II Chronicles I: Who?

II Chronicles I

… if My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (II Chronicles 7:14 ESV)

Who?

The One True Living God is a God of second chances!  We see this repeatedly in Scripture, often in places that go unnoted.

This verse is often used as a rallying cry for political activism in the form of prayer… but that is not the point here.

Without our usual labels and attachments, God simply gives hope.  If God’s people, in other words, Christians, turn back to Him after we have wandered, He will forgive and undo the effects of our sin.

This is not a battle cry for Americans, because while many Christians are American citizens, America is not God’s People.  It is similarly not a battle cry for Canadians, British, French, Russians, or Iranians. 

It is an offer of hope for Christians, God literally says, “my people.”

Even better, it refers not only to individuals, but to the church!  Because yes, even the church wanders and has ill effects from our sins… and when the church seeks God’s face instead of other things that have distracted us, He forgives and heals the ill effects of the church’s sins.

We err when we think the church is automatically in God’s favor.  We are only in His favor when we humbly seek His face, and reject the wickedness that slips in the back door.

But note… our God, because of Christ forgives us!  He heals us! He continues to love us!

I Chronicles II: The Presence of God

I Chronicles II

And the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that he had. (I Chronicles 13:14 ESV)

The Presence of God

The people living in the Kingdom of Israel understood something that we seem to have forgotten.  Nothing is better than the presence of God.

Nothing solves problems better than the presence of God.

Nothing brings joy like the presence of God.

Nothing shines light like the presence of God.

Nothing works more effectively than the presence of God.

Nothing blesses like the presence of God…

In fact, nothing blesses OTHER than the presence of God!

For Obed-edom’s family, that presence was shown in the ark of the Covenant.

For us… it is the Holy Spirit!

I Chronicles I: Returning Gifts

I Chronicles I

And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.  “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. (I Chronicles 29:13,14 ESV)

Returning Gifts

When we give our offerings to the Lord, whether in the form of finances, material, time, or energy, it is easy for us to be proud.  Not in a bad way… but noting our willingness, our generosity, and our submission.

But in this verse, our attention and intentions are stretched.

Because since EVERYTHING belongs to our God, we give Him but His own.

Our bank accounts are filled with His funds.  Our stuff belongs to Him.  Our time is His to use.  And He alone is the source of all of our energy, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.

And that is a good thing.  It enables cheerful giving.  It enables trustful giving.  It enables honest giving.  It enables giving.

It is all His, anyway.  But we get to use it!

II Kings II: Behind the Scenes

II Kings II

Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (II Kings 6:17 ESV)

Behind the Scenes

I like to know the rest of the story.  I like to know what happened behind the scenes.  I like to understand the script, the back-story, the truth behind the illusions.

And Elisha’s servant Gehazi got to know those things.

With one quick mind-blowing peak behind the curtain.

Behind everything is the power of God.

Elisha knew it, and had peace in terrifying times.  Jesus knew it, and trusted His Father all the way through the cross to the empty tomb.  Stephen knew it, and was martyred with hope.

We know it…

Let that knowledge lift your timid expectations.  Let that knowledge give you nightly rest.  Let that knowledge lift the edges of your mouth in a smile.  Let that knowledge make you amazed at your God.

II Kings I: Prayer

II Kings I

When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the Lord. (II Kings 4:32,33 ESV)

Prayer

Elisha here encounters an impossible situation.  He encounters nothing less than death.  And he faces that death with a simple and powerful reaction.

He prays.

He prays because He knows that God can do all things.

He prays because He knows that God loves His children.

He prays because it is Elisha’s habit, his modus operandi, the regular solution to his life’s struggles.

This certainly is not the first example in Scripture where a child of God prays.  But here in II Kings we are reminded to pray.

Not because prayer is magic, or because we are superstitious, or because we have been guilted into closing our eyes and folding our hands.

But because prayer is how we talk to our God. 

I Kings II: Necessary Grace

I Kings II

For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. (I Kings 11:4 ESV)

Necessary Grace

Everyone has sinned.  Everyone sins.  Everyone needs grace.

