July 13 2024

It’s come to my attention that I should seriously consider sharing my daily audio Bible podcast here rather than on Facebook. Twice now they have taken down my post for some silly accusation of trying to get likes or shares or video views in a misleading way…

Oh. My. Goodness.

So here is today’s post. I will add to it momentarily, but for now,

Blessings and Peace in Christ on this Saturday in July 2024.

Good Morning 🌞
Today’s readings:
1 Chron 15:1-16:36 * Rom 1:18-32 * Ps 10:1-15 * Pr 19:6-7
Https://dailyaudiobible.com to listen and learn.

Lots of rich history about the life and times of King David in the OT today. I didn’t used to appreciate history as a young person. It was my least favorite subject in high school. I did take a history course when I went back to college, though,  and found it so rich. Especially biblical history:)

Here’s a snippet from today👇🏻

‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭15:1‭-‬3‬ ‭NLT‬‬
[1] David now built several buildings for himself in the City of David. He also prepared a place for the Ark of God and set up a special tent for it. [2] Then he commanded, “No one except the Levites may carry the Ark of God. The Lord has chosen them to carry the Ark of the Lord and to serve him forever.” [3] Then David summoned all Israel to Jerusalem to bring the Ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it.

https://bible.com/bible/116/1ch.15.1.NLT

******
Yesterday’s NT ended with this verse…
‭‭Romans‬ ‭1:17‬ ‭NLT‬‬
[17] This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

If you listen or read today you cannot help but marvel at the similarities between Paul’s world and culture in ancient times and ours right this minute.

If you’re thin-skinned and defensive –  prepare yourself for Paul in this deeply theological letter to the Romans. Paul is nothing else if not brutally honest. He was abrasive in the boldness of his faith. 
But anyone who is even slightly passionate about Jesus can be abrasive to the haters. 🤷🏻‍♀️ No?
I get it. I doubted for a long time after a bad bout with ‘religion.’
Then I learned that God isn’t about religion, but about relationship. I didn’t learn that as a little kid. Only the fear part. Oh. And the guilt part🤦🏻‍♀️

No offense to any one religion. It’s just the way many people react to hypocrisy and legalism,  and I reacted poorly.  Then I learned about the Pharisees and the Sadducees of ancient Israel. Oh my goodness! Talk about similarities!!
Once lines are drawn things change in a bad way. It’s a man thing. Ego. Power. Wanting to be right more than to understand or be understood.
We’re human. We all do that at times.

I’m babbling. I apologize.

But I certainly hope that you will understand what Paul is talking about today in that we have no excuse for not knowing God. “… So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! ” says Paul in Rom 1:21&25

It’s not God’s fault that we are so dense. And that we refuse to acknowledge Him and try to walk in His ways. Even when we stumble and fall and end up so deep in the muck we can’t see light, we still resist. Because we love the dark.

AND HERE’S WHERE IT GETS REAL, and where people start to hate what it means to walk with Jesus.

‭‭Romans‬ ‭1:29‭-‬32‬ ‭NLT‬‬
[29] Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. [30] They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. [31] They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. [32] They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.

https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.1.29.NLT

Oof.
The truth is often hard to hear and see. But just look around. God didn’t intend for his human race to live the way that we do. It’s really that simple. It was our choice to disobey.  He gave us free choice and we chose to worship our own gods, ourselves, our things, and each other. We still do.

I don’t condemn so don’t get me wrong. I’m just telling it like it is. And lots of us are in the same boat. When we don’t live as God intended, we pay the consequences. That’s all.🤷🏻‍♀️
Most of us live our lives paying consequences. I know I do!
But God…
If we let Him use us he does ☝️😁 He gives us so many chances to mend the fences. Like any good good Father.

Blessings and Peace peace in Christ on this Saturday in July 2024
💜☮️✝️✡️

‭‭Romans‬ ‭1:20‬ ‭NLT‬‬
[20] For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.1.20.NLT

To listen and learn, and find community, go to:

Https://dailyaudiobible.com