August 3

Today's Reading

2 Chronicles. It's interesting that Hezekiah was known as a good king, but he hardened his heart against God at the end. His son Manasseh was known as evil, but he repented and turned to the Lord in the end. Then we read about Josiah, the bright star among the later kings. Josiah had a great heart for God. The people did what he said, but obviously their hearts weren't changed. After Josiah died, they went back to their evil ways.

Romans today includes the second part of Paul's conclusion. Besides sending greetings to and from a variety of associates, he warns them to be wary of those who would cause divisions among God's people. It's a good warning today. For sure.

Psalms. Verse 2 says, "Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart." It's one thing to look good outwardly, but quite another to do the right things with the right motives. I still have to work on this one!

Proverbs. Oh, but isn't gossip juicy and sweet? Unless you're the subject. I have been. It hurts.

What do you think? I love reading your insights!

August 2

Today's Reading

2 Chronicles. "31 However, when ambassadors arrived from Babylon to ask about the remarkable events that had taken place in the land, God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart." This must have been some of what Jesus went through in His temptation by the devil in the wilderness. God allows us to go through a "dark night of the soul" when He seems to have forgotten us. At that time we either seek Him faithfully or turn to our own machinations to get things done.

Romans. Paul, in this conclusion, asks the Romans for a gift to help the poor saints in Israel. Jews were the first Christians. They were now parents and grandparents in the faith. Gentiles were newer followers of Christ, but many of them were either Roman citizens or at least more wealthy than the Jews. There had been a famine in the Middle East and the poor were suffering the most. Paul was collecting a benevolence offering to help them.

Psalms. David had learned well how to seek God in the dark nights of his own soul (see above comment on 2 Chronicles).

Proverbs. It is disastrous for someone to make a big decision without wise counsel. I have seen many leaders hit the wall because of this mistake.

What do you think today? Insights?

August 1

Today's Reading

2 Chronicles. When all God's people have a heart to give, the church has plenty for ministry and plenty to help others. It was that way then. It's that way now. When many live below God's design in this area of their lives, churches and ministries struggle, even if they love God and try to serve Him. Sadly, the average per capita giving in American churches is under 3% of income, according to studies. What would happen and what would be unleashed if we all gave at least a tithe (10%)?

Romans. I know that Jesus was a servant without hesitation. I am concerned about my attitude in this area. If I were brutally forced to serve someone, could I do so with kindness? I'm just not sure.

Psalms. "For the honor of your name, O Lord,
forgive my many, many sins." I would add many, many more "manys" to my confession!

Proverbs. An honest day's work for an honest day's pay. Deal honestly in business. Great reminders, huh?

What do you notice? What speaks to you?

July 31

Today's Reading

2 Chronicles. It's easy to imagine Hezekiah pondering the sorry state of the Temple in the years leading up to his reign. He must have, for he gave the restoration order in the first month he was king. It's also a lesson that it only took 16 days to make it ready for worship again. The people had been neglecting their worship for the lack of 16 days of effort. How many "small" things do I allow to keep me from time with God?

Romans. It is easy to judge someone else when they live with a freedom we don't have. It is also easy to flaunt our freedom in front of someone who is bound in a set of rules. Both are wrong.

Psalms today is a great call to worship. Throw open the gates! Unlock the doors! Let the King of the earth and all it contains enter as we bow in reverence!

Proverbs. Cathy and I have been laughing recently. My eyesight is still pretty good, but my hearing has taken some hits. She is just the opposite. I told her I will drive and talk. She can sit and listen. I'm not sure her non-talking role will work for her. She prefers me to drive so she can do other stuff.

What are your thoughts today? Questions about the passages?

July 30

Today's Reading

2 Chronicles. Uzziah's heart was humble until he got too big for his britches. Then God struck him. Ahaz started wicked and ended worse. Yet God still had people in both Judah and Israel who honored Him. No matter how bad things are, God always has a remnant. I would rather be in the remnant than "successful" and developing a hard heart. How about you?

