Thurs.’s Devo - God Sees Everything

Read: 1 Kings 20:1-21:29; Acts 12:24-13:15; Psalm 137:1-9; Proverbs 17:16 Yesterday, we read where God told Elijah to anoint Hazael the king of Aram and he didn’t. Now the king of Aram, which is Benhadad came against Israel. He threatened Ahab to bring back 32 other nations’ armies to conquer Samaria. He demanded that King Ahab give him his silver and gold, his wives and the best of his children. Ahab agreed, but this was not enough. Then Benhadad added that he was sending officers to go through, not only Ahab’s palace, but the homes of his officials and take anything they found valuable. This was not okay with the officials. They were fine with Ahab losing all this things, but not them. *** They sent word to Benhadad that he could just have Ahab’s things. This meant war. *** God sent a prophet to Ahab telling him that God would hand all these enemies into his hand today. He told him to send the troops of the provincial commanders. The provincial army was made up of 232 young men. They went out while 7,000 followed at a distance. It was around noon and Ben-hadad’s men were already drunk. When Ben-hadad heard a small army was approaching he ordered them killed even if they were coming in peace. *** Israel’s army attacked the army of Aram erupted into chaos. The Syrian army panicked and ran. God had caused the Israelite’s small army to win over a much greater army and yet we don’t read of any acknowledgement made to thank or glorify God who brought about their victory. *** The prophet told Ahab to be ready in the spring because Benhadad would return. When they did, they returned with a huge army and attacked at Aphek. The prophet told them that the Arameans thought God was a god of the hills and not the plains so they attacked in the plains. But Israel would know that God was the Lord. He is the Lord over the whole earth because he made it. *** Israel’s much smaller army killed 100,000 Arameans in one day. The rest fled to Aphek where the wall fell on them and killed another 27,000. Benhadad’s army advised him to surrender and bank on the mercy of Israel. Ben-hadad offered to give back towns his father had take from Israel and to let them trade in Damascus. Ahab made a treaty with him and released Ben-hadad. *** A prophet had another man hit him so he would look wounded. He disguised himself and went to the king. He explained that he had been put in charge over a prisoner and had lost him. Now he would be ordered to either die or pay 75 pounds of silver. He wanted mercy from Ahab but instead, Ahab told him he deserved his punishment. The prophet took the disguise off and revealed his identity. He told Ahab that because he had spared Benhadad who God wanted dead, he and his people would now die instead of him and his people. Ahab went away angry and depressed. *** Later, Ahab coveted Naboth’s vineyard that was right beside his palace. He wanted to take Naboth’s vineyard and turn it into a vegetable garden. It takes years to produce a vineyard and produce good wine and now Ahab wanted it for something totally different. He tried to buy it from Naboth but this was land passed down to him - his families’ inheritance. When he wouldn’t sell to Ahab, Ahab was depressed. Jezebel found out what happened and was disgusted with Ahab. She told him she would get it for him. She had Naboth accused of blaspheming the king and God and then had him stoned. She went to Ahab and told him he could have his vegetable garden - Naboth was dead. *** God sent Elijah to Ahab as he was going to claim Naboth’s vineyard. Elijah asked Ahab if it wasn’t enough that he murdered the man; now he was stealing his land. His payment would be that the dogs would like his blood at the very place they licked the blood of Naboth. God would destroy all his male descendants, slave and free all over Israel - just like he killed all of the family of Jeroboam and Baasha because of the trouble and sin he had caused Israel to enter into. *** The dogs would like Jezebel’s body on Naboth’s land. All of Ahab’s family would be eaten by dogs and vultures. This was the ultimate curse. *** When Ahab heard this, he tore his clothes, put on burlap and fasted. God saw this and told him that he would not destroy his dynasty during Ahab’s lifetime because he humbled himself. *** In Acts, the gospel continued to be spread around the world. Barnabus and Saul had returned to Antioch from their mission in Jerusalem. They had brought John Mark back with them. *** Some of Saul’s teachers were Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen, the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas! As these men prayed and fasted, God called out Barnabas and Saul to mission work. John Mark went with them to the island of Cyprus teaching and preaching as they went. Then they went to Paphos and met a Jewish sorcerer named Bar-Jesus or Elymas. He was closely associated with the governor, Sergius Paulus. The governor invited Paul and Barnabus to visit him and tell them their mission. The sorcerer tried to convince the governor not to listen them. Paul finally confronted the sorcerer and cursed him with blindness. He immediately became blind. When the governor saw this he believed and was able to listen with his heart. *** On their way home, John Mark left and went back to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas continued to Antioch and were asked to share their experiences the next Sabbath. *** Lord, may we confront evil and declare righteousness. May we walk in the Holy Spirit and do the works you have called us to walk in.

