And he who wins souls is wise.
Proverbs 11:30
… every generation must determine its own commitment [to the LORD God Almighty], and the fibers of faith are so fragile that a single misguided leader can entice the hearts of believers to worship lesser gods.
Daily Bible page 877
[Note: I started this post July 10th, today is December 9th, 2025]
A Good King
Hezekia was a good king in Judah. He listened to the prophets God sent. He repaired the Temple of the Lord, called the Priests and Levites back to consecrated living, and led the people to remove all idol worship and the evils of their fathers from the kingdom.
His reforms of worship and cleansing of the holy things gained God’s favor. As his ancestor David, he was a man after God’s heart, quick to humble himself and repent when he realized he’d done wrong, which he did.
2 Chronicles 32:26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
Chapter 33 says Hezekiah died and was buried in the upper tombs wth the sons of David, and all the inhabitants of Juda and Jerusalem honored him. They all respected that he had turned them back to the LORD, and He had caused them to prosper under King Hezekiah.
An Evil King
Then comes his son Manasseh, who was 12 years old when he became king. We all wonder if Hezekiah did not train him well, if he had bad advisors, or his mother was an evil influence. Whatever the case, God attributed the evil choices to Manasseh. The revival and renewal from his father’s time quickly eroded.
2 Chronicles 33:3 But he [Manasseh] did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
Manasseh even brought pagan worship into the house of the LORD and led his people to follow, even sacrificing his own sons in the fire. He turned out to be more evil than the pagans God had wiped out. This king reigned over Judah for 55 years! No wonder the LORD was provoked to anger and sent them into exile.
Wayward Children?
I don’t know about you, but my children have turned from the Lord and are finding it hard to come into right relationship with Him. It is difficult watching them suffer, choosing what the world has to offer them, when Jesus paid the price to give them a more abundant life, and eternity in heaven to boot!.
When I look at my own life, I am not completely surrendered to Him either. I spend time on things that distract me from a deeper relationship with my Messiah, and from the things He has for me to do. One example is the manuscript for my second book, which is languishing unfinished on my computer. Altough… it’s all about God’s timing!
A Testimony
Today, I had a checkup at the nephrologist office. I have asked Jesus to heal my kidneys and had a friend whose kidneys have been healed to pray for me. I’ve worked to stand in faith and believe He is healing me. When I first went into this office, I was diagnosed with stage 3 kidney disease. The next visit, I was stage 2. Six months ago, I was stage 1. Today, [July 2025] a year from my first visit, I was pleasantly surprised when the tests show I have normal kidney function, and the nurse practitioner moved my next yearly appointment to October 2026, praise Jesus!
Faith Is…
Faith is not just believing Jesus can heal us, but trusting that He will. So why is it surprising when Jesus actually answers our prayers? He is stronger than our hearts, which often betray us. He is patient to let us come back into right relationship. Even when we’re unfaithful, Jesus remains faithful, interceeding before the Father for us.
Surrender
So let us surrender to the One who holds the stars in place and sustains our lives. Humbly I bow, offering myself anew to the Lover of my soul. In this time of manifold blessings in our nation, despite conflict from the enemy, let us live faithful, surrendered lives.
Bounty
fresh raspberries from our garden.
That was yesterday’s bounty, here’s what the bushes gave me this evening! It reminds me of growing up with a large raspberry patch in our backyard. It’s a treat to be growing some to enjoy with breakfast again!
Thankfulness
I am filled with thankfulness and praise to the Lord, as I think of all the wonderful produce that came from our garden. We were able to give food to family, friends, neighbors, and many baskets full were taken to church on theweekends. It is truly a blessing to share bounty that comes from the provision Father God supplies.
Shalom, my loved ones –
Until we meet again.
Musings along life's journey 