The Highways of My Life

 

 

The Highways of My Life

 

I enjoy the highways of life, especially the eight-lane ones. When I was
a small child, the highways led to new adventures with little risk. Mom
and Dad were always there to ensure it was a small danger to me. 

When I became a teenager, the highways seemed so bright. 

I knew that my happiness had to be in flight.

As a young man, I acquired a wife, and the highways seem so

right together. Risk? What risk? The highways seemed to call. The faster you
drive, the less your conscience sees, the small pitfalls.

The world called me to the fast lane and promised many things. Things of
pleasure, hope, and fun, but it did require one little thing. I had to
get into a faster lane. One that required so much time, but it promised
power and wealth, and maybe even fame.

The highways of this world seemed to offer me real life, but the risks
were greater, and almost cost me my life. One day on my eight-lane highway to hell, I met a nonreligious man. He told me about His Father...another nonreligious Spirit. He talked about the highways of my life as if He had been with me all along. He knew all the curves, potholes, dead ends, and construction.

His love, and understanding, of my life drew me from the highway to His
rest stop. It was at that rest stop that I learned that He was the Master
Designer of all. At his rest stop, I was given a book; He called the
manufacturer's handbook. It was all about Him and His Father and His
promises.

I needed to stop at that rest stop. Afterward, I was not the same, and
when I re-entered the highway, it was only one lane. The Master Designer
had told me it would be a narrow road, but he did not tell me everything.
I have discovered that His narrow lane runs down the middle of my old
eight-lane highway. Yes, it goes against the traffic and all the high-risk travelers

 kept going faster and faster to nowhere.

Have I ever gotten off the narrow lane and back onto the eight-lane highway? 

The answer is yes, and I have had a few wrecks. But the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Master Designer has promised to pick me up, and He is faithful, to return me to the contraflow, narrow lane.

This is what happened to me one day on the way to hell.

Bob Rice

Amaziah's Idolatry

 

 

2 Chronicles 25:14-16

 

Augusta 12, 2023

 

Amaziah's Idolatry

After Amaziah came from striking down the Edomites, he brought the gods of the men of Seir and set them up as his gods and worshiped them, making offerings to them.  Therefore, the Lord was angry with Amaziah and sent to him a prophet, who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of a people who did not deliver their own people from your hand?”  But as he was speaking, the king said to him, “Have we made you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” So, the prophet stopped, but said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”

 

Have you ever heard someone say, it is hard to deal with stupid?  How could anyone be as arrogant, and stupid as Amaziah’s?  Before going into the battle with the Edomites, he listens to the man of God and does not use the 100,000 men of Israel, but after defeating the men of Seir, he brings back their gods and worships them.  It is hard to understand stupid leadership, and then as now, the Lord's anger is against such men.

 

The problem is the Amaziah of this world then and now will use their power to silence the wise counsel of the man of God.  I wonder how often God has said who will go and give him foolish counsel so that I can use it to destroy him.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

 

Note: As a follower of Christ our orders are to pray for such people.

 

Amaziah's Victories

                                                               2 Chronicles 25:5-13

 

August 11, 2023

 

Amaziah's Victories

Then Amaziah assembled the men of Judah and set them by fathers' houses under commanders of thousands and of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He mustered those twenty years old and upward and found that they were 300,000 choice men, fit for war, able to handle spear and shield.  He hired also 100,000 mighty men of valor from Israel for 100 talents of silver.  But a man of God came to him and said, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel, with all these Ephraimites.  But go, act, be strong for the battle. Why should you suppose, that God will cast you down before the enemy? For God has the power to help or to cast down.”  And Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do about the hundred talents that I have given to the army of Israel?” The man of God answered, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this.”  Then Amaziah discharged the army that had come to him from Ephraim to go home again. And they became very angry with Judah and returned home in fierce anger.  But Amaziah took courage and led out his people and went to the Valley of Salt and struck down 10,000 men of Seir.  The men of Judah captured another 10,000 alive and took them to the top of a rock and threw them down from the top of the rock, and they were all dashed to pieces.  But the men of the army whom Amaziah sent back, not letting them go with him to battle, raided the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Beth-horon, and struck down 3,000 people in them and took much spoil.

Would anyone in the current leadership of the USA listen to a man of God, are would they go on with the plans they had?  Maybe a better question would a man of God have access to our President?  Amaziah listened and did what the man of God told him to do, but much would have been different if Amaziah had sought God’s direction before hiring the Ephraimites of Israel?

