I keep picturing the great army of Judah, lead by a great king, Jehoshaphat . I don't see him as a puny or weak man with a name like that. The enemies are joining and declaring war on Judah. Really, I see a William Wallace scene with horses, faces painted, and archers ready to unleash the first round of defense. We know from the reading today that this was not the exact case.
King Jehoshaphat was a king who loved God and followed His ways. He was far from perfect and messed up more than few times. We see in chapter 20 that this great king was afraid when he heard of his neighbors conspiring against him. Fear. An emotion we all know. We have enemies, and we have a common enemy, the evil one who challenges all of us daily in a spiritual battle. But Judah was facing a physical battle on top of the spiritual battle, and what was the first thing the king did? Prayed.
Jehoshaphat fell to his knees in prayer and fasted, followed by all his people. He starts this beautiful prayer with praise and acknowledging God's sovereign and almighty power. He knows his past and knows God's faithfulness. The prayer ends and God's power and plan is revealed. The battle belongs to the Lord.
Who was the first to stand after that?? The choir. The Levites. Not the men with swords, the archers, the warriors. The physically strong were not the ones to lead the army to the battle ground. It was the sound of worshippers and song that went out first. In 1905 Charles Spurgeon called this "The Singing Army". Not a epic title or battle scene that could take on Braveheart or Gladiator, right?
This is such a lesson to me about the power of worship and the power of trusting in God. I have mentioned before that in the past I taught Sunday school to first graders. We learned the ABC's of God. This story of Judah and the singing army was a way of learning S: God is Self-Sufficient. He doesn't need any of us or anything to show His glory. God defeated the enemies on His own and blessed the people of Judah who trusted Him.
I'm convicted I how much do I really (i mean really) trust God to fight my battles? Not just physical ones, but spiritual ones too? What is my weapon? My determination? My knowledge? Self reliance? Or is it the sword of the spirit? My song and praise to my King???
We have a merciful God and Father. He has told us that the battle belong to Him. We must trust and believe Him that He will do it. Be joyful. Sing praises to our King.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Tuesday June 5th
On Sunday, we were introduced to Ahab, king of Israel, and his wife Jezebel. Out of a string of evil and wicked kings, Ahab was infamous for being the worst and Jezebel urged him on every step of the way. Together, they did terrible things: murder, idolatry, jealousy, theft, hatred, willful disregard for God's commands. In today's reading, Ahab was about to go into battle against Ben-Hadad king of Aram. God told Ahab that he would hand the enemy army over to him and "then you will know that I am the Lord." (1 Kgs 20:13)
On Sunday we sang the song "Your Love Never Fails." One line that stuck in my head was this: "I know I still make mistakes but You have new mercies for me everyday." Ahab's wickedness was great, but God's mercy was greater. Unfortunately, Ahab did not take this opportunity to make things right with God. Fortunately, we have the same opportunity everyday when we make mistakes. We can accept His grace and live in fellowship with Him. If God was faithful enough to show mercy to Ahab, then He certainly can gives us new mercies everyday.
added note to Monday June 4th's reading
Just wanted to add this additional thought to yesterday's post:
I know that Mt. Carmel sits near the Mediterranean Sea (approx 15 miles or so) and that this "could" have been the source of the 12 jugs of water. But even if this were the case it doesn't change the sacrifice that was given. Elijah asked for 4 large jars of water to be poured over the offering. They would have had to travel those 15 or so miles to fill them and then carry them all the way back again (no taxi's to help them on this task). Then Elijah asked for 4 more jugs requiring a second trip and then a third trip for 4 more jugs. All this time, effort, and energy to do something you don't do when you want to start a fire (pour water on it). It still could have been seen as foolish and a waste but the sacrifice of time and effort was as equally important as the sacrifice of possessions. The outcome of God's glory and power was still the ultimate goal of this sacrificial obedience, not personal gain. Sacrifice doesn't always mean giving of our wealth (no matter how great or small) it often time means trusting the Lord with every aspect of our lives. Time and energy is often a very coveted thing to us especially when the benefit is all for others and not necessarily for our own gain. Time is a gift from God, we need to make sure that we give a good portion of it back to him to use as he sees fit.
