Depend On God And Not Man

Saturday, July 4

2 Chronicles 16:2-3 (NKJV)

“Then Asa brought silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-Hadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying, “Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold; come, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”

Devotion

In Pastor Franklin's sermon on Sunday, he spoke about Asa and his arrogance that caused him to have diseased feet. According to scriptural commentary from R.C. Sproul, he made three grave mistakes in the above text. He took money from the temple treasuries and disregarded the worship of the Lord. He also allied Israel with foreign forces from Syria, and this caused his downfall. This is almost like Hezekiah showing all his wealth to Syria earlier in the Bible. Both of them forgot to get help or advice from God. Asa forgot what God had done for them in the past. He forgot that God is the great healer; He can do more than any physician or witch doctor.

Asa forgot to pray and seek the Lord; instead, he turned to a king to help him. When push came to shove, he panicked and didn't take the time to pray before, during, and after the battle. He thought he could do it without God. He forgot how he started by setting up an altar and praising God. Pastor Franklin highlighted that sometimes God will test a person to see if they are still seeking Him. We cannot just start out good; we have to finish well. The minute we take things into our own hands, we are in trouble. 

We need to remember that we must give God the glory. Asa seems to have forgotten this part. He thought that he could do it himself, that he didn't need God. He became arrogant and forgot how he began; so God gave him a disease in his feet. And still he didn't seek healing from God, but from physicians and witch doctors. 

Don't forget where you came from and what God has done so far in your life. Praise and worship Him and pray to Him when you are about to engage in any kind of battle. Only then will you have the victory that can be yours when you trust in Him.

Today's Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Forgive me for the times I have leaned on my own understanding or turned to people before turning to You. Teach me to seek You first in every decision and every battle. Help me to remember Your faithfulness in my past so I can trust You with my present and my future. Keep my heart humble and fully dependent on You. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Apply It Today

Check your “sources of trust” when pressure rises—are you reaching for control, counsel, or convenience before prayer? Make it a habit to bring God into the moment first, not after you’ve already made your plan.

Resources
  • Happy 4th of July! As we celebrate 250 years of America, we thank God for His faithfulness and the freedom we enjoy. Wishing you a joyful day filled with gratitude, rest, and family.