Podcast appearances and mentions of king asa

In this episode, we journey into the reign of King Asa as recorded in 2 Chronicles 15:1–19, where we find a remarkable story of spiritual transformation—both personal and national. Sparked by a prophetic word from Azariah son of Oded, Asa leads Judah into a season of renewed covenant loyalty, tearing down idols, restoring worship, and calling the people to seek the Lord with all their heart and soul.But Asa's reform isn't without tension. We explore the paradox of God's open invitation—“If you seek Him, He will be found by you”—alongside Asa's threat of death for anyone who refuses to seek the Lord. What does this reveal about the seriousness of covenant commitment in Israel's history, and how does it sit with the broader biblical theme of mercy and return?The episode concludes by turning to Matthew 4:23–25, where Jesus begins His public ministry with healing, teaching, and proclaiming the kingdom of God. Crowds from both Judah and Israel (Galilee and beyond) respond by coming to Him. In this moment, Jesus becomes the greater Asa—not only initiating a revival, but embodying the presence of God whom the people are drawn to seek. We reflect on how Jesus invites us into a deeper and freer kind of return—a transformation not marked by fear, but by healing and grace.Key Passages: 2 Chronicles 15:1-19Matthew 4:23-25⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explainer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Video⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.biblehub.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.blueletterbible.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave us a question or comment at our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website podcast page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Did you know: the original Hippocratic Oath is a vow to other healing gods? Are you searching for true healing, but feeling lost in the complexities of the modern healthcare system? Do you sense a disconnect between physical treatments and a deeper, spiritual well-being? Melia unfolds a fascinating discussion about the original Hippocratic Oath, the cornerstone of medical ethics, to reveal its ancient origins - as a vow to other healing gods. Many do not understand or view this oath as a spiritual contract, a verbal promise made to higher powers; and NOT God. This eye-opening podcast episode doesn't advocate for rejecting modern medicine entirely, but debunks the importance of addressing spiritual components of our health as well. Often, many wounded souls are neglected due to the healthcare system being primarily focused on physical symptoms, insurance reimbursements, and capital-driven!   Podcast Chapters: **Chapter 1: Introduction & Authentic Healing (00:00:00-00:05:00)** * Introduces the podcast and hosts. * Focus on faith-based healing. * Rejection of temporary solutions. **Chapter 2: Unveiling the Occult in Healthcare (00:05:00-00:15:00)** * Exploring the origins of things. * Introduction of the "Deceptive Healthcare" course. * The meaning of "occult" – hidden influences. **Chapter 3: The Hippocratic Oath: A Spiritual Contract (00:15:00-00:25:00)** * Ancient roots and vows to healing gods. * The oath as a spiritual promise. * Evolution and modifications of the oath. **Chapter 4: Faith vs. Physicians: Biblical Perspectives (00:25:00-00:35:00)** * Biblical examples of limitations of solely relying on medicine. * King Asa and the woman with the bleeding issue Scripture references. **Chapter 5: Personal Testimony & Spiritual Neglect (00:35:00-00:45:00)** * Melia's personal experience. * The importance of addressing spiritual issues. * The Nightingale Pledge and its comparison to the Hippocratic Oath. **Chapter 6: God First: Examining Medical Vows (00:45:00-00:55:00)** * Questioning vows to ancient gods. * Exodus 20:3 and the implications. * Advocating for a balanced approach. **Chapter 7:  Systemic Issues & Spiritual Health (00:55:00-01:05:00)** * Peek into medical system's focus of health. * Neglect of spiritual and emotional aspects. * Prioritizing faith in God and not man. **Chapter 8: Blessing & Closing (01:05:00-01:10:00)** * Learn more in depth with Melia's "Deceptive Healthcare" course. * Call to invest and equip yourself. * Blessing from Melia.   Blessings xo- Melia's Courses -> https://meliadiana.com/vertical-relationship-academy Melia's Services -> https://meliadiana.com/our-services Melia's Books ->https://meliadiana.com/books Melia's Prophetic Mentorship-> https://meliadiana.com/vertical-ambassador-mentorship  

Everybody wants to reap a harvest in life. You do, I do. But sometimes, our lives feel a whole bunch more like a drought than a harvest. So exactly what is my drought about? What exactly is your drought about? Why is God letting this, this drought happen, to you and to me?   Another Drought This week on Christianityworks we are continuing with the series called, “Reaping God's Harvest in My Life.” We all want to reap a harvest but sometimes, well, sometimes life is a bit more about drought than it is about harvest. Why is that? What's going on when we are going through a drought? Maybe you're going through a drought; a dry time; a difficult time, a time where things aren't just going the way you'd like them to go and when that's happening, it's dry and there's no rain and in a lot of countries there are famines when there are droughts. And when there's a drought on, what everybody is hanging out for is what? Well, of course we're all waiting for rain when there's a drought because we know to have a harvest we need rain. It's a very simple cycle – you buy some seed, you plant it, you wait for the rain, the rain comes and then the seed grows into a harvest and then we send out the workers into the field and we gather a harvest. No rain, no harvest! That's right isn't it? Well, let's see. Let's have a look. Last week we looked at Isaac's experience when - if you have a Bible, you can go back and look at it in Genesis chapter 26 – he went and did some silly things but then he went and sowed some seed in the middle of drought and we're told that his harvest, he reaped one hundredfold. So he planted one seed and for every one seed he planted, he reaped one hundred seeds. Today we are going to look at another drought. If you have a Bible, grab it. We are going to go to First Kings chapter 16. This is a time when Elijah, the Tishbite, got involved in a drought because one of the Kings of Israel was doing some silly things. If you have a look in First Kings chapter 16 verse 29, it says this: In the thirty eighth year of King Asa, of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel. Ahab, son of Omri, reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty two years. Ahab, son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who went before him. Now remember, in the history of Israel, by this time they were in the Promised Land, but the twelve tribes of Israel had split. The ten tribes to the north were referred to as Israel and the two tribes to the south, Judah and Benjamin, were referred to as Judah. That's why we have two Kings that the writer is here talking about. We're talking about Ahab who reigned over Israel, that's the ten tribes to the north and this guy was a bad dude. He was just not one of the good Kings; he did some terribly bad things and so God decided to deal with him by sending a drought. And this is where we see Elijah come, in the beginning of chapter 17 of First Kings and this is what happens. Now Elijah, the Tishbite, of Tishbe, in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word. The Word of the Lord came to him saying: “Go from here and turn eastward and hide yourself in the Wadi of Cherith which is east of the Jordon. So Ahab did bad things; he married Jezebel, he worshipped another god called Baal and so God's response was to send God's man, Elijah, a prophet, to say to the King: “Listen, I am going to send a drought, not only on you but on your whole country.” Now what's going on here? God is a God of grace but He is also a God of great wisdom. God's blessing rains down on us when we are living in His will, when we are living obedient to Him, when we're living in a relationship with Him. He is like any dad, Dad wants to bless His kids but when we rebel, as the King did here, as Ahab clearly rebelled by worshipping other gods. What does God do? Does God throw a tantrum? I mean, is that what God is doing here? No, no! God is being like any father and saying, “Well, if you are going to rebel against me, my heart is to bring you back.” There are consequences to your rebelling, so when we rebel, as Ahab did, against God, God turns the blessing off sometimes. The blessings stop raining down from heaven. If you're a parent who's brought up a teenager, you know that you want to bless them. Don't you? I do! I have a wonderful daughter and I love to bless her but when they rebel; when they turn against us, when they do things that we say "you shouldn't do" because we know that there'll be consequences, well, sometimes we have to withdraw some of the blessings. Why? To be mean? No! To help them to grow; to help them to lift up, to help them to learn that there are consequences to rebellion. And it's the same deal with God, the original Father, sometimes, sometimes our drought is about that very thing. What about your drought? What is your drought about? What droughts have you got in your life at the moment – in relationships or maybe they're in a financial area of your life or maybe in an emotional area of your life? Stop and think for a minute and say, “Where are the areas in my life that I would say – well, I'm not really reaping a harvest there? That part of my life is going through a drought.” Ok then, is there anything that you are doing or not doing in those areas that might have caused God to be a good Dad and stop raining down His blessings on that part of your life? Is God trying to get your attention? We are not doing a guilt trip here. We're not saying, “Well, you know, if I don't do everything a hundred percent perfectly, God's going to come a whack me over the head with a big stick.” No! God's Dad! Jesus referred to Him as ‘Abba‘, Dad. God is a loving Father so we are not doing a guilt trip number. Ok? This is a realistic assessment of our lives and I want to ask you, “Is God speaking to you today and saying, “There is something that you need to turn away from?” Maybe you've got some financial issues and I would ask you, “What does your giving life look like? How much are you giving to God‘s work? How much are you giving to the poor because so often, when we stop giving our very best; giving the top of what we earn to God's work, all of a sudden our finances turn to a mess because God's plan is to use God's people to fund God's work and when we stop giving to God‘s work, then God says, “Well, you know, your life's out of balance,” and all of a sudden we seem to be having a financial drought. Sometimes we're having relationship problems or maybe a problem in a marriage and maybe God's saying, “Well, what's your relationship with me looking like? How come we're not spending any time together at the moment? What drought are you walking through right now? And let me ask you: exactly what is your drought about? I think it's a good question. Not every drought; not every difficult patch; not every wilderness experience that we have in our lives, is because we have made some mistakes. Sometimes it just happens. Sometimes other people do things and things are just happening and it's the way life is, but I gotta tell you, sometimes we are doing things that rebel against God like Ahab and God allows drought to come into our lives. The question is what can we do about it? We are going to look now at how Elijah went to be with a neurotic, suicidal widow and we will see exactly what God did.   The Suicidal Widow We are talking this week about reaping God‘s harvest in my life, in your life and sometimes we go through a period of drought in our lives and it's Dad's way of getting our attention. God's way of saying, “Look, there's something in your life that's not quite right.” That's why we need to ask, when we are going through a time of drought, “What is my drought about?” But in a drought, we can spend our whole time hanging out for the drought to break and the drought breaks when? When the rain comes! We have seeds, we plant the seeds and we know we will need rain before the harvest will come. We can be so busy moaning and groaning about the fact that there's no rain, that there's a drought but we miss the whole point of the journey that God has got us on. Elijah was God's man, he didn't do anything wrong. He was God's man in the middle of this drought and he had to get some food and He did provide for him when he went down to that Wadi at Cherith which was east of the Jordon. God said, “You will drink from the Wadi and I'll command the ravens to feed you,” and that's exactly what happened, but eventually the water ran out, even in the Wadi and God said, “Well, you know, Elijah's my man, I am going to provide for him,” and he also had a plan to provide for a woman, a widow. Let's have a quick read of what exactly happened. This is coming from First Kings chapter 17, beginning at verse 8: The Word of the Lord came to Elijah and God said to him: “God now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon and live there for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” He's thinking, “Yes, yes! God has given the food to this widow and she's going to feed me and it's going to be fantastic.” So he goes down there. He sets out to Zarephath and when he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there, gathering sticks and he called her and said: “Bring me a little water in the vessel so that I might drink.” As she was gong to bring it, he called to her and said: “And bring me a morsel of bread in your hand,” but she said: “As the Lord, your God lives, I have nothing baked only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I'm now gathering a couple of sticks so that I can go home and prepare it for myself and my son that we may eat it and die.” Aw, fabulous! Elijah goes all this way down to this Zarephath place and he thinks God's going to provide for him and God gives him an neurotic, suicidal widow, who's about to have her last meal and die. Aw, fabulous, thank you, God! But Elijah says to her: “Do not be afraid. Go and do as I have said, but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me and afterwards make something for yourself and your son, for thus says the Lord God of Israel: “The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain of this earth.” She went and did as Elijah said so that she, as well as he and her household ate for many days. The jar of meal was not emptied neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the Word of the Lord, that He spoke through Elijah.” This is God's amazing provision. If drought was God's way of getting our attention to bring us home, doesn't it follow