Our life has changed. We have a new pet, a dog from prison. Not from the Dumb Friends League, but from the Women\u2019s Correctional Prison in Denver. They have a dog adoption program. The dogs go through a training program and then are adopted out to families. So, this one comes pre-trained, how about that! Our job is to not undue the months of training in the first few weeks. So we have another Chihuahua in the family, his name is Andy!\u00a0 Debbie said he was a companion for me. I\u2019m not sure about that, I\u2019m a little nervous about this venture, but here we go.<\/p>\n
Tomorrow I have the opportunity to go to the Capitol and open the House session in prayer. In the afternoon, I have my outpatient evaluation at Northern Colorado Rehab. Next step here we come.<\/p>\n
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BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…<\/strong> \u201cHe [Rheboam] did evil things because he was not serious about dedicating himself to serving the <\/i>Lord<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 2 Chronicles 12:14 (GW)\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cListen to me, Asa and all you men from Judah and Benjamin. The <\/i>Lord<\/i> is with you when you are with him. If you will dedicate your lives to serving him, he will accept you\u2026.\u201d \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/i>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2 Chronicles 15:2 (GW)<\/p>\n During my Bible reading in 2 Chronicles the commentary of scripture concerning the actions of Judah\u2019s Kings Rheboam and Asa stood out to me.<\/p>\n First of all, the observation about Rheboam, Solomon\u2019s son caught my attention. Scripture records that: \u201cHe did evil things because he was not serious about dedicating himself to serving the <\/i>Lord<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 2 Chronicles 12:14 (GW) This was not because he didn\u2019t know about the blessing of serving the Lord. He even saw the Lord come to his rescue during his battle weary rule. He just wasn\u2019t \u201cserious\u201d the NIV translation says, \u201cHe had not set his heart<\/b> on seeking the Lord.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n The lesson here is that the blessing of the Lord and direction of our lives does not come from a half hearted commitment to the Lord and His ways. Lip service, mental assent is not enough; our hearts and actions must be focused on pleasing the Lord. If our hearts and lives become \u201clazy\u201d and uncommitted our actions make us vulnerable to temptation and our greatest area of weakness. For Rheboam that was tolerating idolatry.<\/p>\n Rheboam\u2019s son Asa was a good King who enjoyed a long reign and a time of peace in the land. Early in his reign the prophet of God has this message for the King, \u201cListen to me, Asa and all you men from Judah and Benjamin. The <\/i>Lord<\/i> is with you when you are with him. If you will dedicate your lives to serving him, he will accept you\u2026.\u201d<\/i> 2 Chronicles 15:2 (GW)<\/p>\n Asa\u2019s response? \u00a0\u201c<\/sup>When Asa heard the prophet Obed\u2019s words of prophecy, he was encouraged and put away the detestable idols from all of Judah, Benjamin, and the cities he had captured… He also repaired the <\/i>Lord<\/i>\u2019s altar in front of the <\/i>Lord<\/i>\u2019s entrance hall.\u201d<\/i> 2 Chronicles 15:2 (GW)<\/p>\n Asa called the people together, they sacrificed to the Lord, he removed his grandmother from her royal position because of her idolatry. After 35 years of peace he faced a battle from opposing forces that greatly outnumbered him and God supernaturally intervened for Judah.<\/p>\n In the next year when faced with another battle, Asa did what Kings do politically; he called on another nation to come to his assistance. He trusted in natural versus supernatural help. The prophet of God once again came to him with a message. \u00a0\u201c \u2018<\/sup>The Lord\u2019s eyes scan the whole world to find those whose hearts are committed to him and to strengthen them. You acted foolishly in this matter. So from now on, you will have to fight wars\u2019\u2026 \u00a0<\/sup>Asa was furious at the seer. He was so angry\u2026he put Hanani in prison. Asa also oppressed some of the people at that time in his reign.\u201d<\/i> 2\u00a0 Chronicles 16:9,10 (GW)<\/p>\n No repentance, no remorse; instead deliberate actions against God\u2019s prophet and against God\u2019s people. What we see next is God in His mercy tries to get Asa\u2019s attention through an illness. \u201cAsa got a foot disease that became progressively worse. Instead of asking the <\/i>Lord<\/i> for help, he went to doctors.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0 2 Chronicles 16:12 (GW)<\/p>\n I don\u2019t know what happened in Asa\u2019s heart or life to cause him to respond as he did. What I do know is Asa died, not turning to the Lord, not seeking the Lord\u2019s help, angry at God. Thirty-Five good years, tarnished in the final six years of his reign!<\/p>\n Asa\u2019s life, serves as an illustration and wake up call for those who are followers of Christ today. For me the \u201ctake aways\u201d are these\u2026<\/p>\n 1 \u2013 Don\u2019t take your relationship with Christ for granted<\/b>. Love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength<\/p>\n 2 \u2013 Guard your heart<\/b> \u2013 keep open to the correction that comes from the Lord knowing that He desires that which is good for you. When we get off track He calls us back.<\/p>\n 3 \u2013 Repent and be encouraged<\/b> when God speaks into your life \u2013 Perhaps as we see in Asa it is easier to \u201cbe encouraged\u201d by God\u2019s word when it is not a word of \u201ccorrection.\u201d But resistance<\/b> to God\u2019s Word whether a word of encouragement or rebuke shows pride<\/b> and a hard heart.<\/p>\n I began with a verse about Rheboam when he was King. Because of his evil ways the Lord sent\u00a0 Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. The Lord also sent His prophet with this message, \u201cThis is what the <\/i>Lord<\/i> says: You have abandoned me, so I will abandon you. I will hand you over to Shishak.\u201d <\/i>2 Chronicles 12:5 This how Rheboam and his leaders responded, \u201cThen the commanders of Israel and the king humbled themselves. \u201cThe <\/i>Lord<\/i> is right!\u201d<\/i> 2 Chronicles 12:6 As a result, the Lord made a way of escape and did not let Jerusalem be conquered.<\/p>\n 4 \u2013 The ending is all important<\/b> \u2013 We see in the history of the Kings in the Bible how even wicked Kings would repent and turn to God and God would show His mercy. We also see, as in Asa\u2019s reign, how years of trust in God can be wiped out, by rebellion at the end of life.<\/p>\n In our life we face ups and down. Times of \u201cpeace\u201d(contentment) times of \u201cwar\u201d(struggle); times of health, times of illness; God uses all these times to allow us to show that our hearts are fully committed to Him. Don\u2019t allow your life to come to an end and have people ask, \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Our life has changed. We have a new pet, a dog from prison. Not from the Dumb Friends League, but from the Women\u2019s Correctional Prison in Denver. They have a dog adoption program. The dogs go through a training program and then are adopted out to families. So, this one comes pre-trained, how about that! 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