July 19th One Year Bible Readings

1 Chronicles 28:1-29:30 ~ Romans 5:6-21 ~ Psalm 15:1-5 ~ Proverbs 19:18-19
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Old Testament - We finish up the book of First Chronicles today!  Second Chronicles begins tomorrow! Today's readings are a nice transition from the reign of King David to his son Solomon. 

Our readings today set the transition scene nicely in First Chronicles 28 verses 1 & 2: "David summoned all his officials to Jerusalem--the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of the twelve army divisions, the other generals and captains, the overseers of the royal property and livestock, the palace officials, the mighty men, and all the other warriors in the kingdom. David rose and stood before them and addressed them as follows: "My brothers and my people!""  One thing that really stood out to me in David's address to his officials today was his absolute passion for God's Temple!  David was so passionate about making sure the Temple was prepared for his son Solomon to build it.  Yes, true, God gave David the plans for the Temple. :) But... what about us in our lives today... does God give us any "plans" for our lives today?  What about the Bible?  Is the Bible a "plan" for our lives today that we should follow?  Below is an image from today's readings of David addressing his officials:

I love David's prayer of praise to God today in 1 Chronicles 29 verses 10 through 12: "O LORD, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever! Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Riches and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and it is at your discretion that people are made great and given strength."  Have you ever prayed a prayer of praise like this to God?  Would you like to?  You could do so right now!

New Testament - Wow... I don't know what it is about Romans this year, but it is speaking to me like never before.  For those of you that have gone through the One Year Bible multiple times, you probably know how this is.  One year a book will kinda sorta speak to you - God's Word always does.  And then the next year a book will just blow you away with its wisdom.  Romans is one of those books for me this year...  Paul's words in Romans 5 verses 6 through 8 today spoke to me right away: "When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, no one is likely to die for a good person, though someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."  This is so powerful to think about.  Jesus died for us sinners.  Think about how selfless this is. Would you die for someone right now?  Perhaps your family or maybe someone who is especially good, as this Psalm says.  But would you die for a liar, a thief, a cheat, or a hopeless addict?  Maybe so...  but probably not.  Jesus came for us.  He died for us.  Us thieves.  Us liars.  Us cheat.  Us addicts.  He came to save us!  Have you been saved by Jesus?

We are now called friends of God as Paul tells us in verse 11: "So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God--all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God."  Do you rejoice in knowing that you are a friend of God?  If someone were to look at how you interact with others and how you spend your time and your days, would they know that you are a friend of God?  Do you often spend quality time with God like you would with any other friend?  Do you think spending time with God is more valuable than anything else you could do in this world?

Paul's contrast of Adam and Jesus in today's readings is so powerful for us to meditate upon... Verses 18 & 19 stood out to me today: "Yes, Adam's one sin brought condemnation upon everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness makes all people right in God's sight and gives them life. Because one person disobeyed God, many people became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight."

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Romans titled "From the Curse to the Cure" is at this link.

Psalms - Psalm 15 verses 1 & 2 today are awesome: "Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts."  Psalm 15 was written for those that wished to have access to God in his Temple in Jerusalem.  However, I do believe that today, through Jesus, anyone can worship God anywhere - in a church or in our homes or wherever we find ourselves.  However, I do think there is truth in these Psalm verses in that we can worship God beautifully by living a blameless life (not perfect life - only Jesus was perfect this side of heaven - we will need to confess sins & repent), doing what is right, and speaking the truth from sincere hearts.  I do believe these are acts of worship that demonstrate our friendship with God and our growth in becoming more like his son Jesus in our lifetimes.  Do you seek to lead a blameless life?  Do you seek to do what is right?  Do you speak the truth from a sincere heart?  Do you seek to worship God in some way each and every day?  How?

Bible.org's commentary on Psalm 15 titled "Qualifications for Worship" is at this link.

Proverbs - Proverbs chapter 19 verse 19 teaches us today: "Short-tempered people must pay their own penalty. If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again."  This is an interesting Proverb to think about.  What it says to me is that sometimes people can only learn things on their own.  They have to make their own mistakes.  Pay their own penalty.  And then they'll learn.  If we don't let them go through this process, and we "rescue them" once, we'll have to rescue them again.  Interesting to consider this in light of verse 18: "Discipline your children while there is hope. If you don't, you will ruin their lives."  This verse to me indicates that we can actually "rescue" people with godly discipline early in their lives.  We can "rescue" our children through godly discipline and save them much ruin later in their lives.  Do you agree with both of these Proverbs?   Do you see the wisdom in godly discipline for our children?  Do you think this graph below shows how godly discipline can both send people on the upward road and also save people from ultimate ruin?

