July 1st One Year Bible Readings

2 Kings 18:13-19:37 ~ Acts 21:1-17 ~ Psalm 149:1-9 ~ Proverbs 18:8
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Old Testament - Well, it was bound to happen.  Assyria conquered Israel.  They were bound to go after Judah & Jerusalem soon enough.  Tough to stop an ego & power like that.  It's "never enough".  So, we get the bold boasts before the walls of Jerusalem by King Sennacherib of Assyria's representatives in 2 Kings 18.  Verse 35 includes this boast, which didn't make God too happy - "What god of any nation has ever been able to save its people from my power? Name just one! So what makes you think that the LORD can rescue Jerusalem?"

It is wonderful to see that in 2 Kings 19 Hezekiah takes all of this to God in prayer.  Good move!  How often in our lives today, when challenges come our way, do we take the challenges everywhere else BUT to God?  Wouldn't it be easier to take them directly to God?  Why do we turn to alcohol or drugs or food or worrying or whatever - can we simply take our challenges to the one true living God who can actually do something with them?  Can we model what Hezekiah did when he received distressing news from the King of Assyria, in verses 14 through 16 - "After Hezekiah received the letter and read it, he went up to the LORD's Temple and spread it out before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the LORD: "O LORD, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth. Listen to me, O LORD, and hear! Open your eyes, O LORD, and see! Listen to Sennacherib's words of defiance against the living God."

New Testament - Wow.  Check out Paul's words in Acts 21 verse 13 after it was prophesied that he would be jailed in Jerusalem: "But Paul said, "Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! For I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but also to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.""  What about you?  Are you ready to be jailed for your faith?  Are you willing to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus?  These are challenging questions to consider I realize.  But, I think they are useful for us to ask.  If we are not ready to be jailed for our faith or not willing to die for the sake of Jesus, are we truly following Jesus?  Or are we just pretending?

Paul's arrival in Jerusalem wraps up his 3rd missionary journey.  Below is a quick recap of this journey of Paul's we've been reading about the past couple of days:

Bible.org's commentary on today's Acts readings titled "The Giving and Taking of Advice" is at this link.

Psalms - Psalm 149 is a beautiful song of praise today!  Verse 3 I love: "Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp."  Do you praise God's name with dancing and music?  Yes, I confess, I am a huge fan of the praise and worship thing going on in churches and with CCM artists and their concerts these days.  I know this is not the only way to praise or worship God by any means.  Are you praising God's name each day with the very "dance" of your life?? 

Proverbs - Please note that Proverbs 18 verse 8 is not advocating spreading rumors!  :) "What dainty morsels rumors are--but they sink deep into one's heart."  So true... rumors may seem like "dainty morsels" at first... but if you buy into receiving them and spreading them, they will infect your very heart! Do you agree with this Proverb that rumors will affect our hearts? How do you avoid hearing or spreading rumors?

YouTube Video: Today's reflection in Psalms about CCM music reminds me of this video by Jars of Clay for their song "Two Hands" which was filmed in part in Africa:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0h2sUC6wPg

Do you have two hands? Click here to meet the One who gave you your Hands!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "But Paul said, 'Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.'" Acts 21:13 NLT

Prayer Point: Pray that you are willing to die for the sake of your Lord, Jesus. Pray that you are prepared to not only be jailed for your faith in Jesus, but to die for your faith in Jesus.

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

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our One Year Bible readings at this link.

p.p.s. Download a schedule of our One Year Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.p.p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this One Year Bible Blog ministry today. Thanks!

Comments

[Ramona]

II Kings 18:13-19:37

I have always thought about Hezekiah’s first attempt at getting Assyria to leave its borders by means of monetary persuasions when I’m faced with a threatening situation. Appeasement only works for a short time because the enemy will always be back.

Stripping the gold from the doors of the Temple is kind of like taking the things we may have designated to God, be it monetary or our time and talents, and diverting them to another area effecting our lives as if the problem will go away, it won’t. It’s best to deal head on with the issue, but I know that it is a very hard thing to do. We want to take the path of least resistance; however, that path always seems to take us back to the point where we started, Sennacherib knocking at the door.

19:14After Hezekiah received the letter and read it, he went up to the LORD's Temple and spread it out before the LORD.

I believe the prayer prayed is a model for us to use when we feel threatened and overwhelmed. This prayer stated the truth; the Assyriaian army had conquered every country they attacked, but in the threat against Judah, the God of gods had been challenged and Hezekiah was running to the name of the Lord, his high tower.

Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
The righteous run to it and are safe.

Acts 21:1-7

Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) is quoted as saying,

“Those who stand for nothing fall for anything” In order to take a stand one must be firm in planting ones feet on the ground becoming immovable from the position they have taken even to the point of death. To Fall for anything is not really living ones life to the fullest it is only existing. Paul found something to die for, thus he lived life to the max.

Mark 8:36

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (KJV)

Psalm 149:1-9

5 Let the faithful rejoice in this honor.
Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds.

I’m thinking that singing for joy as I lie in my bed may be a wonderful way to prepare myself for sleep. Praising God with a glad heart and a joyful spirit may just usher me into a night of wonderful sleep. Hmmm, I won’t know unless I try.

Proverbs 18:8

If rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into the heart than one who loves to hear “secrets” at the expense of the reputation of others, getting their ears tickled with “good” stuff will themselves become spreaders of rumors and not be listeners only

Luke 6:45The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (NIV)

Grace and peace,
Ramona

[Bob Bieberdorf]

Acts 20:22, 21:4b Bob Deffinbaugh's commentary about the Holy Spirit saying different things to two people is interesting: These saints were correct in understanding that Paul would be bound in Jerusalem, but they were wrong in their conclusion that Paul should not go. Paul, on the other hand, was correct in pressing on to Jerusalem. I believe we must conclude that the Holy Spirit revealed only the fact of Paul’s fate, and that the conclusions drawn from this were not those which came from the Spirit, and were not the will of God for Paul. The expression “speaking in the Spirit” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “speaking through the Spirit” (NASB) must refer to the fact that the words spoken “through the Spirit” were the words pertaining to Paul’s bondage, while the words spoken urging Paul not to go were not spoken “through the Spirit” but were spoken out of the loving and well-intentioned hearts of these mistaken saints.

[Andrew Jones (tallskinnykiwi)]

We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray

For many of these encounters with the saints and disciples, ministry seems two-way. not Paul setting up conferences for attenders (like today) but receiving hospitality and prayer. With the exception of yesterday's account of his lengthy teaching, Paul is now being ministered to more than he is ministering.