July 31- Revival

July 31, 2011

Scripture Readings:
2 Chronicles 29:1-36; Romans 14:1-23;
Psalm 24:1-10; Proverbs 20:12

Revival awakens in our hearts an increased awareness of the presence of God, 
a new love for God, a new hatred for sin, and hunger for His Word.
 ~Del Fehsenfeld Jr.

2 Chronicles 29:1-36

In the 1700's in both England and America, a series of spiritual revivals transformed the Christian and non-Christian worlds through the power of passionate preaching of God's Word.  John Wesley, Charles Wesley, and George Whitfield brought about the Methodist revival in England.  America had two Great Awakenings.  The First Great Awakening swept through the Protestant community in America and was responsible for bringing Christianity to the slaves.  The Second Great Awakening began in 1800 and reached out to unbelievers.  Revival always serves to increase spiritual interests and renew the life of the body of Christ on earth. Today, Hezekiah leads a spiritual revival in the Southern Kingdom of Judah by restoring the Temple and re-instituting the proper worship of God.

John and Charles Wesley

The book of 2 Kings (18) gives us an account of Hezekiah's reign and details many of the things that Hezekiah had to tear down and destroy, like the pagan shrines and Asherah poles.  The book of 2 Chronicles focuses on the positive things that good King Hezekiah reinstates.  Evil King Ahaz had nailed shut the doors of the Temple of the Lord.  Hezekiah reopens the doors and encourages the Levites to purify themselves, according to the Laws of Moses.  After their purification and dedication of the Temple, the Levites inform Hezekiah that the Temple is ready to be used.  Hezekiah leads the city officials in offering sacrifices at the newly opened Temple.  Afterwards, Hezekiah has songs of praise lifted up to the Lord by the Levite musicians.  The entire assembly worships God with Hezekiah and bows down offering joyous praise to the Lord.

Hezekiah announces that the Temple is open for public sacrifices, and the response is better than a Baptist altar call.  The people respond enthusiastically and many animals are sacrificed, as people acknowledge their sins before God and look forward to a future Messiah. 

The Bible has many accounts of the acts of good King Hezekiah.  It is with pleasure that God recounts the life and actions of a man who led others in spiritual revival.  It should be noted that revival always focuses on the truth of God's Word, obedience to His Word, and the worship of God in spirit and truth, as a result of conviction by God's Word.

Have you ever experienced personal revival in your spirit through listening to God's Word?  How about from reading and studying God's Word?

Romans 14:1-23

If you are a sanctified Christian, one quality you will possess is the ability to accept Christians who are weaker in their faith.  Not all Christians understand the lessons of God and the truth of the Bible in the same way.  Christianity is a journey and a process.  Some people are further along in their journey and further down the path.

Those mature Christians are to not judge the more immature Christians, who may need to place rules upon themselves in order to live with good consciences before God.  Examples given by the Apostle Paul are that certain people feel they are sinning when they eat certain foods or drink certain drinks. We are not to judge them.  Paul clarifies that all foods are acceptable.  This is about people's own consciences.  Also, Paul distinguishes that certain people feel that certain days should be set aside for worship.  Paul indicates that we are not under the Sabbath anymore, because everyday is our Sabbath rest in Christ, but if a person feels a strong conviction about this, the more mature Christian is to honor the weaker Christian's needs. This produces harmony.  Harmony is a sign of sanctification.

Judgement is left to God, alone.  Christians are not to condemn the attempts of other Christians to please God with their behavior.  Paul reminds us that we will each give an account to God of our lives.  Whoa.  Think about that, friends!

Here is the key lesson by Paul:  The Kingdom of God is not about what we eat and drink, it is about living a life of goodness and peace through the power of God's Holy Spirit.

Just as God records the events where Hezekiah built up others through obeying God's Word, we are to build up our Christian brothers and sisters by obeying God's command to love one another.  This may include foregoing eating or drinking something that you know is acceptable, just in order to prevent a weaker Christian from stumbling.  This is truly putting other people ahead of yourself.

Paul finishes by reminding us that all things we do should be done with a good conscience. 

Do you put other people ahead of yourself in the ways that Paul suggests?  Have you ever not drunk something like alcohol in order to prevent someone from stumbling? Did you know that God does not require one Sabbath day anymore?  Everyday is our Sabbath rest in Jesus.  Does this concept cause you to stumble?

Psalm 24

Read this psalm and contemplate who can stand in the presence of God.  This psalm causes us to realize that it is only with Christ's help that we can stand in God's Holy presence.

Proverbs 20:12

Being able to see and hear (God's Word) is a blessing from God.

What did you learn today?  Please share.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

July 30- We Three Kings

July 30, 2011

2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27; Romans 13:1-14;
Psalm 23:1-6; Proverbs 20:11

2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27

Good kings and bad kings...are you getting tired of reading about these kings?  How about pronouncing their names and all the names of their enemies?  Is that getting old?  Let's take a minute to review what is going on here in this portion of Scripture.  The Jewish people have divided into two separate kingdoms.  This happened when Solomon's cocky son, Rehoboam, continued to tax the people of Israel at a high rate.  Ten tribes split off and went north.  Their capital city became Samaria.  Only two tribes stayed with Rehoboam in the south.  The Southern Kingdom was ruled out of the city of Jerusalem. 

In the book of 2 Chronicles, we get God's take on this period of the kings.  We see that God decides to focus on the Southern Kingdom, because those kings are from the line of David.  Remember that the Messiah will come through David and God likes to focus His story around events that lead to the birth of Jesus Christ.  Today, we will look at three kings from the Southern Kingdom.  Remember, there are only 8 good kings out of all of the kings of both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.  That is a pretty bad indictment against the nation of Israel, and yet it reflects a theme that we see throughout the Bible:  only a remnant will believe in God.  Remember that Jesus taught that the gateway to heaven is narrow and only a few enter through it.

The first king is Uzziah.  He is a good king, although not perfect.  His reign is marked by rebuilding towns, seeking God, defeating the Philistines and some Arabs, ranching and farming the land, and being a good military leader.  Unfortunately, all of these blessings lead to Uzziah becoming prideful.  As we all know, pride goeth before a fall.  Uzziah's fall occurs when he insists on taking the incense burner into the Temple.  This job was only allowed to be done by the priests.  There are specific regulations in the Mosaic Law for how incense burning was to occur.  Remember, this was a picture of Jesus Christ that was not to be altered. 

The Lord strikes Uzziah with leprosy for breaking the Mosaic Law and he is immediately ushered out of the Temple.  He lives the rest of his life in isolation, excluded from the Temple.  Lesson:  God judges sin, sometimes while we are still living.  Uzziah is a saved man and will be with God in eternity, but that did not prevent consequences of his sin from occurring.  He lived with the results of disobeying God.

The second king is Jotham. Jotham is Uzziah's son and is a good king in Judah.  Probably because of what happened to his father, Jotham never enters the Lord's Temple. He does rebuild towns, successfully wages war, receives tribute from enemies and is careful to live an obedient life. It seems to me that the consequences that his father suffered had a big impact on Jotham's life.

The third king is Ahaz.  Ahaz is Jotham's son, and in this man we see the results of his father never going to the Lord's Temple.  Ahaz is an evil king in Judah.  He casts images for Baal worship and completely adopts idolatry.  He leads his kingdom to follow despicable practices, and he even sacrifices his own son in the fires of the pagan idols.  Every green tree in his kingdom has a shrine or altar to a pagan god under it.  The Northern Kingdom of Israel attacks the Southern Kingdom under Ahaz's rule.  He is defeated and many thousands of his subjects are taken into slavery by the North.  The prisoners are eventually released.   Ahaz continues to get defeated by other enemies, including the king of Damascus.  Ahaz offers sacrifices to the gods of Damascus in an attempt to become victorious.  The Bible tells us that Ahaz was unaware that the God of Israel was causing all of this to occur to punish and humble the people of Judah, because of their disloyalty in following other gods.  Ahaz dies and is not buried in the royal cemetery. 

