Posts with the category “devotional”

Song of Songs 1-8.  “Rejoice in the Wife of Your Youth” The theme for this week is simplicity.  This concept is brought out especially in the book of Ecclesiastes.  We are not looking at simplicity as the ultimate goal of life during this week, for bringing pleasure to God is our greatest purpose.  Rather, we are studying and thinking about simplicity because of the many connections that exist bet...  Read More

 The theme for this week is simplicity.  This concept is brought out especially in the book of Ecclesiastes.  We are not looking at simplicity as the ultimate goal of life during this week, for bringing pleasure to God is our greatest purpose.  Rather, we are studying and thinking about simplicity because of the many connections that exist between obediently following God, making wise decisions and living a simple life.    Read More

Proverbs 22:17-24:34. “Attaining Wisdom” Repeatedly we are told to listen to the words of direction, and apply our heart, and heed the teaching, and stay attune to instruction.  The emphasis would be hard to miss.“Apply your heart to instruction.”  Many times, I can rush by a phrase like that and miss out on some of its meaning.  I often need to slow down and acquire some clarity.  For example, t...  Read More

Proverbs 20-22:16. “Dangerous Business” I enjoy reading quotes by Will Rogers, a great social humorist.  One of his comments on chitchat was, “Live that you wouldn't be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip.”In our society we have a lot of jokes and quips about gossip.  We’ve had various comic television series’ for years that have a character portraying a nosey neighbor or town go...  Read More

Proverbs 17-19.  “Parental Wisdom” I counted at least seven proverbs pertaining to children in these three chapters.  Several describe the pain a parent can experience when their child is on the road to folly.  A few others explain the benefits of discipline.  There was one, far more uplifting, although I believe a few teenagers would take exception, which read: “parents are the pride of their chi...  Read More

Proverbs 14-16.  “WQ” "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." –PlatoThere are definitely certain characteristics that make a statement.  As Solomon continues to describe the wise there are two words that stand out; “witness” and “work.”  “Witness” encompasses the qualities of the wise.  They are pleasant, gentle, thoughtful, careful, humble in...  Read More

Proverbs 11-13.  “Life-Giving Fruit” In today’s chapters wisdom is associated with humility; with one who listens to advice; with not making a show of knowledge; accepting parent’s discipline; giving good advice; and thinking before acting.As much as I enjoy the idea of elaborating on each of these, there is one characteristic of wisdom listed in chapter 11 that I enjoy more.  Verse 30 tells us th...  Read More

Proverbs 8-10.  “It’s More Than Brains” Wisdom is described in these chapters as that which; is Contrasted by immorality, folly and foolishness; Fears the LORD; Is excellent and right; Speaks truth and hates deception; Has good judgment; Knows where to discover knowledge and discernment; Hates pride, arrogance, corruption, perverted speech, and evil; Rewards with gifts better than pure gold; Was c...  Read More

It is a joy to read the Proverbs. Sometimes you find yourself laughing at the candid way a proverb is written, and yet other times you find yourself stopping to consider the truth behind what was just shared.          A proverb is a short saying to express a truth. Therefore, it should not be surprising that in this week’s passage you will read the words “wisdom” or “wise” almost 100 times.  What is surprising is how wisdom is defined.  Read More

Proverbs 1-4. “Acquiring Wisdom” As a father of three children, I think often about the legacy that I am building within my own family.  Proverbs 4 provides us with some good lessons on how to build and leave a meaningful legacy.  This proverb demonstrates that wisdom is so interconnected with legacy building that, without it, we are in danger of leaving a negative or destructive legacy that will...  Read More

1 Kings 4:1-34; Psalms 72, 127.  “An Eternal Legacy” Solomon was a prolific writer.  1 Kings 4:32 tells us that he wrote 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs.  What a legacy, right?  Well, yes, that is until much of that was lost.  What we have remaining of Solomon’s writings is that which was inspired by God and was incorporated into the word of God.  So ultimately Solomon’s legacy was dependent upon t...  Read More

1 Kings 9:15-10:29; 2 Chronicles 1:14-17; 8:1-9:28.  “Legacy of Obedience” “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself, and he must never send his people to Egypt to buy horses there, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will lead him away from the Lord.  And he must not accumulate vast amounts...  Read More

1 Kings 8:54-9:14; 2 Chronicles 7. “Legacy of a Father” Solomon received a great legacy from his father David and he had an opportunity to pass it on to his son Rehoboam but failed.  Here is a story about a father who chose to pass on a legacy:“I need you,” was all his wife had to say for the successful traveling evangelist to come home.  Their sixteen-year-old son was pushing his limits and his ...  Read More

1 Kings 8:1-53; 2 Chronicles 5-6.  “Messiah’s Temple” In part of Solomon’s address to the people of Israel, he refers to the Davidic covenant.  Solomon recognizes that he has fulfilled the portion of the covenant that says one of David’s descendants will build the Lord’s temple.  However, what Solomon did not know was that this prophetic statement in 2 Sam. 7:12-14 was not only fulfilled by Solomo...  Read More

