1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,360 All right, good morning, everybody, We're back, we're 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:06,880 back. I feel like brother Greg's 3 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:11,560 lesson last week was great with and I appreciate him filling in 4 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:16,440 for me while we were gone about patience and, and about waiting 5 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,120 on God. And it's, it's amazing how that 6 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:22,120 theme is all throughout the Bible and, and, and we see it 7 00:00:22,240 --> 00:00:24,400 over and over. Go ahead and turn in your Bibles 8 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:30,000 though to second Chronicles 12 is where we'll start and put a 9 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:34,560 finger there or a bookmark or your tab or anything there. 10 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:38,360 But we're going to try to get you back up to being in about 11 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:41,120 the kings that we're talking about the the lessons we're 12 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:46,200 learning about the lives and the, the, the reigns of the 13 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:49,680 kings of Judah and Israel after the split. 14 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:55,440 So, so remind me everybody, what was Israel form of government 15 00:00:55,480 --> 00:01:01,320 before they split theocracy, which means they are ruled by 16 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:07,000 God and, and a person is, is in charge and, and basically God's 17 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:11,320 man leading them. And then later they want a king 18 00:01:11,320 --> 00:01:16,480 to be like all the other nations, which interestingly, 19 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:19,480 and God knew that was going to happen and he gave Moses 20 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:24,280 instructions on when you get into the land and when your 21 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:28,840 people, my people say that they want to be as other nations, 22 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,200 It's amazing. It's the same phrase that they 23 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,040 use. God knew that it was going to 24 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:39,360 happen and he gave Moses rules and, and, and instructions for 25 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:45,320 those kings to live by into how to rule his nation to be still 26 00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:50,120 having fellowship and as close as possible with God to be able 27 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:55,120 to be, I guess, how would I say it, successful as a king. 28 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:00,440 And yet over and over and over, we'll see kings decide that they 29 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:03,200 know better. They don't want to wait on God. 30 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:08,120 They they have a better idea. And and the first king that that 31 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,000 we see was Saul. And then David comes after him 32 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,400 and then his son. And then we start seeing the 33 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:19,360 drift away and and Ray Bone, we talked about two weeks ago, 34 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,920 takes over and decides instead of listening to wise older 35 00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:27,080 counsel, he goes with the younger men and the younger 36 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:31,800 counsel and and actually because of that, splits the nation into 37 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:37,480 northerns, which was called Israel. 38 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,600 And the southern Kingdom was called OK. 39 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,600 And how many were of the tribes were in the northern Kingdom? 40 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:49,120 10 And that leaves how many for the southern 2 And the southern 41 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:53,120 Kingdom was their capital was in the city of Jerusalem. 42 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:57,320 I heard it the northern Kingdom was in the city of Samaria, 43 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:59,960 which is interesting. You already see them bent the 44 00:02:59,960 --> 00:03:02,760 wrong direction because of the city that they choose. 45 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:08,840 But we see Raya Boehm, we talked about Raya Bohem being very 46 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:12,640 inconsistent in his walk with God specifically. 47 00:03:12,640 --> 00:03:16,920 And we see him, he starts out well and then he fails and then 48 00:03:16,920 --> 00:03:21,240 he goes back and he fails. And we see him do this with his 49 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:25,560 reign of constantly going with God, against God, with God 50 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:28,680 against God. And you can just imagine his Son 51 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:36,160 is watching that. And his son we we see flip keep 52 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:38,640 your finger in Second Chronicles, flip over to 1st 53 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:46,440 Kings 15 A by Jim is his son. And in in Second Chronicles, 54 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:48,960 he's called a by Jah. It's the same man. 55 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:53,720 And we see there in verse. Well, we'll just start in verse 56 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,960 1 of chapter 15 of First Kings 15. 57 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:04,000 Now in the 18th year of King Jeroboam, the son of Nebat 58 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:09,560 reigned Abijah over Judah 3 years reigned he in Jerusalem. 59 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:14,400 And his mother's name was Micaiah, and the the daughter of 60 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,399 Absalom. And he walked now remember that 61 00:04:17,399 --> 00:04:20,519 name by the way. And he walked in all the sins of 62 00:04:20,519 --> 00:04:22,960 his father, which he had done before him. 63 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:26,640 And his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God as the 64 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:31,520 part of David his father. So Abijah gets in, go back over 65 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:36,040 to Second Chronicles, gets into the Kingdom is the next king, 66 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:41,200 and the Bible says that he does all the sins of his father. 