Day 164: Job 40:24 - Psalms 4:1

I'm so glad to see that the book of Job ended on a positive note. I kinda figured it would, but for a while I was a little worried. It's fascinating to see the effects that counsel had on Job depending on who he got it from. When his "friends" were trying to help him, all they really ended up doing was upsetting him and making everything worse. They tried to feed him a bunch of their opinions and "insights" and it just made Job even more mad than he was before. Then came Elihu and he told Job exactly what God was telling him. And although Job didn't necessarily fall to his knees and decide to repent and turn everything around right then and there, but he did shut up and hear what his real friend had to say. And then finally, God spoke directly to Job. It's interesting to note that only after God spoke directly to him did he decide to change his mind and follow God. I believe these three levels of advice very directly correspond to the levels of advice that we as believers seek out and face on a regular basis. There is a certain level of advice that the world will always offer us whether we want it or not. This type of advice will only make matters worse. Then there is the type of advice that one would hear in a church service. Although what the person is saying may not be a direct and specific word to you regarding your circumstances, the Biblical principles are enough to at least get you thinking and ready to search for a new way. And then finally, the way to truly be at the place to turn everything around is it get a real Word from God. When God truly speaks to us, there's no possible way that we would be able to ignore what He said. His words are truth and if we will follow them, they will lead us out of the darkness and into the place God has called us. 

- Father, help me to choose carefully the type of counsel I receive. There are alot of believers who end up messing things up because they take advice from the wrong people, and I don't want to end up like them. Father, I pray that You speak to me and show me the way out of this pit and into Your presence. - 

Day 163: Job 38:1 - 40:23

Wow, I would not want to be in Job's shoes when God called him out like that. It's so funny because trying to read that imagining that a human was saying it to Job is moving enough, but when you consider that God Himself spoke to Job out of a thunderstorm, it just makes you shiver. I think what God said to Job is such a powerful message that so many people in our society need to hear today. It seems like there are so many people today who seem to have the mindset that they've been everywhere and they've seen everything, but until they've seen and done the kinds of things that God has, they  have absolutely no room to talk. Maybe next time someone decides they have the right to talk to God like Job did, they should check out these passages to find out if they "qualify" for that sort of talk.

- Lord, help me to remember that compared to You and Your infinite glory, I'm nothing. The only thing that makes me worth anything is You working in and through me to complete Your work. Help me to learn the humility that I need from Job so that I don't have to learn it all on my own! -

Day 162: Job 34:37 - 37:24

I love the picture of God that Elihu paints in this passage. What he said about God and how big He is is just such an awesome revelation that I wish more people would understand. He completely griped Job out for thinking that he somehow had the right and the authority to yell at and gripe out the Almighty God. Elihu reminds us that God isn't just some small human down on the same level as all of the rest of us. God isn't some finite being that can slip up or make mistakes. God is the creator of the universe and He holds this tiny insignificant speck of a universe in the palm of His hand. There has never been nor will ever be anything that could ever compare to God so the next time one of us thinks that we have the right to tell God how things should be, maybe we should think again.

- Lord, help me to remember that I could never even think about questioning You or Your ways. You are so high above anything I could ever imagine and help me to always be aware of the fact that You are Holy and blaming my problems on You is the dumbest thing I could ever think of. -

Day 161: Job 31:40 - 34:36

I must say I'm starting to like this guy Elihu. Although Job said some really stupid things and have some really stupid friends, he was very blessed to have a friend like Elihu who was willing to sit and listen before he spoke up and delivered the message that God wanted him to deliver. I think each and every one of us either have been or will be in the situation at some point where we'll have the floor and the opportunity to share with someone else what God is saying to them through us. And when that time comes, we have a choice whether we want to be like the first 3 friends and just shoot off our mouths and "give them a piece of our mind," or whether we want to be like Elihu and listen to the entire story as well as listen to God before we even dare open our mouths to speak. I think I would personally rather chose the second option. Helping out a friend in need is alot more important than letting them know my opinion.

- Lord, help me to be a supportive, loving friend who is willing to listen to You and follow Your guidance when it comes to giving advice to those around me. Also, thank You for the friends You've given me who are willing and able to wait on You and hear what You have to say before giving me advice. Their opinions are somewhat important, but Yours is much more so. -

Day 160: Job 29:1 - 31:39

I noticed something very interesting at the beginning of this passage. In the midst of Job's whining and complaining, he decides to blame all of his troubles on the assumption that God changed and decided to do something differently. We must always remember that we serve a God who doesn't change. We might change; our circumstances and the people around us might change; but God is the same yesterday today and forever. So many times Christians get caught up wondering what God decided to do differently and why He changed when what they should be doing is figuring out what they should change in order to get out of the mess that they've gotten in. As convenient as it may be to blame all of our troubles on God, we need to come back to reality and understand that God isn't the only influence in this life and maybe we need to change before we start trying to get Him to.

- Lord, thank You for being a God who never changes. Give me the strength and the intelligence to realize that when things start to go downhill, perhaps it's me who needs to change. Help me to understand that You don't change and that's a good thing. In a world of uncertainty and instability, we will always need a sure foundation in You. -

Day 159: Job 24:25 - 28:28

It's interesting and yet a little sad to read about Job's search for "Wisdom." I know that the book of James wasn't even close to being around at this time, but James 1:5 tells us that if we are lacking in Wisdom, all we have to do is ask God for it and He will gladly give it to us. And although that passage had not yet been recorded on paper, I believe that the principle has always been the same. It's so very encouraging to be reminded that we don't have to travel all of the world in search of wisdom. We don't have to suffer through seeing our entire family die, or sit around while God "punishes" us in order to finally gain wisdom. We don't even have to fall on our faces and tear our clothes screaming out and begging for it, all we have to do is ask God and He will be more than happy to not only give it to us, but give it to us in excess.

- Lord, help me to not waste my time searching in futility for a wisdom that I'll never be able to find on my own. Help me to not be like Job crying about how man can never find wisdom. Help me to keep these principles deep within my heart so that when the time comes and the attack is at hand I will remember that I don't have to scramble or panic, I just have to ask and You will give me the wisdom that I need. -

Day 158: Job 21:18 - 24:24

I'm sure I've probably already presented this point once, but I want to go back and visit the importance of listening to God before you start handing out advice and counsel to others. Though it's entirely possible that Job's friends did seek God before they went and talked to Job, there's nothing in the book about it. And based on the wide variety of opinions and things that they said to him, it would appear that most of the things they're saying are just their human opinions. As Christians there will inevitably be times when those around us look to us for help and advice and one of the worst things that a believer can do is ignore what God is saying and just spew out their thoughts and opinions. The world doesn't need our logic or our opinions, they've got plenty of those for themselves. What they need from us is the life changing Word of God that can break down barriers and change lives in an instant.

- Father, help me to rely on You to give me the answers when those around me are asking. Help me to not rely on what I think or what I feel, but rather help me to rely on the Words that come out of Your mouth. -

Day 157: Job 18:21 - 21:17

I have to say that the initial comments that Job's friends made against him made me almost feel sorry for him, but now I'm starting to feel a little differently. It's understandable that people would come to him and say the kinds of things they did to him, but there came a point when rather than walk away from his attackers, Job decided to combat their petty opinions with his own petty opinions. I think that this is a very common mistake than so many Christians make when dealing with someone who thinks they know the answer. Our job is not to defend ourselves or our religion with opinions and intellect. Our job is to rely solely on our Father in Heaven and His Word to not only defend us, but propel us to new heights out of the pain and suffering down below. We must always remember that God operates on a much higher level than our simple human intellects and so to defend Him using our intellect is like defending a tank with a toothpick - if we will just get out of the way, God can take care of Himself.

 - Father, help me to rely on You to get me out of these situations rather than think that I could out-think or out-smart the opposition. Help me to remember that the solutions don't come from winning an argument or proving a point, they come from having faith in You Word. -

Day 156: Job 14:22 - 18:20

It's very interesting to see how influenced the words of Job and his friends are by the devil. You know, the immature, shallow understanding of the devil would say that it is impossible for him to tell the truth, but the fact is that he does know how to tell the truth and he usually tells us just enough truth to convince us that he's right, but not nearly enough truth to help us find victory. Reading through the things that Job and his friends have been saying, there really are alot of principles that, when in the proper context, are true statements, but when brought into the light of the wrong situation bring nothing but fighting and confusion. I understand that there are obvious psychological and emotional benefits from talking out the things that are bothering us, but one thing we must always be careful of is that we are sure that what is coming out of our mouth is based on the Word of God and the faith we have in it. Otherwise, the devil will grab hold of the things we say and I promise you he will not let go until our lives have been ruined.

- Lord help me to not just say whatever sorry negative thing pops into my head at any given moment. And give me the strength to ignore the negative destructive words of those around me. The only words that I need to hear are the ones that come from Your mouth because I know those are the words that will bring new life and blessings. - 

Day 155: Job 11:10 - 14:21

I know that Job isn't really anywhere near getting everything straightened out at this point because I'm familiar with the premise of the book and we're not even half-way through it yet. But I do know that it looks like Job is starting to head in the right direction. Two things jumped out at me in this passage. First of all, Job finally came to the point where he didn't care one bit about what his "friends" were saying and he realized that even though they called themselves his friends, they were only concerned about themselves. Secondly, Job finally addressed God directly rather than just griping about Him in the third person. Although God is omnipresent and will always know what we're saying or even thinking, it seems to be very human for someone to think that there's a difference between talking bad about God and saying the exact same thing to His face. I'm glad to see that Job finally decided to stop griping about God "behind His back" and deal with Him face-to-face. Although Job is a long way from the end, he is at least starting to find his way towards it.

- Lord, help me to remember to look towards You when I'm down rather than just griping and complaining about You being a big mean bully whose out to get me. I know right now it's easy to think that Job is just being a big sissy, but I know myself and I know that things can turn south pretty quickly, but I know that You will always be there ready to help when I turn to You and ask. -

Day 154: Job 8:1 - 11:9

Ok, well the biggest issue I see right now through these passages is the fact that Job has all of his anger focussed on the wrong subject. I think there are alot of people all over the world who handle their problems the exact same way. Sadly, as "holy" and "wise" as it sounds to say that God is in control of everything, the honest truth is that He isn't in control of everything. That doesn't mean that God is powerless or that He can't take control, but the truth is that we don't serve a God who just sits around controlling and playing with everything He created. We serve a God who gave us the wonderful gift of free will - the very same gift that allowed Adam and Eve to welcome Satan into the earth and take a little bit of control for himself. So my word of advice to you is to think twice before you start blaming God for all of your problems and remember that there are others in this world - namely yourself and Satan who are just as capable of screwing everything up.

- Father, help me to hold my tongue and try not to blame You whenever things go wrong. I know that there are some occasions when it just seems like the easiest solution is to blame You and get mad at You, but help me to know that all of You promises are yes and amen so if I'm getting an answer contrary to that, maybe I'm listening to the wrong voice. -

Day 153: Job 4:21 - 7:21

Wow, I must say that I'm a little annoyed with Job and we're only 7 chapters in. I'm not sure if this will be a recurring theme throughout the entire book, but I can already spot two very definite issues with Job and how he is handling these troubles. For starters, his buddy Eliphaz is doing absolutely nothing but making Job's life worse while making himself feel like he's accomplished something. I have to admit that I've found myself acting just like Eliphaz and I'd be willing to be that somewhere along the way, you've been guilty of the same.  Job didn't even ask Eliphaz for his advice, but he sure did get it. If our friends are down, it's definitely not our job to come around and explain to them why they're hurting and what they need to change. Our job as Christian friends is to cry with them, pray with them and believe God with them. Which brings me to my next point. In this stage of Job's suffering, he is reminding me less of a brilliant poet who wrote a book of the Bible and more of a selfish immature 5-year old who didn't get his way. I understand that he lost nearly everything that he held dear, but instead of falling back into the arms of the One who should have meant more to him than any of these things, he sat in a dirt pile and felt sorry for himself. I know that Job will eventually turn back to God, but just imagine what would have happened if he had just turned his eyes towards Heaven and threw whatever bit of faith and trust that he had left on God. I'm not completely sure what the next chapters have in store, but I can guarantee that they would be full of much different content if he had turned to God at this point.

- Lord, help me to not be the friend who tries to "fix" everyone's problems by telling them what I think is wrong with them. Help me to have genuine compassion, not pity, for them so that I can stand in the gap and pray for and with them. Also, give me the strength and wisdom to look to You for the answer at the beginning rather than waiting till I have absolutely nothing left before I turn to You. I have a feeling that route may save me a great deal of pain and heartache. -

Day 152: Esther 9:32 - Job 4:20

I have to be honest and say that of all the books of the Bible, I think I've looked forward to reading Job the least. And not only that, but I'm not sure that I will be able to know exactly what I feel like the entire book is saying until I've read it from beginning to end. But there are a few things that I do know already about the book and a couple of things that I've gotten so far. First of all, I do know that this entire book is about suffering, and if that's not a common thread that all of us throughout history have always and will always share, I don't know what is. Secondly, I know that it's about how one man handled the suffering - and I believe we see the right way and the wrong way to handle it. I've heard both sides of the ". . . Lord given and the Lord taketh away," argument and I have to be honest, I think both sides have some pretty convincing "logical" points, but I would have to say that when you're dealing with suffering, logic is the last place anyone would ever want to look. I plan to read this book with an open heart and through the eyes of love. If there's one big truth we could get from the Bible, it would have to be that God is Love and that God loves His children. Not with the kind of love that always makes sure that they're happy comfortable, but the kind of love that gives them strength when the devil has taken everything away and the kind of love that gives them the wisdom to not only learn from the circumstances that caused the suffering, but to learn from the suffering itself. I may not necessarily be looking forward to reading all of these chapters about a man whose life has been torn apart, but I am definitely looking forward to learning and gaining a deeper understanding of human suffering and how to find God in the midst of it all.

- Lord, help me to set aside all of the preconceived notions that I have about the book of Job. Help me to learn what You want me to learn and not simply remember what others have tried to convince me of. I know that suffering has always been and will always be a part of life, but I believe that through the words of these Scriptures, I can learn not only how to handle it, but also how to use it to get myself and others to the place that You are calling us. -

Day 151: Esther 4:17 - 9:31

I realize that the main focus of the entire book of Esther is Esther herself, but since I wrote about her in my last post, I'd like to write about the other big character in this wonderful story - Mordecai. Mordecai is the perfect example of what happens when you choose to live your life with real integrity. Mordecai could have very easily ignored what he heard about the attempts on the kings life, but instead he decided to do the right thing and report it. What's interesting is that there was some noticeable time that passed by between the time that he saved the kings life and the time that he was repaid. And yet Mordecai never complained or griped about what he deserved. He just continued doing what God had called him to do and look what happened. God came down in his darkest hour and not only saved him, but saved an entire group of people. It's important enough to understand that integrity can have a huge impact on our own future, but what we must remember is that the future of an entire group of people may be riding on whether or not you live your life with integrity.

- Lord, give me the strength to live my life with the highest level of integrity. It's easy to live right when everyone's watching, but I want to make You happy even when I'm the only one around. I want my integrity to not only help out my own future, but help me lead my generation back to Your arms! -

Day 150: Neh 13:20 - Esther 4:16

In the story of Esther, we see a wonderful example of a person who understands that the call on her life is so much bigger and more important than life itself. I'm sure there were probably alot of Jews at that time who, given the circumstances that Esther was in, would probably have just kept their mouths shut and prayed that the king didn't come after them as well. It takes a certain level of commitment to be brave and make the kind of decision that Esther made, but I believe it's also a level of commitment that can only come from God changing our hearts as we stand completely willing and ready for Him to totally rearrange our hearts and turn our lives upside down. Being a careful Christian may get you to Heaven, but God didn't call us to be careful Christians, He called us to be passionate, strong men and women of God!

- Lord, help me to have the kind of heart that Esther had for You. It's easy to say that I would be willing to die for You, but it's another thing to honestly be willing to die for You if faced with the choice. But regardless of whether or not that choice may ever come, I want to be known as someone who is not afraid of what man can do, but is only afraid of what might happen if I don't stand up and do what You've called me to do. -

Day 149: Neh 11:18 - 13:19

Sometimes when I read passages like this, I get something regarding the entire passage and then other times, it's like there are just a couple of verses that really speak to me. In the first three verses of Nehemiah 13, I read something very interesting. After reading the Book of the Law, they realized that God banned anyone from the Moabite or Ammonite tribes to be in the congregation of God. And as soon as they read that, without regard to people's opinions, popular vote, or whether or not it was politically correct, they wen straight to work getting those people out of their congregation. Now I realize today that it doesn't matter what race a person is, God welcomes them in, but the basic concept of completely doing away with something that God disagrees with is largely non-existent in the church today. There are so many churches out there who read in the Bible that this is wrong or that is wrong and rather than simply removing the problem, they either ignore it, or they embrace it in the name of "tolerance" or "being progressive." God doesn't want a church that in which each and every person can feel comfortable in their sin. God wants us to be a church of integrity that commands change in the lives of those involved not so that they can fit some sort of predetermined mold, but so that they can truly live the kind of life that God intends for them to live. 

- Father, help me to grow a ministry of integrity and not one of "tolerance." Help me to remember that my goal on this earth is not to cuddle up and make people feel all warm and fuzzy, but my goal is to change my world and build up a neighborhood/city/state/nation of people who will serve the Lord regardless of what is going on around them! -

Day 148: Neh 9:1 - 11:17

I can't help but wonder what it would've been like to be with this group of people as they began their journey back to being the people that God called them to be and doing the things that God told them to do. In books like this one, there isn't a whole lot of information regarding specific things they did and whether or not they did everything absolutely perfect and to the letter, but I would like to imagine that there was probably somewhat of a learning curve that they had to overcome before they were able to live the way that God wanted them to. It seems there are alot of people out there today who don't want to come back to God simply because they don't think that they can start out being perfect like they think they're supposed to. We must always remember that we serve a merciful God and He doesn't expect us to be perfect before we've even started following Him. As long as those people are willing and ready to allow their lives to be changed, All they have to do is come to God with a desire to be changed, and He will do the rest.

- Father, help me to always communicate Your grace to those willing and ready to be changed. Help me to remember that we can't "clean them before we catch them," but if we will be faithful to catch them and they will be willing to change, that You will be faithful to grab hold of them and totally and completely rearrange their lives and point them towards You and what You've called them to. -

Day 147: Neh 7:16 - 8:18

You know, we've read before about how the people of Israel reacted to the reading of the Bible for the first time in ages, and there are two very important, but very different reactions that we have now seen take place when the Word is preached to them. The first reaction is the people falling down on their faces and weeping because they know that what they have been doing has been wrong and contrary to the Word of God. This is an important step because it shows us that they truly did understand and have a deep desire to straighten up. Unfortunately, what we often see is people hear God's Word, get to this stage, and then just give up. The fact is, we can't just leave it at that. After God's people heard and wept, we see that Nehemiah and Ezra went to the people and told them to get up and celebrate that they had finally gotten the chance to learn the Word of God. This is a very important step to remember because had they not made it to this point, they may have never truly been able to move on and accept what God wanted to do in their lives. 

- Lord, help me to not just inform the world of what they're doing wrong and bring conviction on their lives, but help me to also have the strength to rejoice with them in the fact that they have heard Your Word and can now go on to live the lives that You have called them to. - 

Day 146: Neh 3:32 - 7:15

I just love chapter 4 of Nehemiah because it's a wonderful picture of how each and every one of us should handle our own Christian walk. In chapter 4, Nehemiah commands everyone working on the wall of Jerusalem to carry their tools in one hand and a weapon in the other. Whether it was a hammer and a sword, or a shovel and a spear, every worker was not only armed with the proper tools to help him get his job done, he was also armed with the proper weapon to take care of anyone who would try to hinder his progress. There are alot of people who live their lives in the ministry thinking that since they're doing God's work, nobody will ever cross them and life will be all gumdrops and kittens. Sadly, those are usually the same people who end up working a dead-end, pointless job only years later wondering what ever happened to their ministry and blaming God for every bit of failure. The truth is, if you're brave enough to get up there and build that wall, you better be expecting some pretty heavy opposition from the enemy because they're not gonna wait until you're out on the battle field dressed head-to-toe in armor. The "battlefield" has always been and will always be the place that God has called you to whether you're ready or not.

- Lord, help me to always work with a sword in one hand and a hammer in the other. Help me to not be afraid to stand up and fight when all I'm supposed to be doing is sitting back and building the wall. Help me to always be prepared so that when the enemy comes to sneak up on me, the only one to be surprised will be him. -

Day 145: Ezra :14 - Neh 3:31

The first thing that hit me regarding the story of Nehemiah is the fact that he worked in conjunction with Ezra in an effort to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. It's oftentimes easy to think of the restoration as something that Ezra did or something that Nehemiah did, but without both of them doing their part at the same time, the city would've never been rebuilt. We must always remember that even though God has called us to something huge, we may not always be the only one called to that specific thing. I've known people before in the ministry who have chosen to neglect any new relationships or connections with other people because they already know what they're called to do and all they need is God and His provision. The fact is,  one of the things that God oftentimes provides for us to complete His work is relationships with other men and women of God. So instead of thinking that all you need is God and everyone else should just leave you alone, keep your eyes open because you never know when God may send someone your way who will be the next big step in accomplishing God's will for your life.

- Father, help me not to take relationships with other people for granted. You didn't create any of us to be an island completely cut off from other people. You created us to be social creatures in need of other people to help keep us motivated and excited and to simply help us in the physical labor of doing Your work. Thank You for the relationships that I have and help me to see their full potential so that we can accomplish what You have placed in our hearts. -

Day 144: Ezra 7:1 - 10:13

It's interesting to see how quickly things looked like they were going south with the Israelites once they had been allowed to go back to their homeland. After only a few chapters, the Israelites were already going around marrying foreign wives and giving their daughters to foreign husbands. Fortunately, instead of just turning a deaf ear to the problem and letting people do whatever they wanted, Ezra stood up and did the two most important things one can do in this sort of situation - he asked God to forgive them, and then he made it right. I know that this wasn't by any means the end of all of Israel's problems or troubles, but I do believe that because Ezra was obedient and faithful in recognizing the problem, he singlehandedly saved Israel from repeating another devastating collapse. It's always easier to just ignore or pretend not to notice when people in ministry with us or when we ourselves begin to fall back into the same sin that God had already delivered us, but if we will just stand firm and make a strong decision not to allow it and turn a complete 180, God will honor that and we will be able to avoid all of the pain and frustration that could have been.

- Lord, help me to deal with sinful issues in my life the second I see them and not just sit around and hope that maybe they'll go away or magically get better. I don't want to take the easy way of side-stepping the issues because I know that in the end, the "easy" way is usually the way that causes the most  pain. -

Day 143: Ezra 2:70 - 6:22

It's so interesting to read about King Cyrus and King Darius and the roles they played in reestablishing God's people. At first glance, one would assume that these two kings would have a negative impact on the Children of Israel and them getting back to the land that God promised them, but at least in this part of history, God was able to use these two men to get His people back to their homeland with arms full of blessings so they could rebuild the life that God had promised them. We need to always remember that even though there may be people in our lives currently who would appear to play a role opposite what God wants for our lives, if we will  just be faithful and trust in God, He can use even the most unlikely people and/or circumstances to see to it that His will is accomplished. As long as our faith is in Him, we no longer have to concern ourselves with everything else around us.

- Lord, help me to remember that You're will is all that matters and it's not my job to decided how it will be carried out or who will help me carry it out. Give me the strength to accept help from even the most unlikely sources so that I can do what is right and accomplish what You've put in my heart to accomplish. -

Day 142: 2 Chr 36:23 - Ezra 2:69

You know, going through and reading the Bible is alot like the Christian walk itself. I have to be honest, there have been a few spots so far going through the Bible that things were starting to get pretty rough and there were a couple of times where in my flesh, I really just wanted to stop reading the Bible and find something a little easier to do - like play through a video game or start reading some sort of adventure novel. Just like it has been reading through the Old Testament so far, I've come across times throughout my walk with the Lord where things were starting to get a little tough and dark and, to be honest, I've had a couple of times when I thought about just dropping out and being a nominal Christian like so many others out there today. You know, some sort of "user-friendly" Christianity where I could follow the rules I liked and the ones that made me appear to be much more advanced and mature than the people around me, but I would conveniently ignore the parts where God commands us to live every part of our lives with integrity regardless of who is watching or the parts about giving ourselves wholly to the Father and not leaving any part for the world or for the devil. As easy as it would be for me to just drop out and leave things as they are right now, I know that in doing that, I would never get to the part in my life where God takes me from all of the nonsense and frustration that comes from living a carnal life and drops me right back into the middle of His will. After what seemed like and eternity of reading about the Children of Israel messing up and missing the mark and causing trouble, I'm finally seeing the redemptive power that has been promised all throughout the passages I've read so far. And as I read through the book of Ezra, I can't help but believe that, just as the Children of Israel are heading back to the place that God has called them, God is completing the final stages of preparing me for the work that I know He has called me to. Not work that revolves around me making as much money as I can and trying my hardest to advance my career, but work that involves me reaching as many people as I can and trying my hardest to advance the Kingdom of God. I am finally coming out of captivity and this is the hour that I will see the redemption that God has promised me for years! I choose to mark this day in my mind because this is the darkest things will ever be and the lowest that my life will ever get!

- Lord, I choose to stand firm and not lean to the right or to the left. I can finally see the end of this chapter in my life and I will continue to look forward towards the blessing and the call that You've placed on my life. Help me to not forget what I've learned in the valley so that I will be able to take it and help others get to the place where You have called them to be! -

Day 141: 2 Chr 33:25 - 36:22

There is alot to take in in this passage, but I want to focus on one phrase that really hit me. When Josiah decided to clean up the temple, some of the men working found the Book of Moses. Whenever they brought it to Josiah and read it to him, the Bible says that he ripped his robes into pieces in dismay. It's sad to think how many people there are in this world and how many of them desperately need to hear the Bible. Sadly, though, I can't help but wonder how many of them would really be upset enough to tear their robes and go into mourning. I've seen plenty of people hear the Word and perhaps be a little bummed out about it. I've seen people hear the Bible and just laugh and shrug it off as if it were some sort of silly joke. I've seen people get so angry that all they want to do now is prove that the Bible is wrong and that everything they're doing is right. Unfortunately, this is one subject that we have very little control over. I can get on my knees and repent for myself and change my own life, but I can't change the hearts of all of those people not yet ready to accept God's Word. My point is, all we can do for those people is pray. Pray that they don't end up like the nation of Judah - making somewhat of a decision to change when it's already too late. Please join with me in prayer for those people so that they may accept God's Word and turn their lives around so they can take part in the blessings that God has in store for them. 

- Lord, right now I pray for those whose hearts have turned against You. I understand that some may only have one more chance to hear Your Word, and I pray that You being to soften their hearts and bring things and influences into their lives to help them realize that Your way is the only way to go. Bring them confirmation and peace when they do choose You over their pagan gods so that they will know that they have now chosen the One True God. -

Day 140: 2 Chr 30:14 - 33:24

You know, I guess maybe Im just an idealist because I love reading the stories about the kings who loved God and worshiped God and didn't have to deal with the pain and frustration that the others dealt with. I love this story of Hezekiah, and I especially love the part towards the middle about the Assyrian king Sennacherib coming to take over Judah. It seems like in most of these stories of the kings of Judah, there's some sort of paradox where bad things are happening to good people for a good reason or good things are happening to bad people for a bad reason, but in this story, it's very simple and easy to understand what exactly was happening. Hezekiah and the people of Judah were being righteous and faithful to God, Assyria showed to up to insult God and destroy the nation, Judah prayed and asked God for help, and God completely destroyed the Assyrian army! You know, it really doesn't get any more cut-and-dry than that! As long as we're faithfully serving the Lord our God, when the devil sends our enemies to attack, all we have to do is faithfully ask and believe and God will pick us up and take care of our enemies for us!

- Father, thank You for being such a faithful God. It's easy sometimes to be intimidated or think that You're too busy to take care of my problems, but help me to remember that You love me and as long as I will humble myself and look towards You, there's nothing in this world that You would rather do than deliver me! -

Day 139: 2 Chr 27:1 - 30:13

I just love the way that these passages ended up together because we can see such a huge contrast between Ahaz and Hezekiah. I think passages like this one regarding the life of Hezekiah are very important to read because they remind us that redemption is never too far away. And no matter how dark things have become or how bad things are, if we will be like Hezekiah and turn from the wickedness of the past and rebuild everything in honor of God, God will offer His forgiveness. It's also very important to note that Hezekiah didn't just take the old junk lying around and try to somehow make that honor God, He rebuilt and cleaned out everything making sure that God wasn't getting some second-hand afterthought of a worship service, but that God was being honored the best possible way that the nation of Judah could afford.

- Lord, help those who have turned away from You remember that redemption isn't too far away from them. All they have to do is make a complete 180, change their hearts and minds and make a decision to honor You and You will accept their prayers and give them the redemption that they so desperately need. -