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FOR THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS, BUT GOD’S

2 Chron. 20:14-37

 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.

First, do not be afraid (14-19). The situation of Judah looked desperate. A vast army was approaching from En Gedi. Jehoshaphat himself might have thought that the LORD was going to punish him for his alliance with Ahab. Then the Spirit of the Lord spoke through Jahaziel. At the critical moment, God sent a man of God to encourage the hearts of his people. “Don’t be discouraged because of this vast army. The battle is not yours, but God’s.” He told them that they were to march down against them. But they were not going to have to fight. Sovereign God was going to do the fighting for them. All they had to do was stand firm and see the deliverance of the LORD (like Moses and Israel at the Red Sea). 

Again and again, this is the message of the Bible: “The battle belongs to the LORD.” “The battle is not yours, but God’s.” As God’s people, we are called to depend on God and glorify God by our utter dependence on Him in our battles. It doesn’t mean that we should do nothing at all. Often God calls us to do certain things but when we do something we must do it by faith, not human calculation. We must depend on God for victory and thus glorify God in our battles.

I personally like vs. 17, which says, “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”

How did they respond to the good news of victory? They praised God all the more. Vs. 19 says, “Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.” I like these Kohathites and Korahites who stood up and praised the LORD with a very loud voice. They are my kind of people. There is a time and a place to praise God in a very loud voice. There also times to praise God quietly giving thanks to Him in prayer.

Lord, I praise you for being my God. I praise you for the victory over my sin at the cross. Thank you Lord Jesus for taking away my sins as the Lamb of God. Thank you for all your precious servants here in Chicago who supported us. Bless Mother Barry with good health, God's word and your Holy Spirit. thank you for P. Ron's message struggle. Continue to empower him with Mark's gospel. Thank you for P. Abraham Kim. Fill him with your Spirit and your word to lead international UBF. Thank you for M Jose Ahn, James Ahn, Dr. Augustine Suh and P Kevin and so many others. Bless your people here and empower them daily. Thank you for M Elijah and Mary and all our Oakton coworkers. Bless our upcoming SBC. Bless all SBC going on now and that are being prepared.

Help me to be a man of rejoicing and thanksgiving. I praise You for You have done great things for me. Holy is your name. Thank you for using our family in the mission field in Paraguay and Argentina. Thank you for establishing your church through the coworking of our families. Thank you for M Marcos and Ruth’s leadership. Thank you for the missionary family of M. Noe and Erendira. Thank you for our sisters Claudia, Dorka, Sandra, Maru, Julia and Maria. Thank you for brothers Leandro, Andres, Nicolas, Alberto and more on the way. Bless the labor of their hands and make Buenos Aires UBF a Mount Zion where many come to study your word and to walk in your ways. May the word of the LORD go out from Buenos Aires UBF to the ends of the earth. Thank you Father for giving me the opportunity to go out again to the mission field, even to Korea as an English teacher at Dream School. Help me to pioneer my missionary life again and stay in the mission field and keep going all the way to C nation. Bless our family to keep growing and becoming what you want us to be. Bless M Hannah with all necessary things and with good health, peace of mind and faith in God to lead our house church while I am away. Bless Paul and John to grow as men of God and to establish themselves according to your sovereignty and your guidance. Bless them to both marry women of faith and mission who can help them to be great servants of God. I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Second, they sang to the LORD in the battle (20-37). The king took it to another level. Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD in front of the army. He gave very specific instructions even what to sing. Verse 21 says:
“After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his^[a] holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

‘Give thanks to the Lord,
    for his love endures forever.’”

This is an example of what those in leadership positions can do when their hearts are fully devoted to the LORD and they are ruling with the fear of the LORD. 

As the prophet prophesied, they found the vast army dead. They had turned on each other. God sent a spirit of confusion into their enemies. So exactly as the word of God said, they would not have to fight this battle. They simply stood firm and saw the LORD’s deliverance.

Father, let this same victory be repeated in my life and my family and all the Kuper family and Lee family. Help me to remember the secret of victory that comes through prayer, praise and standing firm, holding my position. Lord, be glorified in me as I depend on you to pioneer my missionary life anew beginning at Dream School and at HangYang UBF. Thank you for opening a door for this unworthy servant. Help me to be a fruitful and influential man of God and man of mission. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

One Word: The Battle is God’s!

Prayer Topics:

1. Be totally prepared for new missionary life/work hard and be an excellent teacher for Korean young people/cowork well with Damon and coworkers/serve as English Bible teacher at HY UBF

2. God's protection and guidance upon my family (Hannah, Paul & John)

3.  Eat Daily Bread "daily" and spend time in prayer for God's people

4. Live by faith from first to last (Ro 1:17)/obey Jesus' Great Commission (Mt 28:19)/ persevere as a good soldier of Christ Jesus from first to last (2Ti2:3)

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MICAIAH AND AHAB

2 Chron. 18:12-34

But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what my God says.” (13)

First, Micaiah the truthful prophet (12-27). The messenger advised Micaiah to agree with others who predicted success for the king. But Micaiah replied that he could only speak the truth. At first, he seemed to sarcastically agree with the false prophets but then he fearlessly told the truth to King Ahab. The king would surely die in battle and this would be a sign to everyone that Micaiah was a prophet of God. The king was angry and instead of thanking him for Bible study, he threw him in the jail.  Micaiah declared, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Mark my words, all you people!”  

