Here is this week’s suggested personal reading. Our Bible Study on Wednesday evening will be selected from the reading in the New Testament.
Follow this link to download a copy (2 pages) of the entire reading schedule: Click here.
Here is this week’s suggested personal reading. Our Bible Study on Wednesday evening will be selected from the reading in the New Testament.
Follow this link to download a copy (2 pages) of the entire reading schedule: Click here.
Are Christians supposed to be good citizens in their earthly countries?
Matthew tells us that Jesus was asked a loaded question in Matthew 22:15-22 in a united effort to disprove his claim to be God, the King. “Is it lawful to give tribute [a Roman tax levied on individuals and to be paid yearly] unto Caesar or not?” What made the question even more difficult is that it was asked by Pharisees (a religious sect of Judaism) and Herodians (a political party, consisting of mostly Saducees, who supported the Roman appointed Herodian dynasty). You can’t compare the make-up of this group as being like the Democrats and Republicans of the United States’s Congress. This is more like the National Council of Churches conspiring with the entire Federal Government to bring Jesus down.
Jesus knew if he answered one way or the other, one side or the other would be able to accuse him of either being unpatriotic or as having broken God’s Law. His brilliant answer defused both sides (“Render [pay] therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s”), added further proof of his Deity to those who rejected Jesus as the promised King (“and [render, pay] unto God the things that are God’s”), and, as an aside, taught his followers the importance of being good citizens on earth.
Are you amazed at how a simple answer could accomplish so much? So were the Pharisees and Herodians.
Our Bible Study on Wednesday evening will be selected from the reading in the New Testament.
Follow this link to download a copy (2 pages) of the entire reading schedule: Click here.
In our personal Bible reading, Psalm 4 was on the schedule. The suggested call to wroship for Sunday was also Psalm 4. Coincidence? Maybe God wanted me to learn a little something.
“Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer” (Psalm 4:1).
Was the psalmist convinced God would answer his prayer? The psalmist identified his Rescuer as the “God of my righteousness.” David, who composed this psalm, knew that intervention in his difficulties would only come from God and not from himself. Jeremiah recognized it was “the Lord our righteousness” who would “save Judah and [cause] Israel to dwell safely” (Jeremiah 23:6). Paul explained that believers are “in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us…righteousness” (1 Corinthians 1:30). I seem to be asking myself now more than ever before, “With Jesus Christ’s righteousness in me, why would I even think of looking to myself or others to deliver me from trouble?”
Here is the suggested reading for March 1-5. You will find a corrected copy of the schedule at the link below. To make everything simple, one week was added at the end of the year (or the beginning of next year). Our Bible Study on Wednesday will still be selected from the reading in the New Testament.
Follow this link to download a copy (2 pages) of the entire reading schedule: Click here.
Here is the (corrected) suggested reading for February 22-26. What do I mean by “corrected”? Chapters 16-20 were left out of the cycle. The original reading schedule will need to be repaired.
Our Bible Study on Wednesday will still be selected from the reading in the New Testament. The Scripture selection last Wednesday night was Matthew 13. Jesus teaches seven “Parables of the Kingdom.” What was the people’s response to the Perfect Teacher’s parables? Verses 53-58 are evidence of His rejection as God, as the promised Messiah. What was Jesus teaching in the parables? In this age there will be a mixture in the church of those who are genuinely saved and those who aren’t (but say they are) until Jesus comes back with His angels to set up His Kingdom. Then He will separate the good from the bad.
Follow this link to download a copy (2 pages) of the entire reading schedule (which will be corrected by next week): Click here.
Do you ever choose a favorite verse from your daily reading? Here’s one of mine from last week. “And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise take up they bed, and go unto thine house.” What do you think the sick man did? Here is the suggested reading for February 15-19. Our Bible Study on Wednesday will be selected from the reading in the New Testament.
Follow this link to download a copy (2 pages) of the entire reading schedule: Click here.
