December 14, 2025

I've always been taught that Jesus was about one year old when the wise men came. Did you know that the Bible never says how old Jesus was when they visited him to bring gifts? They use different words from Luke-"babe"-to Matthew-"young child"-to distinguish age, even though they have nearly the same meaning. They stayed in Bethlehem until after the wise men came. Now, why wouldn't they have gone home after his birth and paid their taxes? So maybe it was only a day or so after his birth that they came to visit while they were still there and waiting on Mary's recovery. It would be nice if, when we were told a Bible story, the teacher would make the distinction between what is biblical and what is speculation. Now you know that there is no biblical evidence of his age. 

Here's some food for speculative thought: What if these Magi were the ancestors of the magicians from Babylon, and they learned of the prophecies about the Messiah's birth through Daniel? I bet he taught them about the One True God; they believed and passed that information on to their children. As we begin to connect the dots, the picture becomes clearer. God is very orderly, and everything included in the scriptures has a purpose, so this idea is not too far-fetched. Another note to clarify the story: The Bible doesn't say how many Magi came to visit, only that there were three kinds of gifts. So, the three wise men idea is made up; we don't know how many came. Since we are still in speculative thought, being poor, I'll bet God had them bring all those gifts to give them the ability to move to Egypt to escape Herod's order to kill all the babies under the age of two. 

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:11

December 12, 2025

In yesterday’s post, I mentioned that the shepherds were the first evangelists to spread the news of Jesus’ birth, but I never thought about the scriptures on the subject; it must have been on my mind, though. If you don’t know this, when you begin to focus on Jesus, your life changes completely. I’m not saying that your life will be hunky dory all the time; that’s impossible because we live in evil times, but your armor is stronger, and the darts are less likely to pierce through to your heart. That great light that shone all around the shepherds, with angels rejoicing, on the night of Jesus’ birth changed them, and they couldn’t hold that glorious news inside. What could be stopping you from sharing your own experience of what the Lord has done for you? The Holy Spirit will lead you to those who are open to hearing the truth, but you have to open yourself up to his promptings. Become like the shepherds and angels bringing good tidings of great joy to those who don’t know Jesus. Then there will be more than enough blessings to go around.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. Luke 2:17-18

December 12, 2025

Another Old Testament prophecy came to life when Jesus, our Savior, was born.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:6-7

Our Prince of Peace came in a way that didn’t harm our senses; he was born of a woman and lived in the flesh like us. However, the condition of his conception and the lowliness of his birth were extraordinary and led us to the truth of who he really is, our King and Savior. His immaculate conception by the Holy Spirit and his willingness to humble himself to be born in a stable clarify his ability to live in our shoes (even though he was sinless) and show his compassion for us. However, we must note that when Jesus was humbled, the angelic host made his deity evident by appearing in a great light to the shepherds who were tending their flock in the fields around Bethlehem. Another thing to note is that they didn’t doubt what the angels told them; they just wanted to see him for themselves. The shepherds were likely the first evangelists appointed by God for that time period, and we now know the story because they told everyone they knew about our Savior’s birth. 

December 11, 2025

Imagine being nine months pregnant and riding on a donkey! Surely the jostling of that ride brought on labor, leading to the birth of our Savior. Now imagine you didn't have prenatal care or a doctor to call when labor began, and you're on vacation! The circumstances were necessary to fulfill the Old Testament prophecy of Micah. 

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Micah 5:2

As far as prenatal care, she was watched over by the Holy Spirit, who carefully planned the steps of Mary and Joseph, so that, even though they were poor, Jesus' birth would have significant meaning and prove that even the unfortunate could call Jesus their Savior. Just as God planned every step of Jesus' humble beginnings, He also plans your steps. If you go back over your life and watch what led to your salvation and the things you do today, are they not a perfect plan of what God intended for you? Especially the trials and tribulations you've faced; they strengthened your character and made you grateful to Jesus for bringing you salvation. 

