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Truth & Lies

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TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Chronicles 29-30 & Romans 3
Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 29- Mr. Fix It

2 Chronicles 29:9
“For indeed, because of this our fathers have fallen by the sword; and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity.”

When Hezekiah assumed the throne, the nation of Judah was experiencing difficult times. The Assyrian forces had defeated most of the nations surrounding them, and the threat of Judah being… Read More

2 Chronicles 30- The Runner

2 Chronicles 30:6
“Then the runners went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the king and his leaders, and spoke according to the command of … Read More

Romans 3- Truth & Lies

Romans 3:4
“Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar.”

A few years ago, I was returning home from one of my many visits to West Africa. Since it was a day flight, most of the passengers were wide awake, doing anything they could to pass… Read More

No Excuses

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TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Chronicles 27-28 & Romans 2

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 27- Always Watching

2 Chronicles 27:6
“So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.”

My early years in ministry were spent as a Bible teacher at a Christian school. I recall one occasion, when I was … Read More 

2 Chronicles 28- My Fault

2 Chronicles 28:19
“For the Lord brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had encouraged moral decline in Judah and had been continually unfaithful to the Lord.”

It seems to me that men are addicted to titles. We give nicknames to our friends and relatives, the moment a catastrophe happens people are racing to give it a catchy name… Read More

New Testament: Romans 2- No Excuses

excuses.pngRomans 2:1
“Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”

Beginning with the eighteenth verse of chapter one, Paul is … Read More

The Gospel

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TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Chronicles 25-26 & Romans 1

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 25- It’s Not About The Money

2 Chronicles 25:9
“Then Amaziah said to the man of God, ‘But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?’ And the man of God answered, ‘The Lord is able to give you much more than this.’”

Amaziah was king of Judah during very tumultuous times. The surrounding nations were a continuous threat, war was a way of life, and the people lived with the constant fear of being attacked. In order… Read More

New Testament: Romans – The Gospel

Romans 1:1
“Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God . . .”

The Gospel was the favorite subject of the Apostle Paul. He used the term four times in the first chapter of Romans, 15 times in the book, and a total of 71 times… Read More

Oh Gravity!

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TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Chronicles 23-24 & Psalms 149-150

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 24- Oh Gravity!

2 Chronicles 24:20
“Thus says God: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He also has forsaken you. ’”

Isaac Newton is credited with discovering certain laws governing the natural world. These laws cannot be broken. The law of gravity simply states, what goes up must come down. We prove that to be true each time we toss something into the air… Read More

Psalm 149- A New Song

Psalms 149:1
“Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise in the assembly of saints.”

Sometimes, worship can have a tired feel to it because we are singing the same songs over and over again. It is so refreshing when the worship team brings a new song; partly because new songs come out of new experiences with the Lord. I spent many weeks of my early years of ministry serving… Read More

Psalm 150- In His Sanctuary

Psalms 150:1
“Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!”

The church serves many purposes, not the least of which is as a place for the people of God to gather together and worship. When we meet with the congregation, turn our attention upward and begin to worship, something takes place in time and eternity. We are given… Read More 

 

Set The Gatekeeper

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2 Chronicles 23:19
“And he set the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the Lord, so that no one who was in any way unclean should enter.”

IMG_1074.jpgThere are many fascinating ministry roles found throughout the Bible. There were those who served as priests and entered the presence of the Lord on behalf of the people, others who served as kings or governors and were responsible to lead the people and those who served as prophets with the responsibility of teaching the people. Each of these roles must be a part of our walk with God. We need to serve as a priest who prays for others, a king who leads others and prophet who shares the word of the Lord with others. That said, we find a lesser known ministry role tucked away in this text. We read of the gatekeepers who protected the house of the Lord from anything that would defile it. Their responsibility was to forbid anyone from entering the temple who was not allowed or from bringing anything forbidden into the Temple. This is another necessary ministry that each of us must model daily.

The bible explains that the believer is the temple of God and that there are things that we need to guard against if we are going to remain pure and effective. Like the gatekeeper of old we need to set a watch over our eyes and ears to protect ourselves from anything that would defile us or lead us astray. Big sins always start with little compromises. A person who falls from the Lord did not set out to do so, instead they failed to act as a gatekeeper and allowed ungodly thoughts to lead to ungodly actions. The failure to guard what comes in has led to broken marriages, church splits, returning to old habits and in some cases hardened hearts that remain unwilling to turn back to God.

