of God's love ... because it can never compare from whence it comes. Human love with all its passion and emotion is a thin echo of the passion/emotion love of Yahweh ... We cannot apply human logic and justice to the living God. Human logic is based on human experience and human nature. Yahweh does not conform to this model. If Israel is unfaithful, God remains faithful against ALL LOGIC an all limits of justice, because He IS."
What I really hate is that I have to admit that God's take on my life would resemble what I hate about this. "Gary did what the Lord said was right, but ..." and "Gary did what the Lord said was wrong ..." I imagine that He must get just as tired of hearing that as I did reading this.
Father, Your love for me is beyond my ability to comprehend. I find myself astounded that You still loved Israel and Judah, and that You still love me. I'm so glad that Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts, and Your ways higher than my ways. I'm glad that I have a God who doesn't ever give up on me - who loves me in spite of myself, against all logic and reason. That's just who You are! Thank You for loving me so much that You'd give Your only Son for my life.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
2 Kings 17 -- The Root Cause
The words God penned about His chosen people, the Israelites, must have broken His heart. They'd just lost their nation and their land, being taken into exile in Assyria. Here's what God had to say about them: "All t
The words God penned about His chosen people, the Israelites, must have broken His heart. They'd just lost their nation and their land, being taken into exile in Assyria. Here's what God had to say about them:
"All these things happened because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God ... They lived as their evil kings had shown them, secretly sinning against the Lord their God. (This says a lot about how God will hold our leaders accountable.) ... 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 law ... And they refused to listen to His warnings. They worshiped useless idols and BECAME useless themselves ... which the Lord had warned them not to do ... they tried to find out the future ... they also chose to do what the Lord said was wrong, which made Him angry. Because He was very angry with the people of Israel, He REMOVED them from His presence.... They did not stop doing their sins until the Lord removed the Israelites from His presence."
It's a tragedy that we haven't yet learned this lesson after thousands of years of seeing the results. The words God used still adequately describe us today: "Stubborn ... would not listen ... rejected His laws ... refused to listen to His warnings ... secretly sinned ... and became useless..."
Father, our nation appears headed down a similar road. All that You described is happening again and this apostasy has even shown up in our leaders. Yet Your call is to each of us individually to come back to You - to listen to You and not be stubborn, to honor You and Your laws, to not sin even secretly but to show personal integrity even when we know we will not be found out. That's what they lost and what each of us must decide is worth fighting for - for "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." We can't fight that battle alone. I can't fight it without You, Father. Start inside me today.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
"All these things happened because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God ... They lived as their evil kings had shown them, secretly sinning against the Lord their God. (This says a lot about how God will hold our leaders accountable.) ... 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 law ... And they refused to listen to His warnings. They worshiped useless idols and BECAME useless themselves ... which the Lord had warned them not to do ... they tried to find out the future ... they also chose to do what the Lord said was wrong, which made Him angry. Because He was very angry with the people of Israel, He REMOVED them from His presence.... They did not stop doing their sins until the Lord removed the Israelites from His presence."
It's a tragedy that we haven't yet learned this lesson after thousands of years of seeing the results. The words God used still adequately describe us today: "Stubborn ... would not listen ... rejected His laws ... refused to listen to His warnings ... secretly sinned ... and became useless..."
Father, our nation appears headed down a similar road. All that You described is happening again and this apostasy has even shown up in our leaders. Yet Your call is to each of us individually to come back to You - to listen to You and not be stubborn, to honor You and Your laws, to not sin even secretly but to show personal integrity even when we know we will not be found out. That's what they lost and what each of us must decide is worth fighting for - for "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." We can't fight that battle alone. I can't fight it without You, Father. Start inside me today.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
2 Kings 18 -- The Way To Live
"Hezekiah was 25 years old when he became king, and he ruled 29 years in Jerusalem ... Hezekiah did what the Lord said was right, just as his ancestor David had done ... Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel ... Hezekiah was loyal to t
"Hezekiah was 25 years old when he became king, and he ruled 29 years in Jerusalem ... Hezekiah did what the Lord said was right, just as his ancestor David had done ... Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel ... Hezekiah was loyal to the Lord and did not stop following Him; he obeyed the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with Hezekiah, so he had success in everything he did."
