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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Tuesday, 31 January 2023:
2 Chronicles 29:3 — In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them.
Worship was top priority for Hezekiah. He first directed his resources towards the house of God.
2 Chronicles 29:5 — Carry out the filth from the Holy Place.
You are the holy place. Remove from yourself what displeases God.
- 1 Corinthians 6:19 — Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
- Matthew 15:11 – “…it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
2 Chronicles 29:6 — For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done what was evil in the sight of the Lord our God.
Repentance and sanctification often involve no longer doing what your family taught you growing up.
2 Chronicles 29:11 — My sons, do not now be negligent, for the Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to him.
We must not take our responsibility to God lightly. We stand in the presence of God Almighty, and He has command us. To be complacent is cosmic treason against the KING of kings.
2 Chronicles 29:11 — My sons, do not now be negligent, for the Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to him.
Don’t be negligent in your worship and service to the LORD. Be holy and bold.
2 Chronicles 29:36 – And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because God had provided for the people, for the thing came about suddenly.
God will work in your life in ways only He can work, bringing glory to Himself while increasing your faith in Him. He will do the impossible through you so you and others will know it was Him and not you.
Matthew 22:1-9 – Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.
The servants (Christians) are called to invite people to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, all are invited. However, many will not only ignore God’s messengers (Christians) but will even persecute them.
Matthew 22:11-14 — But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment…. “cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen.
Unless you are “clothed” in Jesus Christ, you are not worthy to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. (See Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:27)
Matthew 22:16 — Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances.
True teaching is the unadulterated word of God, no person should add to it or take away from it. It doesn’t matter what people think about God’s word, only what God’s word says.
Matthew 22:21 — Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.
Hoping to trap Jesus, the Pharisees ask him, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” Jesus asks for the coin used to pay the tax, which for pious Jews should be a special copper coin minted with Rome’s approval, not the silver denarius, which is seen as idolatrous because it depicts the Caesar’s image and his title divus et pontifex maximus, Latin for “divine and high priest.” Jesus’ enemies are revealed as hypocrites when they produce the denarius (22:18–21). Those who hate idolatrous coinage are carrying unclean money themselves. Jesus turns them away with the following: “Jesus said to them, ‘Whose likeness and inscription is this?’ They said, ‘Caesar’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’”
Most commentaries on this interaction will take from it the point that Christians should respect and obey governmental authority, which is true. However, the more powerful point Jesus is making is the second half of his statement, “[give] to God the things that are God’s.” What things are Gods? EVERYTHING! What Caesar demands is nothing compared to what God demands. What power would worldly governments have over a people fully surrendered to God? What value is Caesar’s money if God’s people put no value in it? Caesar’s claim on taxes was such a meaningless thing compared to what God was demanding from the people – their lives, wholehearted devotion, unconditional love. And what power do worldly governments have over God’s people anyway? None but what God gives them. Why fear men rather than fear God? If God’s people would but follow God, evil political powers would be powerless.
Matthew 22:29 — You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.
Followers of Christ must know both God’s word and God Himself. Many unbelieving Bible scholars lack any true understanding, and many believers hinder their relationship to God due to a lack of understanding of God’s word.
Matthew 22:32 – ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”
Without study aids, Jesus knew God’s word so well that He won an unanticipated argument by pointing out the tense of a verb from an Old Testament verse.
Matthew 22:34-40 – But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Jesus summarized the Old Testament in two sentences that pointed to affections rather than regulations. Obedience that is motivated by fear, pride, or even duty (anything other than love) is ultimately disobedience because the first command is love. If you don’t start there, you are already wrong.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 31 January 2023: Examine your love: Set a timer today, and every hour stop and review your attitudes and actions for that hour ask yourself, “Why did I do what I did? What was my motivation?” Were you motived by fear, pride, duty, a sense of obligation, or were you motivated by genuine, selfless love? Was Jesus Christ your focus or something else? Briefly journal your answers. Pray that God will reveal to you where you are lacking in love. (Matthew 22:32-40)
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 