205th Week, II KIngs Chapter 25 and Zephaniah Intro - Chapter 3 (Click on Title for Video Intro)

Click on Title for Video Intro

Monday, II Kings Chapter 25

 II Kings 25

Mindy Strayer

THOUGHT

I actually really loved the life application writing from my Bible. They do a good job of summarizing the big picture of 2 Kings and the chapter we read.  I would like to share that with you.  

The book of II Kings opens with Elijah being carried to heaven-the destination awaiting those who follow God. But the book ends with the people of Judah being carried off to foreign lands as humiliated slaves-the result of failing to follow God.

Second Kings is an illustration of what happens when we make ruinous alliances, when our consciences become desensitized to right and wrong, and when we are no longer able to discern God’s purpose for our lives. We may fail, like the people of Judah and Israel, but God’s promises do not. He is always there to help us straighten out our lives and start over. 

And that is just what happened in the book of Ezra. When the people acknowledged their sins, God was ready and willing to help them return to their land and start again.

We can easily be desensitized to right and wrong here in the U.S. Just think about the influence of the media and television alone, and the impact that they can potentially have in our lives. That is why we need to be in God’s Word daily. He will help us stay fresh in our minds about what is right and wrong. That is why we should be in prayer daily. His Holy Spirit will help us to recognize sin for what it is, breaking God’s commands and rebelling against Him. It is not entertainment as we are sometimes led to believe.

PRAYER

Gracious Father, how marvelous You are to us. You love us all the time, and wait patiently for us to return to You when we have distanced ourselves. You are our shelter from the storm even when we have caused the storm ourselves. You have given us a priceless promise of never leaving us. Even when our time on earth is through, You have made a way to be with us. That is the hope to which we cling. Thank You, Lord, for Jesus, our Savior and our Master. Help us to follow in His Ways. We love You, Lord, and we pray that our lives and service will bring Glory to Your Name.  AMEN

Zephaniah Introduction

Zephaniah Intro

Jeanie Boldt

THOUGHT

Zephaniah wrote this book to shake the people of Judah out of their complacency and urge them to return to God. He was bound to speak the truth, and thus he did as he thundered certain judgment and horrible punishment for all who would defy the Lord. God’s awful wrath would sweep away everything in the land and destroy it. We can sense the oppression and depression his listeners must have felt. They were judged guilty, and they were doomed.

But in the midst of this terrible pronouncement, there is hope. The first chapter of Zephaniah’s prophecy is filled with terror. In chapter two a whispered promise appears. A quiet refrain grows to a crescendo in chapter three as God’s salvation and deliverance for those who are faithful to Him is declared. “Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem!!  The Lord has taken away your punishment; he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm.” This is true hope, grounded in the knowledge of God’s justice and in His love for His people.

As you read Zephaniah, listen carefully to the words of judgment. God does not take sin lightly, and it will be punished. But be encouraged by the words of hope. Our God reigns, and He will rescue His own.

Decide to be part of that faithful remnant of souls who humbly worship and obey the living Lord. “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, see humility, perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger.”

PRAYER

Father, please guide us as we study the words of Zephaniah, a contemporary of Jeremiah. Help us realize that even in the deepest of depths — our God reigns, and HOPE prevails. Please keep us humble, always looking for the Hands of God in all things. AMEN

Wednesday, Zephaniah Chapter 1

Zephaniah 1

Verse 12

Mindy Strayer

Verse 12:  At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, ‘The Lord will do nothing, either good or bad.’

THOUGHT

The purpose of the book of Zephaniah according to the commentary from my Life Application Bible is to shake the people of Judah out of their complacency and urge them to return to God.  I really feel that we Salt Shakers are at risk of becoming complacent people.  

I think it is probably safe to say that all of us have our basic human needs met on a daily basis, meaning we are not struggling with lack of food, clothing, shelter, safety, etc.  Compared to most of the world we are a prosperous people.  We have the luxury of mainly thinking about want and not need, in terms of material things.  The material blessings can, if we are not careful, squeeze God right out of our minds and hearts. 

The ability to make money can produce an attitude of proud self—sufficiency fooling us into thinking that we don’t need God.  We start to take our relationship with Him more casually because maybe we have other things to do or think about, and God can wait.  He won’t mind. He understands how valuable our time and our abilities are. Right?  We become self—satisfied and unconcerned for the things of God.  Then one day something happens. Something that slaps us across the face or flattens us to the ground, and we are unable to be self—sufficient.  We find that we are no longer close to God.  We don’t have a relationship with Him, and our hope is gone because we didn’t put it in God.  We put it in the things that caused us to forget Him.

