ijourney April 2011 by Crossgates Baptist Church

INTRODUCTION Every person is on a spiritual journey. Our journeys are laced with challenges, changes, and choices every day. The way in which we each navigate our journey will have lasting effects throughout eternity. It is therefore imperative we see our journey from the right perspective and then proceed down the right path in order to fulfill the purposes for which we have been created. Your journey traces the story of your life. Every twist and turn, every hill and valley, and every person and place, converge to define the story of your life. Your life story, though unique, fits within a much more grand story – God’s Story. Since the beginning of time God has been unveiling His grand story for all creation. The Bible is God’s journey with man as He unveils His story. In Genesis, God tells us how His story begins. And in Revelation He tells us how it will end. His story is a love story, with Himself as the hero and people as the heroine in need of rescue. Within this love story your story fits and comes to life. iJourney has been developed to help you better visualize and navigate your story within God’s story. To assist you on your journey this year we are walking through the Bible chronologically. In doing this you will experience God’s story from beginning to end historically. For instance, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were preaching during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. Reading the prophets within their historical context will give you a better feel for their messages and a better understanding of their meaning. iJourney is designed, however, to help you do more than simply gain a better understanding of the Bible historically. iJourney is an opportunity for you to engage God personally. Jesus said that real life is knowing God intimately (Jn 17:3). Most Bible readers never move beyond reading the Bible for information. Through iJourney you will be challenged to move from reading for information to revelation. God is a talker. He is always speaking. The problem is not with his voice, but with our ears. To the seven churches in Revelation Jesus said the same words. He said, “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” (Rv 2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:29; 3:6; 3:13; 3:22).

The Lord wants to guide you on your life journey. He wants you to discover your journey within His story. He wants to walk with you as you fulfill your purposes. Reading for revelation is hearing God’s voice and then following God’s path as He unveils His plans to you and through you. iJourney 2011 includes three weekly sections along with your daily reading plan. The first section is Cross Walk. In the same way cars are to yield at designated crosswalks when they see pedestrians, Cross Walk is written for you to slow down and see Jesus. In each weekly reading a Cross Walk has been written to help you see Jesus and His redemption throughout Scripture. The second section is Scenic View. When traveling the country you will see areas along the way marked Scenic View. These are places where you can pull over to view the beauty of an area. Each week a Scenic View has been written to help you discover the beauty of a particular reading. The final section is Journaling. Like any traveler, this section is for you to journal any thoughts, comments, or observations made along your journey. Blessings! David Jett Senior Pastor

CROSS WALK

SCENIC VIEW

The Kinsman Redeemer - Ruth 2:20-4:12

To Live As a Conqueror – Judges 6:1–24

The book of Ruth is the quintessential love story. Embedded in its plot, you will find a beautiful picture of the purpose and work of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament is foundational for understanding the New Testament, and out of the Mosaic Law we can see God’s preparation for what His Son would do on the cross. Nowhere is this clearer than in the practice of levirate marriage and the provision of the kinsman redeemer (in Hebrew – the goel).

There is no one – not one of us – who has not had times of unrest in our lives whether self-inflicted or brought from another. All of us experience bouts of worry and weakness. In Judges 6, we read about an unlikely hero named Gideon. From his story we learn the five steps necessary to move us from the life of a coward to one of a conqueror.

Levirate marriage was a requirement of the Law that obligated a man to act as the goel (the redeemer), and marry the widow of his deceased brother (Deuteronomy 25:5-10). In this way, a child could be produced to carry on the name of the deceased. Along with this, he was required to buy back any ancestral land that had been sold (Leviticus 25:25), any family members who had been sold into slavery (Leviticus 25:47-49), and to look after the needy and helpless members of the family (Leviticus 25:35). Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, were in desperate need of a kinsman redeemer after the death of the family patriarch and his two sons. In Israel, the right of inheritance passed from father to child, but not to the wife. Boaz was an extended family member, although not the closest one. Still he took the initiative to force the fulfillment of the levirate requirements. The closer relative declined the opportunity to marry Ruth, and thus forfeited his right to the property. Boaz stepped up and became the kinsman redeemer by marrying Ruth, buying back the family property, and taking Naomi into his care. Jesus Christ became our goel—our Kinsman Redeemer—at the cross. He redeemed us from the bondage and poverty of sin’s curse, paying the full redemption price and purchasing our freedom and future with God the Father. Like Ruth, we are the bride of the Kinsman Redeemer and all that was lost through sin’s deadly sting was released and restored through Christ.

