OT: Nehemiah 13
NT:
--------------------
Nehemiah 13:14 — Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.
Do you have an accountability partner? Someone who watches out for you and holds you to a higher standard than you hold yourself? For some people, that partner is their spouse. For others it is a best friend. Still others have a pastor or teacher as an accountability partner. For Nehemiah, it was God. Three times in the final chapter of his memoirs, the godly governor calls on the Lord His God to remember the deeds he has done. What Nehemiah had done was execute justice in the land and govern with wisdom. He threw out the dirty rotten scoundrels from their places of power and rebuked the people who had intermarried with foreigners. For these zealous deeds, he pleaded for the Lord's notice. The Lord was to hold Nehemiah accountable for his actions.
We are all ultimately accountable to the Lord. God the Father is the Great Judge who will decide the fates of all who have drawn breath on this earth. For those found to be in Christ, eternal life and bliss awaits. For those who rejected Christ, eternal damnation is their destination. But what about the things we do in our day-to-day lives? Seeing God as an accountability partner can revolutionize the way you do things in the here and now. If you are doing things with the knowledge that God is watching you, wanting to help you, and correcting you when you go astray, you will start to do things for God. He will be the One you desire to please and, thus, you will do your acts of service with Him in mind. It's divine accountability.
Be God's.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Honoring the Servants
OT: Nehemiah 11-12
NT: 1 Timothy 5:17-20
--------------
Nehemiah 12:44-47 — At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes. From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites. They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the singers and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon. For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
The Lord has always taken a liking to the servants of His. In the Law of Moses, rest was prescribed for the servants and a fairness given to their value. Under the New Covenant, the servants are those in the Church who humble themselves before the Lord and offer the work of their hands as ministry to their brothers and sisters. However, servants are often overlooked by people inside and outside of the Church. They don't complain (usually) and they don't cry out for attention. They just do their work of ministry as if they were serving the Lord (which they are).
Nehemiah made sure that the servants of the Lord that worked in and around the Temple were cared for. The Law provided for the priests and Levites and their families by giving to them a portion of the offerings of the people. In the days of Zerubbabel (a son of David) and Governor Nehemiah, even the singers and gatekeepers were beloved by the people are cared for with regular donations. And this is important even today in the Church when we consider our servants and our leaders (who should be by nature servants). If they are doing well, give them honor and thanksgiving. If they are not, exhort and encourage them to serve with a greater zeal. Look after their needs and those needs that may lie beneath the surface. Care for their families. And love on them.
Be God's.
Be God's.
NT: 1 Timothy 5:17-20
--------------
Nehemiah 12:44-47 — At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes. From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites. They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the singers and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon. For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
The Lord has always taken a liking to the servants of His. In the Law of Moses, rest was prescribed for the servants and a fairness given to their value. Under the New Covenant, the servants are those in the Church who humble themselves before the Lord and offer the work of their hands as ministry to their brothers and sisters. However, servants are often overlooked by people inside and outside of the Church. They don't complain (usually) and they don't cry out for attention. They just do their work of ministry as if they were serving the Lord (which they are).
Nehemiah made sure that the servants of the Lord that worked in and around the Temple were cared for. The Law provided for the priests and Levites and their families by giving to them a portion of the offerings of the people. In the days of Zerubbabel (a son of David) and Governor Nehemiah, even the singers and gatekeepers were beloved by the people are cared for with regular donations. And this is important even today in the Church when we consider our servants and our leaders (who should be by nature servants). If they are doing well, give them honor and thanksgiving. If they are not, exhort and encourage them to serve with a greater zeal. Look after their needs and those needs that may lie beneath the surface. Care for their families. And love on them.
Be God's.
Be God's.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The Need for Review
OT: Nehemiah 9-10
NT: Acts 7
----------------
Nehemiah 9:5-7 — And the Levites said: “Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. You are the LORD God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham. You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites. You have kept your promise because you are righteous."
I love church history. But I know of some who find it to be rather uninteresting. I love to study about the saints of old, about Clement, Polycarp, Athanasius, Augustine and Francis. Of Benedict and Boniface, of Patrick and Luther, Calvin and Zwingli. All of these men made monumental impacts in the history of the church. There were many women, like Theresa of Avila, who did the same. There were theological controversies and councils, movements and revolutions, mistakes and splits. The Church of God has been through a lot over the last 2,000 years and what she has experienced has shaped her into what she is today. There were lessons to be learned, mistakes to avoid, and patterns to be followed. Above all, what has happened over the past 2,000 years has had impact on where the church is presently and where it may go in the future.
Let's step back 2,500 years to the time of 500-480 B.C. Governor Nehemiah has just led a remarkable rebuilding project to reconstruct the walls of Jerusalem and, along with Ezra the priest, has led the nation of Israel back into covenant with God. The festivals have been celebrated once again and the people are ready to make the holy sacrifice of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. But before they make that sacrifice, the Levites speak up in the assembly of Israel and remind the people of where they were 2,000 years ago. And they recount for them the journey the Lord has brought the nation on for the past 2,000 years. They recounted the stories of saints of old, like Abraham, Moses and Joshua. About God's faithfulness and Israel's disobedience. About the just exile and the present enslavement to the kings of Persia. They look back and review for the sake of looking ahead. Do not follow the mistakes of the past, they said, because those mistakes got us in trouble with God and our neighbors. Rest in God's faithfulness from this day forward and keep His Law. With the past in mind, the elders of Jerusalem, the Levites and the priests signed their names to a renewed Mosaic Covenant with God. Their future would include this Law and the God who gave it. No more were they to roam like those in the past. Israel had one God. And this time they were sticking to it.
Be God's.
Be God's.
NT: Acts 7
----------------
Nehemiah 9:5-7 — And the Levites said: “Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. You are the LORD God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham. You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites. You have kept your promise because you are righteous."
I love church history. But I know of some who find it to be rather uninteresting. I love to study about the saints of old, about Clement, Polycarp, Athanasius, Augustine and Francis. Of Benedict and Boniface, of Patrick and Luther, Calvin and Zwingli. All of these men made monumental impacts in the history of the church. There were many women, like Theresa of Avila, who did the same. There were theological controversies and councils, movements and revolutions, mistakes and splits. The Church of God has been through a lot over the last 2,000 years and what she has experienced has shaped her into what she is today. There were lessons to be learned, mistakes to avoid, and patterns to be followed. Above all, what has happened over the past 2,000 years has had impact on where the church is presently and where it may go in the future.
Let's step back 2,500 years to the time of 500-480 B.C. Governor Nehemiah has just led a remarkable rebuilding project to reconstruct the walls of Jerusalem and, along with Ezra the priest, has led the nation of Israel back into covenant with God. The festivals have been celebrated once again and the people are ready to make the holy sacrifice of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. But before they make that sacrifice, the Levites speak up in the assembly of Israel and remind the people of where they were 2,000 years ago. And they recount for them the journey the Lord has brought the nation on for the past 2,000 years. They recounted the stories of saints of old, like Abraham, Moses and Joshua. About God's faithfulness and Israel's disobedience. About the just exile and the present enslavement to the kings of Persia. They look back and review for the sake of looking ahead. Do not follow the mistakes of the past, they said, because those mistakes got us in trouble with God and our neighbors. Rest in God's faithfulness from this day forward and keep His Law. With the past in mind, the elders of Jerusalem, the Levites and the priests signed their names to a renewed Mosaic Covenant with God. Their future would include this Law and the God who gave it. No more were they to roam like those in the past. Israel had one God. And this time they were sticking to it.
Be God's.
Be God's.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The Importance of Clarity
OT: Nehemiah 7-8
NT: Romans 10:5-17
----------------
Nehemiah 7:73, 8:1-3, 7-8 — When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. The Levites ... instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.
Have you ever felt like you were speaking into dead air, or as if there was a huge expanse of water between your mouth and the closest set of ears? How did that failure to communicate make you feel? When it came to the Law of Moses, it was easy for the people of Israel to fail to understand what all the rules and regulations meant. I mean, when was the last time you read through a legal or tax code and understood it perfectly? One of the first things Nehemiah did after the walls of Jerusalem were completed was to assemble the nation at the great city for the taking of a census and for a renewing of the Mosaic Covenant. It was important for the reassembled remnant of Israel to get off to an organized start after 70 years of exile and a few decades of resettling in the land. An organized start required two things: a census and a religious revival. So Nehemiah had Ezra the high priest read the Law of Moses for the people and then they ratified it.