I know that Mt. Carmel sits near the Mediterranean Sea (approx 15 miles or so) and that this "could" have been the source of the 12 jugs of water. But even if this were the case it doesn't change the sacrifice that was given. Elijah asked for 4 large jars of water to be poured over the offering. They would have had to travel those 15 or so miles to fill them and then carry them all the way back again (no taxi's to help them on this task). Then Elijah asked for 4 more jugs requiring a second trip and then a third trip for 4 more jugs. All this time, effort, and energy to do something you don't do when you want to start a fire (pour water on it). It still could have been seen as foolish and a waste but the sacrifice of time and effort was as equally important as the sacrifice of possessions. The outcome of God's glory and power was still the ultimate goal of this sacrificial obedience, not personal gain. Sacrifice doesn't always mean giving of our wealth (no matter how great or small) it often time means trusting the Lord with every aspect of our lives. Time and energy is often a very coveted thing to us especially when the benefit is all for others and not necessarily for our own gain. Time is a gift from God, we need to make sure that we give a good portion of it back to him to use as he sees fit.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Monday June 4th
"To obey is better than sacrifice."
This truth we have come across over and over again in our reading of the bible this year. But what happens when obedience requires great sacrifice? When they go hand in hand? When we are asked to obediently give of all we have or what is most valuable and irreplaceable to us? In today's reading we come across two very big examples of sacrificial obedience.
The first is of the widow whom Elijah meets at a town gate. He asks her for no small gift:
"Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?"
Remember that there is a drought going on so water is limited and precious. Her response, though, was obedience. She went to go and get it but then Elijah asks for something even bigger, something that would challenge her ability to be obedient:
"And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
There is no Stew Leonard's to run to get some bread. This would require her to make him a piece of bread from what she had in her house. This widow only had enough flour and oil left to make one simple meal, one last simple meal for her and her son. Elijah was asking for her to give him everything she had left. He did give her a promise though, that if she used the flour and oil she had left to first make a cake for him then she would see that God would provide and that every time she went to the jar for flour and the jug for oil she would have enough to supply her each day. But first she had to be willing to obediently sacrifice all that she had and then trust that God would indeed provide. First give to God and trust him to then provide. Not the other way around.
How difficult is that? Even with the promise of blessing it is very difficult to give first and then trust that God will provide for our needs. Even though God promises us, like the widow, that if we give to him whole heartedly and trust him with all that we have he will pour out blessing on us.
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Malachi 3:10
I personally struggle with the trusting. I want to figure out how God might possibly provide the flour for my jar and where the oil might come from for the empty jug I will own. I like to try and have a grip on the "how" before my heart yields and willingly lets go of the illusion of control I possess. But that is not obedience. That is hesitation and doubt on my part. That does not trust an all-powerful God to provide for my needs in any way he may wish to do so. I in turn rob myself of the joy in experiencing the awesome power and glory of a very great God.
That leads to the second example of sacrificial obedience:
When Elijah was on Mt. Carmel and the prophets of Baal failed to call fire down upon their sacrifice Elijah does something crazy. He calls for 4 large jugs of water to be poured over the sacrifice. He does this 3 times for a total of 12 large jugs of water. Besides the fact that water soaked logs aren't typically used to start a fire (but prevent it) what is more amazing is that the water itself was part of the obedient sacrifice. Remember there had been a long drought in the land so every bit of water would have been priceless and Elijah is giving up 12 large jugs with no future benefit to him or anyone else (very different from the promise of unlimited bread for the widows sacrificial obedience). There is no promise of an end to the drought should Elijah do this. To those watching this is madness. It doesn't make sense. It is wasteful and foolish. To those who trust a powerful God it is a sure fire way (no pun intended) to experience the fullness of God. The only thing to be gained from giving here is to see and experience the glory to God. For his greatness and power to be shown to all. No personal benefit. It will prove that God alone has power and authority. That water could have been given to families to help them live but God saw that it was better to use it for this instance of shining his glory so the blind could see the truth and live in his blessing.
