strengthened – Praying Pint

28.z. “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small”

Colossians 1:11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Isaiah 45:24   “Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him.

Ephesians 3:16    that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

Philippians 4:13     I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

2 Corinthians 4:7  But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

Proverbs 24:10     If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

2 Corinthians 6:4-6   but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities  beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;  by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;

Hebrews 12:1-2   Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

His strength is there to help us meet all of life’s challenges and to endure and overcome problems with circumstances (patience) and people (long-suffering) with joy. We find it easy to be patient and long-suffering when everything in our lives is free from trials and troubles. In other words, we think we will be patient and long-suffering when they invade our lives. We think we will be strong, steadfast, face it with courage, and will honor and glorify Jesus Christ through it, and then, Bam!! life happens and just the opposite happens. Our greatest failure is trying to or thinking that we are facing the trial or trouble alone and in our own strength. When we do, subconsciously we may know it is beyond our ability, but still, we plod on trying to overcome it in our self-reliant way. We may even consciously concede to the fact that is beyond our ability, but we still try to rely on ourselves. Why is that? Sometimes it is because of our spiritual growth or lack thereof, living in sin, not having a desire to surrender it into God’s hands, shallow faith in God’s power, thinking that we are not worthy of God’s help, or a host of other reasons. It is hard to yield to God’s power, strength, purpose, and plans. It is hard to wait on the Lord. Should it be? All throughout our lives, we must continually grow in faith, hope, trust, reliance, understanding, knowledge, and wisdom. Learning to do this takes continual practice, surrender, and yielding. It is with an intentional choice and desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we say, think, and do that we find learning applicable. God’s Word becomes more than food for our souls. It satisfies, fills, empowers, and we learn to discern the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. How do we begin to apply this in our lives? Commit and Discipline yourselves to be in His Word and then practice surrender, yielding, seeking, and waiting on the Lord. Will we fail at times? Yes. However with continual practice, we will become more and more steadfast and resolute in our daily lives, and when trials and troubles fall upon us our natural reaction will be to place it in God’s control, power, purpose, and plans.

28.y. “I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.”

Colossians 1:9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light

Psalms 119:99   I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.

James 3:17    But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

Psalms 143:10    Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

Romans 12:2     Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Ephesians 5:17    Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

1 Peter 4:2    so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

Spiritual ignorance is the constant source of error, instability, and sorrow. (Spurgeon) Our Christian walk is based on our knowledge of God and our understanding of His will. How are we to “bear fruit in every good work”, if we do not have knowledge and understanding in what is honoring, pleasing, and glorifying Jesus Christ? Neglect and complacency fill us with Ignorance and ignorance of knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding voids our lives of purpose, meaning, joy, power, courage, happiness, generosity, hope, and satisfaction. We think the spiritual things of God are for Pastors to understand and know and try to educate us in God’s will and purpose. Don’t misunderstand me. Pastors can and do dive deep into spiritual things of God as they are led, fed, and grow in this understanding given to them by God. The problem is with us. We leave the diving deep into God’s Word to them and expect our lives to have growth, meaning, purpose and bear the fruit of good works by nibbling on the breads crumbs of their prayerful study. We leave church with a crumb worth of knowledge and even less understanding, Sunday after Sunday, convincing ourselves we are good and pleasing to God. There is a feast before us in God’s Word. Why would we choose to eat left over crumbs and lead spiritually starved lives? We seem to think being in spiritual starvation is natural. If we had two mirrors, one worldly and one spiritually, would we see an overweight obese worldly person in the worldly mirror and a malnutrition, underweight, and starved reflection in the spiritual mirror?

How we choose to spend out time reflects our spiritual growth, maturity, knowledge, and understanding. We get to choose to eat and drink from the bountiful spiritual feast found in God’s Word. When we seek and desire to eat from it, grow from it, get fulfilled from it, and be satisfied from it, we will begin to grow in spiritual knowledge and understanding, rightly dividing the Word of Truth, bearing fruit in good works, and honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ.

27.j. “I will strengthen you, I will help you”

Ephesians 3:16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

Psalms 28:8   The LORD is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

Psalms 138:3   On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.

