Judges 5: 1-11

This is an ancient song which will tell of the battles and the Lord's victory for His people. Deborah and Barak both sang this song and it details the Lord's involvement via the rains that stopped the chariots in their tracks. The roads that were used were treacherous and full of danger. This was a primitive nation in a primitive land. It was almost second nature for the people to abandon God or "supplement" them with their own "created" gods. Her heart was with the people, whether rich or poor and was with them into battle.

Glad Irene got to her first destination yesterday. David seems ok and Daniel is coping. Still enjoying reading a chapter of Proverbs a day (to keep the stupid away). With literally nothing to watch, I started to do my Adult Ed class and hopefully will wrap it up this weekend. Glad to be home most of next week (except Wed) and should have a relatively relaxing day today. Still keeping my peeps in my prayers.

Praise for today: Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the sheep of his pasture, the flock under his care. Psalm 95: 6-7

Judges 4: 11-23

Sisera was like a bad penny that would turn up and was not content with defeat. Licking his wounds and thinking that the armies he had were sufficient and were prepared with the new iron chariots, he decided to go against Barak. Deborah, the judge/prophetess told Barak that the Lord will give Sisera and his armies to him and he should go and attack Sisera. God made the rain come down so hard that the chariots couldn't move and were useless against Barak's army who easily defeated them. Sisera, took refuge in Jael's tent who was the wife of Heber the Kenite. She duped into a false sense of security and then proceeded to drive a peg through his head to kill him. She showed Barak his corpse when he arrived. The chapter ends with the decline of the Canaanites in front of the Israelites according to the will of God and the defeat of Jabin.

Glad that the Christmas thing at my house was over and was pretty successful. Daniel came home and then left and got back to Denver successfully yesterday. The house was restored pretty much and will finish it off on the weekend. Sooo glad to have Monday off! Very happy to see so many people that I rarely see and have made new friends to boot! Prayers for Irene as she is gone until next week and for GG as he returns on Monday for a few days off. Keeping Hei and Kevin in my prayers as they bury her grandfather this weekend.

Praise for today: But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to  the Lord, for he has been good to me. Ps. 12: 5-6.

Judges 4:4-10

We get our introduction to Deborah, a female prophet and judge who co-ruled with Barak during this time. He was more the "spiritual" than she was and he ruled the tribe of Naphtali at the same time. She needed help and had her people contact him to join forces against a common enemy. He wouldn't go into battle unless she was along side of him and thus she got the credit for the victory rather than him. He trusted in God but not in his own abilities which seemed odd since his "power" came from God. Nevertheless, they both conquered Sisera but she got the credit.

So far it has been a decent week. Got a gift card as a thank-you from work for coming in on Sandy and that was welcomed. Muddling through the week and will head home later. FW tonight and then some clean-up and gift wrapping on Saturday as well as making dinner. Looking forward to seeing the whole family on late Saturday night and then off to church on Sunday. Going to see a Nets/76ers game on Sunday and then working out of Princeton on Monday. Nice to have off on Wednesday and leisurely head back to Delly.

Praise for today: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests. Luke 2:14

Judges 3: 31 to 4: 1-3

Shamar was an isolated case according to the commentary since he was not with much history and could have been a hired mercenary whose weapon of choice was an ox-goad. The ox-goad was a 8-10 foot stick with a sharp blade attached to the end used to make the animals move. Chapter 4 follows the trend of the writer of Judges since he prepares the reader for the way the Israelites were. They slipped into the ways of evil, were punished and cried out for help. This time the oppressor had them under his rule for 20 years before the Lord responded. These events that were recorded focused on the Northern tribes. Additionally, with the mention of chariots (iron) was the age of iron versus that of bronze. The strife between Canaanites and the Israelites were also on the increase.

Over all a good few days off, with us seeing the Hobbit on Sunday and also getting the place ready for Christmas. Also getting some of our cards out as well. Still good to have seen GG even if it were for a brief time yesterday.  Not looking forward to the rest of the week but still it should go ok, next week is another story. I still have a tough time gearing up for the holidays but hopefully that will change.

Praise for today: But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord, because you are an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares. Jer. 30: 17

Judges 3: 12-30

This was the story of Ehud and how he was able to defeat the king of the Moabites. This incident just highlights how God uses strange (to us) circumstances and people to bring about his purposes. Ehud was left handed and from the symbolism is used to show God's hand of punishment rather the the right hand is where hope sits (Jesus). The disobediant Israelites were under the Moabite rule for 18 years and were oppressed and ultimately cried out to the Lord for relief. Ehud was an unassuming man who fashioned a short sword as his weapon. He was able to move about freely in the presence of the king of the Moabites and thus while carrying the tax monies in his right hand, used his left hand to slay the king. He escaped to meet the rest of the Israelite army and then returned to defeat the Moabites and retake their land. They had peace for 80 years.

Decent day at work and each day brings me closer to the end of the year and getting my head and heart ready for the holidays. Still I am undecided as to what and where I will spend NYE and my plans since Irene is headed on her road trip with other people in my church. Still with the day off, it gives me decent flexability. Tonight is my firm's Christmas party so it will be a long night. Overall, I was able to get most of my portion of the survey done that will see if we are heading in the right direction.

Praise for today: For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government will be upon his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. Isaiah 9: 6-7a

Judges 3: 7-11

The pattern of each judge's life is laid out in these verses. First, it starts with the people doing evil things and neglecting the Lord, then their enemies are allowed to inflict pain and hardship upon them, the Lord answers the people's cry for help, the Lord sends a judge who was the Spirit of God and then finally there is peace and tranquility until the judge dies. The first judge was Othniel, Caleb's younger nephew who was sent by God to defeat the king of Aram. This peace lasted 40 years.

Glad to see that we are such a repetitive and predictable lot. If we can only include God from the beginning instead of when the pain comes we would be soooooo much better off. Actually, it was a pretty good day at work yesterday and I got rid of all of my required "courses" to remain at work which were due at year-end. Should be a relatively easy rest of the work week and then a few days off (Monday and Tuesday) as well. So glad to hear from my cousin that his procedure went well. Prayers now for those who are traveling back, especially the HI group and for Megin going to GA.

Praise for today: Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised. Psaln 113: 2-3

Judges 3: 1-6

It didn't take long for the Israelites to abandon the Lord and take up the customs and the religion of the land they inhabited. They need to "toughen up" and learn how to defend themselves as well as possess the land that they were given. The 5 tribes that were the Philistines were Gaza, Ekron, Ashkelon, Ashdod and Gath. The struggles to remain independent and pure were already getting tougher due to intermarriages which the Lord forbade. This would plague the Israelites throughout their future as a nation as I experienced in Chronicles.

My day went pretty well. The major coup was getting off on NYE and that was big in my mind - the first in decades. My thoughts and prayers are for my first cousin, Ping who is undergoing a procedure today to hopefully regulate his heart rate. He is very, very near and dear to me.

Praise for today: The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him. Psalm 37: 40.

Judges 2: 20 -23

The Lord voiced his displeasure and judgment to the Israelites as a result of their disobedience and lack of gratitude. The actions resulted in three things: to punish them, to test their loyalty to God and to train them for battle (since they were not trained warriors). These were new people with untested mettle and without training for combat and it was essential to see if they were the same that left Egypt nearly 40 years ago.

This was a tiring weekend. Friday was FW and then after getting home late for that having to do laundry late at night. Saturday had a 7 AM departure for a Father's Heart soup kitchen where I cooked more eggs in a few hours than I did in 10 years. Got home in the mid-afternoon to put the outdoor lights up and then off to Tuscarora Inn and Retreat Center to see my old friends Avalon. Glad David drove since I was whipped. Great convo with him as well (more going than coming home since the roads were tougher). Late night since we got home at 11:30 and then the 7:30 AM out the door to church on Sunday. Long day there since we had a Leadership meeting so I didn't get down to Delly until closer to 7 PM. Glad I was able to catch up on my readings in Proverbs so I can keep the stupid away. This will be a long week here but hopefully with few issues.

Praise for today: For the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. Psalm 37:17

Judges 2: 9-19

With Joshua out of the way, the people are left to their own devices. This section basically lays out the pattern for the whole book of life without law and without truth.According to the commentary:

The writer then tells us what the book is about. The people left God. They did evil things and they praised the Baals. Then God allowed their enemies to defeat them. And he allowed the enemies to divide them. The people cried out to the Lord. He sent judges to rescue them. Even then, they only changed their behaviour for a short time. After the judge had died, they were worse than ever!

So it seems that man after all of these centuries have not learned the lessons that were set forth by God since Creation. If my people... How true is that verse! We have gotten worse in our lack of standards and morality and need a turnaround but somehow I don't feel it is coming soon. I for one am very disappointed in the events and the news that I hear. Still I do have hope. Looking forward to coming back home and to FW later on. I along with several others in my church will be serving at a NYC soup kitchen called a Father's Heart and really look forward to that. Later on that night will head up and see Avalon in PA.

Prayers for my family and friends!!!