This was no ordinary congregational activity. Ezra stood on a high platform above the thousands gathered at the temple and read the Law out loud. Levites were stationed at intervals to repeat what Ezra read tot he people. Consider it public address 101 for the ancient world. But the Levites did not just read word-for-word. No, they knew that this was the best opportunity to drive home what the Law meant. And so expository preaching was born. The Levites clarified (not changed) the Law so that the people understood it. They acted as official interpretors and brought clarity to the message Ezra read. You know, sometimes it is easy for believers to get caught up in speaking "churchese" or using biblical terminology in trying to teach or witness. In the process of using such jargon, we can easily confuse our audience. What is needed is clarity, for an explanation of the message, so that our hearers can better grasp the meaning. Clarity means everything when sharing the Gospel. The fewer stumbling blocks we place in the path of the hearer, the better response we will get.
Be God's.
NT: Romans 10:5-17
----------------
Nehemiah 7:73, 8:1-3, 7-8 — When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. The Levites ... instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.
Have you ever felt like you were speaking into dead air, or as if there was a huge expanse of water between your mouth and the closest set of ears? How did that failure to communicate make you feel? When it came to the Law of Moses, it was easy for the people of Israel to fail to understand what all the rules and regulations meant. I mean, when was the last time you read through a legal or tax code and understood it perfectly? One of the first things Nehemiah did after the walls of Jerusalem were completed was to assemble the nation at the great city for the taking of a census and for a renewing of the Mosaic Covenant. It was important for the reassembled remnant of Israel to get off to an organized start after 70 years of exile and a few decades of resettling in the land. An organized start required two things: a census and a religious revival. So Nehemiah had Ezra the high priest read the Law of Moses for the people and then they ratified it.
This was no ordinary congregational activity. Ezra stood on a high platform above the thousands gathered at the temple and read the Law out loud. Levites were stationed at intervals to repeat what Ezra read tot he people. Consider it public address 101 for the ancient world. But the Levites did not just read word-for-word. No, they knew that this was the best opportunity to drive home what the Law meant. And so expository preaching was born. The Levites clarified (not changed) the Law so that the people understood it. They acted as official interpretors and brought clarity to the message Ezra read. You know, sometimes it is easy for believers to get caught up in speaking "churchese" or using biblical terminology in trying to teach or witness. In the process of using such jargon, we can easily confuse our audience. What is needed is clarity, for an explanation of the message, so that our hearers can better grasp the meaning. Clarity means everything when sharing the Gospel. The fewer stumbling blocks we place in the path of the hearer, the better response we will get.
Be God's.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Rejecting What is False
The tomb of Tobiad and his family in modern day Jordan.OT: Nehemiah 6
NT: Matthew 26:57-66
---------------------
Nehemiah 6:2-9 — Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer. Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written: “It is reported among the nations — and Geshem says it is true — that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us confer together.” I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.” They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” [But I prayed,] “Now strengthen my hands.”
There's nothing like hearsay to drive a heart to fear. Nothing like a false rumor to cause the noblest of men to panic. Yet, when Tobiad, Geshem and Sanballat threatened to spread a false rumor about Nehemiah around the ancient world, the great governor of Judah responded in prayer and not fear. He was bold in rejecting what was false. And he let the Lord His God be his defender from false rumors and the tongues of his enemies.
How often we choose to fight fire with fire instead of fighting fire with prayer! How often we open our mouths and say something that destroys our reputations -- that crushes our witness -- instead of responding in confident faith! Nehemiah knew what was true. He knew that he had no ambitions to claim the throne of Judah. He knew that revolt was last on the minds of the elders of Israel. But he also knew that a rumor of those things might jeopardize the safety and security of his struggling nation. So what was his response: prayer. God stands above space and time and has the ability to work things out for His people. So all he needed to do -- and we need to do -- is trust Him. Rumors come and rumors go. I dare say that most are probably either false or blown out of proportion. Trust what you know to be true. And let the God of Truth work out the details.
Be God's.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
The Thing About Responsibility...
OT: Nehemiah 3-5
NT:
-----------------
Nehemiah 5:14-16, 19 — Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year — twelve years — neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. But the earlier governors — those preceding me — placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land... Remember me with favor, O my God, for all I have done for these people.
I can't tell you how much the story of Nehemiah speaks to me, from his humble beginnings as a cupbearer to King Xerxes to his great leadership as governor of Israel. Throughout his life, Nehemiah proved himself to be a man of faith, a man of prayer, and a man of action. His wisdom went well beyond his humble background. And his sense of responsibility can be seen in every decision he made. Indeed, I think Nehemiah displayed a greater sense of self responsibility than most Old Testament leaders. Here, in chapters 3-5 of the book that bears his name, Nehemiah oversees the construction of Jerusalem's walls. His plan of construction can only be described as "brilliant." He had each family or family group build the part of the wall closest to their home. In doing so, each family took upon itself extra responsibility for construction. After all, what man wouldn't want to keep his family safe? When opposition arose from outside parties, Nehemiah set up guard duty on the wall and then calmed the people down, reminding them of the protecting arm of the Lord.
Indeed, responsibility is a mighty thing. Nehemiah knew that his responsibility as a leader was to organize the people wisely and to keep them focused on the Lord. It's still the same way with God's chosen leaders today. Pastors and directors must take command of their responsibility to organize widely and exhort their charges to stay focused on the Lord. They must always be alert and always anticipate obstacles before those obstacles appear on the horizon. In other words, responsibility involves action above reaction. Proactivity above passivity. Pray for your leaders. Submit to them when they are following the will of God. And encourage them as they exercise their God-given responsibility.
Be God's.
NT:
-----------------
Nehemiah 5:14-16, 19 — Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year — twelve years — neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. But the earlier governors — those preceding me — placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land... Remember me with favor, O my God, for all I have done for these people.
I can't tell you how much the story of Nehemiah speaks to me, from his humble beginnings as a cupbearer to King Xerxes to his great leadership as governor of Israel. Throughout his life, Nehemiah proved himself to be a man of faith, a man of prayer, and a man of action. His wisdom went well beyond his humble background. And his sense of responsibility can be seen in every decision he made. Indeed, I think Nehemiah displayed a greater sense of self responsibility than most Old Testament leaders. Here, in chapters 3-5 of the book that bears his name, Nehemiah oversees the construction of Jerusalem's walls. His plan of construction can only be described as "brilliant." He had each family or family group build the part of the wall closest to their home. In doing so, each family took upon itself extra responsibility for construction. After all, what man wouldn't want to keep his family safe? When opposition arose from outside parties, Nehemiah set up guard duty on the wall and then calmed the people down, reminding them of the protecting arm of the Lord.
Indeed, responsibility is a mighty thing. Nehemiah knew that his responsibility as a leader was to organize the people wisely and to keep them focused on the Lord. It's still the same way with God's chosen leaders today. Pastors and directors must take command of their responsibility to organize widely and exhort their charges to stay focused on the Lord. They must always be alert and always anticipate obstacles before those obstacles appear on the horizon. In other words, responsibility involves action above reaction. Proactivity above passivity. Pray for your leaders. Submit to them when they are following the will of God. And encourage them as they exercise their God-given responsibility.
Be God's.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Shotgun Prayers
OT: Nehemiah 2
NT: Acts 7:32-38
---------------
Nehemiah 2:1-5 — In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."
Not all prayers have to be eloquent. Not all take deep thought and meaningful time. In fact, some of the greatest prayers in history have come spur of the moment and been brief -- very brief. Just looking at the Bible, you see Stephen, the good deacon, who in Acts 7 lifted his eyes towards heaven as he was being stoned and said all of 12 words. Nehemiah, here in today's selection, probably didn;t even have time for three words, let alone 12! The king of Persia, Artaxerxes, with his queen at his side (perhaps Esther) had asked the cupbearer why he was downcast. Nehemiah answered truthfully, "My ancestral city of Jerusalem lies in ruins with no gates." Most of us would answer, "Nothing. I'm fine," just to avoid a conversation. But Nehemiah has a solid relationship with the great king. The king then asks Nehemiah the type of question that usually leads to "shotgun prayers." He asked, "What do you want?"
Here's the thing about shotgun prayers. They are never planned, never long, and never dishonest. They are moments in time in which your heart immediately calls on God for help or responds to Him in praise. Many times they come right before a important conversation -- or before an important answer. Nehemiah had to say a quick one because when the king asks a question, it's best to not delay in answering him! So Nehemiah answered with boldness: I want to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls. A bold request, indeed! He was asking to be released from his position as the king's most trusted servant to travel to a foreign land and fortify a foreign capital! Xerxes must have really bonded with Nehemiah, because the great king let him go with a royal blessing and with political authority. All it took was a shotgun prayer to give Nehemiah the boldness to ask for what he gladly received. If it helped Nehemiah to turn to the Lord in an instant, what's keeping you and me from doing the same?
