1 Kings 20,21; 2 Chronicles 17; Colossians 3

After succeeding his father, Asa, Jehoshaphat strengthened himself against Israel. The Bible says "... He sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel." (2 Chronicles 17:4)

Jehoshaphat sent teachers with the Book of the Law throughout Judah. Unfortunately he made the mistake of allying himself with Ahab. (2 Chronicles 18:1) One of Ahab’s problems is he didn’t like hearing the truth and this drove him to false prophets and false spirits. Jehoshaphat wanted a real prophet of God. Ahab didn't, saying "But I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me." (1 Kings 22:8) Micaiah prophesied disaster for Israel. In a strange parody of a self-fulfilling prophecy, Ahab says, "Didn't I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?" In the coming battle, Ahab in disguise is killed and Jehoshaphat returns to his palace in Jerusalem. He then begins to turn the people back to God. He appoints judges in the land and in the fortified cities. In Jerusalem, he appoints Levites and family heads to administer the Law of the Lord. (2 Chronicles 19:8)

We should be encouraged to not stand in a place of pride or just wanting our ears tickled as Ahab did. Instead let’s be open to the Lord and attack every day from a place of humility saying, “Lord what would YOU have me do today”. (Jehoshaphat set his face to seek the LORD….2 Chronicles 20:3)

When Paul wrote to the Christians in Colossae (the book of Colossians) he did this because many of the Christians there had begun to listen to false teachers, like Ahab and his false prophets. One of the most devastating things about false teachings is so many of them have threads of truth or better said may seem so close to the gospel that it is hard to spot the truth from fiction. Yet these false teachings fork off on their own journey that runs down a crooked path. Paul really tried to emphasize Christ is superior in this letter. I believe Paul wrote more about Christ in Colossians than in any other letters. These letters remind us that our past life is gone, “water under the bridge”. Christ has made us free and calls us to live in that freedom. So, again let’s take every day and ask the Lord, “What would YOU have me do today?” as we live our lives for His service.

Blessings,
Pastor Jason


Next Reading: 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18,19; Colossians 4

Ruth 1,2; Psalm 53; 61; 2 Corinthians 5

“Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy.” Psalm 61:1-3

“The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge." Ruth 2:12

Is your heart overwhelmed today? Do you need a strong tower from the enemy? Two of our passages deal with people in crisis, people who need their God to be a strong tower from the enemy and a refuge from the storm. David writes this psalm at a time that he had been in exile because of the rebellion of his son Absalom. David had fled across the Jordan River as an army from Hebron, led by Absalom, came to take Jerusalem. He did not want to face his son in battle. Rather than taking a stand in Jerusalem, a victory that would have surely been David’s, the King fled with his armies in to exile. David cries out to God, “Hear my cry, O God, attend to my prayer.” (Psalm 61:2) In Ruth we read the story of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. Naomi returns to Jerusalem, broken and destitute, with her daughter in law Ruth, a foreigner. Both women are widows and without a redemptive miracle, they will both be poorly outcast and beggars or for a young, widowed woman, even worse, sent to the streets. I am sure Naomi cried out, O God, hear my cry…attend to my prayer! When we are in crisis it seems more like the end of the world, rather than the ends of the earth! Many a time I have cried out, “Lord, lead me, lead me to THE Rock, that is higher than I.” When we are so low, there is only one place to go and that is up. But when we are feeling so low, up seems so far away. But God is THE Rock and He does lift us up to a place that is higher than our circumstances, higher than us. “He is the Rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” (Deut. 32:4) “The Eternal God is my refuge and underneath is His everlasting arms.” (Deut. 33:27) God is faithful, He is our Rock, He is our Refuge. God delivers Naomi and Ruth, God rescues David, and God delivers and rescues us. Perhaps today, you need the deliverance and rescuing of your God. Today is your day, your day to cry out to God and a day to be led to the Rock, Jesus Christ.

Victorious in Christ,
Carol Danna

Next Reading: Ruth 3, 4; Psalm 64-65; 2 Corinthians 6