Hezekiah was a man against all odds. His father, Ahaz, had done the exact opposite in his life - everything God says is wrong. So he didn't come from the best family. He became king at an age when most young men would be gung-ho to express their power over others, yet he didn't. And instead of going with the flow of society, Hezekiah decided to make a difference - to use his position to bring his nation closer to God.
I know that my history isn't as stellar as Hezekiah's was in this chapter, but I also know that, as the Bible says, we are to forget the past and press on. Father, help me make the rest of my life as God-honoring as Hezekiah's was here. I'm not trying to make up my past - I'm just living for You each day instead of for myself.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Hezekiah was a man against all odds. His father, Ahaz, had done the exact opposite in his life - everything God says is wrong. So he didn't come from the best family. He became king at an age when most young men would be gung-ho to express their power over others, yet he didn't. And instead of going with the flow of society, Hezekiah decided to make a difference - to use his position to bring his nation closer to God.
I know that my history isn't as stellar as Hezekiah's was in this chapter, but I also know that, as the Bible says, we are to forget the past and press on. Father, help me make the rest of my life as God-honoring as Hezekiah's was here. I'm not trying to make up my past - I'm just living for You each day instead of for myself.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
2 Kings 19 -- Why God Listens
King Hezekiah's reaction to the ominous threat of the king of Assyria says everything about his faith. He tore his clothing as a sign of deep mourning for Judah's national sin that had led to this promised attack. Then he headed f
King Hezekiah's reaction to the ominous threat of the king of Assyria says everything about his faith. He tore his clothing as a sign of deep mourning for Judah's national sin that had led to this promised attack. Then he headed for the Temple -in other words, he was seeking God's presence. He sent messengers to Isaiah for help while he prayed. I think that his words in verse 4, "Maybe the Lord your God will hear what the commander said and will punish him for it," don't indicate any lack of faith in God's ability to hear and act. Instead, I think Hezekiah was very aware that Assyria's attack was coming as punishment for Judah's national sin, and he was in effect admitting to God that Judah had possibly forfeited their right to expect God to hear and respond.
Hezekiah received another taunting, threatening letter - this time from the Assyrian field commander. He again went to the Temple and spread it out before God and he prayed, reminding the Lord that the insults were not against Judah but against God Himself. He prayed for God's salvation "so that all the kingdoms of the earth will know that You, Lord, are the only God."
God answered him through Isaiah, with a direct message to the Assyrian king that said, "Long ago, I, the Lord, planned these things. Long ago, I designed them, and now I have made them happen... I know when you rest, when you come and go, and how you rage against Me. Because you rage against Me, and because I have heard your proud words, I will put My hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth. Then I will force you to leave My country the same way you came ... The strong love of the Lord All-Powerful will make this happen."
The Assyrians were pawns God was using to draw His people back to Him. He'd planned for their disobedience long ago and made all this happen to address it. It wasn't His anger at being disrespected by the Assyrian king that motivated His actions. Instead, it was His strong love for His people.
Father, You showed Your love here with incredible miracles! Yet the greatest display of Your love was that You planned for our sin long ago and You made plans before the first human ever sinned to draw us back to You and save us through the death of Your Son. You could have simply decided that we weren't worth creating if it would cause Your Son's death, but You did it anyway, so great was Your love for us. Thank You for loving me that much!
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Hezekiah received another taunting, threatening letter - this time from the Assyrian field commander. He again went to the Temple and spread it out before God and he prayed, reminding the Lord that the insults were not against Judah but against God Himself. He prayed for God's salvation "so that all the kingdoms of the earth will know that You, Lord, are the only God."
God answered him through Isaiah, with a direct message to the Assyrian king that said, "Long ago, I, the Lord, planned these things. Long ago, I designed them, and now I have made them happen... I know when you rest, when you come and go, and how you rage against Me. Because you rage against Me, and because I have heard your proud words, I will put My hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth. Then I will force you to leave My country the same way you came ... The strong love of the Lord All-Powerful will make this happen."
The Assyrians were pawns God was using to draw His people back to Him. He'd planned for their disobedience long ago and made all this happen to address it. It wasn't His anger at being disrespected by the Assyrian king that motivated His actions. Instead, it was His strong love for His people.
Father, You showed Your love here with incredible miracles! Yet the greatest display of Your love was that You planned for our sin long ago and You made plans before the first human ever sinned to draw us back to You and save us through the death of Your Son. You could have simply decided that we weren't worth creating if it would cause Your Son's death, but You did it anyway, so great was Your love for us. Thank You for loving me that much!
