Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 150: Haman's Plot Thwarted

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read Esther 6-10.

The king can't sleep, so he wants to read the official records. I'm sure that would make anyone sleepy. As he's reading the records, he finds the name of Mordecai listed as the man who discovered a plot to kill him and saved his life.

He calls for any official who is in the palace to ask what should be done for a man the king wants to honor.

Haman happens to be nearby and gets the summons. Arrogantly, he naturally assumes the king wants to honor him, so he gives a list of what he wants.

The king then orders Haman to do all that he said for Mordecai.

Haman has to dress Mordecai in the king's best robes, and parade him around on a royal horse, proclaiming that he is a man whom the king wishes to honor.

Ouch.

Haman goes home after this, dejected.

Esther 6:13 - Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him."

Haman's doom is predicted.

Now, Haman is summoned to the queen's chambers for the second banquet.

As before, the king asks what he can give to Esther. This time, she tells him.

Esther 7:3-4 - Then Queen Esther replied, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me as my petition, and my people as my request; for we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed and to be annihilated. Now if we had only been sold as slaves, men and women, I would have remained silent, for the trouble would not be commensurate with the annoyance to the king."

The king demands to know who would plot such a thing.

Esther tells him it is Haman.

The king is very angry and goes out into the garden.

When he returns, Haman has thrown himself on Esther's couch to plead with her. And it looks as though he is assaulting the queen with the king there in the room.

So the eunuchs take custody of Haman, and one of them informs the king of the gallows Haman had constructed for Mordecai.

The king orders that Haman be hanged from it.

Then, Mordecai is promoted over the house of Haman, and given Haman's ring.

The king basically puts Mordecai and Esther in charge of their people, and gives the Jews permission to defend themselves, and they defeat a lot of their enemies.

I have always enjoyed the story of Esther. First, she's an ordinary girl who becomes queen, which always appealed to me as a child. Now, however, I can see past that to the moral of the story. Esther's courage is inspiring. She went into the court of the king, knowing what had happened to the last one. She risked her life to tell the king of Haman's plot. She was afraid, and so asked her people to pray for her while fasting for three days. But she still did it. And God gave her favor with the king.

She was not there by accident. God placed her there for a purpose.

Just as God places us for a purpose. Perhaps you're wondering why you are where you are, or perhaps you're waiting to be placed. Either way, know that God knows what is going on, and He does not do anything by accident.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Job 1-4.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 149: Queen Esther

Good afternoon, everyone!

Today I read Esther 1-5.

I really love this story.

Queen Vashti angers the king by refusing to dance before him and the people at his feast, and his advisers encourage him to put her aside and find the most beautiful virgin to become his next queen.

Esther is taken to the palace, and does not add extra as the other girls do, and the king makes her queen.

Haman is second only to the king, and everyone bows when he walks by. Except Mordecai, Esther's uncle, who raised her. Mordecai will not bow to Haman.

This makes Haman angry, so he plots to kill Mordecai and all the Jews.

During this time, however, Mordecai discovers a plot against the king and saves his life, by telling Esther.

Still, Mordecai knows that if Haman's law passes, no Jew will be safe, not even Esther. Esther asks her uncle and her people to fast and pray for her for three days and nights.

She goes before the king. Normally, this could get someone killed, but God gives Esther favor, and the king is pleased to see her. She requests that he and Haman come to a banquet she is preparing in her apartments.

The king agrees, and while he and Haman are feasting, he declares that he will give Esther anything, even to half his kingdom.

Esther knows she has to make her request at the right time. It's only the first night. So, she requests the presence of Haman and the king again the next night.

Haman feels especially pleased and brags about his double invitation to his friends, and because of it, he is especially displeased that Mordecai won't bow to him.

In today's reading, we end with Haman building a gallows in preparation to hang Mordecai.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Esther 6-10 for the exciting conclusion!

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 148: Relearning

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read Nehemiah 12-13. 

Today's reading detailed the priests and Levites who had returned to Jerusalem.

Then, Nehemiah goes on a trip to see the king, and one of the priests, Eliashib, gave one of his relatives, a foreigner, a room in the Temple of God - the room dedicated for offerings, and tithes and such.

Nehemiah returns, and Eliashib gets in trouble for allowing a foreigner to reside in the Temple of God, and Tobiah, the foreign relative, gets thrown out.

Only priests were allowed to go into certain rooms, and no foreigners were allowed to live there.

I'm pretty sure only priests were allowed to live there, and only in certain rooms, certainly not ones reserved for offerings.

In addition, when Nehemiah returned, he discovers that the Levites had not been given their portions, as God had commanded that they be provided for since they are set apart to Him, and do not usually own or work their own land.