So what can we learn from the stories of these men?  God is aware of who loves Him and who does not love Him.  Not all people on earth will love and follow God.  That is part of His story.  There are consequences for sin.  If you are not a believer in God's Messiah, there will be eternal consequences for unforgiven sins.

Are you a believer in God's Messiah?  Do you love God?

Romans 13:1-14

If you are a believer in God's Messiah-Jesus Christ, then you are able to live a sanctified life.  Today, the Apostle Paul continues to show us what a sanctified life looks like.  Here are more characteristics of a sanctified believer in Christ:

• Will obey the government, recognizing that God set up government on the earth for the protection of people and to administer justice.  Vs. 1-5
• Will pay taxes and duties, and will honor those to whom it is due. Vs. 6-7
• Will pay all of their debts.  Vs. 8
• Will never finish paying the debt of loving others, while on earth. Vs. 8
• Will love his neighbor as himself. Vs. 9-10
• Will shed bad living and clothe themselves with good living. Vs. 11-12
• Will not participate in wild parties and getting drunk. Vs. 13
• No adultery, immoral living, fighting or jealousy. Vs. 13
• Will not indulge evil desires, but be controlled by Jesus Christ. Vs. 14

Do you do these things in your life?  Does your life look sanctified?  Remember, behavior matters to God.

Psalm 23

This is one of my favorite psalms.  It is worth memorizing, if you have not already done so.

Proverbs 20:11

Children can be judged by the way they act.  This fits nicely with our lesson from Romans.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

July 29- The Influence Of A Godly Man

July 29, 2011

2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28; Romans 12:1-21;
Psalm 22:19-31; Proverbs 20:8-10

I love you not because of who you are, but because of who I am when I am with you. 
~Roy Croft

2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28

Many people do not realize it, but President George W. Bush did more to fight AIDS in Africa than any other American president before him.  One estimate is that under his plans, 15 billion dollars were sent to help the Africans. Bush's motivation was born out of his Christian faith and the influence of a godly man.  One of Bush's speech writers and influential political advisers was a man named Michael Gerson. Mr. Gerson was a Christian from the Midwest.  Having gone to Westminster Christian Academy in St. Louis, Missouri and Wheaton College in Illinois, Mr. Gerson had strong ideas about the need to help others through giving of one's resources.  When put in a position of influence, Mr. Gerson combined his passion for helping others with Bush's faith and leadership to bring about the largest initiative to help Africa that has ever occurred in the modern era.  It is Mr. Gerson who came up with the phrase "armies of compassion."  One man with conviction can make a difference.

Today, Jehoiada, the godly high priest who rescued Joash and put him on the throne after the overthrow of the evil Athalia, continues to influence the Southern Kingdom of Judah for good and for God.   The young king decides to repair the Temple of the Lord, which had fallen into disrepair. This is accomplished by reinstating the Temple tax, originally was levied by Moses.  Joash also has a chest made and set outside of the Temple for offerings.  The people of Israel give sacrificially, and soon, the Temple restorations are underway.  Under the tutelage of Jehoiada, the burnt offerings and other offerings laid out by Moses are offered continually to the Lord.  Jehoiada is given a long life.  He dies at the age of 130 years and is buried with royal honors in the royal cemetery.

After Jehoiada's death, Joash is influenced by ungodly advisers, who convince Joash to reinstate idol worship, including setting up Asherah poles.  The young king agrees to this!  God sends the prophet Zechariah, Jehoiada's son, to try to bring the people back to God.  Joash has him murdered!  Wow.  Way to honor the memory of the man who saved you, Joash!  Zechariah cries out that he hopes God will see what they are doing and hold them accountable.  Well, God sees it, all right.  God allows the Aramean army to march against Joash and plunder the people of Judah.  Then, Joash, who is wounded in battle, is killed by his own officials!  Joash is buried in dishonor.  They do not bury him in the royal cemetery.

The next king is Amaziah.  He has to deal with a war.  He listens to godly advise and does not hire mercenaries from the Northern Kingdom, and as a result, he defeats the Edomites.  He brings back the booty from battle and begins to worship the idols he defeated!  One good decision followed by a very bad decision.  God sends a prophet to warn him to stop this.  Amaziah does not listen. Filled with pride, Amaziah challenges the Northern Kingdom to come fight.  He and the armies of Judah are routed by the Northern Kingdom of Israel.  Later, Amaziah is killed by assassins.  Here is a man who could not be influenced by a godly man because of his pride, and God's judgment comes upon his life, as a result.

In chapter 25 verse 8, the prophet of God who comes to advise Amaziah says this, "God will overthrow you, for He has the power to help or frustrate."  The lesson to us is that whether or not we are listening to the godly influences in our lives, it is ultimately God, Himself, who has the power to either help us or frustrate our plans.  God is sovereign.

Do you listen to godly influences in your life?  Are you a godly influence to anyone?

Romans 12:1-21

If you own a Bible and you read your Bible, you have the capacity to hear the counsel of a godly man, every day.  Who is that man?  The Apostle Paul is. He can be a tremendous influence in your life and a personal spiritual adviser, if you will listen to his words of wisdom written in the Scriptures.  Today, we will continue to study what Paul says about being sanctified in Christ.

The first concept Paul lays out in our reading today is that as Christians, we must look at our bodies as living sacrifices.  You and I are not used to taking an animal to be killed for our sins. Paul was speaking to people who had taken their precious creatures and given them up for something that they (the people) had done wrong.  An innocent animal died for their sins to represent their faith in a future Messiah's sacrificial death.  Now, Paul is saying that since Jesus was the final blood sacrifice, we now must bring something else to God.  We bring  our living bodies to be LIVING sacrifices.  No one dies, now.  Instead, we honor God by LIVING as the new person He has made us to be. 

Paul says that we should measure and judge ourselves by the amount of faith we exhibit. How will this faith manifest itself?  It will be shown through the use of our gifts.  As parts of Christ's body on earth, we are each given a different purpose and gifts that allow us to accomplish God's will on earth.  Paul encourages us to use our gifts, diligently.  Your gift could be prophecy, serving others, teaching, encouraging, sharing, giving, leadership or even sharing kindness.  Our job as believers is to "just do it!"  Whatever you are good at, do it to the benefit of others.  This glorifies God and is the essence of being a living sacrifice.

Here is some other practical advice on how to live in a godly way:

• Don't pretend to love...really love others.  Vs. 9
• Hate what is wrong and love what is good. Vs. 9
• Take delight in honoring each other. Vs. 10
• Don't be lazy in your work. Vs. 11
• Be patient in trouble and pray. Vs. 12
• Help God's children (believers) when they are in need. Vs. 13
• Be in the habit of inviting others over. Vs. 13
• Bless those who persecute you. Vs. 14
• Share joys and sorrows with others. Vs. 15
• Live in harmony. Don't think too much of yourself. Vs. 16
• Don't avenge yourself when harmed.  Let God avenge you. Vs. 19-20
• Conquer evil by doing good. Vs. 21

Wow.  What a great list.  How do we do this?  Not by our own power, I can assure you.  It is through the power of the Holy Spirit in us that we begin to adopt and embrace these behaviors. Exhibiting these behaviors is how we measure the amount of faith we have.  It takes faith in God to live this way.  This is what it means to be a living sacrifice.  We must set our minds on these things and sacrifice our sinful tendencies, in order to glorify God in our bodies.

Are you willing to sacrifice, today?  Will you be influenced by this godly man's writings?

Psalm 22:19-31

Here is the beautiful conclusion to the psalm about Jesus.  He does end up ruling the nations.  Yay!

Proverbs 20:8-10

"When a king judges, he weighs all of the evidence, distinguishing the bad from the good."  This ties in with our reading today.

