Lessons learned on forgiveness

We all have experienced wrongs done to us.  Many of those wrongs we cling on to in anger, hating those who did us in.

This past Halloween, a friend of mine had experienced a wrong done to him by his mother-in-law.  She told him that he didn't treat his daughter like his sons, that he favored them.  He confided in me and was quite angry by it.  He also told me that his daughter wasn't interested in the same things as his sons, but he tried his best.  I asked him what his daughter's interests were and for the next five minutes his face lit up as he told me all about it.

I told him what I observed.  He was astonished that he was quite proud of his daughter.  He would do anything for her.

I also told him to forgive his mother-in-law.  He couldn't do it.  But, as Thanksgiving loomed closer and closer, he forgave her and invited the in-laws for Thanksgiving at their house.

During by college years at Bemidji State University, I was involved in the InterVarsity campus ministry.  This was where I was first exposed to a wider audience of Christianity--I grew up in a small town and was confirmed in a small Lutheran church.  During my second year with InterVarsity, I was ignored at most of the meetings (with the exception of our small group Bible studies) and I wasn't the only one who felt this way.  I held on to this anger for many, many years.  I knew it wasn't God doing this.  It was the people running it.  This past fall, I forgave them.  I no longer held any animosity toward them.  I prayed for their ignorance, prayed no one else would ever feel that way, and I also prayed for God to train them to better their ways.

Whom do you need to forgive?  My long list of people stretches far beyond InterVarsity and I'm doing my best to find as many of those as possible.

Forgive those who wrong you.  It's amazing what a peaceful spirit can be felt inside you if you do.

Lessons learned on judgement

In John 8:7, Jesus told those who accused a woman of adultery, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the one to cast the first stone at her."

And, of course, you know the rest of the story.  The accusers turned and walked away, and Jesus told the woman to sin no more.  Also, I find it ironic that only the woman was accused of adultery.  Where was the man?  He should've stood right next to her.

Judgement is a broad, sweeping term.  Whenever you put yourself upon a pedestal while criticizing others, you are judging.  And who gives you the right to do so?  Put yourself in the other person's shoes for once, see life through their eyes.

We all do it.  But in certain ways, I've criticized and judged others on acts that I could've very easily done.  In fact--I'm going to be very vague, as I have already confessed these acts to God and it is all between me and the Lord--there were acts I had performed when I was much, much younger that I am not proud of.  For whatever reason, I stopped before they could get worse.  I started to cross a threshold that I'm thankful to the Lord that I never kept crossing.

I pray daily for God to help me in my quest to keep my judging to a minimum.  To eliminate it would be the best, but I am a sinner and it would be impossible.  But I do my best.

And that is the best I can ask for.  Doing my best.  Not trying your best.  But doing.

Lessons from 2019

Merry Christmas on this most Holy days of Holy!

Although I have learned many lessons this year, two are by far the most prevalent: judgement and forgiveness.

For me, I've felt like the first half of 2019 was a lesson in judgement--to be more specific, passing judgement.  The second half has been on forgiveness.

I will discuss both in greater detail in the next two posts, but today just wanted to lay the groundwork for it.

Love Jesus!

He is Risen!

What does a messenger of God look like?

Messengers who spread God's Word come in so many varieties, it is difficult at times to fathom it.  Also, these messengers are not all ordained by an organization of higher learning, with a piece of paper hanging on the wall as proof.

I'm sure we've all heard the stories of someone who walked on the wild side, only to have God present Himself and they turned their lives around.

These various messengers may also have different ways of preaching the same message of God, albeit in a way that matters to one audience versus another.  Maybe the teachings in a Catholic church are more to your liking or it could be the upbeat tempo of a non-traditional/non-denominational setting.  Or maybe one teacher of Christ on TV speaks more to you than another.

God sets each and every one of us on a path of our own.

Also, do not criticize one messenger for their unique message just because it doesn't hold with your own beliefs.  Pray and open yourself to God, to see the message and way He wants to use you.

Way of the Wise

The word wise is sprinkled throughout Proverbs 16.  And if wise isn't specifically spelled out, it is inherently implied.

The first verse tells us that although we make our own plans, the Lord gives us the right answer.  Wisdom, my friend.  Plain and simple.

We as sinful and imperfect humans may take action that we may think are wise, but only through our complete trust in the Lord will His Wisdom be bestowed upon us.

Like all chapters in Proverbs, one could write a post for each and every verse alone--each one packs quite a punch of pure Godly Wisdom.  Verse 20 states that "those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful."  We must listen to what God tells us through frequent prayer, from decisions large and small.

One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 16:26 - "It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on."  This is the purest formula for success, to be hungry (either literally or figuratively) and to use that hunger to work harder, to provide for your family and those who are unable to do so.

A real-life Game of Thrones

When I read from the book of 2 Chronicles, chapter 21, I could not help but think of Game of Thrones--both the book series and HBO show.

Jehoshaphat had died and his eldest son Jehoram had become king.  Throughout his short eight-year reign, he killed all of his brothers, many of the leaders in Judah, set up false idols throughout the land, married one of King Ahab's daughters, and was downright evil in God's eyes.

But the Lord's Covenant remained and He promised not to completely destroy Jehoram.  Instead, the prophet Elijah wrote Jehoram a letter, proclaiming that he was not a good example of his ancestors, who were great in the Lord's eyes.  He also stated that the Lord would strike his people, including his family, with a heavy blow.  Jehoram would also suffer from a severe intestinal disease, which would become painfully worse each day until his bowels would burst out.

The palace was then stormed by his enemies and only his youngest son was spared.  Upon Jehoram's slow and painful death, his people did not honor him with a funeral pyre and no one shed a tear.  He was not buried with his ancestors.

God calms the overwhelmed

In Psalm 55, it starts with a constant plea for help, a reminder to God to both listen and answer our prayers.

Troubles come from all sides, in both verbal and physical threats.  It wears on one's mind.  It becomes unbearable.  It becomes overwhelming.  Like the wings from a dove, we wish to fly far, far away to the solitude of the wilderness.

With the Lord on your side, He confuses them, frustrates their plans.  Everything for our enemies falls apart, all thanks to God.

Even though our enemies are plentiful, one should always be careful and mindful for those closest to us, for they can betray us if their heart grows wicked with evil.

The Lord will always rescue us and keep us safe.  He will wage war against our enemies.

In verse 22, it says, "Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you."  I have repeated this myself for many years and it is spelled out perfectly in this Psalm.  Whatever is troubling you, give it over to Him and He will take care of you.

God before people

In the book of 2 Chronicles, chapter 20, Jehoshaphat found himself in the midst of several armies declaring war against him.  The numbers of his enemies were vast and it terrified him.

Immediately, Jehoshaphat begged the Lord for guidance.  To up the ante, he ordered everyone in Judah be begin fasting and seeking the Lord for His help.

He then stood in front of the Lord's Temple and prayed.  This prayer, from verse 6 through 12, is worth reading in its entirety.  First, he acknowledges God and His Divine Nature.  Next, he acknowledges God's actions toward His people before they arrives in Israel along with the promises He made.  After this he pleads for His help against the mighty armies, stating they are powerless without Him.

The Spirit of the Lord spoke through one of his people.  The Lord told him not to be afraid, not to be discouraged.  He ordered them to stand next to the valley the following morning and watch the Lord's victory.

They did as they were told.

Soon, their enemies started fighting among themselves until they were all dead.

In the face of what appeared to be sudden defeat, Jehoshaphat sought out the Lord before others.  In other words, God before people.

When you are faced with adversity, whom to do seek first?  Let it be the Lord.

For the past six months, my wife has been battling one medical complication after another.  First and foremost, I pray to God.  I pray that He will guide the doctor's and nurse's hands, head, and heart for healing.

If this type of trust is new to you, start today.  Put your complete trust in God before anyone else.  You'll be amazed at what He can do.

The proper way to judge others

In the 19th chapter from the book of 2 Chronicles, it starts with King Jehoshaphat of Judah returning home safely from battle with King Ahab against Syria.  One of his prophets met him and asked why he helped the wicked, why he loved those who hated God.  The Lord was angry with him.  However, he sought to commit himself to the Lord and even removed much of the pagan idols from the land.

If you'll remember from the previous chapter, Jehoshaphat was tricked into battle with Ahab through evil intentions.  But Jehoshaphat saw the error of his ways, cried out to the Lord, and God saved him.

Recently, my son did something rather stupid.  It could have ended much more dangerous, but by the grace of God the damage was minor.  I am reminded of my own reaction when I confronted him when I read the first three verses to chapter 19.  I strongly advised him what he did was wrong, and that it could have ended much worse.

Then we embraced.  I forgave him.

In the remainder of chapter 19, the Judah king appointed judges across the land.  His advice was simple: do not judge those to please people; judge those to please God.  Judge with integrity.  Always act with the fear of the Lord.  Take all emotions out when rendering judgement.  Seek out the Lord for the proper punishment.

The Lord's Might

Psalm 54 starts out with a plea to God, to rescue one, to defend them with all of His might.

The Lord is mighty.  Even against those who don't care for God, who attack those who do and try to kill them, they are no match for God's might.

God helps.  He keeps those who believe in Him alive.

God has made promises to His people.  He will never abandon you.

