Today's Reading: 1 Kings 1

 

The Power of Spoken Blessings

As king David was about to pass from this life into eternity, his fourth son Adonijah attempted to steal the throne. But God had chosen Solomon to become the next king of Israel. Adonijah wasn’t happy with God’s choice so, here in 1 Kings chapter 1, he attempts an overthrow. When Nathan, the prophet, and Bathsheba heard of it, they went to king David and informed him of the coup. David promptly had Solomon anointed as his successor so there would be no question as to who is the rightful king.

David called for Zadok the priest to conduct the inauguration ceremony.  As he was anointing Solomon as the new king, Zadok pronounced a powerful blessing: “May the Lord be with Solomon as he has been with you, my lord the king, and may he make Solomon’s reign even greater than yours!” With these words, Zadok was invoking God’s blessing upon Solomon and his term in office. It was common practice in Solomon’s day for the priest to raise his arms upward and forward with the palm of his hands bent slightly downward and facing the person receiving the blessing. This priestly blessing was known in rabbinic literature as “raising of the hands.” With it, God was seen to be passing His blessing to the priest who, in turn, passed it on to the recipient. Solomon was about to embark upon his new calling in life and, as such, he required the indispensable work of God upon and through him.

In Luke 24, we see Jesus performing this “raising of the hands” as His final act upon Earth.  “And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.” (Luke 24:50). He blessed them with joy, peace, power and authority to take His Gospel message into all the world. And right in the middle of His priestly blessing, Jesus parted from them and was carried up into Heaven.  Jesus, like David and Zadok, knew the power of spoken blessings.

There is power in a spoken blessing. A spoken blessing is a positive, Biblical statement that invokes the blessing of God in the life of another person. Spoken blessings can bring hope, encouragement, and direction to our families, friends, and others.  The power of spoken blessings does not come from the speaker, but comes from God. When we speak God’s promises into the life of another, we are acting as a conduit to transfer the blessings of God to them. This is why many pastors make it their practice to conclude their worship services with a “benediction” – a spoken word of blessing upon the congregation.

Who do you know today that is in need of God’s power upon his/her life? Since all believers are a “kingdom of priests” (Revelation 5:1), you have the opportunity and God-given authority to raise priestly hands and invoke a spoken blessing upon them. Who could you bless today?

Today's Reading: Psalms 116, 117, & 118

Of Priceless Value

A few things in the Bible are referred to as “precious.” For example: the wise woman is “more precious than rubies” (Proverbs 3:15); the word of the Lord is precious (1 Samuel 3:31); Jesus is the precious Cornerstone (Isaiah 28:6); the precious sons of Zion (Lamentations 4:2); the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:19); our precious faith in Christ (2 Peter 1:1); God’s great and precious promises (2 Peter 1:4). And here in Psalm 116, the Bible refers to death as something precious in the sight of the Lord.

The word “precious” means to have priceless value; to be prized; to be cherished because of its costliness. Your God views the death of His saints to be something of priceless value. Something He prizes and cherishes. The Psalmist is expressing how intimately God cares for him, both in matters of life and in matters of his death. The New Living Translation expresses the meaning more naturally to modern readers: “The LORD cares deeply when his loved ones die.”  In the original Hebrew, the term rendered “saints” refers to the Lord’s faithful followers—those who love and serve God actively and commit themselves to a relationship with Him. This verse reveals that God is not indifferent about how and when His faithful servants die.

The ending of your life on earth is of priceless value to your Lord. During your lifetime of service to Him, the Lord makes it His undertaking to save you and protect you from evil. Many times He rescues you from death. Until, that is, your appointed time to die arrives.  The Bible tells us that “all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16). God knows exactly when, where, and how we will die. The moment and circumstances of our death will not take God by surprise.

When one of God’s faithful followers dies, it is precious to Him. God considers the deaths of those who die in the Lord precious because his Son died to redeem them and to bring them into His presence. Their earthly death does not mark an ending, as some view it, but actually marks a NEW BEGINNING! The death of a saint of God is viewed, by God, as something special and it is a time of rejoicing as the saint leaves this world of sin and goes to a perfect place to be with our Lord. “For to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8) God rejoices because the child He loves so dearly has now come home to be with Him forever. 

Oh, what a day that will be! Wrapped in the loving arms of our Heavenly Father who considers us – both in life and in death – to be of priceless value.

Today's Reading: Psalms 113, 114, & 115

 

Not Unto Us!

