II Chronicles 26:5 - “He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.” There is a principle in this single verse that can build a life—or break one. Uzziah became king of Judah at sixteen. He did not inherit a legacy of steady faith. His father, Amaziah, had begun well but finished poorly. He obeyed God—until success tempted him to spiritual compromise. After victory in battle, he bowed to the very gods of the people he defeated. Half-hearted devotion led to full-scale ruin. Jerusalem suffered. The kingdom fractured. Amaziah died disgraced. Then came Uzziah. Into the life of this young king stepped a man named Zechariah. Not a warrior. Not a politician. A teacher. A man who ... Read More about Strong—Until He Stopped Seeking God
The Weapon That Turns Impossible Odds
II Chronicles 13: 14-16 “And when Judah looked, behold, the battle was in front of and behind them. And they cried to the Lord, and the priests blew the trumpets. Then the men of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the men of Judah shouted, ‘God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. The men of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand. These verses tells us that when Judah looked up, the battle was raging in front of them and behind them. They were surrounded. There was no clear escape, no obvious advantage, and no battle plan that could guarantee survival. So, they did the most powerful thing they could do — they cried out to the Lord. The priests blew the trumpets. The men of Judah lifted a shout of faith. And as they shouted a declaration of ... Read More about The Weapon That Turns Impossible Odds
Prayer Isn’t Just About Getting Answers—It’s About Getting God
II Chronicles 6:28-31 “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemies besiege them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing his own affliction and his own sorrow…then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways, for you, you only, know the hearts of the children of mankind, that they may fear you and walk in your ways all the days of their lives…” In Solomon’s prayer of dedication, we are given a breathtaking invitation into the heart of God. Standing before the newly completed temple, Solomon acknowledges an ... Read More about Prayer Isn’t Just About Getting Answers—It’s About Getting God
When God Stops the Service
II Chronicles 5:13-14 “…and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, and when the song was raised…in praise to the Lord, ‘For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,’ the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house.” Imagine this scene: the temple, finally complete, gleaming with beauty and purpose, finally ready to receive the arc of the covenant of God. Solomon gathers all Israel — priests, Levites, trumpeters, singers — every heart and voice united in one mission: to honor the Lord. As they lift their voices in harmony and sing, “For He is good, for His ... Read More about When God Stops the Service
Seeking God: The Condition Behind the Blessing
I Chronicles 28: 9-10 “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. Be careful now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary, be strong and do it.” That is David’s final charge to Solomon. Do not use God. Do not honor God from a distance. Instead, know Him. Serve Him. With a whole heart. With a willing mind. Because, David warns, the Lord is not fooled by appearances—He searches every heart and understands every plan and thought. Then comes the line that should make every reader uncomfortable: If you seek Him, He will be ... Read More about Seeking God: The Condition Behind the Blessing
When Zeal Replaces Listening
I Chronicles 17:1–2 “Now when David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, ‘Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.’” Once David was firmly established as king and settled into a palace built of costly cedar, something began to trouble him. The ark of God—the visible symbol of the Lord’s presence—still rested under a tent. The contrast disturbed David’s sense of propriety. God, in David’s mind, deserved better. Surely honor demanded something grander. So, David voiced his intention to Nathan. He would build God a house worthy of His greatness. Nathan immediately affirmed the idea. It made sense. God was clearly with David. David’s motives ... Read More about When Zeal Replaces Listening