Praise for today: The Lord hears the needy and does not despise his captive people. Psalm 69: 33

Judges 2: 1-8

Now marks the transition between the book of Joshua and the time of the Judges. The place where this takes place (which some Bible scholars call Bethel) was called Bokim (place of weeping). This is where the Lord had told it straight to them. They were admonished for their lack of discipline and inability to adhere to the Lord's request and thus the ground work was laid for their entire lives. According to the commentary:

God had made an agreement with his people. And he had done what he agreed to do. But they had not done what they agreed to do. Now God said that he would allow their enemies to capture them. They would praise other gods. The people wept and they offered sacrifices. (Sacrifices were gifts for God. They were asking him to forgive the things that they had done wrong.) They were probably not really sorry. Later, they did wrong things again.

Joshua now told them to go and live in the land that the Lord had given them. He would die at the age of 110 and according to v. 9, "They buried him at the edge of his property. This was in Timnath Heres. It was in the hilly country where Ephraim’s tribe lived, north from Mount Gaash." The leaders were the Judges or at least the start of them. The people started to worship Baal ( false god of rain and crops) and Asherath (false gods of war and crops and the wife of Baal). They would have sex with male and female priests so that they would spawn future priests and also would sacrifice their children in hopes of appeasing their "gods" for rain, crops and peace.

Finally felt a sense of catching up yesterday and now will turn my attention to the looking and planning ahead at work. Still am trying to plan out the rest of my vacation days as well. Finally "decorated" my place here in Delly with my CB tree and snowman (which doesn't work). I am also enjoying reading a chapter of Proverbs aloud when I get home and praying. 

Praise for today: For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Psalm 1: 6

Judges 1:34-36

It seemed that to each tribe much was given but it still required effort to achieve ownership. The tribe of Dan was inhabitated by the Amorites and they forced the people of Dan to live in the hills rather than in the low places. According to the commentary: Dan’s tribe could not even live in their area with the Canaanites. In chapter 18, the writer tells us that many people from Dan’s tribe went to live somewhere else. They went to live in the north. The cities where the Amorites lived (in verses 35‑36) were between Joseph’s sons’ tribes and Judah’s tribe. Judah’s tribe was in the south.

Getting back was pretty easy and the ride and the hotel stay was enjoyable. The main thing of angst was that I found out that I left my laptop at the condo and it won't be for a while until I get it back. So now I am relegated to use my old one and with all of its limitations and lousy graphics. Still bad breath is better than no breath at all. Daniel said that he would swing by FL to pick up the lappy before he heads home to NJ around Christmas. The Monday was ok since I had a dental appointment (which went well) and paying all of the bills (ugh!) as well as seeing Daniel before Christmas. David treated for dinner at a sushi place which was a welcomed surprise. Ride down was uneventful and yesterday was a day to stuff five pounds into a one pound bag - overall got a lot of stuff done and more to do. Found out that I have to take my remaining days off or lose them so now I have to get that planned out as well. Finally caught up on my shows (at least some of them) and started my Proverbs chapter a day to keep the stupid away (thanks, AC!).

Praise for today: No one whose hope is you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse. Psalm 25: 3

Judges 1:19-33

The various tribes started to possess what was "promised" but they all had different results. Judah's tribe although successful couldn't remove their opposition since they had iron chariots (while they had wood or none). Benjamin's tribe couldn't remove the Jebusites so they had to co-exist until David's time. Joseph's tribes (Epharim and Manasseh) attacked the city via a man and his family (who were spared afterwards). The tribes of Manasseh, Ephraim didn't force the Canaanites to leave.Zebulun's tribe didn't force their conquered to leave and the tribes of Asher and Naphtali incorporated their conquered as slaves. Already we see the signs of the potential for trouble. The new nation was allowing the things and the customs of the ways that didn't please God to remain and under the guise that they were in control.

All in all, a good day with seeing Flight with Irene, making part of the dinner for our friends and getting the surround sound to work. Today will be a long day since we will be out for the whole day @ Epcot, still not a bad way to spend the day with some dear friends.

Prayers for my cousin who has heart problems and will address this in a few weeks and also for an old colleague and friend who is now in SD and had brain operation recently.

Praise for today: But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. Psalm 3:3

Judges 1: 12-18

Caleb made a promise that whoever captures Kiriath Sepher will also get his daughter in marriage. Othniel did that and Caleb made good his promise. Caleb's daughter asked him for a wedding present and received two wells that were crucial in a dry land. From the commentary: Verses 16-18 refer to the people that lived after Jethro (Moses’ wife’s father) lived. He belonged to a tribe called the Kenites. They were smiths (people that made things from metal). They travelled all the time from place to place. They went from the ‘City with Palm Trees’. Although that name usually refers to Jericho, here it refers to Tamar city. This city is south from the Dead Sea and it is 85 miles south from Arad. The Kenites decided to live near Arad. Judah’s tribe helped Simeon’s tribe to capture Zephath. Later, people called it Hormah. This means ‘a place that people have completely destroyed as an offering’. Judah’s tribe also captured Gaza, Ashkelon and Ekron. The Philistines later captured these cities. (Look at the story about Samson.)

These are times when the people and the land were gaining character and familiarity. Much of what they needed - they took and with the Lord on their side, they got what they wanted.

Good day at the Studios. Weather has been awesome and today we'll chill by going to see a movie and getting stuff to put in the  old surround sound. Looking forward to the evening when we'll have some friends over for dinner. 

Praise for today:  Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12-28-29

 

Judges 1: 1-11

The events in this book occurred after the death of Joshua but in reality, some of these things did occur while he was alive since he died in 2:8. Also some of the things that occurred in this book were recorded in Joshua 15 and 17. The book starts with the Lord sending the tribe of Judah out to capture Canaan. They enlisted the tribe of Simeon to help them to settle in the land of Canaan and the Perrizites. One tribe would help the other and their intent was to have to land for themselves. They did it with the help of the urim and thummim. According to the commentary: These were two stones with different marks on them. They showed different answers to questions that people asked God. People believed that God controlled these stones. ‘Men throw the stone, but the Lord controls its decisions’ (Proverbs 16:33). That to me was relevant and good that they did consult the Lord before their actions. Their actions were blessed by God as they were victorious and also as a symbol of their accomplishment they captured and cut of the thumbs and big toes of the conquered king, Adoni-Bezek. He, in turn, didn't protest since he did it to 70 of his opponents as well. The commentary called it a means to remind him of his defeat and he knew that he was the conquered rather than the conqueror. Judah's men also captured Jerusalem  as well which would become the center of activity for the Judeans. However, they burnt it down and went to fight the Canaanites who were housed in three areas. Jerusalem would be captured again (v21) but they wouldn't truly occupy it until David's time.

This is a savage but necessary time in the history of Israel. They were now ready to take the "land of milk and honey". I have avoided this book since I have done an Adult ed class on this a while back so it will be good to take a fresh look at it.

So far it has been a good start to the vacation with the relatively easy drive down and the condo in good shape. Saturday was one of gathering and trying to get stuff for here. We did get a chance to catch a cheap matinee at PI of Lincoln and I really liked it. Quiet dinner in was also good. Sunday was nice since we had a great church service locally as well as going to see AK as well. The highlight of the day and perhaps the rest of the week was the surprise visit by our great friends, the Leungs and Penny's sister as well who decided to come down here as well. We will look for opportunities to hook up. Don't know where we will be today but still on the agenda for me will be to get speaker stands and perhaps get some maintenance stuff done here.

Praise for today: Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His loving kindness is everlasting. Psalms 118:1

Ruth 4:14-22

The consummation of the marriage between Boaz and Ruth led to a son whose name is Obed (servant). The bounce came back to Naomi's step as she was now a grandmother and had a child to raise. Her friends acknowledge her before all and God as she was now considered blessed and was called by her real name Naomi versus her adopted name, Mara (bitter). Her emptiness was gone and there was new meaning to her life. From the commentary:

Verses 18-22 Perez was the son of Judah by his daughter-in-law Tamar, who was also a widow. (See Genesis chapter 38.) Judah’s family gained God’s promise in Genesis 49:8-10. From this family came Boaz and, later, great King David. Jesus, the greatest of all kings, came from Bethlehem from the same family. Jesus was the son of Mary. Like Ruth, she obeyed God and always trusted him. There is no special book in the Bible about Mary, but God has given us this lovely book about Ruth. In this book, we read about ordinary people. They are living as members of God’s family because they respect and obey him. It gives us a pattern for our own lives.

Truly a story of the ages and one that was a pause that refreshes. Glad to have done it and now looking for the next book to go through.

Long, long ride home and finally got my oil change for the 500. Glad to see that all is well for that car for now. Very proud of Irene and her diligence to get the place ready for Thanksgiving. Also glad to see GG home and David last night. Now onto Princeton and hopefully an uneventful day.

Praise for today: Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show us mercy. Micah 7:18

Ruth 4: 7-12

The transaction has been completed in front of the witnesses and before God. They exchange sandals as a sign of the completed transaction and thus the deal was sealed. It was to show that the man gave up his rights to the property and those attached to it and that all parties were fine with the arrangement. With the proclamation of the transfer of property, Boaz announced his intent to assume Naomi and Ruth as his responsibility. He further announced that he planned to marry Ruth to which the people exhorted him and wished that their marriage would be fruitful and that Ruth would follow in the footsteps of Rachel and Leah, the wives of Jacob. It was through these two women, the nation of Israel (12 sons) would start. There was nothing but love and good wishes toward Ruth and Boaz.

This was truly a story of how God redeems us - one person at a time and through his means and ways. Boaz would be the foreshadow of Christ and would be the lineage link between he and David so that Jesus Christ would come.

Hard praises to our Lord for allowing GG to pursue his dreams and keep his wings. Looking forward to seeing him on Wednesday. Also looking forward to going home later myself as well. Working out of Princeton tomorrow so hopefully the traffic crush won't be as bad. Able to get Irene's Christmas gift yesterday so I am happy. Much to be thankful for.

Praise for today: You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you. Hear my prayer,  O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me. Psalm 85: 5-7

Ruth 4: 1-6

Boaz is resolved to act upon his instincts and proceeds to gather 10 men as witnesses to ensure the event. He is also trusting God that He will provide a way and the means for this transaction to be legal and binding. He sits on the other side of town and finally meets the closer kinsman/redeemer and explains to him the situation. We never know the identity of the other kinsman but while he is willing to buy the land, he is not eager or willing to take on Naomi and Ruth who come along with the deal. According to the commentary: The man was glad to buy the land, so that it would still belong to Elimelech’s relatives. However, Boaz said that he must also marry Ruth. And he must make her son the owner of the land. He must be the one to give Elimelech an heir. That heir would have a right to Naomi’s land. This changed everything. The man could not risk his own family’s future. He would have to provide for Ruth’s child or children until they became adults. So, he would have less money to give to his other children. And perhaps, when he died, some of his own land would also belong to Ruth’s child. So again, there would be less land for his other children to own. For these reasons, this man gave Boaz his right to the land and to Ruth.

So the die is cast and the way is cleared for Boaz to proceed. The witnesses attest to the legitimacy of the deal to ensure the event.

A long but fruitful weekend. Took off Friday and went up to NH with David to see 4 HIM. It was good to see, catch-up and pray with my dear friends and brothers in Christ.  They are like family and I am truly glad that we went despite the costs (hotel, gas)  and long drive. Saturday was shot since we had the drive back but got some stuff done. Sunday was a long day with me and Jeff doing to cooking for Thanksgiving day lunch at church and heading down here exhausted. Did have the truck go through the paces at the service place and got some necessary but costly work done for our upcoming trip to FL after Christmas. Spoke and prayed with Daniel yesterday evening and it was good to do so.  I am truly praying for him and his testing today and for the Lord's providence over his life and future.

Praise for today: From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people. Psalm 3:8

Ruth 3: 6-18

Trust is a very essential element in a relationship. Ruth was now in a very vulnerable position and was willing to trust both Naomi's instincts and also the integrity of Boaz. She has also adopted the ways and the customs of a land she know little or nothing about. She places herself in a very vulnerable situation where she goes to a sleeping man's bed and offers herself to him. While this was quite acceptable in those times, it would be thought of quite differently in modern day. She acknowledges herself as his servant and he as her redeemer.

Ruth's reputation precedes her as Boaz is quick to point out and feels honored by her choice in him. He did feel that there was a hindrance that he would have to address; there was a closer kinsman that he in regards to the land (and ultimately her). Therefore, he would have to go that person and offer to buy the land and it's obligations from that person to legitimize the deal. He would allow her to spend the night and would not publicly mention this encounter to avoid gossip. He gives her food since the harvest is over and she returns to Naomi to tell her all that happened. Naomi is confident in Boaz and predicts his resolve to see a conclusion to this.

O, if it were this easy nowadays... My prayers for my sons are for them to marry women like Ruth and for them to be a redeemer for their family.

Looking forward after my doctor's visit to head up to NH and see my buds. It's been over two years since I have seen them collectively and while we have spoken/texted individually, this will be a real treat. Long drive but hopefully good quality time with David. Still prayers for GG and his retest on Monday.

Praise for today: Be exalted, O God , above the heavens, and let your glory be over all of the earth. Psalm 108:5

Ruth 3: 1-5

The harvest was now over and the progression of the relationship needed to go to the next level. Boaz was the next and closest kinsman to Naomi via Elimelech and thus the ball got rolling. The plan was contingent upon Boaz stepping up to the plate and accepting his Biblical duties (Dt. 25:5,6) for the land and for taking care of the kin. As a result, Naomi wanted Ruth to appear as attractive as she could, not in a slutty way, but rather as a bride meets her groom. There was trust on Ruth's side as well since she was placing her life in Naomi's hand. She was basing this also on her relationship and her take on Boaz, who had proved himself so far as noble and honorable.

Looking forward to heading home later and seeing my buddies tomorrow after my doctor's appointment. Also looking forward to spending some quality time with David as well. Praying also for some clarity in GG's life and for Irene as well as always.

Praise for today: I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head  like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61: 10

Ruth 2: 14-23

The generosity of Boaz extends beyond the limits of the ways of the land. He give her food to eat abundantly while she works and allows her to harvest the fields as well as from the sheaves. The symmetry is similar to the Lord's generosity to us which gives us abundant all we ask and need.  So she gleaned and threshed what she gathered up to 20 liters of barley grain and returned to Naomi who was grateful and surprised. She inquired where and how she was able to be so successful and when she heard whose fields Ruth was in, she acknowledge Boaz and praised God for him. Her primary thoughts turned to being redeemed by him as their kin. As a member of Elimelech's family, he took up the role of protector for his family even sight unseen. Apparently, this arrangement was good until at least the end of the harvest.

Got back yesterday after a day of work in Princeton and an inpromtu trip to the dentist to replace a filling that fell out after the movies. Had to switch cars with Irene and hopefully there is nothing wrong with the 500's transmission (still under warranty, whew!). Other than that and a minor outage on Monday, it was a decent weekend. Saw Warhorse on Sunday and had dinner at China Grill, just nice to enjoy the long weekend. This will be a short week down here since I am off on Friday and heading home tomorrow night.

Glad I was able to pray with GG last night and will continue to pray with and for him as his re-tests are upcoming.

Praise for today: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he  will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5,6

Ruth 2: 5-15

Boaz notices Ruth and inquires about her which validates that he didn't know her or her situation prior to this. His chief servant informs him of her origin and her plight with Naomi and her diligence in the field as well. He goes out of his way to speak to her and to offer protection and supplies while she goes about her business. What makes this special is that he goes above and beyond what is necessary and required to make her feel wanted and appreciated. Her response is one of humbleness and gratitude as she asks her questions but in a respectful way. The way of the land during those times were not so respectful or beneficial towards women in those days so this was especially different.

Boaz, the foreshadowing of Christ - the kinsman redeemer. While I have read this story many times, it still remains important despite the brevity of the book.

Looking forward to going home and the long weekend ahead. With our fasting tonight and the church leadership meeting tomorrow, it will be a long day. I am looking forward to seeing War Horse on Sunday afternoon and dinner with Irene in Manhattan. Nice also is that I am off from work on Monday as well.  Prayers for GG as he takes some tests on Saturday for his job.

Praise for today: Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. Isaiah 49:13

Ruth 2: 1-4

The character of Boaz is introduced before his entrance. He was the relative to Elimelech, Naomi's husband. He was a rich and honorable man who owned land - a sign that it was a gift from God. Since Elimelech's sons were dead, there was no one else left to fend for Naomi and Ruth so they went to Boaz. Given Ruth's age, she was the logical one to work and glean the fields for the leftover barley grain so that they could live. The gleaning process was ordained by God in Leviticus 19: 9-10. While Ruth chose a field, she didn't know whose field she was at. God ordained this so that the story goes on. Good things do come from God and this was the case for Ruth and the field that she chose to glean. Boaz is finally on the scene in v. 4 and greets his workers with a blessing much like a priest would to his congregants. His words to his workers implies his heart towards his people.

Decent day yesterday at work and the Noreaster that was forecasted for down in Delly never really amounted to much. However, north of me was a much different story. Heard nightmarish commutes and power outages again which troubled me. Called my home and my mom to see if all was well. Decided to take my stuff home yesterday and skip the gym this morning due to the potential of the weather. Still did my laundry yesterday and got the rude awakening of the prices going up for the usage of the machines, oh well.... Got all that done as well as my ironing so I am happy.

Prayers for my peeps that they are faring well in this exacerbating weather situation.

Praise for today: He who dwells in the shadow of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

Ruth 1: 15-22

Ruth is now given the same choice as Orpah had but it seemed like she had her mind made up as she declared her allegiance to Naomi and to the Lord. The spiritual reasons far outweighed the practical and she told Naomi that she would be with her and the Lord. As a result, the book becomes a story of Ruth and not Naomi and her part in the lineage of Christ.They departed for Bethlehem during the barley harvest which was a busy time. Upon their arrival in Bethlehem, Naomi is recognized by the locals. It seems that she was an important part of the community to have been away for so long and still have been recognized. There she tells her friends that she should be called Mara, which means "bitter". She was bitter about her life and her circumstances but not bitter towards God and her belief in Him. She didn't know why her life had turn this way but she knew that He was in control.

Well, it's over. The nation's fate will be shaped further as we continue towards a path of higher debt and entitlement. One has to think about it from a morality viewpoint and cannot be happy. The demographics that elected Obama continue to favor the "populist" side rather than the Christian viewpoint. We have been through this before and will be again - as long as the people deny God and His ways. Still, I wake up each day, trust God and remain faithful as a remnant that will be true to Him. God is good all the time and all the time, God is good.

Praise for today:In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. Psalm 44: 8

Ruth 1: 8-14

The decision that awaited Naomi was not necessarily that for Orpah or Ruth. They were in their land and they were young enough that they could remarry and assimilate themselves back into their culture and the country's beliefs. Their people wouldn't abandon them and they could and would be cared for. However, the same could not be said of Naomi who openly spoke and shared who her God was and is. She exhibited her faith and trust in God and her daughters-in-law knew where she stood. She knew her age was a barrier for enabling her d-i-ls the opportunity to stay with her and so she gave them their freedom to remarry and live a productive life. After a while, Orpah agreed with remorse that she would be staying while Ruth held on to Naomi.

Today is an important day in the future of our country - the next four years will be shaped by today's vote and hopefully, the choice of the unborn will be heard as well. I voted by mail last week and while my candidate has flaws as most do, I believe in what he is saying and how he proposes to do it. Still, I think of my dad who told it that despite who is in there, you go about your business the same way - doing the best and providing for your family. Today also on the homefront, the trees will be cut down and even though the costs are less than what others would have paid, it's still a hickey nonetheless. Now my township is under a water alert due to a mechanical problem. As GG said, " two steps forward, one step back". Tomorrow, we expect more rain and wind as well which will hamper relief efforts. 

Praise for today: Search my heart o God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139: 23, 24

Ruth 1: 1-7

Although this book is short and small in nature, the commentary that I am using is deep and long in history and background. So this study will be a  little more in depth, rather than a quick study...


The story of Ruth takes place during the time of the Judges, when there was no king or specific ruler that took charge of the nation. Judah was to the south and was west of Israel while Moab was on the opposite side of the Dead Sea and was a separate pagan nation. Despite Bethelem being a large city, it was going through a severe famine and thus according to the commentary: Elimelech and his family wanted security. They left home to look for food elsewhere. They came to a country where the people did not worship God. Elimelech was from Ephrath. This probably meant that he belonged to one of the chief families in Bethlehem. (‘Ephrath’ is an old name for Bethlehem – see Micah 5:2.) He took his wife Naomi and his two sons Mahlon and Kilion. They planned to stay in Moab only for a short time. Names back then mattered Elimelech's name meant "my God is King" and Naomi's name meant "pleasant". I'm sure that they lived their names for a time until Elimelech died and their two sons Mahlon and Kilion met similar fates at a young age. Thus the stage is set for Naomi and her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah to decide their next phase in life. The Bible doesn't say what the ages of the men or how they died but the fact still remains that they have come to the proverbial "fork in the road". Naomi was now a widow in a foreign land and with two foreign d-i-ls she knew that she couldn't stay. She heard that the Lord was now providing for his people and so she made the decision that she would trek back to Judah. Ruth and Orpah did love Naomi and wanted to stay with her because of how Naomi treated them and the bond they established over the past ten years.

What a weekend... I got home pretty easily perhaps because of the lack of people on the road due to the lack of gas and the hassles in getting it as well as the aftermath of Sandy. Nevertheless, it was good to be back home. After a group dinner out on Friday night, Saturday was for assessing the damage that the tree in the back had done and making a pork shoulder in the slow cooker as well as spending the afternoon at Gateway in SI helping their efforts with the Sandy relief. It was good reconnecting with the people there and since we found out how useless our home owner's policy was in solving our problem, one of my golf buddies there has a son that will look to see what he can do to take away the fallen tree. Praise God for him! Long day Saturday and with the extra hour of sleep, my back is slowly getting better after doing all that lifting. Great service on Sunday with Pastor Mercaldo giving a timely and splendid message about "Storms".  After lunch, I headed down to Delly and got down here with minimum time and issues. Gas down here, although higher than where I would normally tank up at, was lower than most of the stations were hawking their gas for and with no lines or rationing dates.

Not looking forward to the storm that is heading for us on Wed and Thursday but according to the weather forecasts, the weekend looks decent. Praising God for the people that we know and love whose homes have been spared or have minimal damage. Also prayers for GG as he sorts this stuff out from a distance as I was as well. Glad to see he has found a fellowship and is getting hooked up.

Praise for today: For the Lord is righteous,  he loves justice; upright men will see his face. Psalm 11: 7

The pause that refreshes

I've just finished my morning studies on the Chronicles of the Judean kings and have a few more books before I finish the entire Bible while being down here. Some I have journalized while some I have not. Still it has been a refreshing time and a sobering one as well. I have learned much so far in my 6+ years down here in Delaware and the Lord has been with me every step of the way. Every day down here has been an experience and has drawn me closer to Him.

I have been blessed and have seen at least one of my sons graduate while I was down here and both are employed. Still I miss being home, even with the Sandy storm, to be able to be there for Irene and David. Economically, this has been a drain on the family but we have survived even though we weren't thriving.

I will decide soon what my next book in the OT will be - Judges, 1and 2 Kings, Ruth and Song of Solomon are all that remain. May the Lord continue to bless my journey.

Praise for today: From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be upon your people. Psalm 3:8

2 Chr 36: 17-23

Since the entire nation of Judah turned their collective back on the Lord, they were either killed or captured by Nebuchadnezzar. The Lord had no pity and was no respecter of age or gender. According to the commentary: Zedekiah and his army ran from the city and they tried to escape. But the soldiers from Babylon caught them near Jericho town. They took Zedekiah to the town called Riblah in Syria to meet King Nebuchadnezzar. As Zedekiah watched them, they killed his sons. Then they took his eyes out so that he was blind. They bound him with chains and they took him to Babylon.

The Babylonians destroyed most of the city and especially the Temple. Since the Lord "left" the temple and his Presence was abhorred with Jerusalem, it was symbolic that it was destroyed.The entire captivity process was to be 70 years by the Babylonians. This was because Cyrus and the Persian Empire would overtake the Babylonian empire and become the first king of Babylon. The Lord would then allow the Jews to re-enter Jerusalem since Cyrus was a believer and would restore the Lord's Presence in Jerusalem.

Thus ends the book of  2 Chronicles - which has been a long time coming. I'm not sure where the Lord will lead me next in my studies but it will be in the OT.

Going to LabCorp after Sandy to complete my tests this morning. Should be "fun" day at work but hopefully an uneventful one. Prayers for the family in Edison who remains without power. Prayers also for those less fortunate than our situation. Hopefully a spirit of community will take over and there will be few if any incidents.

Praise for today: God is our refuge and strength, an ever help in times of trouble. Ps 46:1

2 Chr 36: 11-16

We just had the "perfect storm" or the "storm of the century". While the devastation has been first and foremost in the eyes of the media and the nation, we are reminded of nature's awesome power and our ability to prepare and cope with the situation. Clearly the writing was on the wall many days in advance and even I was amazed at its destructive forces and the path of devastation that ensued. I was amazed at the scenes at AC and lower NYC as the crests and waves flooded those streets. I was also saddened to hear of the countless stories of people (including many of my own) who lost power and feared for the losses that could ensue. I am awaiting word if we will even have services this weekend as lower Manhattan recovers and the commuter systems restores services (assuming power is available). I'm sure there are countless stories that will be told of how families and neighbors pull together. I am also saddened to hear how the AC mayor took it upon himself to ignore a state order to evacuated and put them up in local shelters and now must pay the price.

This section of Scripture deals with an evil and selfish king who ignored the warnings of the prophets and led his people into a path of destruction. He was evil in the eyes of the Lord and where the head goes, the body will follow. His "priests" were also evil and rather than worship the Lord, they worshipped idols. Jeremiah told Zedekiah and his priests and the people to repent and worship the Lord but they refuse and ridiculed the Lord's messenger. As a result, the Lord allowed the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem and start the captivity. Admist all of this, Zedekiah actually agreed to be under Bablylonian rule and signed an agreement with the king of Bablyon, Nebuchadnezzar. He reneged from the agreement and sought an allegiance with the new king of Egypt, Hophra or actually that Babylon and Egypt would do battle against each other. Zedekiah was will still be under Babylonian rule according to Jeremiah and the people would be enslaved - just as Jeremiah predicted.

The perfect storm back then as well but unlike Sandy, this storm would have no imminent recovery time and no FEMA. The enslavement would last much longer and the hopes would be dashed as well.

I am so grateful for all of the people that have reached out to me and my family. Prayers are powerful. Yesterday, I went into work and had to stuff 5 pounds into a 1 pound bag. We had power and food but still being under a statewide emergency edict was extremely limited in driving and was still working into the night yesterday to correct issues so that they would not linger going forward. Today is day off so I will try to catch up here with things that I need to do and tighten up my sermon (if we still have services on Sunday).

Praise for today: The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

2 Chr 36: 5-10

The next section is a tale of two kings, first Jehoiakim who was the king that succeeded Jehoahaz, his father. His reign lasted 11 years and according to other parts of the Bible and history was a self indulging and arrogant king. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord. Jeremiah, the prophet was the Lord's mainstay throughout this time and did much to warn and correct him in what the Lord wanted but was not well received. The result was him being in captivity via King Nebuchadnezzar in bronze chains into Babylon with his ill-gotten gains as well. During this time frame, there was another prophet Uriah (Jer 23) who was killed by Nebuchadnezzar while Jeremiah was not. The reason that the Egyptians were the ones that were oppressing the Judeans was that the Babylonian empire had, by this time, extended to Egypt so Jehoiakim had to obey Babylon rather than Egypt.

The second king, was Jehoiakim's son - Jehoiachin. He was as bad as his father and his reign only lasted a little over 3 months. According to the commentary: Then in March 597 BC, Nebuchadnezzar’s army entered the city. Nebuchadnezzar himself came to Jerusalem. He took Jehoiachin as a prisoner to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar took all the valuable things from the temple. And he took many people from Jerusalem to Babylon. He took about 10 000 people from the city. This included Jehoiachin’s family, 7000 soldiers and all the business people (2 Kings chapter 24).

Nebuchadnezzar made Jehoiachin’s uncle Mattaniah the king of Judah and Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar changed Mattaniah’s name to Zedekiah.

 

The event last night was pretty good and was focused on ending domestic violence. The keynote speaker was Lavon Morris-Grant who was a victim of domestic violence as well. She is a Christian and gave a stark and gripping account of her life and how she had to cope with the ridicule of being a victim - not only from her friends and family but even her own church which abandoned her. She was also a great woman of action and faith and I got a chance to pray with her afterwards.

 

Getting ready to head home but for how long? The impending hurricane hitting landfall late this weekend may prompt me to stay in NJ longer rather than coming down on Sunday. We'll see...

 

Praise for today: But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. Psalm 94:22.

2 Chr 36: 1-4

With Josiah's death. the door was open for the next king and the people chose Josiah’s son Jehoahaz. Apparently, the Bible points out that Jehoahaz's father was also in contention given he too was in the lineage and could have assumed the throne. Nevertheless, the people chose and they chose poorly. According the account in 2 Kings 23, he didn't last long - just a mere 3 months and he was evil in the sight of the Lord. Neco was still bent on controlling Judah and captured Jehoahaz and put him in chains. With him out the way, Neco put his brother on the throne to control him and Judah as well. Eliakim who was his name was renamed Jehoiakim by Neco and was a few years older than his brother.

With the last chapter comes the advent of the exile as the kings of Judah followed a destructive path not just for themselves but for the people as well.

Got finished with my message and now I can relax somewhat today and go the charity event after work. Just hoping a get a decent parking spot later to lug my stuff home tomorrow.

Praise for today: The Lord will keep you from harm - he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121: 7-8

2 Chr 34:20-27

With three powerhouse nations surrounding Judah, they of course were always at odds against each other. Assyria was the weakest and Babylon was becoming stronger so Egypt (king Neco) was going to align himself with Assyria against Babylon. Having to go through Judah, he and his army were confronted by Josiah and his troops. Neco had no issue with Josiah and in fact told him that God was behind this but this was not well received by Josiah who appeared bent on going into battle against the Egyptians. Josiah was so gung-ho about this that he even changed his battle gear so that he could blend in with his troops. Arrows were fired and Josiah was mortally wounded. He died shortly thereafter and was immortalized in a Book of Sorrows by Jeremiah. This was not the book of Lamentations but rather another book that was lost in the shuffle of time.‘He did what was right and fair. So, everything was good for him. He helped people who were poor. And he helped those who needed his help’ (Jeremiah 22:15-16). The people mourned as he was put to rest in the land and tombs of his fathers.

As I scroll forward, it seems like Josiah was the last good king of Judah before the exile. Sad to say, the bad outnumbered the good and still the nation was sent into exile BUT still produced the ultimate King - Jesus Christ. Still interesting to read and ponder about.

Another decent day at work, got invited to a charity which our firm is taking a table on Thursday night. Should end at a decent hour which is good. Got my ironing done and had a salad for dinner after a working lunch yesterday. Nothing done on the message but that will be for tonight.

Praise for today: I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praises to the name of the Lord Most High. Psalms 7: 17.

2 Chr 35: 10-20

So the feast was recorded and obviously the fact that it occurred was noteworthy and recorded. What should have been an annual event was started after a long hiatus. The Levites picked up the slack where there were not enough priests to do the tasks at hand - slaying and preparing the animals and draining the blood for the doorposts, etc. The Levites also were the singers and the guards at the temple. And so the feast was complete and for 7 days they held the Passover feast without yeast. The Bible records this as among the best feasts ever even surpassing those that were held in David and Solomon's day. Perhaps because the people as well as the leaders were active and behind it.

Decent day at work and also here. David and I changed our phone plans so that it could accommodate his growing needs without hardship from month to month. I cooked enough ribs in black bean sauce and broccoli in oyster sauce for the week and then some. Never grow tired of a good thing. Tonight I will put the finishing touches on the message, hopefully... The debate was relatively interesting but still didn't sway me from voting my convictions.

Prayers for the family as we progress towards the holiday season. I also felt a little weird yesterday at the gym with some slight disorientation which forced me to bike rather than do any standing style exercise. We'll see how it goes later.

Praise for today: Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness. Psalm 48:10

2 Chr 35: 1-9

Josiah was a student of the Scriptures and thus after reading the account of Exodus and the Passover feast was inspired to continue the remembrance of the event. This took place in the 18th year of his rule in 622 BC, and much work had to be done to commemorate Passover. The Levites had to be given their duties as was in the case of David and retraining had to be done.  Also, the restoration of the ark had to occur as well since it was probably removed by some loyalists who didn't want to see it desecrated. Josiah gave of his own wealth to provide the sacrifices as well as his officials - this was an act of sacrifice from their part and meant that they were totally behind it and led by example. The sacrifices were enough for 30,000 poorer families to be represented and that was a good thing.

Clearly Josiah and his officials gave sacrificially and they tried to put the nation on the right track towards honoring and revering God. They were doing the right thing as they they led by example and be inclusionary rather than exclusionary.

Good but exhausting weekend. Good session on Friday's FW and also Saturday was a long day in Queens for the Missions weekend. Sunday was more of the same but thankfully an easy ride down here to Delly and a relaxing evening.

Praise for today: He who sacrifices thank offerings honor me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God. Psalm 50:23

2 Chr 34:14-33

The outward appearances of the changes that Josiah had implemented were taking shape. Now was the time that the inward appearances be made as well. Hilkiah the priest found a book (although it may have been incomplete) that was deemed to be the word of God. They have already done the right thing with their handling of the monies and the use of the proceeds to make Jerusalem worthy and strong. The reading of the word, first to Josiah and his leaders and prophets and then to the rest of the people had lasting impact. The first was the repentance of sin in Josiah's life. We don't know if it was anything specific but he recognized that he fell short of God's standards. Not only did he but the rest of the nation and they saw that particularly with their memories of their past. They heard the words of a prophet as well who forewarned of their demise if they didn't change their ways.It was because of their repentance which gave them a second chance. They showed true repentance and the tribes that comprised Judah swore a renewed allegiance to the Lord and his ways.v33 Josiah removed all the awful images of gods from all the country of the Israelites. He made all the people in Israel serve the LORD their God. As long as he lived, they followed the LORD God of their ancestors.

Decent day yesterday, got to use my near expiring coupon for shoes and did some food shopping. Praying for a good one today and a decent drive home so that I could attend FW. Busy day tomorrow with the Missions day in Queens and church on Sunday. Got most of my stuff done on my message and that's a good thing. Prayers for the family and their well being and their walk with the Lord.

Praise for today: The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Psalm 93:1

2 Chr 34: 1-13

With Joash ascending the throne, there is "peace in the valley". He was only 8 when he took office but decided right from the start to follow the Lord and to remove and destroy the idols and places of idol worship that permeated the land and the people. He not only took them down in Jerusalem but in distant cities as well. Locally, the Lord's temple was also restored to worship as he purged the items that were brought in by his father and others. The Levites also were instrumental in gather cash to restore the temple as the people contributed towards this cause. The temple was under neglect for many years and the restoration was under way under Joash's rule. What was interesting was that the lineage of Korath and Merari were mentioned as they were mentioned in the Psalms as well.

Not a bad day at work yesterday and last night. Still tough to get motivated to finish off my message but hopefully will get a chance tonight. Glad to hear that GG got a chance to have dinner with my sister - way overdue. Glad to hear that he will be home for Thanksgiving and praying for him to finally get his long overdue tax refund from NJ. H&R Block is terrible for out of state returns. I guess I have to bite the bullet and get Colorado on Turbo Tax next year.

Praise for today: May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is with you. Psalm 25:21

2 Chr 33: 21-25

It didn't take long for the leaders of Judah to repeat their mistake and mistrust. Amon, son of Manasseh, took the reigns after his father died at the age of 22. He continued the evil ways of his father and quickly changed what the deeds of his repentant father did. In fact, it was reported that he was worse! Go figure.  His reign only lasted two years before he was killed by his servants who in turn were killed by the people. It was apparent that they wanted nothing to do with Amon or his ways. They made Josiah, king of Judah.

Overall good day at work and here. Still working on the message and should finish it shortly. Many thanks to Emily for all her preparations for the weekend. Surprised by the light turnout but we do live busy lives and maybe some apathy is setting in.

Praise for today: Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. Psalm 80: 3

2 Chr 33: 14-20

With the king of Assyria allowing Manasseh to return home, he was a changed man. He saw the wickedness of his ways and began the process to restore what he had done. He fortified the city of Jerusalem, took down the idol worship sites and set up the Lord's temple again. He sent officers to help restore the land as well in the surrounding cities. He was not successful in removing all of the high places for idol worship since the people continued their practices, still he did his part. The balance of the section detailed the rest of his deeds and life and were recorded in 2 Kings 21 although the repentance part that was recorded here.He was dead in 642 BC and was buried in his palace. His son, Amon succeeded him.

All in all, a decent day yesterday and was culminated in the restoration of my cable bill to its original amount for another year - minor victory!!! Had a good convo with PAL's cousin and invited her to church as well. That would be a major victory! Tonight, have to work on the message and will look forward to the missions weekend with Barry Jordan. Praying for safe passage for GG and Irene today back home.

Praise for today: Praise be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen. Psalm 41: 13

2 Chr 33: 10-13

Pride goes before the fall. It is a pattern that continues even today. Manasseh truly was a man who was caught up in his own press and surrounded himself with those that led him astray. He did such evil in the sight of the Lord that he allowed the Assyrians to capture him and ridicule him (in a painful way- bronze nose ring) in chains to be brought to the Babylonians as a slave. The commentary mentioned him as potentially as a soldier in the Egyptian army to get away from the Assyrian rule. Whatever the case, this was the start of the Babylonian captivity that would play a big part in the history of Israel. In prison, Manasseh "found" the Lord. He repented of his ways and vowed to change his ways to please the Lord. However, this was too late to change the course that was slated for Israel. Despite Manasseh's ways and heart, the Lord did forgive him and allow him to make good his vows of repentance in prison as he returned to his rule in Jerusalem.

Good weekend and was able to have lunch with David @ RR. The balance of Saturday was cleaning up and and then a concert with Danny Kalb (Blues Project) and Felix Cavaliere of the Rascals at a church in Chatham, NJ. Late night as I was waiting for David to get home and an early rise to church made me a hurting puppy. At least the ride home from NYC was decent and got down here and scored a great parking spot.

Praise for today: If the Lord delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. Psalm 37: 23-24

2 Chr 33:1-9

All good things must come to an end so was the age of Hezekiah. Manasseh, his son, who co-ruled with him as a child, took over the throne when he was 12. He ruled officially from around 687 BC to 642 BC and he was horrible as a follower of God. He was the longest tenured ruler of Judah or Israel. With his father's independence from the Assyrians now over, Manasseh felt that he would now succumb under their rule. Most of that was because he chose not to follow the ways of his father Hezekiah and love the Lord. Instead, he chose to worship idols. According to the commentary;

The nations that were in the country before Israel worshipped many false gods. Manasseh built again the high places to worship those gods. He built altars to the Baal gods. He made images for Asherah, the female god. And he worshipped the sun, moon and stars. For these, he built two altars in the LORD’s temple. He did the same as his grandfather Ahaz had done (28:3). He made his children go through fire in the Ben-Hinnom Valley. This was a sacrifice to the god Molech. And he did many other evil deeds.

 

 So the stage was set for a long and painful road ahead for the nation as they were led like sheep to the slaughter. He also desecrated the Lord's temple by putting idols for worship and sacrifices there as well. This didn't sit well with the Lord. In turn, Judah had become worse than the nations that had the land before them and were around them. Needless to say, bad things were on the horizon.

 

Overall a good day at work but was dismayed to see my cable bill jacked up by $20 p/m. That coupled with my rent being raised will lead to more tightening of the belt to make ends meet down here. Seeing if I could get it reduced or if not consider Verizon as an alternative. Need to investigate that...

 

 

Praise for today: Every word of God is flawless, he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Proverbs 30: 5

2 Chr 32: 25-33

This is a capsulized summary of what went on in 2 Kings 19 and 20. Hezekiah became ill and almost died. He prayed to the Lord for mercy and was granted 15 more years of life. His prayer was confirmed by the Lord allowing him to see that it was truly God behind the scenes by performing a miracle. Unfortunately, neither he or the people became closer to God because of it. Despite saving him and the people, they grew proud and haughty. Hezekiah was given great wealth by the Lord and he in turn felt that it was worth displaying as if he was the reason behind it. This angered the Lord and also the people became proud as well. They did repent of their sin so God didn't punish them or Hezekiah while he was alive. However, Hezekiah still flaunted his wealth and in turn was told that these riches would be gone and swept away (by the Babylonian empire). He died and was given an elevated place in the tombs of his ancestors.

All in all, a good king who did much to benefit the people that he served. His episodic lapses were true of even the best of kings which only points to the fact that there is truly one perfect king - Jesus Christ.

All in all, a good day yesterday. Still plugging away at my sermon and hopefully will have all of the loose gaps finished for the Missions weekend. Trying to maneuver my Fridays so that I am done with late nights for that day to the rest of the year. Also established my work schedule to get my Princeton days as well.

Praise for today: I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints. Ps 42: 9

2 Chr 32: 20-24

This was how it was supposed to work. When the going got tough, the tough went to the Lord. Both Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah went before the Lord to plead for His people and their defense. The prophet did what he did (2 Kings 19:21-34) and the Lord sent his angel of death and killed 185,000 of Sennacherib's men. Sennacherib went back alone and defeated without a single Judean harmed. He was literally like a scolded dog with his tail between his legs. He went back to his created god's temple and there his sons killed him. News of this traveled fast and the Lord and Jerusalem were respected and revered. The Lord protected them on all sides and in turn they received the wealth of surrounding nations.

All in all a decent day at work. I got a little further on my sermon and will plug away at it over the next week or so. Also got some more confirmation regarding the Missions weekend so that is good as well. Glad to hear that GG and Irene are enjoying themselves in FL and that the condo is good as well. Hoping that David has a good time at the NYY games but he better bundle up!!!

Praise for today: Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice. And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah Psalm 50: 5&6

2 Chr 32:9-19

Actions speak louder than words but in this case, Sennacherib was hoping his rhetoric was enough to scare the Judeans into submission,  He tried to play to their fears - losing basics like food and water. He attributed the taking down of Asherah poles as the equivalent of not giving the people local worship areas. He tried to destroy the people's trust in the Lord by saying that God would not and could not save them against he and his army. He failed to grasp that the God of Israel was the Creator of all things, including he and his armies as well. His officers tried to use their native language to persuade them to give up as well. He felt he could play on their fears and that they would surrender without a fight. He and his armies wrote letters of propaganda to encourage them to give up. They shouted to them to intimidate them into a corner to act.

How often does Satan use these intimidation tactics on us to push us further away from God. The deceiver often uses our fears and anxieties to garner an advantage for him as we question the Lord's goodness and protection. We tend to lose sight of the fact that we are co-heirs and children of God. The promises seem distant not because we don't have them but because we don't claim them.

Good day yesterday even though it was a nightmare using Windows 7 and MO. Still got much done and was able to have lunch with a younger co-worker and get to know him as well. Prayers for Irene as she goes to FL for a week.

Praise for today: O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Ps 8:9

2Chr 32: 1-8

This was the first test to the kingdom of Hezekiah - they have grown self-sufficient in garnering water as an agricultural resource as well as for their daily needs. Additionally, Hezekiah stopped paying taxes to Assyria once King Sargon 2 died. Assyria held power over most of Israel and Judah since they were under their captivity. Four years later under Sennacherib, son of Sargon 2, the Assyrians would threaten to attack Jerusalem but Hezekiah would pay some taxes to them to appease them and not have the city under siege. Hezekiah did much to the city as far as refortifying it and restoring the prominence it once had. The problem was that this was not enough for Sennacherib and he still wanted to press the issue not only politically but also spiritually. He mocked the Lord and what He could do for his people. Hezekiah not only restored the city but he also restored the people's faith in the Lord. and that did not sit well with Sennacherib. As a result, he wanted to set Jerusalem as an example. Despite being outnumbered as far as soldiers, Hezekiah rallied the troops and the people around the Lord and was willing to put himself and the people at the Lord's mercy rather than Sennacherib's army.  He actually used the "be strong and courageous" line from Joshua (6). What he said is true, if God is for us who can be against us?

Excellent test and his response was truly heroic as well as scripturally sound.

Good weekend. Had my first taste of college football with Rutgers' win over UConn. Had some issues Sunday morning with a transit cop over street closures and ended up apologizing for my actions and praying with him . God was truly with me in that circumstance. Easy ride home and down here. All in all a good weekend. Prayers for Irene who is heading down to FL tomorrow and for GG who will be with her for part of the trip. Today should be a light and stressfree day, ha!

Praise for today: With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles. 2 Chr 32: 8

2 Chr 31: 9-21

It seemed that the people responded with vigor as it became apparent to Hezekiah and the officials that the people gave from the bounty that the Lord had blessed them with. Their tithes were so generous and overflowing that they had to address the giving by utilizing the storehouses they had and creating new ones for the overflow. They gave over and above their tithes which was duly noted. They gave their share to each Levite over the age of 3 (since they were in their mother's feeding up until then) and were put into service (as was the Davidical way) when they turned 20. There were a group of 6 that was put in charge of the storage. The bottom line - they were turned to the Lord, the people and the priests in turn were blessed, Hezekiah was a good king who loved and served the Lord and he and the kingdom were blessed. He was sincere in his faith.

