What’s your plan to complete your Christian journey well?
11 Jun 26
Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Devotions on F.I.R.E. Year One
Readings:
2 Chronicles 34
2 Chronicles 35
2 Chronicles 36
John 19:1-22
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7).
What’s your plan to complete your Christian journey well?
Josiah began his life focused on the Lord. Second Chronicles 34:2 reports, “And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.” However, the older king deviated from the path of righteousness when “Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates; and Josiah went out against him” (2 Chronicles 35:20). Josiah is dissuaded to battle “and did not heed the words of Necho from the mouth of God” (2 Chronicles 35:22). Sadly, Josiah dies from a wound in the battle. Several godly kings like Asa, Uzziah, and Hezekiah made bad decisions in their latter years by self-reliance. Let’s finish like Paul instead.
Employment Point: Conclude your life strong by daily seeking the Lord.
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Reflections
What was shared in this devotional is so true. We human beings are often filled with complacency and pride after a few successes. We had forgotten that all these does not come from our own strength or ability but from the grace of God that have blessed us to our favours. We therefore need to learn to stay grounded, humble and not let anything get above our heads. Examples in history should be good enough a reminder to us all that once we rely on self, destruction is near. So if we want to avoid destruction, stay close to the Lord and remain humble. Let any success be like a passing cloud and give God the glory.
“In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles and idols.”2 Chronicles 34:3 NIV
- The eighth year of Josiah’s reign means he is only sixteen years old. We see how this young men has great potential in building a kingdom that is right with God. And when he is right with God, he too, became right men.
“Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan.”
2 Chronicles 34:15 NIV
- When I read this part that the Book of Law was found, I was reminded that none of the kings before him were even interested in the temple. So this book was just being there and left untouched. Because Josiah’s focus is to seek the Lord, He allowed Josiah to find Him and to read what was written in the past. Indeed you will find Him when you seek Him with all your heart.
“The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book. Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.”
2 Chronicles 34:31-32 NIV
- Josiah is one king who had concerns over his people rather than just his own destiny. He is concerned about the future of Judah and he wishes for all his people to keep following the Lord’s commands.
“Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Necho had said at God’s command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.”2 Chronicles 35:22 NIV
- Usually the Lord will send warnings either directly or through people to remind us. We ought to be careful to take pauses in between and not let our own judgement cloud what the Lord wants us to hear and obey. Pray for discernment that we can differentiate between what is from the Lord and what are distractions that we should ignore.
“Nebuchadnezzar also took to Babylon articles from the temple of the Lord and put them in his temple there.”2 Chronicles 36:7 NIV
- Be alert and mindful of the reminders that the Holy Spirit is telling us. We are all God’s people and He loves us, He wants us all to walk towards Him in the right direction. He is our shepherd and no shepherd will want to lose any of His sheep.
“Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.””John 19:11 NIV
- Whatever we have was given from above. Apart from You we are nothing. Therefore what authority do we have to judge. We are all lowly servants that come to this world to serve others. no one has power, definitely not over the power of God. If we ever have the power to do anything it would have come from God and not from us.
“From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.””
John 19:12 NIV
- This seems to be the greatest irony of all these. A roman trying to set Jesus free whereas it was his own people, the Jews, even more so the leaders, who wanted Jesus crucified. Instead they recognise Caesar as king! This is so perverse…
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Getting There (1)
BY OSWALD CHAMBERS
June 11
Come to Me… —Matthew 11:28
Where sin and sorrow stops, and the song of the saint starts. Do I really want to get there? I can right now. The questions that truly matter in life are remarkably few, and they are all answered by these words— “Come to Me.” Our Lord’s words are not, “Do this, or don’t do that,” but— “Come to me.” If I will simply come to Jesus, my real life will be brought into harmony with my real desires. I will actually cease from sin, and will find the song of the Lord beginning in my life.
Have you ever come to Jesus? Look at the stubbornness of your heart. You would rather do anything than this one simple childlike thing— “Come to Me.” If you really want to experience ceasing from sin, you must come to Jesus.
Jesus Christ makes Himself the test to determine your genuineness. Look how He used the word come. At the most unexpected moments in your life there is this whisper of the Lord— “Come to Me,” and you are immediately drawn to Him. Personal contact with Jesus changes everything. Be “foolish” enough to come and commit yourself to what He says. The attitude necessary for you to come to Him is one where your will has made the determination to let go of everything and deliberately commit it all to Him.
“…and I will give you rest”— that is, “I will sustain you, causing you to stand firm.” He is not saying, “I will put you to bed, hold your hand, and sing you to sleep.” But, in essence, He is saying, “I will get you out of bed— out of your listlessness and exhaustion, and out of your condition of being half dead while you are still alive. I will penetrate you with the spirit of life, and you will be sustained by the perfection of vital activity.” Yet we become so weak and pitiful and talk about “suffering” the will of the Lord! Where is the majestic vitality and the power of the Son of God in that?
WISDOM FROM OSWALD
We are in danger of being stern where God is tender, and of being tender where God is stern.
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Reflections
Record has it that we tend to only do the things we are familiar with. It takes tremendous effort to step into unknown territory, to embark on something new, etc. In fact anything that involves changes.
I guess most of us prefer routine and cannot really be spontaneous. However, we ought to remember our God is one who is very spontaneous. One that will tell You to resign, or to start something or to simply obey what He is saying. And every time He speaks to us, He speaks with a gentle firmness that is very hard to reject. Unless you probably have your heart hardened so much that no matter what happens, there is just no way to change your decision. Dangerous place to be in I would say, for in the past, we would have been called the stiff-necked people.
The word “come” is a simple, yet direct command. If we were the kid in the family and when we hear our father tell us to come, we would definitely be running over, unless we have good reasons not to I guess, but seriously, who dares to reject the Lord when He tells us to go? Unless we are perhaps being rebellious or just sulking?
He isn’t calling us to commit crimes and if there’s one person whom we can trust it would have to be Him and no one else.
Let’s pray:
Father Lord, grant us obedience hearts to follow Your lead, to trust and surrender everything into Your hands. To always go when You call us, never hesitating or having any doubts. Help us to hear You ever so clearly and to take bold steps forward in Your name. In Jesus’s most precious name we pray. Amen 🙏🏻
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