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Today is Tuesday 25, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of II Chronicles, chapters 14-17. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-may-25

Title: Bible Study: A Perfect Heart
When we pray we are asking God for something, we can communicate with God in other ways, praise Him, serve Him, thank Him, but the only way to receive things is to ask Him for them in prayer. As Christians we rejoice at seeing a prayer answered, it is the best feeling in the world to know that God has heard me and that I received what I asked for because I did not give up on Him. Most of us are prone to pray about the circumstances in our lives, but when things are going good, many will kind of get lax in seeking God in prayer. Why? Well, we can get so caught up in things when everything is going the way we would like them that we forget God gave them to us and begin relying more on people than on God. People may help us along the way, but God is the author and finisher of everything, even if people have no idea they are working for God. We are to have a perfect heart for God, meaning give ourselves wholeheartedly to Him, whether things are going well or not. God wants to be in our lives at all times, not just when we need things from Him.

King Asa was the grandson of Rehoboam and the great-grandson of Solomon, he loved God, rejected the heathen gods and idols that these kings allowed in the cities of Judah, removed them all, and encouraged the people to seek and serve God. Because he had a perfect heart for God all was quiet in the land and there was no war for ten years. “So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years. And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.” - II Chronicles 14:1-4. As we seek God when things are quiet and going well, we assure God that we know He is there and that He is the reason why we are at peace and everything is going so well. Incidentally when we pray, rarely do we pray for something that will happen right away, although God will answer a prayer quickly, at times most prayer pertains to the future. Therefore, we are never cease from praying.

As long as Asa sought God he and all of Judah was a peace, but you can be sure that Satan is not far away trying to wreck havoc on God's people. When Zerah, the Ethiopian king, declared war on the Southern Kingdom of Judah, King Asa and the nation of Judah were faced with a million soldiers who had 300 chariots, the largest army recorded in the Old Testament. Asa prayed and reminded the Lord that He alone could give them victory, even though they were a small army and powerless. “And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah. Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 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 no man prevail against thee. So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.” - II Chronicles 14:9-12. Asa put his trust and faith in God and because of that they won the war.

Asa and the Kingdom of Judah enjoyed many years of prosperity, but later when Baasha, King of Israel, became a threat to his border cities, sadly, we learn that Asa stopped relying on God and sought his own judgment in seeking help to defeat Israel. He took treasures out of the House of God to buy protection, “In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me....And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand. For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.” - II Chronicles 16:1-3,7-8. Asa lost sight of God when he let his riches and fear take part of his heart rather than keep his heart perfect with Him. The result, war for the rest of his days as king and a disease that would take his life because he solely relied on people than on God in the last days of his life. Sometimes pride is the thing that keeps us from seeking help from God. Some can feel as though God will not forgive them or they are ashamed to admit to God they messed up and need His help. What they fail to realize is that God still loves them and they have nothing to be ashamed of, all they need to do is go to Him and He will forgive them. God forgives all who come to Him with a perfect heart.

God loves us and wants to give us the things we need and even desire, but you can be sure if what you have asked for starts replacing God, He is going to get jealous and start taking things away. Why does God get jealous? Think about it, if your spouse was checking out someone else and spending time with that person you would get jealous. God is the same way, when we spend more time on something else we are in a sense cheating on God and He gets jealous over anyone or thing that takes His place. We should be honored to have such a response from God, the only way a person would be offended by His being jealous is someone who is truly guilty and needs repentance. Regardless of the past, even if we have given our hearts to other things and lost sight of God, He is always there and willing to give help and guidance to all come to Him. God will work everything for good to those who have a perfect heart for Him, and or get their heart perfect. “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.” - Psalm 119:1,2. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina