April 30

 
2 Samuel 5, 1 Chronicles 11-12
Great leaders attract great warriors, men and women who perform heroic deeds. David was a great leader, and the list of heroic warriors in his service is long. These were men with vision, men who followed God and recognized a man of God in David. Thus, they are given status alongside the army of God. America has been blessed with a good number of Godly men who have been great leaders. Just as with David, these men have not been perfect, but they have held up the Lord as their banner, and, in so doing, have spawned many courageous heroes who have bravely defended our nation and the Godly principles upon which she was founded. Take a walk through the pages of history, considering heroic people of great renown, and then look at their leaders. A very high percentage were people who follow the one, true, living God. The reason for this is quite logical. People with real hope are better motivated to step out and fully offer themselves because of that hope. There is no greater hope than that which is offered the Lord!

April 29

   
Psalm 102-104
Praise to God for all He has created. Not only has He created everything, he also sustains all things. In retribution for the wanton rebellion of mankind, He once covered the earth with water. In His love for mankind, He removed the flooding and restored His creation with a vow to never flood the earth again. Along with the Psalmist, I marvel at God's creation. When I consider all the functions taking place with just the use of my eyes, comparing that to the best state of the art technology we have created, I begin to get just a small glimmer of just how powerful He is, and how far His intellegence surpasses that of mankind. Then I witness the misguided arrogance of those who deny His existence, when all creation testifies to His creative ability, His intellegent design; both of which can't be duplicated. Even when using His created elements in an attempt to duplicate what He's done, we get it wrong, while boldly proclaiming that we have created life. It would be amusing if it weren't so tragic.

April 28

   
1 Chronicles 7-10
In the listing of the Levites and their descendants we find that certain branches were given specific duties that transferred from one generation to the next, much like the transfer of power in a monarch based society. Thus, if your father was a gate keeper, you would be a gate keeper as well. There were no other options. Your station in life was not determined by desire, interest, talent, or training. Rather, it was decreed by birth. This was the accepted way. To question, or seek, something outside of this preordained position would bring dishonor to you and your family. There are still cultures who practice this ancient form. For those who live in our western culture, built around democracy and free-market principles, this way of doing things seems barbaric. We view these folks as people lacking enlightenment. However, this was a way of life prescribed by God! When fully implemented, as He lined it out, it was quite efficient. When the people followed His plan they prospered, lived in peace, and knew happiness. It worked quite well. I'm not saying we should abandon our cultural design in favor of this one. What I am saying, is that we might not be so quick to judge the merits of a culture that operates differently than ours. It's quite possible that theirs might be superior.

April 27

   
Psalm 81, 88, 92, 93
This set of psalms has one in the middle of praises that is filled with despair, unanswerable questions, asking God why He allows bad things to happen, actually blaming God for the harm that David is suffering. Is it right and fair to blame God for misfortune? Again, one of those unanswerable questions. However, whether it is right or wrong, it would seem that our Lord is ever present to hear our grievances. He listens, allowing us to vent, to get it off our chest. Often, this is all we need. Once we've released the burden, we are better able to deal with the actual problem and find a workable solution. This is the very core of successful psychological counseling. Allow the patient to discover the path to recovery by offering them a caring, trusting, listening ear. David knew how to escape the evil dominating his life. He just needed to clear his mind so he could see. So, God becomes his sounding board. Are you taking advantage of His services? They're free, you know!

April 26

   
1 Chronicles 6
Once again, we get another genealogical account. There is an aspect in this one that stands out from the former lists; it is the inclusion, or distinction, of the musicians David had appointed to do service in the tabernacle before the building of the temple. What we have here is the first praise team! Music has always been an important aspect of our worship to God. He enjoys hearing us sing and making melody in our hearts, with our mouths, and with our hands. The Lord has given us talents and gifts to use in His service. What better way to worship Him than in using that which He has given?! We have been blessed to have had the opportunity to worship God in many different settings, with various forms of worship and praise, everything from a man humbly standing before the congregation singing a solo, to orchestral performances, choirs, quartets, praise teams, praise bands, acapella congregational singing, every form of instrumentation from a single guitar, to a stringed quartet, to a gospel rock band, and everything in between. My wife and I have even attended a worship service led by a jazz band dressed in Zoot Suits! In each and every setting the one constant has been praise and adoration to our Lord. David, a man after God's own heart, set the stage and enlisted our talents to praise a loving Father who delights in hearing His children worship for time without end!

April 25

 
Psalm 73, 77, 78
David struggled with the same questions we ask today, why do the wicked prosper? And then he answers his question with a look at the historical record, along with a supplied vision of our eternal destinies. History demonstrates that the wicked do eventually come to ruin, while those who follow the Lord receive blessings that transcend the trappings of mortality. David demonstrates how God worked through the faithlessness of Israel and their evil neighbors to bring David to the throne and peace and prosperity to Israel during his reign. Romans 8:28 hadn't been written at that time, but David understood the principle Paul was reminding the followers of Christ. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

April 24

   
1 Chronicles 3-5
Much could be said about the genealogies and histories offered in these three chapters. Comments would have to come from more study than a mere reading of this account in Chronicles. However, there is one section found in the fourth chapter that really jumps off the page, revealing much about the power of communication between mortal men and a sovereign Lord. The prayer of Jabez, along with the answer from God, offers an insight into the heart of our Father. When Jabez approaches God, he does so in humility, presenting his requests with unquestioning faith in a God who is able to do more than we can possibly imagine or hope for. The Lord honors his faith, granting Jabez's wishes, blessing him beyond his desires, demonstrating that the faith Jabez shared was not in vain, proving that the prayer of a righteous soul is powerful. The good news is that He is the same God today, and that He continues to honor the prayers of His righteous followers. Even better news is that our righteousness isn't found in ourselves, rather, our righteousness is found in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior!