2 Chronicles Chapter 14
Showing all 15 verses for 2 Chronicles Chapter 14.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years. "
"Abijah died and was buried in the City of David; his son Asa became king in his place. During Asa's reign, the land was at peace for ten years."
Use your peaceful seasons well - they're not just rest, they're preparation for whatever comes next. I give quiet stretches in life so you can build strength and character, not just to fill time.
"And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: "
"Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God."
I judge a life by its direction and its heart, not by claims of perfection - what matters is doing what's right in the moments that count. Aim to be someone who chooses good, even when no one's grading you.
"For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: "
"He removed the altars dedicated to foreign gods and the illegal worship sites, smashed the sacred stone pillars, and cut down the wooden Asherah poles."
If something is genuinely harming your life, don't just resolve to ignore it - remove it, physically and completely, from your environment. Willpower alone rarely beats proximity to temptation; change your surroundings, not just your intentions.
"And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. "
"He commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to follow his law and commandments."
Simply quitting a bad habit rarely works long-term unless you replace it with something good to move towards. I want to give you something to seek, not just something to avoid.
"Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. "
"He also removed the high places and incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom had peace under his rule."
Clarity and consistency in what you value tend to bring peace into your life, while trying to serve conflicting priorities creates constant inner tension. Simplify what you're chasing, and calm often follows.
"And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest. "
"He built fortified cities throughout Judah, because the land had rest and there was no war during those years - the LORD had given him peace."
Use the calm periods of your life to build strength - relationships, skills, savings, resilience - rather than assuming peace will last forever untended. Preparation during rest is what carries you through the storms.
"Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. "
"So he said to Judah, "Let's build these cities and put up walls around them, with towers, gates, and bars, while the land is still ours to use - because we've sought the LORD our God, and he's given us peace on every side." So they built and prospered."
Faith and practical effort aren't opposites - trust in what's good doesn't mean sitting back and doing nothing; it means working wisely with a foundation of confidence rather than fear. Build your life with both hands: trust and effort together.
"And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valour. "
"Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men from Judah carrying large shields and spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand from Benjamin carrying small shields and bows - all of them capable fighters."
Preparation matters, but as the coming verses show, even a huge, well-organised force isn't where ultimate security comes from. Build your capabilities, but don't mistake them for your foundation.
"And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah. "
"Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and reached as far as Mareshah."
No matter how well you've prepared, life can still throw something at you that dwarfs your resources. That's exactly the moment preparation was never meant to replace trust - it's meant to work alongside it.
"Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. "
"Asa marched out to meet him, and they lined up for battle in the Valley of Zephathah, near Mareshah."
Facing your biggest fears head-on, even when the odds look terrible, is often more freeing than running from them. I'm with you in the valley, not just after you've escaped it.
"And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. "
"Asa cried out to the LORD his God: "LORD, it makes no difference to you whether you help the many or the powerless. Help us, LORD our God, because we depend on you, and in your name we've come against this huge army. LORD, you are our God - don't let mere man prevail against you.""
There's no shame in admitting you're overwhelmed and asking for help - that honesty is where real strength begins, not where it ends. Come to me exactly as outmatched as you feel; I don't need you to pretend otherwise.
"So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. "
"So the LORD struck down the Ethiopians in front of Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled."
Sometimes the breakthrough comes right after the moment you finally stop trying to control everything and just ask honestly for help. Don't underestimate what changes the instant you stop pretending you can do it all alone.
"And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil. "
"Asa and his men chased them all the way to Gerar, and the Ethiopians were so devastated they couldn't recover - they were destroyed before the LORD and his army. Judah carried off a huge amount of plunder."
When you overcome something genuinely threatening in your life, it's fine to feel the full relief and even celebrate - just remember where the strength to get through it actually came from. Don't let a hard-won victory make you forget who helped you win it.
"And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them. "
"They also struck all the cities around Gerar, because the fear of the LORD had fallen on the people there, and they plundered all the cities, since there was enormous wealth in them."
Even a rightful stand against real danger can spill over into more harm than necessary if left unchecked - always ask where the line is between defending yourself and going further than you needed to. I ask you to fight only as far as protection requires, not for the spoils beyond it.
"They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem. "
"They also attacked the camps of the herdsmen and carried off large numbers of sheep and camels, then returned to Jerusalem."
Coming home from a hard battle - literal or otherwise - is worth marking and being grateful for, even quietly. Take stock of what you've come through before rushing straight into the next thing.