July 20- Wisdom and Sanctification

July 20, 2011

Scripture Readings:
2 Chronicles 1:1-3:17; Romans 6:1-23;
Psalm 16:1-11; Proverbs 19-20-21

God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way. 
 ~Max Lucado

2 Chronicels 1:1-3:17

WISDOM

I became a Christian when I was 15 years old.  I had started my freshman year at a new private Christian high school in a nice part of the city, where I spent my childhood.  The atmosphere of the school was electric with enthusiasm.  Each Wednesday, we had a school assembly/chapel service.  Evangelical speakers would come and talk about God.  This was a new experience for me.  Although I did not initially agree with what these preachers were saying, I was fascinated by their presentations and felt strangely drawn to their message.  Could what they were saying about God be true?

 They waved their Bibles in the air and claimed that it was the Word of God.  I thought they were insane.  They shouted that I could trust this book to show me the Way.  According to them, I was a sinner in need of a Savior.  These were new concepts. 

As I thought about what they were saying, the truth of my sin and my need of a Savior tugged at my heart.  Eventually, I timidly asked Christ in to my heart, secretly hoping that I was not being duped.  I am happy to say that these crazy shouting men were right.  I know from my subsequent experience that the words of the Bible are God's message to His creation.  God reached out to me through those dedicated servants and brought me into a relationship with Himself. Not long after privately admitting to myself that I needed Jesus' death to cover my sins and that I was succumbing to the idea that I wanted a relationship with this God who died for me, I found myself asking God to make me wise.  My burning desire was to know Him well and to be wise in the ways of God.  Today, as we read God's perspective on Israel's history, King Solomon asks for wisdom, too.  But the wisdom he asks for is the wisdom to rule the of Israel nation, wisely.

God wants us to know in the book of 1 Chronicles that David's desire was to build the Temple.  This highlights His emphasis on all things spiritual.  David was a God-focused individual.  The materials, plans, and preparations for this great work were all layed by the man whose heart was after God's own heart.  Today, King Solomon, who was chosen by God to be the next king of Israel, follows his father's desires and begins to build the Temple.  It should be noted that after David's death, Solomon consults the Lord at the Tabernacle.  This is the same Tabernacle that Moses constructed in the desert.  The Ark is not in the Tabernacle at this point, but the brazen altar is still there.  Remember from our studies that the brazen altar represents Christ's sacrifice for our sins on the cross.  As they approach God at the Tabernacle, they must first approach and go through the brazen altar of sacrifice.  This is a tremendous picture and lesson to us.  We cannot approach our Holy God without going through the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross.  His death and resurrection give us a position of righteousness that allows us to fellowship with God.

After sacrificing on the brazen altar (1000 sacrifices!), God comes to Solomon at night and asks what Solomon would request.  Solomon remembers the advice of his father David in 1 Chronicles 22, and asks for wisdom to rule the people of Israel, justly.  God is pleased with Solomon's request and grants him this kind of wisdom, and also promises to bless him with great wealth, fame, and honor on earth.

A majority of 2 Chronicles is God's focus on Solomon accomplishing the task of building the Temple.  Rather than focusing on Solomon's many wives or the disputes within the nation, God emphasizes the spiritual aspects of Solomon's reign.  The King was wise in utilizing Hiram of Tyre, who had been good friends with David, as an ally and resource.  Hiram provides materials and expert craftsmen for the task. 

We learn that the brilliant master craftsman named Huram-abi is half Jewish and half-Sidonian.  He will single-handedly run the whole project.  153,600 foreigners are used in the construction work of the Temple.  By the way, the use of Huranm-abi and the foreign Gentiles in the great work of building God's Temple is a beautiful physical picture of a spiritual reality.  It is the work of the Israelites to bring us the Word of God and the Messiah.  The Gentiles then spread the Word of God throughout the earth, after the coming of the Holy Spirit and the formation of the Church. Ulitmately, both Jews and Gentiles are used by God to build His Kingdom.

God highlights the details and beauty of the veil in the Temple, which separates the outer court from the Holy of Holies.  Remember that this veil was torn at Christ's death from top to bottom, symbolizing that Jesus' sacrificial death and the tearing of His body gives mankind access to God.  Although the Temple is not the largest worship site ever created on earth, it's richness and symbolic magnificence is impressive.  Solomon shows wisdom in claiming that he is not presuming to build the God of the universe a house.  He is simply providing a place in which the nation of Israel can offer sacrifices to God.  It is wise to focus on God's Temple.   Providing a place to worship God helps establish the correct focus for the nation of Israel.  God should be our focus, too.

