2 Chronicles 23:13-14 KJV Treason, Treason

2 Chronicles 23:13-14 (KJV)
And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of musick, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason.Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the ranges: and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD.

How deceptive the human heart can be!

Athaliah had committed treason by killing all of her own grandchildren. One however survived, hidden away by the child’s aunt in the temple and home of the High Priest.

Some years progressed as the child grew to the ripe old age of seven. It was then that the priest brought others in on his “secret” and plans were made for the child to be anointed King. When Athaliah heard it she cried “treason”, forgetting that she was the one who had truly committed treason.

The human heart, in similar fashion:

• Destroys the ownership of God upon it
• Establishes its own authority and 
• Goes on behaving as if it is legitimately in charge

One day God reveals the true sovereign, Jesus Christ, and the heart’s first impulse is to cry “treason”. Some do as the priest and others did that day, and submit to the true king. They are saved. Others do as Athaliah did, and reject him. They are all eventually destroyed in eternal fire.

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2 Chronicles 23:13-14 Treason, Treason

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Romans 8:1 KJV What Can We Do then?

Romans 8:1 (KJV)
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

At first glance a person might think walking after the Spirit, not the flesh is a condition for being in Christ and thus, not condemned. In reality it is not a condition but a description. The person who is in Christ Jesus doesn’t walk after the flesh but after the Spirit.

This doesn’t mean he/she does that perfectly. We are so prone to putting all the responsibility on ourselves (because that gives us control) that we look at this as a way to make things happen:

• I don’t want to feel/be condemned 
• I will therefore be in Christ and
• I will do that by walking after the Spirit not the flesh

Truth is, this is beyond us. The rest of the chapter describes the process that is happening in us as the Spirit of God transforms us into the image of God. This is a work we are so incapable of doing in our own power that we don’t even know how to properly pray for it. This is a work of the Holy Spirit.

What can we do then? Besides calling upon the Lord and trusting Him alone for salvation we can:

• Submit to the Spirit’s leading and work 
• Wait upon Him to reveal Himself “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little there a little” until we are home. And
• Rest in the truth declared in verse one and confirmed in verses thirty one through thirty nine that, though we are a work in progress, we are not condemned.

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Romans 8:1 What Can We Do?

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2 Chronicles 19:4 (KJV) How to Handle Rebuke

2 Chronicles 19:4 (KJV)
And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto the LORD God of their fathers.

King Jehoshaphat appears to me to be an incredibly good guy who had trouble saying “No” to people he was afraid to offend. He made affinity with Israel at least twice and was rebuked of the Lord each time because of it.

In our text, he had just been sternly but graciously rebuked for his first act of affinity. What is significant and what I want to meditate on is what Jehoshaphat did not do:

He did not lash out at the prophetOthers would do that. He had witnessed Ahab do it. Not Jehoshaphat. He took his rebuke maturely.

He did not turn against GodHis own father had been similarly rebuked and grew angry at the seer and then turned his anger at the people (I believe that supported the prophet’s rebuke). Asa got mad at the preacher and then lashed out at God. Not so Jehoshaphat.

He did not pout and shrink into inactivityThe very next verse after the preacher’s rebuke has Jehoshaphat out among the people, bringing them back to the Lord. When a battle with Moab and Ammon was imminent, we find Jehoshaphat appealing to God in prayer, leading others to do the same and singing in worship to the Lord.

Jehoshaphat was by no means perfect but this is certain of him, he stayed true to God.

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2 Chronicles 19:4 How to Handle Rebuke

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2 Chronicles 18:1 KJV How to Say “No”

2 Chronicles 18:1 (KJV)
Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.

We will soon learn that God was not pleased with Jehoshaphat’s affinity with Ahab. However, at this point in Scripture we have heard nothing negative concerning him. He walked with the Lord; led in a movement to publish God’s Word around the land and God had blessed him with both riches and peace.

Jehoshaphat had, as I see it, just one problem; he was too kind. Reaching out to influence Ahab with the Word of God may have been a noble act. But Jehoshaphat didn’t know how to say “No”.