2 Timothy 4:17    But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me,

Isaiah 41:10     fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Ephesians 6:10    Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

The Lord is my strength, I will strengthen you, my strength of soul, strengthened with power, all speak of leaning on, accepting, and allowing God’s Strength in our lives. If you have ever raised children or been around young children and you have seen them struggling with something, you offer or try to help and they say No I can do this myself, or I want to do this by myself. Even as adults we have all offered to help someone with a problem and they turn you down or flat out reject the offer of help. If we are honest, I think we all have done this. Sometimes we just need to work through the problem, find the solution, and get on the other side of it. But do we? We may know the person who wants to help us routinely takes shortcuts and their workmanship is not quite the same as ours. We may know that they will hold it over our heads if we allow them to help. We may know they will tell others of our lack of ability in an area they helped us in. We may just have a bit of pride in us that says, “I can do this”, “I know how”, “I got it”, “I am smart enough”, “I am wise enough”, “I am strong enough”, “I am………”. Whatever the reason we seem to turn away help. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when we should turn from someone’s help.

Do you ever think about how many times we reject God’s power, strength, might, wisdom, knowledge, love, peace, grace, mercy, refuge, fortress, shelter, shepherd, savior, redeemer, Heavenly Father,………? He not only is willing and able, He also promises to be all of these in our lives. Year by year, month by month, week by week, day, hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second, He offers us all of these and we turn away, stiffen our necks, harden our hearts, deafen our ears, and close our hearts and minds to His continued offers. Why is this? I fear it is because we do not live for God. By this I mean where we do not develop hunger and thirst for His Word, desire and seek His continued presence, have no want to understand and know more of Him, and do not know want it means to honor and glorify Him in all we say think and do. The shallowness of our commitments toward all of this most certainly will keep us from knowing about His grace, mercy, love, and promises. We will not see our need for help and thereby we won’t ask for it. We can start by intentionally choosing to live to honor and glorify Him in all we say and do. We can start by thinking less about self, self-interests, and the busyness of life. We can start by repenting from our shallowness. We can start right now.

25.k. “But as servants of God”

2 Corinthians 6:4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left

Romans 14:18    Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.

1 Thessalonians 2:3-11   For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive,  but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

Romans 5:3-4    Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

Colossians 1:11    being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy

Hebrews 12:1   Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

James 5:7-10    Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.  You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Revelation 3:10    Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.

We often think of patience as a passive thing – the ability to sit around and wait for something to happen. That is not the idea of the word Paul used here. It is an active endurance instead of a passive waiting. The ancient Greek word hupomone “does not describe the frame of mind which can sit down with folded hands and bowed head and let a torrent of troubles sweep over it in passive resignation. It describes the ability to bear things in such a triumphant way that it transfigures them.” (Barclay)

“Nowadays it is not the violence but the mockery or the amused contempt of the crowd against which the Christian must stand fast.” (Barclay)

Paul knew he needed endurance, and he knew many things in his life drew him to seek that endurance. Some of them were the general trials of life, some were sufferings directly brought by others, and some were self-inflicted. Not every trial was the same, but they all made him need endurance.

The idea of on the right hand and on the left is of holding both offensive and defensive weapons. It probably has in mind “both advancing and being attacked.” “Particularly, the shield and the sword; the former on the left arm, the latter on the right hand. We have the doctrine of truth, and the power of God, as an armour to protect us on all sides, every where, and on all occasions.” (Clarke)

19.n. “Make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

2 Corinthians 5:17   Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Ephesians 4:17   Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.

Ephesians 4:22-24  to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,  and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,  and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

1 John 2:6   whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Colossians 1:10-12    so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;  being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;  giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Philippians 3:17-18    Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.  For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Romans 13:13-14     Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

“That we too might walk in newness of life.” “Behold the new has come.” “He is a New Creation.” Renewed in the spirit of your minds.” “Put on the new self.” “Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.” “Let us walk properly as in the daytime.” What does it mean to walk properly and in a manner worthy of the Lord? The easiest way to think about answering this is to know what sin is and to know what is pleasing to God. How do we know what sin is? Do we know it by instinct? Do we instinctively know what is good and bad – right and wrong – true and false? Unfortunately, we do not instinctively know, but through our upbringing and our culture, we determine what is socially acceptable. If something is socially or culturally acceptable is it good, right, and true? – (Maybe) If it is socially and culturally acceptable can it still be sin? – (absolutely) Someone said wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it, and right is right if there is only one doing it.

If we base our rights, wrongs, and truths on what is culturally acceptable then we can easily fall prey to doing what is sin in God’s eyes. There is only one place we gain insight into what is good, right, and true. That is in God’s word. He is steadfast. His Word is true. His promises are true. He is truth. There is no falsehood in Him. If we want to know what is true, right, good, and honorable then we need to not only spend time in His Word but also spend time with Him in prayer. Jesus said that out of the abundance of our heart our mouth speaks. If we are only feeding our heart with a token stab at daily devotions then His Word will not abide in us but rather pass through us as if we were empty vessels. There must be a heart-deep desire connected to our seeking of what is true, good, and right. There must be a hunger and thirst. If there is stagnate “life” flowing through your veins and if there is a neglect of God’s Word in your day, and if there is a foggy haze to your understanding of what is good, right, and true in God’s eyes, then repent and turn away from this right now. You are a new creation that has been born with the newness of life through Jesus Christ. Jesus did not die for you so that you could keep on sinning but rather so that you would choose to intentionally live to honor and glorify Him alone. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

3.y. “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build”

Nehemiah 2:11 So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode. I went out by night by the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work.

Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.”

Lamentations 3:45-46   You have made us scum and garbage among the peoples.  “All our enemies open their mouths against us;

Lamentations 2:8-9   The LORD determined to lay in ruins the wall of the daughter of Zion; he stretched out the measuring line; he did not restrain his hand from destroying; he caused rampart and wall to lament; they languished together.  Her gates have sunk into the ground; he has ruined and broken her bars; her king and princes are among the nations; the law is no more, and her prophets find no vision from the LORD.

Psalms 89:50-51     Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked, and how I bear in my heart the insults of all the many nations,  with which your enemies mock, O LORD, with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed.

Isaiah 35:3-4    Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.  Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

Nehemiah went to Jerusalem sometime after he had sent Ezra and the first waves of exiles who had returned. These first to return had been there long enough to have married foreign women and have a child. Nehemiah came sometime after sending Ezra and the repentance and turning back to God of those first to come. Imagine what was going through his mind all the time they had been gone and reports coming back to him about the falling away, the repentance and turning back, and the status of the ruin of Jerusalem. He had to have had thoughts of thankfulness, hope, despair, and worry. Think about it. He had the heavy burden given to Him by God and he had seen the hand of God soften the heart of the king to allow them to return to Jerusalem only to have the people live in ways apart from God.

After he had been there 3 days, he went out at night to look over and observe the walls Jerusalem. That next morning he told the people, officials, leaders, and priests “let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” Nehemiah told them how the Hand of God had led his heart and what the King had said in response. The people listened and were encouraged and strengthened to consider and begin the work before them. Then comes the jeers and mocking and threats and rebukes of those foreigners living near them.

When we have been led by the hand of God to do “a great work” and have seen His hand paving the way we have to be aware of the opposition and trials that may still be ahead. Remember when God led Moses to speak to the Pharaoh, “let my people go” and sent signs and wonders 8 times to show the Israelites His power and leading, and to show Pharaoh the power of God. When Pharaoh had finally consented and let the people go there had to have been joy and encouragement in the hearts and minds of the Israelites. They had witnessed the power and leading of God. Then what happens? Pharaoh changes his mind and sends out his army with instruction to kill all of the Israelites. Then when they are faced with the Red Sea before them and the Egyptian army approaching from behind them did they call on God and rely on the same power and might of His leading, no they did not. God showed them once again His power and leading by parting the Red Sea and destroying the Egyptian army. God did not stop there He showed them power and leading by providing water and food and proved over and over again His presence and leading by displaying Himself to them as a cloud by day and fire by night. What did the people do? They rejected His leading and wonder in the wilderness for 40 years until that disbelieving generation was no more.

We see something different in Nehemiah, don’t we? We see a burdened, believing, and trusting heart willing to be led, strengthened and encouraged by what God has done and commissioned them to do. We see commitment and determination in the face of what seems overwhelming. We see a willingness to be led. We see the courage to face the tasks and opposition.

Saying close to God does not mean we will not see opposition, trials, and troubles but it does allow us to rely on, trust in, and cling to Him and see His mighty hand at work. Stand firm. Remain firm. Keep your eyes on Him and those trials and troubles will fade away as His purpose and plans are carried out in ways that only He can do.

3.e. “But with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.”

2 Chronicles 32:1 After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them for himself. And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and intended to fight against Jerusalem, he planned with his officers and his mighty men to stop the water of the springs that were outside the city; and they helped him. A great many people were gathered, and they stopped all the springs and the brook that flowed through the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?” He set to work resolutely and built up all the wall that was broken down and raised towers upon it, and outside it he built another wall, and he strengthened the Millo in the city of David. He also made weapons and shields in abundance. And he set combat commanders over the people and gathered them together to him in the square at the gate of the city and spoke encouragingly to them, saying, “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 Kings 6:16    He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Romans 8:31     What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

1 John 4:4     Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

The battles we face in life come at us from many different angles. They come at us spiritually, relationally, financially, physically, and mentally. For the most part, we do not get to pick when this battle line forms against us. But surely as we breathe these battle lines will form over and over again in our lifetime. No matter how well prepared we are to face them we can never truly know the fierceness that it will come. Sometimes these battles come at us with a single front and other times it has multiple fronts.

