2 Chronicles 21-23

Click on the above Scripture to read today's Bible story!

Here are a few lessons you can learn from today's text:

1) You become who you hang with! In spite of the fact that Jehoram was raised in a godly home, when his father (Jehoshaphat) allowed him to marry the daughter of the most wicked king in Israel's history, eventually philosophies and ideologies of these wicked people dissolved into his life. In chapter 21, we read about horrible act he committed in killing his own brothers so as to protect his right to the throne. It says in verse 6 that he "followed the example of the kings of Israel and was as wicked as King Ahab, for he had married one of Ahab's daughters." Regardless of how spiritual of a foundation you might have grown up in, wickedness can rub its way into your life if you spend too much time around it!

This wickedness not only effected him, but it destroyed his son (Ahaziah) as well!

2) It takes great courage to do God's work! Doing God's work is not for cowards. Few people really want to hear the truth (God's truth). Many people don't like change or the feeling of the need to change, but that's effect God's Word and His work has on people. Many prophets have been killed for preaching and teaching the truth - you'll read about it in the pages ahead. Fortunately, in chapter 23, a man by the name of Jehoida (the priest) made a decision to bring Judah back into a relationship with God. It says in 23:1, "Jehoida the priest decided to act." That's the first step in doing God's work - a decision to act. The second thing he committed to doing was to "summon his courage." He simply had to trust God for the end result of his actions! Thirdly, he made sure that both the leadership of Judah and the people of Judah returned to following the law of Moses and entering into a relationship with God again.