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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. Sign of Saul’s decay shows up, however, in the naming of son number for,  continues, Eshbaal. 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 displays his heart, which explains the close friendship he enjoyed with David, a man after God’s heart. David would replace the failed king, Jonathan’s father, Saul.

Before a kingdom finds unity, we must answer the question, “What is it that unites us?” The answer will determine whether we are united for good or evil. But if there is no answer, there will be no unity. A divided kingdom, a divided family, springs from a divided heart. Saul’s wandering devotion led his family and his kingdom into disarray. Joshua had warned Israel of this before the kings appeared, as they first entered God’s promised land, “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).

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

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Make Good Choices

Daily Reading

1Chronicles 6

Daily Thought

One of the lists in 1Chronicles 6 is “the men whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the Lord” (v 31): Heman the Singer (v 33) and his two brothers, Asaph, who stood on his right (v 39), and Merari to his left (v 44). Among the names of their forefathers is Ebiasaph, son of Korah, which comes as a surprise. Korah was a rebel against Moses and God . 

Korah gathered 250 leaders to stand before and challenge Moses’s right to lead the people of Israel. Long story short, since God had chosen Moses to lead, his right to lead had been established and “the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods” (Numbers 16:32). God ended Korah’s rebellion quickly as a warning to others (Number 26:10). Among the others were sons of Korah who did not die (Numbers 26:11) because did not stand with their father or follow his ways. Character is not determined, it is decided. Make good choices. These sons of Korah included Ebiasaph.

Among the 150 psalms recorded in the book of Psalms, eleven are written by the sons of Korah (Psalm 42, 44-49, 84, 85, 87, 88). They became leaders of worship rather than rebellion.

For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
~Psalm 84:10, a Psalm of the Sons of Korah

These are the men whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the Lord (1Chronicles 6:31).

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, You seek to save, You delight in redemption, You loved me before I loved You. I was rebellious against my own Creator, wanting to make my own choices, take charge of my own life, and before I even changed, Your Son had already died for my sins. Your irresistible grace saved me. Thank You.

This world offers many passing pleasures, but there is a joy that is forever, surpassing all that the world offers. It is to be Your child, to know my God, to follow my Lord and Savior. You are my God and I delight in You.

Amen

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Trusting God

Daily Reading

1Chronicles 3-5

Daily Thought

First Chronicles begins with 9 chapters of names, family genealogies fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham, “I will multiply your offspring as the sand that is on the seashore” (Genesis 22:17). One long list after another, but look closely, there are shiny objects hidden in the sand. For example, the oft-overlooked Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh, “valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, 44,760, able to go to war. They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. And when they prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him” (1Chronicles 5:18-20). Trusting God does not relieve us the responsibility to prepare ourselves, and these tribes came ready for battle, then followed God to victory. Neither is faith blind. God writes his greatness and goodness and grace in history and this history is recorded in his Word. His Word guides us to a mighty faith.

In the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” Indy is chasing the Holy Grail, the cup of legend, supposedly shared by Jesus with his disciples at the Last Supper. The bad guy wants the cup, too, so he shoot’s Indy’s dad, not dead, but dying.  “It’s time to ask yourself what you believe,” said the bad guy. Go get the Grail, Indy, it’s the only thing that can save your dad. Indy took a book, given to him by his father, that should lead him to the Holy Grail. Could he trust the book?

The book said, “Kneel.” Indiana Jones knelt, and blades of steel passed harmlessly over his head. The book said, “Proceed on the name of God,” and Indy stepped on rocks labeled I-E-H-O-V-A-H (with an “I” because it’s Latin) to safety. Then the book said, “Leap,” but there was nowhere to leap; just a deep chasm. He stepped forward anyway. It was a leap of faith, but it wasn’t blind, because the book had proven true. Indiana Jones trusted the book.

Followers of Jesus are those who trust the book. God’s Word proves true and we put our lives in the hands of its author. “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). We, like the Hebrews, discover and develop trust in God as we immerse ourselves in Scripture, even long lists.

Daily Prayer

God, You are faithful and true. I can trust fully in You. Build my faith, God, and strengthen my trust. You are certainly worthy of it. I know that if I seek You and only You, I do not need to worry or be anxious. All things are in Your hand. It baffles me how many things distract me when I only need to keep my eyes on One. You.

