Living for the Judgment

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Chronicles 29:1-36 
Romans 14:1-23 
Psalm 24:1-10 
Proverbs 20:12

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Romans 14:12 (CSB) "So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

One day, God will judge everyone. The lost will be judged at the Great White Throne (see Revelation 20:11-15) and the saved will be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:10).

While the lost will be judged for every sin they committed, this will not be the case for the saved. Those who have trusted in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life will not hear a single sin mentioned at their judgment. Why? Because every sin they ever committed has already been paid for by Jesus on the cross.

So, what will our judgment be? Simply put, it is a judgment of rewards. What we have done will be rewarded ... or not rewarded based upon what we did and (even more importantly) why we did it.
I believe that there will probably be many a tear at the judgment of the saved even though our previous sins will never be brought up. I just wonder if when our life is judged by the fairest Judge of all, we will see how little we actually did of eternal consequence.

So, friend, live this life in light of eternity. You will stand before Jesus one day. If you are lost, He will have no choice but to consign you to Hell forever and ever. And if you are saved, He will fairly assess your life and reward you for only what you did that was done with the right motive.

Live in such a way that He will be able to look at you on the day you are judged, and then raise His hands to applaud as He says, "Well done! Well done!"

The danger of blessings

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Chronicles 26:1–28:27 
Romans 13:1-14 
Psalm 23:1-6 
Proverbs 20:11

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

2 Chronicles 26:16 (CSB) "But when he became strong, he grew arrogant, and it led to his own destruction..."
REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

One of my very favorite passages in the Bible is Isaiah 6:1-8. Those verses allow us to peer into Heaven. We see the Heavenly Temple and God's glory filling it. We hear the angels crying out, back and forth, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!"

But, this captivating passage begins with these words:

"In the year that King Uzziah died..." (Isaiah 6:1)

You see, Isaiah 6:1-8 was God's way of encouraging the prophet Isaiah. A very good king died and the future was now uncertain. But God reminded Isaiah through a vision that He was still sitting on the Throne of Heaven ruling over every detail of planet earth.

However, when we read the story, we realize that Uzziah didn't simply die. I suspect that Isaiah mourned the fact that a very good king, who started wonderfully well, ended horribly. Uzziah was such a godly man and he led the people to follow the Lord. Yet, he made a huge mistake and sinned against the Lord. His life ended in bitter health and his reign ended with him as an object of people's pity.

So, what happened? What caused Uzziah to turn from a very good king to a pitiful excuse for a leader?

"But when he became strong, he grew arrogant, and it led to his own destruction..." (2 Chronicles 26:16)

Because he followed the Lord so passionately, God blessed him.

As God blessed him, he became powerful.

As he became powerful, it went to his head and he became proud.

As he became proud, he failed to submit to the Lord's authority over his life and he fell into sin.

As he fell into sin, it led to his demise.

Do you see how we must be so very careful when the Lord blesses us? We must receive those blessings humbly and continue to acknowledge God's authority over us and our inability to do anything of consequence without Him. Otherwise, what begins as God's blessings will end with God's discipline and judgment.

So, whatever you plot in life and however God chooses to bless you, stay humble, my friend. Stay humble.

On buying a house

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Chronicles 24:1–25:28 
Romans 12:1-21 
Psalm 22:19-31 
Proverbs 20:8-10

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Romans 12:13 (CSB) "Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

My reflections this morning are more personal in nature than what I normally write about. I hope you don't mind.

We moved to Murray, Kentucky a little more than 4 years ago. We prayed for a miracle because our house in Florida had lost about half of its value in the housing bust. Long story short, the bank holding our loan did a "deed in lieu" of foreclosure, they forgave us the remaining balance (tens of thousands of dollars!), and Uncle Sam did not hold us responsible for that remaining balance (capital gains) when tax time rolled around.

So, we were praising God and continue to do so!

Also, we are so grateful that we had a safe place to land here in Murray. We ended up renting a house. And we have the best of landlords! I won't go into detail about all of the things she has done for us but I can honestly say that we have been blessed. The next tenants will undoubtedly feel the same way.