What did you notice?  Please share.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

July 28- Sin Is A Crooked Stick

July 28, 2011

Scripture Readings:
2 Chronicles 21:1-23:21; Romans 11:13-36;
Psalm 22:1-18; Proverbs 20;7

A crooked stick will cast a crooked shadow.  
~Anonymous

2 Chronicles 21:1-23:21

If I said to you that I was holding a straight stick, you would be able to picture my situation.  The stick would be predictable.  But, if I told you that I was holding a crooked stick, you would not know exactly what that meant.  The stick could be twisting to the left.  It might be swerving to the right at several places.  The point is that crooked is complicated.  Well, today in our reading, we find out that sin is a crooked stick.  When sin is involved in peoples' lives things get complicated.

Good King Jehoshaphat dies and his evil son, Jehoram, comes to the throne.  He does evil in the site of the Lord by killing all of his siblings to secure his position.  The crookedness begins.  He also marries a daughter of the evil King Ahab, who rules in the Northern Kingdom.  This alliance is designed to bring peace, but it also reflects Jehoram's idolatry.  Elijah is dead at this point, but even though he was a prophet to the Northern Kingdom, he apparently left a written prophecy about this evil king in the Southern Kingdom.  According to Elijah's prophecy, Jehoram would be judged by God for his sins and would die a horrible death from an intestinal disease that would cause his bowels to come out.  We should not be surprised when Elijah's prophecy comes to pass.

More crookedness befalls the Southern Kingdom as Ahaziah comes to power.  He, too, makes alliances with the evil kings in the North, which eventually causes his death, as God judges King Joram of the Northern Kingdom and in the process, King Ahaziah is killed, also.

Lesson:  Be careful who you align yourself with.  Crooked people walk down crooked paths, and God judges sin.

When Ahaziah dies, his evil mother, Athaliah, kills all of her male children and grandchildren, in order to secure her own position of power on the throne of Judah.  This should not surprise us, because she is the daughter of evil King Ahab and evil Queen Jezebel of the Northern Kingdom.  One grandchild manages to escape, thanks to his aunt, Jehosheba.  This child, Joash, is kept in God's Temple by a good priest named Jehoiada. At the right time, Joash is anointed as king by the Jehoiada. Athaliah is killed and the nation is delivered from another crooked stick.

Have you experienced the crooked stick of sin in your life?  Jesus is available to straighten out the crooked sticks.  He makes crooked things straight.  How?  By dying for our sins, resurrecting from the dead, and providing the Holy Spirit in our lives to sanctify us.  Through our sanctification, the crooked things are made straight.  We are new creatures in Chris,t who are no longer slaves to sin.  Walk God's straight and narrow path with confidence!

Romans 11:13-36

Thoughout our Bible readings, I have referred to the concept of the first shall be last and the last shall be first.  When speaking of this, I have often referenced Romans 11.  Today, we finally will analyze what Paul is teaching in Romans 11.

Last time we read, we learned that God planned for the Jews to reject Him, for the most part.  Today, Paul states that this was for the express purpose of offering salvation to the rest of the world. Abraham, as the father of all believers, is the root of the Jewish people.  If Abraham's roots were good, which they were, then the root of the Jewish people is good. 

Pic of a branch being grafted in

The Jews, who were unbelieving, have been pruned like bad branches on a tree.  The Gentiles have been grafted into this olive tree to participate with Abraham in belief in God.  Paul argues that the Gentiles need to be humble in their receiving of salvation.  It is a gift of God planned from the beginning of time.  Gentiles must remain faithful in their grafting.  God can prune anyone who falls from faith off of the tree.

Paul contends that God intends to graft the broken branches back into the tree, once the full measure of the Gentiles have been grafted to the tree.  It is a picture of the reconciliation and the final conclusion to God's story.  After grafting in the Gentiles, God will restore the Jews to a place of faith and fellowship.  His promises to these chosen people will be fulfilled.  They will fellowship with their Messiah and be ruled by Him.

Paul concludes with these words,

"Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods!"  Romans 11:33 (NLT)

Do you agree with Paul?  Do you sometimes find God's methods hard to understand?  Can you trust Him, anyway? 

Psalm 22:1-18

Here is a hard method to understand... God, Himself, dies on a cross for our sins.  That is a hard method.  This psalm is about that method. This psalm is the voice of Christ on the cross.

Proverbs 20:7

The godly walk with integrity. Children of people who have integrity are blessed by that.

What did you see today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

July 27- Nobody Said It Was Gonna Be Easy

July 27, 2011

Scripture Readings:
2 Chronicles 19:1-20:37; Romans 10:14-11:12;
Psalm 21:1-13; Proverbs 20;4-6

Nobody said it was gonna be easy.  
~my dad

2 Chronicles 19:1-20:37

As children, my sisters and I would often complain to our parents about anything and everything that was going on in our lives.  Perhaps we were unhappy about the amount of homework we had.  Sometimes we would cry over broken friendships.  One time, our dog got run over by a car, and we stood in the kitchen, while mom cooked dinner, and cried with Dad over our loss.  One thing was always true as we faced hardship, my father would reassure us with this sage advice, "Nobody said it was gonna be easy."  I am thankful for this lesson he taught us.  His words were true.  If you are under the impression that life is a picnic where no hardships befall you, you are living in LALA Land.  Today, we see that even a man who follows God with great zeal experiences trials.

Yesterday, we learned that good King Jehoshaphat pleased God by building up certain things and tearing down other things.  Today, we see that Jehoshaphat personally went throughout his kingdom encouraging people to return to the Lord.  He appointed judges to handle disputes and told them not to judge to please people, but judge to please the Lord. His message to the administrators and civil authorities, as well as the priests and Levites, was to fear the Lord because God is with those who do what is right.  You would think that a man who conducted himself in this way would avoid tragedy in his life.  But, we learn from the life of Jehoshaphat that God does not spare His own children from trial.  Instead, He takes them through the trial.

Jehoshaphat does not experience peace, but instead after his campaign to promote the Lord, enemies surround his kingdom to attack.  In the face of this trial, Jehoshaphat does the following:

• Seeks the Lord's guidance through prayer. 20:3
• Gives orders for the people to fast. Vs. 3
• Leads the people in corporate prayer. Vs. 5-11
• Boldly asks God for help. Vs. 12

Note that after this godly leadership from good King Jehoshaphat, the people and their little ones, who were assembled with them, experience God's Spirit coming upon them as a group.  A prophet tells them that the Lord is going to fight for them tomorrow against their enemies.  They will only need to stand still and watch what the Lord will do.  At this pronouncement, the king and his people bow low to worship the Lord.  Jehoshaphat really has the gift of exhortation and encouragement.  He, once again, exhorts the people to believe what God has said.  This is the essence of faith. 

After this, I love what King Jehoshaphat does in order to participate in God's victory.  He appoints singers to walk ahead of the army, singing their praises to the Lord. What a fantastic act of faith and worship.  Can you imagine a singing army?  Worship and song proceed the brave warriors, who are trusting that their victory is going to come not from their own might, but from the might of the Lord.

God hears their songs of worship, and these songs cause God to act and the enemies begin to fight each other. The armies of Judah only need to come and see the dead bodies of their enemies lying on the ground for as far as the eye can see.

How do you handle your trials?  Do you consult God in prayer?  What about fasting for guidance?  Have you sung in worship in the midst of a life battle that only God can fight for you? 

Remember, nobody said it was gonna be easy!

Romans 10:14-11:12

I like to call this passage, Go Tell It On The Mountain.  Paul just taught us that salvation is as easy as believing and confessing.  It is accessible by our heart and our lips.  How easy is that!

Today, Paul logically asserts that you can't hear and confess unless someone has actually told you the good news! Faith comes about by listening to the good news about Christ.  Paul quotes the psalms when he says, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news."

