Ezra 6:8 “‘Moreover, I issue a decree concerning what you are to do for these elders of Judah in the rebuilding of this house of God: the full cost is to be paid to these people from the royal treasury out of the taxes of the provinces beyond the River, and that without delay.’” 

 TAKE THAT!

Twice the enemies of Judah who were living in the land tried to stop the rebuilding of the Temple which Cyrus had allowed the Jews to do. Once they were successful in halting the construction.  But here King Darius responds to their accusations and rules in favor of the Jews.

But he doesn’t just stop there.  He says, “Your tax money will pay for it.”  I would have loved to have seen their faces when they got this letter.  I bet they could have chewed nails.  You see, going against God’s people just isn’t smart.

TEACHING MOMENT

Children love to get back at each other.  They love to point out when someone else is doing wrong.  Some children just like seeing others get into trouble. We must teach them to stand for what is right, but they shouldn’t try to “nail” other people.  They need to make sure they have the whole story.

Little Susie might not like that girl in her class who is popular. Johnny might not like that guy who wins all the awards.  As long as others are living for the Lord and are being blessed we need to be joyous with them.  Those who are living for Jesus deserve our praise and support, not our ridicule.

Who are you jealous of today?  Come on, nobody?  Ask yourself why you are jealous.  That kind of jealousy is NOT of God.  The Word says that brings disorder and every evil thing.  Give it up.  Rejoice is how the Lord has blessed you instead.

You are my resting place, O Lord.  Help me remember today that my contentment is in You.  No matter what anyone else has or does, I rest in You.

 Psalm 112:1 “Praise the Lord! How blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments.”

SOUNDS KIND OF WRONG

 Do you want to be blessed?  I mean, come on, who doesn’t, right?  Well, the Word says plainly here in this verse to fear the Lord and delight in His commandments.  If you just read those words casually, you would think the writer was crazy.  Fear and delight?  Those words are not normally used in the same sentence.

To the unbeliever it doesn’t make sense.  Why should we fear the Lord?  Well, it’s not fear, as in being scared of Him.  It’s a reverence, an awe, a worshipful respect.  And who delights in commands?  Believers do because we know by obeying we are in His care.

TEACHING MOMENT

Teaching our children to “fear” the Lord and “delight” in His commands is best done by immersing them in the Word.  It’s best modeled by you, Mom and Dad.  When they see you eating and drinking the Word every day, they will want it too. When they see you honoring and respecting the Lord and the things of the Lord, they will learn to do that also.

Show them how they are blessed when they “fear” you and follow your commands.  Kids are literal and understand concrete thoughts.  Reward them abundantly by obeying on their own.  When they do something out of respect for you, bless them in some way.  And make sure they understand they didn’t “earn” the blessing.  You blessed them simply because you love them and delight in them, just like their heavenly Father.

Are you in awe of your Father?  Are you delighting in His commands for you?  Choose this day to do those things.  Choose this day to walk with Him and watch Him bless your socks off.  I don’t mean in a physical way (He could if He wanted to though).  I mean in the love you will feel as you please Him.

Lord, thank You for blessing me.  Thank You for Your Word which guides me.  I honor and stand in awe of Who You are.

 2 Kings 6:16 “So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’” 

GOD’S ARMY

When the king of Aram learned it was Elisha who was disclosing all his plans against Israel, he sent his army to capture him.  I just love Elisha’s servant’s response.  He was alarmed and scared when he woke the next morning to see them surrounded.  But when he tells Elisha, Elisha just keeps on eating his eggs and bacon and drinking his coffee (just kidding about the bacon).

What does Elisha say to his servant?  “God’s got this!”  Then he prayed for the Lord to open his servant’s eyes so he could also see the army of God that was protecting them.  God still has that army.  None of them have retired.  None of them have refused to serve.

TEACHING MOMENT

When your children are scared at night of the “boogie man” read them this story. Reassure them that the same God who protected Elisha protects them.  In fact, as believers we have it better than Elisha because we have the very presence of God living within us through the Holy Spirit.  Wow!

Now, we should never pick a fight with the devil or those who desire to do us harm. But we can be reassured that the Lord is with us.  God will always defend His children.  Our children can best learn to trust that as we show them we trust that.  We can’t be wringing our hands and pacing the floor. We have to “open their eyes” to see God’s chariots.

Are you blinded today?  Can you not see the army of heaven defending you?  Do you not believe He is more powerful than any other power on earth or heaven?  He is. Stay in His will and watch Him work. It is pretty amazing.

Father in heaven, open my eyes today to see Your army surrounding me.  Open my eyes of faith.  Help me show others how powerful You are.

 2 Kings 21:7 “Then he set the carved image of Asherah that he had made, in the house of which the Lord said to David and to his son Solomon, ‘In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever.’” 

THE TEMPLE OF GOD

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 2 Kings 20:11 “Isaiah the prophet cried to the Lord, and He brought the shadow on the stairway back ten steps by which it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.”

IT IS ALL GOD’S TIME

 I don’t know about you, but I hate time change.  In the U.S. we have Standard time and Daylight Savings time.  We “fall back” an hour in the Fall and we “spring forward” an hour in the Spring.  I would prefer if we just left it alone.  But that’s just my opinion.

Hezekiah wanted a sign he would be healed so he was given a choice.  The sun’s shadow would be moved forward or backwards on the steps based on his wish.  He chose to get 10 minutes back, so it went backwards.  10 extra minutes in time – forever.

TEACHING MOMENT

Our children have to learn the concept of time.  When they are young they don’t have to worry about it a lot.  Everything they do and everywhere they go is determined by parents.  But sooner or later they have to learn about time.  Being on time is a courtesy and a great trait.  As parents we teach them this.

But the more important concept of time is eternity.  Little Gertrude, Elrod, Johnny or Susie must be taught about eternity. We will all spend eternity somewhere. God’s eternal clock is ticking. Christ is one day closer to His return each day.  Mom and Dad, make sure your child understands the finality of eternity.  Time matters.  Spend it wisely on your children.

Are you “wasting time”?  Are you so busy with frivolous things that you forget how precious little time you have in the eyes of eternity?  Make every day count.  Make every hour count.  God may prolong your days, as He did Hezekiah.  Or He could call you home today.  Be ready.  Be ON TIME!

God, You are the maker of time.  I know you see all of eternity at once, and You know my end day.  Give me the ability to see each day as You see it – precious and important.

2 Kings 15:1-2 “1 In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah became king. 2 He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.” 

EVEN A LEPER CAN RULE

 King Azariah (Uzziah) was the longest ruling king of Judah or Israel.  He was a good king.  He followed the Lord, or at least tried to.  He began his reign at 16!  Wow! And he reigned 52 years.  But the verses go on to say the Lord struck him with leprosy.  We don’t know exactly when that happened, but it must have been later in his reign because his son ruled in his placed and eventually took over when he was 25.

Why am I recounting all of this?  Just to show you that God can use anyone who is willing to be used.  He took a teenage boy who became leprous and made him the longest ruling king of the nation. God can use anyone, anytime, anywhere, any how He chooses.  We just have to be willing.

TEACHING MOMENT

Many parents tell their kids, “You can be anything you want to be when you grow up.”  I understand the sentiment and respect their desires for their children, but that is just not true.  A short child will most likely not succeed in the NBA.  LOL.

Instead, we should be telling them, “Johnny, we need to pray that the Lord shows you what He has for you to do to honor Him.” That’s the most important thing. So, whether he is a banker, soldier or astronaut, he can honor God.  Push them to excel, not for self, but for God.  Give them opportunities to thrive, not for you, but for the glory of the Lord.

Do you know what the Lord has called you to do? So many of us are still seeking that. Ask Him.  He doesn’t want to hide this from you.  He is preparing you every step of the way to be His instrument in His master plan for mankind.

Open my eyes, Lord, to what You have for me.  Let me see the opportunities plainly.  Help me point others to Your plan for their lives.

 2 Kings 14:9b “‘The thorn bush which was in Lebanon sent to the cedar which was in Lebanon, saying, “Give your daughter to my son in marriage.”’”

 BOASTING GETS YOU IN TROUBLE

 Amaziah, King of Judah, had just defeated Edom and was feeling very powerful and arrogant.  So, he challenged Jehoash, King of Israel.  Remember, Israel was 10 tribes and Judah was 1. Jehoash tried to avoid the battle, but Amaziah was insistent.  The result – defeat for Judah.

Arrogance and pride will make you a little too big for your britches.  Boasting and showing off never leads to good.  While here on earth Jesus still had the power of all the heavens at His fingertips, but He never called them down when challenged.  Instead, He humbled Himself to the point of death.

TEACHING MOMENT

Children will naturally want to brag on stuff.  They may even brag about you (and you must admit you like that).  But we have to teach them humility and the right kind of pride.  Unfortunately, humility has to be learned firsthand.  You can’t give them a lesson on it.  They have to experience it themselves.

You can model humility for them, and you should, but for them to truly understand it, they have to experience it. I am convinced, however, that once they experience true humility in the name of Jesus, they will know the joy that comes with it.

Are you bowing in humility today? Or are you proud and boastful of who you are?  We are nothing outside of Christ.  Our only boast-worthy thing is Him.  We stand before Him humble and abased.  But IN Him we boast!

Lord Jesus, You are the perfect example of humility for me to follow.  I see Your strength in Your humble life and Your willingness to lay it all down for others. Help me live like You today.

 2 Kings 9:20b “‘and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.’”

A REFLECTION OF THE PERSON

 Road rage has obviously been around a lot longer than the term as been used. Jehu was known as one who “drives furiously.”  What did that mean exactly?  I mean, he wasn’t driving a sports car or a Mack truck.  He was driving a chariot.

Whatever he was driving, undoubtedly, he was known as a crazy driver.  The Lord chose him, though, to be the instrument of justice over Joram and Jezebel.  Jehu executed them both according to God’s command.  He did it quickly and without hesitation.  He didn’t try to rationalize it.  He just acted.

TEACHING MOMENT

Now today’s lesson isn’t a driving lesson.  I am not trying to tell you how to drive or how to teach your children to drive.  Today’s lesson is, once again, about obedience.  The Lord used a crazy driver.  So, He can use you and your children.

I never get over the fact that God can use anyone. He can make the most unsuspecting person a tool in His plan.  You don’t know what God has planned for your children.  Your job is to have them ready to be used.  Your job is to teach them to hear and then respond to the Lord’s commands.

Jehu hurriedly drove to execute God’s judgment.  Are you in a rush to follow the Lord?  Most of the time we have to be drugged to the place of obedience.  It is so much easier to just do it.  Allow the Lord to use you when and how He chooses.

You are my Commander, O Lord.  Help me be ready at all times to respond to Your call. Help me show my children how to hear and obey.

2 Kings 4:3 “Then he said, ‘Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few.’” 

IF YOU PRAY FOR IT, EXPECT IT

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 2 Kings 1:2 “And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber which was in Samaria, and became ill. So he sent messengers and said to them, ‘Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this sickness.’”

BETTER SEEK THE RIGHT ADVISOR

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