The Simple Life

The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy. 2 Chronicles 36:15-16 (ESV)   Many speak of God's mercy, grace, and patience. Indeed, His mercy, grace, and patience are far beyond our human capacity for understanding. However, we seldom talk about the times God "gives up."   Yet, there are times when it is clear that God said, "Enough," and those who intentionally ignored Him were going to pay the price for their foolishness.   To whom much has been given, much will be required. We, in the United States, have been given much. We have God's Word and Bible study materials in abundance, yet we do not seem to know God.   Our problem is not the lack of availability of material. It is the lack ...

And the king went up to the house of the Lord, with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the priests and the Levites, all the people both great and small. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord. And the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book. 2 Chronicles 34:30-31 (ESV)   Knowing what is right is the first step in doing what is right. Josiah seemed to want to know and do what was right. He worked with what he had, and as more became available, he altered his life even more.   He also took his leadership seriously, publicly displaying what repentance looked like, and wanting the people to hear and respond to the Word of God.   That’s as it should be.   https:...

For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet a boy, he began to seek the God of David his father, and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, and the carved and the metal images. 2 Chronicles 34:3 (ESV)   Here is an eight-year-old doing what is right. Regardless of age, we must choose to do what is right when we know what is right. Doing what is right is much easier than giving the appearance of doing right. The truth, or doing right, is narrow and reserved for those seeking the right way, whereas error is freely available to all.   Josiah endured the murder of his father and, no doubt, the fear of being murdered himself, yet amid the chaos, he was able to focus on the things he knew were right and do them. He must have had solid advisors who could guide and direct him correctly.   However, he chose to follow God, and that made all the difference between a life wasted and a life well lived.   https://www.pod...

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles." And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 (ESV)   "With him is an arm of flesh, but with is the Lord our God." Powerful words, powerful concept.   When we listen to God there is not a single or combined power that can defeat Him or us and His or our purposes. When His ways are our ways, we win. When we listen to God, we win. When God is our only hope, we have hope. When God is our focus, life is straightforward. When God is our strength, we are indeed strong.   Going through this life without God is not a good idea, because if we choose to do that, we will need to fight our own battles, and we will not win. https://www.podbean.com/relate365

And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. He built Eloth and restored it to Judah, after the king slept with his fathers. Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper. 2 Chronicles 26:1-5 (ESV)   He set himself to seek God, intentionally seeking God and prioritizing God. We are told that those who seek God find God. If God seems distant from you today, you have not truly sought Him. He makes Himself abundantly clear to those who truly seek Him. Those who seek God will have no regrets when life is over because it is never truly over for them. https://www.podbean.com/r...

After Amaziah came from striking down the Edomites, he brought the gods of the men of Seir and set them up as his gods and worshiped them, making offerings to them. Therefore the Lord was angry with Amaziah and sent to him a prophet, who said to him, "Why have you sought the gods of a people who did not deliver their own people from your hand?" But as he was speaking, the king said to him, "Have we made you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?" So the prophet stopped, but said, "I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel." 2 Chronicles 25:14-16 (ESV)   Foolish people do things that other foolish people enjoy. Amaziah was brilliant in the eyes of those who had no brilliance, who ignored God, and maximized man, and wanted to worship a god they could control.   When you create a god, you become a god, and thereby challenge the only true and living God, which is futile at bes...

Then Amaziah assembled the men of Judah and set them by fathers' houses under commanders of thousands and of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He mustered those twenty years old and upward, and found that they were 300,000 choice men, fit for war, able to handle spear and shield. He hired also 100,000 mighty men of valor from Israel for 100 talents of silver. But a man of God came to him and said, "O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel, with all these Ephraimites. But go, act, be strong for the battle. Why should you suppose that God will cast you down before the enemy? For God has power to help or to cast down." And Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall we do about the hundred talents that I have given to the army of Israel?" The man of God answered, "The Lord is able to give you much more than this." 2 Chronicles 25:5-9 (ESV)   It's always a good time to repent, no matter the cost. God rew...

Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 2 Chronicles 24:1-2 (ESV)   Young people are capable of doing right. Doing right is often much simpler than doing wrong, so doing right seems like the logical thing to do.   Unfortunately, many young people today live more in fantasy than in the real world. Relationships are portrayed more than lived, and fantasy is always available, giving everyone a "way out" of reality. Observers of fantasy are immersed in the pretend while ignoring the real, thereby destroying their relationships.   There are many roads to destruction and only one road to success. Those who live in reality have real discussions with real people while looking into real eyes.   We have begun the artificial intelligence movement by turning over our intellect to those who control ...

But it was ordained by God that the downfall of Ahaziah should come about through his going to visit Joram. For when he came there, he went out with Jehoram to meet Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. And when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he met the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's brothers, who attended Ahaziah, and he killed them…. 2 Chronicles 22:7-8 (ESV)   "God ordained it." This phrase should send a chill of fear down the spine of the Godless and a chill of delight down the spine of the Godly. Those who fight against the will of God will lose one hundred percent of the time. Satan will lose, those who ignore God will wish they had not, and those who challenge God will prove they are fools.   God has a place in this universe that is exclusively His. He is the definition of love, uses His power and authority for the good of others, and will eventually destroy all who have believed and lived Sa...

And after all this the Lord struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease. In the course of time, at the end of two years, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great agony. His people made no fire in his honor, like the fires made for his fathers. He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one's regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. 2 Chronicles  21:18-20  (ESV)   All people will answer to God for their lives and account for how they used the gifts God gave them to honor Him. Jehoram was an evil king who killed his brothers to protect his power and tried to make ignoring God normative. He, like anyone who is intoxicated by their power and authority will experience, came to a tragic end.   What is it about money and power that so quickly corrupts man? Could it be that those who have money and power begin to have a glimpse of w...

Moreover, he made high places in the hill country of Judah and led the inhabitants of Jerusalem into whoredom and made Judah go astray. And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, "Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father, Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah, but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel and have enticed Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem into whoredom, as the house of Ahab led Israel into whoredom, and also you have killed your brothers, of your father's house, who were better than you, behold, the Lord will bring a great plague on your people, your children, your wives, and all your possessions, and you yourself will have a severe sickness with a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the disease, day by day." 2 Chronicles  21:11-15  (ESV)   Money, power, and position cannot save one from God's wrath. Those who ignore God will reg...

Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever. 2 Chronicles 21:5-7 (ESV)   What is it that makes us think that we can ignore God and His ways and be successful? Where in history will it confirm that the ignorance of God will equal success in any form? History is clear. Those who ignore God have chosen to live a miserable life. They may have moments of temporal pleasure yet face a miserable eternity. This makes no sense, yet it happens over and over again.   It must be similar to gambling at a well-established casino. Somehow, gamblers think that they will be the ones who beat the ...

And the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around. 2 Chronicles 20:29-30 (ESV)   The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of being poor makes money your God. The fear of being sick makes health your God. The fear of being lonely makes friends your God. The fear of losing out makes being a part of the crowd your God.   Fear is often a barometer for what is happening in our lives. Fear connotes loss. We do not want to lose money, fame, fortune, and so on.   If we do not want to lose something, we work towards keeping it. Those who seek God find God, and those who fear losing God seek Him.   It is hard for rich people to fear anything but a loss in the temporal realm-a loss of health that renders their money useless or a loss of money that changes the dynamics of their "relationships." Fearing God bri...

And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed." And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, "Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever." 2 Chronicles  20:20-21  (ESV)   Trust in God, and you will be positioned to win, no matter your challenges. Believe those who know God and speak His Word to you, and you will be successful.   We all listen to someone. Some only listen to themselves, some only listen to those who agree with them, and others seek out the voice of God. The voice of God is unique in that it contains no opinions, no perspectives, and nothing that can be up for debate. God is, always ha...

“’You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you." 2 Chronicles 20:17 (ESV)   When we concentrate on our ability to fight, we limit our ability to fight. When God fights for us, no one can stand against us. Taking on battles that are ours, not His, and hoping He fights for us is incorrect. The battles that God fights are His battles, not ours. He is not "on call" waiting for us to give Him marching orders. He is the one at war, the one with the battle plan, the one giving the orders.   The battle is not ours; it is His. He will fight such a battle, and we, because we have yielded to Him, will win. This life is a war zone. We are at war whether we want to be or not. Only the dependent win so stay dependent. https://www.podbean.com/relate365

“O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you." 2 Chronicles 20:12 (ESV)   The powerless can rest in that being powerless unleashes the powerful on our behalf. Knowing you cannot defeat the enemy is the first step in defeating the enemy.   God fights on behalf of those who cannot. He defends the defenseless, provides for the needy, and supplies power to the powerless.   Those who try to execute judgment without Him will fail. Those who rely on their own strength, understanding, power, position, and community will be disappointed.   No matter how we get there, we need to understand that we should trust in God alone. We need his strength, provision, and guidance, not ours.   When we begin to live as if we are God and can care for ourselves, we begin to fail, and will continue to fail until we realize that our total reliance should be on ...

