During a middle school slumber party, my friends and I were giggling and talking when the conversation took a dip. The girls from my school began to talk about another girl who wasn’t at the party. I could tell the tone and the laughter had shifted, and one of my Christian friends boldly stood up and said, “Hey, we aren’t going to gossip. It isn’t right. Now, let’s go upstairs and get ice cream.” The room was quiet, and then each girl bounced upstairs one by one and took their cue to quit the mean talk.
My friend modeled following God’s good ways instead of culture’s norms. In any other situation, middle school girls talking behind their friend’s backs is completely acceptable. But my friend knew God was not pleased and stood up for what was right. It left an impression on me.
Reading about how King Jehoshaphat starts out in today’s story leaves a similar impression.
He did not seek the Baals but sought the God of his father and walked by his commands, not according to the practices of Israel.—2 Chronicles 17:3–4
Despite the whole of his story, we do see a glimpse of character when Jehoshaphat meets King Ahab. King Ahab was arrogant and selfish. He wanted victory over Ramoth-Gilead and asked his ally Jehoshaphat to help him defeat them. But Jehoshaphat wanted to seek God’s counsel first. Ahab didn’t like what God said and moved forward to attack.
But look, the LORD keeps his eye on those who fear him—those who depend on his faithful love to rescue them from death….We wait for the Lord; he is our help and shield.—Psalm 33:18–20
Living counter-culturally takes trust in the Lord over seeking the approval of people. I struggle with being bombarded with messages from the world, and it’s hard not to replace truth with a commercialized version of “the good life.” I want neighbors to like me and co-workers to respect me, but at what cost? I felt convicted reading this, and maybe you do too. I pray we turn to God and confess that we want to fear Him and obey Him—even when we may lose the world, we can find life in Him.
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34 thoughts on "Judah’s King Jehoshaphat"
AMEN
I am thankful for our God who keeps His eyes on us His people. It encouraged me to read that even tho Jehoshaphat went with Israel’s king God still protected him. I’m convicted and encouraged that God still does that for us His people when we stray.
♥️
@Taylor, love your conviction on your dating life. I can speak from the experience of someone who married a man who did not follow Jesus and it did not end well. I pray I can follow your conviction and not “settle” again
Oh My Dear Kelly R
Abundant Prayer & Steadfast Love
Encompassing Every Effort in the Overall Situation for Your Elderly Parents
You & your siblings are indeed challenged…as many of us have, are, will be…handling the affairs & fortunes of aging/ailing parents, grandparents or other loved ones. Often in a rush & wave of the expected/unexpected!
Where & how they will live. What possessions to take with them to new homes, and what gets left behind. The hard work. The tough decisions. The heartbreak. The nostalgia. The fatigue. The sadness. Yet the necessity of carrying on & completing the myriad tasks. The Exertion. The exhaustion. But God is still great within you!
I hear your love & love that you want to help the “finish their work well”. (Note to Shes: Please listen to week 5 podcast guest, Kristie Anyabwile, talk about this notion!). And I love your brother for saying “it’s time for triage”. And I totally admire the way you & your siblings are stepping up to the mound & striving to act in one accord. And I feel certain, seeking & listening & walking in faith.
Pace yourselves. Find Peace. Let Love be ever the Last Word.
Beautiful Blessings
What struck me is how Jehoshaphat sought God and His will during the difficult times but when it came to what he thought were no-brainer decisions he didn’t seek God’s counsel first. How often do I do the same thing? I am grateful to be reminded today that I need to seek God in every situation, not just the difficult ones. He wants to be Lord over all of my life not just when I am in a bind.
I trust that everyone has had a good day. I will be headed into work soon, as I work the night shift. Blessings to all of you, sisters. I am keeping your requests in prayer. 
I pray that I would put my trust in the Lord, not in myself or worldly wisdom.
I admire King Jehoshaphat for standing up to King Ahab and sticking with his principles and following God. Jehoshaphat wanted to hear ALL of what Ahab’s prophets had to say. Jehoshaphat stuck to his beliefs and in the end he lived and Ahab died.
Bailey’s last few words — “even when we may lose the world, we can find life in Him.” — really spoke to me today. How often do I worry more about what the world around me thinks then what God thinks? I need to change that.
Christ Jesus You died so I might have eternal life yet I take it for granite, help me to rely on You and God more for what I need instead of the world. Amen.
