Fight Night 2 Chronicles 16:9

New American Standard

Check out scripturetype.com

for this and other verse graphics

In working through the Fighter Verses this year, always remember to make time to read the verses in context.  This is a big part of what we are doing in the Wednesday night Bible study at West Cannon Baptist Church.

While context is important all the time, it is especially helpful with 2 Chronicles 16:9.

CONTEXT:

Before reading on, you will want to take some time to read 2 Chronicles 14 - 16  and note what King Asa does, both good and bad.  You can read these chapter at Biblegateway.com by clicking HERE

Did you read these three chapters?
Here are some of the highs and lows of Asa's reign.

Chapter 14 shows that Asa did "what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God" (v. 2).  This included removing foreign altars, breaking down the pillars and cutting down the Asherim (v. 3).  He led the people to build walls, towers and gates and even more importantly he led the people in seeking the LORD (v. 7).  When faced with great human enemies he called out to God.  "O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you" (v. 11).

This pursuit of God and religious reform continued in chapter 15.  Asa took courage from and acted because of the words of the prophet Azariah (v. 8).  He even removed his mother "from being queen mother  because she had made a detestable image for Asherah." (v. 16)

Asa's heart and behavior change in chapter 16.  He took silver and gold from the house of the LORD and gave it to the king of Syria as protection money.  Instead of trusting in the LORD like he did in chapter 14, he trusted in men and money.  When confronted by the prophet Hanani, Asa became angry and locked up the prophet.   Second Chronicles 16:12 even speaks to the fact that, when diseased, Asa looked to men instead of seeking the LORD.  

This week's Fighter Verse is part of Hanani's rebuke of King Asa.  Hanani's words are meant to challenge Asa.  

How could this king who had seen the great things God had done, turn to men and not God for his help?

FIGHTER VERSE:

With this context, consider the great truths about God in 2 Chronicles 16:9.

God sees, acts and gives strong support to those who are his children.

This video explains more about the deep, life-changing, theological points of this passage.

For more videos like this go to www.desiringgod.org/labs/all

Here are some questions from this week's Fighter Verses devotional.  
Use them for personal reflection and prayer guides.

1. Who or what do you go to first for help when there is no apparent way out?
2. Is prayer your last resort or is it your great advantage against the strategy of the evil one?
3. Are you willing for God to act, and to rest in Him?

NEXT WEEK (12.24)
Read, memorize, and meditate on Philippians 3:7, 8
Check out  fighterverses.com and this site
Plan to share somethings in our study time next week 

Additional Resources:
scripturetype.com/2-chronicles-16-9/ contains a coloring page and 
computer, tablet and mobile wallpapers of this verse

For more about the Fighter Verses go to www.drodgersjr.com/p/fighter-verses.html

Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2018

This was originally posted January 18, 2016 at http://drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2016/01/just-another-day-off-school.html

Over the last year there has been much written about racial reconciliation, ethnicity, #blacklivesmatter, immigration and related issues.  In no way, shape or form, do I claim to be an expert on these matters.  In every way, I do want to live out and help others live lives that have been and are being changed by the Gospel.  This means I need to think about how I can help other believers, no matter their ethnicity, grow and how others can help me grow.  While at the same time realizing that those who are not followers of Jesus Christ ultimately need Jesus.

I want to use this post to share a couple of things related to “race.”

1. Something we did as a family on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
2. A sermon from Together for the Gospel 2008 entitled “Bearing the Image:  Identity, the Work of Christ, and the Church” by Thabiti Anyabwile.

What we did this past Monday.
In raising my children, I want to make the most of God-given teachable moments.  I often miss them but this past Monday, with God and my wife’s help, I was able to use a day off school to teach my kids.

Krista and I wanted our kids to understand why they had the day off.
We watched a couple of videos about Martin Luther King, Jr. and talked to them about how bad racism used to be, how much improvement there has been and how much improvement needs to happen still.
We talked about the fact that God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were his enemy, he sent his Son to die for us and what we ought to love others like God loved us.

Later that night I was reading in the book Counterculture about "The Gospel and Ethnicity."  Here are a couple of excerpts from that chapter that really stuck out to me.

Consider the starting point in the gospel for so many of the the social issues we have addressed:  the creation of man and woman in the image of God with equal dignity before God.  As we've seen, this means that no human being is more or less human than another.  All are made in God's image.  It is a lack of trust in this truth that has led to indescribable horrors in human history. (p. 190) 

God's word reminds us that regardless of the color of our skin, we all have the same roots.  Fundamentally, we are all part of the same race.  That's why we all need the same gospel. (p. 192) 

By the sheer grace of God in the gospel, we are compelled to counter selfish pride and ethnic prejudice both in our hearts and our culture.  (p. 209)

Here are some practical steps each of us can do.
Pray and Ask God to 

• Open the eyes of all believers (including your own) to selfish pride and and sinful prejudice and to grant repentance.
• Give the leadership of the United States (and other governments) wisdom in addressing the issues of racism and immigration.

Proclaim the truth of God's Word

• Acts 17:26  "He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place."
• Galatians 3:28  "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Taken from pages 210 and 211.

The second thing I want to share is a great message.

The Together for the Gospel conference is one the conferences the pastors of Emmanuel attend every other year.  In 2008 Thabiti Anyabwile preached a message entitled "Bearing the Image:  Identity, the Work of Christ, and the Church."  Here is a very brief summary of that message.

The majority of people have identities and lives that have been based on assumption regarding the notion of “race.” We need to change toward a more biblical theology of ethnicity. First of all, it is important to define terms and use them properly, especially “race” versus “ethnicity.” The Christian needs to understand man’s unity in Adam, union with Christ and unity in the church.

HERE is a more detailed summary of Thabiti's message by Tim Challies.

HERE is the hour long message from the conference.

Chapter 10 Holiness

Welcome to the 10th week of reading the book Holiness.

This week's chapter is Lot's Wife

I want to encourage you to continue reading this great book 

or to start reading it today.

For general info about the reading schedule go to 

http://drodgersjr.blogspot.com/p/t4g2018.html

Here are the questions for this eighth chapter.

GENERAL (Questions for each chapter)

1.  What is a quote or two from Chapter 10 that stood out to you?

2.  What was something this chapter said about God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit?

3. What was something this chapter said about man?

4.  What was something this chapter said about how a Christian is to live?  

Think general and specific applications.

SPECIFIC (Questions specific to this chapter)

5.  In remembering the sin of Lot’s wife, a warning is issued to five specific groups of people (each of whom seem to be believers, but they each look back).

To whom are these five warnings issued?

Describe the main overall warning given regarding worldliness and true religion.

FINAL QUESTION

6.  What is the most significant thing that you learned from this chapter?

For more specific questions on this chapter through chapter 10 

go to www.chapellibrary.org/files/2914/3941/1948/HO1-SG.pdf