Read To Me Daily Semester 3Намуна

1CHRONICLES 8:
Today we read 1st Chronicles 8. Hang on! We’re almost through with the names chapters! 

PROVERBS 17a:
Before we open to chapter 17 of Proverbs, I have to say that it is hard to choose just one verse to highlight in today’s reading!

Pro. 17:9 NLT Love prospers when a fault is forgiven,
but dwelling on it separates close friends.

Re-reading EPHESIANS 6:
Once when I had long been in Indonesia and needed spiritual counsel, I received wise counsel from an experienced missionary. He encouraged me to ‘pray on’ the armor of God every day. So I prayed rather literally through the list of armor, asking for God to clothe me with each piece. And, even though not doing this with much understanding, I felt like it was sort of helpful. But then I began to get more and more uncomfortable. It was like I was just repeating a mantra of magic words. So how do we put on the armor, and do we need to put it on daily? Later in translating this passage, I found that the imperative verbs here are second aorist in tense. This means that the commands to put on each piece indicate a one-time action. The armor is not uncomfortable to wear like physical armor would be. We aren’t supposed to take it off. The pieces of armor are like the pillars of your identity in union with Christ.

So how do you put them on? When I discuss this passage in my presentations to groups in Indonesia, I will often ask someone in one of the front, “Are you wearing the helmet of salvation?” And usually they will be rather embarrassed at being put on the spot and say, “Uh, I don’t know.” Then I say, “Do you believe that Jesus has saved you?” With a smile of relief they say, Yes. Then I say to the whole group, “He believes that Jesus saved him, so he is wearing the helmet of salvation!” Now with that example, I challenge you to figure out what you need to believe in order to wear the other pieces of armor!

Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, may You be the reason we live. May You be the reason children obey their parents. May You be the reason parents teach and discipline their children. May You be the reason we serve our employers well, rather than just looking like we are working. May You be the reason employers care about their employees, treating them with fairness and empathy. May You be the reason we husbands love our wives and selflessly serve them rather than just using them. May You be the reason wives joyfully follow their husbands’ leadership. May You heal all our relationships through our being joined in union with You. But keep us from submitting to the devil. Help us to stand firm against him and all his dark forces. Open our eyes to the spiritual warfare we are in now, and the particular strategy the devil is using against us. Lord, help us stay alert in order to pray. May we pray about everything and never give up.