• Maybe he didn’t want to offend Ahab. 
• Maybe he was afraid if he said no he would not have another chance to witness to Ahab. 
• Maybe he was just not a confrontational type of person 

Whatever it was that would have possessed him to agree to go to war with Ahab and even openly make himself the target by wearing royal clothing while Ahab was disguised, Jehoshaphat was playing the fool.

Too many Christians have a Jehoshaphat type personality. They earnestly seek to walk with God and honestly attempt to reach the lost and backslidden but they are too kind to tell them what they need to hear and they are too soft to say “No”. More often than not it leads them, not into the saving of the one they hope to reach, but into their own separation with God.

Jude 1:23 KJV
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

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2 Chronicles 18:1 How to Say “No”

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Romans 5:10 KJV Reconciliation and Salvation

Romans 5:10 (KJV)
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Every aspect of the Gospel has some key and vital component toward our new birth:

Christ’s lifeFulfilled the righteousness of the law. Jesus obeyed the whole law without offending in even one point.

Christ’s death and burialFulfilled the penalty of death sentenced upon sin. He took upon Himself, as only the God/man could do, all of our sins. When He died and was buried He received the wages for all sin.

Christ’s resurrectionCompleted the transaction. When Christ arose it was as if God stamped in the heavens, “Paid in full.”

Our text speaks of two parts of the gospel and says that reconciliation with God was accomplished through Christ’s death. Final and complete salvation was accomplished through His life (after death).

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Romans 5:10 Reconciliation and Salvation

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Romans 4:9-10 KJV Before, During and After

Romans 4:9-10 (KJV)
Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

There are a number of things that transcend past the Mosaic law because they were before the law.

• They were before the Law
• God carried them into the age of the law and 
• They continue on into the New Testament era

The tithe is like that.Abraham tithed to Melchisidek centuries before the law of Moses.

Justification by faith is like that tooAbraham was justified by faith centuries before the Mosiac law and even before his own circumcision (a foreshadow of the law which was to come).

The relationship between Abraham and the New Testament believer, though spiritual in nature, is as real as the relationship Jews have with him. The Jews have a relationship based on blood and culture. The Christian has a relationship with him based on faith and practice.

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Romans 4:9-10 Before, During and After

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Romans 3:1-2 The Bible's Advantage

Romans 3:1-2 (KJV)
What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

The apostle says that the main advantage the Jews have had over Gentiles is that they had the Word of God. There were, of course, some who didn’t believe it. This became truer with Christ and the New Testament. Their lack of believing, however, did not change the truth of it.

The New Testament was written by Jews but it was believed and spread primarily by Gentiles.

The Bible is an advantage for anyone who will

• Possess
• Learn and 
• Practice 

its message. The advantage that once belonged to the Jews is now ours.

Take advantage of this advantage.

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Romans 3:1-2 The Bible is an Advantage

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2 Chronicles 11:4 When We Are In The Right

2 Chronicles 11:4 (KJV)
Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

There is no question that Jeroboam rebelled and was in the wrong. The frustration that Israel had with Rehoboam had been an undercurrent ever since David replaced Saul. Saul’s jealousy of David had become their own and, though submissive to David when they had to be, they always sought opportunity to break free of the Davidic rule.

Jeroboam and the issue of taxes became their opportunity.

However, when Rehoboam set out to squash their rebellion (and could likely have done it) he was prevented by the Word of God. Jeroboam and Israel were their brethren and this whole thing was of God. God would use their rebellion for His own purposes (it is a picture of the sin nature that turns from God) and He would judge it in His own time.

We are often hurt by those we call brethren in the faith. Many are the times we feel we are in the right to go after them and force their compliance to what we believe is right. I do not believe we should do so. These things are in the hand of God. Let them go their way. He will:

• Use it for our learning
• Strengthen us in grace and 
• Judge it as necessary in His time

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2 Chronicles 11:4 When We Are In The Right

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Romans 1:2 Preaching Rooted to the Old Testament

Romans 1:2 (KJV)
(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)

The apostle insisted, and will spend a great deal of this book proving, that the gospel was no new thing but promised in the Old Testament.

