THE LORD SPOKE (July 2)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: II Chronicles 23-24

• Royal Vizier (II Chron. 24:2)
• Marriage Counselor (II Chron. 24:3)
• CEO (II Chron. 24:5)
• Tax Agent for the IRS (II Chron. 24:6) - that would be the "Israel Religious Service"
• Construction Boss (II Chron. 24:12)
• Craftsman (II Chron. 24:14a)
• Clergyman (II Chron. 24:14b)

That's quite a resume! Wouldn't you like to meet Jehoiada? There's at least one man who wouldn't. King Joash! He was positively led and influenced by Jehoiada from the age of seven when he became king until the age of too-smart-for-his-own-britches when he thought he could listen to "better" counsel (II Chron. 24:17). How quickly he was led astray and then became the leader in:

• abandoning the Temple of the Lord (II Chron. 24:18a)
• worshiping false gods (II Chron. 24:18b)
• refusing to listen to God's word (II Chron. 24:19,20)
• forgetting his heritage and failing to be thankful to those who helped him (II Chron. 24:22)
• killing the one person who, by God's direct provision, could have helped him (II Chron. 24:21-22)

God has His ways of evening the score. With "only a few men" from Damascus "judgment was executed on Joash" (II Chron. 24:24). Indeed, "God has the power to help or to overthrow" (25:8). Notice the outcome of Joash's falling away from the Lord (II Chron. 24:23-25):

• his kingdom was invaded
• all his top leaders were killed
• his wealth was carted off to Damascus
• he was himself severely wounded
• shortly after he was assassinated on his own bed by his own officials

Thereafter, there were two new gravestones in the Royal Cemetery in Jerusalem. Did you notice? Jehoiada was buried there even though he wasn't a royal. Written on the two stones was the following:

Jehoiada - "he did good for God" (II Chron. 24:16)

Joash - "he died" (II Chron. 24:25)

What will they have to say about you?


New Testament: I Thessalonians 1

She finally got her point across. On her tombstone it says, “I told you I was sick!” There’s one in a New England graveyard that says:

Here lies William Peas - he done left the pod.
He shelled out and went home to God.

How will you be remembered? What will they write on your epitaph? One of the saddest epitaphs in all the Bible is that of Jehoram, king of Judah, recorded in II Chronicles 21:20. It says simply, “He passed away to no one’s regret.”

Paul’s memories of the believers at Thessalonica were wonderful. Every time he thought of them he remembered their...

WORK produced by faith - It’s possible to not work and it’s possible to work for the wrong reasons. Genuine faith produces genuine work. That was James’ argument (Jas. 2:14-26). Works are the evidence of faith!

LABOR prompted by love - It’s possible to labor only out of a sense of duty or for some other wrong motivation. Labor prompted by love is genuine. Love will find its appropriate response in laboring or striving for the good of the object of that love.

ENDURANCE inspired by hope - Hope that gives up too soon isn’t genuine hope. Endurance is the evidence of real hope. It doesn’t give up.

The result? They “became a model to all the believers” (I Thess. 1:7). At first that may have extended just to the believers in Macedonia and Achaia but it soon spread from there and “became known everywhere”. It continues right down to the present doesn’t it? Because of Paul’s written testimony we’re still able to consider the faith, love, and hope of these saints from 2000 years ago.

And the results are the same all this long time later. We are to “serve the living and true God” and we “wait for his Son from heaven” (I Thess. 1:9-10). We are in a wonderful company of believers from many places through all the ages. One day, maybe soon, we’ll join that heavenly throng and sing His praise forever.

Do you have your lists ready? Who do you want to see? What questions are you going to ask. What do you want to find out about most? The best of all will be to simply sit in His presence and enjoy God for eternity.

THE LORD SPOKE (May 12)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: II Samuel 23-24

II Samuel 23:1-5

David's epitaph is found in the opening words of II Samuel 23. The words he wanted on his tombstone were:

• "the man exalted by the Most High"
• "the man anointed by the God of Jacob"
• "Israel's singer of songs"

No mention of Goliath! No mention of driving out the Philistines. No mention of uniting the kingdom of Israel, or establishing Jerusalem as the capitol, or any of David's other exploits. David wants to be remembered as a man of God who shared that relationship with His people in the psalms he left behind.

Most important in his mind was that "the Spirit of the Lord spoke through me, his word was on my tongue" (II Sam. 23:2). Two beautiful metaphors describe the results of this:

• "like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning"
• "like the brightness after rain that brings the grass"

Have you been there before? Watching the sun come up and feeling its warmth spread over the land. Seeing the brilliant colors when the dust is washed away. So it is when we hear the Lord speak to us through His word. It may be through David's songs or it may be through the record of Jesus' earthly ministry in the Gospels. It might be the life of Abraham in Genesis or Paul's joy in "the God who gives endurance and encouragement" (Rom. 15:5 in today's reading). But it will happen every time. When we listen for God to speak to us, He does so at the very point of our need.

David knew this and he reveled in it. Are you listening to Him today?


New Testament: Romans 15

There once was a king who loved classical music. Being a king, he had the means to indulge his interest and so assembled a mighty orchestra of the finest musicians. Every week they would prepare hard and then, on Saturday night, they would perform one of the great classical pieces - Mozart, Beethoven, Handel, or other - for the king’s court.

But there was one problem. The king insisted on absolute perfection. If any musician goofed and played a wrong note or missed his part, he would receive his pink slip and be sent packing the next week. Turn-over was a problem but the quality was so high that there was always a replacement to fill in the orchestra.

For a time. But the musicians were so cautious to not make a mistake that it affected their playing. More and more made mistakes and the size of the orchestra dwindled. They still had some marvelous chamber music and string quartets. Finally, one excellent musician continued to perform some superb solos. And then he goofed once too.

Through all this, there was another king in the neighboring realm who also loved classical music. Though he looked for quality too, he was not so exacting with his musicians and, you guessed it, his orchestra grew on a weekly basis. As he picked up star musicians one-by-one, his concerts became the biggest attraction around. His orchestra performed with great gusto and his musicians outdid themselves in trying to please him with fine music. Years later his castle still rang with melodious joy - long after the first kings chambers were echoing with dreadful silence.

..........

In Romans 15, Paul tells us that our God gives us endurance and encouragement, and that this comes through the Scriptures (Rom. 15:4-5). The endurance is what keeps us keeping on. The encouragement is what helps us to pick up after a fall, to press forward when we’re tired, and to perform at our best even when we may not be perfect. God gives us hope (Rom. 15:4). In fact, He fills us with joy and peace as we trust in Him, so that our hope overflows - go read it again in Romans 15:13.

Remember and don’t ever forget, it comes to us through the Scriptures. That endurance and encouragement will keep you going for a long way - all the way to Glory. Aren’t you glad?