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
2 Kings 20-21 The Importance Of Pouring Your Understanding Of God Into Your Kids' Lives
Hezekiah had followed the Lord his God and overall was obedient to Him. His problem appeared to be pride. When Babylonian diplomats came to his palace, he foolishly showed them all his treasures, and they returned home with the informatio
Hezekiah had followed the Lord his God and overall was obedient to Him. His problem appeared to be pride. When Babylonian diplomats came to his palace, he foolishly showed them all his treasures, and they returned home with the information necessary to invade Jerusalem and remove all those treasures to Babylon at a later date. He was 54 when he died. At age 39, he'd almost died from an infection, but since he turned to the Lord for healing, God had granted him 15 additional years. My commentary says that it's possible that his son Manasseh was 12 when this happened, and that he co-ruled with his father for 10 years, until his father died.
You'd think that, with Hezekiah knowing that the clock was ticking, he'd have poured his understanding of God into his son's heart. But something went horribly wrong. For 55 years, Manasseh took Judah back into idol worship. We think that four hears of a president's rule can be entirely too long, yet it is nothing compared to the damage brought about by Manasseh's wrong-headed thinking as king for all that time.
He also had a son, Amon, who had his own son at age 16! He began to rule at age 22 for a short 2 years. He'd studied at his father's feet, and his reign reflected that evil. In chapter 21, it says, "Amon rejected the Lord, the God of his ancestors, and didn't follow the ways of the Lord."
It's apparent that evil is much easier for us to learn than righteousness. We fall into it with ease, while righteousness takes work. Yet nothing worth having comes without it. The Disciplined life God calls us to is for our good and for His glory, and it's worth fighting evil and temptation every step of the way.
Father, forgive me when I've relaxed in the fight, taking the easy road of sin. I hate every memory of it, and I regret that I didn't fully trust You in those times to know BEST. Please stoke up my trust in You and Your wisdom. Guide me when I'm tempted not to take the easy path, and help me pour into my son's souls everything I've come to know and understand about You and more.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
You'd think that, with Hezekiah knowing that the clock was ticking, he'd have poured his understanding of God into his son's heart. But something went horribly wrong. For 55 years, Manasseh took Judah back into idol worship. We think that four hears of a president's rule can be entirely too long, yet it is nothing compared to the damage brought about by Manasseh's wrong-headed thinking as king for all that time.
He also had a son, Amon, who had his own son at age 16! He began to rule at age 22 for a short 2 years. He'd studied at his father's feet, and his reign reflected that evil. In chapter 21, it says, "Amon rejected the Lord, the God of his ancestors, and didn't follow the ways of the Lord."
It's apparent that evil is much easier for us to learn than righteousness. We fall into it with ease, while righteousness takes work. Yet nothing worth having comes without it. The Disciplined life God calls us to is for our good and for His glory, and it's worth fighting evil and temptation every step of the way.
Father, forgive me when I've relaxed in the fight, taking the easy road of sin. I hate every memory of it, and I regret that I didn't fully trust You in those times to know BEST. Please stoke up my trust in You and Your wisdom. Guide me when I'm tempted not to take the easy path, and help me pour into my son's souls everything I've come to know and understand about You and more.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
2 Kings 22 The Past Is NOT Your Prison
He'd been raised in the royal palace. His granddad had been king when he was born, and he'd died when young Josiah was only 6. Josiah's dad had only been 16 when Josiah was born, and had taken the throne at age 22. He
He'd been raised in the royal palace. His granddad had been king when he was born, and he'd died when young Josiah was only 6. Josiah's dad had only been 16 when Josiah was born, and had taken the throne at age 22. He'd been murdered by his own officers just 2 years later. Now, just a boy at age 8, Josiah lacked a male relative to pattern his life after. That was a good thing, for both his father and his grandfather had taken their nation far from God over the preceding half-century.
By the time he turned 26, Josiah had taken an interest in the Temple, which had been severely neglected over those years. He ordered it to be cleaned up and repaired. That order would turn out to be a watershed event, for the high priest at the time had been operating at somewhat of a disadvantage - he apparently had no copies of the Scriptures. During the construction cleanup, he dusted off an old book, took one look, and exclaimed, "I've found the Book Of The Teachings!"
