Sat.’s Devo - Asa, the Good King -

Read: 2 Chronicleas 14:1-16:14; Romas 9:1-21; Psalm 19:1-14; Proverbs 20:1

Abijah’s son, Asa ruled after him. Asa was a good king, so the land had rest for 10 years. Asa got rid of the idolatry in Judah and commanded the people to serve the Lord. He built up fortified cities in Judah and knew that they had peace because they put their trust in the Lord. 

Zerah the Ethiopian came with a million-man army and Asa met him in the Valley of Zephathah at Mereshah. Zephathah means “place of watching” and Mereshah means “forget to be arrogant”. God was watching and Asa did forget to be arrogant and called on the Lord to help them. Asa’s army and God’s army conquered the huge army of Zerah and carried away very much spoil. 

God sent his prophet Azariah to tell Asa and all of Judah that the Lord would be with them as long as they sought him, but if they forsake him, he would forsake them also. He pointed out that Israel had no priests to teach them the law so they were constantly at war and distressed with the inhabitants of the lands. He warned Judah not to end up like Israel. 

When Asa heard this word he put away all the idols from the land and from the cities he had taken in Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the Lord and gather all his people and the ones who had deserted Israel to join with Judah. They gathered and sacrificed to the Lord and made a covenant to seek the Lord with all their heart and soul. Whoever refused to seek the Lord would be put to death. God gave them rest from their enemies.

Asa took his own mother from being the queen mother because she had made an Asherah pole. He cut it down and burned it at the brook Kidron. Asa remained true to the Lord all his days. He offered many sacrifices and gifts to the Lord. 

Asa had no war until his 35th year of being king. Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah so that no one could pass out of Israel to go to Judah. Asa took silver and gold from the treasury of the Lord and hired the Syrians to come and fight with them and break their covenant with Israel. They agreed and sent their army to fight Israel. They conquered many of their store cities and when Baasha heard what they had done, he stopped building Ramah. They took all the supplies they were using to build Ramah and built Geba and Mizpah instead.

God sent his seer Hanani to Asa to rebuke him for relying on the king of Syria instead of asking him to help. He reminded Asa of how God’s army had helped him against the Ethiopian’s huge army. He did foolishly by hiring the Syrians so now he would have continual wars to fight. Asa was so angry with this word that he put Hanani in stocks in prison. He began to take out his anger on his people also. 

In Asa’s 39th year he became diseased in his feet (his walk had become sinful). There was no cure and he died two years later. They buried him in the tomb he had had made for himself. 

In Romans, Paul explains that the law had been given to Israel, but not all were God’s true children. Abraham had two sons but only Isaac got the promise. Not all Israel were adopted into God’s family because it was never a matter of flesh, but of promise. Isaac was the son of the promise and Ishmael was not. Not all of Israel would received Christ. 

God chooses whose are his. He chose for Jacob, the second-born to rule above Esau the firstborn. They are a both a type of every man. We are born first of flesh and blood - Esau. Then we are born again of the spirit of Christ - Jacob. If we are Christians then we are all both first-born and second born because we have been born again! Our first born self is at enmity with God and is a sinner, but our second born self is a friend of God and redeemed from sin - righteous. 

Lord, you are the potter and thank you that you made us to serve you. We understand that you also make people for destruction and for your purposes on the earth. We trust in You and believe that your plan is good. 

Fri.’s Devo - Our Victory!

Read: 2 Chronicles 11:1-13:22; Romans 8:22-39; Psalm 18:37-50; Proverbs 19:27-29

Rehoboam came back from Shechem to gather an army to fight Rehoboam, but the prophet Shemaiah came to him with a word from the Lord. He told him not to fight Jeroboam and his brothers but to go home. Rehoboam obeyed and returned to Jerusalem. He built up cities of defense in Judah and made store cities of food, oil, and wine. He armed the cities for protection. 

The priests and Levites that were scattered in the different tribes, left their homes and came to live in Judah because Jeroboam had fired them from being priests and replaced them with his own priests who would worship the golden calves he made and the goat idols. This only made Judah stronger.

Rehoboam married many wives and had many sons and daughters. He placed his sons throughout the land of Judah and put them over the districts and gave them abundant supplies and found wives for them. He chose Abijah, the first born of his favorite wife to succeed him as king. 

It took Rehoboam three years to become established and strong. Then he abandoned the law of the Lord along with the people. God sent Shishak king of Egypt to oppose him. He came with a huge army and it looked hopeless for Judah. Shemaiah the prophet told Rehoboam that they had abandoned the Lord so he had abandoned them. The king and his princes humbled themselves and repented. God heard their cry and gave them some deliverance. Instead of letting Egypt destroy them, he only raided them and made them his servants. Shishak took the gold shields and all the treasures of the Lord and of the king. 