Be blessed and look to God, Christ and Holy Spirit for your needs first then seek out the world around you sisters.
Good Morning and great reading…“jumpin Jehoshaphat!”
@Rebecca W.- lol. My husband, when I read the title for today, said his father you to say that term- “Judah’s King Jehoshaphat” when he would want to swear! Too funny! I’m going to say it so I can remember the wisdom gleaned from today’s scripture!
I do remember you talking about your daughter and know it would have to be a great struggle for you, but I like the way that you love them while letting them know it is not what you agree with. I mean….my son lives with his girlfriend…and that is not what God (or I) would want, but it is accepted completely by society today. And I also have a step-brother that is gay. Hope your son is doing better. Prayers for ALL our wayward children! (love you!)
@Taylor- We love walking your journey with you and keep that outlook girl! Boy would that have saved me SO much struggle!! I knew by my second marriage I wanted, needed- a man that would go to church and love God with me….and they will easily agree to that in the beginning, but you need to be sure it is ALREADY apparent in their life! (Of course, I was not so astute in my own priorities and quickly jumped in thinking naively that it would magically happen!) Divorce two years later, with a two year old! So lots of struggle, SO KNOW you ARE SO ON PAR in letting God do this in his timing!! And of course this is for all our young singles…
@Kimberly Z and @Michelle Patire
Thanks for all the good wisdom on these passages, I was quite confused with what to get from it!
I had a great day at church yesterday! It was the first day of getting out of the house with my broken foot..and I had a friend pick me up that serves all 3 services so I could as well!! I wanted (needed) to be in God’s house, with all my Sisters (dear friends) and Brothers, and sing and praise, talk, eat, greet, sing some more, pray…repeat! What a blessed time! Lots of praying over me! God is So So Good!! Of course I am super sore EVERYWHERE today! I go see the Orthopedic tomorrow! OH, and the service was on PAIN!! How timely-Eh?!! Stopping in the pain…and waiting. Just like when Mary and Martha called for Jesus when Lazarus was sick, then “Jesus waited where he was 2 days.” “He wept.” Then after Lazarus was dead (with a stinky body…says Martha!) (eye roll from Jesus)..Mary knows she can TRUST Jesus. Perfect for my Pain Group!
Happy Monday! Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. – Psalms 33:22 what a great reminder today! I too get sucked into gossip I won’t lie and turning away from that can be hard! I work with mostly all women and it’s easy to just let things spiral. @Taylor I agree with you dating guys who believe in and love Jesus! I used to think it would be fine and that I could change them but you truly can’t change anybody and at the end of the day I want somebody who decided to love Jesus before he loves me.
@Taylor, I am so proud of you young lady. I am a mother of a young adult son with a very similar situation. And I know firsthand this is not easy. I’ll be praying that you keep standing strong and wait for your “knight and shining armor,” for the young man God has for you. One thing I say to both my kids, especially my son (presently ) is not to settle. It’s good to hear that this is important to you. i’m praying for you sweet girl.
KELLY NEO and SEARCHING – you are so right! Consequences aren’t always immediate; there is often a trickle down effect! Jehoshaphat’s son married a daughter of Ahab. Not a wise move.
This is from the NLT – 18 “Jehoshaphat enjoyed great riches and high esteem, and he made an alliance with Ahab of Israel by having his son marry Ahab’s daughter. 2 A few years later he went to Samaria to visit Ahab, who prepared a great banquet for him and his officials.”
I am reminded of Genesis 50:20 – what Ahab intended for bad (Jehoshaphat’s death) God used for good. Ahab set Jehoshaphat to be killed but God had His way!
Blessed by your comments today, ladies and keeping your prayer requests close to my heart.
My dad used to say, “jumpin Jehoshaphat!” Where on earth did THAT come from? Another good reading today, reminding me to listen to God and the truth and not the culture. So incredibly hard to do! Especially when it can be your your own family (adult children) or friends. I tend to just not say anything at all rather than stand up for the truth to keep the peace. I really struggle with this. My daughter is gay and “married “ to her partner. I truly love them both, but do not agree with their lifestyle. It’s so easy, when something does not affect you directly to say you’d respond one way or another. But when it actually involves someone you love deeply, it is heart wrenching. I continue to pray and give it to God, because only He can change hearts. But it’s so hard when our culture embraces the gay lifestyle and tries to make it mainstream and if you think differently you’re out of touch and unloving. So I will continue to pray leave it in His hands.
