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Lessons From II Chronicles

2 Chronicles 1:6-7 (6/28/18)

June 28, 2018 • Benham Brothers

* Solomon offered 1,000 burnt offerings on the altar when he was inaugurated as king. * There was no command to do this and was WAY more than customary. * This is like giving hundreds of thousands of dollars away. * He spared no expense for God. * How did God respond? * He decided to give Solomon something in return - a chance to ask for “anything” he wanted. * Solomon gave to God what was already God’s (the animals) and so God gave Solomon something he didn’t have - wisdom. * Key - give God what you have and then you can expect him to give back to you a hundredfold return. * Solomon’s wisdom was far more valuable than 1,000 animals.

2 Chronicles 3:1 (6.25/15)

June 25, 2015 • Benham Brothers

God gave David the pattern of the temple but didn't let him execute the building of it. David then gave it to Solomon his son who executed it with precision. This is the pattern of Fatherhood for us to follow today: 1) God gives dad a pattern for His kingdom. 2) Dad models this and builds to the best of his ability, recognizing his work will not be completed before he dies. 3) Dad passes down this pattern to his son. 4) Son executes the plan exactly as dad passed down, which dad got directly from God. 5) Son then becomes a dad and does the same thing.

2 Chronicles 3:15-17 (6/25/20)

June 25, 2020 • Benham Brothers

2 Chronicles 6:12 (10/18/23)

October 18, 2023 • Benham Brothers • 2 Chronicles 6:12–14

* Leadership is the ability to create an appetite in others.    * The best leaders lead people to God.  * Solomon’s early life as king shows us what this looks like.    * The Chronicles were written to encourage the Jews who were captive in Babylon, centuries after the events it recorded took place.    * Just after Solomon built the temple he stood in front of the people.    * What would he do? What would he say?  * Vs 12-13 - “ Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the court, and he stood on it. Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven…”    * Notice three things that Solomon did as leader:    * 1) He STOOD on his platform.    * 2) He KNEELED on it.    * 3) He RAISED HIS HANDS TO HEAVEN.      * Raising hands is a universal sign of surrender to God.      * As leader, Solomon pointed people to God.  * Then he prays:  * Vs 14-15 - “and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, 15 who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day.”    * He continues by praying one of the most eloquent prayers in all the Bible.  * Notice how he prayed (notes from Wiersbe):    * He looked back (1–11). He recalled how God chose him to build the temple.    * He looked up (12–21). He asked God to fulfill the covenant promises He had made with David.    * He looked ahead (22–31). Solomon asked God to help His people in various trials of life, particularly to forgive them when they sinned.     * He looked around (32–35). The king called on God to help the Gentiles.    * He looked within (36–40). He ended his prayer by pleading for forgiveness for sinning Israel.  * Where did Solomon learn to pray like this?    * His dad taught him (David created an appetite in Solomon).    * Then, Solomon most likely prayed alone - a LOT!    * You don’t just stand in front of people and pray like this without practice.    * I’m sure Solomon saw his dad praying all the time, so he picked up on the habit.    * The next thing you know he’s king and his private habit now became a public one.  * All of us should spend time privately with the Lord, pouring our hearts out to him.    * Then, if we are tapped on the shoulder to pray or speak publicly, we simply do the same thing in front of people that we do when we’re alone.    * Our prayers and our lives will point others to God.     * And this is what makes a great leader! 

2 Chronicles 6:24-25 (6/27/19)

June 27, 2019 • Benham Brothers

* Daniel knew this Scripture and applied it to his life and nation. * vs 38 - Daniel lived this out literally. * He knew God’s Word and stood on it in the midst of his own battle. * This is how we can remain faithful in the middle of a struggle. * Study God’s Word so we can then stand on His promise.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (6/27/19)

June 27, 2019 • Benham Brothers

* Below is a good forensic on how to handle personal and national repentance. * When it comes to repentance there are two parts - our part and God’s. * OUR PART: * 1) Humility - only sinners need a Savior. You have to know you’ve sinned. * 2) Pray - communicating with God meshes our hearts to His. * 3) Seek God’s face - we don’t seek an answer to prayer, but to grow closer to Him. * We then hope for His will over ours. * 4) Repent - change direction, change your mind. * GOD’S PART: * 1) God will hear us - a truly repentant child will always get the attention of his parents. * 2) Forgive our sin - He’s “dying” to forgive - He wants to do it. * 3) Heal our land - Whatever needs healing will be healed. May take time, but it will happen.