YouTube - Based on our readings in Romans chapter 5 verses 6 through 6 (shown above), I think you'll appreciate this 5 minute YouTube sermonette by Josh Harris.  It's called "The Room," based on a dream Josh had several years ago.  Josh wrote about this dream in his book "I Kissed Dating Goodbye".  Here are a few words from Josh about this dream and this video you're about to watch:  ""The Room" is a dream I had while visiting Puerto Rico for a Billy Graham crusade when I was 19. People often ask if I really had the dream, and the answer is yes. I woke up deeply shaken, grabbed my computer, and began to type.  The dream became an article, and the premise was this: What if there were a room of files that cataloged your every thought and action? Could you bear to review them? "The Room" touches on the universal themes of guilt and redemption. How does a person find forgiveness for the wrongs they've committed or for the good they've left undone? Is our past something we can leave behind or forget? How can any of us know true forgiveness from a God who is holy and just? "The Room" points to our need for a Savior who can rescue us from the punishment our sins deserve. Jesus Christ is that Savior. And "The Room" is a story that helps explain what he accomplished when he died on the cross for the sins of the world. I hope that it will point you to the Savior who died for you."  If you'd like to read the full text of "The Room" it's online here.

Have you allowed God into your "Room"?  Click here to let him in! 

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

Comments

[Sammy]

How sad to read David's words which acknowledged that even though he had great passion in his heart to prepare a home for the Ark of the Covenant, he was denied: "King David rose to his feet and said: Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it. But God said to me, 'You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood."

How much more are we reminded of Moses, a man who talked face-to-face with God; yet, he was denied his passion: entering into the promise land, because of disobedience.

If these great men of God can be denied their hearts desire, how diligent should we be that we not miss God's blessing through our disobedience!

Just a thought!

[John]

Romans 5:6-21

Paul says this all happened at the right time (due time). In the short term how many times in the gospel did it say the 'hour had not yet come'. There was a reason Christ did not come at Mt. Sinai, and a reason he did not come in 2006, but when he did some 2,000 years ago.

"It was in God's time - when all the conditions were right - I am in awe of how complex the timing really was: think of it as a play on Broadway. All the technology of the sets, the climate of receptiveness to the material, the right actors, the media, the critics - all had to be in place to perform the greatest PLAY of all time, and make it known.

The world was prepared spiritually, economically, linguistically, politically, philosophically and geographically for the coming of Jesus and the spread of the Gospel. “The Scripture everywhere speaks of a certain season or hour assigned for the death of Christ: see Matthew 26:45; John 8:20; John 12:27; John 17:1.” (Poole)

vs. 8b
"..While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

In early Romans God's wrath was explained against unrighteous and self-righteous man(kind). God hates sin. That was made abundantly clear.

The demonstration of God’s love isn’t so much in that Jesus died, but in whom Jesus died for - undeserving sinners and rebels against Him. - David Guzik

Five times in vs 9-11 Paul say in various ways it is "through Jesus" that it is all done. Justifiacation, reconciliation, saved from wrath, saved in life, even rejoicing - it is all through Christ.
======================================================
vs. 12-13
"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law." NIV

Some have a real hard time with the concept of sin being passed onto the world through Adam. For those that do not "believe" IN Christ, I don't blame them - it sounds like "foolishness" to them (as the Bible says). For those that "believe" IN Christ:

“To Paul, Adam was more than a historical individual, the first man; he was also what his name means in Hebrew - ‘humanity.’ The whole of humanity is viewed as having existed at first in Adam.” (Bruce)

"The principle of death was introduced into the world when Adam sinned and it has reigned on earth ever since. Every grave is mute evidence to the spread and reign of sin since the time of Adam.

We may not like the fact that we are made sinners by the work of another man. We may protest, and say, “I want to stand on my own two feet, and not be made a sinner because of the work of another man.” Nevertheless, it is fair to be made righteous by the work of another man only if we are also made sinners by the work of another man. If we aren’t made sinners by Adam, then it isn’t fair for us to be made righteous by Jesus." - David Guzik

The last best explains it to me. If we can accept and understand Christ, then we must realize Adam is the source of the "broken relationship" with God that Christ came to restore. Both Adam and Jesus were completely sinless men from the beginning, and both of them did things that had consequences for all mankind. One man broke it, one man fixed it.

I understand Vs. 13 to be that sin was in the world as Paul said in first chapter, and man is condemned for that reason. But the sins of man before the Law were not put on his account. That is they would not be used in his judgment (level of punishment).
======================================================
In vs. 15-19 Paul five times compared Adam's act with Jesus' sacrifice:
trespass/grace, condemnation/justification, death/life(2), disobediance/obediance.

"It is staggering to think of how totally death has reigned under Adam. Everyone who is born dies - the mortality rate is 100%. No one survives. When a baby is born, it isn’t a question of whether the baby will live or die - they will most certainly die; the only question is when. We think of this world as the land of the living, but it is really the land of the dying, and the billions of human bodies cast into the earth over the centuries proves this. But Paul says that the reign of life through Jesus is much more certain. The believer’s reign in life through Jesus is more certain than death or taxes!

Again, someone may object: “But I never chose to have Adam represent me.” Of course you did! You identified yourself with Adam with the first sin you ever committed. It is absolutely true that we were born into our identification with Adam, but we also choose it with our individual acts of sin." - David Guzik

Vs. 18 is sometimes "lifted" to teach "universalism" - all are saved due to the cross. All go to heaven. This is again why Bible needs to be understood in context, and not verses in isolation.
1) Universalism is contradictary to Paul's overall teaching.
2) In other verses here in this section Paul talks about the gift being to "many" and those who "received".
3)In this verse "justification for life (as opposed to condemnation)" IS for all men. But Paul clearly taught leading up to these verses that this justification (imputed righteousness) is through faith. So while it is available to all, it has to be received by faith.
======================================================
vs.20
"The law was added so that the trespass might increase."

The law makes me sin more - but not because there is anything wrong in the law, only because there is something deeply wrong in the human condition. - David Guzik

Have posted before the Law is God's standard - a very high standard - that man could not live up to in life. It should be so obvious to any followers of the Law that they are sinners. Knowing one is not just a sinner , but a great sinner - should make people more receptive to Paul's message of God's gospel.

"just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

[R]

>>"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law." NIV
Some have a real hard time with the concept of sin being passed onto the world through Adam. For those that do not "believe" IN Christ, I don't blame them - it sounds like "foolishness" to them (as the Bible says). For those that "believe" IN Christ:
>>

John has brought up something that many people have problems with, Adam passing on to man his sin. I have had problems understanding why but I have learned that just because I haven’t grasped a concept doesn’t make it any less not true. Although I had accepted this, today I have had a revelation as to why, and possibly, how Adam passed on his sin to us like a virus or bacteria. (Note: Revelation is only revelation when it is revelation to you)

Sin is an offence, a trespass and in order to offend or trespass, specifically God rules and regulations, all one must do is not do what He has said.

And out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight or to be desired--good (suitable, pleasant) for food; the tree of life also in the center of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of [the difference between] good and evil and blessing and calamity. [Rev. 2:7; 22:14, 19.] (Genesis 2:9 AMP)

Adam broke the command God had given (Note God addressed both him and the woman as Adam) when he/they ate and death entered the world. Death is an offence to God because; “In the Beginning …” death was not an issue. Man was created to live eternally so even if someone is very, very good and doesn’t do anything that we call sin, in God’s economy we sin the moment we are born because our body immediately marches toward death and disease, sin.

We gradate sin; we have big sins, little sins and inbetween sins but to God sin is sin.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23 KJV)

And all who depend on the Law [who are seeking to be justified by obedience to the Law of rituals] are under a curse and doomed to disappointment and destruction, for it is written in the Scriptures, Cursed (accursed, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment) be everyone who does not continue to abide (live and remain) by all the precepts and commands written in the Book of the Law and to practice them. [Deut. 27:26.] (Galatians 3:10 AMP)

For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23 AMP)

Note the above does not say sins or big sins or especially griveious sins—it just says “sin.”

Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection was to bring us back to the, “In the Beginning …” state.

And when this perishable puts on the imperishable and this that was capable of dying puts on freedom from death, then shall be fulfilled the Scripture that says, Death is swallowed up (utterly vanquished forever) in and unto victory. [Isa. 25:8.] O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? [Hos. 13:14.] Now sin is the sting of death, and sin exercises its power [upon the soul] through [the abuse of] the Law. But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57 AMP)

[Roslyn]

I have a short comment on the trust (falling) activity that John mentioned in his post yesterday. John, in case you missed reading it was in yesterday's post. I just read the posts this morning and I couldn't help but respond to it having done this activity so many times with my students before.

