Jim Gallagher

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 1 Chronicles 24-25 & Psalms 120-122
Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 24- Raising Leaders

1 Chronicles 24:4
“There were more leaders found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar, and thus they were divided. Among the sons of Eleazar were sixteen heads of their fathers’ houses, and eight heads of their fathers’ houses among the sons of Ithamar.”
… Read More

1 Chronicles 25- God Speaks

1 Chronicles 25:1
“Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals…”

Worship is an important part of the life of the believer and the health of the local church. It is a time when we are able to take our eyes off ourselves and our circumstances and put them on the Lord. It is a time when we are able to declare the truths about the character and behavior of God in a way that brings Him glory and magnifies… Read More

Psalm 120- Sticks And Stones

Psalms 120:4
“Sharp arrows of the warrior,
With coals of the broom tree!”

I grew up hearing “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” I am quite certain that those who… Read More

Psalm 121- Lift Up My Eyes

Psalms 121:1-2
“I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.”

Life is filled with trying … Read More

Psalm 119:5-6
“Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes! Then I would not be ashamed, when I look into all Your commandments”

The devil is crafty and a master of deception. Paul referred to him as an angel of light, because of his ability to disguise himself in order to fool the Christian.

When we are first introduced to him in the garden,  we watch as he tricks Eve into thinking the one thing that her loving God has forbidden, is of more value than all the fruit of the garden or the freedom she has been given. He has been deceiving people ever since, fooling us into thinking the ways of God are too restrictive and that sin will satisfy us. Once he has convinced us to walk outside the boundaries of God’s Word and get involved in that which is forbidden, his job is only half done. Instead of leaving us alone and moving on to deceive another, he turns his weapons back on us and begins an assault of shame. His fiery arrows begin to assault our minds with shame. We are defeated by the sin we have committed, and continue in defeat as we wallow in shame and guilt. We are repulsed by our failure, and instead of entering boldly into the throne of grace, where mercy and grace flow from our loving Father, we cower back with feelings of unworthiness. We question how God could love us and fear that we will never overcome the weaknesses of our flesh. There, in our miry clay, the devil holds us bound in shame and guilt; keeping us from abundant life or from impacting others for the kingdom of Heaven.

I want to assure you, that if you have received the pardon of sin that Christ offers on Calvary’s Cross, ALL your sins have been washed away. The blood of Christ is rich enough to pardon the sin that you have stumbled back into. Right this moment, receive that pardon and rise from the ashes of your failure to walk in the victory that is yours in Christ.

That being said, the Psalmist speaks here of one of the greatest ways to avoid pitfalls of the devil and ending up overcome with shame.

“Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes! Then I would not be ashamed, when I look into all Your commandments.”

The key to avoiding the pitfalls of the enemy, is walking in the right direction, and staying in bounds. The key to remaining on track, is allowing the Word of God to shine continually upon your life and guide your steps. One of the ways we fail, is when we come to a crossroad and find ourselves face to face with temptation. On the one hand, we are being greatly pressed to step outside the boundaries and pursue what we know God has forbidden, while on the other hand, we desire to please Him and do what is right. Right there, in the midst of the battle, we will find great strength from the perfect Law of liberty. Like a valiant soldier, as we reach into the sheath, removing the Sword of the Spirit, we will find the enemy is vanquished with the power of the Word. Later, in times of confusion, when we are not sure what the way of the Lord is, we can find guidance that keeps us on track. Have you ever, when facing decision time or great temptation, taken a moment to search for what the Scripture has to say? Using an online concordance, you can look into the statutes of God regarding the situation you are facing. The light of the Word will shine in your life, and you will find the help you need to avoid falling again into shame.

Let’s be sure, today, to allow our steps to be directed by His statutes.

Pastor Jim

 

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 1 Chronicles 22-23 & Psalms 117-118
Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 22- The Word Of God Is Greater

1 Chronicles 22:13
“Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the Lord charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

As the time of David’s departure drew near he took the time to… Read More

1 Chronicles 23- Everyday

1 Chronicles 23:30
“. . . to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at evening; . . .”

The Levites were the tribe appointed to serve around the Tabernacle and later, the Temple. Here, we are reminded of their duties. Webster defines duty as “assigned service, obligation or required activity.” Their duty … Read More

Psalm 117- Short But Sweet

Psalm 117
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!
Laud Him, all you peoples!
For His merciful kindness is great toward us,
And the truth of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!”

It is not always the longest, or even the most creative works, that become the most well known. I am not a poet, and cannot speak to the artistic side of things, but I doubt… Read More

Psalm 118- Killer Bees 
Psalms 118:12
“They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.”

A few years ago I was part of an outreach in a remote area of northern Ghana. One afternoon a few of us went for a walk… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 1 Chronicles 20-21 & Psalms 115-116
Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 20- Let’s Battle

1 Chronicles 20:1
“It happened in the spring of the year, at the time kings go out to battle… But David stayed at Jerusalem…”

Although the writer of Chronicles does not include it here, this is the time when David compromised, broke… Read More

1 Chronicles 21- Full Price

1 Chronicles 21:24
“Then King David said to Ornan, ‘No, but I will surely buy it for the full price, for I will not take what is yours for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings with that which costs me nothing.’” 

