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9/30/2007 Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.My Prayer:Heavenly Father, My Devotional ReadingThe Booster Rocketby Os Hillman After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: "Moses My servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them-to the Israelites. - Joshua 1:1-2 A rocket launch is truly an amazing phenomenon to me. Tons of weight is stacked vertically to the sky with thousands of gallons of fuel exploding in a matter of moments. Soon the rocket drops its take-off boosters and uses additional boosters to move the rocket to the next stage of the mission. The first engines have a unique purpose...to get the rocket to the next stage. Joshua was known for almost 40 years as "Joshua, servant of Moses." God's preparation for him required years of selfless service, training in the desert, and tests of faith. Those preparation years were booster rockets designed to move Joshua into each new stage of his development and his ultimate calling. God allows each of us preparation times to lay a foundation that He plans to build on. Some of those foundation times appear to be laborious and meaningless, yet these varied experiences are what God is using to frame your life for the message He plans to speak through you. Without these foundational experiences, the Jordan River can never be crossed and we cannot enter the Promised Land. Embrace these times of seeming inactivity from God. They, too, are a rocket booster to your next stage of your walk with God.
Leadership With A Servant's Heart This e-mail was sent to: Send postal mail to: Signup to Receive TGIF via Email ©2004 - 2007 Marketplace Leaders - All Rights Reserved.
My Reading from the Word of God:2 Chronicles 191JEHOSHAPHAT THE king of Judah returned safely to his house in Jerusalem.2Jehu son of Hanani, the seer, went out to meet him and said to Jehoshaphat, Should you help the ungodly and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the Lord. 3But there are good things found in you, for you have destroyed the Asherim out of the land and have set your heart to seek God [with all your soul's desire]. 4Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers. 5He appointed judges throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, 6And said to the judges, Be careful what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord, and He is with you in the matter of judgment. 7So now let the reverence and fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking of bribes. 8Also in Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat set certain Levites, priests, and heads of families of Israel to give judgment for the Lord and decide controversies. When they [of the commission] returned to Jerusalem, 9The king charged them, Do this in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, with integrity and a blameless heart. 10Whenever any controversy shall come to you from your brethren who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, you shall warn and instruct them that they may not be guilty before the Lord; otherwise wrath will come upon you and your brethren. Do this and you will not be guilty. 11And behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all the king's matters; also the Levites will serve you as officers. Deal courageously [be strong and do], and may the Lord be with the good! 2 Chronicles 201AFTER THIS, the Moabites, the Ammonites, and with them the Meunites came against Jehoshaphat to battle.2It was told Jehoshaphat, A great multitude has come against you from beyond the [Dead] Sea, from Edom; and behold they are in Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi. 3Then Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself [determinedly, as his vital need] to seek the Lord; he proclaimed a fast in all Judah. 4And Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord [yearning for Him with all their desire]. 5And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the Lord before the new court 6And said, O Lord, God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven? And do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In Your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand You. 7Did not You, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend? 8They dwelt in it and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your Name, saying, 9If evil comes upon us, the sword of judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You--for Your Name [and the symbol of Your presence] is in this house--and cry to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save. 10And now behold, the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they turned from and did not destroy--(A) 11Behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit. 12O our God, will You not exercise judgment upon them? For we have no might to stand against this great company that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You. 13And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their children and their wives. 14Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. 15He said, Hearken, all Judah, you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat. The Lord says this to you: Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. 16Tomorrow go down to them. Behold, they will come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the ravine before the Wilderness of Jeruel. 17You shall not need to fight in this battle; take your positions, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord [Who is] with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you. 18And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping Him. 19And some Levites of the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. 20And they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established; believe and remain steadfast to His prophets and you shall prosper. 21When he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers to sing to the Lord and praise Him in their holy [priestly] garments as they went out before the army, saying, Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! 22And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were [self-] slaughtered; 23For [suspecting betrayal] the men of Ammon and Moab rose against those of Mount Seir, utterly destroying them. And when they had made an end of the men of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another. 