Category: Daily Thought

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What Kind of Savior

Daily Reading

2Chronicles 6-8

Daily Thought

The construction of God’s Temple was finished, the place of meeting between God and humanity, Creator and creation. But how can a sinful humanity approach a holy God? Solomon understands this concern as he dedicates this place of meeting, “But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth?” (2Chronicles 6:18).

He knew it was going to happen. The people would sin. He would sin. “If they sin against you–for there is no one who does not sin–if they turn their heart repent and plead with you, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ if they repent with all their mind and with all their heart then hear from heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their pleas, and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you” (vv 36-38).

The woman had an excuse for not coming to church, “Oh, but you don’t know what I’ve done,” she explained. “I’m not the kind of person God could ever forgive.” In other words, God’s forgiveness has to have a limit. How much will he forgive?

I thought of the Temple. I thought of the cross. The people cried out, “Crucify him” (Mark 15:13). They spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?” (Matthew 26:67-68). Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15). They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head (Matthew 27:28-30). They kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” (Luke 23:21). So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him (John 19:16-18).

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

“You’re right, I don’t know what you’ve done, what kind of person you are,” I said to this woman. “But here’s what I do know. I know the God I worship. I know what Jesus has done and what kind of Savior he is and what kind of person God forgives and how great is his grace.”

God’s answer came quickly to Solomon, “As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. They bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, ‘For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever’” (2Chronicles 7:1, 3). Our God forgives.

Daily Prayer

Loving Father, Your love endures. I’ve put it to the test! So have others. All of us. And yet Your love lasts forever and forgiveness is always in front of me. So, God, thank You for forgiving me by the blood of Your Son.

God, may I live life with confidence, not in my own strength, but in the absolute certainty that Your Son did everything needed to restore my relationship with You forever. Your love endures forever.

Amen

Daily Question

What have you done that God will not forgive?

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Our Redeeming God

Daily Reading

2Chronicles 2-5

Daily Thought

King David was a man after God’s heart, but that does not mean he was without sin. “I have sinned greatly” (2Samuel 24:10) was David’s confession to God after commanding a census. By God’s will David was chosen king, and by God’s power David attained the throne, but when he counted his people he was counting his soldiers, relying on his own strength to rule his kingdom. Repenting of this sin, David purchased property on Mount Moriah where he built an alter to worship the Lord.

A greater sin yet was David’s adultery with Bathsheba and murder of her husband, Uriah. Again, David repented, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Psalm 51:3-4). There were consequences, but this was true repentance and out of this sin, David married Bathsheba, and later they had a child, naming him Solomon (2Samuel 12:24).

David’s sins came with great cost, but even in the darkest of sin shines the power of God’s redemption–“where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). From the remnants of sin, God produced a man, Solomon, and a mountain, Mount Moriah, and “Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah” (2Chronicles 3:1).

This does not justify sin but displays the power of grace and reminds me to trust God’s salvation. Satan would have me deflated by failure, but I am made large through God’s salvation. I will, therefore, trust Christ’s cross and press on confidently.

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.” ~Psalm 51:12-13

Daily Prayer

Holy God, how great a salvation. As your servant King David asked, “O Lord, who am I that You care for me,” I am amazed by Your grace, that You turn your attention toward me. I keep turning my attention away, yet You look upon me and care about me and restore me.

God, may my focus never waver. May I dwell on my sins less and your redemption more. Keep me from being distracted. May I look to You first, may I seek Your kingdom, your goodness, You always.

Amen

Daily Question

What has more power over your life, your own sins or God’s grace?

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The Wealth of Wisdom

Daily Reading

1Chronicles 28-2Chronicles 1

Daily Thought

When Solomon became king, God offered Solomon whatever he wanted, “In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, ‘Ask what I shall give you’” (2Chronicles 1:7). Solomon spurned riches and honor and asked for wisdom. Wealth and power would make him a mighty king, but wisdom would make him a good king, a godly king. God granted Solomon wisdom and knowledge, and then went ahead and gave him riches and possessions and honor on top of it. 

God made Solomon wise, but he also gave Solomon a challenge that would test and could strengthen his wisdom. “Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom” (2Chronicles 9:22). Would riches and possessions and honor serve God and God’s kingdom or would they serve only Solomon?

Solomon would be a great king, but not fully, not with his whole heart. Solomon was wise and could have ruled his kingdom with wisdom, but he did not rule himself. Rather, he drank the world’s riches of wealth and wine and women. At the end of his life, Solomon reflected, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt” (Ecclesiastes 5:10, 13). Solomon, at last, became truly wise, but too late. His kingdom would be divided, as was his heart.