Nehemiah reprimands the officials, and gathers the Levites, restoring their positions, and takes care of it.

Some of the people are also working on the Sabbath, not observing it as a holy day and a day of rest. They are trading, working their fields, etc.

So Nehemiah reprimands them.

Now, rather than being annoyed today, I can understand how not everyone would understand all the rules.

Remember, at this point, their forefathers hadn't been serving God, and thus they were taken into captivity, where they would not have been taught God's laws.

So, it's like Nehemiah has to start from scratch with the people, teaching them the laws, as well as what they mean. As governor, he also has to enforce the laws.

It's a mess, but the people are learning.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Esther 1-5.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 147: Leaders of the Provinces

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read Nehemiah 10-11.

Today's reading details everyone who signed the document that bound them in agreement to keep all the laws which God had given to Moses, and details which people were responsible for bringing supplies to the house of God.

It then details a list of the heads of each province in Jerusalem, and the heads of the villages in Judah, surrounding Jerusalem.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Nehemiah 12-13.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 146: Our Promised Land

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read Nehemiah 8-9.

Nehemiah and Ezra knew each other. Ezra had gone to Jerusalem, and Nehemiah soon heard that the walls had been destroyed, and he followed to rebuild the walls.

At this point, Ezra is God's priest, and Nehemiah has been chosen as the governor.

Nehemiah and Ezra, along with the priests with Ezra gather together before the people, and Ezra reads the law of Moses to the people.

The people begin weeping when they hear the law, but Nehemiah tells them not to weep, but to celebrate, for the day is holy. They are to go and feast and celebrate, giving to their neighbors who do not have enough.

There is a specific feast (the feast of booths) mentioned next, and the people celebrated it. I think I'm going to do a special series on the feasts in the Bible. That, and I'm going to do a comparison of the months. 

When it says they celebrated in the seventh month, when does that fall in our calendar? Because the calendars are different. If it says the seventh month, it doesn't mean July.

So, that's going to happen at some point.

On with today's reading.

The people confess their sin, and the priests pray for them, calling to God and glorifying Him, praising Him for His goodness and all He did for them. This also served as a reminder for the people who heard the prayer.

 I won't write the whole thing, but I enjoyed reading it. It reminded me of some things.

God is faithful.

Even when the Israelites kept turning from Him, He never left them in the wilderness.

He rescued them from slavery.

Just as God rescued the Israelites from Egypt, God rescues us from sin.

God speaks with us.

It may not happen as with Moses, through a burning bush, but God does speak with us.

God provides.

Just as He provided for the Israelites in the wilderness, God always provides all that we need.

God is slow to anger.

Just as the Israelites grumbled and complained, and sinned, so do we. But God is slow to anger, and His mercy is abundant.

God prospers His people.

Just as He gave the Israelites their promised land, so too, will He give us our promised land. It may not be what we expect, just as the Israelites weren't expecting what they got. It may require work on our part, and we may have to put a lot of trust in Him, but He will deliver us from our wilderness and bring us into our promised land.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Nehemiah 10-11.

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Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 145: Exclusivity

Good evening, everyone!

Today I read Nehemiah 7.

In today's reading, after the wall was built, Nehemiah took a census of the exiled people.

He checked their genealogies and numbered the people.

Now, these names and numbers don't mean anything to me. But it would be interesting to someone who saw their ancestor's name in the list.

There were a few people who claimed to be Levites, but could not prove it, and so were excluded from the priesthood, because being a priest was a sacred duty given only to the Levites.

I'm so glad God doesn't exclude us. I'm so glad Jesus came to die for our sins so that He could remove the barriers between us and God, so that we do not have to be excluded from His family by sin.

I'm so glad God's kingdom isn't an exclusive club only the perfect can join.

Anyone can join as long as they accept Christ as their Savior and believe He is the Son of God. Anyone can join as long as they seek God's kingdom and strive to be continually obedient to His Word. Anyone can join as long as they leave their sin behind and follow Jesus.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Nehemiah 8-9.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 144: Completing the Wall

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read Nehemiah 4-6.

Through opposition, threats, and naysayers, Nehemiah and the Israelites rebuilt the walls and gates around Jerusalem.

They were ridiculed. They were mocked. They were threatened.

They had to begin carrying weapons with them wherever they went. Some assignments changed. Some people were now on watch rather than helping to build the wall.

Despite all of this, Nehemiah trusted God, and sought Him, asking for protection and deliverance from their enemies.

Actually, what he really asked for was that their reproach would bring them misfortune, but it's the same thing.

Also, this is the first time (in my NASB version) that the word Jews is used to describe the Israelites.

In some versions, it seems that there is an earlier time, in 2 Kings 16:6. However, in that case, my Bible uses the word Judeans rather than Jews.

