DCLM Daily Manna 16 January 2022 | Deeper Life Devotional Guide By Pastor W.F Kumuyi
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TOPIC: Futile Shortcuts
DCLM Daily Manna | 16 January 2022 TEXT:
16 There was constant war between King Asa of Judah and King Baasha of Israel. 17 King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and fortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from entering or leaving King Asa’s territory in Judah.
18 Asa responded by removing all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Temple of the Lord and the royal palace. He sent it with some of his officials to Ben-hadad son of Tabrimmon, son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus, along with this message:
19 “Let there be a treaty[a] between you and me like the one between your father and my father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so that he will leave me alone.”
20 Ben-hadad agreed to King Asa’s request and sent the commanders of his army to attack the towns of Israel. They conquered the towns of Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all Kinnereth, and all the land of Naphtali. 21 As soon as Baasha of Israel heard what was happening, he abandoned his project of fortifying Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah. 22 Then King Asa sent an order throughout Judah, requiring that everyone, without exception, help to carry away the building stones and timbers that Baasha had been using to fortify Ramah. Asa used these materials to fortify the town of Geba in Benjamin and the town of Mizpah.
23 The rest of the events in Asa’s reign—the extent of his power, everything he did, and the names of the cities he built—are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. In his old age his feet became diseased. 24 When Asa died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David.
Then Jehoshaphat, Asa’s son, became the next king.
DCLM Daily Manna 16 January 2022 KEY VERSE
“Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus…” (1 Kings 15:18).
DCLM Daily Manna 16 January 2022 Sunday MESSAGE
Many people are quick to take the easy way out. They seek shortcuts to finding a solution to an enduring problem. For a while, it may seem to be working. Soon enough, they realise that greater problems have been created. Asa, king of Judah, sought futile shortcuts. Although he started well, for “he did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father”, success for him came at a great price.
Baasha, the king of Israel, waged war against him, seized part of his territory. When Asa realised he could not dislodge Baasha, he turned to the wrong source for help. He gathered all the treasures in the house of the Lord and delivered them to Benhadad, king of Syria, with the plea that he should break his alliance with Baasha. It worked, because the king of Syria attacked Israeli cities, forcing the king of Israel to withdraw from Judah.
From then on, however, Asa’s life took a downward plunge. His rebellion soon brought a strange disease upon him. Yet, in his sickness, he refused to turn to God. Instead, he kept hopping from one physician to the other, all to no avail. Soon, he died from that sickness; a pitiable end for a king that began his reign by doing right in the sight of God. We must avoid taking the easy way out.
It may appear simple and straightforward but it does not last. Worse still, it has the tendency to turn the heart from God, to make us self-conceited, and to think that we can solve our own problems. Resist the pressure to seek shortcuts in dealing with life challenges. Instead, let your dependence rest on the Almighty.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Shortcuts often lead to damning problems.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 5-6
DCLM Daily Manna 16 January 2022 | Deeper Life Devotional was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.