Real Power

Rehoboam and Abijah both fell because they craved power and they weren't fully devoted to the Lord. They failed to understand the paradoxical nature of the world that Jesus would shed light on years later. If all we seek is power and glory, we will never find it. True power is found by submitting everything we have to God.

The same desire and temptation at work in these kings is also at work in our own hearts. The only difference is that, for many of us, we aren't operating on the same scale. More power, more wealth and more fame doesn't turn people evil, it only accentuates the flaws that were already there.

We all need the Spirit of Jesus at work in our hearts, reminding us that we might have the whole world, but it will mean nothing if our hearts are not washed clean. We all have wayward hearts that need healing and there is only one person who can bring that healing. When we learn to pick up our cross and lay down our lives to follow Jesus, we discover that what we have lost is nothing compared to everything that we have gained.

Thought Point
How hard do you find it to "deny yourself"? When was the last time you consciously did this?

Prayer Point

Ask Jesus to give you the courage to pick up your cross today and follow Him.