Romans 13 should fit us like a tailored glove. I believe that it is time that we learn to humble ourselves and honor those in authority over us. It is also time that God's people learn to live as unto the Lord, no matter which direction the political winds are blowing. Our hope and salvation are from the Lord and not a political party!

Psalms. At the end of my days, may it be said that God's goodness and mercy were with me throughout my life.

Proverbs. This verse is clear enough. What does the way you act say about your loyalty and commitment?

What speaks to you today? Do you have questions?

July 29

Today's Reading

2 Chronicles. The themes in Chapter 24 are pregnant with meaning. The religious leaders failed to take care of business (so heavenly minded that they were no earthly good?). The King stepped and and took care of business, but where was his heart? As soon as Jehoiada died, Joash bowed to political pressure and re-introduced pagan worship. Then, when he was warned, he was complicit in the death of Zechariah. Finally, many of his people wanted him gone and God's hand of judgment fell.

Romans 12 begins with the command to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God, not conforming to this world, but being transformed. It ends with the wisdom that the way to conquer evil is by doing good. What great life lessons!

Psalms 22 started yesterday with the sacrifice that would be made by Christ. Today it pictures the end result, that every knee shall bow and all those who have acknowledged Him by choice will live with Him rejoicing.

Proverbs. O, for the wisdom of those who sit in judgment.

And what do you long for? Any questions or thoughts today?

July 28

Today's Reading

2 Chronicles. Jehoram died and no one was sorry. Athaliah tried to kill every member of the royal family so she could be queen. Then Joash was rescued and became the boy king. What drama!

Romans. In Chapter 8, Paul spoke of the depth of God's love. In Chapter 9, he told about God's mysterious plan whereby He is in charge of everything, even us. In Chapter 10, he shared how God's salvation is for everyone who will call on His name. And now, he says, "Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!" Amen!

Psalms. It is hard to imagine this Psalm of David being more descriptive of the crucifixion, which wouldn't happen until hundreds of years later. If David -- and later Christ -- felt alone and abandoned, we should not be surprised to feel the same way. Hold on, though. Sunday's coming!

Proverbs. I believe that integrity is when our outside walk matches up with what we say we believe on the inside. The opposite is hypocrisy. It is the tiny decisions we make every day that build our integrity.

What do you see today? Any Questions?

July 27

Today's Reading

2 Chronicles. The account in Chapter 20 is one of my favorite in the Old Testament. But notice this verse in Chapter 19: "Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, but he went out among the people, traveling from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, encouraging the people to return to the Lord..." Without doubt, the victory in Chapter 20 came partly as a result of Jehoshaphat's faithful work earlier. We never know the long-term results of the work we do today. We are often encouraged, though, by seeing some of the results from work we did long ago.

Romans. This difficult message of God "choosing" still bears down on us in today's reading. Can we fully understand it? No! But today includes the attitude that we should have about it: gratitude. Our salvation is never something to be haughty about, but something to be humbly grateful for. Also, God's involvement doesn't give us a "pass" from telling others about Him. Our faithful sharing of the message is part of His plan.

Psalms. "The king trusts in the Lord." That's not only good for the king -- it's good for the whole nation.

Proverbs. I am deeply touched when someone makes a difficult commitment, then keeps it without wavering. In my experience, such people are rare.

And what do you see today? Do you have questions or comments?

July 26

Today's Reading

2 Chronicles. It always intrigues me that Micaiah walked into the throne room and immediately agreed with the false prophets. Then Ahab, who was hearing what he wanted to hear, told Micaiah that he wanted the truth. Then, when Micaiah tells him the truth, Ahab locks him up. But it was Ahab who was dead by the end of the battle.

Romans. "Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law." While Paul wrote those words about Israel, they accurately describe many of the religious people I meet in our generation. People everywhere think they are going to heaven because they are good people who try to do right.

Psalms. Ultimately and always, the final victory belongs to the Lord. We cannot overcome His ways, for they will stand until the End.

Proverbs. Are you quick to jump into an argument or a fight? There may be a time to stand up and fight, but I think it is usually better to avoid one.

What have you noticed today? Questions?

July 25

Today's Reading

2 Chronicles. The account of good King Asa stands out for me. There are so many lessons I learn from reading about him. The one that most stands out is this: put your trust in God and He will accomplish His purposes. Put your trust in human strength and you will cut off some of God's blessing. A second lesson, now that I have enjoyed many years of God's blessing, is this: never divert your trust from God Himself to His past blessings. He is the eternal God who wants my intimacy and trust  today and doesn't want me to use the strength of past blessings to buy help from someone else like Asa did with the king of

Romans. we move from Chapter 8, which is one of the most comforting chapters in the Bible to Chapter 9, which is one of the most difficult. What does it mean to you?

Psalms. I know just enough about astronomy to understand something about the movements and formation of space. Still, they are a mystery to me, always coming up with surprises. It is the same way with my own heart. "How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?" As I mature in my understanding of God and His holiness, I see more and more of my own sinfulness. Then I am amazed at God's kindness to forgive me.

Proverbs. Having grown up in an era when most conservative Christians were teetotalers, I have noticed that our understanding of grace has freed up many in the church to drink a glass of wine with a meal or a beer on a hot afternoon. Such freedom is good, but it is also dangerous. Today's Proverbs verse is a good guardrail for living with this freedom.

What do you think today? Questions or comments?

July 24

Today's Reading

2 Chronicles. It doesn't get much simpler than this. When the leaders of the people led the way, the people followed. If they led toward intimacy with God, God protected and blessed them. If they led away from Him, they went through troubles. I must remember their example.

Romans. Many of you have favorite passages of Scripture. Romans 8 has to be among mine. The last part was my dad's favorite part of the whole Bible. In addition, I keep discovering what it means to pray for someone without knowing words to pray. God's promise of the Spirit's intercession for us means more and more to me.

Psalms. We must decide what we will do when we taste God's victory in some area of our lives. It is tempting to put a leash on our sin and hide it in a closet of our hearts. David said, "I did not stop until they were conquered." His attitude is what we must maintain to truly grow up in the faith.

Proverbs. Father, I always want to be open to correction, even when it comes with wrong motives.

And what are your thoughts as you read today?

July 23

Today's Reading

2 Chronicles. What do you think of the answer which Rehoboam gave to the people? After the wisdom of his father, how do you think he had arrived at such an attitude?

Romans. I love the latter part of today's passage, the part about hope. Hope, from a New Testament perspective, contains no element of doubt. "I hope so" doesn't meant that something might or might not happen. In the NT, hope is looking forward to something that is a sure thing, but it just hasn't happened yet.

Today's Psalm reminds me of the verse that says, "The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord." (Prov. 21:31) We do what we can to prepared for the challenges we face. Ultimately, though, it is God who gives us what we need to endure.

Proverbs. Even if your parents are hard to get along with in their older years, honor and care for them. Your children are learning from your model.

What do you notice today? Any Questions?

July 22

Today's Reading

2 Chronicles. It strikes me that Solomon left the intensive time in God's presence and went to work building his kingdom. So far so good, but the further he was from his time with God, the more he made decisions based on human wisdom rather than God's direction. Ultimately, this would bring great pain and destruction to the land. I appreciate the reminder in my own life!

Romans. I believe that chapters 6-8 are the "meat" of this letter. Chapter 6 makes it clear that receiving Christ produces the death of our "old man" -- that is our old, sinful nature. Chapter 7 speaks of the internal battle we have: our "new man" is alive, but the flesh (a better translation than "sinful nature" which New Living Translation uses) struggles against our reborn spirit. Chapter 8 makes it clear, that even though we have these struggles, being "in Christ Jesus" means that we are longer under condemnation for our sins. Heavy stuff. Worth a lifetime of pondering.

Psalms. This vivid word picture of God's power revealed in a storm was something we experienced quite suddenly on a summer day. The July air was very hot (116 degrees) and fairly humid for Yuma. At about 3:00 in the afternoon, Cathy looked out the window and mentioned how dark it was getting. Less than five minutes later, a roaring wind began to blow, along with dust and a smattering of rain. I heard that the wind reached peaks of 50 miles per hour, which is small compared to many storms. But it was as if the earth was shaking in the the power of it. How mighty is our God!