24And when Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked at the multitude, and behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none had escaped! 25When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil, they found among them much cattle, goods, garments, and precious things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry away, so much they were three days in gathering the spoil. 26On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah. There they blessed the Lord. So the name of the place is still called the Valley of Beracah [blessing]. 27Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat leading them, to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies. 28They came to Jerusalem with harps, lyres, and trumpets to the house of the Lord. 29And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest round about. 31Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began his twenty-five-year reign in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 32And he walked in the ways of Asa his father and departed not from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. 33But the high places [of idolatry] were not taken away, for the people had not yet set their hearts on their fathers' God. 34Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, they are written in the records of Jehu son of Hanani, which are in the Book of the Kings of Israel. 35After this, Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly. 36He joined him in building ships to go to Tarshish, building them in Ezion-geber. 37Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because you have joined Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy your works. So the ships were wrecked and unable to go to Tarshish. 2 Chronicles 211JEHOSHAPHAT SLEPT with his fathers and was buried with [them] in the City of David. Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.2He had brothers: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah, all the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 3Their father gave them great gifts of silver, gold, and precious things, together with fortified cities in Judah, but the kingdom he gave to Jehoram, the firstborn. 4When Jehoram had ascended to the kingship of his father, he strengthened himself and slew all his brethren with the sword and also some of Israel's princes. 5Jehoram at thirty-two years of age began his eight-year reign in Jerusalem. 6He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab, for he married the daughter of Ahab and did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. 7But the Lord would not destroy the house of David, because He had made a covenant with David and promised to give a light to him and to his sons forever. 8In Jehoram's days, the Edomites revolted from the rule of Judah and set up for themselves a king. 9Then Jehoram passed over [the Jordan] with his captains and all his chariots, and rose up by night and smote the Edomites who had surrounded him and his chariot captains. 10So Edom revolted from the rule of Judah to this day. Then Libnah also revolted from Jehoram's rule, because he had forsaken the Lord, the God of his fathers. 11Moreover, he made idolatrous high places in the hill country of Judah and debauched spiritually the inhabitants of Jerusalem and led Judah astray [compelling the people's cooperation]. 12And there came a letter to Jehoram from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father [forefather]: Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13But have walked in the ways of Israel's kings, and made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem play the harlot like the [spiritual] harlotry of Ahab's house, and also have slain your brothers of your father's house, who were better than you, 14Behold, the Lord will smite your people, and your children, your wives, and all your possessions with a great plague. 15And you yourself shall have a severe illness because of an intestinal disease, until your bowels fall out because of the sickness, day after day. 16And the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the anger of the Philistines and of the Arabs who were near the Ethiopians. 17They came against Judah, invaded it, and carried away all the possessions found in and around the king's house, together with his sons and his wives; so there was not a son left to him except Jehoahaz, the youngest. 18And after all this, the Lord smote [Jehoram] with an incurable intestinal disease. 19In process of time, after two years, his bowels fell out because of his disease. So he died in severe distress. And his people made no funeral fire to honor him, like the fires for his fathers. 20Thirty-two years old was Jehoram when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being wanted. Yet they buried him in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. Cross references: 9/29/2007 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him.My Prayer:Heavenly Father, My morning devotional reading:Visions and Dreamsby Os Hillman In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions; your old men will dream dreams. - Acts 2:17 "I need to meet with you," said the man from England during a break at a conference overseas. We walked outside to have a coffee break and sat down. "God wants you to know that He removed your finances in order to reserve His reward for you in Heaven. He has done you a great service." I was shocked. I'd never met this gentleman before. How would he have known I had lost a half million dollars in the previous few years, virtually all of my financial net worth, to some unusual calamities? We shared for the next several minutes. "I see a picture of a large orange tree. The tree is full of large, ripened oranges. They are beginning to fall to the ground. You are the tree!" Again, I looked at the man with shock and amazement, and now tears in my eyes. I went back into the meeting rejoicing that God could be so personal in my life. He used a servant who had gone through similar trials to supernaturally speak a word of encouragement in a way that I would know it was God who was speaking. There are times when God supernaturally speaks into our lives. He does this to demonstrate His power, His love, and His intimacy with us. Do not be surprised if God sends one of His messengers to speak into your life when you need it most. Be open to how God might want to speak into your life today. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers (Psalm 1:3).
