Ways of the Kings

Bible Reading:  II Chronicles 28:1-15

Key Verse: Verse 2 – “For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.”

Key Words:  For he walked in the ways of the kings 

What exactly was the “ways of the kings of Israel?”  We are told in verse 3 that he sacrificed children by fire to false gods.  He also allowed places of false worship to be built (verse 14).  Now, while we cringe at such as burning children in fire, why do we not cringe at the one million babies aborted each year in America?

One of the most talked about human tragedies of history was the slaughter of 6 million Jews by Adolph Hitler and Nazi Germany. How could a civilized country allow the construction and operation of Nazi death camps? Sociologists tell us that only 10% of Germans fully backed Hitler’s radical views. Analyses reveal that Hitler came to power because he promised German prosperity. People were willing to overlook Hitler’s hatred as long as he could put money in their pockets. Today, we are looking at a Holocaust taking place in our own country called abortion.

 (A perspective on the slaughter of American children today)

Civil War (both sides)                98,332 deaths

WWI                                           116,708 deaths

WWII                                          407,316 deaths

Korea                                            25,604 deaths

Vietnam                                        58,168 deaths

Abortion since 1973          >63,000,000 deaths

Pray for America for it appears we have gone the way of the ungodly kings.

 

                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:  

✞Pray up!  Stand up!  Speak up!  Let your state and federal representatives know how you feel.

The Ways of Abijah

Bible Reading:  II Chronicles 13:13-22

Key Verse: Verse 22 – “And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.”

Key Words: Abijah, and his ways

What exactly were the ways of Abijah?  In I Kings 15:3 we read in regard to Abijah, “And he walked in all the sins of his father [Rehoboam].”

Rehoboam is responsible for the division of the nation of Israel, because of his heavy taxation.  The Southern Kingdom (Judah) divided from the Northern Kingdom.  Not only was his heavy taxation a burden, he also warred against his own people (Judah).  He was also immoral in that he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines (II Chronicles 11:21).  So it was with his son, Abijah: divisive and immoral.

Speaking of being divisive: there are many in our churches today that are like Rehoboam and Abijah (divisive).

Ray Stedman said, "Some people for the sake of their point of view would destroy the unity of your church. How do you deal with them? Avoid them. We must keep our eye on them and turn away from them. In other words, we don’t listen to them. We’re never obligated to hear a person out when what they’re saying is not consistent with Christian speech. If they are tearing down the church, tearing down the pastor, tearing down the leaders or Sunday School teachers or any believer, we should not listen. Because even out of a misguided sense of courtesy, our listening to them would make it seem that we agree, while what we’re doing is giving them another chance to vent their verbal poison." 

Let me caution you: be careful who you listen to.  They may be a well-intentioned Rehoboam or Abijah.

                                                                                         Dr. Mike Rouse                                                                                               

What to do:  

✞Follow God’s ways, not man’s.

Evil Ways

Bible Reading:  II Kings 17:1-15

Key Verse: Verse 13 – “Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”

Key Words: evil ways

According to II Kings 17:7-8 Israel had learned the ways of the heathen when in Egypt and had evidently taught these ways to their children…who taught them to their children…and now they are worshipping false gods which God refers to as “evil ways.”

The word evil carries the idea of rejecting God.  Now, while I hate the idea of Israel rejecting God, there is some comfort to me in this.  When we are rejected for carrying the message of God, we have a God Who understands our hurt and discouragement of being rejected.

Campbell Morgan was one of 150 young men who sought entrance to the Wesleyan ministry in 1888. He passed the doctrinal examinations but then faced the trial sermon. In a cavernous auditorium that could seat more than 1,000 sat three ministers and 75 others who came to listen. When Morgan stepped into the pulpit, the vast room and the searching, critical eyes caught him up short. Two weeks later Morgan's name appeared among the 105 REJECTED for the ministry that year. 

Jill Morgan, his daughter-in-law, wrote in her book, A Man of the Word, "He wired to his father the one word, 'Rejected,' and sat down to write in his diary: 'Very dark everything seems. Still, He knoweth best.' Quickly came the reply: 'Rejected on earth. Accepted in heaven. Dad.'" 

