Fear your Sin (1 Chronicles 13)

1 Chronicles 13:12 And David was afraid of God that day.

David decided to bring the ark of the Lord to where the people were celebrating because “it seemed right in the eyes of the people (v4). Then David didn’t follow God’s specific laws for transportation of the sacred ark. Then when Uzzah touched it because the cart stumbled, it angered God and he killed Uzzah.

It seems David was trying to show off a little in front of the people. He had won great battles, and wanted all the people to celebrate together, and wanted to have the Lord with him. It was more about being in David’s presence instead of the Lord’s. And he consulted with the people, and never asked God if HE wanted the ark to be moved. It seemed right to the people to do this, so David went along with his plan. He didn’t take to heart what he had been instructed before. Like he half listened, and chose to do something else, like throwing God on a cart instead of up on their shoulders. God was already angry before Uzzah touched the ark. That was just the last straw. 

We do similar things today. Where we been God’s rules to fit our lifestyles. One of the main reasons there are so many different churches, so many different ordinal numbers or branches of churches, is because leaders didn’t like how another person rules didn’t flow with what they wanted to believe. What worked for them. So the changed rules to accommodate their opinions and started a new church. Then some people felt a few rules weren’t for them and they broke away and started a new one. Again and again, we bend what God has given us to follow. We try to keep him in a box of our life rules, instead of living our life for him. 

God gave us specific rules for a reason. Those reasons didn’t change just because the world is. In the face of these changes, we need to stick to God’s rules more than ever. We need to stop shoving him in that box and putting him on the cart. We need to stop listening to what the people say is best for our lives and start remembering God’s word. We need to worry more about our sins. Why are we trying to make God fit in a box? What are we doing in our lives that we need to reword his rules? Or modify them? If our sins are what makes God angry, we need to fix ourselves, not try to fix God. 

Rejoice Together (1 Chronicles 12 )

1 Chronicles 12:40 For there was rejoicing in Israel.

The soldiers came to Hebron to make it known that David was their rightful king, and the people of Israel agreed. All their neighbors came bringing food and provisions, and they ate and drank and celebrated David being their king. The people came together to serve God and it brought them joy.

Together. It’s like the age old theme of “there is no I in team.” Yes we can serve God individually, but it doesn’t get our church far. If we are all acting for ourselves, we are not unifying ourselves to God’s plan. We can’t allow things of this world allow us to get distracted from unity. We must stick together as a people of God. Just like the soldiers couldn’t allow anything to distract them of pull them from being in the unified army, we cannot allow anything to pull us from God’s army. 

I must remember that together with my church, we are called to serve the Lord. If one in our church is struggling, we are all weak. This person needs to be brought back up by the love of Christ’s people. Us. You and me. We need to open our eyes and see those around us who are struggling and help them find their way; help them see how God is the true fulfillment. God wants us all to rejoice together. 

Remember what God Gave You (1 Chronicles 11)

1 Chronicles 11:9 David became ever more powerful, for the LORD of hosts was with him.

David did not become great in a day. God had big plans for David way before David was born. God chose David, and God molded him. David became great because of God. But it wasn’t an easy process. Think of a sculpture. It is shaped, molded, and put in the fire many times before it is finished. David was just a shepherd boy that God made into a king. David put his trust in God and defeated a giant. He built a great city because he kept God near to him.

All the gifts we receive are from God. Though we do have the power to make our own choices, God lays out a plan before us. The way to greatness isn’t a straight paved road. If everything was meant to be easy, God wouldn’t allow weeds to grow in the garden. It doesn’t matter how often we clear out the troubles in our garden or our life, there will always be more. We must put our trust in God. We need to know that no matter how many time we are overwhelmed, God will pull the weeds. No matter how many people push us down, God will pick us back up. No matter how many times, God will walk with us back out. We will be greater than ever.

Evil Comes From Within (1 Chronicles 9&10)

I Chronicles 9:1b Now Judah had been exiled to Babylon because of its treachery. 

We just went through all the family lists from the beginning of the Bible. We can see the line from Adam to David. And the biggest point from previous Bible stories is summarized in this one line. Judah was exiled not because someone stronger took them over. It was because they themselves failed. They failed to keep their promise to God. They failed to push away false idols. They failed to remember the Sabbath Day. They allowed themselves to lie, cheat, and steal. They let the seed of evil take hold of their hearts and it grew, pushing God out.

