1 Chronicles 26:12-27:34 + Romans 4:13-5:5 + Psalm 14:1-7 + Proverbs 19:17
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Old Testament – It is interesting to read about the various gatekeepers, treasurers, officials, military commanders and leaders in today’s First Chronicle readings! In some ways it is sad to read about how well organized things were – knowing that the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and the exile to Babylon is coming up. All of this organization will be destroyed. Why? Because of sin. Sin destroys. Sin kills. So sad. It is true that the lineage from Abraham to Judah to David will of course continue through to Jesus and now to us as spiritual descendants. But, the nation of Israel at this time of First Chronicles, with all of it’s great organization, will later fall because the leaders and people will turn their backs on God in sin. In disobedience. Is there a lesson for us in this today? Do you see the dangers of sin? Of how it can destroy everything you hold dear? Please – flee from sin. Jesus can set you free from the bondage of sin. Don’t lose everything you hold dear to something as stupid as sin. Sin will sell you lies and leave you with nothing.
New Testament – Wow. Romans 5 verses 1 & 2 are so true: “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” It is important to note that these verses are talking about more than just a “sense of peace.” They are talking about literal “peace with God”! Peace with God is gifted to us through faith in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection to redeem us from the depravity and consequences of our sin. Have you experienced literal peace with God? I know that we do not always “sense the peace” with God – but I do not think it leaves us once we’ve entered into an eternal right relationship with Jesus. I think we can certainly distract ourselves enough or make ourselves worried or frantic enough that we might think the peace is gone. But eternal peace doesn’t ever leave us. I do think we need to take time to connect with and rediscover Christ’s peace within us each and every day. Reading, prayer and meditation on Scripture are great ways to do this. I have also found getting outdoors and taking a walk in nature helps me connect with Christ’s peace again. What are other ways that you connect with Christ’s peace within you? Please post up in the Comments section below for others to learn from! Thanks!
Verses 3 through 5 are incredible today as well: “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us–they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Note that these verses are not saying to rejoice “because” of problems and trials (that would be morbid), but that we can still rejoice even “when we run into” the problems and trials. It is often difficult for us to remember to rejoice when problems and trials come our way – but please do remember these words of Paul in Romans about rejoicing during a time of trial. Remember our readings in Acts? Paul was ridiculed, beaten, jailed and shipwrecked – and yet, he never gave into a defeatist attitude. He kept preaching God’s love! If anyone knows about trials and problems, it is Paul. And he tells us to rejoice through problems and trials because in this we learn to endure. I love that Paul says that character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation! And that this expectation will not disappoint! Do you believe this? Do you have a confident expectation of salvation?
Image above courtesy of stonesoupmusic.org. Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Romans titled “The Object of Our Faith” is at this link.
Psalms – Psalm 14 could be seen at first glance as a discouraging Psalm for us as we look at verse 3: “But no, all have turned away from God; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not even one!” I think it is important to keep in mind that there is truth in this verse (particularly if we ever start thinking we’re “good” and others around us are not…). But also I think it’s good to keep in mind that this verse was written before Jesus came to the earth. Jesus was perfect. And through His resurrection we are called toward greater holiness and ultimately perfect goodness once we meet Jesus face to face in heaven. Jesus gives us the hope spoken of in the closing of this Psalm in verse 7: “Oh, that salvation would come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel! For when the LORD restores his people, Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.” Do you recognize the salvation that has come to us? Are you shouting for joy for this salvation? Are you rejoicing!?
Proverbs – Today in Proverbs 19 verse 17 we read – “He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.” Do you believe that when you are kind to the poor you are actually lending to God? Are you someone who is consistently kind to the poor? Are you kind to the spiritually, emotionally, materially poor that God has brought into your life? Are you also kind to spiritually, emotionally, materially poor that you do not know? Do you believe this kindness is noticed by God? Do you believe it is rewarded?
Worship Video: Today’s readings in Romans reminds me of Jeremy Camp’s song “Healing Hand of God:”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRRYCoWOLuI
Have you felt the healing hand of God? Click here for Healing!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. “ Psalm 14:3 TNIV
Prayer Point: Pray that you know that you are a sinner by nature and choice and have lived corruptly. Pray that you have repented of your sins and placed your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Pray that you are now able to do good in your life through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Comments from You: 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
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.
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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )
======= Ramona:
I Chronicles 26:12-27:34
Mike you wrote: “All of this organization will be destroyed. Why? Because of sin. Sin destroys. Sin kills. So sad.”
As soon as I read your statement, I thought of something Paul wrote,
Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and not hypocritical. And the fruit that consists of righteousness is planted in peace among those who make peace.