67 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:47,640 Remember when you when you have an inconsistent Christianity, 68 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:51,480 don't expect your kids to follow when you were doing right. 69 00:04:52,280 --> 00:04:55,000 They will remember when you were doing wrong. 70 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:57,880 They will follow after when you were doing wrong. 71 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:02,480 What you do in a little increment, your children will do 72 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:04,600 in excess. You don't want to come to 73 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:06,560 church. Your kids will come even less 74 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:10,560 than you. Now that's, that's not perfect 75 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:13,960 every single time there's there are different times where the 76 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:19,960 son that has a you think of Ahab wicked, his son comes in to rule 77 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:25,080 and doesn't know 180° change in the nation doesn't always happen 78 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:26,920 that way. But for the majority of 79 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:31,160 Christianity and the majority of how we work as a people, we 80 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:34,160 follow after the wrong side. We're bent. 81 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:38,400 As Paul says, I don't want to do these things, but I always do 82 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:44,360 them because of the flesh. And so we we see Abijah gets 83 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,800 into power three years, by the way, very short term. 84 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,600 And I think that's because God said, look at what you're doing. 85 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:54,280 I'm not going to keep you there and take my nation that 86 00:05:54,280 --> 00:05:55,960 direction. So he takes him out. 87 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,120 And so his son ASA is what who we're going to talk about today. 88 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:06,160 ASA King ASA is the grandson of Rehoboam and they're there in 89 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:10,280 Second Chronicles hopefully back in 14 verse 1. 90 00:06:10,280 --> 00:06:14,520 So abide just slept with his father's and they buried him in 91 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:18,440 the city of David and ASA his son reigned in his stead. 92 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:22,840 In his days. The land was quiet 10 years and 93 00:06:22,840 --> 00:06:29,160 look at verse 2 and ASA did that which was good and right in the 94 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:35,960 eyes of the of the Lord his God. ASA watched his father Asia, 95 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,600 probably Asia probably watched his grandfather in the end 96 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:44,960 towards the end of his life and seeing the the inconsistency OK 97 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:48,000 when when grandfathered was right with God. 98 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:52,280 Things were pretty good in in in the nation when he was against 99 00:06:52,280 --> 00:06:54,600 God. It was I didn't want to live 100 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:57,440 here. Then my father gets in and does 101 00:06:58,280 --> 00:07:03,960 the says he walked in all the sins of his father and you look 102 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:08,080 at that, the life of his father and go I don't want anything to 103 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:12,000 do with that. And he's given a choice when he 104 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,080 takes the throne. I can either do what my father 105 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:20,000 did and go against what God wants us to be against what the 106 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:24,880 Lord God has promised and instructed the king to do, or I 107 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:29,120 can do what God has told me to do And the Bible says that he 108 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:33,480 did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord 109 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:37,000 has got he chose to follow after David. 110 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:40,720 Let's pray and we'll get into this lesson because I want to 111 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:44,280 look at ASA and the things that we can find out through his 112 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:48,240 life. Some illustrations I guess to to 113 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:55,560 give us a good start to having a revival in in your own life in a 114 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:58,840 church and in a nation, as we'll see in the king of ASA. 115 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:01,600 Let's pray Heavenly Father, I thank you so much for this 116 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:05,440 morning for being in your house. God, you know in me dwells no 117 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:08,160 good thing. I pray that you hide me behind 118 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:11,240 your cross and, and under your blood this morning as I look at 119 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:15,040 your word and, and we read what you've preserved for eternity 120 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:21,680 for us to, to learn and to, to, to glean information, not just 121 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:25,200 for our head, but for our heart. And that we change the way that 122 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:28,840 we are and that we be able to use what you've kept for 123 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:33,720 eternity in your word for us to, to, to model things after and 124 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:37,159 to, to shun after God. I pray that you be glorified 125 00:08:37,159 --> 00:08:39,880 through everything that happens this morning in your house. 126 00:08:40,159 --> 00:08:42,960 And thank you again for all that you do in Jesus name I pray, 127 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:46,160 Amen. So the first thing is 128 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:50,280 consistency there. There are some things in Asa's 129 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:54,720 life that we have to look at if you want revival that ASA now 130 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:59,240 think the the king, his father before him turned the heart of 131 00:08:59,960 --> 00:09:05,520 the nation away from God. What's interesting is, is while 132 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:09,800 his father was his father is going up against the northern 133 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:12,840 tribe and going to have a battle with him. 134 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:19,520 And, and while Abijah is doing all the sins, he then calls on 135 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:23,720 God to help him in that time. And it's amazing that that the 136 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:27,880 whole nation says we want to follow God. 137 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:31,240 God, you are the reason why we're, we're in this battle. 