Paul confirms that the Jews have heard the good news about Christ, but have rejected it.  He, once again, uses the Old Testament writings to confirm that this has been part of God's plan all along.  Paul quotes from Isaiah 65:2, "All day long I opened my arms to them, but they kept disobeying me and arguing with me."

Paul confirms that God is not rejecting all Jews.  He points out that he, himself, is a Jew. Paul Reminds us that Elijah thought that he was the only man left in Israel who worshiped God, but instead God showed Elijah that there was a small remnant of people in Israel who still worshiped Him like Elijah. Paul states that this is still the case.  Most Jews have not found favor with God, but some, who are chosen by Him, have. Paul quotes Moses, Isaiah, and David to prove that God is involved in putting the Jews into a deep sleep, shutting their eyes, and closing their ears, so that they do not hear.   Is this just a cruel joke?

No.  Paul gives us the reason God is doing this to the majority of the Jews.  It is so that the Gentiles will have salvation available to them, accept this salvation, and make the Jews jealous of the salvation God has so freely given to the Gentiles.  Paul anticipates in Verse 12 that one day, after the Gentiles have been enriched by God's offer of salvation, the world will be blessed by the Jews coming back into salvation, and the whole world will share faith in God.

It should be noted that with both the Jews and the Gentiles, only a portion of the people in the world will ever have true faith in God.  The story does not include every person on earth believing the truth.  This may seem like a sad reality to you.  Let's trust God, the Creator of All Things, to make wise and good decisions about His Universe.

Does this make sense to you?  Do some of the actions of the nation of Israel in the Old Testament become more understandable in light of Paul's teachings?  What do you think of this?

Remember, nobody said it was gonna be easy!


Psalm 21:1-13

Vs. 7 states that the king trusts in the Lord. 

This results in blessings for the king.  Jehoshaphat is an example of this.

Proverbs 20:4-6

Wise people draw out good advice from their hearts.  This ties to salvation being available from our heart of faith.

What did you notice today?  Please share.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

July 26- Building Up and Tearing Down

July 26, 2011

Scripture Readings:
2 Chronicles 17:1-18:34; Romans 9:25-10:13;
Psalm 20:1-9; Proverbs 20:2-3

It is easier to to pull down than to build up.  
~Latin Proverb

2 Chronicles 17:1-18:34

Every person I know is busy.  Busy, busy, busy.  There are meetings to attend, meals to make, work to be done, chores to avoid, and hours of useless Internet surfing to succumb to.  There are an average of 525,960 minutes in each year.  It takes approximately one minute to do the following things:

• wipe crumbs off of the table
• reply to an email
• water a plant
• empty the trash can
• google a piece of information
• toss the junk mail
• write a thank you note
• pray for a person

Have you ever thought about your life in terms of minutes?  Each minute is a tiny opportunity to make a difference. How you and I spend our minutes each day adds up to a life time of accomplishments or wasted time.  Today, we see how one man becomes pleasing in the sight of the Lord by how he spends his time. We see how Jehoshaphat used his minutes.

Jehoshaphat is the son of good King Asa.  The Bible tells us that as Jehoshaphat comes into power, there is conflict with the Northern Kingdom of Israel.  Jehoshaphat spends time building up Judah to stand against an attack from Israel.  He stations troops in fortified cities and assigns additional garrisons to protect towns that his father had conquered.  Jehoshaphat is singled out in Scripture for not following the images of Baal, but instead, seeking God and obeying His commandments.   He committs his ways to the Lord and sends out officials in the land to teach people about the Lord.  These officials take copies of the Book of the Law and travel around the various town teaching truth.  They are essentially traveling evangelists on tour.

The results of Jehoshaphat's efforts to build up his kingdom in truth and security is that the fear of the Lord falls over all of the surrounding kingdoms and none of them declared war on Judah's land.  The Philistines even bring gifts and tributes to him, as did the Arabs.  With this situation accomplished, Jehoshaphat continues in being wise in his use of time.  He builds more fortresses, stores up sufficient supplies, and stations his army to protect the people.

Any time a person builds up in their lives, there are usually things that need to be torn down.  In the case of Jehoshaphat, he committed his ways to the Lord and that caused him to start a campaign of tearing down the idols in Judah.  We are told that he knocked down pagan shrines and destroyed the Asherah poles.  Tearing down things that are destructive is a cleansing process.  Jehoshaphat was a good man, who spent his time cleansing his kingdom of idolatry. 

Jehoshaphat used his minutes to build up his people in the Lord and tear down idols that drew people away from the Lord.  How are you and I spending our minutes?  We may not run a kingdom, but we may run a household.  How are you building up those around you?  Do you encourage people to know God?  Do your words build people up?  We see that Jehoshaphat built his kingdom up physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. 

How can you build up others in these categories?  Jehoshaphat also tore down things that would hurt his community.  It takes bravery, courage, and conviction to get rid of unhealthy things in our lives.  What do you need to tear down and get rid of in your life?  Do you have the conviction and courage to do it?

Spend your minutes on earth wisely.  Sometimes that will mean building up and sometimes that will mean tearing down.

Romans 9:25-10:13

The Apostle Paul had no trouble using his minutes wisely.  Paul was a prime example of using teaching of God's Word to build up those around him.  He also had the courage to tear down false teaching about God.

Today, we get some of the greatest explanations about how God's story is meant to unfold until the return of Christ on earth. 

Paul is a master of putting all of the pieces of the puzzle together.  If you are wondering how the Old and New Testament relate to each other, this portion of the book of Romans will be key to understanding God's will for mankind.  Paul simultaneously builds our faith with truth, while tearing down any lies that might keep us from understanding our Creator.

Today, Paul is going to explain to his Jewish audience and his newly believing Gentile audience how the Gentiles factor into a story that was dominated by the Jews throughout history.  In our readings, we have seen that the Bible in Genesis takes a decidely bias turn and focuses on the descendants of Shem.  Remember that Shem is one of Noah's sons who survived the Flood.  Shem is the forefather of Abraham.  Abraham is the forefather of Jacob/Israel. Through Israel, we get King David.  And from David, we get Jesus Christ.  The reason the Bible focuses on the Jews is because the Bible is the story of how the world receives the Messiah, who will redeem the world from sin. Jesus is God and the Bible is about God.

Okay.  Since the focus of religious truth has been on the Jews for centuries, it is a difficult task to begin to help the Jews understand that their role in the story is changing.  Where God primarily focused on the preservation of the Jewish nation and used them as a living picture of many spiritual truths, in addition to bringing the world the Savior, He is now opening the floodgates of access to God to all the tribes of the earth.  The twelve tribes of Israel will be the foundation on which every tribe on earth will stand before God. 

Paul uses the Holy Text given to us by the Jews to prove this point.  In Hosea 2:23 and 1:10 it says,

"Those who were not my people, I will now call my people.  And I will love those whom I did not love." 

And,

"Once they were told, 'You are not my people.' But now he will say, 'You are children of the Living God.'"

And so we see that the Gentiles are included in God's family.  How does this happen?  By simple faith in Christ.  This would have been a hard concept for the Jews to accept.

Now, here is how Paul tears down the false idea that all Jews are God's children by their blood line to Abraham.  He uses the book of Isaiah to convince them of a hard truth.  Isaiah 10:22-23 and 1:9 says,

"Though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand on the seashore, only a small number will be saved.  For the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth quickly and with finality."

And,

"If the Lord Almighty had not spared a few of us, we would have been wiped out as completely as Sodom and Gomorrah."

Here, the Apostle Paul is telling the Jewish nation that only a small number of them will come to be children of God through the belief in Jesus.  This is to say that the majority of Jewish people will not accept this teaching, but a strong and effective minority of them will believe in their Messiah. Does it surprise you that this is God's plan?