Even Solomon, who was gifted wisdom beyond all humans, respect beyond all Kings, and a relationship with God that most would envy… sinned.

We cannot say, “If I can be smart enough, I will not need the gospel.”

We cannot say, “If I can be careful enough, I will not need the gospel.”

We cannot say, “If I can be wise enough, I will not need the gospel.”

The gospel is not for most people… the gospel is for everyone.

Solomon fell off his pedestal.  We need to get off our own.

I Kings I: Unique Amazing Grace

I Kings I

…and (Solomon) said, “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; (I Kings 8:23 ESV)

Unique Amazing Grace

Most people prefer to think of ourselves as unique.  But we are not as unique as we think we are.  Not only do we each supposedly have physical doppelgangers somewhere out there, but our individuality is not as profound as we imagine.

We share sorrows, successes, failures, and joys.

The human condition is a shared state.

But there is no one like God.

Particularly, the most unique characteristic of God is His steadfast love.  His loving kindness.  His inexplicable patience. His unconditional love.  His amazing grace.

There is no one like Him in the universe.

II Samuel III: Sorrow

II Samuel III

The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” (II Samuel 19:4 ESV)

Sorrow

King David grieved.

And while the source of his grief was obviously the rebellious and deceitful actions of his son, Absalom, David understood something else.

The source of his grief was his own sin.

David’s earlier reactions led to Absalom’s treason against God and Israel.

But the thing to remember here is that David stops the blame game.  He does not argue about Absalom’s poor character, or the unfortunate series of circumstances that led to Absalom’s death, or who was the MOST to blame.

David grieved for his own sin.

And he did not try to avoid the responsibility.  Although he could have.  Absalom WAS more guilty here than David.  Some of David’s advisors were also to blame.  And the Israelites themselves were culpable.

But David grieved.  For his own sin.  For the effects of his own sin.  For the cost to his family and his kingdom. 

He was not feeling sorry for himself.  He was feeling sorry for everyone else for what HE had done.

That is what repentance looks like.

And such sorrow gives rise to the Psalms, to an honest relationship with God, and to the Messiah.

II Samuel II: Erasure

II Samuel II

David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.” (II Samuel 12:13 ESV)

Erasure

The science of Archaeology exists because the remains of things can usually be found.  It is difficult to make anything really disappear.  This is why we have dry river beds in the wilderness, scars on our knees, grudges in our hearts.

But God utterly obliterates our sin.

He puts it away.

But He does more than hide our sin in the back of His closet.  When HE puts it away He erases it permanently.  That is what happened on the cross.

David’s terrible sin, and our sin as well.

It has been erased.

II Samuel I: Forever

II Samuel I

And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ” (II Samuel 7:16 ESV)

Forever

Forever is a really really really really long time.

And has the line of David lasted forever?  Wasn’t the kingly line of David finished when Jerusalem was conquered and sacked?  Did not David’s line, and Solomon’s line, die out long long long ago?

No… it did not.

Because the line is found in two places.  First, it is found in Christ Jesus.  That is the purpose of Christ’s genealogy presented in the Gospel  of Matthew.

And Jesus Himself WILL be on that throne forever!  No matter HOW long it takes!

But second, remember that WE are the adopted siblings, heirs and Kings alongside Him.  Completely because of Him.  Through Him.  In Him.

But that ‘forever’ includes us Christians.

What an amazing concept.

I Samuel II: Listening

I Samuel II

And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” (I Samuel 3:10 ESV)

Listening

Sometimes I am not a good listener.  Sometimes I think I am pretty smart, and want to make sure I am heard.  Sometimes while conversing with a struggling friend, and want to offer helpful advice.  Sometimes I just talk to talk…

But listen to Samuel here.

Given the chance to converse with God Himself, He does not list a list or request a request.  Not that those things are bad… but notice… Samuel not only listens, but announces he is listening.

Our lives are better spent in response to God’s words, then innovating our own plans.

