One Year Bible, July 5

1 CHRONICLES 1:1 - 2:17                                                                                                   
GOD IS SOVEREIGN:  God is relentless in pursuit of His plan. 1 Chronicles is a religious history of Judah and covers 40 years from the death of Saul to the reign of Solomon.  Here we learn that the continued Presence of God is contingent on worship.

GENEOLOGIES:  God moves through these genealogies to a predetermined goal, culminating in the Messiah, Jesus. They show a selective process as God skips over failure and tragedy. These lines of descent were of sacred importance as the names provide us with links from pre-exile to post-exile - to who has rights in the Land.

RESPONSE:  No part of the Bible is unimportant. Even this genealogy starting from the Creation onward for 1656 years! They show God's INclusions and EXclusions as He relentlessly moves forward in His plan and purpose. I know I saw a "troubler of Israel" and an "Egyptian" in there.  I SHOULD be in there!   I am in Jesus' lineage now, too! (figuring forward, not backward).

ACTS 23:11-35                                                                                                                   
PAUL'S DEFENSE: The only person NOT in control here is the Roman centurion. He has had to step in and rescue Paul twice already, once with a whole army, and there are still no formal charges brought against him. Now 40 Jews conspire to kill Paul if and when he is brought, once again, before the Sanhedrin. So the Roman commander is “forced” to send Paul to Caesarea to Felix, to be dealt with by someone else.

RESPONSE:   No wonder Paul talked about being "hid with Christ in God." (Col 3:3)  He has had experience! And no wonder he talked about the "helmet of salvation" (Eph 6:17).  He knew what it was to be clear-headed in a crisis where hell was pressing in on him.  His letters are making good sense, huh?   God has so hidden Paul that no one can figure out what to do with him!   The enemy is confused on all fronts.  Paul is "more than a conqueror." (Rom 8:37).... in that he comes through this with more than he went in with!  Paul is laying down a path for us to walk in - he calls himself a "pattern", remember - for all who walk by faith.

PSALM 3:1-8                                                                                                                      
SECOND TIME AROUND:  Psalm 3 tells us (from experience and from revelation from God) that apart from God, there is no help for man.  This Psalm accompanies a person going through the dealings of God on three levels.   There is a "SELAH" after each level.  On level one: "There is no help for him in God."   On level two: "But Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me, my glory and the lifter up of mine head."  On level three: "I laid me down and slept." As we go deeper in God, we learn by experience to REST in Him and trust Him for the final end (eternal salvation).

PROVERBS 18:14-15                                                                                                          
It actually says that a "manly, courageous spirit" sustains a person in infirmity, he knows how to contain himself in his suffering.   A "wounded spirit" is not drawing from God the strength and support he ought to.   If we allow our spirit to be brought down to powerless and helpless passivity, then within the sphere of the human personality there is no other sustaining power that can replace it.

RESPONSE:   Now I know how I got a "wounded spirit".   It was by staying immature most of my Christian walk!   I never learned to draw power, and strength, and sufficiency from God.  I stayed independent and then wondered how I got so depressed, so miserable, such a failure as a Christian!   But, praise the Lord!   NOW I have a "manly, courageous spirit" and it sustains me when the pressure is on!   I can draw on God to sustain me.   I have learned to trust Him, to believe Him, to depend on Him!  You can too.  Teach your heart to do it.  OUT LOUD.