Week 22 - Day 6

Psalm 119:17-56

*Click here to read this passage:

Psalm 119:17-56 YouVersion(NIV)

“Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. 

Turn my eyes away from worthless things.”

These verses pounded on my heart quite a bit.  Here is why in a nutshell - a silly story of my stupidity, but also what I’m learning from my attitude:

While doing laundry yesterday I was holding the basket full of dirty clothes against my hip holding onto it with one hand ready to take it downstairs and my phone in the other hand.  My youngest daughter who just turned two was coming downstairs with me and needed to hold my hand down the stairs.  So I laid my phone on top of the dirty clothes in the basket in order to hold her hand.  Of course by the time I got down the stairs my completely distracted and loopy brain forgot all about the phone and in the washer it went with the dirty clothes.  To say that I was completely bummed and stressed out over this event would be an understatement!

But then I got really humbled thinking about just how spoiled and selfish I am.  I thought about the team of people I know who are in Myanmar right now and the orphans they are with.  Then this verse … “Turn my eyes away from worthless things.”  That is my prayer.  Lord, help me to keep my eyes on what really matters and not be consumed by selfish desires. 

Sometimes I like to read scriptures in different translations, which I did today since it was a shorter reading.  Here is a section from The Message translation of Psalm 119 that also really struck me:

“Barricade the road that goes Nowhere; grace me with your clear revelation.  I choose the true road to Somewhere.  I post your road signs at every curve and corner.  I grasp and cling to whatever you tell me.”

Week 22 - Day 5

Nehemiah 11-13; Psalm 119:9-16

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Nehemiah 11-13 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 119:9-16 YouVersion(NIV)

“How can a young man keep his way pure? 

                          By living according to your word.

I seek you with all my heart;

                          Do not let me stray from your commands.

I have hidden your word in my heart

                  That I might not sin against you.”   Psalm 119:9-11

We come to the end of the book of Nehemiah today, and instead of it ending with the great celebration and awesome worship service with two massive choirs in chapter 12, it ends with chapter 13, which shows that the Israelites have once again become indifferent when it comes to following God’s word.  They had wept at hearing God’s word, they had promised to follow it, but they did not allow it to transform their hearts and lives.

“How can a young man keep his way pure?”  This made me think about all the challenges young people, such as middle school, high school, and college age students, face in our society today.  There are so many things that go the opposite way of the Lord, and there is a lot of ridicule for those who do follow the Lord.  The key given in the psalms is to hide His word in your heart. 

I can definitely say in my own walk with the Lord that the times that I am reading my Bible more is when I am closer to God.  The more time I spend in the Word, the more I hear His voice.  I love how scriptures will come to my mind when I need them, whether to help me stay away from sinning, or to give me strength or patience or hope when I need it. 

Our lives will reflect what we fill our heart with.  “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.  For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Luke 6:45)

Week 22 - Day 4

Nehemiah 8-10; Psalm 119:1-8

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Nehemiah 8-10 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 119:1-8 YouVersion(NIV)

What a revival!  Chapters 8-10 in Nehemiah play out such a cool scene that all starts with worship.  Ezra opens the Book of the Law and praises the Lord, and it says, “and all the people lifted their hands and responded, ‘Amen! Amen!’  Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”

Ezra begins reading the Book of the Law, and this goes on for hours! But the people, instead of falling asleep or complaining about being hot or cold or hungry or thirsty or tired or bored, they listened intently.  And as he continued to read the people began to weep.  Nehemiah tells them not to mourn or weep, “For the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 

This reminded me of the first time I saw the movie The Passion of The Christ.  I was in college, and several of us went to the theater to see it as soon as it came out.  After it was over the entire theater was silent except for the sound of people crying.  I was crying for several reasons, one of which was just being overwhelmed by His love and mercy, but also because of guilt for my sin that caused Jesus to go through that pain and torture.  A friend of mine looked over at me and said, “Why are you crying? He won! He rose from the grave!”

At the time I couldn’t get my head around her point of view!  How could I not be sad after watching what He went through and knowing that He did it for me?  But I know that His amazing merciful plan is something to celebrate.  Just as I know that He doesn’t want us to hold on to our guilt, but to accept His forgiveness, and follow Him with our whole heart. 

