DCLM Daily Manna 2023: DCLM Daily Manna 29 May 2024: The Choice of Friendship
KEY VERSE: 2 Chronicles 20:35 “And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly.”
TEXT: 2 Chronicles 20:35-37 (KJV)
35 And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly:
36 And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Eziongeber.
37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
There is an ancient Spanish proverb that says, “Tell me who your friends are, and I will tell you who you are.” It is an expression that shows that the people you associate closely with not only have a great measure of influence on you but can also determine your future and fortune. Unfortunately, sometimes, good people fall prey to bad company.
Jehoshaphat was one such persons. He was a good king in Judah who “walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD”. Surprisingly, he had such an uncanny habit of falling into bad company. First, he became friends with Ahab, one of the worst kings of Israel. At a time, on a visit to Ahab, Jehoshaphat was compelled to accompany him to war. Ahab died at the battle and Jehoshaphat only escaped death by the mercy of God. Not long after this, Jehoshaphat once again went into friendship with Ahaziah, king of Israel, Ahab’s son. This time it was a business partnership to build ships. But this displeased God who sent Prophet Eliezer to declare to him that his investment in the business was an effort in futility.
Some Christians have the Jehoshaphat’s tendency to yield to the besetting sin of unequal yoke. This could take the form of joining hands with the ungodly in business, marriage or intimate friendship with the potential of endangering their lives spiritually and otherwise.
If you find yourself in this web, you need to obey God’s word today to “…come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord” (2 Corinthians 6:17). It is foolish to disregard this injunction and persist in the sin of unequal yoke, which would end in irreparable loss in time and eternity.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Mingling with the ungodly has tingling effect often felt too late.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Micah 1-4
Thank you for studying today’s Daily Manna – The Choice for Friendship – by Pastor W.F Kumuyi
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Daily Manna 29 May 2024
