TCN's Biblical Journey- April 10th

Today's reading is 1 Chronicles 18-22

Bad advice can send you down the wrong way.

When I look at chapter 19, I can’t help but think that Hanan the new king of Ammon had some horrible advisors. First, they don’t just refuse to see the embassies from David they humiliate them. If Hanan was concerned about David being a warmonger, then humiliating his emissaries was clearly a bad idea.

After this humiliation, Hanan realizes he has upset David, instead of offering an apology he prepares for war. David seeing this buildup of forces then reacts and the very action that Hanan feared took place. David invaded and took the kingdom.

What is the sad part of all of this is that Hanan’s father had developed good relations with David. Hanan could have had a powerful ally, but instead of trusting the relationship his father had built he listens to his advisors and ends up losing everything.

Solomon said, “A soft answer turns away wrath.” We could learn from these words and learn from Hanan as to what happens if you answer a soft word with wrath. 

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TCN's Biblical Journey- April 9th

Today's reading is from 1 Chronicles 13-17

“Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul." Perhaps this is the problem. The reason Saul and the children of Israel had so much trouble.

It is the reason people have trouble today, they don’t ask God what they should do. There does seem to be a lot of asking to be saved after we find ourselves in a mess, but maybe there would be less if we stopped and asked God before the mess.

These people as the church today were supposed to be the people of God. They and we have rituals and routines but are we inquiring of God?

I have heard it said when all else fails read the instructions. How much easier would life be if rather than trying to fix what is messed up, we learn what we should be doing in the first place? This is what we need to be looking for to make life better, God's advice in the first place. 

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TCN's Biblical Journey April 6- Chase a lion? or do nothing?

Today's reading is 1 Chronicles 8-12

This is a post from February 2014 but it fits here today

Today I listened to a young man, Jacob Salem, from Olivet Nazarene University preach. I enjoyed it. What caught my attention was not the running leap from the podium, but the scripture he used. 

Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab's two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.(1 CHRONICLES 11:22)

I do not know if he has read the book "Chase the Lion" by Mark Batterson, (I haven't yet either) but wether he did or not the question both ask are basically the same:

Do you trust God enough to chase you dream, even if it looks crazy?

WELL?

Are you?

The sermon caused me to think back to all that surrounded the publishing of my first book, The Bee in the Blackberry Bush. 

When began to to chase this dream in July 2012, I set aside the facts:

I was no expert in writing
English was my worse subject growing up
I had no talent in art (I can not draw a strait line with a ruler)
I did not know any illustrators
I had no money to pay an illustrator
I had no money to pay an editor
I did not have a good name for the story
I did no have money to pay a publisher
I had no experience in book design 
I did not know any translators (this comes into play later)
I had no money to pay translators
I had no platform

In spite of that what has happened. 

The Bee in the Blackberry Bush is published in print in 3 languages, 2 in Kindle format. The title was give to me by Garrett Lee who also edited the book for me. Garrett's brother Don is an excellent illustrator and both brothers donated their services(This was Don's first published work, WOW he has a future, hire him). I learned how to self-publish for next to nothing. I learned how to design a book(this is harder than it looks). Two great people took up the challenge of translating the book into their own languages. Update: At this time I have published two more books and have helped other get their work published also. I know of at least 12 book which are in print because I helped encourage or actually formatted the books.

How did all of this happen? I chased the lion.

I can not promise this will happen for you but if you do nothing; nothing is what you will have.










* I am not endorsing Mark Batterson and he is not endorsing this blog.
He has never heard of me, I'm sure.

TCN's Biblical Journey April 5

Today's reading is 1 Chronicles 3-7

Why chose one of the four at all?

When we look at the beginning of chapter 3 we see that David had a number of sons by his regular wives. When we see him choose a successor he chooses one of the son’s of Bathsheba. Considering the scandal connected with David and Bathsheba it does seem strange that David would choose one of Bathsheba’s sons let alone the youngest to be the king in his stead.

This may be one of those questions best saved for heaven, but we might guess that maybe David had a special relationship with Bathsheba and allowed her to pick her favorite child. Then again this may and probably is the hand of God in some way we could never imagine. Seeing this is a reminder that sometimes there are no answers. We have to trust that in spite of it all be it divine intervention or human choose that God has the power to work it all to good.

Finally, if you feel like your the last one who has a chance, remember God doesn’t go by the standard of seniority the world does. 

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TCN's Biblical Journey April 4

Today's reading is 2 Kings 23-25 and 1 Chronicles 1-2

Passover at TCN 2018

2 Kings 23

In the previous chapter, we find that Josiah discovered the Law of God, first five books of the Bible. When he heard want was written he realized how far Israel and Judah had fallen. As we see in this chapter, Israel hadn’t even held a proper Passover since the time of the judges (verse 22). The reading of the law showed Josiah just how far they were from what God wanted them to be.

When Josiah inquired of the Lord, the Lord said that even with reform judgment was going to fall. What did Josiah do when he heard this? He began a massive reform program. He cleaned up the idolatry, public immorality, and restored the proper worship of God. He did what was right even though he knew ultimately the nation would fall. He didn’t give up or give in. He did what was right knowing that it would only bring a temporary reprieve for the nation.  

I have to imagine that this kind of reform brought a great amount of backlash. Yet, he did what he God had commanded. There had to be a great deal of strength and courage in Josiah not just to bring the reforms but also knowing they wouldn’t last. It is easy to give up. It is easy to say, it won’t change anything. However, I can’t help but believe that God is very pleased when we do what is right especially in those situations.

In the days of the world in which I live it looks like no matter what I do, the world has chosen to embrace darkness and disobedience. Like Isaiah, it seems as if after the times of my prophecies (preaching) destruction will fill the USA. This fear is not to be my focus, my focus has to be on God and what he would have me do no matter the consequences. This is what God is calling you to do also. Because we don’t know what the future holds, perhaps God will relent as he did with Nineveh.  

TCN's Biblical Journey April 3

Today's reading is 2 Kings 18-22

Hezekiah destroys an ancient artifact.

In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done. He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.) 2 Kings 18:1-4

Hezekiah is one of those people in the Bible that makes me want to cheer and cry. Cheer when he does right and cry when he messes up. 

Here at the very beginning of his rule, he not only destroys all of the foreign gods, but he destroys an ancient relic from the days of Moses because the people of Israel have turned it into an idol. This was clearly an act of courage and an act of wisdom. There could have been all kinds of justifications to keep it, but Hezekiah knew it would be a stumbling block for his people. It was a tough call, but he did it. The question is, are we willing to do the same?

What does the Bible say about Hezekiah because of these actions? “Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him.” WOW! What a comment. 

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TCN's Biblical Journey April 2

Today's reading is 2 Kings 13-17

Israel took God's gift and then forgot God.

I am accustomed to reading the stories in the Bible and especially in the book of Judges how God brought a deliverer and at least for a time, the people turned their hearts at least somewhat back to the Lord. However, here in chapter 13 we read how God answered the prayers of the people. God sent a savior/deliverer (KJV, NIV) who brought freedom and the people never changed.

I don’t know why but as I write this my heart breaks. I am nearly moved to tears as I think about a people who have taken the gift God gave them and then went back to living as if God didn’t do anything.  I realize that this isn’t anything new and that it still happen today. There are people who come to God and come to church begging for deliverance. Once they receive what they wanted they are gone.

What I see here though isn’t just the lack of gratitude, but the wonderful grace of God given to a people who not only don’t deserve it but don’t appreciate it after the fact. This shows God’s love even to those whom we would have written off. This doesn’t let them off the hook, but it does remind us that God isn’t going to just throw us out if we stumble. He is in the Savior business. 

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