Our Eyes Are On You

        Do you ever stand before a problem and think to yourself, “I don’t know what to do?”  There isn’t a clear answer or maybe there is an answer, but you lack the ability to or strength to do whatever it is that needs to be done.  How often do we have situations in our lives where we stop and say, “I don’t know what to do?”  In today’s Bible story a certain king of Judah made that same statement.  Let’s read that story and see if we can’t learn what to do in situations like that. 

Background:

• After God rescued the people of Israel out of Egypt and established a kingdom for them they went through a series of leaders.  First there were Judges who ruled at different times and usually more local areas.  Then king Saul was chosen from among the people to be the first king over Israel, then king David was chosen by God to rule, followed by his son Solomon.  After Solomon the kingdom had some problems.  It divided into two kingdoms, Israel in the north, and Judah in the south.  For the most part all of the Israelite kings were evil and disobeyed God, and about half of the kings of Judah were evil as well…but, there were some good kings.  Jehoshaphat was one of those good kings.  He sought after the Lord and tried to get the people to turn to the Lord by sending out Bible teachers and leaders to teach the people about God and how to worship him.  See 2 Chronicles 17-20 for more details. 
• Today I want to look at a story from Jehoshaphat’s life when a huge army from Edom was approaching to destroy them.  Jehoshaphat heard about the size of this oncoming army and he did not know what to do.  Let’s see what happens.

2 Chronicles 20:1-19

After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle. ² Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, Engedi). ³ Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. ⁴ And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

⁵ And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, ⁶ and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. ⁷ Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? ⁸ And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, ⁹ ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ ¹⁰ And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy— ¹¹ behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. ¹² O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

¹³ Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. ¹⁴ And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly.¹⁵ And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's.¹⁶ Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”

¹⁸ Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. ¹⁹ And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

Things to think about:

• I love this prayer.  Jehoshaphat is not trying to trick God, he isn’t trying to bargain with God, he isn’t trying to tell God what to do, but he does recount God’s provision in the past, his promises, and the problem with the current situation.  The problem that Jehoshaphat saw was more than just, “we are in danger” but was also, “You, O God, will be discredited and dishonored if this is not fixed.  He was concerned for God’s glory.  Do you pray like this? Are you concerned for the Lord’s glory? 
• I love the honesty of verse 12.  “We don’t know what to do…but our eyes are on you.”  Yes!  Amen!  May we pray the same way.  Lord, I don’t know what to do about my kids, but my eyes are on you.  Lord I don’t know about this job, or these finances, or these health issues…God I don’t know what to do, but my eyes are on you!  May we forever remember what God has done in our lives and through history and forever look to his promises as we keep our eyes on him!
• When God answered the people praised the Lord.  Today, think of prayers that the Lord has answered in your life and give God praise.  Stand up and with a loud voice praise the Lord.  Praise him with a “very loud voice!” 

4 Passages To Change Your Life

Well, it has been about 5 months since my last edition of Bible Time with Josh.  Sorry for that, I hope to be more consistent again.  Today, instead of one longer passage I thought it would be fruitful to share four short passages of scripture that should change your life.  The youth here at OHC have been studying these four scriptures and I have loved teaching them, memorizing them, and meditating on them for the past month.  I encourage you to meditate on these truth’s and apply them to your life today…and if you feel up to it, go ahead and memorize them.  You will be better for it. 

1 Timothy 1:15-17

“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. ¹⁶ But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. ¹⁷ To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Things to think about:

• If you have ever asked the question, “why did Jesus come into this world?” the answer is plainly stated here.  He came to save sinners!  What good news for us sinners!
• Think about that phrase “perfect patience.”  The perfect patience of Jesus Christ is put on display when he saves sinners like you and I.  Praise God for his perfect patience!
• I love how Paul, the author of 1 Timothy, breaks out into praise in verse 17.  Thinking about the salvation available in Jesus Christ and thinking about his mercy and patience which leads to our eternal life should cause all of us to break out into praise! 

Romans 5:1

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Things to think about:

• Justified is a very “churchy” word.  It means to be declared just, to be declared right, not guilty, etc.  We are declared not guilty by faith.  In the context of this verse you will discover that it is not just faith in anything, but faith in Jesus Christ and his death on the cross that brings about that justification.  Do you believe that today?  Are you declared not guilty in the eyes of God?
• What an amazing truth to be at peace with God.  We are born as enemies of God pursuing our own self-interests and desires rather than His.  We actively reject God’s ways and fight against him and his kingdom.  But God makes peace with us.  He makes peace through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  Amazing!

Titus 2:11-12

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,¹² training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age…”

Things to think about:

• Once the first two verses we looked at are embraced we can focus on this verse.  Think about how the grace of God trains you to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions.  Why would it do that?  Why is it gracious for God to call you out of that lifestyle?  Why is it grace to be told to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives?
• Join me in praying that God’s grace would continue to train all of us to pursue Him by faith and to be strengthened in this training exercise finishing strong for His glory and our good.

2 Corinthians 5:17,21

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Things to think about:

• First, and most important question of the day.  Are you in Christ?  How do you know?  Do you believe in Him for eternal life?  Have you trusted in him for salvation?  Spend some time thinking about that and if you are unsure or want to talk more I would love to talk with you about that and point you to a few other scripture passages. 
• If you are in Christ – you are new!  Just dwell on that truth for a while.  The old sinful you has been stripped away and you have been made new by Christ.  Now in this newness of life walk in relationship with God!
• The only way that you are made new is because of the sacrifice and love of Christ.  Jesus took the place of sinners and bore the wrath of God on the cross.  What a gift that God has given to us.  What a sacrifice!  What a salvation!

Much more could be said about these four verses and I encourage you to read them again and again.  Think about these truth’s and preach them to yourselves.  May God use His word to bring healing, help, and salvation to all who would read it today.  God bless.