Seeking God's Favor for My Intentions

2 Chronicales 17:1 – 18:34 King Jehoshaphat was a blessed king because if followed God's commandments but his friend, king Ahab was not favored by God still he wanted the blessings Jehoshaphat enjoyed so he asked Jehoshaphat to join him in battle but when Jehoshaphat sought the counsel of God's prophet the two kings did not get God's blessing to proceed but instead a warning that king Ahab would die if he continued with his plans. What was done next should be a warning to the church today, king Ahab put the prophet in jail and did what he intended to do in the first place but receiving the warning Ahab thought he'd out smart God by letting his friend Jehoshaphat be the only one dressed like a king leading his army. It worked at first and the enemy started chasing Jehoshaphat but then he prayed and the enemy realized it wasn't Ahab. What happened next was God ordained. A soldier from the opposing army randomly shot an arrow into the sky and it came down and struck king Ahab in the joint between his armor plating. Ahab then ordered the chariot driver to take him home because he was badly wounded but before night fall he died, just as God told him he would if he continued with his own plans. I don't care how smart you think yourself to be, if God says don't do it you better listen. You only fool yourself when you try to circumvent God's commands, still God is full of mercy and grace but He is holy and one day we must answer for all that we do and say. We are not perfect and we fall many times but this only proves our need for Jesus Christ and the fact we cannot save ourselves. Many people say God doesn't speak to me and thereby feel reading God's Word irrelevant but at the very heart of the matter is the idea that they would rather follow their own thoughts, feelings, and ideas than ask God. The results are deadly and should you live to a ripe old age and think, “I did alright for myself” the truth is this life is but a small portion of your existence compared to eternity.