Hard Soil Begins to Sprout Gospel Fruit

This Post Written by Dr. Terry Dorsett and Rev. Mark Ballard

Though at several points in history the New England area has been the spark plug for revival that spread across the nation, that is no longer the case. Many have referred to New England as the graveyard for churches and pastors. This is especially true in Vermont, which is the least churched state in the nation and has some of hardest gospel soil in New England. However, that soil is starting to loosen up as God brings things to fruition that were only dreams in the past.

One of those dreams is the opening of Northeastern Baptist College in Bennington, Vermont. Mark Ballard, president of the new college, has had this dream for many years. Through a unique set of circumstances God showed that it was time for that dream to be fulfilled. After an exhaustive search of 150 sites across New England, the college leadership selected Bennington, Vermont, as the location for the new college.

“One of the factors that made the Bennington location perfect is that there is already an excellent Christian school in Bennington that had two entire floors of their building available for the college to locate in,” reports Mark Ballard. Bennington’s proximity to the rest of New England and easy access from New York were also significant factors.

With classes slated to begin August 21, 2012, the administration, faculty and staff have put together a unique blend of rigorous academics, practical mentoring and field application that will enable students to develop the Mind of a Scholar, the Heart of a Shepherd and the Perseverance of a Soldier. Initially the college will offer bachelor’s degrees in Biblical Studies, Music and Education.

Phil Steadman, board member for Grace Christian School and pastor at Capstone Baptist Church said, “The evangelical community in Bennington is excited to have the school located in our region. We believe the college will make a positive impact in our local churches and that the churches can be a blessing to the college.”

The impact of Northeastern Baptist College upon local churches will not have to wait until students begin to graduate, but will be experienced immediately through the college’s practical application requirements.  While enrolled each student must put his or her academic studies into practice by participating in the ministry of local churches throughout New England and New York.  Those in the church planting program must be involved in a church plant, those in pastoral ministry will be required to assist a seasoned pastor, those in music must serve in the music ministry of a church, etc.  Practical experience will also extend beyond the local congregation through the college’s Travel with a Purpose program.  This unique practical application requirement will not only have a positive impact on local churches by providing additional workers, but will also help students to gain the Mind of a Scholar, the Heart of a Shepherd and the Perseverance of a Soldier.

God has been moving in Vermont in a special way for the past decade. Though the evangelical church is small, it has grown by nearly 18% since 2000. The one piece that has been missing is deeper theological training. Terry Dorsett, Director of Missions for the Green Mountain Baptist Association says, “We believe that the Northeastern Baptist College will fill the gap and help the evangelical church continue to grow in Vermont.”

To learn more about Northeastern Baptist College you can visit the website at www.nebcvt.org

“Follow the money…”

This morning I read an article from USA Today about President Obama’s fundraising efforts for his re-election campaign.  The article stated that Obama has raised more than $240,000,000 thus far in his bid for a second term.  It went on to say that in 2008 he raised more than $745,000,0000, not to mention the money raised by the Democratic Committee.  Though denied by one of the President’s re-election campaign members, the article also indicated some were projecting more than one billion dollars would be raised by the President in this election cycle.

The article got me to wondering how much was actually raised by all candidates in 2008, how much has been raised thus far in this election cycle, and how much is anticipated by all candidates for the 2012 presidential campaigns.  So, I asked one of our staff at NEBC to do some research on the topic and present it to me.  I was amazed, to say the least.  Not only did we find that the above numbers appear to be very accurate, but the trend indicates every election cycle fund-raising numbers skyrocket, continually setting new records.

In the 2008 campaign all candidates combined reported raising $1,681,500,000.  The Democratic Candidates raised $1,075,700,000, of which President Obama raised $747,800,000.  The Republicans raised $605,800,000 of which John McCain raised $351,500,000.  Any way you cut it, that is a lot of money.