As God’s servant I must speak the truth in love even when it is hard or costly. Also, I must receive the words of a servant of God well. I must maintain a humble learning mind especially when I hear what I don’t like to hear.

I failed to listen to godly counsel from my wife many times and suffered. I got angry instead of accepting the obvious truth. Lord, forgive me for my proud mind. Help me to have a humble learning mind before your word. Help me to love and respect my wife M Hannah, a woman of truth. Help me to listen well to godly counsel and also share your word with others out of much prayer and love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Second, Ahab’s death (28-34). Ahab tried to avoid being killed by disguising himself but a random arrow hit him and he died the next morning. Ahab could not escape God’s word by his human smartness. In contrast, even though Jehoshaphat was dressed in his royal robes and was nearly killed, God spared his life. We live under the shadow of God's sovereign hand.

Lord, help me to depend on you for guidance and victory, not my smartness. Bless my new missionary life in Korea and my family in USA as they stay behind waiting and watching my progress. Lord, help me to pioneer my new missionary life as a teacher for Dream School and a Bible teacher/messenger for college students and coworkers at HangYang UBF. Help me to seek you and your counsel first in everything. Father, glorify your name in this unworthy servant and in our world mission family.

One Word: Listen to God’s word and live!

Daily Bread

THE EYES OF THE LORD RANGE THROUGHOUT THE EARTH

2 Chron. 16:1-14

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (9^a)

First, Asa relied on man- not God- for victory (1-9). Judah had peace until the 35^th year of Asa’ reign. Then trouble came in the form of the king of Israel. This time, however, Asa did not depend on God. Instead, he made a treaty with the Ben-Hadad and paid him with gold and silver to protect him and Judah. It was shameful for the king of Judah to do so. It didn’t glorify God and only revealed his fear and unbelief. Therefore, God sent Hanani the prophet to rebuke him. In his rebuke he gave a great promise for all God’s people: “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”

The eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth watching over his people and servants who are fully committed to him. We can trust this promise today. God’s eyes are ranging now over Arizona to strengthen M. David Kim (Tempe, AR) and heal him. God’s eyes are ranging over the ME to strengthen his servants who are gathering together in Sri Lanka. God’s eyes are ranging over M. Jose, Maria and Abraham who are serving there with message, prayers and cello performance. God’s eyes are ranging over India and God’s people there. God’s eyes are ranging over Argentina to strengthen M Marcos and Ruth and all the flock of God. God’s eyes are ranging over me and my family. God granted me a successful hernia surgery. I feel stronger every day. Praise Jesus! Now I am preparing to go out as a missionary to Korea alone. My wife will stay behind to make a home for our sons until God’s time for her to join me. In the meantime, I must pioneer like A. Paul. May God’s eyes watch over M. Hannah, Paul and John to strengthen them and also to strengthen/guide me to start a new missionary life.

Second, Asa did not repent (10-19). Asa was furious and did not repent. He put Hanani in jail and brutally oppressed some of God’s people. He had a bad temper. Later, he got a disease of the feet (gout) and died. He did not seek the LORD’s help but only that of the physicians. This is sad because he ran a good race for most of his life. I learned here to finish well. Paul says in Romans to live by faith from first to last (Ro 1:17). This is what I plan to do with the help of my God.

Father, have mercy on me to keep on living by faith from first to last. Help me to run the good race of faith from start to finish. Thank you that your eyes range throughout the earth to strengthen the hearts of those fully committed to you. Help my heart to be fully committed to you and to be busily engaged in the work of God. Protect all your people from Arizona to Argentina and from India to Sri Lanka and from Sudan to Ukraine. Protect your servants who are working in ME and bless the work of their hands. Bless your servant M Jose Ahn (his three-man army) to give great encouragement to our coworkers at the ME conference in Sri Lanka. Let your eyes continue to range throughout the earth to strengthen Damon at Dream School, Jonathan and Frieda in Indonesia, Chris Sagel and family, John and Maria Peace and all the lonely servants and single house church ministries scattered here and there. Remember our family of mission while we are apart. Help M Hannah, Paul and John to be strong in your grace and to help each other. Grant that I may pioneer a new missionary life in Korea by working at Dream School and serving English Bible study/messages at HangYang UBF. Help me to pray for Korean youth and for the evangelization of C. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

One Word: The eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth…

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ASA’S REFORMS

2 Chron. 15:1-19

“The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.” (2b)

“But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” (7)

First, be strong and do not give up (1-7). The times of Asa were troublesome; the Lord brought distress because they had drifted away from God and were engaged in idol-worship. At this moment when Asa was beginning to reign, God sent a prophet Azariah to give God’s word to the king and all the people. “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.” This is God’ great and personal promise to Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD would be with them if they were with the LORD. In other words, if they seek the LORD wholeheartedly and devote themselves to Him, God promised to be with them. What God wants from us is our worship and obedience. He wants us to get rid of all idols. When we worship God and serve Him only, He will be with us and give us rest from enemies. It is the great privilege of Gods’ people to have the presence of God. Jesus gives us (the church) an even greater promise in Mt. 28:20: “And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.” 

