Intended Treasures

 June 7
 Daily Reading – 2 Kings 23-24 / John 14

GOD SAID:

2 Kings 24:13 And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

      Something that way too many people put off until it’s too late is writing a will. In many places it can be as simple as a signed piece of paper, listing your belongings, and who you intend to be the recipient of those items. People often think there will be just a little more time to get that done. Or, some folks feel they have nothing of value really to worry about. The problem is, if you don’t specify who gets what, even the littlest things can become the center of great contention among family members left behind. It is very likely that your belongings, no matter how many or few they may be, will mean something to someone someday. However, if we leave no will, these treasures may be seized, and families could forfeit them all.

      Back in the book of Exodus, God instructed Moses on all the items He desired the Children of Israel to create and place in His tabernacle. Some of the most valuable items they brought out of the desert into the promised land were those items God intended that they have. When Solomon built for God the spectacular temple to worship in, he replicated in gold many of these items meant for the worship of the one true God. God intended for Israel to have these treasures. However, he warned them in 1 Kings 9:6-9 that if they did not stay faithful to Him and use them in worship of Him correctly, they would lose it all. These intended treasures were not really treasured, until they were gone.

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    God has given to us the treasure of His gospel. Still many Christians today, often forget what a blessed treasure it is. God intended this treasure to be shared. Luke 12:34 says; “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Will you share God’s Treasure?

     
Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

Inviting Trouble

 June 6
 Daily Reading – 2 Kings 20-22 / John 13:18-38

GOD SAID:

2 Kings 21:9 But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

      Trouble seems to always be waiting right around the corner. Sometimes we find ourselves in the midst of others troubles. While, it’s good to help someone, we must be mindful not to get ourselves into the same trouble we’re trying to help them out of. Too often we invite trouble into our lives. In the Disney movie, The Lion King, Mufasa, the father lion tells his son; “I’m only brave when I have to be. Being brave doesn’t mean you go looking for trouble.” There’s always trouble out there, that doesn’t mean we have to go looking for it. Jesus warned of trouble in Matthew 6:34 when He said; “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Someone once said, “Don’t trouble trouble until trouble troubles you.” That is just a clever way of saying, if you see trouble, run the other way. Stay away from trouble.

      Hezekiah was a King who worshipped God. His son, Manasseh, who followed him as King of Judah, had to have seen his dad’s faith in God. He knew of the captivity of Israel for not obeying God. He knew his dad had destroyed all the false god’s he rebuilt. Even the Children of Israel around him had to know this wasn’t right. Yet his sinful heart decided to do things his own way. Doing so is just inviting trouble. When you invite trouble in, trouble always accepts the invitation.

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    Some troubles of life cannot be avoided. In John 16:33 Jesus said; “…In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Jesus didn’t say there would be no trouble, just that he is bigger than you biggest trouble.

Will you trust Him?

     
Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

Invincible Testament

 June 5
 Daily Reading – 2 Kings 18-19 / John 13:1-17

GOD SAID:

2 Kings 19:32 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

      Don’t you just hate it when you’re watching a football game, the score is something like 28 to 7, there are three minutes left in the game and it has been the most boring non eventful game ever. So you turn it off and go to bed. Only to wake up in the morning to headlines of how the losing team pulled off some miracle plays and won the game, 35-28 in overtime. You get to school or work and that’s all everyone is talking about, and you missed it. The lack of faith in the losing team to pull out a win caused you to miss, possibly the greatest ending to a football game in a lifetime. What even makes it worse, is the guy who is in your face telling you, “I knew they could win, I told you, right, I told you they would win.”

      After reading the preceding chapters of how God allows Israel to be taken off the promised land for their sinfulness, it may be easy to imagine the next few chapters will tell how Judah was taken captive also. However, 2 King 18 says King Hezekiah loved the Lord and did that which was right before Him. Still, when we get to chapter 19, the outlook isn’t good. They’re surrounded by the Assyrian forces and overpowered. The cities around them have been taken. Yet, God sends an invincible testament. God says the Assyrians will not take this city. How is that going to happen? Vs 34 says; “For I will defend the city, to save it.” Never underestimate our Invincible God.

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    It may seem at times that the world around you is crashing in. Like there is three minutes left in the game of life and you’re losing. Remember, with God on your side, the game is never over. His power is invincible and His testament is sure.

Will you trust God to help you today?

 

     
Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

Inevitable Truth

 June 4
 Daily Reading – 2 Kings 16-17 / John 12:23-50

GOD SAID:

2 Kings 17:6 In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

      “If you don’t stop that, you’re going to be in big trouble young man.” This was step one. Followed by, “ I mean it, you better cut that out or you will be sorry.” That was step two. After that, it was kind of up in the air. There could be a step three which was, “this is your last warning, I’ve had it with you.” However step three was not guaranteed. What am I talking about? These were the normal warnings I would hear as a child before being punished by my mom. Steps one and two were given as clear warnings. After that, I was risking it. If she was having a bad day, well step two was the end of the warnings. If dad was home, step one was the only warning. One thing I could never say was, I wasn’t warned. I was always warned there was a price to pay for misbehaving.

      2 Kings 17:6 may seem to be a harsh and swift punishment by God. However this was the result of the inevitable truth. God repeatedly warned them this would happen. 2 Kings 17:13 says; “Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.” They cannot say they weren’t warned. This was inevitable for their sin.

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

   I am so glad Eph. 2:4 says that God is “rich in mercy” toward us. However, this same bible says in Gal 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Both are inevitable truths.

Why would we ever try God’s patience?

 

     
Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

Influencing Tomorrows

 June 3
 Daily Reading – 2 Kings 14-15 / John 12:1-22

GOD SAID:

2 Kings 15:28 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

      Most of us go through life just doing, saying, and living life as it comes. Our thoughts range from what we have enjoyed in the past and would like to do again, to what’s for dinner. Generally we do not think too far into the future. If we do, it’s about retirement, insurance for our loved ones to live on, burial plots, and possibly a few relics we may leave to our children and grandchildren. Our thoughts seldom stretch too far past the next generation. However, have you considered that what you say, do, and how you live your life, may influence tomorrows for many hundreds of years?

      Throughout 1 & 2 Kings there is a familiar line we find in today’s verse. 2 Kings 15:28 says; “And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.” The sins of Jeroboam, made Israel to sin for a long time. Way back in 1 Kings 12 we read how he feared that the people might return to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord. If they did, they might also turn to the King of Judah and kill Him. So selfishly, he built two calves and created a new history of how these calves were the god’s who saved Israel in the past. He set evil men up as priests for the new religion, created feast days, and made Israel worship these calves. Here in 2 Kings 15, we find the people of Israel and their Kings still following his made-up religion. What we do today, influences many tomorrows.

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    I’ve said it many times, people are watching us. What we do, good or bad, leaves a mark and a memory on the lives of those around us. If we are going to create lifetime memories, shouldn’t they lead people closer to the God who can help them?

What memories are you making?

 

     
Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12