Times of difficulty....

If your sons have sinned against Him, He has cast them away for their transgression. If you would earnestly seek God And make your supplication to the Almighty, If you were pure and upright, Surely now He would awake for you, And prosper your rightful dwelling place. (Job 8:4-6) This is still taught today. Bildad is saying Job sinned and needs to confess, but Job had not sinned. Sometimes difficult times are simply part of God's refining process

Marriage

You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves. Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women (Neh 13:25b-26) Missionary dating? Nehemiah said that intermarriage with unbelievers was strictly forbidden, one of the reasons being that their unbelief would be introduced into the nation, not to mention the obvious: unbelief spreads. May we seek to be married to people who share our faith in Jesus!

Does God Love Us?

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Ro 5:8) Does God love us? Yes, and He gave His Son to ransom us. He loves us so much He gave His Son. He is also a Just Judge, and required sin to be dealt with. His Justice put Jesus on the Cross, and His Love kept Him there till the penalty was paid. He was resurrected that He might be Just and the Justifier of all who believe in Him. 

Taking A Stand for Righteousness!!

Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book. And he made all who were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin take a stand. So the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. Thus Josiah removed all the abominations from all the country that belonged to the children of Israel, and made all who were present in Israel diligently serve the Lord their God. All his days they did not depart from following the Lord God of their fathers. (2 Chron 34:31-33) Would to God that our national leaders were people willing to take a stand for the Lord and encourage righteousness in our land. Since they won't, then let the church rise up and do so!

Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles. And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. (2 Chron 32:7-8) We need to remember that God saves by many or by few. He is for us, so who can be against us?

True worship....

Moreover King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped. Then Hezekiah answered and said, "Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the Lord, come near, and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the Lord." So the assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. (2 Chron 29:30-31) True worship is filled with praise and is followed by offerings and real and heart-felt commitment! 

Beware of things that harm...

Now after the death of Jehoiada the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. And the king listened to them. Therefore they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass. Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them back to the Lord; and they testified against them, but they would not listen (2 Chron 24:17-19) Such a sad testimony against the nation. It was so easy to leave God and trust in lifeless things. Sadly, it is still true today. Some who profess Jesus leave Him when they become attracted to things that harm. May we love Him and cling to Him, today!