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

1. Prayer - “The people of Israel cried out for help to the LORD” (Judges 6:6). Through these prayers, the LORD answered by exposing the root cause of their captivity. The Israelite’s captivity was not a result of God’s unconcern, but the discipline of a Father’s love. “My child, don’t reject the LORD’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights” (Proverbs 3:11–12). 2. Presence - “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” (Judges 6:12). The Lord did not wait until Gideon was ready for battle, nor did He wait until Gideon had his life in order. The Lord showed up while Gideon was still a coward in unbelief. This is so important for us to know. Living a dynamic Christian life is not found in some formula or plan, but in God’s presence. Allow this reality to begin burning away the dross of unbelief… the Lord is with you! 3. Praise - In Judges 6:17-22, we read where Gideon worshiped the Lord. It was during this time of praise that Gideon experienced the reality of the LORD’S presence. It is as we praise the LORD that we begin to experience the nearness of His presence as well (John 4:23–24 and Psalm 22:3). 4. Peace - “And Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and named it YahwehShalom (which means “the LORD is peace”)” (Judges 6:24). Once Gideon realized he was in the presence of the Lord and was not consumed, he began to see his situation from a different perspective. Gideon’s peace was not the absence of conflict and frustration, but the presence and favor of the Lord. 5. Power - We all want to walk in God’s power, but sometimes think we are relegated to a life of weakness. Gideon accomplished a great victory not because he was a great leader, but because he learned to follow THE Leader. You too may see yourself as weak, but know, child of God, that the Lord is with you and you can live as a conqueror!

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

April 1

April 2

April 3

April 4

April 5

April 6

April 7

April 8

q Jgs 3:31-6:40

q Jgs 7:1-9:21

q Jgs 9:22-11:28

q Jgs 11:29-15:20

q Jgs 16:1-18:31

q Jgs 19:1-21:25

q Ru 1:1-4:12

q Ru 4:13-22 q 1 Chr 2:9-55 q 1 Chr 4:1-23 q 1 Sm 1:1-8

CROSS WALK

SCENIC VIEW

Deliverance – Psalm 34:7

The Danger of Religious Superstition – 1 Samuel 4

In the Old Testament the Angel of the Lord appears at various times in various places. In Psalm 34:7 we are told, “For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.” Whenever He appears we quickly realize that He is more than an ordinary angel. On many occasions He is referred to as God Himself (Genesis 16:9,13; Exodus 3:2,4; 14:19,24; 23:20–22; Judges 6:21–22; 13:21–22). This angel is the Lord manifesting Himself to His people in the Old Testament.

The Philistines were the mortal enemies of the Israelites. From the time of Abraham, they had lived in Canaan (possibly originating in Crete) and had become prolific in iron weaponry, making them a very formidable foe. At this time in Israel’s history, the worship of Jehovah had fallen into ill repute due to the sinfulness of the priests who ministered at Shiloh.

The same Lord who was made manifest in the Old Testament as the Angel of the Lord is the same Lord who was made manifest as Jesus in the New Testament. The apostle John in his gospel tells us that Jesus is God made manifest among His people (John 1:14,18; 14:9). This same Jesus who spoke the universe into existence (John 1:1-3) is the same Jesus who made Himself manifest in the Old Testament as the Angel of the Lord. In Psalm 34, David is contemplating his narrow escape from the Philistines when he faked being insane (1 Samuel 21:10-15). As David looked back upon his frightening experience, he realized that it was not his quick thinking that kept him from certain death before the Philistines, but he was spared by his ever-present Lord. David tells us two things the Lord does for those who follow Him: Jesus Defends Us. David realized that even when he was afraid the Lord was there surrounding him at all times. Jesus promises to never leave or forsake us. No matter what trouble you may find yourself struggling with at this time, you can rest assured that Jesus has His protective guard surrounding you. Jesus Delivers Us. David also understood that his deliverance came from the Lord. As David was faking insanity (1 Samuel 21:13), the Lord was delivering him from his enemies (see Psalm 34:4). Just as Jesus delivered us from our sin through His death on the Cross, He continues to delivers us from every attack of the enemy.

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

The two armies met between Ebenezer and Aphek, and the Philistines killed four thousand Israelite soldiers in battle. Thinking God had abandoned them, they sent word back to Shiloh and requested that the Ark of the Covenant (the place where God’s glory rested) be brought up and carried before them into battle, signifying the presence of the Lord with them (Numbers 10:35-36). Earlier in their history, the Ark had preceded them as they crossed the Jordan River into Canaan (Joshua 3:11-17) and into battle as they conquered Jericho (Joshua 6:4-6), but at that time it was carried in faith and by the command of God. The problem that day was that no one stopped to consider what God thought. Instead, they took up the Ark of His presence like it was a superstitious rabbit’s foot, their very own god-in-a-box, their secret genie in a lamp—believing God would do what they wanted. They had forgotten God was glorious and holy and they, by their actions, did not treat Him as such. They had traded the presence of God for religious pretense and presumption. The results were tragic—the Ark was captured, the chief priests were killed, and thirty thousand Jewish soldiers were slaughtered. Upon hearing of the capture of the Ark and the death of his sons, the High Priest fell backwards and died. Religious superstition takes a biblical truth or teaching and turns it into a faithless, empty ritual without the presence or the power of Almighty God. Beware of the danger of religious superstition—it kills.

