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June 26th

The bible reading for today is in 1 Kings 15:25-16:34 and 2 Chronicles 17.

Asa, the great-grandson of Solomon, was king over the tribes of Judah and Benjamin in the days of the divided kingdom. He ruled 41 years and was known for being used of God in bringing spiritual revival to Judah.

Asa’s father, Abijam, had a divided heart toward God. He trusted God sometimes and trusted himself most of the time. Because he refused to eliminate the high places of worship of foreign gods, he laid a spiritual stumbling block before the people he was to lead. He died. Then Asa his son took the throne of Judah.

“The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded, and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭15:1-2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This is how Asa began his leadership in Judah, seeking the Lord about everything. I am reminded of other verses concerning seeking the Lord...

Deut. 4:29 “You will find Him if you will seek Him with all of your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:13 “And you will seek me and find me when you search for me with all of your heart.”

The idea is that when God’s treasured ones draw near to Him, He draws near and reveals Himself to us. Seeking the Lord, seeking His will, and His ways in life, is good and worthy of our following such an example.

One day an Ethiopian army of a million soldiers marched upon Asa and his army of 500,000 men defending Jerusalem. It looked bad for Asa, .but he believed God’s promise to provide and God brought victory in a big way. Then toward the end of his reign in Judah, Baasha, king of Israel’s ten tribes, attacked Jerusalem and laid siege to the city.

Asa’s faith in God’s promises faded. And he sent a golden request to Syria for an alliance for military aid. Syria gave the immediate advantage to Asa and Israel’s army retreated. But at the same time, Syrian soldiers took over store cities in Judah and Israel, stealing grain and gold and military equipment.

Then the Judean prophet Hanani delivered a powerful message to Asa...“At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, "Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the Lord, he gave them into your hand.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭16:7-8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭16:9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Wow, what a promise for all who believe the Lord...for all whose hearts are completely His.

Have a great day.

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June 25th

The bible reading today is in 1 Kings 15 and 2 Chronicles 13,14,15,16.

Two kings in Judah and two kings of Israel...the rebellious ten tribes. The podcast today will focus on Abijam, who followed Rehoboam, his father, as King of the states of Judah and Benjamin for three years.

“Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah. And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father.”

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭15:1, 3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Abijam’s heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his great grandfather David. We know that David fell to temptation and sinning during his reign as King of the twelve tribes of Israel. His sinning included adultery and murder.

Question: “With those sins on David’s record, how could he be described as a man whose heart was wholly true to God?

Brokenness...brokenness over his sinning. David repented and forsook his sin. The Spirit of God upon him would not let him get away with a thing. I am reminded of the words of Jesus...”If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” Jesus was describing a disciple’s heart, not his scorecard. Perfection? No! But committed, even unto death, to follow their Savior God!

The reading today shows, “at best”, that Abijam’s heart was divided, lukewarm toward God. No wonder. “Abijam walked in all the sins of his father”. That would include the sin of refusing to tear down the altars built for the worship of foreign gods. The sin of turning a blind eye to the unrepentant sin of God’s people and simply allowing it to continue without Godly confrontation. And the sin of arrogance that abandoned the counsel of the old men. No wonder his reign did not last but 3 years.

I was also intrigued by something God did on behalf of Abijam. “Then the men of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the men of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭13:15‬ ‭

Jereboam, king of the 10 tribes of Israel, listened to the preaching of Abijam, but instead of submitting to the word of God, Jereboam attacked Judah. Do you think Jereboam refused to take Abijam’s message seriously because of the seeming hypocrisy of the messenger? Preaching truth but not consistently living it? Maybe we will find that out in heaven one day.

800,000 to 400,000. That was the advantage that Jereboam had on Abijam. Abijam cried out to the Lord, and God won a victory for Judah that day.

Glory to God. Perhaps this was God blessing the “unworthy” for the sake of His name and the promise He gave to a man after God’s own heart.

Have a good day.

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June 24th

2 Chronicles 12,13,14 is our bible reading today.

For the first five years of Rehoboam’s reign, he followed the words of God given to him by his father Solomon. He assembled 180,000 choice warriors for Judah’s and Benjamin’s defense against Jereboam and the 10 tribes of the divided kingdom. He built and fortified 15 cities, including Bethlehem. He supplied them as fortresses ready for war...with mighty men and commanders to lead them. He made space for all of the Levitical priests that Jereboam evicted from the 10 tribes. That would imply that Rehoboam provided them with common lands to build upon and live upon.