When it comes to worship, we can learn much from King David. The longest book in the Bible is a book of praise songs, and David… Read More
Psalm 115- In His Image

Psalm 115:8
“Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them.”

I remember being in a cultural anthropology class in college, when the professor said, “the Bible says man was created in the image of God, but I believe God was created in the image of man.” While I… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 1 Chronicles 18-19 & Psalms 113-114
Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 18- Team Work

1 Chronicles 18:1
“After this it came to pass that David attacked the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its towns from the hand of the Philistines.”

This chapter records the successful military endeavors of King David. We read of his defeating, or… Read More

1 Chronicles 19- When Things Go Wrong

1 Chronicles 19:4
“Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away.”

David sent a handful of his men, as goodwill ambassadors, to Ammon. They went with a gift, as a way to offer condolences to the king for the death of his father. When they arrived, instead of being welcomed, they were brutally mistreated and embarrassed; their beards were shaved and their clothing cut to reveal

… Read More

Psalm 113- He Humbles Himself

Psalm 113:6
“Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in the heavens and in the earth?”

A few years ago my wife and I were window shopping at an outdoor mall in southern California when we stumbled onto a crowd of people huddled around a large telescope. We decided to stand in line and see what they were… Read More 

Psalm 114- Rock Into Water

Psalms 114:8
“Who turned the rock into a pool of water, The flint into a fountain of waters.”

Israel was in a bad place. Conservative estimates calculate the camp of Israel to be nearly 2 million souls. They had left the comfort of the Nile river and began the arduous journey through… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 1 Chronicles 14-15 & Psalms 109-110
Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 14- Lesson Learned

1 Chronicles 14:10
“And David inquired of God, saying, ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?’ The Lord said to him, ‘Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.’”

David’s domestic policy included doing everything possible to ensure… Read More

1 Chronicles 15- The Proper Order

1 Chronicles 15:13
“For because you did not do it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.”

This was David’s second attempt to bring the ark of the covenant to its new home in Jerusalem. The first time was an utter failure, resulting in death. This time, David wanted to be sure to do things right, so he consulted the Word of God. Because God designed the Tabernacle, He is also the one who wrote the… Read More
Psalm 109- Divine Justice

Psalm 109:2
“My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.”

When I read the songs of David, I am fascinated with the level in which He knew the Lord. He expresses praise in a way that… Read More

Psalm 110- Footstool

Psalms 110:1
The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”

This psalm is one of the most detailed prophecies of Christ in the Old Testament. It goes into great detail to speak of the person and the work of the Messiah. In it we find reference to the deity of Christ when… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 1 Chronicles 12-13 & Psalms 107-108
Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 12- Heroes In Training

1 Chronicles 12:15
“These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks; and they put to flight all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west.”

As I read through 1Chronicles, I am struck by the heroic actions of those who served alongside king David. His reign led Israel to the height of their success as a nation, and resulted in establishing peace with the surrounding nations. This success was not accomplished alone, but was a result  of heroic men who… Read More

1 Chronicles 13- God’s Way

1 Chronicles 13:8
“Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets.”… Read More

Psalm 107- Give Thanks

Psalm 107:1
“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”

The evolution of love is seen in the relationship between children and parents. An infant child cannot survive on his own and is completely dependent upon the mercy, grace and love of the parents. In a proper relationship the parents give time, energy, even sleep for the benefit of the child. As the relationship develops so does the love, it is not long before the parents begin to see the return in their investment. I can remember… Read More

 

Psalm 108- Count On The Promises Of God

Psalm 108:12
“Give us help from trouble,
For the help of man is useless.”

David knew what it was like to receive help from others. One of the greatest stories in the Bible speaks of a time when he was so deeply discouraged that he felt as though there was no hope. It was into that scene… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 1 Chronicles 10-11 & Psalms 105-106
Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 10- Epitaphs

1 Chronicles 10:13
“So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the Lord, because he did not keep the word of the Lord, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance.”… Read More 

1 Chronicles 11- Coming Soon!
1 Chronicles 11:1-3
“Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron, saying, ‘Indeed we are your bone and your flesh. Also, in time past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the Lord your God … Read More

Psalm 105- Tested
Psalms 105:19
“…The word of the Lord tested him.”
This psalm recounts the faithfulness of God during the days of the patriarchs. After mentioning Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the Psalmist reminds us of the struggles Joseph faced after being sold into slavery by his own brothers. We know he experienced… Read More

Psalm 106- Leanness Of Soul

Psalm 106:13-15
“They soon forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.”

As Israel followed God out of Egypt… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 & Psalms 103-104
Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10- A Fresh Start

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

“Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “’Because I bore him in pain.’ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!’ So God granted him what he requested.”… Read More

Psalm 103- East From West

Psalm 103:11-13
“For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.”
It is a common advertising strategy to attempt to sell an item by comparing it to something else. We might see a car commercial with a cheetah running, to convince us of the speed of the vehicle; or a flowing river, to reveal… Read More    

Psalm 104- Majesty Of God

Psalms 104:1
“Bless the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, You are very great:
You are clothed with honor and majesty”

The greatness of God causes the psalmist to break forth in… Read More