Understanding and Growing in the Prophetic This e-mail was sent to: Send postal mail to: Signup to Receive TGIF via Email ©2004 - 2007 Marketplace Leaders - All Rights Reserved. My morning reading from the Word of God:2 Chronicles 15-18 (Amplified Bible)2 Chronicles 151THE SPIRIT of God came upon Azariah son of Oded.2And he went out to meet Asa and said to him, Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him [inquiring for and of Him, craving Him as your soul's first necessity], He will be found by you; but if you [become indifferent and] forsake Him, He will forsake you. 3Now for a long time Israel was without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law. 4But when they in their trouble turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and [in desperation earnestly] sought Him, He was found by them. 5And in those times there was no peace to him who went out nor to him who came in, but great and vexing afflictions and disturbances were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. 6Nation was broke in pieces against nation, and city against city, for God vexed and troubled them with all sorts of adversity. 7Be strong, therefore, and let not your hands be weak and slack, for your work shall be rewarded. 8And when Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage and put away the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had taken in the hill country of Ephraim; and he repaired the altar [of burnt offering] of the Lord which was in front of the porch or vestibule [of the house] of the Lord. 9And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin and the strangers with them out of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, for they came over to Asa out of Israel in large numbers when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. 10So they gathered at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. 11And they sacrificed to the Lord on that day from the spoil which they had brought--700 oxen and 7,000 sheep. 12And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to yearn for Him with all their heart's desire and with all their soul; 13And that whoever would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman. 14They took an oath to the Lord with a loud voice, with shouting, with trumpets, and with cornets. 15And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him [yearning for Him] with their whole desire, and He was found by them. And the Lord gave them rest and peace round about. 16Also Maacah, King Asa's mother, he removed from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for [the goddess] Asherah. Asa cut down her idol, crushed it, and burned it at the brook Kidron. 17But the high places were not taken out of Israel. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was blameless all his days. 18And he brought into the house of God the things that his father [Abijah] had dedicated and those he himself had dedicated--silver and gold and vessels. 19And there was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa. 2 Chronicles 161IN THE thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built (fortified) Ramah intending to intercept anyone going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah.2Then Asa brought silver and gold out of the treasuries of the house of the Lord and of the king's house and sent them to Ben-hadad king of Syria, who dwelt at Damascus, saying, 3Let there be a league between me and you, as was between my father and your father. Behold, I am sending you silver and gold; go, break your league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me. 4And Ben-hadad hearkened to King Asa and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. 5And when Baasha heard it, he stopped building Ramah and let his work cease. 6Then King Asa took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had been building, and with them he built Geba and Mizpah. 7At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, Because you relied on the king of Syria and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. 8Were not the Ethiopians and Libyans a huge host with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied then on the Lord, He gave them into your hand. 9For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him. You have done foolishly in this; therefore, from now on you shall have wars. 10Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in prison [in the stocks], for he was enraged with him because of this. Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time. 11The acts of Asa, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 12In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet--until his disease became very severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but relied on the physicians. 13And Asa slept with his fathers, dying in the forty-first year of his reign. 14And they buried him in his own tomb which he had hewn out for himself in the City of David, and they laid him on a bier which was filled with sweet odors and various kinds [of spices] prepared by the perfumers' art; and they made a very great burning [of spices] in his honor. 2 Chronicles 171JEHOSHAPHAT HIS son reigned in Asa's stead and strengthened himself against Israel.2And he placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had taken. 3The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the first ways of his father [David]. He did not seek the Baals 4But sought and yearned with all his desire for the Lord, the God of his father, and walked in His commandments and not after the ways of Israel. 5Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. 6His heart was cheered and his courage was high in the ways of the Lord; moreover, he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah. 7Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah; 8And with them were the Levites--Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah; and with these Levites were the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9And they taught in Judah, and had the Book of the Law of the Lord with them; they went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people. 10And a terror from the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. 11And some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and tribute silver, and the Arabs brought him flocks: 7,700 each of rams and of he-goats. 12And Jehoshaphat became very great. He built in Judah fortresses and store cities, 13And he had many works in the cities of Judah, and soldiers, mighty men of courage, in Jerusalem. 14This was the number of them by their fathers' houses: Of Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the chief, with 300,000 mighty men of valor; 15Next to him was Jehohanan the captain, with 280,000; 16And next to him Amasiah son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to the Lord, with 200,000 mighty men of valor. 17Of Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, with 200,000 men armed with bow and shield; 18Next to him was Jehozabad with 180,000 armed for war. 19These were in the king's service, besides those [he] had placed in fortified cities throughout all Judah. 2 Chronicles 181NOW JEHOSHAPHAT had great riches and honor, but was allied [by marriage] with Ahab.2After some years he went down to Ahab in Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance and for the people with him and persuaded him to go up with him against Ramoth-gilead. 3Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead? He answered, I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will be with you in the war. 4And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Inquire first, I pray you, for the word of the Lord today. 5So King [Ahab] of Israel gathered together the prophets, 400 men, and said to them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, for God will deliver it into the king's hand. 6But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not another prophet of the Lord here by whom we may inquire? 