Family drama with loyalty, lies, and executions! A grieving mother, a wise woman, a troublemaker, a King & his sons, mighty warriors, an angel of death, tongues of fire, and Giants!
Wow! June 1-8 was such an amazing action-packed week with the Lord through The One Year Bible.
I hope you have been really enjoying your reading so far, but no worries if you have missed a few days. Feel free to jump in today! And, that’s what I love about The One Year Bible reading plan, you can jump in at any point, and you are never behind. Everyday is a new start, and if you continue you’ll get to it all! So, I encourage you to jump right in today! I’ll include the dates again at the end of this post.
Our first week was in The Old Testament in 2nd Samuel 13-24 and starting in Kings 1-4. We got to witness the final season of King David’s life. And, then in The New Testament, we began the next chapter of God’s amazing plan at the end of John 20-21 and in Acts 1-6 with the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ! We watched the disciples receive the power of the Holy Spirit, and many others become saved by the amazing Good News of the Gospel. Such a wonderful week!
We were continuing our study of Proverbs 16 with verses 14-27. And, I was truly amazed at the entire Proverb; as, it miraculously summarized so much of everything we were reading!
Proverbs 16: The Lord works out everything to its proper end- even the wicked for a day of disaster 4, The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished 5. Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for: through fear of the Lord evil is avoided 6.… In their hearts humans plan their course but the LORD establishes their steps 9. Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness… 12 Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall 18… Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful 20… Discretion is a life-giving fountain to those who possess it, but discipline is wasted on fools 22… Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body 24…. There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death 25…. Proverbs 16 (NIV &NLT)
That last verse really hits, as the “path” we take often SEEMS so right, but choosing a path from our “OWN” reasoning without seeking God’s will through His word and in prayer, can certainly lead to death!
This seems unfair! Why would I have to wait even longer when I have already endured enough? I know what is right, and I think God would want me to do it this way even though it goes against His word. That’s not really what He means… This feels right, so how can it be wrong? It’s okay to be rude to people who are rude to me!
That last thought is the hardest one for me. When someone is mean or rude, I know I want justice! But, I also know God’s word:
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12:19
So, I can choose to obey the Lord, and follow His word, or I can choose to take my “OWN” path. It’s definitely an area for me to keep praying about and asking for the Lord’s help in. What about you? What is an area that you need the Lord’s help in?
Did you happen to notice as we walked through the many trials of the Old Testament: June 1-8, that much of the drama that occurred with King David, his sons, and his advisors happened because they were not ACTUALLY seeking God. They TALKED a lot about things that “sounded” godly: calling people lords, talking about kings, and Israel; but, they were not ACTUALLY seeking God himself! And, unfortunately this is what we can do sometimes too.
We talk about God, but we are not actually SEEKING GOD!
This was a great reminder that when “we” plan and “do” things in our OWN arrogant thoughts and reasoning apart from seeking the wisdom of the Lord through His word and prayer, “our” plans tend to be disastrous. Yes, “godly” people, and even entire churches find themselves in terrible situations when they step out in their OWN reasoning apart from seeking God and His word!
This thought is said well in Proverbs 11:2:
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” (Boom! Can I say mic drop here, or is that too cringey? Haha, I think my kids will cringe at me saying this. LOL!)
Do we recognize that acting out in our own thoughts is the sin of PRIDE? Pride is when we think that we know better than the Creator of the universe! Do we actually think that WE know better than God? You know who thinks he knows better than God? It’s the devil, and he will use absolutely every scheme to trick you into thinking you know better than God too! Pride is at the root of practically every sin, and it’s the opposite of trusting in the Lord. I pray that as we continue to review this week, and our readings this summer, that we will see the pride in our own hearts, and ask the Lord to help us remove our pride, and humble ourselves to trust in Him.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
We need You Lord to help us stay humble! Through the power of Your Holy Spirit, we truly need You to help us constantly seek You, and not lean in our own understanding!
As we begin our review, this is such a great reminder to make sure we are taking the time to seek the Lord in ALL things, and especially when coming to Him and reading His Word. (Don’t make this into a check list or summer book club. This is to help you know your Messiah, in a REAL relationship with the God of the Universe!)
A is for Ask in prayer.
Thank you Lord for ALL of YOUR wisdom. Help us to seek You and Your Word with Your understanding. Help us Lord take Your Word and hide it in our hearts so that we might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11) We love you Lord and we praise You for another week that we get to seek You. We love You Lord. Amen
I shared in the last post that Psalm 119 is one of my favorite chapters in the entire Bible. Psalm 119 happens to be the longest chapter in the Bible, and I love that it is filled with the most encouraging words that guide us in a heart that thirsts for God’s will and His word for our truth and understanding!
