Malachi 4:2

Malachi 4:2 ^ESV

But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.

 

The wheels are turning for my new preaching series on Sunday nights.  Malachi has got to be one of the most grace filled books of the greatest grace filled books the literature of the world has ever seen.  Who speaks to Judah like God speaks to him here?  None of this is expected; though our sinful hearts would demand it.  What Judah should have had was immediate disintegration.  What Judah should have experienced was immediate Hell at the bottom of the bottomless pit.  What did God give them: God gave Judah arguments to show the sinfulness of their hearts in order for them to choose to repent.

 

God stoops to our need and welcomes us into His private conversation calling us to Himself by whatever means can work.  God means to save our soul, and God means to save our soul by showing us the condition of our soul in light of His loving grace and mercy: “I have loved you.”  This is the heart rending plea of a husband whose wife ran off to be a prostitute.  The past tense of the verb should not make us think that His love has decreased; this plea comes from a heart that made a decision in the past and continues to live by that decision to love again.

 

Unfortunately, there are those among us who will not be loved.  There are those among us who cannot be wooed.  Those among us who cannot receive love must be destroyed (root and branch).  But those who fear God’s name as a servant does his master, those servants will see the sun of righteousness!  This Sun will bring healing in its wings and we shall be healed.  Those who fear this Sun will have new unbounding strength like the newborn calves who skip along because they cannot yet control themselves.  I see the Farmer, God, looking on with laughter at the uncoordinated leaping all the while knowing that this is exactly what is ‘healthy’ in a calve.  This uncoordinated power must be harnessed and directed, but without this exuberant joy of life there would be no future.  Let us trust our master Farmer and leap for joy while we fear.

 

Praise You Father for power.

Praise You Son for peace.

Praise You Spirit for pluck.

 

Leaping like a calve with you,

Pastor Greg

Ezra

Ezra 3:11 ^ESV

And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD,

"For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel."

And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

 

I just love that this refrain keeps finding its place through out the history of Israel.  Praise Jesus for He is good!  And because Jesus’ steadfast love endures forever!

 

Praise You Father for Your steadfast love.

Praise You Son for Your steadfast love.

Praise You Spirit for Your steadfast love.

 

Praising God with you,

Pastor Greg

2 Chronicles 32:1,22

2 Chronicles 32:1 ^NIV

After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself.

2 Chronicles 32:22 ^NIV

So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side.

 

Do you think your piety will save you from trials in your life?  If you do, you will be sorely disappointed!

2 Timothy 3:12 ^NIV

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

 

The Chronicler goes out of his way to assert that the attack on Jerusalem was related to Hezekiah’s righteousness.  Do not expect less.

 

On the other hand.  God delivered Hezekiah from desires of Sennacherib; though there have been many who have not been so spared (Hebrews 11:36-38).  There is no guarantee of deliverance from human weapons: there is only a guarantee of God’s Presence through that suffering (Matt 11:28-30).

 

Praise You Father that You can deliver Your people.

Praise You Son that You did deliver us from the final trouble.

Praise You Spirit that You remain with those of Yours who suffer.

 

Waiting in hope with you,

Pastor Greg

2 Chronicles 26:10

2 Chronicles 26:10

And he built towers in the wilderness and cut out many cisterns, for he had large herds, both in the Shephelah and in the plain, and he had farmers and vinedressers in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.

 

Nothing particularly spiritual here: the guy loved the soil.  He sounds like my kind of guy (except at the very end--2 Ch 26:16-21). 

 

I do think there is something 'spiritual' about the soil.  Cultures have felt this all the time of human history (obviously in wrong ways...and because there are demons who will mimic God or gods).  Technology and 'gadgets' are good in so far as they help us be human, after that they are no longer good, but positively evil.

 

Wow, there was a devo for the day!

 

Praise You Father for soil.

Praise You Son for my garden.

Praise You Spirit for the gadgets to do this quiet time.

 

Loving soil with you,
Pastor Greg

 

2 Chronicles 21:20

2 Chronicles 21:20

     "...And he departed with no one's regret. ..."

 

Lord save me from the two worst things that could be said of me!

 

Matthew 25:41

      "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire

      prepared for the devil and his angels.'"

 

and

 

2 Chronicles 21:20

     "...And he departed with no one's regret. ..."