 

As followers of Christ, we have been given a clear understanding of the need to first seek God’s council, before all decisions.  Many of my problems were entering into business and family matters without seeking the council of the Lord.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

 

 

 

 

Amaziah Reigns in Judah

 

 

 

2 Chronicles 25:1-4

 

August 10, 2023

 

Amaziah Reigns in Judah

Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.  And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart.  And as soon as the royal power was firmly his, he killed his servants who had struck down the king his father.  But he did not put their children to death, according to what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, “Fathers shall not die because of their children, nor children die because of their fathers, but each one shall die for his own sin.”

 

Many in the Church are like Amaziah, they do not serve the Lord with a whole heart.  As His followers, we are to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord with a WHOLE heart, but is that the requirement for His Church?  In Mark 12:30, we are told by Jesus; “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”  We also find the same command in Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”  

Church, that sounds like Whole Heart, to this writer, He first before mother, dad, or children, before work, or play, He demands to be First.  Can you find any reason why we would not do so?  Well, the Scriptures tell us we can choose and we do to listen to the Spirit or the flesh, and the world.  It always comes down to a choice.

Now back to Amaziah, he did honor the Law, in the Book of Moses, and yet the Lord tells us did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not with a whole heart.  

Often, I find myself needing to go to 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”  An unexamined life is dangerous.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Joash was his Dad's boy

 

 

2 Chronicles 24:15-27

 

July 9-2023

 

But Jehoiada grew old and full of days and died. He was 130 years old at his death.  And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.

Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them.  And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.  Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.

Joash's Treachery

Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’”  But they conspired against him, and by command of the king, they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord.  Thus, Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!”

Joash Assassinated

At the end of the year, the army of the Syrians came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus.  Though the army of the Syrians had come with few men, the Lord delivered into their hand a very great army, because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. Thus, they executed judgment on Joash.

 When they had departed from him, leaving him severely wounded, his servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son ^[ of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So, he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.  Those who conspired against him were Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonite, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabite.  Accounts of his sons and of the many oracles against him and of the rebuilding of the house of God are written in the Story of the Book of the Kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his place.

 

It is all about Leadership, as long as Jehoiada lives Joash honors the God of Jehoiada, but it seems he was his dad’s son and did as his dad and his evil mother had done, worship the pagan gods, who could not see or hear.

It often seems as if God is not in control and Joash as many in leadership today had no fear of God.  The USA is modeling the ways of Judah and judgment has already begun.

Many myself included were not happy with President Trump’s tweet but I voted for the man twice, in that he was the only President that had conviction and did his best to honor his word.  The one in the office of the President now has a history of lying, and now we have knowledge he and his family have taken millions from nations that hate us.  Please pray for mercy, and that the Biden family will come to an awaking that Jesus is 
Truth, and seek His forgiveness.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Joash Repairs the Temple

 

2 Chronicles 24:1-14

 

August 6, 2023

 

Joash Repairs the Temple

Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba.  And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.  Jehoiada got for him two wives, and he had sons and daughters.  After this Joash decided to restore the house of the Lord.  And he gathered the priests and the Levites and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and gather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you act quickly.” But the Levites did not act quickly.  So, the king summoned Jehoiada the chief, and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax levied by Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the congregation of Israel for the tent of testimony?”  For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman had broken into the house of God and had also used all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord for the Baals.

So, the king commanded, and they made a chest and set it outside the gate of the house of the Lord.  And proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring in for the Lord the tax that Moses the servant of God laid on Israel in the wilderness.  And all the princes and all the people rejoiced and brought their tax and dropped it into the chest until they had finished. And whenever the chest was brought to the king's officers by the Levites, when they saw that there was much money in it, the king's secretary and the officer of the chief priest would come and empty the chest and take it and return it to its place. Thus, they did day after day and collected money in abundance.  And the king and Jehoiada gave it to those who had charge of the work of the house of the Lord, and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of the Lord, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the house of the Lord.  So those who were engaged in the work labored, and the repairing went forward in their hands, and they restored the house of God to its proper condition and strengthened it.  And when they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made utensils for the house of the Lord, both for the service and for the burnt offerings, and dishes for incense and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord regularly all the days of Jehoiada.

 

This plays very hard on my heart, for Jehoiada the priest was the only father figure that Joash had known, and did what was right in the eyes of God as long as Jehoiada was alive.  Dad’s and granddads are we building a life that will last long after we are gone?  The only foundation a parent or grandparent can leave is built on Christ alone.  If your child or grandchild enters into a relationship with Jesus and abides in Him they will not turn out like Joash.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

 

What is the Price of Pride?

 

What is the Price of Pride?