7King [Ahab] of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is another man, Micaiah son of Imla, by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, for he never has prophesied good for me, but always evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. 8And King [Ahab] of Israel called for one of his officers and said, Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imla. 9The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes; they were sitting in an open place [at the threshing floor] at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; all the prophets were prophesying before them. 10And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made himself horns of iron, and said, Thus says the Lord: With these you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed. 11All the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper; the Lord will deliver it into the king's hand. 12The messenger who went to call Micaiah said to him, Behold, the words of the prophets foretell good to the king with one accord. So let your word be like one of them, and speak favorably. 13But Micaiah said, As the Lord lives, what my God says, that will I speak. 14And when he had come to the king, King [Ahab] said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go up and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand. 15And the king said to him, How many times shall I warn you to tell nothing but the truth to me in the name of the Lord? 16Then Micaiah said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains as sheep that have no shepherd, and the Lord said, These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace. 17And King [Ahab] of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good to me, but evil? 18[Micaiah] said, Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing at His right hand and His left. 19And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said this thing, and another that. 20Then there came a spirit and stood before the Lord and said, I will entice him. The Lord said to him, By what means? 21And he said, I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets. And the Lord said, You shall entice him and also succeed. Go forth and do so. 22Now, you see, the Lord put a lying spirit in the mouths of your prophets; and the Lord has spoken evil concerning you. 23Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and smote Micaiah upon the cheek and said, Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak to you? 24And Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day when you shall go into an inner chamber to hide yourself. 25Then King [Ahab] of Israel said, Take Micaiah back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king's son, 26And say, Thus says the king: Put this fellow in prison and feed him with bread and water of affliction until I return in peace. 27Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me. And he [added], Hear it, you people, all of you! 28So Ahab king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. 29And [Ahab] king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself and will go to the battle, but you put on your royal robes. So King Ahab of Israel disguised himself, and they went into the battle. 30Now Syria's king had commanded his chariot captains, Fight not with small or great, but only with the king of Israel. 31And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat [of Judah], they said, It is the king of Israel. So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to depart from him. 32For when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. 33A certain man drew his bow at a venture and smote King [Ahab] of Israel between the lower armor and the breastplate. So Ahab said to his chariot driver, Turn, carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded. 34And the battle increased that day; however, King [Ahab] of Israel propped himself up in his chariot opposite the Syrians until evening, and about sunset he died. 9/26/2007 Encouragement for Today from www.crosswalk.com
September 26, 2007
Living in the Here and Now By Renee Swope John 5:19-20a, "The Son can do nothing by Himself; he can do only what He sees the Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son does also. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does." (NIV)
Devotion: I sat on the couch looking out the window thinking about the months ahead, wondering what that fall might hold. A lot had been happening in ministry - book developments, speaking engagements and great opportunities. My excitement, mixed with the fear of getting over committed, ignited a rapid firing of thoughts: Would I be able to do it all? Was God calling me to do it all? Was my ministry about to really take off? Instead of worrying, I decided to start praying and wrote my questions in a notebook. "Lord, what should I say yes to? Where do you want me to spend my time? Please show me what you have planned for me this coming year." I wanted God to give me a sneak peek into His calendar so I could adjust mine. Instead, I sensed Him telling me not to worry about tomorrow but to live in the hear and now. I think He may have even spelled it so I would be clear on the point of hearing. I thought I'd been listening, but my prayers reflected that I wanted to know where to invest my efforts. God wanted my ears. He was more concerned about character than my calendar. Many times I'd sought God for the larger plans in life, convinced that if I figured out what He wanted me to do I could become the person He created me to be. Have you ever thought, "If only God would show me what job to take; what man to marry; what church to attend - then my life would be complete and I could serve Him with my whole heart"? The problem is sometimes we get a glimpse of where He wants us to go and then assume we know how to get there. I've made that mistake many times and then wondered why I wasn't getting anywhere. Jesus depended on His Father for the large and fine print written in His life plan. He listened closely and obeyed quickly. Today's verse reflects His absolute dependence: "The Son can do nothing by Himself; he can do only what He sees the Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son does also." (John 5:19) Like Jesus, we can't fulfill God's purpose for our lives unless our ears are always listening. We can only discover God's calendar and calling when we live in the hear and now - listening for His voice and obeying here and now.
God, sometimes I have selective hearing. Many days I don't even ask what You think about my plans and choices. When I do, it's often because I am desperate and need to make a big decision. Then I get frustrated because I don't know what you are telling me. Could it be I have a hard time hearing You because I have grown unfamiliar with your voice? Today, I lean in to listen. Make my ears attentive and my heart willing to live in the hear and now. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources: What Happens When Women Say Yes To God by Lysa TerKeurst
The Journey of My Heart with Renee Swope
Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer
Application Steps: Take time to quiet your heart and your thoughts right now. Be still and acknowledge that He is God and you are not. Tell Him your desires for today and then ask Him to show you His. Give Him permission to interrupt your thoughts and agenda and lead you in a different direction if He wants to. Get ready for a day filled with adventure and companionship as you walk hand in hand with your Maker.
Reflections: Do I listen for God's voice each day? Or do I assume I know what He wants me to do?
Is my mind so full of worries (and the need for control) that my thoughts drown out the possibility of hearing God's thoughts?
