Please follow this link to see today's BIBLE PASSAGE: http://www.bargainomics.com/apps/blog/
NOTE: There have been a few problems with the new website. By FRIDAY, MARCH 14, it will be updated with all the Bible passages that I have been unable to post over the past week.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Sunday, March 2, 2014
FINAL POST
WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, I WILL NO LONGER BE POSTING ON THIS BLOG. I HAVE A NEW WEBSITE www.Bargainomics.com IN PROCESS THAT WILL INCLUDE THIS Bible Study. WHEN YOU NO LONGER SEE THE BIBLE STUDY HERE, GO TO THE WEBSITE AND CLICK ON THE Bible Study TAB. PLEASE VISIT DAILY TO SEE EACH DAY'S Bible Study. MY WEBSITE INCLUDES OTHER PAGES WITH BARGAINS AND MORE. BLESSINGS TO ALL OF YOU!
SUNDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Sennacherib and his men have insulted the Lord, saying “‘no god of any nation or kingdom has ever yet been able to rescue his people from me or my ancestors. How much less will your God rescue you from my power!’ These officers talked about the God of Jerusalem as though he were one of the pagan gods, made by human hands” (II Chronicles 32:15b, 19, NLT). And the Lord had heard enough.
Hezekiah, the prophet Isaiah, and certainly all the people had cried to God to rescue them and the Lord had heard and would answer. In Second Chronicles 32, we read a brief summary of how the Lord intervened on His people’s behalf, but in Second Kings 19, we get a much bigger picture, including a long message delivered by Isaiah to Hezekiah:
“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer about King Sennacherib of Assyria. And the Lord has spoken this word against him: ‘Whom have you been defying and ridiculing? Against whom did you raise your voice? At whom did you look with such haughty eyes? It was the Holy One of Israel!
But have you not heard? I decided this long ago. Long ago I planned it, and now I am making it happen. I planned for you to crush fortified cities into heaps of rubble.
I know the way you have raged against Me. And because of your raging against Me and your arrogance, which I have heard for Myself, I will put My hook in your nose and My bit in your mouth. I will make you return by the same road on which you came.’
Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, ‘And this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria: ‘His armies will not enter Jerusalem. They will not even shoot an arrow at it. They will not march outside its gates with their shields nor build banks of earth against its walls. The king will return to his own country by the same road on which he came. He will not enter this city, says the Lord. For my own honor and for the sake of my servant David, I will defend this city and protect it.’
That night the angel of the Lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere. Then King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and returned to his own land. He went home to his capital of Nineveh and stayed there.
One day while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with their swords. They then escaped to the land of Ararat, and another son, Esarhaddon, became the next king of Assyria” (II Kings 19:20b-21a, 22, 25b, 27b-29a, 32-37).
“But have you not heard? I decided this long ago. Long ago I planned it, and now I am making it happen. I planned for you to crush fortified cities into heaps of rubble.” Sennacherib had no power whatsoever except that which the Lord had allowed him.
“I know the way you have raged against Me.” The people of Judah didn’t lay a hand on Sennacherib. The Lord simply allowed Sennacherib’s own evil lifestyle to catch up with him so that his own sons murdered him as he knelt before a useless idol in worship.
Never seek revenge against your enemies; wait on the Lord. “If the Lord Jehovah makes us wait, let us do so with our whole hearts; for blessed are all they that wait for Him. He is worth waiting for. The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes. The Lord’s people have always been a waiting people.” (Charles Spurgeon)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Hezekiah, the prophet Isaiah, and certainly all the people had cried to God to rescue them and the Lord had heard and would answer. In Second Chronicles 32, we read a brief summary of how the Lord intervened on His people’s behalf, but in Second Kings 19, we get a much bigger picture, including a long message delivered by Isaiah to Hezekiah:
“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer about King Sennacherib of Assyria. And the Lord has spoken this word against him: ‘Whom have you been defying and ridiculing? Against whom did you raise your voice? At whom did you look with such haughty eyes? It was the Holy One of Israel!
But have you not heard? I decided this long ago. Long ago I planned it, and now I am making it happen. I planned for you to crush fortified cities into heaps of rubble.
I know the way you have raged against Me. And because of your raging against Me and your arrogance, which I have heard for Myself, I will put My hook in your nose and My bit in your mouth. I will make you return by the same road on which you came.’
Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, ‘And this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria: ‘His armies will not enter Jerusalem. They will not even shoot an arrow at it. They will not march outside its gates with their shields nor build banks of earth against its walls. The king will return to his own country by the same road on which he came. He will not enter this city, says the Lord. For my own honor and for the sake of my servant David, I will defend this city and protect it.’
That night the angel of the Lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere. Then King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and returned to his own land. He went home to his capital of Nineveh and stayed there.
One day while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with their swords. They then escaped to the land of Ararat, and another son, Esarhaddon, became the next king of Assyria” (II Kings 19:20b-21a, 22, 25b, 27b-29a, 32-37).
“But have you not heard? I decided this long ago. Long ago I planned it, and now I am making it happen. I planned for you to crush fortified cities into heaps of rubble.” Sennacherib had no power whatsoever except that which the Lord had allowed him.
“I know the way you have raged against Me.” The people of Judah didn’t lay a hand on Sennacherib. The Lord simply allowed Sennacherib’s own evil lifestyle to catch up with him so that his own sons murdered him as he knelt before a useless idol in worship.
Never seek revenge against your enemies; wait on the Lord. “If the Lord Jehovah makes us wait, let us do so with our whole hearts; for blessed are all they that wait for Him. He is worth waiting for. The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes. The Lord’s people have always been a waiting people.” (Charles Spurgeon)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Saturday, March 1, 2014
FINAL POST
WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, I WILL NO LONGER BE POSTING ON THIS BLOG. I HAVE A NEW WEBSITE www.Bargainomics.com IN PROCESS THAT WILL INCLUDE THIS Bible Study. WHEN YOU NO LONGER SEE THE BIBLE STUDY HERE, GO TO THE WEBSITE AND CLICK ON THE Bible Study TAB. PLEASE VISIT DAILY TO SEE EACH DAY'S Bible Study. MY WEBSITE INCLUDES OTHER PAGES WITH BARGAINS AND MORE. BLESSINGS TO ALL OF YOU!
SATURDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Sennacherib and the army of Assyria marched into Judah and laid siege to town after town. Hezekiah knew Sennacherib was headed for Jerusalem, so he began preparing their defenses. Then “he appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate. Then Hezekiah encouraged them by saying: ‘Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!’” (II Chronicles 32:6-8a, NLT).
Meanwhile Sennacherib had sent this message: “What are you trusting in that makes you think you can survive my siege of Jerusalem? Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you! Don’t let him fool you like this! I say it again – no god of any nation or kingdom has ever yet been able to rescue his people from me or my ancestors. How much less will your God rescue you from my power!’
And Sennacherib’s officers further mocked the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah, heaping insult upon insult. The king also sent letters scorning the Lord, the God of Israel. He wrote, ‘Just as the gods of all the other nations failed to rescue their people from my power, so the God of Hezekiah will also fail.’ The Assyrian officials who brought the letters shouted this in Hebrew to the people gathered on the walls of the city, trying to terrify them so it would be easier to capture the city. These officers talked about the God of Jerusalem as though he were one of the pagan gods, made by human hands’” (II Chronicles 32:10b, 15-19).
“These officers talked about the God of Jerusalem as though he were one of the pagan gods, made by human hands” and thought they could get away with it! But Hezekiah knew exactly what to do.
“After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to the Lord’s Temple and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the Lord: ‘O Lord, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth. Bend down, O Lord, and listen! Open your eyes, O Lord, and see! Listen to Sennacherib’s words of defiance against the living God.
It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all these nations. And they have thrown the gods of these nations into the fire and burned them. But of course the Assyrians could destroy them! They were not gods at all – only idols of wood and stone shaped by human hands. Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power; then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O Lord, are God’” (II Kings 19:14-19).
Look back at Hezekiah’s speech to the people: “We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!” And that’s precisely what Jehovah did – He fought for Jerusalem.
Child of God, you have the entire army of heaven on your side. When the going gets tough, don’t panic; hit your knees. Call out to the Great and Mighty Lord God Almighty. “He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us” (II Corinthians 1:10, NIV).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Meanwhile Sennacherib had sent this message: “What are you trusting in that makes you think you can survive my siege of Jerusalem? Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you! Don’t let him fool you like this! I say it again – no god of any nation or kingdom has ever yet been able to rescue his people from me or my ancestors. How much less will your God rescue you from my power!’
And Sennacherib’s officers further mocked the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah, heaping insult upon insult. The king also sent letters scorning the Lord, the God of Israel. He wrote, ‘Just as the gods of all the other nations failed to rescue their people from my power, so the God of Hezekiah will also fail.’ The Assyrian officials who brought the letters shouted this in Hebrew to the people gathered on the walls of the city, trying to terrify them so it would be easier to capture the city. These officers talked about the God of Jerusalem as though he were one of the pagan gods, made by human hands’” (II Chronicles 32:10b, 15-19).
“These officers talked about the God of Jerusalem as though he were one of the pagan gods, made by human hands” and thought they could get away with it! But Hezekiah knew exactly what to do.
“After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to the Lord’s Temple and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the Lord: ‘O Lord, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth. Bend down, O Lord, and listen! Open your eyes, O Lord, and see! Listen to Sennacherib’s words of defiance against the living God.
It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all these nations. And they have thrown the gods of these nations into the fire and burned them. But of course the Assyrians could destroy them! They were not gods at all – only idols of wood and stone shaped by human hands. Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power; then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O Lord, are God’” (II Kings 19:14-19).
Look back at Hezekiah’s speech to the people: “We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!” And that’s precisely what Jehovah did – He fought for Jerusalem.
Child of God, you have the entire army of heaven on your side. When the going gets tough, don’t panic; hit your knees. Call out to the Great and Mighty Lord God Almighty. “He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us” (II Corinthians 1:10, NIV).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Friday, February 28, 2014
FRIDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
The people of Judah were on the mountaintop. They were living right; giving right; and everything was going great. Then along comes the valley.
“After Hezekiah had faithfully carried out this work, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified towns, giving orders for his army to break through their walls. When Hezekiah realized that Sennacherib also intended to attack Jerusalem, he consulted with his officials and military advisers, and they decided to stop the flow of the springs outside the city. They organized a huge work crew to stop the flow of the springs, cutting off the brook that ran through the fields. For they said, ‘Why should the kings of Assyria come here and find plenty of water?’
Then Hezekiah worked hard at repairing all the broken sections of the wall, erecting towers, and constructing a second wall outside the first. He also reinforced the supporting terraces in the City of David and manufactured large numbers of weapons and shields. He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate. Then Hezekiah encouraged them by saying: ‘Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!’” (II Chronicles 32:1-8a, NLT).
Hezekiah and the people of Judah had been honoring the Lord in all they did, and yet look at what was happening. Sennacherib had no doubt heard how well things were going in Judah, so he intended to take over the country. Hezekiah had no intention of allowing that to happen.
Hezekiah’s response is two-fold: (1) He does everything possible to prepare their defenses; and (2) He relies on God to fight with them.
Hezekiah’s speech is a great one that bears repeating: “Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!”
“There is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!” Note the two prongs of Hezekiah’s statement: “to help us and to fight… for us.” Hezekiah didn’t expect to sit down and wait on the Lord to deliver them. The army of Judah would fight, but they’d do so knowing they had the army of God fighting alongside them.
So “Hezekiah’s words greatly encouraged the people” (II Chronicles 32:8b).
“While King Sennacherib of Assyria was still besieging the town of Lachish, he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah and all the people in the city: ‘This is what King Sennacherib of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you think you can survive my siege of Jerusalem?” (II Chronicles 32:10b).
Sennacherib’s carefully crafted message sought to divide the people. He wanted them to doubt the power of the One God they were trusting in and panic at the thought of all the other gods that could have been there for them had Hezekiah not torn down their pagan shrines and altars. Contrary to Sennacherib’s own plan, though, I believe it was the Lord who prompted him to write the question he sent to Jerusalem: “What are you trusting in that makes you think you can survive?”
All of us right now can name friends and family members going through horrific illnesses; marital problems; financial crises; troubles with their children; and more. And the enemy is taunting, asking, “What are you trusting in that makes you think you can survive?” It’s a really good question. Because unless it’s Jesus, you ain’t gonna make it. If it is Jesus, you are gonna make it; whether in this world or in the next, you are guaranteed the victory that Christ has already bought and paid for.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
“After Hezekiah had faithfully carried out this work, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified towns, giving orders for his army to break through their walls. When Hezekiah realized that Sennacherib also intended to attack Jerusalem, he consulted with his officials and military advisers, and they decided to stop the flow of the springs outside the city. They organized a huge work crew to stop the flow of the springs, cutting off the brook that ran through the fields. For they said, ‘Why should the kings of Assyria come here and find plenty of water?’