Luke 18:9-30

 

Before we get into the Lesson, think about these things:

1.   What will it cost me to follow Jesus?

2.   Where do I really place my faith?

3.   Do I place faith in myself?

4.   Have I exalted myself this past week?

5.   Is God holding back the things I need? Or is God stingy in His giving to His children?

 

V.9 “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:”

·      We all have heard the story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector someone shared it with the group; what happened on that day at the temple?

o   The Pharisee or (Baptist) exalted himself before the Holy God!

The Pharisees, who represented the Look at Me God group, thought his works were a ticket into God’s kingdom.

§  The Pharisee (trusted in his works) see: Romans 10:3

§  He also had self at the center of his life; look at (2 Co. 10:12

§  What does God say about such a man? Look at Rev.3:17

 

o   The Tax Collector humbles himself before a Holy God!

§  The Tax Collector saw his need; he saw sin in his life and he confessed, he chose humility, he chose mercy, and he repented.

§  Confession of sin (I John 1:9) also (Pr 28:13)

§  Sought after humility: Proverbs 22:4, 29:23; Isa 57:15

§  Sought after mercy: look at Ps 27:7, 51:1-13

§  He sought repentance: see Acts 3:19, 17:30

How did the Tax Collector leave the Temple?  He left justified!  What does that mean, justified?  

§  Shall we begin with a man named Abram, look at Ge. 15:6, in Acts 13:39 we see the Law could not make us in right standing with God. Now turn to Gal. 3:24 and it is by faith that put us in a right standing with God.

 

What role does honest repentance play in modern worship?

 

Would you be willing to pray with someone at the end of a service as they repent?

 

Is pride a factor that keeps us from repenting and participating with others publicly who repent?

 

What does Jesus tell us happens when we exalt ourselves?  Is this the only place Jesus talks about pride in one's life?  Look at Luke 7:36-50

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Jehoiada Covenant with the People

 

 

2 Chronicles 23:16-21

 

August 4, 2023

 

And Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king that they should be the Lord's people.  Then all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.  And Jehoiada posted watchmen for the house of the Lord under the direction of the Levitical priests and the Levites whom David had organized to be in charge of the house of the Lord, to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, as it is written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, according to the order of David.  He stationed the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the Lord so that no one should enter who was in any way unclean.  And he took the captains, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the Lord, marching through the upper gate to the king's house. And they set the king on the royal throne.  So, all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been put to death with the sword.

 

What happens when God’s people have a leader who obeys God’s calling as Jehoiada has done?  He leads them away from the little gods of this world back to the King of King and Lord of lords.  They become people of action, and they stand for righteousness.  I can only imagine what took place as they entered into this covenant with each other.  They had allowed the little gods that other pagan nations worship to come not only into their nations but to be worshiped by the leaders of Judah.

 

Their first action was to repent, then remove all items of worship of pagan gods, and as stated yesterday their child King had been brought up by the priest to put his trust in God alone.  

 

I have no knowledge of what the priest did under the rule of that evil woman and how worship was done, but in that, she was evil and allowed false gods like Baal to be worshiped, it seems clear that things were not according to the laws of Moses or in keeping with what David had ordered.

 

For the last two days, Jan and I participated in the Global Leadership Summit.  As partakers, our job was to listen, learn, and act on what was taught.  On the first day, Graig Groescgel kicked things off by telling us the future of leadership was trust, and that a leader must have, transparency, Empathy, and consistency.  After Graig, many good speakers, but on the last day the last speaker was Patrick Lencioni, who is the founder and President of The Table Group, and with total transparency, I wonder why was he the person chosen to close the summit.

 

He began by telling us Wisdom is why we are here, and then he said I’ve never given a talk like this one.  He told us about three women of great courage, Queen Esther, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Joan of Arc.  He told how at the age of 15 Joan heard God telling her she would lead the army of France to defeat England.  And at 17 she led the French Army to defeat the English.  She was a poor peasant girl whose family did not believe her and it was not easy and took a lot of courage to get the king to believe God had spoken to this young girl.

 

Patrick, ask this question: Will I do what God tells me to do?  It will take public courage, it will require personal courage, with co-workers, family, friends, and neighbors, This question, and the famous line by Mordecai, “Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.”  It will take courage for each of us to act on what God has said to us, but it may be you were put on earth for such a time as this.  Leaders are people who have learned to be, transparent, Empathy, and Consistent, who study to show themselves worthy of being Followers of Jesus Christ.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Athaliah Executed

 

 

2 Chronicles 23:8-15

 

July 3, 2023

 

The Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they each brought his men, who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the divisions.  And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains the spears and the large and small shields that had been King David's, which were in the house of God.  And he set all the people as a guard for the king, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house.  Then they brought out the king's son and put the crown on him and gave him the testimony. And they proclaimed him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and they said, “Long live the king.”

