King Asa brought massive reform throughout Judah. Until in the fifteenth year of his reign he led his people into a commitment to seek God—with dire consequences for any who refused (see 2 Chronicles 15:10-15).

The Kingdom of God doesn’t offer any neutral ground. We’re either in or out. Here, everyone felt a corporate responsibility to carry out the purposes of their King, to seek the Lord. They wanted complete unity, so death was threatened to any who refused to seek the Lord.

This oath didn’t produce fear, but rather immense joy and celebration throughout the nation. They discovered God when they sought Him with all their heart. Joy comes to the surrendered heart. The half-hearted can never have the buoyancy that comes from the heart fully given to the Lord.

Asa’s reign is marked by the amount of times he and the people committed themselves to seek the Lord. His good influence is long lasting upon the successive leaders of Judah. Anyone who seeks the Lord will influence many people beyond their own immediate sphere, both presently and in the future.

Asa’s seriousness about the matter was such that he called the entire nation into a commitment to seek the Lord (and anyone who didn’t want to be put to death). The covenant applied to every person, young, old, small or great, rich or poor. The result was great joy. Because anyone who makes a biding commitment to the highest of purposes (seeking God) is going to find themselves experiencing great joyfulness.

Phil Pringle, Inspired to Pray: The Art of Seeking God (Grand Rapids, MI: Chosen Books, 2009).

The writer of Hebrews said, “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity.” Hebrews 6:1 Many small group Bible study groups struggle because they do not do this—they do not move on beyond the elementary teachings.

This week it is How To Be Saved. Next week it is How To Be Sure You Are Saved. The next is How To Tell Someone Else How To Be Saved. The next is How To Be Forgiven and so on.

We study David and Goliath and Daniel in the Lion’s Den and the Life of Joseph and so forth—all good stuff—but if you have been attending for a while, you will get to feeling like you have heard this before.

This is why I am excited about one of our newest Bible Studies—a Study of the Life of Good King Asa. Asa was one of the exceptional kings of Judah and lived during a time of exceptional ungodliness. The contrast of his life with his background of ungodliness provides a fresh opportunity to live in today’s ungodly world. This Series is called Godly Living in an Ungodly World.

Sessions include:

Godly Living
2 Chronicles 14.1 – 8

Godly Dependence
2 Chronicles 14.9 – 15

Godly Courage
2 Chronicles 15.1 – 9

Godly Worship
2 Chronicles 15.10 – 19   44

“The eyes of the Lord range throughout…”
2 Chronicles 16

Good King Jehoshaphat (Asa’s Son)
2 Chronicles 17.1 – 11; 2 Chronicles 20

These lessons are available on Amazon, as well as a part of my Good Questions Have Groups Talking Subscription Service. Like Netflix for Bible Lessons, one low subscription gives you access to all our lessons–thousands of them. For a medium-sized church, lessons are as little as $10 per teacher per year.

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