365 Reflections

Hey readers! My book is finally out!  Get a copy and tell me what you think! Remember the last act of Jehoshaphat?  2 Chronicles 20:35 (ESV) After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly. It's one verse that outlines a horrible moment for this once inspirational servant of God. He enters into partnership with the Northern Kingdom's heinous king Ahaziah - son of Ahab. These actions leave an indelible mark on his son.  2 Chronicles 21:1 (ESV) Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Jehoram his son reigned in his place. For as righteous and committed to God Jehoshaphat was in his early and middle-aged life, his later years proved troubling for his son who would take his place. Jehoram goes down as Judah's most uncelebrated king because of his wickedness and rage. Look at what happens. 2 Chronicles 21:2–3 (ESV) He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zecha...

Hey readers! My book is finally out!  Get a copy and tell me what you think! So in the last post, I talked about the importance of praise in the midst of the battle. That's the theme of 2 Chronicles 20 as Jehoshaphat and the nation saw God fight for them. They need only to stand and see the salvation of God. Their participation would be worship. Worship can change the dynamic of your life, the atmosphere of your life. But the story of 2 Chronicles 20 is not done with the war being won. When the king and the people go into the enemy camp they are overwhelmed by the spoil of the war: 2 Chronicles 20:25 (ESV) When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. They spent three days gathering the spoil of war from their enemies. Think of how much this would have been. God not only g...

Hey readers! My book is finally out!  Get a copy and tell me what you think! Did you know that praising God is a weapon? It is. And it can help you defeat the enemies of your life. This is the lesson from 2 Chronicles 20 in the life of Jehoshaphat. Having prayed desperately for God to intervene and depending on His Word and Covenant Promises, the messenger of the Lord shows up before the battle with good news.  2 Chronicles 20:15–17 (ESV) And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the LORD to you, ‘ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s . 16 Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and ...

Hey readers! My book is finally out!  Get a copy and tell me what you think! 2 Chronicles 20:1 (ESV)  After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle. What is interesting about this verse is the "after this." The "this" is Jehoshaphat's repentance and reforms of the nation, turning them back to God. Time and again we see this pattern repeated in the scriptures and in our lives. Whenever serious decisions are made to turn to God, the enemy comes in and turns up the heat. These are not signs God is displeased with you, they are signs the enemy is real and seeks to discourage you.  What does Jehoshaphat do? He seeks God.  2 Chronicles 20:3 (ESV) Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. Times of discouragement can go either way for us. They can demoralize us or drive us deeper into the faith, reminding us that only God can really save us....

Hey readers! My book is finally out!  Get a copy and tell me what you think! I've always loved this proverb: Proverbs 27:6 (ESV) Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy. Jehoshaphat was "kissed" by Ahab in the last chapter and it nearly cost him his kingdom and his life. In 2 Chronicles 19, however, Jehoshaphat is wounded by a friend named Jehu. The way back to God is often found through relationships. Such is the case with Jehoshaphat. This noble and powerful and blessed king had made a horrible decision in 2 Chronicles 18. He aligned with the wicked Ahab. Perhaps he felt too secure, perhaps he felt the need to be friends with the neighbors to the north ignoring their rampant immorality. Perhaps he sought international peace through allegiance. Whatever the reason, Jehoshaphat drifted from God. But with the horrible experiences behind him in chapter 18, the next chapter opens with the rebuke of a friend. 2 Chronicles 19:1–3 (ESV) Jehoshap...

Hey readers! My book is finally out!  Get a copy and tell me what you think! Jehoshaphat was indeed a good king for Judah. But he made an alliance with none other than Ahab.  2 Chronicles 18:1 (ESV) Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor, and he made a marriage alliance with Ahab. How did this happen? Why would he align his kingdom with that of the most wicked king in Israel? Perhaps the answer is in the next verse: 2 Chronicles 18:2 (ESV) After some years he went down to Ahab in Samaria. And Ahab killed an abundance of sheep and oxen for him and for the people who were with him, and induced him to go up against Ramoth-gilead. Ahab allured Jehoshaphat with flattery and offerings. You know he had to be doing this before the marriage and after the marriage, Ahab laid it on thick so that Jehoshaphat would bring the blessings the Lord brought to his nation to Ahab's nation. This is often the reality of the world. Unbelievers do not want God but they will gladly use the bless...

Hey readers! My book is finally out! Get a copy and tell me what you think! There's a little-known king in Judah of David's line that gets far too little recognition for his contribution to the nation's well-being. His name is Jehosaphat, the son of Asa. 2 Chronicles 17:3–6 (ESV) The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals, 4 but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel. 5 Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. 6 His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD. And furthermore, he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah. Look at the description of Jehoshaphat's rule. He made it a point to walk in the ways of David. He rejected all other gods and worshipped Yahweh alone. He didn't take the bait of false worship according to ...

Let me BEGIN this post by saying my book is finally out and you can order it today: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08L45B6ZN/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0  I'm very proud of that work and would love to help you move with God! Back to our Bible Study: One thing is certain with the Kings of Israel and Judah: they all fail in the end. There is not one king who does what is right and just the entire time he rules. Such is the case also of Asa who began his reign in righteousness and continued that way for a very large portion of it but he too failed the people by failing to trust in the Lord.  What's amazing is that it was not some great threat against Asa that derailed him. In fact, it was Israel to the North who threatened him and sent him scurrying off to a foreign leader for political favors: 2 Chronicles 16:1 (ESV) In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might permit no one to go out or c...