Coffee With The Lord

A word of caution… a warning… a lesson learned from Asa, one of the great leaders of the nation Judah!
Yesterday, I said if Asa were running for office I’d vote for him, campaign for him, even contribute to his campaign! But a little success, a few victories, and acclaim can lead to self-reliance, arrogance, and foolishness. You might even give it a title… “The folly of the self-made man!”
Here’s the sad ending of Asa’s administration and life…
Asa got frustrated and tired with the constant petty problems with Baasha, king of Israel. So he devised a plan and decided to get a little help with the problem. He took the temple treasures, and hire Benhadad, king of Syria (an archenemy of God’s people), to help him overcome his problem…
The Bible says, “At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, ‘Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the LORD, he gave them into your hand. For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.’ Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the stocks in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this. And Asa inflicted cruelties upon some of the people at the same time… In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the LORD… And Asa slept with his fathers, dying in the forty first year of his reign.” (2 Chronicles 16:7–12 ESV)
Lesson to leaders… Watch your attitudes. You begin to think success is of your own making and ingenuity you’re deceived! Honor God! Rely on Him! He is the key to success in leadership! And if you’ve put too much confidence in a human leader, correct your thinking! No human being is infallible! All are susceptible to the temptation of pride, self-reliance and sin. Support your leaders with prayer! Just say’n…

Asa, ever heard of that name? Know much about him? I read his pedigree this morning in the Bible during my time of “coffee with the Lord.” Quite a leader! I must tell you, if he was running for president today, I’d vote for him in a heartbeat! Not only would I vote for him, I’d be out there campaigning for him like crazy! I’d contribute to his campaign. We need more leaders with his kind of qualifications!
Asa was one of the kings in Judah following David and Solomon. Reigned for 41 years in Judah. Here’s some of the things that impressed me so much about his leadership right out of the Bible…
All kinds of reforms… and for the right reasons – godly reasons! “And Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God! … And the kingdom had rest under him… for the Lord gave him peace! … And he said to Judah… “the land is still ours, because we have sought the Lord our God. We have sought Him and He has given us peace on every side! So they built and prospered!”
When they faced the challenge of war… “Asa cried to the Lord his God, ‘Oh Lord there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Hear us O Lord our God, for we are relying on you! … O Lord you are our God; let not man prevail against you.” And as a result little Judah was able to completely defeat a million man army with superior armaments!
Here’s a guy that listened to godly counsel – He weighed carefully and embraced the prophetic voices speaking godly words to him as leader. Azariah, the prophet, met him and said, “Hear me Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you while you are with Him! If you seek Him He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you! … Take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”
What did Asa do? “As soon as he heard these words, he took courage and put away the detestable idols from all the land… He repaired the altar of the Lord… And he gathered [the entire nation – even those from neighboring Israel] who were residing with them, for great numbers had deserted to him from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him… And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul… And He was found by them, and the Lord gave rest all around!”
I mean, if a guy is willing to address issues with even the queen mother he’s a bold reformer, wouldn’t you say? Here’s what the Bible says, “Even Maacah, his mother, King Asa removed from being queen mother because she had made a detestable image for Asherah. Asa cut down her image, crushed it, and burned it at the brook Kidron! … The heart of Asa was wholly true to God all his days!” (from 2 Chronicles 14-15 … You should read the whole account in the Bible!)
Here’s my prayer… Oh God, raise up a leader like Asa in our nation – a godly reformer! Grace that person with courage and character! May he (or she) enjoy your favor in keeping with the depth of their commitment to you! I’ll support them!

The national holiday here in the United States we call Thanksgiving… next Thursday! Gotta tell you, I am so grateful we celebrate this holiday! First of all, it provides a wonderful opportunity to recall and be grateful for all of God’s blessing! Then it provides a wonderful opportunity to spread “thanksgiving” around to all the people around us who mean a lot to us and have done so much for us (even the ones that just served us or helped us)! It is also the perfect setup for Christmas if we’ll allow it to be that in our lives.
My thanksgiving today? A wonderful wife (and mother to our children). It’s interesting that part of my Bible reading today was Proverbs 31:10-31 – a passage that celebrates a wonderful wife and mother! And I’ve got to tell you Sharon M. Bartel is that woman! Anyone who knows her knows she fulfills what that passage talks about IN EVERY DETAIL… That’s right, I said every detail! In fact this morning while I was having “coffee with the Lord” I told her I was reading the passage in the Bible that had her name written all over it.
I know many husbands feel as I do about their spouses. But my post today in “coffee with the Lord is dedicated to mine … Sharon Martha (Barnett) Bartel!
Here’s just a taste of that great passage (with Sharon’s name on it)… I love and adore you babe!
“An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life… Her children rise up and call her blessed: her husband also, and he praises her! Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all! … A woman who fears the LORD is to be praised! Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates!” (from Proverbs 31:10–31 ESV)