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Sought Him with Their Whole Desire

After the moral decline of Solomon’s reign and Reheboam’s unwise decision that split God’s people, his grandson, Asa, made a courageous move to rid Judah of its idolatry and return them to God (2 Chronicles 14).  What will God do for His people when a good leader gets those in his sphere of influence to seek Him with their whole desire?

I. 2 Chronicles 15:1-15.  Asa was given an ‘if’ by God, but unlike Solomon (1 Kings 3:14), Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:38), and Reheboam (1 Kings 12:7), he rose to the challenge.  He entered into a covenant with the people he led to seek God with their whole desire, and because they did, God gave them rest, peace, and possession of the land.

II. Hebrews 13:7-17.  We are to examine our leaders and imitate their faith.  This would include Jesus, who suffered–meaning that we may need to suffer as well.  Knowing their difficult position, we should make their job easier by obeying them.  Jesus seeks us (Luke 19:10).  But, do we want to be found (Luke 15:4-5)?  We must also seek God (Matthew 7:7-8), who promises that we will find Him.  Yet, we all are leaders in our sphere of influence (Matthew 25:20-27).  Let us love God fully (Luke 10:25-28), seeking Him with our whole desire.

III. Ephesians 6:10-13.  To seek God with our whole desire and get others to do so as well, we must take a stand by donning the armor of God.  At the time of captivity, God searched for someone who would stand in the breach but found none (Ezekiel 22:30).  God needs good leaders like Asa who will help a whole generation find Him.  The church is not a club that does some good in the world.  It is the spiritual vehicle to lead us to eternity (Hebrews 12:22-29).  It is where we seek Him with our whole desire here, to spend eternity with Him there.

Are you seeking Him with your whole desire?

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Stand Before Me in the Gap

What better time to talk about leaders than Father’s Day!  The pioneer man facing a snarling wolf in the doorway of a log cabin while shielding his family within is an iconic picture of fatherhood … and just what Jesus did for us.

I. Ezekiel 22:6-31.  God’s people of the Old Testament had sinned greatly over the centuries, and so God was going to sweep them away into captivity.  A statement at the end of this passage tells us that He looked for a man to stand before Him in the gap, but that He found none.  None at that time were without sin and could save His people from the spiritual wolves growling at Jerusalem’s door.

II. John 10:11-15.  Only Jesus could, and He does by His work on the cross.  Only the Lion of the Tribe of Judah who is the Lamb that was slain is worthy (Revelation 5:1-12).  He is the Good Shepherd who lays His life down for His sheep.  It is a serving and sacrificial leadership that He demonstrates.  No wonder that the Son that is given is called “Everlasting Father” Isaiah 9:6-7.

III. Joshua 1:1-18.  Like any good father-leader, God, though He is able, is not going to do it all for us.  Just taking over from Moses, Joshua was told repeatedly to “be strong and courageous” when entering the Promised Land and facing the difficult trials that awaited him.  It was enough that God told him that He would never leave or forsake him.  So it is with us as we face the wolves at the doors of our lives and protect those around us (Matthew 28:18-20).

There are spiritual gaps everywhere: in the people we know, in the church, in our families, in our marriages, in ourselves!  The spiritual wolves are snarling at them, ready to destroy and devour.  God is still looking for those, made perfect in Christ, to stand before Him in the gap with the same servant/sacrificial leadership that Jesus had.  Are you strong and courageous?