Asa

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2 Chronicles 16:7 Rely Upon God, Not Man

At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of king of Aram has escaped from your hand.” 2 Chronicles 16:7

When people are faced with a difficult situation many will get desperate and go to anyone that they can for assistance. Help is seen as being needed immediately and so it does not matter where that help comes from. There is no patience or trust in waiting for the best help.

Hanani, a seer, had went to Asa and told him that because he went to the king of Aram for help, rather than relying upon God, the army would escape from him and there would be war.

Believers have read to trust in God and are told to trust and rely upon God for help, but many do not. Under a difficult situation they start to call out to God for help, but do not always wait for His help.

In His infinite and perfect wisdom, God knows the perfect way and the perfect time to solve the difficulty. This way and timing does not allows appear as best in the eyes of man. People then run quickly to others for help. In doing this they are showing that they are not relying upon God, and it will come at a high price upon their life.

At no time in history has God failed to take care of those who put their full confidence and trust in Him. He always makes a way where there does not seem to be a way. Instead of running to others for help, believers need to run to God and rely upon His promises.

During times of difficulty, it may be hard to wait upon God for His answer to the situation. The world and others may be telling you to run a certain direction, rather than running to God.

Think of all the times God fulfilled His promises with those in the Bible. Remember all the times God has already fulfilled promises in your life and taken care of you.

Now rely upon His promises. Go to Him and trust in what He says or does. He will never fail to take care of you, if you put your full trust in Him and not in other people.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will put all of your trust in God; that you will rely upon God for all of your needs; that God will give you strength to walk the path He has you on; and that you will have victory in Jesus in every situation in your life.

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2 Chronicles 15:2 Are You Seeking God?

He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.” 2 Chronicles 15:2

People are always searching for something. Nearly everyday someone has misplaced something and cannot find it, but searches for it. Many are searching for meaning and purpose in their life or for reasons why things are the way they are. Some find what they are looking for, while many can never find it.

Azariah told Asa and all the nation that God would be found and be with them if they sought Him, but if they reject God, He will reject them.

While many people believe that there is a God out there, they also believe that one cannot really find Him or know Him. He is believed to be an elite God who stays hidden and only works behind the scenes outside the lives of individuals and unknowable.

Although God does not stand out in the open to be seen, He wants to be found. However, He only wants to be found by those who are actually seeking to find Him. God wants to be wanted by those who want Him.

People are often torn between wanting the world and wanting God. In this way they often forsake God in searching for the things of the world. Although this breaks God’s heart, He allows them to go their own way and rejects them.

Believers, who are truly seeking to find God and follow Him, will find Him. Instead of being split between the ways of the world and the ways of God, they will put their focus upon God alone and will find and know Him and be known by Him.

What are you seeking in this life? Seek only that which will last for eternity. The things of this world are only temporary and cannot truly satisfy. God can be found and can give you everything you need and more. Everything that God gives you, that are of importance, will last for eternity, not just a few years.

God wants a relationship with you, but only if you really want a relationship with Him. When you seek Him, He will be found by you.

Are seeking for God?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will seek God with all of your heart and life; that God will be found by you; that you will have a relationship with God; that you will know that God desires to be with you; and that you will know God’s presence in your life.

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2 Chronicles 14:11 Who To Call In Tough Times

Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.” 2 Chronicles 14:11

During times of trouble people do many different things. Some will run and hide, some will fight, while others will cry out for help. The help many seek will be from the world, other people or anything else to get what they desire.

As a huge Cushite army was coming up against Judah, Asa, king of Judah, called upon God for help.

In the process of seeking help, people will usually go to someone whom they can physically see and touch. While people can help other people, often they cannot always help, or it is not in the best way possible. Many times, the help is just a covering up of the problem, rather than solving the problem, such as when people turn to drugs for the needed help. Or the help is just not available.

Believers, on the other hand, have a source of help that is always available and never fails and gives the perfect help needed. Instead of turning to the world for help first, believers need to turn to God first.