The Bible teaches that if we trust in Christ, our bodies become the Temple of the Holy Spirit.  With this in mind, how do you offer sacrifices to God each day?  Do you have a spiritual focus in your life?  The Bible tells us that we are to be living sacrifices each day.  Do you offer the sacrifice of righteous living as your praise to God each day in your body, which is God's Temple?

Romans 6:1-23

SANCTIFICATION

We just discussed that if we are believers in Christ, our bodies become God's Temple, where His Holy Spirit lives.  Today, we read how this truth is possible. 

The Apostle Paul presents the ideas of positional and practical sanctification.  Sanctification is defined as the act of setting something apart for a holy purpose.  It is also defined as making something holy.  This is what we are reading about today in the book of Romans.

So how is it that as Christians we are now considered holy?  The explanation in Romans 6:2-10 is two-fold.  First, our position before God is one of holiness because when Christ died our sins were placed on Him and our sins died with Him on the cross.  Positionally, our sins are dead now.  This is what Paul is talking about in verses 3 and 4 when he says that when we become Christians we are baptized with Christ in death.  Baptized here means "identified with."  So, when we put our faith in Christ's death and believe in Him, we obtain a position in which our sins are considered dead.  Our sins no longer rule us or have power over us.  We have the option to defeat sin through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul encourages us, as believers, to recognize the new position that we are in.  As Christians, we are able to choose to not give into our lustful desires.  We are to use our bodies as tools to glorify God.  God's grace has set us free from the law.  Rather than following rules and regulations, we follow our love of God into obedience.

The concept of being a slave to whatever you choose to obey is part of practicing practical sanctification.  Our position is now that we are no longer slaves to sin.  Our sins were paid for and died on the cross with Christ.  It is possible for us to be slaves to sin, though, by choice.  Paul is saying that we must not allow sin to be our master now that we are positionally free from sin.

To experience practical sanctification, we are to become slaves to God.  We are to make God our master and obey Him, alone.  To begin to experience holiness in our lives, we must choose who we follow.  Are you going to follow your lusts or are you going to follow the example of Jesus?  Personal holiness will depend on your choices. 

Lessons: Positionally, if you have asked Christ into your life you are sanctified and set apart to God.  In order to experience practical sanctification you will need to make correct choices through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Does this make sense to you?  Are you positionally sanctified?  If so, are you practicing your sanctification and becoming more like Jesus each day?

I thank God for the Apostle Paul and his explanations of how to live the Christian life!

Psalm 16:1-11

In this psalm, David declares that God is his master.  That fits nicely with our sanctification discussion.
This psalm also prophetically describes Jesus' resurrection in Verses 10 and 11.  It is upon this truth that we are sanctified!

Proverbs 19:20-21

Get advice to get wise, but the Lords plans always prevail.  So true!

What did you learn today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

July 19- Leaders Lead By Example

July 19, 2011

Scripture Readings:
1 Chronicles 28:1-29:30; Romans 5:6-21;
Psalm 15:1-5; Proverbs 19:18-19

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.  ~Abraham Lincoln

1 Chronicles 28:1-29:30

No truer words were ever spoken than Abraham Lincoln's musing about leadership.  Look across the globe today and you see despots abusing their power.  From Moammar Gadhafi to Hugo Chavez, people in many countries are subject to crazed madmen seeking their own glorification and suppressing those under them.  This is not the case with King David of Israel.  As God closes the chapter on David's reign, we see David's shining example of what a leader should do.

Today, David passes away after a long and productive life.  Before his death, God's perspective is that we should see how this tremendous leader ends his days on earth.  Here is God's perspective on how to be a godly leader of men and a gracious elder:

• Claim God's promises with humility. Vs. 2-4
• Appoint a successor to follow in leadership. Vs. 5-7
• Encourage people to rely upon God, obey Him, and follow His plan. Vs. 8-10
• Hand over the plans to your successor with humility. Vs. 11-13
• Provide materially for the success of the plans, even though you will not personally benefit from them. Vs. 14-18
• Give God the credit for coming up with the plan. Vs. 19-20
• Be an encourager.  Vs. 20-21
• Lead by example in sacrificial giving of your wealth. ch. 29:3-5
• Have top advisers lead by example with you. Vs.6
• Praise God and lead in the worship of God. Vs. 10-14
• Pray to God and glorify His name. Vs. 15-19 

This is a picture of humility.  This is how God wants His people to lead.  Jesus led in humility and service while on earth.  David was a shadow and type of Christ. Jesus is the greatest leader of all time.

