by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Psalms 7-9
As we read Psalm 8, we can see David out in the field with his sheep, looking around him at God’s magnificent handiwork. “What is man that Thou art mindful of him? Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than God”(8:4-5).
David has a remarkable understanding of man’s place in God’s plan. “Thou dost make him to rule over the works of Thy hands.”(8:6). While many people of that era consider God to be running the earth as if men were puppets, David grasps the divine plan of man’s purpose. Dominion on the earth.
One of the verses was quoted by Jesus with a different twist. (Matthew 21:16) “From the mouths of infants and nursing babes, Thou hast established strength, because of the adversaries, to make the enemy and vengeful cease.”(8:2) Instead of the word “strength,” however, Jesus substitutes “praise.” So praise is the strength we have to stop the enemy in our lives.
There is a power in praise unto God which is beyond our understanding. When we praise God, our own strength arises. Yet there is more. When we praise God, the enemies flee from around us. They hate to hear that praise. It’s like salt on a wound.
You will continue to see David use that weapon of war. He praises God for being his stronghold in times of trouble. He praises Him for his handiwork. He praises Him for His mercy and forgiveness.
If we follow in David’s footsteps, our lives would be better off. We too would reap the fruit of a life filled with praise to God. Mercy, protection, and divine deliverance.
Acts 18
Paul gains reinforcements as he continues in eastern Europe. Aquila and Priscilla had been sent away from Rome, so they came to reside in Corinth. That’s where Paul met them and started ministering with them. This couple will continue to be helpful to Paul for many years. Since they are tent-makers, as he is, Paul lives with them for a season.
Even though there is some resistance, God speaks to Paul and tells him to stay in Corinth for a while. “For I have many people in this city,”says God. (V. 10). So Paul settles there for a year and a half, which is unusual for this man who is always on the move.
When the Roman official won’t get involved in persecuting Paul, the Jews publicly beat the leader of the synagogue. That’s when it’s time for Paul to leave.
So the gospel continues to be spread – now to Ephesus. These people want Paul to stay and instruct them, but he can’t at the moment. He plans to return, but must first go back to his region for reporting on his work.
Along the way, he also picks up a fellow worker, Apollos. This eloquent man is “mighty in scriptures,”(V. 24), but he doesn’t know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. When Priscilla and Aquila share this aspect also, he is empowered to be even more of an evangelist.
The troops are gaining in number and in power. Look out, world, changes are coming!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Job 34-37
Our young friend, Elihu, is on a roll and he continues to let everybody in on what he thinks. He is getting a little cocky, as he says, “For truly my words are not false; one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.” (36:4) So Elihu thinks his reasoning surpasses them all.
Certainly this young man hits upon some truth as he exclaims the magnificence of our God. Our Creator is truly mighty and above reproach.
However, the big missing piece in all of the dissertations is evident to us on this side of the cross. God is credited or blamed with everything. There is no knowledge of the devil and his workings in the earth.
The full disclosing of Satan and his work wouldn’t be given until man would be able to deal with him. (And that would not come until man could be born again – after the resurrection of Jesus).
So Elihu is like his neighbors in that he thinks God is controlling everything, good or bad, that happens on the earth.
It’s time we hear from our Creator, Himself. We will tomorrow.
Acts 15
Today we encounter one of the greatest controversies in all of Christianity. The difference between the law and grace.
Until Jesus came and man could be born again, the Jewish law reigned supreme. The Jews were cultivated all of those years to protect the law and live by it. Not only the ten commandments, but the law of circumcision, and sundry laws which affected every area of life were given by God to protect His special people and keep them cognizant of His nature and His holiness.
Now all of a sudden, the rules change in a dramatic way. This is a difficult time for the Pharisees who have prided themselves on keeping the law. These Jewish leaders agree that the gentiles now have the benefit of the covenant with God, but they think that the new believers have to be circumcised.
When the council of elders meet, the men share their testimonies. Peter reminds everyone of how the Holy Spirit fell on the centurion and his family, with no mention of circumcision. The others share also, and the decision is made. Circumcision will no longer be a requirement. There will be very few requirements of the law for the Gentiles who believe.