(Jam 3:15-18 NET.)
God is order, sin is disorder because there is no truth in it. When I read how organized David was in assigning the men of Israel to temple and political duties, I was thinking how our church’s today could take a clue from David. I didn’t see the big picture showing how this order would soon fall apart because God would eventually be taken out of the Temple. The Temple to honor His name would be built, destroyed and rebuilt all because of sin and not because of an expansion project.
Romans 4:13-5:5
13 It is clear, then, that God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was not based on obedience to God’s law, but on the new relationship with God that comes by faith.
(Rom 4:13)
The above statement is so very hard for us to grasp. Either we have a hard time receiving a gift, which by its very nature is free, or it is not a gift or we think we are not worthy. It is through Jesus Christ’s righteousness that God sees those who call and believe on the Name of Jesus.
I love how the NLT begins the sixteenth verse, “1So that’s why faith is the key!” If we have faith then we hold the instrument that can unlock all the doors that have been locked because we were in sin.
Psalm 14:1-7
7 Oh, that salvation would come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel!
For when the LORD restores his people,
Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice
Sometimes, no most of the time, my means of escape out of a situation that is not pleasing to God is always in front of me but I fail to see it. I can usually see the way out for others but not myself. Didn’t I here something about take the beam out of my eye before I take the speak out …?
Proverbs 19:17
So often before we will lend something to someone, we behave like a lending institution, we weigh the risks. Will I get it back? And if we just give money, we really don’t give we scrutinize how the person uses the money. Sometimes we fail to really listen to what the person is saying, misjudging the need and we wind up giving what they asked for NOT what they need.
As I think on this, I realize I’m guilty of superficial giving. A women with children and no husband may be poor because she not only has no support from her children’s father but she is also lacking in employable skills. Giving her money may help buy groceries, or shoes for her children, but what she really needs is someone to watch her children so she can go to school. My time is what I am unwilling to give, my time and patience to supervise someone else’s’ children. Yikes!
Grace and peace,
Ramona
====== Beryl:
Romans 5:1-5
Benefits of Salvation
Paul has provided God’s solution (rigteousness through faith) for mankind (as sinners). Paul said it is not a new idea – it was in OT, then gave Abraham/David as proof. In the end of Chapter 4 Paul linked the OT idea of “saving faith” as being the same “saving faith” when we Believe IN Christ.
‘Oh Paul, that is pie in the sky stuff to come by and by – I am interested in the here and now!. I’ll get around to that God stuff some day.’
Paul now talks about the Benefits of Salvation:
Peace, Access, Joy, Triumph in Troubles, and the Love of God.
vs 1a
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith..”
The Greek is so precise. “justified” is in aorist passive. It is completed action done to us. We did not justify ourselves – we cannot justify ourselves – we are unrighteous. Justification was done to us by God, through faith.
So what are the benefits?
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Peace
“we have peace with God…”
We don’t have the peace “of God”. We have Peace “with God”. “With” is specifically in the Greek text. That peace is in present indicative, (voice is debated) – regardless it is “continuing and ongoing”.
Peace – Gk. “eirene”
a state of national tranquillity
a) exemption from the rage and havoc of war.
I guess you can say it is “tranquility”, but that tranquility comes from no longer being at “war” with God. Wait a minute, a person who has not accepted Christ says, ‘I was never at war with God. I am a good person, go to church, I have nothing against God, etc.’
Yes, you are – you may not know it, but regardless God is at war with you.
Some never knew they were out of peace with God, but they were like drivers ignoring the red lights of a police car in their rear-view mirror – they are in trouble even if they don’t know it, and it will soon catch up to them. – David Guzik
James 4:4
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. NIV
Paul spent the early parts of Romans talking about God’s judgment and wrath regarding unrighteous and self-righteous man.
“God is at war with the sinner. God is the enemy of the sinner. God fights against the sinner. God is the enemy of sin. God is the enemy of Satan. And by the way, if you’re not a child of God you’re a child of Satan and you belong to Satan’s dominion and God is at war with that dominion. And that’s the point.”
http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/45-40.HTM
The good news is when you place your belief, faith, trust in Christ. The war is over. God is your ALLY. As Christians when we battle the temptation of “flesh” or the “ways of the world”, we have God on our side. Sometimes I wonder if I use this powerful ally enough in my fights with temptation.
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Access
“..gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” NIV
Now at peace “with” God we can get God’s Grace. “Access” being in the present active indicative means: by faith we now stand in continuing and ongoing state of receiving God’s Grace.
We don’t just need it for salvation, Christians need God’s grace in their daily lives – and we have IT.
