Tag: thought for the day

May 20, read through the Bible in a year.

Today we are reading one chapter of Proverbs and three chapters in 1 Kings.

May 20: Proverbs 6, 1 Kings 14, 1 Kings 15, 1 Kings 16 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Proverbs 6 warns against cosigning documents with neighbors, condemns sluggards of their sleepy and lazy habits and points to the destruction of wicked men. It tells about the seven detestable things to the LORD, and finally it takes a dim view of adultery, a sure way to destroy yourself and others.

Not much good in 1 Kings 14, it tells of judgment on the house of Jeroboam and his death, and Rehoboam taking over power and his death.

1 Kings 15, the evil king Abijam Reigned in Judah. After his death Asa became king over Judah and he was a good king. Meanwhile in Israel Nadab reigned, and after him Baasha both doing evil things in the eyes of the LORD.

1 Kings 16 displays a depressing list of kings over Israel, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, one worse the the other, finally culminating with Ahab, the worst of them all, setting up Baal worship in Israel.

May 19, read through the Bible in a year.

Today we are reading two Psalms  and two chapters in 1 Kings.

May 19: Psalm 31, Psalm 32, 1 Kings 12, 1 Kings 13 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Psalm 31, of David. As was so often the case, David was in trouble. He cried out his woes to God, and yet, the Psalm ends with praise and total confidence in God.

Psalm 32, of David. “This was Saint Augustine’s favorite psalm. Augustine had it inscribed on the wall next to his bed before he died in order to meditate on it better.” (James Montgomery Boice)

1 Kings 12 tells of the revolt against Rehoboam and Jeroboam’s Golden Calves at Bethel and Dan to avoid going to Jerusalem.

1 Kings 13. From Judah came a Man of God with a message. It did not go over well, so through lies and intrigues the Man of God was killed by a lion. One quote from this chapter: “After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.” Large portions of the Old Testament described how not to worship, a warning for us.

 

May 18, read through the Bible in a year.

Take a pause between reading the Acts of the Apostles and Paul’s epistle to the Romans by reading two Psalms  and three chapters in 1 Kings.

May 18: Psalm 29, Psalm 30, 1 Kings 9, 1 Kings 10, 1 Kings 11 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Psalm 29, of David.A song of praise.  A vivid description of a storm, and how the voice of God speaks through it.

Psalm 30, for the dedication of the Temple. Of David. ( An alternate translation : For the dedication of the House of David.)

1 Kings 9 tells of God’s Second Appearance to Solomon, this time with a promise and a warning. Solomon and Hiram exchanged Gifts and it tells more of Solomon’s achievements.

In 1 Kings 10 the Queen of Sheba visited Solomon and praised him “The half had not been told” of Solomon’s great wisdom and wealth, that is.

1 Kings 11, Solomon’s heart turned from the LORD, ( blame the women). It records Solomon’s adversaries, Jeroboam’s rebellion, and Solomon’s death.

May 17, read through the Bible in a year.

The final chapter in the Acts of the Apostles and one chapter in 1 Kings.

May 17: Acts 28, 1 Kings 8 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Acts 28 records Paul’s ministry on Malta and his final sailing to Rome. Once in  Rome it tells of  Paul’s ministry at Rome where he stayed for two full years.

1 Kings 8. It was celebration time when the Ark was brought into the Temple, Solomon gave a great speech and a prayer of dedication. Then he blessed the Assembly and dedicated the Temple with lots of sacrifices and it finished with a fourteen day feast.

May 16, read through the Bible in a year.

Continuing with the Acts of the Apostles, and two chapters in 1 Kings.

May 16: Acts 27, 1 Kings 6 , 1 Kings 7 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Acts 27 starts with Paul’s Voyage to Rome, how the winds were contrary and made the journey last into the stormy season. Paul’s warning was ignored, and sure enough a great storm grew up and they were shipwrecked on Malta, but all got safely ashore.

