Live the Bible with Wayne Stiles

Part 13 - “Route 66” (A series with a message from each of the 66 books of the Bible)

The books of Chronicles, written to God’s weary people returning from exile, present a reason for hope in the Lord. In spite of all the faults of the kings from David’s line (including David himself), God will not renege on His promises to David. We too can take courage that God will fulfill His unconditional promises toward us . . . in spite of our sins. This shows the magnitude of God’s grace.

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Part 12 - “Route 66” (A series with a message from each of the 66 books of the Bible)

The leper Naaman initially felt insulted that all he must do to be healed was dip in the Jordan River. God’s grace often comes off as offensive to unbelievers. Gehazi, on the other hand, felt shocked that his master Elisha took no money from Naaman for his healing. So Gehazi took some money in secret and thus later suffered discipline. God’s grace has problems, as it were—offensive to unbelievers and abused by believers.

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Part 11 - “Route 66” (a series with a message from each of the 66 books of the Bible)

1 Kings 6, 9, 11 http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6559961329458171864&postID=7515726099358635412

How could the wisest man in the world blow it so badly? Solomon told God he wanted wisdom to govern God’s people, and he received it. But he should have also asked for a heart to obey God. Solomon’s priorities reveal a man with good intentions who forsook his own advice through compromise. We should commit not only to obtaining wisdom . . . but also to applying it.

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Part 10 - “Route 66” (a series with a message from each of the 66 books of the Bible)

The secret sins of lust and adultery cratered the man after God’s own heart and made his walk with God miserable. The entire book of 2 Samuel pivots on one fateful evening in King David’s life. Only in repentance did David discover restoration and joy. We too should guard against the allure of adultery, for it jeopardizes our relationship with God and our joy in living.

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Part 9 - “Route 66” (a series with a message from each of the 66 books of the Bible)

King Saul experienced pressure to disobey God from extreme circumstances, from his own pride, and from people’s desires-- all of which he responded to poorly. We can learn a lesson, as we travel back with personal interviews with King Saul, how to respond to pressure God's way.

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Part 8 - “Route 66” (a series with a message from each of the 66 books of the Bible)

Bitterness blurs your vision, exaggerates your emotions, and takes a healthy, balanced perspective of life and twists it out of proportion. You can be riding along with a full tank, and bitterness will show you a gauge almost empty. How often do we beg and plead for God to give us something—a mate, a child, riches, healing—when already we may be fuller than we would be if God gave us what we wanted? Could not God’s withholding our request (which to us leaves us “empty”) actually be God giving us more than our desires?

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Part 7 - “Route 66” (a series with a message from each of the 66 books of the Bible)

Gideon’s fearful heart prevented him from trusting the promise God gave about delivering Israel from the Midianites. So God uniquely worked to overcome Gideon’s deficiency and to bring him to a point of worship and faith. Only then could Gideon lead in victory. We also must face our fears and lack of trust in God’s Word and God’s power if we ever want to lead a victorious spiritual life.

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Part 6 - “Route 66” (a series with a message from each of the 66 books of the Bible)

After settling in the Promised Land, Joshua challenged the nation to renew their devotion to God and abandon their culture's and their ancestors' idols. He told them that everyone must “Choose today whom you will serve.” Seeing how God has faithfully worked in our lives in the past spurs us to reaffirm: “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

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Part 5 - “Route 66” (a series with a message from each of the 66 books of the Bible)

Holidays remind us to remember. And as we consider our relationship with God, Moses' message to the Hebrews remains true: When you prosper, remember that it’s all of God, and when you disobey, expect the Father to exact His perfect discipline because He loves you. For Israel, conditional blessing stemmed from obedience. But for those believers in Jesus Christ, whom God has already blessed with every spiritual blessing, obedience should come as we remember our deliverance.

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Part 3 - “Route 66” (a series with a message from each of the 66 books of the Bible)

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) served as the most important day of the Hebrew calendar. This one day per year offered God’s children to regain and sustain fellowship with God—because of the death of a substitute. This practical picture points us to its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the one through whom we have forgiveness from sins and fellowship with God today.

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