Power Verses: 1 Samuel 3:10, "The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." (NIV)
Psalm 119:16, "I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word." (NIV) John 14:31, "But the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me." (NIV)
Proverbs 31 Ministries 616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road Matthews, NC 28105www.Proverbs31.org 9/24/2007 Be strong and courageous, and do it. Fear not, be not dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.He will not fail nor forsake you until you have finished all the work for the service of the Lord.Heavenly Father,
Devotional from Today God Is First:God's Messengersby Os Hillman Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets. - Amos 3:7 Share TGIF With A Friend | Past Issues of TGIF ©2004 - 2007 Marketplace Leaders - All Rights Reserved. Daily Reading from BibleGateway.com1 Chronicles 28-29 (Amplified Bible)1 Chronicles 281DAVID ASSEMBLED at Jerusalem all the leaders of Israel and of the tribes, the officers of the divisions that served the king in courses, and those over thousands and hundreds, and the stewards over all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, with the palace officers, the mighty men, and all the mighty warriors.2Then David the king rose to his feet and said, Hear me, my brethren and my people. I myself intended to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, as a footstool for our God, and I prepared materials for the building. 3But God said to me, You shall not build a house for My Name [and Presence], because you have been a man of war and have shed blood. 4However, the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me before all my father's house to be king over Israel forever. For He chose Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah he chose the house of my father; and among the sons of my father He was pleased to make me king over all Israel; 5And of all my sons, for the Lord has given me many sons, He has chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. 6And He said to me, Solomon your son shall build My house and My courts, for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his father. 7I will establish his kingdom forever if he loyally and continuously obeys My commandments and My ordinances, as he does today. 8Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, keep and seek [to be familiar with] all the commandments of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance for your children after you forever. 9And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father [have personal knowledge of Him, be acquainted with, and understand Him; appreciate, heed, and cherish Him] and serve Him with a blameless heart and a willing mind. For the Lord searches all hearts and minds and understands all the wanderings of the thoughts. If you seek Him [inquiring for and of Him and requiring Him as your first and vital necessity] you will find Him; but [a]if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever! 10Take heed now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it! 11Then David gave Solomon his son the plan of the vestibule of the temple, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner rooms, and of the place for the [ark and its] mercy seat; 12And the plan of all that he had in mind [by the Spirit] for the courts of the house of the Lord, all the surrounding chambers, the treasuries of the house of God, and the treasuries for the dedicated gifts; 13The plan for the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for all the work of the service in the house of the Lord; for all the vessels for service in the house of the Lord: 14The weight of gold and silver for all the gold and silver articles of every kind of service-- 15The weight of the golden lampstands and their lamps, the weight of gold or silver for each lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand; 16The gold by weight for each table of showbread, and the silver for the tables of silver; 17Also pure gold for the forks, basins, and cups; for the golden bowls by weight of each; for the silver bowls by weight of each; 18For the incense altar refined gold by weight, and gold for the plan of the chariot of the cherubim that spread their wings and covered the ark of the Lord's covenant. 19All this the Lord made me understand by the writing by His hand upon me, all the work to be done according to the plan. 20Also David told Solomon his son, Be strong and courageous, and do it. Fear not, be not dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail or forsake you until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. 21And see, [you have] the divisions of the priests and Levites for all the service of God's house, and with you in all the kinds of work will be every willing, skillful man for any kind of service. Also the officers and all the people will be wholly at your command. 1 Chronicles 291AND KING David said to all the assembly, Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is yet young, tender, and inexperienced; and the work is great, for the palace is not to be for man but for the Lord God.2So I have provided with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be of gold, silver for things of silver, bronze for things of bronze, iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood, as well as onyx or beryl stones, stones to be set, stones of antimony, stones of various colors, and all sorts of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. 3Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, in addition to all I have prepared for the holy house, I have a private treasure of gold and silver which I give for the house of my God: 4It is 3,000 talents of gold, gold of Ophir, 7,000 talents of refined silver for overlaying the walls of the house, 5Gold for the uses of gold, silver for the uses of silver, and for every work to be done by craftsmen. Now who will offer willingly to fill his hand [and consecrate it] today to the Lord [like one consecrating himself to the priesthood]? 6Then the chiefs of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly 7And gave for the service of the house of God--of gold 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics, of silver 10,000 talents, of bronze 18,000 talents, and 100,000 talents of iron. 8And whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the Lord in the care of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9Then the people rejoiced because these had given willingly, for with a whole and blameless heart they had offered freely to the Lord. King David also rejoiced greatly. 10Therefore David blessed the Lord before all the assembly and said, Be praised, adored, and thanked, O Lord, the God of Israel our [forefather], forever and ever. 11Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and Yours it is to be exalted as Head over all. 12Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hands are power and might; in Your hands it is to make great and to give strength to all. 13Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name and those attributes which that name denotes. 