The argument concerning the law versus grace is still troubling people today. Through the blood of Jesus we now have a righteousness based on grace and not works. Many misunderstand this. There are some who believe that outward dress and appearance are necessary to live a holy life. That’s not true. Others believe that grace means you can live a totally ungodly life and still be “okay” because of the blood of Jesus. That’s certainly not true either.
Because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, we now have the opportunity to be born again. Our spirits can now come alive, a condition that was not available to people since the fall of God’s first man. Through this miracle of rebirth, we now have the very nature of our God living on the inside of us – leading us, guiding us, and empowering us to do His will.
This is the life of grace. So what does it mean? It means that we are not bound by the law, but our standard is higher than the law. Under the law, we shouldn’t commit adultery. Under grace, we won’t even lust after another’s wife or husband (Matthew 5:28). Under the law, we were not to kill. Under grace, we won’t even hate others. (Matthew 5:21)
Our lives under grace are such that we are walking as one with our God, our lives totally committed to Him and His will. Now we can live as we couldn’t before. Now we can understand mysteries as we couldn’t before. Now we can benefit from His love and mercy – and extend it to others, as never before.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Job 32-33
Elihu speaks up. He is younger than Job and all of the other friends, so he has waited to speak. He wants to hear what the others would say, and besides that, he’s shy. However, he can refrain himself no longer. With the zeal of a teenager, he lets them all “have it.”
Elihu is angry with Job because he justifies himself before God, and he is angry with the friends because they are condemning Job. Nobody is pleasing him.
To Job, he says, “I have heard the sound of your words: ‘I am pure; without transgression.'” And he continues, “Behold let me tell you, you are not right in this, for God is greater than man.”
It’s refreshing when you see young people spout their zeal. Sometimes there is some confusion, and not the wisdom which will come later, but when the young have pure hearts, they always take up for God.
There is an idealism in devout young men that you often don’t see in older ones. They are ready to believe that God is really who He says He is. Nothing is impossible with Him.
I like that! I pray that we will keep that attitude – or recover it – all the days of our lives.
Acts 14
Faithful and unstoppable! Those are two words which describe Paul.
As Paul and Barnabas are introducing the gospel to the Jews and Gentiles who live in Asia, they encounter a man who has been lame from his mother’s womb. Seeing his faith, Paul commands him to rise and walk, and of course, he does. Paul is acting with his faithfulness to the Lord.
It’s amazing to see what happens after such notable miracles take place. At first the crowds think the apostles are gods, and start bringing sacrifices. But a short time later, they get stirred up by the Jews, and stone Paul, dragging him out of the city (supposing him to be dead). “But while the disciples stood around him, he arose and entered the city.”(V.20). Truly unstoppable.
Paul is a powerful man of God. He gets stoned or beaten and gets right back up and goes again. If he had been stoned enough to be supposed dead, he had to be badly beaten, but his condition didn’t stop him. (Actually, I’m quite sure that some divine healing was taking place there also).
As is usual for him, instead of soliciting pity, Paul is busy thinking about strengthening the souls who had just committed to the Lord. He wants to leave them in a strong state, so he appoints elders and gives them encouraging words before leaving the territory.
Finally, as the disciples arrive back at Antioch, they gather the church together and share “all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.”(V.27)
As we study the life of Paul in the New Testament, we see this trait many times. He emphasizes what God is doing – not what the enemy is doing. Many of us would have gathered the church together to whine about the stoning or the hard days of travel. Not Paul. He always emphasizes God and not man or the devil.
I want to emulate that characteristic in my life. Every day we have the opportunity to focus on what God is doing – or focus on what the devil is doing. I want to focus on the former. When we keep our eyes on our God – and not the problems we face, our faith stays high – and so does our morale.
Paul is such an excellent example for all of us. I want to be more like him. For that matter, I want to be more like Jesus! I know that you do, too.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Job 28-29
Wow! Job is getting somewhere. After all of the babbling he and his friends have undertaken, he is lighting on some truth here.
Where does wisdom come from? You can’t mine for it as you would gold, silver, or precious stones. You can’t find it in the ocean or rivers. You can’t buy it. It’s value is higher than anything you might encounter.