In later years, Morgan said: "God said to me, in the weeks of loneliness and darkness that followed, 'I want you to cease making plans for yourself, and let Me plan your life.'" Rejection is rarely permanent, as Morgan went on to prove. Even in this life, circumstances change, and ultimately, there is no rejection of those accepted by Christ. 

                                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:  

✞ There are worse things than being rejected by man, one of which is being rejected by God.

Wise Ways

Bible Reading:  I Samuel 18:1-16

Key Verse: verse 14 – “And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.” 

Key Words: And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways

The essence of the text verse is that David conducted himself in a Godly manner.  Godly conduct is important.  It allows others to see Jesus through our actions.

The authors of the following illustrations are unknown.

When Queen Victoria was a child, she didn’t know she was in line for the throne of England. Her instructors, trying to prepare her for the future, were frustrated because they couldn’t motivate her. She just didn’t take her studies seriously. Finally, her teachers decided to tell her that one day she would become the queen of England.  Upon hearing this, Victoria quietly said, “Then I will be good.”  The realization that she had inherited this high calling gave her a sense of responsibility that profoundly affected her conduct from then on. 

A man in the Army of Alexander the Great who was also named Alexander, was accused of cowardly actions. He was brought before Alexander, who asked what his name was. He replied softly, "Alexander." "I can't hear you," the ruler stated. The man again said, a little louder, "Alexander." The process was repeated one more time, after which Alexander the Great commented, "Either change your name or change your conduct."

If you are acting “bad,” then don’t tell people you are a Christian.  Change your name or change your conduct.

                                     Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞ Behave yourself wisely in all your ways.

Forceful Ways

Bible Reading:  I Samuel 8:1-9

Key Verse: verse 3 – “And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.”

Key Words: And his sons walked not in his ways

Samuel was a man of God, but not his sons.  They lived for money (verse 3).  Samuel forced his sons to be judges.  That was a mistake.  You can’t force people to do anything…either they want to or they don’t.  If they want to, they’ll do a good job; if they don’t want to, they’ll bring havoc into your life.  Let me give you an old saying that goes: “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.”

An old sailor repeatedly got lost at sea, so his friends gave him a compass and urged him to use it. The next time he went out in his boat, he followed their advice and took the compass with him. But as usual he became hopelessly confused and was unable to find land. Finally he was rescued by his friends. 

Disgusted and impatient with him, they asked, “Why didn’t you use that compass we gave you? You could have saved us a lot of trouble!” The sailor responded, “I didn’t dare to! I wanted to go north, but as hard as I tried to make the needle aim in that direction, it just kept on pointing southeast.” 

 That old sailor was so certain he knew which way was north that he stubbornly tried to force his own personal persuasion on his compass. Unable to do so, he tossed it aside as worthless and failed to benefit from the guidance it offered. You can’t force people to go in the right direction.  You have to lead them there.  It’s their choice whether or not to follow.

What to do:  

✞Be a leader, not a “forcer.”

The Way You Walk

Bible Reading:  Deuteronomy 5:22-33

Key Verse: verse 33 – “Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.”

Key Words: Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you

Have you ever given any thought to the way people walk?  Some people have a penguin walk.  Others have a duck walk, full of wobble.  Some people have a limp in their walk.  Others walk fast and others slow.  Now, any of these walks are fine with me, so long as we walk with the Lord.

When we walk with the Lord, we go where He goes.  It primarily deals with our location.  When we walk with God, we are safe.  We grow; we have fellowship and we have assurance, among other things.

As a young boy, I remember shopping with my family in downtown Mobile, Alabama. I was enamored by all the stores and people.  My dad on numerous occasions would say, “Now stay with me.”  As you can imagine, I didn’t.  I stopped to gaze in department store windows; as the old saying goes, “Oops, they were gone.”  When my brain finally kicked back into gear, my parents were nowhere around.  Here I am in this large city alone, scared, and seemingly doomed.  As I wandered from store to store, fighting back the tears, this large hand grabs me and says, “I told you to stay with me.”  Let me assure you from then on I did.  The same principle applies when it comes to walking with the Lord.  Our safety, peace, and assurance come from just staying with God!!

 

                                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞Walk with God and you’ll be glad you did.