2 Chronicles 7:20 (10/18/23)

October 18, 2023 • Benham Brothers • 2 Chronicles 7:20

* God has made us stewards of this earth.    * We do not own it.  * Just after Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the Temple, where he prayed the famous 2 Chronicles 7:14 statement, God responds.    * He gives us a powerful principle we should hold onto - the principle of stewardship!  * Vs 19-20a - “But if you turn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will pluck you up from my land that I have given you…”   * God is saying that the land He gave to the Israelites is still HIS land!    * Yes, He gave it to them.    * No, it’s not theirs.  * Sounds contradictory, but it’s not.    * When God gives you something He makes you a steward of the thing He’s given you.    * He does not give you ownership.  * An owner has two things - possession and rights.    * He possesses the thing (land or whatever) and he has rights to do with it whatever he wants.  * A steward only has one thing - possession.    * A steward possesses the thing but he has no rights to do with it whatever he wants - he can only do what the owner allows him to do.  * God was reminding Solomon, and all of us for that matter, that everything He gives to us is still His!     * We are simply stewards who need to maintain it for the owner.  * How do we become faithful stewards of what God has given to us?  * Luke 19 gives us a great picture.    * 1) Accept what God gives you.      * Talent & abilities and the things that come as a result (houses and wealth).      * Don’t run from the gift (like Moses was tempted to do at the burning bush).    * 2) Recognize God as the owner and He has a purpose for which He gave it to you.      * Your talents & abilities and the stuff you have is for His glory.    * 3) Put it to work.      * Invest what you have to help others.      * This is how you honor God w/what you have.    * 4) Receive the reward.      * God rewards this type of faithfulness.      * When He rewards you, go back through the same three steps!

2 Chronicles 8:17 (6/27/19)

June 27, 2019 • Benham Brothers

* The Promised Land was a land of “milk and honey.” * Two things that were extremely important, but neither were expensive commodities. * It wasn’t a land of gold and rubies. * Milk and honey represented all they would NEED, not all they would WANT. * Solomon had to get his gold from Ophir. * Wherever God places you He’ll give you milk and honey. * He will give you all you NEED. * But you still have to go get it - just like the Israelites did with the Promised Land.

2 Chronicles 10:1-16 (6/30/16)

June 30, 2016 • Benham Brothers

• This is how the kingdom of Israel split in two - it was just beginning and was a result of Solomon’s sin. • Rehoboam was a young king (Solomon’s son) and he was presented with a request to lighten the load of work for the people. • vs 1-7: He sought advice from older men - they didn’t tell him what to say, but gave him two principles for leadership: • 1) Serve others and they’ll serve you. • 2) If you seek their welfare they will seek your welfare. • vs 8-11: He then sought advice from his buddies - they told him what to say and gave never gave him principles. • They said he needed to prove himself. • But they had a vested interest in the king - they stood to profit from his decision. • vs 16: Result - when the leader focused on himself the followers did the same. • Observations: • 1) When faced with a decision always go to those wiser than you and who don’t have a vested interest. • 2) If someone advises you what to say, watch out - you need to look for principles. • 3) As a young leader, watch out for the tendency to want to prove yourself - lead through service.

2 Chronicles 10:7 (8/5/21)

August 5, 2021 • Benham Brothers • 2 Chronicles 10:7

* Leadership is the ability to create appetites in others. * The question is, what kind of appetites are you creating? * In business, we create two kinds: * Success at work (your work is worship). * Significance in life (you’re a minister on mission). * There are three characteristics that will create appetites in others. * We see this in the story of Rehoboam, King Solomon’s son. * When the people came and asked for their labor to be made easier, he got advice from his dad’s advisors. * Listen to what they said - “If you will be a servant to this people, be considerate of their needs and respond with compassion, work things out with them, they’ll end up doing anything for you.” * Three characteristics of a good leader: * 1) He’s a Servant - like when Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. * John 13:1-5 - He recognized His leadership authority, stooped down, and served. * He focused on “their” feet, not “His” feet. * John 13:12-15 - He told them He did this to “create an appetite” in them to do the same. * EX: Michael Jr. “giving” laughs instead of “getting” laughs. * 2) He’s Considerate - to be considerate is to “show careful thought.” * They think good thoughts and then they act on those thoughts (through words, deeds, prayer, etc). * A considerate person is a “thoughtful” person - they “consider” others before themselves (this makes them kind). * 3) He’s Compassionate - they “feel” for others. * Being “considerate” is about your thinking, being “compassionate” is about your feeling. * You can be considerate without being compassionate, but you can’t be compassionate without being considerate. * The only way to feel for others is through “empathy.” * EX: My friend Joe Silva. * The real test isn’t weeping when others weep, but rejoicing when others rejoice!

