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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
I’m sure you don’t need me to remind you that one week from today the world will be holding its breath as the American people vote for national leadership… especially the Congress and the White House. Most people I know are weary of the political conversation, the arguments, the sometimes childish behavior, the accusations. Many are wondering, regardless of who wins these elections, is a peaceful American future possible or has America gone so far away from mutual respect, conversation that focuses on issues not personalities, integrity, and perhaps most of all, a reverence for God… that America is beyond restoration? Will America simply implode into oblivion through discord, division and selfishness?
We’ve been looking into God’s Word, and the record of Israel’s history, to see what important lessons God would teach us at this critical time in human history, not only in America but all around the world. Is it fair to say that the infighting, the discord, the abandonment of God in Israel, during the years of kings Jeroboam and Rehoboam, which immediately followed the ‘golden years’ of king Solomon, are very similar to what we are currently experiencing in America and many other nations of our world? Is a turn around possible? If so, what would it take?
God says YES, it’s not too late, and the pathway to God honoring peace and prosperity, walked by others before us, beckons us now! Look with me at 2 Chronicles 13,14,15. King Rehoboam, the son of famous king Solomon, reigned in Jerusalem 17 years, and sadly, despite the glorious kingdom he inherited, Rehoboam led the people far away from God, as we have seen in the past few days. At his death, his son prince Abijah became king, but he only reigned for 3 years. In that short time, however, this young man began to change history and he pursued a leadership path very different from his wicked father. We only have one significant record of his leadership, but it’s powerful and it’s found in 2 Chronicles 13. Young king Abijah found himself under attack and vastly outnumbered on the battlefield. Until GOD intervened!
Does God get involved in battlefield warfare? Oh yes my friends He does, and history is filled with examples. May I invite you to read this relatively short but fascinating account and see both HOW and WHY God intervened on this occasion, and WHAT He accomplished? In 2 Chronicles 13:3-12 king Abijah gives a rousing, courageous, God focused speech, declaring his allegiance to God, as he stood before his soldiers facing a huge enemy force spreading out as far as the eye could see. What he didn’t know was that the enemy was secretly moving some of their army around behind his forces to ambush them! By every military logic, Abijah and his army would be destroyed, but look at vs. 13-17 and see the battlefield miracle, for yourself!
Now I have a question for you, my friends? WHY do you think God involved Himself on the battlefield that day? What did Abijah do, as the new leader of the people, that drew such a remarkable, miraculous intervention from Almighty God in warfare? I see one of the key secrets in vs. 10: king Abijah declared “As for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken Him.” I ask you today, is it possible, that if American leaders would stand up and say such a thing, and then take the actions to turn away from our moral rebellion and turn back to God, that God might intervene in our downward spiral and rescue America from self destruction?
We know very little else of those 3 years that Abijah reigned as king in Jerusalem, nor even why or how he died, but we know a great deal about his son king Asa who succeeded him. Please consider this powerful statement: “Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David (Jerusalem). Asa his son succeeded him as king, and in his days the country was at peace for 10 years. Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD His God…” (2 Chronicles 14:1,2) Is the downward spiral of a business, a family, a church, a community, even a nation, reversible? OH YES my friends!
King Asa reigned as king in Jerusalem 41 years! Did you hear me? 41 years! That’s longer than king David or king Solomon! And for most all that time God’s hand of great blessing was upon Asa, as he led the people of Jerusalem and the surrounding area BACK to God. May I invite you to take a few moments and read the remarkable account in 2 Chronicles 14 and 15? Those 45 verses cover 35 years of an amazing time of peace, prosperity not seen since the days of king Solomon!
The key is the courageous leadership of king Asa and his systematic, strategic reversal of the horrific, Godless leadership of his grandfather king Rehoboam! Asa led in a nation wide purging of idol worship and immorality. “Asa commanded the people of Judah to seek the LORD the God of their ancestors, and to obey God’s laws and commands. He removed the high places and incense altars in every town in Judah, and the kingdom was at peace under him…No one was at war with him, for the LORD gave Asa peace.” (2 Chron. 14:4-6)
With the nation at peace, king Asa was able to lead the people in a remarkable economic and social recovery. Listen to this account: “Let us build up these towns,’ Asa said…’the land is still ours because we have sought the LORD our God; we sought Him and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and they prospered.” (2 Chron. 14:7) Could it happen in America or where you live my friends? YES!
As we continue to read 2 Chronicles 14 & 15, we’ll see that God came to Asa’s rescue on the battlefield, as He had done with Asa’s father Abijah, some years before. And then God sent a prophet, a man of God, to Asa with a very special leadership word of encouragement from God: “The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him He will be found by you…be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded…” (2 Chron. 15:2-7) Oh that leaders would understand this miraculous formula of God’s blessing.
Finally take note of this summary statement: “… Asa’s heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life…There was no more war until the 35th year of Asa’s reign.” (2 Chron. 15:17) Think of this my friends. 35 years of peace, prosperity and the continued blessing and protection of God upon the people… 35 years! Can you imagine if you were alive in Jerusalem then and among those over about age 60? You would have lived in the ‘glory years’ of king Solomon, then the horrific years of his son king Rehoboam and now, delightfully, in the restoration, God blessed years of king Asa!
So I ask you. . .what are the important leadership lessons God is showing us here my friends? He is the very same God today as He was then. His truth has not changed. Dramatic change is possible anywhere in the world. Do you remember God’s promise to Solomon and the people in 2 Chronicles 7:14? Here, in the years of king Asa, we witness it happening! Why not in our day, where you and I live?
Oh LORD God, we ask You please, show us the pathway that we need to take, what we need to do, O God, to invite Your restoring blessing upon our nations…
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Click to read today’s chapter: 2 Chronicles 13; 2 Chronicles 14; 2 Chronicles 15. (At the top you can choose a different translation.)
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Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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