THE CALL TO LOVING OBEDIENCE AND FAITHFULNESS Some of them had charge of…  Others of them were appointed over… II Chronicles 9:28             “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).  Salvation is all through grace.  As someone has coined—G.R.A.C.E.— “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.”  We do not do the work of God to be saved, but we do the work of God because we…

OUR AWESOME GOD! For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. —II Chronicles 5:13 But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built! —II Chronicles 6:18 May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun! May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed! —Psalm 72:17             God is only good.  There is no evil in him whatsoever.  When men have a wrong view of God it is because of their sinful, fallen nature thinking perversely.  Not only is He good, but “his…

PROCLAIM HIM TO THE NEXT GENERATION SO THEY WILL AS WELL! So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. —Psalm 71:18             Wow… I am getting older!  I ponder age… I am older by years now than my grandfather and father where when they died.  That is a sobering thought!  My how times have passed.  It is hard to believe I have 4 adult children and 7 grand-daughters and one grandson.  Wow…             But my desire, in my older age, is to proclaim our Lord to the next generations—…

HE IS WITH THOSE WHO LOVE HIM… FINISH HIS WORK! Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the LORD God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished. —I Chronicles 28:20             Fellow followers of Jesus, brothers and sisters, “we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).  We, therefore, are “a people that are his very own,…

BE STRONG… BE COURAGEOUS… FEAR NOT… DON’T BE DISCOURAGED! Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed. —I Chronicles 22:13 “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you.  —I Chronicles 28:20 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. —II Chronicles 32:7  Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. —Joshua 10:25 May they be blotted out of the book…

LIVE BY HIS STRENGTH! And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. —I Chronicles 18:6, 13 Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us. —Psalm 68:28 Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God! —Psalm 68:35             How foolish we are if we think we can accomplish anything lasting in our own strength!  Our Lord is all powerful and it is hIS power that is available to us so we can live for Him.  Yes, God is awesome and “he is the one who…

SEEK HIM, SHARE HIM! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! —I Chronicles 16:11 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. —I Chronicles 16:26 There is none like you, O LORD, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. —I Chronicles 17:20 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and…

HEAR AND OBEY WHAT GOD SAYS! And David became greater and greater, for the LORD of hosts was with him. —I Chronicles 11:9 And David did as God commanded him… —I Chronicles 13:16 Come and see what God has done… —Psalm 66:5             When the Lord is with us He will do whatever He desires in and through us.  The reason David grew greater and greater is because the Lord was with him and David was fulfilling the plans and purposes of God.  Brother and sister, fellow follower of Jesus, Jeus is with us.  He said He would be with us until the end of the age! (Matthew 28:20).  He…

GOD DOES JUDGE UNFAITHFULNESS AT SOME POINT For many fell, because the war was of God. —I Chronicles 5:22 So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the LORD in that he did not keep the command of the LORD, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. 4 He did not seek guidance from the LORD. Therefore the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse. —I Chronicles 10:13-14             Plain and simply God works through many things to accomplish His plans and purposes— even war.  This is seen with Saul as in war he “died for his breach of…

THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED DISTINGUISHED Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him. —Malachi 3:18             How can one distinguish between the righteous and the wicked?  According to this verse the righteous serve God and the wicked do not serve Him.  It is not that the works of the righteous that save them, but their service shows who and whose they are (Ephesians 2:10; James 2:14-26) — just as those who do not do His work reveal who they are through not serving Him.  This is clearly seen in Matthew 25:34-36—…