Pew 2 You – 9/29/2013

1.) Idols must be cut down! As a Christian, we must keep a saw handy!

      – It hurts to cut idols out of our lives, but just like with Asa, God brought rest in their land after Asa cut down the idols. God gives us rest in our souls when we cut the idols out of our lives.

2.) God said not to follow the culture they lived in, but to follow HIM.

      – Times have changed, but God has not. It doesn’t matter what our culture says, sin is still sin.

3.) Reformation takes courage, but time attacks vigilance.

       – Idols, though you saw them down, have a tendency to grow. You have to keep them sawed down.

1.) Pastor Phil mentioned some of the idols that people worship in our culture today (and some of the “idols” we worship are not inherently bad). Can you think of other “idols” to add to that list? Is there anything God wants you to cut out of your life?

2.) Pastor Phil told us that the enemy, over time, tries to get us to trade sacrifice for the status quo. Think about your life since you became a Christian. Is there anything that you have taken off the altar in order to experience the “status quo?” Share what you can do to preserve God’s altar in your life despite the changing culture.

3.) Asa took a stand for righteousness when he cut down the obscene image his own mother had made. How are you/can you take a stand for righteousness even among your family or close friends?

10 The people gathered at Jerusalem in late spring,[a] during the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.

11 On that day they sacrificed to the Lord 700 cattle and 7,000 sheep and goats from the plunder they had taken in the battle. 12 Then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul.13 They agreed that anyone who refused to seek the Lord, the God of Israel, would be put to death—whether young or old, man or woman. 14 They shouted out their oath of loyalty to the Lord with trumpets blaring and rams’ horns sounding. 15 All in Judah were happy about this covenant, for they had entered into it with all their heart. They earnestly sought after God, and they found him. And the Lord gave them rest from their enemies on every side.  2 Chronicles 15:10-15

 2 [a]Asa did what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God. 3 He removed the foreign altars and the pagan shrines. He smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles. 4 He commanded the people of Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his law and his commands. 5 Asa also removed the pagan shrines, as well as the incense altars from every one of Judah’s towns. So Asa’s kingdom enjoyed a period of peace. 6 During those peaceful years, he was able to build up the fortified towns throughout Judah. No one tried to make war against him at this time, for the Lord was giving him rest from his enemies.  2 Chronicles 14:2-6

 9 Once an Ethiopian[a] named Zerah attacked Judah with an army of 1,000,000 men[b] and 300 chariots. They advanced to the town of Mareshah, 10 so Asa deployed his armies for battle in the valley north of Mareshah.[c] 11 Then Asa cried out to the Lord his God, “O Lord, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O Lord, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you!”  2 Chronicles 14:9-11

 Then the Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded, 2 and he went out to meet King Asa as he was returning from the battle. “Listen to me, Asa!” he shouted. “Listen, all you people of Judah and Benjamin! The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you.  2 Chronicles 15:1-2

 8 When Asa heard this message from Azariah the prophet,[a] he took courage and removed all the detestable idols from the land of Judah and Benjamin and in the towns he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. And he repaired the altar of the Lord, which stood in front of the entry room of the Lord’s Temple.  2 Chronicles 15:8