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[0:00] back in our Bibles to 2nd Chronicles chapter 14 on page 447 going on to page 448. And as we turn back there let's seek the Lord's help.

[0:18] Heavenly Father we pray that this story of a man who lived in obedience to you many many years ago would speak to us in the here and now. Your word is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword and tonight Lord we as your people want to sit under the surgeon's scalpel. We know that that can be painful initially but we thank you that it brings healing and we pray Lord in our lives for your spirit's power that we may love you evermore and walk ever closer with you. In Jesus name we pray.

[0:54] Amen. Well if you were to visit Anglesea in Wales you might visit the castle that's called Bomaris. It was built in the late 13th and early 14th centuries to secure the English domination of Wales. But the castle has a nickname and the nickname is the greatest castle that was never built.

[1:22] The greatest castle that was never built. It's truly a sight to behold but it was never completed. It was never finished. Architects plans show that it was supposed to be even bigger and even more imposing than it actually is.

[1:39] In fact if you go online you can see renderings of it as it was supposed to be. The English begun a war with Scotland and simply couldn't afford the resources or manpower to continue the great work of castle building there. And there is nothing worse than something that remains unfinished. Incomplete. It's not how something begins that truly matters but it's how it finishes.

[2:05] The greatest castle that was never built. And over the next two Sunday evenings we're going to be looking at King Asa in the Bible and doing a character study of his life. And we could coin the phrase of Bomaris castle for King Asa to describe him.

[2:24] Asa is a great king that never finished what he started. Asa is a great king who never finished what he started. Chapters 14 and 15 which we'll go over this week and part of next week.

[2:38] It starts off so well. It's great. It's amazing. Chapter 16 which we didn't read from. It all goes horribly wrong. Because he never finished what he started. And we'll look at that next time.

[2:51] He starts off so well. Exemplary in fact. But near the end of his life he goes hugely off track. And we'll see that as we go through the events of his life.

[3:01] Which are found in chapters 14 to 16 of 2nd Chronicles. Now we're going to look at these chapters not verse by verse as such. But we're going to look through the lens of the character Asa.

[3:13] And see what practical lessons we can glean from his life. Because there's many lessons here that are bang up to date for us as 21st century Christians.

[3:24] But just before we dig into that. Let us find out where Asa is in the history of Israel. To let us know the time scales. Well if you start with King David.

[3:36] Who I'm sure we all know. We should know where we are heading. David is the man after God's own heart. Who rules Israel well during his years as king. And every other king is marked by how well they do according to David's standard.

[3:51] You see that as you read Kings. And as you read Chronicles. According to his father David. According to his father David. Next comes Solomon. His son. Solomon is renowned for his wisdom.

[4:04] For his richness. His wealth. Under Solomon's reign. The kingdom peaks itself really. It never gets any better than it was. Under Solomon. Its wealth.

[4:15] Its riches. Its spirituality even. In the early years of his reign. But Solomon was led astray. By having many many wives. Who believed in foreign gods.

[4:28] And he was led astray. And then comes his son. Rehoboam. And he is the king. Through who bad choices. Splits the nation of Israel in two.

[4:39] Ten tribes go to the north. They are called Israel. Ten. So two tribes go to the south. And they are Judah. Judah and Benjamin. Only two tribes remain.

[4:50] Under David's line. As king. And following Rehoboam. Comes Abijah. And he is a bit of a disaster. He only reigns for three years. And he also continues a war.

[5:03] That was started by his father. And this brings us down to the reign of King Asa. Who rose for 41 years. He is the great great grandson.

[5:14] Of David. And the first thing we notice about Asa. Is he starts off so well. Verses 1 to 8. Of chapter 14. He starts off so well.

[5:26] Asa did what was good and right. In the eyes of the Lord his God. And that is a summary. Of David's reign. Sorry. Asa's reign. Overall.

[5:37] This man is marked. By his obedience. To God. That's what he was known for. You could know Asa. They would say. Asa.

[5:48] He's a king who follows God's law. Such an amazing testimony. Of this man. He was known. For his obedience. To the Lord. Are we known for our obedience.

[6:00] To the Lord. Could someone say that of us. That we did what was good and right. In the eyes of the Lord. All the days of our life. That's how Asa was known. He's a good king.

[6:12] He's the kind of political leader. That God's people were joyous. To have over them. Because he spoke for righteousness. And did what was according to God. But the question that really arises first is.

[6:26] Where did Asa get this desire. To serve the Lord from. Because he came from a terribly spiritual family. A terrible spiritual family. He certainly didn't get it from his grandfather.

[6:37] Rehoboam. The king who divides a nation. By dismissing wise advice. In favor of foolish advice. Coming from yes men. He certainly didn't get it from his father.

[6:50] Abijah. Who copied his father's sins. And only half-heartedly. Served the Lord. His God. And the king most certainly. Didn't get it from his grandmother.

[7:01] The queen mother. Ma'aka. The queen who worshipped false gods. Who set up false altars across Judah. So that she could worship those gods.

[7:13] She brought in the worship of Asherah. I think the Greek name for Asherah. Is Astarte. She's the goddess of fertility. And sexuality. Worship of her.

[7:24] Led males and females into terrible immorality. And shrines. That were dedicated to her. This is the kind of thing. That was going on in that family. When Asher is born. When he grows up.

[7:36] That was the example. That he had been set. Immorality. But that is not Asher. Asher is a king who does what's good and right. In the eyes of the Lord.

[7:47] Verse 2. And that's where the clue comes in. Good and right. In the eyes of the Lord. His God. Why was Asher good and right. In the eyes of the Lord. Because he had a personal relationship.

[7:59] With God. He believed in God. Despite his upbringing. He loved his God. He obeyed his God. He trusted his God.

[8:10] A pattern of evil. Had been the norm. Ever since Solomon's later years. It had been enshrined. And ingrained. Into the people's past. God now breaks into that evil.

[8:23] And says. I'm going to. I'm going to make that lady there. Give birth to a baby. And he will be a man. Who grows up. To serve me. And who will influence my people.

[8:34] For good. How is Asher able to do that? By the sheer. Sovereign grace. Of God. And nothing else. God called him.

[8:45] God chose him. He was to be a man. Who would be about. God's work. You know. So often. We hear it with. In Christian families. You can have a fantastic.

[8:56] Christian family. A man and a wife. Who love the Lord. But who are children. Sometimes grow up. And stray so terribly far. You would think. They had such a good upbringing.

[9:08] This is the opposite of that. That causes us to raise. A question. Doesn't it? Well. Maybe this causes us to raise. A greater question. How can this man. Do this good. Despite his family.

[9:19] It's because he loved the Lord. He must have had some kind of influence there. Somewhere. He had a relationship with God. God was Asa's God. You get that in the phrase.

[9:30] The Lord. His. God. It's a personal relationship. It echoes what the Apostle Thomas. Said of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many years later. My Lord.

[9:41] And my God. One of the greats said. It's in those personal pronouns. That Christianity has defined. My Lord. My Lord. And my God. If we.

[9:51] Would live a good. And a useful life. A relationship with Jesus Christ. Is what we need. First and foremost. And we see in Asa's life. The relationship with God.

[10:03] Deeply impacted. And shaped. Every single area. Of this man's life. He immediately sets about. Religious reform. In the land. And verse 3 tells us.

[10:15] He removed the foreign altars. Now that's altars to foreign gods. Which Solomon's wives had set up. And which other kings. Had done nothing about. You know. If you wanted to worship the God of the.

[10:26] The Ammonites. You went over there. If you wanted to worship the God of someone else. You went over there. If you went to worship the Lord God Almighty. You went to the temple. You could take your pick. Religion was so multicultural.

[10:38] Everything had been brought in. And the worship of the one true God. Had been pushed out. He smashed the sacred stones. He cut down the Asherah poles. All of these sites of false worship.

