Bible In 90 Days – Day 35

Reading: Nehemiah

So much “meat” in this book!  Here are some key things that I got from this reading of the book.  Each time I see something different and applicable to my life – thank you God!

Take Away(s):

• An attitude of Prayer. 1:6. Each time I read this verse, I am humbled by Nehemiah’s attitude of prayer.  If you read between the lines of this single verse, he is praying to God day and night – as he worked for the king, as he was at home, as he did everything.  Also, Nehemiah’s prayer that the Lord hear and see his prayer.  To me, this means that Nehemiah’s actions, thoughts, and his heart were part of his prayer life.  It was far more than the stolen or specific time set aside to talk to God – it was his attitude and actions throughout his entire day.

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Bible In 90 Days – Day 34

Reading: 2 Chronicles 35:16 – Ezra 10:44

Take Away(s):

• God Uses All to Accomplish His Purposes. It’s interesting to see how God uses Cyrus for his glory and return of Israel from Exile.  Wikipedia says, “Cyrus initiated a general policy that can be described as a policy of permitting religious freedom throughout his vast empire. He brought peace to the Babylonians and is said to have kept his army away from the temples and restored the statues of the Babylonian gods to their sanctuaries. Another example of his religious policies,…was his treatment of the Jews during their exile in Babylon…with the decree…which returned the exiles to the Promised Land from Babylon along with a commission to rebuild the temple.” Sometimes we mistakenly expect that God can only use people who acknowledge Him, but forget that He is GOD…and can use all (for He created all) for his purposes. God moved Cyrus’ heart, so he didn’t speak to Cyrus or even use an Israeli or Judaen prophet – God powerfully and profoundly moved Cyrus’ heart.
• A picture of Confession. Neh 10:1. I know I am guilty of an attitude of confession that probably leaves a lot to be desired in sincerity.  Reading about Ezra’s confession makes me humble – if sin is sin in God’s eyes (which it is, even though I categorize it wrongly), my “smallest” sin (in my eyes, not God’s) should result in an attitude just like Ezra’s.  forgive me oh Great God…

Bible In 90 Days – Day 33

Reading: 2 Chronicles 23:16 – 2 Chronicles 35:15

Take Away(s):

• Technologist. 26:15. As I read this verse, Uzziah was quite the technologist for war fighting.  He saw and implemented technologies that were probably in use by his adversaries.  Because of this, he became famous and was aided in his victories by this technology.  Regarding the “machines”, the ESV Study Bible says, “[machines]” are war machines from which men hurled projectiles in defense of the city. Murals from the siege of Lachish (701 b.c.) show defenders on the city walls shooting arrows and hurling stones from behind wooden frames on which shields have been hung.” Pretty cool to think that he used technology!  Lesson here: Always look for ways to be more effective, even borrowing ideas from others.
• Pride and Misplaced Confidence. 26:16-21. It would appear that Uzziah’s machines became his undoing, “His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful.” Other kings had allied themselves to gain victory rather than depending on God; here he used/depended upon/put confidence in technology instead of the Lord. Counterpoint to the lesson above: God honors creativity, but not at the expense of our relienace on Him or fullfilling His purposes and plans for His glorification.  If I get lost in the tech – even while serving God – it is for naught.

Bible In 90 Days – Day 32

Reading: 2 Chronicles 7:11 – 2 Chronicles 23:15

Take Away(s):

• Conditional. 7:14. This is the well-known and oft quoted passage about countries humbling themselves before the Lord (in the US, it is a call to the values that our founders had). When taken in the context of the whole passage, it deals specifically with God choosing to dwell in the tabernacle that Solomon had built for Him and providing the conditions by which He (God) would remove the punishments deserved by His people for turning their back on Him.  [EDITORIAL: Like many passages, we must be careful about saying “this directly applies to me/us/them” when read in the specific and contextual sense of the passage.  That said, this passage (like so many of them in the Old and New Testaments) shows us God’s character and life lessons that can be gleaned by the actions or inaction of people in the Bible.] Specifically here, I pray that our nation, our culture, our churches,…me(!) will “get” the complete equation of this verse.  For those of you who are Excel geeks, just had to do this: =IF(Israel=”Humility+prayer+seek_God+repentance”, Hear_forgive_heal, 0). HA!
• Proper Reliance. 16:7-9. In my bible, I have a note scribbled at these verses: “relying on self vs. God.” Here, Asa relies on himself rather than God (who he had previously).  How easy it is to strike out on our own – even when we know that past successes were only possible through God’s providence.  Verse 9 is pretty convicting too: notice that it doesn’t say “…to strengthen those whose outward actions or lofty intentions are fully committed to him.”  God looks at my heart!
• Family Worship. 20:13. I love the specificity of this verse in describing who was before the Lord: “All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD.” It wasn’t just about the king petitioning and worshiping God. It wasn’t just about the men. It was their entire family.

