2nd Chronicles chapter 17. Live Truth and Speak Truth.
King ASA died and his son Jehoshaphat became king. He strengthened the army against Israel and God was with him because he followed the Lord with all his heart. During his third year as king he sent men and priests throughout Judah to teach them the ways of the Lord. As result fear fell on the people and on his enemies. His enemies respected him and gave him gifts. King Jehoshaphat became more powerful. He had over a million fighting men.
As a leader, King Jehoshaphat taught the ways of the Lord to his people. He wanted to make sure God was first. Don't assume that people are going to automatically follow the Lord. We have to teach people the truth and share them the truth of God. As a leader in the church we must make sure God's truth is being preached without compromising the truth. Sadly more and more churches are compromising God's truth with the world's truth.
As a Christian, we need to live the truth around our unsaved family and friends because our lives may be the only Bible they see. If we compromise, then we define for them a Christianity that is hypocritical.
We must be empowered by the Holy Spirit, so that we are Spirit lead and relying on the Holy Spirit to manifest himself through us so we are able to live God's truth and speak God's truth to others.
Matthew 5:16 says, “In the same way let your light shine before men so that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven.”
People need to see Christ in us.
2nd Corinthians 4:13 says: “It is written, ‘I believed therefore I have spoken. With that same Spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak.'”
Let us not be afraid to speak truth to those around us.
I would like to share today from what I read in 2 Corinthians 4:5-7.
“For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”