From a distance, it would seem that Solomon’s son was ruling well. But a closer look would reveal the opposite. The high places for the worship of foreign gods that his father built were still intact still competing for the hearts of the sons and daughters of promise. Rehoboam should have torn them down. Instead, he turned away from God.

“When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was “strong”, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and so all Israel with him.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭12:1‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The same thing happens to us. When we are weak and in need of help, we turn to God in faith and worship. But when we are strong, when everything is going our way, we abandon the words of God and trust in ourselves instead. And so it was with Judah’s king and God’s people.

God judged the king and His people by giving them over to the marauding Egyptian King, Shishak. Rehoboam was broken. He humbled himself before the Lord and led his counsel back to the Lord too. They each confessed that the Lord He is righteous and we are not.

God showed mercy and saved Judah from total destruction. But God did allow the Egyptians to ransack Jerusalem, the King’s palace, and the Temple. Did you hear it? God responded to the broken humility of Rehoboam and the other leaders.

But...apparently, God knew that the depth of humility needed for growth in righteousness would include the loss of all that the new king had acquired. Father, You still give grace to the humble...even the grace of loss...which is Your presence in the void.

Have a good day

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June 23rd

The bible reading today is in 1 Kings 12,13,14.

The story of a man of God, a preacher of Judah. His bravery and his fall catch my attention.

Why? “Because” I am a preacher too. A preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ for fifty years. Because my son is a preacher. Because my brother in law is a preacher. And because many young men over my years of ministry have received the call of God to preach the Gospel.

The bible has been my sword of the Spirit. It has also been my food for faith’s nourishment and my drink for soul refreshment. I am taught the mind and heart of God by it. I am warned and corrected by it. I am thoroughly furnished unto good works by it. And my heart is strangely warmed by it.

However, my heart was chilled by it this morning. The preacher of Judah was given an assignment by God. A hard one, a life-threatening one. And he accepted it with bravery. I only wish that his story could have ended in honor the way it began.

Why was it a hard assignment? Because God called him to go to the wicked king of the ten tribes, Jereboam. The preacher was to deliver a confrontational message. Prophesying God’s judgment upon Jereboam and his house. A message about God tearing his kingdom from him and his sons. A message about dogs and birds eating his and his family’s flesh. Yes, I would call that a hard assignment.

But the preacher went and delivered God’s message boldly. May all of God’s preachers be so brave to accept God’s mission for them. No matter how hard, for the sake of the gospel, the building up of Christ’s church, and the salvation of people around the world.

I can't help but remember another preacher in the Bible Jonah. God gave him a dangerous assignment and Jonah refused. He ran from it thousands of miles from it. God had to use a “near drowning” and a “whale” to bring that man of God around. I am grateful for the grace of God displayed on Jonah’s life. God’s arm is never to short to reach his people and turn them around.

Back to today’s reading...So what happened to the courageous preacher after he spoke God’s message to the evil king? He didn't finish his mission and wound up being attacked by a lion and killed.

So what chilled my heart...well, that’s the rest of the story.

Have a great day

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June 22nd

The bible reading today is in Proverbs chapters 30,31. The final two records/chapters attributed to the Biblical texts known as the Proverbs were written by two “other” wise men of Solomon’s day, Agur and Lemmuel. Neither man is mentioned elsewhere in the Bible.

Agur seems to have been a public teacher and Lemmuel a pagan king converted to Yahweh, the God of Israel. Both indicate that their message was not of human wisdom but of God.

I like what Agur said about God and His word..

“Every word of God proves true, and he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭30:5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Amen and Amen!

More of the text...

“Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭30:2-3‬ ‭

I wonder when Agur learned that” God gives grace to the humble?” In this text, there is no personal boasting of knowledge and understanding. Instead, Agur confesses his own intellectual and spiritual challenges. He indicates that human philosophy failed him and that his sole confidence now was in God’s revelation.

More of the text. I entitle it The One to trust, the One to follow, the One to worship.

“Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Man or God? God...listen to Him.

Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Man or God? God...submit to Him.

Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Man or God? God...believe Him.

Who has established all the ends of the earth? Man or God? God...worship Him.

What is his name? Yahweh, Elohim, Jehovah! And what is his son's name? Jesus...God the Son!

Surely you know!” Or translated:

(“I want you to know and experience Him!”)

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭30:4‬ ‭

Next, Agur’s prayer request to God proves the blessing of God’s wisdom upon him. Prov 30:7,8.

“Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; and give me neither poverty nor riches;”

This reminds me of David’s prayer request in Psalms 27:4 “One thing” have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.”

