Monday, December 21, 2009

355 Monday, December 21, 2009

355 2 Chronicles 17 – 18; Revelation 15

Jehoshaphat was a good king for Judah. He sought the Lord with His heart. Here is one of the accounts of him with another king:
2 Chronicles 18:5-7 (MSG)
5 The king of Israel got the prophets together—all 400 of them— and put the question to them: "Should I attack Ramoth Gilead or should I hold back?" "Go for it," they said. "God will hand it over to the king." 6 But Jehoshaphat dragged his feet, "Is there another prophet of God around here we can consult? Let's get a second opinion." 7 The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, "As a matter of fact, there is another. But I hate him. He never preaches anything good to me, only doom, doom, doom—Micaiah son of Imlah." "The king shouldn't talk about a prophet like that!" said Jehoshaphat.
Four hundred prophets told them to go ahead and attack. This did not seem to settle well with Jehoshaphat and he wanted hear another prophet. The one prophet left never had a good word for the King of Israel. Sure enough he told them in the end not to attack. Micaiah listened to the Lord. The majority many times are wrong. We have to listen to the Lord!
Seven angels that carry with them seven disasters. For some reason we do not associate angels with disasters. God will use His angels to bring punishment to those who disobey Him. In the book of Revelation the curtain is pulled back and we see the inner workings of heaven. It is obvious that there is no panic and that God is in control. This is where we have to trust Him. On the stage of life it may be utter confusion, but God is in control.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

354 Sunday, December 20, 2009

354 2 Chronicles 15 – 16; Revelation 14

2 Chronicles 15:5-6 (MSG)
5 At that time it was a dog-eat-dog world; life was constantly up for grabs—no one, regardless of country, knew what the next day might bring. 6 Nation battered nation, city pummeled city. God let loose every kind of trouble among them.
Perhaps this is an apt description of the world we live in today. In the midst of this chaos God wants you and me to seek Him. God will let Himself be found. The people finally turned to the Lord. Here is an account of what happened when they sought the Lord:
2 Chronicles 15:14-15 (MSG)
14 They shouted out their promise to God, a joyful sound accompanied with blasts from trumpets and rams' horns. 15 The whole country felt good about the covenant promise—they had given their promise joyfully from the heart. Anticipating the best, they had sought God—and he showed up, ready to be found. God gave them peace within and without—a most peaceable kingdom!

God's people found peace within and without. God can touch us and help us, but we have to come to Him on His terms. Will you?
It is really important to understand there is the anger of the Devil and then there is the wrath of God. This planet will see both and God's is much worse. Listen to these verses:
Revelation 14:9-11 (MSG)
9 A third Angel followed, shouting, warning, "If anyone worships the Beast and its image and takes the mark on forehead or hand, 10 that person will drink the wine of God's wrath, prepared unmixed in his chalice of anger, and suffer torment from fire and brimstone in the presence of Holy Angels, in the presence of the Lamb. 11 Smoke from their torment will rise age after age. No respite for those who worship the Beast and its image, who take the mark of its name."
It is a very good thing to always trust the Lord and follow Him no matter what the cost!