Thursday, July 3, 2025

Faith Is a Verb


“Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, ‘Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, “Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand”?’ And Barak said to her, ‘If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go!’ So she said, ‘I will surely go with you; nevertheless there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.’ Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.”

JUDGES 4:6-9

 

PONDER THIS


Where does faith come from? Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Faith is hearing God and believing God. That’s the origin of Barak’s faith. The object of his faith was the Lord God of Israel.


Verse 6 says, “Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded?” People say, “Just have faith.” I ask, “Faith in what?” You can’t have faith unless it is faith in God. The origin of your faith is the Word of God. The object of your faith is the God of that Word. The Bible says in Mark 11:22, “Have faith in God.” What is faith? It’s not positive thinking; that’s faith in faith. It’s not believing you can do it; that's faith in yourself. Have faith in God.


What is faith? Faith is hearing from God, trusting in God, and obeying God. Deborah, a prophetess, said this is what God said. Barak heard it. Barak believed it. Then in verse 8 he said, “I will go.” Do you know the difference between belief and faith? Faith is belief with legs on it; it is a verb more than a noun.


What are some practical examples of what it looks like to have faith in God?

When has it been hard for you to have faith in God? Why?


PRACTICE THIS


Discuss with another Christian what it looks like to have faith in God. Consider what step of faith you need to take today.



LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Good News: God Is Happy


. . . the gospel of the glory of the blessed God . . . (1 Timothy 1:11)


This is a beautiful phrase in 1 Timothy, buried beneath the too-familiar surface of Bible buzzwords. But after you dig it up, it sounds like this: “the good news of the glory of the happy God.” The word “blessed” is not the one that means “praised,” but the one that means “happy.”


A great part of God’s glory is his happiness.


It was inconceivable to the apostle Paul that God could be denied infinite joy and still be all-glorious. To be infinitely glorious was to be infinitely happy. He used the phrase, “the glory of the happy God,” because it is a glorious thing for God to be happy the way he is.


God’s glory consists much in the fact that he is happy beyond our wildest imagination. As the great eighteenth-century preacher, Jonathan Edwards, said, “Part of God’s fullness which he communicates is his happiness. This happiness consists in enjoying and rejoicing in himself; so does also the creature’s happiness.”


And this is a key part of the gospel, Paul says: “the gospel of the glory of the happy God.” It is good news that God is gloriously happy. No one would want to spend eternity with a gloomy, unhappy God.


If God is unhappy, then the goal of the gospel — to be with God forever — is not a happy goal, and that means it would be no gospel at all. But, in fact, Jesus invites us to spend eternity with a happy God when he says, “Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:23).


Jesus said in John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” Jesus spoke, and lived, and died that his joy — God’s joy — might be in us and our joy might be full. Therefore, the gospel is “the gospel of the glory of the happy God.”



John Piper 

July 3


Luke 7:36-50


[36] One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. [37] And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, [38] and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. [39] Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” [40] And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”


[41] “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. [42] When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” [43] Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” [44] Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. [45] You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. [46] You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. [47] Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” [48] And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” [49] Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” [50] And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”


Colossians 2:1-7


[1] For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, [2] that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, [3] in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. [4] I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. [5] For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.


[6] Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, [7] rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.


Psalm 126


A Song of Ascents.


    [1] When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,

        we were like those who dream. 

    [2] Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

        and our tongue with shouts of joy;

    then they said among the nations,

        “The LORD has done great things for them.” 

    [3] The LORD has done great things for us;

        we are glad.


    [4] Restore our fortunes, O LORD,

        like streams in the Negeb! 

    [5] Those who sow in tears

        shall reap with shouts of joy! 

    [6] He who goes out weeping,

        bearing the seed for sowing,

    shall come home with shouts of joy,

        bringing his sheaves with him.



1 Chronicles 5


[1] The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, so that he could not be enrolled as the oldest son; [2] though Judah became strong among his brothers and a chief came from him, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph), [3] the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. [4] The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, [5] Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, [6] Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria carried away into exile; he was a chief of the Reubenites. [7] And his kinsmen by their clans, when the genealogy of their generations was recorded: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah, [8] and Bela the son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, as far as Nebo and Baal-meon. [9] He also lived to the east as far as the entrance of the desert this side of the Euphrates, because their livestock had multiplied in the land of Gilead. [10] And in the days of Saul they waged war against the Hagrites, who fell into their hand. And they lived in their tents throughout all the region east of Gilead.


[11] The sons of Gad lived over against them in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah: [12] Joel the chief, Shapham the second, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan. [13] And their kinsmen according to their fathers’ houses: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia and Eber, seven. [14] These were the sons of Abihail the son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz. [15] Ahi the son of Abdiel, son of Guni, was chief in their fathers’ houses, [16] and they lived in Gilead, in Bashan and in its towns, and in all the pasturelands of Sharon to their limits. [17] All of these were recorded in genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.


[18] The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, 44,760, able to go to war. [19] They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. [20] And when they prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him. [21] They carried off their livestock: 50,000 of their camels, 250,000 sheep, 2,000 donkeys, and 100,000 men alive. [22] For many fell, because the war was of God. And they lived in their place until the exile.


[23] The members of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land. They were very numerous from Bashan to Baal-hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. [24] These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty warriors, famous men, heads of their fathers’ houses. [25] But they broke faith with the God of their fathers, and whored after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. [26] So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, the spirit of Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and he took them into exile, namely, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river Gozan, to this day.


1 Chronicles 6


[1]  The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. [2] The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. [3] The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. [4] Eleazar fathered Phinehas, Phinehas fathered Abishua, [5] Abishua fathered Bukki, Bukki fathered Uzzi, [6] Uzzi fathered Zerahiah, Zerahiah fathered Meraioth, [7] Meraioth fathered Amariah, Amariah fathered Ahitub, [8] Ahitub fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Ahimaaz, [9] Ahimaaz fathered Azariah, Azariah fathered Johanan, [10] and Johanan fathered Azariah (it was he who served as priest in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem). [11] Azariah fathered Amariah, Amariah fathered Ahitub, [12] Ahitub fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Shallum, [13] Shallum fathered Hilkiah, Hilkiah fathered Azariah, [14] Azariah fathered Seraiah, Seraiah fathered Jehozadak; [15] and Jehozadak went into exile when the LORD sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.


[16]  The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. [17] And these are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei. [18] The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. [19] The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their fathers. [20] Of Gershom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son, [21] Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeatherai his son. [22] The sons of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, [23] Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son, [24] Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son. [25] The sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth, [26] Elkanah his son, Zophai his son, Nahath his son, [27] Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son. [28] The sons of Samuel: Joel his firstborn, the second Abijah. [29] The sons of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, [30] Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, and Asaiah his son.


[31] These are the men whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the LORD after the ark rested there. [32] They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting until Solomon built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, and they performed their service according to their order. [33] These are the men who served and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer the son of Joel, son of Samuel, [34] son of Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Eliel, son of Toah, [35] son of Zuph, son of Elkanah, son of Mahath, son of Amasai, [36] son of Elkanah, son of Joel, son of Azariah, son of Zephaniah, [37] son of Tahath, son of Assir, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, [38] son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, son of Israel; [39] and his brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, namely, Asaph the son of Berechiah, son of Shimea, [40] son of Michael, son of Baaseiah, son of Malchijah, [41] son of Ethni, son of Zerah, son of Adaiah, [42] son of Ethan, son of Zimmah, son of Shimei, [43] son of Jahath, son of Gershom, son of Levi. [44] On the left hand were their brothers, the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch, [45] son of Hashabiah, son of Amaziah, son of Hilkiah, [46] son of Amzi, son of Bani, son of Shemer, [47] son of Mahli, son of Mushi, son of Merari, son of Levi. [48] And their brothers the Levites were appointed for all the service of the tabernacle of the house of God.


[49] But Aaron and his sons made offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense for all the work of the Most Holy Place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. [50] These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, [51] Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, [52] Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, [53] Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son.


[54] These are their dwelling places according to their settlements within their borders: to the sons of Aaron of the clans of Kohathites, for theirs was the first lot, [55] to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands, [56] but the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh. [57] To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge: Hebron, Libnah with its pasturelands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasturelands, [58] Hilen with its pasturelands, Debir with its pasturelands, [59] Ashan with its pasturelands, and Beth-shemesh with its pasturelands; [60] and from the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon, Geba with its pasturelands, Alemeth with its pasturelands, and Anathoth with its pasturelands. All their cities throughout their clans were thirteen.


[61] To the rest of the Kohathites were given by lot out of the clan of the tribe, out of the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten cities. [62] To the Gershomites according to their clans were allotted thirteen cities out of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and Manasseh in Bashan. [63] To the Merarites according to their clans were allotted twelve cities out of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. [64] So the people of Israel gave the Levites the cities with their pasturelands. [65] They gave by lot out of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin these cities that are mentioned by name.


[66] And some of the clans of the sons of Kohath had cities of their territory out of the tribe of Ephraim. [67] They were given the cities of refuge: Shechem with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasturelands, [68] Jokmeam with its pasturelands, Beth-horon with its pasturelands, [69] Aijalon with its pasturelands, Gath-rimmon with its pasturelands, [70] and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its pasturelands, and Bileam with its pasturelands, for the rest of the clans of the Kohathites.


[71] To the Gershomites were given out of the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan with its pasturelands and Ashtaroth with its pasturelands; [72] and out of the tribe of Issachar: Kedesh with its pasturelands, Daberath with its pasturelands, [73] Ramoth with its pasturelands, and Anem with its pasturelands; [74] out of the tribe of Asher: Mashal with its pasturelands, Abdon with its pasturelands, 

[75] Hukok with its pasturelands, and Rehob with its pasturelands; [76] and out of the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee with its pasturelands, Hammon with its pasturelands, and Kiriathaim with its pasturelands. [77] To the rest of the Merarites were allotted out of the tribe of Zebulun: Rimmono with its pasturelands, Tabor with its pasturelands, [78] and beyond the Jordan at Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, out of the tribe of Reuben: Bezer in the wilderness with its pasturelands, Jahzah with its pasturelands, [79] Kedemoth with its pasturelands, and Mephaath with its pasturelands; [80] and out of the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead with its pasturelands, Mahanaim with its pasturelands, [81] Heshbon with its pasturelands, and Jazer with its pasturelands.

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Further Than You Want to Go


“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

HEBREWS 3:12-13

 

PONDER THIS


There was a man named Larry Waters. He lived about six or seven miles from the LAX airport. Every Saturday afternoon he’d sit in his lawn chair, but after a while he got bored and decided he would do something different. So, he decided he would get some balloons and tie them to his lawn chair so he could float up about a hundred feet over his neighbors’ backyards. He bought forty-two weather balloons, had them filled with helium, and tied them all to his lawn chair. He shot up not one-hundred feet, but sixteen thousand feet. Straight up! Those watching didn’t know what to do. They sent up helicopters. They couldn’t get him down. Larry Waters stayed at sixteen thousand feet for four hours.


That’s so much like us with sin. We think, “I’m just going a hundred feet. I’m just going to do something my neighbors are not doing. It’s going to elevate me just a little bit. And I’m just going to skim over this neighborhood.” But here is the thing: Sin will take you further than you want to go; it’ll keep you longer than you want to stay; and it will cost you more than you want to pay. You think it will get you somewhere, but it won’t get you anywhere close to where you want to be.


When has sin taken you beyond where you wanted to go? What were the consequences?

How have you felt the fallout and hurt from sin? How do we deal with our sinful behaviors according to Scripture?


PRACTICE THIS


Confess to God the sin you are wrestling with; ask Him to help you walk away from that sin.


 

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

How Well Do You Know God?


“Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable.” (Job 36:26)


It is impossible to know God too well.


He is the most important person who exists. And this is because he made all others, and any importance they have is owing to him.


Any strength or intelligence or skill or beauty that other beings have comes from him. On every scale of excellence, he is infinitely greater than the best person you ever knew or ever heard of.


Being infinite, he is inexhaustibly interesting. It is impossible, therefore, that God be boring. His continual demonstration of the most intelligent and interesting actions is volcanic.


As the source of every good pleasure, he himself pleases fully and finally. If that’s not how we experience him, we are either dead, or blind, or sleepwalking.


It is therefore astonishing how little effort in this world is put into knowing God.


It’s as though the President of the United States came to live with you for a month, and you only said hello in passing every day or so. Or as if you were flown at the speed of light for a couple of hours around the sun and the solar system, and instead of looking out the window, you played a computer game. Or as if you were invited to watch the best actors, singers, athletes, inventors, and scholars perform their best, but you declined to go, so you could watch the TV season’s final soap.


Let us pray together that our infinitely great God would incline our hearts, and open our eyes to see him as fully as we can and seek to know him more.


John Piper 

July 2


Luke 7:18-35


[18] The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, [19] calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” [20] And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” [21] In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. [22] And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. [23] And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”


[24] When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? [25] What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. [26] What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. [27] This is he of whom it is written, 


    “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,

        who will prepare your way before you.’


    [28] I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” [29] (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, [30] but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)


[31] “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? [32] They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, 


    “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

        we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’


    [33] For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ [34] The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ [35] Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”


Colossians 1:15-29


[15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [16] For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. [17] And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. [19] For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.


[21] And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, [22] he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, [23] if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.


[24] Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, [25] of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, [26] the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. [27] To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. [28] Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. [29] For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.


Psalm 125


A Song of Ascents.


    [1] Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,

        which cannot be moved, but abides forever. 

    [2] As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

        so the LORD surrounds his people,

        from this time forth and forevermore. 

    [3] For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest

        on the land allotted to the righteous,

    lest the righteous stretch out

        their hands to do wrong. 

    [4] Do good, O LORD, to those who are good,

        and to those who are upright in their hearts! 

    [5] But those who turn aside to their crooked ways

        the LORD will lead away with evildoers!

        Peace be upon Israel!


1 Chronicles 3


[1] These are the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite; the second, Daniel, by Abigail the Carmelite, [2] the third, Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith; [3] the fifth, Shephatiah, by Abital; the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah; [4] six were born to him in Hebron, where he reigned for seven years and six months. And he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem. [5] These were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon, four by Bath-shua, the daughter of Ammiel; [6] then Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, [7] Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, [8] Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. [9] All these were David’s sons, besides the sons of the concubines, and Tamar was their sister.


[10] The son of Solomon was Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, [11] Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, [12] Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, [13] Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, [14] Amon his son, Josiah his son. [15] The sons of Josiah: Johanan the firstborn, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum. [16] The descendants of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son; [17] and the sons of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son, [18] Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama and Nedabiah; [19] and the sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei; and the sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah, and Shelomith was their sister; [20] and Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-hesed, five. [21] The sons of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, his son Rephaiah, his son Arnan, his son Obadiah, his son Shecaniah. [22] The son of Shecaniah: Shemaiah. And the sons of Shemaiah: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat, six. [23] The sons of Neariah: Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam, three. [24] The sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani, seven.


1 Chronicles 4


[1] The sons of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. [2] Reaiah the son of Shobal fathered Jahath, and Jahath fathered Ahumai and Lahad. These were the clans of the Zorathites. [3] These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazzelelponi, [4] and Penuel fathered Gedor, and Ezer fathered Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem. [5] Ashhur, the father of Tekoa, had two wives, Helah and Naarah; [6] Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah. [7] The sons of Helah: Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan. [8] Koz fathered Anub, Zobebah, and the clans of Aharhel, the son of Harum. [9] Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” [10] Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked. [11] Chelub, the brother of Shuhah, fathered Mehir, who fathered Eshton. [12] Eshton fathered Beth-rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah, the father of Ir-nahash. These are the men of Recah. [13] The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah; and the sons of Othniel: Hathath and Meonothai. [14] Meonothai fathered Ophrah; and Seraiah fathered Joab, the father of Ge-harashim, so-called because they were craftsmen. [15] The sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam; and the son of Elah: Kenaz. [16] The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. [17] The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. These are the sons of Bithiah, the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered married; and she conceived and bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah, the father of Eshtemoa. [18] And his Judahite wife bore Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. [19] The sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and Eshtemoa the Maacathite. [20] The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. The sons of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben-zoheth. [21] The sons of Shelah the son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the clans of the house of linen workers at Beth-ashbea; [22] and Jokim, and the men of Cozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and returned to Lehem (now the records are ancient). [23] These were the potters who were inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah. They lived there in the king’s service.


[24] The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul; [25] Shallum was his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son. [26] The sons of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son. [27] Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers did not have many children, nor did all their clan multiply like the men of Judah. [28] They lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual, [29] Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, [30] Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, [31] Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until David reigned. [32] And their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan, five cities, [33] along with all their villages that were around these cities as far as Baal. These were their settlements, and they kept a genealogical record.


[34] Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah the son of Amaziah, [35] Joel, Jehu the son of Joshibiah, son of Seraiah, son of Asiel, [36] Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, [37] Ziza the son of Shiphi, son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah—[38] these mentioned by name were princes in their clans, and their fathers’ houses increased greatly. [39] They journeyed to the entrance of Gedor, to the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks, [40] where they found rich, good pasture, and the land was very broad, quiet, and peaceful, for the former inhabitants there belonged to Ham. [41] These, registered by name, came in the days of Hezekiah, king of Judah, and destroyed their tents and the Meunites who were found there, and marked them for destruction to this day, and settled in their place, because there was pasture there for their flocks. [42] And some of them, five hundred men of the Simeonites, went to Mount Seir, having as their leaders Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi. [43] And they defeated the remnant of the Amalekites who had escaped, and they have lived there to this day.

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

The Crucified Christ


Creation was perfect in the beginning. 

Man, woman, not knowing good and evil.

No sin.

There was no knowledge of sin.

Enter the tempter Satan. 

Tempted Eve, she enticed Adam and they succumbed to sin.

Eyes opened to good and evil.

Our fallen world began.

Sin entered through one man and death fell on all.

Laws given.

Rebellion.

God's wrath demanded a sacrifice of atonement. 

In the Old Testament, atonement was made by animal blood sacrifice.

But a better sacrifice, the Lamb was prophesied.

The coming Lamb was written about in the Old Testament but fulfilled in the New Testament.

The coming Lamb was the sacrifice that God willed.

Christ, The Son Of God came in obedience. 

Through God's mercy and wisdom, He sent His Son, The Christ to make atonement.

Christ seeks sinners.

Are you ready to receive His gift of grace?

The Christ is coming again to receive His bride, they are those who believe Him for salvation.

We peach, Christ crucified!

There is salvation in no one else!

Come Lord Jesus Come!


Genesis 3:1-6


[1] Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. 


He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”  [2] And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, [3] but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” [4] But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. [5] For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” [6] So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.


Romans 5:13


[13] for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.


Romans 5:12-13


[12] Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—[13] for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.


1 Corinthians 15:21-22


[21] For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. [22] For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.


Romans 3:20


[20] For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.


Romans 5:18-19


[18] Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. [19] For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.


1 John 2:2


[2] He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.


Romans 5:8-9


[8] but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. [9] Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.


1 Peter 2:24


[24] He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.


Revelation 5:2-5


[2] And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” [3] And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, [4] and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. [5] And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”


Revelation 5:12-14


[12] saying with a loud voice, 


    “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might

    and honor and glory and blessing!”


    [13] And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, 


    “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

    be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”


    [14] And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.


Revelation 22:12-13


[12] “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. [13] I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”