HealingStrong's Around the Word

Episode 24 - The Jehoshaphat Series: A Parent's Legacy (2 Chronicles 17:1-6, Matthew 6:33 NIV)

• HealingStrong • Episode 3

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Jehoshaphat's story from 2 Chronicles 17 demonstrates how prioritizing God transforms not just individuals but entire kingdoms, creating divine protection and prosperity.

• Jehoshaphat followed his father's godly example and immediately fortified his kingdom
• The surrounding nations feared Judah because of their relationship with God
• Parents must model genuine faith for children who are constantly watching
• Jehoshaphat created a nationwide education program about God's word
• The Bible contains all wisdom, healing, and guidance needed for fulfilling God's purpose

• If you're looking for a free digital version of the Bible, download the YouVersion Bible app where you'll find various translations and our Bible plans - just search "HealingStrong" as one word.


Please visit our website at healingstrong.org to learn more about our mission and community groups.


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Suggested Resources:

BIBLE PLAN - Trusting God's Plan in the Battle: Lessons from the Life of Jehoshaphat

PODCAST - Genesis to Revelation Bible Reading

TOOLS - Refresh Your Spirit through God's Word





Speaker 1:

When our children go through difficult times, it's important for us to bring the Lord into that and help teach them the ways of the Lord.

Speaker 2:

Hi there, I'm Cheryl and you're listening to Healing Strong's Around the Word. Who are we? We are friends sitting around the table. Love God's Word. It's just that simple. We love to talk about it and see what he has to say in His Word. So, each day, around the table, love God's Word. It's just that simple. We love to talk about it and see what he has to say in His Word. So each day in the podcast, you'll hear me reading a Bible passage and then we'll chat about what we're learning from it. Today I'll be reading 2 Chronicles 17, verses 1 through 6, and Matthew 6, 33, all from the NIV version of the Bible. So join us around the word. 2 Chronicles 17, verses 1 through 6.

Speaker 2:

Jehoshaphat, his son, succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel. He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured. The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father, david before him. He did not consult the Baals, but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. The Lord established the kingdom under his control and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat so that he had great wealth and honor. His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord. Furthermore, he removed the high places and the share of poles from Judah. And Matthew 6, verse 33, but seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. That was our Bible reading for today. So now let's listen in on the discussion that Angie, jeff Susie and myself had around the Word.

Speaker 1:

Jehoshaphat did like his father. He sought after the Lord immediately. He was about 35 years old when he took the throne and he fortified the whole city and he went and he sent teachers to teach the people about the word of God, and so he made sure that he established his kingdom under the reign and the fear of God.

Speaker 2:

I also noticed, too, that in the beginning he goes around, like you said, jeff, and starts fortifying things, like he may have seen where there was a breach, where there was not protection, and he's like I need to go fortify these cities, you know, instead of just letting things be in shamble or, more importantly, allowing the enemy in.

Speaker 1:

In verse six he talks about how he took great pride in the ways of the Lord and removed all the high places in the Asherah from Judah. And because of his dedication to the Lord, now the dread of the Lord was on all the kingdoms of the lands which were around Judah. So he put the Lord first. And the Lord wasn't just first by just I'm going to do a religious act. It was in his heart and so the Lord honored that by putting the dread of him as a protection around Judah. So when we put the Lord first we have his protection.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, oh my gosh, that'll totally preach. Yeah, and my translation says the fear of the Lord and we commonly hear that phrase to the fear of the Lord and we commonly hear that phrase to the fear of the Lord. And when in our lives, when you can spot a family that just you can tell they have their priorities right and they have God first in their lives, it shows in their children, it shows in the productivity of their lives, it shows in the excellent way that they live and how they treat people and sometimes we're in awe of them and we should be in awe of them, and I think that's what happened here. I mean, throughout the Old Testament, you see that because of the great things that happened to the children of Israel, the Hebrews, the nations all around them feared them greatly and were like terrified to even go try to attack them because of the great things the Lord had done for them, when the Lord was their top priority.

Speaker 2:

That's like psychological warfare.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, literally. This is one thing I got out of this passage. It's important as parents to model and also commit our heart and our devotion to the Lord, because our kids are watching and it says in here that, you know, he not only followed the ways of the Lord, he followed the ways of his father and he did not consult the ball. So what he learned, he learned by watching his parents, his father, seek the Lord. So I think there's a strong message in that for us as parents too.

Speaker 2:

Yes, and then the other verse we have in this is Matthew 6, 33. So, again, going back to what you said, Jeff, is that he sought the Lord first really Absolutely.

Speaker 1:

And so, to build on what Susie had said, when our children go through difficult times, it's important for us to bring the Lord into that and help teach them the ways of the Lord. Take them to scripture, pray with them, walk through that journey with them so that they, when they get older, they can be established in the ways of the Lord in their own lives. So when they're on their own they will turn to the Lord and seek him first, and they're on their own, they will turn to the Lord and seek him first.

Speaker 3:

And I think it's important how he mentions the education educate the people in God's ways. And they had obviously no Internet. And they had, they didn't have written word. Then they had scrolls of maybe the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, and those were had to be handwritten and so there were few copies of that. So it was a big deal to set up a nationwide education. That was a difficult process to get the people all educated in the Word of God. That existed at that point in time and he made it. He felt it so important that he made a, you know, a nationwide program of that.

Speaker 3:

And I just think about our society today. Anybody anywhere on the planet can get access to I can't imagine how many hundreds of translations of the Word of God. It is an understatement to say it is readily available to everyone, and yet how often do we take advantage of that? All wisdom comes from this book, all healing comes from this book, all goodness comes from this book. Everything that you need to fulfill your purpose in life, to give you the best life that your creator planned for you, is in this book. And how much time are we spending in it.

Speaker 2:

That is a great word from Angie. I love that. I mean, who wouldn't want to be looking at the owner's manual of your car if you have issues with your car or want to know how it runs? Our Bible is our owner's manual for life and if you're looking for a free digital version of the Bible, you can go to the YouVersion Bible app and you can download that app and you will have all kinds of versions of the Bible to read and listen to and it's free. Plus, you'll see our Bible plans there, including this one about Jehoshaphat.

Speaker 2:

You just need to search Healing Strong all one word to find that Bible plan there. But we encourage you to get in God's Word. That is a healing balm for all of your issues, for everything. It's just the way to do life. It is the blueprint, and thank you so much for joining us for Healing Strong's Around the Word podcast. I hope you were encouraged to dig deeper into God's Word and, if you have a moment, check out our website, healingstrongorg, where you can find out more about our mission and our community groups. Until next time, remember, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.