14But who am I, and what are my people, that we should retain strength and be able to offer thus so willingly? For all things come from You, and out of Your own [hand] we have given You. 15For we are strangers before You, and sojourners, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope or expectation of remaining. 16O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy Name and the token of Your presence comes from Your hand, and is all Your own. 17I know also, my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things. And now I have seen with joy Your people who are present here offer voluntarily and freely to You. 18O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the minds of Your people, and direct and establish their hearts toward You. 19And give to Solomon my son a blameless heart to keep Your commandments, testimonies, and statutes, and to do all that is necessary to build the palace [for You] for which I have made provision. 20And David said to all the assembly, Now adore (praise and thank) the Lord your God! And all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers, and bowed down and did obeisance to the Lord and to the king [as His earthly representative]. 21The next day they offered sacrifices and burnt offerings to the Lord: 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. 22They ate and drank before the Lord on that day with great rejoicing. They made Solomon son of David king a second time, and anointed him as prince for the Lord and Zadok to be high priest. 23Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father; and he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. 24All the leaders and mighty men, and also all the sons of King David, pledged allegiance to King Solomon. 25And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel. 26Thus David son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27The time he reigned over Israel was forty years--he reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 28He died in a good old age [his seventy-first year], full and satisfied with days, riches, and honor. Solomon his son reigned in his stead. 29Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the recorded words of Samuel the seer, Nathan the prophet, and Gad the seer, 30With accounts of all his reign and his might, and the times through which he and Israel passed, as did all the kingdoms of the countries. Footnotes:
9/20/2007 Worship- our path to connecting with God and experiencing His presence
I. True worship opens our lives to a true relationship with God. · People worship many things that God has never intended. · The Lord demands that we worship him alone (Exodus 20:1-5). · God is seeking for those who will worship in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). · Through worship we acknowledge the glory of who God is. · In worship we declare what he has done in our lives. · Through worship we express our desire to know him more and to please him (Psalm 84, Psalm 138)
II. True worship is to be expressive and extravagant. · True worship is more than a song list. · Worship is a deep work of God in our lives. · Worship is to visibly express to God the depth of our love. · Our worship expression should be a true reflection of our heart. · The Bible records how a sinful woman poured an extravagant offering over Jesus (Luke 7:36-50).
III. A heart of worship opens our lives to God’s voice. · True worship is not based on our feelings or our circumstances. · The source of our worship is the faithfulness and love of God. · We bring our greatest victories and struggles to God in worship. · As we worship God speaks into our lives with grace and power (Psalm 73:25-26, Psalm 147:3) · He is the strength of our lives!
9/19/2007 What are we giving to this world? How are we impacting this world?Today's Prayer:Heavenly Father, Today's Reading:1 Chronicles 16-17 (Amplified Bible)1 Chronicles 161SO THEY brought the ark of God and set it in the midst of the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.2And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. 3And he distributed to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. 4He appointed Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord and to celebrate [by calling to mind], thanking and praising the Lord, the God of Israel: 5Asaph was the chief, next to him Zechariah, Jeiel (Jaaziel), Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, and Benaiah, Obed-edom and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals; 6Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God. 7Then on that day David first entrusted to Asaph and his brethren the singing of thanks to the Lord [as their chief task]: 8O give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known His doings among the peoples! 9Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; meditate on and talk of all His wondrous works and devoutly praise them! 10Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! 11Seek the Lord and His strength; yearn for and seek His face and to be in His presence continually! 12[Earnestly] remember the marvelous deeds which He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He uttered [as in Egypt], 13O you offspring of [Abraham and] of Israel His servants, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones! 14He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. 15Be mindful of His covenant forever, the promise which He commanded and established to a thousand generations, 16The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His sworn promise to Isaac. 17He confirmed it as a statute to Jacob, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,(A) 18Saying, To you I will give the land of Canaan, the measured portion of your possession and inheritance. 19When they were but few, even a very few, and only temporary residents and strangers in it, 20When they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people, 21He allowed no man to do them wrong; yes, He reproved kings for their sakes,(B) 22Saying, Touch not My anointed, and do My prophets no harm.(C) 23Sing to the Lord, all the earth; show forth from day to day His salvation. 24Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all peoples. 25For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He also is to be [reverently] feared above all so-called gods. 26For all the gods of the people are [lifeless] idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 27Honor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [found] in His sanctuary. 28Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength, 29Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come before Him; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and in holy array. 30Tremble and reverently fear before Him, all the earth's peoples; the world also shall be established, so it cannot be moved. 31Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice; and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigns! 32Let the sea roar, and all the things that fill it; let the fields rejoice, and all that is in them. 33Then shall the trees of the wood sing out for joy before the Lord, for He comes to judge and govern the earth. 34O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! 35And say, Save us, O God of our salvation; gather us together and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name and glory in Your praise. 36Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, forever and ever! And all the people said Amen! and praised the Lord. 37So David left Asaph and his brethren before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister before the ark continually, as each day's work required, 38And Obed-edom with [his] sixty-eight kinsmen. Also Obed-edom son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, were to be gatekeepers. 39And David left Zadok the priest and his brethren the priests before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon 40To offer burnt offerings to the Lord upon the altar of burnt offering continually, morning and evening, and to do all that is written in the Law of the Lord which He commanded Israel. 41With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest who were chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever. 42With them were Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those who should sound aloud, and instruments for accompanying the songs of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were to be at the gate. 43Then all the people departed, each man to his house, and David returned home to bless his household. 1 Chronicles 171AS DAVID sat in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet, Behold, I dwell in a house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord remains under tent curtains.2Then Nathan said to David, Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you. 3And that same night the word of God came to Nathan, saying, 4Go and tell David My servant, Thus says the Lord: You shall not build Me a house to dwell in, 5For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel from Egypt until this day; but I have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another. 6Wherever I have walked with all Israel, did I say a word to any of the judges of Israel whom I commanded to feed My people, saying, Why have you not built Me a house of cedar? 7Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over My people Israel. 8And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you, and I will make your name like the name of the great ones of the earth. 9Also I will appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the first, 10Since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. Moreover, I will subdue all your enemies. Furthermore, I foretell to you that the Lord will build you a house (a blessed posterity). 11And it shall come to pass that when your days are fulfilled to go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.(D) 13I will be his father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy and steadfast love away from him, as I took it from him [King Saul] who was before you.(E) 14But I will settle [a]him (Him) in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his (His) throne shall be established forevermore.(F) 15According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David. 16And David the king went in and sat before the Lord and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house and family, that You have brought me up to this? 17And yet this was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; for You have spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God! 18What more can David say to You for thus honoring Your servant? For You know Your servant. 19O Lord, for Your servant's sake and in accord with Your own heart, You have wrought all this greatness, to make known all these great things. 20O Lord, there is none like You, nor is there any God beside You, according to all that our ears have heard. 21And what nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem to Himself as a people, making Yourself a name by great and terrible things, by driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed out of Egypt? 22You made Your people Israel Your own forever, and You, Lord, became their God. 23Therefore now, Lord, let the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house be established forever, and do as You have said. 24Let it be established and let Your name [and the character that name denotes] be magnified forever, saying, The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel's God; and the house of David Your servant will be established before You. 25For You, O my God, have told Your servant that You will build for him a house (a blessed posterity); therefore Your servant has found courage and confidence to pray before You. 26And now, Lord, You are God, and have promised this good thing to Your servant. 27Therefore may it please You to bless the house (posterity) of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for what You bless, O Lord, is blessed forever. Footnotes:
Cross references:
Today's Devotional:Discovering the Source of Problemsby Os Hillman After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land. - 2 Samuel 21:14b During the reign of David, there was a famine in the land for three successive years. So David sought the Lord regarding this famine, "Why is there famine on this land?" The Lord answered David, "It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death" (2 Sam. 21:1b). Years earlier, Joshua made a peace treaty with the Gibeonites. This, too, was an act of disobedience. When God called Israel to come into the Promised Land, they were to destroy all the enemies of God. Joshua failed to see through the ruse of deception when the Gibeonites portrayed themselves as travelers. The Israelites signed a peace treaty only to discover who the Gibeonites were after the fact. Now, they had to honor the treaty. However, this led to intermarriages and much sorrow for Israel. Years later, Saul made a decision to kill the Gibeonites. The nation was now receiving the punishment for their sin of disobedience through a famine. David knew that famines could have a spiritual source, so he inquired of God and God answered. The source was Saul's murder of the Gibeonites. Once David knew the source of the problem, he took action. He repented on behalf of the nation and made restitution. The famine was then lifted. Do you have a problem that seems to be a continually unresolved issue? Have you asked God to tell you the reason for the problem? It may have a spiritual root that is still unresolved with God. He may be allowing this pressure to bring attention to an issue He wants you to take care of. Ask the Lord today to give you revelation on your problem. As a loving Father, He desires to make known anything that stands in the way of fellowship between you and Him. However, His righteousness must always be upheld.
