It’s not the best of emotions to consider, but despair is a fairly heavy emotion. To feel it and express it says much about the condition that leads to it. The king in question in this verse is Josiah. Of all the kings to be found in despair, he is one of the odd ones. […]
Read More What Would Lead to Despair?We were returning from a good night out with the brothers. I turned to my dear friend and said something about how precious and important that time was. He looked knowingly at me and mentioned something about Total Church. The phrase echoed in my mind. My good friend could say that phrase because we share […]
Read More TotallyThere is a difference between a skilled person using their skills well, being known for that skill but with a character that lacks and a person who may not have outstanding skills but commits their life to having an outstanding character. The end of the life of Asa is tragic. Tragic because of the character […]
Read More The Rise and Fall of Asa: 5 – A Wholehearted Life for the GiverObedience and faithfulness is based on a humble attitude. Without it there is the danger of all of that being replaced by something far uglier. Asa has a good reputation among the Kings of Judah. In a reign that lasted longer than that of any of his predecessors the large majority of it was spent […]
Read More The Rise and Fall of Asa: 4 – How It Went WrongWhen things are tough, it’s more than understandable that the pressure will either bring you down or challenge you to persevere more. What happens, however, when things turn massively in your favour? What if things really appear to be working out for you? Asa made a very good start to his reign as far as […]
Read More The Rise and Fall of Asa: 3 – What To Do When Things Go WellThe series on the Rise and Fall of Asa will continue, but this was a tune that helped me considerably recently in highlighting the importance of hearing from God to be effective in life. A great song to remind you that there truly is no other way that we can live. For His Name’s Sake […]
Read More A Good Song to Remind You …The world we grow up in is the result of decisions made by people before us. Those decisions influence behaviours that set up patterns of existence. In time these become so embedded in society that they become norms. One generation exercises it, the next generation continues it and the following generation takes it for granted. […]
Read More The Rise and Fall of Asa: 2 – A Rise Based on Faith and ObedienceListening to scripture being read has become one of my favourite things to do in life. There’s a dramatised version of the New International Version that I love listening to especially when it comes to texts with the necessary narrative. So whilst listening, I came across 2 Chronicles. I gotta say, 1 and 2 Kings […]
Read More The Rise & Fall of Asa: 1 – ContextWouldn’t it be tragic if you trained for so long and put in the hours of performance in a competition that turned out to be the wrong one. You might not think that would happen. Surely someone would notice and correct things. No one would persist competing in the wrong race. Surely not. Reality is […]
Read More On The Run: EpilogueSometimes we get ourselves in a situation we can’t get out of. So mired in circumstances and mental conditions that coping mechanisms are all we have. In the middle of all that I am grateful that the good news is about God seeing that condition did something about it. Doing something we could never do […]
Read More On The Run: The Home Run
