Revelation 1

10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,

In this chapter there is great imagery shared with us directly from the experience John had with Jesus.  I took note that the experience he had occurred when he was 'in the Spirit'.  

It wasn't when he was reading, or singing.  It was when he was 'in the Spirit'.  It made me ask myself when am I ever so deeply and directly connected to God in my thoughts that I am giving him the opportunity to share with me so powerfully. 

Often when I pray, my mind drifts around in and out of consciousness of my own prayers.  Sometimes leaving for a concern at work before drifting back into the thoughts of my prayers.  Even this morning, I note 10min drifting by as I collect my thoughts of what to write.  As I reflect I was working a problem at work instead of talking with God or reflecting on the words I had just heard.

For me the lesson I took out of this short chapter is that I truly need to be focused in my times with God to open the doors to my heart and mind for what he may be saying to me in that moment.  This will be easier to type than for me to execute.

so the journey begins through our final book of pass 1 through the bible.

knut

2 Chronicles 36

16 But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.

So there it goes again, from good king back to disobedient king and even a series of them.  As I read this verse I think of the US, it seems we have lost our way as a society.  Will we also suffer under the wrath of God for our actions and general disregard for seeking and following him?  

I must say I am ready to be done with 2 Chronicles, not terribly up lifting.  On to the final book.

knut

2 Chronicles 35

11 The Passover lambs were slaughtered, and the priests splashed against the altar the blood handed to them, while the Levites skinned the animals. 12 They set aside the burnt offerings to give them to the subdivisions of the families of the people to offer to the Lord, as it is written in the Book of Moses. They did the same with the cattle. 13 They roasted the Passover animals over the fire as prescribed, and boiled the holy offerings in pots, caldrons and pans and served them quickly to all the people.

First of all.....can you imagine the horrific scene?  Slaughtering all those animals in one place, and then splashing their blood on an altar.  WOW!   I always picture this scene aligned with some pagan religion....but nope.  Good, honest, God following people, doing what he asked.

Second thought.  If you read that paragraph carefully..........I'm thinking bbq.  It's like a tail-gate honoring God.  I remember reading in other chapters about God being pleased with the smell of the animal sacrifice.....again.....I'm thinking bbq.

just sayin'

tp

2 Chronicles 34

19 When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes.

Here it is again!  Tearing of the clothes.  I can't help but picture an "incredible hulk" type scene.

27 Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord.

Here's a second one.  There is also a good lesson for us in this one.  This one reminds me of the scripture that talks about "David being a man after God's own heart."  Even though we make mistakes, and screw up, and do things that God detests....if we humble ourselves and our heart is truly yearning to follow him.....then he will hear our prayers.

tp

2 Chronicles 33

33 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord,following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. 3 He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles.

So, here we go again!  These kings aren't even creative in how they go against God.  They do the same things, create the same high places and made the same Asherah poles.  It really seems nutty.
Luckily, Mannaseh made better decisions in the end.  It says at the end of the chapter that he humbled himself before God.

I feel like we are on a merry-go-round with these chapters.

2 Chronicles 31-32

9 Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps; 10 and Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok, answered, “Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the Lord has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over.”

If ever there was a parallel to this, its our western society today.  If we all gave the way the people did here.....there wouldn't be any poverty, and the world would be looking at the church as a pivotal lynch-pin in our society.  Instead we tend to think of ourselves first.  We hoard the schtuff.  The poor stay hungry and we get a little bigger tv.

tp

2 Chronicles 30

“May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone 19 who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.”

I like this verse.  It shows that Hezekiah had mercy, and was willing to go to God on behalf of the people who were seeking him.  A lot of the Old Testament is SSSOOO rule based.  Here's a guy who saw through it to what is really important.  Evidently, God saw it that way too.

Lesson to take?, I guess maybe I need to look at my role others relationship with God.  I don't know that I've ever thought of it that way.  Can I make a positive difference in their lives, just by lobbying God on their behalf?  I pray for others in terms of health or something out of their control.  But, I'm not sure I talk to God about how he views other people.  
I think its an interesting idea.  He has a lot of those.

tp

2 Chronicles 29

Well, I'm glad to see we are back on track here.  Hezekiah is moving in a good direction again.  The people must feel like yo-yos.  Back and forth.

17 They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and by the eighth day of the month they reached the portico of the Lord. For eight more days they consecrated the temple of the Lord itself, finishing on the sixteenth day of the first month.

The lesson for me here is that it can a long time to rectify things when I make bad decisions.  It took them 16 days to purify the temple.  I imagine them working long hours to get all the work completed.  Probably thinking about the bad decision that led them to the point of needing to do this work.

2 Chronicles 27-28

I read 2 this morning, because 27 was pretty short.  Which I find to be point of interest.  Why is it short?  It seems that Jotham did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.  And yet, his chapter barely registers a couple of paragraphs.
When we get to 28 and Ahaz....there is a lot more written.  Why is that?  It almost feels like the bad behavior warrants more attention.  I don't like this mentality.  I think we should spend more time on the positive, and abbreviate the negative....don't you think?
I understand there are probably things in 28 that are warnings for us.  But, I want to read about the God fearing, and the faithful....not the wicked bad decision makers.

kindof a rant today.

tp

2 Chronicles 26

I had such high hopes when this chapter started.  Uzziah took the throne early (16) and held it for 52 years.  That's a long run of stability compared to many of the kings we've read about.  He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.....and then, BOOM!  Here we go again.

16 But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God,

Insert your metaphor here;
Pride comes before the fall
Absolute power corrupts absolutely

It seems whenever we, as people, start to make some achievements...we just can't handle it.  Almost inevitably we start to think its because we are so great. What a weak minded species.  We forget everything that has happened leading us up to this point.  We forget our values and morals.  We forget what got us here.
Its a great lesson for me, who has achieved a moderate level of success in life.

tp

2 Chronicles 25

2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly.

It seems to me that this is a really easy and comfortable place to sit.  I think I need to ask myself the question of whether or not I'm wholeheartedly following?
It's a daily struggle to stay on task.

have a good weekend.
tp

2 Chronicles 24

19 Although the Lord sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen.

This is similar to a question I asked a week ago, or so.  Why doesn't God send prophets now?  We could use anything that might bring the people back to God. It feels like we get further and further away everyday.

This chapter started in such a positive way.....but, it ended much darker.  We, as people, cannot seem to keep our eyes on God.  Its a great reminder for me, to read these stories everyday.  I need to keep my focus on God and his mission.....not mine.

tp

2 Chronicles 23

Then Athaliah tore her robes and shouted, “Treason! Treason!”

Every time I see it, I'm gonna copy it and point it out.  Again here is a incident of clothes tearing because someone is upset.  I still don't get it.  Maybe I'm getting upset the wrong way?  hhhmmmm.

This feels like the start of a restoration.  Jehoiada seems to be moving in the right direction.  Tearing down the temples to other gods......think about that for a minute.  The people that are supposed to be "God's people", also have a temple to a pagan god?  That's not good.  I'm hoping to continue to read more good decision and more resurgence of a faith in God.

tp

2 Chronicles 22

3 He too followed the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him to act wickedly. 4 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father’s death they became his advisers, to his undoing. 

I don't have a great take today.  These chapters are all starting to sound very similar.  The verse I copied above did catch my attention, in that who we choose to listen to can either build us up or be our demise.  Ahaziah chose poorly.  I probably need to take stock of the people that are influincing me on a daily basis, and determine if they are leading me to good or evil.

tp