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A
God Who Is FaithfulBy Paul Chappell
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Wednesday, May 23, 2012
"This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed,
because his compassions fail not. They are new every
morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my
portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in
him."
Lamentations 3:21-24
One of my favorite hymns is "Great Is Thy
Faithfulness." I love the way it describes God’s
goodness to us no matter what happens. This hymn was
written by a man named Thomas Chisholm. He was born in
Kentucky just after the Civil War, and following his
salvation, he became a pastor. But his broken health did
not allow him to continue in the ministry, and he served
the Lord for the rest of his life as a layman. He wrote
well over one thousand poems, but this one celebrating
God’s constant love is the best known.
Late in his life Chisholm wrote a friend: "My income
has not been large at any time due to impaired health in
the earlier years which has followed me on until now.
Although, I must not fail to record here the unfailing
faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has
given me many wonderful displays of His providing care,
for which I am filled with astonishing
gratefulness."
Often we struggle to believe that God is faithful
because we live in a world filled with people who are
untrustworthy. But no matter how others may fail us and
no matter how we may fail Him, God is always there with
new mercy to meet the needs of a new day. I love the
image of our "mercy account" being refilled as the sun
rises each morning. There is such a wonderful peace and
hope in knowing that God’s compassion and love for His
children will never falter or fail. Great is His
faithfulness indeed.
Today's Rooted Principle:
Rejoice in God’s new mercies
for this day and praise Him for being your faithful God.
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Old Testament
Reading
1
Chronicles 19
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CHAPTER 19
1 Now it came to pass after this, that
Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his
son reigned in his stead. 2 And David said, I
will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because
his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent
messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the
servants of David came into the land of the children of
Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him. 3 But the
princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest
thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath
sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come
unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy
out the land? 4 Wherefore Hanun took David's
servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in
the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.
5 Then there went certain, and told
David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them:
for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said,
Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and
then return.
6 And when the children of Ammon saw that
they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the
children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to
hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and
out of Syriamaachah, and out of Zobah. 7 So
they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the
king of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched
before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered
themselves together from their cities, and came to
battle. 8 And when David heard of
it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty
men. 9 And the children of Ammon came out,
and put the battle in array before the gate of the city:
and the kings that were come were by themselves
in the field. 10 Now when Joab saw that the
battle was set against him before and behind, he chose
out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in
array against the Syrians. 11 And the rest of
the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his
brother, and they set themselves in array against
the children of Ammon. 12 And he said, If the
Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me:
but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee,
then I will help thee. 13 Be of good courage,
and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people,
and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do
that which is good in his sight.
14 So Joab and the people that were
with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle;
and they fled before him. 15 And when the
children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they
likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered
into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.
16 And when the Syrians saw that they were
put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers,
and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the
river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer
went before them. 17 And it was told
David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over
Jordan, and came upon them, and set the
battle in array against them. So when David had
put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought
with him. 18 But the Syrians fled before
Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand
men which fought in
chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed
Shophach the captain of the host. 19 And when
the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the
worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and
became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the
children of Ammon any more.
CHAPTER 20
1 And it came to pass, that after the year
was expired, at the time that kings go out to
battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, and
wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came
and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And
Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it. 2 And
David took the crown of their king from off his head,
and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there
were precious stones in it; and it was set upon
David's head: and he brought also exceeding much spoil
out of the city. 3 And he brought out the
people that were in it, and cut them with
saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so
dealt David with all the cities of the children of
Ammon. And David and all the people returned to
Jerusalem.
4 And it came to pass after this, that
there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; at which
time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that
was of the children of the giant: and they were
subdued. 5 And there was war again with the
Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the
brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff
was like a weaver's beam. 6 And yet
again there was war at Gath, where was a man of
great stature, whose fingers and toes were
four and twenty, six on each hand,
and six on each foot: and he also
was the son of the giant. 7 But when he
defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's
brother slew him. 8 These were born unto the
giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and
by the hand of his servants.
CHAPTER 21
1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and
provoked David to number Israel. 2 And David
said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number
Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number
of them to me, that I may know it. 3
And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred
times so many more as they be: but, my lord the
king, are they not all my lord's servants? why
then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a
cause of trespass to Israel? 4 Nevertheless
the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab
departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to
Jerusalem. 5 And Joab gave the sum of the
number of the people unto David. And all they
of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred
thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four
hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.
6 But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among
them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
7 And God was displeased with this thing;
therefore he smote Israel. 8 And David said
unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done
this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the
iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
9 And the LORD spake unto Gad, David's seer,
saying, 10 Go and tell David, saying, Thus
saith the LORD, I offer thee three things: choose
thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
11 So Gad came to David, and said unto him,
Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee 12 Either
three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed
before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies
overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of
the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the
angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts
of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I
shall bring again to him that sent me. 13 And
David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall
now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are
his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.