Our lives are richer paying attention to God, then demanding attention from anyone else.

Our lives are meant to be with our two ears, instead of our one mouth.

I Samuel I: Growing

I Samuel I

Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man. (I Samuel 2:26 ESV)

Growing

We modern Americans think growth is everything.  We praise our children for growing taller.  We praise our business for growing in profits.  We praise our nation for growing in influence.  We praise our church for growing in attendance.  We praise our checking accounts for growing in dollars, or yen, or ducats.

But that is not how God cares about our growth.

Notice the two kinds of growth that are described here… first, stature and favor with the Lord.  In other words, Samuel grew in his relationship with God.  Both His stature with the Lord, maybe starting with an uneducated but willing disciple… then learning more… then knowing more…  both knowing about God, and knowing God more and more.  THAT is the stature that pleased God.

Secondly, Samuel also grew in favor with man.  He was not hiding in an Ivory Tower.  He was, at some level, winsome.  He was noticed, appreciated, and honored.  More and more as his life went on.

This book urges us to redefine success, value, and worthiness.

We get to define ourselves NOT according to the changing and unstable standards of the world, or our nation, or our society, or our families, or our hobbies, or our financial group.

But like Samuel… it is GOD’S standards!

Ruth II: Ancestors

Ruth II

Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David. (Ruth 4:22 ESV)

Ancestors

The Bible is a book of stories.  True stories.  Delightful stories.  Profound stories.  Valuable stories.  Important stories.  Scary stories.  Artful stories.  Necessary stories. 

And every one of them is about Jesus Christ, the Messiah of God’s people.

This is demonstrated here in the book of Ruth.  Sure, it is a love story.  Sure, it is a story of familiar nobility.  Sure, it is a story of obedience.  Sure, it is a story of hope fulfilled.

But mostly, it is a story of the ancestral line of the Messiah.

Ruth was the ancestor of David.  Who was the ancestor of Jesus.

And we are adopted into that same family.

Ruth I: High Expectations

Ruth I

Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may His name be renowned in Israel! (Ruth 4:14 ESV)

High Expectations

Naomi had a rough life… much rougher than mine.  Maybe rougher than yours.

But it is not a competition….

But even in the worst of Naomi’s days, widowed… sons dead and ‘stuck’ with Moabite women for family… far, so far from home… unemployed without any human hope for survival…

She knew she had a redeemer.

And we do, too.  We actually have it better than Naomi.  She hoped in the redeemer to come, sometime.  But we know that the redeemer not only WILL live, but is alive!

And redeeming!

Judges

Judges

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 17:6 ESV)

Reason

Without a need for the gospel, there is no need for the gospel.

The Messiah was not foretold, born, suffered, died, resurrected, and lifted into heaven as King because God was bored.   Since everyone was doing what was right in THEIR eyes, they were not paying much attention to what was right in God’s eyes.

When we read about the absence of a King in Israel, we do not merely see that a political government was lacking.  Israel always had a King, you see.  The people of God from Abraham onward always had a King.  All of humankind, from Adam onward always had a King.

That King was God.

But the people of God dwelling in the Middle East decided that they knew more than God.  Without a rally or revolution, they began to ignore their King, and His Word… as short as it was back then.

And thus, God moved ahead with His plan to provide the Messiah.  Yes, to help the downtrodden, suffering, and lost.  But also to pull, prod, and push His people into remembering that HE is King.

A good King.

The perfect King.

Our King!

We, too, seem to prefer to do what is right in our own eyes.  But learn the lesson of long ago (repeated often…) Let HIS eyes determine what is right.

And lest we wander too far from His path… what is right in HIS eyes, can be right in OUR eyes when we lift our eyes to Jesus!

Joshua II: Choice

Joshua II

…choose this day whom you will serve… (Joshua 24:15 ESV)

Choice

While scripture is indisputably clear that God, and God alone is sovereign… surprisingly He gives His people choices.

I do not really understand how God bridges those two cliffs… but He does.