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

April 9

April 10

April 11

April 12

April 13

April 14

April 15

q 1 Sm 1:9-4:11

q 1 Sm 4:12-8:22

q 1 Sm 9:1-12:25

q 1 Chr 9:35-39 q 1 Sm 13:1-23 q 1 Sm 14:1-52

q 1 Sm 15:1-17:31 q 1 Sm 17:32-19:17 q 1 Sm 20:1-21:15 q Ps 59 q Ps 34 q 1 Sm 19:18-24

April 16 q 1 Sm 22:1-23 q Ps 57 q Ps 142 q 1 Chr 12:8-18 q Ps 52 q 1 Sm 23:1-12

JOURNALING

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JOURNALING

CROSS WALK

SCENIC VIEW

Forever – 2 Samuel 7

Disobedience is Deadly – 2 Samuel 6:1-11

David was on the throne in a kingdom that was united. With the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem, a peace had settled over the land. The warrior king had arrived at a stage of ministry that was new for him – rest. It was during this rest he began to assess his leadership and discovered an inequity. He was living in splendor when the Ark of the Covenant was being held in a tent. It represented the Presence of God, and the Glory of God hovered around it. He had a brilliant idea! He would build the Lord a temple worthy of His name. But the greater question is, “Why did David desire to do so?” The Lord never instructed Him to go forward. In fact, the Lord had not even mentioned it at all.

God never winks at disobedience, regardless of the nobility in our motives or the sincerity of our heart. Full obedience is critical, because partial obedience is always disobedience. King David loved God, and his heart’s desire was to live life as a worshiper. Upon securing his kingdom, he decided to move the Ark to Jerusalem so the nation could worship God in a central location, a noble motive conceived in a sincere heart, without a doubt.

David told his plan to the prophet Nathan. Knowing that David had God’s favor, and believing the Lord certainly was deserving of such glory, Nathan encouraged David to act upon his desire. Yet, that night the Lord spoke to Nathan with a word for David. He first asked David if he is the one that had been assigned the project. Of course God had yet to assign it to anyone. Secondly, and more importantly, God addressed his motive. The Lord reminded David He had dwelt in a tent from the wilderness to that very day. He had moved everywhere in a tent thus far, and he had never reprimanded anyone for not building Him a temple. It is obvious that David feared losing the Lord’s presence as Saul had. He wanted to make the Lord’s name great so the Lord would be pleased with him. He wanted acceptance. His insecurity had overtaken him in a time of peace and rest. The Lord reminded David that he was chosen as a child in the pasture, so achievement was not necessary. He also reminded him of His faithfulness in the past and then assured David of it in the future. Finally, he promised to build David a house and establish his throne FOREVER! WOW! What a twist. Jesus is in the line of David.

The problem arose with the plan he concocted to accomplish the move. Instead of consulting God, David assembled thirty thousand of his closest friends, loaded the Ark (which represented God’s holy presence) on an ox cart like a container of freight, and headed back to the city. Along the way they had a hallelujah come-apart celebration of a worship service, with one exception; God did not attend. Just as the worship reached fever pitch, one of the ox stumbled and the Ark lurched, in danger of falling to the ground. Uzzah reached to steady it, and boom...God struck him dead. To say the party ended abruptly would be an understatement. Why would God do that? Uzzah was only trying to help—David was doing a good thing—why this drastic response? Because God had given clear instructions that the Ark was not to be touched by human hands (Numbers 4:15). Sinful flesh cannot touch a Holy God. He had also given clear instructions on who was to carry the Ark (Kohathite priests Numbers 4:1-17) and how they were to do it (with poles placed through the golden rings up on their shoulders, Exodus 25:14; Numbers 4:15-20) . David did not consult God or His priests until after the disaster at the Threshing Floor of Nacon (meaning to smite, which was exactly what God did). God was, is, and always will be dead serious about His holiness. Jesus put it this way, “If you love me you will do what I say” (John 14:15).

Are you trying to earn the Lord’s favor or are you resting in the finished work of Christ?

