by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
II Chronicles 25-27
The torch is passed to Joash’s son, Amaziah, who starts out by trying to “do right in the sight of God.” He listens when a man of God warns him not to go to battle with the troops of Israel. And he wins the battle as he follows directions.
Yet he brings back the gods of the sons of Seir, sets them up, and begins to worship them. (It’s hard to figure some people out). Not only that, but no longer will he listen to the prophets.
So Amaziah challenges the king of Israel to war, and loses. Then all of the treasures are taken from the temple and carried off to Samaria.
Let’s see if Uzziah can get it right. This son of Amaziah replaces him when he is only 16 years old. Yay, it looks like he’s going to do well.
Uzziah reigns for 52 years. “And he continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him.” (26:5).
This king is industrious and innovative, building towers, cisterns, and establishing strong armies. “His fame spread afar, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.” (V.26:15).
Then immediately Uzziah becomes proud in his heart and falls into sin. So the end of his life is tragic: he dies as a leper.
How many times do we have to go through this routine before we get the message? Over and over, the kings start out determined that they are going to follow God. Then by the time they end their reign, they have turned away. Pride has brought them down.
So Jotham reigns for 16 years, and he follows the Lord. However, the roots of rebellion have already been sown, and the people “continue acting corruptly.”(27:2)
We could certainly learn some lessons from these historical accounts. It’s not how we start our walk as much as how we finish it. It’s easy to start out with lots of zeal, but we are in this walk with our God for the long haul.
I want to finish strong!
John 16
Jesus elaborates more on the Holy Spirit, and His mission when Jesus leaves. The words He shares with His disciples couldn’t possibly be understood by them at this moment. They don’t really know what is about to happen.
Remember, Jesus said earlier that the Holy Spirit would bring to remembrance the Words which He had spoken. For right now, their heads have to be spinning.
What? Where are you going? Why can’t we go?
Yet He offers comfort to them – and to us. “When He comes, the Spirit of Truth, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak ; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”(V.13)
Today, if we are Christians, we have this wonderful Holy Spirit of God living inside of us. He does indeed guide us into the truth. He explains to us the Word, and He shows us what we need to do. “It has been to our advantage for Jesus to have left” (V.7), because now we have the Holy Spirit for ourselves.
Now God loves us, just as He loves Jesus. The new dispensation of grace has been born into the world.
“If we ask the Father for anything, He will give it to us in Jesus’ name.” (V.23). “Ask, and you will receive that your joy may be made full.”(V. 24).
Do you believe those two verses? Do you believe that your prayers will be answered?
I believe that everything Jesus said was absolutely true! I believe that as we are in Jesus – and He in us – that what we ask will be according to His will. We won’t ask for evil; we will only ask for good. And those things will be given to us so that our joy may be made full.
Yes, Lord, I believe.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
II Chronicles 21-22
These kings just can’t seem to stay on track. Jehoshaphat has seen some terrific moments with God, yet in his last years, he allies with the king of Israel. The Word says, “He acted wickedly in so doing.”(20:35)
The high places had not been torn down, and when Jehoram, Jehoshaphat’s son takes the reigns, he reverts back to doing evil in God’s sight. He wants to be like the kings of Israel. (They must seem more sophisticated to him). The greatest abomination is that he marries the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, two of the most evil people in the Bible.
Jehoram slays all of his brothers so that he won’t have any competition. His days are numbered. He dies after eight years as king , departing “with no one’s regret.”(21:20)
Ahaziah, his son, rules in Jehoram’s place, but for only one year. He also walks in the counsel of Ahab and Jezebel, and is killed by Jehu.
So Athaliah, his mother takes over the kingdom. The daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, she is an incredibly wicked person. Athaliah kills every member of the royal family (including her own grandchildren).
Only one grandchild, Joash, is hidden from her sight so that he is safe during Athaliah’s reign.
When we look at Ahab and Jezebel we see the epitome of evil, and it’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to be like them. Yet the arrogance that goes with such evil, causes some to be swayed in that direction. Especially the young and foolish.
Today there are some incredibly evil people who project such confidence and sophistication, that they tend to lure others into their camp. There are those who want to look good to men, and they can be fooled.
When I look at Ahab and Jezebel, I see some of those influential people.
I pray that you and I won’t be fooled by such behavior. We will be those who are willing not to look so good to men, if that’s what it takes.
When my son was little, he had a Tee shirt that said: Any dead fish can float down stream. Go against the flow. I’ve always liked that concept, because unless we are willing to go against the flow, we will never be who God wants us to be.
It takes courage and determination to be willing to sometimes look foolish to the arrogant. But that’s our call. We are to please God rather than man.
