Pastor's Blog (Page 48)

He really poured on the coal for the steep climb. His clickety-clack pace surprised everyone, even him. Somehow the load felt lighter. He wasn’t really even out of breath. Power to spare. No breakdowns. Everything was humming along nicely for Little Blue Engine King Uzziah.1 “he did right in the sight of the Lord…” “he continued to seek God…” “God…

Once Amaziah became king of Judah, he mustered his army and found he had 300,000 choice men fit to handle spear and shield.1 But this was less than a third of what his forefather Jehoshaphat had, and no doubt he felt vulnerable. He decided to hire 100,000 reinforcements from neighboring Israel with 100 talents of silver. 100 talents of silver was something like 13,500…

If only Ahaziah had followed his grandfather Jehoshaphat’s example. There’s no record that Ahaziah ever “inquired of the Lord.” Quite the contrary. All we have is a three-fold repetition of the opposite: “…his mother was his counselor to do wickedly.” 1 “he did evil… like the house of Ahab, for they were his…

Junctions. Life is full of them. Like the one on this sign, they can be really complex. Sometimes, the road choices seem simple enough… but they turn out to have really far-reaching implications. Our man Jehoshaphat left us the best example for navigating life’s road choices. Here it is in his own words: “Please inquire first for the word of the Lord.”1 When Jehoshaphat…

For these last two Sundays of July we’re exploring the life of Jehoshaphat as part of our Consecrated Lives series. He’s an exemplary man—a true champion! So, naturally, we wonder, Who helped shape him? Undoubtedly, his father Asa. Take a look at him.1 For 35 years Asa reigned—with rest on every side—seeking the Lord and courageously leading the people to follow God. “He…

“How will you cover your final expenses?” asked the life insurance salesman. “Final expenses” is our culture’s euphemism for the cost of having your body embalmed, placed in a casket, and viewed by friends and family. “Final expenses” also include the cost of either cremating your body, or placing your body and your casket in a…