I CHRONICLES

Today is Saturday.  I just read twenty chapters in I Chronicles and this morning, I will be speaking at our Men's Prayer Breakfast.  Last night we had an hour of prayer at Church and I so enjoyed that.  It was quiet this morning as I read and now I can share a few thoughts with you.   1) THE BIRTHRIGHT WAS JOSEPH'S- In I Chron. 5:1,2 it tells us that though Reuben was the firstborn, he lost that right when he "defiled his father's bed".  (He slept with one of the other handmaidens that bore Jacob sons.)  Then the birthright went to Joseph.  Now Joseph was the eleventh son born to Jacob, not the second.  So how did it go from the first son to the eleventh?  Well, it must have been all God's doing because it doesn't seem like Jacob would do that.  Now he did love Rachel, but God blessed Joseph with the birthright and it was divided among his two sons,  Ephraim and Manasseh.    2) BLESSED OF GOD- In I Chron. 11:9 it says:  "So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of host was with hiim."  God was with David and God blessed him.  God is with us as well.  The LORD of host is with us each and every day.  God's presence is ever with us, ever around us, ever wherever we go.  God is omnipresent!  He is in the past, the present, and the future.  He sees one just as clearly as the other.  He is everywhere and no where in particular.  He doesn't dwell in one location, because He inhabits all locations.  He is Spirit.  He desires to bless us.  Please bless and direct us dear LORD into your perfect Will and Way for our lives.  Thank you Jesus!!   3) A NEW CART- David wanted to move the Ark to Jerusalem, but he did it wrong.  Notice what was right, and what was wrong. His Motives- They were Right!  I Chron. 13:3,4 "And let us bring again the ark of our God to us; for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul.  And all of the congregation said that they would do so:  for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people." His Message- vs. 8 "And David and all of Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets."  David's worship was right.  It was all about God, it was all towards God! His Material- vs. 14 "And the ark of God remained with the family of Obededom in his house three months.  And the LORD blessed the house of Obededom, and all that he had."  The problem was not with the Ark.  It was full of blessing and it was proved by staying in the house of Obededom for three months.  The material David was moving was just fine. His Method- vs. 7 "a new cart"- His method was wrong and one man died!  God is concerned with our methods.  If our methods are wrong, God will not bless. **Notice in chapter 21, David counts the children of Israel and his motives are wrong.  Satan moved him to do the count, and His motives were for himself.  Now notice that here, 70,000 died!  Wrong method... one dies;  Wrong motive.... 70,000 dies!  Let's keep our motive and our methods right!   Well, I have more to write, but my time has gone.  May God use these truths to help both you and I.  Blessings on you!   Pastor Mike Mutchler