Psalm 119:160 “The very essence of your words is truth; all of your regulations will stand forever.”
Oh we praise You Lord for the Truth that You have written for us in Your Word. I am so thankful to You Lord that our Psalm study started here! And, I pray that this beautiful Psalm will impact those who read it in the same way.
Those who love your instructions have great peace, and do not stumble. I long for Your rescue, LORD, so I have obeyed your commands. I have obeyed your laws, for I love them very much. Yes, I obey your commandments and laws because you know everything I do. Psalm 119: 165-168
Okay, jumping into Day 2-8. We begin with Psalm 120-126, and we are getting ready to start one of the most incredible journeys that miraculously connects with our Old and New Testament readings.
So, Buckle up, or better yet, strap on your sandals, because we are going to begin an AMAZING trek up to Jerusalem on Mt. Zion, singing Psalms the entire way!
“Psalms 120-134 are called pilgrim psalms or songs of ascents. They were sung by those who journeyed to the temple for the annual festivals (3 times a year). Each Psalm represents a “step” along the journey in a distant land in hostile surroundings, Psalm 122 pictures the pilgrims arriving in Jerusalem, and the rest of the Psalms move toward the temple, mentioning the various characteristics of God.” – Life application Study Bible, NIV
First, I want to point out that I absolutely LOVE that this is such an amazing reminder, in case you have forgotten that we are reading about REAL people, in REAL places, and in REAL history!
I always love the reminder that we are not just reading stories. You may have noticed that I try to say “the people in the account” verses “the people in the story.” Well, I have to give my husband credit for this. He shared this language with me while teaching Sunday school together, and it’s been a blessed reminder that we are NOT just reading stories or fairy tales in the Bible! We are reading REAL ACCOUNTS, that occurred IN REAL HISTORY, of events that REALLY happened just a few thousand years ago. (Yep, not millions of years ago, and can’t wait to talk more about that as we get back into Genesis, if Lord-willing we are still moving through this plan. 🙂 ) But, when you start seeing history, the world, and the Bible through the lens of “this is all REAL;” then, the most amazing connections and the most amazing miracles in your heart begin to happen. The world suddenly begins to make sense. Giants, YES! Tongues of Fire, YES! Genealogies with names of REAL people, with years, times, and actual dates. YES! And, the way God has orchestrated it all is so amazing! And, do I believe all of it? Absolutely, YES!
This might seem like such a foreign concept to you, but before you move me into the “she’s crazy camp,” please stay with me awhile. Because, I truly believe that it’s these little leaps of faith to lay down our OWN reasoning and actually place our trust in our unseen God, and what He says in His Word is TRUE that will move mountains in our of faith and trust in Him.
How much do we actually trust Him? And, do we actually believe His word? Do we actually believe that He REALLY created the heavens, the mountains, and formed us in our mother’s womb? Do we really believe That God took the Son of God into heaven right before the disciples eyes? DO WE REALLY believe it?
Praise God, by His amazing grace that I actually DO BELIEVE, it truly is a miracle! And, praise God the devout Jews trekking up to Jerusalem singing these very Psalms really believed it too! And, the disciples that we met in John 20-Acts 6, also really believed it!
In fact, right before our very eyes, we miraculously witness the power of the Holy Spirt change these insecure, confused, and scared disciples into the bold, brave, and courageous men, that give their lives to share the 100% TRUTH of God’s word and what they believed!
So, we can imagine these devout Jewish pilgrims, traveling from distant lands, singing these 15 Psalms as they journeyed up to Mount Zion, also know as Jerusalem (the city of peace) to celebrate their 3 annual festivals. Jerusalem is 2,500 feet above sea level, so these travelers would face a very long up hill climb to participate in these festivals for God.
The pilgrims were journeying through very hostile surroundings, yet praise God, they knew their help came from Him, the maker of heaven and earth. And, despite their sin and fickle ways, we can see when their hearts, minds, and feet were seeking the way to Him, and they were comforted by Him and His understanding:
I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and He answered my prayer. Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from all deceitful people. O deceptive tongue, what will God do to you… I am tired of living among people who hate peace. I search for peace, but when I speak of peace they want war. – Psalm 120:1-3, 6-7 NLT (Day 2)
‘I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.’ (Day 3’s highlighted verse) Psalm 121:1-3 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. – Psalms 121:7 (Day 3)
Thank you Lord that we can take our troubles to you! We can cry out to You and You WILL answer our prayers. You Lord WILL rescue us from deceitful people. We are safe with You Jesus, and we find truth in Your Word. At times it’s painful to live in this broken world that seems so wicked and far from You, but we know that in You there is peace. Lord Jesus, please keep us on Your path, filling ourselves with your Truths so we will not depart from You!