1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 3:15-4:22.  “Temple vs. Palace” Solomon did many great things and was a good king for a while, but as you will discover from your reading this week, not everything he did was right.  In chapter 7 of 1 Kings we read the details of the palace compound that Solomon built for himself.  Now certainly the temple of the Lord was impressive, but the palace of the Forest of Lebanon ...  Read More

1 Kings 3:16-28; 5:1-6:38; 2 Chronicles 2:1-3:14.  “Temple Building” This week’s reading covers the early part of Solomon’s reign over Israel.  During this time Solomon accomplished many great things, leaving a tremendous legacy.  He built the temple and a massive palace compound in Jerusalem.  He also built storage cities and outposts for the defense of Israel.  Because of the legacy that Solomon...  Read More

 This week’s reading covers the early part of Solomon’s reign over Israel.  During this time Solomon accomplished many great things, leaving a tremendous legacy.  He built the temple and a massive palace compound in Jerusalem.  He also built storage cities and outposts for the defense of Israel.            Because of the legacy that Solomon left we are going to look at what it means to build a legacy.  A legacy is far more than what we accomplish in our careers.  It involves choices that we make and things that we value.  I hope that, through this week, you are encouraged to evaluate your life and the legacy that you are currently building and the legacy that you desire to leave.  Read More

1 Kings 2:13-3:15; 1 Chronicles 29:23-25; 2 Chronicles 1:1-13; Psalm 83. “Wheels of Justice” Justice is one of the topics addressed today.  The passages in Kings and Chronicles describe the justice Solomon laid forth.  His justice was fair and took into consideration the counsel of his father, David.  It was also necessary in order to prevent chaos from coming.  Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Tru...  Read More

Psalm 79-82.  “Recorded Variety” Although all four psalms come from the same individual, there is yet great variety in their contents.  The first two psalms are reflections of the nation.  The third psalm is a spiritual reminder on a holiday.  The last psalm refers to God, the righteous Judge.What are some of the characteristics of journals?  Providing you have journaled, if you were to look throu...  Read More

Psalm 75-78.  “Expressions of the Psalms” Years ago, Dr. Ron Allen visited the church I was at to speak on the Old Testament.  Dr. Allen is the senior professor of Bible exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary.  One of his favorite topics is the Psalms.In a book he wrote on the Psalms he noted, “Only a Philistine could fail to love the Psalms.  Of all the books in the Old Testament, the Book of ...  Read More

Psalm 50, 73-74. “Leading Worship” Today—and for the next three days—we will be reading “Psalms of Asaph.”  Asaph and his sons, who worked under his direction, were given orders by King David to “proclaim God’s messages to the accompaniment of harps, lyres, and cymbals” (see 1 Chronicles 6:31-39; 15:16-17; 25:1-2).Numerous Levites were given various responsibilities as it pertained to worship.  A...  Read More

Psalm 88-89, 144-145.  “Musical Tunes” The psalms today reflect the journals of three men.  The first, Psalm 88, reminds us of several things; one would be the variety of emotions each man is experiencing.  Heman describes a despairing heart.  Furthermore, his purpose is unique in that it is purely a cry to the Lord in desperation.  Whereas, Ethan’s psalm describes more the historical events of Da...  Read More

Psalm 131, 133, 138-141, 143.  “Encouragement in the Psalms” The collection of psalms today provides tremendous encouragement for each of us.  After reading through these psalms I found myself feeling a bit guilty for the times I ever question God’s involvement in my life.  These psalms remind us of God’s presence, protection and provision.And again David expounds on God’s qualities: Psalm 131—bec...  Read More

This week I read an article by a woman who had been keeping a journal for 20 years.  She said it seemed natural for her to continue when her father suffered a major stroke.  She described the benefits of her journaling during the five years she cared for her father until his death.  She observed, her daily entries provided her with perspective and a unique sustenance.I must admit I am not the most...  Read More

This week I read an article by a woman who had been keeping a journal for 20 years.  She said it seemed natural for her to continue when her father suffered a major stroke.  She described the benefits of her journaling during the five years she cared for her father until his death.  She observed, her daily entries provided her with perspective and a unique sustenance.          I must admit I am not the most faithful, but I see many benefits to journaling.  Within this week’s passages, we will see how it benefited Solomon as he keeps records of people and situations (and later writes 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs).  We will read of men whose responsibility it was to record the blessings and actions of God for the people of Israel.  We will read David’s journaling as he uses words to worship God meditatively.  Read More

Psalms 68-70; 86, 101. “Dealing with Guilt and Shame” In reading Psalm 69 today you probably made many direct connections to the life of Jesus.  Verse 9 was quoted by the apostle John (John 2:17) and verse 21 was fulfilled with Jesus on the cross (John 19:29).How can we, though, connect verse 5 to Jesus since it indicates that the Messiah was guilty of sin; and yet Scripture is clear that Jesus n...  Read More