 

Obviously the Jesus curse is infinitely worse; but, to be so hated by men that they don't mourn your death is surely not a good thing.

 

Jesus, save me from such a life.  Let me not be so concerned with initials after my name that I forget to love and be loved by those around me.  I love you Jesus!

 

Praise You Father for ordaining my days.

Praise You Son for granting that they would be fruitful.

Praise You Spirit that You continue to work in me.

 

Loving and being loved along with you,

Pastor Greg

2 Chronicles 20:8-9

2 Chronicles 20:8-9

And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, 'If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you- for your name is in this house- and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.'

 

You gotta love a king who quotes God back to Him (cf. 2 Chronicles 6:26-31).  In fact,  you gotta love anyone who quotes God's Word back to Him.  How is God going to fail answering your prayer when you are asking Him to fulfill His promises.

 

In a vast sea of disobedience and turning away from God; Jehosephat was an example of a man who did what was right; while we are drowning in our own cultural sewage, let us have like courage.

 

Praise You Father for men and women who have courage in spite of the culture around them

Praise You Son for saving those men and women and for saving me.

Praise You Spirit for moving in us to have that courage.

 

Trusting God's promises with you,

Pastor Greg

2 Chronicles 16:9

2 Chronicles 16:9 ^ESV

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars."

 

Yesterday I did my reading but not my blogging L!  Today as I was reading I noticed chapt 16 finished the story I had started so I read one extra chapter, and God rewarded my reading.

 

Amen and amen!  What an amazing God we have!  How precious His grace!  How wonderful His mercy!  That God would offer such staggering, unfiltered promises that just blow our minds when we let them.  But how often do we dismiss them through disbelief and ignoring them.  Oh God save me from myself!

 

Praise You Father for your staggering promises!

Praise You Son for Your purchasing those promises!

Praise You Spirit for causing me to believe those Promises!

 

Believing with you,

Pastor Greg

2 Chronicles 5:13

2 Chronicles 5:13

       "For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,"

 

Imagine the blood that flowed around the temple.  It said all the priests came up, even the ones that weren't working, all of them consecrated themselves: that means blood.  It also said that they couldn't keep track of how many sheep were slaughtered by the King and those with him.  I can see one guy saying, 'ok, here's my 250, when are you going to take care of them?"  The priest, 'uh, some time later today I hope...'

 

Blood, smoke, bleeting, wool, just a mess: this is what the Israelites experienced for days I'm sure.  Though the price of meat went down for a while I suppose, I'm guessing that they whole affair was pretty messy.

 

Then you hear in the background singers warming up.  You hear musicians tuning their instrumets.  From here and there you start to here these men singing snatches of a chorus:

 

"For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever."

 

Eventually someone starts to lead these men, they are warming up for the big event.  All around the city you hear kids singing around while they run in and out of the crowds of people that have made the city grow several times over:

 

"For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever."

 

Even the moms are now (frantically) doing their daily chores.  They are pressed by relatives who have come in to stay for a week? a month?

 

"For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever."

 

The dads as they are laboring their various tasks greet each other:

 

"For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever."

 

The song fills the air about them.  Jerusalem is filling with the chorus of a song that has echoed through the Jewish heart since Moses and will for at least another 3000 years:

 

"For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever."

 

The Lord is good: his steadfast love does endure forever!  Amen!

 

Father in Heaven, fill my heart with that song today.

Son beside us, sing that song through me for Your glory.

Spirit inside me, communicate those words to those who love you near me today.

 

Singing with you,

Pastor Greg

1 Cor 28:5

1 Chronicles 28:5 ^ESV

And of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons) he has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.

 

Here is my Calvinism: good chooses.  Really.  God is absolutely free and absolutely sovereign over all there is.  God chose Solomon: in spite of his enormous sin, in spite of his humanity God chose Solomon.  All the men and women in the Bible recognize this.  Let it be.

 

Once the heart is surrendered to the fact that God is absolutely free and sovereign over all things an all people, then the next two steps are relatively easy: God is good and man is so sinful as to be unable to save himself and is fallen in every area of his life.  Really, those who deny the second of those points simply do not read Scripture.

 

All this sounds impossible arrogant: forgive me.

 

Praise You Father that you are sovereign, free, and good.

