Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #153

Abandoning God

2 Kings 24

I pray blessings on you as you read.

(v. 13) "He also took away all the treasures in the LORD's temple and the royal palace. As the LORD had predicted, Nebuchadnezzar stripped the gold off all the furnishings that King Solomon of Israel had made for he LORD's temple." (v. 20) "The LORD became angry with Jerusalem and Judah and threw the people out of his sight. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon."

My Thoughts

God's people had abandoned Him again and after so doing, there were many evil kings for such a long period of time. As a result of the people abandoning God, God did what He said He would do and Judah and Jerusalem were attacked and taken captive and all the treasures that Solomon had made for God's temple were taken.

Many times God had warned His people of what would happen if they abandoned Him and did not turn from their evil ways. They provoked God to anger, which is actually quite difficult to do. We know that what God says is true, but the people back then, and a lot of people now, do not believe that.

Obviously they didn't care much about what God had been saying to them, or they would have at least tried to turn from their ways. Don't be like them. When we disobey God, which is also known as sin, we can't enjoy the good things that God has in mind for us and our lives.

Like I have said before, God does not promise us a good life or an easy life. What He does promise is eternal life. When we live in God's presence, we experience all the good things that God has planned for us. If we abandon Him, we cannot experience or receive any of that at all.

Learn from the mistakes of God's people in the Bible and don't make the same ones. Don't abandon God and pass up everything He has for you. Even through hard times, if you stay faithful to God, He can, and He will, bring good out of it somehow.

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 #150

Anger of the Lord

Nahum 1

I pray blessings on you as you read.

(v. 2-3) "God does not tolerate rivals. The LORD takes revenge. The LORD takes revenge and is full of anger. The LORD takes revenge against his enemies and holds a grudge against his foes. The LORD is patient and has great strength. The LORD will never let the guilty go unpunished.Raging winds and storms mark his path, and clouds are the dust from his feet." (v. 6) "Who can stand in the presence of his rage? Who can oppose his burning anger? He pours out his rage like fire and smashes the rocky cliffs."

My Thoughts

God 'is full of anger?' What? Isn't anger a bad thing? Well, yes, unless it is for a righteous anger. God does not get angry and say bad words or lash out at people. God becomes angry when people go against what is right. We get angry when things don't go the way we want them to.

It's okay to get angry. It is a natural human emotion, in fact, it's an emotion that God has. It it when we get angry at stupid things that it is wrong. God does not get angry at stupid things. He doesn't even become angry that often. It's not like God is angry at us every time we do something wrong. He is slow to anger.

God's anger burns against those who are against God. We all make mistakes and God does discipline us when we do, but God is love. If our hearts are not against God, then God is not against us.

It would be wise of us to control our anger as well and only let ourselves become angry about things that God would become angry about. I know I get angry, frustrated, upset and annoyed about stupid things. Much more than I would like. That's why right now, I ask God to please take away any and all anger that is in me for anything not worth being angry about. Give me a righteous anger. Let me only become angry about things that you become angry about. Amen.

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 #143

Mountain of the Lord

Micah 4

I pray blessings on you as you read.

(v. 1-2) "In the last days the mountain of the LORD's house will be established as the highest of the mountains and raised above the hills. People will stream to it. Then many nations will come and say, 'Let's go to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways so that we may live by them.' The teachings will go out from Zion. The word of the LORD will go out from Jerusalem."

My Thoughts

I am going to be honest that I don't fully understand what the mountain of the LORD is all about. The start of Micah 4 says "In the last days..." so I am pretty sure that that is referring to after the rapture and the seven year tribulation takes place. Micah 4 doesn't say much specifically about the mountain, besides that it will be established and people will stream to it to learn His ways so they can live by them.

So I think that this chapter is more of a picture of the way things will be after those times. It tells of the kind of peace there will be. That weapons will be made into tools and that no one will train for war anymore, nor will there be any battles or conflict.

Okay, so if I titled this according to the mountain of the LORD, that's what I should be talking about, right? Well, it still is. God is peaceful and loving, so those are (some of) His ways. Which is said in Micah 4 that people will learn about. That's why weapons will be made into tools, because weapons are not used for anything but fighting.

Now, my question is this: why do we have to wait for all of this to take place before we start being peaceful? The answer is that we don't. When this all takes place, that will happen, because God has said so. Until then, small steps can be taken in smaller and even larger places to make peace. That's something that can be accomplished by individuals making a choice to be at peace with others.

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 #121

The Lord's Flock

Jeremiah 23

I pray blessings on you as you read.

(v. 1-2) " 'Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!' declares the LORD. Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: 'Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,' declares the LORD. (v. 4) "I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,' declares the LORD."

My Thoughts

The Bible uses the terms shepherd and sheep a lot. We are all God's sheep, and Jesus is the shepherd. There are also people on Earth who are considered shepherds because they are supposed to take care of God's sheep while Jesus is away. We are also called God's children. Whether it is sheep or children, it is heartbreaking for their caregiver to have lost them.

God's heart is broken when one of His children are lost because that means that they are in danger. If you are a parent, maybe you know how it feels when you've lost sight of your child, even for a minute. That's how God feels when one of His children are lost to Him.

It is one thing for a child to wander away on their accord because, in all honesty, it is their own choice to do so. It's still a scary thing either way. It is entirely another for a child to be led away. That's a malicious deed. The person who does that to a child is not a good person. It is the same thing when it comes to leading people astray from God, and it is an awful thing.

People are lured by many different things, one of which can be the actions or choices of others. This is why it is important for us to show others, by how we live, that we have God in our lives. I understand that no one is perfect. I get angry when certain things don't go the way I want, and yes, I do say words that I should not say. I am not proud of it, and it is a process to get away from that. I also usually only do that at home, so no one but my family really sees it, not that that makes it any better.

The point is, we need to show others the love and the grace of God by living a God-honoring life outwardly. Every one has their weaknesses, I gave you mine. Don't let the weaknesses overcome you. You are stronger than them, and unless you let it, they do not have any control over you. When a weakness shows through, don't let it hold you. Pick yourself back up, ask God for forgiveness and restoration and then learn from the mistake for the future.

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!