May I be faithful to Your Word, reading it, no, devouring it with delight. The more I am in it, the more I am overwhelmed by Your grace and truth. You search deep inside me with Your Words, and You clean house, and You lead me to a life fully of Your majesty and wonder.

Amen

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Two Genealogies

Daily Reading

1Chronicles 1-2

Daily Thought

The books of the Chronicles begin with the genealogy of humanity, which, of course, begins with Adam (1Chronicles 1:1), when “God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). After Adam came “ Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech (1Chronicles 1:1-3), and Noah, and “the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart” (Genesis 6:6). 

Ten generations, that’s all. From very good to very bad, one bite from a delightful piece of fruit turned loose a terrible flood and nothing has changed since. The Chronicles genealogy continues from Noah through Abraham and Jacob to David and the kings, establishing the bloodline of the nation of Judah. It is, regrettably, a genealogy filled with sin and sinners, and still is. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came…” (Luke 17:26-27). The generations continue, but the devil has done his damage.

Thankfully, there is another genealogy, and it picks up where Chronicles leaves off, following David to Solomon, to others, to finally “Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ” (Matthew 1:16). Just in time–at just the right time! “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons (Galatians 4:4-5). Very good again.

Daily Prayer

Oh God, the record of my life matches the record of all lives, I seek my own way. I look at the fruit as Eve did, that it is pleasing to the eye and delicious, and I bite into it, as well. I’m so glad You had a plan to deal with that, to save me without me even asking for a Savior. You are my Creator, the author of life, and the Source of all that is good. I say that is what I want from life, goodness and love, but I found the opposite on my own.

God, You are good and You are love. I want to know You more. I want to know the depths of Your wisdom, and the breadth of Your love. May I always seek You and follow You. Lead me in the way of righteousness and life. Lead me always to Jesus.

Amen

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Happily Ever After

Daily Reading

2Kings 23-25

Daily Thought

A siege is slow relentless death, and, in the original Hebrew, the fall of Jerusalem is told in one long methodical twelve-verse sentence, 2Kings 25:1-12. (English adds periods to ease the read.) “The ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month” stretches “till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah, on the ninth day of the fourth month” and in eighteen months all is done. The wall is breached, the Chaldean army rushes in, and the last king of Judah is chased into the plains of Jericho, the same place where it all began when Joshua fought the battle of Jericho and the people shouted and the trumpets blew and the walls came tumbling down (Joshua 6).

There is no emotion in this account. God’s prophet Jeremiah weeps over the fall of Jerusalem in his book of Lamentations, but here in 2Kings is the dispassionate voice of a court reporter recounting the execution of judgment. Judah had her good kings, but not enough, and the country is judged for the whole of her sins. Josiah’s reign (2Kings 22-23) had been a brief righteous reprieve, but he was followed by Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin and Zedekiah and a nation cannot endure evil upon evil upon evil. So Judah was taken into exile out of its land (2Kings 25:21).

“The wages of sin is death” (Romans 3:23) for nations, as well as for you and me. The story seems over, but fairy tales are not the only stories that end with “they lived happily ever after.” “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). There will come to Israel and the world a new king, a righteous one whose reign will not be brief, but forever, bringing with him “the free gift of God, eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Daily Prayer

My God, You are righteous and good and holy and just. I am not. Created in Your image, I chose my own way rather than yours, and my sin led to judgment and that judgment is death. There was such hopelessness in life without You. Thank You for rescuing me, for delivering me from death, returning me to hope, and giving me a life that overflows with Your love.

May my thankfulness be evident in a life changed by Your love. May I walk in Your truth, full of grace, sharing Your goodness by word and deed with all who cross my path. May I seek opportunities to share Your love in the same way You sought me. Thank You for so great a salvation, such a wonderful Savior.

Amen

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Finish the Race

Daily Reading

2Kings 20-22

Daily Thought

That Hezekiah enjoyed prosperity was obvious. An envoy of visitors bearing gifts sent by the king of Babylon became an excuse to show off. “Hezekiah welcomed them, and he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them” (2Kings 20:13). Babylon would visit again someday, to make this treasure their own, but this was of little concern to Hezekiah as long as there was “peace and security in my days” (2Kings 20:19).

