What a hard, hard few days it has been, with the disease, pain wise, and this morning, I awoke to a difficult time. I prayed and asked Him for help, … and perhaps to place a verse to help me to think on… and below are some of my thoughts which I hope will encourage you if you are in such a place…be encouraged,
hard times can lead us to seeing Him and leaning afresh on Him and recalling His goodness to us and learning from the lives of others as we see Him in their lives… a couple of thoughts to start off with…
* When The Time Of Testing Came They Chose To PRAY – {2 Chron 20:3}
* When The Time Of Testing Came They Chose To PRAISE.-{v21-23}
“…When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who PRAISED HIM in holy attire, as AS THEY WENT OUT BEFORE THE ARMY and said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” When they began singing and PRAISING, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed.”- {2 Chron 20:21-23}.
NOTE; they went forward by faith and SPECIFICALLY Gave Him THANKS and PRAISE…for… A. – His Lovingkindness…which is- B. – Everlasting…
BE SPECIFIC IN YOUR PRAISE! It can be something like this….“Thank You and I PRAISE You LORD, that You have and Shown me Your Lovingkindness, in seeking me out and convicting me, saving me, sustaining me and specifically… {Ask Him to help remind you of how specifically He has shown His lovingkindness to you}. I Thank You and I PRAISE You LORD, that your lovingkindness, is not for a moment, but EVERLASTING. Praise YOU that I have not missed out on it or am I too late for it, but as long as I live I can count on You and your everlasting love towards me. As Long as You ARE, So Is Your Lovingkindness- Everlasting love! I thank You and I PRAISE YOU!”
NOTE- He is the FOCUS of PRAISE.- Their Troubles, were used to turn them to … Him, His Character, His Promises. Troubles always seek to turn us somewhere, often away from Him… but ASK HIM, TO HELP YOU TO LEARN TO TURN TO HIM and PRAISE HIM…. Jehoshaphat earlier had said upon receiving the news that they were going to be under attack and killed, Jehospahat was “afraid,” he does not deny that, but he did not stop there with that powerful destructive emotion, he “turned his attention to SEEK the LORD and proclaimed a fast….sought the LORD… {V “.O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”..”… {V 12}
When you “FEEL” you don’t know what to do, REMEMBER YOU DO KNOW WHAT TO DO-….”….BUT, Our eyes are on YOU”{v 12}… And let the thanksgiving and PRAISE begin to Him!
THE CIRCUMSTANCES; were fearful, they were being threatened, but Jehoshaphat turned to seek the Lord, proclaimed a fast for the people to give themselves to seeking the LORD, the circumstances were not going to get the better of him and he CHOSE to use them as a means to seek the LORD and encourage others to do likewise.
TO LOOK TO THE LORD IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHO IS LORD OVER EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE! There was no denying word that a large army were coming with one intent, to destroy them had caused him “fear” and also to take stock that in and of themselves they were “powerless” but he did not stop and look at those, what he did not have but chose to look to HIM Who had him! “THE LORD! “…O Lord, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You…. we don’t know what to do BUT our eyes are on YOU”-{V5-6,12}. He looked at what was happening , assessed it, what they did not have, but did not end with himself, his people, or even the enemy, “BUT GOD…” He ended with the LORD! And he chose! He LOOKED TO HIM. Who He is, and by FAITH cried out to Him, Leaned in on Him to undertake.
He did not deny the “seeming” reality of the circumstances, but he looked beyond the seen to Him who is unseen who rules and reigns and with that great statement of intent let us all rise in our hearts today and say,” ..we don’t know what to do BUT our eyes are on YOU.” He is LORD, Sovereign King, doing as He chooses, when he chooses, how He chooses for His own good pleasure{Read Psalm 135:6}… and so today from a difficult place, I asked Him to help me think on something and my mind went to 2 Chron 20… And I am reminded afresh of Him… and – with this thought – When the time of Testing came- They Chose to PRAISE HIM…
ENDING AT THE WRONG PLACE! The fears are real, the “reality” he understands “we are powerless in and of ourselves”….but he does not end there. Often this is where many of us end. We end with the circumstances, or what we “think” will happen and then leaving Him out our anxious hearts begin to spiral down into despair as Prov 12:25 teaches” anxiety in the heart weighs it down…{depresses…}… but I love the rest of this verse how to STOP that spiral, “… BUT A good word makes the heart glad…”-{Prov 12:25.} A Kind word, a good word, from His Word there is none better, causes the heart to be elevated with Him, His Truth, His Promises, His Provision. Recently I had to talk myself through this again and asking Him to remind me of His promises and speaking them to myself so I was “listening” to truth not lies. The battle is for your faith in Him, not saving faith but daily living by faith as you live out your Christian life.