138 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:35,040 And, and Abijah, I'm going to get these all mixed up. 139 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:40,440 Abijah calls on God and says, you are going to fight against 140 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:42,600 the children. We're, we're brothers. 141 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:45,760 You're you're the northern tribe and we're the, the southern 142 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:47,800 nation. But we are brothers. 143 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:52,040 We are both children of God. We're the in the same nation 144 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:54,240 essentially of what God called out. 145 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:58,240 And you're going to come against us and fight us and you're going 146 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:02,360 to come against God promised that he would keep the line of 147 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:07,120 David on the throne. And we are the the king of in 148 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:08,800 that lineage. And you're going to come fight 149 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:11,440 against us. You're going to come against 150 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:16,480 what God said to keep and do, which is interesting because 151 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:20,760 this man has never done anything right of what God wanted. 152 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:27,240 But God hears that and God saves that nation and God slays 153 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:31,520 thousands of men from the north and they win that victory. 154 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,440 And I think that's one of the reasons why Asus sees that and 155 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:44,200 goes when dad called on God and when dad he knew everything 156 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:57,100 Abijah he he well, OK, go there. Second first Kings 15 verse 6 157 00:10:57,660 --> 00:11:01,180 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the 158 00:11:01,180 --> 00:11:04,540 days of his life. Wait, hold on, let's keep going. 159 00:11:05,260 --> 00:11:07,260 That's not where it went. Verse 9. 160 00:11:07,260 --> 00:11:10,460 And in the 12th year of Jeroboam, king of Israel reigned 161 00:11:10,460 --> 00:11:13,560 ASA. No, now I can't find it. 162 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:19,600 Maybe it is in Second Chronicles. 163 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:22,360 There we go. Yeah, sorry. 164 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:31,600 Go back to Second Chronicles chapter 13, verse one. 165 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:36,240 Now in the 18th year of the of King Jeroboam began Abijah to 166 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:38,920 reign over Judah. He reigned three years in 167 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:42,320 Jerusalem and it talks about his mother and everything. 168 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:46,040 Go down to verse 3 and Abijah set the battle in array with an 169 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:51,120 army, a valiant man of war, even 400,000 chosen men. 170 00:11:51,560 --> 00:11:55,960 Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with 800,000 171 00:11:55,960 --> 00:12:01,320 chosen men being mighty men of valor and then skipped down. 172 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:07,280 Well, verse 4 And Abijah stood up upon Mount Zamoram, which is 173 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:11,560 in Mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all 174 00:12:11,560 --> 00:12:17,040 Israel, ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave 175 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:22,000 the Kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him that is on 176 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:25,040 to his sons by a covenant of salt. 177 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:29,320 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon, the son 178 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:33,280 of David, is risen up and hath rebelled against his Lord. 179 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,640 And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of 180 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:40,880 Belisle, and he have strengthened themselves against 181 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:44,440 Rehoboam the son of Solomon. And he goes on and he basically 182 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:47,160 says, what are you doing fighting us? 183 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:50,960 We should not be fighting. You have turned against God. 184 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:55,080 And and this is the man that has done all the sin that his 185 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:57,840 father's done. And he calls and it's just 186 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:00,800 amazing to see that God still comes in and steps in. 187 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:07,120 And I believe Asus sees that and sees and understands there's 188 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:11,440 something with this God, There's something about following after 189 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:15,240 God. And we see consistency in Asa's 190 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:19,000 reign. Now he does at the last 5-6 191 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:21,240 years of his reign turn against God. 192 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:25,000 But it's not like his grandfather where it was one 193 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,640 verse he's with God and two verses later he's going totally 194 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:33,520 against him. ASA had a consistency in his 195 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:39,640 behavior verse go to chapter 14, you're there in Chronicles verse 196 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:42,040 2. And ASA did that which was good 197 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:44,040 and right in the eyes of the Lord is God. 198 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:48,080 For he took away the altars of the strange gods and the high 199 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:52,080 places and breakdown the images and cut down the Groves, and 200 