Then Hezekiah worked hard at repairing all the broken sections of the wall, erecting towers, and constructing a second wall outside the first. He also reinforced the supporting terraces in the City of David and manufactured large numbers of weapons and shields. He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate. Then Hezekiah encouraged them by saying: ‘Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!’” (II Chronicles 32:1-8a, NLT).
Hezekiah and the people of Judah had been honoring the Lord in all they did, and yet look at what was happening. Sennacherib had no doubt heard how well things were going in Judah, so he intended to take over the country. Hezekiah had no intention of allowing that to happen.
Hezekiah’s response is two-fold: (1) He does everything possible to prepare their defenses; and (2) He relies on God to fight with them.
Hezekiah’s speech is a great one that bears repeating: “Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!”
“There is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!” Note the two prongs of Hezekiah’s statement: “to help us and to fight… for us.” Hezekiah didn’t expect to sit down and wait on the Lord to deliver them. The army of Judah would fight, but they’d do so knowing they had the army of God fighting alongside them.
So “Hezekiah’s words greatly encouraged the people” (II Chronicles 32:8b).
“While King Sennacherib of Assyria was still besieging the town of Lachish, he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah and all the people in the city: ‘This is what King Sennacherib of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you think you can survive my siege of Jerusalem?” (II Chronicles 32:10b).
Sennacherib’s carefully crafted message sought to divide the people. He wanted them to doubt the power of the One God they were trusting in and panic at the thought of all the other gods that could have been there for them had Hezekiah not torn down their pagan shrines and altars. Contrary to Sennacherib’s own plan, though, I believe it was the Lord who prompted him to write the question he sent to Jerusalem: “What are you trusting in that makes you think you can survive?”
All of us right now can name friends and family members going through horrific illnesses; marital problems; financial crises; troubles with their children; and more. And the enemy is taunting, asking, “What are you trusting in that makes you think you can survive?” It’s a really good question. Because unless it’s Jesus, you ain’t gonna make it. If it is Jesus, you are gonna make it; whether in this world or in the next, you are guaranteed the victory that Christ has already bought and paid for.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Thursday, February 27, 2014
THURSDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Hezekiah reopened the Temple, rededicated it to the Lord, celebrated the Passover, and reinstituted the tithe. The priests and Levites were able to devote themselves to their assigned functions in and around the Temple and the generosity of the people was so great that Hezekiah had to order extra storerooms built onto the Temple. There was no one in need because the people gave faithfully, cheerfully, and for the right reason: to honor and obey Jehovah.
God certainly won’t bless a stingy giver, but neither will He bless a wrongly motivated one. Televangelists who own multiple multi-million-dollar homes and sport around in Rolls Royces are always quick to promise a blessing to the person who’ll send them a donation. News flash: if they’ve accumulated that much wealth, they don’t need any more contributions. Let them sell off some of their own stuff and use that money to finance their ministry – after all, their viewers are the ones who made all that possible to begin with.
Not only that, but if your motivation for giving is to receive more than you gave, you might as well flush that contribution straight down the toilet. God blesses those who give from the heart. And He knows the intent of every heart. If your giving is for the purpose of getting, then as James 4:3a says it, “you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong.” But if your giving is first and foremost to honor His Name, He will most assuredly bless it.
The rest of Second Chronicles 31 lists the names of those who took charge of all the tithes and offerings coming into the Temple. Some of these men “distributed the gifts among the families of priests in their towns by their divisions, dividing the gifts fairly among old and young alike” (II Chronicles 31:15).
Not all the priests lived in Jerusalem. Priests lived in towns throughout Judah, so it was important to have trustworthy men to see that these men were also given an allotment from the goods pouring into the Temple. Not only did the assigned men do their job responsibly, they did so with absolute impartiality “among the old and young alike.”
“In this way, King Hezekiah handled the distribution throughout all Judah, doing what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God. In all that he did in the service of the Temple of God and in his efforts to follow God’s laws and commands, Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful” (II Chronicles 31:20-21).
Hezekiah was blessed because he did “what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God.” He consciously sought to “follow God’s laws and commands” and he “sought his God wholeheartedly.” That was the key to Hezekiah’s success.
The formula hasn’t changed and it sure wasn’t exclusively for Hezekiah. When any person chooses to live a life seeking to please God wholeheartedly, he, my friends, has aligned himself for blessings.
And just as we saw with the people of Judah, when God’s blessings were bestowed, the recipients didn’t hoard the excess; they simply had more to give away. The entire nation lived under God’s blessing because of the faithfulness of His people.
“God has given us two hands – one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for sharing.” (Billy Graham)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
God certainly won’t bless a stingy giver, but neither will He bless a wrongly motivated one. Televangelists who own multiple multi-million-dollar homes and sport around in Rolls Royces are always quick to promise a blessing to the person who’ll send them a donation. News flash: if they’ve accumulated that much wealth, they don’t need any more contributions. Let them sell off some of their own stuff and use that money to finance their ministry – after all, their viewers are the ones who made all that possible to begin with.
Not only that, but if your motivation for giving is to receive more than you gave, you might as well flush that contribution straight down the toilet. God blesses those who give from the heart. And He knows the intent of every heart. If your giving is for the purpose of getting, then as James 4:3a says it, “you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong.” But if your giving is first and foremost to honor His Name, He will most assuredly bless it.
The rest of Second Chronicles 31 lists the names of those who took charge of all the tithes and offerings coming into the Temple. Some of these men “distributed the gifts among the families of priests in their towns by their divisions, dividing the gifts fairly among old and young alike” (II Chronicles 31:15).
Not all the priests lived in Jerusalem. Priests lived in towns throughout Judah, so it was important to have trustworthy men to see that these men were also given an allotment from the goods pouring into the Temple. Not only did the assigned men do their job responsibly, they did so with absolute impartiality “among the old and young alike.”
“In this way, King Hezekiah handled the distribution throughout all Judah, doing what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God. In all that he did in the service of the Temple of God and in his efforts to follow God’s laws and commands, Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful” (II Chronicles 31:20-21).