Be God's.
NT: Acts 7:32-38
---------------
Nehemiah 2:1-5 — In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."
Not all prayers have to be eloquent. Not all take deep thought and meaningful time. In fact, some of the greatest prayers in history have come spur of the moment and been brief -- very brief. Just looking at the Bible, you see Stephen, the good deacon, who in Acts 7 lifted his eyes towards heaven as he was being stoned and said all of 12 words. Nehemiah, here in today's selection, probably didn;t even have time for three words, let alone 12! The king of Persia, Artaxerxes, with his queen at his side (perhaps Esther) had asked the cupbearer why he was downcast. Nehemiah answered truthfully, "My ancestral city of Jerusalem lies in ruins with no gates." Most of us would answer, "Nothing. I'm fine," just to avoid a conversation. But Nehemiah has a solid relationship with the great king. The king then asks Nehemiah the type of question that usually leads to "shotgun prayers." He asked, "What do you want?"
Here's the thing about shotgun prayers. They are never planned, never long, and never dishonest. They are moments in time in which your heart immediately calls on God for help or responds to Him in praise. Many times they come right before a important conversation -- or before an important answer. Nehemiah had to say a quick one because when the king asks a question, it's best to not delay in answering him! So Nehemiah answered with boldness: I want to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls. A bold request, indeed! He was asking to be released from his position as the king's most trusted servant to travel to a foreign land and fortify a foreign capital! Xerxes must have really bonded with Nehemiah, because the great king let him go with a royal blessing and with political authority. All it took was a shotgun prayer to give Nehemiah the boldness to ask for what he gladly received. If it helped Nehemiah to turn to the Lord in an instant, what's keeping you and me from doing the same?
Be God's.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Remember, O God
OT: Nehemiah 1
NT: Acts 4:23-31
-----------------
Nehemiah 1:5-9 — “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’"
There is a praise song that is very popular these days called "Your Grace is Enough." Int hat song there is a line calling upon the Lord to "remember your people, remember your children, remember your promise, O God." When I first heard that song, I found the call on God to "remember" very odd. Doesn't God always remember? Or does He sometimes forget? But the more I thought about the great prayers of the Old Testament saints, the more comfortable I became with this lyric. Calling on the Lord to remember His promises is one of the hallmarks of the prayers of the ancients. It doesn't mean the Lord has forgotten His promises. God never forgets. It is, instead, a recognition that you know the promises of God and are pleased to claim them for yourself or someone you love. I fully recommend practicing the petitioning of the promises of God in prayer. Call on Him to act as He has said He would. Then wait in eager expectation for their fulfillment.
Nehemiah was the cupbearer of the king of Persia, Artaxerxes, and as a result had a very important position. He would wait on the king and have the king's complete trust. When food or drink was brought to the king, the cupbearer would taste it for poison. He was the canary in the coal mine. Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem had not been rebuilt like the temple had. His heart was devastated. So he lifted up his voice in prayer before the Lord, calling on the Lord to fulfill His promises and remember His people. Jerusalem was defenseless without walls. The people lived with a certain amount of fear. So Nehemiah called on God in intercessory prayer and then prepared to approach the king with an important request. Would God remember His servant?
Be God's.
NT: Acts 4:23-31
-----------------
Nehemiah 1:5-9 — “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’"
There is a praise song that is very popular these days called "Your Grace is Enough." Int hat song there is a line calling upon the Lord to "remember your people, remember your children, remember your promise, O God." When I first heard that song, I found the call on God to "remember" very odd. Doesn't God always remember? Or does He sometimes forget? But the more I thought about the great prayers of the Old Testament saints, the more comfortable I became with this lyric. Calling on the Lord to remember His promises is one of the hallmarks of the prayers of the ancients. It doesn't mean the Lord has forgotten His promises. God never forgets. It is, instead, a recognition that you know the promises of God and are pleased to claim them for yourself or someone you love. I fully recommend practicing the petitioning of the promises of God in prayer. Call on Him to act as He has said He would. Then wait in eager expectation for their fulfillment.
Nehemiah was the cupbearer of the king of Persia, Artaxerxes, and as a result had a very important position. He would wait on the king and have the king's complete trust. When food or drink was brought to the king, the cupbearer would taste it for poison. He was the canary in the coal mine. Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem had not been rebuilt like the temple had. His heart was devastated. So he lifted up his voice in prayer before the Lord, calling on the Lord to fulfill His promises and remember His people. Jerusalem was defenseless without walls. The people lived with a certain amount of fear. So Nehemiah called on God in intercessory prayer and then prepared to approach the king with an important request. Would God remember His servant?
Be God's.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Putting God First
OT: Ezra 9-10
NT:
-------------
Ezra 9:1-5 — After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.” When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice. Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the LORD my God and prayed.
Joshua long lamented the failure of his people to drive out the Canaanites from the land after the exodus from Egypt. God had commanded the tribes to conquer the land and drive the people out -- along with their gods. But the tribes did not drive out the people completely and the native residents became a thorn in Israel's side for hundreds of years. The gods of Canaan, Moab, Philistia and Edom became snares to the people of Israel. Kings and priests alike were swept away from the Lord and the abomination of this desertion caused the hand of God to drive His people into exile. Now, those who returned from exile were once again ensnared by the native peoples of Canaan -- and, most likely, those the Assyrians brought in to repopulate Israel. Israelite men were marrying non-Jewish women and having children. This interracial marriage was forbidden by God not because of purity in blood but instead because of purity of religion. The Canaanites did not follow Israel's god. They did not know the ways of the Law. And so they were a shackle for the Jews.
Ezra was distraught. Not everyone in Israel committed this sin but enough did to cause the priest to worry that the remnant of the last exile might be sent into exile once again. So he interceded before the Lord on behalf of his people. And then he took action. The foreign wives were to be sent away -- divorced, essentially -- and the Jews recommitted to the Lord. It sounds harsh now but it was for good reason then. The Lord God must come first in our lives if we are to be His followers. Jesus said you cannot serve two masters. You cannot serve yourselves and serve God. You must choose who you will serve, as Joshua told the people of Israel (Josh 24:15). Serving God means putting Him above all other things in your life, including your relationships with other people. If you are a single Christian, choose your mate wisely. Don't settle for an unbeliever, even if you think you can covert them. No one can convert another except for the Lord. Keep your heart away from those who do not follow the Lord. If you have already married an unbeliever, pray for them every day. Seek to be a witness and keep harmony, if possible. May your service to God be a witness of His transformation in your life.
Be God's.
NT:
-------------
Ezra 9:1-5 — After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.” When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice. Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the LORD my God and prayed.
Joshua long lamented the failure of his people to drive out the Canaanites from the land after the exodus from Egypt. God had commanded the tribes to conquer the land and drive the people out -- along with their gods. But the tribes did not drive out the people completely and the native residents became a thorn in Israel's side for hundreds of years. The gods of Canaan, Moab, Philistia and Edom became snares to the people of Israel. Kings and priests alike were swept away from the Lord and the abomination of this desertion caused the hand of God to drive His people into exile. Now, those who returned from exile were once again ensnared by the native peoples of Canaan -- and, most likely, those the Assyrians brought in to repopulate Israel. Israelite men were marrying non-Jewish women and having children. This interracial marriage was forbidden by God not because of purity in blood but instead because of purity of religion. The Canaanites did not follow Israel's god. They did not know the ways of the Law. And so they were a shackle for the Jews.
Ezra was distraught. Not everyone in Israel committed this sin but enough did to cause the priest to worry that the remnant of the last exile might be sent into exile once again. So he interceded before the Lord on behalf of his people. And then he took action. The foreign wives were to be sent away -- divorced, essentially -- and the Jews recommitted to the Lord. It sounds harsh now but it was for good reason then. The Lord God must come first in our lives if we are to be His followers. Jesus said you cannot serve two masters. You cannot serve yourselves and serve God. You must choose who you will serve, as Joshua told the people of Israel (Josh 24:15). Serving God means putting Him above all other things in your life, including your relationships with other people. If you are a single Christian, choose your mate wisely. Don't settle for an unbeliever, even if you think you can covert them. No one can convert another except for the Lord. Keep your heart away from those who do not follow the Lord. If you have already married an unbeliever, pray for them every day. Seek to be a witness and keep harmony, if possible. May your service to God be a witness of His transformation in your life.