Because numbers for the fourth quarter have not yet been officially released, consider just for a moment the numbers reported for the third quarter of 2011 in our current election cycle.  There were 15 candidates who reported having raised money to run for President as of September 30, 2011.  Of those candidates there are only seven who are currently still in the race.  The eight candidates who are no longer in the race reported having raised a combined total of $19,147,946.  Now remember, these numbers do not include money raised during the months of October, November and December.  Remember also that these people are no longer in the race.

Now consider how much those still in the race reported having raised through September 30, 2011 for their bid for the Presidency:  President Obama – $86,215,580, Mitt Romney – $32,212,389, Rick Perry – $17,168,589, Ron Paul – $12,623,422, Jon Huntsman – $4,490,614, Newt Gingrich – $2,897,954, and Rick Santorum – $1,286,975.  Once again this does not include money raised in October, November, December, or thus far in January.  If the current trend continues, this election cycle will likely top two billion dollars raised by candidates, most of who will not even be in the running six weeks from now.[1]

Now I believe the presidential election is important.  Yet, the realities of following the money cry out that somewhere along the way, we have lost focus.  People give, often sacrificially, to help a politician gain a temporary office, in a temporary kingdom that will soon pass away, while at the same time decrying all politicians as being crooks.  In contrast, people are reluctant to give to Biblical causes while claiming that they believe in God, heaven, hell and eternity.

We all know that the economy is tough.  Thus, we excuse the fact that giving to churches, missions, Christian colleges, seminaries and other non-profits continue to decline.  Yet, giving to help individuals gain a temporary role in a temporary kingdom is on the rise, in spite of the economy.  Maybe the issue really is not one of the economic challenges faced by our country.  Maybe the real issue is that of the heart.  Jesus said, “For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  (Matthew 6:21)

The fact of the matter is one tenth of a half percent of the money that will be raised on the presidential campaigns in this election ($10,000,000) would put Northeastern Baptist College on a solid financial footing for its launch later this year.  Think of what that same amount could do for other Biblical organizations that are seeking to impact people not only in this life, but for all eternity.  It is time, Christian Believers, to take a hard look at our priorities.  We need to evaluate our treasures and honestly ask if we can say that we love God and His work more than we love the world.

---

[1] More information can be found on the numbers discussed in the first five paragraphs of this post by visiting the following two websites:  http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/index.php , http://www.fec.gov/disclosurep/pnational.do

Gift Giving: Why Bother?

“Only 6 shopping days til’ Christmas.”  That statement could be read on numerous newspapers across the US this morning.  Upon reading such a statement, many people feel the stress and strain of the season, particularly when it comes to gift giving.  Gift giving can be an overwhelming concept.  There are so many things to consider:  how much money can I spend, who should I buy for, how much should I spend on each person, what if they give me something more valuable than I give them, etc.   How can we deal with all this stress?

Several years ago my wife Cindy and I talked about all this and decided that we would take a fresh look at gift giving, particularly at Christmas time.  Let me share a few of the principles that changed the way we approach gift giving not only at this time of the year but all year long.  First, I will share “Why we give”, then “How we give” and finally, “Where we give.”

Why We Give

To boil it down to one sentence, “We give because God gave!”  John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.“  If you stop and think about it, it really is amazing that at Christmas time we are actually celebrating God’s gift to us.  Imagine going to a birthday party for a friend but instead of everyone taking that friend a gift, the friend actually gave everyone in attendance a gift.  On top of this unique celebration, think about the price of the gift God gave.  He gave His one and only Son to come to earth, live among human beings, face temptations just like we do but without sin, then to die in our place, taking the penalty for our sin.  He then rose from the dead and offers every single person who has ever lived or will ever live, complete forgiveness, a real relationship with the Father and the absolute assurance of an eternal home in Heaven.  That gift really is PRICELESS!

Reflecting on these facts we decided that our family would always give Christmas gifts with a different attitude.  We would give gifts not simply because it is the thing to do, but we would give gifts because God gave so much to us!  Before long, this reality not only transformed our Christmas giving but also transformed the way we view giving all together.  Every time we give anything we do so with a desire to reflect God’s Great Gift to us.  In reality it took the stress out of giving, caused us to want to increase our giving, and caused us to really begin to understand that it is more blessed to give than to receive.    Before long, this new attitude began to influence the way we view finances and giving all year long.  It brought a new freedom we had never known when it comes to the possessions the Lord entrusts to our care.