How do we face these battles? How do we stand strong? How do we stand courageous? Where do we get the strength to endure? If we run headlong into these battles in our own strength, will, power, and might we will fail for sure but not for a lack of trying. Psalms 33:16-17 “The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.” All of the battles that can and will come into our life, if taken head-on by us, will end poorly.

Here are scriptures of faith, hope, and the power of God. Let these be grounded in your heart, mind, and soul, for in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ we anchor our faith and hope. He is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.

2 Chronicles 20:15 – And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle [is] not yours, but God’s.

Ephesians 6:12 – For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].

1 Samuel 17:47 – And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle [is] the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.

Zechariah 4:6 – Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This [is] the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

2 Chronicles 32:7 – Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that [is] with him: for [there be] more with us than with him:

2 Corinthians 4:8 – [We are] troubled on every side, yet not distressed; [we are] perplexed, but not in despair;

Romans 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.

2.d. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them

2 Chronicles 17:1 Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place and strengthened himself against Israel. He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim that Asa his father had captured. 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.

In the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah; and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and with these Levites, the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 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. Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver for tribute, and the Arabians also brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats. And Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. He built in Judah fortresses and store cities, and he had large supplies in the cities of Judah.

Psalms 18:21-22   For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.  For all his rules were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me.

Hosea 14:9    Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them

Psalms 119:1   Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!

Asa’s son Jehoshaphat reigned after him. He sought God and walked in His commandments. He was courageous in the ways of the Lord. One of the greatest verses in this chapter, to me, is “he sent his officials to teach in the cities, having the Book of the Law of the Lord with them” “They went through all the cities and taught among the people.”

Jehoshaphat, it seems, knew the need to know God’s word and to have it as your purpose and guide for your life. Can you imagine what it would be like to live in cities away from the temple, away from the presence of God, and away from leaders in worship and sacrifice? There would be no daily reminder of His word other than what you put to memory. Can you imagine what it would be like to not have God word at your fingertips?

Jehoshaphat sent his officials, Levites, and Priests to teach in the cities. He did not want the people to fall away from following after God. He took the word of God to them. He set an example of the importance of God’s word to his officials and to the people in all the cities he governed.

Setting an example of the importance of God’s word is more than going to church on Sunday. It is more than reading a daily devotional. It is more than having a head knowledge of His word. God’s word must permeate the heart and mind to take root in our purpose for life. God’s word is able to divide thoughts and intents in the heart of man. It can soften or harden a heart depending on the heart of the person receiving it.

To intentionally choose, desire, and seek after God’s word must be for the reasons of wanting to humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow, trust, and obey God with all your heart, mind, and soul. If we look at God’s word like it is a medicine cabinet and only there for when we have a need, we will soon see His as nothing more than a bandaid for trouble. God’s word is so much more. It gives peace and rest to the weary soul in confusion. It gives courage to the mind of the alone and afraid. It gives hope and faith to the lost. It refreshes the hear, mind, and soul to those who hunger and thirst for it.

Jehoshaphat knew the heart and mind were easily attracted toward what can be seen and took steps to remove the high places and Asherim out of Judah. He took out these false places of hope and replaced them with the word of God. We would do well to take inventory of what is in our heart and mind and where we place our hope and trust.

Let them consider

“but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

Psalms 107:43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD.

Psalms 28:5 Because they do not regard the works of the LORD or the work of his hands, he will tear them down and build them up no more.

Psalms 64:9 Then all mankind fears; they tell what God has brought about and ponder what he has done.

Isaiah 5:12 They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands.

Jeremiah 9:12 Who is the man so wise that he can understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through?

Daniel 10:12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.

Hosea 14:9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

Psalms 50:23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

There always seems to be a way man finds to avert focus on God. When they do not focus on God, they stumble, their land is laid waste, they are not built up, they are beat down, or they do not see His salvation. On the other hand those who, ponder, discerns, set their heart to know and seek God, and consider what God has done, they are strengthened with power in their inner being. They are grounded in His love. They know Love that surpasses knowledge. They see God’s salvation. They humble themselves. None of us are immune to getting sideways. None of us are immune to Satan’s attacks. None of us are immune to our sinful nature and it’s wants and desires. Our battle is to keep these influences at bay with knowledge and understanding of God and His holiness. Our hope can be found in no one else. Our faith can be in no one else. If his word is not in our daily lives we will surely loose our way. Remember salvation is offered to all but it is not because we are worthy. It is because we have come to a place where this world and all it has to offer, leaves us wanting and empty. Do you want to find true purpose and satisfaction this side of eternity. Seek God and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened by God.