that He'll sustain us during the drought? If we die in the middle of the drought, it's punishment. If we survive and we learn and we change, that is grace. That is God's blessing from the God of grace. Elijah was a prophet but the drought still affected him and he goes down there and he goes to this widow and he demands something amazing of this widow. He says to her, “Look I know you've got almost nothing left. I know you're about to die and your son is about to die, but first, from the little bit that you have left, cook me something to eat and I promise you that God's blessing will chase you down and your food will not run out until the day that the rain comes on this land.” Can you imagine if you were that widow or I was that widow and this man says, “Gimme, gimme! Gimme what you've got,” and the widow has a choice, either to withhold it – and we now know from this story, if she had withheld from the man of God – she and her son would have died because they would have run out of food. Or she had the choice to give and take a "faith risk". She was sowing seed in drought and she chose to give to Elijah. Question: what's the point of the widow's story? Why is it included? Because if you look at the few chapters around the particular chapter in First Kings, there's a big macro level story going on. There's a King who had sinned, a land full of famine and drought and just after this – we're not going to have time to go there – there's a big picture story where Elijah has a showdown with the prophets of Baal. All this big stuff going on here and we think this macro level is important but at the micro level God tells us here about this widow with no name who is dying, who in faith plants seeds and takes risks and experiences God's blessing. And what God's saying is that the little story is as important as the big story. Here's a guarantee – in the midst of your drought; in the midst of my drought, the Word of God will reach out to us, somehow in some little way and there might be some much bigger things going on as there were here but God will come along and say, “Plant a seed here and now.” A faint whisper, a prophet, the Holy Spirit stirring in our hearts, “Plant seed here and now,” and you know what I've noticed? – often we have a problem; an area in our life where there's drought and God says, “Plant a seed, not in there, not is that field, plant a seed way over here in another field,” and we think, “Hang on a minute, God, these two things have got nothing to do with each other. I need to plant into my field, I need to feed my need,” and God say, “No, don't feed your need, plant my seed.” That's really important – “Don't feed your need, plant my seed.“ The widow could have feed herself and her son first and God said, “No, feed my prophet first.” “God, why do you want me to plant over there, my problem's over here? Why, this is crazy, this doesn't make sense? Why?”   The Lord's Rains Well, we are looking at reaping God's harvest in our lives and we've been looking at the story of Elijah and the widow and this drought and in the middle of this drought, when she had nothing left, God called the widow to sow the very, very little bit of food she had in her hand and give it to the prophet. Now she had a choice – she could have kept it. She could have said, “No, I need to feed my need,” but through Elijah, God said, “Don't feed your need, plant my seed over here, where I tell you.” And so the widow gave Elijah food. She sowed into his belly not her own belly and we saw as we read that story before, that God made sure that she was provided for. That none of her food ran out. Why is that? Why did God say, “Plant your seed over here – not in your need, not is your field – not where you want, do it the way I want you to?” Well, I think what's going on here is that God says, “Put me first.” We want to sow into our belly and that's not God's plan. This little story of this widow – we don't know her name - and Elijah is God's story. It's God's story of grace. It's a fabulous, wonderful miracle that she steps out in faith with her last little bit of food and she ends up with an endless supply of food to carry her through the famine. Isn't that a great story? God does that! When we honour Him, when we put Him first, He blesses us and she must have thought, “Fabulous, everything is going to be wonderful from here on in and then “Bang”! If you have a look at chapter 17, beginning at verse 17, we see that all of a sudden her son dies. After this, the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. His illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him and she then said to Elijah: “What have you got against me O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son.” But he said to her: “Give me your son,” and he took him from her bosom, carried him up into the upper chamber, where he was lodging and laid him on his own bed. He cried out the Lord: “Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I am staying, by killing her son?” Then Elijah stretched himself upon the child three times and cried out to the Lord: “Lord my God let this child's life come into him,” and the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah and the life of the child came into him again and revived and Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and gave him to his mother and then Elijah said: “See, your son is alive,” so the woman said to Elijah: “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the Word of the Lord in your mouth, is truth. Isn't it amazing how  we are going through a drought and God does some miracles along the way and we think, “Fabulous, we're on easy street and all of a sudden "whack"! It's like three steps forward, five steps back. It happens sometimes. It's often the way – miracle, calamity, another miracle. Why? Well, have a look at what it says in verse 24. Now I know that you're a man of God and that the Word of the Lord, in your mouth, is truth. The reason God lets this happen is so that we learn faith and so that we learn that God will provide; that God will come through. There's so much more in this story that we can't go through in the next chapter, chapter 18 – we don't have time for that but there's God's powerful showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. I really encourage you to read it in chapter 18. But eventually, eventually, the drought comes to an end. This is what happens. Picking it up in chapter 18, verse 41: Elijah said to King Ahab: “Go up and eat and drink for there is the sound of rushing rain.” So Ahab when up to eat and drink and Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, there he bowed himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees and he said to his servant, “Go up now and look forward to the sea.” And the servant went up and looked and he said, “There is nothing.” Then he said go again seven times and at the seventh time the servant said: “Look, a little cloud no bigger than a persons hand is rising up out of the sea,” and then he said: “Go say to King Ahab, “Harness your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.” In a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind and there was a heavy rain and Ahab rode off and went to Jezreel. But the hand of the Lord was with Elijah and he girded up his loins and ran in front of Ahab, to the entrance of Jezreel. There's a drought. There's been a drought for three years. Nothing's been happening and all of a sudden, it's time for the drought to come to an end and this man, Elijah, speaks the Word of God and says, “There's going to be rushing rain, there's going to be a flood, get home before it happens.” He spoke those words before even one cloud appeared, because he serves the God who calls things that aren't as though they are. What about your drought – your relationship drought or financial drought or health drought or whatever it is – we are walking through life and we are travelling along and we have this sense that – "nothing is really going right for me" – and the Holy Spirit comes along and says, “Plant a seed in another field.” He whispers that into our hearts and we do that and we just decide to be obedient to God and we plant that seed and maybe there's some other big spiritual battle going on, we don't really understand and we think, “Well, God's got to worry about that because I've got to let Him fight that, I can't deal with that.” And one day in your heart, one day in your Spirit, you'll sense that the drought is about to break. Why? Because you've figured out what your drought was about and in your heart you see that little cloud; you see a cloud no bigger than a persons hand is rising out of the sea and in your heart you can rejoice. Before the rains even come, we know. We pray in faith; we give thanks because God takes us through the drought and like that widow, He calls us to plant a seed, to take a risk, to take a step of faith because in the middle of the drought God wants to change us because in the middle of the drought, God wants to grow us because right in the middle of the drought God wants to bless us. And so we experience His blessing in the drought and there are ups and downs and there are days we want to cry and days we want to laugh, but one day the drought finishes. One day when we've figured out what God is doing and we bend our will towards His and we obey Him and we plant a seed in another field. When we finally figure out we have to stop feeding our need and start planting God's seed, then God says,“He's learnt what I wanted him to learn; she's learned what I wanted her to learn.” And then it's time for the drought to break. It'll take time. Droughts always take time and when we're in the middle of the drought it's never a lot of fun. But when the rain comes, it's God's rain. When the blessing comes, it's God's blessing. See if we had planted the seed in our own field, we'd be able to say, “I did it!” but when we take this seed, this Spiritual faith decision that God is calling us to – whatever it is – maybe it's forgiving someone, maybe it's giving money to some ministry, maybe ... whatever God calls us to do. When we plant His seed, in the field of His choosing and the blessing comes and the rain comes and He changed our heart along the way, we know that it's the Lord's rain, we know it's the Lord's blessing and we know it's His flood-tide, and that's so much greater and better and sweeter than you or I could ever do. So let me ask you - what exactly is your drought about?