Wisdom is only with God. He sees everything that goes on. And he understands all that He has set in order.
“And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.'”(28:28).
Job has had endurance and patience. Now he is showing humility. This man is realizing that it is God who had blessed his life before, and not himself. He is also realizing that there has to be a fear, or reverence, of the Lord for any wisdom to come at all.
Today this is true, just as it was then. There are many who are trying to find wisdom in their own pursuits and with their own minds. They shoot to this thought and that, bouncing about in their reasoning. Very often their basic premises are wrong, so all the precepts they build on the premises are wrong also.
The only true foundation for building our belief system is the fear of the Lord. And today, that foundation is found in God’s Word.
Acts 13:1-43
Have you noticed that when the Jews are introducing Jesus to new people they start with history?
It’s interesting to me that Peter, Stephen, and Paul use the same method. They recite all of the Jewish history from the time of Abraham – through Egypt, the wilderness, the kings, and all the way up to Jesus. It’s because the Jewish people were taught their history with God from the time they were young. When Jesus was put into context of their history, the Jews began to see how He was the true Messiah they had been awaiting.
I think that in our own lives, we would encourage each other and ourselves if we could keep our history in the forefront of our thoughts. It’s good to remember the history of the Word, of course, but also our personal history.
In each of our lives, we have a history with Jesus. There have been times when He has protected us from danger. Or supplied our needs supernaturally. Or healed us. Or given us a dream or vision. Or spoken a word of direction deep within our spirits.
There are many ways that our God has interacted with our lives, and it’s important to remember them.
I have a journal. It’s rather random in what it contains. Sometimes a Word he has spoken to me personally. Sometimes a prayer that he has answered. Or maybe a scripture he has given me when I needed encouragement.
Those special moments of interaction, when kept in high regard, can keep us bold in our faith and encourage us toward our vision. That’s one of the ways our God uses to propel us toward the mark, even when circumstances look difficult.
Our God is a faithful God and He is a God who reacts to our faith. So when we continually build ourselves up on our faith, we are moving closer to our goal all the time.
So let’s be “story keepers.” That is, keepers of our own stories with Him. Story keepers are faith keepers!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Job 25-27
Bildad expresses his opinion that no man is “right ” before God, and greatly offends Job. Our protagonist wants to feel that he is right before God. He has lived his life trying to accomplish his own righteousness, and he can’t understand anyone suggesting that he hasn’t succeeded.
The Holy Spirit, through Paul, addresses this concept in Romans 10:2-3. “For I bear them witness that they had a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.” In this passage, He is speaking of the Jews. Yet the same could be applied to Job.
Job wanted to feel that he was righteous, yet no man is righteous based on his own works. Not then; not now. Our righteousness is a gift from God, which can only come through Jesus, so before that time a man couldn’t claim to be so.
Of course, Job didn’t know that, so he continues to try to prove that he is a “good” man.
Acts 12
Peter has a surreal experience. Locked up securely in jail – sleeping between two soldiers and bound with two chains – the angels wake him up, loose the chains and lead him out of prison. The moment is so surreal he thinks he is dreaming…right up until the moment the iron gate into the city opens by itself.
When he “comes to his senses,” Peter realizes that this is not a dream, but reality. Wow.
Now let’s take a look at the next part of this and see if you can identify. He goes to the house where his friends are praying (for him to get out). Yet when the girl, Rhoda, opens the door and announces his presence, the prayer warriors say, “You’re out of your mind!” It must be his angel.
I have had God answer prayers in such a dramatic way that it was hard to believe. Have you? Well, we’d better get ready. He is in the prayer-answering business, and if we really believe Him, we will even see more than what we have seen so far.
It’s time for us to take our limits off of what our God can do. After all, He is the Creator of the universe, and He can accomplish whatever needs to be accomplished.
It’s time for us to believe for miracles. Just because we haven’t seen it done before, doesn’t mean that He won’t do it.
I am convinced that if we can truly believe him and trust Him, we will see mighty acts of mercy showering down.
Are you ready?
