Fri.’s Devo - Asa’s Reign

Read: 2 Chronicles 14:1-16:14; Romans 9:1-24; Psalm 19:1-14; Proverbs 20:1 Asa became king of Judah and did a sweeping reform getting rid of all idol worship in Judah. He even disposed his grandmother, Maacah as queen because she had set up an Asherah pole. He tore down all the altars to gods and burned them in the Kidron Valley. *** Ethiopia sent a million-soldier army against them and they cried out to the Lord for help. God not only defeated them but took over cities and took spoil. God fought with them and gave them the victory. *** Many people from Israel moved to Judah to worship God, so King Baasha of Israel fortified Ramah which was where they crossed over from Israel to Judah. They kept people from coming to Judah and began invading Judah. Instead of asking God to help them, Asa took gold from the Temple and hired Aram to end their treaty with Israel and fight for them instead. They agreed an attacked Raamah. Baasha called off his men from Raamah and the battle was over, but God was not happy. He sent the prophet Hanani to tell Asa that if he had asked His help he would have given him victory over Aram, but now he would be in constant war. Asa was so mad at Hanani that he had him put in jail. ***Asa died later of a foot disease. His ‘walk with God’ had become diseased. *** In Romans, Paul tries to help them understand that God doesn’t just automatically choose everyone who is a Jew. Isaac had twins : Jacob and Esau and God chose to love and bless Jacob but chose to reject and love Esau less. God chooses who he wants to for his purposes. We are honored to be chosen for his purpose which is to show his power through to spread his name. *** Paul likened this selection to a potter and his clay. The clay has no say-so in how it is used. It just conforms to the potter’s hands. *** Lord, may we conform to your hands. We are so blessed and humbled to be chosen for your purposes.