November 26, 2013 God's Battle

Read 1 Chronicles 14

God’s Battle

14 so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, “Do not go straight up, but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. 15 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.”

HOW? That’s often the question asked when we must confront an enemy in our lives. The enemy could be unemployment, unforgiveness, disease or any force that brings a threat to your safety. “How can we deal with the enemy?” we want to know. Sadly we too often are held back with fears and doubts.   

     Two times in 1 Chronicles 14, David does battle with the Philistines. Each time David asks God how he must respond to the enemy’s presence. It’s easy for a warrior as David to pick up his sword, call the troops and march out to meet the enemy. But David knows the One mightier than he.

     The Lord does tell him to go out. And take note of God’s instructions in this second battle. See how God gives David a specific pattern and time of attack. God has a plan to go ahead of David. God reveals his willingness to fight for his people. He is involved in their everyday affairs. He is their personal God.

     The victory goes to David, but even moreso, God is the victor. God’s ways are glorified. The people of Judah will know the Lord gave the victory. They will praise the Lord and worship him. They will trust him to protect them from their enemies.

A Moment’s Thought: God is bigger than your enemies.

November 25, 2013 Big Celebration

Read 1 Chronicles 13

Big Celebration

8 David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets.

“CELEBRATION” is a word that causes us to think of joy and victory. We celebrate winning the championship, and we are joyful to think that our hard work has reaped great rewards.

     When we speak of celebration in the church, though, it seems to be a difficult concept. For example, someone may ask, “How can we celebrate when the budget is short?” or “How should we celebrate when some are severely ill?” or “Why would we celebrate when attendance is down?”

     The answer to those questions is one word: “Jesus”.

     Jesus’ gift of life is bigger than any budget, attendance count or sickness. Jesus’ love showers over us to invite us to worship him. Jesus’ blood washes over us to save us. Jesus’ promises give us hope and trust in our eternal life with him.

     My friends, Jesus is alive! As David and his people celebrated before God with all the music they could muster, all the dancing they could do and all the worship they could offer to God, so must we. The people of Judah understood that day that God had delivered them from mortal enemies and had given to them a king to rule over them. We, the church, must understand that Jesus has delivered us from eternal enemies, and he is our King of Kings.

     Yes, in gratitude and joy we are to worship God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength. Such worship would turn our eyes from looking at the worldly things to gazing upon the beauty of our Lord.

A Moment’s Thought: Celebrate your victory in Jesus.

    

November 23, 2013 Judgment

Read 1 Chronicles 10

Judgment

13 Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance

THE chronicler is very abrupt, isn’t he? Yes, all men die whether they follow God or not, but the means of Saul’s death is God’s judgment on a man who failed consistently to call on the name of the Lord.

     Judgment is a hard word, isn’t it? We reserve it for only those convicted of crimes against society. The judge sentences the convicted to a time of punishment, and most of society knows it must not do those crimes.

     But the Bible clearly speaks of a much more fearful judgment than any judge on earth can administer. The judgment comes under God’s wrath as his anger pours out against the sin in the world. This fact alone is very frightening. But what is even much worse is that all of us are guilty of sin. Every person on earth is under the wrath of God’s judgment because he has declared us guilty.

     But wait a minute. God made a way out of God’s judgment. He is Jesus. To make us innocent of sin, he sent Jesus to a cross to die as atonement for our sins. “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)

     Confess your sins. Believe in Jesus, and the Father’s judgment will be, “Not guilty.” You never ever want someone to write of you someday, “He/She died because he was unfaithful to the Lord.”

A Moment’s Thought: Can you say, “I’m saved from God’s judgment.”

November 22, 2013 The Temple First

Read 1 Chronicles 8-9

The Temple First

9 All Israel was listed in the genealogies recorded in the book of the kings of Israel. The people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. 2 Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants.

THERE is a one-sentence reference to Israel, the Northern Kingdom. That nation was permanently destroyed because its kings and people repeatedly rejected God’s Word. The people of Judah, the Southern Kingdom, behaved as badly, but God had a different plan for that nation. Thus, “The people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.”

     Then see the people God first sends back to Judah. They are the priests, Levites and temple servants. God begins rebuilding Judah with the rebuilding of the place to proclaim His Word as they restore the Temple.

     The book of Ezra records Zerubbabel leading the Temple’s rebuilding. Later Nehemiah comes back from exile to govern Jerusalem, and along with Ezra, the priest, they lead a restoration of God’s Word and civil defense over the city. The people have a safe place to live and worship.

     God always leads with His presence. He leads the Jews from Egypt through the desert with his pillar of fire by night and cloud by day. He requires the Ark of God to go first across the Jordan into the Promised Land. David’s success came when he inquired of the Lord. Time and again, you will see in Scripture that to properly follow God you must seek him first.

     God has clearly shown himself in His Word. Are you seeking him? Will you follow him on this day?

A Moment’s Thought: The all-knowing God is the One to know.

November 21, 2013 Moving Forward

Read 1 Chronicles 7

Moving Forward

20 The descendants of Ephraim: Shuthelah, Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son, 21 Zabad his son and Shuthelah his son.  Ezer and Elead were killed by the native-born men of Gath, when they went down to seize their livestock. 22 Their father Ephraim mourned for them many days, and his relatives came to comfort him…24 His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth Horon as well as Uzzen Sheerah. 25 Rephah was his son, Resheph his son, Telah his son, Tahan his son, 26 Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, 27 Nun his son and Joshua his son. 28 Their lands and settlements included Bethel and its surrounding villages, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its villages all the way to Ayyah and its villages. 

THIS is a summary of Ephraim’s family. Ephraim was a son of Joseph and received a blessing from Jacob, his grandfather. “He and his descendants will become a group of nations.” (Gen 48:19-20)

     Through the generations of the Hebrews in Egypt, Ephraim’s family grew. At the Exodus from Egypt, Ephraim’s tribe counted over 40,000 fighting men. You see the name Joshua as one of Ephraim’s descendants. It is the Joshua who succeeded Moses as Israel’s leader. Joshua led Israel’s conquering armies into the Promised Land. Eventually Ephraim’s descendants would support David in his kingship, but later they were instrumental to form Samaria, the Northern Kingdom, also known as Israel.

     What you see in Ephraim’s story is God’s story of his sovereign reign over all the earth. Be comforted today to know the earth moves under the Creator’s authority to move his story toward your salvation.

A Moment’s Thought: the LORD reigns—really.