Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – 1 Chronicles 16:7-36
Set – 1 Chronicles 16; Psalms 106
Go! – 1 Chronicles 16; Psalms 106; Matthew 19
1 Chronicles 16:7-36
7 That day, at the end of the parade, David gave this first song of thanks to Asaph and his brothers:8 Give thanks to the Eternal, and call out to Him.
Teach the people His deeds.
9 Sing to Him! Sing praises to Him!
Talk about all His wonders.
10 Brag about His holy name;
let your heart rejoice in following the Eternal.
11 Always follow the Eternal,
His strength and His face.
12 Remember the wonders which He did,
and the judgments which He spoke.
13 Seed of Israel, you are His servants;
sons of Jacob, you are His chosen.
14 He is the Eternal One, your God.
His judgments fill the earth.
15 Always remember His covenant,
the word He commanded to 1,000 generations
16 Which is His covenant with Abraham
and His pledge to Isaac,
17 His statute with Jacob
and His covenant with Israel forever:
18 “I will give the land of Canaan to you,
a territory as your inheritance.”
19 When He promised this, you were a diminished few,
mere strangers in the land.
20 You went from nation to nation
and from one kingdom to another,
21 But He did not let those nations oppress you.
He reproved the kings:
22 “Do not strike My anointed people
or do evil to My prophets.”
23 Now, sing to the Eternal, all the earth!
Announce the good news of His salvation each and every day!
24 Enlighten the nations to His splendor;
describe His wondrous acts to all people!
25 For the Eternal is great indeed and praiseworthy,
feared and reverenced above all gods.
26 For all gods are worthless idols,
but the Eternal plotted the vast heavens.
27 Honor and majesty precede Him;
strength and beauty infuse His holy sanctuary.
28 Give all credit to the Eternal, families of the world!
Credit Him with honor and strength!
29 Credit Him with the glory worthy of His magnificent name;
gather your sacrifice, and present it before Him.
Bow down to the Eternal, adorned in holiness.
30 Fear Him, all the earth.
For the earth is firmly rooted; it cannot move.
31 Heavens, be glad; earth, rejoice.
Say to the nations, “The Eternal One reigns.”
32 The sea roars, as do its creatures.
The field rejoices, as do its crops.
33 Then will the forest and its trees cry out
before the Eternal, for He comes to judge the earth.
34 Give testimony about the Eternal because He is good;
His loyal love lasts forever.
35 Say, “Save us, God of our salvation.
Gather us and free us from the nations
To thank Your holy name,
to boast in Your praise.”
36 Blessed is the Eternal One, God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
People: So may it be! We will praise the Eternal.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
David wrote a beautiful song of praise to Me when the tabernacle moved to its new home in Jerusalem. It ends with the words “Blessed is the Eternal One, God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.” and all the people gathered around the palace and future home of My Temple that day declared, “So may it be! We will praise the Eternal.”
Only one problem, they forgot their promise to praise Me. Before too long, many of them turned their attentions to other things and other gods and forgot to keep their attention on Me. I think they truly believed they would follow their king and praise Me for the good things I did for them. But they soon listened to other voices around them and swapped temporary pleasures for My eternal riches.
The same happens today with people around the world. It’s easy to make promises and declare you will always praise Me. But when trouble comes, too many run the other way. Or something shiny passes by, appeals to the senses, and off you go chasing the things that will ultimately disappear thinking they will bring happiness. They don’t.
Sometimes the promises are “foxhole” promises. “Get me out of this, God, and I’ll follow you forever.” And you do, for a while. Then My intervention is forgotten and so is your promise. Sometimes you make promises with the intercession for others. “Save my son or daughter.” And I do. But you forget your promise and live like you want. The Israelites were not alone in their abandonment of Me. It happens everyday in the lives of far too many who call themselves by My name.
Long ago I told you not to make oaths and vows, but rather to just let your yes mean yes and your no mean no. But I also expect you to abide by your word in the same way I abide by Mine. Learn from the destruction of Israel because of their failure to live up to their promises to Me. It was their abandonment of the covenant between us that caused their nation to crumble under the enemies I allowed to come into their land.
I will always keep My promises to you, but when you read My word, you’ll find most of My promises come with conditions. If you obey Me… If you follow Me… If you do My will… My love is unconditional, My promises are not.
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