Next, Azariah reminds them of the troubled times. Nation was crushing nation. All the lands were in great turmoil. This sounds like our world today. Nations are crushing other nations all across the world. Russia is crushing Ukraine. Arab nations are trying to crush Israel and Israel responds in turn with air strikes killing innocent people. In Sudan, there is violence and chaos. Guerilla fighters roam in Africa nd South America. Terrorists are also a constant invisible threat that can appear at any moment and strike. Almost everywhere we turn there is trouble, distress and turmoil. But Azariah adds, “…because God was troubling them with every kind of distress.”  Azariah makes it clear God was troubling them. This is a higher view of things. God gives us trouble because he wants us to repent and seek Him with all our hearts. When we experience troubles and hardships and persecution, we must go to God. When prayers seem to be unanswered and God seems silent, it is time to search our hearts and be still in his presence. We are tempted to doubt or become bitter and complain. Instead, we must look inward and see that we must change. God is Sovereign in world events. He uses hardships to refine us as his people.

Another promise is given in vs. 7. “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” God wanted to encourage Asa to be strong and not give up the good work he began. He reminded him that his work would be rewarded. We are tempted to throw in the towel when our efforts don’t seem to make a difference. But God’s word tells us to be strong and not give up. The NT equivalent of this promise might be 1 Cor. 15:58: “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Because Jesus has risen and is reigning over us, we don’t have to be moved by trouble or hardship or temporary setbacks. “Do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” Here, I realize that I must give myself fully to the work of the Lord because all my labor in the Lord is not in vain. This is true in family, ministry and work. Amen.

Second, the LORD gave them rest (8-19). After receiving God’s word, Asa took courage and stepped up the reforms. He removed all the detestable idols from the land. He repaired the altar of the LORD. He assembled all the people and entered into a covenant with the LORD to seek Him wholeheartedly. All who refused to seek the LORD were put to death. (This was not a democracy but a theocracy.) When they sought God wholeheartedly, God gave them rest and great joy. Asa’s reforms even included removing the queen mother from her position because she had made an Asherah pole. Asa’s heart was fully committed to the LORD all the days of his life. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.

Like Asa, I must make reforms. They begin first in my own personal life. In my own walk with God, I must seek the LORD wholeheartedly. I must remove the plank from my own eye before I can help my brother with the speck in his eye. 

Lord, help me to be courageous and make reforms in my life and my family. Please help me to lead the way to form our Christian home anew. Please grow me in godliness and in spiritual maturity and leadership. It is possible if you are with me. Be with me as I am with you. Let me find you as I seek you in repentance and faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

One Word: The LORD is with us as we are with Him

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GOD BLESSED ASA WHO RELIED ON THE LORD

2Chron. 14:1-15

Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for 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.” (11)

First, God gave Asa rest (1-7). Asa did was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God (2). Asa is listed as one of the good kings of Judah. (There were none among the kings of Israel; they were all evil). Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God. He lived in the sight of God. He was not a man-pleaser. Also, He lived before the “LORD his God.” This phrase tells us that his relationship with God was very personal. He had his own personal faith and wanted to please God as a godly king. This is what I want to be. I want to be a God-pleaser, not a man-pleaser. This means that I will have enemies on both sides. But if so, then so be it. Abraham Lincoln was a God-pleaser. Eventually his sincere faith and desire to do what is good and right led even his enemies to respect him. They all wept at his funeral, friends and foes alike. They all loved him and respected him in the end.

He removed even the high places. He commanded Judah to seek the LORD and to obey his commands. Asa did what was unpopular; he removed the shrines and places of idol-worship. Whenever leaders make reforms, they make enemies. But Asa was not afraid to oppose what is evil in his day. Today, it is all the more important that Christians live lives of integrity and speak up; they must do both at the same time! Then the world will sit back and wonder instead of making sport of Christians.

As a result God gave rest to Asa and all Judah for ten years and he built up the fortified cities seeking the LORD his God. Rest comes from the LORD. All blessings come from God. Asa knew that it was not the fortified cities that made Judah strong but the LORD himself.

Second, The  LORD gave victory to the powerless (8-15). Then a test came. He was attacked by his enemies the Cushites. Asa responded by mustering his army but more importantly he prayed (11). He cried out to God (a phrase that shows the urgency of the one praying). He said, “LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD…” It was the sincere prayer of a man who relies on God alone for victory and God answered his prayer. He crushed the Cushites before them. The victory was complete. 

When my family or I am in a crisis I must rely on the LORD my God. The LORD has been with me and has given me many victories as I look back over the years. He is with me. He is with our family. He is with His church. He is with all Christians today. This is our confidence that if we pray, we know that he hears us and will answer us.

LORD, you still give victory to those who rely on you. I am weak but you are strong. Help me to experience victory today in my prayers. Grant all your people victory in life's battles. Be glorified in my life. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

One Word: Rely on the LORD and win the victory!