Be God's.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The Hand of God
OT: Ezra 7-8
NT: Matthew 9:18-26
-----------------
Ezra 7:1, 6-7 — After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah... came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him. Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.
Six times in two chapters the phrase "hand of the Lord" was used by the author of Ezra, a fact that cannot be overlooked. Ezra was a priest from the line of Aaron, a man endowed by God with wisdom and the knowledge of the Law of Moses. Ezra, years after Zerubbabel returned to rebuild the temple, requested permission from Artaxerxes, the King of Persia, to go back to Jerusalem from his Babylon home with a group of priests to service the new temple. Xerxes gave him permission and so Ezra went about the task of assembling priests to go on the long voyage west. Through a series of circumstances, Ezra collects enough Levites to journey back to Jerusalem. Though it all, "the hand of the Lord" was upon him.
What marvelous things can be said about the hand of the Almighty! When God is blessing our efforts, those efforts will not be thwarted. Sure, road bumps will always come as long as we live this earthly life, but mountains are ground into gravel by the hand of the Lord. He sends forth encouragement, such as he did for Ezra, who was sent a capable Levitical priest by the name of Sherebiah, along with Sherebiah's brothers (8:18). His hand protects us when the enemy tries to attack us and keep us from following God, just as Ezra and company were protected from bandits and robbers (8:32). His hand is all powerful and yet gentle enough to lift us like sheep and carry us in safety. His hand is grace. And His grace is free.
Be God's.
Monday, October 20, 2008
The Power of Discouragement
OT: Ezra 4-6
NT: Hebrews 12:1-2
-----------------
Ezra 4:1-5 — When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.” Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Discouragement can be a real pain, especially when it keeps a person from following the will of God. I remember as a young minister what it felt like to come home from church discouraged. My discouragement came from failed plans and botched Sunday school lessons, from lackluster worship and thwarted intentions. It led me to want to quit many times. When Zerubbabel and Jeshua started to rebuild the temple of God in Jerusalem, several of Israel's neighbors took exception to this action. At first, it started out with an offer of help and ended with several letters to Darius, king of Persia, the last of which told them to basically shape up or ship out. But the job of rebuilding the temple belonged to the Jews alone and not foreigners, according to Zerubbabel and the elders. So the foreign neighbors sought to discourage the Jewish people. Their plan worked temporarily. A first letter from Darius ordered the temple work stopped.
But then God stepped in. Through the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah, God exhorted His people to keep building the temple -- in direct disobedience to Darius' order. Here is a classic example of the only justified civil disobedience in which a believer can partake. When the command of God conflicts with the command of man, the believer should follow God. So the Jews resumed building. They told the truth to Darius about the decree of King Cyrus the Great to rebuild the temple and Darius upheld his predecessor's command. The power of discouragement was defeated. Following God and obeying Him is the best cure for discouragement. Never take your eyes off Jesus (Heb. 12:2). You will find strength in such a sight. A strength that can overcome discouragement. A strength that endures.
Be God's.
NT: Hebrews 12:1-2
-----------------
Ezra 4:1-5 — When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.” Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Discouragement can be a real pain, especially when it keeps a person from following the will of God. I remember as a young minister what it felt like to come home from church discouraged. My discouragement came from failed plans and botched Sunday school lessons, from lackluster worship and thwarted intentions. It led me to want to quit many times. When Zerubbabel and Jeshua started to rebuild the temple of God in Jerusalem, several of Israel's neighbors took exception to this action. At first, it started out with an offer of help and ended with several letters to Darius, king of Persia, the last of which told them to basically shape up or ship out. But the job of rebuilding the temple belonged to the Jews alone and not foreigners, according to Zerubbabel and the elders. So the foreign neighbors sought to discourage the Jewish people. Their plan worked temporarily. A first letter from Darius ordered the temple work stopped.
But then God stepped in. Through the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah, God exhorted His people to keep building the temple -- in direct disobedience to Darius' order. Here is a classic example of the only justified civil disobedience in which a believer can partake. When the command of God conflicts with the command of man, the believer should follow God. So the Jews resumed building. They told the truth to Darius about the decree of King Cyrus the Great to rebuild the temple and Darius upheld his predecessor's command. The power of discouragement was defeated. Following God and obeying Him is the best cure for discouragement. Never take your eyes off Jesus (Heb. 12:2). You will find strength in such a sight. A strength that can overcome discouragement. A strength that endures.
Be God's.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
A Brief Delay
I had a brief interruption in the devotional this weekend due to a new web hosting service. I decided after three years to switch my hosting company, and as a result, my website went down. I just got it up and running Saturday. This devotional is hosted on Blogspot, but my web attention has been on re-launching Newton Ministries.com this weekend and getting everything in place, including e-mail addresses.
So the devotional will return on Monday with Ezra 4. Thanks for understanding!
And be God's!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Getting Priorities Straight
OT: Ezra 3
NT: Matthew 22:36-38
--------------
Ezra 3: 8-9 — In the second month of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak and the rest of their brothers (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work, appointing Levites twenty years of age and older to supervise the building of the house of the LORD. Jeshua and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers — all Levites — joined together in supervising those working on the house of God.
Everyone has to set priorities. Some people put a lot of thought into which things they do first. Others just do whatever is easiest first and save the harder stuff for last. In either case, when we decide to do things becomes our priority structure. When the Jews returned from exile, led by Zerubbabel, the heir of David whose family had been stripped of its official royal position, and Jeshua, the high priest, they had to set priorities for their resettlement of the land. For 70 years the land lay wasted and largely empty. Now the remnant of Judah had returned. So what did they do? Well, things take time and after settling into homes, the leaders decided the religious practice of the nation needed to resume. Gone were the pagan idols and practices from the Jewish liturgy. God took care of that desire with the painful exile to Babylon.
What Zerubbabel and Jeshua (and later, Ezra) knew is that the nation needed to be focused on the Lord once again. So they made the engagement of the Law of Moses and its worship system the top priority. The cornerstone of a new temple was laid and the work began on its construction. Making God a priority is important for us today, just as it was back in the days of Ezra. We need to make sure that our vertical relationship with God is solid before we try to reach out in a horizontal direction towards each other. Is the worship and obedience of God the top priority in your life? If not, make it so. From that starting point you can build the rest of your life with security.
Be God's.
NT: Matthew 22:36-38
--------------
Ezra 3: 8-9 — In the second month of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak and the rest of their brothers (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work, appointing Levites twenty years of age and older to supervise the building of the house of the LORD. Jeshua and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers — all Levites — joined together in supervising those working on the house of God.
Everyone has to set priorities. Some people put a lot of thought into which things they do first. Others just do whatever is easiest first and save the harder stuff for last. In either case, when we decide to do things becomes our priority structure. When the Jews returned from exile, led by Zerubbabel, the heir of David whose family had been stripped of its official royal position, and Jeshua, the high priest, they had to set priorities for their resettlement of the land. For 70 years the land lay wasted and largely empty. Now the remnant of Judah had returned. So what did they do? Well, things take time and after settling into homes, the leaders decided the religious practice of the nation needed to resume. Gone were the pagan idols and practices from the Jewish liturgy. God took care of that desire with the painful exile to Babylon.
What Zerubbabel and Jeshua (and later, Ezra) knew is that the nation needed to be focused on the Lord once again. So they made the engagement of the Law of Moses and its worship system the top priority. The cornerstone of a new temple was laid and the work began on its construction. Making God a priority is important for us today, just as it was back in the days of Ezra. We need to make sure that our vertical relationship with God is solid before we try to reach out in a horizontal direction towards each other. Is the worship and obedience of God the top priority in your life? If not, make it so. From that starting point you can build the rest of your life with security.
Be God's.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
God Over the Nations
The "Cyrus Cylinder" records a declaration of King Cyrus of Persia to release his captives and support their efforts to rebuild their homelands.
OT: Ezra 1-2
NT: Romans 13:1-6
-----------------
Ezra 1:1-4 — In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing: “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of his people among you — may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem. And the people of any place where survivors may now be living are to provide him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’”
The prophet Isaiah foresaw it three hundred years before: the Lord would call a pagan king to become His servant and set His people free from captivity (Isa 44:28). And history records that it happened in the year 529 B.C. , when Cyrus, the great king of Persia, conquered Babylon and released the captives of Babylon. He blessed them and asked them to pray to their gods for blessing on Persia. He even funded the resumption of their religious systems. This included the Jews and Jerusalem. YHWH, the sovereign of the universe, chose to use a pagan king who did not believe in the one true god, to carry out His purposes. He works through tyrants and the timid, dictators and presidents, to accomplish His will. Cyrus was one of those leaders.
