"He [Ahaz] did not do what was pleasing in the sight of the LORD his God, as his ancestor David had done. Instead he followed the example of the kings of Israel, even sacrificing his own son in the fire."
2 Kings 16:2b-3 (emphasis mine)
2 Kings 16:2b-3 (emphasis mine)
My head is spinning from more changes in kingships. The only thing that is helping me keep the details straight in my head is to write them in my notebook. I hope everyone is doing this. We are in a place where it is easy to give up, stop reading, and wait until an easier passage. Press forward, looking for that one nugget.
The nugget I received from the Lord today was to pray for our leaders. It seems that for every one good king we have two or three bad ones. I noticed with the mention of each new king the author compares them to the previous king. I was shocked to see Ahaz followed the example of the king of Israel, King Pekah. Ahaz had two great kings who served before him, his father Jotham and grandfather Uzziah but he allowed himself to be influenced by evil.
In today's world we have good leaders and bad leaders. Some believe and serve the one true God, others do not. It is the responsiblility of every believer to pray for those in leadership. We need to pray those who don't know the Lord will come to know Him and those who do, to know Him better so they can make godly decisions for our world.
Pray also, for those who are in the sphere of influence to our leaders. Ahaz was influenced by the king of Israel. Pekah's influence was greater than that of Ahaz' own father and grandfather. Those who surround us can impact our leadership and decision making more than even realize.
Take a minute today to pray for those in leadership in our country and abroad. Let's include in our prayers everyone, from the least to the greatest, both political and non-political mentioning specific names if we know them. It is important each time we pray to have a time of repentance of our sin. Sin separates us from the Lord and we want nothing to inhibit our prayers. What an awesome privilege we have!
In today's world we have good leaders and bad leaders. Some believe and serve the one true God, others do not. It is the responsiblility of every believer to pray for those in leadership. We need to pray those who don't know the Lord will come to know Him and those who do, to know Him better so they can make godly decisions for our world.
Pray also, for those who are in the sphere of influence to our leaders. Ahaz was influenced by the king of Israel. Pekah's influence was greater than that of Ahaz' own father and grandfather. Those who surround us can impact our leadership and decision making more than even realize.
Take a minute today to pray for those in leadership in our country and abroad. Let's include in our prayers everyone, from the least to the greatest, both political and non-political mentioning specific names if we know them. It is important each time we pray to have a time of repentance of our sin. Sin separates us from the Lord and we want nothing to inhibit our prayers. What an awesome privilege we have!
8 Comments:
The scope of influence...and yet those who do influence us, don't determine our decisions...we do.
Wendy, thank you for reminding us to pray for those in leadership in our countries. The Lord answers prayer, and I'm reminded that even an ungodly leader is not outside God's influence. Proverbs 21:1 is so encouraging to me: "The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases." So thankful God is ultimately in control.
I was struck today by 3 points. One was the question in 2 Chronc.28:10, "What about your own sins against the LORD your God?" How quick I can be to point out and condemn the sin in others, when the Lord wants me on my knees dealing with the things that are separating me from Him.
My heart still thrills every time I hear the prophecy of the coming Messiah in Isaiah 7:14. So thankful for "God with us".
Finally, King Ahaz's response to the Lord's message to ask for a sign of confirmation caught my attention. King Ahaz refuses saying, "No, I will not test the LORD like that." On first glance that appears to be a righteous response, but the Lord had told him to ask. I think King Ahaz didn't really want to know what God had to say. He was justifying and excusing his behavior, because in reality he didn't want to talk to God, hear what He had to say and be put in a position of making a choice to obey.
Wondering...are there times that I do that too? Times I really don't want to listen to what God has to say to me because it might upset my schedule, convict me, or call for a deeper following that is way outside my comfort zone? Are there times I purposely refuse to ask for direction or seek His will because my heart has not come to that place of surrender to whatever He will ask of me. Like a little child, I place my fingers in my ears, start singing loudly and repeat, "I can't hear You."
Father, may my own excuses never keep me from hearing and obeying You.
In prayer for leaders around the world today,
Joy
Thank you, Wendy, for encouraging us today! The names alone make it difficult to keep straight, but as we look at the whole picture, we see so many truths.
* As evil nations rush to remove God, His promises still remain true today.
*Not fully surrendering to the Word will keep us from knowing His blessings.
*Our God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow has a Plan for our lives! Amen!
* Sin is not only disobeying God, but also leading others to sin.
*There is no substitute for completely surrendering to the will of God or obeying his Word.
*Sin separates us from God while obedience brings us in His Presence.
*Desiring worldly pleasures above the desire to follow God puts us in a situation that separates us from the wonderful plan He has for us.
Our church is preparing to host a national "leadership summit," which is an annual event. Last Sunday we heard an amazing gal who chose to walk away from a high paying Wall Street job ---into a prison of Texas, where God led her each step of the way. She told us she told God, "To bring it on. She was ready to follow him." :)
I remember her saying, "someone ALWAYS has something negative to say about a person in leadership."
You have to know what to let go of, and what to listen to.