14 So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel:
and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.
15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to
destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld,
and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel
that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And
the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of
Ornan the Jebusite. 16 And David lifted up
his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between
the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his
hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the
elders of Israel, who were
clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
17 And David said unto God, Is
it not I that commanded the people to be
numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil
indeed; but as for these sheep, what have
they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God,
be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy
people, that they should be plagued.
18 Then the angel of the LORD commanded
Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up
an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan
the Jebusite. 19 And David went up at the
saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the LORD.
20 And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel;
and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was
threshing wheat. 21 And as David came to
Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the
threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with
his face to the ground. 22 Then David
said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this
threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto
the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price:
that the plague may be stayed from the people.
23 And Ornan said unto David, Take it
to thee, and let my lord the king do that
which is good in his eyes: lo, I give
thee the oxen also for burnt offerings,
and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat
for the meat offering; I give it all. 24 And
king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it
for the full price: for I will not take that
which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt
offerings without cost. 25 So David gave to
Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by
weight. 26 And David built there an altar
unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace
offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him
from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.
27 And the LORD commanded the angel; and he
put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.
28 At that time when David saw that the LORD
had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the
Jebusite, then he sacrificed there. 29 For
the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the
wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering,
were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.
30 But David could not go before it to
enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword
of the angel of the LORD.
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New Testament
Reading
John
8:1 |
1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
2 And early in the morning he came again into
the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat
down, and taught them. 3 And the scribes and
Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery;
and when they had set her in the midst, 4
They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in
adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the
law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what
sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him,
that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped
down, and with his finger wrote on the ground,
as though he heard
them not. 7 So when they
continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said
unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him
first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he
stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And
they which heard it, being convicted by
their own conscience, went out one by one,
beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and
Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the
midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself,
and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman,
where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned
thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus
said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no
more.
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them,
saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth
me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light
of life. 13 The Pharisees therefore said unto
him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not
true. 14 Jesus answered and said unto them,
Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is
true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye
cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true:
for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
17 It is also written in your law, that the
testimony of two men is true. 18 I am one
that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me
beareth witness of me. 19 Then said they unto
him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither
know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should
have known my Father also. 20 These words
spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple:
and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet
come.
21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go
my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your
sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. 22 Then
said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith,
Whither I go, ye cannot come. 23 And he said
unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are
of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I
said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins:
for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die
in your sins. 25 Then said they unto him, Who
art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the
same that I said unto you from the beginning.
26 I have many things to say and to judge of
you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the
world those things which I have heard of him.
27 They understood not that he spake to them
of the Father.
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Proverb of the
Day
Proverbs
23 |
1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler,
consider diligently what is before thee:
2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou
be a man given to appetite. 3 Be not
desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful
meat. 4 Labour not to be rich: cease from
thine own wisdom. 5 Wilt thou set thine eyes
upon that which is not? for riches certainly make
themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward
heaven. 6 Eat thou not the bread of
him that hath an evil eye, neither
desire thou his dainty meats: 7 For as he
thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink,
saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
8 The morsel which thou hast eaten
shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he
will despise the wisdom of thy words. 10
Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the
fields of the fatherless: 11 For their
redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause
with thee. 12 Apply thine heart unto
instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Withhold not correction from the child:
for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall
not die. 14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod,
and shalt deliver his soul from hell. 15 My
son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice,
even mine. 16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice,
when thy lips speak right things. 17 Let not
thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in
the fear of the LORD all the day long. 18 For
surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not
be cut off. 19 Hear thou, my son, and be
wise, and guide thine heart in the way. 20 Be
not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall
come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a
man with rags. 22 Hearken unto thy
father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when
she is old. 23 Buy the truth, and sell
it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and
understanding. 24 The father of the righteous
shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise
child shall have joy of him. 25 Thy
father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare
thee shall rejoice. 26 My son, give me thine
heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. 27
For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman
is a narrow pit. 28 She also lieth in
wait as for a prey, and increaseth the
transgressors among men. 29 Who hath woe? who
hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling?
who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30 They that tarry long at the wine; they
that go to seek mixed wine. 31 Look not thou
upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour
in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and
stingeth like an adder. 33 Thine eyes shall
behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter
perverse things. 34 Yea, thou shalt be as he
that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that
lieth upon the top of a mast. 35 They have
stricken me, shalt thou say,
and I was not sick; they have beaten me,
and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I
will seek it yet
again.
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