Paul points out from Isaiah 8:14, that Jesus will be a stone in Jerusalem that will cause the Jews to stumble.  The verse also reminds the Jews that anyone who believes in him (Jesus) will not be disappointed (Is. 28:16).

Paul teaches that the Jews worked very hard to get right with God by following the Law, but they never succeeded.  But, getting right with God is much easier than they ever thought possible.  It is within easy reach because salvation comes from trusting in Christ.  This is in your heart and on your lips.

Next, Paul gives you and me the key to how to know you are saved.  Here it is:

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved."  ~Romans 10:9-10

Paul adds a wonderful kicker when he reminds us from Scripture, "Anyone who believes in Him will not be disappointed."

This, my friends, is how you build up and tear down to God's glory.

Have you ever told anyone this simple, plain good news?  Getting right with God is as simple as belief in your heart and confession from your mouth.

Psalm 20:1-9

Notice how in Verse 7 David boasts not in armies, but in the Lord.

Proverbs 20:2-3

Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor.  Nice.

What did you learn today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

July 25- God Is Sovereign

July 25, 2011

Scripture Readings:
2 Chronicles 14:1-16:14; Romans 9:1-24;
Psalm 19:1-14; Proverbs 20:1

Yachts are the closest a commoner can get to sovereignty.
 ~Charles Simonyi

2 Chronicles 14:1-16:14

When you look up the definitions for sovereignty, you find words and phrases like authority, dominion, and unrestricted power that is legally obtained.  When you consider that God is sovereign over His universe, you can understand that God has unrestricted power and authority over everything He rules.  God's hand is, therefore, legitimately involved in the events of our lives.  God is intricately woven into His own story throughout history. This should not surprise us.  Unfortunately for many of us, God's involvement on earth is surprising and shocking.

Today, God is involved with good King Asa.  Asa has taken over as the king in the Southern Kingdom of Judah/Israel.  God is pleased with Asa and provides peace in the land for a period of time.  Asa removes pagan altars and shrines that litter the land. He smashes the sacred pillars and cuts down the obscene Asherah poles, even the one put up by his own mother. The Bible tells us that Asa is able to build up his fortified cities, because God is giving him rest from his enemies.

At one point, an Ethiopian leader named Zerah attacks Judah with a one million man army.  Asa wisely cries out to God, who is sovereign, to help him against this enemy.  We have been informed that Asa only has 580,00 men to fight.  God intervenes, fights for Israel, and secures their victory.  After this victory, God uses a prophet to remind Asa that if he seeks God, he will find God.  But if he abandons God, then God will abandon him. Asa accepts God's words, sacrifices as a sign of belief in the coming Messiah, and covenants to have himself and his people follow God, alone.

As time passes and Asa gets comfortable as the king, he is invaded by the Northern Kingdom of Israel.  This time he does not consult God.  Instead, he makes a treaty with the Arameans.  Asa gives King Ben-hadad silver and gold from the Lord's Temple as payment to attack the Northern Kingdom.  Ben-hadad is successful, but the Lord is displeased with Asa's methods.  God states that His eyes search the whole earth for people to strengthen, whose hearts are fully committed to Him.  Asa has fallen short in his faith.

We see that as Asa develops foot problems, which are life threatening. He does not consult God about it, but instead relies solely on his physicians.  Do you consult God as well as your physicians when you get ill?  This is one of the purposes of prayer, to stay connected to God and His will.  Asa dies from his diseased foot.  I wonder if he had diabetes.  We could say that Asa died because he did not walk with the Lord.  Ouch.  I know.  Bad pun.  Anyway, do you find it interesting that God wanted the details of Asa's lapse in faith recorded for you and me to read?

What can we learn from Asa?  Well, it is good to seek the Lord in all things.  God brings peace and victory to those who seek Him.  God is searching the earth for people who are committed to Him.  He wants to strengthen those people.  God is sovereign and involved in the events of this world.

How do these truths change your life?

Romans 9:1-24

Paul confirms that what he is telling us is truth.  Paul is sorrowful, like Jesus was as He entered Jerusalem, about the unbelief in the Jewish community.  It is with bitter sorrow that he watches his Jewish brothers and sisters reject their Messiah. He laments that they were chosen by God, given the Law and God's covenants, and worshiped and received His promises.  Please note that not all Jews are rejecting the Messiah during Paul's lifetime.  His lament is that it is such a small remnant of the Jewish community that accepts Jesus as their Messiah. Even when the promised Messiah is Jewish by blood. It is this Jesus who rules sovereignly over everything.

So what happened?  Did God fail in His promises about the Jews?  No.  There are several reasons that the events during Paul's life do not represent failures by God to accomplish His purposes for the Jews.  Paul's first argument is that a person is not just a Jew by birth.  A person can also be a Jew by belief in Jesus Christ.  Paul quotes the Scriptures that say that Abraham has other children that are counted, in addition to Isaac's descendants (Genesis 21:12).  Paul explains that this means that Abraham's physical descendants are not necessarily children of God.  There is a distinction.  The children of God are the children of promise.

Another proof that it is not good enough just to be of Jewish blood to be considered God's child is the story of Jacob and Esau.  Both boys are born of Abraham's blood, but Jacob is chosen as God's child and Esau is rejected as God's child.  Paul then asks, "Is God being unfair?"  The answer is no.  Paul quotes Genesis 18:10 and 14 when he explains that God gets to show mercy to whomever He wants to show mercy.  He is also right in showing compassion to whomever He wants to show compassion.

Paul says that this is proof that we do not choose or work hard to receive the promise of God.  God is the one who chooses and shows mercy in doing so.  Paul furthers this argument by pointing out that God chose Pharaoh for the very purpose of showing His power in him and spreading His own fame across the earth.  God shows mercy to some just because He wants to, and He chooses to make some people refuse to listen to Him.  This is the definition of SOVEREIGNTY.  This is complete unrestricted power and authority.

Paul then deals with whether or not God has a right to blame people if they don't listen to Him, since He made them not listen.  Paul approaches this attempt to question God's actions by reminding us that we are pots made by a potter.  The creation does not question the one who created it.  One pot can be made to be decoration and another pot can be made as a receptacle of garbage.  This is the right of the sovereign potter.  God can do as He wishes.  This is the truth about our God. Trust in His Goodness.

God has a right to pass judgment where He sees fit, and He has a right to be merciful and patient where He sees fit.  He also has the right to pour out the riches of His glory to some and not to others.  Paul indicates that God has decided to do this with both Jews and Gentiles.

God's sovereignty is a jarring reality for many.  It is a stumbling block for some. Would you want a God who was not in control of His creation?  God uses the good, the bad, and the ugly to show us His personality.  There must be evil to show the good.  There must be sorrow to show joy.  There must be rebellion to show obedience.  There must be Satan's darkness to show God's light.

Can you submit to God and trust that He is good?  Can you accept God's sovereignty?

Psalm 19:1-14

If today's teaching has shaken you to your core, read this psalm to find comfort.

Proverbs 20:1

This proverb is an indictment against the wine culture of our day.

What did you learn today?  Don't be afraid to share.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton
© 2011


PS.  Happy Birthday to my son, Paul.  Twenty-two years ago, God answered multiple prayers in multiple ways by bringing my first born son into the world.  I love you, my dear!

July 24- How To Be A Bad King

July 24, 2011

Scripture Readings:
2 Chronicles 11:1-13:22; Romans 8:26-39;
Psalm 18:37-50; Proverbs 19:27-29

2 Chronicles 11:1-13:22

Today's reading is a good example of how to be a bad king.  We saw yesterday that Rehoboam comes into power and arrogantly tells the nation that he is going to be an even harsher master than his father, Solomon.  Way to go, dude.  You are so immature and prideful.  Refusal to lower taxes and compromise with the people of Israel leads to the division of the nation.

