Challenging God

From the book of Job, chapter 9, Job responded to his friend, knowing all that he said was true.  But then he challenged him by asking how one can be declared innocent in the eyes of God?  He wanted to take God to court, but how could one question One who was so wise and mighty?

God can move mountains, command the sun to rise and fall, and even made all of the stars in their perfect positions.  His works are too marvelous to understand.

Job said that he can only plead for mercy.  Because he knows, in the eyes of the Lord, he is guilty of any wrongdoing.

It's interesting how Job contained himself when so much of his life was taken away from him.  His livelihood.  His children.  His belongings.  All gone--except his wife.  That, quite frankly, was the only thing he never lost.  But when the pain turned toward himself, he wanted his life erased from the earth.  The pain was too great for him to handle.

Getting nourishment from the Lord

In the book of Job, chapter 8, one of Job's friends named Bildad asked how long Job was going to act like the way he was, blustering about, feeling sorry for himself.  Bildad reminded Job that God does not twist justice, that he finds favor in those who live with integrity and pray to the Lord.

Bildad told him that they all started out with very little, but will end up with much because of their honor of God.

How long do plants live without nourishment?  True, they may flower and look good.  But deep down in their roots, if the ground is rocky and lack of moisture, they will not grow to their true potential.  In much the same way with people, those who worship the Lord will be nourished by Him.  God is just to those with integrity.

Find nourishment in reading God's Word, praying to Him daily.  Put your complete trust in the Lord.

The nature of fools, lazy people, and a true friend

When I read through the twenty-four verses in Proverbs, chapter 18, I felt like nearly every single verse was written for today's age, written exactly for what we've been dealing with these past four years--especially this year.

In the first verse, it tells us that unfriendly people care only about themselves, and lash out at common sense.  Then it goes on to say that fools have no interest in understanding, only wanting to air their own opinions.  Oh, so very true when you even glanced at the headlines thrown in our faces every single day these past four years.

In verse 9, it compares lazy people to those who cause great destruction, then by verse 10 the name of the Lord is a strong fortress--the godly run to Him and are safe.

There is so much wisdom in these verses.  In verse 20, wise words satisfy like a good meal.  My favorite is verse 22: "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord."

By the end, it spells out the true nature of a real friend: they stick closer than a brother.

Do you believe the Lord has your best interest in mind?

In the book of Job, chapters 6 and 7, Job continued on with how miserable he was.  In the second and third verse, from chapter 6, he compared his misery with weighing it against all of the sands of the sea and how his troubles would tip the scales in his direction.

He also asked if he had a right to complain and compared himself to other complaints people have, like with unsalted food or the tastelessness of an egg white.  He again wished for the Lord to end his life.  He had already endured months of agony and begged for it all to end.  He tossed and turned each night while his body was covered with pus and scabs.

By the end of chapter 7, he pleads with God, asking what he had done, why he was a target of all this misery.

Since October 2011, my late wife had endured loss of vision and a constant tiredness as she recovered from her stem cell transplant as a remedy from her acute myeloid leukemia.  Thankfully her leukemia never returned.  That much we were blessed with.  But the result of her treatment through graft vs. host was her loss of vision and other ailments.  She could no longer drive and whenever I went somewhere with her I guided her along with what I called the "prom walk" as she latched her arm through mine.

She did complain?  It was a rare event, but for the most part she knew life was in God's hands.  He had a plan and were blessed just to be alive.  Even as she breathed in her last, on January 16, 2020, she fought to stay alive but ultimately knew God had her life in His Hands.  He had her life's best interest in His Mind.

The same goes with Job.  If you look at the first chapter again, God knew what Job was like, how strong his faith was.  No matter what happens in our lives, we need to understand that the Lord has our best interest in mind.  We need to have faith in that and trust him fully.

Spiritual resistance

Psalm 76 is a psalm that completely honors God.  From the first verse to the last twelfth verse, this psalm honors God by pointing out that the Lord has broken all of the enemy's weapons, from their fiery arrows to their shields.

The Lord is more majestic than the most splendid mountains, and even by the mere breath of God, our enemies are destroyed.

No matter your circumstances, put your trust in the Lord, for He will stand up and judge those who would do evil toward you.

There is one verse that caused me pause.  Verse 10, in the New Living Translation Bible, states: "Human defiance only enhances your glory, for you use it as a weapon."  The Amplified version states: "For the wrath of man shall praise You; with a remnant of wrath You will clothe and arm Yourself."  The Christian Standard version is similar to the amplified.

The reason it caused me to pause is because of how strangely it was worded, and all other versions were not the same.  A note in one version said that the Hebrew translation was unclear.  When I prayed about its meaning, I immediately saw a vision of a muscle being worked.  In order for a muscle to grow, it must meet with resistance.  And the more the better.

That being said, those who defy the Lord will only be met an even stronger Holy Spirit, for our God is a Loving God.  He will not abandon us.  That is why so many people come to Christ in our darkest times.

Misunderstanding pain

In chapters 4-5 from the book of Job, one of the friends named Eliphaz who had been seated with him responds to Job's rant about not wanting to ever been born.

For the entire two chapters, Eliphaz starts by asking Job to be patient while he speaks.  Then, he goes on and on about how Job has been a rock when others have failed, that he has always supported others when they have been down.

So why the long face now?

It's easy for one who has not experienced pain to preach to them, telling them to keep their chin high.  Ever since my late wife was diagnosed with leukemia and had lost much of her eyesight by October 2011, she has experienced more pain than anyone I had ever personally known.  I saw the pain up front.  Not once did I tell her to keep her chin high.  I comforted her, cherished her, loved her.

I'm not saying what Eliphaz did was wrong.  He just misunderstood Job's pain.  It isn't until the 8th verse in chapter 5 that he finally says: "If I were you, I would go to God and present my case to him."  He goes on saying that God does great things too marvelous to understand, countless miracles, gives prosperity to the poor, and even protects those who suffer.

Pray to God.  That is what my late wife and I did.  We prayed.  We prayed for her to be healed, day after day.  In the end, she was finally released from the pain when she went to Heaven.  Honestly, it wasn't the outcome we were hoping for.  But we also had faith that our lives were in God's Loving Hands.  He knew best.

Job curses his birthday

I'll be honest, I stopped celebrating my birthday long ago.  Others did it for me, but I was never one for forcing people to come together to celebrate the day of my birth.  It's okay if you do.  This is my personal opinion for my own birthday.

Job, continuing in the third chapter, not only finally curses the day he was born, he wants that day completely obliterated off the calendar.  He even goes on and on about wishing he was still born, that having died at birth would be his only relief right now.

There is no doubt that Job is in great pain.  My late wife Melissa endured great pain for quite a number of years.  But not once did not want to stop fighting.  Even as her last breath eased closer and closer, she fought harder than the mightiest general.

But Job did not want to fight.  He wanted to give up.  True, he did not curse the Lord, but at the same time he did not wish to even been born so that the pain he endured could be eased.

Pain can be unbearable at times.  But trust in the Lord that pain is only temporary.  Eternal life in Heaven is the greatest gift God could ever give us.  Focus on that gift.  My wife understood that and His perfect timing brought her into Jesus's Arms on January 16, 2020 at 10:45am.

Inheritance

I lost my wife in January 2020.  She was my best friend, the one and only person in the world I could literally tell anything to.  We loved spending time together, and I cherished every moment, to the best of my ability.

I cannot say that her parents are wealthy, but they have done well for themselves.  I get along with them greatly.  But there has been a word tossed around in the past month or so that has caused me to pause.  Inheritance.

I know no one is obligated to give their children a portion of everything, and my wife had two siblings.  It was disheartening when the talk came that with my wife's passing I would not be getting anything--I don't want to come across as selfish, and who knows if the Lord has another female companion for me down the line.  But still, I felt like I was losing my wife all over again.  Besides, the talk seemed to go that the grandchildren would get the bulk of any inheritance, not even her siblings.  But as they are in their mid-sixties, they could very well be around for a few more decades.

That being said, I am reminded that no matter the circumstances, we have the greatest inheritance of all: eternal life in Heaven.  We cannot bring any of our earthly possessions into Heaven with us.  But the sacrifice that Jesus made for us by dying on the Cross, He secured the greatest inheritance any of us could ever want.

Job and grief

In the book of Job, chapter two, Satan once again appeared to the Lord.  God praised his servant Job for keeping his faith even in the face of great hardship.

But Satan said that if his health was affected, Job would indeed curse the Lord.

The Lord then said Satan could do with him as he pleased, but he had to spare his life.

Job was then inflicted with horrible boils from head to foot.  He was so deformed that even his three closest friends didn't recognize him.

Then the three friends sat with him, grieving Job's failing health, for seven days and nights in complete silence, as they saw his suffering was too great.

Grief is interesting and everyone handles it differently.  As you see in this chapter, Job's three friends did not know what to do for him, so they sat in silence.  Sometimes people closest to you (if you have suffered a great loss) may not know how to react and may sit in silence, not knowing what to say.  There are times when saying nothing but just being a friend is enough.  Having lost a wife earlier this year, I know a thing or two about grief.  I've seen people stumble around for the right words, and when I recognize this I tell them that it's okay, and I may even share something special about the love of my life.  I can see the relief on their face when I do.

