“Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation; O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man!” (Psalm 43:1)

         One of the hardest lessons in life is that not everyone can be trusted, and there are unjust people and unjust laws in this world.  This world is the devil’s playground, and because of that, Christians face opposition for following Jesus.

         You may very well face persecution, loss of job, loss of friendship, defamation of character, and slander for being a Christian.  Do not despair – Jesus faced the same, and in the end, your moral fortitude will be vindicated.  Hold the line and keep the faith.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

This Week’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 5-12; Psalm 43; Proverbs 12

This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament.  Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon.  If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision

“Therefore, He killed him [Saul] and turned the kingdom to David the son of Jesse.” (1 Chronicles 10:14)

         If you read the details of Saul’s death, Saul committed suicide.  Saul killed Saul.

         But why did he die?  God had decided to turn the kingdom over to David because of Saul’s unfaithfulness.

         In the history of humanity, even the most powerful of players are just chess pieces.  God controls the board.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

This Week’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 5-12; Psalm 43; Proverbs 12

This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament.  Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon.  If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision

“And Judah was carried away into exile to Babylon for their unfaithfulness.” (1 Chronicles 9:1)

         When man writes the history of why Judah was conquered by Babylon, it includes details like the size of the Babylonian empire, the economic failures of Israel, the failed treaties and alliances, and the poor leadership of the nation of Judah.

         When God writes the history, He describes the issue more succinctly.  It was unfaithfulness.  Human history often details the symptoms but misses the disease.  It is our job to learn to diagnose with spiritual eyes. The nation fell because it drifted from God.  The rest is just incidentals.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

This Week’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 5-12; Psalm 43; Proverbs 12

This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament.  Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon.  If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision

“…for they cried out to God in the battle, and He answered their prayers because they trusted in Him.” (1 Chronicles 5:20)

When the Reubenites went to war, they came up against stiff opposition.  War is a bloody thing, and terror can grip even the mightiest of men when their lives are held in the balance.  The stakes are high in the heat of the battle.

         And that is why the above verse is so poignant.  The Reubenites won the battle because they cried out, not because they were more valiant warriors.  It wasn’t the strength of their blades that mattered; it was their trust in God that tipped the scales.

         We are strongest when we are honest about our need for Him.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

This Week’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 5-12; Psalm 43; Proverbs 12

This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament.  Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon.  If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision

“Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.” (Proverbs 11:12)

         Little people belittle others.  When we feel the need to diminish other people, it is typically because of our own insecurities.

         Just remember, your light doesn’t shine brighter by snuffing others’ out.  Don’t belittle; be big.  The bigger person seeks to understand and protect others’ reputations.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

This Week’s Reading: 2 Kings 21-25; 1 Chronicles 1-4; Psalm 42; Proverbs 11

This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament.  Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon.  If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision

“My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’ ” (Psalm 42:3)

Fun and happiness may be the sugary choice for most of us, but tears and sorrow are the meat and potatoes for the soul.  Tears are food for our character.  We never like it, but sadness and grief produce growth.  That’s why Solomon said it was better to go to a house of mourning than a house of feasting (see Eccl 7:2-4) and James would remind us to rejoice in our trials because they produce perseverance (see James 1:2-4).

Our confidence in God only comes through traveling through the valley of the shadow of death, enduring the mocking of the unbeliever, and coming out the other side onto the tablelands of joy and peace.  The apostles were right to rejoice that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ (see Acts 5:41).  Hardship makes us rich, deep, soulful people, and godly sorrow is the road to repentance (see 2 Cor 7:10).

Tears are food for the faithful soul.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

This Week’s Reading: 2 Kings 21-25; 1 Chronicles 1-4; Psalm 42; Proverbs 11 This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament.  Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon.  If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls.” (Proverbs 11:30)

All fruit also contains a seed.  The apple is both the byproduct of an apple tree and the inception of another.  Righteousness begets righteousness.  If you want to help other people turn to God, you must first do so yourself.

The fruit of a Christian life becomes the tree of life that wins souls.  We cannot expect to convert others when we aren’t all in ourselves.  Faithful people lead people to faith.  It is the only system that really works.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.” (Matthew 23:15)

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

This Week’s Reading: 2 Kings 21-25; 1 Chronicles 1-4; Psalm 42; Proverbs 11

This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament.  Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon.  If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision

“A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is His delight.” (Proverbs 11:1)

Back in the ancient markets, everything was weighed in the transaction.  The product, such as grain or meat, would be weighed, and the silver or gold would also be placed on a scale.  If the scales weren’t level and true or the weights that the merchant used weren’t consistent… somebody got a deal, and somebody got taken.  Probably not much of a loss/gain, but it was something, and so buyers and sellers were known to skim a little off the top with this method.

Next time you are given the wrong change – give it back, and you will bring delight to God.  An extra quarter or a 10% discount inappropriately applied isn’t a big deal to us, but the character associated with it is to God.  Christian integrity brings Him joy.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

This Week’s Reading: 2 Kings 21-25; 1 Chronicles 1-4; Psalm 42; Proverbs 11

This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament.  Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon.  If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision

“He built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, ‘In Jerusalem I will put My name.’” (2 Kings 21:4)

Do we build altars in God’s temple, too?  Your body is a temple to the Lord (1 Cor. 6:19), and your life is a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1).  There shouldn’t be room for idols in our hearts and lives any more than the Israelites should have been putting idolatrous altars in the temple of Jerusalem.

Has worry become an idol? Or greed? Or fear?  Are we amusing ourselves to spiritual death with worldly pleasures and entertainment?  Or is our temple clean of such things?

Maybe it is time we start making some changes to clean out the temple.  A little less world and a little more setting our eyes on the things above.  A little more peace that surpasses understanding and a little less bitter thoughts and angry words.

God’s temples should be clean, and His sacrifices should be purely for Him.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

This Week’s Reading: 2 Kings 21-25; 1 Chronicles 1-4; Psalm 42; Proverbs 11

This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament.  Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon.  If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision

“He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan.” (2 Kings 18:4)

We love to worship, but we seem to struggle with worshipping in spirit and truth.  When Moses made the bronze serpent in Numbers 21, it was for the purpose of saving lives… but it later was used as an idol.  This should serve as a worthy reminder to us of why God hasn’t left us relics behind… we would quickly worship them instead of Him.

The shroud of Turin, supposed splinters from the cross, even the bones of martyred Christians have been warped into objects of worship by the misguided and the idolatrous.  We worship an invisible God (see 1 Timothy 1:17), and we need not have any earthly representation of Him as substitute.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

This Week’s Reading: 2 Kings 14-20; Psalm 41; Proverbs 10 This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament.  Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon.  If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision