Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today is Sunday May 31, 2009 and we are continuing our studies on the book of II Chronicles. Please read chapters 28-31 in your Bible or Click Here to read them.
https://www.allonlinebible.com/2%20Chronicles/28,1-31,999/28.html

Today's Message: Never Give Up
The devil will stop at nothing to get us to give up on ever seeking victory over our struggles, but we have the one and only powerful God in our corner and He will lead indeed lead all who seek Him to victory.

After the death of wicked King Ahaz, his godly son Hezekiah became king and assumed leadership of a nation where idol worship was both popular and prevalent. "Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done." (II Chronicles 29:1-2). Hezekiah indeed inherited a mess to clean up from his father. He had placed the kingdom of Judah in subjection to Assyria, which was fast becoming the world's most powerful kingdom. Its seemingly invincible armies had seized control of both Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel. In addition, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, had jurisdiction over 46 walled cities inside the kingdom of Judah.

Hezekiah could have given up all hope of getting his kingdom back in order, but instead of being bitter or angry he chose to do something about it. Hezekiah knew that if he just sat there nothing would change so he put his faith in God and did what he knew was right, in the midst of a nation full of sin, he began cleaning up the city, starting with the house of the Lord. "He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them. And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place." (29:3-5). I am sure Hezekiah felt a little overwhelmed at times and maybe was a little frightened too, but he knew that God was with him and regardless of the circumstances he never gave up hope that his kingdom would turn away from sin and back on God. God is with us too, in fact we have something even better than what Hezekiah had, we have Jesus. We no longer have to kill a bunch of animals to be cleansed from sin. Jesus took the place of all of them when He shed His own blood to cleanse us from our sins.

Hezekiah was successful, he observed the Passover, reopened the Temple, and restored worship of the true God. "Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities. And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the LORD." (II Chronicles 31:1-2).

As with Hezekiah, who inherited serious problems because his father was evil, we too may be the victim of other people's sins, but Christians need not fear the future or the unfortunate circumstances of the past. The Apostle Paul said "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14). We do not need to be concerned about any sins that we inherited or other situations we can not control. Dwelling in the past does nothing for us except make us bitter, angry, depressed, and hateful not only toward others, but ourselves as well. We need to press forward with our faith in God knowing that He will bring all things to pass and help us reach our goals.

Today's Psalm: 86:13
"For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell."

Today's Prayer:
Dear God,
Thank You for sending Your son, Jesus to cleanse me from all my sins. Thank You, Jesus for dying on the cross for me. You willingly became the sacrificial Lamb whose death freed me from the heavy shackles of sin, degradation, and eternal damnation. My response to Your act of mercy and grace toward me is that I place my faith in You and recognize that Your love, so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. Lord, give me the strength that I know only comes from You to overcome each and everyone of my struggles. I will press onward and forward knowing that You will bring all things to pass and lead me to victory. In Your great name, Jesus.........Amen.

Have a wonderful and blessed Lords day/night.
God bless you,
Christina

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