Day 30 - 50 day journey to Christ

Daily Reading:

Ecclesiastes 7

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

1 A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of one’s death than the day of one’s birth.
² It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
since that is the end of all mankind,
and the living should take it to heart.
³ Grief is better than laughter,
for when a face is sad, a heart may be glad.
⁴ The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in a house of pleasure.
⁵ It is better to listen to rebuke from a wise person
than to listen to the song of fools,
⁶ for like the crackling of burning thorns under the pot,
so is the laughter of the fool.
This too is futile.
⁷ Surely, the practice of extortion turns a wise person into a fool,
and a bribe destroys the mind.
⁸ The end of a matter is better than its beginning;
a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit.
⁹ Don’t let your spirit rush to be angry,
for anger abides in the heart of fools.
¹⁰ Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?”
since it is not wise of you to ask this.
¹¹ Wisdom is as good as an inheritance
and an advantage to those who see the sun,
¹² because wisdom is protection as money is protection,
and the advantage of knowledge
is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
¹³ Consider the work of God,
for who can straighten out
what He has made crooked?

¹⁴ In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man cannot discover anything that will come after him.

¹⁵ In my futile life I have seen everything: there is a righteous man who perishes in spite of his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in spite of his evil. ¹⁶ Don’t be excessively righteous, and don’t be overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself? ¹⁷ Don’t be excessively wicked, and don’t be foolish. Why should you die before your time? ¹⁸ It is good that you grasp the one and do not let the other slip from your hand. For the one who fears God will end up with both of them.

¹⁹ Wisdom makes the wise man stronger
than ten rulers of a city.
²⁰ There is certainly no righteous man on the earth
who does good and never sins.

²¹ Don’t pay attention to everything people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you,²² for you know that many times you yourself have cursed others.

²³ I have tested all this by wisdom. I resolved, “I will be wise,” but it was beyond me. ²⁴ What exists is beyond reach and very deep. Who can discover it? ²⁵ I turned my thoughts to know, explore, and seek wisdom and an explanation for things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity and folly is madness. ²⁶ And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a trap,her heart a net, and her hands chains. The one who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner will be captured by her. ²⁷ “Look,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find out the explanation, ²⁸ which my soul continually searches for but does not find: among a thousand people I have found one true man, but among all these I have not found a true woman. ²⁹ Only see this: I have discovered that God made people upright, but they pursued many schemes.”

Key: Bold - Verse of the Day

Reflection:  As I read today's chapter I am reminded of our walk through Proverbs 10 a couple of days back.  As we stepped through the do's and dont's  of righteousness, we were challenged to either memorize the book, or throw our hands up in resistance.  I think this chapter does the same, and yet provides the answer.  Look to Jesus, who in the book of Ecclesiastics is referred to as the Teacher. The proverbs are meant to only point us to Jesus, not provide us the answers, because having the answers still lead to death. 

Discussion Topic:  Today's discussion topic comes straight from the text.  Verse 13 asks.. Consider the work of God, for who can straighten out what He has made crooked?

Join the Discussion

Prayer:  Father in heaven, we come to You today one step closer to the arrival of Your Son, our Teacher and I thank You for that.  You alone are the source of our wisdom, You alone are the source of our understanding.  Your mercy and grace overwhelm us, Your compassion and knowledge are too much for us to comprehend.  Give us the wisdom that we need to accomplish the mission we have been created to fulfill.  With our eyes on You, and Your name on our heart we bow in honor to Jesus our King.  Amen.  


Acknowledgements: Text - BibleGateway.com, Artwork - Solomon: Nelson Ideas

Day 29 - 50 Day Journey To Christ

Daily Reading:

2 Chronicles 6

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

6 Then Solomon said:

The Lord said He would dwell in thick darkness,
² but I have built an exalted temple for You,
a place for Your residence forever.

³ Then the king turned and blessed the entire congregation of Israel while they were standing.⁴ He said:

May the Lord God of Israel be praised!
He spoke directly to my father David,
and He has fulfilled the promise
by His power.
He said,
⁵ “Since the day I brought My people Israel
out of the land of Egypt,
I have not chosen a city to build a temple in
among any of the tribes of Israel,
so that My name would be there,
and I have not chosen a man
to be ruler over My people Israel.
⁶ But I have chosen Jerusalem
so that My name will be there,
and I have chosen David
to be over My people Israel.”

