July 1 :: Job 20-21; Acts 10:24-48

Consider these 2 scriptures:

"They spend their days in wealth,

      And in a moment go down to the grave.

Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us,
      For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?
      And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’"

Job 21:13-15

"Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."

Acts 10:43

Oh, the name of Jesus...if all the difference between these verses in Job and this verse in Acts...is believing in the name of Jesus...then why don't more of us believe? Oh, how we love to hold onto our own wills...

June 30 :: Job 17-19; Acts 10:1-23

How powerful is it that Job, around 2000 years prior to Jesus stepping foot on planet earth, spoke of Jesus as though he knew exactly what was to come. How did he know?

Job 19:25

I know that my Redeemer lives, 

and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.

This next verse really stuck out to me as well. It speaks to the nature of fallen friendships. When your friend is in pain and is struggling, whether it be mentally or physically, what do you do? Do you listen to them, affirm them, understand them? Or do you explain to them why they are wrong? I know we all struggle with this - with compassion. Lord - make us more compassionate towards Your people. Create in us, mold in us, blossom in us, hearts that will follow Your will and show compassion to people. Thank you God!!!!

Job 19:21-22

Have pity on me, my friends, have pity,
       for the hand of God has struck me.

Why do you pursue me as God does?

       Will you never get enough of my flesh?

June 29 :: Job 14-16; Acts 9:22-43

June 28 :: Job 11-13; Acts 9:1-21

June 27 :: Job 8-10; Acts 8:26-40

Job 9:19

"If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!

And if it is a matter of justice, who will summon him?"

June 26 :: Job 5-7; Acts 8:1-25

Acts 8:14-17

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 

In my experience, it is not a widely held disposition by Christians that the Holy Spirit is Someone who only comes upon people at certain times, not necessarily having to do with their profession of faith or baptism with water. Why do you think that is? It says right here in Acts that they had been baptized with water, but not the Holy Spirit. Do you think we deny this reality today? Also a question for wondering - what exactly do you think John and Peter saw that made them understand so readily that the Holy Spirit had not yet been received by these people?

June 25 :: Job 3-4; Acts 7:44-60

I never really introduced Job - sorry about that. Job is so interesting, because it is placed physically later in the Old Testament, but is chronologically placed somewhere during the time of Genesis and much before the book of the Exodus. According to the The One Year Chronological Bible by the publisher Tyndale, Job is traditionally thought to have occurred sometime between 2200 and 1800 B.C., during the patriarchal society. 

One thing also very interesting to note about the book of Job is that, especially in chapters one and two, we are given particular insight into the strategies of Satan to lure us from God.

Theme of Job:

"The book wrestles with the age-old question: Why do righteous men suffer, if God is a God of love and mercy? It clearly teaches the sovereignty of God and the need for man to acknowledge such. Job's three friends gave essentially the same answer: All suffering is due to sin. Elihu, however, declared that suffering is often the means of purifying the righteous. God's purpose, therefore, was to strip away all of Job's self-righteousness and to bring him to the place of complete trust in Him."

From Ryrie's Study Bible (New American Standard), Pg 777

June 24 :: Job 1-2; Acts 7:22-43

"His wife said to him, 'Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!' But Job replied, 'You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?' In all this, Job did not sin in what he said." Job 2:9-10

June 23 :: Esther 9-10; Acts 7:1-21

June 22 :: Esther 6-8; Acts 6

The story of Stephen is so encouraging - he is a man held in such an esteem in the bible. There are probably few others of which scripture speaks so highly. Let's check out why:

Stephen

The 1st martyr - killed in 33 a.d.

Hellenistic Jew - Greek-speaking Jewish Christian from the Dispersion; Diaspora (Jewish settlements in lands outside Israel)

Acts 6:5 "a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit"

Acts 6:8 "full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people"

Acts 6:10 His enemies were..."unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking"

Acts 6:15 "his face like the face of an angel"

What is significant about Stephen is that you never see anything mentioned that comes from his own efforts - he is full of faith...power...grace...angelic seeming...only because of the Holy Spirit. Is the Holy Spirit someone we really yield our life to? Just a question to honestly ask ourselves. Are we like Stephen, filled with faith and the Holy Spirit?

June 21 :: Esther 3-5; Acts 5:22-42

June 20 :: Esther 1-2; Acts 5:1-21

June 19 :: Nehemiah 12-13; Acts 4:23-37

June 18 :: Nehemiah 10-11; Acts 4:1-22

This below statement from Peter and John is such a clear depiction of what it looks like to be counter-cultural. The ruling authority of society tells them to do and say one thing (this being that Jesus is somehow not Lord and that to follow the many traditions of their culture meant to symbolize the coming of Jesus was more important than  admitting that He did in fact come and fulfilled the Father's promise already...), yet they explain that there is no way they can speak something in contradiction with what they know. 

Acts 4: 15-20

So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. "What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name."

Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

June 17 :: Nehemiah 7-9; Acts 3

June 16 :: Nehemiah 4-6; Acts 2:22-47

Nehemiah 4:5-7

Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builders.

So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

Now it came about when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry.

Have you ever been building something in the name of the Lord and had a similar reaction from others? If so, please do share!

June 15 :: Nehemiah 1-3; Acts 2:1-21

Nehemiah and the Wall by Justin Gerard

Author :: Nehemiah

Date :: 445-425 B.C.

Who was Nehemiah ::

Job - cupbearer to Artaxerxes I, made sure none of the wine the king drank was poisoned - aka, very trustworthy and responsible

Leadership and Skill - organized the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem in less than 2 months

Characteristics - humility, energy, unselfishness, integrity

Contents :: Much of this book is derived from Nehemiah's own personal diary and marks the completed restoration of the remnant from the Babylonian exile begun while Ezra was in leadership.

June 14 :: Ezra 9-10; Acts 1

ACTS

(sometimes called the Acts of the Holy Spirit)

Author :: Luke (a physician; medical terminology occurs often)

Date :: 61 A.D.

Why ACTS Is Important ::

1) Records the spread of Christianity from the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost to Paul's preaching the gospel in Rome, the world's capital - in essence, a continuation of Jesus' work while on earth and done through Him as the risen Head of the Church!

2) Practicing doctrine emphasized over the statement of doctrine.

3) Basic understanding given of missionary work.

4) Patterns for church life revealed.

Along with many others...

Information retrieved from Moody's RYRIE Study Bible (page 1724)

June 13 :: Ezra 6-8; John 21

Ezra 7:28

Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.

What does it mean for the hand of the Lord to be on you? What about his hand upon you makes you take courage and gather other leaders...?

June 12 :: Ezra 3-5; John 20

June 11 :: Ezra 1-2; John 19:23-42

Author :: thought to be Ezra

Date :: 450-444 B.C.

Compilation :: various documents, genealogies, and personal memoirs

Corresponding kings of Persia during this time period Ezra writes about; Darius, Cyrus, and Artaxerxes help fulfill God's promise to restore Israel:

:: Cyrus (559-530 B.C.)

:: Cambyses (530-522 B.C.)

:: Smerdis (522 B.C.)

:: Darius I (521-486 B.C.)

:: Xerxes I, aka Ahasuerus (486-65 B.C.)

:: Artaxerxes (464-424 B.C.)

:: Darius II (423-404 B.C.)

Information retrieved from Moody's RYRIE Study Bible (pg 720)

June 10 :: 2 Chronicles 34-36; John 19:1-22

THE DECREE OF CYRUS

2 Chronicles 36:22-23 (NIV) - 539 B.C.

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing:

"This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: "'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of his people among you—may the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.'"

FREEDOM from the Lord!!!

June 9 :: 2 Chronicles 32-33; John 18:19-40

June 8 :: 2 Chronicles 30-31; John 18:1-18

June 7 :: 2 Chronicles 28-29; John 17

Just read in John 17 how Jesus prayed for those given to Him by the Father. 

How much does He love you to pray like this? 

He loves you so much.

After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to 
heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. 

Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 

For you have given him authority over everyone. 

He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 

And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, 
the only true God, and Jesus Christ, 
the one you sent to earth. 

I brought glory to you here on earth by 
completing the work you gave me to do.  

Now, Father, bring me into the glory 
we shared before the world began.

“I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. 

They were always yours. 

You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 

Now they know that everything I have is a 
gift from you, for I have passed on to 
them the message you gave me. 

They accepted it and know that I 
came from you, and they believe you sent me.

“My prayer is not for the world, but for those 
you have given me, because they belong to you. 

All who are mine belong to you, and you 
have given them to me, so they bring me glory. 

Now I am departing from the world; they are 
staying in this world, but I am coming to you. 

Holy Father, you have given me your name; 
now protect them by the power of your name 
so that they will be united just as we are. 

During my time here, I protected them 
by the power of the name you gave me.

I guarded them so that not one was lost, 
except the one headed for destruction, 
as the Scriptures foretold.

“Now I am coming to you. 

I told them many things while I was with 
them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 

I have given them your word. 

And the world hates them because they do 
not belong to the world, just as I 
do not belong to the world. 

I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, 
but to keep them safe from the evil one. 

They do not belong to this world any more than I do.  

Make them holy by your truth; teach 
them your word, which is truth. 

Just as you sent me into the world, 
I am sending them into the world.  

And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for 
them so they can be made holy by your truth.

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also 
for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 

I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—
as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they 
be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

“I have given them the glory you gave me, 
so they may be one as we are one. 

I am in them and you are in me. 

May they experience such perfect unity that the 
world will know that you sent me and 
that you love them as much as you love me. 

Father, I want these whom you have 
given me to be with me where I am. 

Then they can see all the glory you gave 
me because you loved me even before the world began!

“O righteous Father, the world doesn’t 
know you, but I do; and these disciples 
know you sent me.  

I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. 

Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”

June 6 :: 2 Chronicles 25-27; John 16

As Jesus departs, the Holy Spirit sails in...

John 16:7-13 

"Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."

June 5 :: 2 Chronicles 23-24; John 15

June 4 :: 2 Chronicles 21-22; John 14

John 14:2-4 (niv)

"In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."

Jesus' words - what stands out to you?

June 3 :: 2 Chronicles 19-20; John 13:21-38

June 2 :: 2 Chronicles 17-18; John 13:1-20

2 Chronicles 18:18-22

A prophecy from Micaiah, from whom good prophetic words never came regarding the ruler Ahab, King of Israel.

Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left.

The LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said this while another said that.

Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' And the LORD said to him, 'How?'

He said, 'I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You are to entice him and prevail also. Go and do so.'

Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, for the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you.

Most of us might have heard that God works all things together for good for those who's hearts are His, but what about for those who's hearts do not seek Him? Do we assume that He works all things together for good for them as well? What do you think about this verse, which displays God not only allowing, but initiating the doom of King Ahab of Israel?

June 1 :: 2 Chronicles 15-16; John 12:27-50

2 Chronicles 16:9

"For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His."

~ Spoken by Hanani, a seer during King Asa's time. King Asa was the 5th king of the House of David and the 3rd king of the Kingdom of Judah. His great grandfather was King Solomon.