DCLM Daily Manna 17 May 2022 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Profit Of Pleasing The Lord
TOPIC: Profit Of Pleasing The Lord (DCLM Daily Manna 17 May 2022)
TEXT: 2 Chronicles 14:1-15 (KJV)
1 So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.
2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God:
3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:
4 And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.
5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.
6 And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the Lord had given him rest.
7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.
8 And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valour.
9 And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah.
10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
11 And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let no man prevail against thee.
12 So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.
13 And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the Lord, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil.
14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the Lord came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them.
15 They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.
KEY VERSE: “And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves.” – (2 Chronicles 14:2,3)
MESSAGE:
A teacher was trying to teach his pupil about cause and effect; he said, “Has your mother or father ever told you that after you do a certain chore, then you can go get ice cream? If so, then you know a certain sequence, or order, was needed. First, you do the chore and then you get the ice cream.” Many things in life have cause and effect.
In our passage today, King Asa inherited from his father a lot of strange worships and idolatry in Judah. His father Abijah had tolerated such worships and images. Upon the death of his father and as soon as he became king, he wasted no time in taking down all the elevated altars that were at variance with the worship of the true God in Judah. God was pleased with him. It was recorded of him, that “Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God”.
Again, when he was confronted with a difficult situation – a war with Zerah the Ethiopian – he did not rely on his “mighty men of valour,” but he “cried unto the LORD his God”. He was victorious over his enemies because he recognised the only true God.
The solution to that long-standing challenge in your life could be found in your decision today to burn down all the evil altars in your life, and institute the true worship of God. Always acknowledge God’s omnipotence in every situation in your life, and avoid relying on self.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Living for God alone attracts greater blessings.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Samuel 15-17
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
