Daily Encouragement

April 11, 2010 - Spiritual Dependency On Others Is Not Reliable

At seven years old, Jehoash became king of Judah, the Southern Kingdom while Jehu was the king of Israel, the Northern kingdom. During this period of time, both kingdoms did get rid of the worship of Baal. All the Israelites may have a period of spiritual Revival, specially the Southern kingdom.

The Scriptures says, "Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him." (v. 2 NKJV) This young king loved God's house probably because he was brought up in it by Jehoiada. He sought to repair the temple and beautified it. But the work was not done until he personally took charge of the collection of the offering for the repair when he was thirty years old.

But after the priest Jehoiada died of an old age, Jehoash began to be influenced by other officials in his kingdom. They led him to depart from God and worship idols. (2 Chronicles 24:17-18) He even ordered to kill the son of Jehoiada who pointed out their unfaithfulness to God.

So here we have a king whose spirituality depends on who he was working with. He could not stand on himself to please the LORD. The result was tragic. He ended up being assassinated. He was not following God's way after all. Nor could he teach his son to be fully devoted to God.

April 12, 2010 - Success In The World Does Not Necessarily Mean Success In God's Eyes

Meditation on 2 Kings 14

Jeroboam II, the great grandson of king Jehu ruled over Israel the Northern kingdom for forty one years. He had led his country to a very prosperous and powerful period. He restored vast territory of Israel just as the prophet Jonah prophesied. From other secular history, there were records of his prosperity. Historians would have praised his great and long reign.

But the Bible did not evaluate him as a good king. In fact, it says this: "And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin." (2 Kings 15:18 NKJV) Outwardly the country may look good. However, internally it is like the dry summer fruit under the hot sun. The nation under Jeroboam II was spiritually corrupt and soon to fall. The reason that God did bless the people then was only because of God's promise and his mercy upon his own people who was helpless. (v. 26-27)

Thus outward appearance of prosperity and success do not tell the whole picture of our health. God sees the inward spirit and faithfulness of our heart as well as behavior toward Him.

April 13, 2010 - Hezekiah, A Man Of Prayer

Meditation on 2 Kings 19

The success of Hezekiah to bring his country, the Southern kingdom of Judah back to God was due to his prayers and diligent action for God. God had answered his prayers time and again. For example, let us examine his manner and content of prayer when his city was under siege by a powerful and arrogant enemy, Sennacherib king of Assyria so we can learn how to pray.

First, we see how he had humbled himself before God with sackcloth and torn clothes in the temple with his officials doing the same. Then he asked Isaiah, the prophet to pray for his people and his country. He also spread out Sennacherib's threatening and blasphemy letter before God in the temple knowing God would see it.

When Hezekiah prayed, he addressed God as the creator and the sole ruler of all nations. He acknowledge that all other gods were man made and therefore could not protect the gentile nations. He asked God to deliver his nation in order to demonstrate that only the LORD was the true God in all the earth. That was truly a God centered prayer.

After his prayer, God immediately told Isaiah to give him a long reply. He was assured of God's deliverance and that God would destroy the blasphemous king who boasted that the LORD could not deliver Judah. God wanted his people to understand that yes, God did use Sennacherib to punish the gentiles. But the Assyrians themselves will be slaughtered by God soon. Indeed 185,000 of them were dead the next morning.

May our prayer attitude and focus imitate Hezekiah's.

April 14, 2010 - Let No Man Look Down Upon You Because You Are Young

Meditation on 2 Kings 22

Josiah became king when he was eight years old. He did what was right in the eyes of God. While he was still young he ordered the High Priest to begin the project of repairing God's house. During the repair, they found the book of law and informed the king. The king quickly listened to the word of God but soon found out that the country had not been following the commandments of God. So he wanted to know from the prophet what God wanted them to do. He was grieved and humbled before the LORD for his forefathers had departed from His way.

In the following chapter, we found Josiah right away led his country to the greatest reformation ever. With great energy he got rid of all the evil practices and false idols. Under him, the people made a new covenant before God and kept all the religious laws God had commanded. Therefore God blessed him and spared him from seeing the ruin of his country.

Even though he died young, he still was regarded as one of the greatest king in the history of Israel. Jeremiah, the prophet mourned for his death very much. He made good his service for God with a zeal that was unparalleled.

April 15, 2010 - Tracing Our Root

Meditation on 1 Chronicles 1

First Chronicles 1-9 traces the genealogy of the Israelites from Adam to their exile to Babylon. They are not only for the history of God's chosen people but also for the witness of God's preservation of the Messiah through the line of David in spite of the weaknesses of man.

Here in chapter one, the main ancestors of God's chosen people as well as their enemies were documented. From Adam to Shem to Abraham to Saul and Israel (Jacob), we see the line of the patriarchs as well as their major brothers and sisters who had influenced the tribal history.

My father had written a recent history of the origin of our ancestors. In it he also told us when our great grandmother first came to know the Lord Jesus. It is so meaningful to me and my brothers. I hope that we all would know where we come from as well as the spiritual history of our family. Remembering God's grace to our family is essential!

April 16, 2010 - Brave Soldiers

Meditation on 1 Chronicles 12

The Bible records King David's brave soldiers in detail. Many of the leaders' names were mentioned. These men came to support David with one heart. Their various expertise were specifically announced. Some were excellent in drawing the bow with both hands to shoot arrows. (v. 2) Some had fierce countenance and ran as far as a deer. (v. 8) Some were moved by the spirit of God and could be leaders of others. (v. 18) Some were people who understood the time and mood of the nation. (v. 32) Some were versatile in using all kinds of weapons. They could march together with precision. (v. 34) Their families could supply them with foods also. (v. 39-40)

This was the kind of army that God blessed. And this is the kind of Christian army we need today for the spiritual battles. May God grant us Christian soldiers that are bold, versatile, wise, and united in Him so the church of God and the various organizations of Christian causes may extend God's kingdom rapidly and powerfully.