October 23rd, 2024
Good Morning “Owners of Your Relationship With The Lord.” Today we are in 2 Chronicles 24.
How’s your walk with Jesus, your relationship? Would you say it’s a real relationship? The things that you do like: Going to church, living differently, building into others, and serving… Why do you do those things? Is it because it’s what is expected of you? Mom and dad make you, your husband or wife expects it, or your boss encourages it - so you do it. Jesus offers so much more through a real relationship with Him. Maybe you serve Him because you’re truly in Love with Jesus and you simply can’t help yourself. “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). Maybe you’ve got a taste of the “complete joy” He speaks of in John 15.
In today’s chapter we see God using a young 7 year old Joash. Side note - Don’t think for a moment Gods ability to use you is dependent on your age (1 Timothy 4:12).
Joash became a strong king in Judah - with the help of Jehoiada the Priest. He worked to restore the Temple and worship of The One True God. “Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years of Jehoiada the priest.” 2 Chronicles 24:2 NIV
“… all the years of Jehoiada the priest.” Did you catch that.
Unfortunately, after Jehoiada’s death, it appears Joash’ incentive was gone. “After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.” 2 Chronicles 24:17 NIV. Without Jehoiada’s influence Joash turned from the Lord, and listened to Godless officials.
This is a very real problem within The Church. In my many years of youth ministry I’ve witnessed countless students and adults, who once appeared to have a real relationship with Jesus, turn away once they went off to college or left the church. According the Barna Research Group, around 70% of high school students who identify as Christian when entering college will leave with little to no faith. This is a problem! Did they “lose” faith… or did they never really have it? IT’S A REAL QUESTION.
How can you make your faith SURE, REAL - make it YOUR OWN? From the moment of salvation our relationship with Jesus must be the most important thing in our life. We always make time for the important things. He does the work of transforming our hearts (Philippians 1:6), but we must participate by denying our flesh, repenting from evil and pressing into Him (James 4:7-8). We do that by studying His Word (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 119:9-11). Like any relationship we build it’s a process. We know relationship building takes time. Satans lie is that with God, it happens overnight. “I accepted Jesus and nothing happened”.
Consider your closest relationships. As we grow, we share experiences. As we grow closer to Jesus, we experience Him working in and through us. Experiences are not easily forgotten. Soon we believe because we’ve experienced Him, not because some one influenced us to. No one can take away your experience. If we only have faith in the moment, because of outside influence, well… when that influence is gone our faith is gone.
Love you all! Dig in to His Word! Grow in Him! Make your relationship your own! It’s ALL you got!
Good Morning “Owners of Your Relationship With The Lord.” Today we are in 2 Chronicles 24.
How’s your walk with Jesus, your relationship? Would you say it’s a real relationship? The things that you do like: Going to church, living differently, building into others, and serving… Why do you do those things? Is it because it’s what is expected of you? Mom and dad make you, your husband or wife expects it, or your boss encourages it - so you do it. Jesus offers so much more through a real relationship with Him. Maybe you serve Him because you’re truly in Love with Jesus and you simply can’t help yourself. “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). Maybe you’ve got a taste of the “complete joy” He speaks of in John 15.
In today’s chapter we see God using a young 7 year old Joash. Side note - Don’t think for a moment Gods ability to use you is dependent on your age (1 Timothy 4:12).
Joash became a strong king in Judah - with the help of Jehoiada the Priest. He worked to restore the Temple and worship of The One True God. “Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years of Jehoiada the priest.” 2 Chronicles 24:2 NIV
“… all the years of Jehoiada the priest.” Did you catch that.
Unfortunately, after Jehoiada’s death, it appears Joash’ incentive was gone. “After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.” 2 Chronicles 24:17 NIV. Without Jehoiada’s influence Joash turned from the Lord, and listened to Godless officials.
This is a very real problem within The Church. In my many years of youth ministry I’ve witnessed countless students and adults, who once appeared to have a real relationship with Jesus, turn away once they went off to college or left the church. According the Barna Research Group, around 70% of high school students who identify as Christian when entering college will leave with little to no faith. This is a problem! Did they “lose” faith… or did they never really have it? IT’S A REAL QUESTION.
How can you make your faith SURE, REAL - make it YOUR OWN? From the moment of salvation our relationship with Jesus must be the most important thing in our life. We always make time for the important things. He does the work of transforming our hearts (Philippians 1:6), but we must participate by denying our flesh, repenting from evil and pressing into Him (James 4:7-8). We do that by studying His Word (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 119:9-11). Like any relationship we build it’s a process. We know relationship building takes time. Satans lie is that with God, it happens overnight. “I accepted Jesus and nothing happened”.
Consider your closest relationships. As we grow, we share experiences. As we grow closer to Jesus, we experience Him working in and through us. Experiences are not easily forgotten. Soon we believe because we’ve experienced Him, not because some one influenced us to. No one can take away your experience. If we only have faith in the moment, because of outside influence, well… when that influence is gone our faith is gone.
Love you all! Dig in to His Word! Grow in Him! Make your relationship your own! It’s ALL you got!