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Joy
“..hope is the certain, guaranteed hope that God will perform His Word because He is always faithful.” – Vance’s post
We have joy in the guaranteed hope of the Glory of God.
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Triumph in suffering (Tribulations)
As Christians we should welcome suffering. That is a strange thought. Who would want that? Christians should – even when I fail in my Christian life – I try to remember to thank God for thinking me worthy enough to “test”.
Because we have access to God’s Grace – when we suffer, we should persevere (patience), that leads to character which leads to hope.
But as a Christian we already have hope. Yes, but like Trust, hope is on a spectrum, and this process increases the guaranteed hope we have in God. It is part of the Maturity process of a Christian.
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Love of God
God – who we were at war with – when we come to salvation, will “pour” out his love into our heart.
“pour” – Gk. “ekcheo” to bestow or distribute largely
We don’t just get a measure of Love, we get large amounts – through the Holy Spirit in us.
Every Christian should know what it is like to have the love of God . . . poured out in our hearts – to have a deep inner awareness of God’s love for us.
i. Paul’s logical arguments in Romans are devastating but the Book of Romans doesn’t lack emotion or passionate experiences with God. Paul wants us to think the right thoughts about God, but he also wants us to have the right experience with God – the love of God . . . poured out in our hearts.
ii. God’s love isn’t given to us in a trickle, it is poured out in our hearts. Some Christians live as if it was only a trickle but God wants us to know the outpouring of His love. – David Guzik
John
====== Beryl:
Rick Warren reckons [The Purpose Driven Life] that when we become christians, its as if God has taken a beachhead on our life. Slowly, He takes a bit more then a bit more untill the whole land belongs to Him and is underHis govern-ment. It makes sense to me, its taken me 40 years to stop wrestling with God and to trust Him enough to fall back into His arms in the hard times and the selfish times.
I love Romans. Ch 5;5 says…we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with love.
Proverb 19:17 “If you help the poor you are lending to the Lord and He will repay you.” This is a strange idea, that I can “lend” to God. How can God owe me? I owe Him everything. It gives a bit of encouragement that I will not be out of pocket or worse off financially if I give a little to someone in need.
Beryl
====== Fred:
Belief means based on fact. Faith means a blind jump, but only from atop of belief. This is theological and etymologically true. Who thinks they are really loved by anyone who sees them only as they are? A Christian is someone who believes in God for what he can see. A Born-again Christian loves God and sees more. In the same way God accepts us as we are, but only sees us as we were meant to be. Christians (like Satan by the previous definition) go to Hell while Born-again Christians go to Heaven. How can you tell a Christian with real faith? The Bible tells us that such a person is successful all the time (the original disciples healed EVERY time), will cast out daemons (Mark 16:17), perform all the miracles Christ has done (like walk on water as Peter did) and MORE (John 14:12-14), as well as convert and baptize all the peoples of the world (just one true disciple of Christ only need, under God, to win one person each year and train that person to do the same in order to convert and baptize the entire world in just 32 years). Everyone else is just a faint faux want-to-be. Who here believes he or she has a good relationship with God? Jesus said such people have no relationship with Him as only those who believe their relationship poor as a right and real relationship. A church or person can only be spiritually healthy if driven by Jesus’ five New Testament life purposes (as illustrated in the Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren) to “Love the Lord with all your heart,” “Love your neighbor as I have loved you (which is infinitely greater than as you love yourself),” “Go and make disciples,” “Baptize them,” and “Teach them to obey.”
Fred
====== John:
Fred,
“Belief means based on fact.”
Can be, but does not have to be.
be·lief (b-lf)
n.
1. The mental act, condition, or habit of placing trust or confidence in another: My belief in you is as strong as ever.
2. Mental acceptance of and conviction in the truth, actuality, or validity of something: His explanation of what happened defies belief.
3. Something believed or accepted as true, especially a particular tenet or a body of tenets accepted by a group of persons.
“Faith means a blind jump”
Not necessarily. You walk into a room, and there are refreshments, you pick up a can of coke, and drink it.
You have faith (trust) that you will be drinking coke. It is not “blind” faith – (for example) it is based on past experiance, perceived reliability of company, and know the people hosting the get-together.
You can believe Coke is in the can, but it is not necessarily fact. Maybe most of the time it is – but when there exist examples of counterfeit cokes existing in the world – you cannot be 100% sure.
I would submit Christian faith is “not blind faith”. At least to one that has done any kind of research before becoming a Christian. There is historical and archaeological evidence that backs up the Bible, reliable testimony of Gospels, fulfilled prophecies, etc. The evidence is far from complete, but there is enough there to state that a Christian’s faith can be a far cry from a “blind jump”.
When God acts in your life, of course, your faith should become “deeper”. Making it even less of a “blind jump”.