Praise the Lord in His name.  He will rescue you from all of your troubles.

When seeking wisdom, be sure of motives

Continuing on in the book of 2 Chronicles, chapter 17, Asa's son Jehoshaphat became the next king of Judah.  He followed the example of his father's early years by ridding his cities from all images of false idols and ordering everyone to follow God's Commandments.

His strength grew over time as no one wanted to war with Jehoshaphat.  Neighboring countries brought tributes to him and he stored up supplies.  His army became massive.  It is interesting to note that the number of troops, along with who led them, was listed in this chapter.  One such commander was Amasiah, whom it was stated that he volunteered for the Lord's service and led 200,000 troops.  No other commanders were noted as having volunteered.  Just Amasiah.

As we move into chapter 18, Jehoshaphat made an alliance with the king of Israel, Ahab.  They feasted to celebrate this alliance, this joining of forces, and then Ahab asked if he wanted to help conquer Ramoth-gilead.

Jehoshaphat agreed, but only after consulting with the Lord.

Ahab brought 400 prophets and asked if they should war with Ramoth-gilead.  All agreed.  But something must've felt off for Jehoshaphat because he asked if there was a prophet of the Lord present.  Ahab was reluctant, stating Micaiah was the Lord's prophet and always seemed to disagree with Ahab.  Micaiah was summoned, and even after knowing all the other prophets gave advice toward war, he stated he would only state what God wished.

As predicted, Micaiah advised against war.  You see, the spirit of the Lord told him that the Lord had placed a lying spirit into the mouths of the other prophets.  Micaiah was then arrested and imprisoned.  War against Ramoth-gilead was had, in which Ahab was trying to trick Jehoshaphat.  Ahab dressed as a common soldier.  When Jehoshaphat saw the army advancing toward him--and right for him!--he cried out to the Lord.  And He protected him.

And wouldn't you know it, a stray arrow struck Ahab.  He died that evening.

Jehoshaphat was wise to question the motives of both Ahab and his so-called prophets.  Even though it isn't spelled out in the Scriptures, but he must've had a feeling that something wasn't quite right.  When seeking counsel, pray to the Lord and He will present the right wisdom for you.

Inner Peace

In 2011, my wife was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.  It involved an immediate need to seek treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

She spent most of that year at Mayo, between the Clinic and their temporary residence at the Hope Lodge with her brother, who took the year off from college as I had to work.  By August, she was declared cancer free and to solidify the odds of it not recurring, we prayed and concluded to have a bone marrow transplant.

On September 1st, she had a bone marrow transplant--her donor was a young man from Germany, although to this day we do not know who he is in order to thank him for his Godly donation.  It was successful, however she had complications through graft vs. host.  Like the trooper that she was, she charged forward with great courage.  By October, she developed vision problems, which has increasingly grown worse as the years go on.

Earlier this year, we noticed subtle changes in her behavior.  She has always required a good deal of rest, but it seemed to be worse than before.  My wife and I would cherish the few times we'd be able to go to a movie (the last one was I Can Only Imagine which is one of her favorite songs).  In order to get her places, I'd have to do the "prom walk" with her.  Most nights, we'd watch a few minutes of the local news and then turn it to the 700 Club.  We cherished the positive messages about the Lord as we held hands, and always bowed our heads in prayer when they did.

On May 19, we knew something was seriously wrong.  She was confused on where she was, the time, and even had troubles walking.  We brought her to the doctor the next morning, where they discovered high levels of ammonia from hepatic encephalopathy.  Her liver was starting to fail and was immediately put on medications to assist with this.

Fast forward to the evening of August 24.  By this point, she had already endured three hospital stays and had spent a little over a week at a rehab facility to get her strength back up to near normal.  But things weren't.  On the 24th of August, it was decided to bring her into the ER as the level of confusion was worsening and her ability to walk was minimal.  Since that day, she has not been home since.  She just finished with her 7th hospital stay--a 2-week stay, which has been her longest so far--and is now back at a nursing home facility.

At the beginning of this last hospital stay, a palliative care doctor contacted us.  We knew things were going downhill fast.  How much time did she have left?  But we all knew she was in God's Hands.  One of my wife's favorite poems is Footprints In The Sand.  Even in her confused state, she knows that these are the days where Christ Jesus is carrying her, cradling her in His arms.

What the future holds for her, we don't know.  Will she ever get well enough to get home?  Will she make it through this Thanksgiving and Christmas season?  Or the next?  She has her good days and bad days.  But even in these troubling times, there is an inner peace that comes from knowing God has a plan for our lives and we must give our complete trust to Him.

As troubles come to you, take a moment and read Scriptures from the Bible.  Read devotionals.  Sit and pray.  Give your life fully to Him.

I have.  And God has given me an inner peace.  If my wife passes, I know it won't be easy on me, our three kids, her parents, her sister and brother, her relatives and friends.  But knowing God has a Divine Plan, I trust in Him that our Heavenly Father knows best.

Putting your full trust in the Lord

In the book of 2 Chronicles, chapter 16, we read about king Asa in his final years.

An army invaded Judah, fortifying it in order to prevent anyone from leaving or entering Asa's territory.  In response, Asa removed hordes of gold and silver from the Lord's Temple and gave it to the king of Syria, pleading for a treaty in exchange for protection.  The Syrian king agreed and conquered the army that had invaded Judah.

King Asa then took the fortifications and used them to build up his own cities.  It was then that the Spirit of the Lord came to one of the king's seers and told him how displeased God was for placing his trust in the Syrian king instead of the Lord Himself.  He told Asa what a fool he had been and that he will now be at war.

Asa grew enraged, threw him in prison, and then began to oppress some of his people.  In the end, he developed a severe foot disease.  Instead of placing his trust in the Lord, he trusted only his physicians and soon died.

Whom do you put your full trust into?  It's easy to get short-sighted when things go bad.  Over these past six months, my wife has suffered a severe medical complications over and over again, brought about by a failing liver and anemia.  She is currently in her seventh hospital stay since May 2019, and when she isn't in the hospital she resides in a nursing facility for PT and OT rehab.  Even in the past week, we thought we came close to losing her.  But we have put our faith and trust in God.  We do see some improvements, but we also know she is in God's Hands.

The other day, a co-worker asked me how I could function at my daily tasks, knowing what my wife is going through.  I told him that because my faith and trust is in the Lord, He has given me peace in my heart and soul.  I have still shed many tears over what may come, but at the same time I will know she will no longer be in pain and will be standing in the Lord's presence.

Look up MercyMe's hit song "I Can Only Imagine."  Listen to the words.  Take them to heart.  And be at peace at what the Lord provides for us now and also when we enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Spreading His Message to new lands

In the book of 2 Chronicles, chapter 15, the Holy Spirit came to the prophet Azariah.  He announced to King Asa and the people of Judah and Benjamin (lands recently conquered by Asa) to follow the Lord and never abandon Him.  He preached the words God gave him, telling them that God helped to destroy His people's enemies.

Asa then removed all of the idols from the newly conquered cities as he had done with his own cities long before.  This way, no one would be tempted to worship the false gods and anger the One God.  Asa also scarified 700 cattle and 7,000 sheep and goats from the plunger in their battle.  They solidified their covenant with the Lord and all of the people were happy.

Asa even confiscated his grandmother's obscene Asherah pole and destroyed it.  Nothing was left behind.

How fools view God

Psalm 53 starts out by declaring that only fools say there is no God.

Fools are nothing but evil and corrupt in their ways.  Not a single one of them does any good.  Will they ever learn, to become wise and seek God?  They seem to eat up God's people like bread crumbs.

But for those who seek out the Lord, he will scatter the bones of their enemies and restore their fortunes.  Rejoice!  The Lord saves!

Treat idols like addictions and distance yourself from them

Continuing on in the book of 2 Chronicles, chapter 14, we meet the next king of Israel Asa.

Asa pleased the Lord by removing all pagan shrines and smashing all idols of false gods.  He removed them completely as to not tempt anyone to worship them.  Because of this act, as well as seeking the Lord to protect them, God kept all of their enemies away.

Asa built up the cities, fortifying them with walls and towers.  He sought out the Lord whenever he could and there was peace.  Even when an army of 1 million Ethiopian soldiers advanced on their cities, Asa cried out to the Lord and the enemy was defeated.

Everyone knows someone who is addicted to substances such as alcohol or illicit drugs.  Even sex (the immoral kind; not the sex intended between spouses).  The best thing for those with addictions is to completely distance themselves from it.  I know someone who was addicted to meth and told me that he couldn't even drive down certain streets where he used to score--he has been clean for many, many years, has a loving family, and a rewarding career.

What are your addictions?  Give yourself over to the Lord, repent your sins, and ask Him to keep those addictions away from you.  It may not be easy, but with God on your side, you're bound to win.

Reading for the sake of building numbers can be dangerous

I'm currently reading a book as a part of my daily private victory at work, and although I'm about three-quarters of the way through it, I already know I'm going to re-read it once I'm done.  There is just way too much information to absorb at once.

Then, I recalled a YouTube ad where someone had stacked up 52 books and said that great leaders are readers (they are, I'm not disputing that) and that in order to be great you needed a read a book a week.