It made me think about all the leaders today. Those that are single moms leading their homes, those like Nancy, heading up a school, those leading up a small groups, pastors, teachers, etc. The enemy comes in from every angle to those of us that are choosing to follow God with all of our heart. It's so easy to say, just a little comment about someone who is in charge. I don't know why, but it seems that most people would rather spend time looking for the bad, rather than the good. They delight in negative gossip, and almost seem to thrive on it!
Personally, I hate to admit, that I don't pray for our worldly leaders like I should. I do pray for those that I know, but I believe Christians have a responsibility to lift leaders up, even when they do not personally know them. This is an area I need to work on.
Thank you dear Lord for exposing sin on my own heart! Humbly, I come before you in awe. You are very great. "I will sing praise to my God as long as I love." Thank you for bringing me sisters in the Lord on this blog that daily refresh my soul, and enlighten me with more nuggets to ponder over. Lord, you alone, know my needs. I pray that I will be in alignment with you today. Listening and obeying you each step I take. Amen.
Blessings sweet friends! Lori -AZ
Yesterday it hit 105...so guess I need to get to my morning walk now!
...But, Nancy-my Dad does not mind the heat...he's been in AZ all his life, so he does not know any different. :) (He's) planning on getting released a week from today!
:)
Can you imagine living in only 3 houses, all less than 5 miles apart, for 76 years?! I shouldn't be talking as I can pretty much say the same thing! :) I did live in Atlanta tho for 4 years with my mom, right after they got divorced. Is that ever a story!--lucky for ya'll tho, no room to write that experience on the blog! heehee!!! I will say tho, that the south is b e a u t i f u l ! Green and lush!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But, there's no place like home in the desert...you can see God's magnificent & wonderful skies for miles and miles, and the sunrises and sunsets...well...they just take your breath away!
Ok, didn't mean to get so wordy again! :) Lori - AZ
PS Karen, thanks for sharing about Switzerland. We will be praying for you as you let God "have at" your life! :)
I loved the prophecy of Jesus as told by Isaiah. Such proof of a Savior coming spoken hundreds of years before it even happened! This Book is so FULL of God's promises and wonderful truths, how can a person not be swayed to believe it is the Words of Almighty God?
roasting too in MN
Morgen
hey everyone,
So good to see you all bloggin' and keeping up with the kings! Thanks Wendy for your continued encouragement!
In searching for nuggets, mine today (besides the messianic prophesy that Morgen pointed out) is in 2 Chronicles 28:11-15. Especially verse 15:
15 Then the four men just mentioned by name came forward and distributed clothes from the plunder to the prisoners who were naked. They provided clothing and sandals to wear, gave them enough food and drink, and dressed their wounds with olive oil. They put those who were weak on donkeys and took all the prisoners back to their own people in Jericho, the city of palms.
It reminds me of Matthew 25:35-40
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
I think these men received their reward for living in a way pleasing to God even when those around them did not.
Have a great day!
Karen, CA
Our Leaders do need prayer...thanks a great reminder. Sometimes I judge I am in my own little safe world and all the bad is just out there somewhere. I think it's called being naive.
Isaiah spoke these words from the Lord to King Ahaz that really stood out to me and I highlighted. Isaiah 7:9
"Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm."
It is up to me to stay in the Word and in the fellowship of believers who encourage one another to be in constant relationship with the "Sovereign Lord" in order for my faith to stand firm.
The Lord has given us free will and a choice...He cannot make us stand firm in our faith without our staying connected through Bible study, prayer and fellowship!
Yesterday I heard a Pastor from a radio ministry say that the "Bible is the Armory" and the swords to help us do battle are to read the word, study the word, know the word, meditate upon the word and get a good grip on the word.
So much of "The Word" is lost in today's culture. A majority of people depend on what other's say about God and His word solely without delving into The Armory He has provided. In doing so the Word can get lost in the translation to fit the times or the culture in which we live. So true.
It's very hot in northern Illinois today...in the 90's "real feel heat" is about 101..hot and humid. The humidity is the killer! However sunshine is very much needed after all the weekend rain!
Love from Debbie in Illinois
In context of what Wendy said about praying for our leaders, "Jotham did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight. he did everything his father, Uzziah, had done. But he did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there." (2 Kings 15:34-35)
Jotham reminds me of many leaders today - whatever their personal convictions may be, good or bad, they don't want to offend particular groups. They walk the top of the fence, neither here nor there... perhaps they don't offend, but they don't accomplish much either! Meanwhile bad influential groups continue to infilterate our world with negative consequences.
I know it is discouraging at times to pray for our leaders and countries, yet I am encouraged by what the prophet told God's people when they were in exile. Jer 29:7, "Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."
The same applies to me because I am in exile (not of this world), yet God wants me to seek and pray for my city.
Praying in Fredericksburg VA...
Hey Sweet Blog Friends, just stopping by to say I am still here and oh, how glad I was to read the promise of God's grace today. I was in desperate need to see His goodness in all this evil.
This same promise is what gets me through living in our own land some days. Remembering that God's grace still rules even in a country that seems to be denying Him more and more.
I agree with you all. We need to do a better job of holding up our leaders in prayer, especially when the news media refers to our president as "almost a god."
Love reading your comments. Wish I could comment more. Unfortunately summer seems much busier than I originally believed it would be. Praise God, He is faithful to make time for His Word each day.
Blessings to all of you!!
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