How We Give

With the new joy we have experienced with giving we often find ourselves wishing we had unlimited resources so that we could give every person we know a gift.  However, that is just not possible.  Many of my readers know that I am the youngest of nine children and have numerous nieces and nephews many of whom have children as well, which brings the total of just my side of the family to over 100 people.  Then if we added my wife’s family, all our friends, and neighbors we would be hard pressed to give each one even a small gift at Christmas.  So, we try to let our families and friends know that we love them all year long.  We then pray about our Christmas Gift Giving and ask the Lord to lead us.  We give to each other and of course Benjamin is one of the priorities of our giving.  However, once again our focus has changed in how we give beyond our immediate family.

As I mentioned above, the fact is, we are celebrating JESUS’ birthday!  Now, we know that we could never out give the Lord.  Nor, do we try.  But, we did come to the conviction that we should never give more to any individual inside or outside our immediate family, than we give to Jesus.  So, we take a look at what we can spend on Christmas gifts.  That amount changes from year to year, based on what circumstances the Father has seen fit for our lives.  We then decide how much we can spend on each other, and how much we will spend on Ben.  From here we consider who outside the immediate family to whom we feel led to give.  Then we look at the total we have decided to spend on each aspect and determine to spend our largest momentary amount on giving a Gift to Jesus.

Where We Give

Now obviously we cannot send a a gift to Heaven, so you may be wondering where we give Jesus’ gift.  Once again we turn to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to show us where we are to give His Gift.  Jesus’ Gift always includes a few things.  First, we give to our local church.  Biblically, that is the first place the believer should give.  Second, we give to the “Lottie Moon Christmas Offering” which is an offering received in over 45,000 Baptist Churches across the US each year.  One hundred percent of all the money received in this offering goes to international missionaries serving in the field.  This is one way we attempt to follow Jesus’ command to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.  Third, since we work in the Lord’s ministry, we usually give a gift to each person who works with us in the particular organization the Father has us leading.  From here we ask the Lord to show us where else He would have us give, which often includes Christian organizations like PL13, neighbors and those in need.

All Year Long

Since we first began this journey the Father has revolutionized our giving all year long.  We view giving much different.  I cannot remember the last time we gave because we “felt like we had to give.”  We give because He gave!  Truly, it is more blessed to give than to receive.  In fact, I would like to take this opportunity to give YOU something.  Let me give you a small booklet I wrote a few years back that helped our family learn even more about giving as a reflection of God’s gift.  You can download it for free by clicking on this sentence.  I pray it will be a blessing in your life.

Merry Christmas!

Asa’s Fourth “Asa Moment”

Have you ever thought, “I can not wait until I get to the place where my faith has grown so strong that I do not struggle like this”?  Through the years I have heard many people make statements similar to that one.  Well, after 35 years of making the right decisions to walk by faith, King Asa was faced with his fourth moment in time where he had to make a decision that would set his direction (an Asa Moment).  You would think after building a 35 year pattern of walking by faith this “Asa Moment” would be a no brainer.  You would think surely this guy had grown in his faith to the place that nothing would hinder him.  Well, lets see how the King dealt with his fourth “Asa Moment.”

“In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. Then Asa brought silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-Hadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying,  ’Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. Here, I have sent you silver and gold; come, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.’ So Ben-Hadad heeded King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali. Now it happened, when Baasha heard it, that he stopped building Ramah and ceased his work. Then King Asa took all Judah, and they carried away the stones and timber of Ramah, which Baasha had used for building; and with them he built Geba and Mizpah.”  2 Chron 16:1-6

Though there was tension between the Northern and Southern Kingdoms of Israel the LORD had given Asa peace for more than 25 years.  The last real battle the King faced was against the Ethiopians and Philistines, which God miraculously delivered into Asa’s hand.