But a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate. Therefore, he said to the driver of his chariot, "Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded." 2 Chronicles 18:33 (ESV)   God is not random. He makes no mistakes. He will allow those who do not even know Him to be a part of His plan. Those who are clueless but a part of His plan will never experience the joy of submitting to Him and the rewards that come to those who love and obey Him.   To the soldier that drew his bow, this was a random shot towards the enemy. To the host of Heaven, this was a planned, precise placement of God's authoritative hand against evil.   There is no such thing as luck in a universe guided and directed by God. There is no random. There are no surprises and no suspenseful moments in God's eyes. God's will will be accomplished by the willing or the unwilling, but only the willing will be rewarded.   For now,...

And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, "Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably." But Micaiah said, "As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak.” 2 Chronicles  18:12-13  (ESV)   We have choices regarding to whom we listen. We often choose the voices we understand and agree with, even if those voices disagree with God.   Submission starts first and foremost with God. When God speaks, He means something by His speech, which is usually much more straightforward than we make it out to be. He does not ask us to do anything we cannot do, and does not use us, but loves us.   On the other hand, we often manipulate and use one another to gain position, power, and prestige. God already has position, power, and prestige, and does not attempt to gain more. We can be skeptical of men's words, but God cannot lie, and ultimately, it is His word...

And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Inquire first for the word of the Lord." Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?" And they said, "Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king." But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not here another prophet of the Lord of whom we may inquire?" And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so." 2 Chronicles 18:4-7 (ESV)   We often choose who to listen to based on who reinforces what we want to hear. The book of 2 Timothy, chapter 4, speaks to this issue, as does this passage in 2 Chronicles, and our general observation of life.   Choosing who you listen to is not ...

And they taught in Judah, having the Book of the Law of the Lord with them. They went about through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people. And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, and they made no war against Jehoshaphat. 2 Chronicles 17:9-10 (ESV)   They taught people from the Book of the Law. They had it with them. They knew it, valued it, and passed it on.   If you love God, you spend time with Him. If you love God, you "abide" with Him. If you love God, you talk about Him. It's a natural thing to do if you love Him.   When you begin to understand God's love, your natural response is to be overwhelmed. It is expected to have God's "fear" fall upon you and experience the overwhelming feeling that comes from His presence. Many today miss out on that beautiful "fear" of God because they have chosen to "abide" in all things but God. There will be many regrets for those who i...

His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord. And furthermore, he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah. 2 Chronicles 17:6 (ESV)   Who is it who is "courageous" in the Lord? It is not that we are courageous in our fight or trials and tribulations, but courageous in the Lord. Our hope and confidence must be in Him and His strength and ways.   If we have fallen into a dark, dirty, dungy pit for some reason, we need to realign our vision, for our courage is mustered by the hope that shines from that light. While in that pit, the only thing that matters is the dismantling of anything and everything that hinders our ability to see, and to respond to that light, for if and when that light goes away, we will have no hope.   Jehoshaphat's power and authority came from this light, not his position. The light of this world is Jesus. As an old song states, all other ground is sinking sand.   Courage comes from focus, not feelings. https://www.podbean.com/relate3...

The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel. Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord. And furthermore, he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah. 2 Chronicles 17:3-6 (ESV)   We are told, very simply, why God blessed Jehoshaphat. It was because he walked with God, did not seek Baals, obeyed God, and avoided the practices of the Godless. Therefore, God established the kingdom in his hand.   We all have personal responsibility. God is consistent in His response to us. Those who look for Him will find Him. Those who obey Him will lead successful lives. Those who shun Godless ways will not be inflicted by the same troubles with which the Godless ar...

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars." Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the stocks in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this. And Asa inflicted cruelties upon some of the people at the same time. 2 Chronicles 16:9-10 (ESV)   Hate for the messenger never really changes the message. There is probably a grain of truth in most things people say, and the wise one takes time to evaluate that grain.   Anyone who calls me a sinner is a sinner as well. Anyone who accuses me of lying has, most likely, lied themselves. Anyone who tells me I am greedy probably has been greedy themselves.   We can focus on the imperfections of the messenger, or we could focus on the message. We would be wise to be more responsive to the truth and less bothered by the messenger. https://www.podbean.com/rela...