The people’s unfaithfulness was their downfall. It is still this way today. Our unfaithfulness severs our relationship with God. We allow the world to sneak in and fill our minds and hearts with falsehoods about what is right and wrong. We have let society stretch the boundaries for what is ok, what is moral. All of the things we are now forced to accept is allowing the devil to take hold. If we don’t turn away from these lies and treachery, we will end up in our own spiritual exile. 

Romans 1:25-31 brings light to what we are seeing in today’s world. Our hands are dirty, and so are our souls.

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Therefore, God handed them over to degrading passions. Their females exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another. Males did shameful things with males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for their perversity. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God handed them over to their undiscerning mind to do what is improper. They are filled with every form of wickedness, evil, greed, and malice; full of envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, and spite. They are gossips and scandalmongers and they hate God. They are insolent, haughty, boastful, ingenious in their wickedness, and rebellious toward their parents. They are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know the just decree of God that all who practice such things deserve death, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Stay Close to Those who know Your Heart (1 Chronicles 5:23-26)

1 Chronicles 5:23-26 The half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land of Bashan as far as Baal-hermon… men who were warriors, famous men, and heads over their ancestral houses. However, they acted treacherously toward the God of their ancestors by prostituting themselves to follow the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. Therefore the God of Israel stirred up against them the anger of Pul…
The people of this group were godly men, faithful leaders. Then they moved away from their land and what they knew, away from their spiritual center. They allowed their minds to get filled with filth and failed to guard their hearts. 
This happens so often today. If someone find themselves in a new location and allows themself to fall to the desire to “fit in,” they might find themself lowering their standards. If there isn’t a good, stable, Christian environment to fit in with, it’s too easy to fall away. Every the strongest of will will try to adapt to their new place. Many immigrants fall from their spiritual center when moving to a new country. Eventually, they loose sight of their ancestry as the new location smothers out their beliefs. Even children moving to a new school can struggle with this. Trying to make new friends and wanting to be accepted can make us let go of what we hold true. 
When we had moved to Little Rock back in 2008, I didn’t have that opportunity. I made friends with people at work, and allowed myself to hang out with people who had very different views that I don’t accept. I let myself let my guard down and got lost. It took me to a dark place, and I was scared. I was very glad when we relocated to another state and I found a great set of people that changed my world. I was so sad when we had to move again last summer. I as finally happy, filled by God’s love. I was afraid to go through what I went through in LR again.  I was fortunate that when we moved to our city, my husband’s job had a person hired to help the spouses get acquainted with people. Through her, I met a great Catholic family, and through them more. And they all go to the school my kids attend, and we go to church together. It has made this move so much better. 
We can help others by reaching out to new people and help them find their landing place so they don’t potentially get lost in the crowd. 

Pray like Jabez (1 Chronicles 3&4)

1 Chronicles 4:10 Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: “Oh, that you may truly bless me and extend my boundaries! May your hand be with me and make me free of misfortune, without pain!” And God granted his prayer.

Jabez isn't specifically mentioned in the lineage, except to say he was the most distinguished of his brothers. But he stands out in the Bible because he is named. We are told that he prayed to God for blessings, greater property, being free of misfortune and pain, and God granted his prayers. He must have been a godly man for God to grant is prayers and for it to be written down. It is unfortunate we do not know more about this man. His faith was great, that we can be sure of. 

We shouldn't be afraid to go to God with our requests. Yes God knows what we need before we do, but we still should humble ourselves and ask him for them. Pray for your job to continue providing. Pray that you house remains protected. Pray that your car keeps on working. Pray for your children's souls. Pray for those who are struggling to fill their void because they are looking in the wrong places. None of these are silly or unimportant requests. Allow God to hear your plea.  Pray daily. Pray true. He will hear you. 

Where do You Come From? (1 Chronicles 1-2)

The book of Chronicles tells us the lineage of David. Around 500 BC, the person who wrote the Chronicles compiled the history to show to true lineage from Adam to David. The may have done this to have proof written down of David’s true claim to rule. He uses several books in the Bible to get his history correct, including Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Joshua and Ruth. 

I love ancestry and to see how things all tie together. As I was reading these first two chapters, I recognized names from previous stories we have gone through in the Old Testament. It was neat to read again how they all piece together. And seeing how the David line leads to Jesus, all these beginning people were important. 

Have you ever tried to grace your lineage? I can trace mine back to 1545 France. I haven’t tried further,  but I know with sites like ancestry.com, it probably wouldn’t be so hard. To see names and dates, people and places, all who had to come together for me to be here, it can be a bit overwhelming. Just as all the names in the first 2 chapters can be. But each one is there for a reason. Just like our names will be in someone’s lineage one day.