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King Asa trusted in man more than God

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[ 2 Chronicles 16:8~9 ]

Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the LORD, he delivered them into your hand.

For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.

3

Asa king of Judah was truly a king who served God well. After he became king, he destroyed the idols in Judah. God valued King Asa who served God well and always was with him.

4

King Asa was a king who trusted in God and prayed in any case. Even when Ethiopia's ‘Zerah’ had attacked with a million troops, he prayed first, asking God for help. God listened to Asa's prayer and gave me a great victory in that war.

5

God made the kingdom of Judah ruled by King Asa who depended fully on God peaceful and strong. King Asa thanked God for his grace and gave his precious things to God's temple.

6

After many years, ‘Baasha’, king of northern Israel, came down to attack Judah, who ruled Asa. The king of Israel, ‘Baasha’, began to build a castle in Ramah, the way into Judah, to prevent Judah from interacting with other nations.

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Asa heard this news, King Asa felt a great crisis that his country would become isolated. King Asa was afraid and made a very wrong choice. Instead of relying on God, they decided to seek help from King Aram of Ben-hadad.

8

Ben-hadad, king of Aram, who King Asa wanted to ask for help was a king who signed with Baasha of Israel not to invade each other. King Asa wants to send many treasures to appease King Ben-hadad to betray Israel and help them.

9

King Asa collected all the gold and silver in the palace. He even raked the gold and silver of the temple dedicated to God. This rude behavior was because he believed in King Aram more than God.

10

King Asa's officials handed the gold and silver to King Aram as the king commanded. And they also told King Asa of Ben-hadad. “Like my father and your father made a peace treaty, let me and you make a treaty. I have sent you gold and silver, and break the treaty with Baasha king of Israel, that he may lead his army out of my land.”

11

Ben-hadad king of Aram received the gold and silver sent by Asa and betrayed Israel according to King Asa's words. Ben-hadad attacked several villages in Israel. They also captured all the cities of Naphtali, which kept Israel's treasures.

12

Upon hearing this news, Baasha stopped building Lama's castle and hurriedly returned to Israel. Asa was informed that Baasha had left, and sent people to take the stones and trees used to build Lama's castle and build Geba and Mizpah. On the surface, King Asa seemed to have made a very good choice.

13

However, King Asa's actions that depended more on Ben-hadad than on God were wrong choices. God rebuked and warned the king of Asa through the prophet Hanani.

“Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the LORD, he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.”

14

King Asa did not repent of his fault even after hearing God's warning through Hanani. Rather, he imprisoned Hanani, who preached the word of God, in prison. In addition to Hanani, those who raised questions about their work were oppressed by force so that they could no longer speak.

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King Asa's faith, which only God trusted and trusted, has changed. 39 years after King Asa left God, King Asa's feet developed a serious illness. At that time, King Asa did not pray to God. King Asa put more trust in the doctors around him than in Almighty God.

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Doctors whom Asa trusted more than God could not heal King Asa's illness. King Asa eventually died of the disease. The last of King Asa who left God was very unhappy.

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When King Asa humbly sought God's will, God helped him and was with him. But when he decided not to trust God and depended on the world's power and people, God no longer helped King Asa. The children of God must be those who trust in God no matter how difficult they are.

I hope that you will be well cared for today and become friends of faith who trust and depend only on God in any situation.

(This is the sample conclusion provided by CTM. Please feel free to change the conclusion to best suit the listeners of your sermon.)