Hezekiah was blessed because he did “what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God.” He consciously sought to “follow God’s laws and commands” and he “sought his God wholeheartedly.” That was the key to Hezekiah’s success.
The formula hasn’t changed and it sure wasn’t exclusively for Hezekiah. When any person chooses to live a life seeking to please God wholeheartedly, he, my friends, has aligned himself for blessings.
And just as we saw with the people of Judah, when God’s blessings were bestowed, the recipients didn’t hoard the excess; they simply had more to give away. The entire nation lived under God’s blessing because of the faithfulness of His people.
“God has given us two hands – one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for sharing.” (Billy Graham)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Wednesday, February 26, 2014
WEDNESDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
It’s easy to tell how committed a person is when it comes to just about anything. A wife who’s committed to her husband is going to love him, respect him, and be faithful to him. Likewise a husband who loves his wife. A person who’s committed to building a relationship will happily put in all the necessary time and effort. Hezekiah exemplified a deep commitment to the Lord, and the people of Judah responded by returning to faithful worship of Jehovah.
The people’s sincere devotion opened up “the floodgates of heaven” (Malachi 3:10b, NIV) and word undoubtedly spread about the joy and peace and abundance that the Lord was bestowing upon His faithful followers.
Giving of their material wealth and finances proved the sincerity of their commitment. “The people of Israel... brought in the tithes” (II Chronicles 31:5a, 6b). And the result? Azariah the high priest told Hezekiah, “Since the people began bringing their gifts to the Lord’s Temple, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare. The Lord has blessed His people, and all this is left over” (II Chronicles 31:10b). The heaps of goods Azariah showed Hezekiah were merely the leftovers of what hadn’t already been distributed!
Sadly, today’s average professing Christian’s giving is little or nothing. If churches were filled with committed, tithing believers, I can only begin to imagine the great things churches could accomplish for the glory of God.
Let’s say a church has 100 adult members, each of whom has an average annual income of only $30,000. The tithes coming into that church would be $300,000 each year, not to mention any other gifts the members wished to contribute.
Reality, though, paints a much gloomier picture. Only about five percent of adult church members tithe (according to a study by the Barna Group) while, according to another study, more than one out of four Protestant Christians gives nothing whatsoever. And that means, in all likelihood, the church mentioned above would be operating on more like $60,000 in annual contributions.
The church Jesus Christ gave His life for is operating at five to ten percent of its potential. No, everything isn’t about dollar figures, but as Jesus very succinctly summed it up, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Luke 12:34). And the fact is, most churchgoers aren’t remotely concerned with the survival of – let alone the expansion of – the Kingdom of God. If they cared, their pocketbooks would show it.
Hezekiah’s people were dead serious about honoring the Lord – so much so that “Hezekiah ordered that storerooms be prepared in the Temple of the Lord. When this was done, the people faithfully brought all the tithes and gifts to the Temple” (II Chronicles 31:11-12a).
The Temple had run out of places to put the people’s tithes and offerings and had to have storerooms added on. Apparently even with all that generosity, the people were holding back until the priests and Levites could figure out where to put everything because as soon as the storerooms were built, the people were at it again – giving, giving, giving.
Azariah told Hezekiah, “The Lord has blessed His people, and all this is left over.” Because “the people faithfully brought all the tithes and gifts to the Temple,” God blessed them with abundance. Like the widow at Zerephath whose flour and oil were miraculously replenished by the Lord, the faithful tither is provided for in ways he’s never even imagined.
Think about a farmer who’s down to his last cup of corn kernels. He can hold onto it or take it out and plant it. Hoarding it may give him enough to grind into a little bit of corn meal, but sowing it into the field will give him enough to eat and much left over to share with others. Not immediately, no; but in due time.
Give generously; then trust God to multiply not only what you’ve held onto but also that which you’ve sown, “that He may lift you up in due time” (I Peter 5:6b, NIV).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
The people’s sincere devotion opened up “the floodgates of heaven” (Malachi 3:10b, NIV) and word undoubtedly spread about the joy and peace and abundance that the Lord was bestowing upon His faithful followers.
Giving of their material wealth and finances proved the sincerity of their commitment. “The people of Israel... brought in the tithes” (II Chronicles 31:5a, 6b). And the result? Azariah the high priest told Hezekiah, “Since the people began bringing their gifts to the Lord’s Temple, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare. The Lord has blessed His people, and all this is left over” (II Chronicles 31:10b). The heaps of goods Azariah showed Hezekiah were merely the leftovers of what hadn’t already been distributed!
Sadly, today’s average professing Christian’s giving is little or nothing. If churches were filled with committed, tithing believers, I can only begin to imagine the great things churches could accomplish for the glory of God.
Let’s say a church has 100 adult members, each of whom has an average annual income of only $30,000. The tithes coming into that church would be $300,000 each year, not to mention any other gifts the members wished to contribute.
Reality, though, paints a much gloomier picture. Only about five percent of adult church members tithe (according to a study by the Barna Group) while, according to another study, more than one out of four Protestant Christians gives nothing whatsoever. And that means, in all likelihood, the church mentioned above would be operating on more like $60,000 in annual contributions.
The church Jesus Christ gave His life for is operating at five to ten percent of its potential. No, everything isn’t about dollar figures, but as Jesus very succinctly summed it up, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Luke 12:34). And the fact is, most churchgoers aren’t remotely concerned with the survival of – let alone the expansion of – the Kingdom of God. If they cared, their pocketbooks would show it.
Hezekiah’s people were dead serious about honoring the Lord – so much so that “Hezekiah ordered that storerooms be prepared in the Temple of the Lord. When this was done, the people faithfully brought all the tithes and gifts to the Temple” (II Chronicles 31:11-12a).
The Temple had run out of places to put the people’s tithes and offerings and had to have storerooms added on. Apparently even with all that generosity, the people were holding back until the priests and Levites could figure out where to put everything because as soon as the storerooms were built, the people were at it again – giving, giving, giving.
Azariah told Hezekiah, “The Lord has blessed His people, and all this is left over.” Because “the people faithfully brought all the tithes and gifts to the Temple,” God blessed them with abundance. Like the widow at Zerephath whose flour and oil were miraculously replenished by the Lord, the faithful tither is provided for in ways he’s never even imagined.
Think about a farmer who’s down to his last cup of corn kernels. He can hold onto it or take it out and plant it. Hoarding it may give him enough to grind into a little bit of corn meal, but sowing it into the field will give him enough to eat and much left over to share with others. Not immediately, no; but in due time.