Wed.’s Devo - God’s Deliverance

Read: 1 Kings 19:1-21; Acts 12:1-23; Psalm 136:1-26; Proverbs 17:14-15 Elijah had come back to Jezreel expecting to be promoted to Prophet of Israel but instead, he was met with a death threat from Jezebel who was not impressed with his power. All of her prophets were now dead and she was determine to pay Elijah back. *** Elijah fled to Beersheba where he found a tree and sat under it praying for the Lord to end his life. He went to sleep and was awakened twice and told to eat warm bread and drink water provided by angels. This food would sustain him 40 days and nights on his journey to Mt. Sinai. When he got there he found a cave to sleep in on the mountain. God came to him and asked him what he was doing there. He explained how Israel had strayed so far from Him and had killed all His prophets and he was the only one left. *** God told him to get up and stand by the opening of the cave. He caused a windstorm to hit the mountain first, then an earthquake and then fire. God did not speak out of any of them, but when he spoke, it was with a whisper. *** God asked him the same question and got the same answer. God then gave Elijah his assignment. He was to first go to the wilderness of Damascus which was around 200 miles from where he was. There he was to anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. Then he was to anoint Jehu grandson of Nimshi to be king of Israel, then he was to anoint Elisha to replace him as God’s prophet. *** Elijah did not do as the Lord asked. He went straight to Elisha who was closer to where he was and found him plowing 12 teams of oxen. He threw his mantle across his shoulders and walked away. Sounds to me like Elijah was done. *** Elisha understood what Elijah had just done and used the wood from his plow to make a fire. He slaughtered his oxen and cooked them on the fire and gave the meat to people in the town. Then he went with Elijah to be his assistant. *** It would be Elisha who would anoint Hazael to be king of Aram and Jehu the king of Israel. *** In Acts, King Herod Agrippa began persecuting the Christians. When he saw how popular it made him he continued. He killed James with the sword and arrested Peter all during the Passover week. Agrippa was going to try Peter after the celebration but the church began to pray earnestly for Peter’s life. *** The day before the trial, an angel of the Lord woke Peter up and told him to get up. His chains fell off and he was told to dress and go with him. Peter obeyed but thought he was dreaming. The angel took him out of the prison and to the gate leading to the city. It opened and the angel disappeared. He ended up going to Mary’s where the other believers were staying. They were amazed to see him. *** Meanwhile back at the jail. They woke to find Peter missing. When he couldn’t find Peter anywhere, he ordered all the guards to die. Then Agrippa left to stay in Caesarea for a while. *** While he was in Caesarea, the people of Tyre and Sidon came to Agrippa to make peace. When Agrippa came to meet with them the people shouted that Agrippa was a god, not a man. He accepted their worship and was immediately struck with a sickness. He was consumed with worms and later died, thus proving he was no god. Lord, when you move we can expect deliverance for us and judgement on the wicked - just like what happened for Peter and happened to Agrippa. Thank you for being our deliverer. Thank you that we have no fear of the future because we know who is guiding us and it is your purpose that will stand. May we fulfill your purpose in our lives and not give up before our assignment is through.