So this is new to me.

And it's also something I found interesting and wanted to make a note of.

What about your Bible? Is this the first instance, or was it in 2 Kings?

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Nehemiah 7.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 143: Your Assignment

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read Nehemiah 1-3.

Nehemiah hears about the exiles with Ezra returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. He also hears that they are facing great trials and are reproached by their neighbors.

Then he hears that the walls and gates of Jerusalem are burned and falling apart.

And Nehemiah grieves.

So he prays to God for favor, and asks the king for help.

The king sends him on his way with royal letters and supplies.

When Nehemiah arrives, he begins rebuilding the wall.

But he doesn't do it alone. Each man repairs a section of the wall. Some could repair only the sections in front of their house.

But that was okay.

Despite the mocking from the peoples around them, Nehemiah was confident that they could succeed with God on their side.

And he was right.

Each man had an assignment. And each man kept to his assignment.

And the walls and gates were rebuilt.

Just like these men, we each have an assignment. We all have a call that God has placed on our lives.

Sometimes, like Nehemiah, we have to wait a while before we are ready to take on that assignment. Sometimes, our whole lives prepare us for this assignment.

But when we get our assignment, we need to do it.

We can't be looking at someone else's assignment and coveting it, or trying to help (by sticking our noses where they don't belong).

We need to keep our eyes focused on the assignment God gives us. No matter how long it takes to complete, if we all just work on our own individual assignment, then we can help to further the Kingdom of God.

Not all of us will build the wall or fix the gates. Some of us may just bring the supplies.

Make sense? I hope so.

This struck me really hard today. I need to focus on my assignment.

Like we mentioned in my Bible study last night, we may know the "what," but not the "how," or the "when."

And that means we are waiting for our assignment. Sometimes that means we are waiting to be ready.

What is your assignment?

What are you doing to prepare for your assignment?

Are you waiting well, trusting God and preparing? Or are you complaining and doubting?

I need to work on waiting well. But I also need to prepare for the assignment God has given me. I don't know the "when," or the "how," but knowing the "what," means I can prepare myself.

How can you prepare yourself?

Read God's Word. Pray. Worship. Rejoice even when it's hard. Prepare your heart. Focus on Him.

And prepare practically for your assignment if you can. Don't worry too much about the financial aspect, but don't squander your fortunes either. Remember, God provides, but He also wants us to be wise with what we are given.

So, what is your assignment? How can you keep your focus on your assignment? How can you prepare practically?

I pray that God reveals your assignment to you, and that you ask Him for help in the preparation and the waiting.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Nehemiah 4-6.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 142: Restoration and Reconciliation

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read Ezra 8-10.

Today's reading details the people who accompanied Ezra to Jerusalem. Then it details the Levites who came after he sent for them.

Ezra entreated God for protection and He protected them from their enemies on their way to Jerusalem.

On the fourth day of their stay in Jerusalem, they placed the silver, gold, and utensils in the Temple.

Then, Ezra was grieved because of the number of Israelites who had intermarried with other nations. Remember, this was a big deal because the other nations did not serve God, and often enticed the people away from Him.

There's a reason Christians are exhorted not to marry those who do not serve God.

So, Ezra is grieved and prays and calls a meeting. The people hear him out and agree that they should put away their foreign wives, and be reconciled with God.

There were 115 men who had married foreign wives, and all put away their wives. Some of them had children and put them away also.

Now, I confess, I don't understand this completely.

They weren't supposed to marry the foreign wives in the first place. Thus, when they repented, they had to remove themselves from them completely, so they would not continue to sin.

I understand that.

Solomon married foreign wives, and in the end, those wives and their gods influenced Solomon away from God, and gave him bad counsel.

So, I can understand the reasons. And they sent them back to their homelands and families. And most of the cultures the Israelites encountered at that time weren't strict about divorce or remarrying, so I'm sure the women had no trouble.

It's just one of those things that still confuses me a bit.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Nehemiah 1-3.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 141: Work on the Temple Halted then Completed

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read Ezra 4-7.

King Cyrus ordered that the Israelites return to rebuild God's temple.

Their enemies didn't like that, so they sent word to King Artaxerxes, who, after reviewing the records of how prosperous the Israelites were, put a stop to it.

After that, the enemies complained to King Darius, who found King Cyrus' order, and told the complainers to leave the Israelites alone so they could rebuild God's temple.

And so the temple was completed, and dedicated. The Levites cleansed themselves and Passover was observed.

During the reign of King Artaxerxes (probably II), Ezra had journeyed from Babylon to Jerusalem. He entreated the king, who allowed Ezra and as many priests as wanted to go with him, to travel to Jerusalem.

The kings are sometimes confusing, because many of them had the same names, but were ...I, ...II, etc. I'm still trying to find a timeline that isn't confusing. Perhaps there's an in-depth study of Ezra or a book of timelines of the Bible.

I'll see what I can find. If I find a good one, I'll share. If you know of one, please leave a comment below, so everyone can have a chance to learn.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Ezra 8-10.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 140: Rebuilding the Temple

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read Ezra 1-3.

In today's reading, King Cyrus of Persia allows, even insists, that the Israelites return to Judah to rebuild God's temple in Jerusalem.

Following this declaration are the numbers of the people who returned.

I won't go through all of that with you, but I will give the total number of those returning: 42,360. This does not include servants.

And so the people returned, sacrificed to God, and began to rebuild the House of the Lord.
I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Ezra 4-7.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 139: The Foolishness of Kings

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read 2 Chronicles 35-36.

Josiah became king, and he did good in God's sight, even observing the Passover again, and reinstating the priests.

Neco, the king of Egypt came up to make war against his enemies, who were near Judah (but not the Israelites).

Josiah decided to go up against him in battle.

Neco sent word to him, a warning from God, that Josiah should not interfere in this battle.

Josiah did not heed God's warning, but disguised himself and went to battle anyway. He was badly hurt, and he died in battle.

Then Joahaz, the son of Josiah, became king. But he was removed as king by the king of Egypt.

And Neco, the king of Egypt, made his brother, Eliakim, king of Judah, changing his name to Jehoiakim.

He did evil in the sight of God, and soon, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, captured Jehoiakim, and took him to Babylon.

And his son, Jehoiachin, became king of Judah. He was eight years old and reigned for only 3 months and ten days. Yet, he did evil in the sight of God.

And Nebuchadnezzar brought him to Babylon, removing him as king of Judah.

Zedekiah became king in his place, and he also did what was evil in God's sight. He also rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. However, he had sword an oath by God to serve Nebuchadnezzar.

He and the people were warned by God's messengers many times to turn from their wickedness.

But they mocked God's messengers and prophets, and disregarded His words.

So God allowed them to fall by the hands of the Chaldeans. And God's temple was raided, and the treasures were taken. Then, the temple was burned down.

All who did not die by the the sword were taken as captives to Babylon.

And they were captive there for 70 years, until the prophecy of Jeremiah was fulfilled, where the land had its sabbath rest.

After that time, Cyrus, king of Persia, permitted them to return to their land and to rebuild God's temple in Jerusalem.

But we'll learn more about that tomorrow, in Ezra.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Ezra 1-3.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 138: When People Do Bad Things

Good afternoon, everyone!

Today I read 2 Chronicles 32-34.

The king of Assyria besieged Judah, and mocked God, making Him out to be like all the man-made gods of the other nations he'd invaded.

He tried to shake the people's faith. But Hezekiah sought God, and God answered him, destroying every warrior in the Assyrian camp. The king returned home in shame, and was almost immediately killed by some of his children in the temple of his god.

This reminds me of another verse.

Galatians 6:7-10 - Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

Sometimes people do bad things to other people. Sometimes people do bad things to God's people. Sometimes people in the church make mistakes, hurt us, or do bad things.

Don't be afraid. Don't worry. Don't lose hope. Don't stop trusting God. He has a plan. Even when someone acts outside of His will, they cannot stop His ultimate plan for our lives.

God is our hope.

God is our refuge.

God is our strength.

God is our peace.

God is always with us.

God is still God.

Nothing catches Him off guard.

I had no idea when I started writing this post that I would be reminded of that verse, or be led to post as many verses as I did.

I had no idea that I would link it to the mass shootings that have been going on lately.

It's bad.

I won't lie to you. The world is bad, and it's getting worse.

But God is good. He always has been, and He always will be. He's the only one who will always be completely good.

And that's something I find comforting. He always takes care of me. Even when I don't understand why something happens, I know that one day I will be in the presence of my God, with all wrongs made right, and His Son triumphant over the Enemy, with His Will prevalent throughout the entire universe He made, completely for the first time, without question.

I hope this helped, taught, or comforted you today.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow as I read 2 Chronicles 35-36.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 137: King Hezekiah

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read 2 Chronicles 28-31.

In today's reading Ahaz becomes king and does evil in God's sight. Therefore, Judah is invaded, the people are captured, and when he tries to make a deal with Assyria, he gets stabbed in the back. After all of this, he still refuses to turn to God, rather, after he is betrayed and defeated by Assyria, he turns to their gods, thinking they will help him. They don't.

When he dies, he isn't buried in the tombs of the kings. Rather, he is buried in the city of Jerusalem. I'm mentioning this, because I've noticed it's a pattern. The people would not bury wicked kings in the tombs of their recognized kings.

