Good morning, thank you for reading the Fire-starter devotional each morning. We will be looking at 2 Chronicles 11 today. Our Fire-starter thought is: obedience is Key.

Obedience is key in the Christian life. Many times we do not obey and it cost us. Can I say that we deserve the punishment for not obeying his voice. Often times when we do not listen to the voice of God we cause ourselves heartache and pain.

Something we must keep in mind is that God doesn’t speak with a loud voice he speaks in a still small voice. In a loud and busy life it’s hard to listen to a quiet voice. The Bible states in our text that they obeyed the words of the Lord.

In our day and time God speaks through his word and the reason many
people don’t hear the word of the Lord is simply because they don’t read
the word of the Lord. God speaks through his word, we speak to God
through prayer. Obedience comes from knowing the word of the Lord and by
knowing his word is by reading his word. I encourage you today.
Obedience is key. Had they not obeyed they would have missed out on
blessings and probably would have dealt with heartache. Let me tell you
today if you obey the Word of the Lord it shows you to be his disciples.
John 15 states if ye loves me keep my commandments.
Hope you have a great day.

2 Chronicles 11:1-23 KJV
And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam. [2] But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, [3] Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of
Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, [4] Thus saith
the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return
every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed
the words of the Lord, and returned from going against Jeroboam. [5] And
Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. [6]
He built even Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, [7] And Beth-zur, and
Shoco, and Adullam, [8] And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, [9] And
Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, [10] And Zorah, and Aijalon, and
Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities. [11] And he
fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of
victual, and of oil and wine. [12] And in every several city he put
shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and
Benjamin on his side. [13] And the priests and the Levites that were in
all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. [14] For the Levites
left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and
Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing
the priest’s office unto the Lord : [15] And he ordained him priests for
the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had
made. [16] And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set
their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to
sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers. [17] So they strengthened
the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three
years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon. [18]
And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David
to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse; [19] Which
bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. [20] And after her
he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and
Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. [21] And Rehoboam loved Maachah the
daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took
eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight
sons, and threescore daughters.) [22] And made Abijah the son of Maachah
the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him
king. [23] And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children
throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced
city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.