John
====== Fred:
John,
I said that faith is a blind jump but only from atop belief (being based on facts). This means that faith must be something more than belief and not something different. Satan has more data and research than any human and as such has a stronger belief in Christ than any person can ever hope for. BUT, Satan is missing the faith needed to leap blindly from that knowledge of God to an understanding of God. With experience, one can jump blindly more and more – ever more able to do so with faith. To be authentic, Christians must add mystic to moral, not replace moral with mystic (or belief with faith).
The sincerity of my beliefs counts for nothing (“it’s the thought that count” is a lie). If I sincerely believe than I am Napoleon (something clearly inconsistent with an easily measurable and popular world view), a moral society will lock me up as dangerous. But, there are problems that rationality cannot solve alone, but we should never give it up. Critical thinking means understanding how our Input-Processing-Output works by identifying issues (problem definition), assumptions (and presuppositions), appropriate criteria for judgment, and the ability to draw sound conclusions from the evidence. A sincere approach will not validate all possible resulting opinions. What is left over is often referred to as “wishful thinking” or “blowing smoke.” For example, believing that Terri Schiavo could have ever walked and talked with a skull shown by CT scans to clearly be empty of any gray matter could only come from the father of all lies. The Bible tells us that the truly faithful will cast out daemons and out perform Christ, but wishing (even if you called it praying) could still not make Terri walk.
Biblical quality control is what keeps our beliefs and faith in check. For example, “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said” (1 Corinthians 14:29). Scripture demands that anyone claiming to have spiritual gifts or messages from God must submit to public and objective rational testing before employing by multiple accepted authorities using the standard of Scripture and the scrutiny of a true Christian community. “Faith requires reason.” (Isaiah 1:18 and Romans 10:8-15) Speaking in tongues without translation is sinful as is prayer without engaging one’s mind. “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2) If a person is unwilling or his message fails such an examination, he or she is to be rejected outright (if not stoned to death). Anything, in fact, that draws us away from Biblical authority, no matter how spiritual it may appear, must be completely rejected.
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” “Having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith.” “For some have already turned aside after Satan.” (1 Timothy 4:1, 5:12, 15) “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:27) Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5) “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.” (1 John 4:1)
Oscar Wilde wrote, “Those who are faithful know only the trivial side of love; it is the faithless who know love’s tragedies.”
Trust, it is said, must be “earned.” If, however, I hit a rabid dog repeatedly with a stick and then give him my hand, should I talk disparagingly of it when it bites me back? Was not the dog, in fact, completely trustworthy and true to its nature and me the one who needed to “earn” an improvement in the relationship? Is it not the same if I reach out to pet a rattle snake and get bit (as is the case with most rattle snake bites)? If I gain enough understanding, I can learn to trust all. Does not love operate in the same way, in that there is nothing we can do to improve our worthiness to be loved, only in our capacity to love others? If I gain enough understanding, I can likewise learn to love all. While faith is based on hope of the unseen (but on top of trust or beliefs based on the seen), can I not also grow to understand that everyone has the potential to be more than just the sum of their past actions? Do we not all wish to be seen this way? In the same way, my prayers are not designed to change God but to change me.
When I ask Christians what their spiritual gifts are they most often respond with encouragement, but most remind me of the Peanuts comic strips in which Linus and Charlie Brown are all bundled up with caps and coats on a snowy, wintry day. They spot Snoopy shivering in the cold. Desiring to comfort him, they walk over to him. Linus speaks first, “Be of good cheer, Snoopy.” Charlie Brown adds, “Yes, be of good cheer.” Then, they turn and walk away. Snoopy is left still shivering. A big question mark appears over his puzzled expression, as he watches Linus and Charlie Brown walk away. Christian love, however, is supposed to carry us beyond words to deeds. The exhortational communication gift of encouragement (often grouped with Prophecy and Teaching), when real, is a critical healing check against getting off course and uses good social skills (like active listening) and the wisdom to prescribe practical step-by-step plans to help others mature in Christ (using personal experiences amplified by scripture) based on being able to discern (the one spiritual gift required of every Christian) the growth needs of others as well as the spiritual gifts they may be slow to recognize. The gift of encouragement means recognizing and successfully providing admonishments to believers (as in I Thessalonians 5:12) who have strayed from their faith. “The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.” (Proverbs 20:5)
Fred
====== Brandie:
The ways I connect with Christ’s peace are: I take a bike ride and I am alone on my bike rides, just because I am in no hurry to get anywhere just me and God out there and I talk to him like he right beside me. Sometimes I will even sing to him. Jesus loves me, Jesus loves all the little children..we talk about the issues in my family. We talk about how to not complain so much, why the wind blows in my face everytime I make a turn back to go to the car, but it is just his way letting me know that he is there with me. I am not scared at anytime I ride my bike. Cause I know he is there with me.