Bible In 90 Days – Day 31

Reading: 1 Chronicles 24:1 – 2 Chronicles 7:10

Take Away(s):

• Friendship & Counsel. 27:32-33. In reading these two verses, it’s cool to see the distinct roles and types of people that David had close to him: counselors and friend.  I did a quick check on the Hebrew lexicon and the word for friend in verse 33 is one that means close, intimate, companion, or fellow (different from the word that means “friend of the king (technical sense), which is also used to describe Hushai in 2 Samuel).  I take this to mean that David had a relationship with Hushai that allowed Hushai to respectfully, yet openly speak to David.  We see in 2 Samuel 15-17 that he was a good friend – as opposed to David’s counselor Ahithophel (who dropped a dime on David!)  I wonder if the change in words for friend came after Hushai stood by David when Ahithophel sold David out to Absolom.  Words and their nuances are powerful!
• How to Please God. 29:17 “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity.” Not much to say on this one…pretty clear on how to please God.
• Excellence maters. 2 Chronicles 4. When you read about the elaborate and ornate design of the Temple furnishings, it seems excessive.  But think about it – this is the house where the Creator of the universe, the almighty God, the One who had done so many amazing things was to live.  How could it not be excellent and ornate.  A friend from Twitter is attending the Hillsong conference this week and, in his recap of the first night, made a statement about the worship portion – the lights, lasers, etc.  He said that many may see it as excessive – even “spectacle”; but, “God deserves spectacle.” How true.  Certainly we must balance that with appropriateness and wisdom, but GOD deserves “spectacle!” Our worship (read: everything we do) of God should MUST be excellent!

Another catch up post.  I find myself putting aside the blogging in lieu of staying on top of the Bible in 90 Days reading schedule – which is definitely more important than blogging!  Anyway…here are BIND day 25 through 30 takeaways!

Bible In 90 Days – Day 25

Reading: 1 Kings 7:38 – 1 Kings 16:20

Take Away(s):

• God came close. 8:27.  The cool part about this verse is the knowledge that God later came to earth in a completely approachable state when Jesus  lives on earth.  I guess we should still ask the question that Solomon asked – even with the full knowledge of the answer!  At times when I am reading these passages, it profoundly gets me to think that the God who dwelt in the tabernacle and temple…lived inside my heart!  HIM: Amazing! me: unworthy and grateful.
• He knows us, intimately. 8:39.  How convicting to realize that the awesome God who created the universe and who came close (see above)…knows me.  Lives in my heart…even though He knows my heart condition.  He forgives me and loves me – again, AMAZING!
• Nooooo!. 12:28. I know this is Monday Morning Quarterbacking (for that mater, reading the bible and learning from people’s examples is a constant exercise in that action), A GOLDEN CALF?  Hello, Jeroboam?  Remember Moses?

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Bible In 90 Days – Day 20

Reading: 1 Samuel 2:30 – 1 Samuel 15:35

Take Away(s):

• Intercessor. In 2:25, Eli rhetorically asks his sons about who will intercede for a man who sins against the Lord.  Praise God, we have an intercessor – the Holy Spirit!
• Ministering but now knowing. It’s interesting the distinction seen between 3:1 ans 3:7. In verse one, we see Samuel ministered before the Lord; but in verse seven, we see that he did not know the Lord.
• Words falling to the ground. Interesting phrase in 3:19.  My study bible says that everything that Samuel spoke was fulfilled.  His words had credibility as a prophet of God.
• Obedience vs. Sacrifice. Verse 15:22 boils it down to what God actual desires from the Israelites…and from us.  God is God and doesn’t really have “needs” as we would understand them.  What he desires is our obedience.  As I read this, my first impression is that God needed the stuff that was being sacrificed; but it was actually more about their obedience to His commands.  In our day, how easy it is to think that we can “give” our way to pleasing God.  Really, when we understand giving, it is more an obedience thing…

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Bible In 90 Days – Day 18

Reading: Judges 3:28 – Judges 15:12

Take Away(s):

• Deborah. So, whoever said there weren’t power and confident women in the Bible?  She was one of the five prophetesses in the bible.  I love what the ESV Study Bible says about Deborah: While the pattern of apostasy continues (esp. 4:1–3), Deborah distinguishes herself as the most godly of all the judges; it is ironic that the most distinguished judge was a woman (4:8–9). She was a prophet (4:4) and “a mother in Israel” (5:7), and many sought out her judicial decisions at the “palm of Deborah” (4:5). She instructed Barak in the conduct of the battle (4:9, 14) and led in the victory song in ch. 5, where she figures prominently (5:7, 12, 15). Deborah’s actions and words consistently pointed to God, not away from him, in contrast to the poor choices of judges like Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson.
• Jael. The cool part of the account of Jael fooling then killing Jabin (the king of Canaan) is that she was used of GOD.  Don’t miss this – God used and still uses women in profound ways to advance His kingdom and Gospel. Judges 4:23 On that day God subdued Jabin, the Canaanite king, before the Israelites.
• Gideon’s Ephod. I have a Tommy Walker devotional book that has a great take on the Judges 8:24-27 passage.  It’s called Don’t Worship Worship and it is about how the people and Gideon ended up worshiping an instrument of worship (the Ephod) instead of the One who was to be worshiped.  A good reminder to us to not worship the music, instruments, musicians, etc. that we use in worshiping got instead of God!

If you’re participating in BIND, what were your observations?

Bible In 90 Days – Day 17

Reading: Joshua 15:1 – Judges 3:27

Take Away(s):

So when I read each day, I usually put a tic next to a verse or group of verses that just sticks out or that means something to me.  As I looked back over today’s reading, each one was a declarative statement that was made about God, to Israel or about the person making the statement.  The cool part is that these statements are true still today!

• 21:45. Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. Unlike many of ours, God’s promises are ever true!
• 22:5. “But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” Luke 10:27 – ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
• 24:14-15. “Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” May the final sentence be true in me and my family – through the power of the Holy Spirit!
• Judges 2:3. [The angel of the Lord speaking to Israel after they broke their covenant with the Lord] “Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.” If we don’t drive out or truly turn away from our sin (through the power of the Holy Spirit), our sin becomes a thorn in our side…constantly irritating and ensnaring us.  BUT: “…greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

If you’re participating in BIND, what were your observations?