Hezekiah had begun beautifully. “The Lord was with him; wherever he went out, he prospered” (2Kings 18:7), but success became too much a good thing. You would hope that one who trusted God with his life would trust God with his death, but that was not the case for Hezekiah. When Isaiah the prophet came to him and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die'” (2Kings 20:1), Hezekiah pleaded with God and wept bitterly, and fifteen years were added to his life.

We pray for results and God answers with opportunities. Hezekiah was given longer life, so he did not bother ordering his house. He would finish badly. He had another son and named him Manasseh, “and Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations had done whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel” (2Kings 21:9).

Better to say, as the apostle Paul said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2Timothy 4:7-8).

Daily Prayer

My Lord, my God, Your commandments will be upon my heart, because they are good for life, my life, and my children’s and their children’s. I will impress them on my children, talk about them when I sit at home and when I walk along the road, when I lie down and when I get up. I will not only teach them, I will live them.

God, bless my household. May my family, my spouse and children, follow You all the days of our lives. As for me and my house, we will serve You.

Amen

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First Things First

Daily Reading

2Kings 18-19

Daily Thought

How many times has it been written of the king, “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, except the high places were not taken down”? The high places were set on hills near cities where people could worship and bring offerings, often to foreign gods, sometimes to the true God. Kings Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Azariah, and Jotham each did right, but left the high places. Hezekiah removed the high places. God desired the gathering of his people in one place for worship, his Temple. 

The Temple was due for some repairs and in the first year of Hezekiah’s reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. He said to them, “Hear me, Levites! Now consecrate yourselves, and consecrate the house of the Lord.” They began to consecrate on the first day of the first month (2Chronicles 29:3, 5, 17). 

Genesis 4:4, “Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering.” Exodus 23:19, “The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God.” Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Romans 1:8, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 2Corinthians 8:5, “They gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Revelation 2:4-5, “You have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.

First Things First.

Hezekiah got it right. He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. For he held fast to the Lord. He did not depart from following him, but kept the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses. And the Lord was with him; wherever he went out, he prospered (2Kings 18:5-7).

Daily Prayer

My Lord and My God, I worship You and love You with all that I am. Which makes sense, since all that I am was created by You. You had an idea for me before I was born, and You formed me and watched me grow. I live best, Father, when I remember from Whom I came and to Whom I am going. 

You are the First and, also, the Last. The Beginning and the End, Alpha and Omega, A and Z. You are before all things, and in You all things hold together. There is no life without You. Why would I even think of living my life without You. You are my God. May I wake each morning and think first of You, beginning each day with anticipation. You are God, One and only, first in all things, first in my heart. 

Amen

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I Choo Choo Choose You

Daily Reading

2Kings 15-17

Daily Thought

They were the vows of a wedding, a wedding between God and his people. The Lord spoke to Moses, “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob” (Exodus 6:7-8). This was the covenant God made with Israel.

She had selected his wedding band. That part was easy. Now to choose an engraving. The jeweler suggested, “I choo choo choose you.” Not a chance. “Today, I married my best friend.” A little sappy. “August 16, 2020.” It would help him remember your anniversary…  No. ”Two hearts, one soul?” I don’t think so. “Eternally Yours.” Boring. “Today, Tomorrow, Forever,” “My Dream Came True,” “This Day And Always” – No, No, No! On the wedding night, he pulled off his ring and looked inside to discover the engraving she had selected: “Put it back on.”

Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (2Kings 15:8-9). “Put it back on.” Menahem the son of Gadi began to reign over Israel, and he reigned ten years in Samaria. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (vv 17-18). “Put it back on.” Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned two years. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (vv 23-24). “Put it back on.” Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twenty years. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (vv 27-28). “Put it back on.” Hoshea the son of Elah began to reign in Samaria over Israel, and he reigned nine years. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (2Kings 17:1-2). Israel kept taking it off.

“You shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you,” God commanded (2Kings 17:38). But they did, again and again, and one last time. Then, in 722BC, “in the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria, and he carried the Israelites away” (2Kings 17:6). Sometimes God lets us go so we will realize how much we need him.

Daily Prayer

Loving God, You sought me out and rescued me from the darkness I was in. You paid the price of my redemption. You spilled blood for my salvation. You gave Your life for me. I love You back. I promise.

I will not seek other ways, other ideas, other gods. You did not need to seek me, You desired to. I, on the other hand, need to seek You. I pray, my God, that You will be and will always be my one desire, my full desire.

Amen

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Move Mountains

Daily Reading

2Kings 12-14

Daily Thought

Elisha was old and sick and would soon die, and Joash king of Israel rushed to his side. King’s don’t run to anyone, but this was the prophet of God. “My father, my father!” cried Joash, “The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” (2Kings 13:14). It seemed a strange utterance, but it had been said before by Elisha when his mentor Elijah was caught up by whirlwind into heaven (2Kings 2:11-12). Joash borrowed Elisha’s words to sum up Elisha’s life as the worthy heir of God’s great prophet; but there was more. Kings count their strength in chariots and horsemen, but this king was proclaiming the strength of Israel is the God of Elijah and Elisha.

Elisha instructed Joash to take a bow and arrow, and then he laid his hands on the hands of Joash and together they drew the bow eastward toward Syria, God guiding the king. “Shoot,” and he shot. And Elisha said, “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them” (2Kings 13:17). The prophet would die, but God would still guide Israel.

“Take the arrows,” said Elisha, and Joash took them. “Strike the ground with them.” It was an invitation to raise the bar, to reach the heavens, to embrace the power of God Almighty, “the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” (2Kings 13:14), but instead Joash tapped three times and stopped, too soon, too timid. Elisha was angry at his small action, “You should have struck more!” God is looking to see how far we will go, how much fight we have. Joash could have and should have pummeled the ground and moved mountains.

“Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.” ~Mark 11:23

Daily Prayer

My God, You have created such an incredible world. It displays Your handiwork, Your wisdom, Your majesty. You placed me in this world to rule it, subdue it, master it, and care for it. You are the giver of all good things. May my heart never stray, my thoughts never delight in other things, my eyes never wander. I will cast aside all things that could distract me from my devotion to You.

What amazes me, God, is that when I seek You first and only, all that I truly desire is mine. I lose nothing and gain eternity. But if I take my eyes off You and chase the world, I gain nothing and lose my soul. Pursuing Your delights leads to an abundant life, overflowing with goodness. I am more than a conqueror when I trust fully in my Creator, the God of the heavens and the earth. May I trust in You fully and find satisfaction in following You. Jesus, may my love for You never falter. I know Your love for me never has.

Amen

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God Means What He Says

Daily Reading

2Kings 9-11

Daily Thought

God spoke through his prophet Elijah against evil King Ahab, “Because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel” (1Kings 21:20-21). Time passes, Ahab passes, and Israel has a new king, Jehu. “Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria” (2Kings 10:1 ). Jehu did what kings do and eliminated the competition. “They took the king’s sons and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel” (2Kings 10:7). 

God means what he says and his judgment teaches one thing, at least–we should take God seriously because he takes us seriously, for evil or good. There were good kings, as well, and God had spoken through his prophet Nathan to the righteous King David, “Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever” (2Samuel 7:16). While Jehu ruled in Israel, Athaliah reigned in Judah, and she attempted to destroy the house of David, but one newborn, Joash (also called Jehoash) was hidden away for six years in a bedroom in the house of the Lord. Athaliah would not find him there because she did not go there–she worshipped in the house of Baal. Her reign was evil and ended terribly and “Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign” (2Kings 11:21). The throne of David continued. We live history, but we do not create it for it is written by God.

Daily Prayer

My God, You are King of kings and Lord of lords. My kings sit on earthly thrones, while You sit on the throne of heaven. I pledge my allegiance to You and Your kingdom forever. Your will be done as it has always been.

I serve at Your pleasure and for Your pleasure, God. May the desires of my heart be shaped by You, so that I will seek after what is righteous and good, pure and holy. May I delight in following You and may You be praised by my works and my words. May all that I do declare that You are my King. 

Amen