Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

My name is Mike Whitmer, and I call today's reading Keeping Our Spiritual Edge.

The Rocky movies tell the story of a raw boxer, fueled by never-say-die-die-determination,

who overcomes improbable odds to become heavyweight champion. In Rocky 3, a now successful Rocky becomes impressed with his own achievements.

Shooting television commercials disrupt his time in the gym. The champ grows soft, and he's knocked out by a challenger.

The rest of the movie is Rocky's attempt to regain his fighting edge. In a spiritual sense,

King Asa of Judah lost his fighting edge. Early in his reign, he relied on God in the face of

daunting Otts. As the mighty Kushites prepared to attack, Asa Early in his reign, he relied on God in the face of daunting odds.

As the mighty Kushites prepared to attack, Asa prayed in 2 Chronicles 14,

Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast

army. God answered his prayer, and Judah struck down and scattered their enemies.

Years later, Judah was threatened again. This time, a complacent Asa ignored God, and instead

asked the King of Aram for help. It seemed to work, but God wasn't pleased. The prophet Hanani told Asa that he'd

stopped trusting God. Why hadn't he relied on God now as he had then? Our God is unfailingly reliable.

His eyes range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

When we keep our spiritual edge, fully depending on God, will experience his power.

Today's Our Daily Bread, devotional scripture reading, is from 2 Chronicles

Chapter 16, verses 1 through 9.

In the 36th year of Asa's reign, Basha, King of Israel, went up against Judah and fortified

Rama to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa,

King of Judah.

Asa then took the silver and gold out of the treasuries of the Lord's temple and of his own

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