Day 209 Bible Readings – 1 Chronicles 4: 9-10 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 4: 9-43, 1 Chronicles 5, Romans 11: 11-36, Psalm 112

1 Chronicles 4: 9-10 (ESV)

“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.”

Verses 9 through 10 from 1 Chronicles 4 talks about Jabez, who was descended from the tribe of Judah. Jabez prayed to God that he would always be with him and to keep him from harm so that the harm would not bring him pain. When I was at a very low point in my life several years ago, I discovered the prayer of Jabez in several songs. I used to listen to these songs every day, sometimes for hours, and it brought me out of what was a short season of depression in my life. Sometimes I would cry uncontrollably when I listened to these songs of the prayer of Jabez. Whatever I was going through during this season of depression, listening to the prayer of Jabez in song brought me so much comfort. I don’t much listen to the album anymore, but I have it in case a season of depression comes upon me again.

The album I listed is called “The Prayer of Jabez: Music … A Worship Experience” – The Prayer of Jabez album

If you are in need to listen to worship music during a season of depression, I recommend this album.

You can also find it on YouTube - 

Day 208 Bible Readings for July 28 – Romans 10: 8-10 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 2: 18-55, 1 Chronicles 3: 1 Chronicles 4: 1-9, Romans 10: 5-21, Romans 11: 1-10, Psalm 111

Romans 10: 8-10 (ESV)

“But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

Verses 8 through 10 from Romans 10 shows Paul emphasizing again that we are not saved by works. We are saved when we say that Jesus is the Lord and believe in our heart that Christ was resurrected from the dead. Many bible commentaries say that to confess means to agree with, so if we confess we are also agreeing what God said about Jesus that he is the son of God. But we must alos believe it in our heart that Christ was raised from the dead and resurrected for our sins, because to believe in our heart is to trust God. But you cannot just confess and not believe in your heart, or believe in your heart and not confess with your mouth. You must do both because to confess is the action of what in your heart you believe.

These verses remind me of a friend I had at a church a long time ago. She confessed to me in secret that she did not know if she believed in the resurrection. I was shocked and asked why she came to church. She told me it was because she liked being in a community of faith. I believe this what Paul meant by these verses. My friend was confessing belief but she did not believe in her heart the truth of the resurrection. God asks us to do both, to tconfess and to believe. This is our responsibility to God as believers in Jesus Christ.

Day 207 Bible Readings – Romans 10: 1-4 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 1, 1 Chronicles 2: 1-17, Romans 9: 22-33, Romans 10: 1-4, Psalm 110

Romans 10: 1-4 (ESV)

“Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

Verses 1 through 4 from Romans 10 shows that Paul wants his fellow Hebrews to be saved. He knows that they love God, but they do not want to submit to Christ or believe that Christ was a part of God’s plan and righteousness. The Sanhedrin said that the Hebrews’ relationship to God was based on their obedience to the laws. Christ said that our relationship to God is now based on our relationship with Christ if you have faith in him, since he is the son of God and therefore a part of him. The law still reflects God’s standards, but our relationship with him is now based on our faith in his son Christ, and not on obedience to the laws.

I think belief and faith in Christ makes it easier to obey God’s laws because we have Jesus and the Holy Spirit helping us to overcome our sinful nature. We no longer must rely just on ourselves to keep God’s laws, we have help from God.

Day 206 Bible Readings – Romans 9: 1-3 (ESV)

Hosea 13 – 14, Romans 9: 1-21, Psalm 109: 21-31

Romans 9: 1-3 (ESV)

“I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”

Verses 1 through 3 from Romans 9 show that even though Paul primarily preached to the Gentiles, he was still concerned about his fellow Jews. Paul felt such anguish that his people were not saved by faith in Christ, that he was willing to cut himself off from Christ if his fellow Jews could be saved by Christ. Paul’s words remind us how much like Jesus he was. Paul wanted the Jews saved, even though they often caused trouble for him in his mission work. Paul’s love towards those who hated is an example to anyone who wants to be more like Jesus. Can we love as Paul did, the people who cause us the most problems in our life? Can we pray for their salvation and be willing to be cut off from Christ, so our enemies might be saved? Paul’s words reminds us that he not only preached the words of Christ, but he was willing to “walk the talk” and behave like Christ towards his enemies.