2 Chronicles 28:20-21(NLT) So when King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria arrived, he attacked Ahaz instead of helping him. Ahaz took valuable items from the Lord’s Temple, the royal palace, and from the homes of his officials and gave them to the king of Assyria as tribute. But this did not help him.

The Bible recounts the history of the people of God, including the good, the bad and the ugly. The Word of God tells it like it is and we learn valuable lessons from the people who did right in the eyes of the Lord as well as from the people who did wrong. King Ahaz was one of the kings of Judah who did wrong right from the beginning of his reign.

King Ahaz and Judah were being attacked again at a time when it seemed like everyone was attacking them with success. This time it was the Edomites and the Philistines who were successfully invading the country. But instead of humbling himself and seeking help from God, he decided to seek help from Tiglath-pileser, the Assyrian king. The king of Assyria answered King Ahaz's call, but it wasn't to help him. Instead, the king and his Assyrian army attacked Judah instead of helping them.

No matter how bad things got for King Ahaz and Judah, the king was not going to seek the Lord and because he refused to do so, he experienced defeat after defeat. You'd think that he would learn a lesson along the way of his failed reign, but his pride and his wayward heart kept him from the only one who could have given him and Judah the victories that they so sorely needed and the one who could protect them from all of their enemies.

While we may not go to our enemies for help as the people of God today, we do act similarly to King Ahaz when we get in trouble. That is, we seek help elsewhere than from the Lord Jesus. We may run to a friend, a business associate or acquaintance, but we do not automatically run to God. We may even seek help from people who don't know and serve the Lord Jesus. We go here, there and everywhere, but not to God. In other words, we try to figure things out on our own. While we eventually might get desperate and finally turn to the Lord, why is it that He is not our first option? Why is it that it seems like a better idea to seek human help instead of divine help? Is it that we really don't believe that God can or will help us?

Once we are done with our failed attempts of solving our own problems, then we turn the Lord Jesus, perhaps with the mindset of, "What do I have to lose?" When it comes to seeking help from the wrong people and counting on the wrong things, it turns out that we have a lot to lose. Don't do what King Ahaz kept doing in trying to help himself with his hair-brained idea of seeking help from everyone but God and instead, run to the Lord at the first sign of trouble. He is the one who not only knows what to do, but who also has the power to accomplish whatever is needed for victory on your behalf. We serve a Mighty God who also happens to be a good, good, Father. Take advantage of this awesome relationship by running to Him for all of your needs. After all, that is what He wants and what He told us to do!

Pastor Joey Vazquez