But, to be honest, we have wanted a place of our own. We have wanted to put down more permanent roots here in Murray. There have been some very specific things that my wife and I have been praying for among which is a large living / dining room area so that we can invite larger groups from our church family to our home so we can get to know them and vise versa. Plus, we wanted to get such a great deal that it wouldn't tie our money up so we can continue to help others as we are led by the Lord.

Essentially, we want to comply with the instructions found in our Verse for Today:

"Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality." (Romans 12:13)

Well, we believe that God has answered our prayers. We are under contract for a home here in Murray! The house has all of the major items that we have been praying for and most of the minor items. We are so excited!!!

God is good ... all the time!

Living so that people will miss you

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Chronicles 21:1–23:21 
Romans 11:13-36 
Psalm 22:1-18 
Proverbs 20:7

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

2 Chronicles 21:20 (CSB) "Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He died to one one's regret and was buried in the city of David but not in the tombs of the kings."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Our Verse for Today is incredibly sad! A man died and nobody shed a tear. Nobody cared. His life meant so little to them that they didn't regret his demise.

How tragic.

I sat in a funeral chapel today beside Pastor John Dale. At the front of the chapel, Pastor Glynn Orr led the service.

As the songs played and words were said, I looked at the casket and pondered. In the quiet of my mind, I reflected on how another life had come to an end. The body that the gentleman left behind was in the casket while family and friends were gathered to mourn his loss.

While my heart broke for those who were left behind and for the tears that were in their eyes, I was also encouraged by those tears. Do you know why? Because they testified to the fact that the gentleman was missed. He had made such an impact on others that even in his old age, folks showed up to pay their last respects.

How horrible would it be to come to the point of your death and no one showed up to your funeral. Even more, no one shed a tear at your departure. How sad!

Well, friend, if you live in such a way that you are being conformed to the image of Jesus, you will have a positive impact on others. 

Your life will be an example to some. 
Your words of correction will help the wayward. 
Your words of encouragement will help the discouraged. 
Your kindness will encourage the forgotten. 
Your charity will help the less fortunate.
Most certainly, sharing the Gospel will save the lost.

And when you have these kinds of impacts on others, you will be missed. People will mourn your loss.

You will definitely not be like Jehoram.

2 Chronicles 21:20 (CSB) "Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He died to one one's regret and was buried in the city of David but not in the tombs of the kings."

Seeking God through Fasting

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Chronicles 19:1–20:37 
Romans 10:14–11:12 
Psalm 21:1-13 
Proverbs 20:4-6

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

2 Chronicles 20:3-4 (CSB) "Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved to seek the Lord. Then he proclaimed a fast for all Judah, who gathered to seek the Lord. They even came from all the cities of Judah to seek him."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

In our Verses for Today, we read that the King of Judah was afraid. An enormous army had assembled against him and he believed his situation to be hopeless. So, he was filled with fear.

But, when our circumstances cause us to feel afraid, we need to remind ourselves that nothing is hopeless with God. When a particular situation seems humanly impossible, it is definitely possible with God.

Jehoshaphat knew this. He believed that his God was powerful and could remedy his desperate situation. So, rather than run and hide, Jehoshaphat reached up to Heaven for help. Our Verses for Today tell us how he did that.

2 Chronicles 20:3-4 (CSB) "Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved to seek the Lord. Then he proclaimed a fast for all Judah, who gathered to seek the Lord. They even came from all the cities of Judah to seek him."

He was afraid...

... so he resolved to seek the Lord ...

... he proclaimed a fast for all the people ...

... he led in this time of holy consecration as thousands of people gathered.

He wanted to clear out the lines of communication between he and his God and the way he chose to do it was to fast.

Fasting is an incredibly powerful but a little-used Christian discipline. It is said that many American Christians will not do much of anything that threatens their comfort. In fact, they tend to use Christianity solely for it's therapeutic value to increase their comfort rather than allow it to drive them to do the hard things of evangelism and discipleship.

Fasting is simply going without food for a specific period of time for the purpose of reflection, repentance, and reminding ourselves that we desperately need the Lord.

It's difficult. It is not at all comfortable. But, it reminds us that we don't live by bread alone but by the Words that proceed from God's mouth. We don't need food nearly as much as we need to spend time in our Bible as we listen, confess any sin, submit to God's authority over our life, and resolve to obey.