Week is almost over and heading home later. The earliest I will be able to start my drive is around 5:30 but still should be alright. Looking forward to going to the Rutgers game tomorrow (1st college football game ever!) and since they are nationally ranked - should be good.

Praise for today: My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion. Psalm 71: 24

2 Chr 31: 1-8

The result of the feast was that the people were now on board with Hezekiah and turned from their wicked ways. They went home to their lands and destroyed the Asherah poles that were erected for idol worship.Even Hezekiah had to destroy the bronze snake that Moses made (Numbers 21:8-9), which had become a source of idol worship according to the commentary. He then assigned the priests and the Levites to divisions - each according their duties as priests to sing praises at the gate of the Lord's dwelling. He also contributed out of his wealth, the sacrifices that were needed on each of the Sabbaths, New Moons and the feasts that were prescribed in the Mosaic law. He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to tithe once again and especially give to the Levites and priests so that they could perform and live their tasks without fear of lack of provision. The Israelites responded generously with their first fruits. This was done with regularity and thus prompted Hezekiah and his officials to praise God and bless his people.

Jerusalem was finally returning to the glory that was due. The Lord was finally put in the forefront of the king and his people. Truly this was a taste of what heaven would be like. At least for now, all was in sync.

Decent day yesterday, now moving towards the weekend. Looking forward to seeing Rutgers play on Saturday afternoon and hope that the weather holds up.

Praise for today: O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. Psalm 51: 15

2 Chr 30:11-27

The time was ripe for the change to take place. More people got on board but there was still some hesitation. Still the faithful gathered at Jerusalem to take part in the Passover feast or the "feast without yeast". However, there were still things that had to be corrected before this to could take place. There had to be a cleansing of the priests and the people to make this effective and correct. As a result, the Levites had to perform sacrifices in order to cleanse the people and make them acceptable for worship. Hezekiah was also a man of prayer and he prayed over his people to make sure that their hearts and bodies were just right for this event. With the festivities going on strong, Hezekiah not only prayed for them but he encouraged them. As a result, there was a harmony that resembled the days of David and Solomon and the people ended up celebrating another 7 days after the initial feast was over. More priests got on board and sanctified themselves to participate as Hezekiah provided the necessary items to sacrifice and continue the feast. Joy permeated the land and the Lord was pleased.

What a a joyous revival! This is what our land needs - to return to God and pray and praise! This was also a foretaste of what heaven could be as well. Starting to prepare my message in early November and this is a great passage of what it could look like 24/7 for all eternity. WOW!

Slightly stressful day at work but all good when it was over! The weekend is coming!!!

Praise for today: How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" Isaiah 52: 7

2 Chr 30 : 1-10

The city of Jerusalem seem like it was on the right track to return to the Lord but there were things that were missing in their total return to the Lord. King Hezekiah wanted to reintroduce the feast of the Passover which was the basis of being restored to their freedom from captivity and as a thriving nation. He sent messages/letters to all of Judah and Israel to whomever would listen to bring them back to the Lord. Despite the fact that the feast would be celebrated a month later than usual, he was bent upon re instituting this ritual. In his letter, he reminded the Israelites of their roots and who was the true blessing of the people. Coming back to the Lord would mean the end of their captivity and exile due to the Assyrians and the Lord's wrath and towards prosperity. Some scoffed and rejected the plea but several tribes took this to heart and returned to the Lord. The letter encouraged them to return to Jerusalem to worship at the temple which was constructed for the Lord.

Such an encouragement to see that there were people who were tired of disobedience and suffering would take this opportunity to be restored. The Gospel for them appealed to those whose ground was ready to take seed. There is no difference between then and now, there may not be a feast to come back to but there is the Lord and his goodness. More importantly, there is eternal life and no condemnation for those who believe and are restored. What a wonderful Savior!

Hectic day at work yesterday. Seems like the rule rather than the exception and it was my late day to boot. Still much accomplished.

Praise for today: Am I only a God nearby, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord? Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord? Jeremiah 23: 23-24

2 Chr 29:25-36

The stage is set for the temple to finally be restored and functional for the return to the Lord. The priests (in stages - according to their commitment) moved towards their assigned tasks. The musicians as was in the days of David were getting their act together. Hezekiah gave the order for the ceremony to start and the fire at the altar was to be lit. The people began to rally behind this and gave praises to  the Lord. The preparation of the animals were more than the priests assigned could handle and thus the other Levites that were trained in this assisted as well. More priests were coming on board to assist in these tasks as well. The bottom line was that they were all working together to restore the people and officials towards the Lord. Good thing!

Long weekend with us going out to Queens for the QHC Missional conference. After lunch, there was an Elders' meeting where we got together to meet for the direction of the church. I think we are going towards the right direction and pray that the Lord will give us confirmation. Dinner at a Japanese restaurant and a late return home. Long day at church and late return down to Delly made it a long weekend. Ready to start this week off at the gym shortly...

Praise for today: Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Proverbs 30: 8

2 Chr 29: 15-24

The priests/Levites were given the charge of restoring the temple for functional use on the first day of the month during which the Passover feast was to start. They took two weeks to clean the table and the other materials in the temple and took out what was "added". They also brought back the items that Ahaz had taken out of the temple because it didn't fit "his idea of decor" (2 Chr 28:24). It took them a week to get the rubbish out and a week to get the place clean. By the time this task was completed, it was already two days into the timing of the Passover feast. As soon as he could, Hezekiah brought back the leaders of  Jerusalem into the temple. He gathered the right number of animals needed for sacrifice. He also charged the priests with the responsibility of the sacrifices of the animals. Per the commentary:

The first sacrifices for sin were on behalf of the king and his family. The next sacrifices were to clean the temple. Then there were sacrifices because of the sins of the priests. Then there were sacrifices because of the sins of the people in Judah and Israel. The king and the people put their hands on the goats. This act was to confess their sins. The animals would die so that God could take away those sins.

 

It seems that he is going about this the right way and "old school". The nation would be restored at least visually to the Lord. One however is hard to see if this is truly a change of heart, soul and mind for the people.

 

The flight home, the car pickup and the drive back was smooth. Getting back into the swing of things will be tough given the jet lag. I took a sleeping aid last night and hopefully I can function somewhat decently today. We'll see....

 

Praise for today: But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. Psalm 94: 22

2 Chr 29: 1-11

Hezekiah was the next king to ascend the throne from the line of Ahaz. According to the Scriptures, Hezekiah was 25 years old when he became king. And he ruled for 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah. She was the daughter of Zechariah. I guess that was pretty significant given she was the prophet's daughter and perhaps was very instrumental in his upbringing and in how he was to perceive the kingdom as well as his relationship to God. It shouldn't be surprising that he went "old school" and back to basics of restoring the temple and the kingdom back to a level of prominence. It seems he started right away in restoring the temple and it started with the Levites and making themselves holy and acceptable for service. He then started on the physical appearance of the temple and had it cleaned up from the rubbish that as accumulated since the building was basically abandoned. He recognized the importance of the relationship between Judah and the Lord and thus he made it his primary goal to restore that with the people by giving the facts of what had occured and how to rectify it. According to the commentary: Hezekiah intended to turn back to the LORD. He wanted to start again the worship of God in the LORD’s temple. He told the priests and the Levites to do the tasks that the LORD had called them to. Then he believed that the LORD would not be angry with them.

A refreshing read after a dismal few chapters...

Spent another great day with GG and took it at a lot easier pace than the other two. Still got up @ 4:30 MT to keep some semblance of my East Coast head clock and did the same today. Hopefully the jet lag will be minimal. After getting the free tickets for today's game for GG, we headed to mountains and the casino area - very pretty drive as we border a stream/river for the drive. The casino had a so-so brunch buffet and we then proceeded to contribute to the economy. Actually, I did relatively well netting 8 cents for the day. Never knew that penny slots could be so fun and actually hit the jackpot (with $2.42 left) and paid off my losses in the quarter slots. Still it was a good day to spend with him. Went to his church for a 7 PM service - I am so glad he's going to a more local church and is going regularly to that service since his weekends are wacky. Also glad to hear he's been tithing there as well - give to the church that is currently blessing you. Speaker concentrated his sermon on Matt 18 - short but concise and with impact.  The dinner was really good at Texas Brazilian meatfest - a little pricey but well worth it spending that time with him and watching him enjoy it as well.  The weather last night was miserable and Denver's seen perhaps more rain in these past few days than they have seen in a month of Sundays. Glad he was driving since the roads were water logged to say the least.

Looking forward to heading back but I do treasure this week with him and want to do this as long as he's out here. We both felt it would be good for us.

Praise for today: But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. Psalm 3:3

2 Chr 28: 16-27

When one decides that his way is better than God's way, things can go from bad to worse. This was the case of Ahaz, ruler of the Judean nation. He had abandoned God and when his enemies were upon him, he bartered off the remaining wealth in the temple with Tilgath-Pilneser III (Assyria)  to help him against Aram and Israel. He didn't turn to the Lord but rather drove the wedge deeper by setting up places of idol worship to try to appease the gods of Assyria. Assyria did overcome Aram easily but that put them in a better position to conquer Israel and Judah. Ahaz was so bent on saving his own skin from what he could see that he had sketches made of the Assyrian god so that he could worship him. Little did he know that the God of his ancestors was already behind his demise due to his disobedience. Ahaz died in 715 BC and that was the same year that the Assyrians defeated the Philistines. He was buried in Jerusalem but not with his fathers due to his defiance against God. Hezekiah succeeded him on the throne.

