by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I Chronicles 28-29
Right up until his last breath, David delights in the Lord his God. As he draws all of Israel together and gives everyone a charge, the king’s mind is on the house of the Lord and the beautiful building which will be dedicated to his God.
David has already gathered many elements. Gold, silver, bronze, onyx stones, inlaid stones, stones of various colors, wood, and alabaster in abundance. He has given from his own collection of silver, gold and bronze. Then he asks if others want to contribute.
At this point, the rulers, princes, and commanders offerwillingly to bring from their treasures gold, silver, brass and iron. “Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced greatly.”(29:9)
A giving heart is always a thankful heart. When people give liberally to the Lord, they are always joyful people.
It’s interesting to me that in this account of the transfer of power from David to Solomon, none of the negative stories are related. Nothing is said about Adonijah trying to steal the crown. Nothing is said about Bathsheba having to go to David on Solomon’s behalf.
Instead, this history just includes the anointing of Solomon. God’s will – and not man’s selfish will – is being exalted in this account.
Then “David dies at a ripe old age, full of days, riches and honor, and his son, Solomon reigns in his place.”(29:28)
King David, the greatest of all the kings before him – or after him – exemplifies the favor of God on a man’s life. He made a huge mistake when he committed adultery and murder, but he was truly repentant, and God’s forgiveness was forthcoming along with his blessing.
David’s desire to honor God, his humble trust in God when challenged, and his kindness to those around him – especially to Saul’s household, are attributes which all of us should strive for.
It’s easy to see why David is called a “man after God’s own heart.”
John 9: 28-41
The encounter with the blind man is still provoking the Pharisees. He challenges them because even though he hasn’t studied the Word of God like they have, he knows that the healing he receives from Jesus is noteworthy.
The leaders, totally uncaring about the man who has received his sight, are just trying to accuse Jesus of healing on the Sabbath. This newly healed blind man knows better than they. So he is also making them angry!
In verse 39 Jesus says something which may be confusing, but which is significant (as is everything He says). He says, “for judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see; and that those who see may become blind.”
Now wait just a minute! Jesus is not going to make the Pharisees blind, is He? Of course not. So what does He mean?
I think that I know, so go with me for a minute, and see if you get the same revelation.
Do you remember right at the beginning of Genesis, after Adam and Eve sinned it says that their “eyes were opened and they saw that they were naked?”(Gen 3:7) I think that this type of sight is referring to the natural mind controlling their sight. Until their sin, Adam and Eve had been ruled by the Spirit of God which was within them. Their spiritual vision dominated. When they sinned, their natural vision took over.
So what is the difference between spiritual vision and natural vision? Spiritual vision sees beyond the natural. It incorporates faith so that it looks beyond what is there to what will become. For instance, natural vision may look at a child and see the limitations. Spiritual vision will look at a child and see the potential – the way God looks at us.
So Jesus is saying that He has come so that spiritual eyes can be opened again – the eyes that have been closed since the sin of Adam. Then when the spiritual eyes are totally open, the natural eyes won’t be dominant anymore. People will be led by faith and not by sight.
One day, as I was meditating on this, I felt the Lord speaking to me.
He said, when someone is blind, they need to know where the obstacle are so that they will not fall over things. Yet their eyes are not drawn to the obstacles. When we are led by the Spirit, we are not ignorant of obstacles, but we are not drawn to them. We are drawn to God’s purpose and His plans for us. Our spirit continues to draw us to our greater purpose, as we see with our eyes of faith.
I want to have heavenly vision – don’t you? I want God’s best for me and for those around me. That only comes with spiritual vision – being led by the spirit.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I Chronicles 25-27
Do you like organization? Well you will love these chapters.
Once again we see a listing of lineages and assignments. This time it goes a little deeper, however. Not only does each person have an assignment, but timing for when they will perform their duties.
In chapter 27, the twelve commanders of Israel are enumerated – along with the months in which they will be in charge. Each of them have 24,000 troops under their command, and they have a specific month for their assignment.
All we need to do is look around at nature to realize that our God is very organized. Everything runs on schedule – the days and nights, the seasons, all of the animal behavior, seed time and harvest, and many more cycles. Not only does all of nature run on a schedule, but the many different schedules work together in a symbiotic way so that life can thrive and His purposes can be fulfilled.
For those of us who don’t have that gift in abundance (people like me), organization is sometimes seen as a necessary evil.
Yet anyone’s life and anyone’s work will be enhanced by applying some principles of organization. Systems in place can keep things humming.
So I, for one, purpose to endeavor to be more organized. I will watch those who have this down pat, and try to apply their principles.
