Aug 10

2 Chronicles 16:7 (NIV84)
7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.

Asa started out well! He got rid of all the idols and even the Queen Mother and worshipped the Lord. For 36 years he relied on God and God gave him victory, prosperity and rest from his enemies. Then something happened in Asa’s heart and he thought the King of Aram was more valuable that God to have on His side. Get this: He took what was God’s and gave it to the King of Aram so he was assured a victory! Did you get that? He took what was God’s and gave it away for prosperity! Have we done the same? Have we taken the tithe and given it to another so we could prosper?

2 Chronicles 16:12 (NIV84)
12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the LORD, but only from the physicians.

Asa also didn’t even seek God when he was sick! He ONLY trusted doctors. Do we? What happened to Asa? I’ll tell you one of the things that I believe. He had rest and prosperity and didn’t have to rely of God much throughout the years of his reign. He forgot God! He got used to trusting man for everything because there was nothing HUGE that he needed God for. So when the time came that he needed help, he turned to man instead of God. Makes you think doesn’t it?

So what was at the end of Asa’s journey? He was angry at a messenger that brought God’s message to him. When people’s lives are in the dumper because they have forgotten God, they become haters of the church and it’s pastors and even their brothers or sisters who encourage them to repent and seek the Lord.

2 Chronicles 16:10 (NIV84)
10 Asa was angry with the seer because of this; he was so enraged that he put him in prison. At the same time Asa brutally oppressed some of the people.