“For Ahaz took a portion from the house of the Lord and the house of the king and of the princes, and gave tribute to the king of Assyria, but it did not help him. In the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the Lord —this same King Ahaz. For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel.”

2 Chronicles 28:21-23 ESV

http://bible.com/59/2ch.28.21-23.esv

All,

This stands out because the writer says, “For Ahaz took a portion from the house of the Lord”. It’s tempting to not give God our first fruits when times are tight. Do we subconsciously give them to an idol? Are we looking to God as our provider or something else? Please pray that we and our friends have no their Gods but God. Please pray for the victims of human trafficking.

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!”

Psalms 57:1-3 ESV

http://bible.com/59/psa.57.1-3.esv

All,

This stands out because David says, “to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” We are here for God’s purpose and He has a purpose for each of us. Do you want to be about your purpose or God’s purpose if they differ? Please pray that we and our friends spend time with God to know our purpose. Please pray for John C.

“And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.

But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. But Azariah the priest went in after him, with eighty priests of the Lord who were men of valor, and they withstood King Uzziah and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have done wrong, and it will bring you no honor from the Lord God.” Then Uzziah was angry. Now he had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and when he became angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead in the presence of the priests in the house of the Lord, by the altar of incense.”

2 Chronicles 26:1, 16-19 ESV

http://bible.com/59/2ch.26.1,16-19.esv

All,

This stands out because the writer says, “But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction.” Is it harder to trust God fully in the prosperous times or the down times? Pride can get us all pretty easily and makes us believe it’s our strength that has made us prosperous. Please pray that we and our friends seek God even more when times seem up so we don’t fall to pride. Please pray for all the foster children praying for parents.

“Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart.

After Amaziah came from striking down the Edomites, he brought the gods of the men of Seir and set them up as his gods and worshiped them, making offerings to them. Therefore the Lord was angry with Amaziah and sent to him a prophet, who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of a people who did not deliver their own people from your hand?””

2 Chronicles 25:1-2, 14-15 ESV

http://bible.com/59/2ch.25.1-2,14-15.esv

All,

This stands out because the writer says, “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart.” How much of your heart does God want? He knows that if we put anything above Him, it will hurt us instead of help us. Only God is trustworthy. Only God is everlasting. Please pray that we and our friends ask God to point out areas of our heart that are not fully His. Please pray for Stacey Kessler.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”

Psalms 51:10-12 ESV

http://bible.com/59/psa.51.10-12.esv

All,

This stands out because David says, “Create in me a clean heart”. Are we looking for God to transform our heart or ourselves to transform ourselves? Only we know in our heart if we truly desire God to clean us or if we are hanging on to something else. We can’t have a divided heart. Please pray that we and our friends find our rest in God’s presence today. Please pray for the victims of human trafficking.

“Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, Engedi). Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.”

2 Chronicles 20:2-3, 13-15 ESV

http://bible.com/59/2ch.20.2-3,13-15.esv

All,

This stands out because the Lord says, “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.” Do we believe that God has a purpose for our lives today? Is it His purpose or our purpose? If it’s His, then we obey Him and not be afraid. Please pray that we and our friends seek God in all our fears. Please pray for Len Sykes as he continues to recover from surgery.

“Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem. And he went out again among the people, from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers. He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.””

2 Chronicles 19:4-7 ESV

http://bible.com/59/2ch.19.4-7.esv

All,

This stands out because Jehoshaphat says, “Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God.” Are you more concerned about what God thinks or what others think? The world’s opinions change with the wind, but the Lord’s commandments are eternal. Please pray that we and our friends resist temptation to side with the world over God when they are in different camps. Please pray for John Roney.

“And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Inquire first for the word of the Lord.” Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here another prophet of the Lord of whom we may inquire?” And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.”

But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak.””

2 Chronicles 18:4-7, 13 ESV

http://bible.com/59/2ch.18.4-7,13.esv

All,

This stands out because the King of Israel says, “he never prophesies good concerning me.” The King of Israel was not following the Lord at this time and true prophets would tell him what God said instead of what he wanted to hear. Do we put people around us who tell us what we want to hear or what God wants us to hear? Please pray that we and our friends seek God’s counsel today. Please pray for all those looking for jobs right now.

“The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel. Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord. And furthermore, he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.”

2 Chronicles 17:3-6 ESV

http://bible.com/59/2ch.17.3-6.esv

All,

This stands out because the writer says, “His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord.” Our student ministers held a class yesterday for parents of 8th graders and they spoke about our children having the courage to walk with Jesus during High School years. Especially freshmen year since it sets the foundation for High school. Do we have that courage now as adults? Please pray that we and our friends lean on God for this courage. Please pray for Stacey Kessler.

“And Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God. He took away the foreign altars and the high places and broke down the pillars and cut down the Asherim and commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to keep the law and the commandment. He also took out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the incense altars. And the kingdom had rest under him. He built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest. He had no war in those years, for the Lord gave him peace.”

2 Chronicles 14:2-6 ESV

http://bible.com/59/2ch.14.2-6.esv

All,

This stands out because the writer says, “He took away the foreign altars and the high places and broke down the pillars and cut down the Asherim.” Do you have any symbols of “idol worship” in your presence? Do you keep little things around that God has forbid? Do you have peace? Peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, not a lasting fruit of anything else. Please pray that we and our friends rid ourselves of “idols”. Please pray for all the people who have lost loved ones this year as we go into the Christmas season.