B is for Bible.
Okay, ready to BE AMAZED by God’s word and His miraculous timing? June 5th is the day that everything came together for me! I am so always so amazed by God’s orchestration of it all!
I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven. We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy, for we have had our fill of contempt. We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud and the contempt of the arrogant. -Psalm 123: 1-5 (A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.)
It finally clicked for me that the jewish pilgrims making their way to Jerusalem, were traveling there for an annual Jewish festival called PENTECOST,
Okay, pay attention, we are going to do some math. Pentecost means 50 in Greek, and it is celebrated the 50th day after the Passover. In Acts 1:4, our resurrected Jesus just spent 40 days with His disciples, and He tells the disciples to not leave Jerusalem until the gift His Father has promised has come, and they will be baptized with the Holy Spirit,. And then, 10 days later, making it 50 days after Passover, we are now at the annual feast that our jewish pilgrims are traveling to, called PENTECOST!
“On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers. They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” Acts 2:1-11
So, here we have our devout Jewish pilgrims traveling from all different lands that speak all different languages, singing these very Psalms that we have been reading, Psalm 120-134. So, we know that these jewish pilgrims KNOW the Word of God, and many of them have hearts seeking HIM. And, from reading His word, they know that Lord has promised someone from King David’s throne to reign forever and ever (Psalm 134:12). So, this Pentecost around AD 63, in chapter 2 of Acts, they are arriving in Jerusalem, with their eyes looking to the Lord for His mercy, tired of the ridicule of the arrogant and the contempt from the proud (Psalm 123:2-4), and they are met with the most amazing miracle. As they are arriving, they hear a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and they hear the disciples begin to speak in all the different languages. (Acts 2:3-4,5)
The pilgrims are UTTERLY AMAZED when they hear their own native languages being spoken and declaring the wonders of God. (Acts 2:12)
And then, the disciple Peter, now empowered by the Holy Spirt, stands up and reminds them of what the Prophet Joel, King David, and Old testament prophecies said concerning the Messiah that were fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Isaiah 44:3). And finally, Peter lets them know that in God’s sovereign plan, they had actually KILLED the very Messiah they were looking for (Acts 2:5). They had nailed him to a cross! When the pilgrims heard this they were cut to the heart and they desperately wanted to know what could they do? (Acts 2:37)
Can you imagine, how desperate they felt? They just realized that the Lord that they were traveling to, searching for, and singing praises to, that they were actually responsible for his death! They themselves were perhaps the very arrogant and proud people they were singing about. The pilgrims were cut to the heart, and they desperately wanted to know what they could do.
Yet, the mercy they were looking for was here. Jesus Christ had planned this to be THE ONLY WAY to FORGIVE them of their terrible sins. And, Praise God, Peter knew the answer:
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit… for all who’s the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39)
And, praise the Lord, about 3,000 many who were our Psalm-singing, traveling-pilgrims, repented and believed! Praise God!! Our Jewish pilgrims were saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s gift of grace through faith, and they received the power of the Holy Spirit, as they were saved this very day!
Oh, praise You JESUS for this amazing miracle!!
I is for Investigate.
Our Old testament readings in 2 Samuel 19-1 Kings 4, tied together so perfectly with all of this as King David and King Solomon wrote some of these Psalms of ascent. (Psalm: 122, 124, 127, 131, 133). And they were written about them and for them! (Psalm 132)
And, wow were these chapters action-packed! Filled with warriors, lies, and even murder! We had more battles against giants, an angel of death, and thousands died of a plague caused by sin!
When investigating what the word is telling us about:
- God.
- The People in the account.
- Ourselves.
- How does this point us to Jesus Christ?
- Other verses that come to mind?
I was reminded of a few things:
- God really cares about people. There are so many unique people in the Bible and God knows their names, their jobs, their families, and He knows their heart! And, God takes the time to list each one of them.
- God has orchestrated His amazing plan of redemption from Genesis to Moses, Ruth to David, David to Jesus, and all the way to you and me! We are all part of His amazing & wonderful plan, that awaits our Jesus to come back the same way the disciples saw Him go up into the clouds.
- Yet, if at any moment if we let our pride sneak in, and forget that we are ALL desperate sinners, in desperate need of a Savior, then we are setting ourselves up for a mighty fall. And, also a reminder that our zeal must remain for God above all things! I was reminded by our Old Testament people, especially Joab, King Saul, King David, and the nation of Israel, when they cared more for their tribes, and their people over caring for God and His will, it was disastrous! Misplacing zeal for anything before God was completely tragic every time, and brought so much drama, including, murder, plagues and more death!