I am speaking to myself with this issue of complacency because I struggle with it.  Not just with self—sufficiency but with being content to a fault with how things are, including my relationship with Jesus Christ.  God is on the move, and He is looking for people to move with Him. I want to have thoughts and acts of complacency squeezed out of my mind and heart so that God has total control and plenty of room to live in me.

PRAYER

Pray for each of us as individuals.  God, I acknowledge my sin of complacency to You today.  Lord, please forgive me.  Jesus, cleanse me I pray.  Help me to rid my mind of the prideful thoughts that lead me into thinking that I can put You aside and attend to my own selfish ambitions, thinking that perhaps I’ll get to Yours when I get a chance.  Jesus, I want to be useful to You in furthering the kingdom of God, in making God known to the world.  Make me to be more like You.  Thank You for Your mercy and grace.  AMEN

Thursday, Zephaniah Chapter 2

Zephaniah 2

Verse 7 

Mindy Strayer

Verse 7:  The Lord their God will care for them; he will restore their fortunes.

THOUGHT

I will look at the word fortunes, and equate it to money just to illustrate the point.  However, fortunes can mean much more than money, because I am married to a finance nerd, (‘oops, sorry Bart’).  What I meant to say was that because I am married to a finance genius, I hear a lot about the financial markets and the economy.  I also hear a lot about puts and calls, contract sizes, adjusting positions and risk management. 

Anyway, because of all of the home loans that have gone amuck (written in 2008), the financial markets have been crazy. Lots of people are losing lots of their fortune, in terms of financial wealth.  Whether it is losing their personal home, or losing a big chunk of their investment portfolio, or perhaps losing their job, these are scary times, financially speaking.  

I just spoke with a good friend of mine the other night, and they have been trying to sell their house  since the summer.  Meanwhile, they purchased another home, so they have been paying two mortgages.  ‘Yikes, scary and stressful to put it frankly.’ 

Perhaps there are some of God’s people who are in some trouble right now because of overextending themselves financially for whatever reason.  Or perhaps there are some of God’s people who are in trouble financially because of circumstances they could have never prepared for.  What are we to do in times like these?  I believe that the answer lies in verse 3 of this second chapter. “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility.”

 

Aren’t you glad that God will care for us and restore our fortunes if we remain faithful to Him?  We remain faithful to Him by seeking Him daily, humbling ourselves as often as needed, and setting our hearts on righteous living.  We go to God.  We repent of any wrongdoings on our part.  We ask

for forgiveness.  Then we ask our Father for what we need.  He is faithful, and He will restore us.

PRAYER

God, we honor You.  We praise You.  Lord, we lift You up on high.  Ever faithful to Your people You are.  Thank You, Lord, that when the world around us is going crazy, You are grounded, and we can be grounded in You.  Thank You, Lord, that even when we mess up and make You angry, You won’t stay angry forever.  Thank You for Your Word that says You care for us.  I am so grateful that Your heart is to restore us and help us to find rest in You.  Help us to be a humble people whose greatest desire is to know You more deeply every day.  We Love You. AMEN

Friday, Zephaniah, Chapter 3

Zephaniah 3

Verse 17

Mindy Strayer

Verse 17b:  He will quiet you with his love.

THOUGHT

For me this statement means that the love of God quiets all of my fear, all of my anxiety, all of my anger, all of my rage, all of my worrying, all of my bitterness, all of my complaining, all of my selfish thoughts, all of my pride, all of my insecurity, all of my greed, and everything else within me that tries to keep me in bondage, preventing me from loving God and serving Him.

We have all had something of the above mentioned at some point in our lives just screaming within our souls and making us miserable.  I know that when I get into prayer time with the Lord about it, He calms me down by saying to me, “I love you, and I am going to help you get through this.”  I start to take some deep breaths and remember the love of Christ Jesus and the power that He has made available to me.  The Holy Spirit enters in, and everything within my body, mind, and soul is finally able to stop running and rest. 

Funny how it is in the quietness of God, not the shouts, where we find our strength from Him.

PRAYER

Lord, thank You for Your love which brings us peace and joy.  Thank You for answered prayer.  In the middle of our struggles may we never forget how much You love us.  Help us to grow stronger in You daily we pray. AMEN