The Comeback Kids (2 Chronicles 15) In this video, we’ll dive into 2 Chronicles 15, an incredible comeback story from the Bible. Join us as we explore the spiritual revival led by King Asa, where the people of Judah turned their hearts and souls to seek the Lord. This study is perfect for anyone who […]

The Comeback Kids (2 Chronicles 15) In this video, we’ll dive into 2 Chronicles 15, an incredible comeback story from the Bible. Join us as we explore the spiritual revival led by King Asa, where the people of Judah turned their hearts and souls to seek the Lord. This study is perfect for anyone who […]

Grace & Truth: Complaint, Lament, & RepentancePastor Kent LandhuisTHEME - God is near, God is listening, and God cares.TEXT - Jeremiah 12:1-51. Why do the wicked prosper?Jeremiah 12:1-4Is God watching?2. Why do God's people suffer?Jeremiah 15:5-21Does God care?3. Why me?Jeremiah 20:7-18Do I matter?4. God is near, God is listening, and God cares.Jeremiah 12:5ComplainLamentRepentNEXT STEPS                                           1. Evaluate your relationship with God.2. Be bold: Complain, lament, and repent.GO DEEPERGod sees, God cares, You matter.We long for control but, in reality, we control very little. (Almost nothing!) Trying to control life is exhausting.When life spins out of control, we want to know if God sees it, if God cares about it, and if God cares about us.2 Chronicles 16 is the last chapter about Asa, king of Judah. Sadly, though, this chapter stands in sharp contrast to chapters 14 and 15. Here we saw that God gave Asa “rest on every side” because of his dependence on the Lord. (God gave Asa victory in the face of a massive army.) God was clearly in control.In chapter 16, when King Asa found himself in another conflict, he had a sudden and surprising shift in behavior. Instead of crying out to God as he had before, Asa tried to control the situation with his own effort. This did not go well for Asa or God's people.Asa lost faith and lost grip with three truths. He forgot that God saw his situation, God cared about his situation, and God cared about him. When facing trouble - and the urge to complain and grab for control - remember these three things.Be honest with God and then trust God to draw near. Meditate on the promise of Psalm 34:18. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”Whenever you realize that you are NOT in control. Stand on this promise and remember. God sees, and God cares, and you matter.

Series: N/AService: Sun Bible StudyType: Bible ClassSpeaker: Tim Chandler

2 new mishnayot! First, an alternative to taking a graven image to the Dead Sea - grind it off (but then the leavings become fertilizer, which would be getting benefit from it). With a parallel to improper use of that which had been consecrated, including that which emptied into the Kidron Valley (a story of King Asa), where fertilizer was less in use... Also, the story of Rabban Gamliel and the rebuke that comes his way for being in the bathhouse of Aphrodite (he has several defenses).

King Asa, seek God and receive peace. For more resources on reading through the Bible in a year, visit my church's website at this link or text us at 888-644-4034. Feel free to join me on my other daily podcast, Your Next Step. God bless - Doyle See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whatsapp/Call: +91 9902606453 Email: info@febaonline.org 

Have you ever wondered why some believers experience incredible breakthroughs while others struggle to see God's power in their lives? In this powerful message, discover the life-changing secret of staying consistent in God through the remarkable story of King Asa, who witnessed God defeat a million-man army with just 600,000 soldiers. Learn how consistent faith and unwavering dependence on the Lord opens the door to blessings you never imagined possible. We'll explore what it means to be among God's holy ones and why steadfast prayer and worship during good times is just as crucial as crying out during difficult seasons.  Through King Asa's victories and failures, you'll understand how to maintain a consistent faith walk that positions you for God's supernatural intervention in every area of your life. This message will challenge you to examine whether you're truly putting God first or only turning to Him when life gets difficult. 

On today's show, we're looking at the spiritual fight that every believer—and especially every leader—must face. Ministry is a battlefield, and Scripture reminds us that not all who begin well finish well. From Eleazar in David's army to King Asa on the throne of Judah, the Bible gives us both inspiring and cautionary tales of men in combat—some who held fast to the sword and others who laid it down too soon.What makes a good soldier in the fight of faith? What does it mean to hold fast to the Word of God even when you're weary? And how do we make sure we finish our course, not just start it?To help us answer these questions, we're joined by Pastor Tony Godfrey of Harvest Baptist Church in Iola, Kansas—Tony is a discipler, Bible teacher, and no stranger to the battle of ministry. Tony, welcome to the Postscript.Notes for this Episodehttps://www.lfbi.org/learnmore

Preached by Yves Blouin on 2025 July 13. The related slides may be found at https://biblefellowshipassembly.ca/sermons/

The life of King Asa shows that its not about how you start, its about how finish. While he started out sensitive to the Lord, he ended his life refusing to look to the Lord and failing to repent. Scripture teaches his greatest flaw was that he did not rely on the Lord. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1388/29

The life of King Asa shows that its not about how you start, its about how finish. While he started out sensitive to the Lord, he ended his life refusing to look to the Lord and failing to repent. Scripture teaches his greatest flaw was that he did not rely on the Lord. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1388/29

Here's the truth: “You don't need another strategy. You need surrender.” In this episode, Spencer unpacks what the Word of God reveals about overcoming sin, walking by the Spirit, and living with power in a world designed to defeat you. We start with a battle scene—one king, 580,000 soldiers… facing an army of over 1 million. And what unfolds becomes a divine blueprint for anyone locked in a fight they're losing—especially the fight against porn, shame, guilt, and the flesh. But this isn't a sin-management strategy. This is about warfare. Worship. Total surrender. In This Episode, You'll Discover: The 5 biblical steps to spiritual victory drawn from King Asa's story Why most men live powerless, defeated lives—and don't even realize it The subtle trap of chasing relief over relationship with Christ Why “half-hearted” Christianity guarantees defeat What it really means to “walk by the Spirit” in 2025 How success in God's eyes has nothing to do with streaks, stats, or milestones The most honest prayer you can pray as a man today Key Quotes: “Unless you are helpless before God, you will have no victory.” “You can't drag your flesh behind you and expect to walk by the Spirit.” “Men will do anything—buy anything—except the one thing Scripture commands: surrender.” “If you're not giving God your whole heart… just be okay with defeat.” Who This Episode Is For: Men battling porn or any other stronghold Anyone who's tired of temporary victory and longs for deep change Believers who feel spiritually dry, weak, or stuck Those who want to move from “flesh-driven” to Spirit-led living Scripture Featured: 2 Chronicles 14 & 15 (King Asa's battle and covenant) 1 Corinthians 3 (Carnal vs. spiritual Christians) Romans 8 (Life in the Spirit) Luke 9 & Matthew 16 (Radical discipleship)

Pastor Nick continues on our King's series.

What is it that derails our destiny? So often, and for so many, it's pride. Pride makes us self reliant, defensive, and stubborn. It insists that we know what's best for our own lives and that we do what seems right to us. But the way of Jesus is different. It seeks the wisdom of God, always! King Asa is an example of how pride can lead us astray. Asa had an opportunity to repent too. He had a golden moment to turn back to trust. And we have a tool to help us to do just that. When you're being derailed by pride, the antidote is to simply turn back to God in praise. To remind yourself that He alone is God and the creator of all and to lift high the name of Jesus.