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

April 17

April 18

April 19

April 20

April 21

April 22

April 23

q 1 Sm 23:13-29 q Ps 54

q 1 Sm 26:1-27:7 q 1 Chr 12:1-7 q 1 Sm 27:8-29:11 q 1 Chr 12:19 q Ps 56

q 1 Sm 30:1-31 q 1 Chr 12:20-22 q 1 Sm 31:1-13 q 1 Chr 10:1-14 q 1 Chr 9:40-44 q 2 Sm 4:4 q 2 Sm 1:1-27

q 2 Sm 2:1-3:5 q 1 Chr 3:1-4 q 2 Sm 23:8-39 q 1 Chr 11:10-47

q 2 Sm 3:6-4:12

q 2 Sm 5:1-13, 17-25 q 2 Sm 6:12-23 q 1 Chr 11:1-9 q 1 Chr 15:1-29 q 1 Chr 12:23-40 q 1 Chr 16:1-43 q 1 Chr 14:1-2, 8-17 q 1 Chr 3:4 q 1 Chr 13:1-14 q 2 Sm 6:1-11

April 24 q 2 Sm 7:1-29 q 1 Chr 17:1-27 q 2 Sm 8:1-14 q 1 Chr 18:1-13 q Ps 60

CROSS WALK

SCENIC VIEW

God’s Love – 2 Samuel 9

A Repentant Heart – 2 Samuel 12 & Psalm 51

The love of God gave us the gift of His one and only Son, breaking the chains of sin’s bondage and giving us an avenue to have a relationship with the Father. In 2 Samuel 9, we see a similar picture in the life of King David.

Have you ever been called out for something? You are going about your daily life and all of a sudden—boom—someone points out something you have done wrong. You have a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach and possibly feel like the worst person that has ever lived. In this moment, the decisions made concerning the next steps will impact the relationship you have with Christ.

David desired to bless someone in the family of Saul. This was not a blessing deserved, but given because of David’s friendship with Saul’s son, Jonathan. When David found the one he was pursuing – Mephibosheth, he brought him into his court to bless him and his household. Mephibosheth was not expecting something good from David. In fact, he was expecting to be judged and punished for his association with the former king. But David calmed his fears, letting him know about the blessing that was about to be bestowed upon him. Even after David declared his intention to show favor to him, Mephibosheth still doubted the value David saw in him, going as far as calling himself a dead dog. Despite Mephibosheth’s doubts, David still blessed his life and gave him everything he needed, including a chair to eat at the table of the King. Mephibosheth’s value was no longer found in himself or the former king, but in David’s mercy. In the same way, God pursues each of us in His desire for a relationship. When He finds us, we come before Him expecting to be given only wrath for our association with the king of this world. Instead, God reveals His love for us, making us a new creation through Christ and providing everything needed, even access to His table and friendship with Him. Despite our doubts, fears, shame, guilt, and other baggage we carry, God wants us to enjoy fellowship and relationship each day with Him.

For David, it was his sin with Bathsheba that subconsciously overtook his life. It started with a ‘harmless’ glance at a woman bathing and ended with the murder of her innocent husband. He was living oblivious to those transgressions in his life until Nathan called him out in 2 Samuel 12. There David was exposed before God and before men. His sins were no longer hidden, but plain for all to see. In that moment, David had a choice to make. He knew that he was the chosen King of Israel, a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:13-14), but he had messed up big time. Did God still want to use him? Would it be better for him to just give up? In Psalm 51, we see David’s repentant heart and his overwhelming desire to be used by God again (vs. 10). Despite David’s mistakes, God still wanted to restore and use him. Yes, there were consequences for his sin - there always are. But there was also forgiveness waiting for him when he asked. David chose to press into that mercy and grace instead of throwing in the towel.

Whether you are sitting at the table for the first time, pulling back up to the table after an extended absence, or enjoying the fruit of constant fellowship – remember that Christ paid a high price for your seat and yearns for your presence in it.

In the moments when we have messed up, we have the choice to accept God’s grace and plow forward with the plan He has for us or wallow in our own guilt and never accomplish anything for Him. So the next time you realize your own sin, make the choice to turn to God with a repentant heart - let Him dust you off, and send you back on the path He has for you.

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

April 25

April 26

q 2 Sm 8:15-18 q 1 Chr 18:14-17 q 1 Chr 6:16-48 q 1 Chr 6:50-53 q 2 Sm 9:1-10:19 q 1 Chr 19:1-19

q 1 Chr 20:1 q 2 Sm 12:26-31 q 2 Sm 11:1-12:25 q 1 Chr 20:2-3 q Ps 51 q 2 Sm 13:1-14:33 q 2 Sm 5:14-16 q 1 Chr 14:3-7 q 1 Chr 3:5-9

April 27

April 28

April 29

q 2 Sm 15:1-17:14

q q q q

2 Sm 17:15-29 Ps 3 Ps 63 2 Sm 18:1-19:30

April 30 q 2 Sm 19:31-20:26 q Ps 7 q 2 Sm 21:1-22 q 1 Chr 20:4-8