June 25th One Year Bible Readings

2 Kings 8:1-9:13 ~ Acts 16:16-40 ~ Psalm 143:1-12 ~ Proverbs 17:26
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Old Testament - Second Kings 8 begins with a wonderful example of God's "perfect timing."  It was no coincidence that the king was talking with Gehazi about the time Elisha brought a boy back to life when the woman from Shunem walked in with her son!  God knew that the Shumanite woman was faithful and obedient to Him, so He orchestrated the timing so that she would get her house and land back - after God perfectly timed her to be out of the country for 7 years to avoid the famine! Have you ever had the experience of God's "perfect timing" in your life?  My hunch is that you have - even if you haven't realized it.  I have had some experiences where I have consciously realized that God's perfect timing was at work - and sometimes I've quickly said the prayer under my breath of "thank you God!"  But, I also now can look back on my life and now see so many instances of God's perfect timing.  Hindsight is 20/20.  When is the last time you experienced God's perfect timing?  Think it could have been today - even if you don't realize it right now?

Elisha's interaction with Hazael demonstrates Elisha was certainly a prophet of God's!  Elisha was not condoning what Hazael is going to violently do, but he was just stating the facts of what was going to happen.  Verses 11 & 12 are sad to read - "Elisha stared at Hazael with a fixed gaze until Hazael became uneasy. Then the man of God started weeping. "What's the matter, my lord?" Hazael asked him. Elisha replied, "I know the terrible things you will do to the people of Israel. You will burn their fortified cities, kill their young men, dash their children to the ground, and rip open their pregnant women!"   Verse 13 is also sad because you will notice that Hazael doesn't get upset by the violent predictions in Elisha's proclamation, but only wonders how someone like him would pull of something like this... "Then Hazael replied, "How could a nobody like me ever accomplish such a great feat?""  Below is and image of Elisha and Hazael having this conversation:

I love Elisha's final instructions to the young prophet concerning his anointing of Jehu as King of Israel in 2 Kings 9 verse 3 - "Then open the door and run for your life!""  Not your typical instructions from a prophet, you wouldn't think - but if a prophet gives you instructions like these, you better follow them!  :)

Bible.org's commentary on today's Second Kings readings titled "Looking Out for a Lovely Lady" is at this link, "What it Takes to Make a Prophet Weep" is at this link, and "Three Birds With One Stone" is at this link.

New Testament - Today in Acts 16 we will read about the earthquake that comes while Paul and Silas are imprisoned!

As a trembling jailer comes to Paul and Silas we will read this in verses 30 through 34 – “"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.” This is a wonderful look at how many of us become and grow as Christians! We first hear the Good News of how Jesus came to this earth fully human and fully God – how he lived a sinless life and died on the cross for our sins – and how he rose from the dead and will come again. Then, through God’s grace, we believe! We simply believe. From there we learn more about God from others and through studying his Word, the Bible – we can call this discipleship. Then comes a decision to be baptized – to publicly profess our faith in Jesus as our Savior. Then comes living a joyful life of community with others. Now – yes – this is a very abbreviated example of how one becomes and grows as a Christian. :) And our various denominations will probably put the order of how all this happens in various ways. But, can you see similarities in your own faith journey with the jailer’s conversion, baptism, and growth as a Christian? Do you remember first hearing the Good News of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection? Do you remember the day you first Believed? Do you remember learning more about the Word, the Bible? (hopefully you’ll remember this year’s One Year Bible journey! :) Do you remember being baptized (or maybe you’ll have photos or stories from your younger years)? Do you now joyfully live life in community with other Christians through your local church? If you haven’t yet experienced all of these things, will you pray to God asking him for the experiences He has planned for you? And, when others in your life come to you like the jailer, asking “What must I do to be saved?” are you prepared to give them the joyful answer?

Bible.org's commentary on today's Acts readings titled "Paul in Philippi: From the Purveyor of Purple to the Purveyor of Pain" is at this link.