Food for thought:

We must begin putting the pieces of this story together and ask ourselves whether it makes sense that he was born in the winter. That's a flat-out no! What would make sense is for him to be born in the spring, like lambs. However, if celebrating Christmas means we bring to light the birth of our Savior, it doesn't matter when we celebrate it. Honor Jesus in everything you do, but start using your brain and begin putting the pieces of this enormous puzzle together without forcing them just to fit the narrative. 

December 10, 2025

When John the Baptist was born, Zechariah’s mouth was opened so he could speak again. When he was serving in the temple, the angel Gabriel visited him to tell him that God was answering his prayer for a son, and because of his disbelief, he made him mute until John was born. When he was able to speak again, he foretold our future in Jesus in a beautiful prayer. The portion of that prayer that stood out for me was this:

That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. Luke 1:74-75

The enemy has a chokehold on the people of the world, and sin abounds throughout every nation and every person in existence. To escape our destruction because of the sins that infiltrated our being, God had mercy on us and sent us Jesus for the propitiation of that sin. You either live a sinless life, which is impossible, or you accept that Jesus came to cleanse you of your sins and believe in him. It is only then that God will no longer count your sins against you. There is no other way. If anyone tells you anything different in this new age of belief, they are a liar and come straight from the devil himself. Believe in the Lord Jesus and serve him without fear, and your past sins will not condemn you. 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

December 9, 2025

Because I love Christmas and the Christmas story, I decided to dig into Luke today. It seems the perfect time to get into the holiday spirit and reminisce over the beautiful story of Jesus’ birth. How many times have you read the same portion of scripture and learned something completely new? That’s what happened to me this morning. Here is the scripture:

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. Luke 1:5

Elisabeth is Mary’s cousin, and scripture says that Elisabeth was a descendant of Aaron, from the priestly line of Levi. When we read of Jesus’ genealogy, the Bible traces his lineage back to King David, which was tradition, but now we see that, through Mary being Elisabeth’s cousin, he could also be from the priestly line. I knew Jesus was a priest of the order of Melchizedek, but I never realized he may also have been a Levite and in the lineage of King David through his mother. Maybe they converged through Mary’s mother. Were Elisabeth and Mary’s mothers cousins? If that’s the case, they wouldn’t keep track of their lineages because they traced their ancestry through the father. It’s all speculation and food for thought today. God knows and has perfected everything concerning our Savior, Jesus!

December 8, 2025

Jesus didn’t come into a comfortable world; born in a stable for animals, then rushed off to Egypt to get away from Herod’s massacre of children under the age of two. What a sad verse in such a beautiful story of the coming of our Savior. Jeremiah even predicted it. However, there is no other account for that happening in the other gospels; they focused on other things. Look at all he had to encounter and fight against when he came to earth as a man. The enemy did whatever he could to take him out, knowing he came as a man and fully God at the same time. He capitalized on his innocence as a child, but didn’t count on God the Father sending visions and dreams to Joseph to protect Jesus. Imagine the families of those babies slaughtered because Herod thought they might be the King. His coming stirred up the enemy, and he is still on a tirade today as he tries to convince people that Jesus isn’t the One True God. When eyes are open to the truth of who Jesus really is, it gives a perspective on what really matters in the world. We must open our hearts passionately for him, because he first loved us. 

Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. Jeremiah 31:15

In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping forher children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. Matthew 2:18

December 7, 2025

I spent yesterday finishing the final chapters of 2 Chronicles, which completes all of my devotionals covering every chapter of the entire Bible. Now I will spend the next few months changing all the scripture to the King James Version, editing, and correcting grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation. Even though the Old Testament is also about Jesus, I'm anxious to dig into the New Testament again. 

The story of Jesus' conception and birth piqued my curiosity, especially at this time of year when we gather to celebrate. Matthew is the perfect place to start since I just finished the Chronicles, and Matthew continues the royal genealogy of our Savior. Did you know that Joseph and Mary share the same lineage? Whether you trace Jesus' lineage through Joseph or Mary, it leads you back to King David. This information covers those of us who say, "Well, Joseph wasn't the dad; the Holy Spirit was!" God thinks of everything, crossing every T and dotting every I.