Let’s be completely honest here – humans deserve no credit or praise for the good that comes from their lives. For some, that statement might seem a bit harsh, or even hurtful. It may be hard to admit, but it is the cold hard truth. The Bible repeatedly teaches this truth in one way or another - that human beings (left to themselves) are not capable of achieving anything of eternal value by their own efforts. We cannot save ourselves. We cannot transform ourselves. We cannot guide ourselves. We cannot teach, preach, evangelize, or serve in our own human efforts or strength. Only God can do those things, and rightfully only God must get the credit and praise when they happen.

This Psalm begins with the acknowledgement of two important truths: (1) no glory is ours; and, (2) all glory is God’s. In the economy of God, there is no shared glory. There is no self-glory. To the Lord, and Him alone goes all the credit and praise for all the love and faithfulness He has shown to us. When something good happens, we must resist any attempt to take the credit. We, like the Psalmist, must insist that “not unto us, O Lord, not unto us” should glory be given. Only unto Him.

The more a person is used by the Lord, the more they need to be aware of the risk of self-glory. Especially if God uses them in a public setting. The danger of accepting the accolades of people grows in proportion to the visibility and effectiveness of our ministry. A wise pastor who had become quite popular and renown in our community once told me, “I never believe my own press clippings.” This was his way of saying that the praises of people are misplaced if they are praising him rather than giving glory to God. When someone attempts to give us the credit, we must resist the temptation to accept their praise. When praise and glory is addressed to us, it is so important to “forward the mail” to its rightful Recipient - the LORD our God.

Once we know the truth about our own sinfulness, weaknesses, failures, and inabilities there is no rational reason why we would ever take God’s credit or glory. Take a moment now and let the Holy Spirit search your heart for any area of pride, self-glory, or even shared-glory. Then, in humility and honesty say, “Not to me, O Lord, not to me, but to Your Name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness.” 

Today's Reading: 1 Chronicles 29

 Cheerful Giving Equals Glad Hearts

King David had already donated an enormous amount of his own wealth (gold, silver, gems, and marble) toward the building of a new Temple for the Lord in Jerusalem. Now, in one of David’s final acts before his death, he makes an additional donation out of his personal stockpile. He explained that he was making these donations “because of my devotion to the house of my God, I give it to the house of my God.” (V3) David deeply loved the Lord and wanted to spare no expense in the construction of His Temple.

After making his personal contribution, David called upon the leaders of Israel to join him by donating to the cause. And donate they did!  They also gave gold and silver along with bronze and iron.

Then it was the peoples’ turn. You can just see David grinning ear-to-ear as he witnesses the cheerful generosity of the congregation of Israel coming forward and giving such things as precious stones to the Lord. “David the king also rejoiced greatly.” (V9) From there, the only thing David could do was turn to God in prayer and thank Him for His blessings and the generous hearts of the people. “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever.” (V11) It was a day of cheerful giving all around! When people gave, their hearts were glad.

In 2 Corinthians 9, we read the words of the Apostle Paul, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” The people of Israel were indeed “cheerful givers” that day. The people rejoiced because this wasn’t some kind of “high-pressure” deal where they were forced or coerced into giving. Their hearts were delighted to be part of the work God was doing and because of that they “offered freely to the Lord.”

How about you? Are you a cheerful giver? Do you look forward to donating your time, treasure, and talent to the cause of the Lord? Does your heart rejoice when you have an opportunity to bless others with your financial resources? Or, are you a reluctant giver? Do you hold tightly to your wealth (as small as it may be)? If so, it is time to let go of your selfishness and become a more generous person. If you do this cheerfully from your heart, the Lord will take notice of it and “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:11) When you give, you will bless others, and it is YOUR heart that will be gladdened!

Today's Reading: Psalm 37

 

Serenity Now!

“Serenity Now!” That was the humorous cry of the fictional character, Frank Costanza. And, it is the cry of billions of people around the world looking for just a moment of peace and serenity in their lives.

There is a profound lack of peace and unrest in our world today. People are simply not at peace with their governments, their workplace, their relationships, and, most importantly, themselves. People are struggling with finding rest for their souls. Finding any kind of inner peace or world peace seems to elude billions of people. People are anxious and worried about many things. Even Christians at times experience troubled hearts and lack of peace and serenity. But that’s not what God intended. Our loving Heavenly Father, knowing our propensity towards anxiety and worry, has made a way for every human being to experience “serenity now.”

Peace, in the Bible, comes in four “flavors.” First, is peace with God. Peace with God is, at its core, a spiritual reconciliation between family members. It's a restored relationship between our Heavenly Father and His wayward and rebellious children. The way to peace with God is only through faith in Jesus Christ – “Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)

The second form of peace is cessation of war between fighting factions, countries, or people. We refer to this elusive experience as “world peace.” It is something we all long for and pray for. True world peace can only come when the people and governments of the world submit themselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Only then will peace reign.