There is too much disparaging of the Old Testament in today’s Christianity. There is:

• Too little preaching of it
• Too little application of it
• Too little instruction concerning its place in New Testament faith

The foundational truths of the gospel are rooted in the Old Testament. Therefore a proper understanding of the gospel is not possible without an understanding of the Old Testament.

Paul, preaching to a Gentile church, began by assuring his audience his message was rooted to the Old Testament. We must do no less.

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Romans 1:2 Rooted to the Old Testament

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2 Chronicles 10:17 Dwell Near to Judah

2 Chronicles 10:17 (KJV)
But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

Each of the tribes of Israel had a piece of the Promised Land apportioned to them. It was theirs and they had a right to dwell on it. But they were not obligated to do so and some of them had elected to live in Judah instead.

Israel as a whole had never been overly friendly with David as their King. They had been loyal to Saul and even when God gave the kingdom to David, they only followed grudgingly. Sentiments were ripe for division as soon as there was opportunity to do so.

But there were people among the tribes of Israel for which this wasn’t true. Those who dwelt in Judah had made their habitation closer to the God ordained authority and were thus not affected by the rebellion.

This reminds me of the circumstances for a backsliding heart. There dwells in every one of us the potential for backsliding and rebellion against the Lord. The sin nature is never so mortified that, given the right circumstances, we might turn back into the world. There is only one way to insure we are less likely to follow those who lead in a turning from Christ. That is to dwell closely with Him.

No truly saved person can ever lose their salvation any more than Israel’s rebellion made them no longer Jews. But by walking near to the Lord we are more than saved, we are faithful unto the end.

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2 Chronicles 10:17 Dwelling Near

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2 Chronicles 7:21-22 An Answer to “Why?”

2 Chronicles 7:21-22 (KJV)
And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house?And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.

When it came to disasters and difficult trials, people had the same questions in Biblical days as today. They asked “Why?” Specifically they asked why God would allow such suffering.

Though today the numbers of people who would evoke the name of God in a trial may seem fewer, this is still people’s first impulse, “Why would God allow or do such a thing?” But today people seem to have changed from then. God told Israel to tell the people that it was because they had turned against God to follow other gods. Today it is considered:

• Hate speech
• Politically incorrect and 
• Bad form 

to insinuate that God would ever judge a person or that any god is better than another.

Bad form or not the truth is still true. Furthermore no advancement can be made if these truths are withheld. Before any of our troubles can really be put to rest we must demand that false gods be put in their place and that the true and living God be lifted up before the people.

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2 Chronicles 7:21-22 An Answer for “Why?”

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2 Chronicles 6:1-2 (KJV) The Darkness Lifted

2 Chronicles 6:1-2 (KJV)
Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever.

Solomon must have meant by “thick darkness” the heavens.

We know that God dwells in the heavens and, when we look into them we see two distinct things – darkness and depth (thickness) By dwelling in this thick darkness we realize immediately:

The vastness of God1 Kings 8:27 says,
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?

What awesome thoughts conjure in our heads when we think of the greatness of God. He is:

• Too high for us to comprehend, 
• Too big for us to contain and 
• Too powerful for us to capture

The invisibility of GodWe cannot understand Him. We come short of His glory. The natural man is hidden from the view of God and the saved man sees only through a glass darkly.

But then there is,
This gracious condescension of GodThough the heavens cannot contain Him, He chose to dwell in the house Solomon built for Him. This is a type of the grace of God who, though separated from man by sin, became a man to take away our sin. He who dwells in the thick darkness, lighted the world with His own glory in Jesus Christ.

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2 Chronicles 6:1-2 The Darkness Lifted

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Acts 26:22 What the Faithful Preacher Preaches

Acts 26:22 (KJV)
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

There is no doubt that Paul was:

• Called of God
• Filled with the Holy Ghost and 
• Possessed gifts of the Spirit

Paul was used of God to record for us more than half of the New Testament. God spoke to him directly and through dreams and visions. Peter testified that what Paul wrote is Scripture. But Paul carefully explained that nothing he said crossed outside the parameters of what was already the revealed Word of God in the Old Testament.

