The God Who Never Fails

 Scripture:

“Early the next morning they marched out to the Desert of Tekoa. When they were ready to march, Jehoshaphat stood up and said: “Listen to me, you people of Judah and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord your God and you will be safe! Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.”” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭20‬:‭20‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jehoshaphat was nervous about a huge army coming from Edom toward God’s people. He decided to turn towards God with all his heart. He called the nation together to fast and seek God. Once God answered, Jehoshaphat was confident and told the people to trust in the Lord and they would be safe. He told them to listen to God’s prophets and they would win. They saw the Lord destroy the enemy armies and they had to do nothing. 

Application:

When we are in a covenant with God, He will fight our battles. He takes care of His own. He can deliver us from whatever comes against us. Just as Jehoshaphat told his people, we must trust in the Lord and trust the message of His prophets. Then we will win. We need to trust God and what He is speaking above our own wisdom and understanding. We should ask, “What is God saying about this?” 

Prayer:

Lord, I want to know Your voice and do what You speak to me. Open my ears so I can hear clearly. Open my eyes to see what You are doing. Help me to follow Your word and Your Spirit with all my heart. Fight my battles as I look to You. You are my rock and my fortress. You are my defender. Help me to win every battle. You are the God who never fails.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

The Blessings of Following the Lord

 Scripture:

“He said to the people of Judah: “Let’s build these cities and fortify them with walls, towers, and barred gates. The land remains ours because we have followed the Lord our God and he has made us secure on all sides.” So they built the cities and prospered.” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭14‬:‭7‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

King Asa of Judah followed the Lord with all his heart. He told the people, “The land remains ours because we have followed the Lord our God and he has made us secure on all sides.” He understood that obedience to the Lord and serving Him in the way He wants to be served, is the best thing any people can do. He realized that it was the Lord who made them secure and not their own abilities. This verse closes saying “so they built the cities and prospered.”

Application:

When we wholly follow the Lord, we can expect His blessing on our lives. When we do things His way, instead of our own, we will prosper. There is great joy and peace in knowing that God is with us and fighting on our behalf. When we follow the Lord, we can expect wins because He will fight on our behalf. I want to fully follow the Lord in every area of my life. I want everything I touch to prosper because the Lord is with me.

Prayer:

Lots God, You are awesome and I love You with all my heart. You have been so good to me. Help me to walk out my days filled with Your Spirit and following Your voice. Help me to live a life that pleases You and that You can bless. Let my answer always be yes and my feet be quick to walk through open doors. Let my life be used for Your glory.

Yours,

Jeff

Decisions Determine Destiny

 Scripture:

“May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf! Because of your God’s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them, he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions.”” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭9‬:‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The Queen of Sheeba came to see if everything she heard about Solomon was true. She found out it was more and better than what had been described to her. When she saw the wisdom and reign of Solomon, she declared that God should be praised because He favored Solomon an hour him on the throne to rule on His behalf. She gave glory to God because of Solomon’s leadership. She even said that God put him in charge because of God’s love and commitment to Israel. Lastly, Solomon was put there to make right decisions for God and His people.

Application:

Your decisions determine your future. God put Solomon as king of Israel because he knew he would make right decisions. Those right decisions caused people around the world to be in awe of God’s kingdom that operated through Solomon. God puts people in positions to make decisions because decisions determine destiny. We must be people who learn to make right decisions. We must seek God and make decisions from His perspective. 

Prayer:

Lots God Almighty, help me to make right decisions for my family, my church, and for those I serve. Help me make decisions that will bring about Your destiny in the earth. I want to live a life that is surrendered fully to You. Show me the way forward and help me to make right and godly decisions.

Yours,

Jeff

Covenantal Loyalty

 Scripture:

“and prayed: “O Lord God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth! You maintain covenantal loyalty to your servants who obey you with sincerity.” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭6‬:‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

As Solomon was dedicating the Temple he had built for the Lord, he prayed the prayer above. First, he declared that there was no god like our God. He then said that God maintains covenantal loyalty to His servants who obey Him. In other words, God remains faithful to the covenant He makes with people.