The Book of Second Chronicles demonstrates what history has to do with faith. Further, it tells what faith has to do with life; it is addressed to the practical needs of the community. When Solomon and the later kings of Judah were obedient to God, they received His blessing; when they rebelled against Him, they were cursed and punished. In its selection and presentation of historical data, Second Chronicles demonstrates priestly perspective; this is distinct from First and Second Kings, which are written from a prophetic perspective. For a complete life and for a complete history, both viewpoints are necessary.
Second Chronicles demonstrates that faithful adherence to the Hebrew faith results in being blessed, but forsaking the Lord will lead the nation and the individual to being cursed. The book stresses Solomon’s building of the Temple and his other religious leadership, a part of Solomon’s career that is not as emphasized in First Kings. Several revivals are recounted in the book—especially the one under Hezekiah. Because Judah remained much closer to God’s program, it is consistently in the forefront of Second Chronicles; this is different from First and Second Kings, which give much more of the history of Israel, the northern kingdom; when Chronicles uses the name “Israel,” it usually refers to the twelve tribes as a unity.
Under God’s direct supervision, the writer of Second Chronicles compiles his book from several sources. Obviously he uses First and Second Kings, but he cites several non-canonical works as well, including annals that seem to be official state records; these include the following:
He also uses several prophetical works; these are:
Second Chronicles is a book of revivals (under Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Uzziah, Hezekiah, and Josiah) and rebellions (under Rehoboam, Abijah, Jehoram, Ahaziah, Athaliah, Manasseh, Amon, and Jehoiakim). The reader is brought face to face with the fact that God’s blessing and His judgment upon His people are predicated upon their response to Him and to His Word.
Glorious Reign of Solomon 1:1—9:31
Prayer of Solomon
Request for Wisdom 1:1-10
Riches and Wisdom Both Granted 1:11-17
Preparations for Building the Temple 2:1-18
Particulars concerning the Building of the Temple 3:1—4:22
Presence of God Demonstrated in Glory 5:1-14
Prayer and Sermon of Solomon Followed by the Lord’s Response 6:1—7:22
Praise of Solomon’s Fame and Accomplishments 8:1-18
Presentation of the Queen of Sheba’s Visit 9:1-12
Possessions and Splendor of Solomon 9:13-31
Gains and Losses of God’s People 10:1—36:23
People’s Request and Rehoboam’s Response 10:1-11
Problems of a Divided Kingdom
Rehoboam’s Reign 11:1—12:16
Reign of Abijah 13:1—14:1
Reforms and Other Deeds of Asa 14:2—16:14
Rule of Good King Jehoshaphat 17:1—21:1
Regime of Evil Jehoram 21:2-20
Recital of Administration of Evil Ahaziah 22:1-9
Remaining Royal Seed of Judah Murdered by Athaliah 22:10-12
Rescue of Joash 23:1-11
Removal and Death of Athaliah 23:12-15
Revival Under Joash through Joiada (Jehoiada) 23:16—24:14
Rebellion of Joash Following Death of Joiada 24:15-27
Rise of Amaziah 25:1-28
Righteousness and Rebellion of Uzziah 26:1-15
Replacement of Uzziah with Jotham 26:16—27:9
Persistence of the Southern Kingdom after the Fall of the North
Rejection of Godliness by Ahaz 28:1-27
Restoration of Godliness under Hezekiah 29:1—32:32
Rebellion of Manasseh 33:1-20
Replacement of Evil Amon after a Short Reign 33:21-25
Revival and Repair of the Temple by Josiah 34:1—35:27
Removal of Jehoahaz after Only Three Months 36:1-3
Reign of Eliakim (Jehoiakim), Eldest Son of Josiah 36:4-7
Rule of Jehoiachin, son of Jehoiakim 36:8-9
Remaining Son of Josiah, Zedekiah, Made King 36:10-13
Reasons for Judah’s Captivity 36:14-21
Permission to Return to Israel: Cyrus’ Proclamation 36:22-23