He asked the royal secretary to take it to the king. I suppose it had been so long since anyone had heard of it that the man had no idea of its importance. In a meeting later with Josiah, he first gave a financial report on the construction project, then offhandedly mentioned, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book..."
Josiah asked him to read from it. My commentary says it was most likely Genesis through Deuteronomy, or it might have been just Deuteronomy, but it was enough. As the secretary began to read, Josiah began to weep. He hadn't known the mess his ancestors had made of their county. He'd had no idea what God had required of them. His sorrow at all those wasted years caused him to tear his clothes in remorse. Not daring to approach God himself, he sent the high priest and others to a prophetess who confirmed his fears. It was too late for Israel, and Judah was at the edge of the cliff. But Josiah's sorrow had touched God's heart, and God said, "This is why I have heard you." And that made all the difference for him.
My sidebar says: "God has not left you adrift on a sea of heredity. Just like Josiah, you cannot control the way your forefathers responded to God. But you can control the way you respond to Him. The past does not have to be your prison. You have a voice in your destiny. You have a say in your life. You have a choice in the path you take. Choose well and someday - generations from now - your grandchildren and great-grandchildren will thank God for the seeds you sowed."
Father, eternity won't be long enough for me to thank You for drawing me out of the mess I'd made of my life and back to You. Where would I have been without You? Where would my boys have been? Continue to help me hear Your voice and respond to You each day. I love You!
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
By the time he turned 26, Josiah had taken an interest in the Temple, which had been severely neglected over those years. He ordered it to be cleaned up and repaired. That order would turn out to be a watershed event, for the high priest at the time had been operating at somewhat of a disadvantage - he apparently had no copies of the Scriptures. During the construction cleanup, he dusted off an old book, took one look, and exclaimed, "I've found the Book Of The Teachings!"
He asked the royal secretary to take it to the king. I suppose it had been so long since anyone had heard of it that the man had no idea of its importance. In a meeting later with Josiah, he first gave a financial report on the construction project, then offhandedly mentioned, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book..."
Josiah asked him to read from it. My commentary says it was most likely Genesis through Deuteronomy, or it might have been just Deuteronomy, but it was enough. As the secretary began to read, Josiah began to weep. He hadn't known the mess his ancestors had made of their county. He'd had no idea what God had required of them. His sorrow at all those wasted years caused him to tear his clothes in remorse. Not daring to approach God himself, he sent the high priest and others to a prophetess who confirmed his fears. It was too late for Israel, and Judah was at the edge of the cliff. But Josiah's sorrow had touched God's heart, and God said, "This is why I have heard you." And that made all the difference for him.
My sidebar says: "God has not left you adrift on a sea of heredity. Just like Josiah, you cannot control the way your forefathers responded to God. But you can control the way you respond to Him. The past does not have to be your prison. You have a voice in your destiny. You have a say in your life. You have a choice in the path you take. Choose well and someday - generations from now - your grandchildren and great-grandchildren will thank God for the seeds you sowed."
Father, eternity won't be long enough for me to thank You for drawing me out of the mess I'd made of my life and back to You. Where would I have been without You? Where would my boys have been? Continue to help me hear Your voice and respond to You each day. I love You!
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
2 Kings 23 -- My Kind Of Leader
Josiah was my kind of leader. He caught the vision and then cast that vision to his subjects. He worked with fervor, not letting anything get in his way until the job was done. Impossible was not in his vocabulary, and he cut right
Josiah was my kind of leader. He caught the vision and then cast that vision to his subjects. He worked with fervor, not letting anything get in his way until the job was done. Impossible was not in his vocabulary, and he cut right through any obstacles. He also didn't compromise on his values.
Josiah made no excuses for his ancestry or his upbringing. He didn't let it drag him down. He simply did the right thing. Doing the math, Josiah appears to have been just over 14 years old when his oldest son was born and 16 when his second son was born. Today, we'd say that he would have been destined for a life of trouble and hardship. But from age 26 to age 39, he got on fire for God and made His Will his life's mission.
His oldest sons were 10-12 years old as all of these reforms began, and one would think that they'd have seen their dad as a national hero and followed in his footsteps. But when he was killed in battle at the young age of 39, neither of them adopted his fervor - in fact, they let the nation slip back into idolatry, undoing much of what Josiah had accomplished.