After this division, Rehoboam prepares to go on the offensive and attack the 10 tribes who split from him.  God intervenes through a prophet named Shemaiah and tells Rehoboam that the split was God's doing.  God tells Rehoboam not to fight against his relatives up north.  Rehoboam obeys, but returns to the Southern Kingdom and prepares for a defensive existence.  He fortifies his cities, stores up provisions, in case of a seige, and arms the land for battle, in case of attack.  This seems like a short respite of wisdom in this evil king's life.

God makes sure to point out that Rehoboam marries his cousins, one of which has Ammonite blood.  God always highlights the multiple wives of these people, but this is not a confirmation of His approval.  Quite the opposite.  God records this polygamy as a judgment against this behavior.  God clearly established in the Garden of Eden that one man should marry one woman to provide a sacred picture of God's intimate and exclusive relationship with mankind.

Once established and strong, Rehoboam turns against the Law of God and causes the nation of Israel (2 tribes) to follow him. Because of his rebellion against God, the Lord allows the King of Egypt to attack Israel and win.  Shishak conquers Judah's cities and then Jerusalem.  He takes treasure from the Lord's Temple.  Again, God speaks through Shemaiah and tells Rehoboam that because he abandoned the Lord, the Lord has abandoned him.  After this, Rehoboam and the leaders of Israel confess their sin, humble themselves, and repent.  This causes God to relent from destroying them, but they still suffer the consequences of their sin, in that they become the subjects of the King of Egypt.  Rehoboam is considered one of the evil kings of the Southern Kingdom of Israel.

The next king is Abijah.  It is under Abijah that civil war breaks out between the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.  Note that we keep getting the names of the mothers of these kings.  This is because God wants to point out that the good or evil characters of these kings is partially the responsibility of the mother.  This should serve as a warning and an encouragement to any woman who is blessed to raise children. 

Abijah recounts for Jeroboam (king of the Northern Kingdom) that God promised to bless the nation of Israel through King David's line.  He points out that Jeroboam is not following the Law of having only Aaron's sons as priests and Levites only as servants of God's Temple.  During this long speech, Jeroboam sends part of his army to surround Abijah's army and ambush them.  God intervenes and fights for the Southern Kingdom.  They kill 500,000 men from the Northern Kingdom and route the enemy.   Jeroboam, the completely evil king of the North, is struck down by God.  Abijah in the South grows more powerful.

The hand of God is on the nation of Israel, even in this time of rebellion and civil war.  God is a good story-teller.  The way of this fallen world is unfolding.  God works in the details of every person's life, whether they be good or bad, obedient or rebellious.  It all works for His glory.  His story highlights His personality.

Where do you fit in the story?

Romans 8:26-39

Here are more benefits of having the Holy Spirit inside of you:

• The Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. Vs. 26
• The Holy Spirit groans with us in our distress. Vs. 26
• The Holy Spirit communicates our deepest needs to God the Father, because the Holy Spirit is in unison with God's will. Vs. 27
• Because of the Holy Spirit, we can be confident that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose for them. Vs. 28
• God chooses His people in advance, who will become like His Son, so that Jesus would be the oldest brother (first fruit) among many brothers and sisters. Vs. 29
• God calls us to Himself. Vs. 30
• He gives us right standing (reconciled relationship) with Him. Vs. 30

• He promises us His glory. Vs. 30

Paul goes on to point out that if all of this is true, then God is for us.  If God is on our team, who can accuse us, condemn us, or separate us from God?  No one!  Do you live in self-accusation or self-condemnation?  These attitudes are the forces of evil trying to separate you from God.  Do not let that sort of thinking enter your mind.  The God of the Bible is a God of fellowship and reconciliation.  He provides the Holy Spirit, so that you can begin to think and live correctly.  You can begin to think truthfully about life according to God's perspective. 

Paul states that nothing can separate us from the love of God.  Here is what cannot serve to separate you from God's love:

• Death or life
• Angels or demons
• Fears for today or worries about tomorrow
• The powers of hell
• The heights of the sky and the depths of the ocean
• Nothing physically can ever separate us

Do you live your life realizing that God loves you and nothing can get in the way of that love?  How can you renew your mind each day to live in the power of this truth? 

I encourage you to memorize Romans 8:38-39.  If you are able to quote this Scripture to yourself, you will be on your way to claiming these promises in your life.

Psalm 18:37-50

Read this psalm in the light of what we have learned about the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Proverbs 19:27-29

Don't turn your back on knowledge.  It is possible to make wrong decisions about behavior.  Don't do it.

What did you notice today?  Please share.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

July 23- Healthy, Wealthy and Wise

July 23, 2011

Scripture Readings:
2 Chronicles 8:11-10:9; Romans 8:9-25;
Psalm 18:16-36; Proverbs 19:26

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. 
 ~Benjamin Franklin

2 Chronicles 8:11-10:9

Ben Franklin struck a chord with his generation when he wrote Poor Richard's Almanac, which was published and distributed in the American colonies from 1732 to 1758.  It was a collection of weather, calendar, poems, astronomical and astrological information, and Franklin's musings and proverbs.  The proverb I quoted above is an example of Franklin's counsel on prudence.  Too bad that we can't all rely on going to bed early and rising early to be healthy, wealthy, and wise.  I would be a millionaire savant if this proverb were true.  Today, Solomon gets healthy, wealthy, and wise because God has decided to bless him in this fashion.

You will remember that after consulting the Lord and offering sacrifices upon becoming the king of Israel, Solomon asks the Lord for wisdom to govern his people.  God is pleased and tells Solomon that He will also make Solomon rich and famous.  Today, we see the fulfillment of that promise. This portion of Scripture opens with Solomon building a separate palace for his Egyptian wife, who is the daughter of Pharaoh.  We are told that he does this so that she is not in the same palace where the Ark of the Lord has been.  This is our reminder that Solomon has married pagan women.  Although forbidden by God in the Mosaic Law, Solomon secures peace for Israel through these strategic alliances.  No king would attack the country if his daughter was a queen of the country.  We can see some of the motivation behind Solomon's many wives. 

Again, we have the story of the Queen of Sheba coming up from Africa to see for herself the incredible witness of God's glory, as displayed by the wealth of Solomon and by his tremendous wisdom and knowledge.  It should be noted that Israel was set apart in the ancient world to be a witness to the One True God.  This role is at its finest hour under David and Solomon.  Solomon's wealth, power, knowledge, high civilization, and just ruling of God's people were well known throughout the ancient world and were a witness to those people who did not know the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 

In 2 Chronicles 9:23, we are told that kings from every nation on earth came to visit Solomon and learn from the wisdom that God had given him.  Every nation on earth!  Now that is called witnessing.  I would like to point out that as a witness to the world, Israel pointed itself inward.  People were to be drawn to Israel and come to her to meet God.  The Church of Jesus Christ is commanded to go out into the world to give the Good News about Jesus.  We are not to face inward, but run outward to the world as God's witnesses in this day of grace. Solomon's witness and the fact that every nation came to him to see how God had blessed him is a picture of a future reality.  One day, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  Every nation will be represented in the Kingdom of Christ.

As we begin chapter 10, the idea that high taxes can ruin a nation is evident.  As is common with governments, they begin to believe that they can benefit the people and have a corner on what will elevate the society.  They do this by taking a portion of the citizens' money and doing with it what they please.  The problem with this concept is that humans are flawed.  As a result, greed, inefficiencies, lust, and incompetence lead to waste and the need for more money to run the mammoth programs set up by the elite to help the masses.  High taxation led to the demise of the Roman Empire, it led to the American Revolutionary War, and to the French Revolution.  Today, high taxes and a harsh new leader in Israel leads to the split of the nation.

