ROLL Call

Main Scripture: 1 Chronicles 6

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

That certainly doesn't include the "begats" of this chapter, now does it? Why not? "All" does mean ALL. 

Isn't one of the tasks of the Holy Spirit, who indwells every true Christian, to guide us into ALL Truth?

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 

(John 16:13)

So help us, Holy Spirit, to come to terms with the "begats" throughout 1 and 2 Chronicles.

Because the Jews had just returned from years of being in captivity, Ezra, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit set out to remind them of their special heritage as the people of God, calling each person by his name. Not once, but several times! How reassuring this must have been to them at that time of insecurity, of doubt, of apprehension .....

If to God, numbering (Not counting, and there IS a difference) each strand of our hair, is important, then certainly our names and our identities are too. It is amazing how much data can and is stored in computers and other modern, high-tech devices. It is just mind-boggling. Yet God's record-keeping ability is infinitely superior to those. In Revelation it talks about books and books being opened, from which the dead will be judged:

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. (Revelation 20:11-12)

So undoubtedly lists, names and deeds matter to God. They should definitely matter to us too, but not only as a warning, but certainly as an encouragement as well. Contrary to the books mentioned above, which will deal only with condemnation, at the "Judgment Seat of Christ", true believers will be rewarded for their bona fide good deeds. You see, God keeps a record of those too, not so we can deserve entrance into heaven. That was conclusively taken care of by Jesus Christ on the cross. This record-keeping will be simply to reward good deeds done after our conversion.  Deeds done to impress others or for any other ulterior motive, will be burnt. No rewards will be received for those! (2 Corinthians 5:10)

So help us Lord not to shun away from these lists, but to read them carefully, with the eyes of the Holy Spirit, realizing that because of the intimate naming and numbering, we can have  quiet confidence, hope and joy for our future.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSoA_8JDzso&feature=related

RE*J*oicita

When every intent of the thoughts of the heart of man is ONLY EVIL CONTINUALLY....

Main Scripture: Genesis 6

⁵ The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. ⁶ So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. ⁷ And the Lord said, "I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them."⁸ But Noah found favor with the Lord. (Genesis 6:5-8 NLT) 

So, what happens when every intent of the thoughts of the heart of man is only evil continually?

For starters, it breaks the heart of God. We cannot begin to fathom the depth of His pain. Our God is personal, our God has feelings. We were made in His image, remember? Not only does He have feelings like us, but he also has an intellect and a will. Who consoles God? What assuages His pain?

Secondly, He uses aforementioned will to take action when the time is ripe. As is His magnificent love, so intense is His righteous judgment in the face of defiant, unrepentant and relentless sin.

Lastly, He singles out those who lead a blameless life, despite the pervasive corruption all around them, to shower blessings on them. Noah was by no means sinless, but as we begin to see in this chapter and the ensuing ones, his blamelessness is manifested in his unswerving obedience to God. There can be no doubt that he was ridiculed by the people of his day. "Loco" was probably his nickname. 

Who would have thought that a generation of people living so close to the creation of the world could have reached such a level of wickedness? So, where does that leave us in the 21st century?! At what stage of "ripeness" is our sinful condition? Hm ...

"When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all. (Luke 17:26-27 NLT) 

I conclude today's meditation with these questions from Romans 2:4 (NLT):

Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Dtkj0TsT20

RE*J*oicita

One sure way to get your prayers answered

Main passage: Psalm 6

Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity;

For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.
The Lord has heard my supplication;

The Lord will receive my prayer. (Psalm 6:8-9)

The LORD sees, the LORD knows, the LORD hears, the LORD cares, the LORD understands, the LORD is faithful, the LORD never sleeps, the LORD never takes a vacation, the LORD is able, the LORD has a plan, the LORD will fulfill His purposes, the LORD does not change. 

THE LORD ANSWERS PRAYERS!

Despite the troubles and woes the Psalmist was experiencing, troubles from without, woes from within, one thing comes across very clearly when reading this psalm, i.e. his confidence in God's hearing his prayers was unshakable. His rock-solid assurance was in who God was in essence. The formidability and the relentlessness of his enemies did not matter as his faith began to grow. Neither did his own weaknesses and failings.

Once he humbled himself and began voicing his fears and anxieties, he supernaturally received insight into who his God really and truly is. His spiritual eyes were opened, he saw the light, so to speak, and was reassured.

Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened,

That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy,

That it cannot hear. But your iniquities 

have separated you from your God; 

And your sins have hidden His face from you,

So that He will not hear. (Isaiah 59:1-2)

The key to getting our prayers answered, according to God's Word, does not lie with God, but with us. He will definitely keep His promise as mentioned in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Give it a try.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S9qZNUASnE

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No SHADOW of turning!

Main Scripture; Psalm 5

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.  (Psalm 5:11-12 NKJV)

Did you know that the shortest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 117, the longest chapter is Psalm 119 and sandwiched between the two is Psalm 118 (Duh!), which some scholars say is the center chapter of the entire Bible?! 

One very important verse in this central chapter is verse 8:

It is better to trust in the LORD

Than to put confidence in man.