He is sovereign, in charge, master of the universe, the Ultimate King.  And when we make decisions, have ideas, and make choices, somehow that is exactly what God in His sovereignty wants us to do.

Especially the choice to serve Him.

We GET to choose!  We GET to decide!  We GET to follow Him!

Our choice is how we love Him back.  Our choice is how we acknowledge His gift.  Our choice is how we live for Him instead of ourselves.

Choose you this day…

Joshua I: Willing and Able

Joshua I

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 ESV)

Willing and Able

God repeatedly tells Joshua, and Joshua tells his people to, “Be Strong and Courageous.”  It might seem that the message is to stand proudly on a mountain top, chin extended, eyes on the horizon, ready to leap tall mountains in a single bound.

But that is not God’s message.

Joshua’s name is actually the same as the Messiah’s, Jesus.

And it refers to God’s salvation.

Joshua led the insignificant Israelites through struggles, conflicts, battles, and wars.  And while he led through being strong and courageous, a better understanding of those words would be: able and willing.

Joshua was able to be a military genius, because the real general was God Himself. 

Joshua was willing to dangerously fight the Canaanites because Joshua knew God would be with him.

His strength, his ability, came from God.

His courage, his willingness, came from God.

And the message to be Strong and Courageous, able and willing, rings in our ears, too.

Whatever enemies you fight, or think you fight… following the Lord instead of your own self will enable you to be strong and courageous… able and willing.

Deuteronomy: One

Deuteronomy

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV)

One

Today it seems that ‘truth’ has become vague, undefinable, and relative.  Everyone has our own own own own truth, we seem to believe. 

But God says otherwise.

The Lord our God is one.

The only one.

Not one out of many options, or one part of a whole, or one way of understanding.

He is IT.

The Lord is one.

Without that concept, God’s Truth becomes a matter of our choice, our opinion, our deduction, our needs, and our comfort.

And that means His Word is one.  His definition of life is one.  His definition of sin is one.  His way of salvation is one.

God is not like the many choices found at McDonald’s, Walmart, or the movie theater.

He simply (and wonderfully) IS.

Numbers: Blessing

Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”  So shall they put My name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:23-27 ESV)

Blessing

This is such an important verse that many churches use these words to end formal worship.  Not only does it show God’s desire to bless His people, but it describes THE way to receive God’s fantastic blessing.

It is not by perfect obedience, or we would always be cursed instead of blessed.

It is not by being nice, or we would always be cursed instead of blessed.

It is not by praying enough, or we would always be cursed instead of blessed.

It is not being churchy enough, or we would always be cursed instead of blessed.

It is not by voting politically the right way, or we would always be cursed instead of blessed.

God’s blessings come to God’s people because we have HIS name on our soul’s nametags.

God’s blessings come to God’s people because we have the Christ’s name, JESUS on our soul’s nametag.

And we get that by Grace, through Faith.

Leviticus II: Holy Road

Leviticus II

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, you shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2 ESV)

Holy Road

I have a new (to me) plumbing tool.  It is designed to loosen and tighten the mechanism that attaches the under side of the faucet to the sink.  I lived for decades without one.  This underside of the sink is difficult to work in.  Not enough room to fit my knuckles.  Not the right angle to see what I am doing.  Not even space to turn wrenches.

I really have no idea how I attached any faucets before I found that tool.

Just like God’s command to be holy.

We can’t do it.  There is not enough room in our souls for our sinfulness and God’s holiness.  We can’t see, really, how we are acting, because our motives are so suspect.  We take a small step forward, and it results in three steps backwards.

When God commanded His people to be Holy, He knew what He was really commanding:

Get ready for the Messiah.

The ONLY way to holiness is through Christ.

It is only His holiness, accredited to us, that allows us to keep God’s commandment.

All of the Law has that purpose.  Through God’s Law, we know we need a Savior.

I think that makes the Law more exciting to read.  As we read God’s difficult Laws, we read about the road to holiness… because Jesus IS the Way.