2 Chronicles 21-28

Trying to catch up with you on our Bible reading and blogging, but first, what a great Day in the house of the Lord.  Bill and Charlieann Douthit joined us by transfer.  They are a delightful couple with a wonderful story to tell about how they met and became the Douthits.  They worship with us in the 8:15 service and live in the Blue Springs community.  And then there was confirmation.....8 bright and beautiful young people aligning themselves with the God of our Creation.   5 confirmations and 3 baptisms.....it was a mighty blessing to be a part of them for these last 24 weeks and today.  My prayer is that they will always keep their covenant with God and serve him gladly.  What a blessing they will be to the church!  The youth group finished out my day as we went to see the movie "Soul Surfer".  It is a great movie with a very Christian feel.  Many Christian themes and prompts throughout the movie that tells the true story of a young woman who loses her arm in a shark attack and then goes on to become a champion surfer.  It was a three hankie movie for me.  Great feel good story!!  I would recommend it to any looking for a pick me up.

My good friend, Don Caslavak, says that when he writes his Reader's Digest version of the Bible, Kings and Chronicles will be folded into one book and it is true that they tell much of the same story.  the stories in these chapters are the Chronicles of a line of Judean Kings whose stories can also be found in the book of 2 Kings.  The are a litany that includes Jehoram, Ahaziah, Queen Athaliah, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham and Ahaz.  Some of them tried to honor God and God blessed their efforts.  Some followed in the way of the Kings of Israel and that meant that they were bad, led the people in sin and worshiped Idols.  Queen Athalilah and Jehoram were murderers, slaying their own flesh and blood to cement their own power.  Some, like us, were both good and bad.  When they put God first, there was blessing in the land and when they became proud or began to assume that the goodness in the land was because of themselves, God would punish their false pride.  Ahaz was a very evil man who introduced Molech to Judah and sacrificed babies to this false God.  Ahaz is the beginning of the end for Judah.  It won't be long until God allows his chosen people to be carried into exile again.  This time it will be Babylonia rather than Egypt who will be the fire that God will use to burn away the sin in the hearts of his chosen people.

There is the key to our reading.....guard your heart.  This is the place that God holds for himself in your person.  He desires it to be his personal throne room in your life.  It is the center of your being and influences you thoughts, desires, hopes and dreams.  If you keep God as your center, he will guide your steps and you will be a blessing to your children and your children's children.  Guard your heart this, you people of Faith and watch God at work to guide your path.