1 Kings 6 retells in great detail how Solomon had the Temple built.

And the retelling continues in 1 Kings 7 how Solomon had his palace and the other buildings built. He hired Hiram the Craftsman, ahd he completed the bronze pillars for the Temple, the Sea and the Oxen, The Carts and the Lavers and had all the temple furnishings made.

May 15, read through the Bible in a year.

Continuing with the Acts of the Apostles, and two chapters in 1 Kings.

May 15: Acts 26, 1 Kings 4, 1 Kings 5, (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Acts 26. Paul gave his testimony,recounted his early life, his conversion and  his life as a Christian. Festus  shouted “Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad” but Agrippa said  “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”

1 Kings 4 retells Solomon’s administration, gives an account of Solomon’s prosperity and extols Solomon’s wisdom.

1 Kings 5. The wars had ended and Solomon prepared to build the Temple, as was promised

 

May 14, read through the Bible in a year.

Continuing with the Acts of the Apostles, and two chapters in 1 Kings.

May 14: Acts 25, 1 Kings 2, 1 Kings 3, (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Acts 25.  Paul stood trial before Festus, and Festus found that as the charges were all religious he suggested sending Paul to Jerusalem but Paul Appealed to Caesar. To finalize the charges Paul then went before King Agrippa and client Queen Bernice (Festus  could find nothing chargeable according to Roman Law on his own).

1 Kings 2. David gave his final instructions to Solomon, to whom he should show kindness and to whom he should not, and then David died. Solomon Executed Adonijah, exiled Abathar, executed Joab and Shimel, and showed kindness to the ones that had helped David. The kingdom was then firmly Solomon’s.

1 Kings 3. Solomon Requests wisdom,and got it as well as great rices. Solomon then showed his wise judgment.

May 13, read through the Bible in a year.

Continuing with the Acts of the Apostles, the last two chapters in 2 Samuel and the first chapter of 1 Kings.

May 13: Acts 24, 2 Samuel 23, 2 Samuel 24, 1 Kings 1 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Acts 24, Paul was on trial before Felix. After Peter put up a vigorous defense Felix adjourned the trial until Lysius would come back. Two years passed and Felix kept Paul in prison, hoping for a bribe so he could release him. None came and Felix was replaced by Justus, but Paul was still kept in prison past the time allowed to keep the Jews pacified.

2 Samuel 23 records David’s last words, and has a list of David’s mighty men.

2 Samuel 24. David took a Census of Israel and Judah,which was a sinthat had to be punished. David chose to fall into the Hands of the LORD, so the angel of death ravaged the land for three days until he came to the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.  There David built an altar and sacrificed.

1 Kings 1. Adonijah, the heir apparent, since his older brothers were all dead, set himself up as king before David’s death. David  had Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet Proclaim Solomon King instead.

May 12, read through the Bible in a year.

Continuing with the Acts of the Apostles and two chapters in 2 Samuel.

May 12: Acts 23, 2 Samuel 21, 2 Samuel 22 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Acts 23, Paul gave his message before the Sanhedrin, which led to the plot to kill Paul.  Paul was then sent to Felix under heavy guard.

2 Samuel 21. David Avenged the Gibeonites, and a couple of the Philistine Giants were destroyed, especially Goliath.

2 Samuel 22, the recording of David’s song of praise.

May 11, read through the Bible in a year.

Continuing with the Acts of the Apostles and two chapters in 2 Samuel.

May 11: Acts 22, 2 Samuel 19, 2 Samuel 20 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Acts 22, Paul gave his salvation testimony to the crowd in Aramaic. When Paul mentioned the stoning of Stephen and that he preached also to the Gentiles the crowd wanted him killed right away. Paul claimed that he was a  Roman citizen, so the next day he was ordered to stand before the Sanhedrin.

2 Samuel 19. David mourned for Absalom, and returned to Jerusalem where he showed mercy to Shimel,  Mephibosheth, and also Barzillai, but he preferred to die in his own country. Then Judah and Israel quarreled about the King.

2 Samuel 20 records the Rebellion of Sheba.