From my FB post:

Great day yesterday. spent some good time with Daniel Ng today! After going up to Golden, Co and taking some pics of the view. Actually saw some deer come walk close to the car and us and were not afraid when I took some pics. We went to have lunch at Toby Keith's restaurant and saw "Trouble with the Curve". Walked around Bass Pro Shops and fell in love with an adopted greyhound which was so sweet! ...

We then parked at our $3 parking place and went to see the Rockies. Stopped for a beer with the intent of having dinner at this place in the park and was treated to dinner by a guy (bartender) that was an ex-MLer from Somerset and was impressed with GG and me. We connected and he insisted on treating us to dinner. Who were we to argue? Despite the rain, we stayed until the 7th inning and saw the Rockies put on a hitting exhibition. Perhaps most importantly, GG and I had a great chance to talk and share - nothing better to spend a day!

 

Today we are going to see a Colorado casino and nail a lunch buffet but before that we are heading back to Coors Field so GG can get a free ticket for tomorrow's game. Then we are going to his church for a 7 PM service and later on we'll nail that Brazilian meatfest!

 

Praise for today: I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have become your father. Psalms 2:7

 

2 Chr 28: 9-15

The Lord was displeased with the Israelites and their treatment of the Judeans. They were brutal beyond measure and thus the Lord sent Obed, the prophet to set them straight. As Israelites, they were guilty of sins committed against the Lord as well and the fact they were willing to enslave their own relatives was a cardinal sin against the Lord. Azariah, son of Johanan, Berechiah, son of Meshillemoth,  Jehizkiah, son of Shallum, and Amasa, son of Hadlai were leaders from Ephraim, who stood up to the Israelite armies and told them to not bring the "slaves" into their land. They knew already and understood that grave consequences that would follow if they housed their own as slaves. This would be a direct violation of what God decreed in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. They couldn't add to their already long list of sins that they committed against the Lord. The Israelite army left but also they left their prisoners and their plunder. The leaders from Ephraim took the prisoners in but gave them humane treatment and restored their dignity.

This was a powerful testimony of what God could do via a prophet and four people. They saw what was being done and changed the course of how these people were to be dealt with and upheld the nation albeit in a small yet powerful way. My mind seems to wander to our own nation and the resulting Civil War that ensued in the late 1800s. A nation divided can never stand let alone prosper. We were talking about the need for a national revival before our country could ever move forward. I totally agree but the roots of sin and selfishness run deep on both parties and we may never escape this funk as a nation - surviving but not thriving.

Got up yesterday before 5 AM to get to Philly airport to see GG in Denver. Was treated well with Frontier Airlines (thanks GG!) and met up with him at DIA where we saw his "office" and "desk". Got over to his place and then we went to Sams #3 for breakfast, the Coors brewery tour, checked out the mountain view on top of Golden, Co and went down to the stadium for the game. We checked out this 70s/80s arcade place near the stadium and then went in for the game. I really liked the stadium which was built in 1995. The food choices were ok but the prices were decent. The crowd was relatively sparse (they are a last place team) and reserved. Left after the 7th since it was a long day for both of us and went to our $3 parking lot (8 blocks away from the stadium) and got back at a decent hour. Today heading back to Golden to capture some camera shots, catching a movie (not at the site of the shooting) doing some Brazilian meatfest, heading to the game against the Cubbies.

I am weaning myself off of work as much as possible to spend some quality time with GG. So far, so good!!! Miss my honey and Dave!

Praise for today: For what you have done I will always praise you
in the presence of your faithful people.
And I will hope in your name,
for your name is good. Psalm 52: 9

2 Chr 28:1-8

Now it was Ahaz's turn to be king of Judah. Of the 20 kings that ruled, he was one of the weakest and cruelest of them all. He turned his back to the Lord and created metal idols to worship the god, Molech of the Ammonites and worship him he did. He also killed his sons so that they couldn't plot against him save one Hezekiah. Because of this, God gave him and the nation over to Ahaz and the Aramites. What happened was that they took things to such extremes that God had to send a prophet, Oded to chastise them and to explain what would happen to them if they didn't change their ways. Over 120,000 Judean soldiers were killed and over 200,000 of them were taken as prisoners and were abused and mistreated. They plundered Judea and took them back to Samaria.

Decent day work wise but a great weather day. Went to Philly for a business function and got home a pretty decent hour. Today, heading back to NJ and working out of Princeton tomorrow. Can't wait!!! Then the weekend and Denver!!!

Praise for today: I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalm 16: 8

2 Chr 27:1-9

Jotham's rule started when he was 25 years old. He was loyal to the Lord and didn't follow his father in certain respects - burning the incense in the temple but also followed him in others since he did little to rid the land of idol worship. He was defensive minded and took the time to continue the fortification of the cities and the walls to defend his kingdom. Much of this was because of the alliance between Israel and Aram and their intent to destroy Judah. Jotham also waged war against Ammon since they were under his control and were looking to bolt. He did defeat them and was able to extract a tax from them over three years  to support his kingdom. He ruled a total of 16 years and was buried with his ancestors. Parallel passage was found in 2 Kings 15: 32-38. I guess his life was summarized in one verse - Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God. (8) Not a bad way to be remembered.

Relatively decent day yesterday despite the torrential rains that came. Decided today to bag the gym and catch a ride with Joe Rodgers into work since he offered to drive to Philly for a company dinner. Still debating to go to a dinner tomorrow since I am heading to Edison that evening. I guess that will be a game time decision. Glad to hear that the home front was spared any damage with the rain.

Praise for today: But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. Psalm 71: 14

2 Chr 26:16-23

This was an interesting situation since this was a king who's pride got in his way and chose to disobey God in a different way. He chose to usurp the responsibilities of the priests by burning the incense in the holy place of the temple. He clearly was not allowed to do so and was told so on many occasions but still chose to disobey in this respect. His anger against the priests was such that he even held the pan that burned the incense and because of that the Lord struck him with a skin disease that consumed Uzziah even until the day he died. His disease was such that he couldn't stay in the palace as was relegated to live away and Jotham was given the kingship. The prophet, Isaiah was the one that recorded his rise and demise. This was the famous chapter 6 of the prophet's book that Isaiah was sanctified towards greatness in the eyes of the Lord.

According to the commentary:

For the rest of Uzziah’s life, his son Jotham ruled on his behalf. Jotham had control of the royal palace. This was from about 751 BC until Uzziah’s death in about 738 BC.

The prophet Isaiah made a record of Uzziah’s rule. Isaiah saw a vision of God in the year that Uzziah died (Isaiah 6:1). Also, he did have visions about Judah during the rule of Uzziah (Isaiah 1:1). Maybe he wrote the record before he became a prophet. Perhaps he collected the information and he wrote the record later. When Uzziah died, they buried him near the graves of his ancestors. Because of his skin disease, they could not bury him with his ancestors. But the people gave honour to him as a good king.

 

Overall a decent day today given the return from the weekend. Got my ironing done and now just bracing for the heavy rains that are coming. Still prayers for those who are missing their loved ones and good to see Nicole off of her brace on Sunday. Finalized my Saturday plans with David as we are going to the Mets game. Looking forward to spending the day with him.

 

Praise for today: Surely God is my help; for the Lord is the one who sustains me. Psalm 54: 4

2 Chr 26: 1-15

Time marches on and so does the kingdom of Judah. Left without a king since he was abducted, Judah made  Uzziah the king who was Amaziah's son. He was 16 years old and ruled starting from 790 BC. Jeroboam III was the Israelite king for most of Uzziah's reign. He was guided by Zechariah and while he was alive Uzziah followed the Lord during that time frame. He was given success and favor during that period of his kingdom. He waged war against the Phillistines and was successful as he took major cities during his battles. He also took down some of the neighboring Arabs and had them pay taxes to him as well. He reinforced the city of Jerusalem and made gates to fortify the city as well. It seemed like he was also interested in the agriculture of the day as he built wells for their sustenance. Pretty impressive type of guy! As for the military, he created special helmets and had pretty decent armor for his troops as well as machines for offense. Still he was not completely sold out for the Lord since no real mention of his desire to take down the Asherah poles or his own faith was expressed. It seems that the parallel in 2 Kings 15:1 was  Azariah.

The weekend was extremely tiring since we did the Beantown run starting on Friday night. Going up through NJ and then cutting over the Tappan Zee was the key since we had very little traffic going up but still a 4 hour drive nonetheless. The hotel had small beds which made the evening tight but they did have a decent breakfast for a freebie. The service was nice but long and the drive to the cemetery took forever. The luncheon afterwards was nice since it wasn't in the city and they had a parking lot. We then took a sidetrip for lobster/crab rolls and then the 4 hour drive back which also wasn't bad as well. Still got back at 9:30 PM and was tired getting up for church the next day. Pretty decent day yesterday at church and got back here relatively early (6:30 PM). Prayers continue as the healing process goes on.

Finalized some of my plans for my trip to Denver next week so I am pumped about that. Looking forward to getting some cheap Mets tickets for Sat so David and I can get some FSB.

Praise for today: Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah. Psalm 68: 19