Romans 13 says that God establishes authorities in every nation and asks His followers to be subject to those authorities. We may bemoan the atrocities of evil men, and rightly so, but we also need to remember that there is a cosmic drama playing out that we often cannot see. God is at work among the nations. He raises some nations and crushes others. He raises kings and presidents and casts them down. The Lord alone is God. And He is at work in this world. Are you type of person who frets over world events, whether they be near or far away? Are you worried about elections, near and national? Don't be. God has never lost control. And He will establish authorities and work through them to accomplish His purposes. Even if those people are on the other side of the aisle. Just as He did with Cyrus, King of Persia.
Be God's.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
God of Second Chances
OT: 2 Chronicles 36
NT: Matthew 23:29-39
----------------
2 Chronicles 36: 14-16 — "...all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful, following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the LORD, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem. The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the LORD was aroused against his people and there was no remedy."
We often fail to realize that there is only one second chance. Only once does it come along in our lives. What follow are third chances and fourth chances, and so on. Dare I say, most of us are probably on our three hundred thousandth chance! What is a chance? It is a pardon, an oversight, a moment of grace. Thankfully, God does not stop us at one mistake. If He did, we'd all never make it past the diaper stage! No, He is a gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in love. He is just, no doubt, but also very, very patient.
Throughout the history of the nation of Israel, God gave His chosen people second, third, fourth, etc. chances. He sent prophet after prophet to warn the people of their sin and call them to repentance. However, the people largely rejected the prophets and continued to stray from God. They beat some prophets and killed others. And God's patience to His covenant people was not without end, so He finally pulled the curtain on the rebellious play and sent the king of Babylon to sack Jerusalem and carry away the leaders and aristocrats into captivity. Jerusalem was left in ashes. Thankfully, though, for the believer in Jesus Christ, God's grace and mercy are without end. He has chosen to accept the sacrifice of Jesus and sees you and me as people worthy of unlimited chances. Are there consequences for our sin? Sure there are. But we are not rejected by our Father. He still loves us the same and picks us up off our backsides, dusts us off, and pats us on the back to send us along our way.
Be God's.
NT: Matthew 23:29-39
----------------
2 Chronicles 36: 14-16 — "...all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful, following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the LORD, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem. The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the LORD was aroused against his people and there was no remedy."
We often fail to realize that there is only one second chance. Only once does it come along in our lives. What follow are third chances and fourth chances, and so on. Dare I say, most of us are probably on our three hundred thousandth chance! What is a chance? It is a pardon, an oversight, a moment of grace. Thankfully, God does not stop us at one mistake. If He did, we'd all never make it past the diaper stage! No, He is a gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in love. He is just, no doubt, but also very, very patient.
Throughout the history of the nation of Israel, God gave His chosen people second, third, fourth, etc. chances. He sent prophet after prophet to warn the people of their sin and call them to repentance. However, the people largely rejected the prophets and continued to stray from God. They beat some prophets and killed others. And God's patience to His covenant people was not without end, so He finally pulled the curtain on the rebellious play and sent the king of Babylon to sack Jerusalem and carry away the leaders and aristocrats into captivity. Jerusalem was left in ashes. Thankfully, though, for the believer in Jesus Christ, God's grace and mercy are without end. He has chosen to accept the sacrifice of Jesus and sees you and me as people worthy of unlimited chances. Are there consequences for our sin? Sure there are. But we are not rejected by our Father. He still loves us the same and picks us up off our backsides, dusts us off, and pats us on the back to send us along our way.
Be God's.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Through the Fire
OT: 2 Chronicles 33-35
NT: Acts 9
-------------------
2 Chronicles 33:10-13 — The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.
Sometimes it takes a brick wall to knock some sense into a person. Sometimes it merely takes a pillow. In either case, many times God will allow a person to endure hardship in order to show them that the path they are on in life is not the correct one. Manasseh was the son of Hezekiah, the best king the nation of Judah ever had. But Manasseh was not like his father. No, Manasseh was wicked and insolent -- a wild king who openly defied the Lord God of Israel by placing a vile statue in the Temple. He was far from the Lord and his wandering ways soon caught up to him.
Manasseh found himself hooked through the nose and carried off into captivity in Assyria. He was a prisoner of the king of Assyria and seemed doomed to die ina strange land. But Manasseh, in his prison cell, remembered something while he was away from home: YHWH was the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Hezekiah. And YHWH had done great things according to the stories of the land. Maybe He would listen. So Manasseh cried out to God and God heard and delivered him. From that day on the king was a changed man. Though his remaining years on the throne were few, his life had been changed. Can you relate to Manasseh's story? Did you have wandering past that concluded with a trial of fire? What did it take to correct your path and turn your heart towards the Lord? Have you thanked Him for that fire lately? Will you now?
Be God's.
NT: Acts 9
-------------------
2 Chronicles 33:10-13 — The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.
Sometimes it takes a brick wall to knock some sense into a person. Sometimes it merely takes a pillow. In either case, many times God will allow a person to endure hardship in order to show them that the path they are on in life is not the correct one. Manasseh was the son of Hezekiah, the best king the nation of Judah ever had. But Manasseh was not like his father. No, Manasseh was wicked and insolent -- a wild king who openly defied the Lord God of Israel by placing a vile statue in the Temple. He was far from the Lord and his wandering ways soon caught up to him.
Manasseh found himself hooked through the nose and carried off into captivity in Assyria. He was a prisoner of the king of Assyria and seemed doomed to die ina strange land. But Manasseh, in his prison cell, remembered something while he was away from home: YHWH was the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Hezekiah. And YHWH had done great things according to the stories of the land. Maybe He would listen. So Manasseh cried out to God and God heard and delivered him. From that day on the king was a changed man. Though his remaining years on the throne were few, his life had been changed. Can you relate to Manasseh's story? Did you have wandering past that concluded with a trial of fire? What did it take to correct your path and turn your heart towards the Lord? Have you thanked Him for that fire lately? Will you now?
Be God's.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Faithful Preparation
Hezekiah's Tunnel in JerusalemOT: 2 Chronicles 31-32
NT: Acts 6:1-6
----------
2 Chronicles 32:1-5 — After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to make war on Jerusalem, he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him. A large force of men assembled, and they blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said. Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the supporting terraces of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons and shields.
It's easy to preach faith and lose logistics in churches today. We fail to realize that part of the faith response to God's sovereignty is to use the knowledge and wisdom He has given us to act. God is in charge of all things, no doubt, but that does not mean we do not have a part to play in executing His will on earth. In other words, we have brains so why don't we use them to glorify God? I was in a church once where the response to "What shall we do?" about a situation was, " Pray and then wait for the Holy Spirit to blow us in the right direction." Now, I have nothing against praying over a tough decision, but God calls us to be men and women of action. How can we test the water when we refuse to put our foot in it? We need to become more like the men of old, who by faith acted in seeking the will of God and the defense of his reputation.
Can you imagine what would have happened if Jehoida the priest decided to pray and wait instead of rescuing King Joash from his wicked grandmother? Or if Joash sat on the book of the Law instead of immediately turning his nation back towards obeying its tenants? Hezekiah is another man of faith who took action. When Sennacharib, King of Assyria, came to lay seige to Jerusalem, Hezekiah had a plan and he followed it. He shut off the city's water supply -- the Gihon spring -- from the invading army and built a tunnel from the spring into the city. The tunnel still exists to this day, as does record of Sennacherib's failure to capture Jerusalem. And Hezekiah's plan worked because he was a man of faith who stepped up to take action. He prayed, to be sure, but that was not all he did. He tested the water. And the Lord rewarded him.
Be God's.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
The Power of Enouragement
OT: 2 Chronicles 29-30
NT: 1 Thessalonians 5:11-14
-----
2 Chronicles 30:21-22 — The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests sang to the LORD every day, accompanied by the LORD’s instruments of praise. Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the LORD. For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised the LORD, the God of their fathers.
Encouragement can be a powerful thing. It can pick you up off the ground, dust you off, and pat you on the back as you resume your walk. It can wipe your wound and smother your fear, and lift your spirit when you're at the lowest point of your heart. Encouragement is a powerful thing. A lack of it can tear someone down by leading them into feelings of self doubt and worthlessness. They can easily lose heart and give up without knowing how they're doing and what they're worth. Encouragement is a vital characteristic for a leader, and Hezekiah demonstrated it well.
