Ahab

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2 Chronicles 18:13 What Will You Say?

But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what my God says.” 2 Chronicles 18:13

People like to talk and give their own opinions about nearly everything and anything. Some are very open to speaking their opinions regardless of what others think or feel. Yet, many will only speak what they think others really want to hear. This will often occur in the workplace because many do not want to rock the boat or go against the flow. Peer pressure pushes people to say things that they really don’t believe or just to please others.

Many prophets had told Jehoshaphat and Ahab to go to war against the Arameans and they would be successful. Jehoshaphat asked for the prophet of God, Micaiah, to speak. Micaiah was told what the other prophets had said. Micaiah said he could only speak what God says.

With news media and social media being everywhere, it is easy for people to get swayed into what to think and say about any given situation. Millions of people will believe something, even if it is a lie, just because millions of others believe it. Pressure is then placed upon people to speak what everyone else is saying.

Everyone wants to hear good news, not necessarily the truth. They want to be able to do what they want, when they want and how they want with no repercussions or negative consequences. In order to do this, they will seek out advice that will align with their desires.

Believers are only to speak the truth in every situation. The truth can be found in what God is saying and doing. God will always speak truth and what is needed to be said. Before speaking about a situation, believers should seek what God is saying and doing.

There will be times in which you are asked for advice on some situation in someone’s life. Before speaking and giving advice, seek what God has to say about the situation.

Do not allow yourself to be caught up in what the world will say and possibly lead others astray against God’s will with the lies of the world. Be strong in the Lord and stand your ground upon His word and His truth. God has given the Holy Spirit to guide you and give you the words to speak. Speak only what God has given you to say.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will hear and know what God is saying and doing; that you will only speak the truth that God reveals; that you will be led by the Holy Spirit in what to say; and that God will give you the strength and boldness to speak His truth at all times.

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2 Kings 10:10 Never Failing Word

“Know then, that not a word the Lord has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail. The Lord has done what he announced through his servant Elijah.” 2 Kings 10:10 Promises are made every day by many people. It is common to hear promises being made by politicians during election time. Although millions of promises, by all kinds of people, are made on a daily basis, many are never fulfilled. People often question promises being made because they have been let down so many times in their past with broken promises. Doubt overrides trust.

After having many people killed of the house of Ahab, Jehu tells the people that not a word that God had spoken through Elijah against the house of Ahab will fail to be fulfilled.

When people hear promises being made and then the promises never being fulfilled, it can be very difficult to trust another promise being made. The expectation is that one will be let down, because that is what has occurred in the past on a regular basis.

God has made those who follow Him many different promises. The difficulty for many believers is that seeing how it is possible for those promises to be fulfilled is hard to see. Since they cannot see nor understand how the promise could be fulfilled, they begin to doubt.

One thing every believer must do is stop and take a look at all the promises that God has made that has already been fulfilled. Hundreds of promises about Jesus were made and have already been fulfilled. Since God has already fulfilled all of those promises, He will not fail to keep His word on what He has told the believer.

If one is willing to believe that God will save him, then he must also believe that God will fulfill His promises to take care of him and guide him.

Most likely people have let you down with the promises that they have made and never fulfilled. Do not allow their failures to transfer to God. He has never failed in keeping His word with others and will not start to fail with you.

Put your full trust in what God says and follow His ways and you cannot fail. Every word of God throughout all of scripture will be fulfilled in the right time and in the perfect way. God has never failed and will not start now with you.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as Lord and Savior; that you will know the promises of God to you; that you will trust the promises of God; that you will see God fulfilling His word; and that you will walk in the promises of God.

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1 Kings 22:5 First Seek God’s Counsel

But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the Lord.” 1 Kings 22:5

Choices are required to be made on a regular basis. There are often pros and cons to which way a person makes a choice in many situations. Deciding which way to choose can sometimes be very difficult. During times of a difficult decision-making process, many will seek out advice from some other person or source.

Corporations and businesses will often have full boards to help make the right choice. Individuals will seek friends and online sources to make that choice.

King Ahab and King Jehoshaphat were trying to decide whether to fight against the king of Aram. Jehoshaphat was willing to help but wanted to seek the counsel of God first.

Most people will seek the counsel of friends and other sources to make major decisions in their lives. Resources are abundant on any decision that must be made. Many of these resources may have good points about them, but none of them have the complete big overall picture of the situation. All that is seen is on the surface.