Nehemiah is helping the Israelites see that it was time to move past the guilt and on to a life devoted to following Him.      

Week 22 - Day 3

Nehemiah 4-7: Psalm 118

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Nehemiah 4-7 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 118 YouVersion(NIV)

So the wall was completed in 52 days.

What everyone around them laughed at and said they could never do and then tried over and over to stop, they completed in 52 days with the help of God.  It says they worked at it with all their heart.  It was their life.  It was hard work, it took sacrifice, and it was risky.  But it was what God wanted them to do.  He equipped them and He protected them.

I once again love the faithful, prayerful leadership of Nehemiah.  In chapter 6 he says of their enemies surrounding them, “They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.’  But I prayed, ‘Now strengthen my hands.”

As I was reading the psalm today with Nehemiah on my mind, I could imagine the words of it coming from him and the Israelites at this time.

“The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?”

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.”

 “I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me.  The Lord is my strength and my song.”

Week 22 - Day 2

Nehemiah 1-3; Psalm 117

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Nehemiah 1-3 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 117 YouVersion(NIV)

I forget how much I love the book of Nehemiah.  It is one of those books that makes you want to get up and do something.  A book that shows a great leader and the difference one person can make when they seek God, trust in His vision, and take action.

A few things that stood out for me…

~“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept.  For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”

God will put things in our heart that move us, and it is for a reason – so we will do something to change it.  I also take heart to the phrase “for some days” because it shows that Nehemiah was persistent in his prayers and had to wait on the Lord for the vision.

~Nehemiah is a man of God and a man of prayer.  When he prayed he praised God, he confessed sin, he used scripture and claimed God’s promises, and he asked for God’s help.  I also love in chapter 2 verse 4 when the king asks Nehemiah, “What is it you want?”, it says, “Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king.”  He was prayerful at all times and sought God’s guidance in each moment.

~”I was cupbearer to the king.” This last sentence in chapter 1 is almost like an afterthought.  It might not seem that important, but it shows that Nehemiah was very high up, basically second to the emperor himself.  It also shows his selflessness because he risked everything by asking the king to leave to help Jerusalem.

~He rallies the people and organizes every family so that everyone is a player in getting the job done, and they begin the work. 

~To ridicule he responds with faith, “The God of heaven will give us success.”

To sum it up, I love this quote about Nehemiah: “He did not act without prayer, and he did not pray without acting.”  This gets my heart fired up!

  

Week 22 - Day 1

Ezra 8-10; Psalm 116

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Ezra 8-10 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 116 YouVersion(NIV)

“I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.  Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath.” (Psalm 116:1-2 NLT)

I love the visual of the Lord bending down to listen … He not only hears my prayers, but He comes close.  As the apostle Paul says in Acts, “He is not far from any one of us.”

How often do I pray, Lord, please, help.  When the help I’m expecting doesn’t happen right away it is easy to think He’s not there or He’s not answering or caring.  It is easy to feel consumed by the struggles that surround. 

To be real, the past couple weeks have been a struggle because of some issues one of our children is going through.  I’ve been praying for help but still feeling somewhat left alone with the problem.  Today I prayed Lord, please, I just need one good day.

Then when reading my Bible He shows me again that He is close and He is listening.  And I read, “Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.”  I had prayed that I needed a good day, and He brought peace back to my soul and reminded me that my days are full of goodness. 

And then maybe my favorite part from Psalm 116 – “And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth!”   And that is all I really need – His presence.   

Week 21 - Day 6

Ezra 5-7; Psalm 115

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Ezra 5-7 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 115 YouVersion(NIV)

This verse from Psalm 115 grabbed me today: “Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them” (Verse 8).  This is talking about people who trust in idols they make out of silver and gold. 

They have mouths but can’t speak, eyes but can’t see, ears but can’t hear, noses but can’t smell, hands but can’t feel, and feet but can’t walk.  This is at first describing the lifeless worthless idols, but then it says that it also describes those who trust in them.  People who are basically empty with no purpose. 