Hezekiah, his son, becomes king in his place.

He does what is right in God's sight.

He restores God's temple, which his father had desecrated. He restores worship and sacrifice in the Temple. He also reinstates the Passover, which the people had not celebrated in large numbers in many years.

The priests consecrate themselves, but not all of the people consecrate themselves as they are meant to. However, because of the special circumstance (the Passover not being celebrated for a while) Hezekiah prays for them, asking that God pardon this in everyone whose heart is prepared to seek God during this feast.

So God heeds Hezekiah and heals the people.

Hezekiah continues with reforms, restoring what the former kings had destroyed.

Did you notice something in today's reading that I missed? I'd love to hear it!

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 2 Chronicles 32-34.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 136: Prophets

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read 2 Chronicles 25-27.

In today's reading, we learn more about kings who began their reign obeying God, but who soon turned to false gods.

But that's not what I want to talk about today.

Today, I noticed something interesting.

2 Chronicles 26:3-5 - Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem. He did right in the sight of the LORD according to all that his father Amaziah had done. He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God prospered him.

The prophet. Did you catch that?

Uzziah reigned during the days of Zechariah. The prophet.

Did you know that the kings don't get their own books? I mean, I know David and Solomon wrote books, but mostly, the prophets get their own books. Samuel. Zechariah. Hosea.

God's prophets were more important than the kings. But they weren't always treated that way.

It was something that I found interesting today.

From now on, I'm going to try to catch the names of the prophets. Some of them have their own books. And even the ones who don't often have interesting stories, even if it's only a few verses.

But just in case you're curious: this is a different Zechariah than the one who has his own book.

I think next year I'm going to read the Bible in chronological order rather than from beginning to end, that way I'll have a clearer understanding of the order of events.

Maybe I'll blog about my findings.

Do you ever notice when the prophets are mentioned? Do you ever pay attention to the wording when they are introduced?

I challenge you to do so today. There is always something new to learn, especially from God's Word. Paying attention even to the little things can sometimes bring about a great revelation.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 2 Chronicles 28-31.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 135: Youngest King of Judah

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read 2 Chronicles 21-24.

In today's reading, Jehoram succeeds Jehosaphat, his father, as king of Judah. When he has become king, he kills all his brothers so there is no competition. And he does not serve God or fear Him.

During this time, because of his disobedience, many kingdoms revolt against Judah.

And he dies a horrible death.

Ahaziah, his youngest son, becomes king in his place.

But he only reigns one year because of the advice of his mother, who incites him to serve the other gods.

Then, his mother, Athaliah, takes the throne for herself, killing all the royal offspring, except Joash, who is hidden for six years by Ahaziah's sister, the wife of Jehoidah, the priest.

Next, Jehoida, the priest, makes Joash the king of Judah, and Athaliah is killed.

Joash is seven years old when he becomes king. And he obeys God's laws, and does what is right in God's sight. He also collects money from the people to restore God's temple, and repairs the temple.

Jehoida, the priest, dies at the age of 130. After his death, the king gets bad council, and abandons the laws of God. He even kills Jehoida's son, who prophesied to warn the king.

At this time, because of the king's disobedience, Aram invades Judah and God allows their defeat.

Joash gets sick and his own servants conspire against him and murder him because he killed the son of Jehoida, the priest.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 2 Chronicles 25-27.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 134: Alliances

Good evening, everyone!

Today I read 2 Chronicles 18-20.

In today's reading, Jehosaphat, king of Judah, made several alliances with the kings of Israel.

First, he allied himself by marriage with King Ahab. When it came time to go to war, Ahab asked for Jehosaphat's help. He agreed, but all of Ahab's prophets were false, saying only what the king wanted to hear.

So Jehosaphat insisted that a true prophet of God be brought to tell the truth.

The prophet did not prophesy in the king's favor, so Ahab sent him away and the kings went to battle.

Jehosophat was almost attacked, but he cried out to God and God saved him. Ahab was killed, as the Lord's prophet had predicted.

Jehosaphat went home instituted reforms in the judges, reminding them that they served God, and that He saw everything they did.

Soon after, Judah was invaded, and Jehosophat sought God and his enemies destroyed themselves.

Later, however, Jehosophat allied himself with Ahaziah, the new king of Israel in order to make new ships to go to Tarshish.

This alliance, however, displeased God and the ships broke apart.

Remember, at this time, most of the kings of Judah did what was right in God's eyes, and most of the kings of Israel were serving false gods.

This reading was a good reminder for me today. It's important to go to all nations and teach them about God. However, it's important to be careful who your close friends are. It's important not to ally ourselves with people who don't serve God, because He will not bless someone who is doing evil; also, people influence each other, and it's possible that ungodly people will influence us to act like them if we do not spend enough time with people who fear and serve God.

It was a good reminder to be careful of who we, as God's people, ally ourselves with.

How do your best friends behave? Do they lift you up or tear you down? Pray with and for you? Encourage you in God's Word? Do they incite you to do evil?

If they don't ally with you in accordance with God's Word and His laws, but instead try to get you to do evil, be careful there. Continue praying for them, of course, but be sure to surround yourself with people who do encourage you to follow God's Word.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 2 Chronicles 21-24.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 133: Kings of Judah

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read 2 Chronicles 13-17.

In today's reading, Rehoboam dies, and his son Abijah becomes king of Judah.

Jeroboam, king of Israel, and Abijah, king of Judah, fight against one another.

However, Abijah seeks God's counsel and serves Him, while Jeroboam has made false gods for himself and his people.

Thus, God favors Abijah, and Abijah drives Israel's armies back.

Soon after, Jeroboam dies.

Abijah, however, becomes powerful, and is known through the land.

His son Asa succeeds him when he dies, and he does what is right in God's sight, and so God prospers him, even helping him to win battles when he asks.

However, after a time, Azaraiah, the prophet, has to warn Asa not to turn from following God, so as not to cause his people to stumble.

Asa takes the words to heart and removes all the idols from the land, and made sacrifices to God, restoring to God's temple things that had been taken.

Later, however, Asa goes to war against Baasha, king of Israel. Asa brings out silver and gold from God's temple and sends it to Ben-hadad, king of Aram, asking for his help in defeating Baasha's armies.

The king agrees, but God is not pleased. Hanani, His prophet, comes to the king to chastise him for relying on King Ben-hadad instead of seeking God.

Asa throws the prophet in prison.

Soon after, Asa became ill. He did not seek God or ask Him for healing, or repent of what he'd done. Rather, he relied on the court physicians only, and he died.

His son, Jehosaphat, succeeds him as king, and he does what is good in the sight of God. He followed David's example, and sought after only God, rather than false gods.

God established his kingdom, and no one wanted to make an enemy of Jehosaphat. All the kingdoms around him sent tribute to him, including the Philistines. And many men served him.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 2 Chronicles 18-20.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 132: Kings and Their Follies

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read 2 Chronicles 9-12.

In today's reading, the Queen of Sheba visited Solomon and was very impressed by his wisdom.

While Solomon lived, Israel prospered, and he was the wisest and wealthiest king. In fact, he ruled over other kings.

At the time of his death, his son, Rehoboam, became king. But he was wicked, and did not obey God.

When Rehoboam dealt wickedly with the people, Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, became king over Israel and Rehoboam ruled Judah.

These two kingdoms fought for a very long time, even after these two kings. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Jeroboam did not allow the Levites to minister in God's house. Rather, he chose his own priests to minister before the satyrs and the calves which he had made as gods. Thus, he caused Israel to turn from following God.

Because neither kingdom was following God's laws, He allowed calamities to come upon them.

Rehoboam's kingdom, Judah, was invaded by Shishak, the king of Egypt. However, the people turned back to God, humbled themselves, and repented, so God spared them.

His mercy is everlasting. Sometimes we mess up. Sometimes leaders cause the people to sin. But when we humble ourselves and repent, He will forgive us.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 2 Chronicles 13-17.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 131: God's Glory Comes Down

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read 2 Chronicles 6-8.

Solomon completes work on the Temple. Then, he offers a prayer of dedication and God's glory comes down in a cloud to rest there. It is so powerful that the priests cannot even get near it.

God then appears to Solomon in private and promises, according to Solomon's prayer, that if His people indeed do obey Him, He will bless them, and if they sin, He will bring calamity upon them until they repent, but once they repent, He will forgive them.

It took twenty years for Solomon to complete the building of God's Temple and his own palace. Once he had done so, he built other fortified cities, and storage cities.

And Solomon kept God's commandments, and so did the people. Thus, they prospered.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 2 Chronicles 9-12.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 130: Solomon's Palace and God's Temple

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read 2 Chronicles  2-5.

In today's reading, Solomon builds his palace and God's temple.

Now, I've already discussed this, as we read it in greater detail in 1 Kings. So, I'll just link to that post here.

Solomon did have help in building the temple. A lot of help. 70,000 men carried loads. 80,000 men carried stone. 3,600 men supervised them.

In addition, the king of Tyre responded to Solomon's request for help, and sent skilled craftsmen and materials.

And so Solomon accomplished the building of the temple which his father, David, had planned.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 2 Chronicles 6-8.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 129: God's Temple and Solomon's Wisdom

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read 1 Chronicles 28-29 and 2 Chronicles 1.

In today's reading, David addresses the people about the building of God's temple, telling them that because he had fought too many battles, God was instead going to allow his son Solomon to build His temple. David then told them that he had already begun preparations for the temple, showed them the plans, and informed them of how much money and how many materials he was able to gather. He then asked how much they could give toward the building of God's temple. The people, inspired, gave a lot.

So, David died, and Solomon became king. And God inquired of him what he would ask as a gift from God. And Solomon requested wisdom to rule God's people. God was pleased that Solomon had not made a selfish request, and in addition to the wisdom, He also gave Solomon riches, honor, and wealth, such as was not possessed by any king before or after him.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 2 Chronicles 2-5.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 128: Division of Tasks

Good afternoon, everyone!

Today I read 1 Chronicles 25-27.

And today's reading covers the numbers of musicians as well as the services they performed, the divisions of the gatekeepers, the Levites who kept the treasures, the commanders of the army, the listing of the chief officers of the tribes of Israel, and the overseers, and counselors who served King David.

I'm afraid I don't have any musings, reflections, or revelations about this one.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 1 Chronicles 28-29.

I'm going to go back to watching the Pride and Prejudice mini-series starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehie. If you haven't seen it yet and you enjoy Jane Austen's stories, I recommend it. 

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 127: Preparation for the Temple

Good afternoon, everyone!

Today I read 1 Chronicles 22-24.

And in today's reading, we learn something interesting.

Solomon didn't draw up plans for the temple and build it on his own. His father, David, who was unable to begin building the temple because he had shed too much blood, was still able to draw up plans for the temple and prepare for it by gathering the materials.

Then, when Solomon became king, in an era of peace, he was able to take the materials and plans, add to them, and build God's temple.

How cool is that?

Even if we can't do something in our lifetime that God has placed in our heart, for whatever reason, we can still draw up the plans, and prepare for it, so that future generations can continue what we began.

And, even if we don't have the resources to begin the preparations for it, we can still pray about it. God hears our prayers, and as long as it's in line with His will and His Word, our prayers can set the foundation for it.

Is there something that God has placed in your heart that you don't see how you could ever accomplish it in your lifetime? Maybe that's not God's purpose for you. Maybe you're the planner rather than the builder. Maybe you're the one who prays rather than the planner. All the roles are important. Just ask God which you are, and don't be frustrated if you don't know how you are going to accomplish it. He'll make a way.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 1 Chronicles 25-27.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 126: David's Census

Good afternoon, everyone!

Today I read 1 Chronicles 18-21.

Today's reading details David's victories as king, from the Arameans to the Phlistines.

But it also talks about how David gets himself into trouble.

Satan spoke to David, and put it in his heart to take a census of the people. But this was not something God wanted him to do. In fact, Joab, one of his trusted soldiers, warned him against it. David insisted, however, and since he was king, he got his way. Joab did not take a census of all the people, notably leaving out the Levites (priests) and the Benjamites.

So God gives David three choices of calamities that will befall his kingdom because of his disobedience.

See, just because we are following God, doesn't mean Satan won't talk to us or try to trip us up. In fact, the closer we are to God, the harder Satan will try. But when we know right from wrong, and we know what God's Word says, we will be less likely to stumble, if we choose to obey.

David knew God's Word, but he wasn't perfect, and as a king, he had lots of different influences around him, including some of his wives. So, David stumbled. Even though he was "a man after God's own heart."

Even when we stumble, if we repent, God will forgive us. And I'm so grateful for His mercy.

Now, if you're asking "Why was God so displeased with the census?" let me see if I can explain.

It was because of David's motives. God did not tell him to take a census. He was king, and he wanted to know how many fighting men he had, so he wanted a census. But beyond that, he ordered Joab to take a census of all the people, including the Levitical priests, who were set apart to God.

And Even Moses wasn't allowed to do that. So David gets in trouble.

Why did his punishment involve all of Israel?

I'm not completely sure. But I think it was because Israel, as they were wont to do from time to time, had sinned against God again, and so God punished them. The timing coincided with David's census (not coincidentally). But He also showed mercy. When the angel was about to bring punishment as far as Jerusalem, God stopped him. That was enough.

I don't always have an explanation for why things happen, and sometimes that frustrates me. But I trust God. He has never failed me. Even when I don't understand why something happens, He is always there to see me through it. I don't expect to know or understand everything. That's too much responsibility for me. But, I hope, little by little, day by day, I will understand more as I continue to grow in God's Word.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 1 Chronicles 22-24.

First Media Monday: Godly Dating

Hello everyone!

It's time for Media Monday. This is another of the series I mentioned before. This series will be for media recommendations. It will mostly be books and movies, as music will usually be covered on Worship Wednesdays.

