One Year Bible, June 5

2 SAMUEL 23:24 - 24:25                                                                                                    
WAS IT GOD OR SATAN?  2 Sam 24:1 says "the Lord" incited David to number his people. 1 Chron 21:1 says "Satan provoked" David to number them.  FIRST OF ALL, WHY WAS THE CENSUS A SIN? Partly because a great army is a ground for boasting and pride.  And so David also numbered those UNDER 20 years old to inflate his numbers. He was ALREADY promised abundant seed by God and he acted in PRESUMPTION in numbering the people without God's say-so. God AND Satan were involved here, like in Job (Job 23:10 says GOD tried Job, but Job 2:6-7 says Satan did it.). God TRIES a man; Satan TEMPTS him to evil. Satan ENTICES to sin; God matures us through experience. The paradox is this: God USED Satan against David. God provides man with an opportunity to sin in order to test his heart. Satan takes advantage and entices to sin with temptation.

DAVID watched as 10,000 of his men fell dead. He emerged repentance and subdued. He wrote "If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." (Psa 130:3-4) And Psa 131. The plaque was stopped at the Temple site.

RESPONSE:   Sometimes, "I'm sorry" is not enough.  ALL SIN LEADS TO DEATH and forfeiture of some kind. Death of a dream. Death of a reputation. Forfeiture of a vision. Forfeiture of a relationship. Be warned.

ACTS 3:1-26                                                                                                                         
"IN THE NAME OF JESUS"   The Name of Jesus stands for the REALITY of Jesus, for Who He is.  This is what Peter's sermon explaining the man's healing is about:
Who Jesus Is:
(1) The long-awaited Servant of the Lord.
(2) Glorified by God.
(3) Holy and Righteous One.
(4) Author of THE Life (Source of THE Life).
(5) Raised by God from the dead.

The lame man (a picture of a church unable to "walk the walk") being raised up to walk, demonstrated the POWER OF THE NAME. Jesus is no longer here in the flesh, but He is here in NAME and in His people. And His is the ONLY Name that can activate power in heaven. I can use His Name because we are in covenant with one another, and He has intermingled His Life with mine - in the context of my every-day existence. His Name is not just a "magic bullet" for problem-solving, but His Name represents the REALITY of Jesus Himself and Who He is in me!

"RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS":  "Restoration” comes from REPENTANCE AND FAITH.   "Refreshing" comes from PRESENCE OF THE LORD.  In this verse, the word "apokatastasis" ("restoration") refers to the obligations of the Kinsman-Redeemer to restore property lost by debt, to redeem kinsman from slavery, to marry the widow to produce a male heir, and to avenge all wrongs done to kinsmen.   This has ALREADY been accomplished by Jesus, our "Kinsman-Redeemer.   Jesus has given us the earth as our inheritance; he has redeemed us from slavery to sin; he has "married" us to produce His image in the earth; and He has avenged us on our enemies.  Now we do this IN JESUS' NAME - enforcing His finished work.

RESPONSE:   What do you do to "refresh" yourself?  Sometimes I take a quick nap. Sometimes I take a walk.  Sometimes I need a whole vacation!   Sometimes I read a book, or watch television.  But when I need real strength, vitality, perking up, joy, comfort, recovery from something, or any other good thing, I go to the PRESENCE OF THE LORD.   It's not that hard.   Do whatever it takes.   Play certain music.  Cry out for Him.  Kneel.  Walk.  Get quiet.   Start praising and thanking Him.  Just ask Him to come.   Read the Bible. You know what works for you.  After awhile, with practice and repetition, you can "go there" quickly.

PSALM 123:1-4                                                                                                                   
FOURTH STEP: Psalm 123: Learning the fear of the Lord.   Part of the fear of the Lord is being "overwhelmed" by God as being much bigger and more wonderful than we are.   It causes us to know how contemptible we really are and how much mercy we need to keep from being destroyed.

PROVERBS 16:21-23                                                                                                            
Words, fountains, well-springs (a spray of water), mouth, lips:   All OUTFLOWS.   Learning and life come from the wise. Foolishness will be sprayed all over you by fools.

RESPONSE:   Look to heaven until God has mercy on us. Keep your focus. Keep your eyes on Jesus. We are dependent on Him, remember. Anything else would be rebellious and turning back.