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As soon as Asa heard these words, he took courage and put away the detestable idols from all the land of Judah . . . 2 Chronicles 15:8 I don’t often think of myself as fearful, and I don’t find that I’m frequently motivated by my fear. I do have a phobia of cows and…
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But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.  2 Chronicles 15:7 As Christians, we rightly teach that we don’t save ourselves by our works – we can’t earn our way into heaven by being good. In the eyes of a perfect God, we’re all terminally flawed…
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The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. 2 Chronicles 15:2 As I’ve mentioned previously, I grew up in a Christian home with a pastor for a father. Raised in church, I was well-insulated…
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“We have sought him, and he has given us peace on every side.” So they built and prospered. 2 Chronicles 14:7 There are some lessons that it seems I must learn repeatedly. Today’s lesson on finding peace is one of those. Now admittedly, I don’t struggle a lot with anxiety for no reason. I do,…
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And when he humbled himself the wrath of the LORD turned from him, so as not to make a complete destruction. 2 Chronicles 12:12 A couple of times a year, I’m asked to speak to church or recovery groups, telling my story of addiction, faith, and recovery. I’m not a great speaker, but it’s a…
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When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him. 2 Chronicles 12:1 With over 200,000 miles on it and with more than a decade of owning my pickup, its transmission recently began to fail. Rather than sink more money into it,…
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When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. 2 Chronicles 11:1 When I was a kid, we visited the Chicago Zoo, where I got a plastic toy gorilla from one of those Mold-A-Rama machines that injects melted…
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And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to the people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us’; thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s thighs.’” 2 Chronicles 10:10 I…
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All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. Silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. 2 Chronicles 9:20 When my wife and I first married, we decided alcohol wasn’t something we wanted in our home…
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Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, besides that which the explorers and merchants brought. 2 Chronicles 9:13 It’s not uncommon, when meeting with the addicted, to have someone attempt to derail the purpose of an accountability group or recovery meeting. Once, years ago, while…
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