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” ~Matthew 6:24

Daily Prayer

My God, my Lord, my Savior, I will serve and follow You fully, keeping my eyes on You, focused on the prize, a glorious day to come when I might hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” You are what is good in life and I long to be godly. I will guard my heart against distractions. Strengthen my will and give me wisdom to choose well. 

God, You are the center of my life, and all else revolves around You. You are first in everything. I trust my life to You, knowing that a life can only be great when it is first good and godly. This is my resolve. I pray this will be my actions, as well. 

Amen

Daily Question

What stands between you and giving your heart whole and fully to God?

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This Is Why We Sing

Daily Reading

1Chronicles 25-27

Daily Thought

To prophecy is to forthtell, to speak God’s Word for today, or foretell, to speak God’s Word for the future, but there must be more, because the sons of Heman, Asaph, and Jeduthun “prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals” (1Chronicles 25:1). Heman was the king’s seer (2Chronicles 25:5). He was also his director of music. King David selected the sons of Heman, along with those of Asaph and Jeduthun, to be the orchestra, exalting God and filling the house of the Lord with music. The music itself speaks God’s Word, not to the present or the future, but to the soul. It is the creature’s response to her Creator. Prophecy tells us more than what is or what will be, but it speaks to who we are and who is our Father. There is a power in beauty that declares the divine and opens our hearts to the wonders of Almighty God.

Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. ~Psalm 96:1-6

Alongside the heavens and the earth, the majesty and mystery of creation, art and music touches our heart, sings to the soul, declares God’s glory, prophecies with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals. This is why we sing.

Daily Prayer

Wonderful God, fill me with Your Spirit, with Your Words, with Your songs, that I might declare Your wonders and Your glory, the beauty and mystery of life. You touch my mind and I understand, but worship is more than what I simply think. There is language deeper than words, unlocked by the heavens, by music, by creation, by wonder, that express Your glory. Your grace and love and truth are displayed not only in what I do and what I say, but in what I sing. What a strange and wonderful thing is music. Thank You for it. Where words fail to express Your glory, music proclaims it to the world. What a wonderful God.

Amen

Daily Question

What is your favorite worship song, and why?

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All I Got

Daily Reading

1Chronicles 22-24

Daily Thought

I can’t sing harmony. I can’t dance. I can’t dunk a basketball. I can’t play drums. I can’t paint a beautiful sunset. I’ve tried. Sometimes hours a day, day after day, for months, and even years. The motivational poster says, “You can do anything you set your mind to do.” 

Apparently not.

God’s temple would be built, not with the bloodied hands of David, but with hands that know peace, because peace is the character of God’s kingdom. The one who batters the enemies of God will not be the one who builds the house of God. “My son,” David said to Solomon, “I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the Lord my God. But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth’” (1Chronicles 22:7-8). There are times when determination simply will not substitute for ability, opportunity, or permission. And that’s okay.

I still sing (in the shower), I have fun playing basketball (passing more than shooting), and I enjoy sunsets. “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully” (Romans 12:6-8).

On the other hand, those things I can do, I give it all I got.

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, You gave me life, formed me, and filled me with abilities and talents. May I delight in them. Free me from any desire to be something I am not, and help me discover who I am and what I can do for You. I am individually designed by You, so I know it is a good work You have done in me.

I look at all You create, God, the majesty, the wonder, the beauty, and it works. The world holds together, everything in its place. I trust the sun to rise each day, because I trust the One who created it. You created me on purpose, from Your pleasure and for Your pleasure. Today, I am grateful for everything. Tomorrow, too. And the next day.

Amen

Daily Question

What are you really good at? How does God use this ability?

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Was It Not I?

Daily Reading

1Chronicles 18-21

Daily Thought

“After this,” the first two words of 2Chronicles 18, point backward as the cause for what follows. God reminded David, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel, and I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth (2Chronicles 17:7-8). Now watch what happens “after this”: “David defeated the Philistines and subdued them” (18:1); “he defeated Moab, and the Moabites became servants to David” (18:2); “David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah-Hamath” (18:3); “David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians” (18:5). In chapters 19 and 20, victories continued. He defeated the Ammonites and more of the Syrians. Rabbah was overthrown, and “David took the crown of their king from his head” (20:2). “Thus David did to all the cities of the Ammonites” (20:3). Finally, the the giants of the Philistines “fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants” (20:8).

“The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went” (18:6, 13), but by chapter 21, after winning over and over again, David began to think perhaps he had as much to do with the winning as God. This is the temptation of success: “Was it not I?” David’s pride began to grow, so God used the master of temptation to expose it, “then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel” (21:1). The census was designed by David to display his might, but it was designed by God to betray his heart. His pride was exposed and David was reminded of his true strength and returned his heart to God. David’s sin became David’s confession, “Was it not I who gave command to number the people?” This was not a question, but a statement, the confession of a godly man, no justification, no rationalization, no shifting the blame. “It is I who have sinned and done great evil” (1Chronicles 21:17). 

The best confessions begin with the pronoun “I” and include no other. David owned it.

Daily Prayer

God Almighty, You are my Lord and my Savior. You go before me and I do well to follow You. You lead to victory over sin, over Satan, over death, and You give me faith, hope, and love. Yet, I continue to do things on my own, seek to be in charge, and steal the glory that rightfully belongs to You.

What amazes me is Your mercy and grace. When I confess my failures, when I acknowledge my sin and my need of You, You grab my hand again, forgiving me, and leading me again along that wonderful path of Yours, the path that leads to life. You are my true Strength, the Master of my life.

Amen

Daily Question

How do you go about confessing your sins to God?

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Do Nothing

Daily Reading

1Chronicles 15-17

Daily Thought

David had learned to trust God when he had something to do, something to accomplish, something to conquer. When he was young, David stood before Goliath, a giant warrior, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head” (1Samuel 17:45-46). Such was David’s faith and God was with him. David learned to seek God before each battle, as he did in his most recent, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up, and I will give them into your hand” (1Chronicles 14:10), and David trusted God and fought the Philistines and won.

David intended to build a house for God and this was a good intention–“Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent” (1Chronicles 17:1). David had a house; God didn’t have a house. Build him one. Nathan the prophet agreed, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you” (1Chronicles 17:2). Then God visited Nathan and said, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in’” (v 4). For David, a man of action, a hands-on guy with a vigorous faith, “Do nothing” may be most difficult to hear. Sometimes the hardest thing God wants us to do is nothing. David must trust God when he has nothing to do, nothing to add or accomplish. 

“Be still and know that I am God.” ~Psalm 46:10

So David trusted God and did nothing.

Daily Prayer

Lord God, You delight in me. There is nothing I can add to Your worth or Your wealth. You have no need of my offerings or my sacrifices. You desire them, not for Your gain but for mine. When I give I gain. My faith and trust grows. My relationship strengthens.

All that I am, God, comes from You. I am happiest when I pursue what You have created me to do. Take my desires God and shape them to Your will. You delight in me. I long to delight in You. May I listen to You.

Amen

Daily Question

Is it easier for you to accomplish something for God or wait patiently for God to do his work?

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History Repeated

Daily Reading

1Chronicles 12-14

Daily Thought

The Chronicles follow the Samuels and the Kings, and there is a sense that we are reading the same stuff over again. The death of Saul and his sons in 1Chronicles 10 was told before in 1Samuel 31. David’s mighty men, listed in 1Chronicles 11, were listed before in 2Samuel 23. Uzzah and the Ark is found in 1Chronicles 13 and 2Samuel 6. Why was Chronicles written if the stories had already been told?

In 1Samuel, God spoke to David, “Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever” (1Samuel 7:16), but in 722BC, the northern tribes of Israel were conquered and taken captive by Assyria, never to return. All of God’s promises of an enduring, everlasting kingdom depended now on Judah, but in 586BC, Judah was exiled to Babylon. Seventy years of captivity followed and forever seemed to be over. At the end of captivity, as the Jews returned from exile and began to rebuild Jerusalem, they questioned, “Are we still the people of God?” It was a legitimate question and Chronicles is the answer. It tells the same story of the same history but with a different focus. God is still keeping his promises because God is forever faithful even when Israel is not. 

Although Chronicles is placed after Kings in the Christian Bible, it is the last book in the Jewish Scriptures. It is a retelling of Israel’s story to a people questioning their future. The opening nine chapters trace their genealogy back, not just to Abraham, but all the way to Adam, to remind Israel that they are God’s people, and his plan for them extends from the very beginning, the first man. When God repeats the exact same stories without changing anything, that’s the good news–nothing has changed! Chronicles reminds God’s people that God’s promises are sure, but his blessings depend on their faithfulness, and they have been unfaithful. 

“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” ~2Chronicles 7:14

I am still your God, you are still my people, and this is how we will move forward.

Daily Prayer

My forever faithful Father, God of heaven and earth, Creator of all, Creator of me, I shall live my days serving You and Your desires in this world. Teach me and lead me into Your everlasting life, Your kingdom of grace and truth. I pray that my heart remains at all times true to You, for You are always faithful, worthy of my trust.

Your faithfulness is amazing, because if I were you, I’d be done with me. I am not always true. I am not often true. All too often I pursue my desires over Yours. Your patience is incredible, because I put it to the test, and yet, Your grace is there waiting. I ask for forgiveness and You grant it, and I return by Your side, walking again along Your path. Fill my heart with Your love, so that I will not stray, but will remain forever faithful to You.