How can you lead by example in your life?

Romans 5:6-21

Today, the Apostle Paul indicates that Jesus came to earth at just the right time.  When all people were utterly helpless to defeat sin, Jesus comes to die.  Here is the famous verse, "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  It is with the blood of Jesus that we are saved from God's judgment.

Now, Paul claims that Christ's work for us has made us friends with God. No longer are we enemies because of our rebellion and sin.  Now, we can have a warm relationship with the Creator, because our sins have been punished and our debt has been paid.

Paul establishes that sin entered the world through Adam, the first man. Adam brought death through his sin.  Jesus brought forgiveness through his death. 

Paul contrasts that God's gift of forgiveness given to many is very different than Adam's curse given to everyone. Adam's sin brought the world death, but Jesus' death brings the whole world triumph over sin and death, forever.
,
Another way Paul says this is that because one man disobeyed, many people became sinners. But because another man obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight.

This is accomplished because of God's kindness.

Have you accepted God's gracious gift that is given out of His kindness?

Psalm 15:1-5

Entering God's Holy Hill requires righteousness.  We learn today that this righteousness is found through faith in Jesus.  Are you able to enter God's Holy Hill?

Proverbs 19:18-19

Discipline prevents ruining a child's life.  An undisciplined child is quite miserable.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

July 18- Faith is Key!

July 18, 2011

Scripture Readings:
1 Chronicles 26:12-27:34; Romans 4:13-5:5;
Psalm 14:1-7; Proverbs 19:17

Faith makes all things possible...love makes all things easy. 
 ~Anonymous

1 Chronicles 26:12-27:34

David had a tremendous love for God.  This love made his tremendous task of supplying the materials for the Temple, planning the construction, appointing the priests, composing the music, making the musical instruments, and then organizing the Levites service an easy task for David.  It was his passion and his pleasure to serve God in this way.

Today, David finishes laying out the division of the gatekeepers. Next, he lists the officers and generals in his army. The fact that David did a census of the fighting men against God's will is mentioned, again.  You can be sure that your sins will find you out!  David's top advisers are listed.

God is intimately involved in David's kingdom.  It is through this man with a heart for God that God will bring the world His Son, who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  God is involved with David because God is relational.  He desires a relationship with David, and He desires to have a relationship with you and me.

Do you see God's personality and interests as you read His involvement with David and the nation of Israel?  Are you surprised at how into the little details God is?  Do you recognize that God is into the little details of your life, too?

Romans 4:13-5:5

Paul is teaching a profound concept today.  God is relational.  Our new relationship with God comes by faith in God.  It does not come from being obedient to the Law or through good works. The Law can only bring punishment for those who break it, and we all break it, at some point.

That is why faith is key!  This key is a free gift designed to unlock the door to access to the Creator of the Universe.

Paul explains that when God told Abraham he would bless the nations through him and make his children more numerous than the stars in the sky or the sands on the seashore, God was talking about spiritual children.  Abraham is the father of all people who come to God based on faith.  Father Abraham is the father of faith.  That is why God recorded his exchange with Abraham for all people on earth to see.  Abraham is our example.

Abraham can teach us by his example.  We learn that as he got older, his faith grew stronger (Vs. 21-22).  He is described as being absolutely convinced that God could do whatever He promised.  Do you believe this?

Paul explains that this promise is available to us, if we believe that Jesus died for our sins and was raised from the dead to make us right with God.  Jesus' sacrificial acts made the way for our relational God to have a relationship with us!

Here is what Abraham's faith teaches us:

• With faith, we have a new relationship with God. Vs. 13
• With faith, we will believe God's promises. Vs. 14
• With faith, our faith will grow stronger and not waver. Vs. 20
• With faith, we will experience peace. 5:1
• With faith, we have confidence and joy as we contemplate sharing in God's glory. Vs. 2
• With faith, we can rejoice when we face trials. Vs. 3
• With faith, we will not be disappointed, but will receive our expected salvation. Vs. 5
• With faith, we embrace the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives, which shows us how much God loves us. Vs. 5

Have you got faith?  Faith is key! It is easy to lose keys, but this is a key that you should never lose.