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:56,360 commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers and to do 201 00:13:56,360 --> 00:14:01,440 the law and the commandment. Also he took away out of all the 202 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:05,240 cities of Judah the high places and the images and the Kingdom 203 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:09,040 was quiet before him. Why do you think that was? 204 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:14,560 His father has just dealt with battles and battles and all of a 205 00:14:14,560 --> 00:14:18,760 sudden Asus starts doing what's right and gets rid of the idols 206 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:24,840 and cleans out the nation and focuses and tells them to seek 207 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:28,240 the Lord God of our their fathers and to do the law and 208 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:31,920 the commandment and God gives them rest in the land. 209 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:37,080 It was quiet that was a consistency in the behavior of 210 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:39,240 ASA. He dealt with idolatry. 211 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,280 He he encouraged them to follow after God. 212 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:46,360 He uses those that peacetime look at verse 7. 213 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:50,120 Therefore he said unto Judah, let us build these cities and 214 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:53,760 make about them walls and towers, gates and bars, while 215 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:57,440 the land is yet before us, because we have sought and he 216 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:00,040 knows why. And that's the key. 217 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:03,440 Because we sought the Lord our God. 218 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:07,360 We have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. 219 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:11,360 So they built and prospered. It was God that gave them that 220 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:16,680 ability, God that gave ASA the peace that he had in his life 221 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:24,440 because they sought after God. And and we see for John says in 222 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:29,400 first John 521 little children, keep yourselves from idols. 223 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:32,680 That's it. Amen. 224 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:37,480 That that's that's a short little verse, but it means a 225 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,200 lot. And ASA understood that now that 226 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:44,320 granted, John wasn't around yet, but he understood the 227 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:47,080 commandment. Thou shalt have no other gods 228 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:50,600 before me. And he knew if he was going to 229 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:54,080 be consistent in his life, not like his grandfather. 230 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:57,480 And while his father was consistent going the wrong 231 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:00,160 direction, he wanted to be consistent going the right 232 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:04,280 direction. And and we as Christians have to 233 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:08,880 decide to follow after the Lord and his word. 234 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:14,040 And as pastors has said many times, we have to purpose to do 235 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:16,320 that. You're not going to accidentally 236 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:18,440 just continue to follow after God. 237 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:22,280 You're not going to fall into consistency in your behavior if 238 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:25,880 you don't prepare yourself to do what's right. 239 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:31,360 First Timothy 611 says follow after righteousness, godliness, 240 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:37,480 faith, love, patience, meekness. We have to learn also what ASA 241 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:40,000 did during those times when he was following God. 242 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:45,160 He fortified his cities. Now in Ephesians 6, we know 243 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:50,080 about the armor of the of the Lord of putting on verse 13 that 244 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:53,400 wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may 245 00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:59,480 be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to 246 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:02,080 stand. It's interesting and I believe 247 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:06,680 God's word specifically has specific phrases and says it the 248 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:11,880 specific ways for a reason. That verse says that ye may be 249 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:15,000 able to withstand in the evil day. 250 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:21,599 Meaning God's telling us to put on the armor not in the middle 251 00:17:21,599 --> 00:17:26,280 of the battle. He's saying put the armor on 1st 252 00:17:26,599 --> 00:17:29,120 so that when you get into battle you're ready. 253 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:33,160 Just like ASA. He knew God gave him peace in 254 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:36,920 the land. I better use it as Christians. 255 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,560 When you're walking with God and you have a peace in your life, 256 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:43,520 it's not just to be lazy and hang around and sit on the Pew 257 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:47,000 and do nothing. It's time to fortify, put on the 258 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:51,640 armor, make sure things are set to where when the enemy comes, 259 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,960 you're ready. ASA knew that and ASA learned 260 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:58,840 that and he did that. The other thing unfortunately 261 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:02,320 ASA didn't do was near the end of his reign. 262 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:06,360 Look at verse chapter 16 of Second Chronicles. 263 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:13,440 Fast forward chapter 16, verse 10 and ASA was wroth with the 264 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:15,360 seer and we'll get into that later. 