Friend, do you feel your need for God this badly? Are some of the difficulties of life getting you to a point where you are afraid? Then why not resolve to seek the Lord and use fasting as a way of doing that.

If you want more information on how to fast, click here.

Salvation and Treason

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Chronicles 17:1–18:34 
Romans 9:25–10:13 
Psalm 20:1-9 
Proverbs 20:2-3

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Romans 10:9-10 (CSB) "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation." 

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

So many people misunderstand the truth found in our Verses for Today.

Let's dig into the text and see what we discover.

When we read it, we realize that it is telling us how to be saved - how to receive the gift of eternal life.

How do we get saved?

"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Believing that God raised him from the dead includes a lot of other beliefs. It includes the fact that He was who He said He was - the Son of God - completely God and completely man. It includes the fact that he was crucified on the cross for our sins. It includes the fact that His dead body was placed in a tomb and was there for 3 days. It includes the fact that anyone who trusts in Him (and not themselves) to make them right in God's eyes will be saved.

So, we understand to a great extent the "belief" requirement. It goes along with what we read throughout the New Testament.

But, what about the part where it says, "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,'..."?

Some contemporary American Christians may be tempted to think that they simply need to say, "Jesus is Lord," out loud. They think there is something magical in that phrase.

But this flawed understanding misses the point entirely.

All we need to do is reflect on who the book of Romans was written to. It was written to ... Romans. It was written to Christians who were living in Rome.

Ok. We've got that down. Now, what governmental power oversaw their growing world domination? Rome! Rome was essentially in control of the world.

And who was at the top of the food chain in the Roman government? Caesar! And where did Caesar rule from? Rome!

So, the Christians that the Apostle Paul was writing to were residing in the city where the government powerfully and jealously ruled the world.

If you were walking through Rome and proclaimed that someone other than Caesar was your king/lord, you would either be incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. Those words would be considered an act of insurrection - treason!

Pay very close attention to this point: Paul was telling the Roman Christians in our Verses for Today to say those treasonous words in the city where Caesar would most certainly hear them!

Let's momentarily step back a little further in time to Jesus' trial before His crucifixion. Just listen to the following words. The Jewish religious leaders fully understood that they could only have one king at a time - Jesus or the ruling power: 

John 19:15 

"They shouted, 'Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!' 
Pilate said to them, 'Should I crucify your king?' 
'We have no king but Caesar!' the chief priests answered."

The religious leaders clearly understood that they could only have one King (Lord). For them, it was Caesar. 

So, let's go back to our Verses for Today. When it says that part of being saved is confessing with your mouth (out loud for everyone to hear) that Jesus is your Lord, it means that you are unashamedly and without reservation aligning yourself with Jesus regardless of what negative things may happen to you as a result even if it means you will be guilty of treason.

Confessing with our mouth that Jesus is Lord is not to simply say mindless, empty words. No! It's so much more than that! They are powerful words that make it clear that we answer to King Jesus. That's what it means to be saved.

Taking a Spiritual Bath

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Chronicles 14:1–16:14 
Romans 9:1-24 
Psalm 19:1-14 
Proverbs 20:1

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Psalm 19:12-14 (CSB)

12 "Who perceives his unintentional sins? Cleanse me from my hidden faults." 

13 "Moreover, keep your servant from willful sins; do not let them rule me. Then I will be blameless and cleansed from blatant rebellion." 

14 "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

The Christian life is one of compliance and of joy. 

It is compliance because God has made His standard clear and we are called to obey.

It is joy because we realize that as we obey our Lord, our consciences will be clear and we are free to enjoy fellowship with our God.

But, sin stands in the way. There is a hidden part of us that wars against us. It's called "the flesh." And it regularly calls us to stray from the path of holiness that God has called us to walk upon.

So, it must also be the regularly duty of the serious Jesus-follower to take a spiritual bath. We need to get cleaned up after we sin and so confession and repentance are necessary.

Our Verses for Today lead us in that discipline. In fact, they provide us with the words of a prayer that we could offer up regularly.

