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Today is Friday May 28, 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 25-27. 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-28

Title: Bible Study: Confidence in God
As Christians, God wants to see us prosper, He blesses us with skills and talents that enable us to be successful in whatever we do. However, we must be careful not to become so confident in ourselves that we forget that God made us who we are. It takes years to get us to this point, but it only takes the blink of an eye for Him to take it all away. Confidence is a great thing, when we put it in God, we are telling Him, I am trusting in You to give me the wisdom and knowledge I need to do the job right. Confidence is putting our complete faith and trust in God alone, not in ourselves. When we put our confidence in God alone, we will always prosper, when we start relying on our own confidence we can be sure things are going to change real quick.

King Joash was the man that God would use to save the house of David, even though he was brought up and mentored by the high priest Jehoiada, he had his sons killed and because of that he was killed by his own servants. Now, Jerusalem had been captured by Hazael, king of Syria, in the midst of these difficult circumstances his son, Amaziah, began his reign at the age of 25. He followed the Lord, but not with a perfect heart. “Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart. Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father. But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin....He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver. But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim. But if thou wilt go, do it; be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down. And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.” - II Chronicles 25:1-4,6-9. Amaziah made the mistake of hiring soldiers from the Northern Kingdom instead of seeking guidance from God in how to get the people released. When a prophet advised against his hasty action, Amaziah expressed concern about the money he had already paid out for defense. The prophet assured him that God was able to make up any loss he would sustain if he would only submit to and put his confidence in God. Amaziah dismissed the Israelite army as he was advised and was successful in defeating the Edomites.

Sadly, we learn that Amaziah brought the false gods and idols of Edom and began worshiping them. “Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them. Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand? And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.” - II Chronicles 25:14-16. The result of this, caused Amaziah his life. One of the worse things a person can do is seek God for help in achieving their goals, then turn their backs on Him and begin serving false gods. Serving false gods is forsaking God for people, things, hobbies, careers, or anything else that turns them away from Him. It is an insult and very inconsiderate to use God for one's own personal agenda. God will not be mocked and all who use Him to advance in life then leave Him will face harsh judgment.

After Amaziah died his son, Uzziah (Azariah) reigned, he was one of the most successful kings of Judah. He was sixteen when he began to reign and as long as He sought God he prospered as a king, but the more successful he became the more he thought himself above the law. “Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.... And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper....And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.” - II Chronicles 26:1,5,15-19. Uzziah became so over confident of his success that he thought himself above God, making himself to be as a high priest. Even though he was a great king, God still judged him, for no man is above the Law of God, over eighty men tried to warn him and when he did not listen God judged him. Because of his leprosy, Uzziah was an outcast from both his own palace as well as the Temple. God is not a respecter of persons, He will place judgment upon anyone who will not repent.

The Bible was provided by our Creator and is the one true source of wisdom for daily decisions and direction. As we read the Word of God with a desire to do His will, the Spirit of Christ, the Living Word, guides our thoughts and actions, putting our confidence in the only one who is the source of all that we are and have. At times, we can all make the mistake of thinking we are so important that we are irreplaceable. No one is irreplaceable except Jesus, no one can take His place and no one can even find mercy and grace and forgiveness without Him. The Apostle Paul reminded the Romans and he is reminding us, “be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” - Romans 12:2,3. God loves us and wants to see us prosper just as much here on earth as in heaven, but in order for that to happen we must put our confidence in God and God alone.

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

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