Praise You Son that in Your goodness, you also chose to redeem us.

Praise You Spirit that You give us You.

 

Worshipping a sovereign God with you,

Pastor Greg

1 Chr 22:16, 19

1 Chronicles 22:16 ESV

    "...Arise and work! The LORD be with you!"

 

1 Chronicles 22:19 ESV

     "Now set your mind and heart to seek the LORD your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the LORD God..."

 

"I'm blessed with work."  A frequent quote I normally associate with healthy old people.  Fortunately there are some younger men and women who give the same testimony.  How is it then that someone can be 'blessed with work'?  Shouldn't it be 'blessed with fun, money, time, etc'?

 

When we get to work we are blessed in the following ways:

 

1.  We have the health to work: 'nuff said!

2.  We have the opportunity to do something productive, something is getting done.

3.  We have the opportunity to be creative, to make something that is an extension of us.

4.  We have the opportunity to serve the Lord.

 

David told Solomon to work and in this working also gave his son the blessing: 'the Lord be with you!'  Here is the blessing: you get all the blessings I mentioned above (only a very short list of the many) and in teh blessing we also have the presence of the Lord, which is of course the most valuable blessing in the universe!  Amen!

 

Then David spoke to the Elders of Israel charging them because his son Solomon was so young to continue in the work as well.  This time David was a little more specific: 'set your mind and heart to seek the Lord...arise and build'.  Seeking the Lord is another way of stating the most important commandment in the Bible: 'love the Lord your God...'.  And among the many ways we must daily seek the Lord (prayer, Bible study, fellowship, service and outreach) David added an important one: work.  Specifically here to build an ediface to honor God but I think it would not be any less honoring for you and I to build instead of one of the wonders of the ancient world to build a good small group, a good ministry to the less fortunate in town, to build a welcoming home for believers and those who don't yet trust Jesus alike.

 

You can obey the command of David to his son and take part in the blessing the king gave by finding for your hands work.  The command of the Sabbath remains (perhaps we'll talk about that sometime); but don't forget that the command of the Sabbath is to rest one day and to work six: don't fail in one because you are mindful of the second.

 

Praise You Father for work.

Praise You Son for completing the most important work.

Praise You Spirit for showing us our work.

 

Working together with you,

Pastor Greg

1 Chronicles 17:18

1 Chronicles 17:18

And what more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant.

 

David responded correctly: "what can I say about your blessing/honoring...you know what I'm like"!?

 

Amazing Grace.  A man of blood.  Eventually a man of murder and adultery (which God knew about before David did!).  And nevertheless, God blesses David not just a little: but forever:

 

1 Chronicles 17:17

And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, O LORD God!

 

And while it is true that God did this honoring/blessing 'for' David; God used not only his 'narrow lens' by seeing what good that honoring would do for David himself and his family: God used also his 'wide lense' by seeing what good that blessing would do for the world by bringing 'David's Son', Jesus Christ.

 

BTW: it is interesting to me in vs 17 how David says You 'have shown me future generations, O Lord God'.  What was that vision or dream like?  How was it that Nathan presented it to David?  What did Nathan see?  Wow!  I can't wait to see my Lord and God!  Praise Jesus.  I'm going to talk to Nathan and find out!

 

Praise You Father for Your promises that extend to all people.

Praise You Son for validating those promises.

Praise You Spirit for speaking kind words to Your servant.

 

Trusting the promises with you,

Pastor Greg

1 Chronicles 11:3

1 Chronicles 11:3 ^ESV

So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

 

One of the things that has struck me many times over the last weeks as I am reading through the narrative portion of the OT is the aspect of faith and/or the lack of it.

 

While it is true that many saw the Red Sea divided, some saw the walls of Jericho come tumbling down, some saw the great deliverances through single, brave, men against amazing odds: many did not.  Many simply planted crops and reaped them; many simply had children and gave them in marriage: life continued through these periods exactly as life continues today.

 

The vast majority of people in the OT did not experience the great miracles that are recorded there: they are recorded because they were miracles; miracles are not normal!  But still these people had or didn’t have faith exactly like people today have or don’t have faith.

 

In this verse we see the elders of Israel making a pact with David, in part because of ‘the word of the Lord by Samuel’.  Now that took faith to say!  That was (if not merely pragmatic because those guys knew what to say to convince David, it could have been a lie!) exceptional because even miracles won’t convince someone of God’s reality and His involvement in our times if they don’t want to be (Luke 16:19-31). 

 

Allow yourself to see with the eyes of faith.

 

Praise You Father for eyes to see.

Praise You Son for ears to hear.

Praise You Spirit for hearts to believe.

 

Believing along with you,

Pastor Greg

1 Chronicles 10:9

1 Chronicles 10:9 ^ESV

And they stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to their idols and to the people.

 

The Good News of Jesus Christ is life; the good news of demons is death.  Need any more be said about that?

 

Praise You Father for creating life.

Praise You Son for saving life.

Praise You Spirit for sustaining life.

 

Living for Jesus’ Good News,

Pastor Greg

2 kIngs 21-25

Good King Josiah entered the world of politics at the age of 8.  I’m sure that the priests and his officials ran the country for several years; but the amazing courage he (and/or they) showed was amazing.  Imagine yourself making all of the changes in the religious fabric of the society.  Imagine killing horses just because they were dedicated to the sun-god.  How many were just shaking their heads in wonder as all these animals (and thousands of dollars of other things were needlessly destroyed?  Of course they weren’t needlessly destroyed, but that is a matter of faith.  And faith is an essential (read: total, complete, altogether) change in how one looks at life.  Faith is looking at sun-god dedicated horses and seeing defilement, seeing wretched worship, seeing ‘how could my fathers’ have done this!’  Faith is looking at sun-god dedicated horses and not caring about the money (‘couldn’t he have just sold the horses?’) and wanting the honor of God to be preeminent!  Amen!  Lord, let me make such choices.

 

But then, Josiah’s life ended (what we would call prematurely…but that only means we value physical life over eternal…shame on us!).  Josiah sent himself on a fool’s errand (from our point of view) to fight with the most powerful nation in his part of the world.  But notice that 11.5 years later his country was overtaken by Babylon.  It seems clear that God took Josiah home so he wouldn’t have to experience that (note Enoch’s death before the Flood…do the math!). 

 

It seems that God loves His people, and that He takes care of His own (Psalm 116:15).

 

Thank You Father for ordaining all the days of my life.

Thank You Son for delivering me from the death I owe.

Thank You Spirit for living in me for my good and Your glory.

 

Living the life God gives me along with you,

Pastor Greg

2 Kings 19:19

2 Kings 19:19 ESV

So now, O LORD our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O LORD, are God alone."

 

This is a great prayer for one reason: Hezekiah knew that the best reason for God to do anything is so "that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O LORD, are God alone."

 

Israel finally went into captivity.  Now Judah is being threatened.  Who does Hezekiah lean on?  Egypt?  Rabshakeh was right, a broken reed who will hurt you if you trust it.  Jeremiah reminded Judah of that later.

 

Fortunately, Hezekiah had enough sight to see that God alone could be trusted, and fortunately Hezekiah had enough sight to see that the best reason for God to do anything is so that people would know that the "Lord is God alone."  (Hear the PCD music in the background?  I will in a sec, hold on.  That's better.)

 

When  you begin to organize your life around the fact that God is God alone then you will begin to have your prayers answered.  Perhaps even as dramatically as Hezekiah's (2 Kings 19:35-37).  

 

Amen.  Save us Lord from an inadequate view of You and Your greatness.

 

Praise You Father for You are God alone!

Praise You Son for You are God alone!

Praise You Spirit for You are god alone!

 

Worshipping God as God alone with you!

Pastor Greg

 

1 Corinthians 10:13

I am still happily going through 2 Kings. It's just that there isn't much to devo on. I'm sure that is a sign of sin in my own heart. But alas, it is where I am. So, the passage I will preach on Sunday night as a jumping off point will have to do.

ESV 1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1. Everyone deals with temptation. No one is exempt. Deal with it. Get over yourself and fight through the temptation just like everyone else does.
2. Not everyone struggles with the same temptation. Don't be quick to judge some one elses' sin when it is not your own. Remember where you are tempted then you'll be able to give them the grace not to condemn them for their sin (Matt 7:1-4). When you share your concern for their good, they (Lord willing) will be able to find grace and repent (2 Tim 2:24-26).
3. God is faithful. God has made many promises and He will stand by them. God will grant that you can escape from the temptation and glorify God by escaping.

