Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Bible Chapter: I Chronicles 29

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    The story of the life of King David was coming to a close.  He had a strong desire to provide for the building of the Temple.  So, he collected a massive amount of building materials.  He gave very generously to this important project.  Many others also gave very generously.  There was delight in giving.  This generous attitude brought great delight as they gave freely and wholeheartedly.  There was no need for begging or special appeals.  They understood the blessings of giving.
    A verse that jumps out to me is David’s prayer for Solomon.  He asked God to give Solomon a wholehearted devotion to keep God’s commands and decrees.  Throughout his life, David learned the importance of obeying God.  So, he prayed that his son who would succeed him on the throne would live that life.  We know that Solomon became extremely wealthy, but David didn’t pray that God would make him rich.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    We see here the blessings of generosity.  The people were giving with a generous heart and it brought great joy.  The natural self-centered heart focuses on getting and controlling it can.  A heart that is pleasing to God doesn’t work hard to just keep things but knows the blessings of helping others.  It’s best to have a generous heart.
    I also see here the awesome time they had worshiping the Lord together.  They had great joy in the presence of the Lord.  To worship God with all your heart brings you to God’s presence.  That is the best place to be.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help people see the great benefits of both generosity and true worship of God.  Both of these will bring joy and encouragement to a person’s heart.