Psalms - Psalm 143 verse 8 stood out to me today - "Let me hear of your unfailing love to me in the morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I have come to you in prayer."  I read somewhere before - I think it was Bruce Wilkinson's book "Secrets of the Vine" - that many great men and women of our Christian faith connect with God in the morning through prayer, reading the Bible, and other quiet time activities.  Bruce even suggested that this is the preferential way to go - to start your day by spending time with God in the morning, rather than at night.  Because he said this would then transform the rest of your day - in terms of being more conscientious of our relationship with God.  This does make sense to me - and in fact, I have started reading the One Year Bible now in the mornings, and it is a beautiful way to start the day! I like what this Psalmist says - "Let me hear of your unfailing love to me in the morning."  And it reminds me that somehow, someway, it almost seems easier to me to connect with God in the morning.  Actually - one other thing I used to do in the morning is read a page or two from Oswald Chambers "My Utmost For His Highest."  And I am thankful that I did this in the morning for a season.  How about you?  Do you have some way that you connect with God in the morning?  Are you able in some way to hear of God's unfailing love for you in the morning?

Proverbs - Proverbs 17:26 today is an interesting teaching: "It is wrong to fine the godly for being good or to punish nobles for being honest!"  Why do you suppose this teaching is in the Bible?  I'm thinking it is because unfortunately all too often the godly are fined or blamed or punished or ridiculed or this list could go on and on...  Good becomes bad.  And bad becomes good.  Sound like any cultural times that you might know of?  :)  Let us pray these days that the godly are not punished for being good or being honest.  Let us pray the godly are not punished for simply telling the Truth!  And let each of us also always remember that when we undergo any sufferings for Jesus, there is Ultimate comfort & encouragement that does come our way...

YouTube: Our Old Testament readings about God's perfect timing reminds me of the song "Thank You" by 33 Miles:

Have you said Thank You to God?  Click here to thank Him!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture this week: "Be joyful always!" 1 Thessalonians 5:16 NIV

Love Your Neighbor: Please join me in making a $25 microfinance loan through www.KIVA.org. 

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

Comments

[Rosyln]

I, for one, do my readings in the mornings when I find my brain fresh and most receptive to God's word. Indeed it's a great way to start my day being in a hope-filled mood. Filled with God's Love and the Spirit, I feel ready to face my day head on regardless...and to continue my walk in FAITH!

[MG]

Doing these readings in the morning is what has enabled me to be consistent. For me I need to do that which is most important first, otherwise it will be pushed out by the more urgent and less important things of the day. Plus, once it became a habit for me, it it became almost impossible to miss. It's a bible fix!

[John]

"When is the last time you experienced God's perfect timing?"

All the time. I think it is easier to acknowledge the situations God "puts one in", but there is also the situations God keeps "one away from".

Pre-salvation I always though "providence" or "luck" was my "middle name". Since I now firmly believe all things come from God, I am more aware of the source of my life path. I don't try to figure it out anymore, but just "thank God" for watching over me and leading me while I am here on earth.

[Jan]

I don't start my day reading His Word, but talking to Him in bed. I read devotionals all day long throughout the day at work via computer & read my daily One Year reading at night. I like to go to bed with my belly full of His Bread. I do know what you morning readers/prayers are talking about also...I have done it that way too.

This is my modis operandi at this point in time.

[A]

Hmmm...most times I get to read the bible and pray early in the mornings during weekday cos by the time I get back from work,all I can do is go to bed....I can't say I don't connect with God weekends cos saturday mornings I either go for bible school or a messianic service...then sunday,church...I think we should always be connected to God in some way...watch out for his perfect timings which sometime can be subtle...talking to him in my mind keeps my mind from breeding ugly frogs:)
God bless you all

[R]

2 Kings 8:1-9:13

One of the things that I’ve in reading about Israel’s kings, although apostate, they have a love-hate relationship with God’s people and his prophets. Come to think of it, Herald seemed to have this same relationship with John the Baptist. According to Paul’s letter to the Romans, we know truth; however, we reject truth because we exchange the truth we know for a lie (1:25) by choice. I went to school with a young lady who said she didn’t believe in God yet when she was stressed out she read the Bible. When I asked her about that conflict she declared, “No, I don’t believe in God but when I read the Bible it calms me down. I don’t know why.”

She recognized there was something in the Words on the page but she didn’t want to recognize the One who sent those Words. This is not the first time where we read how an ungodly king keeps company with a godly man or loves to hear stories about the works of God yet doesn’t turn to God. Hmmmm!

[John]

Acts 16

Slave girl predicting the future:

Why did Paul not cast the demon out right away? Jesus shut down this kind of advertising rather quickly. I wonder if this had to do with a "pride issue" on Paul's part (some think that was the thorn in Paul's side). Maybe he was ok with the "free advertising", then it conflicted with the Holy Spirit inside him - thus leading him to get "testy" (angry), and finally taking action. [Thinking out loud]

[Not mentioned in commentaries - I think??]Danger of the girl being allowed to continue her broadcasts: When Paul left the city, people might be inclined to go to her for predictions. Paul's silence may have seemed like tacit or silent acceptance to the church.
======================================================
In Jewish legal tradition, there was a maximum number of blows that could be delivered when beating a person, but the Romans had no such limit. We can rest assured Paul and Silas were severely beaten. Paul would later write of his ministry: In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. (2 Corinthians 11:23)

Paul never specifically called the keeper of the prison to repent because he was already repenting. We see the humble repentance of the jailer in that he fell down trembling, in the full idea of the word believe (pistis, which means to trust in, rely on, and cling to), and in the command to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ).

The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace: If Paul and Silas were released the day after their beating, arrest, and imprisonment, why did God send the earthquake? We see that the earthquake had absolutely nothing to do with freeing Paul and Silas from prison. But it had everything to do with the salvation of a certain prison guard and his household.

Lydia was a churchgoer; the guard was not. Lydia was prospering in business; the guard was about to kill himself. Lydia’s heart was gently opened; the guard’s heart was violently confronted. The guard had a remarkable sign - an earthquake, but all Lydia had was the move of the Holy Spirit in her heart. Both heard the gospel and believed, and through each of them their whole families were touched!

http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/4416.htm

[R]

Mike I sandwich my day with Bible Study and mediation. I read another One Year Bible program, read a chapter of Proverbs based using the date as my chapter reference, then I read your comments and go to the One-year-bible. On the way home from work I go back to the One-year-bible. I will specifically focus on the things that spoke to me in the morning; however, I read the entire passage. In the evening it helps that my subway commute is longer than an hour and it is a surefire way to de-stress.

II Kings 8-9:13

Perfect Timing love the shop’s name. I have both delivered a word, unknowingly and unscripted to folks around me and I’ve received a message that was not only right on time, but also took my breath away.

I once became very belligerent, I think, to a very attractive woman I had met for the very first time. She showed up with a group of friends who had made a date to visit a museum on Saturday. I was supposed to go; however, something came up and I couldn’t meet them. We were waiting to go into church the following Sunday They were waiting to go to the 11am service and I was hanging out with them but I had plans to attend the service at 1pm.

While they waited to be let it, I focused on this woman whom I had never seen before telling her how it wasn’t God’s desire or plan to for His children to be abused: physically, sexually, mentally, etc. I couldn’t get off of the subject! I saw everyone’s eyes grow large as saucers as I hammered my point across but internally I kept telling myself, “Ramona you need to stop! Are you crazy?” However, I was compelled to continue. I still can’t explain my drive to badger her I only know that I had to do it. They finally went into the 11am service while I continued to hangout and wait until 1pm. While I waited I became alarmed at what I had done and vowed to call the people in the group and apologize and ask them to convey my contrition to this beautiful young lady.

After I got home from the service, I called my friend and began offering my apologies and before I could finish my sentence, the voice on the other end began telling me there was no need to apologize. The group had never made it inside the museum because this beautiful young woman had stopped them across the street from the museum and asked them why they were so happy. After they told them why and where they were from, she began to tell them how miserable she was. She wasn’t an unbeliever, although in a way she was. She was married to an assistant pastor who had physically abused her and she was in despair. Across the street from the museum is a big park with a lot of trails, a zoo and brambles. She was planning to go into the park, find a deserted place and blow her brains out! I was dumbfounded. My friend told me that everyone’s eyes were wide opened because they knew that I didn’t know this young lady’s story, but I did know her story I just didn’t know I was speaking to her as we waited outside the church. I was there early because I had an appointment to keep.

