by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible, Uncategorized
II KIngs 13-14
Right in the middle of all of this kings – up- and- kings – down business, the Lord inserts a zinger. It’s a word for us when we are engaging the enemy on behalf of ourselves or our loved ones.
Elisha is about to die, and the king of Israel knows that he will miss the prophet’s ability to protect the nation.
So Elisha goes to him and demonstrates a principle he will need.
He tells the king to put his hand on the bow, and then Elisha puts his hands on the king’s hands. He says, “Open the window toward the east and shoot.”(13:17) Then Elisha tells the king to strike the ground with the arrows. The king strikes three times and stops. At that, the prophet is angry. He says, “You should have struck the ground five or six times, then you would have struck Aram until you would have destroyed it. But now you shall strike Aram only three times.”(V.19)
So what is the big deal? First of all, the prophet opens the east window, and the east is the sign of new beginnings. He is saying that this is a new day. A new beginning.
Then when the king is to strike the earth, he is to do it until his job is complete.
That’s a big sign to us. Do you have a problem with which you have dealt for many years? Maybe there have been times when you have thought you would never win this victory.
Take a cue from Elisha: open the east window – a new beginning – and don’t stop striking until you see the victory. So many of us give up – we are not persistent.
Be persistent. The lord is on your side, but sometimes the promises He has made to us take time. Especially when others are involved.
Maybe you are praying for your marriage, or your health, or your children. You have seen in the Word of God that certain things are His will, but you don’t see them with your eyes in your life. Don’t stop striking the earth with the Word of God. Don’t stop believing that His will is coming to pass. Keep it up and you will see the victory.
In the words of Winston Churchill, “Never give up. Never give up. Never, never, never give up!”
John 2
Do you feel that your life is tasteless and colorless – like water? Do you feel that you are unimportant to God or to others? Do you feel that you have nothing to offer others which will benefit them?
If so, you may be standing there like one of the pots of water at the wedding feast. When they ran out of wine, Jesus had the waiters fill the pots with water – and then He turned the water into wine.
On the first level, this is a miracle – much like we have been seeing in Elisha’s life. Jesus brings provision when there is none.
On a deeper level, this is symbolic of the influence Jesus can have over our lives if we let Him. He can turn the tasteless water into wine.
He can turn our colorless lives into lives of great joy. He can give us a fresh start and a fresh purpose.
Sometimes we can be encountering difficulties which seem too hard to bear. He will give us strength and He will give us the ability to see beyond the present. He will cause us to love our lives just as they are, and faith for a better future. He will bring comfort to the dry places.
Ask Him, and He will show you in a magnificent way that you are important to Him.
He can turn the water into wine.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Judges 1-3
Some sad days ahead for Israel. After Joshua and all of his generation died, “there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work He had done for Israel.”(2:10)
It’s hard to believe that a group of people could encounter the Lord in such a great way and yet not pass on their beliefs to their offspring. But we see that over and over – in scripture and in our own generation.
In my own lifetime I have seen such changes in perceptions of people. Of course, the changes in race relations have been good, but the changes in morality have been horrible. Now sexual immorality is accepted as the norm by many levels of our society. Such a shame. So many precious babies are affected.
Getting back to Judges, we see in the first three chapters that the Jews would turn away from God and lose their protection. So they would serve another king for a number of years, for they could “no longer stand against their enemies.” (2:14)
Again and again God would raise up judges who would help them be delivered from their enemies, but “when the judge died, they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers….they did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways.” (2:19)
God’s people had to serve the king of Mesopotamia for 8 years, until Othniel helped deliver them. They had rest for 40 years, and then Othniel died. Then back to the evil. They then served the king of Moab for 18 years, until Ehud was raised up to deliver them, giving the Jews 80 years of peace.
Without strong leadership the Israelites seemed unable – or unwilling – to follow God. They preferred the gods of the nations around them, particularly Baal, the god of prosperity.
Does that sound familiar today? We don’t call him Baal, but prosperity is worshipped by many in our society.
I pray that through God’s help we will keep our hearts pure from the worship of money. I also pray that our nation and our world will learn from the Jewish experience and turn back to the one true God.
Luke 4:1-30
When Jesus entered the wilderness for His 40 day fast, He was full of the Holy Spirit. He demonstrated to us that the warfare against the devil should be done through the spoken Word of God, which is our “sword of the Spirit.”(Ephesians 6:17). After the fast and temptations, Jesus returned to Galilee in the “power” of the Spirit.(Luke 4:14).
He was ready to begin his ministry in its fullness, with God’s supernatural gifts flowing.
Isn’t it noteworthy that as long as Jesus was the young local guy who often read the scriptures in the synagogue, He was admired and appreciated? Yet after he received the Holy Spirit baptism and was ready for His ministry, he was hated.
He announces Himself as the One mentioned in Isaiah, and true rage follows. These people who have known Him all of his life, cast Him out of the city and try to throw Him down a cliff. But he “passes through their midst.” (4:30)
How does that happen? A mob has Him in their hands, and He just “passes through their midst?” Sounds like an angelic visitation to me.
Not only was Jesus walking in supernatural power, He had supernatural protection and provision.
Jesus had no fear because He knew that God’s protection was with Him all the time. Eventually he would “lay down His life,” but not yet. Until that time, angels would keep Him from any harm.
Today God wants us to have faith for that type of protection. His angels surround us as we perform His purpose. Let’s count on that protection and be willing to trust Him at all times.
Remember the slogan, “What would Jesus do?” Well, that’s what Jesus would do. It’s one thing, at least. He would trust God for divine protection at all times.
Lord, increase our faith!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Joshua 22-24
Mission accomplished. Joshua finished his assignment by bringing the Israelites into the Promised Land and dividing their inheritance. All of their boundaries had been established, and there had been peace within their borders for a time.
One more time Joshua reminds his people of the history they share with God, and he reminds them that only the true God is to be served, then he “goes in the way of all the earth.”(23:14)
The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh are an interesting bunch. They helped fight for the territories, and they built an altar to remind their children that they are part of God’s inheritance, but they chose land across the Jordan – away from the others. Land that was really not part of the Promised Land.
Their attitude reminds me of some Christians today. They want to be considered Christians, but they really don’t want to enter all the way into God’s best. Hanging around the periphery seems good enough for them.
There’s a warning here, however. These tribes were to be the first ones to go into captivity. They will eventually be easy pickings for the Assyrian army.
I want to be right in the middle of what God is doing, don’t you?
Right now there are some tremendous revivals going on around the world – and even in our country. There are some Christians who know nothing about it – and there are some who are right there, praying and ministering with their whole hearts.
Lord, let me be a part of it! I want to be right where You are moving – and I want You to move where I am!
Luke 3
In John the Baptist we are seeing the fulfillment of prophecy. First the prophecy of Isaiah, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness…”(Luke 3:4-6; Isaiah 40:3-5). But also the prophecy of Zacharias, John’s father. (Luke 1:77)
John is calling people to repentance. He spares no words as he deals with the church leaders, calling them a “brood of vipers.”(7)
When pride prevails, it’s hard for people to see that they need a Savior. The Savior has come and is about to be revealed, but these people need to know that they need Him. Only the contrite of heart are able to receive from God.
We see the trinity when Jesus is baptized. The Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus like a dove, and God’s voice came out of Heaven, “Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am pleased.”(21-22).
Thus begins the ministry of Jesus. The Holy Spirit having descended, He is ready to finish His mission on earth.
As Christians, this same Holy Spirit is with us today – leading us, guiding us, and empowering us to fulfill our missions. As we are sensitive to His bidding, we will be able to accomplish our purpose.
I say, “Yes, Holy Spirit. I want You to lead me.”
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Joshua 19-21
The rest of the land gets divided, and all of the tribes are settled in their places.
“So the Lord gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it.
And the Lord gave them rest on every side, according to all that he had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hand.
Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.” (21:43-45)
What more can I say? Nothing, except that there are more declarations God has made to the world. Those, too , will come to pass.
His Word doesn’t fail.
Luke 2: 21-52
God always has His intercessors. While many of the church leaders were parading around in their priestly robes, trying to impress their subjects, God had some less significant people praying for His purpose.
Those intercessors were the ones who saw and recognized Jesus!
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, once said, “I am convinced that God does nothing on the earth, except in response to believing prayer.” When God’s ready to put a new piece of His puzzle in place, He first impresses upon the hearts of His true prayer warriors to pray for it.
That’s what we see in Simeon and Anna. Neither of them was a person of position or great honor, they were simple people. Both of them were advanced in years and both spent lots of time praying. It was to these two that God revealed the identity of Jesus.
Both of these people had seen in God’s Word that the Savior would come, and they were praying for it to happen. The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he wouldn’t see death until he had seen the Christ, and that’s exactly what took place.
The joy which comes from that man is evident as he recognizes Jesus and proclaims God’s Word. Overhearing these words, Anna agrees, and her joy exudes to others – the Savior has come.
God’s methodology hasn’t changed. There are many today who parade around in their pride and arrogance, ignoring God’s plan, and even discounting his Word.
Then there are others. There are those who love God and His Word, and who spend time praying for it to come to pass. Sometimes these people are unrecognized, even by those around them. But God knows what they are doing, and He is pleased.
Our world is in great need of awakening, and that’s a promise God has made to His people. As those who will believe God and allow Him to direct their prayers, rise up to their positions of prayer, we will see His plans come to fruition.
We have already begun to see trickles of it, but we will see more. We will see God move in the hearts of people, calling them to a greater life in Him.
Significant change is on the way.
I choose to be a part of His prayer team. Do you?
![Read The Bible Through, March 14]()
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Deuteronomy 20-22
When man has no developed conscience to know right from wrong, it takes bunches of laws to teach him. So we continue with the “sundry laws,” concerning what to do with unknown murders, how to treat your neighbors’ property, and how to deal with sexual sin and rebellious children. Tough laws!!
When I’m reading through passages like this, I always like to find some “gold nuggets,” which enlighten me. These are bits of truth which encourage me concerning our Christian walk.
One of these nuggets is 20:1 and following. “When you go into battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, don’t be afraid of them, for the Lord your God who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.” Today we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but principalities and powers. In the natural, these enemies are greater than us, but they are small compared to our God. (more…)
