DCLM Daily Manna Wednesday 30 August 2023
TOPIC: A Bold Preacher
TEXT: 2 Chronicles 16:7-14 (KJV)
7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.
8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand.
9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.
11 And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease, he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians.
13 And Asa slept with his fathers and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.
14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries’ art: and they made a very great burning for him.
KEY VERSE
“And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.”
(2 Chronicles 16:7)
DCLM Daily Manna Wednesday 30 August 2023 MESSAGE
In the 16th century, Bishop Hugh Latimer found that he was to preach before King Henry VIII of England. As he thought about his great responsibility to bring a message before the king, he realised that the message that God laid on his heart was not the message that the king would want to hear.
As he began his sermon which sounded like a soliloquy, he said, “Latimer! Latimer! Do you remember that you are speaking before the high and mighty King Henry VIII; who has the power to command you to be sent to prison, and who can have your head cut off, if it pleases him? Will you not take care to say nothing that will offend royal ears?” He then paused and continued, “Latimer! Latimer! Do you not remember that you are speaking before the King of kings and Lord of lords; before Him, at whose throne Henry VIII will stand; before Him, to whom one day you will have to give account yourself? Latimer! Latimer! Be faithful to your Master, and declare all of God’s Word”.
READ DCLM Daily Manna Tuesday 29 August 2023 – Loving the Unlovable
Hanani demonstrated similar courage centuries before Bishop Latimer started his ministry. He confronted Asa, the king of Judah, because he had relied on Benhadad, king of Syria, to help him in his wars against the northern kingdom of Israel, instead of relying on God. Asa was angry and had the seer put in prison; but his anger got him into trouble with God, as he later took ill and died. In his sickness, Asa relied on the physicians and not on God. What vanity!
Like Bishop Latimer, Hanani faced similar choice: to preach what man wanted to hear or what God would have him say. Though he ended up in prison, he faced his fate with a good conscience and preached boldly. He pleased God rather than men. Take a cue from Hanani and be bold and courageous in preaching the gospel.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Only the truth can save.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalm 61-67