⁷ Now it was in the heart of my father David
to build a temple for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
⁸ However, Yahweh said to my father David,
“Since it was your desire to build a temple for My name,
you have done well to have this desire.
⁹ Yet, you are not the one to build the temple,
but your son, your own offspring,
will build the temple for My name.”
¹⁰ So Yahweh has fulfilled what He promised.
I have taken the place of my father David
and I sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised.
I have built the temple for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
¹¹ I have put the ark there,
where Yahweh’s covenant is
that He made with the Israelites.

¹² Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands. ¹³ For Solomon had made a bronze platform 7½ feet long, 7½ feet wide, and 4½ feet high and put it in the court. He stood on it, knelt down in front of the entire congregation of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven. ¹⁴ He said:

Lord God of Israel,
there is no God like You
in heaven or on earth,
keeping His gracious covenant
with Your servants who walk before You
with their whole heart.
¹⁵ You have kept what You promised
to Your servant, my father David.
You spoke directly to him,
and You fulfilled Your promise by Your power,
as it is today.
¹⁶ Therefore, Lord God of Israel,
keep what You promised
to Your servant, my father David:
“You will never fail to have a man
to sit before Me on the throne of Israel,
if only your sons guard their way to walk in My Law
as you have walked before Me.”
¹⁷ Now, Lord God of Israel, please confirm
what You promised to Your servant David.

¹⁸ But will God indeed live on earth with man?
Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You,
much less this temple I have built.
¹⁹ Listen to Your servant’s prayer and his petition,
Lord my God,
so that You may hear the cry and the prayer
that Your servant prays before You,
²⁰ so that Your eyes watch over this temple
day and night,
toward the place where You said
You would put Your name;
and so that You may hear the prayer
Your servant prays toward this place.
²¹ Hear the petitions of Your servant
and Your people Israel,
which they pray toward this place.
May You hear in Your dwelling place in heaven.
May You hear and forgive.

²² If a man sins against his neighbor
and is forced to take an oath
and he comes to take an oath
before Your altar in this temple,
²³ may You hear in heaven and act.
May You judge Your servants,
condemning the wicked man by bringing
what he has done on his own head
and providing justice for the righteous
by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

²⁴ If Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy,
because they have sinned against You,
and they return to You and praise Your name,
and they pray and plead for mercy
before You in this temple,
²⁵ may You hear in heaven
and forgive the sin of Your people Israel.
May You restore them to the land
You gave them and their ancestors.

²⁶ When the skies are shut and there is no rain
because they have sinned against You,
and they pray toward this place
and praise Your name,
and they turn from their sins
because You are afflicting them,
²⁷ may You hear in heaven
and forgive the sin of Your servants
and Your people Israel,
so that You may teach them the good way
they should walk in.
May You send rain on Your land
that You gave Your people for an inheritance.

²⁸ When there is famine on the earth,
when there is pestilence,
when there is blight, mildew, locust, or grasshopper,
when their enemies besiege them
in the region of their fortified cities,
when there is any plague or illness,
²⁹ whatever prayer or petition
anyone from your people Israel might have—
each man knowing his own affliction and suffering,
and spreading out his hands toward this temple—
³⁰ may You hear in heaven, Your dwelling place,
and may You forgive and repay the man
according to all his ways, since You know his heart,
for You alone know the human heart,
³¹ so that they may fear You
and walk in Your ways
all the days they live on the land
You gave our ancestors.

³² Even for the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel
but has come from a distant land
because of Your great name
and Your mighty hand and outstretched arm:
when he comes and prays toward this temple,
³³ may You hear in heaven in Your dwelling place,
and do all the foreigner asks You.
Then all the peoples of the earth will know Your name,
to fear You as Your people Israel do
and know that this temple I have built
is called by Your name.

³⁴ When Your people go out to fight against their enemies,
wherever You send them,
and they pray to You
in the direction of this city You have chosen
and the temple that I have built for Your name,
³⁵ may You hear their prayer and petition in heaven
and uphold their cause.

³⁶ When they sin against You—
for there is no one who does not sin—
and You are angry with them
and hand them over to the enemy,
and their captors deport them
to a distant or nearby country,
³⁷ and when they come to their senses
in the land where they were deported
and repent and petition You in their captors’ land,
saying: “We have sinned and done wrong;
we have been wicked,”
³⁸ and when they return to You with their whole mind and heart
in the land of their captivity where they were taken captive,
and when they pray in the direction of their land
that You gave their ancestors,
and the city You have chosen,
and toward the temple I have built for Your name,
³⁹ may You hear their prayer and petitions in heaven,
Your dwelling place,
and uphold their cause.
May You forgive Your people
who sinned against You.