The Challenge

Baasah, the King of Northern Israel decided that the 36th year of Asa’s reign was the time to defeat Judah.  He came against the Southern Kingdom by building Ramah to lay siege to Jerusalem.  Asa’s next “Asa Moment” had arrived.  He once again faced a challenge.  This time a military challenge.  How would Asa handle it?  Would he follow his life pattern and turn to God in faith?  After all, the Northern Kingdom had one king after another who chose not to follow the Lord, so surely God would defend His faithful follower Asa.  Or, would Asa decide he would handle this one on his own?  The challenge was clear, what would Asa choose?

The Choice

Asa came up with an ingenious plan.  I do not know if he simply decided he did not need God this time or if he was overwhelmed to the point that he decided he needed to walk by sight rather than by faith.  Whatever the reason, Asa chose to put his trust in the King of Damascus, rather than the King of Kings.  He sent a messenger to slip past Baasha’s siege lines and make his way to Syria.  The message asked his enemy to become his friend and to attack Baasha’s kingdom.  To add insult to injury, Asa took silver and gold that had been dedicated to the LORD’s work, to try to buy King Ben-Hadad of Syria’s help.  In short, he chose to trust his own ability and that of another man, rather than to trust the LORD.  After 35 years of walking by faith, Asa decided to walk by sight.  He wanted a solution that he could understand, that he could see, not one that required faith.

Never forget!  To walk by faith means that we walk trusting in the LORD, RATHER, than by sight.  Indeed Hebrews 11 tells us that “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things NOT SEEN.”  If we simply rely on our own resources, our own ability, or even that of another person, we are not walking by faith.  Faith requires risk.  Faith requires that we step out, trusting God.  I am afraid that we often make our own plans, based on our own resources and simply call it faith.  Faith is when we step out in obedience to God, trusting in Him and Him alone.  Asa figured out how he was going to handle this one, rather than turning to the Father in faith as he had done in the past.

The Consequences

At first reading it appears that Asa’s plan worked.  Ben-Hadad attacked the Northern Kingdom, word got to Baasha, he left his siege of Judah and returned to fight Ben-Hadad.  This allowed Asa to take his army and remove the siege works.  Asa’s ingenious plan worked.  By the way, never forget this:  just because something works does not mean it was a right decision.  Notice what happens next.

“And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: ‘Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the LORD your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.’ Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in prison, for he was enraged at him because of this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time.”  2 Chron 16:7-10

God sent word that Asa had came to his next “Asa Moment” and made the wrong decision.  He reminded Asa that He intervene for the king in the past, and certainly would have done so again, if Asa would have called out to Him in faith.  Because of Asa’s sin… (That’s right!  Choosing to walk by sight rather than by faith is not prudent, it is sin!).  Because of Asa’s sin, an enemy of God and of Judah had escaped.  Now, Asa would face war for the rest of his days.   His choice not only brought dire consequences but also set his direction down a wrong path.  Notice how Asa responded to the prophet’s message.  Rather than repenting, he became angry at the messenger.  He not only put the prophet in prison but also began oppressing the people of Judah.

No, you will never arrive at the point that you will not struggle with issues of faith and doubt…not in this life, not until you reach heaven.  Until then you will face “Asa Moments” where a challenge will present itself and you will have to choose whether to trust God or trust yourself.  If there was no struggle, it would not require faith.  Faith by its very nature requires us to walk by trusting God rather than by trusting our own sight.  We must not “lean on our own understanding.”  Each time we come to a faith decision, it is an opportunity to trust the Father.  When we choose to walk by faith it does set a pattern until the next “Asa Moment”  When we choose to walk by sight, we set a pattern of a different kind.  What will you choose?

“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth,

to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him“

Asa’s Third “Asa Moment”

If you have been following this blog over the last few weeks you know that I define “An Asa Moment” as a moment in time when you make a decision that sets your direction for sometime. Last week I noted that each of King Asa’s “Asa Moments” followed the basic pattern of a Challenge that led to a Choice, which was followed by Consequences. We called the King’s first “Asa Moment” a “Moment of Worship” and the second a “Moment of War.” Today’s “Asa Moment” can be called a “Moment of Warning.”

