One Year Bible, July 16

1 CHRONICLES 22:1 - 23:32                                                                                            
GOD OF THE SECOND CHANCE!  Solomon is the son of David and Bathsheba.  God redeemed David's deepest defeat!  Not only that, but DAVID himself became the standard for excellence!  David brought hidden treasures out of storehouses totaling over 158 billion dollars!

INSTRUCTIONS TO SOLOMON:   Prosperity and success are based on wisdom and understanding. "Set your heart and soul to seek the Lord your God."  See Psalm 149.   David was a man of war, but his son, Solomon, shall be "a man of rest" (22:9). (speaking of Jesus and the Overcomer).

DAVID'S LAST ORDERS:  (the words of a prophet). David is 70 years old, he had made Solomon King.  The key word describing his reign is ORDER.  The Levites were numbered, polled, organized, and their duties expanded.  The musicians played instruments that David had made!  All the anointed worshippers were divided into courses, their total being 144,000!  David's motivation was not pride now, but concern for God's house.

RESPONSE:   David could count the worshippers, but not the soldiers!  Motive is everything.

ROMANS 3:9-31                                                                                                                  
"THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS": The "elder brother" in the Father's house (the Church - see Luke 15) is no better off than the seasoned sinner outside the church (the prodigal).  All alike are sinners by nature, sinners by their deeds, and sinners by choice.  Paul now brings in 11 OT Scriptures to prove his point.  None seek God because they have no spiritual perception; sin BLINDS.

THE LAW HAS DONE ITS JOB: Self-righteousness and UNrighteousness alike are dealt with. The Law shows God's holiness and exposes man's sinfulness.   The Law reveals to us that we are slaves to sin and are under the death penalty.  This SHOULD turn man away from legalism and works to faith and grace.

"BUT NOW....." : There is a way to be righteous without keeping the law: by the righteousness of God by faith.  The Law is now fulfilled and lived by faith!  The Law is being fulfilled from the inside-out by the New Man living by faith.  Faith "establishes" the Law's rightful place. Righteousness is provided by God Himself!  God, without sacrificing His own righteousness, found a way to bestow His own Righteousness on man. (1) By faith in Christ. (2) Apart from works of the Law (but not contrary to it).

RESPONSE:   Faith and grace. We should be shouting for joy!  God has done it all, and now we are the "people of rest"(like Solomon).  Sin was paid for, not condoned. The sinner is saved, not by mercy, but by the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD, because sin was paid for! I confess that I don't always rest - that I have to tell myself to trust God and be quiet.  Stop complaining.  Complaining is an outward manifestation of unbelief and mistrust. 

PSALM 12:1-8                                                                                                                       
The "man of earth" (world-spirit of antichrist) is self-deceived, acts from selfish interest, is deceptive, has an untamed mouth, and lives by and in UNtruth (unreality). The man of God, on the other hand, finds his reality in God's throne and God's Word, which is pure. The "man of earth" manifests "empty talk, smooth talk, and double talk." The "words of the Lord" are pure, refined and proven.

PROVERBS 19:13-14                                                                                                       
A "prudent wife" is a gift from the Lord.   But what is she?  First of all, she is NOT "quarrelsome".   She doesn't complain all the time, and she has good understanding. "Houses and riches" won't make a man happy, but a "prudent wife" will!  And even if he HAS "houses and riches", if his wife is "quarrelsome", he won't be happy anyway!

RESPONSE:   Have you noticed how shallow many people (of the world) are?  "They speak vanity every one with his neighbor...."   Their words are empty - as are the topics they talk on.   There isn't much depth to them, and their words lack sincerity much of the time.  "Political correctness" is the "double" talk of Psa 12:2-3. In fact, "political correctness" is just a public term for LYING AND FLATTERY. In fact, just read this Psalm again and see if it doesn't sound like "political correctness"???!!! Political correctness"  is WORD-ABUSE!