Acts 16:16-40

Ain’t this something demons possessed folks calling out and identifying Gods’ preachers, teachers and evangelists making a past of themselves. I wonder if I was walking along the street and heard this young woman shouting and following known godly men, would I think she were on the up and up or would I recognize that she was demon possessed? I think when someone is heralding a man or woman of God is such a way that is distracting, disturbing and preventing the audience from hearing the gospel and/or interfering with the delivery of the message that person cannot be of God. God does everything decently and in order, He won’t compete with Himself.

Psalm 143:1-12

6 I reach out for you.
I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain.

Have I feel the desire and need to hunger and thirst after God? Do I lap up His teachings, His Words, His Presence as a severely thirsty woman of God? If not I will not find what I am looking for according to the Words of Jesus,

Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Proverbs 17:26
26 It is wrong to fine the godly for being good or to punish nobles for being honest!

The only way this can happen in a society or group, is when loyalty to people, places and things are more important than loyalty to the Truth. Paul rebuked the church in Galatia for turning away from the Truth and at one point said,

Have I then become your enemy by telling the truth to you and dealing sincerely with you? (Galatians 4:16 AMP)

[Michael]

I do all my bible reading, meditation, prayer journaling, etc. in the mornings. Have done so for a couple of years now.

[Judith]

I focus on the word to the young prophet to run after anointing the new King. Sometimes we think that because God has appointed us to work for Him, all will be well. His life would be endangered by his work and he was expected to take care of himself.

I have seen in my own life that when I do as the Lord asked that a myriad of temptation and pain surrounds the 'work'.

Even Paul had many trials surrounding him when doing as God expressly asked him to do.

About reading the scriptures, I do this at night and meditate on it while all the lights are off and everyone else is asleep. It is true that God gives asong in the night. this 'night' may be the natural night, chronologically, or the 'night' analogously.
Feeding on the word is paramount in my life, through it I experience His glorious presence.

[Carmen]

"Let me hear of your unfailing love to me in the morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I have come to you in prayer." Psalm 143:8

I love this verse! When you are awake early morning before God your creator... praying... you have a clear direct connection to the thrown of God.
No interruptions from the world to bother you. No phone ring to disturb your concentration directed towards Him. It is a peaceful time were you give yourself to Him and many times feel as if He had whispered in your ears. I love those moments with Him. They are truly priceless!

There are many mentions of the morning prayer in scripture. Some examples are:

Psalm 5:3
"In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch."

Psalm 88:13
"But I, O LORD, have cried out to You for help, And in the morning my prayer comes before You."

Psalm 119:147
"I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for Your words"

Psalm 90:14
"satisfy us in the morning with Your loving kindness, That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."

I personally have a tendency of being a BIG sleepyhead. :] But the times that I awake early to meet my savior...the reward outweighs the sacrifice. I am trying to achieve this more often for my spiritual benefit. The day seems to flow smoother when we give Him our first precious moments. Don't you agree?
Thank you again for this devotional. I love them all and have been immensely blessed by them. May you be blessed beyond measure. IN HIM carmen<

[Jenny]

I was very confused on Elisha's prophesy regarding Ben-Hadad (tell him he'll recover, but really he will die). I thought maybe Elisha was giving him a false hope. At first I thought Ben-H. put the cloth over his own face and then died. But I looked into commentary and saw Hazael killed ben-hadad by suffocation.
This story in Acts is a great example of God's perfect plan. Paul and Silas beaten and imprisoned they probably didnt understand at the time why, but they praised God anyway. the guard got saved, then i bet a light went off for them, ooooh, this is why we were imprisoned. God wanted to use their witness to testify to the jailer so that he and his family would be saved! God can sometimes put us in very troubling circumstances and like the discussion on hindsight is 20/20, we may not know why on earth we are suffering. But for us in Christ, it is always for His glory. God's ways are beyond us and we must keep faith that everything we endure is used for God's glory.