Often on the heels of great victory we find ourselves facing a challenge that could lead to our defeat.  Following a great victory, where the Lord came through in a strong fashion, it is easy to become comfortable and forget just how dependant we really are on God.  Scripture is full of examples of those who “forgot God” not long after the LORD granted them extreme blessings.  Often people experience the blessing of God and then end up taking credit for the victory themselves, rather than giving glory to the Lord.  Sometimes, we give glory to the Lord but then decide that “now we can handle the rest of life on our own.”  Thus, we become prideful until the next time we find ourselves completely overwhelmed.

Knowing human nature like He does, the Father sent a special message to King Asa, as he was returning from the battle with the Ethiopians.  We read about this “Asa Moment” in 2 Chronicles 15.  God’s message itself became Asa’s next challenge that required a choice and was followed by consequences.  Examine some of the key verses of this chapter with me.

The Challenge

“Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: ‘Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you…But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!‘ ” 2 Chron 15:1-2, 7

God sent one of His prophets to confront the king while he was returning from battle.  It was not that the king had done anything wrong at this point.  This was simply a warning from God, who knows our human tendencies.  The warning became a point of challenge for the king.  He had to once again make a decision.  God warned him that if Asa would continue to seek the LORD, Asa would continually “find” the LORD.  If however, Asa forsook the LORD, the LORD would forsake Asa.  In verses 3-6 the prophet reminds Asa of Israel’s past.  He reminds him that under Asa’s dad the kingdom had not followed the LORD.  He reminded the King how that God had heard his cry and responded to the need of the hour.  He then called on Asa in verse seven to “Be strong…” and promises that if Asa continues to do right then his ”work will be rewarded.”

The Choice

The Challenge was before King Asa.  Following this great victory God confronted the king and called him to once again make a decision that would set his direction for sometime.  The LORD did not want Asa to return from victory and get comfortable, only to forget God.  Rather, the Father intended for Asa to seek the Lord continually throughout his life.  In addition, God wanted Asa to lead all Judah to do the same.  What would Asa choose?  Notice a few key verses with me that demonstrate the king’s choice.

“And when Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had taken in the mountains of Ephraim; and he restored the altar of the LORD that was before the vestibule of the LORD.”           2 Chron 15:8

“So they gathered together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. And they offered to the LORD at that time seven hundred bulls and seven thousand sheep from the spoil they had brought. Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; and whoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel was to be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. Then they took an oath before the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting and trumpets and rams’ horns. And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them, and the LORD gave them rest all around.”  2 Chron 15:10-15

“Also he removed Maachah, the mother of Asa the king, from being queen mother, because she had made an obscene image of Asherah; and Asa cut down her obscene image, then crushed and burned it by the Brook Kidron.”  2 Chron 15:16

“He also brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated and that he himself had dedicated: silver and gold and utensils.”  2 Chron 15:18

Asa’s choice was clear.  He began to seek the LORD even more than he had before.  He called on all Judah to seek the LORD with him.  They began to remove all the false gods from the land.  Asa even removed his own mother from power because of the idolatry in her own life.  He then led the people to make an oath to seek the LORD.  He led them to offer sacrifices and to give silver and gold to the work of the LORD.  Asa once again made the decision to follow the Father’s will.

The Consequences

The consequences of this Asa moment are recorded for us in two verses.  Notice verses nine and nineteen with me.

“Then he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who dwelt with them from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, for they came over to him in great numbers from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.”  2 Chron 15:9

“And there was no war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa.”  2 Chron 15:19

The LORD blessed Asa in a lot of ways.  However, two of those blessings are recorded for us in the context of this third “Asa Moment.”  First, God expanded Asa’s godly influence.  Remember that following Solomon’s death, Israel split into two kingdoms.  The Northern Kingdom (often simply called Israel) was made up of 10 tribes.  The Southern Kingdom (usually referred to only as Judah) contained only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.  God responded to Asa’s choice by prompting the hearts of people from three additional tribes (Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon) to shift their loyalty to the Southern Kingdom.  Secondly, the Father granted Asa a period of more than twenty-five years of peace.