265 00:18:15,360 --> 00:18:21,320 What who that is and put him in a prison house and ASA oppressed 266 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:23,880 some of the people the same time. 267 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:32,320 Go to verse 12 and ASA in the 3rd, 30th, and 9th year of his 268 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:37,640 reign was diseased in his feet until his disease was exceeding 269 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:41,320 great. Yet in his disease he sought 270 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:44,400 after God like he did at the beginning. 271 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:50,440 No, he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians. 272 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:56,160 That consistency that he had in his behavior failed him at the 273 00:18:56,160 --> 00:19:00,000 end. He didn't stay consistent 274 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:02,840 towards the end of his reign and I believe it's because of his 275 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:06,400 pride and we'll see that over and over throughout so many of 276 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:09,160 the kings. God sets them up and because 277 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:12,640 they're following after him and they he, they have peace and 278 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:15,600 they have protection and they win battles because they're 279 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:18,720 following what God wants. And then they get, I'm doing 280 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:20,360 great. Look at me, I just beat that 281 00:19:20,360 --> 00:19:22,600 war. Look at how we decimated. 282 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:27,560 I can do this on my own. And sadly, Christianity is that 283 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:33,120 way here in America. Those that have churches that 284 00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:36,640 followed after God that they went out and they knocked on 285 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:41,480 doors and they not bled. Some of them probably did bleed, 286 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:45,360 but by their sweat of their brow, they built the churches 287 00:19:45,360 --> 00:19:48,960 God had for them and built them and did the work. 288 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,760 And then two generations later, all of a sudden we're just going 289 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:55,520 to be, oh, we, you know, all the works done. 290 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:59,320 We don't have to do all this. We don't need the door knock 291 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:02,760 because we got enough people. We don't need to go out and and 292 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:05,440 have a bus ministry. We don't need to do all these 293 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:08,160 things that, yeah, they had to do then because there was nobody 294 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:10,520 here. Now there's people here and they 295 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:13,600 start to think prideful about themselves and about their 296 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:16,760 church. And that's what Christianity 297 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:21,040 here is in America. We're so lazy. 298 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:25,200 We're so easy about. I need to make sure this seat 299 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,440 doesn't move, so I'm going to plop in it. 300 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:32,280 I'll listen, but it ain't going to change anything. 301 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:37,720 The, the, the song that I, that reminds me of, of what 302 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:43,080 Christianity is dealing with today is what we should be 303 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:45,640 saying is I'm so tired of being stirred. 304 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:48,240 There's a lot of people that when they, this week, we're 305 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:51,360 going to have preachers and, and, and different messages and 306 00:20:51,360 --> 00:20:53,440 you're going to be stirred if you're saved. 307 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:55,920 If you're not saved, you're still going to be stirred, but 308 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:57,960 you're going to be stirred to do something. 309 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:02,320 But so many Christians just stir. 310 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:08,240 Never change. You're no good to God if you 311 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:11,720 don't change. If you come in and sit and 312 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:16,200 listen to a message and God pricks your heart and the Holy 313 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:19,960 Spirit point something out to you, do something about it, 314 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:22,360 especially this week, Do something about it. 315 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:26,840 I'm so tired of being stirred and not being changed. 316 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:33,920 That's that's what American Christianity is today it it's so 317 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:38,320 weak anyway so consistency in his behavior. 318 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:39,720 The other thing. Oh you got to keep going 319 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:43,800 communion. If we're going to have revival, 320 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:48,000 we have to have communion with the Lord and and pastor just 321 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:51,360 went over this in our discipleship class on Wednesday 322 00:21:51,360 --> 00:21:56,600 about prayer. Prayer is so key full in you 323 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:58,760 having revival and growing in God. 324 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:03,320 The first thing that we see in his prayer now we we skip some 325 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:04,880 stuff because we got to get going. 326 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:09,120 But in aces reign at the beginning, he comes up in a 327 00:22:09,120 --> 00:22:14,520 battle with The Ethiopians. And in that battle he before he 328 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:20,240 gets there, he's way outnumbered like twice 500,000 ish men 329 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:24,400 versus over 1,000,000. And it's it's, it's the scales 330 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:28,840 tipped not in his favor. But he does something that his 331 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:36,520 father did and he calls on God and he prays and asks God for 332 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:40,080 his power and for victory. And God gives it to him. 333 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:47,920 God gives them the victory. And look at verse let's go to 334 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:53,160 verse 11 of chapter 14, Second Chronicles 1411. 