DATE POSTED: Monday, 2023-03-13
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

BY: Ed Algreen

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Chronicles 17:7-11
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 In the third year of his reign Jehoshaphat sent his officials to teach in all the towns of Judah….  8 He sent Levites along with them, ….. He also sent out the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 They took copies of the Book of the Law of the Lord and traveled around through all the towns of Judah, teaching the people. 10 Then the fear of the Lord fell over all the surrounding kingdoms so that none of them wanted to declare war on Jehoshaphat. 11 Some of the Philistines brought him gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats.

OBSERVATION: The Bible shows us how lives were impacted when the Book of the Law of God, the Bible, was taught. Current day history must include the impact when well recognized evangelists traveled the world and shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ – as the Bible was taught. Churches today are still impacted when the Bible is taught, and the unsaved of our families and communities hear it and accept it. Perhaps we can take a few moments and allow the Word to speak into our lives, open our eyes, and show us the truth of God’s Word and how It can be applied to our lives today.

APPLICATION: In the days that the Bible was written, things were really tough – financially and morally. Yet we see God actively at work among His people in spite of those very tough times. So, what’s different now? Things are still very tough for many financially, and our country has probably never been so bankrupt morally. I find it very interesting in both the chapter we are reviewing today, and again over in 2 Chronicles 34, – king Jehoshaphat in chapter 17 and king Josiah in chapter 34 recognized that there was tremendous power in teaching the Law of God. Many responded, and surrounding nations who heard about the revival taking place, grew in fear of the Lord God. Why, some of their allies even brought gifts to the king in appreciation of the God that he had shown them through the Book. However, in considering where we differ today, it would appear that our leaders must be reading a different kind of book, for they seem to be more concerned about padding their own pockets than they are about the souls of their countrymen. Churches seem challenged to attract worshippers, and consequently challenged to find workers willing to sacrifice their time and effort to afford church leaders the opportunity to reach out to the unsaved in our communities. But you know, I believe that church leaders would be encouraged if they really caught hold of the impact that these two kings witnessed when they made reading the Book of the Law of the Lord, or The Book of the Covenant, or the Holy Bible to their people. Imagine the next time that church leaders were looking for Sunday School teachers, if they shared the excitement evident in response to these kings and their simple teaching from the Book that we still revere today? I’m afraid that we may approach folk with the depressing thought that the class may be suspended if you don’t soon find a teacher for it, or if you downplay the power of God to work through the teaching of His Word. In Hebrews 4:12 the Word declares that it is sharper than any two-edged sword, for it can cut to the root of man’s sins and his evil lifestyle. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 the Word declares that it is useful for teaching and points out to us when we are not living according to God’s design. Friends, this Book that David and his ancestors chose to read to convict their people of sin, is still the Book we use today. It was effective then, and it’s still effective today. May we allow it to do the work of Almighty God, instead of the constant badgering of our law makers for whom we are commanded to pray. We cannot continue to use the platform intended for promoting the Word of God to His people, to challenge and demote every decision that our lawmakers put in place. Our power rests in the name of the Lord, and in the freedom to vote out those whom we feel make bad decisions on our behalf, or against the teachings of the Almighty God. May God be our helper in all areas of life, especially in promoting His Gospel to an unsaved world.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Reading the Word of God brings results that only God can perform. Let the church work at making sure everyone hears the Word of God for correction and reproof.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please continue to teach us the importance of making Your Word a priority in the work of Your church, for from it we will see men convinced of their sin and saved from the terrors of Hell. Please Lord, impress upon everyone in Your service to keep the main source of ministry, as the main thing in reaching lost ones. I am so disappointed at how we use Your platform to put down politicians and the choices they make. Even if those mistakes are in opposition to Your teaching, that will still not save the lost who walked through our church doors. It is simply, and only through the blood of Jesus that man’s sin can be washed away. We don’t have a point to prove in Christianity to prove politicians in being right or wrong in their decisions, we have a Savior who loves us and who died to see us surrender our lives to Him. Then, because of the One who lives and reigns in us, we can follow the protocol of our respective countries in voting out bad politicians and voting in ones committed to serving our country in in line with Your teachings and Your will for mankind. Lord, let the church be the church. Teach Your Word and convict the lost of their sin. Politicians may follow suit if they see that we can do our part. instead of meddling in their work. AMEN!