July 23, 2023 Monday
Exodus 7 and 1 John 2
The two things common in both these chapters is that loving the temporal things of the world keeps one heart in bondage to what is at enmity with God and the world system of slavery that is at enmity with God. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened against God because Israel provided him and his people the temporal pleasures of this world. The world system also provides the supernatural and spirituality to support the deceptive rationalization of rebellion in the flesh and in pride against God to be supposedly right. This is seen in Pharaoh’s musicians causing their rods to become snakes. However, God will reveal their lying wonders to be of evil and corruption even has the rod of Moses swallowed up their snakes before Pharaoh.
Exod 7:3-5 (KJV)
3And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.4But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.5And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.
Exod 7:12-14 (KJV)
12For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.13And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.14And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.
1John 2:14-25 (KJV)
14I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.18Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.20But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.21I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.22Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.23Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.24Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.25And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
July 25, 2023 Tuesday
Deuteronomy 15 and 1 Samuel 7
In both of these chapters you have people that are enslaved. One to their master and the other to the Philistines. In both chapters there is a choice to hold people in bondage through fear or to free them. What frees them is the choice to deny self seeking interest over the better good of the slave. The fear Israel was enslaved to the Philistines was broken when they repented and truly sought the LORD. God then revealed His power over the enemy to them so that they then attack the enemy instead of fleeing like the time when they were in rebellion against God.
Deut 15:3-6 (KJV)
3Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;4Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it:5Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.6For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.
Deut 15:14-17 (KJV)
14Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.15And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.16And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee;17Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.
1Sam 7:4-8 (KJV)
4Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.5And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.6And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.7And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.8And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
1Sam 7:10-12 (KJV)
10And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.11And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.12Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.
July 26, 2023 Wednesday
2 Chronicles 34 and 1 Thessalonians 4
2Chr 34:1-2 (KJV)
Purging Impurity individually and corporately from the body of Christ.
1Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.2And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.
2Chr 34:27-28 (KJV)
27Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.28Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.
1Thess 4:1-5 (KJV)
1Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.2For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.3For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:4That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;5Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
1Thess 4:6-11 (KJV)
6That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.7For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.8He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.9But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.10And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;11And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
2John 1
2John 1:9-11 (KJV)
9Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.10If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:11For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
2John 1:4-6 (KJV)
4I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.5And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.6And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
July 27, 2023 Thursday
Psalms 112 and Titus 3 plus 1 John 4
The common theme is on love that swallows up fear out of the fear of God which births reception and conception of the love of God.
Ps 112:1 (KJV)
1Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
Ps 112:6-9 (KJV)
6Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.7He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.8His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.9He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
Titus 3:4-7 (KJV)
4But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
1John 4:16-21 (KJV)
16And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.17Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.19We love him, because he first loved us.20If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?21And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
July 28, 2023 Friday
John 10 and Galatians 3
John 10:1-6 (KJV)
1Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.3To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.5And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.6This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
Gal 3:2-7 (KJV)
2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?4Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.5He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?6Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.7Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
July 29, 2023 Saturday
Matthew 28 and Judges 5
The common theme between these two chapters is victory over the captivity of the fear of death and of death itself through Jesus Christ.
Judg 5:8-9 (KJV)
8They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?9My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.
Judg 5:11-12 (KJV)
11They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.12Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
Ps 68:16-18 (KJV)
16Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.17The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.18Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
Eph 4:7-10 (KJV)
7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Judg 5:16-18 (KJV)
16Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.17Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.18Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
Judg 5:22-24 (KJV)
22Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.23Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.24Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
Matt 28:1-7 (KJV)
1In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.2And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:4And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.5And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.6He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.7And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.