As we are doing this, we are not alone. Of course, we have the Lord always with us. But also, there are many others just like you and me. Those who truly want their lives to be lived for Him.
John 14
There have been seasons in my life when I would read the next four chapters of John everyday. If you want to understand what it means to be a christian, this is a good place to start.
Jesus is preparing His disciples befroe he leaves. The dispensation is about to change, and He is giving them an introduction into the new life they are about to receive. It’s easier to understand when you have the Holy Spirit teaching you. (There must have been a lot of “huh’s?” that day).
There are so many powerful nuggets here.
- I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me. (V. 6)
- He who has seen me has seen the Father. (V. 9)
- He who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works shall he do; because I go to the Father. (V. 12)
- If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. (V. 14)
- In that day, you will know that I am in you and you in Me, and I in you. (V.20)
- If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our abode with him. (V. 23)
- The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things.( V. 26)
It’s clear that Jesus is introducing something new to these people. They are about to enter into a new life of relationship with the Father, which mankind has not known up until now.
He will be living in them, teaching them. They will be the representatives of God Himself on the earth. They will pray and have their prayers answered.
These new people will even do the works of Jesus.
Christianity has been so watered down over the years that it’s hard for some to see what this is saying. I pray that you and I see it.
To be a true, believing Christian is the most powerful position on earth. Men may never even see the power or know what you are doing. But you know and God knows.
In your secret place, as you pray and speak the Words God gives you to speak, you are representing Him on the earth. As you speak with boldness, the heavens and the earth will shake. The demonic forces will have to flee, and angels will come upon the scene.
Our prayers and declarations will make things happen in the earth!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Judges 13-15
What a tremendous attitude!
Monoah’s wife has been barren, but an angel comes to her and says that she is to have a son. She is not to drink strong drink nor to eat anything unclean. When the wife relays this to her husband, his only request is that an angel will show up and tell them how to raise this son.
No doubting. No questions about the certainty of this word. His faith is amazing in the back-slidden country of Monoah’s day.
So they give birth to Samson, a most unusual man. He is not to drink any strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing, nor cut his hair. He is to take a Nazarite vow. Sanctified to the Lord.
Yet Samson has some problems. He is often swayed by women, and he definitely has anger issues. And this is not someone you would want to be mad at you! When his wife tells her Philistine friends the answer to his riddle – an answer she had wooed him for, he kills all thirty of them.
Later, when he is captured and handed over to the Philistines, he loosens his binding ropes, finds a “fresh jawbone of a donkey,” and kills 1,000 with that jawbone. None of our present day super-heroes would match the strength of this man!
Like I said, however, he is easily swayed by women.
More to come tomorrow…
Luke 6
This chapter contains some of the most talked-about verses in all of the gospels.
My husband often says that if we would “do Luke 6,” our lives would be so fruitful. As he says that, he is focusing on v.27-28. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
As we counsel people, one of the biggest problems is how they are dealing with hurtful people in their lives. Sometimes these are co-workers, sometimes family members, sometimes even spouses who are not saved.
When someone is mistreated, the natural inclination is to fight back. But we are not natural people. We have to have a higher standard than those who don’t know Jesus.
There’s a secret here. When we fight back against those who do us harm, we are assuming the responsibility for our own defense. When we obey the commands of Jesus in blessing, forgiving, and praying for those people, then God Himself takes on our defense.
I have seen this work so many times. I have seen those who were constantly wanting to bicker – and even falsely accuse – start seeking me out for prayer. I have seen those who mistreated me, suddenly want to be my friend. Not always have they wanted to be my friend. Yet I have never encountered someone who could persist in “meanness” when I have continued to return kindness for their evil.
The greatest joy has come when these people actually want to receive Jesus. Or, if they consider themselves christians already, want to have a closer walk with Him.
God’s way is always the best. When we walk in forgiveness and love, His favor is upon us. He opens doors for us. We are so aware of His presence.
There’s one more verse which is related…”Give and it shall be given unto you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you again.”(6:38).
You get to set the standard for your life. What you put out, will be what you get back. That works for finances, of course. It also works for your relationship with God, your understanding of the Word, the love you give and receive.
If we could all just get this! What a difference we would make in the world, if all the christians decided to truly live by this principle!
Lord, increase my ability to hear you and to obey. Let me truly be a light in the world, shining for You.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Joshua 19-21
The rest of the land gets divided, and all of the tribes are settled in their places.
“So the Lord gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it.
And the Lord gave them rest on every side, according to all that he had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hand.
Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.” (21:43-45)
What more can I say? Nothing, except that there are more declarations God has made to the world. Those, too , will come to pass.
His Word doesn’t fail.
Luke 2: 21-52
God always has His intercessors. While many of the church leaders were parading around in their priestly robes, trying to impress their subjects, God had some less significant people praying for His purpose.
Those intercessors were the ones who saw and recognized Jesus!
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, once said, “I am convinced that God does nothing on the earth, except in response to believing prayer.” When God’s ready to put a new piece of His puzzle in place, He first impresses upon the hearts of His true prayer warriors to pray for it.
That’s what we see in Simeon and Anna. Neither of them was a person of position or great honor, they were simple people. Both of them were advanced in years and both spent lots of time praying. It was to these two that God revealed the identity of Jesus.
Both of these people had seen in God’s Word that the Savior would come, and they were praying for it to happen. The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he wouldn’t see death until he had seen the Christ, and that’s exactly what took place.
The joy which comes from that man is evident as he recognizes Jesus and proclaims God’s Word. Overhearing these words, Anna agrees, and her joy exudes to others – the Savior has come.
God’s methodology hasn’t changed. There are many today who parade around in their pride and arrogance, ignoring God’s plan, and even discounting his Word.
Then there are others. There are those who love God and His Word, and who spend time praying for it to come to pass. Sometimes these people are unrecognized, even by those around them. But God knows what they are doing, and He is pleased.
Our world is in great need of awakening, and that’s a promise God has made to His people. As those who will believe God and allow Him to direct their prayers, rise up to their positions of prayer, we will see His plans come to fruition.
We have already begun to see trickles of it, but we will see more. We will see God move in the hearts of people, calling them to a greater life in Him.
Significant change is on the way.
I choose to be a part of His prayer team. Do you?
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Joshua 7-9
When there’s sin in the camp, God won’t be with you.
We talked yesterday about the significance of having the heart circumcised if we want to take our Promised Land. These Israelites had consecrated themselves, but there was one who didn’t take it seriously enough.
God had told the Jews not to take any of the spoils from Jericho. Yet Achan saw a beautiful Babylonian garment, some shekels of silver, and a bar of gold, and he just had to have them. So he took them and dug a hole to hide them in his tent. No one would ever know. Right?
Wrong. God knew and He was very displeased. He wanted obedience from His people, and He didn’t get it.
The next city to take was so small that they only needed a few hundred men to take it. So they went up against tiny Ai and were chased away. God was not with them, and they were defeated.
Of course, all of the Jews – including Joshua – were confused and dismayed, until the truth was revealed. Then the sin had to be dealt with – harshly.
There is a big lesson for us today. We sometimes think that “what no one knows” doesn’t matter. But that’s a wrong attitude. God always knows, and He is the important one.
You may say, well I am not stealing or committing adultery or indulging in drugs on the side. Well that’s good.
But what about unforgiveness! Are you holding a grudge against that guy who “did you wrong?” Or what about doubt and unbelief? Are you really believing and trusting in God? Then there’s pride. Do you think that you are better than someone else because of education, or social standing, or talent, or even your goodness?
These are the hidden sins – hidden in the tent of our hearts, where no one can see. Except God. And He’s the one who matters.
I find that my walk with God benefits by doing a cellar search every now and then. As we are worshipping God, it’s good to let Him take a good look and tell us what He finds. Then repent and ask for His grace to strengthen you in those weak areas.
We won’t get stoned in this day. Instead, if we really want to walk with Him, He will empower us to do better next time.
I am so thankful that we live in this day and on this side of the cross.
There is such joy when we live in true holiness, walking with our Lord and abiding in Him.
Luke 1:21-38
Remember yesterday we talked about words being important? Well today we have a whopper of an example.
After the word to Zacharias is fulfilled and Elizabeth is six months pregnant, the angel Gabriel appears to Mary. She is engaged to Joseph, and still a virgin.
As Gabriel speaks the Word of God and Mary accepts it, she becomes pregnant with the Son of God. I believe that the Word spoken is the actual seed of God planted in Mary’s womb. (Before you say that his is too Star Wars for you, think about it).
Jesus has said that the Word is like a seed, planted in the heart of man – to produce. When the Word is spoken to Mary, she says : “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your Word.”(v.38)
Her faith in God causes her to receive His Word and receive the promise.
He has made many promises to all of us. Not to give birth to the Savior, of course, but to give birth to other facets of His plan. He has promised awakening to many of us, as we have prayed for our territories.
Now what do we say? Do we say, “Be it done to us according to Thy word?’ I hope so. He wants to give birth to many parts of His plans and purposes – through us, as we believe and act on what He tells us.
Our God is mighty and His Word is mighty. If we believe Him when He speaks, we will see great and mighty things occur!