Psalm 14:1-7

Only a fool says in their heart that there is no God.  Yes.  This person would not have the key!

Proverbs 19:17

If you help the poor, you are actually lending to the Lord.  This is an important concept that Jesus expands upon.

What did you see today as you read?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

July 17- Becoming Righteous By Faith In God

July 17, 2011

Scripture Readings:
1 Chronicles 24:1-26:11; Romans 4:1-12;
Psalm 13:1-6; Proverbs 19:15-16

Abraham believed God, so God declared him to be righteous.  
~Romans 4:3

1 Chronicles 24:1-26:11

A person need only study mathematics and the sciences to see that our God is a God of order. As one looks at the universe from its largest galaxy to its microscopic organisms, each aspect of God's creation reflects design, purpose, and order.  It should be no surprise then that as we read God's perspective on David's accomplishments in the book of 1 Chronicles, we see God highlighting David's organization of Temple worship.  In this section, David establishes how the Temple jobs will be divided among the Levites. The priests are to follow the regulations given to Aaron, while each group of Levites was to follow the duties assigned to them according to the procedures established by God. The musicians, gatekeepers, judges and officials are designated by David through divine lot. 
As David's organizational skills are highlighted, God appears to delight in the fact that David's life reflects God's own character.  God is a God of order.  David is a man of order. It is God's Spirit in David that is accomplishing this. You do not see chaos with God. If your life is being led by God, the results in your life will be order, not chaos.  This is not to say that nothing will ever go wrong, but it is to say that you will see an increasing amount of peace and uniformity in your relationships and work. This will be the result of God's Spirit working in your life.  This is what David's life reflects.

Does your life reflect order or chaos?  Your answer may reflect your spiritual walk with God.

Romans 4:1-12

Many world religions are focused on doing good works.  Perhaps the works are the number of times you pray in a day.  Sometimes they are making sure that you give alms (money) to the poor. It is common for man to try to please God by doing things that benefit other people or benefit the planet, in general.  Deep within mankind is the desire to solve the problem of sin through the work of our own hands.  Remember Adam and Eve attempting to cover their nakedness with fig leaf underwear that they had created on their own.  Remember that God killed an innocent animal to cover their sin with shed blood, instead. 

Today, the Apostle Paul confirms that the work of our hands is not what makes us righteous before God.  He begins by using the father of the Jews as an example.  Abraham, according to Scripture, was declared righteous by God because he believed what God had promised to him.  What had God promised?  He promised to solve the problem of sin in the world through one of Abraham's descendants.  God promised to give Abraham a son. He promised to bless all of the nations through Abraham (Genesis 12:3, 15:3). When Abraham had complete faith in this promise, his faith made him righteous before God.  This is a position before the Creator.  It does not imply that Abraham became a sinless individual.

Paul argues that if you do a job, you should get paid for that job.  People who want to earn their way to God will not succeed.  Paul teaches that faith, not works, is what God is looking for. And faith is a gift from God. It is not something you earn.

King David in Psalm 32:1-2 is quoted by Paul. It speaks of how joyous it is to be forgiven and how fortunate it is to be a person whose sins are no longer counted against you by the Lord.

Paul goes back to the illustration of circumcision, because this was a point of contention among the Jews.  The believing Jews wanted the believing Gentiles to be circumcised as a sign of their belief in God.  Paul is arguing against this practice.  He points out that Abraham was declared righteous by God prior to being circumcised.  This is proof that faith alone makes you righteous and circumcision is not necessary to be declared righteous by God.  This would have been a revolutionary teaching to the Jews.

Are you convinced that your faith in Christ alone has saved you?  Are you tempted to work for God's approval through "good" deeds and behavior?  How's that working for ya?

Psalm 13:1-6

When you feel defeated by an enemy, even if your enemy is your own self destructive patterns, read this psalm to remind yourself to trust in God's unfailing love.

Proverbs 19:15-16

Keeping God's commandments brings life, but we just found out in our readings that faith is what makes us righteous before God and guarantees us eternal life.