Levi was the tribe from which the priests originated, and when Hezekiah ascended to the throne and decided to rededicate the nation and the temple to the Lord, he needed the priests to help him. But because there was a shortage of priests, the non-priest Levites were called upon to step in and help with the repair and maintenance of the Temple. Hezekiah, knowing that these men were not accustomed to the religious service of their brethren, encouraged them verbally, and the Levites responded by doing as great job. Encouragement is a powerful thing. It motivates like a cool lake on the horizon in the midst of the desert. Are you encouraging one another? Can you do more to notice the efforts of those around you -- perhaps those under your authority?
Be God's.
NT: 1 Thessalonians 5:11-14
-----
2 Chronicles 30:21-22 — The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests sang to the LORD every day, accompanied by the LORD’s instruments of praise. Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the LORD. For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised the LORD, the God of their fathers.
Encouragement can be a powerful thing. It can pick you up off the ground, dust you off, and pat you on the back as you resume your walk. It can wipe your wound and smother your fear, and lift your spirit when you're at the lowest point of your heart. Encouragement is a powerful thing. A lack of it can tear someone down by leading them into feelings of self doubt and worthlessness. They can easily lose heart and give up without knowing how they're doing and what they're worth. Encouragement is a vital characteristic for a leader, and Hezekiah demonstrated it well.
Levi was the tribe from which the priests originated, and when Hezekiah ascended to the throne and decided to rededicate the nation and the temple to the Lord, he needed the priests to help him. But because there was a shortage of priests, the non-priest Levites were called upon to step in and help with the repair and maintenance of the Temple. Hezekiah, knowing that these men were not accustomed to the religious service of their brethren, encouraged them verbally, and the Levites responded by doing as great job. Encouragement is a powerful thing. It motivates like a cool lake on the horizon in the midst of the desert. Are you encouraging one another? Can you do more to notice the efforts of those around you -- perhaps those under your authority?
Be God's.
Friday, October 10, 2008
God's Security Blanket
OT: 2 Chronicles 27-28
NT: 2 Corinthians 1:1-5
-------------
2 Chronicles 28:16-22 — At that time King Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria for help. The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away prisoners, while the Philistines had raided towns in the foothills and in the Negev of Judah. The LORD had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the LORD. Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came to him, but he gave him trouble instead of help. Ahaz took some of the things from the temple of the LORD and from the royal palace and from the princes and presented them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help him. In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD.
Most children have some object that they hold onto when they are scared. For some it is a blanket. My little sister absolutely adored her blanket and when it came time to part ways, one might think she was having a limb cut off! When I was a little boy I also had a blanket but of more value to me was a pillow. I called it my "Security pillow." It went with me on all family road trips and faithfully sat on my bed every day. Whenever I was afraid, all I had to do was squeeze the pillow tight to find comfort. God's security covers us like a blanket and soothes all levels of emotional and spiritual fear. But when we forget to put on His blanket and come to Him in prayer, we can feel awfully isolated and scared.
Ahaz was a wicked king of Judah who totally forgot that the Lord was a security blanket that he could access at any time. When times got tough as a result of his own wickedness and the that of his people, Ahaz did not turn to the Lord for security. In fact, he did everything else -- including consulting the king of a powerful and growing empire, Assyria. Would Assyria come to his rescue? Nope. Problem worse. Now Assyria is interested in having Judah as a prize. One generation later, the king of Assyria would lay siege to Jerusalem in an attempt to take it. No, Ahaz needed to consult the Lord, the God of Israel. But he never did and the nation suffered as a whole. We would be wise to turn the Lord first for security in times of trouble. Don't leave the Lord last on your list of "fixes." Put Him first. He's more than capable of covering you with His blanket and sheltering you through your times of trouble.
Be God's.
NT: 2 Corinthians 1:1-5
-------------
2 Chronicles 28:16-22 — At that time King Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria for help. The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away prisoners, while the Philistines had raided towns in the foothills and in the Negev of Judah. The LORD had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the LORD. Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came to him, but he gave him trouble instead of help. Ahaz took some of the things from the temple of the LORD and from the royal palace and from the princes and presented them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help him. In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD.
Most children have some object that they hold onto when they are scared. For some it is a blanket. My little sister absolutely adored her blanket and when it came time to part ways, one might think she was having a limb cut off! When I was a little boy I also had a blanket but of more value to me was a pillow. I called it my "Security pillow." It went with me on all family road trips and faithfully sat on my bed every day. Whenever I was afraid, all I had to do was squeeze the pillow tight to find comfort. God's security covers us like a blanket and soothes all levels of emotional and spiritual fear. But when we forget to put on His blanket and come to Him in prayer, we can feel awfully isolated and scared.
Ahaz was a wicked king of Judah who totally forgot that the Lord was a security blanket that he could access at any time. When times got tough as a result of his own wickedness and the that of his people, Ahaz did not turn to the Lord for security. In fact, he did everything else -- including consulting the king of a powerful and growing empire, Assyria. Would Assyria come to his rescue? Nope. Problem worse. Now Assyria is interested in having Judah as a prize. One generation later, the king of Assyria would lay siege to Jerusalem in an attempt to take it. No, Ahaz needed to consult the Lord, the God of Israel. But he never did and the nation suffered as a whole. We would be wise to turn the Lord first for security in times of trouble. Don't leave the Lord last on your list of "fixes." Put Him first. He's more than capable of covering you with His blanket and sheltering you through your times of trouble.
Be God's.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Gone to the Head
OT: 2 Chronicles 26
NT: Romans 12:3-13
-----------------------
2 Chronicles 26:1-2, 15-17 — Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. He was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after Amaziah rested with his fathers. His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful. But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the LORD followed him in.
If it is true that when we are weak, we are strong (2 Cor. 13); then it must also be true that when we are strong, we are weak. It is during times of great spiritual highs and perfect contentment in life that temptation often rears its ugly head and we fall prey. I know this is certainly true in my own life. Uzziah was a good king who, like Solomon, went bad in his later years. He was a strong king -- had everything going for him. But good times tend to cause us to forget that we are weak vessels who need the constant grace and strength of the Lord to make it through each day. And times of prosperity tend to cause us to forget the Giver of all good things.
Things were going so well for Uzziah that he forgot that there was a source for all his fortune. He forgot that the Lord had ordained places for the kings and for the priests and those duties were not to cross. It was the priests who ministered at the Temple. It was the priests who burned incense on the altars inside the Most Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Uzziah decided, for whatever reason, to do the incense burning himself, so he marched right in to the Temple's second holiest room, followed quickly by a panicked high preist and 80 of his sort. The king could not offer insence, so the priests stepped in. As the story unfolds, Uzziah was punished by God with leprosy when he entered. The good king had lost his place and his prosperity had gone to his head. Has your good fortune also gone to your head? Have you thanked God for your possessions and your family? Are you living a life of thankfulness and gratitude, or are you forgetting the Giver of all good things?
Be God's.
NT: Romans 12:3-13
-----------------------
2 Chronicles 26:1-2, 15-17 — Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. He was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after Amaziah rested with his fathers. His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful. But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the LORD followed him in.
If it is true that when we are weak, we are strong (2 Cor. 13); then it must also be true that when we are strong, we are weak. It is during times of great spiritual highs and perfect contentment in life that temptation often rears its ugly head and we fall prey. I know this is certainly true in my own life. Uzziah was a good king who, like Solomon, went bad in his later years. He was a strong king -- had everything going for him. But good times tend to cause us to forget that we are weak vessels who need the constant grace and strength of the Lord to make it through each day. And times of prosperity tend to cause us to forget the Giver of all good things.
Things were going so well for Uzziah that he forgot that there was a source for all his fortune. He forgot that the Lord had ordained places for the kings and for the priests and those duties were not to cross. It was the priests who ministered at the Temple. It was the priests who burned incense on the altars inside the Most Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Uzziah decided, for whatever reason, to do the incense burning himself, so he marched right in to the Temple's second holiest room, followed quickly by a panicked high preist and 80 of his sort. The king could not offer insence, so the priests stepped in. As the story unfolds, Uzziah was punished by God with leprosy when he entered. The good king had lost his place and his prosperity had gone to his head. Has your good fortune also gone to your head? Have you thanked God for your possessions and your family? Are you living a life of thankfulness and gratitude, or are you forgetting the Giver of all good things?