Asa heard the warning of God delivered through His prophet and Asa chose to seek the Lord more intently than ever before.  How do you respond to God’s warnings in your life?  Do you daily examine your trust level?  Are you daily seeking the LORD?  Or, do you just seek the LORD in times of overwhelming trouble?  Do you trust Him only when you are hanging on by a thread?  Follow Asa’s example in today’s text.  Choose to trust and seek the LORD every day!  Don’t wait until the next time you are in a desperate situation.  Trust Him now!  Seek Him today!

Asa’s Second “Asa Moment”

Last week I began a series of posts titled “An Asa Moment.”  If you read that blog you know that I define “An Asa Moment” as a moment in time when you make a decision that sets your direction for sometime.  Asa’s first “Asa Moment” came as he ascended to the throne of the Southern Kingdom of Israel (Judah).  At that moment he had to decide what kind of king he would be and he chose to be a king that worshiped the One True God.  Thus, his first “Asa Moment” could be called “A Moment of Worship.”  He made the right choice and experienced God’s blessings because of it.  This week’s “Asa Moment” comes in the context of war and could be called, “A Moment of War.”  Take a few minutes to consider it with me.

Upon further study of the life of Asa this past week I have noticed another similarity in all five of the “Asa Moments” recorded for us in 2 Chronicles 14-16.  In each case Asa faced a challenge, then had to make a choice.  The choice was followed by consequences.  The same is true in our lives today.  When we face an “Asa Moment” we are facing a challenge in life.  Challenges come in all shapes and sizes, but all challenges are, well, a challenge.  These challenges always leads to a choice.  We have to decide how we will face the challenge.  We will attempt to face it in our own strength based on our own understanding, or will we trust in the Lord with all our heart and take it to him.  King Asa faced his first challenge by turning to the Lord.  Let’s see how he faced his second “Asa Moment.”

“Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah. So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. And Asa cried out to the LORD his God, and said, “LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!” So the LORD struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.”  (2 Chron 14:9-12)

In this “Asa Moment” the king faced an overwhelming challenge.  Zerah led an army that was almost twice the size of Asa’s and had far better equipment for battle.  Asa did the only thing he could and lined up in battle array, but he certianly must have felft the weight of knowing this challenge was way too big for he and his army.  He faced 1 million fighting men and 300 chariots.  The odds were clearly against him.

A choice had to be made.  What would Asa do?  Would he try to outsmart his enemy?  Would he try to convince his army they could win against all odds?  Would he call on someone else to supplement his own army?  Or, would he turn to the Lord?  Surely King Asa must have known of the writings of his great grandfather recorded for us in Proverbs 3:5-6.  “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”  Yet, knowing Scripture was not enough!  Asa had to decide whether he was going to live by Scripture or if he was going to “lean on his own understanding.”  Verse 11 demonstrates his choice.  Asa chose to cry out to God.  He declared his faith in the LORD by acknowledging that it “is nothing for You to help.”  Having indicated he knew God could help, he then turned his attention to asking God to help.  In the later part of the verse he completely turned the battle over to God, as can be observed by his words, “do not let man prevail against You.”  As far as Asa was concerned, it was now a fight between Zerah and God…the battle was the LORD’s…Asa was simply a foot soldier taking orders from the Commander in Chief!

All our choices have consequences.  When we make the right choice, good consequences result.  When we make the wrong choice, bad consequences result.  We either invite God’s blessing or God’s discipline by the choices we make.  Now our idea of blessing is not always the same as the Lord’s, but none the less, we all know that we are better off with God’s blessing than with His discipline.  Yet even His discipline is for our good and is meant to bring us back to a place of blessing.  Verse 12 demonstrates the consequence of Asa’s choice.  God defeated the Ethiopians.  Notice, it did not say that Asa defeated them.  Nor did it say that Judah defeated them.  Rather, God Himself defeated the enemies of Asa.  Asa trusted God, and God came through.

