More For Than Against

“Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.” (2Ch 32:7-8 AV)

There comes a time in every saint’s life when he comes to the end of himself.  He realizes the challenges he faces are more than he can humanly overcome.  He is overwhelmed by the reality of life.  He sees the hurdles in front of him as great and unconquerable walls that no human alive can overcome.  Such was the case with Hezekiah and Judah.  Assyria came with a great force.  Greater than Judah could handle even on their best day.  Even if everything fell correctly, the numbers were simply too overwhelming for the arm of the flesh to overcome.  It just could not happen.  This is how Hezekiah and Judah understood the situation.  It was not a mere emotional response to a daunting threat.  It was reality.  No emotions about it.  It was the truth of pending doom slapping them square in the face.  The thing is, God is not limited to what we can see.  God is not limited to the physical universe.  He is not limited to what we understand as possibilities.  God can and does do about what we ask or think.

One of my favorite movies of all time is The Battle of Midway.  It reminds me of the book of Esther.  One cannot watch that movie without realizing God’s hand in all of it.  Even though God is not mentioned in the Movie, too much happened to give the United States Navy a victory to attribute it to anything else but God.  The same is true of the book of Esther.  God is never mentioned.  Yet one thing after another fell into place to give the people of Israel deliverance.  What we want to remember here is the phrase, “there be more with us that with him…”.  That is, the king of Assyria.  For our sake, it may as well be the Devil, the world, or our failing flesh.  Odds may be against us, but by life or by death, because of the blood of Christ, we are already the victor.

What we have to remember is the enemies of the saint will always be there.  As long as we live in this body of this flesh, they will always be around.  The prayer is to overcome.  Not to eliminate.  The Devil has been on this Earth since Eden.  He is not going anywhere until Christ returns.  We were born with this flesh and we will die with this flesh.  The world was here before our arrival and will be here after we are gone to glory.  But that doesn’t mean we have to live in subjection to them.  Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.  We have a power abiding in us that is greater than anything the enemy can throw at us.  We need to remember this when life is overwhelming.  We have more than that which is against us!

Be There or Be Square

“But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.” (2Ch 28:9 AV)

How annoying to have a man of God interrupt us right in the middle of our sin!  How inconvenient.  How rude.  Doesn’t he know that we want to enjoy our sin and then, and only then, he can preach at us so that we feel guilty about it, repent, and do it all over again?  It’s just like the LORD to put a preacher right in the middle of our lives to meddle in them and tell us that we shouldn’t be doing what we are doing.  Such is the case above.

The king of Israel, or Ephraim, or Samaria invades Judah as God’s means of chastening Ahaz, king of Judah, or idol worship.  This king heads back to Samaria with the wealth of the temple, the wealth of the Judean Palace, and captives of the war for the purposes of slavery.  The later is a big no-no.  The law specifically forbids the Hebrew people from enslaving one another.  Even and indentured servant had to be free from his debt after so many years.  Here they are, on their way back from a battle with hard fought gains when a man of God was there.  They were merely minding their own business and fulfilling the will of God by being the chastening rod to Judah, and there stands the man of God to spoil all their fun.

Praise God for the man of God who is there!  I have had several occasions when the man of God was there.  He was there when I was tempted to date someone I had no business dating.  He was there when I needed a subtle reminder to be faithful in my tithes and offerings.  He was there when I needed to hear that as blessed as God blessed me with wisdom in raising children, not everything I was doing was wise.  He was there when I needed to hear of the proper motive and heart needed for effective ministry.  My only regret is the man of God was not always there when I needed him.  If you are a man of God, be there.  It is uncomfortable for sure.  Confrontation is never easy.  However, if those whom you are trying to help will heed the word of God, they will thank you for it later.  This reminds me of a survey done by the Barna group that concluded the majority of preachers avoid difficult subjects for fear of losing the sheep.  Quit then!  The sheep need you to be there! Even if they may not appreciate it at the moment, they need you there!

All We Need Is Leadership

“And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD’S people.” (2Ch 23:16 AV)

It didn’t take much for the people and the king to do the right thing.  Athaliah, daughter of Jezebel and mother of Joash sat on the throne for six years after Jehu killed her husband.  She went so far as to have all her male children killed so that she could reign.  However, she missed the youngest.  After six years and on the seventh year, God raised up a priest who had enough courage and faith to do the right thing.  What is interesting is his efforts didn’t require a whole lot of teeth pulling.  The people and the young eight-year-old king were more than happy to follow the direction of this zealous king.  It was in their heart to depose this illegal and immoral Queen.  It was in their heart to clean out the baal worshippers.  It was in their heart to enthrone a son of David.  All they needed was a man who would have enough zeal, courage, faith, and integrity to do the right thing.

As we meditate upon this truth, I cannot help but think of the state of our churches and nation.  Deep down inside, we are a God-fearing culture.  This nation was established for the purpose of freedom of conscious based upon the truths of God’s word.  This is what we are foundationally.  Our churches were at one time established on the foundation of truth.  Not on the foundation of an emotional experience.  Our preachers used to throw all fear to the wind and preach the truth of God’s word no matter what the cost.  I read an article just this morning of a survey done by the Barna group.  They discovered that a majority of ministers today avoid controversial subjects for fear of losing attenders.  What a shame.  As a result, worship is more about an emotional experience centered in ungodly music as opposed to solid Bible preaching.  Preaching against sin has been abandoned for a more people friendly motivational speaking.  As a result, there are short term results yet with long term loses.

We need men like Jehoiada the priest who can see that deep down inside, this nation and our churches desperately need revival.  We are praying for it.  But how many of us have the faith, courage, and integrity to be a part of that revival?  We want to see more salvations.  But how many of us are willing to tell a lost and dying world they are hopeless wicked sinners in need of God’s mercy?  We want revival, but how many leaders are willing to say the hard things.  That Homosexuality is an abomination.  That living together out of wedlock is fornication.  That drinking alcohol is forbidden.  That worldly amusements are contrary to a walk with God.  We know all these things.  We just need leaders who are willing to say them!

Lost, With Hope

“O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.” (2Ch 20:12 AV)

The problem of having a great time of adversity and confusion goes hand in hand.  The people of Judah under the leadership of Jehoshaphat were surrounded by a superior enemy.  Their resources did not match their challenge.  There was no plan.  There could not be a plan because there wasn’t enough to succeed.  So, not knowing what to do is natural.  What we need to consider this morning is the God of infinite resources is not subject to our circumstances.  To us, we are limited and without hope.  To God, we are already in victory.

Life will bring with it circumstances that are will beyond our ability to overcome.  That is, without God’s help.  There are times when we are faced with very serious and difficult things that our mind is incapable of dealing with it.  When tasked with making a decision, we find it near to impossible. We are overwhelmed.  We are stressed to our limits.  We cannot see a solution.  We feel as though life is collapsing around us.  The stress level is so high, we often need others to help us make choices that need to be made.  This is where the people of God are in the above verse of scripture.  They cannot come up with any solution that will work.  So, they do what they need to do.  Their eyes are on the LORD.

Consider this, if their eyes are on the LORD, then they are fully surrendered to His solution.  Since they have exhausted all other options, the only one left is the one which the LORD will propose.  We cannot have our eyes on the LORD in the midst of our overwhelming trial unless we are fully surrendered to that which the LORD would have us to do.  When the people say their eyes are upon God, they are not saying their eyes are towards God.  They are upon God.  They rest upon God.  If we are not willing to yield to His control, then we are still trying to solve it ourselves.  Given time, we will learn, as they did, that God is the only answer for our overwhelming trials of life.

A Big Something is Really a Nothing

“And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.” (2Ch 14:11 AV)

Asa was not exactly walking with God when he prayed this prayer.  Not perfectly and with a whole heart.  There was idol worship going on in the private homes of the citizens of Judah and Benjamin.  Surrounded by an enemy, Asa did what he knew to do.  He appealed to God’s grace and mercy.  Something to remember that is easy to forget:  it is not grace or mercy if we have earned it.  What we want to see is something that Asa declared which is the truth we always forget.  “It is nothing with thee to help.”  In other words, whatever our need may be, to God, it would not strain His omnipotent one iota to assist in our time of need.  To us, it might be as big as the universe.  To the LORD, it is nothing.  Therefore, we plead on the basis of His mercy and grace, not on the basis of His omnipotence.

It is often a difficult thing for someone raised to believe that God’s grace is meritorious to believe that true grace cannot be meritorious.  We struggle with presumption.  We do not want to ask for God’s grace and mercy because deep down inside, we know we do not deserve it and we do not wish to presume upon it.  That is a good thing.  But the nature of mercy and grace requires that we presume upon it.  Not before we make the choices that require God’s intervening grace and mercy.  That would be wicked presumption.  Yet, when we pray and seek God’s mercy and brace because we are in a fix of our own making, faith requires that we presume upon God’s grace.  Not because we have earned it, but rather, because we stand in need of a God who is greater than all our sin.

Asa knew that for God to help would be but a little thing to him.  Repentance was the manifestation of that faith that God would grant him the mercy and grace which he sought.  If we truly believe in God’s goodness, then it will lead us to repentance.  Not that we may earn the grace and mercy of God, but rather, because we are assured that He will grant it.  Repentance comes because God has promised to be good.  Repentance cannot come because of a result of God’s goodness.  Otherwise we are misled into believing God’s mercy and grace can be earned.  No!  Rather, repentance must come before the mercy and grace are applied.  This is but a small thing to such a great God!

The Strong Know Their Weakness

“So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.” (2Ch 11:17 AV)

The ‘they’ are the Levites who migrated from Israel to Judah because of Jeroboam’s idolatry.  Jeroboam made priests of the lowest of the people to offer sacrifice to the golden calves he made.  This migration of Levites affected the reign of Rehoboam is a great way.  It was the increase of the men of God that turned the reign of Rehoboam around.  What they might have seen as a negative thing actually turned to a good thing.  Rehoboam was not headed in the right direction.  It all started with the seeking of advice.  He had his mind made up.  He asked the old men whom his father, Solomon consulted, and they did not advise as he desired.  So, he sought out advice from his friends.  This turned out to be the wrong advice.  According to chapter twelve and verse one, Rehoboam was headed down the road of disobedience and all Israel with him.  This is after the kingdom was established.  So, it is not out of the realm of possibility that the three years mentioned above were the last three years of his reign.

Rehoboam was the kind of leader who never realized how much he needed the help of other people until it was too late.  Even when he was thinking of going up against Israel to re-establish the kingdom, God had to use the entire nation to come to the conclusion that was not the LORD’s will.  Rehoboam declined the advice of men wiser than he.  He could not make the decision to retreat on his own.  The people made it for him.  Now, he must rely on the ministry of all the priests of the nation to get him back on track.  This is not a criticism.  It is an observation.

Leaders cannot lead alone.  This is utter foolishness.  They need counselors.  They need input.  They need advice.  Yes, the buck stops with them.  Absolutely.  But he cannot lead as an island unto himself.  He must listen.  He must seek out other points of view.  As a leader, I enjoy this immensely.  Listening to the opinions and input of others is a learning experience for me.  What makes it much easier is when those who are counseling also understand the decision ultimately belongs in my lap.  There had to be freedom both ways.  Freedom of those who counsel to counsel.  And freedom of those who lead to lead.  When one or the other is missing, the people cannot be governed effectively.

Worthless Wealth Meets Wrecking Ball

“Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.” (2Ch 7:20 AV)

Imagine the appearance of the temple.  The total area including the outer court was approximately 180,000 square feet.  The temple itself was 90 feet by 30 feet by 45 feet high.  For a grand total of 2,700 square feet.  About the size of an average small church building.  Or, imagine a basketball court and add about thirty percent more floor space and 45 feet high.  Now, consider all that went into the construction of that temple.  All the bronze, silver, gold, and precious gems.  Most conservative estimates place the cost of materials alone for the building of the temple today to be in the neighborhood of 150 billion (with a ‘b’) dollars.  Now, imagine a building about the size of a congregation of a few hundred who spent 150 billion – with a ‘b’- on remodeling their church building.  Could you imagine how much pride they would take in the appearance of such a structure?  A building such as this would be a national spectacle.  People for all over the nation would make a special trip just to see it.  Then, imagine a natural disaster that would completely swallow said building.  Imagine the thoughts that would enter the mind.  What a waste.  All that work and expense and it is now gone. 

God told Israel that if they failed to follow the law, He personally would see to it that this global testimony to His name would be destroyed.  To give you an idea of what that means, the Parthenon would only cost in the hundred of millions of dollars and it is five to six times the size.  The Sears Tower would cost just under ten billion.  In other words, there was not even a close second place to the Hebrew temple.  In our carnal thinking, we would think it a waste to be destroyed just because the children of Israel compromised the law.  At least there remained some testimony to the LORD, right?  Why throw away 150 billion – with a ‘b’- dollars because Israel didn’t go to church every Sabbath?  Isn’t that kind of radical?

Building and facilities do not impress God.  Obedience does.  Many of our churches are slowly losing membership because God is not there.  The shekinah glory left the moment the congregation decided that obedience to the word of God was a matter of liberty and not a matter of command.  Our nation is littered with empty shells that were once a church building.  Years ago, my newlywed wife and I were shopping for a home.  All we could afford was a fixer-upper.  Our real estate agent took us to a building that was run down and falling apart.  When we opened the tall oak doors, we were faced with an open area that was one a sanctuary.  The pews were all gone.  The pulpit area empty.  Lose timbers swung from the rafters.  An empty church building whose congregation lost the fire of faith and obedience generations ago.  God is not impressed with our buildings.  One hundred and fifty billion – with a ‘b’- is but a drop in compared to the vast oceans that belong to God.  We may be impressed, but He is not.