THE COURAGE TO MOVE FORWARD
BIBLE PASSAGE: 2 CHRONICLES 15:1-19
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Picture taken from Google
Lesson Prepared by: Krisha of
Solomon’s Wisdom FB page
JANUARY 31, 2021
MEMORY VERSE
Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak; for
your work shall be rewarded.
2 CHRONICLES 15:7
INTRODUCTION:
We can see in the life of Israelites the ups and
downs of their spirituality. If they were obedient and forgot the Lord, they
suffered afflictions and wars. In verses 1-6, we have read that in long season
they had been without God, without teaching priest and without law (verse 3).
Imagine their lives without the important things. The Prophet Azariah describes the bad state of Israel in
their overconfidence and distance from God. They had rejected God, those who
teach them the Word of God, and the law itself. But when they were in trouble
they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and sought Him, and He was found by
them. This is a reminder that even when the people of God were set low because
of their disobedience, God would restore them when they turned to the Lord God
of Israel. In verses 5 and 6, let’s read:
And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to
him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the
countries. And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did
vex them with all adversity.
We can see that they are no peace in Israel.
What reminders we can get from these verses? If we are distant from the Lord,
there’s no peace, AMEN!
All of us here were decided to commit in the
ministry. I don’t know what motivate you of doing that decision. Again, I
remember the commercial of Nescafe, “Kanino ka bumabangon? (For whom you wake
up?”) Of course, the commercial encourages people to drink coffee to motivate
them to stand up and work or face their day with strength. How about in
spiritual aspect, what motivates us to move?
In verse 8 when Asa heard these words from
the prophet, the state of Israel, and the encouragement which mentioned in
verse 7, “Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for
your work shall be rewarded,” King Asa made a decision. What made king Asa
decide? When he heard the words of the prophet; it is by God’s Word and
promises. What did he do after hearing God’s words and promises?
LESSON OUTLINE:
1. HE TOOK COURAGE AND PUT AWAY THE
ABOMINABLE IDOLS (2 CHRONICLES 15:8)
And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy
of Oded the prophet, he took courage,
and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and
Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim…
To commit there are something or someone we need or
should give up and this is what I think one of the reasons why some Christians
don’t decide to commit. For example, you have a non-christian boyfriend or
girlfriend, that is hard to give up especially if he or she hinders you in some
ways. Sometimes this happens also to a Christian boyfriend or girlfriend; he or
she doesn’t help you in the ministry instead he hinders you in unnoticeable
situations. This is also for marriage couples. The wives are encouraged to let
their husbands commit; don’t disconnect to a local church. Another thing, not just relationships also the
work, careers and dreams in life are in the list. Everything that holds you for
not committing is on this list.
Do you think it would be easy for King Asa to just
put away the idols? Remember the verse says, “He took courage…” because this
wasn’t easy. Why it wasn’t easy? It is because he would go against his mother.
Let’s read verse 16, “And also
concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen,
because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and
burnt it at the brook Kidron”. So, you see it was
hard especially this involves your family.
So I’m thankful that you took courage and commit because I
know there are many things you do in the flesh that you need to give up. THANK
GOD!
2. RENEWED THE ALTAR OF THE LORD (2
CHRONICLES 15:8B)
“… and renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before the porch
of the Lord.”
The meaning of renewed here means “restored” because that time
the altar was broken and needed to be fixed because it wasn’t used for a long
time. Altar talks about fellowship and this what King Asa wanted to restore
too. Imagine your personal relationship with the Lord is wiggling and need to
restore. Sorry to say that when your heart was not good in the sight of God,
it’s hard for you to commit. Part of commitment is renewing our fellowship with
the Lord.
3. THEY GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER (2
CHRONICLES 15:10)
“So they
gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth
year of the reign of Asa.”
You can’t separate church from
commitment to the Lord. Committing yourself is seen through your attendance in
gatherings and assembly. Hebrews 10: 25 says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the
more, as ye see the day approaching.” Remember the rules the church had before regarding our church
attendance, we had some little debate about this but it’s part of the ministry
– to talk and reconcile for the ministry. There is no question if you have few absences
or no absences at all but the problem is when your absence is over the number
of times you should be present. In times
like this, we should search our hearts and accept what your faults heartily;
it’s between you God who knows exactly your reasons. We can understand the reasons, but the basis
should be the Bible. Are we following Hebrews 10:25? It’s up to us to answer.
Upon hearing God’s words, king Asa
renewed the altar and made gatherings which mentioned in verse 10. So, what’s
the purpose of restoring the altar? Of course, for the Israelites to gather and
worship. Same with us, what’s the purpose of church? For us to have an assembly
and worship.
4. THEY OFFERED UNTO THE LORD THE SAME
TIME (2 CHRONICLES 15:11)
“And
they offered unto the Lord the same time, of the spoil which they had
brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.”
If you’re really committed there are no questions anymore
about giving. I remember the little issue before about giving our pledges to
the Lord. Some members said, it was like “bidding”. They don’t like to mention
how much they gave. Actually, this is not a big deal, but this is what I see, if
your heart is not right with GOD, small things become big things. You always
see things a big issue.
5. THEY ENTERED INTO A COVENANT WITH ALL
THEIR HEART AND SOUL (2 CHRONICLES 15:12)
“And they entered into
a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart
and with all their soul;”
They swore unto the Lord with a loud voice, with shouting, with
trumpets and with cornets. They rejoiced at the oath. Hoping some of us would not
say, “Patay na” upon an oath. Rejoicing should see on our face not regrets. Asa
brought into the house of God the hings his father had dedicated and that he
himself dedicated silver, gold and vessels (verse 18). And the blessing of their decision and commitment,
the Lord gave them rest. Imagine no
wars within 5 – 13 years of Asa’s reign (verse 19). Would that be blessing, no
wars? Yes, amen! Remember that entering
the covenant or commitment is not only responsibility but blessings and
guidance from the LORD.
CONCLUSION:
We
see that courage that made King Asa, and the Israelites decided to enter the
covenant is through God’s words. In the same way with us, our courage comes
from the Lord with His words. Now we see the blessing of being committed but be
careful because in a moment you forget- miss God’s fellowship and everything
will go upside-down. Don’t think that you’re strong enough today; you might
fall. Don’t say I’m active, busy and usable; there’s no way to be stumble.
Bible says, “Take heed lest ye fall…”
If
times come that you don’t rely on God’s word anymore that’s the beginning of
affliction and wars in our lives. After years of no wars and blessings, king
Asa came to the point of his life that he was no longer rely on God’s words. When
king Asa of Judah and king of Israel had issues, he made a league to an enemy
which made God not pleased to his actions.
2 Chronicles 16:7 says, “And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king
of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou
hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy
God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.”
Whatever spiritual status we have for now, we
need God’s words every day in our lives. Bible says, “Thy word is a lamp unto
my feet and a light unto my path”. In
verse 12, “And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was
diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to
the Lord,
but to the physicians.”
So, you see that not relying on God is a great
mistake we could ever do in our lives. Always remember we cannot move forward
successfully without God’s words.