Praying for the many requests here. ❤️
@Michele Patire- I too loved your comparison to John the Baptist! Also keep on keeping on! You have such a beautiful grasp of the truth of the Bible! And both you and @Taylor are going to be blessed for having your priorities straight during your singleness.
@ Molly- praying for you as you continue to press on with the enormous task of settling your parents estate. How lucky they are to have five children who care so much.
@Kathy- lifting you in prayer for strength as you face the days ahead caring for your dear husband.
Have a Marvelous Monday Shes. ❤️
These scriptures say that Jehoshaphat aligned himself with Ahab by marrying his daughter – no mention of seeking the Lord’s guidance in this marriage – his first mistake? God honored his core beliefs and saved him when he cried out in the battle, in spite of his missteps.
Ahab, on the other hand … deep down in his heart, he knew Micaiah was telling the truth as evidenced by disguising himself before he went into battle. Chapter 18 tells us that a man drew a bow at random and delivered the fatal wound – ultimately God’s will cannot be thwarted.
Let’s be careful about who we align ourselves with, especially when deep down we feel convicted about our choices. I heard someone say years ago that many times we ask for guidance when we’ve already been given the guidance and know in our hearts what we should do. But since that action would be the most painful, we continue to seek a different answer that will take us on an easier path.
Good comments today, sisters.
TAMI C – praying for your husband’s health
MOLLY R – praying as you and your siblings navigate the move and clean out. I’ve done this more than once (and helping someone now) and it’s a process you have to go through – no way around it. I could go on about this for days but suggest making the easier decisions first as it gives you time to think about the harder ones.
DOROTHY – beautiful prayer of thankfulness yesterday! Thank you ❤️
Also continuing to pray for Ukraine
Good for you! Hold tightly to that conviction and trust the Holy Spirit in the dating process. I remember feeling incredible peace once I dated my husband, and that brought me great comfort that I was following the Lord’s leading for my life. Hang in there, friend!
Hi Friends. It’s always nice to start a new week with you all before heading out. Today’s reading was a good reminder that when we feel alone in speaking truth that the whole of the heavenly army is on our side! What confidence he must’ve had in his countenance! I like the comparison to John the Baptist, MICHELLE! Like when he stood up to King Herod. I may feel like I am standing in my rags, knowing I will be thrown right back into prison, but when you know the truth and declare it, you are already free!
I would love continued prayers for the whole situation with my aging parents. While it is awesome that we have found them an assisted living apartment with everything they will need to “finish their race well,” as it were, the process of the last 2 1/2 months have been so exhausting, and the job is far from over. This week will be MOVING WEEK (Yay!), but with that comes the reality of all the stuff they have accumulated over their lifetime that will essentially have to be disposed of quickly so we can sell the house. It is, what my brother calls, “time for triage.” They have had years knowing this stage was coming and have not prepared physically or mentally, so having to do it in a rush and make big decisions that have to be made is keeping the emotions and exhaustion forefront – even while me and my 4 siblings also manage very busy seasons in our own lives and households. We are maintaining such strength amongst us, though, and I cling to that and our desire to honor God and my parents as well as we can given the circumstances. I don’t see a let up in the tough work for at least a couple more months as we clean out a house that has been in the family for 60 years, and get it ready to sell. Thank you, She’s and friends!
Micaiah is such a boss prophet. He’s so stubbornly close to the Lord. Reading about his spirit is just inspiring. It reminds me a bit of John the Baptist- willing to be so opposed to the culture for the Lord. It is something that really blesses me to see.
I believe God has given me a great gift of mercy, but I do believe He is constructing in me a more steadfast, loyal spirit. Because I have been often tempted to people please… but I can see God is removing this by allowing my reputation to be twisted by people, in light of me standing up for truth.
It is hard, but I know God is using it to build my integrity to be more like His.
May we receive the word of the Lord- every gentle nudge or stern rebuke.
Amen
There is always a danger when seeking counsel – that we will keep seeking until we get the answer we want to hear. We must always seek God first, and His will & ask Him to lead us to the right counsel. The counselors Ahab sought said exactly what he wanted to hear, but notice they did not say, as Jehoshaphat did – “the Lord said”. They assumed that God would deliver Ahab. (2Chronicles 18:5) …something to keep in mind when seeking counsel.
