by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This morning read First Kings 8 and 9

God's Hand

Solomon said something interesting when he blessed Israel,

15 And he said: "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and with His hand has fulfilled it..." (1 Kin. 8:15).

God made a promise to David and fulfilled it with His hand. Solomon could have said that God fulfilled it, but Solomon specified God's hand. God worked to fulfill what He promised. It is easy to utter promises with the mouth, but it is another thing to fulfill them. With God, He is so true to Himself and to anyone to whom He makes a promise, that speaking it is the same as completely it. However, He demonstrates the fulfillment so that man can see that He does keep His word.

You serve the Lord Jesus Christ, meditating on His day and night because you believe that with His hand He fulfills what He promises. It is good that you so rely upon Him, because that is what He wants you to do. Put your life in His hand, and He will carry you through all the affairs of life.

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100

by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This evening read Luke 20:27--47

What Should We Discover in the Bible?

The Sadducees thought that they found biblical evidence to prove that there is no resurrection. They presented an actual scenario to the Lord. The Law of Moses said that if a man married a woman, and he died without leaving children, that his brother should take the woman and raise up offspring for the dead brother. The Sadducees presented a situation where seven brothers ended up marrying one woman, because each brother kept dying before having children. Then they said,

33 "Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife" (Luk. 20:33).

To these guys, the Bible was nothing more than a mysterious puzzle to figure out and to support their preconceived ideas. They failed to grasp what God is doing in the Scriptures.

Do you know what God is doing? Read to find out what He is doing rather than what you want to do. Do you approach the Bible to support your predetermined beliefs or to destroy your old self and remake yourself in the image of Christ? Pay attention to your motivation for reading and meditating.

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100

by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This morning read First Kings 6 and 7

Four Hundred Eighty Years Without a House

Remember that David wanted to build God a house. God said that the whole time Israel wandered in the wilderness and since the time in the land of Canaan, God had not dwelt in a house. Therefore, David's intentions were good, but God wanted David's son Solomon to build the temple. Finally, Solomon began the God-honoring work.

1 And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD (1 Kin. 6:1).

From Exodus chapter 14 to First Kings chapter 6 there is a span of 480 years. During that time, God dwelt in a tent. Before that, there was not even a tent. He went from nothing, to a tent, to a stone building. Yet, in all that time, He was still God, living in the hearts of His people. The temple showed that He was their God, they were His people, and He wanted to dwell among them.

The church, not the building that the church meets in, shows the same. Since the temple was destroyed in AD 70, God has not had a building in which to build, but His people are living stones in the true temple. Therefore, He is our God, we are His people, and He dwells among us. Does He live in your heart? If He does, should it not be obvious? I do not mean that lightning bolts should be shooting out from you or that the ground ought to quake when you walk or that people should melt in your presence, but what ought to happen to show the world that God through Christ dwells in you?

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100

by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This evening read Luke 20:1--26

Pretending to be Righteous

It may seem impossible, but it really does happen, and that is, some people pretend to be righteous that they might catch you in some error, giving them a reason to judge you.

20 So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor (Luk. 20:20).

It happened to Jesus; it will happen to you. When you discover who these people are, you will be shocked. However, be prepared, knowing that they are out there. When they show themselves, do not be devastated, but remember that it happened to Jesus, and so, the Bible is right.

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100

by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This morning read First Kings 3--5

Solomon's Estimation of Himself

God approached Solomon and asked him what he wanted, and God said that He would give it. With that wide-open opportunity, Solomon requested wisdom to be able to run the kingdom. He asked for wisdom, believing that he was inadequate for the huge job before him.

7 "Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in" (1 Kin. 3:7).

In experience and in skill for running a kingdom, Solomon was as a little child. In the previous chapter, he appeared to know what to do. He had some men executed, but that was at the request of his father. David had called Solomon "a wise man" in 2:9. Yet, he who is wise is never satisfied with his level of wisdom. He can see that he always needs more. Running a kingdom surely requires the wisdom of God. Therefore, Solomon humbled himself before the God of heaven, asking for wisdom, and God gave it.

Are you adequate for the task before you? Do you know what to say to God?

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100