2 Chronicles 15:2 “The Lord is With You…”

Pastor Andy examines 2 Chronicles 15:2 where the prophet Azariah tells King Asa, "The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you. But if you forsake Him, He will forsake you." Using Asa's life as a case study (a man who started strong but ended weak, relying on Syria and physicians instead of God), Pastor Andy shows that every world religion and every human system ultimately depends on your performance, and nobody can sustain it. God is the sole source of love, wisdom, justice, beauty, and truth, and cutting ourselves off from Him produces the natural consequences of strife and emptiness. The turning point is Jeremiah 31:31-34, where God promises a new covenant written on human hearts so that people will truly know Him, not just know about Him. Pastor Andy illustrates Hebrews 12's promise that God disciplines those He loves and never forsakes His own.SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:2 Chronicles 15:1-72 Chronicles 16:7-12Jeremiah 31:31-34 (the new covenant, God writes his law on hearts)Hebrews 12:5-8Matthew 28:20Psalm 7:11Ezekiel 18:23, 33:11TOPICS AND KEYWORDS:King Asa — starting strong, ending weakThe old covenant arrangement, conditional on behaviorEvery religion depends on human performanceGod as the sole source of love, wisdom, justice, truth, beautyThe natural consequences of abandoning GodRoses cut off from their source, an illustration of Israel's conditionJeremiah 31 — the new covenant promiseKnowing God versus knowing about GodThe new covenant written on the heartChristianity is not based on performance, it's based on surrenderHe will never forsake you — Hebrews 12Two stories from rehab, God pursuing His ownForgiveness can only come from GodPledging your life to Jesus ChristBorn again by the Spirit of God