Proverbs. Hard work is a blessing. Correction is good for anyone who will accept it.

Your thoughts today? Do you have questions?

July 21

Today's Reading

2 Chronicles. Today's passage is the beginning of the account of God demonstrating His Shekinah (His glorious presence) at the dedication of the Temple.

Romans. We can be so much like little children. "Don't touch that hot iron," we say sternly. The next thing we know, the child is inching toward the iron wanting to see just what our command means. Because of sin, we do that with God's Law. On the other hand, the Law shows us our sin so that we can recognize our need for a Savior.

Psalms. I once was not as confident as David was in this prayer. When God scrutinized me, I wasn't absolutely sure that He found nothing wrong. This is a growth area for me and I'm so grateful. My walk is more consistent, my repentance is more timely and my fellowship with Him is more sure than ever before. Hallelujah! How are you?

Proverbs. I admire loyalty, even when the person receiving it is very flawed. A loyal person has a special quality, from my point of view.

And what do you think? Questions?

July 20

Today's Reading

2 Chronicles. Some thoughts surfaced as I read about the beginning of Solomon's reign. The first was that the details required to get the Temple built were enormous -- that in itself was an answer to Solomon's prayer for wisdom and understanding. The second was a realization of the vast amount of labor it took to build it, all with hand tools. I wonder if the laborers understood they were building a house for God. Finally, I noticed how quickly Solomon "knew" that the task of building the Temple was above him and called for a master craftsman: that's wise leadership!

Romans. This is one of the deepest chapters in the whole Bible. It really helps to take it at a simple level. Before we meet Christ and are born again, we are slaves to sin. After our spiritual birth, we are no long enslaved to sin, but are servants of God. We change from the inside out, but we must choose to walk in the freedom we have received. I think we often miss just how powerful our new freedom is. We are no longer children of darkness, but now are children of the light of Christ.

Psalms. "I know that Lord is always with me." Oh, but how easily I disregard His presence! I have to keep learning to practice His presence in my everyday life.

Proverbs. It is so easy to desire control of our own lives. We make plans and they fall apart so we are frustrated. At least I do. I need to remember that verse! God's plans are ALWAYS for my good!

And you? Thoughts or questions?

July 19

Today's Reading

1 Chronicles. This description of the final days of David's reign is a wonderful climax to his story. He instructed his son Solomon to seek the Lord, gave him details about the construction of the Temple, then led the way in giving to pay for it. What a word picture!

Romans. I thank God for the day when He began to wake me up to the depths of my sin. Only then could I begin to realize the greater depths of His love and grace. He loved me as a sinner, not as someone who had cleaned up my act enough to deserve Him. Now, from the deepest part of my heart, I want to know Him and serve Him. It is the natural response to His great love.
There is, I think, a very important verse in today's passage. I was a young pastor when I was asked why we believe that tiny children haven't reached an "age of accountability" for their sins. I wondered what Scripture we used to back it up. I called a Bible professor whom I knew (perhaps the most learned Bible Scholar I ever knew) and asked him. He wasn't sure of the answer. Then one day I was reading in Romans 5 and came upon verse 13, which says, "...it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break." I asked my professor friend if he thought this could be the answer -- little kids (and some others who have certain mental challenges) can't understand that they have broken God's law until they reach a certain maturity. Only then are they held accountable for their sins. My professor friend agreed with my interpretation and I have found no other verse that so clearly states our "age of accountability" belief.

Psalms. For you and me, worship in God's sanctuary means having intimate heart-communion with Him. Notice the list of attitudes and actions that will keep us from such intimacy. Also, verse 3 says "...speak evil of their friends." A more literal translation says, "take up a reproach against". I like that because it can be taken two ways. Reproaching (speaking evil of) our friends will short-circuit our communion with God. However, we can also squeeze God out by picking up the reproaches others make against our friends. God never gives you the grace to handle my reproaches, but He gives that grace to me! If you grab hold of my offenses and get angry at the offenders, you will lose communion with God because of your bitterness.

Proverbs. An angry person is no fun to be around, but we do them no good by rescuing them from the results of their anger. If we let them face those results, perhaps they will be broken and let God change their heart.

Whew! That's a bunch. What do you see today? Questions for us?

July 18

Today's Reading

1 Chronicles. I found a quiet testimony to faithfulness and courage in Chapter 26 today. It was the selection of people from the "clan of Hebron" to take charge of things for David, both east and west of the Jordan River. Hebron was the capital city during the first seven years of David's reign. Perhaps more important, it is the region that was conquered by Caleb, during the days of Joshua. Caleb and Joshua were the two spies who pleaded with the nation to believe God and possess the land shortly after Moses received the commandments. The people rebelled and all of them over 20 years old -- all except Caleb and Joshua -- died in the wilderness. When they finally got into the Land, they conquered territory for five years. Then, at 85 years old, Caleb asked Joshua for permission to possess the hill country which had been promised to him 45 years earlier. That hill country was the territory of some of the most ferocious giants in the Land, but Caleb claimed and conquered it. By then (and still today), it is called Hebron.

Romans. Paul couldn't have made it clearer than today's passage. Faith -- complete trust in Christ's sacrifice for our sins -- places us in a right relationship with God. A right relationship results in a changed heart that wants to obey. It's never the other way around.

Psalms. Life is full of Fridays, the day that Jesus hung on the cross and hope seemed gone. But God always follows them with Sundays, when the power of death is conquered and joy overflows. Always!

Proverbs. Since we always will have poor near us, we will always have someone to help. It's part of God's process.

Your thoughts? Questions?

July 17

Today's Reading

1 Chronicles. Prior to the resurrection of Christ and the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon people for special acts of service, but He didn't indwell them as He does those who believe today. Therefore, one way of determining God's will was by the "sacred lot." They would ask God to lead them by way of the way the lots fell, then trust Him to be faithful. Notice the level of organization they had for doing the work at the Temple. It was amazing!

Today in Romans, Paul lays out the case for us being considered righteous before God. This is not something we work to earn, but something we receive by faith. It's a great example when we look at the way Paul described Abraham. Abraham trusted God for things humanly impossible. That is where God wants to take our faith, but we must be broken enough to see the limitation of our own resources.

Psalms today does a good job of describing just how I feel at times. I love the way it ends. How about you?

Proverbs. God's commandments will protect us -- if we let them!

Your thoughts? Do you have questions?

July 16

Today's Reading

1 Chronicles. David and Solomon both exercised great wisdom as they dedicated themselves to build the Temple and worship God. They were building something that opened the way to God for all who had a heart to follow Him. Unfortunately, many Jews took it as a sign of their superiority over others. How many Christians have had the same attitude through the ages?

Romans. Sin is universal. We are all guilty! There is only one adequate payment for sin and it was made by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, on the cross. The only way to clear our sin account with God is through faith, trusting in Christ alone for salvation. That's the Gospel in a nutshell!

Psalms. God loves the poor and oppressed. Do we?

Proverbs. Thank you, Lord, for my wife. She is truly a gift to me!

What do you see today? Do you have questions for us?

July 15

Today's Reading

1 Chronicles. David faced a common temptation for leaders, that of looking at the size and breadth of his territory and attempting to find his identity there. It's always dangerous to think our personal worth is in what we have acquired or what we have accomplished. That pride often leads to some type of destruction.

Romans. People with truly humble hearts have a "default position." To them, God is God. Always. If a wrong has taken place, it was not God who did it. Even though God transforms some of our sinful acts and brings good from them, (like the illegitimate baby who grew up to be a gifted evangelist) it still takes the power of Christ's blood to pay for our sins. We are not to excuse them, but to confess and forsake them.

Psalms. At various times in my life, it seems like evil is overcoming good in our world. BUT, God will ultimately prevail!

Proverbs. With today's understanding that "all men are created equal", I find verse 10 difficult. Anyone can become a leader and princes have no more rights than slaves. It wasn't that way, though, when this verse was penned.

What are your insights today? Questions?