Another way is in bed at night, I ask him to clear all my thoughts from the day and it works. He will clear my thoughts so I can rest. He is awesome! 🙂
I believe that if you are kind to the poor that it will be recongize when we get to the gates of heaven. But sometimes there is only so much one person can do.
I am always shouting for JOY!!! he has amazing Grace how sweet the sound!!!!!
Brandie
====== Eva:
Thank you for the awesome job you are doing for us to could read and understand more about the scripture.
I find my peace in my night pray in my bed. I have much evil going around in my apartment and I can’t get any rest in the night if I don’t pray for protection of negative energies hitting me like nightmares.
If I fall to sleep before I say AMEN do I get all kind of nightmares so I can see that pray is a life saver as the devil visit me and sometimes do he try to struggle me in the night.
I find peace by talking to God in my mind beeing in public stressful places and I see how everything calm down and I see how I am in my own path thru the crowds.
I pray for to not be hit of the rain and that God stop the time when I am late…and He stop it all the time when I ask but I never use the pray if it’s not of real needs.
I have listen to the whole long video and he was so very interesting to listen at and I fall to tears when I saw the little dying child in India. He maybe was 10 years old but he looked at the nurse like a little baby look at his/her mother who breastfeed him/her.
I wish we could have more of those HOT for Jesus people in this world. They are too few.
And Mother Theresa said a very important thing when she said that Calcutta is everywhere in this world.
I watch American idol after seen the vidoe and God showed me at the program that 9 million people in USA don’t get enough food to eat !
For me beeing from Sweden do we not have such need as we have the best social welfare program in the world but our Calcutta is the psychologic issues.
It’s seems the more the sociaty care for you the more do people forget to help each other.
Like a example from my life. I had an appointment at the Doctor and the same night did my mother died. I called up the Doctor office and said that my mother have died this night so I could go to the Doctor and she answer me ” So what ? “
Or when I miss-caring in 5th month and I should do a ultra-sound and the nurse called me and was sooo angry at me and ask why I didn’t showed up. And I answered her that I just had been to the hospital and give birth to a dead baby. ( The Hospital killed my baby by not taken care of me when I was there but that’s another story )
I do write in my blog how bad Christian people was to me in USA. God told me to go as the most poor person in USA and He was sending me to maybe 300 Churches for to find out how they treated me ( and him ) there.
Of maybe 300 Churches I visit was it 0 church that really helped me out.
5 that gave me temporary help like food, clothes, bills.
0 asked me why I was in USA or even wanted to know who I was. Not for to talking so much about the color skin but all the time was I the only white person asking for help in the Church so I kind of was sticking out and wasn’t hidden.
You maybe wondring what sort help I needed from the Church ? There is more needs than those I mention above !
For example:
1. A safe place to stay bcause the shelter isn’t a safe place. I was in 6 shelters and I was in one shelter were I saw a woman be raped of other women, I was laying with my most value things under me as some people was up in the night and looked in my bags.
I was in a shelter that said they couldn’t stop to take in mental ill people or people going on drugs.
And the worse of all !!! Kids was in some of the shelter too !
2. Need of help like how to get a workpermit in USA , it took me 10 months to get a temporay visa so I could work in USA.
3. Personal protection in workplaces like for me every September 11 people refused to work with me as I was not from USA.
4. Someone that adopt us so we have a person to go to that am really listen and take time for us that have no home or family.
5. If any true Christian should have been listen should they had known that I didn’t get any money support from Sweden or USA. When I had a good job I call the Swedish embassady to send me a letter in English that it said ” You have left your country with free will so we don’t have to support you ” but I never needed to use it as I returned back home when God said I should.
I was in 3 and half years in USA walking on the street as a poor woman. One time a Pastor said that Jesus was walking 3 and half year in the bible.
So I think Jesus was with me in my walking and saw everything Christian people did to me.
The best help I got was from the homeless people. They teached me where to store my clothes. They showed me where to get food and clothes.
I knew I could count on them if someone was coming up to me in the street and be bad to me. I had eyes protecting me in all the corners in Norfolk, Virginia.
And in the end the homeless said I was a hero for them when they saw how I struggled to survive in a country that I didn’t knew and where I had no person that helped me.
They said if I could do what I did , they said they could too !
( I had nothing first and then did I get a house and become a supervisor in a mall )
And my best Bible readings was together with homeless and druggy people because they could ask question that I could see come from their heart but the Church that provided the Bible studies for homeless was sending ordinary people there…I never saw any Pastor, Ministers, deacon……. visit us !!!!!
Eva
====== Jenny:
Peace is often mistaken for a feeling, our emotions. There was a book a while back called “Emotions: Can u trust them?” The answer is no. Our emotions sway up and down and all around and are often based on circumstances and many other things. The world is wrong in that saying: listen to your heart. The scripture clearly teaches the heart is wicked and cannot be trusted. there are ppl in various religions who say their basis of salvation is, ‘oh, i just have a peace about it’. Thats emotion based. I want truth bcos my emotions can be all over the map (HELLO, I’m a female! haha). Truth is based on God’s word and through Christ. We may not always feel at peace bcos life isnt always peaceful! When I’m going through a turbulent situation, I cant say I’m at peace always.
What Jesus Christ came and did for us was give us access to God that we who believe and call on His name and are born into His family, we are at peace with God: we are no longer enemies of God. “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life” (Rom 5:10)
Therefore, we were once all enemies of God until we were justified by faith through Christ’s work. So this gives option: we are either enemies of God, or friends of God. No neutral ground.
It is also true that being in a devoted relationship with Christ often results in a peaceful life. I am no longer in bondage, no longer fighting God so I am in rest and peace in my spirit! When we first came to christ or recommitted our life, I know we all went thru probly a similar thing, feeling this HUGE weight being removed from us! Thats a spiritual war that we had toward God and surrendering to God, that is definitely peaceful! that is peace that surpasses all understanding!
Proverbs reading encourages us to be giving ppl. I think if we are born on God, that will be a byproduct, God will move in us, giving us a heart and compassion for others. “Lending”…well, we arent lending to the Lord per se bcos its all His anyway! He just gives us custody of certain things…we are more giving back what He gave us. Trusting Him in this is very wonderful and its a privilege. We arent to give in hopes to get back from God, but we trust that He will take care of us.
If we are faithful in the little things (ie. we give to the poor) God will entrust us with more, so He may increase our funds or He may not, thats not why we give, or shouldnt be why.
Jenny
====== John:
Romans 4:13-5:5
Salvation: the promise of imputed righteousness through Christ comes by faith.
It cannot come by the Law. Why?
If those who live by the Law receive the promise,
1) faith has no value. It would not matter if you have faith (trust in God) or not. You would not need faith, but only to obey. Your motivation for obeying the Law could be fear, desire of the promise, or simply as a challenge, but you would not have to have any faith to get the promise.
2) The promise is worthless. Why? No one can obey the Law perfectly. No one would be saved. It would be like me saying, “I will give you a million dollars if you can stand here on the street and using only your own body jump up to the top of that three story building. I may have the million, but no one can do it. That is the Law – impossible to obey perfectly.
Because the Law brings wrath. If you rely solely on the Law, you cannot obey, you have sinned, sin angers God, God moves against you either here, and if not here at judgment.
John
====== John:
Romans 4:13-5:5
4:15because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. Wait a minute, if there is no transgression, how can God judge?
STORY TIME
A 1,000 years ago there was a country ruled by a good, wise, and just king. Outsiders viewed the king this way, and most of the countrymen loved their king and were loyal subjects.
Except for one small town on the outskirts of the kingdom. These people ignored the king. They did not pay (fair) taxes, consider themselves subjects, nor acknowledge the king in any way. In fact, they tore up or defaced any royal decrees that came around, poached the king’s cattle, and mocked the king at every public opportunity.
Yet, the townspeople did plenty of good things: helped widows and orphans, rebuilt any destroyed homes for other towns, even went out of the country and helped heal many sick people with theIR special “town” herbs. They did a lot of good – too much to list.
One day, the king had all the townspeople rounded up and brought before his throne. “What have you got to say for yourself”, the king asked. The town leader had all the ledgers of the town that listed there good deeds placed before the throne. Over 200 ledgers in all. The leader said, “We are good people”.
How did the king react? He had all the ledgers taken away and said, ‘The ledgers are not relevant. The issue is rebellion, not how good or bad you are, and since you have always been in rebellion, you are guilty.’
[Note: The king did mitigate some of the punishment because of the deeds, but all were guilty of rebellion, and all were put in jail.]
The wages of sin is death, and death has been present since the fall. The sin before the law was not on anybody’s ledger, but all were guilty of rebellion – Turning their backs to God and each going their own way.
In addition Paul has said that the law is written in our hearts, so we will have transgression based on what we knew and what we did with that knowledge. However without faith, all are guilty and condemned of rebellion, just as the town people in the story.
John
======= John:
Romans 4:13-5:5
4:23-25The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Back to the propitiation idea. If Christ had just died on the Cross, then believers would have sin atoned for, but we would not be redeemed. Redeemed means to claim and take hold of in a tangible fashion after paying the price for the object to be redeemed. It is the resurection that gives eternal life/salvation. It is the resurrection that leads to the redeeming, that allows us to become children of God and co-heirs to heaven. Christ being the firstfruits* and we, as believers, to follow him to heaven for glorification.
*Feast of the first fruits is a feast of the harvest where the Jews cut sheaves off the harvest, and offered them to the Lord in thanks for the crop. the idea was offering the first fruits of the harvest with anticipation of much more fruit behind the first.
Interesting enough, the first fruit feast at Christ’s death was on the Sunday after the crucifixion. At dawn and early morning hours Jesus was seen by varous groups. But by the time the first fruits were offered, Jesus may have coincidingly been going up to the Father. [Remember it was eight days later before Jesus appeared before Thomas and apostles]
Christ as in 1 CR 15 was the firstfruits of much more fruit to come (believers) – who would be going up to heaven.
John
====== John:
Romans 4:13-5:5
5:1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,…
It is not we have the”peace of God”, but very clearly in the Greek, it is peace with (or literally “toward” God).
The saved (justified) by faith (trust in God) are now the rebels who are no longer in rebellion. We have turned back to God, repented, and believed, and imputed righteousness is ours. We are at peace facing toward (with) God.
=================================================================================
HOPE
5:3-4 Not only so, but wealso rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
I had a fellow believer talk about some tough tiems recently. I was agreeing with him, and added, “but it will be pretty cool when we are in heaven.”
He told me he “hoped so”, and in discussion he explained he hoped he would be in heaven. Why the doubt, because he sees the english word “hope” in a lot of Paul’s writings, and so he just hopes for the best??????
His problem is in his defintion of hope:
The modern idea of hope is “to wish for, to expect, but without certainty of the fulfillment; to desire very much, but with no real assurance of getting your desire.”
That is not the biblical definiton of “hope”. In Scripture, according to the Hebrew and Greek words translated by the word “hope” and according to the biblical usage, hope is an indication of certainty. “Hope” in Scripture means “a strong and confident expectation.”
In dictionaries today, this is labeled an archaic concept. Imagine that. The reason the expectation can be certain is based on whom you are placing your hope in (GOD). If your hope is based on God’s Word, then it can be a certain expectation as God never breaks His Word.
Secular definitions cannot have hope being a strong and confident expectation because they rule out God. Therefore everything you hope in is flawed and a chance of disappointment exists.
[Note: After explaining the Biblical definition of Hope to the man, the last time I saw him he was beaming with a grin from ear to ear.]
John
====== John:
1 Chronicles 26:12-27:34
The Treasurers and Other Officials
“These men were watching over the treasures of God, the gold, silver and-so-on.”
Army Divisions
“David has organized the spiritual part of the kingdom and now he is working on the military part of the kingdom. And I think David has it in the right order, spiritual must always come first. You can have the best army, as the Babylonians did, and still be defeated because your heart is far from the Lord. David now divides all his military men into 12 groups or divisions, with each one having 24,000 men. These groups or divisions would serve for 1 month out of the year, unless of course you were in a war, and then you would be called to active duty.”
VERSES 32-34
1. “Ahithophel was David’s counselor until he turned against David. When David’s son Absalom rebelled against David and he makes himself king, Ahithophel joins him. And if you remember, Ahithophel was the grandfather of Bathsheba, and it is possible that because of David’s actions against his granddaughter and son-in-law, that Ahithophel had a lot of bitterness in his heart towards David. And now the time was right for a revolt and he may have felt he was giving David his just reward. But his life ended tragically as Absalom refused to hear his wise counsel, and thus, he went and committed suicide. He saw that the reign of Absalom was coming to an end, and thus he was as good as dead anyway.”
2. “In the chapters we have studied tonight we have seen how David organized the nation of Israel, both spiritually and militarily. You see, God is a God of order and not chaos. He sets things in order, and He does the same in our own life when things seem to be in utter turmoil In Psalm 37:23-24 we read “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.”
http://www.ccmanitowoc.org/Library/Guglielmo-Joe/Studies/TH/13-1CH/TH1055.HTM
John
====== Jen:
What am I willing to give so that the poor will be served, and what am I a willing to risk to care for those who need care? I have been blessed with people who would not let me become poor, I should be that person for someone else. I pray that the lord leads me to find that person who I am to be a support for and that I have the humble heart to see the need and meet it.
Jen
====== Duane:
It has been a Long time since I have posted. I would just like to say that I read Mike’s commentary and I try to follow the online reading for each day. This bible blog is a large part of my life. Please do not stop what you are doing. You are reaching so many people. You have been a blessing to me
Duane
====== Robert:
Proverbs 19:17
I really like your take on the poor Ramona. Just throwing money at them is only a bandage solution. A great help is taking care of the poor’s education part and that falls in line with the great advice about fishing from Mathew 4:19 but has been put into a different form attributed to Confucius or Lao Tzu. “Give a man a fish, and you’ll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you’ve fed him for a lifetime”. I have always felt that teaching life skills is a priority in helping the poor.
Here is an example:
My friend Brian orders takeout food almost every day because he doesn’t know how to cook. Doing this for so long has burned a hole in his wallet. So I decided to give the man a fish (figuratively speaking) by teaching him how to cook.
Or maybe even a better one:
Perhaps, in fact, we should amend the proverb to read, “Give a woman a fish, and she’ll have the energy to take care of her children, do well at work, and pursue her goals. Teach her to fish and give her access to a pond full of fish, and she’ll be able to feed herself and her family for life.”
Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner and so-called father of microfinance.
Robert
====== Vance:
I agree completely with this statment:
“Sin will sell you lies and leave you with nothing.”
I have to resist the devil and repent of temptation to sin every day. This is the ONLY way to walk in life.
I like these the verses below, because they show me that because I am free from sin and righteous IN CHRIST that I CAN AND MUST BE more and more free from sin and righteous in my character.
Colossians 3 (NKJV)
1
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
2
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
3
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4
When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
5
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
BECAUSE CHRIST IS MY LIFE… and BECAUSE MY LIFE IS IN CHRIST… therefore I put to death in my life and experience that which is still connected to death (i.e., sin).
Romans 4 (NKJV)
21
and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
22
And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[Genesis 15:6]
NOTE:
May we meditate, chew on, turn over and over in our beings, and pray over the fact that God has promised He is able–and will always–perform.
May we meditate on the character and promises of God until we KNOW that we know that we know for certain it is true FOR US.
May I do the same thing for me.
Romans 5 (NKJV)
5
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
NOTE:
Hope in the Bible is not like the popular phrase: “I don’t know, but I hope so.”
Rather, hope is the certain, guaranteed hope that God will perform His Word because He is always faithful.
Peace is like that. Peace is a state that Christ has obtained for us that we receive by faith.
Yes, we can choose to walk out of the peace and hope that God paid for us to have in Christ–
or we can “abide”, that is, “remain” in what Jesus has paid for us to have.
Psalm 14 (NKJV)
1
The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.
NOTE:
It is SO easy to compare myself to others in order to feel good. It is especially tempting to compare myself to Charles Manson or Adolph Hitler or the man or woman down the street who committed adultery and left his or her marriage.
Yet, I am not called to compare myself to anyone except Jesus Christ.
Mark 7 (NKJV)
20
And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.
21
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22
thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
23
All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
Psalm 14 (NKJV)
7
Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD brings back the captivity of His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.
NOTE:
This reminds me of one of my favorite verses from another Psalm:
Psalm 35 (NKJV)
27
Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause; and let them say continually, “Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
28
And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long.
Proverbs 19 (NKJV)
17
He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, and He will pay back what he has given.
NOTE:
When we give to others out of love and worship for God and to help others—we are giving to God.
Give, and it shall be given back to us—good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over (Luke 6:18).
God is the Source of everything we are and everything we have. He is the One who determines the best time and way that what we give will come back to us as a blessing.
We all sow something– either to the flesh or to the Spirit.
I pray for wisdom on how to give to those who are truly needy. In the area where I live, there are “professional homeless” people. They pretend to be homeless, and play on peoples’ emotions. However, they are actually not homeless, and they make a lot of extra money by pretending.
May God bring to light all false people, and may we love and give in wisdom.
Vance
====== Dee:
Order..organization..I always heard Cleanliness is next to Godliness and even though this isn’t explicitly stated..this comes to mind when I think of how David had the temple organized and all the assigned tribe members. And yes in the end sin..not property issues caused it’s downfall amd destruction. Pride comes before the fall of mankind amd when unrepentent..watch out..destruction awaits
Faith is believing in the things hoped for evidence not seen. Faith section of Roman’s. Because of Faith God has brought us to the high places of honor and he gives us grave and favor and all we need to have is faith.
Psalm 14. No one is without sin..no not one. That is true. It is when we recognize and accept that without repentance and accepting of Jesus..He is the only one to save us in this sinful corrupt world.
Proverbs 19:17
Yes it is nice to give to the poor. Whatever the motive, that is between them and God. He loves them just as he does us
Dee
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