09 June 2007

Good morning and I hope that your weekend is beginning well
The morning reading is from 2nd Chronicles, chapters 29, 30, and 31. This is the account of King Hezekiah. Hezekiah is about the last good king before the fall. And he is a very good king, and the LORD blesses him. There is a gem here:

20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.
21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.
With all his heart. No double-mindedness, no ''both yes and no'', no having a foot in each camp. With ALL his heart. Good words for today too.
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The evening reading is from the Gospel of John chapter 18, verses 1 through 23
Jesus is betrayed, and bound, and taken to the place of the High Priest. Simon Peter and one other disciple - out of all the others - followed behind and went that place. The others are not mentioned here, I assume that they fled and hid. But Peter went. And yet, in short order, we see a prophecy of Jesus begin to be fulfilled:
15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.
16 But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.
17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.
It did not take long for Peter to begin to deny Jesus. But he was not the last to do so, was he?

08 June 2007

Today's Reading June 08

Good morning and Happy Friday!
This morning's reading from the Old Testament continues, as we will for the next few days, in 2nd Chronicles. Today we study chapters 26, 27, and 28.
We know that in the next few days we will see the accounts of the fall of the kingdoms of Judah and of Israel, and that bright hope we recall when the children of Israel ended their long Exodus from bondage seems to have fallen forever (though that was not so, not totally). And here we see more evidence of the rot. That rot is, as I said the other day, altogether too familiar in our own lands, and I believe that the same disaster may overtake us as well.

In 26 we see Uzziah, a good king, and a strong king, who fell into the sin of pride.

16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:
18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honor from the LORD God.
19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.
20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.

In chapter 27, a sign that all is not yet lost
6 So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.

But he was followed in chapter 28 by his own son, a man of a different sort.
Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:
2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.
3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

did you see verse 3?? Go back and look, and consider: what sort of man is it who will throw his own children into a fire as a human sacrifice to his god? Not a good man, but an evil man. We see a very similar thing in own time - the wicked demon-cult of Islam openly preaches ''death for the glory of Allah'' as even small children are encouraged to to vile murder in the name of the demon named Allah. Some things never change by the way.

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The evening reading is the Gospel of John, chapter 17.
This is a prayer by Jesus. It is worth noting for that reason alone, and the fact that He knew that we would be studying it some 2000 years later just adds to that. He expected, even desired, us to know about it. And there are some important things there. You can pick out some, easily, and over time different ones may seem particularly significant. That is as it should be. Today, I like,
14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

07 June 2007

Today's Reading June 07

Good morning, all.
This morning's Old Testament passage in our through-the-Bible-in-a-year journey is 2nd Chronicles, chapters 23, 24, and 25.
More of the same. Evil prospers, then a good king comes for a while, then the people return to their natural inclination to do evil.
from chapter 24

18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
19 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.
20 And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.
22 Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.
23 And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.


If you have not done so already, go over to the Focus on the Family website and listen to the two-part message that Dr. John McArthur delivered at the National Day of Prayer. We see in Scripture that in times of great wickedness among God's chosen people, He would at times turn them over to their enemies. Dr. MacArthur believes, as do I, that we are at the same point in America. God has blessed us greatly and protected us from our enemies on all sides. We can no longer count on that. There is an alternative, and we looked at it the other day:
2nd Chronicles chapter 7: 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

And that is the ONLY alternatitve, until He returns.

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Gospel of John, chapter 16, verses 16 through 33.
More of Jesus' words with great import. One of my favorites is
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

06 June 2007

Where's the fence?

Go over and check out this site: www.wheresthefence.com if you want to raise your blood pressure up to a safe level.
I am furious beyond measure at the actions in Washington by some of our electeds, unfortunately beginning with the President, who have obstinately determined to push an amnesty through for those who have criminally invaded our country. I can not determine with any degree of certainty whether their actions and non-actions simply constitute malfeasance in office, or if the matter rises to the level of treason. I'm seriously leaning towards the latter.
This is not only a bad bad bill - we would expect nothing less from something involving the drunken murderer Ted Kennedy - but it is really much worse than that; it is the sort of bad that over time becomes worse and worse. One might reasonably conclude that such is the intent.

Today's Reading June 6

Today is D-Day. I spoke with a couple ladies on Monday, one about 19, one about 60. Neither knew what June 6th commemorates, neither knew what I meant by D-day, neither knew what Normandy is.
But for those of us who do know, and remember, to those who were there, thank you.
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This morning's reading from the Old Testament comes from 2nd Chronicles, chapters 20, 21, and 22
from Ch 20 in a time of distress:

5 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

yet even after that, all was not quite right
32 And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD.
33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.

and that leads to no good thing
starting with his son and successor in chapter 21
4 Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel.
5 Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD.


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This evening's reading from the New Testament is from the Gospel of John, chapter 16, verses 1 through 15.
These are some of Jesus' last words for His followers before they go out to Gethsemane where He will be betrayed. And the subject matter is important, and timely, for it speaks of the Holy Spirit in these days just after Pentecost. I am a member of a Southern Baptist church, but in my heart I'm more than half a Pentecostal type. This is all Good Stuff.
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

05 June 2007

Today's Reading June 05

This morning's reading in the Old Testament is from Second Chronicles, chapters 17, 18, and 19.

This evening's New Testament passage is from the Gospel of John, chapter 15.

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.
23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
Ps 35:19, 69:4
26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

04 June 2007

Today's Reading June 04

This morning's passage from the Old Testament is Second Chronicles, chapters 13, 14, 15, and 16.


This evening's reading is from the Gospel of John, chapter 14.
I can't really pick anything out of this - the whole passage is so extraordinary. Those of us who have been blessed to have been raised in godly homes and to have spent time in the Bible from a young age have probably been taught - and taught - from this section many times, because there is just so much there that is of vital importance.

03 June 2007

This morning's reading from the Old Testament comes from Second Chronicles chapters 10, 11, and 12.
Solomon has died and his son has taken the throne. And immediately trouble starts, the kingdom is divided in two, and things head downhill fast. The old enemies immediately attack and the whole thing gets real bad.
A lot of good record here, but one verse stands out for me, from chapter 12:

14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.


This evening's reading from the New testament is from the Gospel of John, chapter 13, verses 18 through 38.
We're still at the meaning-laden last supper, and encounter what are, for many of us, very familiar territory:
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.