My people don’t recognize my care for them.”
4Oh, what a sinful nation they are—
loaded down with a burden of guilt.
They are evil people,
corrupt children who have rejected the lord.
What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?”
says the lord.
Get your sins out of my sight.
Give up your evil ways.
17Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
If you will only obey me,
you will have plenty to eat.
20But if you turn away and refuse to listen,
you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies.
I, the lord, have spoken!”

What good is my worship of the Lord if I hide sinful nature in me. I must cleanse myself in order to sincerely praise the Lord. Give up my evil ways, the things I do that this world doesn’t know but I do and God does. If only I will obey, totally, he will set me free.

Lord God,
Thank you for your harsh words that strips my desire to hold onto sin from me. Give me power from what grips me, that separates me from your pure love. Remove the guilt and shame so I may walk more closely to you.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the lord with all his heart and soul and strength,

Why is it so rare for a king to completely destroy all evil in the land. Why is it so hard for me to destroy all of my sin nature.

Lord God,
May I be more like King Josiah and conquer any area of my nature that separate me from you.

In Jesus name,
Amen

Go back to Hezekiah, the leader of my people. Tell him, ‘This is what the lord, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you, and three days from now you will get out of bed and go to the Temple of the lord. 6I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my own honor and for the sake of my servant David.’”
The shadow always moves forward,” Hezekiah replied, “so that would be easy. Make it go ten steps backward instead.”
. You tore your clothing in despair and wept before me in repentance. And I have indeed heard you, says the lord. 20So I will not send the promised disaster until after you have died and been buried in peace.

The Lord God is merciful and will show mercy if we sincerely go to him. I must not run away from doing what is rite. I love this statement it’s not turn from evil but not running away from rite. God’s perspective.

Lord God,
place a path before me where it only leads to doing what is rite, Keep me from running away from doing what is rite.

In Jesus name,
Amen

I know the way you have raged against me.
28And because of your raging against me
and your arrogance, which I have heard for myself,
I will put my hook in your nose
He will not enter this city,
says the lord.
34For my own honor and for the sake of my servant David,
I will defend this city and protect it.”
35That night the angel of the lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers.

arrogance is such a difficult thing to identify and surrender. As I grow stronger in the Lord I gain confidence and if I am not aware of it arrogance can start to grow.

Lord God, may you give me the wisdom I lack in understanding you and protect me from taking credit where you deserve it.

In Jesus name,
Amen

The people of Israel had also secretly done many things that were not pleasing to the lord their God. They built pagan shrines for themselves in all their towns, from the smallest outpost to the largest walled city.
Again and again the lord had sent his prophets and seers to warn both Israel and Judah: “Turn from all your evil ways. Obey my commands and decrees—
But the Israelites would not listen. They were as stubborn as their ancestors who had refused to believe in the lord their God.

I guess I should not be surprised how stubborn the people of Israel were, I am as stubborn as well. I don’t live within the rules that would give me power over the sin I allow in my life. But it seems that they were so blatant, where I just have a few struggles with some emotions, thoughts, actions……….

Lord God,
Again I come to you with regrets about my decisions each day. Help me to be more aware of the fact that I represent you in this world. You are a jealous God, rite fully so. You only want the best for me so may I live a life pleasing to you. Expose my sin so I may turn away from it.
In Jesus name,
Amen

All his life Joash did what was pleasing in the lord’s sight
even so, he did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there.
No accounting of this money was required from the construction supervisors, because they were honest and trustworthy men.
Amaziah did what was pleasing in the lord’s sight,
Amaziah did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there.

There is a repeating trend with the history of Israel’s kings. So many did what was pleasing in the Lord’s eyes yet they did not destroy the pagan shrines in the land. Compromise is on my heart so much lately.

Lord God, Help me to develop a spirit free of compromise, help me to remove the struggle I have to follow you wholehearted.

In Jesus name,
Amen

Then Jehu killed all who were left of Ahab’s relatives living in Jezreel and all his important officials, his personal friends, and his priests. So Ahab was left without a single survivor.
They smashed the sacred pillar and wrecked the temple of Baal, converting it into a public toilet, as it remains to this day.

Ruthless against the enemy, not a survivor. From temple of Baal to pubic toilet.

Lord God,
Take the trash I allow to live within me and smash it burn it purify me and make me holey so my temple can worship you wholehearted.

In Jesus name,
Amen

Oh, sir!” he cried. “It was a borrowed ax!”
6“Where did it fall?” the man of God asked. When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water at that spot. Then the ax head floated to the surface. 7“Grab it,” Elisha said. And the man reached out and grabbed it.
Then Elisha prayed, “O lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.
“This is not right. This is a day of good news, and we aren’t sharing it with anyone!

We tend to cry out in times of trouble and ultimately the Lord answers in amazing ways but our eyes must be open to see His Answer and we must act on what he tell us. How long would the ax head float if the man didn’t grab it rite away. I need to do what is rite now not after I hide plunder and feel bad about it.

Lord God,
Grant me a heart that follows you at all times. Remove my selfish will and deliver me from my sin.

In Jesus name,
Amen

“What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?”
“Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied.
But the boy’s mother said, “As surely as the lord lives and you yourself live, I won’t go home unless you go with me.
“Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.”
11But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the lord his God and heal me!

What do I own the Lord can use to bless my family??? Anything I have from the home I live in to the 5 dollars in my pocket or even my voice to speak. The determination I must approach the Lord with, the wholehearted approach makes the difference. I must not doubt the actions the Lord ask of me to do, He can do anything thru me.

Lord God, May I have faith that is full of expectation and do the things you lay on my heart without doubt.

See how the fire from heaven came down and destroyed the first two groups. But now please spare my life!”
But Elisha replied again, “As surely as the lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together to Jericho
nd Elisha replied, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor.”
Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” And as they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his clothes in distress.
Elisha turned around and looked at them, and he cursed them in the name of the lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of them.

Why is it so hard to surrender to the Lord. Two groups of men were destroyed before the third commander begs for his life. Elisha refuses his master’s request to part ways dedicated totally, ask for double power than Elijah, pretty bold but gets it. In the name of the Lord we can curse evil, never thought about that.

Lord God,
Continue to reveal your self to me thru this life and give me the desire to truly know your desire for my life. May I serve you in all I do especially with my family.

In Jesus name,
Amen