Tues.’s Devo - Spreading the Gospel

Read: 1 Kings 18:1-46; Acts 11:1-30; Psalm 135:1-21; Proverbs 17:12-13 The drought was in its third year and God told Elijah it was time to go to Ahab, who had been looking everywhere for him for these three years. *** Ahab had met with his officer in charge of his palace, Obadiah. Ahab was running out of pastureland for his horses and mules. He sent Obadiah one way to search for grass while he went the other way. Obadiah ran into Elijah who was on his way to see Ahab. It took some convincing to believe Elijah was telling the truth, but Elijah did meet with Ahab. *** Ahab blamed Elijah for the famine and drought, but Elijah blamed Ahab and his family because of their Baal worship. He told him to round up all the worshippers of Baal and Asherah and meet him on Mt. Carmel. Eight hundred and fifty false prophets met the one prophet of God. Elijah proposed a duel. They would each offer a bull on their own altar and see which god answered in fire. *** The prophets of Baal took all day calling out to Baal, cutting themselves and doing all sorts of rituals, to no avail. Finally, at the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah prepared his offering. Then he built a trench and had the men pour huge amounts of water three times over his offering. Elijah prayed to the Lord and immediately the fire of God came down from heaven and burned up the bull and all the water. The people fell down worshiping the Lord. Elijah called for all the Baal prophets to be seized. Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there. *** Elijah told Ahab to go eat and drink something because a mighty rainstorm was coming. Ahab obeyed while Elijah went back to the top of Mt. Carmel and bowed down in intercession. He would pray then send his servant to go and see if God had responded. On the seventh time his servant came back saying he could see a small cloud rising from the sea. *** Elijah told Ahab to hurry and get in his chariot and get home. The sky turned black and the storm came. God empowered Elijah to run even faster than Ahab’s chariot. He ran all the way to the entrance of Jezreel. *** Think of the miracle of this. Elijah hadn’t eaten all day and had slaughtered 850 prophets, then he ran for miles! *** One of the things I take away from this story is that in the midst of a famine, Ahab gave to the Lord what they were in lack of which was food and water. He had the king give up two bulls that would have produced a lot of meat and he had over 9 gallons of water poured out on the altar. When we are in need of something from the Lord, we are to give what we have, of what we need. God takes our offering and multiplies it and gives it back to us. *** In Acts, the people of Jerusalem had heard what had happened with the Gentiles before Peter arrived. The Jewish leaders criticized Peter for going into the home of a Gentile and eating with them. Peter told them the whole story and their criticism turned to praise. They then understood that the gospel was for the whole earth. *** Others that had been scattered to far places like Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch preached the word of God and brought the gospel to the Jewish people there. Some of the believers who went to Antioch and Cyrene began to tell the Gentiles the Good News and many of them believed. *** When the church at Jerusalem found out, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. He was encouraged when he got there and saw how God was moving among the Gentiles. Barnabas went on to Tarsus to find Saul and brought him back to Antioch to help disciple the new believers. That was the place they first called the believers “Christians.” *** The prophet Agabus came to Antioch from Jerusalem with a word from the Lord. He told them that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman Empire. This would greatly affect the believers in Jerusalem so they took up an offering and took the gifts back to those in Jerusalem. *** Lord, remind us to give of our need and our abundance. Thank you that your Gospel was given to us also. May we be faithful to give it to others.