⁴⁰ Now, my God,
please let Your eyes be open
and Your ears attentive
to the prayer of this place.
⁴¹ Now therefore:

Arise, Lord God, come to Your resting place,
You and Your powerful ark.
May Your priests, Lord God, be clothed with salvation,
and may Your godly people rejoice in goodness.
⁴² Lord God, do not reject Your anointed one;
remember the loyalty of Your servant David.

Key: Bold - Verse of the Day

Reflection:  Solomon's prayer of dedication is extremely prophetic, as we find out later on in the story.  Put yourself at this historic dedication, the King who built this temple to the Lord is pleading with God for future mercy, future grace.  Praying to God about things like sin, rebellion, captivity and famine.  Crying out to God in a request that if we (mankind) will look to the Temple, and confess our sins, we will be forgiven.  

Discussion Topic:  What would you be feeling, if you knew that you and your people would experience the hardships prayed about in this prayer?

Prayer:  Father in Heaven, Your name is great, and worthy to be praised.  Jesus, your Son, gave His life to become our temple, we worship Him, we look to Him, we call to Him.  Speak to us as we prepare our hearts for Your return. We call to You in our time of distress, in our time of famine, our time of captivity, save us Oh Lord, remind us of how You rescue us from the darkness, You rescue us from the despair.  Comfort our hearts as we look to You.  Its Your Holy Name that seals our prayers, Amen.  

Acknowledgements: Text - BibleGateway.com, Artwork - Temple: freerepublic.com

Day 28 - 50 Day Journey To Christ

Proverbs 10

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

A Collection of Solomon’s Proverbs

1 Solomon’s proverbs:

A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son, heartache to his mother.

2 Ill-gotten gains do not profit anyone, but righteousness rescues from death.

3 The Lord will not let the righteous go hungry, but He denies the wicked what they crave.

4 Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring riches.

5 The son who gathers during summer is prudent; the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.

6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

7 The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.

8 A wise heart accepts commands, but foolish lips will be destroyed.

9 The one who lives with integrity lives securely, but whoever perverts his ways will be found out.

10 A sly wink of the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will be destroyed.

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

12 Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses.

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of the one who lacks sense.

14 The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool hastens destruction.

15 A rich man’s wealth is his fortified city; the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

16 The labor of the righteous leads to life; the activity of the wicked leads to sin.

17 The one who follows instruction is on the path to life, but the one who rejects correction goes astray.

18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.

19 When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is wise.

20 The tongue of the righteous is pure silver; the heart of the wicked is of little value.

21 The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.

22 The Lord’s blessing enriches, and struggle adds nothing to it.

23 As shameful conduct is pleasure for a fool, so wisdom is for a man of understanding.

24 What the wicked dreads will come to him, but what the righteous desire will be given to them.

25 When the whirlwind passes, the wicked are no more, but the righteous are secure forever.

26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so the slacker is to the one who sends him on an errand.

27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.

28 The hope of the righteous is joy, but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.

29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the honorable, but destruction awaits the malicious.

30 The righteous will never be shaken, but the wicked will not remain on the earth.

31 The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out.

32 The lips of the righteous know what is appropriate, but the mouth of the wicked, only what is perverse.

Key:  Bold - Verse of the Day

Reflection: Here we have a laundry list of acceptable and unacceptable behavior.  How can we possibly keep all this in our head and try to constantly meditate on just the few things listed here in this Proverb, never mind the rest of the bible?  We have One who dwells within us who convicts us of sin.  It is He who guides us and instructs us.  As He continually works in our life, it is our responsibility to live in the spirit and by the Spirit.  The more we surrender to Christ, the more our lives begin to reflect His example of what a true submitted child of God is.  As we walk in the spirit, those things that we're told is sinful, wicked, etc... will lose their power over us, causing our life to more closely mimic Jesus' example.

Discussion Topic: Sometimes we can get overwhelmed trying memorize all the do's and don'ts of the bible.  Why?  Because in doing so, we're trying to grab control of our lives away from God and operate in our own understanding and with our own strength.  The more control we give to God, the less we need to be concerned about doing the right thing, because the Holy Spirit will have greater influence in our life.  If there is an area of your life that you have difficulty giving to the Lord, ask yourself why?  Please share your thoughts on that particular issue you're having difficulty giving up control of.

Join the discussion on G+

Prayer: Father, it is through Your word that you reveal to us what is and is not acceptable in your sight.  I pray that as I continue draw closer to You, my life will take on more of the qualities that Jesus exhibited so that I can become more and more like Him.  Thank You for changing my life in ways that I cannot comprehend while I am still in the flesh.  Reveal in me an area in my life that I have not submitted to you and help me to let go.  May You be glorified forever and ever.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Acknowledgements: Text - BibleGateway.com, Artwork - Wise Solomon http://dannyhageman.wordpress.com/2011/07/

Day 26 - 50 Day Journey To Christ

Daily Reading:

Psalm 37
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

¹ Do not be agitated by evildoers;
do not envy those who do wrong.
² For they wither quickly like grass
and wilt like tender green plants.

³ Trust in the Lord and do what is good;
dwell in the land and live securely.
⁴ Take delight in the Lord,
and He will give you your heart’s desires.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in Him, and He will act,
⁶ making your righteousness shine like the dawn,
your justice like the noonday.

⁷ Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for Him;
do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way,
by the man who carries out evil plans.

⁸ Refrain from anger and give up your rage;
do not be agitated—it can only bring harm.
⁹ For evildoers will be destroyed,
but those who put their hope in the Lord
will inherit the land.

¹⁰ A little while, and the wicked person will be no more;
though you look for him, he will not be there.
¹¹ But the humble will inherit the land
and will enjoy abundant prosperity.

¹² The wicked person schemes against the righteous
and gnashes his teeth at him.
¹³ The Lord laughs at him
because He sees that his day is coming.

¹⁴ The wicked have drawn the sword and strung the bow
to bring down the afflicted and needy
and to slaughter those whose way is upright.
¹⁵ Their swords will enter their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.

¹⁶ The little that the righteous man has is better
than the abundance of many wicked people.
¹⁷ For the arms of the wicked will be broken,
but the Lord supports the righteous.

¹⁸ The Lord watches over the blameless all their days,
and their inheritance will last forever.
¹⁹ They will not be disgraced in times of adversity;
they will be satisfied in days of hunger.

²⁰ But the wicked will perish;
the Lord’s enemies, like the glory of the pastures,
will fade away—
they will fade away like smoke.

²¹ The wicked man borrows and does not repay,
but the righteous one is gracious and giving.
²² Those who are blessed by Him will inherit the land,
but those cursed by Him will be destroyed.

²³ A man’s steps are established by the Lord,
and He takes pleasure in his way.
²⁴ Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed,
because the Lord holds his hand.

²⁵ I have been young and now I am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous abandoned
or his children begging for bread.
²⁶ He is always generous, always lending,
and his children are a blessing.

²⁷ Turn away from evil and do what is good,
and dwell there forever.
²⁸ For the Lord loves justice
and will not abandon His faithful ones.
They are kept safe forever,
but the children of the wicked will be destroyed.
²⁹ The righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it permanently.

³⁰ The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom;
his tongue speaks what is just.
³¹ The instruction of his God is in his heart;
his steps do not falter.

³² The wicked one lies in wait for the righteous
and seeks to kill him;
³³ the Lord will not leave him
in the power of the wicked one
or allow him to be condemned when he is judged.

³⁴ Wait for the Lord and keep His way,
and He will exalt you to inherit the land.You will watch when the wicked are destroyed.

³⁵ I have seen a wicked, violent man
well-rooted like a flourishing native tree.
³⁶ Then I passed by and noticed he was gone;
I searched for him, but he could not be found.

³⁷ Watch the blameless and observe the upright,
for the man of peace will have a future.
³⁸ But transgressors will all be eliminated;
the future of the wicked will be destroyed.

³⁹ The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord,
their refuge in a time of distress.
⁴⁰ The Lord helps and delivers them;
He will deliver them from the wicked and will save them
because they take refuge in Him.

Key:  Bold - Verse of the Day

Reflection: We are not of this world.  The Lord has placed us here in enemy territory to be a witness, to be a light, to be the salt of the earth so that we may be vessels through which He can bring sight to the spiritual blind, that they may see, repent and be saved.  Although the wicked seem to succeed, they are eventually cut off and are no more.  When we are surrounded by evil, we need to pray and wait.  The Lord will deliver us!

Discussion Topic: God tells us that we're going to inherit the land, but while we wait, we have to exist in enemy territory with those who have given their loyalty to the Deceiver.  True born again believers are  belittled, ridiculed, brought before the court, tortured and even killed. What do you think is the most important thing we can do while we await the Bridegroom's return?

Join the discussion on G+

Prayer: Oh my heavenly Father, I pray for those who do not yet know of your love and mercy, your grace and forgiveness.  They are influenced by the enemy and have hardened their heart against the prompting of the Holy Spirit.  I know that we are in a spiritual battle, and I pray for those I know and love; that You would soften their heart and prepare their mind so that as they see You through me and my other brothers and sisters, they will become more open to that small still Voice that leads them to salvation through Jesus Christ.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Acknowledgements: Text - BibleGateway.com, Artwork - P.Graham Dunn