Are you a Christian who once knew the peace and victory that comes by faith in Christ, but now you find yourself only experiencing frustration and defeat? Major Ian Thomas addresses this issue by pointing out the reason for both the success and the failure of King Asa. It centers around the words of the Lord found in 2 Chronicles 15:2 “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you when you are with Him.”www.instagram.com/thehishillpodcast/www.hishill.orgkelly@hishill.org

What we looked at today is the progression of King Asa's life and how he interacted with the God who appointed him to serve as King over the people of Judah. At the beginning of his reign, King Asa called on his people to trust in God. As a result, we find that Asa and his small army won an overwhelming victory over his enemy. However, later on in his life, Asa's trust was no longer in the Lord but in his own wisdom as he sought to deal with his problems through his political savvy and cleverness. Finally, at the end of his life, Asa deviated completely from his avowed trust in God by seeking help for his foot disease “only from the physicians.” The king's sin lay in seeking their help “only” and not seeking “help from the LORD,” who is the ultimate healer of men's diseases. Sadly, at the end of his life, the King died without any mention of his reconciling with the Lord.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Kings 16; 2 Chron 15-16; Colossians 1 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible podcast! On this June 15th episode, Heather invites us to gather around the Scriptures on day 166 of our journey through the Bible. Today's readings include First Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 15 and 16, and Colossians 1. Heather guides us through the turbulent stories of Israel's kings, the challenges and reforms of King Asa, and Paul's powerful words to the Colossians about Christ's reconciling work. With reflection and heartfelt prayers, Heather reminds us that God has found what He's looking for—not in human perfection, but in Christ, and now in us because of His grace. Tune in for encouragement, inspiring prayers, and a reminder that you are holy and blameless before God through Jesus. Let's warm our hearts together around the fire of God's love and be reminded that we are deeply loved and called to live in His joy. TODAY'S DEVOTION: God has finally found what He's looking for. All through today's readings we saw God searching—looking not just at the kings of Israel or Judah, not just at Asa or Baasha or Omri, but looking for hearts fully committed to Him. The Scriptures say, “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” Time and again, Israel's history was marked by leaders who missed the mark—who, despite God's faithfulness, turned to idols, alliances, or their own wisdom rather than trusting Him fully. Even Asa, who began so well, faltered in trusting foreign kings, and in the end, sought only human help. But the good news, as Paul announces in the letter to the Colossians, is that God has indeed found what He's been searching for—not in any of those kings, not in us, but in His Son. There is only One who ever truly lived a life fully committed to the Father. And when the Father looked at the Son, He said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” Here's the miracle: by God's grace, you and I are now found in the Son. Christ has reconciled us to Himself through His death on the cross. Paul tells us, “As a result, He has brought you into His own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault.” The thing God has been searching for—wholehearted devotion, purity, and faithfulness—is now found in Christ, and because you are in Him, it is found in you too. Not by our striving or our record, but by Christ's victory. This is the secret Paul wants us to see: “Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing His glory.” You are not only reconciled, forgiven, and restored, but you are now blameless in God's presence. God's search is over—He finds His heart's desire in you, because you are in His Son. Let the truth of this gospel settle in your heart today: You are loved, accepted, and holy in Christ. Christ has done what no king, no prophet, no human heart on its own ever could. Now let us live from that place—abiding in Him, depending on Christ's power at work within us, and letting His joy be our strength. That is my prayer for you, for those you love, and for my own soul today. May you enter into the joy of being found—completely, eternally—in Christ. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day. Preserve us with your mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you, bring the nations into your fold. Pour out your spirit on all flesh and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. And now, Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love where there is injury, pardon where there is doubt, faith where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light, and where there is sadness, joy. O Lord, grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned. It is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Kings 15; 2 Chron 13-14; Philippians 4 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the June 14th, 2025 episode of the Daily Radio Bible! On today's journey through Scripture, your host Hunter guides us through the stories of kings and battles in 1 Kings 15 and 2 Chronicles 13–14, and finishes with the encouragement-packed Philippians 4. Together, we'll reflect on the legacy of King Asa, who learned from his father to trust God against impossible odds, and discover how faith in God's help can lead to overwhelming victory—even when the situation looks dire. In Philippians, we're reminded not to worry, but to pray with thanksgiving and let the peace of God guard our hearts. Hunter wraps up with a time of prayer and gentle encouragement for your day. So settle in, breathe deep, and let gratitude fill your heart as we journey together through the Word and into God's presence. TODAY'S DEVOTION: God helps the powerless against the mighty. That's the lesson passed down from Abijah to Asa, and now to us. When Asa found himself wildly outnumbered by the Ethiopian army—two to one, with one million men coming against Judah—he remembered what his father had done before him. Abijah had also been outnumbered, had also stood against impossible odds, and in that desperate moment, he cried out to God. God answered, and victory was given. Asa follows that same path: not by his own might, but by calling on the Lord for help. It's easy for us to look at overwhelming obstacles—those two-to-one situations in our lives—and feel defeated before the first step, to let fear and anxiety be our first response. But today's readings remind us that God is with us when the odds do not favor us. He sees, he hears, and he moves on behalf of those who trust him. Our strength is never really in our numbers, in our plans, or in our own hands, but in a God who delights to show himself strong for those who depend on him. The apostle Paul, too, speaks to this truth. He encourages us not to worry about anything, but in prayer and thanksgiving, to let our requests be made known to God. He promises us God's peace—a peace that doesn't make sense to the world—will guard our hearts and minds. That's not just for the easy days, but for the hard ones. Not just when the sun is shining, but when the odds seem impossible. Let's take this lesson into our own lives. When you face what seems insurmountable, when you are outnumbered and overwhelmed, remember: our God helps the powerless against the mighty. Victory belongs to him. Pray, trust, give thanks, and stand firm in God's peace. That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Gracious and everlasting God, you have brought us through the shadow of night into the promise of a new day. You go before us with your mercy, sustain us by your grace and keep us from wandering paths of fear or pride. Let every word we speak and every step we take be formed by the goodness of Christ. O Lord, gather your people far and near. May every tribe and tongue come to know your peace. Let justice roll like a river and healing flow where there has been division. Pour out your spirit upon all flesh and bring us closer to the day when your kingdom comes in fullness through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the Glory forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

King Asa had taken over the reins of Israel and had embarked on a mission to turn the nation aggressively towards God. We witnessed how at one point a large contingent came against King Asa out of Ethiopia and the context suggests that Asa opposed him, but his army was far less in numbers than the enemies. So he called on his people to trust in God. After a resounding victory, while collecting the spoil from the battle, a man by the name of Azariah began to prophesy to the King. He told him, 2 Ch 15:1–2 (ESV) ...Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: 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.

In Isaiah, Cyrus the Great emerges as a unique figure chosen by the God of Israel to fulfill a specific historical task: the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple and the liberation of the Judahites from exile in Babylon in direct fulfillment of the prophecy spoken by Jeremiah.Cyrus's rise to power is depicted not as a product of his strength but as the result of God stirring his spirit and granting him authority over all nations.God bestows upon Cyrus exceptional titles: “my shepherd,” a nomadic-pastoral, Bedouin-styled function typical of prophetic literature, signifying his role in guiding the people of Israel back to God's land, and “my anointed,” indicating a special divine commissioning that parallels, though does not equal, the messianic expectations normally associated with Israelite kings.Through Cyrus's conquests, especially the subjugation of Babylon, the Lord demonstrates his universal sovereignty, demonstrating to all nations that he alone is the Unipolar Hegemon that directs the course of history and holds ultimate authority over the kingdoms of the earth.While Cyrus plays a pivotal role as a pawn on God's political chessboard, Isaiah carefully distinguishes him from the Slave of the Lord.The Slave—often wrongly identified with Israel itself—points to a future messianic figure who carries a broader, more enduring mission: to establish justice, bring light to the nations, and embody God's ultimate purpose. Unlike Cyrus, whose mission is temporal and political, the Slave's work is a universal call to the path of the Lord, extending beyond the restoration of Jerusalem to the transformation of the human race.Thus, Isaiah presents Cyrus as a divinely appointed instrument for a limited, though critical, historical role. At the same time, the Slave of the Lord stands as the ultimate fulfillment of God's plan of victory and liberation for his people and the entire world.Then, in Luke, the Slave landed on the beaches of the Gerasenes.Everything I do, I do for the Slave.This week, I discuss Luke 8:29.Show Notesπαραγγέλλω (parangellō)order, summon, command, send a messageשׁ-מ-ע (shin-mem-ayin) / س-م-ع (sīn-mīm-ʿayn)hear, submit!1 Samuel 15:4 - Saul, Israel's first king, asserts his leadership by gathering a vast army (200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah) to fulfill a divine command: to destroy the Amalekites utterly. Centralized, royal power at its peak.1 Samuel 23:8 - Saul, now insecure in his power, redirects his military might to pursue David at Keilah, driven by jealousy and fear of losing his throne.1 Kings 15:22 - King Asa commands all of Judah to dismantle Baasha's fortifications at Ramah and repurpose them to fortify Geba and Mizpah. Asa's leadership is pragmatic and defensive, focused on security rather than prophetic utterances.Jeremiah 26:14 (LXX) - Jeremiah stands alone before religious and political leaders, “I am in your hands; do with me as seems good and right to you.” Luke's lexical itinerary at Decapolis follows the biblical storyline, shifting from the king's authority to the prophet's vulnerability.Jeremiah 27:29 (LXX) - Jeremiah warns Judah that resisting Babylon will only bring destruction; the people must submit to Babylon's yoke as God's instrument of judgment.Jeremiah 28:27 (LXX) - The theme of the yoke—submission to Babylon's dominion—continues. This reinforces the prophet's earlier warning that Judah's fate is sealed unless they accept God's judgment.ע-ב-ר (ʿayin-bet-resh) / ع-ب-ر (ʿayn-bāʼ-rāʼ)pull along, pass through, pass by, go your way; consistent with nomadic pastoral or shepherd life2 Chronicles 36:22 - This verse marks the beginning of the return from exile. It records that in the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord moved his heart to make a proclamation allowing the exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. This aligns with the prophecy of Jeremiah being fulfilled — God's promise to bring his people back from captivity after seventy years.Ezra 1:1 - This verse parallels 2 Chronicles 36:22. It highlights that in the first year of King Cyrus of Persia's reign, God stirred his spirit to make a decree throughout his kingdom allowing the Judeans to return and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, again, fulfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah.In Arabic, this root carries various functions, including “to cross,” “to pass over,” “to interpret,” or “to take a lesson.”عُبُور (ʿubūr) crossingمَعْبَر (maʿbar) crossing placeتَعْبِير (taʿbīr) expression, interpretation (especially of dreams)א-מ-ר (ʾaleph–mem–resh) / أ-م-ر (ʾalif-mīm-rāʾ)In Arabic, this root is the foundation for words like أَمْر (ʾamr) (“command” or “order”) and مَأْمُور (maʾmūr) (“one who is commanded”). Matthew Cooper observes that אָמַר (amar) “he spoke,” is inter-functional with the Arabic word أمير (emir), which means “prince,” “commander,” or “leader,” from the same root.Joshua 6:7 - Joshua commands his army to advance on Jericho. Specifically, he orders the armed men to proceed, and the seven priests with the trumpets to go before the Ark of the Covenant as they prepare to encircle the city. This is part of the famous account of the fall of Jericho, where the walls come down after the Israelites' obedience to God's instructions.צ-ע-ק (ṣade-ayin-qof) / ص-ع-ق (sīn–ʿayn–qāf)In biblical Hebrew, צעק (ṣāʿaq) means “to cry out, to shout, to call loudly.”1 Samuel 10:17 - Samuel gathers the people of Israel at Mizpah to publicly present Saul as the chosen king. This follows God's command to anoint a king, as the people had demanded one like the nations around them. Samuel is about to cast lots to reveal Saul as God's chosen king formally.In Arabic, صعق (ṣaʿaqa) means “to be struck by thunder, to be shocked, to be stunned.”י-ע-ץ (yod-ayin-ṣade) / و-ع-ظ (wāw-ʿayn-ẓāʾ)1 Kings 12:6 - Rehoboam, Solomon's son and the new king, consults the elders who had served his father about responding to the people's request to lighten their burdens. The elders advise him to show kindness. He does not listen.“To advise, to give counsel.” The Arabic triliteral carries the core function “to exhort, to admonish, to preach.”وَعْظ (waʿẓ) exhortation, admonitionوَاعِظ (wāʿiẓ) preacher, admonisherتَوْعِيظ (tawʿīẓ) act of exhorting, preaching“Call to the path of your Lord with wisdom and the beautiful exhortation (الْمَوْعِظَةِ ٱلْحَسَنَةِ al-mawʿiẓati al-ḥasanati), and discuss with them in that which is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from his path, and he is most knowing of the guided.” Surah An-Nahl (16:125) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

As 1 Kings records the reigns of four kings of whose rule began during the reign of King Asa of Judah, the situation only grows worse and worse. Nadab, son of Jeroboam, only reigns for two years before Baasha comes and kills the whole house of Jeroboam, in fulfillment of the Word of the LORD. Baasha's reign over Israel is longer, but his unfaithfulness leads to his family's destruction by the Word of the LORD. That word is fulfilled when Elah, the son of Baasha, is killed along with the rest of his family by Zimri. Zimri's reign is only seven days long, a reminder of the chaos that holds sway in Israel due to the way the people hold onto the idolatry Jeroboam instituted.  Rev. David Vandercook, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in North Little Rock, AR and Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church in Maumelle, AR, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Kings 15:25-16:20.  To learn more about Trinity Lutheran, visit trinitynlr.com. To learn more about Shepherd of Peace Lutheran, visit shepeace.com. "A Kingdom Divided” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through 1-2 Kings. The division in the kingdom of Israel in this part of history was greater than a matter of north and south. The biggest division was between the people and their God. Yet even as the people rebelled against the LORD as their King, still He remained faithful to call them back to Himself through His prophets, working through history to send the good and gracious King, Jesus Christ. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

When pressure threatens, where do you lean? King Asa leaned on the strength of an army when he should have leaned on God—and it led to ruin. But God is drawn to the heart that trusts Him. When we truly depend on the Lord, He promises to show Himself strong on our behalf.

