Daily Encouragement

April 18, 2010 - Redemption Through The Blood

The significance of this account has reached far beyond David's time and into the whole human history. We have studied in this devotion in 2 Samuel 24 that David was proud and reliance on military power when he initiated a census on the Israelites. But we also need to realize that this whole incidence was due to God's anger against the people. (1 Samuel 24:1) The fact that multitude of the Israelites were supporting Absalom in revolting against David, God's anointed as well others who had rebelled the legitimate king upheld by God was enough reason to rouse God's anger.

As King David repented and confessed his sin and was willing to bear the burden of sin himself, God answered his prayer and provided a way to escape the punishment of sins. Verse 18 of this chapter says, "Then the angel of the LORD ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite". (NIV) Davd used his own money to purchase that floor for offering burnt offering and peace offering there. Then the plague against the people stopped. That threshing floor was the place outside Jerusalem where Jesus the son of God was crucified and shed His precious blood.

God has prepared this place through David as a place of redemption for all our sins against Him! Hallelujah through the cross.

April 19, 2010 - Prepare For Public Worship

Meditation on 1 Chronicles 25

King David's first concern for His people was a place of worship. He wanted to build a house for God. But God told him that his son, Solomon should be the builder instead. So he prepared great amount of building materials and precious metals for building the temple. Then he prepared and trained and organized musicians and choir members for the worship and praise in the temple for God.

He had twenty-four divisions of singers and musicians in the temple. They were under supervision and trained by inspired leaders who could be prophets, the spokesmen for God. They taught the congregation to sing psalms and hymns and scriptures. Those inspired words are in the book of Psalms. According to Jewish Talmud, these musicians were trained in a period of five years.

In order to have a great worship, it should be well prepared and in good order. When the musicians and choir play and sing together, God would show up in the midst of praise. And the songs should serve as instruction, comfort and edification for the congregation. (Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:19, 1 Corinthians 14:26) All these need to be prepared with great care and effort.

April 20, 2010 - Prepare For Greatness

Meditation on 1 Chronicles 28

As we have discussed yesterday, King David, the man who knew God's heart, had prepared the public worship system and personnel for his kingdom.

Continue in the passage today we see that David prepared the hearts of the people for worship.

He summoned all the officials of Israel and leaders of the tribes to come to Jerusalem to tell them the importance of supporting his son, Solomon for the building of the temple. Especially he wanted the military and mighty warriors to listen to his command for this project.

He instructed Solomon to obey God's direction. He showed him God's plan and design for the temple as well as the details of the arrangement of the utensils and the worship teams of the Levites. "All this," said David, "the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern." (v. 19 NASB) God was interested in every detail of the worship.

After Solomon followed his father's instruction to prepare the temple, the choir, the instruments, the personnel and all the details then their worship would please the LORD. Then his kingdom was great because their worship was great.

When we worship God with our best to please him in everything we do in the worship, He would show up and His blessing will pour upon us. That needs preparation!

April 21, 2010 - God's Glory Filled His House

Meditation on 2 Chronicles 5

Just looking at the cost, King David had prepared 3,775 tons of pure gold alone for the furnishing and overlay of the house of God. Solomon had organized 153,600 workers and supervisors to build it. God had provided wise experts and best source of timbers. Specially, he had given wisdom to Solomon to oversee the entire construction of the temple for seven years. They had done their best. This project must have been the greatest building ever erected.

During the dedication, the musicians and choir members that had been trained, sang and played instrument together with one voice in harmony to praise the Lord. It was at that time the glory of the Lord like cloud filled the house of God. (v. 13-14)

How we wish that the glory of God fill our church today as we worship. Jesus has promised His presence with the church when we gather and pray together in His name. (Matthew 18:19-20) I believe that as we do our very best to prepare to worship Him, He will manifest His presence in our midst. He will speak to us through His Spirit in our hearts. He will comfort us and convert sinners. We have heard testimonies that God even healed some who had infirmities during worship.

Dear friends, we should prepare for worship and look forward to worship. For God indeed is good and his loving kindness is everlasting!

April 22, 2010 - Prosperity Results From Following God's Will

Meditation on 2 Chronicles 8

King Solomon not only built the New Temple and His palace, he also built cities for his people and prepared storage for them. He made sure his nation was secure with adequate installations and military power. He expanded his territory and gathered resources for the country. He had helped from other countries. He also established a navy.

All those things were the result of his obedience to his father's will to establish a spiritual system of worship and praise to God. (v. 14) Since he did that and followed Moses' command to observe the festivals and offered daily sacrifices to God. (v. 12-13) God had blessed him very much and provided all that he needed.

As long as Solomon kept God's command and relied on Him, he was rich and successful. He himself said in Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your way acknowledge Him, And he shall direct your paths." (NKJV)

April 23, 2010 - Strengthened By God

Meditation on 2 Chronicles 11

Rehoboam did not listen to the counsel of the elderly officials, so his country was split into two. He summoned 180,000 soldiers to fight against Jeroboam in order to restore his kingdom. But God sent a prophet, Shemaiah to tell him stop fighting against his own brethren. This time Rehoboam listened to the counsel of the man of God. He sent the warriors home.

As a result, God strengthen him through other way. He was able to reinforce his cities and looked after the welfare of his own families and people. The Levites and priests from the Northern kingdom all came to Jerusalem to serve in Rehoboam's kingdom. The religious atmosphere of his country became strong. God was with them for three years and established them.

When we listen to God's way, He would strengthen us. But we need to keep on doing that with persistence. Rehoboam did not. When he became strong he forsook the LORD. So God allowed him to be weakened by Egypt later. What a pity!

April 24, 2010 - Refusing To Admit Mistake

Meditation on 2 Chronicles 16

King Asa of Judah was a spiritual man to begin with. He did what was right in the eyes of God. He relied on God completely to defeat a million soldiers of the enemy.

He led spiritual reformation for his nation by getting rid of all the idols and false worship including taking away the position of his grand mother as the queen mother because of her obsession with idols.

But he made a foolish mistake by making an alliance with the Ben-Hadad of Asyria to ask for his military help. So a prophet rebuked him for not relying on God. Asa would listen to nice complementary advice from the prophet. But he did not like the prophet telling him what was wrong with him. He put the prophet in jail and continued to refuse to turn back to God. When his foot got sick, he did not pray for God's healing to the every end. And he died.

This was a tragedy for a man who used to be so great in so many ways for God and country. He was so proud of his success that he refused to admit his mistake before God. His stubbornness made a black mark in his life and caused his physical suffering at the end.

Are we willing to admit our mistake?