©2004 - 2007 Marketplace Leaders - All Rights Reserved. 9/18/2007 Are we doing the right thing the right way and for the right reason?Today's Prayer:Heavenly Father, Today's Reading for today from the Word of God:1 Chronicles 13-15 (Amplified Bible) - www.BibleGateway.com1 Chronicles 131DAVID CONSULTED the captains of thousands and hundreds, even with every leader.2And David said to all the assembly of Israel, If it seems good to you and if it is of the Lord our God, let us send abroad everywhere to our brethren who are left in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites in their cities that have suburbs and pasturelands, that they may gather together with us. 3And let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it during the days of Saul. 4And all the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing seemed right in the eyes of all the people. 5So David gathered all Israel together, from the Shihor, the brook of Egypt [that marked the southeast border of Palestine], to the entrance of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, which is called by the name of Him Who sits [enthroned] above the cherubim. 7And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio [his brother] drove the cart. 8And David and all Israel merrily celebrated before God with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets. 9And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to steady the ark, for the oxen [that were drawing the cart] stumbled and were restive. 10And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzza, and He smote him because he touched the ark; and there he died before God.(A) 11And David was offended because the Lord had broken forth upon Uzza; that place to this day is called Perez-uzza [the breaking forth upon Uzza]. 12And David was afraid of God that day, and he said, How can I bring the ark of God home to me? 13So David did not bring the ark home to the City of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite [a Levitical porter born in Gath-rimmon].(B) 14And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that he had. 1 Chronicles 141AND HIRAM king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar timbers, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house.2And David perceived that the Lord had established and confirmed him as king over Israel, for his kingdom was exalted highly for His people Israel's sake. 3And David took more wives to Jerusalem, and [he] became the father of more sons and daughters. 4Now these are the names of the children whom he had in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet. 8And when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, [they] all went up to seek David. And [he] heard of it and went out before them. 9Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the Valley of Rephaim. 10David asked God, Shall I go up against the Philistines? And will You deliver them into my hand? And the Lord said, Go up, and I will deliver them into your hand. 11So [Israel] came up to Baal-perazim, and David smote [the Philistines] there. Then David said, God has broken my enemies by my hand, like the bursting forth of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim [Lord of breaking through]. 12[The Philistines] left their gods there; David commanded and they were burned. 13And the Philistines again made a raid in the valley. 14And David inquired again of God, and God said to him, Do not go up after them; turn away from them and come [around] upon them over opposite the mulberry trees. 15And when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry or balsam trees, then go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to smite the Philistine host. 16So David did as God commanded him, and they smote the army of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer. 17And the fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations. 1 Chronicles 151DAVID MADE for himself houses in the City of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.2Then David said, None should carry the ark of God but the Levites, for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever. 3And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it. 4And David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites: 5Of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with 120 kinsmen; 6Of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with 220 kinsmen; 7Of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with 130 kinsmen; 8Of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with 200 kinsmen; 9Of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with 80 kinsmen; 10Of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with 112 kinsmen. 11And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites--Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab, 12And said to them, You are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, both you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it. 13For because you bore it not [as God directed] at the first, the Lord our God broke forth upon us--because we did not seek Him in the way He ordained.(C) 14So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. 15The Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses commanded by the word of the Lord. 16David told the chief Levites to appoint their brethren the singers with instruments of music--harps, lyres, and cymbals--to play loudly and lift up their voices with joy. 17So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan son of Kushaiah; 18And with them their brethren of the second class: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and also the gatekeepers, Obed-edom and Jeiel. 19So the singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound bronze cymbals; 20Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps [resembling guitars] set to Alamoth [probably the treble voice]; 21Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres set to Sheminith [the bass voice]. 22Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in singing, was put in charge of carrying the ark and lifting up song. He instructed about these matters because he was skilled and able. 23Berechiah and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark. 24Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God. And Obed-edom and Jehiah (Jeiel) were also gatekeepers for the ark. 25So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obed-edom with joy. 26And when God helped the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord [with a safe start], they offered seven bulls and seven rams. 27David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were the Levites who bore the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah, director of the music of the singers. David also wore an ephod [a priestly upper garment] of linen. 28Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, sound of the cornet, trumpets, and cymbals, sounding aloud with harps and lyres. 29As the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the City of David, Michal [David's wife] daughter of Saul, looking from a window, saw King David leaping as in sport, and she despised him in her heart. Cross references:
Today's Devotional:Called to Craftsmanship - from www.TodayGodIsFirst.comby Os Hillman Then the Lord said to Moses, "See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts-to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship. - Exodus 31:1-5 Bezalel was called by God to perform a most important work for Him. I am sure that Bezalel believed that he was naturally gifted with his hands to make fine crafts with gold, silver, and bronze. He probably did not associate it with God's work. But the Scripture tells us that God chose him and filled him with God's Spirit to enable him. Does God call men and women into their vocations to fulfill His purposes - to fulfill that which needs to be accomplished throughout the world? Have you ever thought about how many occupations there are in the world? How did that balance of interest among each human throughout the world happen? Did it just happen? Was it by chance that we have only so many doctors, only so many accountants, only so many geologists? Your interest in your vocation is not born of your own making. So many workplace believers and even pastors have made the mistake of encouraging us who have a deep desire to walk with Christ in the workplace to pursue vocational ministry. To remove us from the workplace where the greatest harvest is yet to occur would be to remove us from where God called us. Do not take this bait. Serve the Lord in the workplace where He has gifted you and called you. I almost made this same mistake when God drew me to Himself when I was 28 years old. I concluded that I must be called to be a pastor. I took steps to fulfill this by leaving my job and entering a Bible school for training. Upon completion, I took a job as an assistant pastor in a church. But God's mercy allowed me to be removed from that position only three months into it. I was "forced back into business," where God wanted me in the first place. It was a great lesson. I was never cut out to be a pastor in a church, but a "pastor" in the workplace. |
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