335 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:57,560 So they're they're in in array for the battle, ready to start 336 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:01,600 fighting against The Ethiopians. And verse 11 And ASA cried unto 337 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:06,000 the Lord his God and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, 338 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:11,120 whether they with many or with them that have no power. 339 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:16,400 Help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on thee and in thy name we 340 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:20,480 go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God. 341 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:23,320 Let not man prevail against thee. 342 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:26,600 He he gives God reverence when he prays. 343 00:23:27,120 --> 00:23:31,360 It's not a just like pastor talk we talked about on Wednesday. 344 00:23:32,120 --> 00:23:35,440 Our Father, which art in heaven hallowed be thy name. 345 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:40,480 The the key in the beginning of Asus prayer and Christ model 346 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:47,240 prayer was giving God reverence, giving God praise of who he is 347 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:51,920 and realizing ASA knew it's not me God's going to have to give 348 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:55,600 the victory and and he gives them the the reverence. 349 00:23:55,600 --> 00:24:00,560 But look there also in verse 11, there's a relationship ASA has 350 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:03,600 with God. And ASA cried unto the Lord his 351 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:07,680 his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, 352 00:24:08,360 --> 00:24:11,680 whether with many or with them that have no power. 353 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:17,720 Help us, O Lord our God, our God, for we rest on me. 354 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:21,200 There was a relationship that King ASA had with the Lord. 355 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:25,000 It wasn't like his father where he had sinned and sinned and 356 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,640 sinned and gone so far against what God wanted. 357 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:32,520 And then all of a sudden, hey, Remember Me, I'm the king of 358 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:37,360 your nation, I need your help. Now ASA had a walk with the God. 359 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:42,840 The Bible tells us in Hebrews 416 that we should become boldly 360 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:46,080 before the throne of grace. That does not mean you kick down 361 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:50,000 the door and think you're something in the Old Testament. 362 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:51,360 Why? Why do we have the Old 363 00:24:51,360 --> 00:24:53,640 Testament? Why do we have about the 364 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:57,400 prophets and about the Levites and how they came before the 365 00:24:57,400 --> 00:24:59,840 throne? When they went into the temple 366 00:25:00,120 --> 00:25:03,480 and came before the altar, they weren't kicking down the the 367 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:07,400 veil and strutting in. They were scared to death 368 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:12,320 because any little thing that they did not exactly what God 369 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:16,160 wanted them to do and instructed them to do, when they came into 370 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:21,320 his presence, they were dead. And I think it would be wise for 371 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:25,680 Christians today to realize when you pray, yes, you should have 372 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:28,280 boldness when you come before the throne of grace, but you 373 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:33,560 better do it right. God can't say that. 374 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:38,360 God wouldn't, but God doesn't strike you dead if you don't. 375 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:44,680 But we flippantly bow our head and just pray something with 376 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:49,520 iniquity in our heart, with with grudges against people, and 377 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:51,120 think God's just going to listen. 378 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:57,760 We need to go before the throne, yes boldly, but come before him 379 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:02,760 as the priest of old times did trying to understand and knowing 380 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:05,200 that I and me dwell with no good thing. 381 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:12,320 I'm I'm I am nothing when I come before God and I have to 382 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:17,720 understand the seriousness of that the communion that ASA had 383 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:24,000 also we see there in at the at the end of verse 11 well towards 384 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:29,680 the middle, I guess whether about help us, O Lord our God, 385 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:32,680 for we rest on thee and in thy name we go against this 386 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:36,000 multitude. O Lord, thou art our God. 387 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:38,080 Let not man prevail against thee. 388 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:44,120 He he gives God a reassurance. He calls not into question but 389 00:26:44,120 --> 00:26:48,840 reminds God God, you're the God of Israel. 390 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:51,240 You're the God that parted the Red Sea. 391 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:56,440 Don't let man change that. Not that God would lose his 392 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:02,480 power or that God would have less of a of ability, but he had 393 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:06,160 assurance that the God, that part of the Red Sea is the same 394 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:10,240 God that I'm praying to now. And the Bible talks about and we 395 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,800 don't have time to look at him, but with, without faith, it is 396 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:17,000 impossible to please him. And, and James talks about 397 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:21,000 praying and, and believing that what you're praying will happen 398 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:24,400 because you have a God and a father that can do something. 