Amen

Daily Question

How do you know you belong to God?

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The Mighty Men

Daily Reading

1Chronicles 9-11

Daily Thought

“This is an account of David’s mighty men” (1Chronicles 11:11), the exploits of these fierce warriors who stood beside David in battle. They guarded David when Saul was trying to kill him before David was king, and stayed with David once he’d gained the throne. Their devotion was such that, when David yearned for a drink of water, they broke through an enemy Philistine encampment to draw from the well of Bethlehem. When handed the cup, David looked at the water, then at the men, and thought the price too high to quench the thirst of a king. They had risked their lives for his refreshment, and he would not drink it. “He poured it out to the Lord” (1Chronicles 11:18), an offering worthy only of God. These were his mighty men.

The movie “Blindside” begins with a monologue, “One Mississippi. Joe Theismann, the Redskins quarterback takes the snap and hands off to his running back. Two Mississippi. It’s a trick play, a flea flicker, and the running back tosses the ball back to the quarterback. Three Mississippi. Up to now the play’s been defined by the what the quarterback sees. It’s about to be defined by what he doesn’t. Four Mississippi. The year is 1985 and Lawrence Taylor is the best defensive player in the NFL.  There will be no Five Mississippi. Quarterback Joe Theismann never played another down of football.”

Lawrence Taylor knocked Joe Theismann out of football. Lawrence Taylor and his kind are the reason why Tom Brady gave cars to Patriots linemen at Christmas, why Saints linemen had vacations of their choice paid for by Drew Brees, why 49er linemen sported Rolex watches, gifts from Joe Montana. “Watches. Custom suits. Stereo systems. Sony Blu-ray players before they even got on the market,” Indianapolis Colts linemen show off gifts from Peyton Manning. “He takes care of his guys.” Tom, Drew, Joe, and Peyton are quarterbacks, the kings of their teams. The king does not become king, does not remain king, without his mighty men.

With one exception, one king, the King of kings, Jesus Christ. In him, the roles are reversed, for his men and women become mighty because their King fights for them. Yet, still, Jesus showers his mighty with gifts and we lay them back at his feet in worship. 

Daily Prayer

My King of kings and Lord of lords, great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who sits at the right hand of God, having finished the work of salvation and now reigns in heaven. You have called us to battle, to stand strong in Your grace, and to take Your Good News into the kingdom of darkness.

Jesus, may I be among those who, through no strength of my own, but by the power of Your Spirit, become mighty, bringing light into darkness, bringing life out of death and love to the lost and lonely. You are for me, none can stand against me.

Amen

Daily Question

What mighty act has Jesus accomplished through you?

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United We Stand

Daily Reading

1Chronicles 7-8

Daily Thought

“Ner was the father of Kish, Kish of Saul, Saul of Jonathan” (1Chronicles 8:33). Saul, the first king of Israel, began well, and his faithfulness is revealed in the name he chose for his first son, Jonathan, “The Lord Gives.” Saul looked to God as the giver of good. This is what you want in a king. Signs of Saul’s decay show up, however, as the naming of sons continues, “Malchi-shua, Abinadab and then Eshbaal” (1Chronicles 8:33). Baal, a borrowed god from foreign nations, was a constant disruption to Israel’s devotion to the one true God. Saul named his son Eshbaal, “Man of Baal.” Little wonder God spoke to his prophet Samuel, “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me (1Samuel 15:11).

“And the son of Jonathan,” the list continues, “was Merib-baal” (1Chronicles 8:34). Merib-baal, “One Who Contends with Baal,” declares Jonathan’s response to the idolatry of his father. It also explains Jonathan’s close friendship with David, a man after God’s heart. David would replace the failed king, Jonathan’s father, Saul.

Before a kingdom finds unity, it must answer the question, “What is it that unites us?” Joshua had warned Israel as they first entered God’s Promised Land, before the kings appeared, “Choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). But Israel said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles” (1Samuel 8:19-20). A divided kingdom, a divided family, springs from a divided heart. Saul’s wandering devotion led his family and his kingdom into disarray.

Daily Prayer

My God, You are One, the Only God, there is no other, and You alone have my heart, undivided, fully devoted to You. Keep my heart pure and strong, so that my eyes will not follow temptation. Protect my household, that we may always keep You first.

Each day, may I rise up looking to You, remembering that the day before me is a gift from You, and I should delight in it. Offering myself to You each morning, the day before me will be a display of my devotion, and the world will see that You are my God, and that my God is good and full of grace.

Amen

Daily Question

What have you done to establish who is in charge of your family?