What was not known before hand was that shortly after this show of obedience, after God first rained down fire, he then sent a cloud. The first rain cloud in years. It wasn't a sky filled with dark thunderclouds that would relieve years of drought but a small cloud the size of a fist that offered the first sign of hope for a scorched land. A small sign of God's faithfulness to provide for the needs of those he loves. Just like with the widow God was being faithful to those who had shown sacrificial obedience.
What am I willing to give to the Lord? What is most precious to me? What do I hold dearly? What can I not live without (or more correctly what do I not want to live without)? What would I need to give up in order to truly feel the sting of sacrifice so that I can experience that soothing awe of God and his abundant blessing in my life? What I am willing to give up reflects how much I trust God. If I give little then I trust only a little. If I give all then I completely trust my God and my savior with my life, every aspect of it.
What have you given to the Lord lately? What more are you willing to give to him if he were to ask? Time, Money, Talent, Energy, Possessions: hold them all with open hands and a willing heart to let God use you and that which you have to grow his kingdom and I promise you that you will experience blessing and his power in your life. I'm not saying you are going to win the $600 million dollar lottery, that doesn't bring true joy. The blessing and power that awaits us is greater then anything money can buy.
Trust God and be ready to obey through sacrifice if he should come calling. You will never regret it and that is a promise!
Sunday, June 3, 2012
03 JUNE 12 self reflection
Today's reading 03 JUNE 12
We are found in the middle of the history of kings! This history is tainted with Evil, Greed, selfishness, debauchery, wickedness, suicide, lust and a whole host of other junk! Asa and his son Jehoshaphat were the only two good King's yet even Asa when his feet were struck with a disease would not go to God with his affliction, but only went to the doctor. What this all comes down to is OBEDIENCE!! Plain and simple clean uncut in your face completely sold out to God OBEDIENCE.
We can sit here and judge these kings, and say, "boy if that was me I would of done this," or "I would never of done that," "wow, these kings were stupid," Let's be honest when I read passages like this I must look into a mirror and ask myself, how am I DISOBEDIEDANT to God? In what ways can I look at these kings with understanding of myself? Instead of getting up on my pedestal and pointing fingers.
Remember when Gov John Roland who in my opinion was a great Governor for the state. The only Gov to be elected to three terms since 1785, but Jonny boy was not with out his share of sin. Interesting at the same time, Waterbury's Philip Giordano, Bridgeport's Joe Ganim both remain behind bars. And then, Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez was under investigation. Each of them had work done to their private homes involving companies jockeying for contacts with the city and state. Why did I bring this up? Keep reading. Gov Roland said of Joe Ganim "His sentence was not nearly long enough for what he did to the City of Bridgeport" (at the same time he was guilt of the same thing)
We unfairly pass judgments on people, thinking were better or forgetting what we have done, or we see things in other people that hate about ourselves so we become the harshest of critics.
Remember Mat 7:1,2 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Remember when we point a finger at someone we have three pointing back at us!
Chuck Goulart
Saturday, June 2, 2012
June 2
June 2, 2012
The Summary of a Life
2 Chron. 12:1, 14 After Rehoboam's position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all
Our study of the kings over the next few weeks will include a one verse summary of their lives. It will either describe them as doing evil in the eyes of the Lord or it will be a good report of doing good and right in the eyes of the Lord. It might not seem fair to boil life down to one sentence, but life isn't always fair. This is a reminder that there will be a day when our lives will be summarized in one sentence too.
Rehoboam was not half as bad as some of the other kings, but the Scriptures still say "he did evil." There are several hints about why he walked on an evil pathway. It might be good for us to know the causes.
He could have had poor parental guidance. His father Solomon was never nominated as "Father of the Year" and his mother was an Ammonite. Poor parenting could have impacted his spiritual formation.
"He abandoned the law" is a rather serious charge coming from our reading today. His father Solomon began his reign seeking the Lord and His wisdom, but Rehoboam did not. He forsook God's wisdom and counsel and turned to his fraternity brothers for advice.