- The Lord wants us to remain humble, and recognize it is by His grace alone! When we repent and believe, we are forgiven, by His wounds we are healed. And then, we become brand-spanking new saints, a new creation in Christ Jesus! As, born-again, believers in Christ, our identity is not in ourselves, but as children of God, Jesus our King!
- Verses that come to mind:
- How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver! The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe. Proverbs 16:16-17 (Day 2)
- He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:4
- Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6
- Then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name. Acts 4:10-11.
- Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Romans 12:11
We praise You Lord for Your wisdom and just judgement. You are the ONLY path that will leads us to Your heavenly Kingdom, and we are so thankful for YOU!
D is for Dwell.
In what ways do we misplace our zeal and loyalty?
Who do we put first? Ourselves, our thoughts, our people, our own will; or, do we strive to put God first?
Like we mentioned above, we noticed that the people in these chapters were often talking about God, but they weren’t actually SEEKING God. It’s a great reminder that if what we THINK God is “telling” us doesn’t line up with what scripture says, and even goes against His word, then it IS NOT from God! Period. Our own emotions, and desire to do what “we” want and think is right, will tell us all sorts of things. (See Genesis 3, Eve was tricked by the serpent to doubt the words of God, and she stepped out in her “own” reasoning against what God said, and let’s just say it didn’t go well for her and mankind ever since! )
In 2 Samuel 24, King David wanted to take a census, because He wanted to! He was leaning into his own pride and the strength of his army, instead of seeking the Lord. When he acted out in what He thought was right, without seeking God, it was disastrous. 70,000 people died because of His sin.
How much brokenness do we cause when we “do what we want to do” apart from obeying God?
How can we apply this to our lives? Submit and obey.
- Let our zeal be for God above all things.
- Let us not wait until disaster strikes before we seek after God.
- Let us stay humble, and not do things in our reasoning, but seek after God, His word, and His will.
In our readings on June 5th, King David’s conscience finally hit him (2 Samuel 24), and he realized that he had sinned greatly against the Lord. And praise God, when the Lord brought the opportunity to David to repent, and build an altar to the Lord for the forgiveness of his sins to stop the plagues, Araunah the Jebusite wanted to give him everything for free, but David knew that there was a cost for his sin:
“But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” 2 Samuel 24:24
And, King David was right! There is a cost for the forgiveness of our sins! Praise God, that in His great mercy, kindness, and love He sent His son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to pay the penalty for OUR SINS! We are the SAME as the traveling pilgrims! Our sins also nailed Jesus Christ to the cross, and His death is the COST. Jesus Christ is the sinless lamb that died, so we can receive the FREE gift of eternal life by placing our faith in him, by repenting of our sins and believing on Him as our Lord and Savior.
The Gibeonites in 2 Samuel 21:4, also knew that money could not settle the matter, and only blood could atone for the sins. Praise the Lord, that Jesus shed His blood for you and for me!
Are we willing to lay down our lives to follow and serve our King?
The cost for us could be giving up our pride in “our” thoughts and “our” way of life to follow our King Jesus. Not because it’s easy, and not because we are doing it by our own strength, but because of the power of the Holy Spirit that lives in the hearts of those who have truly repented and believe that Jesus is the only way! In our weakness, when things are hard, we turn to HIM. Where in the power of Jesus’ name the lame walk and our sins are forgiven.
We ALL killed the Author of life, but God had mercy on us by sending His Son Jesus to die. Jesus paid the price for our sin!
What’s the difference between King David, King Saul, Peter and Judas? They were all sinful, yet David and Peter repented of their sin and by God’s grace their hearts desired to seek after God. David and Peter did not die proud in their own sin.
Engage in Prayer.
Oh Lord Jesus, I pray that we would stay like pilgrims with our eyes lifted to You, asking for Your mercy. Lord Jesus I pray that we would remain humble, and repentant of our sins and not stubborn in our our arrogance and pride. Lord, we have had enough of the our own contempt, and I pray that we would seek to Honor You and follow Your word and Your will for our lives. We know that only You will bring refreshment in our lives (Acts 3:26), and only You will make our hearts new!
Oh, we praise you Lord that there is salvation in no one else like You! (Acts 4:12)
And we praise You Lord that in You, Your word, and by the power of Your Holy Spirit (Acts 4:13), we have all that we need,
Thank you Jesus, Amen
- “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:11
- This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 1 John 3:16
- Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
Abiding Together in Christ 