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Today is Monday May 24, 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 10-13. 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-24

Title: Bible Study: The Right Way
As Christians we can rejoice because we are saved and know that the only way to heaven and to God is through Jesus Christ. While we can get saved anywhere and anytime and read God's Word anywhere, it is important that we meet with other God fearing Christians who agree on the same doctrine and morality. Yes, morality, because of the abundance of religions out there morality levels go from conservative to lax to down right disgraceful. Of course God loves all of His people and is open to anyone getting saved and living for Him, but He wants them to live by all of His Word, not make things up to satisfy a need to please themselves. Religion is not from God, religion is from man making God the way man wants Him to be. We are to “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” - II Corinthians 6:14. We may all believe in Jesus, but we do not all believe in the same doctrine of Jesus, the death, burial, and resurrection of God's only begotten Son, born of the virgin Mary. If we truly want to live our lives for God, we need to know God the right way and get around people who can show us the right way through the true Word of God.

After Solomon died, his son Rehoboam became the next king, he made the worst judgment ever that would be the cause of the division of Israel. Instead of listening to the advice of the elders, he took the advice of his friends. “And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king....And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents. But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.” - II Chronicles 10:1,13-17. The leaders of Israel met with Rehoboam with a reasonable request that he ease the excessive taxes his father had imposed upon them. They also asked that he discontinue the forced labor which had persisted since Solomon first began building the luxurious palaces, stables, chariot houses, magnificent parks, and other spectacular structures within his famous kingdom. Instead he enforced harsher rules and labor that his father did. The result, a nation divided, all of Israel except for the house of Judah and Benjamin followed Jeroboam and he reigned over the Northern Kingdom. This is an example of a man making decisions based on his pride, he wanted to feed his ego and be known as the leader and the one in control. A leader is a person who people look up to, a leader does not impose a bunch of rules to please himself, a leader serves the people and wants the best for those who are under him. A leader is not someone who has to constantly make people aware of their rank, but is right there working with the people and showing them how to do things the right way. Jesus is an example of a great leader and one that we should all be eager to serve under.

Now, the nation is divided, Jeroboam chose and allowed the Northern Kingdom to serve false gods, so he cast off all the priests to the Lord so they and everyone else who wanted to serve God went to live in Jerusalem. “And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.... And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD: And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.” - II Chronicles 11:5,13-16. The Levites and all those who wholeheartedly wanted God in their lives left the comforts of their home, their families, friends, and all their possessions in order to be near and worship God the right way. As we grow as Christians we learn that sometimes a church we have grown comfortable with no longer teaches the correct doctrine or is not as morally sound as it should be. When that happens you have to make a decision, leave the comforts of your church home and some of your family or friends there and worship God the right way, or stay where you are and remain ignorant to the truth. I had gotten away from God for about fifteen years before I walked into a church and for a few years it was my home away from home, but things began to change, it was no longer a place to worship God, but a place to go to a concert. It was time to leave, I kept thinking if I just give it some time things will go back to the way they use to be, but all I was doing was allowing myself to remain ignorant to their partial truths. Now, my church home is a wonderful God fearing church that follows the doctrine and morals of all of God's Word, not just what makes people feel good.

If we truly want Jesus to be Lord of our lives we need to do it the right way, seek and accept Him, read all of His Word and follow all His commands. Of course, it takes time to grown in our walk with Jesus, but ignoring the truth and allowing yourself to be subject to the doctrine of religion rather than God Himself is only going to prolong the blessings that are waiting for you as you submit to all of God's Word. We need to all proclaim what

Jesus said to the devil as He was being tempted by him, “It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” - Luke 4:4. Living by all of God's Word keeps us one step closer to God and away from Satan. Praise God for His living Word, Jesus Christ. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God....And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” - John 1:1,14. Knowing the truth and all of the truth will enable all of us to know God and worship Him the right way.

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