Author: bidcstark

“Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! He may go up to Jerusalem, in Judah, and build the house of Adonai the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem.”
Ezra 1:3 CJB

No matter who the leaders in the world are, remember, God is still in total control! The LORD will use our situations no matter good or bad to glorify His desires!

“Adonai is my shepherd; I lack nothing. He has me lie down in grassy pastures, He leads me by quiet water, He restores my inner person. He guides me in right paths for the sake of His own name.”
Psalm 23:1-3 CJB

Life can be hard, we may feel like we are being held captive by disease, government or finances no matter what situation we may be in, God is guiding!

“Thus says Adonai, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am Adonai, your God, who teaches you for your own good, who guides you on the path you should take.”
Isaiah 48:17 CJB

Today, understand the LORD is using everything going on around us to guide us, teach us and to see His holiness in everything!
May your day be richly blessed!

“Here is what Koresh (Cyrus) king of Persia says: Adonai, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms on earth, and He has charged me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may Adonai his God be with him! He may go up….”
2 Chronicles 36:23 CJB

Even Cyrus, admits it’s the LORD who gave him victory and the LORD also instructs him to allow the Jewish people to go back to Jerusalem to build the temple of the LORD! Remember Israel has been in captivity for seventy years at this time and here we see the grace of the LORD allowing them to go back!

“But I can enter Your house because of Your Great Grace and Love; I will bow down toward Your holy temple in reverence for You.”
Psalm 5:7 CJB

Throughout scripture we see example after example of people blowing it, sinning against the LORD! We also see the LORD always extending His grace and mercy! He does the same for us also. Why? Because He loves us and desires us to be with Him, it’s just that simple so we should want to walk in His ways!

“Adonai will always guide you; He will satisfy your needs (not wants) in the desert (life), He will renew the strength in your limbs; so that you will be like a watered garden, like a spring whose water never fails.”
Isaiah 58:11 CJB

Understand we all blow it and sometimes we end up in captivity, but the LORD always shows us His grace when we call out to Him!
Have a blessed day in Him!

“But N’kho (Necho) sent envoys to him with this message: Do I have a conflict with you, king of Y’hudah? No, I am not coming today to attack you, but to attack the dynasty with whom I am at war. God has ordered to speed me along; so don’t meddle with God, who is with me; so that he won’t destroy you.”
2 Chronicles 35:21 CJB

Often times like Josiah, we kind of stick our noses in things that are none of our business! The king of Egypt was going to fight the king of Kark’mish, which had nothing to do with Israel and to boot, God made it clear for Josiah to stay away!

“Nevertheless, Yoshiyahu (Josiah) was determined to go after him. He disguised himself in order to fight against him and wouldn’t listen to what N’kho said, which was from the mouth of God. Then he went to fight in the Megiddo Valley.”
2 Chronicles 35:22 CJB

This ended up being the end of Josiah for basically sticking his nose where it didn’t belong! We need to be careful of doing the same thing. When we get involved in things that aren’t our business it always ends badly!

“How happy are those who observe His instruction, who seek Him wholeheartedly!”
Psalm 119:2 CJB

Through the LORD we are set apart from the world, so let’s be prayerful and careful of what we get involved in! If you have any questions, just simply look to the LORD and walk in His ways!
May your day be blessed being in His will!

“He (Josiah) did what was right from Adonai’s perspective, living entirely in the manner of David his ancestor and turning away neither to the right nor to the left.”
2 Chronicles 34:2 CJB

We need to do the same, hear from the LORD and do what He says, being careful of not going right or left, but instead looking straight ahead towards Him!

“How happy is everyone who fears Adonai, who lives by His ways.”
Psalm 128:1 CJB

There are a whole lot of opinions out there, whether in the news, social media or even from the pulpit. Remember, they’re just opinions. Everything we read, hear or see needs to be put through the filter of the word of the LORD! His ways never fail!

“Your word is a lamp for my foot and light on my path.”
Psalm 119:105 CJB

We will never go wrong if we listen to the LORD and go through His word in order! Be careful of jumping around and skipping through scripture to fit your ways, but instead go through Scripture in order to fit in His ways!
Have a blessed day being in the word!

“He did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective, following the disgusting practices of the nations whom Adonai had expelled ahead of the people of Israel.”
2 Chronicles 33:2

We see this happening today. People are following the disgusting practices of the world, not the godly standards of the LORD! This is what Manasseh did, probably the evilest king in Israel’s history! He was raised in the godly home of Hezekiah, but turned to the evil of the world!

“Then, when he was in distress, he began to appease the anger of Adonai, abjectly humbling himself before the God of his ancestors.”
2 Chronicles 33:12 CJB

We see that when Manasseh finally comes to the point were the penalties of his sin are too much for him to bear, he then calls on the LORD! Realize, we can only go so far in sin before it overtakes us! The good news is the LORD is only a call away!

“Adonai, you are kind and forgiving, full of grace toward all who call on You.”
Psalm 86:5 CJB

The good news for us all, no matter how bad we blow it, the LORD is always there waiting and willing to forgive!
May your day be richly blessed!