Maybe it's just me but sometimes I feel that we get so caught up in our complicated way of trying to explain something that we sometimes lose the essence of what we're trying to convey. Some of us tend to get into this microanalysis of words... and I'm not referring to the etymology of words, that I do understand. Man's mind tends to complicate things, God doesnt!!!

[Laura]

Roslyn,you said:
Maybe it's just me but sometimes I feel that we get so caught up in our complicated way of trying to explain something that we sometimes lose the essence of what we're trying to convey. Some of us tend to get into this microanalysis of words... and I'm not referring to the etymology of words, that I do understand. Man's mind tends to complicate things, God doesnt!!! I am inclined to feel the same way you do. I think some people tend to complicate the scriptures and over explain what they are trying to say. I don't think you can decipher,analize the words and meanings and write a masters thesis based on what you read in your daily study of the bible. I think you need to pray before reading God's word, and ask God for ways that His word can guide you and lead you. So many people try to over explain, head down too many long rabbit trails and lose what the real meaning and what the message is trying to convey.

It blesses me more to see posts in here that are written in a persons own words, with a few verses from the bible to back up what they are saying. Posts should stick to what the daily lesson is about and explain how God is working in their life and how they have been touched specifically by the word and the "CURRENT" days study. I think we should keep it simple. Simple minds like mine need it that way... :)

No matter the circumstance or the trouble or the setback, we have a wonderful and amazing God in Whom we can ALWAYS find rich comfort, strength, hope, joy, and Life!
Amen Vance, thanks for posting that.

R, good to see you back. I love reading your posts and it seems you had taken a break for awhile, on vacation possibly? It blesses and encourages me when we can all read the scriptures together and talk about how God is working in each of our lives.

Personal relationships are important, but can hardly be compared to our relationship with Christ. People often fustrate, confuse, anger and disappoint us but Christ remains a constant source of peace. His word is truth. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior. Psalms 25:5 NIV.

David expressed the desire for guidance. How do we recieve God's guidance? The first step is to want to be guided and to realize that God's primary guidance system is in the Word, the bible. Psalm 119 tells of the endless knowledge found in God's word. By reading it and constantly learning from it, we will gain the wisdom to percieve God's direction for our lives. We may be tempted to demand answers from God, but David asked for direction. Do we do that in our lives? When we are willing to seek God, learn from His word, and obey his commands, then we will recieve His specific guidance.

I am so relieved that I don't have to be the one to come up with all the answers.

[Vance]

I Chronicles 28 (NKJV)
9
“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.

NOTE:
The Lord searches all hearts and intentions of our thoughts. Note the Holy Spirit speaks “…but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.”

God never quickly casts off people as if He is capricious. The verses below reveal God’s mind about this, and this is where God reveals His character.

Exodus 34 (NKJV)
6
And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,
7
keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”

Note: God forgives “iniquity, transgression, and sin”.

Yet, if people still persist in doing wrong without every wanting to change—then God will by no means clear those who wish to remain guilty. He will give them the desire of their heart to do what they want -- along with the consequences of that choice.

I Chronicles 28 (NKJV)
20
And David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God—my God—will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

NOTE:
I thank God that He always encourages us to do what is right. He not only calls us, but He equips and encourages us personally in our relationship with the Lord Jesus to do what may seem to be impossible for us.

I Chronicles 29 (NKJV)
3
Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, my own special treasure of gold and silver:
9
Then the people rejoiced, for they had offered willingly, because with a loyal heart they had offered willingly to the LORD; and King David also rejoiced greatly.
16
“O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy name is from Your hand, and is all Your own.
17
I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here to offer willingly to You.
18
O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intent of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and fix their heart toward You.

NOTE:
Though this certainly could be frightening to some people—God tests each human heart.

Yet, there is comfort in this. Note this: God has “pleasure in uprightness”. Whatever He asks of us, He provides the grace to do what He asks.

I can trust God’s character.

Surely this is what is meant in what the Holy Spirit prayed through David.

The Holy Spirit still prays this same prayer for us continually today:

“…keep this forever in the intent of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and fix their heart toward You.”

We can ask God, and then trust God, to “fix our hearts toward Him”.

What is grace? I like this acrostic:

G – God’s
R – Riches
A – At
C – Christ’s
E – Expense

Christ’s riches of grace include:
* deep and rich love of Jesus living and dying as our substitute and representative

* rich forgiveness for sins when we ask

* the equipping and the ability to do what God asks of us

* full support for us as we use the ability God gave us to do His will

Speaking of the book of Romans, the Holy Spirit uses the Apostle Paul to speak to this point of God's amazing grace:

Romans 5 (NKJV)
17
For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Through the ABUNDANCE of God’s gifts below, we can REIGN in this life:
* grace

* gift of righteousness

We can always reign as we abide in – “remain in” – and as we are rooted in the rich and abundant Love of God that covers any and every situation.

Ephesians 3 (Amplified Bible)
16
May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].
17
May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,
18
That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];
19
[That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!

WOW!

May we truly:

- receive and partake “of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit, which is God Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality”!

May truly:
- “become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself”!

~~~
No matter the circumstance or the trouble or the setback, we have a wonderful and amazing God in Whom we can ALWAYS find rich comfort, strength, hope, joy, and Life!

Romans 5 (NKJV)
20
Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,
21
so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 15 (NKJV)
1
LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
3
He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
4
In whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear the LORD; he who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

NOTE:
The changing world of the shifting shadows with no commitment and the so-called “situational ethics” has affected and hurt each one of us in some way or another – directly through a family member or indirectly through others in our community or the world.

How it affects us, of course, depends on each person’s particular history.

In my life—for whatever reason—my mother decided not to stay with my father and I, and she decided to leave instead of learn the courage of commitment.

Yet, this causes me to respect and honor my father even more-- for he chose to raise me as a single parent.

PRAY FOR MY FATHER'S SALVATION. I honor him in many ways, and he has many character qualities which are a great example to me.

YET, I MOST WOULD LIKE TO share the Life of Christ with him, so my bond and friendship with my father would be even BETTER.

His birthday is on July 23. Please join me in praying that my father will be BORN-AGAIN on his birthday!

~~~

God admires a person who “says what he means and means what he says”. This is a person who acts on what he says, and people respect him for it.

I like this part of verse 4—that our loving Father honors “he who swears to his own heart and does not change”.

Of course, the Lord Jesus told us it better to not swear or take an oath at all. Simply let our “yes” be “yes” and our “no” be “no”.

May the unchanging character of faithfulness to what is right in our lives give people a reason to believe in the true and living God—and His unchanging character.

Having an “unchanging character” may seem “boring” and “dull” to some—but this produces life in us and allows that life to be planted in others.

Finally, may we meditate on the glorious and amazing character of our God.

I was moved by this comment that was made on yesterdays’ reading:

"EXPERIENCE NEW WONDER

We adults need to experience new wonder in order to worship at the level God is calling us to. But in our "old age," being comfortable usually wins out over being stunned, amazed, and deliciously shocked by what we see and experience.

To deeply worship, we must discover new territories and touch that which is always new and wondrous--the living God. To touch eternity, just for a moment, is full of wonder.”

David always experienced new wonder in who God is. David’s meditation is truly remarkable. May we emulate this good example of David.

I am sure that is why the Holy Spirit chose to put this in the Scripture.

I Chronicles 29 (NKJV)
10
Therefore David blessed the LORD before all the assembly; and David said: “ Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever.
11
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and You are exalted as head over all.
12
Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.
13
“Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name.
14
But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You.
15
For we are aliens and pilgrims before You, as were all our fathers; our days on earth are as a shadow, and without hope.
16
“O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy name is from Your hand, and is all Your own.

Vance

[Pat]

I find 1 Chronicles 28:9, “…for the Lord searches all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee, but if thee forsake him, he will cast thee off forever,” to be such powerful scripture! We can appear pious, we can do pious acts, and we can speak pious words, but the Lord searches our hearts and understands our thoughts and it is what lays there that the Lord judges. If God is truly in our hearts and thoughts then God will be there for us. If we use God to portray ourselves as being godly then God is going to reject us. The Lord is to be worshipped – not used for our own benefit! We need to constantly seek out our Lord and we need to constantly examine our hearts and thoughts to make sure they are in line with God’s plans for our lives.

God Bless!
Pat

[Patricia]

Like you, Romans is speaking to me like never before.

[Melanie]

One thing that I got out of todays reading is from 1 Chron 28:20 Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God - my God - will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. Although this is directed at Solomon for the building of the temple, I think this is true pf whatever the Lord calls us to do in life. All of our lives.

[Birdie]

The video clip of Josh Harris' sermon really spoke to me today. That is something else!