Psalms 61-62, 64-67.  “Overwhelmed” Have you ever felt overwhelmed with life?  Have you ever felt distant from God and troubled?  If so, don’t be alarmed.  We have all been there, every person, including Jesus.  The first four verses of Psalm 61 seem to indicate that Jesus experienced these emotions as well.The very fact that Jesus experienced these emotions tells me that our experience of them is...  Read More

Psalms 39-41, 53, 55, 58.  “Doing God’s Will” Have you ever struggled to do God’s will?  You know what I am talking about; those situations where what you should do is very apparent and yet you still rebel and choose to sin.Jesus never had that kind of experience, for He always followed God’s will.Psalm 40:6-8 declares that Jesus delights to do the Father’s will.  These verses are also quoted in H...  Read More

Psalms 35-38.  “Mistreatment” Have you ever considered the treatment that Jesus received from those He came to save?  I think Psalm 35:11-14 provides insight into how He felt and increases our understanding of the mistreatment He received.  The ones He has prayed for, fasted for, and grieved over are now rejoicing because of the trouble He is now in.A striking example of this is in Luke 19:41 when...  Read More

Psalms 27-32. “Imprecatory Psalms” Psalm 28 is what Bible scholars call an imprecatory psalm.  This is because the psalmist asks God to judge the wicked and the enemies of the righteous.  Some have been troubled by the presence of such psalms.  They wonder how a God of love and grace could receive such a request.  Will God really act in response to this request?Today I am challenging you to think...  Read More

Psalms 22-26. “At the End of your Rope” Psalm 22 is another psalm of David or the beloved one and, once again, it is prophetically speaking of the Messiah.  This psalm is so interconnected in the life of the Messiah that the first line was spoken by Jesus as He hung on the cross.  The four gospel accounts give us information on the details of Jesus’ crucifixion, but Psalm 22 allows us to enter in...  Read More

Psalms 12-17; 19-21.  “Joy of the Messiah” When I was in seminary, one of my professors challenged us with this question: how can the ancient prayers written in the psalms to God, be God’s Word to us today?  The answer, I propose to you, is that the psalms are prophetically the prayers of Jesus, the Messiah Himself.  I know this may be a different way of understanding the psalms for you, but I bel...  Read More

When I was in seminary, one of my professors challenged us with this question: how can the ancient prayers written in the psalms to God, be God’s Word to us today?  The answer, I propose to you, is that the psalms are prophetically the prayers of Jesus, the Messiah Himself.  I know this may be a different way of understanding the psalms for you, but I believe that there is sufficient biblical evidence to support this.            So, as you read through the psalms this week, I hope you enjoy some insights into the life of the Messiah by reading through the prayers of the Messiah.  Read More

2 Samuel 23:1-7; 1 Kings 2:1-12; 1 Chronicles 29:26-30; Psalm 4-6,8,9,11. “Final Thoughts” David left a rich history.  He was an amazing leader and powerful soldier.  His life was committed to God in such a way that he was described by God as a man after His own heart (1 Sam. 13:14).At 70, David left words of advice and experience for Solomon and many others.  David had learned many lessons, and ...  Read More

1 Kings 1; 1 Chronicles 29:1-22. “Inactive” It is almost possible to read this passage and assume that King David, now rich in years, was unaware of what was taking place.  Bathsheba inquires of him whom he intended to make the next king.  Nathan inquired similarly.However, Bathsheba and Nathan do acknowledge that David is aware of the fact that his son, Adonijah, was crowning himself king.  Furt...  Read More

1 Chronicles 26-28. “Order” These chapters are describing great organization and preparation.  There are people placed in charge of music, finances, priestly duties, gatekeeping, record keeping, administration, judging, baking, and so forth.There are several lessons here for us.  One would be the charge that David placed before each person; “Do your job in honor of the LORD” (22:17-19).  The seco...  Read More

1 Chronicles 23-25.  “Priests” The duties of the priests were specific.  The qualifications and responsibilities were detailed and established by God.  It was a temporary fix until the permanent solution came.The earthly high priest entered the Most Holy Place year after year to offer blood not his own, but that of an animal.  He would offer the sacrifices time after time which never removed the s...  Read More

2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21-22.  “Perspectives” I appreciate the balance we receive by having the opportunity to read the same story from two passages.  The two accounts prove the trustworthiness of the incident, and yet it also provides different perspectives.  Today’s reading starts off with an example of varying perspective.  One account leads us to believe God tempted David, but the other acc...  Read More

2 Samuel 22; Psalm 18.  “Divine Descriptors” David was truly gifted with the pen.  He had the ability to poetically phrase commanding statements.  He had a wonderful vocabulary that expounded his capacity to describe experiences and people.  Another large part of his writing gift was his awareness of God’s working in his life.  He was constantly aware of God’s hand in each of his experiences.What ...  Read More

2 Samuel 19:31-21:22; Psalm 7; 1 Chronicles 20:4-8. “Highs and Lows” “Vision is looking at life through the lens of God’s eye.” – Charles SwindollIt is natural and understandable that we most often view things from a human outlook instead of “through the lens of God’s eye.”  However, it is amazing when we are able to view things from God’s angle.  Perhaps what is most amazing is the enormous diff...  Read More