[10:51] False worship had reigned in the land. And Asa is now going to do something about it. And he gets straight to work. Tackling this idolatry. His idea is if he gets rid of the shrines.

[11:03] If he gets rid of the idols. The people's hearts might slowly start to return. To the Lord God Almighty. You see worship of the true God. Had been mingled. With this false worship.

[11:16] And of course. This attacks the uniqueness. Of the Lord God of the Bible. It also attacks his status. As the God over all nations. Colin was saying that this morning.

[11:26] In his sermon from Acts. The Lord God. Is to be worshipped alone. He alone is God. We sang about it in the psalm. All other gods are wood and stone.

[11:37] The Lord made heaven's height. And Asa effectively takes a sledgehammer. To the altars. And a chainsaw. To the Asherah poles.

[11:47] Cuts them down. Because that's what's needed. These things were leading his people astray. And Asa is having none of it. He wants the way.

[11:58] To the true God. To be unhindered. For the people. And we too. In our own lives. Must seek. To remove anything. That is offensive.

[12:09] To God. In our lives. We too. Have altars. But we don't set them up. And worship. Wood and stone objects. Our altars tend to be in our hearts.

[12:20] That's where we set them up. And they frequently take the place of God. In our lives. And it's so easy. Something creeps in. And we're not even aware of it. And before we know it. It's taken over.

[12:32] But the Lord. Must be supreme. In our lives. As he was to be. In the land of Israel. Asa. Smashed these things. So the people wouldn't worship them.

[12:44] And we have to do the same. Any idol that we come across. Is to be smashed. Broken down in our own lives. Jesus. Must reign. Supreme. Joy is the flag flown high.

[12:57] From the castle of my heart. Because the king. Is in residence there. And Jesus will bow. Jesus will submit. To no one else. He will not share us with any idols.

[13:08] He will not share us with any other gods. Because we belong to him. And him alone. The hymn writer said it well. The dearest idol I have known. Whatever that idol be.

[13:20] Help me to tear it from thy throne. And worship. And worship. Only thee. What idols. Have crept in. To our corporate worship.

[13:32] What idols have crept in. To our own hearts and lives. They must fall. We need to ask God. To help us see what they are. For what they are. That they may be broken down.

[13:44] Now I love that story. I think I said it in the prayer. I love that story. When the ark of the covenant. Is captured by the Philistines. What do they do? They put it in the temple. Of their god Dagon. Big massive.

[13:55] Stone statue. Of the god Dagon. The ark of the covenant's there. Left overnight. What happens to the god Dagon? He falls down. Oh dear. We better put him back in his place. He'll be offended.

[14:06] They put the statue back in its place. Overnight. What happens again? This time they go in. And it's smashed to pieces. He fell down before the ark of the covenant. Representing the Lord God.

[14:17] Almighty. And the same has to happen in our lives. It's easy for things to creep in. Are we dealing with the sin? Even when we can't see it in our own lives. Asking the Lord about it.

[14:28] That's what Asa does in the land. And he sets about the work diligently. Asa's faith in Jesus. In the Lord. Is a personal faith. Absolutely.

[14:39] But the second thing we notice is. That it's not a private faith. And this is where we sometimes get a bit mixed up as Christians. He has a personal faith in Jesus. Absolutely.

[14:49] Nothing else will save us. But it's not a private faith. It's not a private faith. He commands his people in verse 4. To seek the Lord their God.

[15:01] And to obey his laws and commandments. Asa was copying the example of King David. Who said to Solomon. It's back in 1st Chronicles chapter 28.

[15:12] Acknowledge the God of your father. And serve him with whole hearted devotion. With a willing mind. For the Lord searches every heart. And understands every motive behind the thoughts.

[15:25] It's not a private faith. It's very much a public faith. A public faith. You know and as Christians. I know it's ever harder in today's culture.

[15:37] To testify about Jesus Christ. But our faith by it's very definition. Cannot be private. If the Apostles Paul faith was private.

[15:48] The gospel would never come to Europe. And Colin couldn't have preached a sermon on Philippi this morning. Because it wouldn't have reached Philippi. It's not to be a private faith. We should be shouting and proclaiming.

[15:59] What Jesus has done from the rooftops. Because that's the nature of that faith. And the joy that it brings to us. It's not for keeping to ourselves. It's for giving on to other people as well.

[16:11] For sharing. Asa not only attended the public worship services. But he actively goes about promoting obedience to God's law.

[16:21] And the people that he meets. In other words. Asa is an evangelist. An unashamed evangelist. He tells other people about his God.

[16:33] He tells them to accept his God. You know the danger that has entered Christian thinking recently. Is that our faith is to remain private. And we shouldn't share it.

[16:44] That is entered in. Now it's true that the current climate is hard. But we should still be sharing our faith. Still be sharing our faith. It's impossible. Or it should be impossible.

[16:56] To be a private Christian. It should be impossible to be a private Christian. Just as Asa's faith showed itself outwardly.

[17:07] Our should show outwardly. If we truly believe in the Lord. If we love the Lord. It's got to show. And if it doesn't show. Something's not quite right.

[17:17] If it doesn't show itself in good works. And good deeds. In obedience to God's law. Something isn't quite right. How are we showing others. That we belong to Jesus.

[17:30] If someone were to look at your life. What you prioritized in your life. What you did. Could they see that you were a follower. Of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[17:42] Could they see by what you said. By what you did. By what you didn't do. By what you didn't say. By how you loved one another. That we would know. That we are his disciples. Says the Apostle John.

[17:54] Quoting the words of Jesus. How are we removing stumbling blocks. In the way of others. So that they can come to Jesus. And to know him. That's what Asa does.

[18:05] He removes the stumbling blocks. He smashes the altars. He tells other people about. I'm saying Jesus. Jesus in the Old Testament. He's talking about the Lord. But you know what I mean. He's referring to the gospel that's to come.

[18:18] Obedience to the Lord. His God. Are we doing that? You can't have a private faith. I think someone once said. It should almost be a bit about a competition.

[18:30] When we get to heaven. How many people did you tell about Jesus? I told this number of people. I told that number of people. To spread the good news. To take it out. And let others see. The wonder.

[18:41] That is Jesus Christ. Another lesson we learn from Asa. In these early years. Is that God blesses obedience. The blessings come. Because Asa did what was right.

[18:53] In the eyes of the Lord. Verse 1 tells us. That the country had peace for 10 years. Verse 5 tells us again. The kingdom had peace. Under Asa's reign. Verse 6 echoes this by saying.

[19:04] There was no war. Because God had given them rest. So what do you do. When things are going well. Under Asa's reign.

[19:14] There was very few political problems. He had to scratch his head about. There was no enemy army. Besieging the city gates. He had to deal with. Apart from the religious reforms. There was nothing really else to do.

[19:25] So what do you do? Did Asa rest on his laurels. Did he say. Everything's going well. I can lie back and enjoy things. That's not what he does. That's not what King Asa does.

[19:38] He immediately mobilizes his people to work. In verse 7. He summons his people to work. On rebuilding. The fortified cities. With towers and gates.

[19:49] And bars and walls. In verse 8. He makes sure the army. Is not dismissed. But is trained. And is ready. Asa uses the time of peace.

[19:59] To prepare. As a time of preparation. He gets ready. The time of peace. Not only gave the people rest. But Asa uses it wisely.

[20:10] Matthew Henry. The Bible commentator. Helpfully says. When the sword is sheathed. We should take up the trowel. When the sword is sheathed. We should take up the trowel.

[20:21] To get about the work. And get ready. We need to use the times of peace. To prepare. For the times of trouble. Which must surely come. Jesus tells us. In this world.

[20:31] You will have suffering. You will have trouble. But take heart. I have overcome the world. To use the good times. As it were. To prepare ourselves. For what is to come. Asa was a wise man.

[20:43] And wasn't fooled into thinking. That war might not come again. To his land. And as Christians. We are to be just as wise. As good King Asa.

[20:54] To prepare. If we are currently going through. A good time. A restful time. A peaceful time. We are to prepare ourselves. To get ready.

[21:05] We don't have the fortified cities. We don't have the huge army at our command. But we have something better by far. Than huge armies. And fortified cities. God has given us something as Christians.

[21:18] That we are to put on. Of course you know what I am referring to. The whole armour of God. You put that on in peaceful times. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6 verse 10.

[21:31] Finally. Be strong in the Lord. And in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God. So that you can take your stand against. The devil's schemes. A knight puts on his armour.

[21:45] Before the battle. Not during the battle. Because these knights have sometimes to be. Put into the armour. They can't even take it off themselves. They have to be let out of it. You put it on before the battle.

[21:57] You get ready. And during the battle. You sleep in the armour. You don't take it off. And as Christians. We are to use good times. Peaceful times. To prepare ourselves. To put on the spiritual armour.

[22:09] And of course. The armour is put on with prayer. In good times. You don't give up praying. You keep praying. In fact. Maybe you should pray all the more. When it's going easy.

[22:20] When it's going well. Asa is a king. Who starts off. Well. And in verses 9 to 15. You see that. Asa submits. To God. He submits to God.

[22:32] He was faithful to God. Right up to this point. Asa has now been reigning. 10 years. By the time of verse 9. The religious reforms. The building projects. Are well on their way.

[22:43] The preparation has been done. And now the bad times come. Now the test comes. And he's ready. Because he's used the time to prepare.

[22:54] Verses 9 and 10. Zerah the Cushite. That's probably somewhere in Egypt. Maybe Ethiopia. Somewhere like that. In that region. Marched out against them. With a vast army.

[23:05] And 300 chariots. They came as far as Marisha. That's in the southwestern border. Of Judah. Which was a fortified city. Under Rehoboam's reign. Now that word there.

[23:17] For vast. In the NIV. Is literally. A thousand thousands. So a million. You have a million men. Which makes it. A vast army. That's coming against them.

[23:28] Now if you do your maths correctly. And you add up the men of Judah. And Benjamin. You get. Just over. Just under. Sorry. Half of that number. They don't have a lot at all.

[23:39] Compared. They're outnumbered. Doubly. So. It's a David and Goliath. Situation. But Asa doesn't get himself. In a stew. What would you do.

[23:51] In that situation. If you were the commander. If you were the king. Of a country. And an enemy army. Double your size. Comes against you. What do you do? What Asa does.

[24:02] He immediately prays. To his God. Asa is a man of prayer. It's so easy. In a situation like that. To be overwhelmed. To focus on the problem itself.

[24:14] Instead of letting. Your eyes focus. On the enemy army. Instead of letting. Your eyes focus. On the problem. To lift them up. As Asa does. To heaven.

[24:25] And praise to his God. As prayer is recorded. In verse 11. Lord. There is none like you. To help the powerless. Us. Against the mighty. The Kushites.

[24:35] Help us. Help us. Oh Lord. Our God. For we rely on you. And in your name. We have come. Against this vast army. Or perhaps you're more familiar. With the AV there.

[24:46] Help us. Oh Lord. Our God. For we rest in thee. And in thy name. We go. In thy name. We go. Those words were taken. By a hymn writer.

[24:57] And you get the hymn. We rest on thee. Our shield. And our defender. We go not forth. Alone against the foe. Strong in thy strength. And in thy keeping tender.

[25:09] We rest on thee. And in thy name. We go. His prayers. His prayer is a very good one. And it's one for a time. Of great difficulty.

[25:20] When we feel overwhelmed. As so often we do. As Christians. It's a short prayer. But it's full of so much. Richness. And depth. First thing we're to do in difficulty.

[25:31] Is to recognize the Lord's sovereignty. And infinite power. And how powerless. We are. In the situation. We're to rely on God's strength. And not our own.

[25:43] Asa didn't pray. That the Lord would use his army. To do the work. But rather he says. Lord we can't do this. We are powerless. It can't be done. But you can do it.

[25:54] There's no one like you. You're a great God. We come against this army. In your name. And in your strength. It was the Apostle Paul. Who would say later. I can do all things through Christ.

[26:05] Who strengthens me. Asa's almost doing that. A few years before. The next thing Asa does. Is to call on the covenant relationship. With his God.

[26:16] He says. Our God. And he uses the word in capital letters. God's covenant name. The God of the promise. Asa was praying on promises.

[26:26] That had been made. To the nation of Israel. Through King Solomon. Back in 2nd Chronicles 6. Solomon said. When your people go to war. Against their enemies. Whatever you send them.

[26:38] Whenever they pray to you. The city you have chosen. And the temple I have built from your name. Then hear from heaven. Their prayer. And their plea. And uphold their cause.

[26:49] Asa is echoing that. He'd always said. Some kind of teaching. In the good years of King Solomon. And Asa's now echoing that. Back to the Lord. Everything that we have.

[27:00] Comes from the promises. Of our heavenly father. In fact the promises. That God the father made to the son. Before the very foundation of the world. That he would give him a people.

[27:12] That are his very own. Eager to do. What is good. We are safe. And his keeping tender. And his name we go forward. Because he has purchased us.

[27:23] We are owned by Jesus. We bear his name. We are Christians. We are safe. And he will not let us go. We are safe. In his keeping tender.

[27:33] No matter what comes our way. Even if we face a David and Goliath situation. He who is with us is greater. Than the one who is against the enemy. That's what Asa prays.

[27:45] And it's what the Lord shows himself to do. The battle had come. When Asa was obeying the Lord. And doing everything right. You know some people think the bad times only come when we are doing things wrong.

[27:58] No. Sometimes that comes because we are sinning. But here Asa is doing everything right. And the battle comes. Because it's a test of faith. He hadn't done anything wrong. And so often this can happen to us as well.

[28:11] To test us. To see what happens. You see when everything is going well. That's when we start to drift. That's when we start to backslide. It so easily happens.

[28:25] And the Lord brings a test. To see if we are still walking with him. And that seems to be what happens with Asa. And Asa passes that test. He shows himself to be a man. Who is faithful in the good times.

[28:37] And in the bad times. To test our dependence. And not to try and use our own resources. Asa would be tested in chapter 16. With a lesser test.

[28:48] And he fails that test. We'll see that next time. But will we run to the Lord when things go bad? To run to him and use his resources. And not our own.

[28:58] Or to follow the example of Asa. In the hard times. We pray. And admit to God. That human effort and strength are not enough. And then we trust God. To do the saving work.

[29:09] One commentator said. God's power works best. Through those who recognize their weaknesses. God's power works best. Through those who recognize their weaknesses.

[29:21] This is because we take our weaknesses over to God. And allow him to use them. So that he gets the glory. His strength is made perfect. In weakness. It's not the done thing today.

[29:33] In our culture. To know your weaknesses. And to say that. Try and hide them. I used to hate. Going for teaching interviews. Because you would have to beg yourself up.

[29:44] With all the wondrous things that you'd done. And how your classroom was a wealth. And a hive of learning. And your display boards were popping off the wall. And there was netting coming down from the ceiling. And everything was jumping and dancing.

[29:56] You didn't say well. Actually my skills maybe aren't as good. In some of those areas as you might want to think. You didn't say that. You didn't get the job. You don't know your weaknesses. But in Christianity.

[30:07] The opposite is true. When we acknowledge our weaknesses. And when we take them to the Lord our God. He uses them. In wondrous. Miraculous ways.

[30:18] So that people will look on and say. That wasn't Alan Shearer that did that. It wasn't that Christian that did that. But God used them. In that work. So that he gets the glory. They don't look at us and say wow.

[30:30] But look at him and say. What a great God he is. Using us and our weaknesses. I've used this illustration before. But I think it's very helpful.

[30:41] A water carrier had two large pots. He carried them in a pole behind the back of his neck. And he went to fetch water. One had a crack in it. The other pot was a perfect pot.

[30:52] And always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk back from the stream. The cracked pot only could do half the job of the good pot. And for a full two years.

[31:03] This went on. With the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water. To his master's house. Of course the perfect pot is proud. Look at me. I can give a full pot of water back to the master.

[31:17] And the poor cracked pot is ashamed of the work. That he is able to do. His imperfections. His weakness. He's miserable. And one day he says to the bearer. I'm ashamed of myself.

[31:28] And I want to apologise. Why? Why are you ashamed? Said the bearer. The pot replied. For these past two years. I'm only able to deliver half of my load. Because of this crack in my side.

[31:41] That causes me to leak water. All the way back home. Because of my flaws. You don't get the full value for my efforts. The water bearer felt sorry.

[31:51] And said. As we return back to the master's house. I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path. So when they got back. The bearer said to the pot. Did you notice those flowers?

[32:03] And did you notice they were only on your side of the path? Not on the perfect pot side of the path? That's because I have known about your weakness. And I took full advantage of it.

[32:14] I planted flower seeds on your side of the path. And every day while we walk back from the stream. You've watered them. For two years. I've been able to pick them and decorate my master's table.

[32:26] Without you just the way you are. I would not have been able to do this. God uses our cracks. God uses our flaws. He delights to use them.

[32:39] So that he can get the glory. He uses the weakness in his work. Praise God that he uses cracked pots like us in his work.

[32:52] I remember hearing of a minister. Whose wife was trying to encourage him by using that verse. From 2nd Corinthians. It talks about earth and vessels and cracked pots. And she says. Thank the Lord that you're a crackpot preacher.

[33:05] And he says. I don't think you quite encouraged me there dear. But I know what you're trying to say. The Lord uses us in our weaknesses. So that he gets the glory. So that everyone looks at him and says.

[33:16] Look what he has done. And he's going to use Asa. In exactly the same way. As he can use us. Believe the life of King Asa there. We notice that he is a king.

[33:27] Who starts off so, so well. It's how we finish that matters though. We'll find that next time. But the question for you tonight is. Have you started off with God?

[33:37] Can you say with Asa. That you're serving the Lord wholeheartedly? Can you say with Asa. That you've started on the way. To eternal life.

[33:48] By believing and trusting. In the Lord Jesus Christ. Who is the sum of the law. Who is the sum of all obedience to God. To accept Christ. The beautiful saviour.

[34:00] Who says come to me. All you who are weary and burdened. And I will give you rest. Rest. Let's pray. Heavenly Father.

[34:12] We thank you so much. For these wonderful lessons. From the life of King Asa. A man who lived. So many years ago. Lord. We pray that you would help us.

[34:22] To apply them. To our daily lives. As 21st century Christians. To smash our idols. To depend upon you. To trust in you wholeheartedly. To seek you ever closer.

[34:34] To walk in you. You ever closer. With more obedience. Day by day. Oh for a closer walk with God. A calm. And a heavenly frame. Help us to seek you in the good times.

[34:46] And in the bad times. And Lord. We do pray. For those who are overwhelmed. Like the people of Israel. May so easily have been. When this enemy army came against them. We pray for those who are overwhelmed.

[34:57] In mind. Overwhelmed in heart. That overwhelmed with circumstances. That Lord God. You would let them know. That you are the God of Asa. You are the God who is their God.

[35:08] You are the God who is able to. Smash through an enemy army. Of no matter the number. Because you Lord. Are so great. And so powerful. And any one individual Christian.

[35:19] Plus yourself. Is always the majority. Always the majority. So Lord. May they know your strength. And that they can lean. And depend on you. Their rock.

[35:30]  Their shield. And their defender. In Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.