I will also try to increase my ability to keep to a schedule when working so that i can accomplish more for Him.
I need His help, and I’m quite sure that I’ll get it!
John 9: 1-27
What are these Pharisees thinking? How can they be so spiritually dense?
Surely they would be happy to see a blind man healed and able to see! Well, obviously not on a Sunday.
This time these strange men don’t just complain about it, they go to the blind man and question him sharply as to who healed him. Then they go to his parents and question them.
Not once do we see any compassion in these people. Not once do we see them rejoice with this man who has been blind from birth!
No. They are too busy trying to persecute this Jesus who is getting all of the attention. They have Him now, they think. He obviously isn’t God’s man if he heals on the Sabbath.
These men just don’t know their God.
Our God is more compassionate than our minds can conceive, and His Son is representing this truth to His generation.
I pray that we will know our Father God so well that we will understand and embrace His mercy. We need it. So do those round us.
I also pray that more and more of us will properly represent our Lord as we mingle with those around us. He is extending His mercy to all, and we need to accurately represent Him to our generation.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I Chronicles 22-24
David starts gathering choice material for God’s house, the temple which Solomon will build. David has the vision for the work, but he is prohibited from building it because he has been a man of war. Lots of bloodshed has come during his reign, and God wants a man of peace to build His house. Still David has the desire to build it.
One especially significant observation. Do you remember about David’s great sin of adultery with Bathsheba and then his setting up of her husband to be killed? (It was murder, really). Such an abomination to God and to us. II Samuel 11 covers this episode in detail.
However, in detailing David’s life in I Chronicles, none of that is mentioned. In fact, God goes on to crown Bathsheba’s son as king.
Wouldn’t those incidents be important in detailing history?
There is a reason for this omission. I believe that the record omits it because of God’s complete forgiveness. In Psalm 103:12 David says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
David repented completely, and his transgression has been stricken from the record of God.
What a loving God we have! He has removed our transgressions from us completely. Such an incredible Father we have.
All of us have things we have done or said which we wish we could have a re-do on. We can’t take them back, really. Once something is said or done, that’s final. However, through true repentance, our Father removes that sin from us. He totally forgives us, restores us, and puts us back in the game.
I praise Him for giving me a clean slate everyday. Every morning is new, signifying a fresh start. Today, I’m going to do it better than yesterday. In the meantime, He is not holding yesterday against me, when I am reaching for higher ground.
John 8: 28-59
Jesus makes the Pharisees so mad they pick up stones to throw at Him. That’s pretty mad!
He is contrasting the truth, as it comes from God, and lies as they come from the devil. He says to these religious leaders that their father is the devil, since they only hear the lies from him.
What an indictment, when these leaders think that they are God’s men. They are so deceived that they don’t even realize how far off they are.
From the first times of the Word, prophets have been talking about the Messiah who will one day come. These leaders jesus encounters are supposedly students of the Word, and they have not only missed recognizing the Messiah, but they have actively hated and persecuted Him. What a travesty!
Actually these men have taken the Word of God and used it for their own gain. They have held themselves in high honor, and have used the letter of the Law to control the people who look up to them. The Word was never intended for that purpose.
Now the Messiah, about which the Word teaches, has arrived. He is full of grace and truth, teaching the truth that will set people free – from sin and from bondage of every kind. The hard-hearted ones don’t understand it.
The hard-hearted ones never do. They don’t in our day.
Today there are those who are supposed to know what the Word says, who use it for their own gain. They force rules and regulations upon the people, discouraging them and beating them down. In doing so, they lift themselves up to a higher plane.
The truth which Jesus preaches is that He is going to pay the price for sin and empower His people to overcome sin.
Don’t get me wrong. Jesus doesn’t say to go ahead and live a life of sin. He doesn’t want His people continuing in sin, because He gives them the power to overcome it.
That power He gives is the Holy Spirit living inside of men. His Holy Spirit which will lead and guide from within their hearts – and give them the ability to overcome the sin which tries to come upon them.
I am so thankful for His Spirit. He comforts, guides, teaches, corrects, and empowers so that we can live our lives for Jesus.
That’s the truth which sets men free. That’s the truth which Jesus brought to the earth!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I Chronicles 16-18
In these passages we get a glimpse into the heart of David. He is so special to God, we can gain wisdom by observing his behavior.
David is obviously elated to have God’s ark back in Jerusalem. He erects a tent for the ark to remain and then he assigns people to minister around the ark 24-7 – never leaving it unattended.
First David assigns Asaph and his relatives, first class musicians and praisers to sing and pray continually. Then, Obed-edom (who gets rewarded for keeping the ark those three months) and his relatives to be gatekeepers – making sure the ark is protected. Zadok and his relatives are designated priests to offer burnt offerings morning and evening, and another group, including Heman and Jeduthun, are selected and furnished with trumpets and cymbals to give continual thanks to God.
Do you think that David respects the ark? God’s presence? I think so!
Think of all the continual activity he establishes around the ark. Praise, worship, prayer, burnt offerings, and gatekeepers. Continuous honor going to God who is the God of Israel. This unprecedenteddemonstration shows a king whose heart is truly towards his God.
The king actually wants to build God a house, but is denied that privilege. Yet he goes in a sits before the Lord and says, “Who am I , O Lord God, and what is my house that Thou hast brought me this far?”(17:6)
What a humble spirit. By this time in his kingship, Saul had been trying to take on the priestly responsibilities as well as his own. He was very presumptuous. Not David. David’s desire always is to worship his God with a whole heart.
In chapter 18, twice it is recorded: “And the Lord helped David wherever he went.” (6 and 13) This man had quite a relationship with God!
With the Holy Spirit living on the inside of us, we have an even greater ability to have that relationship.
John 7:28-53
The atmosphere is really stirred up around Jesus. Some in the crowds are believing in Him because of the miracles. Yet the same miracles make the Pharisees nervous – their power is being threatened by this Jesus.
Just when the emotions are high, Jesus raises it a notch. He stands up in the temple and says, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture said, From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.”(V.37-38).
This is getting heavy; the divisions are increasing. Most have no idea about what He is saying, many doubt, but some believe.
John’s explanation is terrific, but it’s really understood only after Jesus has accomplished His earthly mission. “But this was spoken of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”(V.39)
Only those cleansed by the blood of Jesus would be able to receive the Spirit, so nobody standing there had received Him yet. Later, many of the words of Jesus would come into clarity – after the Holy Spirit had come. There would then be many ah ha moments.”Oh, that’s what he meant!”
Today there are some who have acknowledged Jesus, because they thought they were “supposed to.” When the heart is not in it, then the person isn’t born again, and that person still can’t understand the words of Jesus. It takes God’s Holy Spirit – that Living Water – to explain God’s Word.
I pray that we will continue to go deeper into God’s plan and purpose. I pray that the Word will be so alive to you and me that we understand all that the Lord desires. I pray that His Words will be alive in us.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I Chronicles 4-6
We see something here. As all of the names are listed, we stop at one: Jabez. Remember the book, The Prayer of Jabez? A few years ago, many were reading this little book – all based on two verses – I Chronicles 4:9-10.
Doesn’t it astound you as you are reading, that one man gets so much attention? I am reminded of the verse in II Chronicles 16:9 “Now the eyes of the Lord move to and from throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”
Jabez stands out from the crowd, because his heart is completely the Lord’s. He is a true believer in the midst of the crowd, “more honorable than his brothers.” (4:9)
When he calls upon the Lord, “Oh that Thy hand wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my border. and that Thy hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldst keep me from harm, that it may not pain me.” (4:10), the Lord grants his request.
That’s our Father. He doesn’t just look at the crowd; He looks at the individual. We may be in the middle of a crowd of scoundrels, but if our hearts are truly His – and if we have the nerve to believe Him, we will certainly see our prayers being answered.
It makes you want to dig in more to be closer to Him, doesn’t it? Do you want to be like Jabez – to have your borders enlarged and God’s hand with you?
I want that. I want to stand out from the crowd – not for men to see me, but for God to notice me. And He does indeed notice each person who is committed to Him.
John 6: 1-21
The supply is sufficient.
We see once more this story of multiplication. As the crowd of five thousand men (plus women and children) need food, Jesus takes the five loaves of bread and two fish and He divides them up for the crowd. Amazingly all are fed and there are twelve baskets left over.
Twelve baskets full remain – for the twelve disciples. I think He is saying something here.
Of course, we have the miracle of multiplication for the crowd, but there’s more. After their ministry of feeding the crowd, each disciple has a basketful left over.
He is saying that when we take His Word and break it to share with others, there is plenty left over for ourselves. As we meet the needs of others, our needs will be met. As we pray for others, our prayers will be answered. As we share the Word, our understanding will be increased.
It is a privilege to share with others whatever we have available – whether it is food, or prayer , or the Word – whatever we have. And as we share, we know that our needs will be met also. He is looking out for us.
“Give and it shall be given unto you – good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over.”(Luke 6:38)
That’s the Lord’s way of doing things. Makes me want to be a giver!