Rehoboam is Solomon's son, who is named to be the next king of Israel.  Rather than being wise like his father, Rehoboam is young and brash.  He takes the advice of his young counselors, rather than the older elders, and pronounces that rather than cut back on the high taxes that his father Solomon levied in order to carry out his massive building programs, Rehoboam is going to be an even harsher master.  This leads to a revolt in which 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel split from Rehoboam and form their own nation.  Will earthly leaders never learn to not repeat this cycle?  I think not.

Remember that in the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles, we are getting God's perspective on the period of the kings of Israel.  You will note that we are focusing on the kings in David's line.  As a result, we will not hear about the kings in the Northern Kingdom, after this split.  These books focus on the kings in the Southern Kingdom, which has its capital in Jerusalem and includes the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

Solomon asked God for wisdom.  What do you ask God to give you?

Romans 8:9-25

Today, Paul tells us the benefits of living in the power of the Holy Spirit.  This is a key to not living a life of constantly being overcome by your own sinful tendencies.  Paul reminds us that the Holy Spirit that we have been given is the same Spirit that was powerful enough to raise Jesus from the dead.  This is an interesting concept.  The third aspect of the Trinity is the person who raised the dead part of the Trinity back to life.

Paul is telling us that God's powerful Spirit, a life giving entity, is inside of anyone who has trusted Christ as their Savior.  We are able, as Christians, to tap into that power.  It is in our bodies and able to transform our minds, hearts, and actions.  Do you realize this?  You have power.

Here is a list of benefits of having the Spirit of God in you, according to Paul:

• Having the Spirit makes you a child of God.  You are now part of His family through adoption. Vs. 15-16
• Since we are family, we share in His treasure/wealth.  The Holy Spirit is part of that wealth. Vs. 16
• Since we are family, we share in His suffering. Vs. 16-18
• Since we are family, we will share in His glory. Vs. 16-18
• Because we are on this fallen earth, we are groaning under sin and suffering, like the whole creation is groaning for redemption.  Vs. 19-23
• The Holy Spirit is a foretaste of future glory. Vs. 23
• We will get our full rights as God's children, when we receive our new, perfect bodies. Vs. 23
• One benefit of having the Holy Spirit is that we can look forward to these perfect bodies with patience and confidence.  The Holy Spirit is proof that we will be completely redeemed physically, one day. Vs. 24-25

Wow.  What beautiful promises these are!  Do you look forward to having a body that never suffers?  Do you identify yourself as a child of God?  If He is your daddy, how are you now approaching Him?  Do you wish to obey your daddy?

Psalm 18:16-36

In this psalm, notice the work of the Lord and the results of His work in David's life.  Some of these passages are prophetic and picture the Lord Jesus.

Proverbs 19:26

It is bad to not honor your parents. It is really a disgrace and an embarrassment.

What did you notice today as you read?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

July 22- God Dwells With Man

July 22, 2011

Scripture Readings:
2 Chronicles 6:12-8:10; Romans 7:14-8:8;
Psalm 18:1-15; Proverbs 19:24-25

Then, if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land. 
 ~2 Chronicles 7:14

2 Chronicles 6:12-8:10

When I was a child I attended a Methodist church whose liturgy each Sunday included a corporate reciting of the Lord's prayer. It was a wonderful experience to hear everyone praying to God together with one voice.  Today, we will see that Solomon's dedication prayer at the Temple is a shadow of the Lord's Prayer.  The Old Testament consistently points to the future when Jesus comes to earth for the first time and confirms that God plans  to have Christ return to earth a second time for the purpose of dwelling with mankind on earth in fellowship and unity.

Back in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden (Genesis 3:8).  God dwelt with man in that perfect environment until Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God and eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Since that time, man has been separated from God and powerless to restore the fellowship of those early times. 

God sets forth a plan to restore fellowship with mankind and the Bible gives us a front row seat to God's solution to this problem of broken fellowship.  First, God chooses a particular people group through which He will bring a Redeemer Child to earth to die for our sins.  This group is the Israelites. Next, He has that particular people group fight to occupy a land, which would be God's special place to live with them in fellowship.  This is the Promised Land. Finally, this group of people writes down and preserves God's Laws, showing the world His Holiness and personality. These people also serve as witnesses to the world about who God is.  The Gentiles are seen throughout history believing in the God of the Israelites and are officially grafted into God's family through belief in the Redeemer Child-Jesus.

After breaking fellowship with humans in the Garden, God dwells with the nation of Israel, His chosen people group, in the Tabernacle.  Moses is given instructions as to how to create the Holy Tent.  It is not a permanent dwelling and it represents Christ coming to earth into the wilderness that is our sinful planet, in order to suffer, die, and be resurrected from the dead.  The Tabernacle represents God coming to dwell with man to solve the problem of sin. With sin having been paid for, mankind is able to enter God's Holy presence through the sacrificial blood of Christ.  Believers in Christ have spiritual fellowship with God.  Jesus' time on earth was God's second time to dwell with man physically.

Today, Solomon dedicates the Temple, where God will dwell with the nation of Israel.  Just as the Tabernacle represented a time in the future when God would actually dwell with men on earth to provide a sacrifice, the Temple represents a future time when Jesus will return to earth to dwell with mankind as a ruler and king in the millennial kingdom.  This will be God's third time to dwell with man on this earth.  God likes numbers.  The number three represents the Trinity and the completion of God's person dwelling with mankind. During this millennial reign of Christ on earth, both believing Jews and Gentiles will dwell with Christ in the Promised Land.  Jewish believers will receive the fulfillment of God's promise to them to be their God and dwell with them in the Promised Land.  The Temple of God will be in Mt. Zion.  It should be noted that Mt. Zion is where Abraham was told to sacrifice Isaac.  It is a place just opposite of where Christ was crucified, and it will be the place where Jesus' feet touch down at His second coming to earth.  Jesus will reign from Mt. Zion in the millennial kingdom and will complete the story by coming full circle in the Promised Land.

Solomon's dedication prayer for the Temple shadows the Lord's Prayer that Jesus taught his disciples.  The reasons that these prayers are so similar is that they are both prayers asking God to fulfill His promise to dwell with man on earth in the Promised Land in His Temple.  For Solomon, the prayer was that God would occupy the Temple that he (Solomon) had just constructed.  For Jesus, the Lord's Prayer was that the Church on earth pray that God would bring His Kingdom on earth in the millennial reign.  Each prayer asks for God's Kingdom to come to earth. This is exactly what God is talking about in 2 Chronicles 7:15-16 when He states, 

"I will listen to every prayer made in this place, for I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be my home forever; My eyes and my heart will always be here."

God intends to have the Temple rebuilt for use in the millennial kingdom.  Some commentators and Bible teachers believe that this is just a spiritual picture and not a physical reality in the future.  I hold the position that God will have both the physical reality and the spiritual promise fulfilled.  God will dwell with man on earth, again. He is true to His promises.

To make a comparison of Solomon's prayer to the Lord's Prayer, please read Matthew 6:9-13.  Both prayers acknowledge that God is in heaven and should be honored. Both ask that God's kingdom come to earth and that God's will be done.  Both prayers ask God to forgive sins and provide for His people. They both ask that we be delivered from evil.  While Solomon's prayer focuses heavily on God doing for Israel what He promised to David, Jesus' prayer focuses on God's will being done on earth, as it is in heaven.  It is interesting to note that Solomon's prayer (6:32-33) includes a request that foreigners, who learn about God because of Solomon's Temple, be included in God's mercy.  This shadows the Lord's Prayer, which is available to all people who believe in Jesus.

I would like to point out one other symbol of the millennial reign.  After Solomon's dedication prayer, the Lord's presence fills the Temple. Solomon sacrifices 22, 000 oxen and 122,000 sheep.  Please note that the total number of animals sacrificed would cover the sins of 144,000 people.  We are told in the book of Revelations that in the end times, 144,000 Israelites (12,000 from each of the 12 tribes) will serve as witnesses to spread the truth of the gospel to the whole world during the Tribulation (Rev. 6:17).  These witnesses' testimonies will result in millions of people coming to faith in Christ during the Tribulation (Rev. 7:9)   How cool is that?  Solomon's sacrifice pictures this future event.

