Mark Watson

Readings this week came from Obadiah, 2 Corinthians 1-13, Ezra 1-4, and Psalms 116-119:32.  Highlights are as follows:

1.  The short book of Obadiah predicts Edom’s (Esau’s descendents) downfall.  

2.  Paul writes his second letter to the Corinthian church.  Evidently, the Corinthians didn’t get totally on board with the first letter.  They end up questioning his authority to tell them what to do…hence the second letter.

3.  Parts of Paul’s first letter evidently had good effect.  He brags on them for their responsiveness in turning things around.

4.  Paul defends himself to the Corinthians…he tells them that he never took money from them, never tricked them or swindled them, and yet he’s accused of some elaborate scam.  He’s wondering where the proof is.

5.  Ezra doesn’t come on the scene immediately in the book of Ezra.  We’re given a bit of background.  Cyrus, King of Persia, authorizes the rebuilding of the Temple of God.  Enemies hear of the restoration and progress stops when they convince King Artaxerxes of Persia (the next guy in charge) that the people of Judah are troublemakers.

6.  The Psalmist asks…no begs…to be built up again by His Word…to help him stay on the right road…to keep the road signs clear at each turn and corner.

Mark took Tate to Batesville today.  Tate loves to go to work with his dad.  That leaves me alone to catch up on posts while watching a crew of men pour my new driveway.  Fascinating to watch.

This week’s readings came from 2 Chronicles 19-36, and Psalms 110-115.  Highlights are as follows:

1.  God delivers Jehoshaphat in a big way from the Ammonites and Moabites.  He let’s God lead him all the way.  Amazing things happen, and Judah never even has to lift a finger to win. 

2.  Jehoshaphat’s son, Jehoram didn’t honor God in any way.  He died a paaaaaainful death.

3.  Ahaziah took over after Jehoshaphat.  He died a year later and his mother massacred the entire royal family taking over herself.  A nurse hid Ahaziah’s son, Joash, saving him from slaughter.

4.  Joash comes to power reigning as God would have him until his mentor and priest dies.  He changes sides then. 

5.  Amaziah comes to power.  He lived well before God (for the most part).  He’s followed by his son, Uzziah, who behaved well in the eyes of God.  Jotham takes over from Uzziah.  He lives a good life, but the people continue in their corruption.  Weak leader.

6.  Ahaz is next.  He was not good.  He went so far as to pass his sons through the fire!  His son Hezekiah was the next king.  Total opposite of his father.  This man was a mover and a shaker.  He pulled off one of those 14 day celebrations just as Solomon did.

7.  Manasseh started off quite badly, but repents after being taken into capitivity.  His son, Amon, lives an evil life without repentence.

I’m always disappointed when a chapter begins or ends with “he was single-minded in following God”, or “he followed in the footsteps of his ancestor David”.  Disappointed because inevitably the king we’re reading about has messed up big time, but still gets this nice review.  It should encourage me that I don’t have to be perfect in my walk with God to be considered His, but I find myself wanting someone…anyone…to get it right for Pete’s Sake!  And I guess someone finally did…Christ.

 This week’s readings came from 1 Corinthians 15-16, 1 Chronicles 1-18, and Psalms 106-109.  Highlights were as follows:

1.  Solomon completes The Temple of God.  Afterwards he throws a party to end all parties.  What began as a seven day worship celebration turns into a 14 day celebration.

2.  Jeroboam’s rule over the 10 tribes is confirmed when Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, refuses to let up on the workload of Israel.  He effectively causes the lasting split between Judah and Israel.

3.  Rehoboam’s son, Abijah, takes over as King of Judah.  He tries to persuade Jeroboam that God will be behind the kingdom that follows Him.  Jeroboam doesn’t listen, and Abijah delivers a humiliating defeat.  Jeroboam never recovers.

4.  Asa takes over from Abijah.  Asa went so far as to remove his own mother from her throne because she built an image of the sex goddess Asherah.  Good man.

5.  One step forward, two steps back.  Asa goes to the king of Aram for help instead of God…doesn’t like the consequences so starts abusing some of the people…gets a foot infection…asks the doctors instead of God to help him…dies of a foot infection.  Good grief.

6.  Jehoshaphat was next in line for the kingdom.  He was singleminded in following God.

Readings were taken from Hosea 12-14, 1 Corinthians 1-14, and Psalms 102-105.  Highlights were as follows: 

1.  Paul addresses a serious concern he has with the Corinthian church.  He wants them to get along!  They were picking sides saying “I’m Paul’s,” or “I’m for Apollos”.

2.  He also addresses a report of scandalous sex within the church family, one that would not even be tolerated outside of the church, reports of taking each other to court, and troublesome talk of gorging themselves when eating the Lord’s Supper.

3.  He brings up the issues of remaining single as opposed to marriage, telling them that due to current pressure it would probably be best to remain in the state in which you were called. 

4.  He reminds them that spiritual gifts are diverse, but all wonderful in that they help make up the whole body of Christ. 

5.  Paul stresses that if they have no love for one another, they have nothing at all.

6.  Psalms were particularly helpful to read this week.  A constant reminder that He is in charge.

Surprised to find that I like the book of Hosea.  It’s basically a list of the crimes that Israel has committed again God.  It convicted me a few times as well.  After being found guilty in Hosea, it was a relief to praise Him through a psalm.

This week’s readings came from 1 Chronicles 21-29, Hosea 1-11, and Psalms 96-101.  Highlights are as follows:

1.  David assigns the descendents of Aaron to serve as officials of the sanctuary with some over worship, security, and others over finances.

2.  David hands over plans for the temple to Solomon.  Solomon’s coronation follows with a huge celebration.

3.  Hosea is told to marry a whore and make her the mother of his children.

4.  Much of Hosea is an indictment of Israel’s whoring ways with other gods.

5.  I liked Psalm 101.  The psalmist is telling God how he intends to stay on track with Him…doing the very best he can…

After having read all of Luke which is relevent, exciting, thought provoking, and emotional, we are thrown into mind-numbing Chronicles.  Man, that was tough.

This week’s readings came from 1 Chronicles 1 – 20, Song of Songs 4-8, and Psalm 95.  Highlights are as follows:

1.  We’re given Israel’s family tree in the first eight chapters.  Yes. I read all of it.

2.  By Chapter 9, we get to rehash some of Saul and David’s history.  Some detail is given to David’s Mighty Men.

3.  There is a retelling of the story of David bringing back the Chest of God.  The one where Uzzah was killed when he touched it.  David calls off the parade and leaves it with Obed-Edom for three months.  God blesses that family and everthing around him.

4.  David tries again with the Chest.  This time with orders that no one but the Levites will carry it.  He is successful this time, and celebrates by dancing ecstatically.  His wife, Micah (Saul’s daughter), isn’t too happy about this.

5.  David wants to build a house for the Chest of God.  He is told that he cannot, but his son, Solomon, will.

6.  The Man and Woman of Song of Songs are equally appreciative of each other’s body parts.

Mark continues to put in seven days a week at work with minimum 12 hour days.  I’ll continue to do the posts until this lets up.  Let’s hope it’s soon! 

This week’s readings came from Luke 16-24, Amos 1 – 9, Ecclesiastes 10 – 12, and Song of Songs 1 – 3.  Highlights are as follows:

1.  The parable of the persistent widow hits home about now.  She was granted justice all due to persistantly asking for it from a despicable judge.  How much more will a loving God work justice for his people when they cry out for help?

2.  Zacchaeus was delighted to take Jesus home with him.  Wouldn’t you be?

3.  The high priests, religion scholars, and leaders just can’t trap him.  He’s too smart.  “Give Caesar what is his and give God what is His.”  Too smart.

4.  He spent his days in the Temple teaching, his nights on the mountain called Olives.  Preparing.

5.  A criminal joins him in paradise.  The temple curtain is split down the middle.  Darkness lasting three hours.  Christ breathed his last.

6.  He appears before the apostles.  They thought they were seeing a ghost.  They are to wait in the city until they are equipped with power from on high.

7.  Amos tells of coming judgements against Israel and gives reasons for it.

8.  What to say about Song of Solomon?  These people were crazy about each other. 

9.  The Quester sums it up:  “Fear God.  Do what He tells you.”

It’s early on this hot, humid Sunday morning, and my husband left for work several hours ago.  Even with his ridiculous schedule, he’s keeping up with these readings.  I’m posting again so he’ll have at least one thing off his plate. 