Have mercy on those who are trying to console you, if you have suffered a loss.  Many may not know how to react.  Take a lesson from Job and just be with them, share time together.

Jesus, the Great Disrupter

Think back for a moment how the political landscape in the United States has been disrupted these past four-plus years.  Terms like "drain the swamp" are now part of our daily lexicon.

In 1999, Jesse Ventura became governor of Minnesota, disrupting the state's politics.  Not as a Republican or Democrat, but a mixture of the two.

In Jesus's times, the religious leaders had a stronghold on daily life.  They were in power.  They were in control.  Jesus came to disrupt that with phrases like "love thy neighbor and your enemy" and "I am."

And they hated Him for it.

They hated Him enough to kill Him.

But Jesus won.  He drained the religious swamp, so to speak.  And still continues to do so to this day and beyond.

Martin Luther disrupted the Catholic Church with his 95 Theses in 1517.

God sets things in motion for a reason.  None of us may know what that reason is, but if we trust in the Lord, and have the utmost faith in Him, He will set us on the path that we need to.  Why did my wife have to die in January of this year?  I don't know.  But the legacy that her and I built together will continue to charge forward, no matter what that path looks like.

Because I have faithful trust in God.

How will the Lord Almighty cause a disruption in your life?

All of life's problems can be answered with Jesus

I am a consumer of true crime stories, and there have been more times than I care to count where I shake my head at what happened, what drove someone down the evil path, when the simple solution was to surrender their life to the Lord.  Let Jesus into your heart.

Because Jesus in your heart can heal all, and solve all, of life's problems.

Sure, it may not end up being exactly how you pray it to be, but with our Lord being the awesome God and Heavenly Father that He is, He knows what is best for us.  Do you think I planned on having my wife pass away January this year?  Certainly not.  But there was a reason for it.  And I am going to use the legacy of our time together, of our love for each other, to help others.

If you find yourself struggling, let Jesus into your heart.  You'll be amazed at what He can do for you.

Timely wisdom (for all time)

Proverbs 17 is so full of timely wisdom--as is all of Proverbs.  But how ironic that at this time of the year, just before the 2020 United States election, that such wisdom would come to me.

The first verse struck me right in the gut: "Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house filled with feasting--and conflict."  Oh, how divided we seem right now, so many issues that are causing conflict in our friendships and even in our own families.  Will Thanksgiving this year be peaceful?  Or full of strife?

I could go through all of them, diving into each one, but I will hit the highlights.

Verse twelve is rather interesting, and picturesque: "It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to confront a fool caught in foolishness."  I have seen social media posts lately--well, comments to said posts, to be honest--that make me shake my head and cause great anger.  But I hold my tongue, and fingers, for I will allow the fools to remain foolish.

Let's end with verse twenty-seven: "A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered."  Can't say it better than that.

I strongly urge you to read through Proverbs 17, taking in each verse and reflecting on them.  It may be both comforting . . . and uncomfortable, if you truly reflect on yourself and your actions.  Remember, no one is perfect except our Lord.  Reflect on His words and strive to be better each and every day.

A man named Job

Welcome to the book of Job.

In the first chapter, we meet Job.  He was a rich, successful man who lived in the land of Uz.  He had seven sons and three daughters, and many servants.  For Job, the Lord was number one in his heart and worked hard to honor Him by offering many burnt offerings.

Satan, along with many angels, appeared before the Lord.  The Lord commented on his faithful servant Job.  But Satan challenged that notion, stating that it was because Job was successful was the sole reason why he was faithful.  If everything was taken from Job, he would not be so faithful and would denounce God.

God then told Satan that he could test Job.

For the first test, all of Job's livestock was stolen from him, all of his servants were killed, and a powerful storm swept through the home of one of his sons--all of his children were present, at a feast--and all of his children were killed.

Job grieved.  He fell to the ground in worship, stating that the Lord had given him all that he had and the Lord saw that it was taken away.  He praised the Lord, and not once did he blame God.

The king's trust in Esther

We now come to the final three chapters from the book of Esther: 8 through 10.

After Haman was impaled, the king gave all of Haman's property to his queen Esther.  Then Mordecai was brought before the king, for she informed him that Mordecai was related to her.  Mordecai was then appointed to be in charge of Esther's property.

Then, Esther came before the king, begging him to stop the evil plot Haman had devised against the Jews.  Without question, the king gave her his signet ring and told her to send a message to the Jews in the king's name.  He trusted her to send whatever message that she pleased, but warned her that his previous decree still stood and could not be reversed.  So, the message had to be one that overrode his previous decree.

She instructed the new decree to be sent to all of the Jews that anyone who would do them harm, they were given the right to defend their life and property by any means necessary.

Victory was had by the Jews throughout the king's entire kingdom and there was a great festival to honor the memory of that victory.  In the end, Mordecai was given the name of prime minister of all the king's lands, a title second only to the king himself, and he continued to work for the good and welfare of all their descendants. 

Esther's bravery

In the book of Esther, chapter 5, Esther braved to go before the king.  Upon seeing her, the king immediately held out his gold scepter, announcing that he approved of her coming to him.

The king asked what her request was, stating that he would give it to her, even if it was half of the kingdom.  She requested to come to a banquet she had prepared for him.

During the banquet, the king again asked for her request, and again stating that even if it was half the kingdom, he would give it to her.

She responded that she would like the king and Haman, the one who ordered the death of all the Jews, to come to a banquet the next day.  Then, and only then, would she explain her true request.  The king agreed.

After the grand feast, Haman gathered his friends and boasted about his great wealth, bragging about all that he had, even to the point of telling them that he was going to a feast the queen was preparing for him.  He then ordered a sharp pole set up so that he could impale Mordecai on it.

Continuing on in chapter 6, the king was unable to sleep that night and ordered an attendant to bring him a book that recorded the history of his reign.  He then discovered the account of Mordecai exposing the plot to assassinate the king.  He asked what kind of recognition was given to Mordecai for his brave act.

He discovered nothing was done for Mordecai, for saving his life.  Only then did he know about the pole Haman was going to use to impale Mordecai.  During the banquet, the king ordered his best robes to be placed on Mordecai, by Haman.  By chapter 7, during the banquet while the king was drinking much wine, the king again asked Esther for her request.  For a third time, he told her that if she wanted half of the kingdom, he would give it to her.

Then, with much bravery, she told of the plot to slaughter the Jews by the evil and wicked Haman.  The king was angered by this and Haman pleaded for his life.  The king then ordered Haman to be impaled on the pole intended for Mordecai.

It's amazing to think that three times Esther was offered half of the kingdom and instead she refused and exposed the evil plot against the Lord's people.  It took great bravery and love of the Lord for her to stand up to the king.

Esther's Dilemma

In chapter 3, from the book of Esther, the king promoted Haman to be the most powerful official in the kingdom.  All of the other officials were to bow down and show respect to him, as the king had commanded.

But Mordecai did not.

Over time, other officials noticed and advised Haman about it.  Haman spoke to the king, who then advised that because Mordecai was a Jew, all of his people would be put to death.  The order was sent all across the kingdom, with a date chosen almost a year from then to carry it out.

This concerned Mordecai as he did not wish the Lord's people to be sentenced to death.  By chapter 4, he gained Esther's attention and told her what was going to happen.  Mordecai then said she had to tell the king about it and plead with him not to carry out this order.  He then said this may be why she was chosen to be the queen, to save the Jews from uncertain death.

There was a problem with this.  She could not speak with the king without an invitation.  If someone came to the king unannounced, their life could be in jeopardy unless the king agreed that it was okay.

Hence, her dilemma.  Would she face death in order to plead her case before the king?

Jesus didn't rush to judgement (and neither should you)

Ever have one of those moments where you wish you could say something clever and your mind is blank?  This happened to me the other day.

I was riding around town with a close relative.  To say this person is on an extreme side of the political spectrum is an understatement.  Hate spewed from this person's lips, and I found anger growing inside me as I lean toward the other end of the political spectrum.

I honestly do not care what one's political leanings are as long as one can be civil about it.  And this relative of mine also puts themselves upon a pedestal of superiority while putting down others for thinking the "other candidate" is worth anything.

As I rode around town for a few hours, this person judged others so many times I lost track.  Near the end of our ride, this person commended on a flag with one of the current candidates name on it.  What vile comments came out of their mouth.

But again, I was silent.

Thinking of the four gospels, many of Jesus's actions have puzzled me.  But after I returned home and reflected on the vile hatred this person spewed worth, I thought about the 8th chapter from the book of John.  Starting in verse 6, the religious leaders were trying to trap Jesus, but he "stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger."  Continuing on in verse 7: "They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, 'All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!'"  Verse 8: "Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust."

This stooping down and writing in the dust has puzzled me, but I finally got what Jesus might have been doing.  He didn't rush to judgement (even though he knew what evil lied within their hearts).  He paused, as if pondering what to do.

I am not proud that I allowed anger to burn inside me.  But I am happy that I paused and did not say anything in return.  I believe the Holy Spirit was granting me the opportunity to think, to not say anything at that time.  In the future, the Holy Spirit will probably give me the opportunity to relay how displeased I was at their tone, and how judgmental and hypocritical they were.

Last year, judgement was one of my lessons learned--and it appears that I am continuing to learn more and more about it.

Praise Jesus!

The Lord, our only true Judge

Psalm 75 starts by giving thanks to the Lord, and "people everywhere tell of your wonderful deeds."

In the next few verses, God says that according to His plan, He will bring justice against the wicked.  Even when the earth quakes and people live in turmoil, He is the only One to keep a firm foundation.

God alone is the only one who judges, He decides to will rise and who will fall.

He increases the strength and power of the godly, in His name.

Do not be boastful and do not speak arrogantly against heaven.  Only God will be the judge against the wicked.

The Lord knows our heart (and has perfect timing)

Last week, I examined the first two chapters from the book of Esther, and once again I'm going back to the first chapter to examine further proof that, despite our free will, God still speaks into our hearts.

The Persian king was a pompous, arrogant man, and loved to put his wealth on display for all.  But one thing he didn't do was show off his queen.  It took until the end of a 180-day feast, along with a 7-day drunken banquet, for him to command his queen to put on her crown and display herself to his people.

Which, as you know, she refused.

This caused him to be very angry.

The overindulgence of alcohol may have paved the way for Esther to become queen.  We do not know much about the king's queen in chapter one, but since she had a separate banquet from the king's, she may not have wanted to be a part of the drunken festivities.  She may not have even loved him, and only became the queen for other reasons we do not understand.

Also, when the king was consumed by alcohol, this allowed the Holy Spirit to speak into his heart, to get him to put his queen on display.  This started the turn of events that lead to Esther becoming queen, and changing the history of her people forever.

For as far back as I can remember, I have always said that God works in mysterious ways, that there is a reason for the events that happen in our lives.  Only when we put our complete faith in the Lord, and listen for His answer, will we understand.  For example, I do not know why my wife Melissa had to pass away in January of this year.  But there was a reason.  I do know this: given the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, it's difficult to imagine her still being alive and suffering like she did.  But the Lord's timing on her passing into Heaven was perfect.

Yes, I said it.  Perfect.

The ways of our Lord has astonished me and as I examined even her final days and hours, she went into Jesus's arms at the absolute perfect time.

Questioning the Lord

Psalm 74 starts with the the question: "O God, why have You rejected us forever?"

This sets the tone for the next several verses, questions and pleading directed to God.  The reader asks God to remember His congregation and the land where he gave to His people.  His enemies have set up signs of their victory and there has been much destruction to the Lord's sanctuary.

By verse 12, the true nature of the Lord is revealed by casting His salvation in the midst of the destruction.  The Lord divided the Red Sea and crushed His enemies in Egypt.  He provided food for His people, broke open fountains and streams, and even dried up rivers.  The Lord is the One who created light and the earth, creating the various seasons.

Despite the destruction that has been cast on His people, that is nothing when compared to the awesome might of our Lord.

One person can make a difference

This past Sunday, I shared my thoughts on the first two chapters from the book of Esther.

Today, I'm examining the entire book as a whole, as Esther is well-deserved to have a book all her own.

Why, you may ask?

Simple: the book of Esther is another example of one person making a difference.  Despite disadvantages in her upbringing, with her being a descendant from Israel, not from Persia, as well as an orphan (adopted by her uncle), she took the gifts God had given her and prevailed.

I did miss a few things in chapter two that is worth noting.  From the time she went to the palace to when she met the king, she spent much time learning and training to do just the right thing for her people.  The Lord set her upon the path she was about to embark and, with the proper guidance, she not only won the heart of the king, she won the hearts of the people.

The book of Esther is just another example, in the history of God's people, where a woman had much influence over the course of history, just as God commanded.

The Bible is loaded with people who, seemingly single-handedly, albeit with the awesome blessing of our Lord God, made a difference.  No matter their upbringing or disadvantages, they had favor of God and did what they were meant to do.

Drunken festivities turn bad, then good

In the first chapter from the book of Esther, the Persian king held a grand feast, displaying his great wealth and might, for 180 days.  Near the end of the feast was a week-long banquet for all of the people, from great to least.  The king allowed as much drinking as possible.  The queen held a similar banquet for the women of the palace.

By the end of the festivities, the king wanted to show off his queen.  He ordered her to wear her crown, so she could show off her beauty to the others.

But she refused to come.

This made the king angry.  So angry that, after much counsel with his advisors, made a decree that he would find himself a new queen and banish the current queen.

Then, starting in the second chapter, the search for a new queen began.  Leaders from each province gathered the most beautiful women to come to the palace.  This is where we find Esther.  You see, Esther was adopted by her uncle Mordecai, who was a Jew and her previously been taken into exile from Jerusalem when King Nebuchadnezzar took over Judah.

Esther was very beautiful and seemed to curry favor with all of those she met.  Even at the palace, while she waited to meet with the king, she was given seven hand-picked female servants and given a special diet and treatment.  She also did not reveal her ethnicity, as her uncle had ordered her not to.

Long story short, the king chose Esther as his queen and her uncle Mordecai was given a new position in the palace.

One day, Mordecai overheard two of the king's servants plotting to assassinate the king.  Mordecai reported this to Queen Esther, who then told the king.  An investigation was completed, verifying that the report was true, and the two servants were hanged from the gallows.

Don't envy those who are wicked in their ways

Psalm 73 is the first psalm in the third book of Psalms.

This is an interesting psalm, for the speaker appears to envy those who are wicked.  He sees how well-fed they are, how they appear to have everything of material worth, and yet they continue to speak arrogantly and maliciously.

These people strut around, mocking God, and their material wealth seems to increase.

The speaker struggles with understanding all of this, seems to feel they are being punished and feels helpless.

Then, the speaker comes to the understanding that the Lord's sanctuary is their ultimate destiny and those who are wicked are doomed to desolation.

The Lord is our refuge, no matter what material possessions others may have.  Only God can give strength to our hearts and He is our refuge.

A king's duty to the needy and poor

Psalm 72 is the final psalm of David.

In this psalm, David describes many qualities and duties of a king.

The king has a love of justice, righteousness, and judges people in the right way as prescribed by the Wisdom of the Lord.

The poor will always be treated fairly.

The oppressors of the needy will be crushed.

The king's rule is as refreshing as spring rain or freshly cut grass, and there will be an abundance of prosperity.

Throughout this psalm is a constant need for the poor and needy to be defended and provided for.  Their needs will be met with abundance, so they can thrive and grow like grass in a field.

Reading this psalm definitely portraits not only an earthly king, but the One King in our Lord, through His Son Jesus.

May He reign forever and ever.  Amen.

Righting wrongs

 In the final chapter from the book of Nehemiah, chapter 13, there was a priest named Eliashib.  He was appointed to watch over the house of God and had taken upon himself to reassign a large room to an adversary of Jerusalem named Tobiah.

All of the items that were usually stored in that room was removed and Tobiah's belongings were placed inside.  Even all of those assigned to duties inside the house of God were told to leave, so they left to tend their fields.

When Nehemiah returned from Syria, he was not happy with what had transpired.  He threw out all of Tobiah's belongings and gave the order to have the rooms in the house of God cleaned.  He then righted the wrongs done to him by the previous priest and set everything back in order.

Nehemiah trusted Eliashib prior to his trip, because Eliashib was a very gifted priest.  But he was not faithful to God, and that is where everything went wrong.  There were many things that occurred while he was away.  Even those who had promised not to wed and have children from those who did not believe in God, they did so in his absence.  Also, merchants set up tables on the Sabbath and sold their wares.  Nehemiah threw them out of the city and said he would arrest them if they continued.

Ancient record keeping

While reading chapters 11 and 12 from the book of Nehemiah, I was struck by the meticulous record keeping that was had in ancient times.

Other books of the Bible have had this same level of detail, but this is where it struck for me.

In these chapters, the Israelites occupied the city of Jerusalem.  Each tribe name was listed, with records of whom in each family, the number of descendants, and their roles in the city.  And when I say the number of descendants, I don't mean to say "about 500" or "around 300".  No, there are numbers like 468 or 822 or 128.

Exact numbers.

Which goes to show that the level of record keeping, so many generations before Jesus walked on this planet, was so meticulous and accurate that it begs the question: why wouldn't you believe any of it?  Why question it?

And in looking at earthly family of Jesus, the ancestors of Joseph can be traced back to the early books of the Bible.  And if those are true, then, quite frankly, everything else has to be true as well.

Think about that the next time you question events in the Bible.  Even events in the Old Testament can be traced back by independent means not listed in the Bible, like a verified third party if you will.

Jesus's feeling toward death

"Jesus wept."

These two words comprise the shortest verse in the Bible: chapter 11 from the Gospel of John, verse 35.

Because of this, we know that Jesus can grieve.  He was grieving over the death of one of his followers, Lazarus.

I was listening to a podcast yesterday, one from RZIM (the Ravi Zacharias International Ministries), and they were talking about God's feeling toward death.  They said that every single death hurts God, causing Him to grieve.