Be God's.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Settling for Something Less
OT: 2 Chronicles 24-25
NT: Hebrews 8
-------------
2 Chronicles 25:14-16 — Now after Amaziah came from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought the gods of the sons of Seir, set them up as his gods, bowed down before them and burned incense to them. Then the anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people who have not delivered their own people from your hand?” As he was talking with him, the king said to him, “Have we appointed you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” Then the prophet stopped and said, “I know that God has planned to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”
Amaziah was the son of Joash, the good king of Judah. A young king, he seemed to have everything going in his favor, save for one thing — his heart. Amaziah "did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart" according to chapter 25, verse 1. His heart was not fully seeking the Lord, so he did foolish things. One such thing was to take the idolatrous gods of Edom, which he had defeated in battle, and set them up in Jerusalem to be worshipped. Why would Amaziah do this? Beats me. But God certainly wasn't pleased. The words of a prophet echo through time and eternity: why did you accept something that failed to save at the expense of the One who saved you? Why settle for less than the best?
The author of Hebrews would ask his readers the same thing repeatedly in his book: why settle for an Old Covenant that was incomplete and could not save at the expense of a New Covenant that gives life? Too often we settle for what cannot help us in our spiritual life — things dead or dying, things that confuse or distract. We often settle for a prayer life that is small and weak. Too often we run after pleasures that are poor and fleeting. Amaziah knew that the God of Israel was powerful and Almighty. Yet he was willing to bow before Edom's gods -- the nation he had just humiliated in battle. Don't settle for less. Follow the new and living way.
Be God's.
NT: Hebrews 8
-------------
2 Chronicles 25:14-16 — Now after Amaziah came from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought the gods of the sons of Seir, set them up as his gods, bowed down before them and burned incense to them. Then the anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people who have not delivered their own people from your hand?” As he was talking with him, the king said to him, “Have we appointed you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” Then the prophet stopped and said, “I know that God has planned to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”
Amaziah was the son of Joash, the good king of Judah. A young king, he seemed to have everything going in his favor, save for one thing — his heart. Amaziah "did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart" according to chapter 25, verse 1. His heart was not fully seeking the Lord, so he did foolish things. One such thing was to take the idolatrous gods of Edom, which he had defeated in battle, and set them up in Jerusalem to be worshipped. Why would Amaziah do this? Beats me. But God certainly wasn't pleased. The words of a prophet echo through time and eternity: why did you accept something that failed to save at the expense of the One who saved you? Why settle for less than the best?
The author of Hebrews would ask his readers the same thing repeatedly in his book: why settle for an Old Covenant that was incomplete and could not save at the expense of a New Covenant that gives life? Too often we settle for what cannot help us in our spiritual life — things dead or dying, things that confuse or distract. We often settle for a prayer life that is small and weak. Too often we run after pleasures that are poor and fleeting. Amaziah knew that the God of Israel was powerful and Almighty. Yet he was willing to bow before Edom's gods -- the nation he had just humiliated in battle. Don't settle for less. Follow the new and living way.
Be God's.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Bad Company, Worse Corruption
OT: 2 Chronicles 21-23
NT: 1 Corinthians 15:33
-----------------------
2 Chronicles 21:4; 22:2-4 — Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. Nevertheless, because of the covenant the LORD had made with David, the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever... [Jehoram's son] Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri. He too walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him in doing wrong. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father’s death they became his advisers, to his undoing.
For a hundred years or more the house of David and the northern kingdom were separate entities. A king sat on David's throne in Jerusalem while other kings, not of the royal line, sat ont he throne of the northern kingdom. But things changed when Jehoram, son of David, married the daughter of king Ahab, one of the north's wickedest kings. A son was born of the union named Ahaziah, a weak king who was led astray by his mother Athaliah. That same mother would later kill almost all the other royal sons in order to make herself queen of Judah. Evil and wickedness ruled Ahab's line. There was no respect for life and certainly no respect for God.
Jehoram led his family and his nation astray by associating with a family of bad character. His marriage of Ahab's daughter -- whether for love or for alliance -- was a mistake that led to a lot of bloodshed and evil. Paul quoted an old adage in 1 Corinthians 15:33 that says, "bad company corrupts good morals," and that adage was proven true in the kings of Judah. As we'll see in the next few chapters of 2 Chronicles, Joash, the young son of Ahaziah, listened to the wise counsel of Jehoida, the godly priest, and the kingdom of Judah was rescued from the wickedness of Ahab's influence. When we hang around people who not only do not follow the Lord but are antagonistic against Him, we can easily be corrupted and led astray. I'm reminded of the thousands of college students who go off to school for the first time and are immediately hit by negative influences they never experienced at home. Who are you listening to every day at work, on TV and in the marketplace? Are they individuals or programs that display godly behavior and good morals? Or are they bad influences? What can you do to reduce your risk of being led astray by them?
Be God's.
NT: 1 Corinthians 15:33
-----------------------
2 Chronicles 21:4; 22:2-4 — Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. Nevertheless, because of the covenant the LORD had made with David, the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever... [Jehoram's son] Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri. He too walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him in doing wrong. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father’s death they became his advisers, to his undoing.
For a hundred years or more the house of David and the northern kingdom were separate entities. A king sat on David's throne in Jerusalem while other kings, not of the royal line, sat ont he throne of the northern kingdom. But things changed when Jehoram, son of David, married the daughter of king Ahab, one of the north's wickedest kings. A son was born of the union named Ahaziah, a weak king who was led astray by his mother Athaliah. That same mother would later kill almost all the other royal sons in order to make herself queen of Judah. Evil and wickedness ruled Ahab's line. There was no respect for life and certainly no respect for God.
Jehoram led his family and his nation astray by associating with a family of bad character. His marriage of Ahab's daughter -- whether for love or for alliance -- was a mistake that led to a lot of bloodshed and evil. Paul quoted an old adage in 1 Corinthians 15:33 that says, "bad company corrupts good morals," and that adage was proven true in the kings of Judah. As we'll see in the next few chapters of 2 Chronicles, Joash, the young son of Ahaziah, listened to the wise counsel of Jehoida, the godly priest, and the kingdom of Judah was rescued from the wickedness of Ahab's influence. When we hang around people who not only do not follow the Lord but are antagonistic against Him, we can easily be corrupted and led astray. I'm reminded of the thousands of college students who go off to school for the first time and are immediately hit by negative influences they never experienced at home. Who are you listening to every day at work, on TV and in the marketplace? Are they individuals or programs that display godly behavior and good morals? Or are they bad influences? What can you do to reduce your risk of being led astray by them?
Be God's.
Monday, October 6, 2008
A Brief Interlude
Sorry for missing Sunday's devotion, but my family had to travel another state over for a bit of a family emergency. As I write this, I'm sitting in a chair late at night in Lousiana. We're on our way back to North Texas after a whirlwind trip to see my ailing grandfather in Cajun country.
When we last left our journey through the Bible, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, had won an amazing victory without ever lifting a sword. The Lord had sent the armies of Moab, Edom and other foes into mass chaos and they turned on each other. All the armies of Judah had to do was munch on popcorn and watch the Lord at work.
Tomorrow, we'll resume our journey with 2 Chronicles 21 with a couple of bad kings of Judah, Jehoram and Ahaziah, and the remarkable story of the protection of King Joash.
Be God's!
When we last left our journey through the Bible, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, had won an amazing victory without ever lifting a sword. The Lord had sent the armies of Moab, Edom and other foes into mass chaos and they turned on each other. All the armies of Judah had to do was munch on popcorn and watch the Lord at work.
Tomorrow, we'll resume our journey with 2 Chronicles 21 with a couple of bad kings of Judah, Jehoram and Ahaziah, and the remarkable story of the protection of King Joash.
Be God's!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Popcorn and the Pass of Ziz
OT: 2 Chronicles 16-20
NT: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
2 Chronicles 20:14-17 — Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’”
Ancient popcorn vendors must've loved the prophecy of Jahaziel. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon the Levite and he proclaimed, "You will not have to fight this battle... stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD," vendors all across Judah had reason for celebration. God was going to do all the fighting! The soldiers were supposed to just show up, stand in line and watch the show. "Popcorn! Getcha popcorn heya!" God often showed His sovereignty and might in the Old Testament by winning miraculous victories on behalf of His people. Though He often accompanied human combat with a miracle, like when He made the sun stand still for Joshua, He also occasionally left us people out, like here. Remember Gideon? He had 300 men and didn't even have to swing a sword to defeat the Midian army.
This story goes to show us that God is the one who really does the fighting, no matter how it appears on earth. He stands sovereign over all creation and swings His sword in defense of His people. If you need help, all you have to do is cry out to the Lord. And He will be swift to save. And as you watch your deliverance play out before you... getcha popcorn ready and enjoy!
Be God's.