But life in Christ is to truly live!  In Him life has meaning.  In Him life has purpose. 

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Week 21 - Day 5

Ezra 1-4; Psalm 114

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Ezra 1-4 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 114 YouVersion(NIV)

Ezra who is also believed to have been the writer of 1 and 2 Chronicles describes the return of the exiles back to Jerusalem and Judah, and then he describes the rebuilding of the altar and the temple.  It seems the people are getting back on track to serving the Lord and following His ways.

Whenever you are doing God’s work, however, there will always be opposition.  First their enemies offered to help, but as I read in the commentary in my Bible, their claim to “seek” the Lord was deceptive because they also worshiped pagan gods.  So if they would have been allowed to join in with the Israelites it would have caused problems.  Then it says, “The peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.  They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans.”  Deceived … discouraged … made afraid … frustrated.  Then finally official power was used against them to try to stop them.

Opposition can come at you from every different direction and in every possible way imaginable, but if you can cling to God and determine to follow Him no matter what, it is all worth it in the end.

“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.  He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:5-6

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

Week 21 - Day 4

2 Chronicles 33-36

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2 Chronicles 33-36 YouVersion(NIV)

“The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place.” (36:15)

I feel like there seems to be a theme in my reflections this week of what God is teaching me.  “Again and again” … I’ve thought about how the Israelites needed to be reminded again and again of the importance of following God and relying on Him completely.  I’ve thought about how it was because of His great love for them that he warned them again and again .  I’ve thought about the different pictures in the Bible being used again and again to show us what is important to God, such as lifting up the poor and broken and treating them as princes.

But today … I’m asking God to open my eyes to what He is trying to tell me.  Is there something that I’m ignoring or that I keep forgetting that He has to keep telling me again and again?   

Week 21 - Day 3

2 Chronicles 30-32; Psalm 113

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2 Chronicles 30-32 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 113 YouVersion(NIV)

Today is one of those days I have a lot of things from the scriptures to reflect on.

~King Hezekiah’s letters sent to all Israel and Judah – He says to return to the Lord so that he may return to them.  “He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”

God does not turn his face when someone comes to him no matter what they’ve done.  I feel like sometimes Christians and churches turn their faces away from people who are far from God.  They are not accepted and even pushed away at times.  But how can one who is far from God come near to Him when the people of God turn their faces from them?  We are to love as God loves and forgive as God forgives.

~The Israelites in Jerusalem celebrated the Passover for 14 days, and when it was over they went out throughout Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh and destroyed the items there for pagan worship –

This had me once again thinking about the Church and how beautiful it is when it works the way it should.  When they were done gathering together they went their separate ways back to their individual worlds and tore down the barriers keeping people from worshiping the one true God.  They lived out their faith.  I love what a guy said who just got baptized the other day at our church – he said, “I don’t want people to just see me in church; I want them to see the church in me.”

~Sennacherib, the king of Assyria’s lie sounded just like Satan, the father of lies –

He tried to make the Israelites doubt God, and Satan does this all the time.  Is God really there?  Is He really different than all the other gods people believe in?  Do you really think He can save you from this?  But God always gets the victory over Satan!  Sennacherib and the Assyrian army were annihilated, and Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem were saved.  It says that God took care of them on every side.  Don’t listen to the lies; trust in the one who has the victory!

~Then finally from the Psalm today –

It was just in yesterday’s post that I was thinking about how certain things are repeated in the Bible over and over.  There is a picture in Psalm 113 that is one of those things that shows up again and again in the Bible, and it is one I love: “He raises the poor from the dust…he seats them with princes.”  This is what I want my life to be all about…

Week 21 - Day 2

2 Chronicles 27-29; Psalm 112

*Click here to read these passages:

2 Chronicles 27-29 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 112 YouVersion(NIV)

I have to admit that I had a little trouble focusing on the reading in Chronicles today.  At this point, especially after reading through 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings, it feels like it is the same story over and over again.  But whenever something is repeated a lot in the Bible I think it is important to take notice of that.  All scripture is God-breathed … so if a certain theme or story or lesson is repeated many times, it must be important to God. 

