Bible Reading #219 - Esau's Descendants

Esau's Descendants

Genesis 36

I pray blessings on you as you read.

(v. 6-7) "Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, all the members of his household, his possessions, all his cattle and everything he had accumulated in Canaan and went to another land away from his brother Jacob. He did this because they had too many possessions to live together. There wasn't enough pastureland for all of their livestock." (v. 9) "This is the account of Esau and his descendants. He was the father of the people of Edom in the mountains of Seir."

Bible Reading #169 - Giving Faithfully

Giving Faithfully

Exodus 36

I pray blessings on you as you read.

(v. 3-5) "Moses turned over to them all the contributions the Israelites had brought for the work of constructing the holy place. But the people still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning. Finally, all the skilled craftsmen who were working on the holy place stopped what they were doing. They all came to Moses. They said, 'The people are bringing much more than we need for doing the work the LORD commanded us to do.' "

Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #77

Acknowledge and Action

Ezra 10

I pray blessings on you as you read.

(v. 11-12) "Now make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.' The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: 'You are right! We must do as you say." 

My Thoughts

How many times has it been that you know there is something that you must do or change, but you don't do it? I know I do that a lot with different things, but I try harder not to when it comes to a matter of right or wrong doing.

I understand it can be very hard to start doing certain things that you know need to be done. You've been meaning to go through your clothes to get rid of some stuff you don't wear anymore. That storage room is where all those family photo albums are and you just know it! Maybe your closet is starting to spill into your room. You feel overwhelmed by these things and they are quite daunting. Starting by doing a little bit at a time is a great way to start on it. Once you start, it will feel less overwhelming.

In matters of doing right or wrong or accounting for the wrongs, it is much more important, I feel. In other situations, it isn't unimportant, I just feel that right and wrong is more. If you know that you said something you shouldn't have to your friend the last time you spoke, but you decide not to apologize, you are in the wrong. You have hurt your friend and you choose not to make amends. How does that work?

What happened here in Ezra was that the Israelites had disobeyed God and intermingled with the nations around them. They had foreign wives, maybe husbands, and surely children by them. This was completely against what God had said. Ezra explained this to them and they responded saying, "You are right!" Not only did they acknowledge what had been done, but they also wanted to make it right and follow what Ezra was saying.

This is the kind of attitude we should all have about mistakes that we make. Once we have acknowledged our mistakes or our wrongs, our attitude should be one of wanting to make it right. The Israelites did just that, and they took action to do so. They were not only words, but they took action as well. This is what we need to do when we have done wrong. First acknowledge and confess, then plan to fix the mistakes or make amends amends and forgive yourself and ask God for forgiveness. Then, take action and actually do something to fix the mistake or make amends.

Prayer Time

Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.

Let me know your thoughts on this reading as well.

Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!

Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #75

Deliverance

Judges 3

I pray blessings on you as you read.

(v. 5-6) "The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods." (v. 9) "But when they cried out to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othneil son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, who saved them." (v. 15) "Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he gave them a deliverer--Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with a tribute to Eglon king of Moab."

My Thoughts

So many times the Israelites forgot God and disobeyed Him, turning away and following after the nations around them. They left God to serve gods of wood, stone and metal. Each time, as punishment, God put them in the hands of their enemies, and each time, they would cry out to God. God would hear them and raise up a deliverer for them to save them and to lead them. Once that leader had died, the cycle repeats.

You know, with how many times the Israelites had turned from God, you can tell how stubborn they were and persistent in doing things their own way instead of God's. More than that, we see clearly how persistent God is for His people. The same kind of things may not happen anymore, but you can be sure that we are God's people. Each one of us is a part of God's family, whether you accept it or not, just like your brothers and sisters and mom and dad are always, unequivocally your family. Having estranged family members doesn't break that.

God is so persistent for each of us that He gave us His only Son, Jesus, to die on a cross for us. God delivered His people from the hands of their enemies countless times. Not only the times like those written in Judges, but anytime a servant of God was persecuted for doing God's work. That is how important we are to God and how much He loves us.

Even now, when you find yourself in times of trouble, whether you are persecuted for your faith in Christ or otherwise, God is there with you. He won't leave you. You just need to trust in Him and be faithful to him and God will deliver you from trouble. Keep your heart in the right place though. God will deliver you from troubled times, but He will not always make them top or go away completely. Remember, it is His will that be done.

If you are ill, God will deliver you from that. That doesn't necessarily mean that He will give complete healing immediately when you ask, even if you do everything pleasing to Him and never make another mistake in your life. What God may do is give you peace about it, or wisdom and understanding, or He may lessen it in some way. Keep your heart in the right place and remember that no matter what happens, God has His plan for you.

Prayer Time

Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.

Let me know your thoughts on this reading as well.

Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!

Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #31

Don't Forget God

Psalm 106

I pray blessings on you as you read.

(v. 7) "When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses..." (v.8) "Yet he saved them for his name's sake, to make his mighty power known." (v. 13) "But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his counsel." (v. 21) "They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt," (v.44-45) "But he took note of their distress when he heard their cry; for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented."

My Thoughts



Man, the Israelites were just totally bent on rebellion. Many times over, they disobeyed God and forgot Him. They did whatever they wanted and that was it. Psalm 106 tells us of some of things that God had done for the Israelites, and of how the Israelites continued to leave God and disobey Him, despite what He had done and continued to do.

God even gave the Israelites the things that they wanted. They wanted a king to rule over them like all the other nations had, God gave them what they wanted, with a warning. When the Israelites fell on hard times and they were taken captive, that is when they decided to cry out to God and say that they would do anything if God just saved them. God, out of His great love, saves them only for them to turn away from God yet again. Lather, rinse and repeat.

Please don't follow the example of the Israelites here. It is good for us to follow God, but it is wrong of us to follow Him only on our terms. That's not how God works. If you are not walking with God and you only cry out to Him when you are going through rough times, then sooner or later, God isn't going to help you anymore. God knows your heart and He knows if you are going to turn away from Him again and again. He will give you the chance to change a few times, but eventually He will say enough is enough. That is, unless you truly turn back to Him for good.

We can't live always expecting God to be there for us when we live choosing to ignore God until we desperately need Him. Would that work with anyone else? Your parents, your friends, your aunts and uncles? More than likely not. We need to live according to God's Word and what God wants for us, and we need to live fully for Him alone. We cannot stray from the path that God has set before us and still expect that He will be there for us. God is different than other people though. Other people may give you only one or two chances and no more. God will give you until the day you die to repent, but that doesn't mean that He will answer your call if you won't answer His.

Please don't ever forget about God or what He has done for you or given you or even done through you. You are so important to God, no matter what you have done. Nothing you could ever do can ever take away His love for you or even make Him love you less. God can only ever love you more. Even if we make Him angry with us, that doesn't mean that His love is diminished. Always remember Him because He will always remember you, without fail.

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Prayer Time

Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.

Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!