Trust in the finest of human beings will at some point result in disappointment. We are human, inherently prone to fall short of the expectations we place on each other, so it behooves us to leave some room for disappointment. But not so with God. Not at all! We can ALWAYS trust Him implicitly,even when we don't understand what He allows to happen in our lives at any given point. He does not make mistakes, He is always right on time, He knows everything, He is everywhere, He can do anything, He is love, He is righteous, HE DOES NOT CHANGE.

That knowledge, those truths give me peace. They indeed give me joy. They give me confidence in He whose thoughts and ways are exceedingly better than ours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT8BmxnNOzo&feature=related

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The pivotal role of THE AGED, let's not miss it!

Main Scripture: Luke 2:22-52

²⁵ And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. ²⁷ So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸ he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

²⁹ "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
³⁰ For my eyes have seen Your salvation
³¹ Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
³² A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel."

^{33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."}

³⁶ Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; ³⁷ and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.³⁸ And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. (Luke 2:22-38)

What honour was bestowed on these two faithful, elderly persons! They had the joy of seeing the promised and long-awaited Messiah with their own eyes. No one had to point Him out to them. The fullness of the Spirit in them, caused them to recognize the boy for who He really was, i.e. Emmanuel, God with us. What a source of encouragement their recognition of the Messiah must have been for Joseph and Mary.

Fast forward to today for another time of expectancy. Just by keeping abreast of the news and comparing it to Biblical prohecy, we know that the stage is being set for the Lord's return. 

Like Simeon and Anna, the mature Christians among us can help the younger ones to recognize the signs of the last days we are living in and spur them on to righteous living. To fulfill this pivotal role adequately, we too need to be just and devout, spending much time in prayer and fasting.

The same Spirit that filled and spoke through them, will fill and  speak through us, as we submit to Him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK-O5nfL1Mo&feature=related

RE*J*oicita

In God we TRUST

Main Scripture: 1 Chronicles 5

The sons of Reuben, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh had forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty valiant men, men able to bear shield and sword, to shoot with the bow, and skillful in war, who went to war. ¹⁹ They made war with the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. ²⁰ And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them, for they cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him. (1 Chronicles 5:18-20)

⁷ "Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. ⁸ With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles." And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. (2 Chronicles 32:7-8)

¹⁵ And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. (2 Chronicles 20:15)

It is very clear from the reading that these soldiers, though numerous, well-armed, skilled at waging war and valiant, obtained the victory over their enemies because they were "helped". And not by the flesh and blood kind either, but by God Himself. Why, those Assyrians didn't stand a chance whatsoever.

When these soldiers were ambushed from behind and from in front, they looked UP and cried out to God to deliver them from their powerful enemy. Did God respond? Of course! He always comes through for those who trust Him implicitly.

But wait ..... Is this the same group of people, who a couple of verses down are unfaithful to God? Hm ... They went from being called famous, mighty men of valor to being called men who played the harlot after false gods, almost in the same breath! Hm ...

How quickly they forgot the real God who had helped them. How quickly we forget the God who answers our prayers, who lovingly watches over us and cares for us.

Forgive us God. Help us to continually trust You in our battle against the flesh, the world and the devil.  

⁸ It is better to take refuge in the LORD  than to trust in people. ⁹ It is better to take refuge in the LORD  than to trust in princes. (Psalm 118:8-9 NKJV)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft2E4BO22pA&feature=related

RE*J*oicita

Chariots of FIRE

Main Scripture: Genesis 5 

When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah. After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch lived in close fellowship with God for another 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters. Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him. (Genesis 5:21-24 NLT)

Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5 ESV)

Another gem hidden away in the shunned genealogies

Only of Enoch and Elijah it is recorded that they went to heaven without dying. Upon a more careful study of their lives, I came up with the following:

Of Enoch it is said that he walked with God IN CLOSE FELLOWSHIP for 300 years, that he pleased God and as a result was taken to heaven without dying. What a walk that must have been Now, I know for sure that he wasn't perfect, being from the fallen human race and all, but in order to have maintained that close, intimate walk with God, he had to have kept "short accounts" with God. With that I mean repentance and confession of sin the moment he became conscious of it. He apparently did not live on "yesterday's high" with the Lord, but daily, moment by moment replenished himself in God's Presence. It IS a "moment by moment" humbly seeking His Face, which is a constant struggle for most, being the proud, self-sufficient human beings that we tend to be.

Now, Elijah, on the other hand, is someone portrayed in James 5:17-18 (KJV) as being more like us. Hm ...

Elias (aka Elijah) was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. 

Besides his many strengths (obedient, courageous, bold, humorous, full of "miracle-working" faith, etc.), Elijah was also known to be fearful (of a woman, at that), despondent, to name a couple of his weaknesses. Yet!!!!........ He was taken to heaven by means of a chariot of fire and horses of fire, in a whirlwind .... the royal treatment, if you please!!! As in the case of Enoch, leaving behind no funeral expenses for the family :) ... Hm ...

What motivated God to bless these two men in this manner? Their moment by moment intimate walk with Him? Their strong, steadfast faith in Him? 

James 5:17 gives me hope that God will miraculously intervene in my life as well, if my walk and my faith please Him...... and who knows, I may go without dying as well, if I am alive when Jesus returns and raptures* His Church in mid-air:

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thes. 4:17 NIV) 

*to rapture -  the act of transporting a person from one sphere of existence to another, esp from earth to heaven 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9myoXFk-O4U&feature=related

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