I thought of how dangerous this was.  Not life-threatening dangerous, like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute or trying to catch a bullet your teeth or walking a highwire when I haven't put in thousands of hours of practice.  But dangerous when it comes to simply recalling information or putting it to good use.

In the past three months, I've been diligent on my daily private victory (see the link above for the YouTube video for more info) and putting in 30 minutes of nonfiction reading five days a week.  So far I've read a book every 1-2 weeks, and some I've even read more than once in a week just because I needed to absorb more information than during the first read--these books were quick reads to begin with, in order for me to read them so fast, as I am normally a slow reader.

It's good to read (nonfiction as well as fiction) but don't sacrifice your time by reading just to check off a task.  Take your time.  Absorb the information.  See how it applies to your life, if necessary.  The same goes with Scripture reading.  There are courses where one is tasked with reading the entire Bible in a single year.  It can be done, but how much are you able to learn by doing so.  In many cases, I've read a verse or two in the Bible and spent the week re-reading it and reflecting on it.  Reading for me is a marathon, not a sprint.  There are far too many lessons in the Bible to quickly brush over them.

Erasing the sins of your ancestry

In the book of 2 Chronicles, chapter 13, we have the king of Israel, Abijah, grandchild to David, taking over from his sinful father Rehoboam.

In this time, there was a great war between them and Jeroboam.  Jeroboam amassed double the amount of soldiers as Abijah, but Abijah had his trust in the Lord.  He even stood on a mountain and proclaimed that the Lord had made a lasting covenant with the people of Israel, Judah.  Despite the evil deeds of his father, Abijah acknowledged that Jeroboam was no match for the people of God.

Abijah reminded even his own people to turn back to God's ways, worshipping Him day and night.

Jeroboam was sneaky and placed a portion of his army behind the Judah army to ambush them.  When the people of Judah realized this, they cried out to the Lord and with His awesome power helped the army of Abijah to defeat Jeroboam's massive army.

Abijah lived out the rest of his days a powerful and successful king.

Use this as a reminder that no matter what your ancestors may have done, if you turn and accept God with grand humbleness, He will be there for you.  Always.  No amount of evil in one's past can taint you if you worship God.

Rehoboam pleads with the Lord

In the book of 2 Chronicles, starting at chapter 11, the people of Judah rose up to take Israel back from Rehoboam.  But the Lord commanded them not to fight against their own people.

They obeyed.

Rehoboam remained in Jerusalem and fortified the cities.  He had many wives and many children.

Starting in chapter 12, Rehoboam had long since abandoned God and His Laws.  He was only in power for five years before Egypt came up and invaded Judah.  Rehoboam then humbled himself and said that the Lord was right in doing what He is doing.  God saw his change of heart and He said He would not completely destroy the Israelites.

So they became slaves and all of Rehoboam's treasures were taken by the Egyptians.

Where do you put your trust?

The overall theme in Psalm 52 is trust.

Trust in the Lord.  All of your trust.  Put it all in God's Hands.

The first four verses are directed at a seemingly great warrior.  This could be anyone who boasts about their evil deeds, their lies, their crimes.  They love evil and sin.

But by verse five, God will easily strike the warrior down.  The righteous will be amazed by His amazing power, by putting down those who sin and do evil deeds.  Those who are boastful, who trust in their earthly wealth than in the Mighty Lord, will fail to grow beyond their earthly bounds and will not have a seat next to the Father in Heaven.

Trust in the Lord.

Trust in His good name.

Tarnishing a legacy

In the book of 2 Chronicles, starting in chapter 10, Rehoboam became the next king of Israel.  His father was Solomon, David his grandfather.  To say he came from an amazing legacy is highly understated.

But almost immediately, he changed.  In the beginning of chapter 10, a man named Jeroboam from Nebat came to Rehoboam, asking to lighten their taxes and their harsh labor.  In return, they would be his most loyal subjects.

The king demanded they return in three days while he contemplated their request.  First, he consulted with the elders, who agreed that he should be good to them.  Rehoboam rejected their advice and asked a group of young men their opinion.  They were not as wise and told him to impose even greater burdens on them.

When the people of Nebat learned of this, they were devastated.  They then revolted against him, killing one of Rehoboam's messengers, and forced him to flee to Jerusalem.

God's Mercy

We were conceived into sin.  None of us mortal humans are without sin--save for the Son, the One and Only Son of God, Christ Jesus.

Psalm 51 lays out God's neverending mercy for our line of neverending sin.  But as long as we acknowledge our sins, haunting our lives day and night, God has mercy on us.  We desire His wisdom, to guide us on the path of righteousness.

Starting in verse 10 are the words, "Create in me a clean heart, O God."  These words, along with the following few verses, are sung every Sunday at our little Lutheran church--as well as many others across the globe.  They are familiar to me.

Now I know where the words originate.

Psalm 51 may be short, with only 19 verses, but like many other psalms they are jam-packed with inspiration.  Take to heart verse 15: "Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you."

Solomon's Reign

Chapters 8 and 9, from the book of 2 Chronicles, told of the forty year reign over Israel, following his father David.

While constructing the Temple, he started out by rebuilding many of the surrounding cities, fortifying them from enemies.  He accumulated many riches and gave as generously, all the while keeping his promises to God.

At the beginning of chapter 9, the queen of Sheba visited and was impressed by his vast wisdom.  She gave many gifts and presented many back to her as they returned back to their own land.

The forthcoming Judgement of God

In Psalm 50, God summoned everyone together.  His Mightiness was glorious and perfect, and his approach was like a raging storm.

He brought the faithful to him first.  He declared that He is God.  Their God.  The One and Only God.  He also had no complaints about the sacrifices, but said they were unnecessary.  All of the animals were His.  Everything He created.  He required our sacrifice to be thankfulness to the Lord, and to call upon Him when we were in trouble.

God also had some choice words for the wicked.  He judged them on their evil ways, their lying and stealing.  But if they repented of their sins, He would forgive them.  If not, God's salvation would pass them by.

The Temple is Built

In the book of 2 Chronicles, starting at chapter 2, king Solomon prepared the Temple of the Lord to be built.

Throughout the next few chapters, materials were gathered, from cedar logs to gold.  These were secured from the various peoples in exchange for a fair price of wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine.

By chapter 5, the Ark of the Covenant was brought to the Temple, and the Lord was pleased by this.

In chapters 6 and 7, Solomon gave a heartfelt praise to God and dedicated the Temple to Him.  He made a promise to God that the Temple will be used as both a place of worship as well as a reminder of God's awesome power.  Solomon also prayed to God that He forgive for any wrongdoing that the Israelites may endure.

God responded that He would indeed test their resolve and faith, and would even reject them if they did not honor Him and His Name.

Seeking the Lord's Wisdom

In the first chapter from the book of 2 Chronicles, we find Solomon (son of king David) as the new king of Israel.

Solomon called all of the leaders together, gathering them in God's Tabernacle.  Then, before doing anything else, Solomon sought out God's Wisdom.  In front of all the leaders, with their own varying levels of experience and wisdom, he sought out the One True Divine Wisdom in the Lord.

God asked Solomon what he wanted to know.  "Ask, and I will give it to you!" He said.

Solomon was completely unselfish and asked for the wisdom and knowledge to lead His people properly, to govern fairly.

The Lord was pleased with this request.  Solomon did not ask for riches, fame, or even for his enemies to meet their deaths.

Gentleness and wisdom

The word gentle is repeated throughout Proverbs 15.

Verse 1 starts with, "A gentle answer deflects anger . . ."

By verse 4 are these words: "Gentle words are a tree of life . . ."

Another word repeated throughout the verses is wise.  Like verse 14: "A wise person is hungry for knowledge."

Each verse in this proverb could have it's separate post.  The wisdom of these simple sentences packs a great punch.  So many life lessons can be learned just by one verse alone.

In the final verse, 33, are the following: "Fear of the Lord teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor."

David passes the torch

In the 28th and 29th chapters of 1 Chronicles, the two final chapters, David told all of the leaders of Israel God's plan for His Temple.  David had planned the building of the Temple and secured the elements to build it, but the actual construction would be up to his son Solomon.

He then strongly urged everyone to follow the Lord's commands so that Israel could be passed on down to their ancestors forever--a permanent inheritance, he called it.  He also gave these instructions to Solomon personally.

The next day there was a grand feast and sacrifice, honoring the Lord.  Solomon was also crowned as the new king.

Death and wealth

Psalm 49 grabs everyone's attention in the first two verses, where everyone is called to listen.

By verse 5, we are asked why we should fear when trouble comes.  Our enemies trust in their earthly wealth and boast of it to others, to elevate themselves among others who are also wicked.

But no one can escape death.  No amount of wealth can keep death from knocking on your door.

For those who worship God, we should never feel sorry for ourselves when our enemies grow rich and live in big houses.  In death, they take none of it with them.

Divine Career Pathing

In the book of 1 Chronicles, chapters 23 through 27, David was very old and appointed his son Solomon to be the next king of Israel.  He then gathered all of the leaders from across Israel together.  He assigned duties to each clan and division.  Judges and gatekeepers, musicians and priests.  Everyone had a duty assigned to them.  All tasks were planned out with meticulous detail.

Have you ever wondered why everyone seems to be wired toward a certain profession?  Those who make great CEOs would make horrible maintenance workers and vice versa.  Some have a natural head for mechanics or carpentry while others can draw or paint or write with skillful ease.  For some, they have discovered their God-given duty in life.

My grandfather, who passed away recently at the youthful age of 96, spent much of his life in the automobile parts industry.  Even after he retired, he continued to work at the same place where he managed for several decades.  He loved helping people, serving them to the best of his ability.  He was never rich in money, but what he did contribute was worth far more than its weight in gold.

Six months or so ago, he had to move into an assisted living facility due to his declining health.  But instead of playing cards or bingo with the other residents, he could be found at church, with his kids, or at the store putting inventory on the shelf.

What is your divine talent?  What do you feel God is steering you toward?  If you don't know, pray to God.  He will not disappoint.

The Greatness of God

Psalm 48 starts by simply stating that the Lord is great and deserves all of our praise.

Even the city of God, Jerusalem, displayed the awesomeness that is the Lord.  Whenever the enemies of Israel advanced upon the city, they were stunned by it and ran away in terror.

God's glory destroyed advancing ships like a powerful wind.

Verse 9 is interesting it states that we should meditate upon your unfailing love as we worship in God's Temple.  Meditation is seen as a long moment of silence.  Our bodies may be silent but our mind is racing with thoughts of praise and love.

The author of the psalm tells all to walk around and inspect all of the towers of Jerusalem.  Then, we are to pass along its awesomeness to future generations.  This is what we should be doing about God's perfect love: pass His message to others as the Lord guides us forever and ever.

Amen.

Providing for your ancestors

In the 22nd chapter, from the book of 1 Chronicles, King David selected the location for the Lord's Temple.  He provided many supplies, from iron for the nails, bronze, gold, silver, and cedar logs.

His son Solomon was young, and he began making preparation for the Temple early on.  God also told him that he would never see the Temple in its finished form, so he instructed his son on how the Temple would be built to honor the Lord of Israel.

Before all of this, the Lord had told David that he had fought in many battles and that he would have a son named Solomon who would live in peace from their enemies.  David then ordered all of the leaders within Israel to assist Solomon on the Temple's construction.

David worked hard all of his life to provide for his son and the people of Israel.  He also stored many materials to be used to build the Temple instead of squandering it on useless human material items.

What in your life have you storied to provide for your ancestors when you are long gone?  A few weeks ago, my grandfather of 96 years passed away.  He may not have had much in the way of monetary wealth, but what he did provide was a deep love for God, for his children and their children and so on, as well as his late wife.  She was his "forever loving doll."  He treated her like an angel, and as a man myself, he taught me how to treat a woman with great respect and kindness.  His character was worth more than all the gold in the world.

Sudden reactions vs. wise counsel

In the 21st chapter of 1 Chronicles, David takes a census of Israel.  This comes about by Satan rising up against his people.  Even after Joab questions his motives for doing so, David still orders the census.  Joab does as he is told, but not completely.  He knows it is wrong and purposefully leaves out the tribes of Benjamin and Levi.

God is displeased by this.  So much so that He gives David a choice: three years of famine, three months of losing war against his enemies, or three days of a severe plague.  David pleads for mercy.  God sends a plague.

Then, as an angel is about to destroy Jerusalem, He stops the angel.  David builds an altar as God orders and offers a burnt offering to the Lord.

Whenever you are faced with a sudden obstacle or have a reaction to something dramatic in your life, it is always wise to pause, seek wise counsel, and don't bow to the whims of the devil.  Don't fly off the handle like King David did when Satan came into his life.  Even though others knew it was wrong and told him so, he still didn't listen.

Have you faced any obstacles lately?  How did you handle it?  Seek wisdom in the Holy Bible.  I have done so many times and am amazed every single time when I come across a Scripture that seemed to be written, just for me, at just that time.

Shout praises of joy to the Lord

Psalm 47 may be short with 9 verses, but it is filled with joyous praises to the Lord.

This Psalm is full of action.  We clap our hands, shout with joy, trumpets are blaring, and all to honor the glorious power of God.

God has done so much for his people.  He has destroyed our enemies, given us the Promised Land, has immense pride toward His people.

God is truly the King of all Kings!

The downside of assumptions

In the book of 1 Chronicles, chapters 19 and 20, we see what is the epitome of why one does not assume a truth without facts as well as the wisdom in seeking counsel.

In the beginning of chapter 19, the Ammonite king died and his son became king.  King David sent messengers to express his deepest sympathy as the former king was very loyal to him.

The ambassadors were then confronted by the new king's soldiers as King Hanun received bad advice from his commanders.  They told him that the ambassadors from Israel were spies and David wanted to conquer their land.  The ambassadors were shaved, had their robes cut, and then sent back to Israel in shame.

King David was furious and gathered up his armies.  The Ammonites heard of this and also prepared.  In the end, King David's armies, led by Joab and under the supreme guidance of God, were victorious as the others ran away.

King Hanun's downfall was listening only to his military commanders, who were under the assumption that the Israelites were only there to conquer their lands.  Hanun should have also consulted with his wise advisors.

At times of uncertainty, remain calm and seek God's wisdom.

David's great victories

In chapter 18, from the book of 1 Chronicles, King David and his army attacked and defeated many of their enemies.  Even allies of their enemies were defeated.

And all of his victories were made possible by the Lord.

King Toi of Hamath tried repeatedly to defeat one of Israel's enemies, and when he heard of King David's victory, he sent many gifts of gold, silver, and bronze.  David dedicated the gifts for use in worship to the Lord God.

King David ruled all over Israel, and he was fair and just.  He appointed many who were loyal to him and the Lord to high positions.

Don't ask what the church can do for you

John F. Kennedy famously said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

I urge you to have the same mindset toward the church and the Lord.

Ask not what the Lord and the church can do for you, ask what you can do for the Lord and the church.

Although God loves when we ask for His beloved guidance, we do need to have a servant attitude and ask what He wants us to do.

Many people define Christianity based on a certain church leader or church.  Churches are made up of people.  Church leaders are people.  And people have flaws.  We should never worship them.  We should only worship God and His Son Jesus.  If you find a certain leader or church to be a "bit off" before casting a wide net and tossing it all away in pursuit of a less than noble cause, ask God if there is something you can do.  It could be that God is pushing you to do something.

Take time for Scriptures, even in times of crisis

On July 16th, my wife was taken by ambulance to the ER.  This was the second time in less than two months that she rode in an ambulance to the ER.

In 2011, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.  She remains cancer-free to this day, but the remnants of graft vs. host from her stem cell transplant has caused great havoc on her.  This year has been no exception, but has been the most she's undertaken since 2011.

Long story short, she got sepsis and was in the hospital then rehab for almost three weeks.  She is currently at home, but needs a walker to assist with walking.  Oh, and she's been legally blind since late 2011.  Another unfortunately effect of GVH.

A few weeks ago, a lady in our church came up to me and discussed my wife.  This lady also went through leukemia the same time as my wife, but didn't experience many of the complications with GVH.  As she put it, "She has gone through more than anyone else should be allowed to."

Throughout all this, it's easy to get distracted and ignore Scriptures.  Don't.  Now is when they are needed, during times of crisis.  In fact, reading Scriptures are needed all the time, no matter what is happening.  You can't believe (okay, maybe you can) the amount of times I've been feeling down or facing some crisis, whether at home or at work, and have read just the right Scripture at the right time.  That is how God, His Beloved Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit work.  It's amazing how it all works out.

Even a small prayer can bring big results

I've noticed lately that praying is a lot like exercising.  Certainly, you can have big workouts, spending hours and hours in the gym.  But the best results are small improvements, a little here and a little there.

Okay, maybe exercising isn't the best analogy.  But getting in the habit of praying is vitally important.

My wife has spent the past two weeks in the hospital, recovering from sepsis.  Act Fast, all of the medical websites say.  Needless to say, I've been praying for her recovery as well as the care of the nurses, doctors, aides, and other hospital personnel.

Also, before walking into a meeting a work, I find myself praying for strength.  For myself.  Also, when I see someone in need, whether large or small, I say a little prayer for them.

Make praying a habit.  Even a small prayer, from deep in your heart, can make all the difference.

God's house

In the book of 1 Chronicles, chapter 17, David is finally settled into his palace.  But he is distressed, for while he lives in a nice house, the Ark of the Lord is in a simple tent.  His servant Nathan told him that he should do what is in his heart to do.

The Lord then told Nathan, to advise David, that the Lord did not require a house to be built for Him.  From the days the Israelites came out of Egypt until that very day, his home has always been a movable place.  Furthermore, he never asked His people to do that for Him.

The Lord's Promise--His Divine Covenent--was to His people.  To destroy their enemies and provide a homeland for them.

After hearing this, David prays deeply to the Lord, thanking Him for all that He has done for them.

The awesome strength of God

Psalm 46 tells about the incredible strength and power of God, and although we fear His power, we will not fear the power of nature.

In times of trouble, from hurricanes and earthquakes to everything that can be thrown at us, God is our only refuge.

Nations may be in chaos, but God's voice is like a mighty thunder.  The Lord's Armies are always among us, protecting us like a grand fortress.  No matter what warriors throw at you, He destroys them.  God is honored throughout the world and throughout every nation.

This Psalm hit home this past week.  Monday evening, northwestern Minnesota got hit with a line of severe thunderstorms.  I watched the radar map as a line of storms--colored red, which typically mean a more severe part of the storm--headed our way.  Media outlets said wind gusts up to 70 and 80 miles per hour had been reported.

As the storm loomed toward our small town, the winds starting to pick up, I closed my eyes and prayed to God.  I prayed that no one would be hurt in this storm, and that damage would be minimal.  The trees near our house whipped around, looking like trees in a Florida hurricane.  Then, as I finished my prayer, the wind seemed to calm.  Rain still poured down.  I looked at the weather radar.  Guess what I saw?

The red color on the radar seemed to part right outside our town . . . and moved by on either side.  The only damage I could see the next day were branches and leaves scattering the yards.  I did have a roof vent that blew off, but I easily repaired it.  I heard no reports of anyone being hurt, and property damage was minor for the most part.

God's power is incredible.  The damage done with the storm could have been much worse.  But with a thoughtful prayer, we were spared.

God first

In the book of 1 Chronicles, chapter 16, David brought the Ark inside a tent he pitched for it and offered burnt offerings to the Lord.  He then blessed God's people and distributed choice foods to each man and woman in the land.

He appointed a select group of Levites to be the Ark's ministers and play an assortment of instruments before the Ark, and a great psalm of thanksgiving to the Lord was spoken.  The psalm sang of the Lord's wondrous strength and love of His people, how all of the kings throughout the nations will not harm any of His prophets.  The people of the whole earth will sing praises to the Lord.

Afterward, he assigned a select group to be gatekeepers for the Ark.

Then, when this was all done, he sent everyone home and David returned to his own home.

As you can see, David put the Lord first before anything else.  Remember to follow in his footsteps and put God first, even above your own family.  That is why tithing is called first fruits.  It is given first--and best--before anything else.

Put God first in your life.

King David and the Ark

Starting in the 12th chapter of 1 Chronicles, we are told of a multitude of warriors who joined David.  These warriors were very skilled with a variety of weapons.  Among these were tribes who were trained for war, had the faces of lions, and were as swift as gazelles.

These warriors could travel across any terrain, from mountains to even the overflowing banks of the Jordan River.

In verse 18, there is the following said to David, "We are yours, David!  We are with you, son of Jesse!  Success, success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you."  These are powerful words that should be memorized, for if God is with you, success you will find.

David's army grew and grew.  In chapter 13, David consulted with all of the captains and leaders, urging them to spread the word to their fellow countrymen about what the Lord our God has done.  Then, he ordered them to bring the Lord's Ark back with them.  They celebrated their victory.

Throughout the next few chapters, into chapter 15, they establish a holy place for the Ark and have appointed certain people to protect it.

Celebrating the King

Psalm 45 starts with an outpouring of love for the King.

The King has been blessed by the Lord, and is the more fairest of all men.  He is armed with truth and righteousness.  All of His enemies will perish.

His throne is where the Lord resides.

The ladies who worship the King are among the most noble.

Of course, we're speaking about the one and only King of all, Jesus.

Starting at verse 10, the psalm turns to one's daughter.  She is to forget her people, where she came from, and will worship Him.  She is glorious and the rich will seek her favor.  She will wear the most beautiful of garments, and her sons will be princes of the land.

"It could be worse" vs. "Why do they have it so easy?"

In April 2011, my wife was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.  She spent much of that year at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.  She stayed at the Hope Lodge, where we met lots of people with a variety of cancers.

My wife was lucky.  With the glorious power of God, she survived and is still in remission.  Even to this day, she has had other complications--she is legally blind--but she is cancer free.

Throughout this time, we've met many others and we've thought, "Our lives could've been a lot worse."  In fact, during my wife's stay, a younger couple also stayed at the Hope Lodge, was from our neck of the woods in northwestern Minnesota, and the young man had a similar type of leukemia.   Over a few short years, he went from being in remission to the leukemia coming back.  On July 3, 2013, he passed away.  He was only 27.

Yes, we could've been far worse.  My wife could've passed away--there were a few times in 2011 that she was close to Death's door.  But she didn't.

It's human for us to compare our lives with others.  Take social media.  We see other people's lives and think, "Wow, they have it so good.  Why can't we be like them?"

But what one doesn't know is their life, unfiltered through the lens of social media.  Even celebrities and others highly visible in the public eye.  It's easy for us to say, "They have it so easy."  Chances are, they don't.

Take time each day and pray to God.  Pray that He leads you down the path He wants you to take.  Don't compare yourself to others, either in sympathy or jealousy.  God has a plan for everyone.  Pray for Him to reveal your life;s plan to you.  And do what He instructs without question.

Quit casting stones

From the Gospel of John, chapter 8, verses 2-8, is the famous story of Jesus and the woman accused of adultery.  In verse 7, Jesus said to the teachers of the law standing nearby, when they stated the laws of the land demanded that the woman be stoned, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." (NIV)

Judgement.  It is something we all do, everyday, even when we may not know it.  It is also something I wrestle with from time to time, even though I believe I have a decent handle on it--but I fail at too very miserably when I do.

The passage from John sticks out in my mind whenever I pass judgement on someone else, even without knowing all of the facts.  But God reminds me of His teachings in the book of John.

Let's take a person who reads about an executive at a company who embezzled millions of dollars and was being sent to prison for decades.  This same person, while judging the executive, is also stealing albeit a smaller scale, let's say pens or envelopes.  Stealing is stealing, no matter the size.

Whenever you find yourself judging someone else, tell yourself to quit casting stones.  You are no better than the next person when it comes to sin.  Pray to the Lord to help you, if needed.

Complaining to God? Seriously?

Psalm 44 starts by laying out all that God had done for His People, displacing them, scattering them, and then bringing them victory by His hand.

Then, on verse 9, whomever wrote the Psalm goes on a bit of a rant, telling God that He rejected us.  Humiliated us.  Let people mock us and causing us to be the laughingstock of everyone's jokes.

Near the end of the Psalm, we remain our resolve and still love Him, he do not turn our backs to Him, regardless of what troubles fell on us.

Muscle twitch? Or a touch by God and the Holy Spirit?

I grew up attending a Lutheran church in a small northwestern Minnesota town.

At the front of the nave was a giant wooden cross that covered much of the wall.  As a kid, I watched a lot of what I called "Jesus movies."  Just to give a context, I was born in the early 1970's and throughout grade school there was a lot of Biblical movies, many of which were on TV.  The crucifixion of Jesus always fascinated me as a kid--honestly, it still does--and of course it wasn't until I was older that the ramifications of Jesus's death on the cross became apparent.  My wild imagination even visualized Jesus being crucified on the very cross at the front of the nave.

That being said, there was an event at church once that, to this day, I still feel . . . both blessed and bizarre that it happened.  To me.  Yes, to me, of all people.  Mr. Nobody Important.

As hard as I may try, I don't know when this occurred, but I'm leaning toward my last year or two of high school . . . or perhaps my first year or two of college.  The reason for this is because after my second year or so of college, I didn't go home very much.

Then again, I could be completely wrong.

The church service went about as usual--as usual as a normal Minnesotan Lutheran service could be.  I was a bit tired.  That much I do remember.  I yawned.  Then, I stared up at the cross.

In an instant, I felt what could best be described as a light muscle twitch on my left shoulder.  Or, even more so, someone behind me touching me ever-so lightly on the shoulder.  I turned around.  Whomever was behind me didn't touch me.  But I will tell you this: as soon as it happened, I was filled with an energy I had never felt before.

To this day, I truly believe it was God, working through the Holy Spirit, touching me.  All I needed was a light touch, just to remind me that He was there.

Unbelievers will just deny this happened and tell me it was a simple muscle twitch.  Go ahead and believe what you want.  I know what it felt like--the pure energy.

Take bites of Scripture daily

Ever have a big task that needed to be done?  What is the best way to tackle it?

By bits and pieces.  Small bites.  Chipping away at the iceberg.

What is your big task is reading the Bible?

At my local church, they've had programs over the years about reading the Bible in a year and such forth.  Now, this may be fine, great, and dandy for you.  But how much of it will you absorb?  It's like cramming for a big test the night before.

Reading the Bible and living your life by His Holy Word, my suggestion is to read a little bit everyday.  Even if it's a devotional book, you're still reading His Word.  While writing posts for this blog, there are times when I'll take part of a chapter and read it over and over again.  I'll sit in the bedroom, with the lamp on, alone (except God is with me) and read.  I'll ponder what I read.

At work, during breaks and lunches, I'll read a few devotionals.  In each devotional is a Bible passage.  Undoubtedly, I'll read something that resonates with something I'm dealing with--God works very mysterious that way.

Try this to get you started.  Chances are, the more you read, and the longer you do this, your life will start making a more positive turn.

Prayer of rescue

Psalm 43 may be short--only five verses in length--it still packs a punch.

It is known as the prayer of rescue.

It starts with a plea to God, to both judge and vindicate me, rescuing me from those who are deceitful.  God is our strength, a mighty stronghold.

Our soul may be in despair, restless, and with a feeling of dread.  But hope in the Lord will lift you up against all transgressions.

Other versions of this same Psalm is set up like one is on trial against ungodly people.  God defends us, declaring us innocent of the wrongs that have been said about us through lies.

David's covenant

Continuing on in the book of 1 Chronicles, chapter 10, the men of Israel fled from the Philistines.  This was in the days of Saul and David (in David's pre-king days).  Saul was eventually killed, his armor stripped from his body, and his decapitated head was displayed for all to see.

In the last few verses of the chapter, we are told that Saul died because he failed to keep the Lord's Word.  Instead of consulting with the Lord, he consulted with mediums and was deceived accordingly.

Then, in chapter 11, David makes a covenant with the Lord and he became a greater and greater leader as he lived according to God's Word.  He defeated the Philistines with his grand army.  He also put his people before his own.  In verses 17-19, David asked if someone would give him a drink from a well in Bethlehem, where a horde of Philistine soldiers were.  Three did, and when he was offered it he poured it out as an offering to the Lord.  He would not drink while his men's lives were at risk.

One's duty, one's purpose

In the 9th chapter of 1 Chronicles, the genealogies of those exiled from Israel because of their lack of faith in God, was laid out.

As the people returned to God's land of Israel, each was given duties.  Each duty could be large, from a gatekeeper of a city or a doorkeeper to a Tent, to those in charge of eating utensils.

The Levites seemed to be in charge of great responsibilities, as in the treasures in the Lord's Temple.  They were also in charge of music.  This latter service gave them the freedom to not be assigned other services, as their duty could be held day or night.

Reflect on your own duties in this way.  Each and every one of us has strengths and weaknesses, abilities one may have a natural aptitude for when compared to skills one can't seem to grasp.  Do you know anyone who has a "green thumb"?  No matter what, this person can plant anything under any condition.  Others without this skill can't make anything grow, even in the most ideal conditions.

What do you seem to be good at, something that you're motivated to do?  Or, it could be, something that comes natural and you don't even know it.

Be thirsty for the Lord

Psalm 42 is an interesting psalm.  It starts with a picture of a deer longing for water in much the same way our soul longs for the Lord.

Then it quickly turns to one with despair in their soul, in their hearts.  How does one heal this despair?  By hoping for AND waiting for His praise.  No matter how much our soul is disturbed, restless, and under severe burden, the Lord heals all.

Even when we come across people who cry out to us, urging us to question where our God is, our hope in the Lord fills us up with His divine goodness.

Tragedy and numbers for war

In the book of 1 Chronicles, chapters 7-8, many families are noted in sheer numbers.  And the numbers are named in troops.  22,600 here and 36,000 there.

In chapter 7, verse 20, the sons of Ephraim are named.  Unfortunately, they are killed by natives of the land.  Their father mourned, and relatives came to comfort him.  His wife then conceived of another son named Beriah, whose name means misfortune.  His birth came about by tragedy.  But tragedy was not what his life led.  Beriah had a daughter, who built three great cities: lower and upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah.

Tell the Story again and again

We've heard the Story about Jesus's birth before.  Typically every Christmas.  We've also heard the Story about His death, especially during the Easter season. These aren't the only Biblical stories told again and again.  Any of these ring a bell?

Jonah and the whale.

Daniel in the lion's den.

The creation story in Genesis.

Adam and Eve.

Noah's Ark.

Moses and the parting of the Red Sea.

Abraham and Sarah, and God's promise to them.

David and Goliath.

John the Baptist.

Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.

Why do we do this?  Why is this important?

These seemingly simple stories give a record of God's story in humankind and His love toward us.  Each story is filled with those who had great faith, overcame odds, or even failed to do so and was dealt with the consequences.

Stories are the best ways of teaching principles.  And the best stories are ones that can be told simply, not complicated and difficult to remember.  Told so simply that even children can understand them--and we do in Sunday School class.

Delights of the Lord

Psalm 41 starts with a detailed protection plan by the Lord for those who are weak.  They are blessed, prosperous, the Lord protects them from troubles, and He aids to heal them from illness.

In the psalm, we plead to God, for we are slandered against by vile enemies, and even our most closest friends can turn against us.

But God never will.  He delights in us.

Musicians of the Lord's Temple

In the book of 1 Chronicles, chapter 6, we are told about the descendants of Levi: the Levites.  Many worked in the Lord's Temple.

The first mentioned was in verse 10.  Johanan served as a priest.

Starting in verse 13, we find the musicians David put in charge of the music for the Lord's Temple after the ark of the Covenant was placed there.  Everything David did was through music.

In verse 54, it was noted that many were given choice settlements across Israel as they were descendants of Aaron, from the days of Moses.

Reuben

In the book of 1 Chronicles, chapter 5, we are told starting in verse 1 about Reuben.

Those who are firstborn are given a special place among the family.  And the tale of Reuben was no exception.  His story is told way back in the book of Genesis.

He, however, was striped of his rights as firstborn when he was sexually deviant and his father gave the firstborn rights to his brother Joseph.

Much like the story of Jabez in chapter 4, Reuben was born into a prestigious role and dishonorably took advantage of that position.  He paid an enormous price as well as his ancestors, all because of a few moments of pleasure.

Pray to God that He shows you what is valuable in your life, so that the evils of sin won't cause a long life of pain and loneliness.

More wise counsel

Proverbs 14 starts with a verse about a wise woman.  If her house is built on a foundation of God, it thrives.  If one is foolish, it is torn down by their own hands.

And this is only the first verse.

Going deeper into this, one may ask about the foundation of God that one's house is built.  It may not be a literal house, but it could be too.  If one's life is based on adhering to deep Christian values, by worshiping Christ Jesus and His Ten Commandments, one's life is more richer.  If one ignores Christ and His teachings, there is no foundation and one's life crumbles.

Another interesting verse is 4.  "Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests."  One has to think about a farmer back in times before tractors.  Oxen were used to plow fields.  If the oxen were in the fields, they were working.  Meaning, they were not in the barns, lounging around.  The same could be said of people.  If people are working, their strength provides for one's family.

Verse 23 goes like this: "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty."  Again, we're talking about work.  Like Yoda from Star Wars was fond of saying, "Do.  Or do not.  There is no try."  If one works hard, they will be rewarded.  But just talking about work does nothing.  Get up.  Do something.

Lastly, let's look at the last verse: 35.  "A king delights in a wise servant, but a shameful servant arouses his fury."  Even those in leadership need wise counsel.  If that wisdom is from the love of God, your wise words will be delighted--I love that work too; delight.

Jabez

In the 4th chapter from the book of 1 Chronicles, we find the man named Jabez.  Interestingly enough, there are a series of books written about this particular man, which is written in verses 9-10 in chapter 4.  Keep in mind, for the rest of the chapter, it does its usual chronicling of families, with a few minor descriptions like in the first three chapters, but here it goes quite in depth.

It starts out by telling us that Jabez was more honorable than his brothers.  Out of his siblings, he was the only one to cause his mother great pain.  Later in life, Jabez did not want to live up to that name and asked God to bless him, to enlarge his territory, and to keep him from harm.

And God granted the request.

How amazing it was for God to answer his prayers.

The same could be said about you.  How many are told that they're not going to amount to anything special because of where they live, what they've done, or the fact that no one else in the family has accomplished anything good?  The story of Jabez is about a man who was dealt with a poor hand, but with his true faith in God, he prayed and rose about it, all with God's blessing.

Names, names, and Nimrod

"You're such a nimrod."

In the book of 1 Chronicles, the first few chapters gives an account of the historical family records.  The majority of the records lists this father or mother had these sons or daughters, and so on.

In verse 10 of chapter 1, it reads: "Cush was the father of Nimrod, who became a mighty warrior on earth."  Nimrod appeared in Genesis.  However, one wonders why such a name became an insult.  Hence the quoted passage at the top of this post.  Oh, by the way, there is a small town in northern Minnesota named Nimrod.  Go figure.

Some even had their evil deeds put down in detail.  In chapter 2, verse 7, it reads: "Achar, who brought trouble on Israel for violating the ban on taking devoted things."

Let the Lord set your feet upon the rock

Psalm 40 starts with the speaker saying he waited patiently AND expectantly for the Lord.  We were in a pit of misery, but God heard us and set our feet upon the rock, keeping our steps steady.  He knows the path reserved for us and He helps us along the way.

Verse 8 is very powerful, for it says to take delight to do God's will.

Also, since us as Christians know the Good News, do not keep it to yourself.  Share in the news, either through words or actions.  Do not conceal from others the goodness that the Lord has done for you.

We may be in great need and afflicted by some malady.  At the very close of the psalm, it reads, "O my God, do not delay."  We do not want God to delay his thoughtfulness of us.  But we also must not delay in reading about his Word, about His Son Christ Jesus, and the good He does in the world.

Zedekiah rebels

In the final chapter of 2 Kings, chapter 25, we ended 24 with Zedekiah taking over as the king of Judah.  He was appointed by the king of Babylon.  Like all of the other kings of Judah, he did evil in the Lord's name.

But then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzsar surrounded Jerusalem with siege weapons.  He kept this up for close to two years, by which time there was a great famine in the city.  Somehow, the soldiers of Judah fled the city by night, all without the Babylon army knowing until they were long gone.  But it didn't take long before they were captured.  Zedekiah's sons were slaughtered and his eyes were put out.

Nebuchadnessar then burned the Lord's Temple and looted all of the treasures inside.  He then appointed Gedaliah governor of Judah and he swore an oath to the people that no harm would come to them if they served the king of Babylon.

But the people of Judah would have nothing of it.  They killed Gedaliah and then fled to Egypt.

Judah's punishment

In the book of 2 Kings, chapter 24, the Babylon king Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah.  The king of Judah, Jehoiakim, surrendered and even paid tribute for three years.  But then he stopped.

The Lord did this to Judah for the evils they had done in His name, just as He had promised.

The invasion continued until Jehoiakim's death and then his son was the next king.  His name was Jehoiachin.  He was eighteen and only reigned for three months.

During Nebuchanezzar's reign, he carried away all of Judah's treasures from the Lord's Temple.  He even took as slaves as many people as he could--they numbered ten thousand in all--and left only the poorest.

The value of silence

Psalm 39 starts with a statement about guarding one's ways, not speaking sinfully while in the presence of those who wish to do evil to us.  But the silence grew immense within us . . . to the point where we spit out vile words.

Have you ever held your tongue when someone speaks about something you don't believe in, over and over again, until one day you just snap?  I do.  And so do you.  In today's instant social media age, this is as true now and your comments can have wide implications.

Remember Psalm 39 whenever this happens and remember the Lord.  Our time on Earth is brief.  Place all of your hope with the Lord.  He will sort it all out.

The Lord knows what you are going through in these situations.  You are not alone, even though you may feel like it.  Be at peace that Christ Jesus and His Holy Spirit are with you.

The right tools in the toolbox

I was replacing a brake light on my vehicle this past weekend--I had known about it for some time but put it off due to the frigid Minnesota weather and now the time was right.  The tools I needed were simple.  Aside from the bulb, all I really needed was a Philips head screwdriver.  Two screws.  No problem.

I was wrong.

One of the screw heads was a little worn and I had to resort to a socket to remove it.  Again, no big deal, once I found the right tools.

Whenever I've encountered problems in my life, I've looked to God for answers as much as I could.  Many answers can be found in the Bible.  The stories and lessons in the Bible are numerous and seemingly never-ending.  Whatever the circumstances, the answers can always be found in prayer and in His Holy Word.

A month ago, I needed to have a difficult conversation with my sales team.  I didn't want to do it, but I needed to.  I put my complete trust in the Lord, even remembering how Moses wasn't prepared to speak to the multitude of Israelites but God gave him the ability.  My difficult conversation sparked a fire for my sales team, changing their negative attitudes that were poisoning their minds into a positive one.  And it was all thanks to God and His Word.

Spend time daily in prayer and in reading His Scriptures.  You will be amazed at the results.

Ridding all evil from your sight

In the 23rd chapter, from the book of 2 Kings, Josiah, distressed by what his ancestors had done with the money to repair the Lord's temple, made a covenant with God.  All of his people and him would keep God's commandments, within their heart and soul.

To go one step further, king Josiah removed from the temples all artifacts of the false gods, to remove all temptation to worship them.  It was one thing for him to say he was going to keep God's covenant.  He did it through the deeds of removing from sight all other gods--false gods, mind you.  He completely destroyed all remnants, even going so far as to kill the priests who may cause others to follow them instead of the One True God.

Know what tempts you to turn away from the Lord.  Read the Bible daily.  Do what the Good Book says, His Word.  And remove all temptation to go against His Word.

The Lord heals your suffering

Psalm 38 starts with a pleading to God about not punishing us in His anger.  The Lord has the ability to punish all who sin--and no one is above even the simplest sin.  But does He?

Our sins are like festering wounds all over our body, a constant burden we bear.  Nothing is hidden from the Mighty Lord, be it thought, word, or deed.

Despite this, we still put our hope in God.  We confess our sins and He is there to heal us.  Remember, the Lord will never abandon you.

Tithe your time (and your money)

Tithe.  A tenth.  First fruits.  Giving the best pieces to God.

This is how tithing has been described in the Bible.  Let's look back to the days of Cain and Abel.  Abel gave the first portion, the best portion, as a sacrifice to God.  Cain just gave some, not necessarily the first and/or the best.  Hence the reason God chose Abel as a loyal follower.

Everyone seems to be busy nowadays.  Which, honestly, isn't true at all.  Everyone has always been busy and devote their time toward their desired tasks.  If someone wanted to sit down each night and watch hour after hour of mindless news media, or consume hour after hour of social media, that is their choice.

Try a different mindset.  Tithe your time as well as your money.  Give the best parts to God.

Because it is all His anyway.  Your time is God's time.  Your money is God's money.  We're God's stewards of our time and money.  No one seems to talk about tithing our time.  Give it a try.  Devote time each and every day to Him.  Set it in stone.

Make it time for His Word.

Josiah saves his people

In the book of 2 Kings, chapter 22, Josiah was only eight when he became king of Jerusalem.  He had a deep faith in God and did right in the Lord's eyes.

By the eighteenth year of his thirty-one year reign, he ordered the priests to give the money collected for the Temple to be entrusted with the workers who were rebuilding it.  Also, since he trusted the workers, he did not request an accounting of their work.

However, it was then discovered that the money had been taken long ago.  Josiah was both furious and afraid.  He was fearful of what the Lord had trusted the people of Jerusalem to do.  The Temple was unable to be completed.

Josiah pleaded with God.  God then said He had planned to bring about disaster on their place, but because of his loyalty, the people would be spared until the day came for his death.

Taking delight in the Lord

Psalm 37:4 has an amazing verse: "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart's desires."

Psalm 37 is long but interesting.  Throughout the Psalm, David talks about those who may appear successful, but are wicked evildoers at heart and will not last long.

We must also trust completely in the Lord.

David describes those who are wicked, how they cut corners and take out debts they have no intention of ever repaying.  He also describes those who are righteous, how they are always giving and gracious.

Those who are evil will fade away.

Those who stand with the Lord will reap abundance and will always have God's grace.

God is patient

For the past several months, we've explored the reigns of kings in the books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings.  Especially in 2 Kings I have noted time and again where kings have constantly done evil in the sight of the Lord.

Even in the book of Exodus, as the Israelites escaped from Egypt and traveled back to their Promised Land, they turned away from God.  Even after Moses's stern warning not to do so, they ignored him.

After all this, God is patient with His people.  Despite their constant sinning (evil deeds), He is still patient with them, giving them multiples changes--seven times seven, in other words.

Remember that in your own life.  Now, that doesn't give you an excuse to purposefully do something bad, do something immoral.  One should still live their life by His Word.  But, like a wandering sheep, God and his Holy Son Jesus will be there to bring you back, to comfort you.

God still loves His people.  He is gracious.  And He is patient.

Amen.

Two more kings go bad

In the 21st chapter of 2 Kings, we find Manasseh.  He became king of Jerusalem when he was only twelve years old.  And he reigned for fifty-five years.  And, as you guessed by the title of this post, he did evil in the sight of the Lord.  He reversed all of the things his father had done by rebuilding the places of worship for many pagans, and on top of it worshiped all of the stars in the sky.

Manasseh even sacrificed his own son to a pagan god (false god).

By the end of his evil reign, God told His prophets that, because of Manasseh's evil deeds and repulsiveness toward God, He would bring a great catastrophe upon Jerusalem.

And it was done.  Amon, his son, took his father's place and he only reigned for two short years.  He, too, continued in his father's evil ways.  He was killed two years into his reign by his own servants.

Protection from the Lord

Last week, it appears that I skipped Psalm 35.  My bad.  Here it is . . .

The psalm starts with a prayer, asking the Lord to fight against those who are against us, to battle beside us and give us victory.  There will be others who wish to disgrace and humiliate us, but the Lord will blow them away like chaff in the wind.

In verse 7, it spells out that we did them no wrong yet they were still against us.  So make sure to do no wrong and trust in the Lord to protect you.

In verse 11, one may be accused of crimes they didn't do and malicious people wish to testify falsely against them.

The Lord God will protect you from fierce attacks.  Even if one is innocent and falsely accused, pray to Him that He declare us not guilty.  Praise God and he will grant justice.

Father knows best

In the 20th chapter of 2 Kings, we find Hezekiah on the verge of death from an illness.

But Hezekiah didn't want to face death.  Not yet.  He prayed to the Lord, pleading that he was a faithful servant to God and that he always did what He told him.

The prophet Isaiah received a message from the Lord, telling Hezekiah that He heard his prayer and that he would add 15 years onto his life.  Also, He would rescue him from the Assyrians.

Hezekiah was joyful.  Then, one day, the son of the Babylonian king had heard of Hezekiah's illness and wanted to give his wishes.  Hezekiah gave the envoy a tour of his houses, showing them all of his riches.

After they left, Isaiah asked why he had done such a thing.  Then, he told him another message from the Lord, saying that because he showed all of his treasures the Babylonians would take all of their belongings, including some of his sons.

Hezekiah faces adversity and his trust in the Lord is tested

In the latter part of the 18th chapter from the book of 2 Kings, Hezekiah is questioned by a servant to the Assyrian king, asking why he is so confident when the might of the Assyrian military is strong?  It was suggested that they not lean on the help of Egypt, for the Egyptian Pharaoh is unreliable.

Hezekiah was mocked for his trust in the Lord, when it was Hezekiah who tore down the temples in Judah.

Then, as a last ditch effort, the servant offered 2,000 horses to ride against Assyrian, knowing that even with that much of a head start, they could not win.

The Assyrian servant told the people of Judah not to rely on Hezekiah, for he was trying to deceive them.  But the people of Judah did not answer him, for Hezekiah told them not to, for the Lord would protect them.

The insults continued in chapter 19.  Hezekiah delivered a message to Isaiah, who then informed the king not to listen to the blasphemy.  The Lord would help him.  In the end, after much back and forth with other allied nations, an angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, driving them back to their own lands.

Then, as a final act, the Assyrian king was assassinated by two of his own sons, and another son took his place.

The arrogance of the wicked

In Psalm 36, it starts with the character of those who are arrogant.  They think so highly of themselves that they do not see the wickedness that they do.  They only look to themselves, plotting any way to get ahead, even if it's against the Lord's wishes.

Starting in verse 5, the Lord takes the faithful and leads the way for them.  The faithful takes refuge in God and is filled with the fountain of everlasting life.

In verse 11, it reads: "May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away."  Those who are sinful will try to wedge themselves in the faithful, to drive them from their love of God.  But those who are faithful, keeping His love, will be shielded by His glory.

God's tests make one stronger

It was January 2011.  A few months prior, my wife and I finished a popular financial planning course.  I won't mention the name of it, for even though the course was fantastic and the message Godly, we seemed to be so far downhill in our finances that we really needed a spiritual intervention to help us out.  At the time, I was just promoted to a supervisor position, which did come with a small raise.

We were majorly behind on bills, including both our house and van payments.  Within two days, we watched our van being towed away and our home was foreclosed upon.  Fast forward two weeks, we got the van back.  Then, we set to work on getting the house back as well.

With a lot of prayer and the help from our parents, we did it.  We were on a strict budget, my in-laws helped with food, and we were on a plan to get our lives back in order.

Then, my wife started to get sick.  We knew things weren't right.  By April 14, 2011, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and spent the rest of 2011 in Rochester, MN, at the Mayo Clinic.

On May 19th, the small town where we lived (and still do) had a benefit and raised quite a bit of money for expenses, both in travel for myself and our three kids as well as my wife.  If what he had experienced earlier in the year hadn't happened, we might not have been prepared for the sudden influx of money.  We used it frugally to last the rest of the year.

You see, we believe it was God testing us, blessing us by having both our van and house taken away.  We didn't know it at the time, however, but nowadays we're thankful for Him.  Like when the Lord tested the Israelites after fleeing Egypt, he tested them over and over again, to build up their strength.  If we didn't experience the financial hardship, we not have used the money as frugally as we would have liked.

How does God test you?  Be open for it.  Be thankful for it.

Hezekiah, the king who finally did the right thing

In the book of 2 Kings, chapter 18, we find the king of Judah Hezekiah.

As the title of this post states, we finally have a king who did right in the sight of the Lord.  He had all of the pagan images removed and destroyed.  Hezekiah trusted in AND relied confidently in the Lord, God of Israel.  Because of this, there was no other king before or after him that was like him.  He kept all of His commandments.

Because of his divine faith, Hezekiah was successful.  He rebelled against the Assyrian king and refused to serve him.

You see, he was willing to part with all of the objects that would cause him to drive his mind away from the Lord.  No one at this point had done this, and apparently no one had done it since.

The Lord leads Israel to be held captive

In the 17th chapter of 2 Kings, Hoshea is the king of Israel.  Again, like so many others, he did not please the Lord with his actions.

The king of Assyria invaded Israel and held them captive for three years.  They moved the Israelites to various cities, keeping them from the Lord.  Pagan customs and false gods were brought about upon them.  The Israelites soon rejected God and followed these false gods, creating altars and images that displeased the Lord.

Then, the Lord sent lions and killed some of the people of Assyria.  The king then received advice from his servants that the Israelites--mainly, the people of Judah, for the Lord rejected all of the others at this point--were kept away from their God and that the Lord sent the lions.  The king ordered one of the priests from Israel to go to their people, and teach them what God required.

The people of Judah soon worshiped the Lord, but at the same time also served other false gods--all against the laws that the Lord sent to them.

Ahaz plunders the Lord's Temple

Ahaz was a king in Judah.  He reigned for sixteen years, and was only twenty when he held the esteemed title.

In the book of 2 Kings, chapter 16, Ahaz was an ancestor of King David, but was nothing like him.  Not only did he allow the practices of paganism to thrive under his leadership, he even sacrificed his own son.

The king of Syrian and Israel waged war against him.  Ahaz sought help from the king of Assyria.  To pay for such help, he raided all of the silver and gold form the Lord's Temple, sending it to the Assyrian king as a bribe.  The Assyrian king then went up to Damascus and even put the Syrian king to death.

King Ahaz saw the altar the Assyrian king had built in Damascus and ordered an exact copy constructed made for him and his people.  Ahaz was amazed by it and offered all kings of offerings to it.  He then tore apart much of the Lord's Temple to please the Assyrian king.

How many Bibles does it take to learn about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit?

In the subject line of this blog post, I posed a question.

Everyone will have different answers, of course.  Most, probably, will answer with one--if they read one at all.  With the question, I mean, how many different Bibles do you refer to?

When I got confirmed (this was in 9th or so grade, I believe) I was given a Bible from our pastor.  Over the years, I've kept it near me and read it.  I have never read the Bible cover to cover, unfortunately, but with this blog I'm taking up the fight to do it.

Recently, my eyesight has caused reading the Bible a bit troubling.  So, I purchased one on my Kindle four years ago--I use purchase loosely as it was free.  I've been using it more and more as my eyesight goes haywire and there have been passages that have caused me to scratch my head.  Then, I read the same chapter on the Bible from my childhood and it makes sense.

With my recent tax refund, I made the bold decision to purchase (yes, actually buy) four other versions.  I've researched a variety of Bible translations and came up with four.  The free version is the English Standard Version.  The others I recently bought are: NIV (New International Version), Everyday Life Bible (Amplified Version) by Joyce Meyers, NLT (New Living Translation) Version, and an Apologetics Study Bible (Christian Standard Bible).

These are all Kindle versions so I can take them anywhere, increase the font if needed, and highlight passages.  I've had these for about a week.  Now, despite many of the passages being very similar, I'm already amazed at the slight variations in the translations.

So, if you find yourself struggling with a certain version, try another version.  As long as you're reading God's Word, He will point you to where you should be going.

Kings doing bad

In chapter 15 from the book of 2 Kings, there are a series of kings from Israel and Judah, some reigning for months and others for years.

Honestly, it's a confusing passage and I struggled what to write about it in our exploration of the Holy Bible.  Then, I came to the conclusion that all of them, despite their status in life as kings of their nations, may have done things right in the eyes of the Lord (but not all of them did this) but turned around and did bad things.

I won't name all of the kings listed in this chapter.  Some were godly and worshiped the Lord, yet let others worship other gods--false gods, mind you.

Amaziah's ego

In the book of 2 Kings, chapter 14, we find Amaziah, king of Judah.  It was said he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but instead followed the example of his father.  He may have worshiped the Lord, but he allowed pagans to continue with their own sacrifices.

When he was well-established as the king, he killed all of the servants who had murdered his father.  But he spared their children, obeying the Lord's command as written by Moses.

Amaziah wanted to meet Jehoash, the king of Israel, face to face.  Then, Jehoash offered his son to marry Amaziah's daughter.  Amaziah refused.  Jehoash told Amaziah that he was overconfident of his situation, so he then advanced his army.  Amaziah was then captured and all of the gold, silver, and other treasures were taken from the Lord's temple.

If you are having troubles understanding the Bible, check out other versions

For a while now, I've been reading a lot more on my Kindle.

This includes the Bible.  I still have the Bible I received from my church when I was younger, and was a confirmation gift, next to the bed.  I refer to it from time to time.

The version I read on the Kindle is an English Standard Version.  The one next to the bed is an American Standard version.  There's also the King James, the amplified, the living word . . . and the list goes on and on.

The ESV Bible I'm reading can be confusing at times for me, but when I've read the same verses under another version, they've become clearer.  And vice versa.

Back in college, someone told me once that one should always read the King James version because, with the archaic ways the words can be, it makes one read it slower.  If this works for you, go for it.  But one should not be confused by your Bible reading.  Read what is comfortable for you.  Read more than one version, if you wish.  Experiment the the Lord's Word in other ways.

Always remember that there are other ways to read the Bible.  Check out various study Bibles, if needed.

The death of Elisha

Continuing in the 13th chapter of 2 Kings, verse 14, the prophet Elisha has fallen deathly ill.

When the Israeli king Joash discovered this he cried out.  Elisha instructed Joash to shoot an arrow out the window, toward the east.  He did so.  Elisha said it was the Lords arrow of victory over Syria.

Elisha then told the king to shoot the other arrows into the ground.  The king did so, but stopped after three.  Elisha was furious!  Elisha said he should have struck the ground five or six times, for that would have been how many times they would have had victory over Syria.  But since he stopped after three, they would only see victory three times.