Rehoboam had the shields replaced with bronze ones and had his men use them to protect him as he came and went into the temple to worship the Lord. 

Rehoboam died after reigning for seventeen years. His legacy was that he did evil and did not set his heart to seek the Lord. There had been continual war between him and Jehoboam. When Rehoboam died, his son Abijah became king. At that time Jeroboam had reigned over Israel for 18 years.

Jeroboam came to battle Abijah. Abijah had an army of 400,000 men and Jeroboam came with his army of 800,000. Abijah confronted Jeroboam and reminded him where he had come from. He had been a servant of Solomon who rebelled against him and against God. Abijah warned Jeroboam that just because he had a huge army didn’t mean that he was a match for the Lord. Judah had kept the law of the Lord and still worshiped the Lord and sacrificed to him daily. 

Jeroboam had surrounded Judah’s army, but the men of Judah cried to the Lord, blew the trumpets and shouted. They defeated Jeroboam and killed 500,000 of them, which was more than half of their army. Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took back some of his cities including Bethel. Jeroboam did not recover from this loss and Abijah grew mighty in his days.

In Romans, Paul expounds on the roll of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in God’s creation and it groans for our adoption as God’s sons to be revealed and the redemption of our bodies. We also wait patiently for that day. 

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses and intercedes for us with groaning. It intercedes for the saints and prays the will of God over us. He makes sure that everything works for the good of those who are called to be God’s children. God predestined us to be his children and to be conformed to look like him in all we do. We are his image on the earth. He called us, is justifying us and will glorify us. 

Nothing can stand against us because God is with us. He justifies us to all who would try to condemn us. Jesus was raised to sit with God and be our advocate before God. Nothing will separate us from God’s love. It might look to us like we are sheep to be slaughtered but we are really conquerors through Christ. 

Lord, thank you that we are your children and have no need for fear. You cause us to sit with you in high places and give us victory over our enemies. Thank you!

Thurs.’s Devo - Solomon’s Kingdom

Read: 2 Chronicles 8:11-10:19; Romans 8:9-21; Psalm 18:16-36; Proverbs 19:26

Solomon brought up the Pharoah’s daughter he had married to the house he had built for her. He offered burnt offerings to the Lord daily and celebrated the Sabbaths, the new moons and the feasts. The Temple ran just like David had set it up to do. 

Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Eloth which was on the shore to examine the ships sent by Hiram. The ships brought 450 talents of gold to King Solomon.

The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame and came for a visit. She came with spices and gold and precious stones. She listened to Solomons wisdom and got a tour of his kingdom and how it operated. She was in awe and said it was even greater than she had heard. She saw how everyone in his household was happy and blessed. 

Solomon gave her anything she desired and she returned home blessed.

Solomon was given 666 talents of gold a year from explorers, merchants, the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land. Solomon had 200 shields made of beaten gold which were hung in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. He had an ivory throne made flanked with lions on each step and on his armrests. All of Solomon’s vessels were made of gold. Every three years ships from Tarshish brought gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks. 

All the kings of the earth sought Solomon for his wisdom and brought him gifts. He had thousands of horses and chariots. His kingdom ran from the Euphrates, to the land of the Philistines to the border of Egypt. 

When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam ruled. When Rehoboam went to Shechem to be crowned king, the laborers gathered to ask him if he was going to make them do heavy labor like Solomon did. These men were the foreigners who lived in the land of Israel. They were led by Jeroboam. Rehoboam told him he would get back to them in three days with his answer.

He consulted David’s advisors and they told him to promise them he would be kind to them and they would serve him forever. Then, Rehoboam went to his own piers and they told him to tell them that he would be even more demanding than his father was. 

When Rehoboam met three days later, he chose to take the advise of his piers and told them he would make their yoke even heavier that his father had. When they heard his answer they defected and separated themselves from the house of David. Rehoboam sent his taskmaster to get the people back but they stoned him. Rehoboam had to flee for his life. 

This was the split of Israel into two nations. The northern kingdom ran by Jeroboam was called Israel and the southern kingdom ran by Rehoboam was called Judah. 

In Romans Paul continues expounding on living by the law verses living by the Spirit. If we have Christ in our hearts then we are dead to sin and alive to God. It is our obligation now to live according to the Spirit. By the Spirit we can put to death the deeds of the body and be led by God’s Spirit. We are no longer slaves of fear, but sons of God and heirs with Christ. We have inherited eternal life. 

The sufferings of life can not compare to the glory that we are going to have revealed through us. 

Lord, I thank you that this is what is coming - your children wearing your glory and exhibiting that to the world. May we wear your glory with great humility and purpose. May the world know who your sons and daughters are. Hallelujah!!!

Wed.’s Devo - Solomon Dedicated the Temple

Read: 2 Chronicles 6:12-8:10; Romans 7:14-8:8; Psalm 18:1-15; Proverbs 19:24-25

Solomon stood on a platform he had made to speak to the people at the dedication of the Temple. He reminded them of God’s promise to his lineage that if they walked with the Lord and followed his commands, one of David’s offspring would always reign as king. He acknowledged that God who ruled the heavens and the earth and couldn’t be contained in a building had put his name in this place.

Solomon prayed that all who prayed in this place, God would hear their prayer and grant their request.  He prayed that if they as a nation had sinned against him and they repented and prayed in this howe that God would hear and forgive them. He prayed that if there was drought or famine or plague that if the people repented and prayed toward this house that God would hear their prayer and forgive them and deliver them. 

He prayed that if foreigners come and pray to him in this place that God would hear their prayer. If Israel was in war and prayed toward this city and the Temple that God would hear their prayer. If they sinned and are exiled from the land and pray toward this Temple and repent, that God would hear their prayer and forgive them and bring them back to this place. 

Solomon blessed the Lord to rest in the ark. He blessed the priest to be clothed with salvation and he blessed the people to rejoice in the goodness of God. He prayed that God would remember his love for David and bless him.

As soon as Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the temple and it was so thick that the priests couldn’t enter it. The people saw all of this and fell down with their faces to the ground and worshiped the Lord and gave him thanks. 

The people and Solomon offered thousands of oxen and sheep to the sound of praise and music. Solomon consecrated the middle court of the house of the Lord and offered burnt offerings there also. He held the feast for all seven days of Tabernacles. On the eighth day there was a solemn assembly. he people went home with great joy on the ninth day. 

Solomon had completed the building of his house and the Lord’s house. The Lord appeared to him again and told him that he had heard his prayer and would grant it. When the people were in trouble for any reason, if they prayed toward this house and repented, God would hear their prayers and help them. But, if Solomon turned from the Lord to worship other gods then he will pluck them up out of this land and this house that he built would not stand. Everyone will know that it was because they abandoned him.

In the twenty years of Solomon’s reign he had build the house of the Lord, his own house, rebuilt the cities that Hiram had given him and settled people in there. He took Hamoth-zobah and built Tadmor and other store cities. He built fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars and cities for his chariots and horses. He also built buildings in Jerusalem and Lebanon and all over his land. He drafted all the foreigners who he had conquered to do his forced labor. He put 250 men over them to oversee the work. 

In Romans, Paul describes the spiritual war that goes on in our hearts. God has written his law in our hearts and that is the law of the spirit. The written law wages war against it. The written law is religion and it will kill us because we can’t do it. Paul realized that war. He found the answer in Christ Jesus who sets us free from the law of sin and death. Jesus paid for our sin and we can no longer be condemned by it if we put our trust in Jesus. In him we are free to walk by the Spirit and not the law. That is where we find life and peace. 

Lord, thank you for your steadfast love that never ceases. Thank you for your mercies that never run out.  

Tues.’s Devo - The Temple is Completed

Read: 2 Chronicles 4:1-6:11; Romans 7:1-13; Psalm 17:1-15; Proverbs 19:22-23

Solomon made all the vessels for the Temple according to what David had prescribed. Hiram did all the metal work and the carpentry. It was all brought into the Temple along with all the things David had given to go into the treasury. 

Solomon assembled all the elders and leaders in Israel to come to bring up the ark out of the tabernacle and into the Temple. They met during the feast of Tabernacles which celebrates that God dwells with his people. So many sheep and oxen were sacrificed that they couldn’t be counted. The ark was brought into the Most Holy Place and the cherubim covered it. Their wings spread from one end of the room to the other. This was the mercy seat where God’s presence dwelt.

Inside the ark were the two tablets that Moses had been given at Horeb. As the priests and singers and musicians came into the Temple singing that the Lord was good and his steadfast love endures forever, the house filled with a cloud of God’s presence. It was so thick the priests could’t stand to minister because God’s presence filled the Temple.

Solomon blessed the Lord aloud to the people. He explained how God chose Jerusalem to be his city and David to be their king and now has fulfilled David’s dream to build a house for the Lord where his name would be praised. 

In Romans, Paul continues explaining the difference between the law and grace. We were once bound like a marriage contract to the law, but when Christ died, who was the Word, the contract was nullified. Now, we are free to walk in grace instead. Under grace we can bear fruit for God because we are no longer slaves to sin. We can now serve the Lord in Spirit. 

The purpose of the law was to point out what sin was. The penalty for sin was death so all died under the law. But when the law died, we were set free to live. The law is not evil but good, but having to uphold it was death because no one could do it. 

