~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
1 Chronicles 19:1-21:30 ~ Romans 2:25-3:8
Psalm 11:1-7 ~ Proverbs 19:10-12
Old Testament - Today in 1 Chronicles 20 we read about Israel's battles with the Philistines. In verses 6 & 7 we read - "In another battle with the Philistines at Gath, a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot--a descendant of the giants-- defied and taunted Israel. But he was killed by Jonathan, the son of David's brother Shimea."
Today in 1 Chronicles 21 we read about David taking a census after being tempted by Satan. Satan didn't force David to do this - Satan tempted him and David fell prey to the temptation. This census was a sin because David was seeking to demonstrate how mighty "his" army was - when he should have realized all that he had came from God and David's true strength came from God and not his army. The census was a sin of pride. And thus we read in verses 14 & 15 - "So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel, and seventy thousand people died as a result. And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But just as the angel was preparing to destroy it, the LORD relented and said to the death angel, "Stop! That is enough!" At that moment the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."
New Testament - Paul's writings in Romans 3 verses 7 & 8 today are so powerful for us to remember always - ""But," some might still argue, "how can God judge and condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?" If you follow that kind of thinking, however, you might as well say that the more we sin the better it is! Those who say such things deserve to be condemned, yet some slander me by saying this is what I preach!" Have you ever thought in any way along the lines of "well, it doesn't really matter if I sin?" I believe this is such risky thinking. Let me highly encourage you to read the Bible to see what it says about sin and in particular these early chapters in Romans. In reading these chapters in Romans do you see the risk, and really the stupidity, in continuing in unchecked sin?
Psalms - Psalm 11 verse 1 is one that you might miss if you didn't know some of the commentary behind this Psalm. Basically in this Psalm David is expressing his unshakable trust in God to scared people around him. Knowing this - check out verse 1 - "I trust in the LORD for protection. So why do you say to me, "Fly to the mountains for safety!" Do we really trust in God for our protection? Or do we sometimes rely on others or our own cunning - or, our own fear - for protection? Are there times when we are faced with a challenging situation that we feel like running away from it? Fleeing to the mountains for safety? When, instead, we should simply trust in God for our protection and move forward in spite of the fear within us? Is there an area of your life where you may need to turn over more trust in God for protection as you move forward in that area?
Proverbs - Proverbs 19 verse 11 is a bit challenging for me - "People with good sense restrain their anger; they earn esteem by overlooking wrongs." I can see the point of restraining our anger. But overlooking wrongs... I guess I'm having a hard time with this one currently. I believe there is a point where we do need to speak the truth in love to someone about their wrongs. If we simply overlooked their wrongs, then would we really be doing them any favors? I mean, I guess we would be keeping the peace by overlooking wrongs, but I'm just thinking there is a time and place to speak the truth in love. In love. Not in anger. Let me know what you think on this one? I know just recently I posted up about not getting into an argument with a friend over the way he left a voicemail to me with a bad tone. And that seemed to be the right thing to do, and correlated with a recent Proverb we read. And today's Proverb indicates we earn esteem by overlooking wrongs. I guess I'm just wondering about this for some reason today. I see where this Proverb is often / generally true - but is it always true? Let me know your thoughts on this in the Comments below if you will! Thanks!
What verses or insights jumped out for you in today's readings? Please post up in the Comments section below!
Grace,
Mike
I Chronicles 21
24But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying what it is worth. I cannot take what is yours and give it to the LORD. I will not offer a burnt offering that has cost me nothing!" 25So David gave Araunah six hundred pieces of gold[k] in payment for the threshing floor. 26David built an altar there to the LORD and sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. And when David prayed, the LORD answered him by sending fire from heaven to burn up the offering on the altar. 27Then the LORD spoke to the angel, who put the sword back into its sheath.
David’s shows what you give—with right attitude of love, sacrifice, surrender, and worship – a seed of obedience planted – is what God is able to bless. Notice in verse 27, AFTER David offered his sacrificial gift of love, that the Lord “spoke to the angel, who put the sword back into its sheath.”
Being a new creation / justification (declared righteous) –
Comes through a gift received by faith in Jesus’ Name
Blessing –
Comes through obedience
Proverbs 19 verse 11 - "People with good sense restrain their anger; they earn esteem by overlooking wrongs."
The second part of this verse clearly indicates that we are to overlook wrongs ALL of the time. I say this because it seems to me that the idea of “earning esteem by overlooking wrongs” is outside the context of “speaking the truth in love”.
Rather, I see it as our fundamental approach to people— whether people we feel we need to speak “truth” to or whether people who strive to embody truth. The fundamental principle is this: Do not be LOOKING for wrongs in others. Do not be have the approach to people of LOOKING for something to “correct” or "fix" in them.
Sometimes I have been guilty of this, as I have honestly desired to share Christ with others.
Basically, offer people—no matter who they are—the same grace that Jesus gave us.
2 Corinthians 5:19
For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others.
After all, it is better to attract others with “honey” and "sweetness" – so we can pray about how to speak truth into their lives as God provides the opportunity if that is needed.
Colossians chapter 4
5
Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity.
6
Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone.
That way, when we speak truth-- even if it is hard truth-- people can see our heart is for them.
Posted by: Vance Brown | July 15, 2005 at 05:23 AM
Hi Mike,
I will need to think on this for a while but one thing I know, in the Hebrew usually the word translated to English as Transgression, is not the same as the one for Sin. Could this possibly be a personal boundary violation and not the doing something wrong “sin?”
Boundary issues can be a simple as someone who is an acquaintance thinking they have access to your personal information or info that is not privy to them because of their relationship. Example: When I was involved in teaching a Bible Study to homeless men, who happened to me sexual predators, I was very aware that I needed to have a strong sense of decorum around them no hugs, no physical signs of affection: you get the drift.
One day one of these men saw me hug and kiss on the check someone who used to be a co-worker, in fact the former Comptroller of my school who was a Christian. d We would mutually encourage each other and pray in times of strife and acrimony on the job. I hadn’t seen this gentleman in about three years and we by happenstance ran into each other. After we converses for about half-an-hour on the street and we went our ways, one of the Bible Study Members, walked up to me and demanded I should do the same thing to him.
Well three weeks after I began that study, this gentleman tried to get up a posse to gang-rape me, to put me in my place, which I latter, way latter, found out they had done before to someone else and the church did nothing about it because, “We after all are supposed to forgive our brothers.” Forgiveness and holding someone accountable for their actions are two separate things I think we get the two confused and mix up boundary violations with out right sin, which it could turn out to be if left un-checked.
I will think on your questions regarding this Proverb throughout the day. [Mike go back and read the question you wrote when you first began this blog, or at least when I joined at the beginning of the year, and you will see that the complexity of your inquiries to the readers and your insights have exploded exponentially. God is indeed blessing you in your spiritual life so that you can be a blessing to others.]
Grace and peace
Ramona
Posted by: Ramona | July 15, 2005 at 05:41 AM
Prov 19:11 11People with good sense restrain their anger; they earn esteem by overlooking wrongs.
I liked what Vance said. I believe that this scripture points out the need for walking in the Spirit and seeing the fruits of the Spirit grow in your life. Gal 5:22. Several places in the New Testament talk about New Life in Christ and how the two fold process is to 1)put to death the natural man and his way of thinking and responding and 2) put on new life in Christ. Look at Eph 4:17-5:21 and Col 3:12-14. Humility, kindness, compassion and generousity are all actions of intentionality. I choose to be this way. I choose to overlook an offense and show humility and kindness to someone else. One reason for intentionally setting my heart to overlook offenses is so that the enemy cannot use this as an open door to tempt me to get angry.When I get angry, the enemy has turned me around to walking in the flesh. To get back on track, I need to repent and turn around again and ask God to put me back on the path of walking in His Holy Spirit. I've found it easier over time to avoid the battle of my own flesh vs. Spirit as much as possible. Col 3:12-14 speaks of clothing and putting on virtues. I believe that means getting up each morning and intentionally choosing to walk in all of God's ways. If you are blessed enough, as I am, to work in a very worldly occupation, then offenses will come up all day long that need to be overlooked and responded to with the virtues of walking in the Holy Spirit. It is quite often on the spot that I must call out to the Lord in prayer, "please Lord, give me the right words to say. Keep me O Lord walking with You in ways that honor You." and then do what the Lord tells me to do and say what the Lord tells me to say. Intentionally...as 1Thess 4:11-12 11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Make it your ambition--put on New Life in Christ each day with intentionality. May God bless you richly this day.
Posted by: Stacey | July 15, 2005 at 07:29 AM
I Chronicles 19:1-21:30
21 24But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying what it is worth. I cannot take what is yours and give it to the LORD. I will not offer a burnt offering that has cost me nothing!"
No matter how many times I’ve read this verse, it always takes my breath away causing me to search my soul and ask myself, “Have I offered up to God burnt offerings that cost me nothing?” Have I taken what does not belong to me and given it to God? These are sobering questions and most of the time I find answers I really do not want to claim ownership.
Romans 2:25-3:8
If one could be circumcised outwardly, as a representation of what was has happened on the inside, yet be uncircumcised in heart, then the outward signs Christians use to identify themselves to others as Christians, me included, can hide an empty shell of an unregenerate believer. Uhg!
The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceeding weak - who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.
(Jer 17:9-10 JPS)
God always knows the truth about us, the real truth and is not afraid to tell us what we need to hear.
Psalm 11:1-7
Mike, thank you for the insight about this Psalm, it helps to understand that David went through the same struggles I go through in dealing with friends who try to convince you to take the easy way out when God is telling you to go in a different direction.
Proverbs 19:10-12
Mike maybe verse eleven,
Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense (AMP),
Should go with or be seen in the light of the twelfth verse,
The king's wrath is as terrifying as the roaring of a lion, but his favor is as [refreshing as] dew upon the grass (AMP).
Both verses deal with rage/anger and favor or ignoring something. When you have a king or leader who makes decisions or judgments out of rage and anger without thinking things through then people are placed in harms way because the government is not stable. Then the king or leader will be the talk of every conversation in the country and not seen in a favorable light.
Maybe I’m way out in left field but Proverbs can be tricky reading. There are verses that appear to be disjointed but if one takes a step back and gives another look a connection can be seen. In the Amplified Bible’s translation, the first verse implies that these are a kind of puzzle,
THE PROVERBS (truths obscurely expressed, maxims, and parables) of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
I believe this implies reading this book may mean you have to get your hands dirty by digging and mining through all the verses
Grace and peace,
Ramona
Posted by: Ramona | July 15, 2005 at 06:09 PM