The readings for this week came from 2 Kings 22-25, Ecclesiastes 4-9, and Luke 1-15.  Here are the highlights:

1.  Finally!  We get a king that knows what’s what!  Josiah was just 8 years old when he came to power.  He smashed every idol he could find everywhere.  Josiah kept straight on the path of God stepping neither to the right or left.

2.  Luke gives us a more detailed account of the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus.  I like the part where the babe in Elizabeth’s womb jumps when he hears Mary’s voice.

3.  Jesus gives this simple rule to live by:  Ask yourself what you want people to do for you…then do it for them!

4.  The story of the harlot coming to Jesus with expensive perfume, weeping at His feet, letting her hair down to dry them, kissing them, anointing them with perfume…her gratitude towards the Savior is humbling.

5.  A woman touching the hem of his robe…healed…a man afflicted with a mob of demons…healed…food for 5000 with only two fish and five loaves of bread…

6.  He gives the Pharisees a tongue lashing.  They can’t believe what they’re hearing…”Teacher, do you know you’re insulting us?”  “Yes, and I can be more explicit…” 

7.  He gives several parables on the lost being found and the rejoicing that takes place afterwards…the story of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son.

8.  There’s one fate for everybody on this earth…death.  Understand what’s important while you’re here.

Mark needed one less thing to do (seriously) so I offered to post this week.  We sure went through a lot of kings who did evil in God’s sight.  These same kings consulted Him occasionally when they were in a real bind.  And whatever the prophets foretold…came to pass.  You’d think this would turn an evil king around, but no, not the case.  This makes me think that perhaps I’ve missed some signs along the way and went in a direction that He didn’t send me.  The good news is…He still loves me even when I fail.

This week’s readings were taken from 2 Kings 1-21, Psalms 92-94, and Ecclesiastes 1-3.  The highlights were as follows:

1.  God takes Elijah to heaven in a whirlwind while Elisha watches which seals the deal on Elisha becoming a holy man like Elijah.

2.  Elisha raises a boy from the dead (like Elijah), and Elisha heals Naaman of his skin disease by asking him to dip seven times in the Jordan river.

3.  Good kings were far and few between.  Joash was one of the good ones, but he didn’t get rid of certain fertility shrines.  Hezekiah was another good one.  He held fast to God, never loosening his grip.

4.  Ecclesiastes is an odd book.  All smoke and spitting in the wind.  I can’t help it…every time he uses one of those phrases…I smile. 

5.  There’s a time to cry and another to laugh…to destroy and construct…hold on and let go…to kill and heal…to be born and to die…

Mark is off on his yearly journey to Marion, IL with some other crazy people (Oops, I meant good buddies) to run the River to River Relay.  Eighty miles/Eight runners.  Yeah…crazy.  Anyway, he’s not here to do the update so here goes…

Our readings this week came from Joshua 4-21 and Psalms 55-60.  And the highlights are as follows:

1.  God parts the waters again!  This time He does it for Joshua and company.  Twelve stones from the Jordan river are then used to erect a monument to stand as a reminder of the people’s crossing the Jordan on dry land.

2.  Once across, the Israelites walk around Jericho once a day for six days and on the seventh, they walk seven times around Jericho.  Walls fall, Rahab and family are spared, it’s a total victory.

3.  Achan makes the mistake of taking some of the cursed things, hence defying a direct order from God.  He is made an example of in front of the people of Israel and is stoned to death.

4.  The kings of the land have heard of Joshua and company.  One group (Gibeon) schnuckers Joshua into agreeing to to spare their lives.  Joshua failed to consult God on this matter. 

5.  After this, Joshua goes on a tear and pretty much wipes out all the kings and their peoples with the exception of Gibeon.

6.  The land isn’t quite conquered, but God tells Joshua to go ahead and assign allotments of land to the rest of the Israelite clans.  God himself will drive out the rest for the People of Israel.

7.  “But they never did get rid of them” is a phrase used to describe those indigenous peoples that the Israelites didn’t wipe out.  Not good.  Seems like a foreboding phrase.

8.  Many of David’s Psalms are about justice.  No doubt, he wants justice for himself, but he also wants God to show these people who HE is and how HE is in charge.