One Year Bible, July 17

1 CHRONICLES 24:1 - 26:11                                                                                            
SONS OF AARON: There were 24 courses who ministered in the sanctuary from Sabbath to Sabbath.

SONS OF ASAPH, JUDUTHUN AND HEMAN:  Also divided into 24 courses. They were appointed (ordained), separated, and instructed. There were ranks based on anointing and skill. These worship-leaders also prophesied (seers). There were 288 teachers of young Levites over 20 years old.  This impressive list shows the heart of David.  David had assembled his war chiefs for the greatest military strategy in history! To set apart sons for the ministry of prophesying with instruments! Their prophetic music would immobilize and bind principalities and preserve the Temple of God. See Psalm 149.

SONS OF KORAH:  The redeemed and recovered sons of Korah were gatekeepers.  Psa 84 was written for them.  (The "Asaph" listed here is actually an abbreviation of "Ebiasaph" - son of Korah, not the Chief Musician.)  The men who served in this capacity were "strong men".  Big doors, I guess.

RESPONSE:   Heman had three daughters who served as prophesying musicians!  Their ministry was spent in "thanks and praise to God."   When we need to be strengthened in our resolve to continuing growing forward, we must turn our attention to God in thanks and praise.   We thank Him and praise Him for his GOODNESS and His GREATNESS.   This puts confidence and faith in our hearts - calms our hearts, and fortifies our resolve.   These musicians faced overwhelming odds at times, but prevailed.

ROMANS 4:1-12                                                                                                         
RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD, BY FAITH:  Books have been written about this. This is a shortened version about just these 12 verses in Romans.   V.3 says that our final authority is the Scriptures (which in this case means the OT.).  What Paul is proving here is that righteousness by conforming to the Law is only external, like muzzling a mean dog - and does nothing about the heart.  Man is then restraining, by self-effort, outward expressions of sin.  This effort is self-righteous and is not enough.

TWO EXAMPLES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH:  Abraham BEFORE the Law, and David AFTER the Law.  ABRAHAM "believed" God and that was counted to him as righteousness.   Gen 15:6, 450 years before the Law was even given and even before circumcision, "believed" (Heb: "amen" - giving himself in total abandonment, placing all his confidence in God).   DAVID came after the law.   He loved God and kept the Law up to a point.   He could have brought a sin offering, but that was not enough because he wanted to be cleansed and restored.   A sacrifice only treats the outward and external.   David was broken to having truth in his INWARD PARTS.  David went to the heart of the matter, putting his faith in God to restore him.  So, even though David had the Law, his righteousness had to be by faith, because he didn't always keep the Law!

FATHER ABRAHAM:  As one reckoned righteous BEFORE circumcision and the Law, he is the example for both Jew and Gentile - for both "elder brother" and "prodigal". (Luke 15)  He is the father of all those who walk by faith. To "walk in the steps of that faith" means a lifestyle of being led from faith to faith.

FAITH:   The opposite of faith is not reason or knowledge. The opposite of faith is SIGHT.  Just like the opposite of grace is not effort, the opposite of grace is EARNING.  FAITH is believing God. It is a lifestyle: a daily, clear-headed and relentless choice to orient my life toward God regardless of what is going on around me.  This life is enabled by Jesus intermingling His life with mine in my daily practical living.  I go from "faith to faith" when God reveals Himself to me and I believe Him and respond in obedience.  FAITH causes me to give more loyalty to what God wants than to what my circumstances are telling me. I MUST CONNECT WITH GOD - ABIDE IN HIM TO DO THIS.   The "struggle of faith" is in behaving as if we HAVE faith! My part in the struggle is to orient myself toward God by praising and thanking Him for His goodness and greatness.   Hebrews 4:11 says, "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief."

RESPONSE:   I love Romans because Paul understands what it means to try to be good.   He knows the frustration of being a failure at it.   He knows the heartbreak when our willpower fails again.   I have often said that "if willpower were enough to change anything, we'd all be thin and rich!"   But the best part of Romans is, Paul has the answers!   Just keep reading.  "labour to enter into that rest...."   Rest is that place of FAITH.   Faith is based on facts - firsthand knowledge of the facts of God.  Whether you have walked with God for a long time, or are a newly saved sinner - God can handle it all.   He is well-able.

PSALM 13:1-6                                                                                                                   
When I am being oppressed, tempted or tried, I can cling to God and sing!  The wicked world-spirit of antichrist rejoices at the troubles of others, are pitiless, and unrelenting in their oppression of the righteous (in case you haven't noticed).   But "God has dealt bountifully with me."   V. 5 says that I live by faith that is based on hard facts about God; I do not have to live by circumstances.

PROVERBS 19:15-16                                                                                                       
Laziness renders a man utterly unconscious of all his necessities.   He dozes away his time and lives a useless life.   It leads to poverty and want.  The opposite of wealth is not riches, but it is STEWARDSHIP.  A lazy man is not a steward at all.  He doesn't steward his time, his talent, or his money! So he is poor.  

If we keep God's word, God's word will keep us!   Those who do whatever they feel like doing, with no regard to what God or common sense says, will lead a wasted life.  The definition of sin is "I want to do, what I want to do, when I want to do it."

RESPONSE:  Faith means clinging fast to God.  I count on His mercy to me - God's MERCY will "nourish, cherish and protect me" with a full flow of affection. God MORE THAN makes up the difference from whatever evil has come into my life.