First, our spiritual cleansing begins with an acknowledgement that we have probably committed sins without even knowing it. Maybe we are unaware of some command God has given or we weren't paying attention to what we did. So, we ask for forgiveness for our unintended sins:

Psalm 19:12 "Who perceives his unintentional sins? Cleanse me from my hidden faults."

Second, we acknowledge that there are certainly things we have done (or left undone) that violated God's commands. Or, maybe we did a good thing but with the wrong motive or attitude. So, we confess these sins specifically and ask that God would keep us from doing them in the future. 

Psalm 19:13 "Moreover, keep your servant from willful sins; do not let them rule me. Then I will be blameless and cleansed from blatant rebellion." 

Finally, we ask that the Lord would give us what we need to not only comply with God's commands with our actions, but also with our words and the private thoughts of our heart. We don't just ask for forgiveness - we crave to live in holiness.

Psalm 19:14 "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer."

So, the question remains, friend: Are you serious about following Jesus? Have you genuinely given your life, all of it, to Him and is it your desire to live for him in the moments of your days?

Then, you've got to take daily, spiritual baths. Consider using Psalm 19:12-14 to do that.

All things work for our good

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Chronicles 11:1–13:22 
Romans 8:26-39 
Psalm 18:37-50 
Proverbs 19:27-29

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Romans 8:28 (CSB) "We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Arguably the most memorized verse in the Bible is John 3:16. Next in line are verses like Romans 8:28 that would seem to come in a close second.

Romans 8:28 (CSB) "We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose."

We love that verse, don't we? It says that God desires to work everything for the good of those who love Him and are followers of Jesus.

We like the word "good." But, what does it mean?

Sometimes, when we think of the word "good," we think of things that are pleasant. We think that this verse means that there are very positive things awaiting us over the horizon if we just hold on. (This may or may not be the case.)

Sometimes, when we think of the word "good," we may think of character issues. We think that this verse means that God is using the circumstances of our life (good and bad) to help us to become a better person. (This is closer to the meaning of the text but it's still not close enough.)

When God says that He is working all things together for our good, we only need to look at the next verse to see what that "good" is.

Romans 8:29 (CSB) "For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters."

Did you see how God defines "good?" He says that He is working all things together for our good ... conforming us to the image of His Son.

God is providing opportunities for us to become more like Jesus! That's the "good" that God desires.

So, friend, when life happens and we are tempted to look to Heaven and say, "God, why are you allowing such bad things in my life?", take heart. God is using those events to develop all sorts of character qualities and mindsets in you so that can become a little more like Jesus.

That is the ultimate good that God is working to develop in us. Will you join Him today with a desire to become a little more like the One who died on the cross and rose again to bring you into God's family?

The Spirit-Filled Life

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Chronicles 8:11–10:19 
Romans 8:9-25 
Psalm 18:16-36 
Proverbs 19:26

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Romans 8:8-9 (CSB) "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

OK. You're probably reading this in the morning and you may only be on your first cup of coffee. So, let's keep this reasonably lite even though the truths found in these two verses are so deep that they could take us to the bottom of the ocean.

Let's begin by defining "flesh." It's not talking about skin. It's not talking about our physical body.

"Flesh" is referring to the source of the sinful desires within us. Someone who is lost is always "in the flesh" because their desire is to satisfy the sinful cravings within them. This isn't to say that lost people are as sinful as they can be. It simply means that they are regularly compelled to satisfy their sinful desires.

Whether it is a desire to be looked up to by others (pride), or eat far too much (gluttony), or take a shortcut to intimacy (pornography), or find respite apart from God (binge television watching), or any number of other things, the flesh drives people to dead end roads. Rather than comply with God's rules and truly see Him as the one who can ultimately satisfy us, the flesh tries to satisfy (sinful?) desires in sinful ways.

A Christian can certainly be "in the flesh," too. Even though we have surrendered our life to Jesus, we periodically (frequently?) indulge our (sinful?) desires and break God's laws to our own harm.

So, what does it mean to be "in the Spirit?"

It means that we are motivated and controlled differently. Rather than our desires coming from our "flesh," they come from the Holy Spirit. Both are within us (see the end of the Verse for Today). But, one leads us down a dead-end road and the other lead us to life.