The modern day Charismatic and Pentecostal preachers should have taken a cue from Paul. Their claims at having the spiritual gift of prophecy and then to preach things not found in the Bible and, in some cases, contrary to the Bible, abuse and dishonor the very Spirit they claim has gifted them. Paul practiced what preachers today are bound to practice; the careful study of God’s Word and the exposition of that Word. Paul preached with confidence and authority but never with arrogance. He never strayed outside what God had already said. He never contradicted the prophets or countermanded their message.

A faithful preacher preaches “none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come.”

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Acts 26:22 What the Faithful Preacher Preaches

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Acts 25:16 Darkness in High Places

Acts 25:16 (KJV)
To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

When I consider the treatment of Paul by the Romans after his incarceration, I am impressed with the reasonable character of that treatment followed by the brutal end of his life.

The Roman guards’ initial response when they took Paul into custody was to beat him. That changed quickly when they learned he was a Roman citizen. From that moment on their chief concern was to treat him justly.

• They removed him from Jerusalem when they heard there was a plot there to kill him
• They required not once but on numerous occasions that his accusers carry the burden of travel to Caesarea to accuse him to the face
• They gave him the right of appeal to Caesar rather than simply passing this off as a Jewish thing
• They were careful and patient to find what charge to write against Paul but 
• They were quick to allow him to defend himself when his accusers did arrive 
• They allowed his friends to minister to his needs
• They refused to kill him when the shipwreck threatened to free the prisoners onboard

The system worked-until Paul got to the highest authorities. It was in Rome before Caesar that Paul found corruption.

The United States of America styles its government much after the pattern of ancient Rome. Our American system of government works. There are occasional glitches and evidences of lower level corruption, but the system overall works. Where the temptation for great corruption exists is in the highest levels. It is there we must exercise the greatest precautions in whom we elect to those offices.

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Acts 25:16 Darkness in High Places

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Acts 24:16 Paul’s Exercise

Acts 24:16 (KJV)
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

At fifty-seven years old I now find that I have a great deal of pain in my body. Things are getting tired and muscles long neglected are being less forgiving than in my younger days. I am coming to realize that, if I am to keep moving, I am going to have to exercise carefully and regularly.

Paul exercised too. But the sort of exercise he spoke of was on a much more important level than merely to mitigate pain. Paul’s exercise plan involved two key elements, each related to the other; he exercised to have a conscience void of offense:

Toward GodThis, I am sure is in order of priority. His first concern was toward God. He one time wrote that he preached not as pleasing men but God. Paul strove in exercise to see that his conscience was right with God. This would have required that he knew God’s will, character and word. We can’t have a conscience right with God unless we know what is right with God.

Toward menThis can be a complicated thing since men are so diverse and even the same man can be fluid, pleased by one thing today and another tomorrow. Paul must not have meant that he tried to make everyone happy. To have a conscience void of offense toward man means to do for every man what we know and believe to be in that person’s best interest.

This strategy of exercise has led to Paul’s effective ministry two thousand years after his own passing. His regular exercise cost him at the moment but paid off eternally.

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Acts 24:16 Paul’s Exercise Routine

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Acts 23:11 Cheer Up Paul

Acts 23:11 (KJV)
And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. 

Paul had earlier stated that he was willing not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem. Here the Lord encourages him that he would not die there, but be a witness also in Rome.

There is nothing in this promise that implies relief of the trial. There is only a promise

• That the Jews will not kill him
• That he will be given further opportunities to witness

Cheer can happen in the most unsuspecting ways. Paul was cheered:

By the Lord HimselfFind your joy in the Lord and you can be happy anywhere.

By an acknowledgment of his testimonyThat God has been a witness of our ministry can be a great encouragement. We are not alone even when no one stands with us. We might feel like we have failed. But God has been in the stands cheering us along.

By a promise of future serviceHe hadn’t cast Paul away or put him on a shelf. He wasn’t confining Paul to ineffectiveness. He was merely opening new doors of opportunity.

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Acts 23:11 What Cheered Paul

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