Give generously; then trust God to multiply not only what you’ve held onto but also that which you’ve sown, “that He may lift you up in due time” (I Peter 5:6b, NIV).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Tuesday, February 25, 2014
TUESDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Hezekiah’s faithfulness to God led the people of Judah to turn back to the Lord. And because of this, Judah experienced God’s blessings. Hezekiah “remained faithful to the Lord in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the Lord had given Moses. So the Lord was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did” (II Kings 18:6a, 7a, NLT).
“When the festival ended, the Israelites who attended went to all the towns of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, and they smashed all the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and removed the pagan shrines and altars. After this, the Israelites returned to their own towns and homes.
Hezekiah then organized the priests and Levites into divisions to offer the burnt offerings and peace offerings, and to worship and give thanks and praise to the Lord at the gates of the Temple. The king also made a personal contribution of animals for the daily morning and evening burnt offerings, the weekly Sabbath festivals, the monthly new moon festivals, and the annual festivals as prescribed in the Law of the Lord. In addition, he required the people in Jerusalem to bring a portion of their goods to the priests and Levites, so they could devote themselves fully to the Law of the Lord” (II Chronicles 31:1-4).
“The king also made a personal contribution.” Even though Hezekiah generously provided from the royal coffers, he wanted to give from his private holdings, too, so he “made a personal contribution of animals” for every occasion “prescribed in the Law of the Lord.”
Hezekiah also “required the people in Jerusalem to bring a portion of their goods to the priests and Levites.” Why? So the priests and Levites “could devote themselves fully to the Law of the Lord.”
Ask any bi-vocational pastor how hard it is to prepare sermons, visit church members, and do the countless other tasks of a church leader while trying to hold down another job because the church won’t or can’t pay him enough to live on. Hezekiah didn’t want anything to divide the focus of the priests and Levites; he wanted them provided for so that their only job was serving in their assigned capacities in and around the Temple.
“When the people of Israel heard these requirements, they responded generously by bringing the first share of their grain, new wine, olive oil, honey, and all the produce of their fields. They brought a large quantity – a tithe of all they produced. The people who had moved to Judah from Israel, and the people of Judah themselves, brought in the tithes of their cattle, sheep, and goats and a tithe of the things that had been dedicated to the Lord their God, and they piled them up in great heaps. They began piling them up in late spring, and the heaps continued to grow until early autumn. When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw these huge piles, they thanked the Lord and His people Israel!” (II Chronicles 31:5-8).
“When the people of Israel heard these requirements,” they whined? They complained? They begrudged? No, “they responded generously.” Note that this passage says “the people of Israel.” Not only did the people of Judah give generously, but so did “the people who had moved to Judah from Israel.” Everyone “brought in the tithes.”
Because everyone was obedient in their giving, the Temple was filled to overflowing. “‘Where did all this come from?’ Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites. And Azariah the high priest, from the family of Zadok, replied, ‘Since the people began bringing their gifts to the Lord’s Temple, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare. The Lord has blessed His people, and all this is left over’” (II Chronicles 31:9-10).
Obedience brought blessing. “God loves a person who gives cheerfully” (II Corinthians 9:7b).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
“When the festival ended, the Israelites who attended went to all the towns of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, and they smashed all the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and removed the pagan shrines and altars. After this, the Israelites returned to their own towns and homes.
Hezekiah then organized the priests and Levites into divisions to offer the burnt offerings and peace offerings, and to worship and give thanks and praise to the Lord at the gates of the Temple. The king also made a personal contribution of animals for the daily morning and evening burnt offerings, the weekly Sabbath festivals, the monthly new moon festivals, and the annual festivals as prescribed in the Law of the Lord. In addition, he required the people in Jerusalem to bring a portion of their goods to the priests and Levites, so they could devote themselves fully to the Law of the Lord” (II Chronicles 31:1-4).
“The king also made a personal contribution.” Even though Hezekiah generously provided from the royal coffers, he wanted to give from his private holdings, too, so he “made a personal contribution of animals” for every occasion “prescribed in the Law of the Lord.”
Hezekiah also “required the people in Jerusalem to bring a portion of their goods to the priests and Levites.” Why? So the priests and Levites “could devote themselves fully to the Law of the Lord.”
Ask any bi-vocational pastor how hard it is to prepare sermons, visit church members, and do the countless other tasks of a church leader while trying to hold down another job because the church won’t or can’t pay him enough to live on. Hezekiah didn’t want anything to divide the focus of the priests and Levites; he wanted them provided for so that their only job was serving in their assigned capacities in and around the Temple.
“When the people of Israel heard these requirements, they responded generously by bringing the first share of their grain, new wine, olive oil, honey, and all the produce of their fields. They brought a large quantity – a tithe of all they produced. The people who had moved to Judah from Israel, and the people of Judah themselves, brought in the tithes of their cattle, sheep, and goats and a tithe of the things that had been dedicated to the Lord their God, and they piled them up in great heaps. They began piling them up in late spring, and the heaps continued to grow until early autumn. When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw these huge piles, they thanked the Lord and His people Israel!” (II Chronicles 31:5-8).
“When the people of Israel heard these requirements,” they whined? They complained? They begrudged? No, “they responded generously.” Note that this passage says “the people of Israel.” Not only did the people of Judah give generously, but so did “the people who had moved to Judah from Israel.” Everyone “brought in the tithes.”
Because everyone was obedient in their giving, the Temple was filled to overflowing. “‘Where did all this come from?’ Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites. And Azariah the high priest, from the family of Zadok, replied, ‘Since the people began bringing their gifts to the Lord’s Temple, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare. The Lord has blessed His people, and all this is left over’” (II Chronicles 31:9-10).
Obedience brought blessing. “God loves a person who gives cheerfully” (II Corinthians 9:7b).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Monday, February 24, 2014
MONDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Hezekiah refused to “stand on ceremony” and, instead, trusted that the people who came to Passover “from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun” (II Chronicles 30:11a, NLT) should be included in the service. They may not have been through the exacting requirements of ritual purification, but their attitude in going against the vast majority who made fun of Hezekiah’s invitation showed an inner change. These people had truly “humbled themselves” (II Chronicles 30:11b) in coming to Jerusalem and were permitted to join in with the rest of the celebrants.