Lord, thank you that we are free from the power of sin and condemnation and are free to worship you out of love for you. We choose to honor and adore you and walk with you. Thank you for your presence that lives in us. 

Mon.’s Devo - Solomon’s Request

Read: 2 Chronicles 1:1-3:17; Romans 6:1-23; Psalm 16:1-11; Proverbs 19:20-21

Solomon became great because God was with him. He had all the leaders and commanders meet him in Gibeon to worship the Lord at the tabernacle. The bronze altar was still there even though the Ark had been brought to Jerusalem by David. 

On the bronze altar, Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings to the Lord which got God’s attention. That night, the Lord came to Solomon and asked him what he wanted him to give him. Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge to know how to rule all these people he had been put over. 

God was so pleased with Solomon’s answer that he told him he would give him everything he asked for and would add to it riches, possessions, and honor like no other king had been given before him.

God did bless Solomon with wisdom, understanding, riches, possessions and honor. He acquired horses and chariots from Egypt. He began the building of the Temple and his own royal palace. He used all the supplies David had stored up and the blueprints he had given him for the Temple. He sent a letter to Hiram in Tyre asking for a man who was skilled in working with metals and fabrics to come and help his workers. Hiram was pleased to send Huram-abi as their craftsman. Hiram would also send timber from Lebanon on rafts. 

Solomon assigned the aliens living in Israel to do the hard work. He began the work on the temple on Mount Moriah at the threshing floor of Ornan. The temple was built of cedar and overlaid with gold. Everything in it was to represent the garden of Eden with trees, flowers and cherubim. The pillars in front of the temple were set up one on the south called Jachin and one on the north called Jachin. Together these pillars mean “he will establish quickly with his power.”

In Romans, Paul continues his sermon on grace. He explains that grace is not a license to sin but a reason why not to sin. We died with Christ along with our sins and are raised with him to be righteous. Our old self was crucified on the cross with Jesus and now we are raised to walk as a new creature in Christ. 

It is our choice not to let sin reign in our bodies and be used as instruments of unrighteousness. We are now instruments of righteousness. Sin no longer has any power over us because we are not under the power of sin but under grace.

If we choose to sin then we become slaves to sin. We can choose to obey the Lord and be free from the power of sin and became slaves to righteousness which will lead to our sanctification. Sanctification leads us to receive the gift of eternal life. 

Lord, may we remember that we are slaves to righteousness and that sin has no power over us. May we walk in the freedom of this truth. Thank you for the gift of eternal life in Christ.

Sun.’s Devo - The Free Gift of Salvation

Read: 1 Chronicles 28:1-29:30; Romans 5:6-21; Psalm 15:1-5; Proverbs 19:18-19

David assembled all the leaders of the tribes, commanders, stewards who worked for him and his seasoned warriors together. He told them that it was in his heart to build God a house of worship, but the Lord told him that since he was a man of war and had shed so much blood, he would not be the one to build it. God had chosen him to be the king and had chosen his son, Solomon to build the Temple. God promised if Solomon continues to keep God’s commandments, he will establish his kingdom forever. David admonished them to observe and seek out all the commandments of the Lord so that they may possess the land and leave it as an inheritance to their children. 

*** David addressed Solomon and told him to serve the Lord with his whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. 

*** David then gave Solomon all the blueprints for everything he would need for the Temple and access to enough supplies to do everything in the plan. He told him not  to be afraid or anxious about the enormity of it but to be at peace because David had arranged people to do everything on the list. They would help him build the Temple.

*** After he had explained what it would take to build the Temple, David blessed the Lord aloud so all could hear. He praised the Lord and his name and then blessed the people. They offered sacrifices to the Lord and had a great feast. 

*** Solomon sat on the throne in Davids’ place from then on and he prospered. All of Israel pledged their allegiance to him. David had reigned over Israel 40 years - seven years were in Hebron and 33 were in Jerusalem. He died happy and prosperous, having lived a full life. 

*** In Romans, Paul was still preaching about salvation by faith. He explained the immensity of what Christ did for us. Not many people would give their lives for another person, no matter how great that person was, but Christ gave his life for sinners. He justified us by his blood and saved us from the wrath of God. He did this while we were enemies of God. He reconciled us to God by his death and we are saved by his life. What a thing to rejoice about! 

*** Sin entered the world through Adam and death came with sin. This happened before the law was given which made us accountable for our sins. All before Christ died in their sin because of what Adam did. Now all who believe will live by the free gift of grace through Jesus’ death. 

*** We are no longer condemned to death through what Adam did, but and justified and free to live, not die, through what Jesus did. 

*** Lord, thank you for the free gift of grace through Jesus Christ our Lord.