‭‭

“One thing”...” that I may do life, every day, in the recognizable presence of the Lord.”

“Let us pray that. Thanks, David...Thanks, Lord!”

And as Solomon prayed for a life of wisdom, Agur, a wise teacher in Israel, prayed for a life of “integrity”.

And let us pray that as well...

“Help me, to tell the truth always. Help me to be content with what God supplies. Thank you, Jesus...Amen Let it be!

Have a great day...

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June 21st

The bible reading today is in 1 Kings 10,11 and 2 Chronicles 9.

“....the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.”

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭11:42-43‬ ‭

The end of Solomon’s story. Solomon reigned, Solomon died, and Solomon was buried in Jerusalem and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

These are true words, true words from God about Solomon. But they are not exactly words that delight the soul. I rather like to fill in the obituary with other true words from God.

For instance, David’s words to his soon to be king son, Solomon..."I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways....”

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭2.

David had a promise from God that his son Solomon would rule after him all the days of his life. God would make sure of that. But David still charged his son to be strong and act like a man, and walk in God’s ways. Solomon’s first act as king proved his father’s hope.

At age 20, after his ordination as king, Solomon asked for God’s wisdom in order to rule Israel well. Young Solomon saved the life of an infant and restored the child to his rightful mother. He acted, not like a boy king, but acted like a strong man walking in God’s ways.

“And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they “stood in awe” of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.”

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭3:28‬ ‭

To me, that’s a Wow.

At age 24 Solomon was building the “God designed” House for God’s Name, but instead of taking credit for the great accomplishment,

Solomon rightly deferred to his late father’s accumulation of the abundance of supplies for the construction and ultimately to God’s providential hand. That’s wisdom, acting like a man, as his father charged him.

“...the Lord my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor misfortune.”

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭5:4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Three years later, the young king officiated the dedication of that Temple to God. Let us listen to his prayer at the dedication...

“O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart;”

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭8:23‬ ‭

Lord, Savior. No God like you Almighty. Keeping your covenant to your servants with Grace and Mercy to undeserving sinners Showing steadfast love to your servants. Determined and always faithful!

A heart full for his Lord, just like his father hoped.

And then we read today’s text...

Solomon turns from the Lord, how could it happen? It could happen to us...and that’s the rest of the story.

Have a great day!

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June 20th

The bible reading today finishes up The Preacher’s message of truth among lies...Ecclesiastes chapters 7-12.

“And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful...”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭8:15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Solomon, in the days of his mid-life crisis, commended “enjoyment” to everyone who would listen. Since all was vanity and essentially meaningless, Solomon made his case for the “party life”...“eat, drink, and be merry today, because tomorrow you might die.”

“Solomon bought the lie”...since there is nothing higher, nothing better to do with your life, worship yourself, by seeking to fulfill all the lusts of your flesh. So party on it’s all about yourself. No one else matters!

It’s a lie. Man does have something better than a meaningless life. I am a man and I have a full and meaningful life...and it is found in Jesus Christ.

“Jesus showed the disciples his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the “risen” Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so, I am sending you."

Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so 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 ‭20:20-21, 27-28, 30-31‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Solomon, like the doubting Thomas, believed again his Lord and his God. And when people ask us where our sense of significance comes from, we say Jesus. And when people ask us where our purpose for living comes from, we say Jesus. And when people ask us where our hope for the future comes from, we say “Jesus, My Lord, and My God!”

One more truth “among” lies. “For man does not know his time. “ That is true. Man “does not know” the length of his days upon the earth. But God does.

God has numbered our days from eternity past. We won't live on this earth one day longer that God has ordained. So I don't have to fear any day leading to that departure. And it is my conviction that God hides that knowledge from us for our good.

Man does not know his time, but he is “not” like a fish taken in an evil net as Solomon declared in his careless days away from God...“Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time when it suddenly falls upon them.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9:12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“The lie”...that man is snared at an evil time. Not so, at least not for those in Christ God’s escorting us to heaven is nothing like a bird caught in a trap. And God’s time to take us home is far from evil...it’s glorious.

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

‭‭John‬ ‭14.

Thanks, Lord, for showing us one more time that doing life in and with you is always better than everything else!

Have a good day

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June 19th

The bible reading today is in the first 6 chapters of Ecclesiastes.

“Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭1:2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Solomon had a great start to his life, .God entrusted him with the Kingdom of Israel. His dad was known as the man after God’s own heart. Fr from perfect, but close to the Lord.

Solomon would be introduced to God early and by the time he became king at age 20, he knew what it was to hear God’s voice and believe Him wholeheartedly. God honored his desires for wisdom so that he could lead the kingdom in harmony with God’s will.

It was a great start, but 20 years later, after two great accomplishments, Solomon lost his first love. From desiring God to desiring national prominence and personal pleasures of the flesh. Leading him to make alliances with ungodly leaders, marrying 700 women, and building high places for the worship of his wives’ foreign gods.

From light to darkness. I want to believe that somewhere near the end of his life, perhaps in his mid-fifties, 5 years before his death, that Solomon’s heart was broken before God. And in that season of repentance, God used him to pen the message that is before us today in Ecclesiastes.

“All is vanity...all is vain..” My take on the motive of Solomon’s message comes from his own season of life away from God. He was traveling and living to find meaning to life, only to find that it was “his life away from God” that defined vanity.

Vanity translated: All of life is without worth, All of life is nothing, All of life is meaningless...“Nothing really matters!”

Wow...all of that is a lie for the believers. Because...“God matters”!!!! And “everything” and “everyone” that He has created matters! It’s the life “without God at the center” that is vanity of all vanities!

Solomon sought meaning and fulfillment in many ways. One of those ways was by acquired wisdom. The Lord made him wise to God, but it was man’s wisdom that Solomon sought to fill the void in his life. But it didn't work.

Let us listen...“And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭1:13

Augustine wrote, “The creator made a God-shaped space in us...which can only be filled with Him.”

Sometimes, like Solomon, we forget that, nd we too look for everything under the sun to fill it...only to be either disappointed or devastated by the exercise. Lord, help us.

The preacher’s search for answers “in man’s wisdom” left him discouraged and depressed. Solomon came to this conclusion: “What is crooked cannot be made straight by the wisdom of man, and what is lacking cannot be counted or “replaced” by the same search.

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭1:15‬ ‭

Oh friends, let us remember who is God’s wisdom to us...Jesus and his love...praise the Lord.

Have a great day

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June 18th

Our bible reading today is in Proverbs 27,28,29.

Straight to the text...some of my favorIte verses, from a long time ago.

“Boast not yourself of tomorrow; for you know not what a day may bring forth.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭27:1‬

I don't know if Solomon ever had dreams of following his dad as King in Israel. But he was sure to have known that by tradition it would be the king’s oldest son that would be in line for the throne of Israel...not the tenth son. Therefore, he would have surely told his kids that it was truly a “God thing” that he became Israel’s third king.

Perhaps, it was this experience with his sovereign God that the Spirit used to inspire Solomon to pen God’s wisdom about futuristic thinking. To the children... “Stay humble about your future...ultimately, it’s in God’s hands, not yours. Your grandfather, King David, learned that lesson the hard way and wrote a song about it in Psalm 30...“As for me, I said in my prosperity, "I shall never be moved." (By your favor, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong) but you hid your face, and I was dismayed.” Psalm‬ ‭30:6-7‬ ‭

David had been anointed by God’s prophet, Samuel, to follow Saul on the throne of Israel when he was a teenager. Probably around 13 years old. After he defeated the giant Philistine warrior, Goliath, David became famous. And as a young man, he became quite the skilled warrior leading Israel in battle with many victories.

But with all of his success, apparently “pride” took hold of his heart for a season. And he thought to himself, “I” shall never be moved...”I” shall never be defeated...”I” will be as great and strong as the mountain. And then Saul threw his javelin at David...everything changed.

For the next years, David ran and hid from Saul and his assassins. He was dismayed and depressed because his God hid His face from him.

God became invisible to David. And not in the faith way. So...David went from “I'll never be moved” to ”What in the world happened to my dream? What in the world happened to my future?

David was broken and contrite before the Lord. His pride was replaced with humble recognition Quote... “By your favor Oh Lord, “You”, not me...but “You O Lord” made my mountain stand strong...” Forgive me for forgetting You.

So...from David to Solomon to Solomon’s children to all the children of promise...which includes you and me in Christ. Let us not boast ourselves. Especially, let us not boast ourselves about our futures here on earth. Instead, let us magnify the Lord together.

Let us hold on to the promise that God gives to those who seek Him...that we will lack no good thing, Ps 34. Let us together delight ourselves in the Lord, knowing that He will give us the desires of our hearts Ps 37...

Let us walk with the Lord together. Let us trust the Lord...together...with confidence that He will direct our steps Prov 3.

Have a great day