399 00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:28,520 That's how our prayers need to be. 400 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:32,560 Yes, you pray for something or you pray about something, but 401 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:34,040 believe that God's going to do it. 402 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:37,240 Don't just well, we need a building. 403 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:40,760 You know, who knows when this building is going to be the torn 404 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:43,840 down or go away or we're going to be kicked out. 405 00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:46,480 Who knows why? Well, God, please pray for the 406 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:52,360 building situation. Do you believe that God can you 407 00:27:52,360 --> 00:27:55,320 should. God is the God of the Bible, the 408 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:59,040 same one that part of the Red Sea can give us a building and 409 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:01,080 you have to believe that when you pray. 410 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:06,520 He had communion. And lastly, A commitment. 411 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:11,800 The third characteristic which we see in ASA for the the 412 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:15,520 purpose of having a revival and we're skipping, man, we're 413 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:18,000 skipping a lot. Oh well is commitment. 414 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:23,720 There's several different times in Asa's life that we use 415 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:28,200 commitment and we see this truth and the most we see here in 416 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:37,720 chapter 15, verse 16. And also concerning Makaya, the 417 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:42,760 mother of ASA, the king, his grandmother is, is who he is or 418 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:45,080 who she is. And remember, we just read him 419 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:50,240 about Abijah. He removed her from being queen 420 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:53,000 because she had made an idol in a Grove. 421 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:57,680 And ASA cut down her idol and stamped it and burn it at the 422 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:02,360 Brook Kidron. ASA had a commitment with God. 423 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:07,400 He wanted to follow God. He wanted God's blessing on him 424 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:09,960 and his nation. And it didn't matter whether it 425 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:14,480 was a family member or his nation, he was going to do what 426 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:16,680 was right. And we have to have that kind of 427 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:20,240 commitment to God if we're going to have revival. 428 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:28,880 If you, if you go, go door knocking and you knock on a door 429 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:32,440 and they've got all the signs of I was going to say Biden, but 430 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:37,600 that's not a Harris or, or, or about abortion or about, you 431 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:39,720 know, whatever you want to pick and choose. 432 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:41,840 And you get up to the door and I go, boy, this is going to be a 433 00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:45,680 fun one. And you can and, and in your 434 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:50,840 mind, you can think, boy, these guys are wrong And, and I know 435 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:54,360 exactly why they're wrong. And, and, but what happens when 436 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:59,480 you get a call or, or you meet with family over Thanksgiving 437 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:01,880 and stuff and they have the same views? 438 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:06,960 Do you have the same kind of commitment to God about that is 439 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:09,880 wickedness? But when you're family, well, 440 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:15,520 it's I wouldn't do it. But ASA said no, I have a 441 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:20,360 commitment with God, whether it's my own grandma or it's some 442 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:25,320 random person in my nation, I'm going to stick with what God 443 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:30,960 wants us to do as a nation. He has to have a commitment if 444 00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:33,520 he wants to see a revival or we have to. 445 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:36,040 The last thing I said, that was the last thing. 446 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:38,760 This is the last thing is a correction. 447 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:48,080 As a Christian, how do you handle correction either from 448 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:52,320 the pulpit or from reading your own time in God's word? 449 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:57,400 How do you handle correction? And Asus shows us two ways and 450 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:00,880 we only have two ways. Look there in Second Chronicles 451 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:10,080 go back to verse chapter 15 verse one. 452 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:14,360 And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded, and he 453 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:19,880 went out to meet ASA and said unto him, Hear me, ye me ASA, 454 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:24,680 and all Judah and Benjamin, the Lord is with you while ye be 455 00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:28,640 with him, and if you seek him, he will be found of you. 456 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:32,320 But if yeast forsake him, he will forsake you. 457 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:37,280 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, 458 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:40,920 and without a teaching priest and without law. 459 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:45,400 But when they but when they in their trouble did turn unto the 460 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:48,720 Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. 461 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:54,240 And in those times where there there was no peace to him that 462 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:58,240 went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexation. 