faith Archives - Paula Wiseman

Lessons from the Good Kings: Joash

And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 2 Chronicles 24:2

We know King David. And Solomon. Maybe even Hezekiah and Josiah. But there were many other kings in Judah, and admittedly, many were terrible. However, there were some good kings, not perfect kings, but good kings. These good kings can serve as examples of things we can do even in our culture, in our lives to honor God. So far we’ve studied Asa and his son, Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat’s son, Jehoram, began his reign with the execution of his brothers. 2 Chronicles 21:20, in recording his reign ends with “and, to no one’s sorrow, departed.” His son, Ahaziah, was no better and after his death in an ill-advised battle, Jehoram’s widow seized the throne and “destroyed all the royal heirs of the house of Judah.” (2 Chronicles 22:10)

Except one. Princess Jehoshabeath who was the wife of a priest named Jehoiada hid her toddler half-brother, Joash, in a room in the temple. Six years later, when Joash was seven years old, Jehoida led a group of men to overthrow Athaliah and establish Joash as the rightful king.

Joash leaned heavily on the advice of a godly mentor. You can read more about Jehoiada and his devotion to God in 2 Chronicles 23. He covenanted with the people and with Joash that they would be a people of God. He re-established the proper role of the priests and Levites. Everyone in Judah breathed a sigh of relief. He also chose wives for Joash. We can certainly argue that having two wives was outside God’s design, but it’s a subtle indication that Joash depended on the priest’s counsel.

The relationship between Joash and Jehoiada underscores our need both to be and to enlist a mentor. Of course, we are more likely to call it discipleship and maybe even do it in a small group setting, but that doesn’t erase the need or the importance of building deep relationships with other believers. That is the model Jesus established in His earthly ministry and we see it in the life of Paul later in the New Testament.

Joash had a heart for worship and for the house of God. Afterward, Joash took it to heart to renovate the LORD’s temple. 2 Chronicles 24:4 The Temple was the place God Himself chose to dwell and the respect the people showed to the place was a reflection of their devotion to the One who dwelt between the cherubim. Joash reinstituted the collection Moses had set up to pay for the upkeep of the tabernacle. Verse 13 says the collection was enough to restore the house of God to its original condition and it was reinforced as well. The original condition was what Solomon built. This was no small undertaking and a significant expense.

We tend to shy away from venerating the place we worship. It’s “just a building” and certainly the church of God is the people of God. However, do we have an intense desire to restore, to revive our worship? Do we long to meet with God, to be where He meets with His people? Are we generous with our contributions so that His full glory can be made known?

Joash walked away. Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them. And they abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. 2 Chronicles 24:17-18a. The unsettling conclusion seems to be that Joash’s faith and devotion to God were shallow at best. When flatterers came, he knowingly, willingly walked away from truth and embraced a lie. That is the very definition of apostasy.

And it got worse. When Jehoiada’s son, Zechariah, called him out, Joash had the priest murdered. This brazen act ultimately resulted in Joash’s assassination at the hands of his own servants. He was buried without honor.

This is a cautionary lesson for us. Are we clinging to truth or are we enamored with lies? Are we following the God of Scripture or a god we created? How do we react when we are called out for our sins? Do we become defensive and lash out at the messenger or do we thank God for sending correction?

Following Christ is a lifetime occupation, not just a fad for a season. Next week, we’ll see how Joash’s failures impacted his son, Amaziah.

Precious Faith

By Paula

[S]o that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:7

Peter was the most outspoken of Jesus’s followers. He was a blue-collar guy. Hard working, but rough-hewn. So when a guy like that tells you something is precious, it’s worth stopping and considering his words. In his first letter, Peter quickly mentions several things that precious. (Or of great value or great worth, depending on your translation.)

The first is the genuineness of your faith.

More precious, that is more valuable, than gold. Why is this such a great thing? Let’s think about gold for a minute. (And the chemistry nerd in me is going to come out. Just humor me.)

Gold is rare, but when we find it, it usually unmixed with any other compound. It is resistant to almost every acid. It literally passes the acid test. Gold has unique properties. It is able to be stretched and molded. It is extremely resistant to corrosion and it just about the best conductor of electricity that we know of.

Now consider how Peter’s analogy applies to genuine faith.

It is unmixed. We don’t trust in Jesus and … our bank account, our position, our smarts. Or do we?
It resists attack. When our faith is attacked by circumstances or directly by the enemy, we resist it. We marshall our friends to help us pray. We go to Scripture for answers and assurance. We fight back. Or do we?
It is able to be stretched and molded. We undergo hard times and challenges, know that each one is making us more Christlike. Or do we?
It is extremely resistant to corrosion. We don’t allow anything to chip away at our faith. We also avoid things that will cause a layer of impurity to build up. Or do we?
It is a great conductor. We do our best to ensure that the Holy Spirit can work through us, accomplishing our greatest mission of bringing others into the Kingdom. Or do we?