Then it hit me.  God, Our Heavenly Father, grieved deeply when my wife Melissa passed away in January 2020.  Even though her spirit went right into His loving arms, He still grieved.

A warmth hit me when this notion came over me.  A warmth of love from our Lord.

He is with all at all times.

In life.

And grieves in our passing from this earthly world into Heaven.

The rock of safety in the Lord

In Psalm 71, the Lord our God is referred to many times as being a Rescuer, a Rock of Safety, a Protector.

We trust in the Lord, as far back as our birth, and He has cared for us.  We never stop praising Him, giving Him glory all day long.

Then, as old age comes upon us, He does not abandon us when our strength is failing.  Even if our enemies are plotting against us, telling lies that God has left us and cannot help us, we know it is all lies.

Some of us may not be skilled in words, but we praise His glory anyway.

In some Bible versions of this same psalm, Psalm 71 is known as the "prayer of an old man for rescue."  But one's age may not be considered old in terms of physical age.  My wife passed away at the young age of forty-seven.  And even though it was young in both her's and my eyes, the strength in her body was failing, along with her mind, but one thing was as strong as ever: her faith.

The Lord is our Rock.  Protector.  He guides us through life, through troubled waters, and will always lead us to the glory that is Heaven.

Doing better by acknowledging past sins

In the book of Nehemiah, chapter 9, all of the Israelites gathered again and confessed their sins.  They acknowledged the sins of their past, not only from themselves but of their ancestors too.  They praised the Lord in all of His Glory, stating that He alone made the heavens and the earth.  They confessed their history alongside that of the Lord, from Abraham to Moses to even recent events.  God provided for those in need.  Always.

Looking back on their history, I am struck by a sense of wonder.  Pillars of clouds and fire.  The parting of the seas.  Manna coming from Heaven.  Water being struck from rocks.  Clothes and footwear that never wore out.  One would think that is the stuff of science fiction.

But it really happened.  All by the incredible, awesome power of God.

After their confessions (continuing on in chapter 9), the Israelites agreed to obey God's Law, promising and putting it all in writing.

Moving on into chapter 10, the people made an oath to the Lord.  Many involved giving of their best and first fruits to the Lord, and to always obey His commandments.

As I read these two chapters, I am again struck by recent events and how applicable they are to today.  Many want to deny events of the past, even though they are glaring and truthful.  Would it not be best to admit they were wrong, or their ancestors were wrong, and move on by doing better?

Be like God and His Holy Son Jesus.  Because of all the problems we're facing, all can be answered by faithfully worshipping and glorifying God.  Read your Bible.  Pray.

It really is that simple.

The Lord will always provide for you, to lead you into a better life.

The actions of worshiping God

Continuing our journey through the book of Nehemiah, chapter 8, all of the Israelites have assembled and Ezra, priest and scribe, took out the Law of Moses.  He read it out loud for everyone to understand.  All listened closely to what was read to them.

When Ezra opened the Book, everyone rose to their feet.  When Ezra praised the Lord, they all chanted, "Amen!"

Then, they bowed, put their faces to the ground, and worshiped the Lord.

Nehemiah told everyone not to weep on such a grand day as this.  That day was sacred, and after the reading they celebrated with much food and drink.  They even shared with those who did not have anything.

From this, you can tell that there are clear actions to worshiping God.  True, only He knows what is in our hearts, but the actions displayed can be seen by everyone else.  Rising to one's feet, chanting, bowing, celebrating, and sharing.  All of these actions of deep worship and love of God were displayed by the Israelites.

What actions are you displaying to others?  How are you celebrating God's Love in your life?  Let others see it, for only through our actions will we see what true worshipers of God and His Son Jesus are like, and will want to join us.

God to the rescue!

There have been a few short psalms, and Psalms 70 is indeed short.  5 verses.

Although the psalm may be short, it is not short in substance.

The first verse is a plea for help: "Please, God, rescue me!  Come quickly, Lord, and help me!"

It goes on from there that our enemies will try to humiliate us, put us to shame.  But the Lord will cause them to be turned away in disgrace.  They will be horrified of their shame.

Let all who come to the Lord be filled with gladness and joy.  We will shout, "God is great!"

The Lord is our Helper, our Savior.  He does not delay, for He is quick with aid.

A Wall's Protection

In the book of Nehemiah, chapter 7, the wall and gates surrounding Jerusalem were completed.  Nehemiah appointed gatekeepers, singers, and Levites to their duties, and handed over responsibility of governing the city to his brother Hanani.

Everyone had a responsibility to watch the wall for their enemies, guarding either at sentry posts or in front of their own homes.

The wall was important.  It kept enemies out.  But even a physical wall can only do so much.  That was why the Lord instructed Nehemiah to appoint others to keep watch.

This is just like today.  There is some controversy concerning a certain wall being built along our nation's border.  But even then, we still need others to keep watch, to patrol, to enforce the laws of our lands which are inherently close to the Laws Our Father set upon us.

The rest of the chapter is a genealogical record of the families residing within Jerusalem.  There were even some who tried to come in but did not have any record of being one of the exiled, so therefore they were turned away until they could consult with the Lord.

Let God guide you through troubled waters

Time and again, I'm amazed at how much the events written about in the Old Testament have ties to today's events.

In the book of Nehemiah, chapter 6, many of his enemies plotted harm to Nehemiah for rebuilding the walls and gates of Jerusalem.  They sent four messages to him, asking for him to meet with them in a remote plain.  But he knew they were to harm him and he refused to meet.  On the fifth try, a messenger came to Nehemiah.  In the letter were lies his enemies were spreading about him, meant to possibly show his true colors by abandoning his work.

But fear not, Nehemiah was steadfast and remained vigilant to the work God gave for him to do.

Then, later on in the chapter, one of his own people urged him to meet with him in the Lord's Temple, because he heard rumor that his enemies were going to kill him.  Nehemiah discovered that his enemies had hired this man to do this, to intimidate him and discredit him before his people, and Nehemiah again refused to bow down.

The wall was completed in fifty-two days.  And in those days, many letters went back and forth among his enemies, threatening and intimidating in nature.

In today's world, there is so much turmoil.  But then again, there has always been turmoil.

For this time, social media (and the mainstream media in general) seems to be plotting against those who mean to do good in this world.  Don't let your enemies turn you away from the work God sent for you to do.  Remember Nehemiah.

Praise the Lord!

The Lord saves the overwhelmed

Psalm 69 is a longer psalm, full of praises to the Lord.  The message given throughout is how much the Lord saves those who are overwhelmed.  Images of those in deep water, up to their neck, and one is treading to near exhaustion, God helps those who praise and call out to Him.

In verse 4, it says that the number of our enemies outnumber the hairs on our head.  For most, that number is astronomical--Mr. Clean must not have any enemies (insert smiley face emoticon).  Imagine that for a moment, the sheer number of enemies.  And our enemies try to destroy us with lies.

But if we put our complete trust in the Lord, He will make fools out of our enemies, humiliating them, and their sins will consume them.

In verse 14, it says, "Rescue me from the mud; don't let me sink deeper."  Like raging floodwaters, mud can slow us down.  Again, it is a feeling of being overwhelmed and the Lord will answer our prayers.

Praise the Lord in Heaven and earth, for all those who love Him will live in safety.

If you ever feel overwhelmed by anything, pray to God.  He always listens.  He will help you through it all, like a raging flood or a thick mud.

Handling the oppressed

Continuing on in the book of Nehemiah, chapter 5, Nehemiah heard many complaints from his people.  Some had large families and needed more food than others, and in turn had mortgaged their properties.  The massive amount of debt, with great amounts of interest, was causing a strain on the people.

Nehemiah was angry by this.  He felt his people were taking advantage of others in a rather unfair way.  He got after them for charging interest to their own relatives, by keeping them down in an oppressive way.

He ordered them to repay all of the interest that had been charged, along with all the grain, wine, and olive oil paid out.

They agreed with Nehemiah and praised the Lord.

For Nehemiah's twelve year reign as the governor of Judah, neither he nor his officials drew upon the official food allowance.  Previous administrations had done so, to the detriment of the oppressive people.  But because he feared and devoted himself entirely to the Lord, God blessed and provided for him.

Let the Lord handle your critics

Many critics of Christianity state that the Old Testament is completely irrelevant to events occurring today.  Oh, ye of little faith.  How wrong they are.

And chapter 4, from the book of Nehemiah, is just another example of a multitude of others that prove it.

In the previous chapter, all of the families are assigned to certain sections of the wall surrounding Jerusalem to rebuild.  In chapter 4, their enemies are angry that they are doing so and mock them, criticizing them at every point.

Their critics call the Israelites names, mocking them for their feeble efforts.  But Nehemiah prayed to God and told His followers to keep their faith, for the Lord will handle their enemies.

Even when the levels of violence rose, a number of guards took up arms and guarded the wall, day and night.  Before too long, everyone had a weapon and were vigilant against their enemies.

I can't tell you how much this chapter meant to me when I look around at our society today, at the riots and violence leveled against one another.

Keep your faith strong.  Pray to the Lord to protect you and your family and our God-loving society.  The Lord Almighty always fights for us.  His Son died for us.  Even when we feel alone, God is always there.

Father to the fatherless

Psalm 68 is full of praises to the Lord, putting to words many of His deeds.

God rises up against our enemies.  He blows them away like smoke and melts them like wax.

In verse 5, it goes on to say God is the Father to the fatherless, defender of widows, for his dwelling is holy.  He frees His people--He led them out of Egypt--and even the highest mountains tremble before Him.

By verse 20, "Our God is a God who saves!  The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death."

The Lord's power is so mighty, so awesome, His voice is like the thunder in the sky.

Building the walls of Jerusalem

In the book of Nehemiah, chapter 3, all of the families in Jerusalem were assigned to repair and build certain sections of the walls.  Some repaired walls in front of their houses while others took on larger projects.

Some projects were simple and others involved much more detail.

The Lord has jobs for everyone.  Some may be grocery store clerks while others are the heads of companies.  Some are meant for the clergy and others are nurses, doctors, police officers, construction workers, and street sweepers.

All tasks assigned by the Lord are noble.  Keep in mind, today's tasks may lead to other opportunities down the road.  Many who repaired the walls and gates of Jerusalem weren't in the trade of those tasks at the time.  There were priests, musicians, farmers, goldsmiths.

Be open for the Lord to present opportunities to you.

Nehemiah has a plan

In the 2nd chapter from the book of Nehemiah, he was serving wine to the Persian king when the king noticed Nehemiah was sad.

You see, Nehemiah had learned what had happened to Jerusalem and was troubled by it.

He prayed to God, then told the king why he was so sad.  He then asked if he could go to Judah to help rebuild the city.

The king agreed.  He also send letters to the leaders of the nearby provinces, instructing them to let Nehemiah and his people to travel safely through their territories.  Some of the leaders were not pleased by this as they did not want Jerusalem to be rebuilt.

Upon arrival, he went out at night to inspect the walls and gates.  He also prayed to God to help them succeed.  Even when he was offered help by those who were not Israelites, he told them that only those who are descendants of Abraham can lay claim to the city.

The kindness in one's heart

We now come to the book of Nehemiah, which is tied in with the book of Ezra.  The events in each overlap the other.

In chapter 1, we are introduced to Nehemiah.  He visited with one of his brothers, whom had just returned from Judah and asked of the events there for the Jews who had been in captivity.  He was told things were not going well, that the walls of Jerusalem and its gates had been destroyed.

Nehemiah wept at this, and prayed to God for guidance.  This went on for days, as he fasted, mourned, and continued to pray.  He confessed that His people had sinned against the Lord, and even placed himself and his family in that camp.  No one was free of sin.

But as he prayed, he promised to obey His commands and would bring the city of Jerusalem back to its place of honor for God.  He prayed for the Persian king to be kind to him, for the Lord to place kindness in his heart, for Nehemiah was the king's cup bearer.

In these days, as well as all days, whenever you see injustice, pray to God to place kindness in their hearts.  Even though it may be difficult to do, doing so sets you free from the bonds of Satan and brings you closer to the Lord and His Son Jesus.

A psalm to praise the Lord

Psalm 67 may be short in the number of verses (there are 7), but it is filled with complete praise toward the Lord.

The Lord our God is gracious and blesses us, for He is known all across the earth, across all nations.

Everyone praises the Lord.  God judges all people with fairness.  He produces the earth's harvest for His people, blessing us with his incredible love.

A starting guide to Christian podcasts

Type "top Christian podcasts" into your favorite search engine and you'll get a myriad of lists.  So much so that you might find yourself wondering where to even start.

Or, worse than that, deciding to scrap it altogether.

Keep in mind, this is in no way meant to be a complete list nor is it meant to cover what may be going on in your life, what God is pushing you to listen to.  This is meant to just be a starting guide.

First, let's start with a powerhouse and a household name in the Christian world: Billy Graham.  Here is a link to the Billy Graham radio site.  This includes two of my favorites:

GPS: God, People, Stories

Fearless with Cissie Graham Lynch (Cissie is the granddaughter of Billy Graham and daughter of Franklin Graham, and is truly one of the freshest new voices in the Christian community today)

Joyce Meyer - Enjoying Everyday Life

RZIM - Just Thinking (Ravi Zacharias Ministries - they have a number of podcasts, but this one is a great place to get started)

RZIM - The Defense Rests by Abdu Murray

And last, but certainly not least, is Unashamed with Phil Robertson (yes, the Duck Dynasty family)

Making a clean break from sin

In the book of Ezra, chapter 9. it was known that the Israelites, upon their return to Jerusalem, had married other people in nearby lands.  Also, their children had done the same thing by marrying others who were practitioners of detestable religions.

Instead of bringing their new wives and husbands into the Lord, they were drawn away from it by their exotic nature.

Ezra was distraught by this, tearing his clothes and mourning all that they had worked so hard for, in order to please the Lord.  He prayed to the Lord, knowing they should be punished for their wickedness.

Then, in chapter 10, Ezra confessed the sin of their people to the Lord and He offered a solution.  Since they had been unfaithful to the Lord, they were to create a covenant with God by divorcing their pagan spouses and sending away the children from those wicked marriages.  They were to make a clean break, drawing a line in the sand, and denouncing the exotic ways of the other people.

Ezra knew this task wasn't going to be easy, so he divided each family to come before the Temple to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and separate themselves from their pagan spouses.  Those who did not do so would forfeit all of their property.  Only one did so, but all of the others followed their way back to the Lord.

God's Awesomeness

God's glorious power is awesome.  His enemies tremble because of it.

This is the culmination of Psalm 66.  In the first few verses, we shout praises to the Lord.  We tell the entire world how incredible He is.  Everything in the world praises His name.

God's miracles are awesome.  In verse 6, it mentions the parting of the Red Sea when the Israelites escaped from Egypt.

In verse 7, we find the following: "He watches every movement of the nations; let no rebel rise in defiance."  This seems so true given the events going on right now, but I would argue that this is true at every single point in our history: past, present, and future.

Verse 9 gives me a warm feeling inside.  "Our lives are in His hands, and He keeps our feet from stumbling."

Are we perfect?  No way!  Since we know the Psalms are written by King David, by verse 14 he mentions that God helped him even when he was in deep trouble.  And King David offered the best to the Lord.

God listens to our prayers.  We must praise the Lord in all of His glory!

Stand against all forms of hatred (but beware of hypocrites)

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the media, along with those in power at all levels of our government and the private sector, are polarizing everyone against a specific form of hatred.  Hatred in the form of a person's skin color.

We are all created in God's image.  Therefore, all human life is sacred, regardless of our gender, race, hair color, economic status, etc.

But beware that the devil is at work throughout it all in the form of sin.  Satan loves nothing more than to see us fight against one another.

The hypocrites are ripe throughout the evils that are ripping through our communities, large and small.  They may wave a banner that a certain type of skin color matters, while at the same time hate the current President of the United States with every fiber of their soul.  They may donate money to causes that they say is noble, like those imprisoned for destroying our streets and businesses, while at the same time they feel that organizations who slaughter the innocent lives of our unborn are equally noble.  Hypocrites!

Beware of all forms of hatred.  Be conscience of its many forms within your own mind and body;

Remember that Jesus taught us that love is the greatest of all.  Love one another.  Even if you disagree with them, pray for them that God will speak into their heart, that they come to His glory.

My journey to Ravi Zacharias and other apologetics

A Christian apologetic is one who defends Christianity against objections.

For the most part, I've never been one to doubt God, Jesus, and the Miraculous events in the Bible.  No one has ever challenged my faith before on a direct basis, but there has always been questions that I could never answer.

A number of years ago, I pondered quite a controversial subject.  And like the most of us nowadays, I went on YouTube to see if I could discover any answers.

Enter Ravi Zacharias.  I watched video after video of his messages, defending Christianity, tackling the tough issues in a clear manner.  His sense of humor was also infectious.  I also subscribed to his many podcasts, listening to them on a daily basis.

You see, there are many who doubt God and have honest questions about life and the many issues that Christians face everyday.  My path was quite the opposite.  I've had virtually no doubt but was seeking answers to questions others were facing.  Ravi also introduced me to others in the apologetic field, of whom they're too numerous to name at this point.

Yesterday, it was announced that Ravi passed away from cancer.  From the many Facebook posts, one could tell that many loved Ravi and his constant message and his love of God and Jesus.  If you have questions or doubts about God, give Ravi a listen.  Open your mind.  Open your heart.  Listen to Ravi and let God fill your spirit with His Word.

Seek God always, not just in times of trouble

In early 2019, I decided to invest more into my spiritual future.  With my eyesight, it was difficult for me to read a physical book.  So I read primarily ebooks.

That being said, I had one ebook version of the Bible.  But I was having troubles understanding some of the phrasing.  It may be that I got the book for free, years ago, and it wasn't translated properly.  Anyway, if I came to a passage that was unclear, I'd crack open a physical Bible and read the same passage.  Undoubtedly, it made sense.

So in early 2019 I purchased four different ebook versions of the Bible.  One was as high as $30, but it has been well-worth it.  I purchased another one earlier this year, which brings the total up to five.  Reading the same passage in five different Bibles can bring a clearer perspective.