Application:

When we have sincere hearts, we can expect nothing by covenantal loyalty from God. When we keep our end of the covenant, He will always keep His end. He is faithful beyond our imagination. Our job is to be faithful to our end of the covenant, which means obedience to the ways and desires of the Lord. A covenant is an agreement. We have to agree to live how God tells us to live or the covenant is broken.

Prayer:

Father, help me to live faithful to the covenant. Help me to walk in obedience at all times to Your word. There is truly no god like You in heaven or on earth. You are amazing! Let my life shine for You and let me live an obedient life in every area. Show me each day how to live a life that is pleasing to You and I will walk in it. I want to uphold my end of the covenant.

Yours,

Jeff

Wisdom and Discernment

 Scripture:

“Now give me wisdom and discernment so I can effectively lead this nation. Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation of yours.”” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭1‬:‭10‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Solomon had the opportunity to ask God for anything he wanted. Given that opportunity, he asked God to give him wisdom and discernment so he could lead the nation effectively. Because of his heart in this matter, the Lord said He would give Solomon treasures untold and God’s blessing would be upon him. He asked right, and God have the rest.

Application:

Our heart should never be in pursuit of things. We should not be after more money, wealth, items, etc. we should want God first, then for Him to give us wisdom and guidance for our lives and the lives of those around us. More than more money, I need more wisdom and discernment to lead God’s people well. More than more staff, I need wisdom on how to lead God’s people well. We must pursue the right things.

Prayer:

Father, I look to You this morning. Give me wisdom and discernment. Give me an understanding heart that knows what to do each day. Show me how to interact with people. Teach me to lead well. Show me how to walk with You and lead others. I need Your insight. Let me hear Your voice clearly.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

When God Promotes

 Scripture:

“The Lord greatly magnified Solomon before all Israel and bestowed on him greater majesty than any king of Israel before him.” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭29‬:‭25‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

David was a great kind of Israel who accomplished incredible things, but this verse says his sons and relatives Solomon was greatly magnified by the Lord before Israel and that God gave him greater majesty than anyone king before him. It’s hard to outdo David, but in God’s eyes, Solomon was more blessed than David. When God lifts a person up, it is powerful!

Application:

It is God who lifts up and who puts down people. It is God who promotes and who demotes. We should live our lives, not seeking promotion, but seeking God. When we seek Him first and foremost, the blessing follows. We must always walk humbly before our God because He can cause things to happen in our lives that we never could. He is awesome!

Prayer:

Father, you bestowed incredible favor and blessing on Solomon. You caused him to be blessed beyond measure. Help me to live a life that You can bless. Teach me how to operate according to Your ways. Are my life apart for Your glory and let me fulfill Your will in all things. Help me to serve You well and to make Your name great in all the earth.

Yours,

Jeff

Training Faithful Men

 Scripture:

“All these were the descendants of Obed-Edom. They and their sons and relatives were respected men, capable of doing their responsibilities. There were sixty-two of them related to Obed-Edom.” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭26‬:‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The home of Obed-Edom was known in the Bible as the only place besides the Tabernacle or Temple that housed the ark of the covenant without it causing some problems. He was blessed powerfully for housing the Ark of God’s Presence, apparently in a manner that God honored and appreciated. This verse tells a little more of the story. His sons and relatives were respected me who could do their responsibilities. 

Application:

When a man lives a life that God can bless, his generations are also blessed. Faithful men raise faithful men. I want to live a life God can bless and see my generations blessed because of my obedience. I want to set an example others can follow and demonstrate a way that works for becoming a man of God.

Prayer:

Father, help me to follow You completely. Teach me Your ways and Your heart. I want to serve You well in my generation and leave a legacy and inheritance for the next generation. Help me to follow You completely and to raise up faithful men who will teach others. Let a strong group of godly men arise that can be trusted with the riches of Your kingdom.

Yours,

Jeff