“And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, ‘Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.'” – 2 Chronicles 18:12

That isn’t how prophecy works!!! It doesn’t matter how many false prophets tell a powerful person exactly what they want to hear. Numbers don’t make them right and their noise shouldn’t crowd out God’s true word. The true word of God is true and never subject to a majority vote!

This matters a great deal in this present time when you can find a teacher, pastor, or “prophet” to tell you anything you want to hear. It doesn’t matter how good it sounds and it doesn’t matter how many people echo their words. The word of God is the word of God. If something sounds entirely too satisfying to your ego, your flesh, or your politics check it very carefully against Scripture.

God will never contradict Himself nor give an insight to someone that runs counter to what He’s already revealed in Scripture. Having a large following or great financial success is NOT an indicator that someone is accurately teaching God’s Word. Historically, those who teach truth and accurately explain and apply God’s Word aren’t very popular. After all, God’s Word usually challenges us to change and it seldom pats us on the back.

Don’t follow the crowd. Follow God’s Word. #FollowJesus

“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.” – 2 Chronicles 17:3-4

God repeatedly emphasizes throughout the Bible that He is gracious, merciful, AND slow to anger. Because this is true, He often gives people and nations many opportunities to turn things around. Years of spiritual decline can be reversed with a change of heart or a change of leadership. King Jehoshaphat’s father has started well and ended badly. However, God didn’t hold that against Jehoshaphat. He earnestly sought the Lord and the Lord blessed his rule.

God is a God of second chances (and third, and fourth…). He is a God eager for repentance and renewal. The future is never doomed to repeat and continue the downward movement of the past. Rising generations are never doomed to repeat the sins of those who came before them. As our nation prepares to celebrate a milestone birthday, remember these truths. It’s a difficult time, but don’t give up!

Pray for our nation. Pray for godly leadership across party lines. Pray for spiritual revival and awakening. Pray for a turning away from the sins that are so prevalent and a turning toward the Lord Jesus. Pray for unity in Christ rather than the deep division that defines the present season. Pray, because God is the same as He has always been. #FollowJesus

“But when in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.” – 2 Chronicles 15:4

This single statement captures both God’s promise and Israel’s pattern throughout history. Whenever they found themselves distant from God and in a mess, all they had to do was turn back to Him in faith and repentance. God doesn’t move and God doesn’t hide. He doesn’t play games with His people. Whenever people genuinely seek Him, they will find Him. Whenever they cry out to Him, He hears their cries. All it takes is a heart for the Lord and a willingness to swallow your pride, confess your sins, and repent.

It was true 3000 years ago and it’s true today. God simply doesn’t change. If you feel distant from Him, it isn’t because He moved. You moved. So move back toward God. Swallow your pride, confess your sins in the name of Jesus, and turn back to the Lord. He will always lovingly embrace you and tenderly clean you up, restoring you to Him. That is simply Who God is – gracious, merciful, patient, faithful, loving, just, and holy.

Do you feel lost and distant from the Lord? Stop what you’re doing so you can pray and seek Him out. Confess any sin you’re engaged in. Repent of whatever separated you from your Lord. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. #FollowJesus

“And the king answered them harshly; and forsaking the counsel of the old men, King Rehoboam spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, ‘My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’” – 2 Chronicles 10:13-14

King Rehoboam made a huge mess of things because he clearly didn’t learn anything from his own father’s proverbs. He was 41 years old and his father was Solomon. He had plenty of access to wisdom growing up (even if Solomon was acting like a dummy by then). If he’d bothered to study the proverbs, perhaps he would have given a soft answer that turned away the people’s anger rather than harsh words that stirred up the wrath of the 10 tribes of Israel that broke away from his kingdom. Perhaps he would have listened to the wise and mature counselors eager to help him rather than the young, prideful, and foolish counselors vying for access to power. Perhaps he would have understood that power doesn’t lie in flexing the authority of your title but in listening and serving those you’re called to lead.

Pride, harshness, foolishness, and abuse of power. These are disastrous traits in a leader (though very common throughout history). For Israel, these things caused an irreparable split in the nation. A moment of arrogance shaped the next four centuries of history! That’s the damaged caused by foolish words, especially from someone charged with responsibility.

All of it was preventable through the study of godly wisdom. So, how do you feel about the proverbs? Do you read them regularly to benefit from the picture they paint of wise living in God’s world? If you aren’t, consider reading a portion of them each and every day to regularly fill your mind with the practical wisdom preserved in God’s Word. #FollowJesus

“He went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month that he had devised from his own heart. And he instituted a feast for the people of Israel and went up to the altar to make offerings.” – 1 Kings 12:33

King Jeroboam’s sin set his entire nation on a disastrous course from which it never recovered. What was that sin? Manufacturing his own version of God for political advantage. The first king of the breakaway northern kingdom of Israel, he feared his people going to Jerusalem to worship God properly. Instead, he built new centers for worship that would be more convenient. He invented new religious feasts and festivals. He built golden statues to be worshiped as God. He made anyone a priest who wanted to be one, regardless of their qualification.

Jeroboam manufactured a version of God that was politically convenient. That consolidated and secured his power. That glorified his leadership as king. This was an abomination and no king of Israel after him ever broke away from this pattern. Ultimately, the ten tribes of Israel would eventually be conquered and scattered because of this foundational sin.

Unfortunately, people today are very quick to manufacture their own versions of God and Jesus to suit their tastes, preferences, or purposes. We talk about what “my God” or “my Jesus” would or would not do, regardless of what the Bible says about that. We use the trappings of faith to celebrate pride and sin. People wrap themselves in Jesus for political purposes while acting in ways completely opposed to His teachings. People use the name of God for political purposes without obeying His heart or His commands. We live in a golden age of manufactured, politically advantageous, false versions of the Lord.

True followers of Jesus must never engage in this. Don’t fall for it. Don’t go along with it. Stay deeply engaged in the Bible. Understand the heart and the commands of Jesus. Live by these and refuse to compromise either His heart or His commands. Refuse to blindly go along with leaders claiming the name of Jesus without truly following Him. Don’t just point out the sinful errors in those you disagree with politically. Speak God’s truth to those whom you support. Don’t go along with the sin of Jeroboam! #FollowJesus