Praise You Father that You love us completely.
Praise You Son that You give us salvation.
Praise You Spirit that You arm us for the fight.

Fighting temptation with you,
Pastor Greg

1 Kings 21:20

1 Kings 21:20 ^ESV

Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" He answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the LORD.

 

Ahab was the most wicked king up to his time.  Elijah was a constant thorn in his side.  But here, Elijah greeted the king ‘you have sold yourself to do what is evil’.

 

To me the interesting thing is ‘sold yourself’.  Obviously he (consciously or unconsciously) ‘sold’ made a specific decision to do evil instead of good.  God gave him the opportunity to do the good and he refused.  Now, the wages of sin being death, Ahab (which translated means ‘love’…interesting) made a bad deal.

 

The next time you are faced with a decision to serve God or serve evil: make the right choice.

 

Praise You Father for choosing me.

Praise You Son for redeeming me.

Praise You Spirit for strengthening me.

 

Selling my heart to God with you,

Pastor Greg

Evil and Provoking

1 Kings 15:34; 16:19, 29, 33

 

These kings did evil in the sight of the Lord or 'provoked Him'.  They were probably every day ordinary kings for that time and part of the world.  But God did not see it that way; they were ruling over His People, therefore they were held to a higher standard.

 

How much more of a standard will He hold those who belong to his covenant people today (James 3:1; 2 Peter 3:11-13).  So live like you are saved.

 

Praise You Father for salvation by Grace through Faith.

Praise You Son for securing that salvation.

Praise You Spirit for showing that salvation to us.

 

Living Holy with you,

Pastor Greg

1 Kings 14:13

1 Kings 14:13

And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something pleasing to the LORD, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam.

 

The Lord had just finished curing Jeroboam because he had forsaken the Lord.  Now the blessing God was to give Jeroboam's son was an early death 'because in him there is found something pleasing to the Lord'.

 

God will bless those who are godly in ways that may seem strange to us.  But in the end 'God works all things for the good of those who love Him.'  Amen. 

 

God the Father, give me mercy even when that mercy must be severe.

God the Son, give me grace though it kill me.

God the Spirit, give me love though it break my heart.

 

Trusting God in spite of our eyes,

Pastor Greg

1 Kings 9:4-6

1 Kings 9:4-6^ESV

And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules,  5 then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, 'You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'  6 But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them,

 

Solomon's father was a murderer, an adulterer, a despot, one who held grudges—deadly grudges, among all the normal sins of lying, stealing, and whatever other commonplace sin you can imagine.

 

Solomon on the other hand, at least 3000 years later appears to be just a normal run of the mill hedonist who got lucky: he became the richest king up to his time. 

 

What then does it mean that David was a man who walked 'with integrity of heart and uprightness'?

 

I did a very quick word study through the Bible (ESV) on the word 'integrity'.  It shows up 25 times (once in the NT).  These are the definitions I came up with based on the uses listed at the end:

 

"honesty, consistency in your dealings with what you claim; a way of life that affects every area of life; not 'crooked', not false to what is right; also relates to how one speaks/teaches others" Genesis 20:5; Job 2:9; Psalm 26:1; Proverbs 10:9; Titus 2:7

 

The American Heritage Dictionary:

Integrity noun

1. Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.
2. Soundness.
3. Completeness; unity.

From the Latin integer, whole

 

So how is it that David's heart could have integrity?  Certainly his moral code demanded better behavior?  Certainly he was crooked in at least some of his schemes?

 

Wrong answer: 

It is not that (as some Christians might say) that he had Christ and therefore perfect righteousness was won for them and their sin doesn't matter (may it never be!).  Christians who hid their own cowardice in fighting their own sin behind a piety of 'well I have a proper view of the atonement' are fooling themselves and in danger of hearing 'I never knew you!'  (Rom 6:1-4; John 8:34-38; Matthew 25:45-46)

 

Another wrong answer:

"It is God's job to forgive sins just like it is my job to sin."  This is a paraphrase of a French guy (Voltair?).  His answer is of course blasphemous; American Evangelicals wouldn't say this of course, but we so easily overlook our little sins (Respectable Sins is what Jerry Bridges calls them—run, don't walk to buy and devour that book!).  Read what Jesus says about that: Matthew 6:27-30—really, read it, ponder it, then think of ways to obey it by ruthlessly cutting out those things that tempt you and would ultimately cast you into Hell because of their deceitfulness.