How do you know if you are "in the Spirit?"

The answer to that begins with another question: "What kind of cravings are you desiring to meet?" If those desires are primarily self-centered, they are of the flesh. If they are primarily God-centered and others-centered, then they are probably of the Spirit. If satisfying those desires would go against a principle(s) found in Scripture, they are of the flesh. If satisfying those desires complies with God's Word, then they are probably of the Spirit.

How do I get "in the Spirit?"

This is a huge question and the answer is long enough to write a book about but let me be brief...

Realize that God has a part in it and you have a part in it. You are commanded to be filled with (controlled by) the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). When you comply with God's stipulations, He will do His part.

To be filled, you must be emptied of everything else. Being filled with the Spirit means that we are emptied of sin and self-rule. Not only are all of our sins forgiven because we have done the work of confessing and forsaking them, we also have our hands up in surrender. We surrender everything of us to Jesus' authority and control and our desire is to do whatever He wants us to do.

There is SO much more about this topic but this post is already long enough. If you want to dig a little deeper into this, let me recommend a helpful website where you can read a little further. It's from the late Bill Bright's ministry, Campus Crusade for Christ, and I agree with virtually everything on the page that you can access by clicking here.

Living in victory

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Chronicles 6:12–8:10 
Romans 7:14–8:8 
Psalm 18:1-15 
Proverbs 19:24-25

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

2 Chronicles 7:12-14 (CSB) "Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple of sacrifice. If I shut the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the grasshopper to consume the land, or if I send pestilence on my people, and my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Recently, my family served in a mission project in Denver, Colorado. After our work was done, we headed over the Rocky Mountains into Utah. As we made that trip, it was obvious that there wasn't simply one mountaintop but many of them.

Reading God's Word is like that. Every passage moves us upward like a trip through a mountain range. 

Yet, there are some places in Scripture that are mountain peaks. They would seem to take us a little higher than others.

Second Chronicles 7 and Romans 8 are two very, very high mountain peaks. 

In 2 Chronicles 7:12-14, we read of what God told the Israelites to do when they fell into sin and out of favor with Him. They were to humbly acknowledge their failure, to reach out to God in repentant prayer, to seek God's face and favor once again, and resolutely turn from their sin and sinfulness. At that point, God would renew fellowship with them.

In Romans 8, we read of the Spirit-filled life. We read of the victory that is ours to be had if we will only comply with God's principles of Spirit-filled living.

Rather than go into a major discussion about the Spirit-filled life, I would simply encourage you to spend time at the feet of Jesus today reading and then re-reading Romans 8.

As we have passed the half-way point in our Through the Bible in a Year journey, I hope that you are enjoying this trip through the mountains.

What is the fear of the Lord?

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Chronicles 4:1–6:11 
Romans 7:1-13 
Psalm 17:1-15 
Proverbs 19:22-23

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Proverbs 19:23 (CSB) " The fear of the Lord leads to life; one will sleep at night without danger."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

My family recently visited the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona. 

The sites were incredible! And pictures don't do it justice. It's just too massive and the canyons are too deep to capture in a picture. That's why I took a video - to try to help those who have never been there to experience it.




Virtually everyone would agree that the Grand Canyon is breath-taking. It is beautiful!

But, part of the experience is fear. It is beautiful but it isn't to be trifled with. An average of 2-3 people fall to their death each year. But, as long as you respect the rules of gravity, your heart may race but you will be free to enjoy the experience.

That is something of what the "fear of the Lord" is like. It is an experience of Almighty God Himself. But, included in that experience is a healthy fear. Experiencing God is what our souls long for, it brings us our greatest joy, but He isn't to be trifled with. However, as long as we abide by the rules He has laid down before us, we are free to enjoy the experience.

So, what does the fear of the Lord lead to?

Proverbs 19:23 (CSB) " The fear of the Lord leads to life; one will sleep at night without danger."

Simply stated, when we are enjoying our God, our soul is being satisfied with Him, and our healthy fear of Him motivates us to comply with His commands, we will be free to enjoy the one life He's given us. Our conscience will be clear and we will be able to rest in the fact that He's got everything under control. Even when bad things happen to us, we know that it had to be permitted by Him before it got to us.