Did you know the Bible has guidelines for dating? Well, it does.

So, for today's Media Monday, I want to recommend a book that was written in the 1970s: Dating: Guidelines from the Bible, by Scott Kirby.

Now, wait. Don't discount it yet. Admittedly, dating has changed some from the seventies, but the fundamentals of Godly dating, have not changed. So hear me out.

In his book, Scott Kirby begins by discussing how God created us: first Adam, then Eve. Man and woman to be together. 

He discusses what dating is, and how to review our motives, especially in dating. Godly dating, he says, should always be with a focus on God, and how to serve Him; it should always bring you closer to Him first.

Then he discusses how to like yourself before you like anyone else, and how to develop good friendships as a foundation for building good relationships.

He discusses the difference between infatuation and real love.

He also discusses the ever-controversial question: "Should I date a non-believer?"

There is much more to the book than what I've discussed here.

If you're still single, if you're dating but looking for a way to use your relationship to glorify God, if you're just out of a relationship and are looking for something different, I highly recommend this book.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 126: David's Psalm

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read 1 Chronicles 15-17.

Today's reading details some of David's achievements, such as bringing the Ark successfully to Jerusalem, and building his palaces.

It also has one of David's Psalms.

I want to share a little of it.

1 Chronicles 16:8-10 - Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders. Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.

There is much more to the Psalm, and I encourage you to read it for yourself. It's a wonderful reminder of how we should approach God, and how we should speak about Him to other people. And, even though it was a reminder for the Israelites of their history and how God took care of them, it's also a reminder for us.

It's just a wonderful Psalm. It reminds us to always glorify God, and to tell of all He has done to all nations.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 1 Chronicles 18-21.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 125: David's Fame

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read 1 Chronicles 12-14.

Today's reading details David's supporters, and those who came to help him even while Saul was king.

It discusses how David defeated Philistine armies.

How he tried and failed to bring the Ark to its proper place.

It details how large David's family grew.

How he defeated the Philistines again.

God was with David.

1 Chronicles 14:17 - Then the fame of David went out into all the lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him on all the nations.

Everyone feared to bring war upon David because God was with him, making him continually victorious.

He will do the same for you and me, if we seek Him with all our hearts, holding nothing back from Him, serving Him in all we do.

Sometimes that's difficult to do, but I've found that the more I learn of God, the more I want to know Him. The more I serve Him, the more I want to serve Him. It's difficult at first, but it gets easier every time.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 1 Chronicles 15-17.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 124: Recap

Good morning, everyone! And happy birthday to my dear friend! You know who you are.

Today I read 1 Chronicles 9-11.

Today's reading recaps a lot of things.

First, it reminds us that Judah was captured by Babylon.

Next, we learn who lived where.

Then we learn about the descendants of Saul.

Then, the reading recaps how Saul and his sons died (Philistines), and how David became king.

Then, there are more lists of David's warriors.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 1 Chronicles 12-14.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 123: Tracing Genealogy

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read 1 Chronicles 7-8.

And today's reading details the descendants of Benjamin.

Something I found interesting, though I'm sure I talked about it before when we first learned about King Saul, is that he was from the tribe of Benjamin, the youngest son of Israel (Jacob).

King David was from the tribe of Judah.

It's always interesting for me to learn what tribes specific people are from, and to connect them back through generations. As long as I know who they are.

These genealogical lists aren't always interesting because I don't know all the people listed. However, at that time, someone reading this list might be able to trace their descendants back to Adam. How cool would that be?

Currently, I'm trying to trace my own genealogy. It's fascinating, but also frustrating, because some records have been lost, or not even recorded in the first place.

It would be very handy to have a genealogical record like the ones written in the Bible.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 1 Chronicles 9-11.

Read Through the Bible in a Year Day 122 & First Worship Wednesday

Good afternoon, everyone!

Today I read 1 Chronicles 6.

It's basically more genealogy, and I haven't got any insights to share, so today I'm going to do something different.

Remember how I mentioned I had a list of post series I was going to be starting?

Welcome to the first Worship Wednesday! Bonus points if you read that in a cool announcer voice.

Worship Wednesdays are going to be the days when I talk about what it means to worship God, or when I share great praise and worship songs.

Today I'm sharing a song.

I love this song. What do we need to be afraid of when God is with us, the God who commands legions of angels?

This one comes on my car radio all the time, and I can't help but sing along. I hope you enjoyed it too.

Tomorrow I'll be reading 1 Chronicles 7-8.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 121: More Generations

Good afternoon, everyone!

Today I read 1 Chronicles 3-5. 

And it details all of David's sons and grandsons.

I just honestly have nothing to say about today's reading, so I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 1 Chronicles 6.