One lesson we find in Matthew 1 is that God preserved Mary's good name. Her marriage to Joseph was promised, yet they hadn't consummated it, and she was pregnant. He did the right thing and kept her pure until after the birth of our Savior. You can believe that if you are doing the will of God, like Mary, He will preserve your good name. If you've ever been hurt by someone saying to you or behind your back, "I thought they were a Christian," God will protect you from a damaged reputation and from the fiery darts that the enemy throws at you if you are doing His will. If you haven't had that said about you, are you even proclaiming him?

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. Matthew 1:20

FYI - the nativity is not biblically accurate. Angels were not women, and the wisemen were not there at Jesus' birth. 

December 6, 2025

Hezekiah was a good king. He began his reign at 25 and followed in the footsteps of David, doing what was right in the eyes of God. He didn't procrastinate; he immediately got to work to bring Judah and Jerusalem back into compliance with the Law of Moses and reopen the temple for service. He called in all the priests and Levites and began having the temple cleaned, putting the tools back in place. After sixteen days of cleaning and preparation, they started making offerings and sacrifices for the people's sins. As they began burning the offerings, the singers began singing, and the musicians started playing. It must have been glorious, because they had wasted years worshipping dead gods, and now they were back in obedience to God's commands, worshipping the One True God who could help them overcome all the evil being done against them. 

Hezekiah's obedience is a lesson for us as we get carried away in sin; we must return to Jesus, ask for forgiveness, praise God, rejoice, and sing to him with a full heart of delight. Jesus was the only worthy sacrifice, and thankfully, he covered all of our impurities and welcomes us back when we stray. 

And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order. And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was donesuddenly. 2 Chronicles 29:35-36

December 5, 2025

Jotham ruled the kingdom of Judah with respect and was one of the few kings who did right in the eyes of the LORD throughout his reign. He overcame the shortcomings of his father, Uzziah. Not much is said about him other than that he was respected by the people and the Ammonites who had taken over Judah during the time of Jehoshaphat; he made them pay taxes to him. He was also known for building and repairing the temple gate. He began his reign at the age of 25, reigned for 16 years, and died. His son Ahaz took over the kingdom. 

If you find yourself feeling like you’re insignificant, take this to heart: it’s better not to be famous than to be infamous for your sins. Live your life in a few good verses rather than chapters that describe your moral decay, as with many of the kings and characters in the Bible.

So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God. 2 Chronicles 27:6

December 4, 2025

After Uzziah, also known as Azariah, took over the reins of leadership from his father at the age of 16, he increased the wealth of Judah and was very successful in war. During his time in office, cunning men invented engines that could shoot arrows and rocks. He also took back Eloth, a port on the Red Sea, and built towers in the desert to protect the country people. He was a good king until he became arrogant and thought he could burn incense in the temple. He resisted the priest who tried to stop him from going in, but they probably didn't want to lay hands on him because he was the king. For his pride, God gave him leprosy on his forehead, and he had to spend the rest of his life sequestered away from people. His son, Jotham, handled the business of the king's house until Uzziah died; then he was made king. 

Uzziah prospered, which can only be done if God wants you to. Your commitment to God is a stepping stone to prosperity; He can either make you or break you; prosperity is a gift. When we take God seriously and make Him the center of our lives, we can expect rewards.

I know many of you already seek God daily. However, for those who are sporadic with their time, you should begin thinking about committing to daily prayer and Bible study. I'm not a prosperity gospel kind of person, but I do know from experience that God blesses those who commit to Him. If you're struggling, it might behoove you to consider spending more time with the LORD. 