We usually "abandon the law" on a gradual decline. We get particularly busy at work and don't have time to read in the morning, we wake up late, or we just don't feel like reading that particular day. Regardless of the excuses, we always end up in the same place. We abandon God as he waits alone in the quiet spots in our homes.
The normal consequence of abandonment of God's Word is a phony life. When the gold shields of Solomon were taken, they were replaced with shields made of brass. Instead of saying, "We messed up and God used our enemies to humble us," Rehoboam made brass shields, told his guys to polish them really hard, and hoped no one noticed. I am color blind but I can tell the difference between gold and brass, no matter how polished it is. Rehoboam wasn't fooling anyone and neither are we when we put up the polished façade, no matter how hard we work on image control.
The real reason for his poor life summary was he "did not set his heart on seeking the Lord." That was a huge failure. I wonder what he was seeking after. Popularity, power, pleasure or prestige... all the same distractions we have today. The only issue in life that matters is knowing God. If we go through this day and fail to connect with God, to enjoy his presence, to say that we love him... if we fail to do these things we have wasted a day.
Two reflection questions for you today:
1. What are you seeking after? (Hint: this gets the highest heart rate during the week.)
2. What will the one sentence summary of your life be?
Special Note: We are closing in on the halfway point of our spiritual journey. We are going to schedule a picnic to celebrate. The date is Thursday, June 28th. The time is 6:30 pm. The location is our backyard or the church basement in case of rain. This will be a potluck and we would like to take the luck out of it, so email Kathie and let her know what you can bring. Her email is taylor251@hotmail.com.
Friday, June 01, 2012
Friday, June 01, 2012
Rehoboam (Solomon's son) is made king of Israel following Solomon's
death. Soon after, the nation of Israel is divided and never again
will be unified. This division occurs when Rehoboam chooses to work
Israel even harder than his father did rather than reduce their
burden. Ten of Israel's tribes defect to Jeroboam. Only the tribes of
Judah and Benjamin remain with Rehoboam. Unfortunately, neither
Rehoboam nor Jeroboam are good leaders. While Rehoboam wanted to
oppress his people, Jeroboam led the ten tribes that followed him
straight into idolatry.
Jeroboam feared his people would give their allegiance to Rehoboam
when they needed to go to Jerusalem (where Rehoboam ruled) to offer
sacrifices to the Lord. This fear forced Jeroboam to make two golden
calves for his people to worship. He said to the people, "It is too
much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, who
brought you out of Egypt" (1 Kings 12:28). Jeroboam feared loosing
power over his people more than he feared God. Jeroboam cared more
about his power, his flesh, than about God. In Galatians 6:8, it says,
"Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap
destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will
reap eternal life." What's more important to you today? Your power?
Your flesh? Or God's power?
Let's make the eternal God greater in our hearts than the temporary
world is in our eyes. "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to
you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether
the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of
the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my
household, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15).
God Bless,
Anthony
Rehoboam (Solomon's son) is made king of Israel following Solomon's
death. Soon after, the nation of Israel is divided and never again
will be unified. This division occurs when Rehoboam chooses to work
Israel even harder than his father did rather than reduce their
burden. Ten of Israel's tribes defect to Jeroboam. Only the tribes of
Judah and Benjamin remain with Rehoboam. Unfortunately, neither
Rehoboam nor Jeroboam are good leaders. While Rehoboam wanted to
oppress his people, Jeroboam led the ten tribes that followed him
straight into idolatry.
Jeroboam feared his people would give their allegiance to Rehoboam
when they needed to go to Jerusalem (where Rehoboam ruled) to offer
sacrifices to the Lord. This fear forced Jeroboam to make two golden
calves for his people to worship. He said to the people, "It is too
much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, who
brought you out of Egypt" (1 Kings 12:28). Jeroboam feared loosing
power over his people more than he feared God. Jeroboam cared more
about his power, his flesh, than about God. In Galatians 6:8, it says,
"Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap
destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will
reap eternal life." What's more important to you today? Your power?
Your flesh? Or God's power?
Let's make the eternal God greater in our hearts than the temporary
world is in our eyes. "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to
you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether
the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of
the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my
household, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15).
God Bless,
Anthony
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