At that time, I also invested time each night alone and studied the Bible.  I also read a few other Christian books, to add to my arsenal of knowledge.

If you've been following my journey over the past year, you know that my wife's medical issues started on May 19th, 2019, and ended with her passing on January 16, 2020.  242 days.  These were troublesome times, for sure.  But as much as I could, my wife and I sought out the Lord.  Even during the better years, we remembered God as much as we could.

It is vitally important to seek out the Lord in both the good and bad times in your life.  I am a true testament to that notion, for I built up a trust and faith and love in God and His Son Jesus Christ, that He helped me during the difficult times of my wife's illness, passing, and the aftermath of grief.

Seek Him out today.

Memories (keeping faith during difficult times)

As of this date, it has been 120 days since my wife Melissa has passed away, when the Lord lifted her up into Heaven and Christ Jesus wrapped His Loving Arms around her.

My wife had been through so much over the last nine years.  In early 2011, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, was declared cancer free in early August 2011, and had a bone marrow transplant on September 1, 2011.

But afterward, she had a series of complications, one of which was the losing of much of her sight by mid-October 2011.  She remained strong, tough-minded, and faithful to God throughout her life, and in looking at her daily Facebook memories it shows.

I go through her Facebook memories every single morning.  Some I share again, to keep her memory alive in others, while the most I read and admire.  She had a very strong faith.  She put her trust in God, no matter the outcome.  And it isn't just one post from one year.  She has repeated posts, every single day, for years.

No mater what you are going through, put your complete faith and trust in the Lord. Open the Bible.  Read His Scriptures.  Study them.

Seeking the Lord's guidance and protection

In the book of Ezra, chapter 8, Ezra assembled all of the exiles at the Ahava Canal, on their way to Jerusalem.  He had lists of all the people, and had discovered that not one single Levite was among them.

He sent leaders on to the Levite territory, to ask for ministers for the Lord's Temple that they were going to build.  Since they did it in honor and love of God, He graced them with a Levite man named Sherebiah, along with many descendants.

Before they went on their way, they fasted and humbly prayed to God for safe passage.  They prayed that He would protect them from their enemies.  He heard their prayer.  With many treasures in their possession, they made the long journey without incident.

Whenever you have a difficult task, pray to God for guidance.  Pray to God that all will go well.  God may not always keep you completely free from troubles, but He will only allow enough that you can handle.

Praying for God's guidance is a good habit to get into.  You'll be amazed at what He can do in your life.

Earth as God's gift to humanity

For those who love nature, the soft roar of the waves, the gentle breeze, the majestic mountains that show His mighty strength, Psalm 65 is one psalm not to miss.

In the first four verses, we vow all humanity to the Lord.  He deserves all of our praise.  His love and beautiful creations overwhelm us, and we are satisfied with what we have in this world.

Starting in verse five, we see a wide array of natural spectacles that the Lord has bestowed upon us.  All of His works inspire us with awe.  Across all of the lands and the distant seas, from the vast mountains and rolling hills, this world is abundant with His creation.

He blesses the lands with rain and all living things grow from it.

Next time you find yourself outside, take a moment and thank God for all He created.  His creation is truly awe-inspiring.

Meet Ezra

It isn't until chapter 7, in the book of Ezra, do we in fact meet Ezra.

Ezra was a scribe who was much learned about the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given to the people of Israel.  He came about during the reign of King Artaxerxes in Persia.

In this chapter, Ezra arrived in Jerusalem, and the Lord was with him.  He was determined to teach the Lord's Law to the exiles who had arrived back in Israel, who were rebuilding the Temple of the Lord.  Upon his arrival was a letter from the Persian king himself, greeting him and offering anything he needed in the way of goods, gold and silver, and livestock, to fulfill the Lord's purpose for him.

In the end, Ezra praised the Lord for honoring him to the king, his council, and all of those in Israel.  There was no doubt the Lord was with him.

The great lengths evil will go to stop the Lord's work. Or at least try.

In the book of Ezra, chapters four through six, is an interesting circle of events.

As we left off at the end of chapter three, the exiled people from Jerusalem had returned back to Judah and were in the process of rebuilding the Lord's Temple.  The foundation had been completed and there was much joy across the land.

Starting in chapter 4, their rebuilding had gained the attention of their neighboring enemies.  Other leaders of Israel, at first, wanted to be a part of it, but those exiled from Judah denied their request, stating God had commanded only them to rebuild the Temple.

The locals became enraged, and tried to frighten the workers.  But to no avail.  They even bribed others to work against them.  Nope.  It did no good.

Then, the enemies wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes of Persia, demanding that they stop, for once the Temple and their grand city was built, the Jews would refuse to pay their tribute to the government.  It would be in Persia's best interest to cease their building.  By the end of chapter 6, it was ordered that they stop, for it was in the king's best interest.

Beginning in chapter 5, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah prophesied to the people of Judah, stating they could start rebuilding, as commanded by God.  So they did.  This act enraged their enemies yet again.  This time, they wrote a letter to King Darius of Persia, pleading with him to order the cease of all rebuilding.  King Darius demanded the people of Judah who gave them permission.  So they laid their case for doing so, as demanded by God whom He had gave permission to King Cyrus.  The people of Judah asked King Darius to search the archives for such a written request by King Cyrus.

When we come to chapter 6, King Darius had his people search the archives and found the document scroll by King Cyrus.  Upon reading it, he sent word to the enemies of Judah that the rebuilding would begin again and any further violation of his decree would find their people's homes torn down and the people impaled upon the timber from their homes.

King Darius concluded by stating that God had chosen the city of Jerusalem to be a place of honor in His name, and no one will go against such a decision.

The Temple was completed by the sixth year of King Darius's reign and there was a great celebration in the Lord's name.

As you can tell, evil will go to great lengths to stop the spread of the Lord's Message and the furthering of His people.  But by trusting in God and doing what He commands, one will always walk in His Glorious Favor.

Love is the greatest (Day 5 of Love verses from 1 Corinthians chapter 13)

We now come to the final verse from the book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 13.

Verse 13.

"And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love.  But the greatest of these is love."

This last line always struck me with a sense of wonder.  The greatest quality, above faith and hope, is love.  The greatest action, above having faith and hope, is love.

When some think of love, they think of either something sexual with spouse or something you feel toward relatives.  But the definition of love is listed in the entire chapter.  Love is an unselfish caring feeling you have toward someone else.  You don't desire anything in return.  You just love one another.

Let's say you're driving to the store and you see a disheveled man with long, dirty hair standing on the street corner.  Most people would look at him with disgust.  Be like Jesus and love upon that person.  Ask God to send His love to that man, because you never know what the circumstances are for his demise.

What is someone is rude to you?  Love them back.  I'm not talking a physical display of affection.  Even taking the approach to ask God to speak into your heart, forgive that person, and ask that He sends love their way.  You'd be amazed at what this will do to your spirit.

Remember this as you go through life.  Love is the absolute greatest.  Love is the reason Jesus died on the Cross.  His love for us.  Can you imagine that?  Dying the most horrible death imaginable, forgiving those for doing so, and love us?

Also remember that with your closest loved ones.  Don't take them for granted.  Love them with all your heart, soul, and being.  Read this entire chapter often, and never forget what it says.

Love is the greatest.

Love lasts forever (Day 4 of Love verses from 1 Corinthians chapter 13)

Jewelry stores boast that diamonds are forever.

Wrong.  Love is the only thing that lasts forever.  Love will last longer than even the largest diamond.

Our knowledge may fade away, our speech may be stilled, and all of that doesn't matter, for love carries you through it all.

As children, we thought and acted like children.  Children are innocent in their ways, viewing the world with wide-eyed wonder.  But as we become adults, our childish ways are put behind us.  We may look in a mirror and not like what we see.

But through love, our deeds will show forever.  Those around us will always remember the qualities of love we gave to the world.  Remember what love is and what isn't.  And always remember the love endures.

To show someone love is to give them grace and forgiveness.  Revenge has no place in love.  Remember that the next time someone wrongs you.

Love endures (Day 3 of Love verses from 1 Corinthians chapter 13)

I am not a sports fan.  But I do love most sports movies, like Miracle or Facing The Giants or even Rudy.

At the heart of all these is someone, or a team of someones, who are underdogs.  Against all odds, they work hard and never give up, no matter the circumstance.

They endure under a heavy burden and possibly a great disadvantage--take Rudy, where you have someone who's a foot or more smaller than the other players, weighed much less, and still had the heart to take it all on.

In verse 7 from the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians spells this out.  Love never gives up.  Love never loses faith.  Love is full of hope.

And against through every circumstance, love endures.

No matter how difficult your relationship is, place it in God's Hands, knowing your love will endure.  He will show you what  you need to do.  Love isn't passive.  You need to put action into love.

Now, read through the entire chapter again, from verse 1 through verse 7.  Let God's Word speak into your heart.

Then put your love into action.

What love is not (Day 2 of Love verses from 1 Corinthians chapter 13)

Here is where most couples get into trouble, when they run to divorce or break-up at the first sign of conflict.  In the book of 1 Corinthians, starting in the second half of verse 4 through verse 6, there are a number of things listed that love is not.

Not jealous.

Not boastful or proud.

Not rude.

Love does NOT demand its own way.

It is not irritable.

Love keeps absolutely no record of wrongs.

Think of the worst relationship you've ever had--this could even be with your current partner.  Do any of the above ring a bell?  You may not see it in yourself, only in the other person, but at this moment I want you to take a moment, ask the Lord to come into your heart and speak the truth, and think about how you treat your loved ones.

Are you ever jealous?  Proud?  Boastful?  Rude, perhaps?  Do your loved ones get on your nerves, causing you to be irritable?  Maybe it's not them getting on your nerves after all.

Are you demanding and selfish?  Do you keep bringing up things your loved ones did wrong?  Let me give you a hint here: no one can change the past; only the future.  If you truly do not see yourself at fault for any of these, let me give you another hint: you are; you are just too blind to see it.

The boastful one is interesting, especially in today's age of social media.  I know many husbands and/or wives who post how much they love their spouse.  Now this may be fine and dandy, but why do you need to post this?  Who are you trying to impress?

My late wife Melissa disliked certain days like Valentine's or Mother's/Father's Day, because why should one wait for that one day to honor their loved ones?  They should honor their spouse every single day.

In August 2019, my grandfather Ray passed away.  He was the epitome of how one should treat their spouse.  He called grandma his "forever loving doll."  And he treated her like the angel that she was.  He was a prime example for us grandkids on how we should treat our own spouses.  Are any of us perfect?  Heck no!  Was he perfect in his marriage?  I doubt it, but we never knew it.

Read the verses we covered today over and over again.  Even go back to the beginning and read through verse 6.  Ask God to speak into your heart.  Ask Him what you need to do.

Your loved ones are worth it.

What love is (Day 1 of Love verses from 1 Corinthians chapter 13)

Nearly every wedding, a union of man and woman, shares the "Love is patient, love is kind" verse from the 13th chapter in the book of 1 Corinthians.  But as high as the divorce rate seems to be, a couple's love diminishes.  It is no longer patient.  No longer kind.  Sometimes it takes days, weeks, or even months.  And in some cases, years or decades.

Originally, I was going to share from the 13th chapter, starting with verse 4, but by doing so I'm missing out on the first three verses.  And they are just as important.

Verse 1 is simply, one may speak with an angelic tone, sweet and soft, but without love it is like a clanging gong.  Harsh-sounding, huh?

Verse 2 goes on by stating that one may have all of the knowledge of the world, possess great understanding of the many mysteries that surround us.  They can even have faith in their abilities, that they can move earthly mountains because of their vast knowledge.  But if ones does this without any love, it is nothing.

Verse 3 handles our possessions and body.  We may even give away all of our possessions and not take care of our body in the proper way, all in the name of us boasting of our accomplishments.  But if we do not have love, we gain nothing.  Watch how people boast about giving away their wealth, spouting it for all the world to see about how great and wonderful they are.  While underneath, in their heart, do they do it out of love?  It is certainly doubtful.

Love is everything.  Kind and patient are two important qualities on how we treat others.  Be patient, be unselfish, be kind.  That is how a couple should treat each other.  Both of them.  Not just one.

Because God is Love.  His Love didn't come into this world while riding a giant white stallion, brandishing a golden sword, and shouting from the tops of mountains.  No.  His Love came in the form of a baby, born from a virgin, while livestock and shepherds and even wise men from faraway lands came to welcome Him into the world.

Love takes work.  No doubt about it.  But if you read these verses and ask God to place the love he desires into your heart, you too may find the patience and kindness that will make a couple's love flourish.  Your love will become a beacon for many generations to come.

Close examination of the love verses from 1 Corinthians chapter 13

I am going to do something special this week.

It has been over 14 weeks since my wife's passing, when the Lord took away her illness and lifted her up into his loving arms.  For the months prior to her passing, when she was at the nursing home (she was only 47, but her illness had gotten so bad she could be cared for at home), she had made read the "Love is patient" verses from 1 Corinthians, chapter 13, each time I visited her--which was practically every single day.

One thing I noticed while reading the verses (this would be verses 4 through 13 in the 13th chapter from the book of 1 Corinthians) is how true they are for all aspects of our marriage.  Typically, verses 4 through 7 are read during weddings, but while reading the rest of the chapter I found so much truth into one's life.  Not only early on in our marriage, but even during what we knew were our last days before her passing.

I truly believe that if more married couples read and took to heart these verses, the divorce rate would fall dramatically.  The once troubled marriages would no longer be as troubled.

So, for each day this week, I'll examine these 10 verses.  Then, read them for yourselves, asking God to speak into your heart.

Back to Judah to build the foundation

In the book of Ezra, chapter 1, the new king of Persia, King Cyrus, upon taking over from the former Babylonian Empire, proclaimed that all of those displaced from the kingdom of Judah may return back to their homeland.  This was done as prophesied that they would be taken from the lands of Judah for seventy years.

And when King Cyrus came to power and made the proclamation, it was exactly seventy years.

King Cyrus also offered the goodwill of their neighbors to provide silver, gold, goods, and livestock as an offering to the Lord as they made their way back home.  Even every single article taken from the Temple of the Lord by Nebuchadnezzar was given back.

In chapter 2 was a long meticulous list of the families and their descendants who were exiled.  Even those whose genealogical records could not be found were given over to the priests of Judah, so they could be cleansed.  Upon arrival back to Jerusalem, many of the family heads gave freewill offerings to the house of God, in order to rebuild the Lord's Temple on the original site.

When we come to chapter 3, they offered burnt offerings to the Lord, even before the foundation of the Lord's Temple had been built.  They burned offerings day and night, and during all of the holy occasions appointed by the Lord.  By the time the foundation was laid, everyone took up positions of praise to the Lord.  There was a wide range of emotions, from weeping to shouts of joy.  The sounds of their praise could be heard from far, far away.

Taking the Lord with you into battle

Psalm 64 is known as the "Prayer for Protection from Secret Enemies."  Seems rather fitting, given what's going on in the world today with COVID-19.

The psalmist asks God to guard our life from the enemy, hide us from their secret counsel and conspiracy.  The words of our enemies are like venomous arrows.  Our enemies encourage themselves in their evil agenda, devising plans of deceit and injustice.

Remember this Psalm as you go through life nowadays--and not just today, but everyday.  Even in the years, decades, and centuries to come.  The Lord is with those who worship Him.

Starting in verse 7, God will attack them unexpectedly.  They will stumble, using their own words against them.

In the end, the righteous will rejoice in refuge of the Lord and we will glorify His Holy Name.

The Fallen May Rise Again

The 36th chapter from the book of 2 Chronicles is the final chapter.  And it is jam-packed with leaders going back, not following the Lord and resulting in the fall of Jerusalem, only to rise again with the Lord at their side.

First we have king Joahaz, who reigned for a short three months.  The Egyptian king Neco imposed a fine on Judah, also deposing him and replacing him with his brother Eliakim.  However, Neco changed the king's name to Jehoiakim.  He was then brought to Egypt.

In this chapter we also meet the Babylon king Nebuchadnezzar.  He met king Jehoiakim and bound him in bronze chains, and took him to Babylon.  He also took some of the articles from the Lord's temple.

After king Jehoiakim's reign was his brother Zedekiah.  He not only rebelled against the Lord and His prophet Jeremiah, he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar.  You see, Nebuchadnezzar made him swear allegiance to the Lord and Zedekiah's heart hardened.  His officials also turned a hard heart against the Lord, bringing back many of the false pagan gods that had defiled the Lord's house during previous rulers.

Because of this, the Lord kept sending messengers to Israel, but His people mocked the messengers.  Then the Lord's wrath was fierce.  No one was saved against His might, brought down by the Chaldeans.  The Chaldeans burned God's Temple, destroying all.  The destruction lasted for seventy years, to fulfill the prophecy.

The prophet Jeremiah spoke to the king of Persia, Cyrus.  He gave Cyrus all of His kingdoms and Cyrus proclaimed that he would rebuild the Lord's Temple once again.

Lift up your hands to the Lord

In Psalm 63, the psalmist David started with a cry out to the Lord, that his body was thirsty for His glory.  His Power and Love were better than life itself.

In verse 4, the psalmist praised God for as long as he lived, lifting up his hands in prayer.  In different versions of the Holy Bible, most versions point out the simple act of lifting up our hands in Heaven, lifting them up to the Lord.

Reminds me of this song:

I remember this song even back when I was in college, in the early 1990's.

The rest of the psalm is filled with praising the Lord, that His Love is better than the richest feast we can imagine.  Even though there are evil doers who plot against us, they will die and be thrown down into the depths of the earth.

Always remember that we need the Lord, no matter our circumstances.  Thank and praise Him, in good times and bad.

Honoring God during Passover

Ironic that during this time of year, we come to the 35th chapter from the book of 2 Chronicles, for it encompasses the Passover celebration, under the direction of king Josiah.

This occurred in the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign.  Everything was done with such organizational precision that it all took place within a single day.  The details were so precise, all to honor and serve God.  Each family had their place in the ceremony, and all was done as the Lord prescribed in the Book of Moses.

Never since the days of king Samuel had a Passover celebration had taken place in such a fashion.

The other half of chapter 35 dealt with king Neco from Egypt, leading his army near Judah, and king Josiah sending his army out to confront them.  But king Neco sent a message, telling Josiah not to interfere, for the Lord told them to fight another nation.  They had no quarrel with Josiah.

But Josiah refused to listen, and disguised himself.  But he was mortally wounded and taken away from the battle.  He died soon afterward.

This is an interesting point, because we have no story about king Neco's message from the Lord.  All Neco knew was that he was listening to the Lord--which he was--and had absolutely no beef with Josiah--which he didn't.  But Josiah did not listen.

We can make a parallel point with those who receive the message of God today.  Take a small town with two churches.  One is a traditional church, like a Catholic or an old Lutheran church, and then a new upbeat, nondenominational church rolls into town.  The traditional church may think they're competing with the other (like Josiah and the Egyptian king Neco's army) and seemingly go to war with each other.

Satan wants nothing more than to see Christians fighting with each other.  And why should we?  We're still worshiping the same God.  At the moment, there are at least six (sometimes more) different religious podcasts that I listen to in any given week.  Some run Monday through Friday, some just once a week, some every other week, some once or twice a month, and another one has three times a week.  All share pretty much the same message--the Goodness of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the Cross--but in a variety of ways.

People need to hear the message of Jesus in different ways.  Don't criticize one message, because you may not know what they're hearing from God.  We never know what king Neco's message was, but it certainly didn't involve king Josiah and Jerusalem.  If someone doesn't understand your message of Christ Jesus, maybe they'll understand another.  As long as they come to Christ, that's all that matters.

Patience (going at things slow)

In the book of 2 Chronicles, chapter 34, we have the next king of Judah Josiah.  He was only eight years old when he became king, and ruled for thirty-one years.

What's good about Josiah was that he did what was right in the Lord.  But unlike many of his predecessors, he didn't rush into anything.  He was patient, even when it came to the Lord.  Even though he did the right things, it wasn't until he was sixteen before he began to seek out God.  Then, in his twelfth year as king, he had the altars of false gods taken down.  He completely purified the land.

Starting in his eighteenth year, he had the Temple purified and paid to have it repaired to an even better shape than before.  Those under his leadership served faithfully as he entrusted the Temple and its construction in their care.

While repairing the Temple, an ancient book, the Book of the Law written by Moses, was discovered.  Then, he was in great distress, for written in it were the commandments of the Lord and how His wrath would be stricken onto them for their ancestors did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord.  But since Josiah came to the Lord with such a humble heart, God was pleased and would not strike them down.

From that point onward, Josiah and his people continued to do what was right in the Lord's eyes and even kept to his Laws.

When I first read this chapter, I was a bit perplexed at how long it took king Josiah to do some of the things he had done, even if they were right.  Then I put myself in his shoes, at eight years old, being a ruler of a land, and the great responsibility placed on him.  He must have studied greatly, taking his time, to fulfill what he needed to do.

When you find yourself with great responsibility, take your time to do things right.  As a leader of people at my day job, I took my time (and still do) to make sure things are done right.  I do not make rash decisions, and as much as I can, I pray about the decision before it's made.

The Lord is our refuge

Psalm 62 starts with how we wait, we must wait in patience, for the Lord is our true salvation.  He is our eternal refuge.  We are to maintain our faith all the time, for one never knows when our enemies will come for us.

This is so true nowadays when the world seems to be turned upside-down with this latest pandemic.  It is when times are tough that our faith is tested the most.  Take my own life since May 2019 when my wife's health started to deteriorate.  It all came to an end with her passing on January 16th of this year.  But has my faith waivered.  Nope.  Did my wife's faith waiver?  Not a chance.  We both knew where we're heading when we leave this earth.

And for her, it was far sooner than I.

The Lord is your rock and salvation.  Our victories can only become because of God.

Verse 10 is interesting enough to examine a bit more closely.  It talks about those who make a living by stealing, extortion, fraud, and that it isn't a way to make a living.  Also, as one's wealth increases, don't make money the center of one's life.  Just that verse alone is by far some of the best advice one can receive.

True sincerity and humbleness in the Lord

Continuing on in the book of 2 Chronicles, we read about two kings of Jerusalem--yes, two!--in chapter 33.

The bulk of this chapter revolves around Manasseh.  He was only twelve when he took the throne, and he reigned for fifty-five years.  Even though his father did what was right by the Lord, Manasseh was the exact opposite.  He rebuilt the pagan shrines, practiced witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted with mediums and psychics.  He even sacrificed many of his sons to these false gods.

As you guessed it, the Lord was angry.  He even spoke to Manasseh and the people of Jerusalem, but they ignored Him.

The Lord sent armies from Assyria and they took Manasseh prisoner.  He was bound in bronze chains and had a ring put through his nose.  Ouch!

Manasseh, finally seeing God's awesome and incredible power, prayed like he had never prayed before.  God knew he was being sincere and humble, seeing what was in his heart.  So He freed Manasseh.

Manasseh rid his land from all pagan shrines and all of his people worshiped the Lord.  He continued this until his death.

His son Amon then became king, and he ruled a mere two years.  He ignored his father's humble nature toward God and did what was evil in God's eyes.  The reason for his short reign was that his servants assassinated him.

The Lord sees in your heart

Finishing up chapter 32 from the book of 2 Chronicles, let's start from verse 24.  King Hezekiah became ill.  He prayed and the Lord healed him.

Afterward, Hezekiah did not respond well to the Lord's kindness and awesome power of healing, so God became angry.  Immediately, Hezekiah and his people repented.  They humbled themselves.

God forgave them.

In the final verses of the chapter, something remarkable took place when ambassadors from Babylon came to see him.  The Lord withdrew from Hezekiah to test him and see what was in his heart.  It is not known in this book what happened, but more than likely the events are written out somewhere else in the Bible.

One thing to keep in mind when facing challenges: keep kindness and love in your heart.  Be humble.  Do not be prideful.  No matter what, God always sees what is in your heart.  Place others before you.  And by not being selfish, the Lord will give you gifts beyond your wildest imagination.

Under God's protection

Psalm 61 may be short, with 8 verses, but it is packed and inspirational.

It starts out with the psalmist crying out to the Lord, from the ends of the earth.  Our hearts are overwhelmed.  The Lord leads us to the rock of safety.  No enemies will be able to reach us.

We are all under God's protection.  So give your life over to Him and He will protect you.

Always.

Because we are blessed with His mighty protection, we sign praises to the Lord.

Ignore the mocking of false gods and their followers

Continuing on in the book of 2 Chronicles, chapter 32, king of Judah, Hezekiah, found himself being invaded by the king of Assyria and his grand army.  They broke down many of their walls and were headed toward Jerusalem.

Hezekiah consulted with his advisors and they decided to dam up the waters leading out of the city.  Then, they repaired much of the damage done by their enemies.  He also urged his people not to be afraid.  Despite their enemy having a large army, they are still only men.  With God on their side, He will always aid in their battles.

The king of Assyria mocked Hezekiah's people.  They also mocked God and put their own idols up on pedestals.

Hezekiah and his prophet Isaiah cried out to God, and in verse 21, something amazing happened: the Lord sent an angel (just one!) and completely destroyed the entire Assyrian army, along with its commanders and officers.  That's the power of God in action!

The Assyrian king went home in disgrace, and upon arriving home a few of his sons killed him.

If you're not hearing God, you're not listening

Do you hear God?  When you pray to Him, do you get an answer, whether or not it's the one you're expecting?

Keep in mind, the answer may come in a variety of forms.  Many times, I've asked God for guidance and wisdom, and as soon as the question forms in my mind the answer appears.  God answered it.  It may not be a booming voice from the Heaven for all to hear, but then again in my mind it is.

Answers may also be delayed and come in the form of lessons I've lived through.  In January 2011, my wife and I were in a dire financial situation.  Within a day of each other, we had a van towed away by a repo man and our home foreclosed upon.  By the next month, we worked through both by getting the van back and our home back.  We prayed.  Oh, God, did we pray!

And he answered . . . by not only taking those possessions away from us for a brief time, it strengthened our relationship (both with each other and to God) and gave awareness to our plight to both her parents and mine.  They helped to get us back on track.  And it was a good thing too, because in April, my wife was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.  She spent most of 2011 in Rochester, MN, at the Mayo Clinic.  She received a stem cell transplant on September 1, 2011.  Although she regained her health by remaining cancer free, she experienced other complications.  Money was raised through a benefit.  The money lasted until December of that year, right at the time she was allowed to go back home.

God answered our prayers.

On January 16, 2020, she passed away and went to the Lord.  He welcomed her into His glorious arms as she was embraced by the Love of Jesus and the Lord.  For months prior to her passing, we prayed.  I prayed.

He answered, "Not yet."

When she did pass, it was the perfect time.  It was after the holidays, it was before many school events that would've torn people away from town, and it was far before the COVID-19 pandemic that the world is experiencing right now.

Remember, God answers your prayers.  Are you listening?