463 00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:02,400 Whereupon vexations. Whereupon all the inhabitants of 464 00:32:02,400 --> 00:32:06,520 the countries and nation was destroyed of nation and city of 465 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:11,160 of city, For God did vex them with all adversity. 466 00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:15,880 Be strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak, for your 467 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:19,280 work shall be rewarded. And look at verse 8. 468 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:24,280 And when ASA heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the 469 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:29,320 prophet, he took courage and put away the abominable idol idols 470 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:32,800 out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin and out of the cities 471 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:37,120 which he had taken from Mount Ephraim and renewed the altar of 472 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:39,880 the Lord and was before the porch of the Lord. 473 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:45,400 He listened to the the the command of God through Azariah 474 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:50,160 and took took the choice that was right. 475 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:54,880 You either follow God and he'll bless you, or you don't follow 476 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:59,800 God and he's going to vex you. It seems pretty easy to me which 477 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:02,880 path to choose. But he humbled himself and his 478 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:05,080 heart and said we're going to follow after God. 479 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:14,160 Now skip down, go to Chronicles 16 so we can humble ourselves or 480 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:21,320 we can have pride. Chapter 16, verse 10 Actually 481 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:29,960 let's go verse 7 and that and at that time Hananiah the seer came 482 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:33,240 to ace of king of Judah and said unto him, because thou has 483 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:38,040 relied on the king of Syria and not relied on the Lord, thy God 484 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:41,360 therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of 485 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:44,600 thine hand. We're not The Ethiopians, the 486 00:33:44,920 --> 00:33:49,560 and the Lubans, a huge host with very many Chariots and horsemen. 487 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:53,480 Yet because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into 488 00:33:53,480 --> 00:33:56,840 thine hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to 489 00:33:56,840 --> 00:34:00,120 and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in 490 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:02,960 the behalf of them, whose heart is perfect towards him. 491 00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:08,760 Herein thou hast done foolishly. Therefore from henceforth thou 492 00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:13,360 shalt have wars. In verse 10, then ASA was wroth 493 00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:17,639 with the seer and put him in prison a prison house for he was 494 00:34:17,639 --> 00:34:21,080 in a rage with him because of this thing and ASA oppressed 495 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:26,679 some of the people the same time ASA went had both options. 496 00:34:27,080 --> 00:34:31,120 He humbled himself at the first time when God came and said and 497 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:35,400 gave the prophet here's the information you do what I want 498 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:39,159 you to do you follow after God, you'll get blessed you don't 499 00:34:39,159 --> 00:34:43,080 you'll be vexed and ASA said I'm going to follow after God. 500 00:34:44,280 --> 00:34:50,639 Fast forward years later, Hananiah comes because of of a 501 00:34:50,639 --> 00:34:55,600 foolish decision that ASA had and rebukes him and ASA had the 502 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:58,640 choice again. I can either humble myself and 503 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:02,960 realize I did wrong and do what's right, or I can let pride 504 00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:05,840 take over. And sadly, he lets pride take 505 00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:11,880 over and he he avoids the problem and he punishes the 506 00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:15,720 prophet. Christians when when you hear 507 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:20,080 messages or you read God's word and God pricks your heart 508 00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:23,440 because of it, you have two options. 509 00:35:24,240 --> 00:35:29,240 You can either be humble and say yes Lord and submit yourself to 510 00:35:29,240 --> 00:35:33,320 what he wants you to do. Or you can be prideful and say 511 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:37,640 no I don't I'm not doing this and get angry with God. 512 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:43,640 Proverbs 10/17 and we're done. He is in the way of the life 513 00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:48,560 that keepeth instruction, but he that refuseth, reproof areth. 514 00:35:50,440 --> 00:35:54,720 Those are the things that we can look and see in Asa's life and 515 00:35:54,720 --> 00:35:57,080 his reign. How? 516 00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:00,160 How can we have revival? We have to have commitment in 517 00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:03,840 our belief. We have to have a communion with 518 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:06,040 God. We have to have the right 519 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:09,600 attitude when we are challenged or chased by God. 520 00:36:10,880 --> 00:36:13,080 Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you so 521 00:36:13,080 --> 00:36:16,920 much for today again, for your word to be able to open it and 522 00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:23,360 to have it God, to be able to be read it and understand what Lord 523 00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:26,000 you've preserved for us. God, I pray that you be with 524 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:29,600 Pastor in the next hour. Pray that you be with Pastor 525 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:31,960 Lewis as well and fill him with your spirit. 526 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:36,120 And I pray that you give us hearts that are ready to listen 527 00:36:36,240 --> 00:36:39,560 and ready to be changed as you see fit. 528 00:36:39,560 --> 00:36:41,400 God, I thank you for everything that you do. 529 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:44,520 In Jesus name I pray, Amen. You're dismissed.