Father, this brings two things to mind for me. First, I pray that You will plant in my sons the same fervor for You that You planted in my own heart. Let it not be all head-knowledge for them. Let it be heart-felt.
Secondly, I've seen myself losing my fervor at work because many situations I must deal with appear beyond my control. I fully realize that kings back then could move mountains, and I know I'm no king. Please help me to focus on doing the right thing and help me remember that it is possible to eat an elephant - it simply must be done one bite at a time. I need Your help in every area of my life, and today I ask You for Your help in my work life.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Josiah made no excuses for his ancestry or his upbringing. He didn't let it drag him down. He simply did the right thing. Doing the math, Josiah appears to have been just over 14 years old when his oldest son was born and 16 when his second son was born. Today, we'd say that he would have been destined for a life of trouble and hardship. But from age 26 to age 39, he got on fire for God and made His Will his life's mission.
His oldest sons were 10-12 years old as all of these reforms began, and one would think that they'd have seen their dad as a national hero and followed in his footsteps. But when he was killed in battle at the young age of 39, neither of them adopted his fervor - in fact, they let the nation slip back into idolatry, undoing much of what Josiah had accomplished.
Father, this brings two things to mind for me. First, I pray that You will plant in my sons the same fervor for You that You planted in my own heart. Let it not be all head-knowledge for them. Let it be heart-felt.
Secondly, I've seen myself losing my fervor at work because many situations I must deal with appear beyond my control. I fully realize that kings back then could move mountains, and I know I'm no king. Please help me to focus on doing the right thing and help me remember that it is possible to eat an elephant - it simply must be done one bite at a time. I need Your help in every area of my life, and today I ask You for Your help in my work life.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
2 Kings 25 -- The Death Of A Nation
This is one of my least favorite chapters in the entire Bible. The people of Judah had refused to obey God for so long that His only remaining act of grace was to send them into exile in Babylon. The death of a nation is recorded here.&nb
This is one of my least favorite chapters in the entire Bible. The people of Judah had refused to obey God for so long that His only remaining act of grace was to send them into exile in Babylon. The death of a nation is recorded here.
My commentary said, "The nation had failed under Moses, had failed under the judges, and now had failed under the kings. The PEOPLE refused to listen to God's Word. They refused to be moved by the tears of the prophets. They hardened their hearts and stiffened their necks until God appointed the Assyrians and Babylonians to teach them that the wages of sin is death. The captivity served its purpose well: it purged the heart of God's chosen people of idolatry."
I so worry about our own nation today. We are sacrificing the very core of our beliefs on the altar of tolerance and multiculturalism. Every other religion on the planet is approached with kid gloves, as if speaking against them or failing to honor them as holy might bring on the wrath of their gods. Yet the very religion that the founders of this land used as the basis for its laws and constitution is treated with disdain, pushed to the fringes of societal tolerance, and made to feel like judgmental bigots. The animals are in charge of the zoo.
Father, don't let us repeat the fate of the last citizens of Judah. Don't let us languish in a land that tries to sideline You and where idolatry has free rein. Place in power this November those who would honor Your rule over us rather than those who despise You. Wake up our electorate and cause them to understand what Your will is for America.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
My commentary said, "The nation had failed under Moses, had failed under the judges, and now had failed under the kings. The PEOPLE refused to listen to God's Word. They refused to be moved by the tears of the prophets. They hardened their hearts and stiffened their necks until God appointed the Assyrians and Babylonians to teach them that the wages of sin is death. The captivity served its purpose well: it purged the heart of God's chosen people of idolatry."
I so worry about our own nation today. We are sacrificing the very core of our beliefs on the altar of tolerance and multiculturalism. Every other religion on the planet is approached with kid gloves, as if speaking against them or failing to honor them as holy might bring on the wrath of their gods. Yet the very religion that the founders of this land used as the basis for its laws and constitution is treated with disdain, pushed to the fringes of societal tolerance, and made to feel like judgmental bigots. The animals are in charge of the zoo.
