Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 30:1‐31:21, Romans 15:1‐22, Psalms 25:1‐15, Proverbs  20:13‐15

2 Chronicles 30:9 – For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.”

Observations:

• Hezekiah and his assembly decided to repent and turn back to God.  They send a message throughout Israel and these words are contained in it.  It leads to a great revival in Israel. 
• If you return to the Lord (2x)
• Your brothers and your children will:
• find compassion with their captors
• return to this land
• Why?  For the Lord your God:
• is gracious and merciful
• will not turn his face from you

Do you need to return to the Lord?  Are you far from him in your heart?  Do you know that God is gracious and merciful and will not turn his face from you?  Return to the Lord!

Are you telling others to return to the Lord?

Apply:  Prayer “Lord, show me the areas of my life that are distant from you.  Give me opportunities today to show people your grace and mercy and encourage them to return to you.”

Hezekiah was used by God to be his mouthpiece to Israel and tell them to return to the Lord.  Who needs to hear these words from you today?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 29:1‐36, Romans 14:1‐23, Psalm 24:1‐10, Proverbs 20:12

Romans 14:1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.

Observations:

• Context: The church in Roman was arguing over what food was clean and unclean.
• For the weak in faith
• Welcome them
• Do not quarrel over opinions

At Pine Cove, we often talk about keeping the main thing the main thing.  We have to be careful not to allow theological and controversial soap boxes to get in the way of someone coming to know and follow Christ. 

Apply:  Prayer “Lord show me where I am quarreling over opinions and give me the humility to stop.”

Have you ever been pushed away from someone because they desire to quarrel over opinions?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 26:1‐28:27, Romans 13:1‐14, Psalm 23:1‐6, Proverbs 20:11

2 Chronicles 26:15b-16a And (Uzziah’s) fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.  But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction.

Observations:

• Context: God helped Uzziah because “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.”  However, these two verses record how the blessings he received made his heart prideful.  We will read a few verses later that Uzziah tries to burn incense to the Lord in the temple, a job that was reserved for priests, and is struck with leprosy that lasts until his death.
• Uzziah had:
  • Fame
  • Help from God
  • Strength
  • But, when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction.

Apply:  I want to make a point today to recognize that I am nothing apart from Christ.

Have you ever noticed that our biggest blessings, if we let them, can become what seperates us from God?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 24:1‐25:28, Romans 12:1‐21, Psalm 22:19‐31, Proverbs 20:8‐10

Romans 12:1 – I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Observations:

• Brothers – Christians (context of Romans)
• By the mercies of God
• Present your bodies
  • as living sacrifice
  • holy
  • acceptable to God
  • which is your spiritual worship

On my off day this week, Rebecca and I spent two hours together in Starbucks.  We were talking about an uncomfortable possibility for our family.  After making a list of why to and why not to pursue the option, Rebecca a said: “All the reasons not to are selfish.”  In an hour of prayer and conversation, God moved us from a point of reluctance in the sacrifice to a real point of excitement in the sacrifice.  In a new way, God was allowing us to see how offering our body was truly a feeling of worship.

Apply:  I want to look for ways to present my body as a “living sacrifice” at camp today.

Have you ever experienced the joy of offering yourself to God as a living sacrifice?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 21:1‐23:21, Romans 11:13‐36, Psalm 22:1‐18, Proverbs 20:7

Romans 11:18  (D)o not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.

Observations:

• Context: This is in the explanation of Gentile believers being grafted into the promises of God.
• Do not be arrogant toward the branches (broken off – see previous verse)
• If you are (arrogant), Remember:
  • It is not you who support the root
  • The root supports you

I am in a season in my life were I am being complimented for my faith.  I must remember that it is only because I have been grafted into the true life source.

Application:  Today I want to consciously spend time remembering where all good things in my life come from.

Have you known someone who is spiritually arrogant?  How do you know you do not come across that way?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 19:1‐20:37, Romans 10:14‐11:12, Psalm 21:1‐13, Proverbs 20:4‐6

Romans 10:17  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Observations:

• Context: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
• Faith comes from hearing
• Hearing comes through the word of Christ

Apply: I want to make an effort to let others hear the word of Christ through me today.  I also need to continue to expose myself to the word of Christ.

If you are doing the daily reading with me, what verse or passage stood out to you today?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 17:1‐18:34, Romans 9:22‐10:13, Psalm 20:1‐9, Proverbs 20:2‐3

2 Chronicles 18:13 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak.”

Observations:

• Context: Jehoshaphat has asked prophets to inquire of God and tell him if he should go into battle.  After getting a favorable response he asked the king of Israel if there are any other prophets.  The king of Israel tells him: “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil.” Jehoshaphat still calls Micaiah and is told by the messenger: “Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.”  This verse follows that statement:
• But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives… “
• “…what my God says, that I will speak.”

You are required to believe and teach what God says is true, not what you want God to say is true.  “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Apply: I must be diligent to understand what God says and be faithful to his Word when I speak.

Do you have the boldness to speak God’s Word to someone even when it is bad news?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 14:1‐16:14, Romans 9:1‐21, Psalm 19:1‐14, Proverbs 20:1

2 Chronicles 15:15 And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and had sought him with their whole desire, and he was found by them, and the Lord gave them rest all around.

Observations:

• Context:  In chapter 14, Asa is submissive to the Lord and wins a great battle.  At the beginning of Chapter 15, the Spirit of the Lord comes on Asariah and he approaches Asa with these words…. “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you” (15:2).  The people respond to these words and “they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul” (15:12). 
• The people rejoiced over their oath to seek the Lord
• The oath was to seek the Lord with their:
• All their heart
• Whole desire / all their soul (v12+15)
• The Lord was found by them
• Notice this is a promise fulfilled – “If you seek him, he will be found by you…
• The Lord gave them rest all around

Are you seeking the Lord with all of your heart and soul?  What else are you seeking?  Are you willing to get rid of your idols?  Are you willing to make an oath to whole heartedly seek him?

Apply:  Pray – “Lord I want to seek you with all of my heart and soul!  Show me the idols you want me to clear out of my life.  Give me the strength to whole heartedly seek you.  Place men around me that will hold me accountable to this oath.”

What prompts you to seek God?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 11:1‐13:22, Romans 8:22‐39, Psalm 18:37‐50, Proverbs 19:27‐29

Romans 8:27 – And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Observations:

• Context: Paul explains in the verse before that when we don’t know how to pray, the Spirit intercedes on our behalf.  In the verse following we read: “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
• The Spirit searches our heart
• The Spirit intercedes for the saints
• The Spirit intercedes according to the will of God

Apply: As I pray intentionally, seeking God’s will, I am comforted to know that the Spirit is interceding for me according to the will of God.

Does this verse imply that we don’t need to spend time praying for God’s will?  Why not?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 8:11‐10:19, Romans 8:9‐21, Psalm 18:16‐36, Proverbs 19:26

2 Chronicles 10:8 But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.

Context: The people have asked Rehoboam to “lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us.”  Rehoboam seeks counsel with the older men first and he is told to listen to their words.  Following this verse, he listens to the counsel of younger men.  He tells the people “…My little finger is thicker than my father’s thighs. And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.”

It is important to listen to the counsel of men who have gained wisdom with age.

Apply: I want to be diligent to seek the counsel of men older and more experienced than me throughout my life.

Where do you find the counsel of older men or women?