The third type of peace is inner peace, or serenity. We call this the “peace of God.”  It is a spiritual calmness that invades your soul and replaces your anxiety and worry. This type of inner peace comes only to the follower of Christ and only when they are trusting God with the affairs of their life – “And the peace of The Christ will rule in your hearts, to which you are called in one body” (Colossians 3:15) If you are dealing with unrest and worry in your life, today is the day Jesus is calling you to “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) Take a moment right now to be still in the presence of God. Lay your burden down. Ask Him to remove your unrest and replace it with His indescribable peace. Trust Him with your troubles and rejoice in His peace.

Finally, we come to future peace. This is the peace spoken of in Psalm 37:11. On the day when we enter into God’s eternal presence, one of our most remarkable experiences will be being astounded at the “abundance of peace.” We will simply be blown away by Heaven’s perfect peace and calmness and serenity. It will be like nothing we’ve ever experienced! For sure, that will be “serenity now!”  What an experience this will be. It will be beyond our greatest expectations as we “delight ourselves in abundant peace!”

Today's Reading: 1 Chronicles 28 & Psalm 112

 

The Legacy of Good Advice

King David, the man after God’s heart, had lived a good life. Although he had many struggles and failures, his life was marked by the blessings of God.  Now, he is about to die at “a good age, full of days, riches, and honor.” (1 Chronicles 29:28) In his final few days, he made it a point to pass on his legacy to those who would follow behind him. First, he addresses the leaders of Israel. Then he turns his focus on his son, Solomon.

In verses 9-21, we read of David’s charge to his son. He passes on the plans for construction of the Temple in Jerusalem and encourages Solomon to remain strong and courageous as he takes on this important project. The most profound and poignant portion of this charge is found in verse 9: “And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.” (NLT)

David’s charge to Solomon to “know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart” is one of the most repeated pieces of advice found in the Bible. With these words, David reminds his son that the MOST IMPORTANT pursuit ahead of him was to maintain a right relationship with the Lord. All of his other challenges and pursuits in life pale in comparison to this one most important pursuit. David knew that he could no longer “carry” Solomon along in the faith – it is something he must make personal and do for himself.

The dictionary defines “legacy” as an amount of money or property left to someone in a will. But this definition of legacy falls far short of God’s definition. In God’s kingdom the most important legacy you can leave to your children and grandchildren is a vibrant faith and love for God. All the riches and property in the world are worthless compared to the vast wealth of knowing God and serving Him.

As a parent or grandparent (or brother, sister, cousin, friend, neighbor, coworker) your most sacred duty is to leave a legacy of faith for those who come behind you. Make sure that you constantly advise them that they must know and follow God and that “if you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.”

Today's Reading: 1 Chronicles 27 & Psalm 111

 

Holy and Awesome!

On the day we finally arrive in Heaven and look back on the history of our planet, there will be three things we will declare about our experience with our Creator: (1) He sent redemption to His people; (2) He has commanded His covenant forever; (3) Holy and awesome is His name!

He sent redemption to His people. Yahweh is a God of redemption. In Hebrew, this word "redemption” literally means “to place a distinction or division between, thus to liberate.” God repeatedly throughout history is seen liberating His people. By placing a distinction between Noah, who found grace in His sight, and the rest of the corrupt population, God liberated Noah and his family from the flood waters. God placed a distinction between the Jews and the Egyptians when, through Moses, He liberated the slaves from their bondage. Repeatedly in the history of Israel, we see God stepping in and sending judges to liberate them from the hands of their oppressors. Later He sent Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zerubbabel to liberate them from Babylon. And, in the most profound act of liberation, God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus to redeem an entire lost world from sin, misery, and eternal death.

He has commanded His covenant forever. Yahweh has made a legal agreement with the human race. This covenant contains His binding oath that He will perform certain things on behalf of those who accept the terms of His agreement and agree to follow Him. The New Covenant is the unchanging promise that God makes with humanity that He will forgive sin and restore fellowship with those whose hearts are turned toward Him. “’But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,’ says the Lord. ‘I will put my law in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people’”  (Jeremiah 31:31-33). This is His forever, permanent covenant with mankind – it will never be rescinded or broken.

Holy and awesome is His name. Because Yahweh has sent redemption to His people and established His forever covenant with them, there is nothing left to say but that He is holy and awesome. The word “holy” means to be like none else. It reflects the fact that Yahweh alone is unique and separate from all other beings. It carries the idea of being pure and sacred and free from defilement of any kind. And His name is “awesome!” The Hebrew word here means to stand in awe, reverence, and honor of the One who is like no other.

What will you be doing in Heaven? Praising your God’s holy and awesome name as you reflect on His redemption and eternal covenant. That day can’t come soon enough!