The same stories of kings who did or did not follow the ways of the Lord and in turn either were or were not blessed by the Lord needed to get through to the remaining Israelites so that history would not keep repeating itself.  The same message is even in the psalm today.

“Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands.” 

“Even in darkness light dawns for the upright.”
“The longings of the wicked will come to nothing.”

Just like a parent and a child … we will keep reminding our children of our expectations and keep teaching them the same thing over and over so they will choose the right path.  We reward them when they do, and there are consequences for when they don’t.  Parents want their children to trust in their teachings and choose the right path.  Parents also love being able to give their children rewards. 

God is the same way.  He wants us to trust Him and to choose the path, however narrow it may be, to follow Him.  He wants to save us from a life apart from Him that is full of darkness and instead to be filled with His love and goodness.

Week 21 - Day 1

2 Chronicles 24-26; Psalm 111

**If you are following along on this blog with me and you call One Life Church your church home, I wanted to let you know that I will also be participating in the reading of Acts for the next 30 days, and I encourage you to do the same.  I will also be sticking with my commitment to the Bible Thirsty year plan through the week.  Instead of adding one chapter of Acts each day, I will be reading the book of Acts in larger sections on Saturdays, which are my day 7, for the next 4 weeks.  Then I will read it again when it falls in the yearly plan**

~Click here to read today's passages:

2 Chronicles 24-26 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 111 YouVersion(NIV)

 The wording of the last verse of the psalm today got me thinking about wisdom and understanding.  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding.” 

So often I pray for wisdom, and this was a good reminder that the most important thing in seeking wisdom and understanding is staying in reverent awe of the Lord.  It also says that those who follow His ways have good understanding.  God lets us know what we need to know when we need to know it. 

Sometimes things don’t seem to make sense and understanding is hard to come by.  This is when I cling to my favorite verses: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Week 20 - Day 6

2 Chronicles 20-23; Psalm 110

*Click here to read these passages:

2 Chronicles 20-23 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 110 YouVersion(NIV)

A look at Jehoshaphat ~ yet another great leader who we can learn from

~He knew education was imperative – back in chapter 17 it says that in his third year as king he sent his officials to teach in the towns of Judah.  “They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the Lord; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.”

~He was resolved to inquire of the Lord – “But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, ‘First seek the counsel of the Lord.” (18:4).  “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.” (20:3).  I like the word ‘resolved’ used here – firmly determined to seek and trust the Lord.

~He united the people – “The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.” (20:4).  He was wise in realizing that the people of God needed to be united in seeking and following God.  All God’s people – “All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.”

~He was a lead worshiper – First of all after praying to God while standing in front of the assembly of Judah, he was the first to bow with his face to the ground and worship.  And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord.  Then he appoints men to sing to the Lord in praise out at the head of the army.   They sang, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever,” and God delivered them and brought peace to the kingdom.    

 

Week 20 - Day 5

2 Chronicles 16-19; Psalm 109

*Click here to read these passages:

2 Chronicles 16-19 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 109 YouVersion(NIV)

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)

Asa was a good king who led a revival in the nation, but toward the end of his reign he began to lose sight of the one who was in control.  He made a deal with another king to help him with a problem.  God sends a prophet to tell him that he had done a foolish thing and that he would be at war from then on.  “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.” 

Later Asa is afflicted with a disease.  The Bible says, “Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians.”  He had become stubborn and kept trying to just figure things out on his own instead of seeking the one who would rescue him.

How often when faced with a problem do I try to solve it on my own?  How often do I look to many other sources first before I look to God? 

One of the worship leaders at my church said something recently that has stuck with me about laying down our burdens before the Lord – He never intended for us to carry them in the first place.  Yes, we will have burdens – that is guaranteed, but He wants to carry them for us.  He wants us to rely on Him fully.  He gave His life for us so that we could walk with Him.

“So at your cross I lay my burdens.

At your feet where your love covers all I’ve done.

Now I walk with You Lord.”

(Hillsong United – King of all Days)

      

Week 20 - Day 4

2 Chronicles 12-15; Psalm 108

*Click here to read these passages:

2 Chronicles 12-15 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 108 YouVersion(NIV)

What a story in 2 Chronicles 13!  You’ve got Abijah and an army of Judah against Jeroboam and an army of Israel that is twice their size.  Not only are they double in size, but they are also surrounding them from both the front and the back.  Abijah gives a speech about how God is with them and that they should not fight them because they would not succeed.  They did attack, and the men of Judah cried out to the Lord.  Verse 18 says, “The men of Israel were subdued on that occasion, and the men of Judah were victorious because they relied on the Lord, the God of their fathers.”

What is interesting is that Abijah was actually not a king that was considered as doing right in the eyes of the Lord.  Overall his heart was not devoted to following the Lord.  He only reigned for 3 years, whereas the kings who did right in the eyes of the Lord are associated with long reigns.  Asa, for example, who led a great revival and reform after Abijah, reigned for 41 years.  The books of Chronicles are meant to inspire and encourage the small group of God’s people who are left so the focus is not on the kings themselves, but what God did for the people when they were looking to Him.  Here at this battle they looked to the Lord as their leader and relied on Him, and even though they were outnumbered 2 to1 God gave them the victory.

“With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.” 

(Psalm 108:13)

Week 20 - Day 3

2 Chronicles 8-11; Psalm 107

*Click here to read these passages:

2 Chronicles 8-11 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 107 YouVersion(NIV)

I love the repeated pattern of God’s rescue found in Psalm 107 used to show God’s goodness and love.

The wanderers in the desert who are hungry and thirsty … He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.  He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

The prisoners suffering in chains … He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains.

The rebellious fools with self inflicted problems … He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.

The sea merchants caught in a storm … He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.  He guided them to their desired haven.

“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men.”

There is another important part to this pattern that should not go ignored.  In each example it says, “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.”

“Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord.”

Thinking today about the ways God has rescued me, about His goodness, and about His great love for me.  Also crying out to the Lord today for a certain friend on my heart who needs His rescue.

Week 20 - Day 2

2 Chronicles 5-7; Psalm 106

*Click here to read these passages:

2 Chronicles 5-7 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 106 YouVersion(NIV)

“When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.” 

(2 Chronicles 7:1)

I found myself thinking as I read this, wow – what it must have been like to have been there when the glory of the Lord came!  But then I kind of stopped and thought – wait a minute, we can experience the glory of the Lord.  Instead of dwelling in the Temple, because of the sacrifice of Jesus, He dwells in us.  Through the Holy Spirit living in us we can experience God’s presence, His guidance, His comfort, and His glory.  We are made to live in His glory and be changed by it.     

In Psalm 106: 19-21 it says, “At Horeb they [the Israelites] made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal.  They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass.  They forgot the God who saved them.”  The question is – what have I exchanged experiencing God’s glory for?  Is there anything in my life that has gotten in the way and caused me to forget that He lives in me?  Do I appreciate how wonderful and amazing it is that God dwells within me, as well as how great of a responsibility it is?  Am I reflecting the Lord’s glory?

 “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

(2 Corinthians 3:18)  

Week 20 - Day 1

2 Chronicles 1-4; Psalm 105

*Click here to read these passages:

2 Chronicles 1-4 YouVersion(NIV)

Psalm 105 YouVersion(NIV)

“Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.” (Psalm 105:4)

Solomon’s first official act as king is one of worship.  It says Solomon along with the whole assembly went to the tabernacle of the Lord, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar.  Then that night God appeared to Solomon and says, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”  Solomon asks God for wisdom and knowledge to lead God’s people.  God tells him that since his heart’s desire was for wisdom and knowledge instead of wealth, riches, or honor, it would be given to him.  God then says, “And I will give you wealth, riches, and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”

This reminds me of Jesus’ teaching at the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7.  Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (7:7).  He also says, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (6:33).

It says that God wants to give good gifts to us just as a father or mother wants to give good gifts to their children.  But He cares the most about our hearts.  He wants us to look to Him always and to seek Him first.  To truly seek Him first involves sacrifice on our part along the way, whether that is sacrificing our time, our finances, or maybe our need for control over everything.  But if we seek Him and our heart’s desire is to serve Him, then He gives us far more than we even ask for!