MOST OF THE kings of Judah, and all of those who ruled the northern kingdom of Israel, “did evil in the sight of the LORD.” One notable exception was Asa, king of Judah between about 910 and 873 BC, whose “heart was wholly true all his days.” He got rid of the idols erected by his father, Abijah, and banished male cult prostitutes from the land. The account of his reign in 2 Chronicles further records the religious reforms instituted by Asa, who even removed his mother (or grandmother) Maacah from her position as queen mother because she'd erected an Asherah pole.

What does a revival look like? How do we start one? Today we touch upon this important topic as we look at the "Bible Conference" Revival under King Jehoshaphat. We'll see that when we teach God's Word faithfully and accurately, God will use His Word to strengthen His people in every way. Join us!  DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    How did the unity we saw yesterday in 2 Chronicles 15:9 carry over into the opening verses of 2 Chronicles 17:1-2?  2.    In verse 2, who did Jehoshaphat seek? Whose character did Jehoshaphat reflect in verse 3? What role do you think Jehoshaphat's father King Asa had on the development of his own faith in the Lord? 3.    How did the Lord view Jehoshaphat and what did He do for him? Why was the Lord willing to bless kings who followed Him in this way? In other words, whose kingdom were these obedient kings really serving? How do we see this principle unfold in verse 6? 4.    What was the spark that lit this revival in verse 7? What was the purpose of this action? What were they teaching in verse 9? 5.    In verse 7, how long was Jehoshaphat king before he sent out these teachers? Why do you think it took him this long?  6.    In verse 10, what view did the surrounding nations have of Judah? Where did this come from? 7.    Who brought tribute to Jehoshaphat in verse 11? Does this surprise you? Why? How does this reflect the principle of Proverbs 16:7 that the Lord will make even our enemies at peace with us?  8.    How did the events of verses 12 to 19 bring strength to Judah? Given your answers in Question #3, “whose” kingdom was being strengthened? 9.    It has been pointed out that revivals often follow times of darkness. What darkness had been going on in Israel and Judah? How did this darkness prepare them to embrace the light of God's truths when taught to them? 10.    Where do we have darkness in our world? How can you be part of bringing God's truth to the people around you? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

When someone drifts away from the Lord, can they be restored? Yes! Today in our study in 2nd Chronicles 15, we'll see how King Asa led a reform that brought the people back to reconsecrate themselves to the Lord; which brought revival throughout the land. Join us!  DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    What was the Lord's assessment of King Asa from 2 Chronicles 14:2? How did this impact his trust in the Lord in 2 Chronicles 14:11? Why does righteousness often equate to courage? Is there a place in your life where the Lord is calling you to act with righteous courage?  2.    What does Azariah say in verses 3-6 about how the Lord used the people's “distress” to lead to them to Him? What did their difficulty look like? Has the Lord ever allowed you to go through a difficult situation so that in that, you'd return to Him? If so, when?   3.    What was Azariah's words for Asa in verse 7? How do we see him living courageously in verse 8?  4.    What was the response of the people in verse 9? Why are the Tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon significant here? Why do godly people seek leaders who obey God? What kind of person do you want to unite with? What kind of people want to unite with you? 5.    In verses 11-12, what was the people's oath and covenant with the Lord? What do you think this would have looked like in the average person's day-to-day life?  6.    In verse 13, their zeal also included capital punishment for those who did not seek the Lord. How does the fact that Israel was a theocracy help us understand such a policy? If a person was totally surrendered to the Lord in the New Covenant, how would this look differently?  7.    What was the response of the people in verse 15? What was the Lord's response in this same verse? Why?  8.    The podcast mentions that there was a shadow in Asa's life that begins in verse 17 but also carries into 2 Chronicles 16. What did Asa do? Why was that out of character for him? How did the Lord respond then? How was that a fulfillment of God's warnings back in verse 2? 9.    Looking back over this chapter, it has much to say about the heart condition of various people. What do the following verses say about these people heart:  a.    Verse 7:  b.    Verse 8: c.    Verse 12:  d.    Verse 15:  e.    Verse 17: 10.    How do these conditions of their heart drive the Lord's faithfulness in verse 15? Which of these heart conditions are true of you?  Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

Host: Emily Hatfield  |  Released Wednesday, April 9, 2025 Looking into the life of Judah's faithful King Asa, we can be encouraged that our own faithfulness is not dependent upon that of our parents. While his grandfather, Rehoboam, and his father, Abijam, were unfaithful kings, Asa broke away from their negative example. He even went […]

Host: Emily Hatfield  |  Released Wednesday, April 9, 2025 Looking into the life of Judah's faithful King Asa, we can be encouraged that our own faithfulness is not dependent upon that of our parents. While his grandfather, Rehoboam, and his father, Abijam, were unfaithful kings, Asa broke away from their negative example. He even went […]

"Confident That God Isn't Bothered When You Ask for Little Things": Do you think some things are too small to bother God about? The account of King Asa reminds you that God wants you to come to him with the small matters.Welcome to the audio version of Amber's newest book, "The Key to Confidence." You can also get your own print copy from our store: https://timeofgrace.store/

What happens when we choose false gods over the true King? We explore the stark contrast between Judah's faithful King Asa and Israel's seven increasingly corrupt rulers. At its heart, this is a powerful reminder that who we worship determines our path—faithful devotion to God leads to peace and flourishing, while false worship spirals into chaos and destruction. Listen now to understand the good news: Jesus still invites us to live under His faithful kingship today.

What idols might be hiding in your own life today? We look at the story of King Asa of Judah, a ruler who broke the cycle of idolatry and rebellion established by his predecessors. Despite opposition from neighboring kingdoms and even family conflicts, Asa's commitment to righteousness transformed his nation. Listen now as we discuss the daily battle between authentic faith and the subtle idols that compete for our heart–and how to find courage to make radical changes that honor God above all else.

Pastor Jim explores 1 Kings 15, focusing on King Asa. He highlights the importance of dethroning and resisting idols inherited from our families of origin and remaining devoted to God, even when it's hard. Pastor Jim encourages listeners to examine family patterns, and to seek guidance from the Holy Spirit through Gospel community, Scripture, and prayer. A life fully aligned with Jesus not only brings personal transformation but also empowers mission and impact in the world.