Set a watch over your life and guard yourself against anything that will weaken your witness or put out your burning passion for Christ.

Jim

 

 

A Mother’s Influence

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TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Chronicles 21-22 & Psalms 147-148

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 22- A Mother’s Influence

2 Chronicles 22:3
“He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother advised him to do wickedly.”

These were dark days in Judah. The once glorious land was filled with idols, immorality and unrighteousness. This had so weakened the nation, they were being attacked and defeated on all sides. Desperate times like these always provide a backdrop for men and women of God to rise to the occasion, and have a tremendous… Read More

Psalm 147- Great Is The Lord 

Psalm 147:5
“Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.”

Bible writers use a variety of adjectives to help us better understand God. The Psalmist chooses the word great. Great is a word with vast meaning. It can indicate size; one dictionary defines it as “very… Read More

Psalm 148- The Earth’s Language

Psalms 148:1-4
“Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!
Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!
Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all… Read More

 

Made To Praise

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TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Chronicles 19-20 & Psalms 145-146

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 20- Confused

2 Chronicles 20:12
“O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
… Read More

Psalm 145- Memorial Stone

Psalm 145:4
“One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.”

When God divided the Jordan River, enabling… Read More

Psalm 146- Made To Praise

Psalms 146:1-2
“Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
While I live I will praise the Lord;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.”

Praise is pretty common. If you have ever watched a sporting event you will hear it. One team goes ahead in the final seconds and the arena bursts forth in praise. Sometimes however the opposing team… Read More

What Matters Most

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TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Chronicles 17-18 & Psalms 143-144

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 17- What Matters Most

2 Chronicles 17:1
“Then Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened himself against Israel.”

Sometimes, when reading our way through the Bible, we come across phrases that don’t seem to make sense. This is one of those times. In this text we find the king… Read More

2 Chronicles 18- Achilles Hill

2 Chronicles 18:31
“So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, ‘It is the king of Israel!’ Therefore they surrounded him to attack; but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him, and God diverted them from him.”

Greek mythology tells the story of the great warrior, Achilles, who survived many battles. As a baby, the legend foretold… Read More

Psalm 143- Seeking First

Psalm 143:1
“Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications!”


In Matthew 6:33 Jesus told us, in the difficulties of life, we should seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

In Verse 1 of this Psalm, David cries out to the Lord and we see a very clear example of what seeking the Lord… Read More 

Recipe For Success

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TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Chronicles 15-16 & Psalms 141-142

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 15- It’s That Simple

2 Chronicles 15:2
“And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: ‘Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.’”

Sometimes we come across passages of Scripture that are difficult to interpret. The imagery is something… Read More

2 Chronicles 16- Warning Label

2 Chronicles 16:9
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”

There are some truths that are so powerful it seems … Read More

Psalm 141- Recipe for Success

Psalm 141:1 “Lord, I cry out to You; make haste to me! Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.”

Psalm 141:2 “Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”

Psalm 141:8 “But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord; in You I take refuge; do not leave my soul destitute.”… Read More 

Psalm 142- Complaint Department

Psalms 142:2
“I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble.”

Complaining is often the result of looking at the one thing that is going wrong instead of the many things that are going well. We might have a day off work, be gathering with our family at a park or at the beach, and instead of enjoying the day we begin to complain that it is too windy, too hot… Read More

It’s That Simple

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TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Chronicles 15-16 & Psalms 141-142

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 15- It’s That Simple

2 Chronicles 15:2
“And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: ‘Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.’”

Sometimes we come across passages of Scripture that are difficult to interpret. The imagery is something we do not quite understand, or we feel as though… Read More

2 Chronicles 16- Warning Label

2 Chronicles 16:9
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”

There are some truths that are so powerful it seems… Read More

Psalm 141- Recipe For Success

Psalm 141:1 “Lord, I cry out to You; make haste to me! Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.”

Psalm 141:2 “Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”

Psalm 141:8 “But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord; in You I take refuge; do not leave my soul destitute.” … Read More 

Psalm 142- Complaint Department

Psalms 142:2
“I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble.”

Complaining is often the result of looking at the one thing that is going wrong instead of the many things that are going well. We might have a day off work, be gathering with our family at a park or at the beach, and instead of enjoying the day we begin to complain that it is too windy, too hot or there are too… Read More