Friend, the fear of the Lord is where it all begins (see Proverbs 9:10). When we get this right, everything else will begin to fall into place.

And, finally, realize that we ultimately cannot consistently comply with God's commands. Daily, we break God's laws. And this is not a trivial thing because our God loves holiness and must punish lawbreakers. So, we rely upon what Jesus has done on our behalf on the cross. We trust in Him, not ourselves, to ultimately make us right in God's eyes. Then, motivated by love and gratitude, we comply with God's commands.

One easy way to become wiser

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Chronicles 1:1–3:17 
Romans 6:1-23 
Psalm 16:1-11 
Proverbs 19:20-21

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Proverbs 19:20 (CSB) "Listen to counsel and receive instruction so that you may be wise later in life."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

I'm one of those guys that likes to sit in the chairs in the mall and watch people. I like to observe how they act when they are alone. I watch how they interact with those they are with and how they act around those perceived to be strangers.

One thing I've noticed about most of us - we want others to think highly of us. We want others to see us in very positive terms.

So, motivated by this self-centered pride, we find it difficult to take counsel from others. We are afraid that if we are always listening and appearing to learn from others, then they may think that we aren't that smart.

That's why we like to periodically spout off our two cents worth in conversations and why we find it so difficult to listen and learn from others.

Yet, our Verse for Today essentially tells us to swallow our sinful pride, listen and learn from others.

Proverbs 19:20 (CSB) "Listen to counsel and receive instruction so that you may be wise later in life."

Simply put, we don't learn when we are drawing from our own well. We only learn when we sit at the well of others' knowledge and draw from it.

A Sunday School teacher once told me: "God gave us one mouth and two ears because He apparently wants us to listen twice as much as we talk."

That's great counsel. And when we abide by it, we will "be wise(r) later in life."

Success and joining God in what He is doing

DAILY BIBLE READING:

1 Chronicles 28:1–29:30 
Romans 5:6-21 
Psalm 15:1-5 
Proverbs 19:18-19

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

1 Chronicles 28:20 (CSB) "Then David said to his son Solomon, 'Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He won’t leave you or abandon you until all the work for the service of the Lord’s house is finished.'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

There came a time with the mighty King David was nearing death. Rather than allow events to play out after his death, he presented his son, Solomon, as king before his own demise.

But, his son was still very young. He was inexperienced. 

And David knew that leadership was hard. Very hard. There are times when decisions have to be made that are for the best of the people and yet the decision will be overwhelmingly unpopular. There will be times when the leader feels abandoned by those he has relied on or trusted in. There will be times when the results of his decisions are utterly distasteful even to himself.

There would inevitably be times when Solomon would feel afraid or even terrified. He would also have times when he battled discouragement or even depression.

So, David gave his son the instructions found in our Verse for Today:

1 Chronicles 28:20 (CSB) "Then David said to his son Solomon, 'Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He won’t leave you or abandon you until all the work for the service of the Lord’s house is finished.'"

David told his son to "be strong and courageous, and do the work" of building the temple and leading the people. He was also told: "Don't be afraid or discouraged."

Was this simply a superficial pep talk? Was there any substantive reason for why Solomon could keep his chin up when times got tough?

Yes! And the reasons for Solomon's strength and courage can be claimed by each of us who follow Jesus!

Solomon was told that "the LORD God, my God, is with you. He won't leave you or abandon you until all the work for the service of the LORD's house is finished."

In other words, God had a plan. He was going to accomplish it. As long as Solomon was joining God in what He was doing, Solomon couldn't fail.

Get that! It's important!

As long as Solomon was joining God in what God was doing, Solomon couldn't fail.

Friend, this is the same principle that Henry Blackaby has been saying for years in his classic work, "Experiencing God." God has not put us on this earth and called us to Himself so that we can do whatever we want to do. No! He has put us on this earth and called us to Himself so that we can join Him in what He is doing.

So, today, look for God's fingerprints. Begin by reading His Word and spending time in prayer. Then, keep an eye open for what God is doing around you. And then join Him in that.

God has never promised to make us successful in what we want to do. But, He will bless us if we are determined to join Him in what He is doing.