God may do a miraculous touch in the situation, or He may send the believer to someone else for the needed help. Either way, the believer gets the needed help in the best way possible. It is what will give God the greatest honor and build the believer in his walk with the Lord. He will rely upon God before anyone or anything else.

Throughout your life you will have times of difficulties in which the world is coming against you with a vast army. It may appear as though you are doomed to be destroyed or crushed and part of you will die.

Instead of running to the world, turn to God. Call upon God for help. He is waiting for your call. In His great love and mercy, He is ready and willing to help you as you trust in Him and allow Him to have control of your life and your situations. Watch and see what God can do for you.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will seek God first in every difficulty; that you will trust and rely upon God’s help and strength; that you will see God at work in your life; and that you will see God’s hand of deliverance.

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2 Chronicles 16:8 When You Rely On God

Dog laying down

Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the LORD, he delivered them into your hand. 2 Chronicles 16:8 

Relying on someone or something is something that people do all the time. They rely upon their car to get them to work. They rely on their boss to give the paycheck on time.

It is trusting in someone or something to meet a need. People put their trust in many things for many different reasons. Most of the reliance is not really thought about, but is just common everyday trust. Other times it is very specific for a special situation.

Asa had chosen to  get help from the king of Aram to fight against Israel. He had not chosen to seek God’s help in the situation. Immediately upon winning the battle, a seer came and pointed out that he had done wrong. Asa had chosen to trust in another king and his army, rather than relying upon God. He reminded Asa that whenever he relied upon God, God had come through for him.

Every believer can think of times when he cried out to God for help and God came through for him, providing what was needed at the right time. However, many believers don’t always keep crying out to God for new needs. They quickly forget what God had done and no longer rely upon Him.

Suddenly believers will turn to their own ways or the ways of the world to solve their problem. They begin to rely upon self and others, rather than putting their trust in God, forgetting how God has been faithful.

Remembering how God has been faithful will help a believer to continue to rely upon God for his every need. There is nothing too big or too small for God to deal with.

Think back on your life and remember how many times God has answered a prayer of yours. Now stand on that and keep relying upon God to meet whatever situation you are in and need help with now.

God has delivered you from situations in the past, and He will continue to do so. Do not allow yourself to turn to the world for help or to take on the situation yourself. Only trust and rely upon God. God will never fail you or do it wrong. Stay committed to God.

I pray today that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will remember how God has helped you in the past; that you will rely on God to meet all of your needs; and that you will know God’s faithfulness to you.

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2 Chronicles 15:2 Seek And Find

Boys seeking

He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.” 2 Chronicles 15:2 

Seeking someone out can be challenging. People move and travel all over the world. Once one loses contact with someone and they have moved, finding them again is often very difficult.

It can get even more difficult if the person does not want to be found. Over the years there have been wealthy people who have hidden for a time, not wanting to be found. Although with the internet, it is easier to find someone, it is still very difficult.

Asa had become king of Judah and led the people back to God. Azariah, a prophet, came to him and told him that if he seeks God, He will be found. He also said that as long as he was with God, God would be with him.

People like to have certain people around all the time. They do not like to be separated for anything, but separation does occur. Life happens and things change. God does not change or move.

While many people try to claim that God is not real, He is real. He cannot be found, unless one is seeking Him out. Unlike many people, God does want to be found by every person. God desires to have a close relationship with every person on the earth, regardless of one’s past.

Having that relationship is the reason why Jesus came to earth and died upon the cross. He made it able to cleanse a person of sin, so that he could be in the presence of God.

Just as with Asa, God is not hiding from you. He is right there next to you waiting for you to seek Him out. He will not force Himself upon you, but will wait for you to want Him. As soon as you begin seeking for Him, He will allow Himself to be found.

This opens the door to a great relationship that will last for eternity. Once you find Him, God will not leave you or forsake you. Only you can leave the relationship, God won’t leave it.

Take time today to seek God out. Make Him a part of every moment of every day.

I pray today that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will know the presence of God in your life; that you will continually seek for God; and that you will never forsake God.