What did you notice today as you read?  Please share.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

July 16- Soli Deo Gloria

July 16, 2011

Scripture Readings:
1 Chronicles 22:1-23:32; Romans 3:9-31;
Psalm 12:1-8; Proverbs 19:13-14

The aim and final end of all music should be none other 
than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul. 
~Johann Sebastian Bach

1 Chronicles 22:1-23:32

Born in 1685 into one of the most prestigious musical families in Germany, Johann Sebastian Bach was destined to be a musician.  Initially taught to play the violin and the harpsichord by his father and the organ by his uncle, Bach was a willing and talented student.  Following his passion for music and his passion for God led Bach to become the most revered organist, choir master, and composer in Germany.  In his lifetime, Bach composed over 1000 compositions.  Every piece of music he wrote contained the following words at the end of its completion, "Soli Deo Gloria."  This is Latin for "to God alone the glory."  Bach was powered by his passion to create some of the most beautiful worship music ever produced on earth.  His passion for God and his desire to glorify God led to a life of worship.  Today, King David is powered by passion and the results of David's passion provide the nation of Israel with a legacy of worship.

As our reading begins, David is obsessed with providing God with a house, rather than a tent.  David realizes that he should use the threshing floor property he bought from Aranuah as the land for the Temple. This land is where he sacrificed on the altar to God to stop the plague after taking the census which displeased God. It is here that the pre-incarnate Christ appeared as the angel of the Lord.  David is fueled by passion.  He spends an incredible amount of money and uses an incredible amount of his energy, late in his life, to plan and provide for the Temple.  Although we call the Temple that is eventually built for God- Solomon's Temple, God's perspective, as given in 1 Chronicles, lets us know that it should probably be called -David's Temple. 

David is told by God that he will not be allowed to build the Temple because he has been a man of war and has shed much blood.  This is reminiscent of Moses not being allowed to step foot in the Promised Land because of his sin of striking the rock at Meribah to provide water for the people.  God is consistent in His theme of allowing his servants to suffer the consequences of their actions.  God promises David that his son, Solomon, will be a man of peace and rest.  It is this man that will build God's Temple.  God also confirms His promise to David that one of his descendants will be God's Son, and God will establish his throne over Israel forever.  God is speaking of Jesus Christ.

David instructs Solomon on how to build the Temple.  He prays for Solomon's wisdom, courage, and obedience to God's laws as he becomes the ruler over Israel.  David points out that he (David) has worked hard to provide all of the materials for the Temple and the workmen to complete the task.  It is his primary focus and obsession. King David notes that there are four thousand tons of gold and forty thousand tons of silver that he has amassed for the Temple. The iron and bronze are so abundant that they cannot be counted. Can you imagine?  We are beginning to see how rich and powerful David had become in the ancient world.  Under David and Solomon, the nation of Israel experiences her finest hour.  Does David take this success as an opportunity to elevate himself?  No.  He takes this as an opportunity to honor God.

David, in his older years, appoints Solomon to be the king and sets up the worship team and organizational jobs for the Temple. He counts and assembles the priests and Levites. The Levites will no longer have the task of setting up the Tabernacle, so David appoints their jobs in the Temple that include caring for the maintenance of the structure, helping with purification ceremonies, laying out the bread for use, checking weights and measures, and singing songs of praise to the Lord every morning.  Under David, who was an amazing musician, the song book of Israel is composed and the musicians are appointed from the Levites. There were 4000 men, who were thirty years old or older, who served as instrumentalists and singers. David, like Johann Sebastian Bach, gives forth praise to his God through music.  David's passion for God led to his magnificent planning for a place of worship to honor God and his writing of soul-inspiring music that worshiped the Creator.

David, in his passion for the Temple, is a shadow/type of Christ.  In John 2:17 we are told, "Then His disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures, 'Passion for God's house will consume me.'"  Jesus, as He confronted the merchants and money changers at the Temple, demonstrated the same passion for God's Temple that David had.  Any person who is right with God will naturally find themselves pursuing ways to worship God.  Using the creative arts to worship God is scriptural.  We see through this story that God wants our gifts and talents to be dedicated to God alone-"To God alone be the glory!"  Soli Deo Gloria!

How has your passion for God manifested itself in your life?  Do your passions lead you to glorify yourself or God?

Romans 3:9-31

Paul is a man with a passion for God.  Paul's passion is manifested through his magnificent writings.  It is through the book of Romans that the outline of the Christian faith can be found.  If we walk Paul's Roman Road, it will lead us to Jesus Christ.