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. 2 Chronicles 26:5

December 3, 2025

Amaziah, the son of Joash, who was born when Joash was only 15, began to reign over Judah when he was 25 years old. He started well, but turned away from God. As soon as he came to rule, he killed the servants who had killed his father. He began by gathering an army of men, but found that he didn’t have enough; remember, we always have enough when we trust in God. As a result of feeling he didn’t have an adequate army, he paid 100,000 talents to men from Israel to help. A prophet warned him that it wasn’t a good idea to hire men from Israel because of their idolatry, but he was worried about losing the talents. The prophet assured him that God could repay what he had lost, which happened with interest when his son came into power. Amaziah killed a bunch of Edomites and then began worshipping their gods. A prophet came to him, reminding him that those gods didn’t help the Edomites, so why should he think they would help him. Why don’t we recognize the obvious? Then Amaziah decided to challenge Joash, the king of Israel (remember there were two Joash: one was his father, the other the king of Israel; they reigned at about the same time, to add to the confusion). Joash, king of Israel, made fun of his challenge, basically calling him weak. Joash captured Amaziah and took him to see him conquer and take all the fine things from the house of God and the king’s house. He fled to Lachish, but the people of Jerusalem conspired against him and killed him there. They brought his body back to be buried with the past kings. 

We must learn to trust God and not turn away from Him. Amaziah’s heart wasn’t into God, and it showed in his actions. Keep God first and foremost in everything you do. If you keep Him first, He will help you pursue the desires of your heart, which in turn will help Him unfold His plan for your life.

Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there. 2 Chronicles 25:27

December 2, 2025

The boy king, Joash, did good for the duration of Jehoiada’s life and ruled for forty years. He even had the heart to make repairs to the temple, using the idea of collecting funds by setting a chest at the temple gate. He collected so much that it had to be emptied, and it filled up again. The people were very generous, so Joash was able to hire carpenters and masons to make repairs and purchase brass and iron. Jehoiada lived to the age of 130; that means he was 90 years old when Joash became king and had lived during Solomon’s time. Jehoiada kept Joash in check while he lived, but as soon as he died, Joash was influenced by the princes of Judah who wanted to restore the groves and idols. God sent prophets to them to try to bring them back. Then Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son, the priest, stood before the people trying to convince them to come back to the LORD, but they conspired against him, and Joash had him stoned. Not long after that, Joash was executed by his servants for killing Zechariah. 

We can see from this story how important it is to surround yourself with godly, Christ-following people. The enemy is eager to pounce when we leave ourselves open to his wiles and follow the influence of those whom he overtakes. Joash did well for his entire life; then, he succumbed to the enemy, and his life ended on a sour note. The people wouldn’t even bury him with the other kings. Your friends matter, so stay the course and keep your eyes on Jesus because the enemy is waiting for you to mess up and ruin your good name.

 And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings. 2 Chronicles 24:25

December 1, 2025

Athaliah had ruled over Judah for six years, and the people had had enough. Jehoiada the priest and his wife, Princess Jehoshabeath, saved Joash, who was only one year old when Athaliah killed all the royals who could have taken over the throne. However, she missed one. Now that Joash is seven, Jehoiada begins arranging for him to take over the throne and become king. He brought in the priest and prepared the temple. I found it interesting that the priest had weapons; I never think of priests as manly men, but my image was quite invalid; these men were ready to protect the king and guard the temple and the king’s home. When they crowned young Joash, the people began singing joyfully with trumpets sounding. Athaliah heard the commotion and came to see what was going on. She tore her clothes and cried “treason, treason!” but the priests had been given orders not to kill her in the temple, so they laid hands on her and took her out to the horse gate and slew her there. Then they took Joash to the king’s house, surrounded by guards, and set him on the throne. After that, they began eliminating all Baal worship, and the people started following God. There was now peace in the land. 

God will make a way for reformation and bring the people back to Himself; it takes time, and for the people to rise and say they’ve had enough of evil and defend themselves against tyrants. It’s not an easy task; we, here in the United States, understand this process, as we’ve lived under an evil government and are finally starting to reform ourselves. It’s a slow but sure process. It won’t be perfect until Jesus rids all the nations of evil. 

And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD'S people. 2 Chronicles 23:16

November 30, 2025

One of King Jehoram’s sons was preserved in the lineage of David because of God’s covenant with him. Ahaziah was made king, but his mother, Athaliah, ruled the kingdom. He reigned for only one year. He was the grandson of Ahab and Jezebel through his mother, Athaliah, and was as evil as they were. He got together with Jehoram, son of Ahab, to fight against the Syrians; Jehoram was wounded and went back to Jezreel to heal. Ahaziah went to visit him in Jezreel. It was to his destruction to see Jehoram, because the two of them got together to go against Jehu, whom God anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. Jehu killed them all, including the nephews of Ahaziah, and went looking for Ahaziah, found him in Samaria, and killed him too. When Athaliah found out her son was dead, she set out to kill all those in the royal lineage so she could take over the throne. What she didn’t know was that her grandson was saved by Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, and was hidden away for six years. God honored His commitment to keep a son of David on the throne. Athaliah reigned over Judah. 

The names can become confusing because there is more than one Jehoram mentioned in 2 Chronicles 22, and they were both kings. King Jehoram, son of Ahab, ruled over the northern kingdom of Israel, and King Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, ruled over Judah before he died, and Ahaziah was made king. Trying to keep this information on paper is one thing, but keeping it straight in my head is another. That’s why I’m explaining it. 

Evil has its place in this world, and it is to sort out the good from the bad, but it doesn’t win. Keep that in mind when you see evil going on around you. God wins; it’s no competition. The devil is not his equal, but was created by God for a purpose. 

And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them. 2 Chronicles 22:8

November 29, 2025

Jehoshaphat handed the kingdom to his firstborn son, Jehoram, before he died. He had other sons who would have been a better choice because they were holier than he was, but he gave them cities, silver, and gold for their inheritance. However, after Jehoshaphat passed away, Jehoram killed all his brothers. He was probably protecting his throne so none of them would try to overtake him. Jehoram was not a good king like his father, Jehoshaphat, and his grandfather, Asa, and the people didn’t like him. It makes perfect sense that he turned out the way he did since he was married to Ahab and Jezebel’s daughter, Athaliah. Elijah had passed a letter on to him before he was translated into heaven, telling him that all his family would be killed, his people would die of disease, the goods in his house would be taken away, and he would die because disease would cause his bowels to fall out. Everything Elijah told him came true. He reigned for only eight years. God saved one of his sons to keep the Davidic line reigning over the kingdom. Given that information, we know now that Ahab and Jezebel were in the lineage of Jesus through Athaliah and Jehoram. Jesus is the prime example of how you can overcome your lineage. 

The lesson is not to allow fear to overtake you to the point that you undermine your own life. Relax and let God handle the details so you can live in peace knowing that nothing happens unless God allows it. Could fear have been the issue with Jehoram’s bowel health? It’s possible; that’s why we need to let it go and trust God.

And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day. 2 Chronicles 21:15

November 28, 2025

Hanani the seer made sure Jehoshaphat knew that God wasn’t pleased with him for dealing with the ungodly Ahab, who had set himself against Him. Here’s what he said to him:

And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD. 2 Chronicles 19:2

Yes, we are to love our neighbors, and those who hate us, but are we to love those who hate God? Even David set himself apart from those who hated God. You have to think hard about this one. Can “Christian,” who hates you, even love God? My thoughts are that we should keep them at a distance and have no dealings with them because it seems that they are a “Christian” in name only, and there is no true love there. This situation may be one of those instances where we must rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit; we don’t want to cross the line and face rebuke for dealing with someone who hates God like Ahab. 

Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? Psalms 139:21

Even though Jehoshaphat aligned himself with the ungodly king, Ahab, He commended him for the good he had done for Judah. God was pleased with how he tried to set the people in the right direction and bring them back to Him by removing the groves (the Phoenician goddess Astarte) from the land.