Mon.’s Devo - Prophesies Fulfilled

Read: 1 Kings 15:25-17:24; Acts 10:24-48; Psalm 134:1-3; Proverbs 17:9-11 Jeroboam’s son Nadab reigned in Israel while Asa ruled in Judah. Nadab followed in the sins of his father and was assassinated by Baasha who become the next king of Israel. *** Baasha slaughtered all of Jeroboams descendants fulfilling the words of Ahijah the prophet. Baasha ruled Israel for 24 years. God sent Jehu the prophet to tell Baasha that because he had followed Jeroboam in his evil idol worship, his descendants would die and be eaten by dogs and vultures. *** Baasha died and his son, Elah became the next king. King Asa was now in his 26th year of ruling Judah. Elah’s army officer, Zimri killed him in his own palace and became the next king of Israel. He killed all the descendants of Baasha just like Jehu had prophesied. *** Israel was divided between those who wanted Tibia their king and those who supported Omri. Tibni was killed, so Omri became the king of Israel. He bought a hill from a man named Shemer and built a city on it. He named it Samaria in honor of Shemer. *** Omni was more wicked than any of the kings before him and led Israel to worship idols worse than ever. When he died, his son Ahab became king. Asa had now reigned in Judah 38 years. Ahab was the most evil king Israel had had to date. He married Jezebel and they began to worship Baal. He built a temple to Baal in Samaria. *** During Ahab’s reign, Hiel from Bethel rebuilt Jericho. When he laid its foundations it cost him the life of his oldest son and when he set up its gates, it cost him the life of his youngest son. This was the fulfillment of Joshua’s prophecy over Jericho. *** Because of Israel’s idolatry, Elijah the prophet told King Ahab that it would not rain until he gave the word. Then God told Elijah to go and hide by the Kerith River. God commanded the ravens to bring him food every morning and evening. He drank from the river until it ran dry, then the Lord told him to go to the village of Zerphath and a widow had been instructed to feed him. *** When he found this widow, she only had enough flour and oil for one more meal and then she would die. Elijah didn’t waver - he told her to cook him a meal first and her flour and oil would never run out. She obeyed and there was always enough flour and oil. *** Later, her son became sick and finally died. She went and got Elijah and blamed God and Elijah. Elijah took the boy upstairs to his room and laid him out on his bed. He stretched out on top of him to give him his life and prayed. He repeated it three times till finally the son came back to life. He gave the son back to his mother and she believed that he was a man of God. *** In Acts, Peter and Cornelius finally met. Cornelius began to worship Peter, but Peter stopped him. He told him he was just a man. He explained that ordinarily it was unlawful for a Jewish man to enter into a Gentile home or to associate with them, but God had showed him this was not how he should think. Cornelius told Peter of the vision he had seen of a man in dazzling clothes. The man had told him to seek out Peter who was staying with Simon. He would have a message for him. *** Peter gave him the message which was the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius and his men and they began to speak in tongues. Peter was amazed to see that the Holy Spirit was for the Gentiles too. He had them baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and invited them to stay with them for several days. *** Lord, help us to lay down any prejudices we might have to do your will and spread the gospel to every creature. Thank you that you are faithful to your word and it will be fulfilled no matter how long ago you spoke it. Your promises are “yes” and “amen.”

Sun.’s Devo - Breaking Down Walls

Read: 1 Kings 14:1-15:24; Acts 10:1-23; Psalm 133:1-3; Proverbs 17:7-8 It is good to know that the Kings were written by the prophets and emphasize the Kings of Israel, where the Chronicles were written by the priests and emphasized the kings of Judah. *** Israel’s king was Jeroboam. Jeroboam’s son became very sick so Jeroboam sent his wife, disguised to the prophet Ahijah. He had been the one who had prophesied him becoming king. She was to ask him if his son would recover. God told the now blind Ahijah about the rouse and he called Jeroboam’s wife out, then told her what would happen. Her son would die when she walked back into the house. God was not happy with how Jeroboam had gone after every false god but Him, the only true God. God was going to bring his dynasty to an end and destroy all his male descendants starting with the one that was sick. He would be the only one to get a proper burial. *** God would raise up a king who would destroy his family. The whole nation of Israel would be uprooted and scattered beyond the Euphrates River because of the Asherah poles they had set up. *** Everything happened as Ahijah had said and when Jeroboam died after reigning 22 years, his son Nadab became king of Israel. *** Meanwhile in Judah, Rehoboam’s reign was not a godly one either. He had built pagan shrines and set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles everywhere in Judah. *** In his fifth year, King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and took everything of worth in the Temple. He took the gold shields which Rehoboam replaced with bronze ones. He had them protect him every time he went into the Temple. There was constant war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. Rehoboam died after reigning 17 years. His son Abijam became the next king and only reigned three years. He participated in the same evil practices that Rehoboam had. When he died, Asa his son became the next king. *** Asa was a good king and followed after the Lord like David. He got rid of the pagan shrines and displaced his grandmother from being the queen mother because she worshiped Asherah and caused Judah to sin. He cut down her obscene Asherah pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley. He gave to the Temple all the gold and silver his father had dedicated to the Lord. *** War continued between Israel and Judah. King Baasha was now king of Israel who fortified Ramah which was the gateway from Israel to Judah. His plan was to make it impossible for someone in Israel to go to Judah. Asa took all the silver and gold left in the Temple and sent it to Ben-hadad the king of Aram. He asked him to break his covenant of peace with Israel and join his side against them. Ben-hadad agreed and began attacking the towns of Israel. Baasha then stopped his building project in Ramah and Asa took the building supplies for himself and used them to fortify Geba instead. *** Asa should have relied on the Lord to protect them and not Ben-hadad so in his old age, he became diseased in his feet. When he died, his son Jehoshaphat became king. *** In Acts, God wanted to knock down some walls of prejudice and racial tension. He sent a Roman officer name Cornelius to Peter, a Jewish believer. The walls of political and racial difference needed to fall in the heart of Cornelius. For Peter, it was a religious wall of prejudice that needed to come down. Both were shown by signs and wonders that God was breaking down these walls of separation so the gospel could spread throughout the world. Both men yielded to the Holy Spirit. *** Lord, may we yield to the Spirit and let him have his way in our lives. Break down the walls we have allowed to be built in our lives. Most of us don’t even know they are there. May we be made aware and allow you to dissolve them with love.

