June 23rd

Today's reading in the One Year Bible Chronological Reading Plan is 2 Kings 15:32-38; 2 Chronicles 27:1-9; Micah 1:1-16; 2 Kings 16:1-9; 2 Chronicles 28:1-15; Isaiah 7:1-25.

Scripture
If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. Isaiah 7:9b

Observation
God sent the prophet Isaiah to give King Ahaz a message. He told Ahaz that the attack against Jerusalem would not succeed. He then gave Ahaz a challenge - will you believe? If Ahaz did not believe, the outcome of the battle wouldn't change - God had already decreed that the attack would fail, and it would fail whether Ahaz believed or not. But what WOULD change is the course of Ahaz's life and reign as king.

However, Ahaz did not believe. He did not trust in the promise of the Lord and instead purchased his safety from the Assyrians (which would eventually be Judah's downfall) - and his plan succeeded. Ahaz likely thought it was his sharp political maneuvering that saved them. However, he did not realize that if only he had believed God, he would've won the battle AND been blessed.

Application
The challenge is just as true for us as it was for King Ahaz. If we do not stand firm in our faith, we will not stand. If we will not believe God, we will not receive the blessings that He has planned for us.

We need to believe God's promises, and act on that belief. If we do so, we will be blessed. If we do not, we may have success but it will only be a pathetic shallow reflection of what might have been. We will miss out, and not even know it.

Prayer
Dear God, we thank You for the promises You have given us in Your Word. We thank You for Your great faithfulness that You have demonstrated to us over and over again - both in bible times and in our lives right now. Give us ears to hear and eyes to see, and the strength to live out the faith we claim to believe. Amen

Tomorrow's passage: Isaiah 8-11