~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
2 Chronicles 11:1-13:22 ~ Romans 8:26-39
Psalm 18:37-50 ~ Proverbs 19:27-29
Old Testament - Today in Second Chronicles chapter 12 we read about Egypt invading Judah. Verse 9 tells us - "So King Shishak of Egypt came to Jerusalem and took away all the treasures of the Temple of the LORD and of the royal palace, including all of Solomon's gold shields."
New Testament - Today in Romans chapter 8 verses 27 through 29 we read these famous words of Paul’s – “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Do you believe that we are more than conquerors through our relationship with Jesus? Does this encourage you to know this? Are you living your life in such a way that truly reflects that you know this? Do you believe that there is absolutely nothing in this world that can separate you from the love of God because of our relationship with Jesus as our Lord and Savior?
Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Romans titled "Comforting Questions" is at this link.
Psalms - Today we finish up Psalm 18. (Psalm 19 tomorrow! So excited! :) The closing verse 50 of Psalm 18 today is powerful - and I believe can apply to both David and Jesus - "You give great victories to your king; you show unfailing love to your anointed, to David and all his descendants forever." Are you a spiritual descendent of David? Do you believe that God shows you unfailing love?
Proverbs - I love Proverbs 19 verse 27 today - "If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you have turned your back on knowledge." I am afraid that listening seems to be a lost skill in our world sometimes today. We have a hard time slowing down enough to actually listen to someone else. To stop thinking about our own self and to listen to someone else. And, if this is the case, then how much harder do you suppose it is for us to actually quiet the distractions around us to listen to God? Have we stopped listening to instruction? Are we turning our back on knowledge? Now - I do think the discipline of reading, studying, and meditating on God's Word, the Bible, is something that helps us get our listening skills back in fine tuned shape. I do applaud each of us for going through the One Year Bible, so that we can listen to God on a daily basis. But let us be ever vigilant to keep listening to instruction. Let us not turn our backs on knowledge.
What verses or insights jumped out for you in today's readings? Please post up in the Comments section below!
Grace,
Mike
II Chronicles 11-13:22
From a glorious state to apostasy, Israel is broken in two, ruled by men who either totally abandoned God after achieving power by God’s hand, or continued their free fall into total sin after being handed a godly legacy. Two nations fathered by One God, how low could you go.
What is so sad about this state is how churches follow this same model today. We have not learned to have unity in diversity. We have failed to take hold of the whole counsel of God, we choose which sacraments, which law, which commands we will keep, calling the things we reject old and obsolete. Church’s with great legacies, churches broken off from organizations, denominations because of practices seem as going against the Word of God have themselves been accused of abandoning God’s flock to pursue personal gain, leaving the Sheep to fend off the wolves on their own.
We see in chapter twelve Rehoboam rehearsing the goodness of God, His statutes, His laws and commands in the ear of his adversary, Jeroboam. Handed victory by God’s grace and His grace alone, Rehbobam quickly abandons God and His commands after his kingdom is secured. The nation is then punished by way of the Egyptians, they repent but like father, like son. The on again off again relationship with God continues with Abijah who we are told only rules for three years (2 Chron 13:1). Ah, but Abijah was a very busy man. He managed to have fourteen wives and twenty-two sons, does not mentioned daughters, which more than likely were not counted. Think this was passed down from his grandfather, Solomon?
Reworked and with modern days church’s as the model in the microcosm how out of place would this story sound, think church split.
Romans 8:26-39
It’s amazing how the Holy Spirit has been designed and sent to us to strengthen us, to pray in our stead when we cannot, to empower us to move out into our calling, yet we say, I say, I can’t do because … Are we just lazy, fearful, lacking knowledge of the Word? What is it? There are probably multitudes of reasons and empty excuses we use to keep from moving out in our calling our purpose. Yet, we are without excuse and despite all our pretext and justifications God still works His purpose in the universe He created.
31 What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?
(Romans 8:31-32 NLT)
Psalm 18:37-50
Even in this Psalm written by David years before Paul’s letter to the Romans, the equipping for battle, the coming along side to help in time of trouble is known about and written by David as documentation for our learning. God never changes. His works of old are not old but are ever in the continuous NOW of life until the end of days.
I am so thankful and grateful to God that He has not left us to our own devices to try to figure Him out. He has left us the written Word, inscribed upon the hearts of all those who call on His Name. The victory over God’s enemies was secured by Jesus’ death on the cross and now I have been given access to what Jesus had done. Thanks be to God because,
39 You have armed me with strength for the battle;
you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
40 You made them turn and run;
I have destroyed all who hated me.
41 They called for help, but no one came to rescue them.
They cried to the LORD, but he refused to answer them.
42 I ground them as fine as dust carried by the wind.
I swept them into the gutter like dirt.
43 You gave me victory over my accusers.
You appointed me as the ruler over nations;
people I don't even know now serve me.
Proverbs 19:27-29
27 If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you have turned your back on knowledge.
Jesus accuses the experts of the Mosaic Law of taking away the key of knowledge concerning the Law so the common man, the lay person is not able to understand (Luke 11:52; Matthew 23:13); but here we see our own behavior can stop us from getting knowledge. We don’t lock ourselves out and away from that knowledge, we walk away and turn our back on the knowledge we have access too. This fits in with what Paul states in the first chapter of the Book of Romans (Romans 1:25),
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
(Rom 1:25 NET.)
Grace and peace,
Ramona
Posted by: Ramona | July 24, 2005 at 11:54 AM