This is why we are told to “renew our minds,” in order to see Him, and things, from His perspective, it does not keep us from hardships, difficulties or trials but it give us His perspective, and wisdom in them, so we may love Him by responding His way to them. {Read Rom 12:2; James 1:2-5,12.}
“BUT GOD….” Read 2 Chronicles 20:5-11 as Jehoshaphat stands before the people and TESTIFIES to them as he PRAYS TO the LORD and PRAISES the LORD for Who He is, What He has done, Who He is to them. He is making a choice to BE TAKEN UP WITH HIM…in the Dire, seemingly, circumstances. He begins with Him as the CREATOR, all under His Sovereign Powerful rule, including his enemies and the circumstances and the potential disasters facing them.
ARE YOU IN A TIME OF TESTING? PRAY…PRAISE HIM …for Who He is, that you can turn to Him, that He is sufficient, that His lovingkindness is everlasting, unlike your present difficulties, which will end, but not His lovingkindness towards you! PRAISE HIM that You can turn to Him in difficulties. PRAISE HIM for His character, He is LORD, CREATOR, POWERFUL COMPASSIONATE, HIS LOVINGKINDNESS IS EVERLASTING…. and you ALWAYS Have Him for every circumstance ,” we don’t know what to do BUT our eyes are Upon YOU!” Go back and re read 2 Chronicles and underline who He is revealed as in the chapter, Example Lord, Creator, lovingkind, Deliverer, and SPECIFICALLY THANK AND PRAISE HIM for each attribute. / Truth about Him…He inhabits the praises of His People. So turn your difficulty into a PRAISE Session!
- What the evil one seeks to use to dishearten you, when circumstances are difficult, REMEMBER, YOU have the Power to CHOOSE, When the Time Of Testing Comes, to… PRAY and PRAISE Him!
“WHAT IF?” IN Jehoshaphat’s case, the LORD delivered them. But “what if,” He chooses NOT to deliver FROM the circumstances? For Like Joseph, He kept him imprisoned longer, like Paul He did not Deliver him FROM or remove the “thorn,” BUT He did give Him grace to sustain him with the thorn! Sometimes He chooses to deliver from, others He chooses to dispense grace to Sustain us IN the circumstance, but this is His choice. The answer is – He is still worthy to be PRAISED! And if you re-read 2 Chronicles 20 and note what characteristics Jehoshaphat includes in his prayer and praise of Him. IT IS HIMSELF that draws the Praise from us as we contemplate and Celebrate who HE IS.
Circumstances and difficulties as painful as they are times are all fleeting, passing, they have a “shelf life, “they are temporal, they are not forever, unlike Him, and His lovingkindness towards you which are everlasting!
“What If,” He chooses not to deliver from the circumstances? We don’t praise and follow Him for the deliverance but because of Who He is. He is worthy to be Praised BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS... EVEN IN THE STORMS!
When the time of testing comes, where YOU look will determine whether YOU pray or praise Him
ASSIGNMENT;
Take a pen and paper and read 2 Chronicles 20 and write down what characteristics are mentioned about God For example. He is Creator. He is LORD… and when you have recorded them , then go back over and personalize you PRAISES to Him with for example,” I PRAISE YOU because You are Creator… I PRAISE You for YOUR LOVING Kindness that is Everlasting…etc.”
As you hide these in your heart, the Holy Spirit can remind you anytime, anyplace of reasons to THINK on truth and on the LORD in your circumstances and recall reasons to PRAISE, “Speak well of “HIM for!
Note to self; Testing = OPPORTUNITY to Turn To Him and PRAY and PRAISE Him specifically… Let the PRAISES BEGIN!
“…BUT OUR EYES ARE ON YOU…”
* When The Time Of Testing Came They Chose To PRAY and PRAISE.- {v 21-23}