I am not at all a morning person, i cant think straight too early, but wen i do awake early and God just speaks to me, my day is very different. i do have many great books like My Utmost For His Highest, which i think I will keep by my bed so when i wake up i can do some reading in it. Thanks Bible dude for the challenge. I want to try this. Asking God to direct us each day is very wise! i always pray God will use me each day where He sees best. I may plan things, but often God will lead my day in another direction and i see He saw it best i go here and there instead of my initial plans. I just need to remain open and flexible to His call as each day holds something new!
I love Psalms:
3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in darkness,
Like those who have long been dead.
4 Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is distressed.

I remember reading this years ago as i was going through very tough times. i had lost a number of ppl in my life and was in total devastation. So many loved ones died and i couldnt let go..I in fact was living with the dead! But God has freed me to not dwell with the dead. I love, miss and appreciate those who are deceased now, but I'm NOT dead yet. I need to LIVE among the living. It was verrrrrrrrrry hard for me to let go of some of them and not wallow in the grave with them. I'm sure those who lost loved ones understand that. the enemy really put terrible thoughts/temptations in my mind as grief can make you so vulnerable and have irrational thoughts. Thank God He understands our fragility and has much mercy!

Oh and yes, God is really showing me lessons regarding His perfect timing...which is WAY different then my timing, but He is always right!!!! ;)
I have even been criticized by believers (not so wise ones) when I tell them I am waiting on God for this and that. They say, 'no, you gotta go out and get it'. Well, that's for the LORD to tell me, not them, especially when I know they are speaking in the flesh. God is good and His timing is perfect, though I'm not always liking it too much! ;p (i want it now! haha.) I mean, I am willing to wait a bit then i get impatient. sometimes it takes years, decades even... But its always more perfect and abundant then i expected when its His time, His way.

[Marlana]

Suffering is the way to happiness - how backwards is that..Jesus suffered, my Love for God is worth any amount of suffering; but this kind of suffering brings peace and everlasting joy. In the midst of any suffering for Christ is always a peace beyond measure and a hope that one can't have any other way. To love unconditionally is not the way of the world. It promotes a message of what's in it for me or self- first. I have been meditaing on the leadership decribed in these passages, leadership that is void of Godly wisdom or influence. I am still catching up with the readings since I just joined, but a few days a go we read about a woman that was betrayed by another woman that ate her son while the other one hid hers and both feasted on the first woman's son. I thought ---what??? that bothered me. But there is so much hunger, leprosy(sin) was everywhere - hunger for true peace and fufillment that we will look to anything to fill our void. I see this more and more. The injustice - and how inhumane is giving up your own child to feed your own hunger. I thought about our own leprosy - societies that sell thier children for profit, abortion, attempts to ban the mention of God, and anything that promote me first,; being hungry for the Truth leaves us without a future - little ones always represent hope for the future to me. True Godly leadership is about suffering and standing up for what is good. Leardership void of God leads to destruction and we are all leaders on some level - family, work....The woman - had faith - believed in God and was saved from famine - she had a hope for the future her son remained alive and she never suffred - she was fed the whole time, Paul and Silas maintained thier faith in the midst of adversity and that's true freedom. No matter what the circumstances - Jesus has set us free and he always makes a way for up and for that we can rejoice always. So the suffering for doing good - for living out God's command to love Him and others bring light to a very dark world. The world is hungry for it - it's plagued wit leprosy/an epidemic. I am encouraged to share Jesus, by word and example even more.

As for putting on the armour before facing the day - it's vital and I know that there is a huge difference between being clothed spiritually vs running out of the house 'naked' - vulnerable to any kind of exposure - there is no arguing or denying that fact. I get to work so early in the morning - so I think that I will do a portion of the reading in the morning and half at night for a while until I get a routine going with this site. I noticed that the readings are coming at a different time now not sure if that's the way it's always have been or because I just started receiving them. :-)) - but it seems to work better --I'll get the hang of it I' sure

Anyway - I am so blessed - I thank you so much for putting all of this together- the commentaries and every bible version imaginable and the outline in one place....you are truly a blessing...God bless you and LOVE to you,
Marlana