Today’s reading: 1 Chron 16:1–17:27, 2 Tim 1:3–18, Ps 84:1–12
Today’s theme: Enjoy God
We are encouraged to rejoice in seeking the Lord today. God has given us His Holy Spirit so we do not need to be governed by fear. Today let’s declare God as king and seek to serve Him with joy in His kingdom. Do this in the security of His election and our eternal security as we persevere and guard what He has entrusted to us. Rejoice!
1 Chronicles 16:1–17:27
Rejoice as you seek the Lord
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! 1 Chronicles 16:10 (ESV)
Like king David, we should sing and give praise to God, we should give glory to God. The thanks we see David giving to God here are taken from some of his many psalms. First we see Psalm 105:1-5, followed by Psalm 96 and then parts of Psalm 106.
As we seek the Lord we should do it in joy. We should rejoice from our hearts as we read and study God’s word.
Declare God as sovereign
Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place. 1 Chronicles 16:24–27 (ESV)
This great declaration proclaims God as sovereign. He is the only God and all the false gods are worthless nonsense.
We are called to proclaim God’s greatness as the true king to all nations. We do this through the proclamation of the Gospel and upholding the truth that God created the entire universe and deserves our praise and allegiance.
See Matthew 28:18–20 for the account of the great commission.
Seek to build God’s house
And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the LORD will build you a house. 1 Chronicles 17:10 (ESV)
God knew David’s heart was to build Him a house of worship. Because of this God blesses David’s family declaring that they will always be on the throne. This will find it’s ultimate fulfilment at the return of Christ. See Luke 1:32, Romans 15:12 and Revelation 22:16.
We should have a heart like David to build up God’s house, the body of Christ. When we seek to build the body from our hearts through the gifts God has given us, God will reward us as He does here for David. See Ephesians 4:16.
Find courage from God’s word
For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. Therefore your servant has found courage to pray before you. 1 Chronicles 17:25 (ESV)
When we consider God’s promises to us in His word, it should give us confidence to approach God in prayer. Hebrews 4:16 and Romans 4:20-21.
2 Timothy 1:3–18
The marks of the Holy Spirit
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)
As Paul writes this to encourage the young Pastor Timothy to not be timid in the proclamation and defence of his faith, we too can be encouraged that we have been adopted by God. That we have the gift of God Himself in the Holy Spirit.
The first mark of the Holy Spirit is that we have power to be witnesses and to undergo suffering for the Lord.
The second mark is love. Without love we are not authentic disciples of Jesus Christ. It is only this which allows us to serve others in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The third mark is self control. The Holy Spirit enables us to respond rather than react to the sort of opposition and resistance Timothy is experiencing.
God has elected us
who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 2 Timothy 1:9 (ESV)
God saved us and gave us our calling in ministry. Not because of any good we did, not even because we choose to trust in Christ. He saved us before the universe began, according to His own purpose and grace.
This is the mystery of election, God choose us and we do not know why. We praise Him for the love and grace He has shown to us. The fact that God chose us before the world began should fill us with confidence as we stand and minister in His name.
Eternally secured
which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. 2 Timothy 1:12 (ESV)
When we give our lives to the Lord we are entrusting Him with our lives and He keeps us. This is why we can have confidence in our salvation. We know who we believe in and He is able to keep us and come good on His promise. It is because of Jesus that our salvation is eternally secured.
Guard what you have
By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. 2 Timothy 1:14 (ESV)
This is the other side of eternal security. We don’t just trust God to keep us and then spend the rest of our Christian life in a rocking chair.
We need to guard what has been given to us. We have been given the Gospel, we are taught the bible every week and have the Holy Spirit. It is down to us to guard what we have and to hold on to it with the Spirit’s power.
Our lives are not those of rich brats waiting to come into their inheritance. We are soldiers in a very real fight, in the army of our Commander, The Warrior King, Jesus.
Psalm 84:1–12
Enjoy church
My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Psalm 84:2 (ESV)
We should love coming together at church to serve and worship our God, the Living God.
God is my king
Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Psalm 84:3 (ESV)
God is our King, we live by His decree, we live under His protection, serving in His kingdom and rejoicing in His reign.
Love God’s presence
For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. Psalm 84:10 (ESV)
Our preference should be God’s house. Our appetite should be for God’s presence and to fellowship with God’s people.
Enjoy life in God
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11 (ESV)
The Devil has lied to people saying God does not want good for them and wants to take the enjoyment out of life. This is a lie, God wants our lives to be full and enjoyable in Him.
As we walk in His ways there is no good thing that God will withhold from His people. God gets to define what is a good thing for us, not man.
Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.
Additional resources
The Gospel Coalition on 2 Timothy 1