Put God between yourself and the foe"There is none like you to help." 2Ch 14:11 ESVFaced with an enemy he couldn't conquer on his own, King Asa prayed, "Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us...we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you! The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah" (vv. 11-12 NIV). F. B. Meyer writes: "Remind God of his entire responsibility. 'There is none like thee to help! The odds against Asa were enormous. There were a million men in arms...beside three hundred chariots. It seemed impossible to hold his own against that vast multitude. There were no allies who would come to his help: his only hope therefore was in God. There was none beside to help. It may be that your difficulties have been allowed to come to so alarming a pitch that you may be compelled to renounce all creature aid, to which in lesser trials you have had recourse, and cast yourself back on your Almighty friend. Put God between yourself and the foe. To Asa's faith, Jehovah seemed to stand between the might of Zerah and himself, as one who had no strength. Nor was he mistaken...the Ethiopians were destroyed before the Lord, and before His host, as though celestial combatants flung themselves against the foe on Israel's behalf...Our God is Jehovah of Hosts, who can summon unexpected reinforcements at any moment to the aid of his people. Believe that He is there between you and your difficulty, and what baffles you will flee before Him as clouds before the gale."Put God between yourself and the foe An enemy you can't conquer on your own.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

Pastor Jeremy | BFBC-Glendive | Sunday How you honor/welcome/treat the presence of God will directly influence your quality of life. ● Obed-Edom's house vs Philistines ● King Asa beginning of reign vs end of reign ● David vs Saul's Daughter Direction - Protection - Provision - Peace - Power - Victory 2 Chron 20 - Jehoshaphat is delivered from his enemies. ● He was surrounded ● He feared ● He sought the Lord ● He praised the Lord ● He heard from the Lord ● He did what the Lord said ● He walked in Victory Gen 17:8 Amalek came and fought against the Israelites ● Joshua had to fight... ● Psalm 127 Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. Coaches half-time address about overcoming adversity. Jer. 29:4-14 ● The people were being knuckleheads ● God caused them to be taken away to Babylon for 70 years. ● He told them to continue to live, walk in increase, overcome the adversity, and get back to Jerusalem. God has created an “environment of victory” or maybe a “culture of winning.” He can win with players who are: 1. Too Young - David a youth 2. Too Old - Caleb was 85 3. Weak - Gideon the weakest 4. Outnumbered - Jehosophat surrounded 5. God's won with a liar, a drunk, and a prostitute 6. He's won with men, and women 7. He's won with people of different races and nationalities. 8. He's won with friends, God has even won with enemies!! God can win with you!! You are more than a conqueror, you are the head and not the tail, that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead really does dwell in you, if God is for you who can be against you. ● You might be supernaturally delivered ● You might have to fight to get that dub ● You may feel like you are losing and have to overcome adversity.

Pastor Jeremy | BFBC-Glendive | Sunday How you honor/welcome/treat the presence of God will directly influence your quality of life. ● Obed-Edom's house vs Philistines ● King Asa beginning of reign vs end of reign ● David vs Saul's Daughter Direction - Protection - Provision - Peace - Power -Victory Communion: John 6:43-69 ● Jesus talks of being the “Bread of Life”, he says your fathers ate manna in the wilderness and are now dead. Those who partake of the bread of life will live forever. ● The religious folks question how Jesus can give them His flesh to eat. ● Jesus doubles down and responds to their resistance with “Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood there is no life in you” ● Jesus can tell the people and disciples are questioning these statements and he says “Does this offend you???” ● John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. ● John 6:66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" 68 But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Arm Wrestle - More important to know the strongest guy in the room than it is to be the strongest guy in the room. John 6:56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. The Body: Is 53:4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. a. bore our grief b. carried our sorrows c. wounded for our transgressions d. bruised for our iniquities e. bore our sins (1 Peter 2:24) f. provides peace g. provided healing h. eternal life (John 6:51) The Blood: Eph 2:12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. a. Remission of sin (Matt 26:28) b. Purchased the Church (Acts 20:28) c. Justifies us (Rom 5:9) d. Cleanses us (1 John 1:7) e. Redeems us (1 Peter 1:18&19) f. Brings us near to Him (Eph 2:13) g. Speaks (Heb 12:24) h. Sanctifies (Heb 13:12) i. Makes us overcomers (Rev. 12:20) All these things are wonderful on their own, but essentially they are all byproducts of what is really powerful and that is you having a relationship with God. The Name of Jesus, the believer's authority, Mark 16:17, these are all products of having that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead living on the inside of you because you have a relationship with God. 1 Cor 11:23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

In this episode, we see King Asa trusting in another nation rather than trusting God.

Pastor Jeremy | BFBC-Glendive | Sunday Successful ministries will feature: ● The presence of God ● Worship the Lord ● Repentance ● Signs & wonders ● Preach & teach the Word How you honor/welcome/treat the presence of God will directly influence your quality of lif ● Obed-Edom's house vs Philistines ● King Asa beginning of reign vs end of reign ● David vs Saul's Daughter Direction - Protection - Provision - Peace - Power - Victory Provision: Phil 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Gen 22 The Lord our Provider Matt 6:26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 2 Kings 4 Shunamite woman and her husband created space for the man of God. Out of that honoring the presence of the Lord came a son. ● From a place of abundance this woman creates a place for the presence of God. ● This place was developed from her relationship with Him, and His presence in her life. 1 Kings 17:8-16 ● This woman was crying out to God, seeking help, and God tells her to provide for Elijah. ● This woman cries out for help, seeking the presence of the Lord in her time of need, desperate and without hope. ● She cries out from the bottom of the barrel, from her relationship with God, for the presence of God...her ever present help in time of need. Both ladies saw provision in their life that was birthed out of their relationship with the presence of God. Matt 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and H righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Life comes in seasons—times of rest, battle, and trial—but how we respond determines whether we grow in wisdom or fall into fear. In this message, we look at King Asa's example of wise living, learning how to steward seasons of peace, rely on God in challenges, and embrace trials as opportunities for spiritual growth. Are you living with wisdom and intention in the season God has you in?

Lead pastor Dr. Corey Abney shares how impulsive decision-making can lead to serious consequences, especially when we rely on our own understanding instead of seeking God's wisdom. He highlights biblical examples including King Asa and Joshua, to emphasize the importance of seeking the Lord first, even when a decision seems obvious. Faith means putting God's guidance above our instincts and plans.Key Scripture2 Chronicles 13-16 Joshua 9 Matthew 6:33 Topics Covered:The dangers of impulsive decisionsThe importance of seeking God first in all decisionsBiblical examples of both wise and rash decision-makingThe consequences of failing to rely on God's guidance

In 2 Chronicles 15:7, King Asa is encouraged by the prophet Azariah to remain steadfast amidst struggles. Asa's reforms redirect Judah to worship God, emphasizing that persistence in faith yields rewards. In daily challenges, believers are reminded that their efforts matter to God, who values perseverance and transforms mundane tasks into purposeful actions.

Pastor Jeremy | BFBC-Glendive | Sunday How you honor/welcome/treat the presence of God will directly influence your quality of lif ● Obed-Edom's house vs Philistines ● King Asa beginning of reign vs end of reign ● David vs Saul's Daughter 6 Benefits of the Presence of God in Your Lif Direction - Protection - Provision - Peace - Power - Victory Direction: ● Ex. 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by d and night. ○ Driving from Dickinson in the passing lane. ● Jer. 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. ○ BFBI, 1st year, Learning Management System ● John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ○ Marriage - Eph 5, love your wife like Christ loves the church and gave Himself for her. ○ Game w/ Power Kids

By Neil Crane - The history of the kings that ruled Israel and Judah is filled with mostly kings who refused to obey God. Interspersed among the evil kings we see several "good" kings who did their best to turn the nation back to God. In this sermon we will examine the life of King Asa, the first "good" king of