“Now it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had strengthened himself, that he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel along with him”
2 Chronicles 12:1
For three years after the kingdom of Israel was divided into north and south (Israel and Judah) the king and the people sought the Lord. With the help of the Levites who had left the northern kingdom to seek the Lord in Jerusalem, the people obeyed the law of God. Yet somehow over the years the people turned slowly away from the Lord and began to worship other gods.
No one finds himself serving the Lord one day and then the next day following away. There is always a progression, a series of small decisions and small compromises which lead up to that “day” in which we find ourselves having turned away from the Lord. Rehoboam started well, but then over the years he began to forsake the Lord. Often preceding the big fall are the small, seemingly insignificant stumblings.
“Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (I Corinthians 10:12). We must accept that the possibility of falling away from the Lord is always there. Yet the Lord promises to deliver us if we walk humbly before Him. There are three things all of us as leaders are tempted by: Pride, the Gold, and the Girls. Pride is subtle and has destroyed many men of God. The first evidence of pride is probably a lack of prayer in a leader’s life. His heart slowly grows cold and his prayer life fades away because he is not desperate for God any longer. When things are going well watch out for pride. Keep seeking the Lord and develop a consist lifestyle of being in the Word of God and in prayer.
Gold (money and possessions) can snare the best of us. We begin to see the blessing of God financially and an unholy hunger for this world begins to creep into our soul. The result is that we become users of God rather than lovers of God. To avoid this trap learn to be content, thankful, and accountable when it comes to money.
For the love of girls (women) many godly men have fallen into sexual immorality. Rehoboam had many wives and concubines which no doubt were part of the reason he forsook the Lord. Hold close the wife of your youth. Do not let your eyes nor your imaginations run wild. Be self controlled, full of the Holy Spirit and learn to run when needed!
Which of the temptations do you struggle with the most? Be honest to God about them and pray for deliverance.