Father, don't let us repeat the fate of the last citizens of Judah. Don't let us languish in a land that tries to sideline You and where idolatry has free rein. Place in power this November those who would honor Your rule over us rather than those who despise You. Wake up our electorate and cause them to understand what Your will is for America.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Judges 1 -- Reviewing The Beginning In Light Of The End
It always amazes me to move from the end of 2 Kings ( and the end of Judah as a nation) back to Judges 1 (the spot in history where Judah is just starting to capture its territory as its tribe settles into the Promised Land). It's almost li
It always amazes me to move from the end of 2 Kings ( and the end of Judah as a nation) back to Judges 1 (the spot in history where Judah is just starting to capture its territory as its tribe settles into the Promised Land). It's almost like looking back on how America started and got to where we are today.
Here, hindsight makes their mistakes so easy to see. Of course, God was telling them all along what they needed to be doing. They simply chose compromises instead.
God promised Judah victory. Instead, they asked Simeon to help them, showing their lack of faith by not depending completely on the Word of God. They were told to rid the land of Canaanites. But at Bezek, instead of killing the king, they maimed him as he had maimed others. They fought against the Jebusites in Jerusalem and the hilltop part of the city known as Mt. Zion. Capturing the lower city, they burned what would later become their capital, just as the Romans would do in 70 A.D. BUT, they failed to drive the Jebusites from Mt. Zion, and they occupied it until the time of David.
The Canaanites in the flatlands between Jerusalem and the Mediterranean had iron chariots, something Israel had never possessed. "Judah did not have the faith to launch an attack against them. They were unwilling to persevere in difficult circumstances," my commentary said.
In readying to attack Bethel, they even promised safety to a collaborator rather than killing him as God had commanded. He later went into the land of the Hittites and built a city there that would eventually cause problems for the Israelites. "Unjudged sin survives and has to be met later," my commentary correctly noted.
My sidebar continued these thoughts: "Compromises [with sin] never work. We always get burned. Even though we rationalize around our weak decisions and tell ourselves that wicked associations really won't harm us, we get soiled in the process."
The intro to Judges says, "It's intended to be a warning. A warning of what happens when God is ignored and passions are worshiped." And then it asks, "What sin did you PURPOSEFULLY commit yesterday or today? Learn from Israel: Compromise can be deadly. Decide today to be totally faithful and obedient to God."
Father, I think we become hamstrung by the thought that we're much like Judah and Israel eventually turned out - that we've already compromised and therefore we can't go back - our souls are already soiled. But what You tell us is "Go and sin no more." We see that as an impossible command, yet Jesus didn't. Please help me to believe even more. I'll have no idea this side of heaven what a difference that one belief can mean to the rest of my life!
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Here, hindsight makes their mistakes so easy to see. Of course, God was telling them all along what they needed to be doing. They simply chose compromises instead.
God promised Judah victory. Instead, they asked Simeon to help them, showing their lack of faith by not depending completely on the Word of God. They were told to rid the land of Canaanites. But at Bezek, instead of killing the king, they maimed him as he had maimed others. They fought against the Jebusites in Jerusalem and the hilltop part of the city known as Mt. Zion. Capturing the lower city, they burned what would later become their capital, just as the Romans would do in 70 A.D. BUT, they failed to drive the Jebusites from Mt. Zion, and they occupied it until the time of David.
The Canaanites in the flatlands between Jerusalem and the Mediterranean had iron chariots, something Israel had never possessed. "Judah did not have the faith to launch an attack against them. They were unwilling to persevere in difficult circumstances," my commentary said.
In readying to attack Bethel, they even promised safety to a collaborator rather than killing him as God had commanded. He later went into the land of the Hittites and built a city there that would eventually cause problems for the Israelites. "Unjudged sin survives and has to be met later," my commentary correctly noted.
My sidebar continued these thoughts: "Compromises [with sin] never work. We always get burned. Even though we rationalize around our weak decisions and tell ourselves that wicked associations really won't harm us, we get soiled in the process."
The intro to Judges says, "It's intended to be a warning. A warning of what happens when God is ignored and passions are worshiped." And then it asks, "What sin did you PURPOSEFULLY commit yesterday or today? Learn from Israel: Compromise can be deadly. Decide today to be totally faithful and obedient to God."
Father, I think we become hamstrung by the thought that we're much like Judah and Israel eventually turned out - that we've already compromised and therefore we can't go back - our souls are already soiled. But what You tell us is "Go and sin no more." We see that as an impossible command, yet Jesus didn't. Please help me to believe even more. I'll have no idea this side of heaven what a difference that one belief can mean to the rest of my life!
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
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