DAY 164 Read 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18.
Today's reading: Good King Jehoshaphat becomes involved in a friendship with wicked King Ahab. Tragic results follow.
Memory gem: "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people" (Proverbs 14:34).
Thought for today:
In one of the famous battles of the Old Testament, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, went with Ahab, king of Israel, to fight against the Syrians for the return of Ramoth-gilead. Just before the battle, the king of Syria called his thirty-two captains together and said to them, "Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel" (1 Kings 22:31). They knew that when King Ahab was killed, his whole cause would collapse and they would win the victory. And so it turned out. Even though Ahab was disguised, one soldier drew a bow at a venture, and Ahab, who was really responsible for this terrible battle, could not avoid the arrow of retribution. It found him in one of the joints of his armor; it found him in a weak spot, just one weak spot. He went down in defeat and soon was dead, and the battle was over. His army was dissipated, and Syria was victorious.
My friends, this is a picture of human life. Let us make war with neither small nor great, save only our besetting sin, whatever it may be, and under God through Jesus Christ, gain the victory. Then we'll be on the road toward the City of God.
Sin drives us out from friendship. Sin drives us out from holiness. Sin drives us out from peace. Pride, envy, intemperance, avarice, anger, lust, and sloth--the seven deadly sins--drive us out, out, always out! Peter denied his Lord and went out and wept bitterly. Judas betrayed his Master, and went out into the night and hanged himself. Always out--sin always separates.
Repentance brings us back, draws us near. Peter repented and went back to Jesus, and to Pentecost. Ah, friends, repentance brings us back--back to God, back home, back to friendship, back to the church, back to peace.
Today's reading: Good King Jehoshaphat becomes involved in a friendship with wicked King Ahab. Tragic results follow.
Memory gem: "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people" (Proverbs 14:34).
Thought for today:
In one of the famous battles of the Old Testament, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, went with Ahab, king of Israel, to fight against the Syrians for the return of Ramoth-gilead. Just before the battle, the king of Syria called his thirty-two captains together and said to them, "Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel" (1 Kings 22:31). They knew that when King Ahab was killed, his whole cause would collapse and they would win the victory. And so it turned out. Even though Ahab was disguised, one soldier drew a bow at a venture, and Ahab, who was really responsible for this terrible battle, could not avoid the arrow of retribution. It found him in one of the joints of his armor; it found him in a weak spot, just one weak spot. He went down in defeat and soon was dead, and the battle was over. His army was dissipated, and Syria was victorious.
My friends, this is a picture of human life. Let us make war with neither small nor great, save only our besetting sin, whatever it may be, and under God through Jesus Christ, gain the victory. Then we'll be on the road toward the City of God.
Sin drives us out from friendship. Sin drives us out from holiness. Sin drives us out from peace. Pride, envy, intemperance, avarice, anger, lust, and sloth--the seven deadly sins--drive us out, out, always out! Peter denied his Lord and went out and wept bitterly. Judas betrayed his Master, and went out into the night and hanged himself. Always out--sin always separates.
Repentance brings us back, draws us near. Peter repented and went back to Jesus, and to Pentecost. Ah, friends, repentance brings us back--back to God, back home, back to friendship, back to the church, back to peace.
RSS Feed