Believers have the opportunity to seek God in making any decision in life. God is ready and willing to impart His wisdom into any situation.

However, just like the world, many believers do not seek God’s counsel first. They often run to the things of this world and in their own personal wisdom. In this process, many disastrous decisions are made. They may look good on the surface and in the immediate moment, but in the end only bring about greater problems.

When faced with a decision, the first thing a believer must do is seek God’s wisdom. Finding out what God would choose and doing it will always lead to success in the end.

You will often have some major and minor decisions to make. As you approach making a choice in those decisions, first go to God to seek His wisdom and counsel in the situation.

The counsel of the world will always point you in the wrong direction, into selfishness and greed that will end in death, not necessarily physical death, but death to character, integrity, and other Godly characteristics.

Allow God to be the first one you run to for wisdom and direction. He will never lead you down the wrong path in any decision that needs to be made.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will seek God’s wisdom in any choice to be made; that God will reveal His will for your life; and that you will see God’s hand of favor in following His counsel.

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1 Kings 21:20 Have You Sold Yourself Out?

Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!” “I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord.” 1 Kings 21:20

As a person is going through life there are times in which there is something that he wants to have or do so much that he is willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill that desire. The world believes that one can go for anything that he wants, as long as it does not harm another and pleases self. Many will sell off anything to make something happen.

After King Ahab had Naboth killed to gain his property, Elijah found him. Elijah told Ahab that he found him because he had sold himself to do evil before God.

The world believes that a person deserves to get anything that he desires. It is up to the individual to run after his desires with everything in him. Nothing is to be forbidden to gain personal self-pleasure. In the process of chasing after desires, all morality, self-control and character are often thrown out or cast aside.

Believers in the church will sometimes get caught up in the same manner of thinking as the world. Some will take their eyes off of God and seek after the things of this world.

When they cannot get it, some will begin to sin against God in order to get it. Lying, cheating and stealing begin to occur in order to get what they want. Their soul is sold off to sin and the devil to get what they want.

Instead of selling their souls to sin, believers are to be sold out to God. He is to have complete ownership of their lives. True believers will trust God for what they receive or do not receive and will not sell out to get what God does not want to give them.

You will have times in which there is something that you desire greatly but are not allowed to receive. In those times you have a choice to make. You can trust God with not getting that desired item, or you can sell out your soul to fight against God and get it anyway.

Do not give into greed and selfish desires to sin against God to get those desires, but trust God. Sell your life to God and His desires, not to self and the fallen world of sin.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will accept what God gives or does not give you; that God will give you strength to resist temptation to doing evil for gain; and that you will live your life to serve and honor God.

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1 Kings 18:18 Are You A Troublemaker?

“I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals.” 1 Kings 18:18

In a classroom there is often one student who is the class clown or class troublemaker. This is the one that causes problems in the class and will often draw many others into following him into causing more problems. The class ends up disrupted and in trouble with the teacher because they chose to follow the one leading in doing things the wrong way.

As Elijah went to meet with King Ahab, the king told him that he was the troublemaker of Israel. Elijah told him that it was he, the king, who made trouble by leading everyone into rejecting God’s commands and following false gods of Baal.

Whole nations can be easily led by a few people that stand up and make their voice be heard. People will quickly abandon what they know is right to follow the crowd in following some person in his popular ways.

Most people do not want to be left out alone and separate from everyone else.

Many different nations, such as America, have abandoned God’s commands and followed false gods because a few leaders led them astray. It begins with a leader, like the class clown, and spreads throughout the nation, often spilling over into the church pulling them further and further away from God, bringing on God’s judgement against them and loss of His favor.

The world calls believers the troublemakers, because they go against their false system. Believers need to make a solid, strong stand for God’s commands and refuse to follow the false gods of the land. They need to be the leaders in every area of a nation to keep the nation following God and His commands.

You may or may not be a leader of high position, but you do have an influence upon some people. You also have a choice for yourself as to whether you will follow God’s commands or not.

Make choice today that you will be a witness for God by leading others to follow and obey God’s commands. Do not allow yourself to be swept away with the crowds in following the Baals of your city, state or nation. Do not make trouble for your nation in leading them down the wrong path.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will follow all of God’s commands; that you will not make trouble for those around you in leading them away from God; that you will not be led away from following God; and that many will choose to follow God because of your testimony.