Asa’s first two “Asa Moments” were moments where he faced a challenge and made the right choice.  These decisions paved the way for God’s great blessings in his life.  Verses 13-14 of the same chapter indicate that God not only defeated the Ethiopians but He also empowered Judah to then fight against their old enemies the Philistines and defeat several of their cities on the return trip.  He blessed them not only with victory but he also increased their possessions through the great spoil of goods from these battles.  Asa chose to trust God instead of trying to figure it out on his own, and God came through!

How about you?  When you face the “Asa Moments” of your life how do you respond?  Remember the “Asa Moment” is marked by a challenge that requires a decision that will set the direction of your life, at least until the next “Asa Moment.”  Your choice not only sets your direction, but is followed by consequences.  When you face the challenges of life you have to decide.  Will you “lean on your own understanding?”  Or, will you “Trust in the LORD with all your heart?”  In round two, Asa chose to Trust the LORD.  What will you choose?

An Asa Moment…

In recent weeks my faith has been challenged.  Throughout that time the Lord led me to study the life of Asa, King Solomon’s great grandson.  Though I considered every time Asa in mentioned in the Bible, the primary focus of my study came in 2 Chronicles 14-16.  The more I read, reflected, and studied these three chapters the more I realized the significance of five specific moments in Asa’s life.  This last week, I began to call these moments, “An Asa Moment.”

My definition of “An Asa Moment” is a moment in time when a decision is made that sets one’s direction in life.  Though we make decisions everyday, even numerous times a day, there are moments in our lives where we make a decision that impacts our direction in life, at least until the next “Asa Moment.”  Recently, I faced one of these moments personally and that is most likely why the Father led me back to Asa.  It certainly helped me and I trust my writings on Asa will help you.

Over the next few weeks I hope to consider five specific “Asa Moments” in this blog.  To get the most out of these considerations Please do two things.  First, ask the Lord to use His Word and our consideration of these chapters in your life.  Second, be willing to really let the Lord speak to you about the key “Asa Moments” in your own life.  With that, let us consider the first “Asa Moment.”

“So Abijah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years. Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God, for he removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places, and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the wooden images. He commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment. He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was quiet under him. And he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because the LORD had given him rest. Therefore he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us, because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered.”  2 Chron 14:1-7

Asa first real moment of decision came when he became King of the Southern Kingdon of Judah.  We are most familiar with the first three kings of Israel: Saul, David and Solomon.  After Solomon’s death his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.  However, Jeroboam rallied the 10 northern tribes around himself, rebelled against Solomon’s son and split Israel into two Kingdoms.  Generally from this point forward the Northern Kingdom was called Israel and the Southern Kingdom Judah.  Israel had one bad king after another.  Some were worse but not one single Northern Kingdom King really followed the LORD.  The Southern Kingdom remained in the hands of the family of David.  Some of these kings followed the LORD and some did not.

When Asa ascended the throne, he had a decision to make.  Was he going to follow the LORD as David did, or was h.e going to do his own thing, like the kings of the north.  His ascension to leadership required a decision, a defining moment that would set his direction for quite some time.  Verses two through four tell us of his choice.  “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God, for he removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places, and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the wooden images. He commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment.”

Asa came to his first defining moment and chose the right path.  He decided to follow the LORD and to lead all of Judah to do the same.  He began destroying altars of false gods, tearing apart wooden images, and calling on all of Judah to seek the LORD, to obey His laws and to obey His commands.  God blessed Asa for his decision and gave the land rest.

How about you?  Is your heart set to seek the LORD, to obey His Word, to follow His leading?  By reading this blog post, the LORD may have just brought you to your own Asa Moment.  He may have brought you to a decision point that will set your direction for sometime.  Right now He is inviting you to make a fresh choice.  Decide right now that you will follow Him and lead others to do the same.  To do so will require that you trust Him.  It will require that you “lean not on your own understanding.”  It will require that you learn to depend completely on Him rather than rely on your own strength, your own ability, or your own resources.  This will become clear in the next “Asa Moment” post.