NT: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
2 Chronicles 20:14-17 — Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’”
Ancient popcorn vendors must've loved the prophecy of Jahaziel. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon the Levite and he proclaimed, "You will not have to fight this battle... stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD," vendors all across Judah had reason for celebration. God was going to do all the fighting! The soldiers were supposed to just show up, stand in line and watch the show. "Popcorn! Getcha popcorn heya!" God often showed His sovereignty and might in the Old Testament by winning miraculous victories on behalf of His people. Though He often accompanied human combat with a miracle, like when He made the sun stand still for Joshua, He also occasionally left us people out, like here. Remember Gideon? He had 300 men and didn't even have to swing a sword to defeat the Midian army.
This story goes to show us that God is the one who really does the fighting, no matter how it appears on earth. He stands sovereign over all creation and swings His sword in defense of His people. If you need help, all you have to do is cry out to the Lord. And He will be swift to save. And as you watch your deliverance play out before you... getcha popcorn ready and enjoy!
Be God's.
Friday, October 3, 2008
You and What Army?
OT: 2 Chronicles 14-16
NT: Matthew 5:1-13
---------------
2 Chronicles 14:9-12 — Zerah the Cushite marched out against [Judah] with a vast army and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. [King] Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah. Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, “LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you.” The LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah.
Anyone who has seen a map of the Middle East knows that Israel is not a very big country. It is slender and hilly, with a sea to the west and a desert to the east. The ancient nation of Judah had even fewer people than modern Israel. Judah was just two tribes out of 10 and its army consisted of every able bodied man, or about 300,000. That number sounds big but in every engagement, it seems that the Judahite army was outnumbered. The Cushites were a neighboring people group with chariots -- a superior battle weapon. King Asa of Judah, Solomon's great-grandson, confronted the Cushite army on the field of battle and quickly realized he was outnumbered. Yikes! What do we do? So he did what all who are lowly and outnumbered should do — he called on the God of the lowly, YHWH, the god of Israel. The Lord's name was at stake, for His people were at war. So the Lord defended Asa and Judah.
Asa knew that the God of Israel was righteous and just, strong to save, particularly when the orphan and widow are involved. God seeks those who humble themselves before Him and call upon His mercy and deliverance. Saint Peter said we should humble ourselves before the Lord and He would lift us up (1 Pet 5:6). Jesus said blessed are the poor in spirit — those who know they are spiritually bankrupt and in need of God's mercy and grace. Asa knew that God would save the lowly, especially if those who are lowly are called by His name. Through faith in Christ Jesus, that's us! If we humble ourselves before the Lord, He will lift us up and save us from our trials. It may not be immediate and it may not always be the way we choose but He will do it. Just as he did on an ancient battlefield, long ago.
Be God's.
NT: Matthew 5:1-13
---------------
2 Chronicles 14:9-12 — Zerah the Cushite marched out against [Judah] with a vast army and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. [King] Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah. Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, “LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you.” The LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah.
Anyone who has seen a map of the Middle East knows that Israel is not a very big country. It is slender and hilly, with a sea to the west and a desert to the east. The ancient nation of Judah had even fewer people than modern Israel. Judah was just two tribes out of 10 and its army consisted of every able bodied man, or about 300,000. That number sounds big but in every engagement, it seems that the Judahite army was outnumbered. The Cushites were a neighboring people group with chariots -- a superior battle weapon. King Asa of Judah, Solomon's great-grandson, confronted the Cushite army on the field of battle and quickly realized he was outnumbered. Yikes! What do we do? So he did what all who are lowly and outnumbered should do — he called on the God of the lowly, YHWH, the god of Israel. The Lord's name was at stake, for His people were at war. So the Lord defended Asa and Judah.
Asa knew that the God of Israel was righteous and just, strong to save, particularly when the orphan and widow are involved. God seeks those who humble themselves before Him and call upon His mercy and deliverance. Saint Peter said we should humble ourselves before the Lord and He would lift us up (1 Pet 5:6). Jesus said blessed are the poor in spirit — those who know they are spiritually bankrupt and in need of God's mercy and grace. Asa knew that God would save the lowly, especially if those who are lowly are called by His name. Through faith in Christ Jesus, that's us! If we humble ourselves before the Lord, He will lift us up and save us from our trials. It may not be immediate and it may not always be the way we choose but He will do it. Just as he did on an ancient battlefield, long ago.
Be God's.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The Hard Lesson
OT: 2 Chronicles 10-12
NT: Hebrews 12:3-11
-----------------
2 Chronicles 12:5-8 — Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the leaders of Judah who had assembled in Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and he said to them, “This is what the LORD says, ‘You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak.’” The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The LORD is just.” When the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, this word of the LORD came to Shemaiah: “Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will soon give them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak. They will, however, become subject to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands.”
I really don't like hard lessons. You know, those lessons you learn through trial and failure. Or those lessons that come as a result of a bad decision you've made. The "you reap what you sow" lessons. Rehoboam was the son of Solomon, a good king who went bad in his later years. Rehoboam was foolish from the start and the Lord ripped the northern 10 tribes out of his kingdom. He had tried to make the yoke of work heavier on his workers. They didn't like it, decided to unionize, and bolted in a landslide vote.or something like that. Now, in today's reading, the Lord decided to show Rehoboam what a heavier workload was really like, courtesy of Shishak, Pharaoh of Egypt. It is better to serve the Lord and act in wisdom than serve a foreign king, was what the Lord wanted to communicate.
Our God is very loving towards us, His adopted children. There is no condemnation for those who believe in Jesus (Rom. 8:1) and our hope of redemption in Him is secure. However, every now and then the Lord allows us to reap the result of our actions. Sometimes He blesses us for making wise choices. Other times He allows us to suffer the consequences of bad choices. It is through that suffering that we learn how to grow and develop. Every wise person has made bad choices. Rehoboam made some rotten ones. And he suffered as a result. But God remembered His promise to David (see 2 Samuel 7) and the kingdom of Judah passed on to Rehoboam's son, Abijah. For the Lord loves those who are His and will always be with us through every trial, even if that trial is a result of our own choices.
Be God's.
NT: Hebrews 12:3-11
-----------------
2 Chronicles 12:5-8 — Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the leaders of Judah who had assembled in Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and he said to them, “This is what the LORD says, ‘You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak.’” The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The LORD is just.” When the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, this word of the LORD came to Shemaiah: “Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will soon give them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak. They will, however, become subject to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands.”
I really don't like hard lessons. You know, those lessons you learn through trial and failure. Or those lessons that come as a result of a bad decision you've made. The "you reap what you sow" lessons. Rehoboam was the son of Solomon, a good king who went bad in his later years. Rehoboam was foolish from the start and the Lord ripped the northern 10 tribes out of his kingdom. He had tried to make the yoke of work heavier on his workers. They didn't like it, decided to unionize, and bolted in a landslide vote.or something like that. Now, in today's reading, the Lord decided to show Rehoboam what a heavier workload was really like, courtesy of Shishak, Pharaoh of Egypt. It is better to serve the Lord and act in wisdom than serve a foreign king, was what the Lord wanted to communicate.
Our God is very loving towards us, His adopted children. There is no condemnation for those who believe in Jesus (Rom. 8:1) and our hope of redemption in Him is secure. However, every now and then the Lord allows us to reap the result of our actions. Sometimes He blesses us for making wise choices. Other times He allows us to suffer the consequences of bad choices. It is through that suffering that we learn how to grow and develop. Every wise person has made bad choices. Rehoboam made some rotten ones. And he suffered as a result. But God remembered His promise to David (see 2 Samuel 7) and the kingdom of Judah passed on to Rehoboam's son, Abijah. For the Lord loves those who are His and will always be with us through every trial, even if that trial is a result of our own choices.
Be God's.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Drawn to the Light
OT: 2 Chronicles 8-9
NT: Matthew 5:14-16
--------------
2 Chronicles 9:1, 5-8 — When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan — with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones — she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God."
There's just something appealing about the light. Something that draws people to its glow and causes them to bask in wonder and amazement. The Queen of Sheba, most likely a south Arabian country, packed up a large caravan when she heard about this Jewish king named Solomon. He was wise and wealthy — the builder of a massive Temple to the one god of his people. She just had to see it first-hand. And when she did, she marveled at the blessing and majesty of Solomon's God.
Isaiah wrote that another light would draw men from afar, the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ (Isa 60:1-3). The prophet wrote, "Nations will come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising." There is something very magnetic about the light. It stands in sharp contrast to the darkened world. John wrote that Jesus was the true light which enlightens every man (John 1:9). It is in His light that we must walk and it is His light we must reflect (1 John 1:5-7). Doing so will draw attention to the Light and, thus, to Jesus Christ. So let us walk in the Light and pray that the world may believe.
Be God's.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