November 27, 2025

We must be careful with whom we align ourselves. Jehoshaphat made an agreement with Ahab for his son Joram to marry Ahab and Jezebel’s daughter, Athaliah. He must have thought that his son should marry a king’s daughter, even though Ahab was not a son of David and was a usurper to the throne. Ahab wanted Jehoshaphat to help him go to war to recover Ramoth-gilead from the Syrians. They inquired of the fake prophets of Ahab, but Jehoshaphat wanted him to ask one of the Lord’s prophets; however, Ahab hated him because he never prophesied good for him. He was right, because when you are bad, you only get dire prophecies. The Lord’s prophet, Micaiah, in so many words, told him he would die in battle. Ahab put him in prison.  Ahab devised a plan: he would dress as a soldier, while Jehoshaphat would wear kingly robes. Jehoshaphat should have been suspicious of a plan coming from Ahab since he was a good-for-nothing scoundrel, but he wasn’t, and when the Syrian king sent his men to kill King Ahab, they thought Jehoshaphat was him. Jehoshaphat cried out to the Lord, and He saved him. However, the Syrians did kill Ahab, and the prophet Micaiah’s prediction came true. 

We must be careful. There are scoundrels out there hoping to take advantage of our godly nature; we must always be aware of the character of those we deal with and use our best judgment when we align with others. Remember, just because someone calls themselves a Christian doesn’t mean they are holy. They may be the devil in disguise. Pray and listen to the Holy Spirit, especially when he gives you a check in your spirit about someone’s intentions. God admonished Jehoshaphat for aligning with such a scoundrel. 

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle. 2 Chronicles18:29

November 26, 2025

After King Asa’s death, Jehoshaphat, his son, began to reign. At that time, Ahab reigned in Israel; if you remember anything about Ahab and his wife Jezebel, you know they were awful. So Jehoshaphat increased his army to over a million soldiers and began fortifying the cities against Israel. Seeing this, Ahab allied with Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat tore down all the high places and groves where the people worshipped their fake gods. The people loved him, brought him gifts, and he increased in wealth. He built castles and storehouses throughout the land. The more his wealth increased, the more grateful he was to God. He loved the Lord and didn’t worship any other gods, but because his people were ignorant of the truth about God, three years into his reign, he sent princes, Levites, teachers, and priests to teach the people the law of the Lord. Up to this point in the story, there was peace in the land of Judah. 

When we set our minds to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord, worshiping only Him, the one thing we can count on is inner peace. Jesus is the key to our peace, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit will teach us and lead us in the right direction. Your household is your kingdom; start there, and God will increase your kingdom.  

And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. 2 Chronicles 17:3-4

November 25, 2025

Baasha, king of Israel, the northern kingdom, decided to rebuild the city of Ramah to control King Asa, from the southern kingdom, and keep him from coming and going as he pleased. King Asa, forgetting what God had done to help him win against Ethiopia, consulted with the king of Syria, King Benhadad, sending him gifts from the temple and from the king’s house to encourage him to help. Benhadad went to war with Israel and smote some of the territories. When King Baasha heard what had happened, he stopped building Ramah, and Judah went in and carried away all the building materials they were using. God wasn’t happy about what Asa did without consulting Him and sent the seer, Hanani, to admonish him for what he did. Asa got mad about his chastisement and put Hanani in prison. If ever there was an example of the saying, “don’t shoot the messenger,” this was it! We need to make sure we express our anger only to the appropriate person; in this case, he should have been mad at himself and become remorseful. A few years later, he began to suffer from a disease in his feet, but still didn’t consult God for healing. Instead, he relied on those considered doctors. He died a couple of years later. 

Don’t forget that God is your source for everything. We must rely on Him. Consult Him before every decision you make, whether it is about a business deal or about your health. Allow Him to guide your actions. He is very jealous and wants all of your attention, so make sure you never leave Him out.

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. 2 Chronicles 16:9