The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded, and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest and without law, but when in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.” 2 Chronicles 15:1-4 (ESV)   No matter how far you have run in the wrong direction, you must turn around before heading in the right direction. Step one is always the same for everyone. Those who have forsaken God immersed themselves in listening to the Godless and have no real church community to be a part of have no hope and no one to lead them to the only One who can give hope.   Things can change. Turn around. Take a step. It is far better than continuing to create hopeless distances. https://www.podbean...

Abijah and his people struck them with great force, so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men. Thus the men of Israel were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the Lord, the God of their fathers. 2 Chronicles  13:17-18  (ESV)   They did not prevail because they were strong, intelligent, or wise. They prevailed because they relied on the Lord. In our first-world culture, we so often rely on anything but God, and if we have to pray about it, we hit rock bottom. Praying becomes something we do when in a crisis, when hope is gone, or when we have exhausted our alternatives.   The victor will always be the one who relies on God. The eventual losers rely on strategy, strength, plans, and skill. This is not a condemnation of planning, strategy, strength, plans, and skill, but a warning to those who trust these things given to us to show the world who God is. Those who trust the flesh must realize that it depends on circumstance...

Abijah went out to battle, having an army of valiant men of war, 400,000 chosen men. And Jeroboam drew up his line of battle against him with 800,000 chosen mighty warriors. Then Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim that is in the hill country of Ephraim and said, "Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel! Ought you not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his Lord, and certain worthless scoundrels gathered about him and defied Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and irresolute and could not withstand them. 2 Chronicles 13:3-7 (ESV)   Worthless scoundrels? Did the Bible call someone a worthless scoundrel? Some took advantage of the situation of a young man who could not defend the truth, and thereby were called worthless scoundrels. It probably could have been translated as "empty family me...

So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the King's house. He took away everything. He also took away the shields of gold that Solomon had made, and King Rehoboam made in their place shields of bronze and committed them to the hands of the officers of the guard, who kept the door of the King's house. And as often as the King went into the house of the Lord, the guard came and carried them and brought them back to the guardroom. And when he humbled himself the wrath of the Lord turned from him, so as not to make a complete destruction. Moreover, conditions were good in Judah. 2 Chronicles 12:9-12 (ESV)   True humility is the fruit of knowing and loving God. The proud are proud because they do not know God, for knowing Him is what humbles us. Humbling ourselves always brings good results. God gives grace, help, guidance, and more to the humble. Whatever gets us there is a good thing.   https://ww...

Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father, and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place. 2 Chronicles 9:29-31 (ESV)   The living need to keep in mind that the living ends. Everything ends regardless of who you are or how much "privilege" you have enjoyed. This life ends; you stand before the One who loves and created you and wait with Him to resolve all the issues of this broken world. Or, you face Him as judge, and live in eternity having regrets for eclipsing Him out of your life.   Funerals for the wealthy of this world may be grand; kind words may freely flow, but, in reality, the end will be the same for those who died with nothing. All will stand...

“Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as King for the Lord your God! Because your God loved Israel and would establish them forever, he has made you King over them, that you may execute justice and righteousness." Then she gave the King 120 talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There were no spices such as those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 2 Chronicles 9:8-9 (ESV)   When the Queen of Sheba saw Solomon and what God had done, she exclaimed the goodness of God. It seemed like a genuine bursting forth of praise to God.   Giving gifts is a natural expression of joy—giving gifts to God, to God's people, to those in need, and so on. Those who truly see God are generous in their praise of God.   The ultimate challenge in life is to live in a way that when others see me, they see God, and if they think of me, they think of me as His servant.   https://www.podbean.com/relate365 ...

"But if you turn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will pluck you up from my land that I have given you, and this house that I have consecrated for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.” 2 Chronicles  7:19-20  (ESV)   God's blessing is contingent on my obedience. To ignore God and then expect Him to bless, intervene, heal, or even hear my voice when I cry out is absurd. God is one whose mercy is unfathomable, and His grace available to all, yet His justice demands actions on our part to obtain His mercy and enjoy His grace.   Those who find fault with God never find fault in themselves, and, therefore, are never positioned to enjoy God. Those who are His children and try to manipulate Him will be disappointed and frustrated.   God's will will be accomplished with or without us. If we obey, we will be a part...

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.” 2 Chronicles  7:13-16  (ESV)   Humble people pray and seek God and desire to turn from wickedness, not to look for loopholes. The humble have positioned themselves for God to work. The proud often use God, and the humble are awed by God. The proud seek man's approval, and the humble seek to be in God's presence and love to point to God.   The "formula" given here is not complicated to understand or impossible to achieve.   Troubled times will come and go, but we do not need to have troubled minds because we know the one who is greater than our sorrows lo...