Happy Monday sisters!
For me, the false prophets really struck a cord with me. So many people on social media or in the church trying to steer us away from The Truth. There is an entire culture now telling us to live in a way that feels good to us and God loves all of it because He loves us. I think these Old Testament stories reveal so much about God’s character. We need to seek Him above all the noise and build a deep relationship so we hear His voice above all the others. So thankful that there is one truth.
I’ve been convicted to live counter-culturally when it comes to dating. The world says I’ve dated “good men” – lawyers, engineers, nice guys who I truly don’t have a bad word about – but they don’t love Jesus or practice faith. That didn’t use to be a deal-breaker for me, but now it is. I want to share my life with someone who is also pursuing a relationship with God and if that means being single for longer until I find what I’m looking for and what God wants for me, then so be it. I trust He will be faithful and will continue to (do my best at) walking in obedience. I hope everyone has a blessed Monday <3
Hi Alisa, I went over to the Enduring Word online commentary. There are some speculations as to why Jehoshaphat did this. I often look at the commentary to understand more about the passages. While they don’t know for sure, there is other information about the Scripture if you want to check it out. Praying for everyone today.
Lord help me model what is right especially in front of friends and my family. Help me to trust you and seek you always. Thank you for the reminder. Amen.
Lord let the words of my mouth and meditations of my heart be pleasing to YOU, my rock and my Reedemer. In Jesus name, Amen
I am convicted here too ladies. Prioritizing the right things during my day.
Lifting you all up today as you go about your day and week, She’s.
Lord help me to trust you and seek you over the approval of people. I want to fear you and obey you even if it means I lose the world.
The Lord showed great mercy to Jehoshaphat. As He does to me in my attempts to do anything without His counsel. The covenant Jehoshaphat made with Ahab compelled him to join in the battle. My guess is Jehoshaphat had not inquired about God’s will in entering into that covenant.
LEHUA K – praying God gives you wisdom to lead your team to finding a better balance.
TAMI C – may you and Rich rest in Jesus as you wait for more info.
CHURCHMOUSE & JENNIFER LOVES JESUS – praying you are ok
I agree, it’s a strange bit of the story, and we of course are only getting a glimpse. But I do think Jehoshaphat was painted into a corner here, wanting to honor his promises and act with integrity but also obey God- which feels like a very human situation to find himself in. How easy it is to make promises or align ourselves with someone, only to discover they are unreliable, deceitful, or false in some way? But because Jehoshaphat had been faithful to the covenant and understood Gods ways, he kept his word AND trusted in Gods deliverance, and God was faithful.
I love how we see the “curtain peeled back” and get a glimpse of what’s going on behind the scenes and WHO is in charge. The kings of the earth think they are in control, but GOD is orchestrating this whole thing! What a good reminder for me to trust HIM, not my own resources.
Amen ❤️
Hi Alisa, I was wondering the same thing. Perhaps it was because he had already agreed to go with him (18,3). Jehoshaphat seemingly saw the prophets were not prophesying the truth otherwise he wouldn’t have asked for another prophet so we see his wisdom in that but maybe he just went with Ahab because Ahab insisted on going and would not change his mind. I guess this is also just very human to act in conflicting ways. Importantly though God looked out for him!
Amen Bailey Hurley.. Amen.
Happy Monday covered in love and prayers dear ones..❤
Hello everyone!
Why does Jehoshaphat continue to go into battle after he insisted to hear from a prophet from the Lord and the prophecy did not come out great? I’m reading along and am so proud of him for insisting, but then questioning why he still goes along? Is it because he’s married to Ahab’s daughter?
Hope you all have a great week.
What a convicting message before the start of another work week, and a busy one at that.
Ladies, if you could please pray for me, this message convicted me because at our job, the culture is to work hard even at the expense of family time. I’ve gotten sucked down that path a bit and my priorities have gotten out of whack. My faith and prayer time have sustained me but my health and our family business have been prioritized lower at this time than my job, which I am not okay with. Our business team also needs prayers, they are being bombarded with various life stuff and challenges which has led them off track with their dreams and goals. I had gotten discouraged recently but had to realize that’s exactly where the enemy wants me – distracted, discouraged, and weary. It makes me so angry, I don’t want him to have this power over our team. But I need to set a better example too.
Praying you all have a blessed week. ❤️