Today’s Reading:
Read I Kings 15:25-16:34; II Chronicles 17
Play a game of “spot the difference.” Draw two pictures that are almost identical but make one or two things different about each one. Share the drawings with your family and see if they can see the differences between the two drawings. How would you describe the difference between good and evil? We probably don’t spend a lot of time thinking about things that could be evil, do we? Recognizing the difference between good and evil is very important!
As King Asa reigned in Judah, there were kings who reigned in Israel (the Northern Kingdom) who were not following God’s ways. As they led, they did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. Each new king that took power in Israel brought the people further and further away from God’s plan for them. What did that evil look like?
God’s covenant with the Israelites (remember that?) gave specific instructions for worshiping Him. Specifically, the Israelites were to not worship any false gods. They were to only worship Yahweh- the one true God. Each new king of Israel introduced new ways to worship different gods. King Ahab who was married to a woman named Jezabel, went so far as to set up an altar for a god named Baal. I Kings 16:33 says, “Ahab did more to anger the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who went before him.”
At the same time King Ahab was leading Israel, King Asa died and his son, Jehosaphat became the king of Judah. Jehoshaphat did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He even had the Levites teach throughout Judah to remind them what the book of the Lord’s instruction said. God blessed Jehoshaphat’s reign because Jehoshaphat followed Him.
Application/Prayer:
Spend some time in prayer today committing to God to follow His ways! Choosing to follow God’s way is GOOD! We should strive to do that every day! Ask God to help you see things in your life that might be evil or not pleasing to him. When he shows you those things, ask Him to help you make changes to remove those things from your life!
June Memory Verse:
“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”
Using the daily reading prompts from George H. Guthrie’s Read the Bible for Life, here’s how to use this devotional:
- Bring your Bible! Your kids need to see that everything you are reading to them or learning about comes from an actual Bible!
- Each day starts with a reading prompt. Read the selection as a family. If your kids are readers, encourage them to read along with you.
- After you’ve read the passage, read the short devotional thought that goes along with each passage.
- Prayer and application are important any time we read God’s word! After each devotional, there is a challenge to help apply what your family has read that day.
- There is a reading for six days of the week. The last reading of the week is a Gospel Conversation Prompt to help you connect the reading from the week with God’s plan for salvation.
Other Resources:
June memory verse coloring sheet
June Fill-in the blank activity