The people reading Peter’s letter back in the first century were forced to flee their homes and homeland because of intense persecution. The proven genuineness of their faith wasn’t just an abstract idea. When I read his words today, they challenge me. Is my faith in Christ more precious than gold? Am I putting it to use? When the refining comes, how will I respond?

Peter knew how his friends would respond – to the praise and glory and honor of Jesus Christ at His appearing. That’s the kind of genuine faith I want. The precious kind.

Next week – precious blood

Journey to Easter: The Locked Room

By Paula

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” John 20:26

For the last several weeks, we have stopped at significant places with Jesus as He moved ever closer to fulfilling His mission. The Upper Room. The Garden. The Chamber. The Judgment Hall. The Empty Tomb. We’ve seen that each stop was purposeful and planned. And if we took the time, we learned something at each location.

Pessimistic. Loyal. Fatalistic. Devoted. Thomas is an interesting character. When Jesus receives word of Lazarus’s death and heads toward Jerusalem, knowing the imminent danger He faced there, Thomas is ready to go die with Jesus. (John 11:16) He wasn’t afraid. He didn’t hesitate. In the Upper Room, he wasn’t much for abstract ideas about going and preparing places, and said as much. Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” (John 14:5)

Like the other disciples, he fled when Jesus was arrested. Like the other disciples, he really didn’t expect Jesus to raise from the dead. In his defense, the other guys were trying to persuade him AFTER they had the evidence. A few hours before, they didn’t believe the women’s reports any more than Thomas believed theirs.

On the eighth day after the resurrection, the disciples were gathered in a locked room. This time Thomas was there. We have all been where Thomas was that day. We have heard the promises Jesus made, but reality and the pain we’ve experienced made those words seem distant at best. We have heard the joyous testimonies of people around us, but struggled to respond with the same faith. Maybe we have wondered what was fundamentally wrong with us. Why don’t we get it? The faith thing seems so easy for everyone else. Maybe the heartache and struggles make the risk of faith too great.

But he was in the room. Notice how Jesus interacts with Thomas. Jesus doesn’t upbraid him for his lack of faith. It’s important to remember that Jesus didn’t shy away from doing exactly that when the situation warranted, like when He calmed the storm, or at Lazarus’s tomb. However, there is a difference between faith in Jesus and faith in our EXPECTATIONS about Jesus. Thomas misinterpreted that faith in his expectations for faith in Jesus Himself. When the expectations weren’t met, a faith crisis resulted.

Maybe you can identify. I know I can.

Thomas teaches us something else. His response wasn’t one of wonder or confusion like Peter and John at the tomb. It wasn’t even joy like Mary after seeing Christ in the garden. Thomas exclaims, “My Lord and my God!” Complete surrender. Genuine faith in Christ brings that. It throws out our agenda and our posturing.

The locked room is where things get real. Pretenses are stripped away and humility is refined. But the authenticity that results opens us up to the kingdom assignment Jesus has for us.

Thomas was in the boat when the tremendous haul of fish was taken a few days later. He was on the mountain when Jesus ascended. He was in the room when the Holy Spirit came. He preached the gospel in a language he had never studied enabling foreigners to hear the gospel clearly. There is strong evidence that he carried the gospel all the way to India where he almost certainly was martyred for his faith.

As you spend some time here with Thomas, consider your own faith. Is it in Christ or your expectations of Him? Are you genuinely surrendered? Are you ready to take on the task He has for you?

When you leave the locked room, your journey beyond Easter awaits!

The Shield of Faith

By Paula

Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Ephesians 6:16

A shield is for defense, for protection.
It is mobile. Big enough to hide behind.
It also bears the marks and scars of previous battles.

It is like everyone else’s,
But yet deeply personal.

No matter how brave,
How strong or
How well-trained,

Only a fool would face the enemy
Without a shield.

So when those fiery darts come…
And they will come
In the coming week, the coming day, the coming moment.
Doubt, despair, desire and more

Don’t be foolish enough to think that
Positive thinking, hard work, good character will be enough.

You must have the shield of faith.
Faith in God who loves you,
Who keeps His promises
Who will never leave you nor forsake you

Faith in a God who sees, who knows,
Who hears and who acts on your behalf.
Faith in a God who empowers, who strengthens
Who refreshes and revives you.

In all circumstances, in every situation, make sure you have your shield.

Three Mistakes Abraham Made in Dealing with an Unbelieving King

By Paula

Then Abimelech called for Abraham and asked him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you that you would bring such a serious sin on me and my kingdom? You shouldn’t have done this to me.” Genesis 20:9 (GW)

For the last few weeks, we have looked at some of the words of unbelievers and what lessons they teach us. Genesis 20 records one of Abraham’s not-so-great moments in his encounter with Abimelech, the king of Gerar. Abraham had already received the promises from God, including the assurance that he would have a son and that his innumerable descendants would inherit the land of Canaan. This episode falls between the promise and its fulfillment. Incidentally, it’s not far from Kadesh, a place where the entire nation would fail to embrace the promise of land God made to Abraham.

In this account, Sarah has been taken from Abraham and added to Abimelech’s harem. (It’s worth remembering that she was likely in her eighties. She must have been amazingly beautiful.) But God reveals Sarah’s true relationship to Abraham. So where did Abraham go wrong in his dealings with the king of Gerar?

Abraham assumed the worst about Abimelech. In verse 11, he explains, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.” The people in Gerar did not worship Yahweh, but Abimelech immediately acted on the things God revealed to him and displayed some degree of honor. He was deeply offended by the lies and made good, generous overtures to Abraham to ensure things were settled between them.

Granted, there is real evil in the world, and there are truly wicked people out there. However, most of the unbelievers we encounter are a lot like us. They have jobs and families. They worry about paying their bills and what the future may be like. They have hopes and dreams. However, they don’t have Jesus. When we assume we know them, and in turn, assume the worst, we make it difficult to connect with them and reach the place where we can share our faith with them.

Abraham told a wishy-washy half-truth out of fear. In verse 2, he introduced Sarah as his sister. She was his half-sister. But she was his wife. That was a very significant detail to leave out. This is a man who had spoken with God. But when fear overshadowed faith, Abraham said and did a stupid thing. And we are the same way.

When unbelievers ask questions, don’t waver or waffle. Give true, honest answers. That credibility will be crucial to building a foundation of faith.

Abraham led Sarah to be wishy-washy too. In verse 13, Abraham reveals that he had arranged with Sarah to keep the full truth about their relationship a secret. The legal term there is conspiracy, and it is not to be overlooked. We have an awesome responsibility to lead, to be examples, to disciple other believers. What a serious failure it is when instead we lead them to dishonor God and damage their witness before unbelievers.

Thankfully, that’s not the end of the story. There is no question Abraham learned from his mistakes. By Genesis 22, he proves he has an amazing faith in God. But I love the fact that God includes stories like this one in His word. It reminds me that Abraham was human. If he can learn and grow and be a man of unshakeable faith … so can we.

Let These Words Sink Down into Your Ears

By Paula

“Let these WORDS sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying. Luke 9:44-45

Before His death, Jesus spoke very frankly with His disciples about the coming events. He was going to be betrayed, handed over, crucified, but He would rise again after three days. Everyone who heard Him understood the WORDS He was saying, but none of them grasped the reality of them. Even as the events were unfolding before them, the disciples struggled with how things were playing out. Instead of clinging to their faith in Christ, in who He is and what they had already witnessed from Him, that faith gave way to fear for their very lives. They heard the hatred in the mob’s cries and the religious leaders’ hypocritical disdain. They saw the brutality and the scorn of the Romans. That very natural fear led to doubts about this man they had given up everything to follow. Had they misunderstood? Was this the way it was supposed to be?

Surely, some of the longest hours in their lives were those between the Upper Room to the empty tomb.

The Resurrection changed all that. The doubts and fears gave way to the boldness and fire at Pentecost and beyond. The WORDS that Jesus said became real. Things that they struggled to grasp in those hours in between made sense at last in ways that were beyond their imagination.

Even now, with the Holy Spirit living in us, with the completed canon of Scripture readily available to us and with 2000 years of church history to draw upon, we have the same trouble grasping the WORDS of Jesus.

Toward the end of His earthly ministry, He said, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.” (Matthew 24:9) And we struggle to understand why culture is so hostile to our values.

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. (Matthew 24:7) And yet we trust treaties and military buildups to protect us and depend on science and technology to fix everything else.

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (Matthew 24:12) We’re still shocked at scandals that reveal the depth of our self-absorption and misogyny.

Jesus told us these things would happen, and now we are living in the in-between time like the disciples in those hours between crucifixion and resurrection. We wrestle with questions – Why doesn’t God do something? Is He even paying attention? Why is everything a struggle?

But when He comes again, and He will just as surely as He resurrected, everything will make sense. The questions and the frustrations will melt into worship and affirmation that He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. His words will be fulfilled in ways outside the bounds of our imagination.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Peace. He has overcome. We’ll know exactly what those WORDS mean. Just a little longer.

Lessons from the Good Kings: Joash

Precious Faith

Journey to Easter: The Locked Room

The Shield of Faith

Three Mistakes Abraham Made in Dealing with an Unbelieving King

Let These Words Sink Down into Your Ears

Encounters Series

Covenant of Trust Series

Foundations Series