2 Chron 10:16 (7/2/13)

July 2, 2013 • Benham Brothers

Reheboam should have listened to the advice of the elders His buddies told him to "prove himself" to be strong - this is always a temptation for young people His focus turned to himself and away from the people So how did the people respond? They turned their focus to themselves and away from the kingdom They were simply playing follow the leader

2 Chronicles 13:13-16 (6/30/16)

June 30, 2016 • Benham Brothers

• Abijah became king of Judah after Rehoboam. • He and Jeroboam drew up in battle - civil war. • Jeroboam wouldn’t listen when Abijah tried to talk him out of it. • Judah was surrounded and there seemed no possible way for them to win. • Notice the three steps they took to win the battle: • 1) They cried out to the Lord. • Faith is what pleases God, so when we’re in a fix we need to cling to our faith. • We do this by keeping our focus on Him and not on the problem. • 2 Chronicles 14:11 - look how Asa cried out to the Lord - he recognized God’s power, confessed his own inadequacy, reminded God that it was His battle, and relied fully on God for victory. • 2) The priests blew the trumpets. • The spiritual leaders were the ones who cried, “CHARGE!” • They recognized the enemy and pointed the people in the right direction to attack. • 3) They raised the battle cry. • They were ready to fight to the death. • They asked God to do His part and they were ready to do theirs. • Result - God kicked in and kicked butt.

2 Chronicles 13:15 (7/2/15)

July 2, 2015 • Benham Brothers

In 2 Chron 12:14 we see Rehoboam did evil because he didn’t “set his heart” to seek the Lord. Because of this God punished him and his nation. In Daniel 1:8 we see Daniel “set his heart” to obey the Lord. Because of this God blessed him and his nation. Now in 2 Chron 13:15 we see the men of Judah “setting their heart” to fight a battle God told them to fight. Because of this they won - God fought for them. God acted the minute they raised the battle cry. The very minute they chose to fight God kicked into action!

2 Chronicles 15:2-7 (5/12/16)

May 12, 2016 • Benham Brothers

• The DOJ made a bold statement equating LGBT to blacks during the civil rights era. • We are watching the disintegration of America and it’s founding principles. • We had to deny God first before any of these could ever happen. • 2 Chronicles 15:2-6 - if God is your problem then only God is your answer. • Deuteronomy 32:15-18 - we have chosen new gods. • Ezekiel 22:26 - the priests aren’t teaching people to distinguish between right and wrong. • Malachi 2:17 - spiritual leaders are teaching that those who do evil are doing good. • Judges 21:25 - with no law everyone does right what’s in their own eyes. • But if we turn back to God He will turn back to us.

2 Chronicles 15:5-15 (8/7/14)

August 7, 2014 • Benham Brothers

God had spoken 2 Chronicles 7:14 to Solomon years before, and now we get a glimpse into what this looks like in real life. vs 5-6 - The peace of the city had been replaced with violence (sound like a public school to you?). vs 7 - God promised a reward if Asa remained faithful to Him (in the next chapter we see him aiming for the reward and not God). vs 8 - Asa responded by "doing" something (3 parts to prayer - Keep Watch, Pray, Get Up And Do Something!). 1) He removed what was evil - he got rid of idols (anything that stands in the way of God, even good things!). 2) He restored what was good - he brought back true worship so they couldn't worship however they saw fit. This wasn't just creating good culture, but reinstituting that which drew people toward God. vs 9 - He gathered them for a solemn assembly. Note - many non-Jews wanted to become Jews at this time, not because of Asa's cool programs but by his spirit - they saw him as someone whom had the presence of God on him - this is the Law of Attraction. How did Asa manifest God's Spirt? 1) Resisted Evil 2) Restored Good. vs 10-11 - They sacrificed abundantly to God - people were getting right with God! vs 12-14 - They entered back into the covenant God had made with His people because they sought Him with their WHOLE heart. The covenant still existed but they had voluntarily walked away from it, but by their repentance they were back in. vs 15 - God gave them rest. The peace of God inside you will manifest itself outside you. What happens internally will manifest itself externally, so if we want peace in our land it starts with us! 2 Chronicles 31:1-2: When Hezekiah's assembly was over they went and tore down anything that stood between them and God. He then restored that which needed to be restored (the duties and roles of the Levites). This is what reformation "looks like." It doesn't end with the prayer.

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