“So the people of Israel who were present in Jerusalem joyously celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. Each day the Levites and priests sang to the Lord, accompanied by loud instruments. Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites regarding the skill they displayed as they served the Lord. The celebration continued for seven days. Peace offerings were sacrificed, and the people gave thanks to the Lord, the God of their ancestors” (II Chronicles 30:21-22).
“Hezekiah encouraged all.” Hezekiah didn’t sit or stand with his hands hanging to his sides as the musicians sang and played for the glory of God. He let them know that he and all the people appreciated “the skill they displayed as they served the Lord.” He let them know that God was pleased with their efforts and their attitudes. How in need of encouragers are our churches, homes, schools, and workplaces!
“The entire assembly then decided to continue the festival another seven days, so they celebrated joyfully for another week. King Hezekiah gave the people 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep and goats for offerings, and the officials donated 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep and goats. Meanwhile, many more priests purified themselves” (II Chronicles 30:23-24).
“The entire assembly then decided to continue… another seven days.” Reminds of the little old ladies I've mentioned before. She sat in a restaurant booth next to my family after church one Sunday. One voiced what was clearly the opinion of their whole table: “I go to church from 11am till noon. If that preacher can’t say what he’s got to say in that length of time, I don’t need to hear it.” Imagine if her pastor had just announced a week-long extension of the service!
To the people of Hezekiah’s day, God dwelt in the Temple. To be in the Temple was to be in the presence of God and they were thrilled to be with Him and didn’t want this special time to end. “So they celebrated joyfully for another week.”
“The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, including the priests, the Levites, all who came from the land of Israel, the foreigners who came to the festival, and all those who lived in Judah. There was great joy in the city, for Jerusalem had not seen a celebration like this one since the days of Solomon, King David’s son. Then the priests and Levites stood and blessed the people, and God heard their prayer from His holy dwelling in heaven” (II Chronicles 30:25-27).
“God heard their prayer.” Oftentimes when a worship service is coming to a close, there’s a mass exodus of people who want to be first out of the parking lot and first into the eateries. Nobody in Jerusalem was in a hurry to go anywhere; they just wanted to be with Jehovah.
Don’t spend the last minutes of your church service figuring out where you’re going to eat or what you’re going to fix. Forget about the agenda ahead of you that week. Pray. Pray for the lost. Pray for the hurting. Pray for your spiritual eyes and ears to be open. Tell the Lord that nothing is more important to you than hearing His Message.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
“So the people of Israel who were present in Jerusalem joyously celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. Each day the Levites and priests sang to the Lord, accompanied by loud instruments. Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites regarding the skill they displayed as they served the Lord. The celebration continued for seven days. Peace offerings were sacrificed, and the people gave thanks to the Lord, the God of their ancestors” (II Chronicles 30:21-22).
“Hezekiah encouraged all.” Hezekiah didn’t sit or stand with his hands hanging to his sides as the musicians sang and played for the glory of God. He let them know that he and all the people appreciated “the skill they displayed as they served the Lord.” He let them know that God was pleased with their efforts and their attitudes. How in need of encouragers are our churches, homes, schools, and workplaces!
“The entire assembly then decided to continue the festival another seven days, so they celebrated joyfully for another week. King Hezekiah gave the people 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep and goats for offerings, and the officials donated 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep and goats. Meanwhile, many more priests purified themselves” (II Chronicles 30:23-24).
“The entire assembly then decided to continue… another seven days.” Reminds of the little old ladies I've mentioned before. She sat in a restaurant booth next to my family after church one Sunday. One voiced what was clearly the opinion of their whole table: “I go to church from 11am till noon. If that preacher can’t say what he’s got to say in that length of time, I don’t need to hear it.” Imagine if her pastor had just announced a week-long extension of the service!
To the people of Hezekiah’s day, God dwelt in the Temple. To be in the Temple was to be in the presence of God and they were thrilled to be with Him and didn’t want this special time to end. “So they celebrated joyfully for another week.”
“The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, including the priests, the Levites, all who came from the land of Israel, the foreigners who came to the festival, and all those who lived in Judah. There was great joy in the city, for Jerusalem had not seen a celebration like this one since the days of Solomon, King David’s son. Then the priests and Levites stood and blessed the people, and God heard their prayer from His holy dwelling in heaven” (II Chronicles 30:25-27).
“God heard their prayer.” Oftentimes when a worship service is coming to a close, there’s a mass exodus of people who want to be first out of the parking lot and first into the eateries. Nobody in Jerusalem was in a hurry to go anywhere; they just wanted to be with Jehovah.
Don’t spend the last minutes of your church service figuring out where you’re going to eat or what you’re going to fix. Forget about the agenda ahead of you that week. Pray. Pray for the lost. Pray for the hurting. Pray for your spiritual eyes and ears to be open. Tell the Lord that nothing is more important to you than hearing His Message.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Sunday, February 23, 2014
SUNDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Hezekiah sent an invitation to the people of Israel, inviting them to come and share in a time of repentance and celebrating the Passover. They responded by making fun of the messengers, which means they were also making fun of the message. They had no use for the things of God and thought it was hilarious that Hezekiah and Judah were so caught up in this old-time religion. Israel had found plenty of new gods to worship – and these gods went in for stuff that the old way condemned as “sinful.” No, let Judah have the Temple and the old God; Israel was having more fun with its idolatry.
Israel was getting slammed on every side. They were clearly headed down the road to disaster, and yet they preferred their false gods to the Real One. Reminds me of people I’ve known who get caught up in the drug scene. They’re broke; homeless; willing to do anything to get their hands on one more hit; and every time they wake up, they’re sick and miserable and needing to get that fix all over again. How fun is that! And yet they’re so entangled in that lifestyle that they refuse to see themselves for the messes they’ve become. Such was Israel.
But all of Israel hadn’t turned their backs on Hezekiah’s invitation: “Some people from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem” (II Chronicles 30:11).
Jesus taught a parable about a farmer scattering seeds. He scattered a lot of seeds, but all of them didn’t hit the same kind of ground. However, some, my brothers and sisters, “fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” (Matthew 13:8). Pray. And plant lots of seeds, because the more you plant, the more opportunities for seeds to hit places where they’ll begin to take root. And God will bless you for your faithfulness, just as He blessed Hezekiah.
“God’s hand was on the people in the land of Judah, giving them all one heart to obey the orders of the king and his officials, who were following the word of the Lord. So a huge crowd assembled at Jerusalem in midspring to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread.
Most of those who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not purified themselves. But King Hezekiah prayed for them” (II Chronicles 30:12-13, 17-18a).
You’ve heard the expression “stand on ceremony.” Hezekiah didn’t. Even though there was a prescribed way of cleansing in order to be purified for participating in religious ceremonies, Hezekiah believed that “those who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun” had displayed their repentant attitudes by coming to Jerusalem when most of the people of Israel had merely laughed at Judah’s messengers. Hezekiah wisely realized that “People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (I Samuel 16:7b).
So how did Hezekiah’s reception of these people work out? “They were allowed to eat the Passover meal anyway, even though this was contrary to the requirements of the Law. For Hezekiah said, ‘May the Lord, who is good, pardon those who decide to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors, even though they are not properly cleansed for the ceremony’” (II Chronicles 30:18b-20).
Not one person said, “That’s not the way we do it here.” Nary a one said, “If you’re going to let them participate, count me out.” The people were so focused on honoring the Lord that they didn’t waste time criticizing. Nobody wanted to spoil such a holy time with one negative word about anything.
And because of their right attitude, “the Lord listened to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people.” Attitude. It can make or break a church, a marriage, or a friendship.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Israel was getting slammed on every side. They were clearly headed down the road to disaster, and yet they preferred their false gods to the Real One. Reminds me of people I’ve known who get caught up in the drug scene. They’re broke; homeless; willing to do anything to get their hands on one more hit; and every time they wake up, they’re sick and miserable and needing to get that fix all over again. How fun is that! And yet they’re so entangled in that lifestyle that they refuse to see themselves for the messes they’ve become. Such was Israel.
But all of Israel hadn’t turned their backs on Hezekiah’s invitation: “Some people from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem” (II Chronicles 30:11).
Jesus taught a parable about a farmer scattering seeds. He scattered a lot of seeds, but all of them didn’t hit the same kind of ground. However, some, my brothers and sisters, “fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” (Matthew 13:8). Pray. And plant lots of seeds, because the more you plant, the more opportunities for seeds to hit places where they’ll begin to take root. And God will bless you for your faithfulness, just as He blessed Hezekiah.
“God’s hand was on the people in the land of Judah, giving them all one heart to obey the orders of the king and his officials, who were following the word of the Lord. So a huge crowd assembled at Jerusalem in midspring to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread.
Most of those who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not purified themselves. But King Hezekiah prayed for them” (II Chronicles 30:12-13, 17-18a).
You’ve heard the expression “stand on ceremony.” Hezekiah didn’t. Even though there was a prescribed way of cleansing in order to be purified for participating in religious ceremonies, Hezekiah believed that “those who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun” had displayed their repentant attitudes by coming to Jerusalem when most of the people of Israel had merely laughed at Judah’s messengers. Hezekiah wisely realized that “People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (I Samuel 16:7b).
So how did Hezekiah’s reception of these people work out? “They were allowed to eat the Passover meal anyway, even though this was contrary to the requirements of the Law. For Hezekiah said, ‘May the Lord, who is good, pardon those who decide to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors, even though they are not properly cleansed for the ceremony’” (II Chronicles 30:18b-20).
Not one person said, “That’s not the way we do it here.” Nary a one said, “If you’re going to let them participate, count me out.” The people were so focused on honoring the Lord that they didn’t waste time criticizing. Nobody wanted to spoil such a holy time with one negative word about anything.
And because of their right attitude, “the Lord listened to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people.” Attitude. It can make or break a church, a marriage, or a friendship.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Saturday, February 22, 2014
SATURDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Hezekiah cared deeply for the spiritual welfare of not only the people of Judah, but also Israel. He sent runners throughout Israel, inviting these fellow Israelites to join them in repentance and celebration of the Passover. How did these invitees respond?
“The runners went from town to town throughout Ephraim and Manasseh and as far as the territory of Zebulun. But most of the people just laughed at the runners and made fun of them” (II Chronicles 30:10).
“Most of the people just laughed… and made fun of them.” Folks, being laughed at is a small price to pay for reaching out to others with the love of Jesus. Only in heaven will we learn the final outcome of the countless seeds we’ll plant throughout our lifetimes. While untold numbers Christians in other nations die daily for their faith, surely we can be courageous enough to risk a bit of embarrassment.
Sharing the Good News is so important that Jesus told a number of parables (teaching stories) relating to just that. In Matthew 25:14-30 we read the “Parable of the Three Servants.” In it, Jesus says a man preparing to leave on a long journey gives money to three of his servants and instructs them to use it wisely until he returns.
Two of the servants invest their master’s money so that they’ve doubled it by the time he returns. But one servant buries the money he’s been entrusted with and has not one bit extra to show for all the time he’s been given to invest it. Jesus concludes the parable with the master saying, “Throw this useless servant into outer darkness” (Matthew 25:30a).
Folks, every person who’s been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb has been entrusted with the precious Good News of Jesus and we’re to invest it by sharing it with others.
How many people have you shared the Good News with today? Yesterday? This week? This month? This year? We’re saved to share, not to shun the spreading of the Gospel. The servant who hid it away wasn’t even a believer; otherwise he wouldn’t have been cast “into outer darkness.”
Jesus didn’t beat around the bush when He said, “Everyone who denies Me here on earth, I will also deny before My Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:33). Nor did the apostle Paul who told us: “I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16a).
If you aren’t “ashamed of this Good News,” then you should be telling it. If you aren’t “ashamed of the Good News,” nobody should have to ask you whether or not you’re a Christian. They should know it by your walk, your talk, and your Christ-like love for others.
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples” (Jesus speaking, John 13:35).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
“The runners went from town to town throughout Ephraim and Manasseh and as far as the territory of Zebulun. But most of the people just laughed at the runners and made fun of them” (II Chronicles 30:10).
“Most of the people just laughed… and made fun of them.” Folks, being laughed at is a small price to pay for reaching out to others with the love of Jesus. Only in heaven will we learn the final outcome of the countless seeds we’ll plant throughout our lifetimes. While untold numbers Christians in other nations die daily for their faith, surely we can be courageous enough to risk a bit of embarrassment.
Sharing the Good News is so important that Jesus told a number of parables (teaching stories) relating to just that. In Matthew 25:14-30 we read the “Parable of the Three Servants.” In it, Jesus says a man preparing to leave on a long journey gives money to three of his servants and instructs them to use it wisely until he returns.
Two of the servants invest their master’s money so that they’ve doubled it by the time he returns. But one servant buries the money he’s been entrusted with and has not one bit extra to show for all the time he’s been given to invest it. Jesus concludes the parable with the master saying, “Throw this useless servant into outer darkness” (Matthew 25:30a).
Folks, every person who’s been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb has been entrusted with the precious Good News of Jesus and we’re to invest it by sharing it with others.
How many people have you shared the Good News with today? Yesterday? This week? This month? This year? We’re saved to share, not to shun the spreading of the Gospel. The servant who hid it away wasn’t even a believer; otherwise he wouldn’t have been cast “into outer darkness.”
Jesus didn’t beat around the bush when He said, “Everyone who denies Me here on earth, I will also deny before My Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:33). Nor did the apostle Paul who told us: “I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16a).
If you aren’t “ashamed of this Good News,” then you should be telling it. If you aren’t “ashamed of the Good News,” nobody should have to ask you whether or not you’re a Christian. They should know it by your walk, your talk, and your Christ-like love for others.
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples” (Jesus speaking, John 13:35).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Friday, February 21, 2014
FRIDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
The Temple and the people were rededicated to God: “The king and everyone with him bowed down in worship. Then Hezekiah declared, ‘Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the Lord, bring your sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings to the Temple of the Lord’” (II Chronicles 29:29, 31a, NLT).
“So the people brought their sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings, and all whose hearts were willing brought burnt offerings, too. The people brought to the Lord 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 male lambs for burnt offerings. They also brought 600 cattle and 3,000 sheep and goats as sacred offerings.
But there were too few priests to prepare all the burnt offerings. So their relatives the Levites helped them until the work was finished and more priests had been purified, for the Levites had been more conscientious about purifying themselves than the priests had been. There was an abundance of burnt offerings, along with the usual liquid offerings, and a great deal of fat from the many peace offerings.
So the Temple of the Lord was restored to service. And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of what God had done for the people” (II Chronicles 29:31b-36a).
With the Temple and the people back in harmony with Jehovah, “King Hezekiah now sent word to all Israel and Judah, and he wrote letters of invitation to the people of Ephraim and Manasseh. He asked everyone to come to the Temple of the Lord at Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of the Lord, the God of Israel. The king, his officials, and all the community of Jerusalem decided to celebrate Passover a month later than usual. They were unable to celebrate it at the prescribed time because not enough priests could be purified by then, and the people had not yet assembled at Jerusalem” (II Chronicles 30:1-3).
You’ve heard the expression, “Better late than never.” Despite being unable to hold their Passover celebration at the appropriate time, Hezekiah wasn’t going to let Judah miss out. The Passover commemorated the Israelite’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. As the death angel passed through the land, only those houses with the blood of the sacrificed Passover lamb were spared the death of their first-born. Year after year this ceremony pointed God’s people to Jesus.
“This plan for keeping the Passover seemed right to the king and all the people. So they sent a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north, inviting everyone to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of the Lord, the God of Israel. The people had not been celebrating it in great numbers as required in the Law.
At the king’s command, runners were sent throughout Israel and Judah. They carried letters that said: ‘O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that He will return to the few of us who have survived the conquest of the Assyrian kings. Do not be like your ancestors and relatives who abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and became an object of derision, as you yourselves can see. Do not be stubborn, as they were, but submit yourselves to the Lord. Come to His Temple, which He has set apart as holy forever. Worship the Lord your God so that His fierce anger will turn away from you.
For if you return to the Lord, your relatives and your children will be treated mercifully by their captors, and they will be able to return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful. If you return to Him, He will not continue to turn His face from you” (II Chronicles 30:4-9).
Despite their conflicts, Hezekiah still cared deeply for the spiritual welfare of all his fellow Israelites. He urged Israel to join with Judah in repentance and celebration of the Most High God. How would Israel respond?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
“So the people brought their sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings, and all whose hearts were willing brought burnt offerings, too. The people brought to the Lord 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 male lambs for burnt offerings. They also brought 600 cattle and 3,000 sheep and goats as sacred offerings.
But there were too few priests to prepare all the burnt offerings. So their relatives the Levites helped them until the work was finished and more priests had been purified, for the Levites had been more conscientious about purifying themselves than the priests had been. There was an abundance of burnt offerings, along with the usual liquid offerings, and a great deal of fat from the many peace offerings.
So the Temple of the Lord was restored to service. And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of what God had done for the people” (II Chronicles 29:31b-36a).
With the Temple and the people back in harmony with Jehovah, “King Hezekiah now sent word to all Israel and Judah, and he wrote letters of invitation to the people of Ephraim and Manasseh. He asked everyone to come to the Temple of the Lord at Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of the Lord, the God of Israel. The king, his officials, and all the community of Jerusalem decided to celebrate Passover a month later than usual. They were unable to celebrate it at the prescribed time because not enough priests could be purified by then, and the people had not yet assembled at Jerusalem” (II Chronicles 30:1-3).
You’ve heard the expression, “Better late than never.” Despite being unable to hold their Passover celebration at the appropriate time, Hezekiah wasn’t going to let Judah miss out. The Passover commemorated the Israelite’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. As the death angel passed through the land, only those houses with the blood of the sacrificed Passover lamb were spared the death of their first-born. Year after year this ceremony pointed God’s people to Jesus.
“This plan for keeping the Passover seemed right to the king and all the people. So they sent a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north, inviting everyone to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of the Lord, the God of Israel. The people had not been celebrating it in great numbers as required in the Law.
At the king’s command, runners were sent throughout Israel and Judah. They carried letters that said: ‘O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that He will return to the few of us who have survived the conquest of the Assyrian kings. Do not be like your ancestors and relatives who abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and became an object of derision, as you yourselves can see. Do not be stubborn, as they were, but submit yourselves to the Lord. Come to His Temple, which He has set apart as holy forever. Worship the Lord your God so that His fierce anger will turn away from you.
For if you return to the Lord, your relatives and your children will be treated mercifully by their captors, and they will be able to return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful. If you return to Him, He will not continue to turn His face from you” (II Chronicles 30:4-9).
Despite their conflicts, Hezekiah still cared deeply for the spiritual welfare of all his fellow Israelites. He urged Israel to join with Judah in repentance and celebration of the Most High God. How would Israel respond?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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