Are you looking forward to the day when we dwell with Christ in his kingdom on earth?  Did you know that God dwells three times with man on earth prior to destroying this earth and forming the new heavens and the new earth?  What do you think of this story?

Romans 7:14-8:8

Slavery was abolished for good in the United States of America when the Thirteen Amendment was passed in 1865.  For many modern Americans the concept of slavery is quite foreign.  Unfortunately, slavery is still a reality in many parts of the world.

Paul uses the terminology of slavery to sin in the Bible because in the Roman world of his day, upwards of 30% of the population was estimated to be slaves.  This would have been language that hit home with his audience.  Paul laments that prior to being saved he was a slave to sin.  Sin was a master over his life.  The law of God is good in that it shows Paul that he is a slave to sin.

Paul describes wanting to do what the law commands him to do, but not being able to control his mind and body to obey. Paul explains this condition as the law of sin within himself.  Have you ever experienced this in your life?  Think about trying in your own strength to stop a bad habit. Maybe it is as silly as trying to stop eating chocolate.  It could be as serious as breaking an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Certainly, each us of has dealt with the law of sin in our lives. This law is at war with God's law.  Paul cries out in despair wondering who can free him from this master called sin?  With joy, Paul proclaims that Jesus is who saves us from this master of sin.

One of the problems of being a sinner is that we have a tendency towards self-condemnation about the bad things we have done in life.  Paul begins chapter 8 of Romans with the good news that there is NO CONDEMNATION for those who belong to Christ.  Did you get that?  No condemnation.  If you have led a life of deep sorrow because of your sins, you need to embrace the concept that Jesus is not interested in holding your bad behaviors over your head for the rest of your life.  He died on the cross to put this issue to rest. Your job is to REST in HIS WORK.  It is a slap in Jesus' face for you to hang onto guilt about sins for which he died.  So, stop it!

One of the keys to the Christian life is to let go of condemnation and embrace God's Holy Spirit.  It is through God's Spirit living in us that we begin to get a handle on sin in our lives.  Your life will be pleasing to God as you forsake the old nature and embrace the new nature God gives you through the Holy Spirit.

Are you willing to let go of self-condemnation?  How about negative thoughts about yourself?  God's Spirit is a spirit of love.  Do you think in loving ways about yourself and others?

Psalm 18:1-15

Think of this psalm in terms of God coming down to the cross and rescuing us from the master named sin.

Proverbs 19:24-25

Some people are so lazy that they won't do the work required to feed themselves.  What do you think of this?

What did you notice as you read today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

July 21- Power and Permanence

July 21, 2011

Scripture Readings:
2 Chronicles 4:1-6:11; Romans 7:1-13;
Psalm 17:1-15; Proverbs 19:22-23

2 Chronicles 4:1-6:11

If you have ever been camping, you know that one aspect of the experience is that you have to put up and then take down the structure that you are occupying.  You have the ability to move the entire campsite, if you decide that you don't like where you are.  Adjustments can be made to put you under a group of trees, or closer to the shower facilities, or next to the rushing river.  There are benefits to this type of impermanence, but there are also drawbacks.  It is hard to live in a structure that does not have a firm foundation.  Wandering around without owning the land where you live gets old after a while.  As Solomon completes God's Temple in Jerusalem, the period of God wandering and camping in the wilderness in His Tabernacle is over.  It is with a firm foundation that God occupies His Temple.

The Temple had many of the same symbolic articles and utensils that were in the Tabernacle.  Things were larger and more multiplied in the Temple.  There was the addition of  two gigantic bronze pillars decorated with pomegranates in chains.  These pillars symbolized the strength, beauty, and permanence of God's Kingdom.  These decorations symbolized the fruitfulness that results from the unity of the righteous ones who love God. We are bound together in Him. Where the Tabernacle was a picture of Christ, including the Ark of the Covenant that contained the manna, Aaron's budding rod, and the Law, the Temple was a picture of God's Kingdom.  We see that in the permanent Temple, the Ark was brought in and placed between the giant cherubims, but the Ark only contained the stone tablets of God's Law.

You may remember that the manna represented Christ, who is our Bread of Life.  The budding rod represented new life found in the resurrection of Christ.  Why are these two items gone from the Temple?  Because the Tabernacle was a picture of Jesus and these items were necessary to show the work that Christ would accomplish.  The Temple represents God's Kingdom on earth, with Christ as the king.  His death and resurrection are complete.  They are no longer necessary in the picture.  The Word of God is still there because the Word of God never ends. The Word of God is God's personality.  Jesus is filled with God's Word.  Jesus will also personally fulfill God's promises to the nation of Israel.

Now, the Temple shows us that the day of the wandering Tabernacle is over.  Christ has been in the wilderness and has defeated Satan with His death on the cross.  We can now rest, just as the Ark rests in the Temple of God, from our work of trying to please God.  Christ's work is complete and His work causes our rest.  We rest because He worked for us in His death and resurrection.

Just as the Ark is resting in the Temple, Jesus is permanently enthroned on His throne in God's Kingdom.  Jesus says in John 14:2-3 that He would go and prepare a place for us.  This Temple is a picture of that promise.  In this place of permanence, we will no longer be wandering in the wilderness.  We will be in God's mansion, where He will wipe away every tear.  In this place, there will be no death or sorrow, no crying or pain. This is because all of the former things will be wiped away (Revelations 21:4).  Just as Solomon has the 120 trumpeters blast to signal the celebration of the dedication of the Temple, we, too, will celebrate as we hear the trumpets of judgment blare forth when God comes to make all things right in the end.

Solomon's dedication prayer is a reminder that God is true to His promises.  The people of Israel will live with their God in Jerusalem, one day.  God will unite both Jew and Gentile in His Kingdom.  God will dwell with His people in the land, permanently, and with power.

Are you going to be part of this beautiful reality in the future?  Faith in Jesus secures your position in paradise.

Romans 7:1-13

Today, we see Paul referring to the Law.  Just as the Law was still in the Ark of God when the Ark was brought into the Temple, Jesus contains the Law within Himself, because He is the fulfillment of the Law.  God's Law never fades away, it is simply fulfilled through Christ. But what does that Law mean for you and me as believers? 

Paul explains that the Law serves its purpose in showing us that we are sinners.  Paul describes the Law as prompting him to sin even more as he hears the rules.  Picture a child not wanting to eat something until you tell the child that they cannot eat that item.  If you tell them they can't eat it, they immediately want to eat that forbidden item.  This is how the Law acts within us.  The Law produces the desire to sin within us.

Because we are told not to do something, our sin nature draws us to want to do it.  Paul explains in Verses 4-6 that Christ's death breaks the hold that the Law has on us.  Through Christ, we can now produce good fruit (picture the pomegranates) in our lives through good deeds.  Hallelujah.

As we see the pictures of God's truths, we can rest in the fact that the tablets of the Law are in the Ark, which is resting in God's Temple.  This means that you and I do not have to defeat sin through our own efforts and we do not have to die eternally.  We are able to rest in the work that Christ did by fulfilling the Law for us.  God's Word and His truths will live forever fulfilled in His Kingdom.  We can be sanctified to good works through resting in what Christ did for us.

Are you at rest in your soul?  Christ died so that you can become a fruitful person who glorifies God with your life.

Psalm 17:1-15

Listen to the cries of David...guard me, hide me, protect me, arise, stand against them, rescue me, and save me.  This is a man who understands the power and permanence of God. This is also the voice of Jesus Christ as he humbled himself and became a human, relying on God in his flesh.

Proverbs 19:22-23

The fear of the Lord is where you get safety and protection.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton