DESTINY WITH DEATH! But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the breastplate and the scale armor. The king told the chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.” All day long the battle raged, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then at sunset he died. —II Chronicles 18:33-34              King Ahab went to war even though the Lord, through His prophet Micaiah, told him it would not end well.  Micaiah had told Ahab— “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he…

COMMITMENT For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. —II Chronicles 16:9             Fully committed to Him… am I?  Are you?  What does that look like?  Well, we get a picture in the early church’s commitment/devotion— “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.…

EVERYTHING IS FROM HIS HAND! All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. —II Chronicles 9:23 Whom have I in heaven but you?  And earth has nothing I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever…. But as for me, it is good to be near God.  I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.  —Psalm 73:25-26, 28             There are no self-made men.  All knowledge comes from God (indeed, everything comes from God) and men can…

BE A SIGN! I have become a sign to many; you are my strong refuge. —Psalm 71:7 My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long— though I know not how to relate them all.  I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord.  I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone. —Psalm 71:15-16             A sign directs people.  You stop as the stop sign directs.  You turn when a sign directs you to do so to get to a town.  You slow down when a sign indicates curves.  You receive information from signs for the action to take or not take.             Am…

SERVING ACCORDING TO HIS PLAN, HIS CHOICE, HIS STRENGTH Yet the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me… he chose my family…  he has chosen my son… —I Chronicles 28:4-5 And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.” —I Chronicles 28:9-10 David also said to Solomon his son,…

Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God. —I Chronicles 22:19             How devoted am I?  Am I truly seeking the Lord?  Am I devoted more to other things?  Am I seeking more for other things?  Just where is my focus?  Look at the devotion of the early church and the results of that devotion— “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day…

HE REVEALS HIMSELF TO THE NATIONS THROUGH US Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.  Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.  Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.  Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. —I Chronicles 15:8-11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!” —I Chronicles 16:31 There is no one like you, Lord, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. —I Chronicles 17:20 May God…

BE IN HIS PRESENCE AND TRUST HIM And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord Almighty was with him. —I Chronicles 11:9 If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God… —I Chronicles 13 If you do this and God so commands… —Exodus 18:23 If I regard sin and baseness in my heart [that is, if I know it is there and do nothing about it], The Lord will not hear [me]… —Psalm 66:18             We have no power of our own. All our power and successes come from the Lord as we depend on Him. “If it seems good to you…

SONGS OF JOY The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy. —Psalm 65:8             His Creation is a marvel as we consider the tiniest flowers to the massive waterfalls, to the glory of our sun to the greatness of the universe.  Yes, His creation is a wonder.  Morning dawns, evening fades and it is a reminder to me that the— “Bloody red sky Of night and morn Tis a witness His body torn And was for me Planned cross forlorn That I could be Once again born” —tw             And this fills my heart with such…