Today, Paul is finishing his section on man's sinfulness.  Paul opens this portion by stating that both Jews and Gentiles are under the power of sin. Paul quotes David's song book of Israel, the book of Psalms, which happens to also be a prophetic writing to prove that man is sinful.  He quotes from the following psalms 14:1-3; 53;1-3; 5:9; 140:3; 10:7.  Each section echoes the theme that there is none who are good on the earth.  There are none who are righteous, no not one.

Paul explains in verse 19 that the purpose of Moses' Law was to bring the entire world into judgment before God, because the more you learn of the law, the clearer it becomes that you aren't obeying it.

Paul presents the crux of God's solution for the problem of sin.  He states that God has shown us a different way to be made right in His sight- not by obeying the law, but by trusting in Jesus Christ to take away our sins.  Here is the Good News according to Paul, we can all be saved in the same way no matter who we are or what we have done.  Did you get that?  It does not matter what you have done.  You can be saved. 

It does not matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile.  We are all saved the same way.  That way is by faith in Jesus Christ.  Hallelujah! 

Since no person is able to perfectly obey the Law and all people have sinned, we are doomed to death eternally unless there is an individual who has perfectly obeyed the Law and is willing to die a sacrificial death in our place to take the punishment for the sins that we have committed.  Thank God, Jesus came, lived a perfect life, fulfilled God's Law, and was willing to take our punishment.  In addition to this, He rose from death to conquer that death and provide eternal life for those who have faith in His work on our behalf. Jesus is the source of eternal life.

Paul ends with this amazing statement, "In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the Law."  This is key.  God does want His law fulfilled and that is accomplished through faith in the one man who did fulfill the Law perfectly, Jesus Christ.

Do you accept the premise that all men have sinned?  If not, please explain how you have managed to live a life where you have NEVER wronged another individual or a holy God.  Do you see the need for a Savior to save you from the death you deserve because of your sins?  Jesus is that Savior.

Psalm 12:1-8

This psalm laments the sin of man.

Proverbs 19:13-14

I love this, "A nagging wife is like a constant dripping."  Ooh, I guess we need to be careful, ladies!!

What did you learn today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

July 15- A Change of Heart

July 15, 2011

Scripture Readings:
1 Chronicles 19:1-21:30; Romans 2:25-3:8;
Psalm 11:1-7; Proverbs 19:10-12

1 Chronicles 19:1-21:30

Have you ever had a time in your life when rather than trusting in God, you began to look at your circumstances and try to figure out if you could survive your circumstances within your own means?  Although David was once a shepherd boy who trusted God enough to come up against the giant Goliath with only five smooth stones and a slingshot, today, as an older man, we see David taking a census of the fighting men of Israel because of a lack of faith in God's ability to protect him from his numerous enemies.

As our reading begins, David sends condolences to the son of one of his good friends who has died.  The son's advisers tell him that David's delegation is really there to spy out the land so that they can invade.  The delegation is humiliated when their beards are cut off and their robes are cut at the buttocks.  David is angry and sends the men to Jericho to grow out their beards.  The Jewish men at that time did not cut their beards, so this would have been a great embarrassment.

David sends Joab to fight the Ammonites, who have hired the Arameans to help them.  The bottom line on the several battles mentioned is that David is having to deal with many enemies.  It is noted that Joab goes and fights the Ammonites in the spring, but David did not go at that time.  It was during this battle, when David was home, that he slept with Bathsheba. 

Next, a war breaks out with the Philistines.  They have descendants of giants among them.  David and Israel are victorious against these physical giants, but David is about to deal with a spiritual giant who gets the better of him.

It is understandable that as he dealt with these enemies, David would begin to look at his circumstances and try to figure out if his nation was powerful enough to withstand the external enemies.  The Bible tells us that it is precisely at this time that Satan rises up against Israel and causes David, in unbelief, to count the fighting men of Israel.  This may not seem like a big deal to you and me, but we are getting God's perspective on this story.  It is only now that we realize that Satan was the motivator behind David taking a census.  Just as Satan influenced Peter to tell Jesus that he should not speak of dying, Satan has caused David to doubt God and rely on numbers, rather than God.  The history of Satan is the history of causing mankind to doubt God.  Look at Eve in the Garden of Eden.  Satan said that she surely would not die, if she ate the fruit.  She doubted what God had clearly told her, and then she sinned.  David is in the same boat.

