This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&handling) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
HERE
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of
Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just
mail your request for COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.
2CHRONICLES
1 In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-ha'dad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
4 And Ben-ha'dad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.
5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.
6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.
Baasha, king of Israel, tried to block Judah from trade.
7 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.
8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand.
9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
Hanani, the "seer" (foreteller) came to Asa. He told Asa that instead of relying on help from a foreign nation, he should have called on God.
10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.
What a SAD note! Asa was angry because he was reproved for his sin! Instead of repenting and asking forgiveness, he not only put the prophet in prison, he also "oppressed" some of the people of Judah.
11 And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
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.
13 And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.
14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him.
Later, Asa became ill with a disease that affected his feet. He was still angry with God and would not call on God to heal him. He just resorted to using physicians.
Now Asa DIED! I must interject this understanding about God's Holy will for our lives: Unless Jesus comes while we are yet living, it is God's will that we DIE! Please continue in Bible Study with us.
CHAPTER 16
Asa sent and hired Ben-hadad, the king of Syria to attack Israel. When Ben-hadad attacked Israel, Baasha left Ramah to prepare for battle against the Syrians.
Asa then took the materials Baasha left at Ramah and built up two fortress cities for Judah.
Notice verse 9. This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible.
God is CONSTANTLY LOOKING for people to bless and use! He looks for people "whose heart is perfect toward Him."
When a person is trying to please God, He will "show Himself STRONG in them."
Do you want God to be STRONG in you? Just SEEK Him.
To do otherwise is "foolish." To NOT seek God means to have "wars" continually.
"There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked." (Isaiah 48:22)
It's really SAD when Christians who are reproved for sin allow themselves to become ANGRY with God!
Listen, JESUS is the "Great Physician!" (See Luke 4:23))
If HE doesn't do the healing, no one else can! Modern medicine, technology and doctors are only gifts of God and instruments in His hands!
We should indeed consult doctors when we are ill. But FIRST we should call on God!
God does not ALWAYS heal. He didn't heal Asa: obviously, because Asa didn't ASK! But God also didn't heal Paul in the New Testament, and Paul ASKED! If it were ALWAYS God's will to heal, no Christian would ever die!
But certainly we should ASK! To ignore God in our sickness is to be rebellious and not ask Him for healing.
I have seen several instances in the years of my ministry where people were diagnosed with a terminal disease. The x-rays, cat-scans, etc. all said they were going to die! But they ASKED God and were HEALED!!
Don't forget to ASK! Even when the situation looks hopeless - ASK!
That may sound crass, but hear me out. God has said that we are sinners and that we must DIE for our sin. We certainly don't want to have these sinful, frail bodies forever.
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."(Romans 6:23)
God has a plan for LIFE after death! That plan is for us to surrender to Jesus as Lord of our physical lives. Then God will give us a NEW BODY after we die!
PRAISE GOD! When we surrender to Christ, and then one day we die, we will be given the reward of an IMMORTAL BODY! It will be a body that CANNOT sin, therefore will never suffer sickness, disease and death!
"For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so we shall ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words."(1Thessalonians 4:16-18)