 

Potentially right answer:

What is interesting in my heart is that I think both of the answers above contain the truth.  The problem is (and David evidently didn't have this problem which is why God declared he had a heart of integrity) is that we rely on them without faith as it were.  In other words: we rely on them half heartedly.  We hear them and we assent to them with our heads: "Oh yeah, I know that's true.  I must be good!"  But we haven't allowed the impact of their truth to change us.  We haven't allowed our hearts to hear what is true for us to make us like Christ (now go back and re-read those passages I listed above: no, do it before you read on!). 

 

In one of the most important passages in the Bible on how to understand the OT faith Paul explains why the majority of Jews were not redeemed (Romans 9:30-10:4).  David trusted in God's righteousness instead of his own.  David combined faith: trusting in the promises of God for you in Christ (ok, His Anointed because Christ hadn't yet come in the flesh).  When we look to God as the source of our righteousness and our power to overcome sin then we will begin to live the integrity David had.  Then we will be a part of God's effective PR campaign because people see us as living examples of what it means really to trust Jesus with every aspect of our lives.

 

Praise Jesus!

 

Praise You Father for showing us what righteousness looks like.

Praise You Son for living that righteousness and crediting that righteousness to us.

Praise You Spirit for living that righteousness out in us.

 

Living with integrity with you,

Pastor Greg

1 Kings 4:1-19

1 Kings 4:1-6 ^ESV

King Solomon was king over all Israel, ² and these were his high officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest; ³ Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; ⁴ Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; ⁵ Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was priest and king's friend; ⁶ Ahishar was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram the son of Abda was in charge of the forced labor.

 

If you read those verses that means you went to Sunday School.  If you actually did a reasonable job pronouncing those verses it means you paid attention in Sunday School.  If you took one glance and jumped down to this paragraph that means you need to go to Sunday School and pay attention!

 

Names, names, and more names!  Carefully spelled out instructions on how to build Tabernacles and priestly garments repeated over and over again!  Our God is nothing if He is not detailed; and people matter a great deal to Him: especially those whose names we find it hard to pronounce! 

 

Never forget that: God knows everything and He loves everyone (at least until they are finally and awfully separated from His love).  People matter to God, so don’t play fast and loose with the souls of men (only one of 3 things that last forever along with God and His Word!).

 

Thank You Father that You love people.

Thank You Son that You loved me enough to die for me.

Thank You Spirit that You love me enough to make me loveable.

 

Loving like God loves us along with you,

Pastor Greg

2 Samuel 22:26-27

2 Samuel 22:26-27 ^ESV

With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; ²⁷ with the purified you deal purely, and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.

 

The ‘God is a big Granpa in the sky’ view is utterly torn away in this verse (as it is throughout the whole Bible).  God shows Himself as ‘tortuous’ doesn’t seem fair.  But that is exactly how the unbelieving world sees Him who do not want to believe/trust Him.

 

One of my high school friends (whose family was very Catholic in the bad sense—yes, there is a ‘good’ sense you can be Catholic—can a Baptist preacher say that???) has come to call himself an atheist.  God is tortuous to him; he just cannot see God as anything but a mean God (so he chooses not to ‘believe’ in Him.  That is one of the saddest things I have ever heard.

 

But this verse explains God: He is merciful, He is blameless, He is pure, and He is tortuous to those who are ‘crooked’.  We have come to associate ‘crooked’ with mere avarice: greed accompanied by funny dealings.  But crooked I think is a much broader term in this context.  Crooked is as opposed to ‘straight, in line with God and His righteousness.  In this case, crooked means one who will not walk ‘God’s Path’—if you haven’t seen “End of the Spear” rent it, buy it, or borrow it and watch it soon (if you steal it you’ll probably miss some of the ‘goodness’ of the movie). 

 

Father in Heaven, save my friend’s soul by saving him from himself.

Son on Earth, glorify Your Name with his salvation.

Spirit among us, tear down the false walls he has built around his heart.

 

Save us from ourselves.

 

Walking as straight as I can along with you,

Pastor Greg