It is interesting to see that Joab is a reluctant participant in the census.  He knows that it is a lack of faith in God that is causing David to do this.  Joab obeys David, but not without protest.  When David realizes that the Lord is displeased, he repents.  He has a change of heart and asks for forgiveness for doing such a foolish thing.  God forgives David, but there will be consequences for his sin.  God gives David three choices for punishment.  David chooses the punishment that allows the nation of Israel to fall into God's hands, rather than fight more enemies.  David picks the plague and seventy thousand people die.  In addition to this, the Lord sends an angel to destroy Jerusalem, but relents before its destruction.  David and his men see this angel and put on sack cloth and ashes to show their repentance and humility before the Lord.  David cries out to God that he is the one who sinned and he is the one who should be punished.

Next, we see a pre-incarnate Jesus (the angel of the Lord) at a threshing floor in Jerusalem owned by a man named Araunah.  David is told to build an altar to God at this threshing floor.  David obeys and buys the threshing floor, even though Araunah offers to give it to the King.  David says that his sacrifice to God must cost him something.  Araunah provides the animals, wood, and place.  David's sins are covered by the blood sacrifice, representing the future death of the Messiah for sins, and then a peace offering that represents the peace that Jesus brings between God and man. David's sacrifice is consumed by the fire of God as a sign that it has been accepted by God.  It is after David's repentant sacrifice that the angel, whose sword was over Jerusalem, is told to stop and not destroy the city.

Lessons: David's sin was one of unbelief.  There are consequences for acting upon your own unbelief in sin. Trust in God, not in your own strength. If you sin, you must have a change of heart and repent of your sin.  You must trust in Jesus' death and resurrection to receive God's forgiveness for your sins.

David receives God's forgiveness when he asks in faith.  The animal sacrifice was a sign to God that David believed that one day a Redeemer Child would die a sacrificial death for his sins.  David looked forward to Jesus' death, we look backwards to the same event.  Both positions require faith.

Do you rely on your own strength when times get tough?  Do you repent when you realize that you have left God out of the equation?  Are you trusting in Christ for forgiveness of sins?

Romans 2:25-3:8

Today, Paul introduces a very interesting concept.  As you know, the practice of circumcision was given to Abraham by God as a sign of God's promise to bless the nations through Abraham.  Throughout the centuries the Jewish people had come to see themselves as holy and set apart simply because they participated in this ritual.  Unaware that this was a shadow of things to come, the Jews have begun to incorrectly feel that this ceremony made them superior in that it was a sign that they followed the Mosaic law.  Paul is about to shatter that myth.

Paul informs the Jews that with the advent of the Messiah, cutting the skin away from the male genitals is only worth something if you obey the laws of God perfectly.  If one doesn't obey the laws, the circumcised Jewish male has no advantage over the Gentile who is not circumcised. 

Now, Paul drops a bombshell.  He teaches that you are not a true Jew unless your heart is right with God. He clarifies that true circumcision is the circumcision of the heart, which is really a change of heart that is only produced by God's Spirit.  A person who goes through this type of change is not seeking to get man's approval, but God's approval.

Then, Paul addresses whether or not there is any advantage to being a naturally born Jew.  He says that there is always the advantage of having been the people group who were entrusted with the whole revelation of God.  As we know from our Bible reading this year, God trusted the Jews with His Holy Word and with bringing us the Messiah.  The Jews have a special relationship with God, even until the end of time, not because they have been so righteous, but because God is righteous and true to His promises.  The Church is built on the foundation of the twelve tribes of Israel.  They do not go away. They are the foundation of our faith.

Paul attempts to deal with the arguments that some will say that our sins can continue because our sins highlight our flaws and as a result, they highlight God's truthfulness and glory in that they show how opposite He is from us.  Paul states that this sort of attitude is wrong.  He denies that his preaching promotes this type of thought.

Have you had your heart circumcised by God?  Do you see changes in your life that reflect that you are now a true Jew?

Psalm 11:1-7

Vs. 4 states that the Lord still rules from heaven.  This makes sense considering what we read in the Old Testament today.  He was certainly ruling from heaven.

Proverbs 19:10-12

If you have good sense, you will restrain your anger.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

July 14- A Heart For God

July 14, 2011

Scripture Readings:
1 Chronicles 16:37-18:17; Romans 2:1-24;
Psalm 10:16-18; Proverbs 19:8-9

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

~John Newton

1 Chronicles 16:37-18:17

On May 10, 1748, the young captain of a slave ship named John Newton cried out to God to save his ship and his men from a violent storm.  When all seemed lost and he thought that the ship would surely sink, John Newton asked the Lord to have mercy on them all.  God did deliver the ship through the storm, and John Newton grabbed a hold of God's grace and subjected his own will from that moment on to the will of His Creator.  After this incident, which he describes as the day of his conversion, Newton became a man with a heart for God.  This heart manifested itself in Newton becoming a self-taught student of the Scripture, a pastor to a thriving church in England, and the writer of over 280 hymns.  Newton's heart for God brought songs of joy into his life.  Because of his heart for God, you and I have the wonderful hymn, Amazing Grace.  Today, David is another model to us of a person who has a heart for God.

With a passion for all things godly, David sets out to honor God in many ways.  Today's passage sets an outline for what it is to have a heart for God.  David's actions and attitudes are a journal of love.  Here are actions and heart attitudes that reflect David's heart for God:

• David reinstitutes regular sacrifices at the house of God in obedience to His laws. Vs. 40
• David implements and participates in joyful worship of God through music.  Vs. 41
• David desires to build a Temple for God. Chapter 17:1
• David consults God and listens to God. Vs. 4-10
• God tells David that He will build David a permanent house by giving him a dynasty of kings. Vs. 10-14
• David is humble before God. He is shocked that God is speaking to him as if he is someone great.  As a earthly king, this shows great humility -Vs. 16-17
• David admits that God knows what he is really like, admitting that he is a sinner before a holy God.  -Vs. 18
• David praises God. - Vs. 20
• David recounts God's mighty acts and blessings. -Vs. 21-23
• David glorifies God with his words. -Vs. 24
• David claims God's promises. -Vs. 25-26
• With power from God, David defeats God's enemies.  -Chapter 18:1-13
• David reigns justly on earth. -Vs. 14

If you are wondering if you have a heart for God, you can look at this list in order to judge for yourself.  Do you worship Him, consult and listen to Him, humble yourself and admit that you are a sinner, praise God for who He is, recount with thanksgiving His mighty acts, claim His promises, defeat His enemies on earth, and conduct your life in an honorable and honest fashion?  If so, you have a heart for God!

Romans 2:1-24

Today, Paul is encouraging the Romans to admit that they are sinners.  Paul recounted how the rebellious fall into wickedness.  He then reminds the Romans that they, too, are guilty of sin. God is merciful and kind and He is giving all people on earth time to repent of their sin.  Paul encourages them to not judge others, but to look at their own lives to recognize that all people are guilty as charged.

Part of the good news that Paul is preaching includes understanding the bad news about sin.  The bad news is that there is going to be a judgment day in the future.  God, who is the just judge, will judge all people according to what they have done on earth.  This will be based on God's law, which is written down and known to the Jew, and this law is seen in the Gentiles because in their hearts they instinctively know right from wrong. Jesus is the one who will judge every one's secret life.  This means that Christ knows all of every one's actions and He understands the motivations behind every one's actions.  Paul confirms that this is his main message to the Romans.  There will be an accounting for sin.

For the Jew who is convinced that he (as a Jew) is a teacher to the whole world about righteousness because God's Law came through the Jews, Paul warns the Jews to not boast.  For it is the Jew who is a hypocrite and is breaking the laws he proposes to teach.

This ends our reading in Romans for today.  Paul's argument goes on and is incomplete at this point.  What shall we learn from this portion of his dissertation on man's sinfulness?

Lessons:  God is merciful and is providing mankind time to admit that they are sinners. This is the world's opportunity to repent. People who do not have access to the Law are still responsible for their sin, because the law of right and wrong is written on all human hearts.  God will judge sin. The Law shows us that we are sinners.  If you are aware of the Law and are not following it, you are a sinner.

So, I guess we get the point.  We are sinners.  People who have a heart for God can admit that they are sinners.

Is this a hard concept for you to admit?  Do you do everything right all the time?  Are you able to perfectly love others?  If not, you are a sinner.

Psalm 10:16-18

God is a king who brings comfort to the oppressed.  He rules justly.

Proverbs 19:8-9

Liars will be destroyed.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton