Category: Devotion of the Day

CAMPAIGN AGAINST RAMOTH-GILEAD

Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord?
II Chronicles 19:2

Jehoshaphat was a good man, but he allowed himself to be persuaded by Ahab to join him in an expedition against Ramoth-gilead. They called in the prophets after the decision already had been made in order to get their blessing, just as we often make our plans and then ask God to bless them instead of asking God for a plan. All the sycophant prophets concurred, except Micaiah, who told them the truth and was put in prison and fed the bread and water of affliction. The expedition resulted in Ahab’s death. Then Jehu reproved Jehoshaphat with the words of our text.

God never wants His people to team up with the ungodly in their ventures. We have a different program and there is no concord between Christ and Belial. Ahab is always going up against some Ramoth-gilead, and all it takes, as in this case, is a big supper to line up unwise Jehoshaphats. Better a Micaiah on bread and water than a Jehoshaphat at a banquet, when a Ramoth-gilead campaign is brewing.

“IT” OR “HIM”?

I am the resurrection and the life.
John 11:25

Martha believed in the resurrection, but Jesus moved her from the doctrinal to the personal: “I am the resurrection.” The resurrection is not an “It” – “I am the resurrection.” The resurrection is not an “It” – “I am the resurrection.” We stop too often with “It.” We get an idea, a theory, a doctrine in our heads, but we do not get Him in our hearts. We go in for sanctification, the victorious life, the second coming, and we believe and preach them with a vengeance, but we do not find our hearts warmed – we have “It,” not Him. We seek this blessing and that, we join this group and that, we think, “Now I have found it,” but all that is true and all that we need is in Him. We can even major on prayer and faith and not get through to Him. We can search the Scriptures and not come to Him that we might have life.

There is no life in any It, however good. He is our life In Him all things – including all the “Its” – consist.