Sat.’s Devo - The Altar at Bethel

Read: 1 Kings 12:20-13:34; Acts 9:26-43; Psalm 132:1-18; Proverbs 17:6 Rehoboam returned home with only Judah and Benjamin on his side. He began to mobilize an army to fight Israel but God sent the prophet, Shemaiah to tell him to not fight against his own relatives. What had happened was the Lord’s will. Rehoboam obeyed and returned home. *** Jeroboam made Shechem his capital and lived there. He was afraid that if his people went to Jerusalem to worship the Lord at the feasts, they might decide to align with Rehoboam and want to make him their king instead of him. To stop them from traveling to Jerusalem, he set up two golden calves - one in Dan and one in Bethel so the people could go to either of them to worship the Lord. He elected priests who were not Levites to serve at his pagan shrines all over the nation. And he ordained a new date to celebrate that was the counterfeit of the Feast of Tabernacle. It was on the same date only a month later. At the first celebration of this new feast, he went to burn incense on the altar he had set up at Bethel. *** God sent a prophet from Judah to meet him there. As Jeroboam was there about to offer his incense, the prophet shouted out about a child named Josiah who would be born into the dynasty of David. He would sacrifice the priests who came here to offer incense and he would burn human bones on this altar. As a sign that what he was saying was true, the altar would split apart and its ashes would be poured out on the ground. *** Jeroboam lifted his arm and pointed at him and ordered his men to seize the prophet. When he did, his arm was paralyzed. The altar cracked and its ashes poured out on the ground. The king begged the prophet to pray for his arm and he did. His arm was restored and the king asked him to come home with him and eat and he would give him a gift. He refused and told him God had told him not to eat or drink in this place, but return a different way than the one he came. *** There was an old prophet who lived there and his sons come home and told him what had happened. He chased the young prophet from Judah down and asked him to come eat with him. When he refused the old prophet told him that an angel had told him to bring him home to eat. This was a lie. The younger man listened to the older prophet and went home with him. While they were eating. The older prophet told him because he disobeyed the Lord, his body would not be buried in the grave of his ancestors. *** The young prophet left and was attacked by a lion and killed. The lion stood and protected his body until the older prophet could come and get it. He laid him in his own grave and asked to be buried beside him when he died. He knew that what the young prophet had prophesied would come true. *** Jeroboam didn’t repent after what happened and continued to appoint anyone who wanted to become a priest and let them preside over the pagan shrines. This led to Jeroboam’s dynasty being destroyed from the face of the earth. *** In this story, it is important to understand how sacred bones were in the Old Testament. When the young prophet prophesied that the bones of the priests who offered on the altar would be burned, this was the biggest curse that could be given. No one wanted their bones to be burnt, that would mean their lives were totally extinguished and they wouldn’t live on in the afterlife. The older prophet wanted the younger prophet to be buried in his grave and him beside him in the same grave so his own bones would be protected. *** Two hundred years later, Josiah came back to this place and had his men dig up the bones of the prophets who were buried around the altar. When they began to dig up the young prophet’s grave, Josiah had them leave it alone. So the older prophet was using the young prophet to save his bones. Little did that older prophet understand, God sees all and knows the intents of all hearts. He would be judged by his actions of deceit. *** In Acts, all the believers were scared to meet with Saul because of his reputation for killing Christians. Saul continued to travel with the apostles around Jerusalem teaching and preaching. Some of the Greek-speaking Jews tried to kill Saul for his beliefs and when the Christians heard this, they sent Paul away to Tarsus, his home town. *** The churches throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria grew in strength and numbers. Peter raised a man named Aeneas who had been paralyzed for eight years. It turned the whole population of Lydda and Sharon to the Lord. *** One of the much loved believers in Joppa died. Her name was Tabitha. People came from all around to mourn her death. Peter went in and raised her from the dead. This brought many others to believe. *** While they were in Joppa, Peter stayed at the home of Simon the tanner. *** Lord, we long to see the miracles of Acts manifested in abundance on the earth. May we be found worthy of manifesting your power.

Fri.’s Devo - The Downfall of Solomon’s Kingdom

Read: 1 Kings 11:1-12:19; Acts 9:1-25; Psalm 131:1-3; Proverbs 17:4-5 Solomon did exactly what the Lord told him not to do. He loved foreign women who turned his heart away from the Lord. He followed them in worshiping false gods and did evil. He built a pagan shrine to Chemosh on the Mount of Olives. He built another for Molech and other gods of his foreign wives. *** God was very angry with Solomon and told him he was going to take the kingdom away from him once he died. He would leave him one tribe for the sake of David. *** God raised up three advocates: Hadad the Edomites, Rezon of Damascus and Jeroboam of Nebat. Of the three, Jeroboam was the biggest threat to Solomon’s kingdom. God had chosen Jeroboam to be the ruler over the ten tribes and sent a prophet to tell him. The prophet explained to Jeroboam that God was taking the kingdom from Solomon because he had worshiped other gods and not followed the Lord. God promised Jeroboam that if he followed the Lord and obeyed his laws, then God would always be with him and establish his dynasty as he did for David. *** Solomon died and his son Rehoboam became king. All Israel gathered at Shechem and the leaders of Israel asked Rehoboam if he would lighten their load and not work and tax them like his father did. Rehoboam told them he would report back in three days with an answer. *** Solomon first consulted the elders who advised David. They told him to listen to the people and be kind to them and they would follow him all his days. Solomon then asked his own peers who told him to threaten the people and tell them he would be even tougher than his father. Solomon took the advise of his peers and when he told the people his speech, they cursed the dynasty of David and broke from Rehoboam. He was left with those who lived in the towns of Judah. He sent Adoniram, the commander of the labor force to calm the people down. When they killed him, Rehoboam fled for his life. *** In Acts, Saul was on the war path to imprison all Christians. As he was coming into Damascus on his mission, he was blinded by a light from heaven. He fell to the ground and heard a voice asking him why he was persecuting him. Saul asked who he was, and he said he was Jesus. Jesus told him to get up and go into the city and he would then tell him what he must do. *** When Saul stood, he realized he was blind. He had to be led to Damascus and stayed there waiting for three days not eating or drinking. *** A believer named Ananias lived there and God told him to go to a certain house and ask for Saul of Tarsus who had been praying. Ananias was to lay his hands on him and pray that he could see again. *** Ananias recognized Saul’s name and knew of his persecutions. He argued with the Lord, but God told Ananias that He had chosen Saul to take the message to the Gentiles and kings, as well as the people of Israel. He would suffer greatly in Jesus’ name. *** Ananias found Saul and prayed for him. Scales fell from his eyes and he could see. He was first baptized, then he ate. Saul stayed in Damascus a few days with believers and began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues telling everyone that Jesus was the Son of God. *** The people were amazed at his change of heart. Some believed his teaching and others plotted to kill him. He was told about their plans and was lowered in a basket through an opening in the wall where he escaped. *** There is no greater miracle than a changed heart. *** Lord, may our hearts always be loyal to you. May we boldly proclaim who Jesus is and how great our God is.