Athaliah Executed

When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she went into the house of the Lord to the people.  And when she looked, there was the king standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and the singers with their musical instruments leading in the celebration. And Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!”  Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains who were set over the army, saying to them, “Bring her out between the ranks, and anyone who follows her is to be put to death with the sword.” For the priest said, “Do not put her to death in the house of the Lord.”  So, they laid hands on her, and she went into the entrance of the horse gate of the king's house, and they put her to death there.

Seven years of a person leading the nation of Judah that was not of the Lineage of David, an evil person, who had no fear of man or God till one day she heard the people praising the King.  Payday comes to all people, and it is always based on the choices we make.  Athaliah chose to reject the ways of right living and choose evil, she had a short rule over the people.

 

What is so encouraging to this writer who is experiencing the rule of an evil ruler; is that the majority of the people rejoiced that a seven-year-old from the house of David, who had been taught the ways of God would be their King.

 

I long for leaders who have a personal relationship with God and a healthy fear of Him to lead this nation.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Joash Made King

 

2 chronicles 23:1-7

 

Augusta 2, 2023

 

Joash Made King 

But in the seventh year Jehoiada took courage and entered into a covenant with the commanders of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri.  And they went about through Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers' houses of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.  And all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king's son! Let him reign, as the Lord spoke concerning the sons of David.  This is the thing that you shall do: of you priests and Levites who come off duty on the Sabbath, one-third shall be gatekeepers, and one-third shall be at the king's house and one-third at the Gate of the Foundation. And all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord.  Let no one enter the house of the Lord except the priests and ministering Levites. They may enter, for they are holy, but all the people shall keep the charge of the Lord.  The Levites shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand. And whoever enters the house shall be put to death. Be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”

Recall how Athaliah, the Queen mother killed the royal family but she missed Joash whose sister hid in the house of God.  It is also important to recall this; “Thus Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest, because she was a sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah so that she did not put him to death.”

This evil woman reigned over Judah for seven years, her heart was set on one thing power, and for seven years she believed she was indestructible, but payday was seven years away.

In our time we would not want a seven-year-old to rule over us, but he was of the lineage of King David and was taught by Jehoiada the priest the ways of God.  How different would the USA be if we had a leader who had been taught the ways of God, from a child and had bowed to God's authority over Him?

Will you join me in asking God for such a leader?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

 

 

 

Athaliah Reigns in Judah

 

 

2 Chronicles 22:10-12

 

July 31, 2023

Athaliah Reigns in Judah

 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family of the house of Judah.  But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's sons who were about to be put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest, because she was a sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah so that she did not put him to death.  And he remained with them six years, hidden in the house of God, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

 

One must not forget that Queen Mother Athaliah was the granddaughter of Omri.  She had been her son's chief counselor in doing evil like Ahab.  What does dear old mom do to hold on to the power, she kills the royal family.  But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's sons who were about to be put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom.  Often, we find out later that God had used us to do great work, and that is true with Jehoshabeath.  He was hidden in the house of God, and Joash learned as a child the ways of God.

 

At one time I might have said I cannot imagine having that kind of evil over a nation, but today I witness that kind of evil.  When will the house of God, awake to the need to share the Truth, Jesus is the only real Truth, and in 1 Colossians 1:16-17, we find out more about this God/Man, “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him, all things hold together.” 

 

My friend Pat Hawkins was a very deep and intelligent person and he had studied the adom and was searching why it held together.  When he read Colossians 1:16-17, as a teenager, and put his life in God’s hands.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Ahaziah Reigns in Judah

 

2 Chronicles 22:1-9

 

July 30, 2023

 

Ahaziah Reigns in Judah

And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his place, for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.  Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri.  He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor in doing wickedly.  He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done. For after the death of his father, they were his counselors, to his undoing.  He even followed their counsel and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to make war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead. And the Syrians wounded Joram, and he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that he had received at Ramah when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel because he was wounded.

But it was ordained by God that the downfall of Ahaziah should come about through his going to visit Joram. For when he came there, he went out with Jehoram to meet Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab.  And when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he met the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's brothers, who attended Ahaziah, and he killed them.  He searched for Ahaziah, and he was captured while hiding in Samaria, and he was brought to Jehu and put to death. They buried him, for they said, “He is the grandson of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart.” And the house of Ahaziah had no one able to rule the kingdom.

 

This came to my small mind; God has not changed He is the same today as yesterday.   And man has not changed, his heart is set on evil, greed, and lust, all things the thing that bring the judgment of God.  Our nation is without leadership, the people or person who is pulling the strings to make our nation weak may think they are in charge, but like Ahaziah it is ordained by God.  Our nation has gone the way of Ahab, and if you have not noticed we are under God's judgment.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice