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Today’s Scripture: Jeremiah 37-41

Things to remember in today’s reading:

• Jerusalem’s last days:
  • Jeremiah warns Zedekiah that the Chaldeans are going to capture and burn Jerusalem.
  • Jeremiah is imprisoned then cast into a cistern because of his prediction.
  • Jeremiah is rescued from the cistern and warns Zedkiah again.
  • The fall of Jerusalem fulfills Jeremiah’s prediction.
  • The Lord delivers Jeremiah
• Judah’s futile rebellion against Babylon, against God’s will:
  • Jeremiah remains in Judah after the destruction of Jerusalem.
  • Gedeliah, Babylon’s Governor of Judah is murdered.
  • Hostages, taken during Gedeliah’s assassination, are rescued.

Things God is teaching me in today’s reading:

• Great cities and great nations have their rise and fall in the course of history.
• It may be hard for us to imagine the depths of the corruption and apostasy during the days of Jeremiah, just as it may be hard for us to realize the full force of the discovery of the copy of the book of the law (2^nd Chronicles 34:14-33).
• Throughout history God has called for men and women of faith to stand up for truth and justice and to sound a clear call to repentance!

Things to act on in today’s reading:

• I will try to develop a greater awareness of today’s societal issues and the role that I can play, as a Christian, in molding godly responses to them.
• Observing the good influence that Jeremiah was in aiding the young king Josiah to “seek the God of David his father” (2^nd Chronicles 34:3), I will seek to mentor young people as I have opportunity!

Things to pray about in today’s reading:

• Lord, please guide the political leaders of our day to have the spirit of a Josiah and the religious leaders a spirit of a Jeremiah!
• Lord, please help me to have a courage like Jeremiah to declare your judgments (Jeremiah 38:20-21) and a love like Jesus to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10)

Thanks for reading with me dear friend. Have a blessed day!!

— Randy Sexton

Today’s Scripture: Job 39-40

Things to remember in today’s reading:

In the midst of the Lord’s challenge to Job, he asks him if he knows how creation and its creatures are governed:

• Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? (1)
• Who has let the wild donkey go free? (5)
• Is the wild ox willing to serve you? (9)
• What do you know about the ostrich? (13)
• Do you give the horse his might? (19)
• Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars? (26)
• What do you know about my exercise of judgment and power on the earth? (Chapter 40)

Things God is teaching me in today’s reading:

• The ways of the Lord are “unsearchable” and far above those of man (Romans 11:33; Isaiah 55:8-9) and when we presume to know what is hidden about Him, we make a grave mistake!
• The intricacies of nature are the realm of God. Man can observe them with awe and wonder but never have the intimate relationship with them that their creator does.

Things to act on in today’s reading:

• Observe the greatness of God’s creation! “Stop and smell the roses!”
• Reflect upon man’s care of that creation – have we been good stewards of it?

Things to pray about in today’s reading:

• Lord, help me to always be in awe and to praise You for the wonders of the human body and your physical creation! (Job 37:14; Psalm 139:14; 19:1)
• Lord, help me to be a good steward of all that you have placed in my care!

Thanks for reading with me dear friend. Have a blessed day!!

— Randy Sexton

Today’s Scripture: Psalm 57-59

Things to remember in today’s reading:

• David perhaps wrote the words of the 57^th Psalm as he contemplated his escape from Saul to the Cave of Adullam or the Cave at Engedi (1^st Samuel 22:1 or 24:3)
• Though physical refuge may have been elusive, David expresses confidence that his soul can always find refuge in God!
• David is faithful that God will fulfill His purpose in Him!
• God will judge the earth and its tyrants will be brought to justice
• David perhaps wrote the words of the 59^th Psalm when Saul sent man to watch his house in order to kill him (1^st Samuel 19:11)

Things God is teaching me in today’s reading:

• God is my fortress and my strength!
• God will protect, deliver and save His children!
• God’s people will sing praises to Him, extolling His great love and magnifying his holy name!
• Those nations who think they are the world powers, God will hold in derision as he rouses Himself to punish them

Things to act on in today’s reading:

• I will praise the Lord with my lips and with my heart!
• When I feel the pressures of the day (“the storms of destruction” of 57:1?) crushing in upon me, I will take refuge in the shadow of God’s wings!
• I will trust God to fulfill His purpose for me (57:2) while trying my best to sell my skills, experience, and energies to help companies solve their challenges!

Things to pray about in today’s reading:

• For our rulers that they recognize God’s awesome power to control world events and to alter the course of time to fulfill His purposes
• For a steadfast heart, O God!

Thanks for reading with me dear friend. Have a blessed day!!

— Randy Sexton

Today’s Scripture: 2^nd Samuel 15-19

Things to remember in today’s reading:

• Absalom conspires against his father David and proclaims himself king.
• David flees from Jerusalem to escape Absalom.
• Absalom consults with Ahithophel and Hushai and then convenes a war council. Hushai’s allegiance remains with David while Ahithophel deserts to side with Absalom.
• David arrives at Mahanaim and musters his men to battle Absalom’s forces
• Absalom dies in battle and David grieves bitterly over his death
• David returns to Jerusalem but there are still occasions for division as Nathan had prophesied (12:10). The men of Israel accuse the men of Judah of “privatizing the king” (ESV Study Bible).

Things God is teaching me in today’s reading:

• Absalom’s self-exalting pride stands in contrast to David’s humility. If Psalm 3 is David’s response to this occasion, as some suggest, it is further evidence of David’s dependence on and confidence in the Lord.
• Family turmoil can bring unexpected burdens that can “cloud our vision” to our responsibilities. “First he lost Absalom’s love and loyalty, and now he has lost Absalom’s life and all hope of reconciliation.” – ESV Study Bible)
• The consequences of sin are many times long-reaching in their impact. The continuing division that Nathan predicted rears it’s head again in 19:8b-15 when factions from Israel and Judah debate the validity of David’s return to the throne and in 19:41-43 when they dispute about their involvement in the agreement to restore the kingdom to David.

Things to act on in today’s reading:

• I will examine my life for areas where I may have allowed pride to sneak in
• I will review daily, weekly and long-range plans for the training up of my children
• I will develop a study around the theme of “None of Self and All of Thee” (song with lyrics by Theodore Monrod-1874)

Things to pray about in today’s reading:

• Lord, help me to humbly serve like David and especially like Jesus
• Lord, help me to “begin with the end in mind” in my approach to all things in life, understanding the far-reaching consequences my actions may have.
• Lord, help me to teach my sons to respect authority; for You as the One True God with all authority and right to command obedience (John 17:1-3); for “governing authorities” and “leaders” (Romans 13:1-7; Hebrews 13:7); and for their mother and I as the “guardians” entrusted with their precious souls and with responsibility to train them up in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6).

Thanks for reading with me dear friend. Have a blessed day!!

— Randy Sexton

Today’s Reading: Exodus 25-28

Things to remember in today’s reading:

• Contributions for the Sanctuary are solicited from every man who’s “heart moves him” (25:2)
• Instructions are given for the building of the Ark of the Covenant, the building of the Table for the Bread of the Presence, the Golden Lamp stand, the Bronze Altar, The Court and the Tabernacle and a caution to make them all according to the “pattern … shown on the mountain (25:40; 26:30; and 27:8)

Things God is teaching me in today’s reading:

• The importance of worshipping God according to His pattern
• The care with which God expects me to approach my service to and my relationship with Him. The principle repeated over and over in Scripture is that those who honor Him, He will honor (1^st Samuel 2:30)
• The light that was to be “tended” by Aaron and his sons from evening to morning (27:20-21) reminds me of my responsibility to be a light shining before others that they may see my good works and give glory to my Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).
• The charge to Aaron and his sons to serve God as priests (28:1-5) reminds me of the charge to me to be a holy priest to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1^st Peter 2:5).
• Today’s reading impresses upon me the skill that is called forth by God as He details, with great intricacy, the various items that He commands His people to “make” for His service. They are all made for glory and beauty (28:40).

Things to act on in today’s reading:

• I will give only my best to the Lord
• When I am tempted to pursue my own plans for building, I will read God’s plan again!

Things to pray about in today’s reading:

• Lord, help me to honor You in all that I do!
• Lord, help me to see clearly what actions to take that will honor Your plan for my life, that will allow me to fulfill my role as “provider” to my family (1^st Timothy 5:8)

Thanks for reading with me dear friend. Have a blessed day!!

— Randy Sexton

Today’s Reading: 2^nd Corinthians 9-10

Things to remember in today’s reading:

• The pattern revealed for collections for needy Christians in one area to be assisted by those in another
• The keys to successful sowing and reaping, to acceptable giving and to bountiful distribution
• Paul defends his ministry and describes the “weapons of his warfare”
• Paul’s “boasts in the Lord”

Things God is teaching me in today’s reading:

• I need to be more mindful of the needs of my brothers and sisters in Christ.
• I need to find ways to reach out to those who are hurting; to help them carry their burdens and to relieve their pain; to share the comfort of God (Go back and read chapter 7, verses 6 through 13 of this same letter.)

Things to act on in today’s reading:

• I will send a card to my brother in Christ who is in the hospital, unable to receive visitors
• I will send a note of encouragement to a young couple in our congregation who are struggling in their marriage
• I will spend the afternoon with my mother on this Mother’s Day 2010

Things to pray about in today’s reading:

• Lord, help me to demonstrate my zeal and my readiness to serve, by the things I do and not just by what I say!
• Lord, help me to be the type of giver and sower that you love! May my giving and my sowing overflow in many thanksgivings to You as I function as an instrument of Your grace for the salvation of others!
• Lord, help me to be an imitator of your servant Paul in employing the “meekness and gentleness of Christ” (10:1) to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (10:5).

Today’s Reading: Luke 1-2

Things to remember in today’s reading:

• The unique way in which Luke introduces his gospel. The prologue is a single sentence, comprising verses 1-4 and “demonstrates Luke’s skill as a writer,” The ESV Study Bible says also it “ranks among the finest Greek writing of the first century.”
• Luke’s purpose in writing these things was that Theophilus might know the certainty of what has been taught about Jesus.

Things God is teaching me in today’s reading:

• Though my children may not have as special and unique a role as did John and Jesus, I need to be open to the calling of God in their lives.
• My role as a parent is to help my children grow and become strong in the spirit.

Things to act on in today’s reading:

• I will model good Bible study habits before my sons
• Our family circle will be unbroken as we jointly pray to our Father
• My son’s friends will see a home in which “the father is true and strong … where the mother in queenly quest, strives to show others God’s way is best … where the children are led to know Christ in His beauty who loves them so …”

Things to pray about in today’s reading:

• God give us Christian homes!
• Help me appreciate my sons and the time I have with them.
• Give me patience and wisdom to mold them into Christian men to be spiritual leaders of their families.

Thanks for reading with me dear friend. Have a blessed day!

–Randy Sexton

Reflections on My Daily Bible Reading May 3, 2010

Today’s Reading: Exodus Chapters 21 – 24

Things to remember in today’s reading:

The Jews were given rules by which to live. The ESV Study Bible says, “This section contains basic guidelines for living together as a just society while also calling the people to live as those who are set apart to the Lord.” The rules pertained to the movement of slaves in and out of households (21:2-11); situations in which someone has been injured by another (21:12-32); the loss of animals and property (21:33-22:15); a man paying a “bride-price” to his future father-in-law in order to marry his virgin daughter (22:16-17); offenses that carry the death penalty (22:18-20); instruction for Israel not to wrong or oppress a sojourner (22:21-23:9); worship instructions (23:10-19); commands for the conquest (23:20-33) and aspects of the covenant being confirmed (24:1-18).

Things God is teaching me in today’s reading:

God gives me rules by which to live as well. The law of Christ is more spiritual in nature than ceremonial. It deals more with the “heart and the intent” than the “letter” (Romans 2:28-29). God expects me to love Him with ALL of my heart, soul, and mind and to give Him my best.

Things to act on in today’s reading:

I will work to eliminate the time wasters in my life. I will take action to make it a part of my daily “to do list” to spend some quiet time with God. I will make an appointment with Him every day! I will learn from both the positive and the negative illustrations of those who have lived before me!

Things to pray about from today’s reading:

Lord, as I read the history of your dealings with your people of old, may my faith be strengthened each day of my life. As I read of your fulfillment of your covenant promises to Abraham, may I be reassured in the promises that you have made to me. The great hope of spending an eternity in heaven with you makes everything that I must endure in this life worth it all. May I never forget that the “rules” that you have given me, and that you expect me to pass on to my sons, are not “grievous” but are from your love to protect your children.

Thanks for reading with me dear friend,. Have a blessed day!

–Randy Sexton

Reflections on My Daily Bible Reading May 1, 2010

Today’s Reading: Mark 15-16

Today’s reading describes the deliverance of Jesus to Pilate by the Sanhedrin, his presentation of Jesus to the people, their mockery of Him, the crucifixion, and His death, burial and resurrection, followed by His post-resurrection appearances, the giving of the great commission and his ascension into heaven.

“What shall I do with Jesus?” is the impelling question that comes down through history to me today! The answer given to Pilate’s question by the Jews was, “Crucify him!” Although I live many years this side of the cross, I can live in such away as to crucify him once again and “hold him up to contempt,” according to Apostle Paul (Hebrews 6:6). My answer should be the same as the centurion who stood facing him when He breathed His last, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

I will allow the memory of this crucifixion story to motivate me to live better today. I am sad that Jesus had to suffer for my sins but am grateful that He did. Lord, help me to fully appreciate your sacrifice and may I always be willing to present myself a living sacrifice to you.

Today’s Readings: Psalm 119:89-176, Job 2, Isaiah 23, John 19:17-42.

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