1973
May 1, 1973 1 Chr. 14-15, Ps. 132, Matt. 18
1 Chr. 14:10 – I feel the Lord is peaking to me here, but I’m not clear as to what.
1 Chr. 15:29 – David enjoyed God!! He was a fanatic-hopping up and down and singing. We can really learn from him.
Ps. 132:2 – I have a couple vows to keep: 1) Getting rid of all my idols and stuff that I can’t use for God’s glory, and 2) And $50 to Harry Greenwood. *I want to take care of these.
Psalm 132 talks about Jerusalem being the chosen city of God.
Matt. 18:4 – HUMILITY is the quality God is looking for. 18:10 – *We each have an angel! I wonder exactly what they do?
The parable on forgiveness. We are to continually and perpetually forgive our brothers and sisters.
*Lord, I still need some answers. I need to know about the Elim job and about finding a job. I shouldn’t sweat it, because I know that you’ll find me the right one.
May 2, 1973 1 Chr. 14-15, Ps. 132, Matt. 18
Neat chapter (1 Chr. 16). It’s funny, but in my prayer before reading, I felt led to just praise God for His goodness and not ask for anything, and then this chapter of great praise comes up! BEAUTIFUL. David knew how to worship.
+ Neat line (1 Chr. 16:36b) – “Then all the people said AMEN and praise the Lord.”
Ps. 106 – This is a lovely discourse on the history of Israel and ow they rebelled against God. Progression of failure: 1) lack of understanding, 2) lack of memory, 3) rebellion (Ps. 106:7).
Matt. 19 – Jesus used the laying on of hands (v. 15). I must study this sometime.
Matt. 19:21 – Completeness and/or maturity or perfection is always correlated with Yieldedness. Willingness to give up ALL for Jesus. This is what Jesus told the rich young ruler.
*Is God telling me something here?
May 3, 1973 2 Sam. 7, 1 Chr. 17, Ps. 2, Matt. 20
I really like the way David prays. He prays what he thinks.
+ It’s kind of neat that we have two documented accounts of this history of Israel in Samuel and Chronicles. Must be important. 1 Cor. 10:6,11 – They are examples for us—recorded for our benefit.
Ps. 2 – This is a song about Jesus. “His Anointed.” Sounds like a brutal character here.
Matt. 20: 26, 27 – “It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you will be your slave.”
Matt. 20:32 – “What do you wish me to do for you?” This is Jesus’ question t me. Lord, my question is, do you want me to take the job at Elim, go back to school in the fall or start looking for a job? These I’ve committed to You and I trust that You will answer. Thank you.
May 4, 1973 2 Sam. 8-9, 1 Chr. 18, Matt. 21
2 Sam. 8:6 – “And the Lord helped David wherever he went.” Man it is nice to have a Heavenly Helper.
David dedicated all his treasures and spoils to the Lord (2 Sam. 8:11).
*TODAY – I want to dedicate everything that I have to the Lord. I no longer own anything. It is the Lord’s.
The Lord is really blessing David and Israel at this point.
Matt. 21:21-22 – The prayer of faith is powerful!
Jesus really told some pointed parables about the religious leaders and their worth and hypocrisy. “Religion is the opiate of the people.” Amen, Mr. Marx. I agree, and so does Jesus. He just wants our love. It’s the least we can give.
Seattle, Washington
Thank you for Basic Youth, Lord. Keep driving these things into my heart that you may be honored and served by my actions and words.
May 5, 1973 1 Sam 10, 1 Chr. 19-20, Ps. 20, Matt. 22
“Be strong and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of the people and the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what is good in His sight (Joab)” (1 Chr. 19:13).
+ This strikes me for some reason.
1 Chr. 20:4-8 – The end of the “giants” (Rephaim or Nephilim). I’ve got to study them. Bruce Smith sure aroused my curiosity about it.
Neat psalm – Ps. 20:4 – “May He grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your counsel.” *This is encouragement for me today.
Matt. 22:37-40 – The law of love. Love God with all your HEART, SOUL, and MIND. Loving God demands our lives (decisions), our emotions and our reason.
+ Thank you, Lord, for this week. From Basic Youth Conflicts I know that I have some things to do, some things to get right, some disciplines to set, some goals to reach out for. Hep me make them.
May 6, 1973 2 Sam.11-12, Ps. 51, Matt. 23
2 Sam. 11 – David makes his mistake with Bathsheba. Even back then, Satan was using sex as a weapon of destruction.
David believed in the after-life (2 Sam. 12:23). He said he would go to be with his dead child someday.
+ Solomon is born to David and Bathsheba – “the Lord loved him.”
+ Psalm 51:17 – “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.” God doesn’t want sheep blood or altar burning. He wants people to be BROKEN—to admit they’re wrong – “broken spirit”—that’s our sacrifice.
+ Memorize Ps. 51:16,17
Matt. 23:8-10 – Expression of the Trinity. The Teacher (v. 8) – the Holy Spirit. The Father (v. 9) – God the Father. The Leader (v. 10) – Jesus the Christ.
This is the WOES CHAPTER. Jesus really lashes into the religious leaders. Over and over He calls them HYPOCRITES.
May 7, 1973 2 Sam. 13-14, Matt. 24
2 Sam. 13 – The sex sin of Amnon and Tamar. Things don’t change! They’ve always been the same. All this crap is a fulfillment of the prophecy concerning David’s sin.
Matt. 24 – Jesus’ Return. Two things:
- (v. 44) – “for the Son of Man is coming at an our when you do not think He will.” This is a Bible promise just like all the other ones. Why then are people putting dates on Jesus’ return? He promises us that He will surprise us. We must be ready.
- (vs. 45-47) – Am I a faithful and sensible slave who is doing what he should be doing? There’s a stern warning here for slaves that slack off and desert the work. He’s a person whose love has grown cold and he turns from his servanthood. Jesus says bluntly that he will be cut off.
May 8,9, 1973 2 Sam. 15-17, Ps. 32,71, Matt. 25-26
+ 2 Sam. 15:8 – The Lord is reminding me of my vow. I want to give to His work, all that I cannot use to His glory. Lord, help me to do it.
2 Sam. 15:21 – Neat verse. David’s prayer is my prayer. (He doesn’t know what the Lord is going to do). “Let Him do to me what seems good to Him” (v. 26).
God works out plans through people. Here Absalom has taken the kingdom from David, but the Lord is using different men’s advice to give it back.
*Ps. 32:1-3 – This is a confirmation to me. The Lord does want me to clear my conscience. I’ll begin today.
+ God is promising me again: Ps. 32:8 – I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” -memorize.
I must begin praising God more and more. David did: “But as for me, I will hope continually, and I will praise Thee yet more and more” (Ps. 71:14).
Matt. 25:1-30 – Two parables of the ten virgins and lamps of oil (Holy Spirit) and the three slaves and talents. *God wants us to sue our gifts and faith.
+ Will God say to me, “well done good and faithful servant???”
Matt. 26:30 – Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn at the Last Supper.
Matt. 26:41 – my prayer life – “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
I learned a lot of little neat things here in these chapters today, a lot of details and little insights that I’ve never thought about before. The Bible is such an amazing book.
May 10, 1973 2 Sam. 18, Ps. 56, Matt. 27
King David really had a heart of compassion. He wins the kingdom back from his son, Absalom, but Absalom is killed, and David is really grieved.
Ps. 56: 4 – “In God whose word I praise, in God I have put my trust.”
*Ps. 56:9b – This is I know–that God is for me.”
Matt. 27:3-5 – Judas feels bad about betraying Jesus and returns the money and hangs himself. If he would have repented, would he have been saved? I think he would have.
+ Revelation: (Matt. 27:62). Jesus was crucified on a Thursday and Matthew records it here. I had been wondering about this for a while. So, now that He rose early in the morning on Sunday (28:1), that makes almost three days, like he said it would be.
*I’ve got decisions on the brain. Financial aid, a job, Hawaii, YWAM. Lord—please help me set the details in order. I’ll set aside TODAY for you, to fast and pray and listen.
May 11, 1973 2 Sam. 19,20, Ps. 55, Matt. 28
David returns to Jerusalem—the rest of the detailed events I really don’t understand. Strange customs and ways.
Ps. 55 2b-3a – “I am restless in my complaint and surely distracted. Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the pressure of the wicked.”
+ The enemy tends to influence and distract our guidance from the Lord. (vs. 16-17) – “As for me, I shall call upon God, and the Lord will save me. Evening, morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur… Good ole David!
*Matt. 28:18-20 – What a divine coincidence that I’m reading this today. The Lord has really been giving me impressions about YWAM, and that being the next move, and here He says to “Go.” This is really a confirmation, I believe. Lord, I’m going to step out in faith and apply. Now, could you narrow it down for me? I’m ready for the next miracle.
May 12, 1973 2 Sam. 21-13, 1 Thess. 1
David finishes off the rest of the “giants” (2 Sam. 21:16-22). I think this is the best word about them.
2 Sam. 22:21,22a – “The Lord has reward me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands, He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord.
1 Thess.1 – Paul makes some neat references to the Holy Sprit here. The gospel they preached was “in power and the Holy Spirit” and the Thessalonians had the “joy of the Holy Spirit.”
Paul comments on three qualities of the believers in Thessalonica: 1) their work of faith, 2) their labor of love, and 3) their steadfastness of hope. *[1 Cor. 13:13 – faith, hope, and love.]
These believers must have been very sound in Thessalonica. Paul said they had really become examples of the faith to others.
+ That’s all. I am anxious to look at a couple of other things and do a little meditation.
May 13, 1973 2 Sam. 24, 1 Chr. 21, Psa. 30, 1 Thess. 2
These Old Testament chapters are weird. I really don’t know what’s going on. The accounts are basically the same, but DO have some differences…
+ I just read the story in Hurlbuts Story of the Bible, and now it makes more sense.
*Psalm. 30.
1 Thess. 2:8 – “But now we proved to be gentle among you as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her children. Having thus a fond affection for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel but also our lives because you had become dear to us.” Memorize.
These are special verses. Being a witness for Jesus is not only an exercise in words, but a total giving of our lives. It demands time, energy, and sacrifice. AMEN.
May 14, 1973 1 Chr. 22-24, 1 Thess. 3
David prepares the way for the Temple and commissions Solomon—the name “Solomon” means “peaceful.”
1 Chr. 23:30 – “And they are to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and like-wise at evening.” Sounds like a good idea. Start the day and end the day with thanks and praise.
1 Thess. 3 – This is really a little personal letter—must have been a good body. One major thing stands out to me here: Paul’s prayers. He prays twice that the Lord will guide them to Thessalonica to be with them again (v. 11). “Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you.”
*My prayer this morning was that the Lord would direct me to a job here in the area: a job that would fit with His plans for me for the summer—the job He wanted for me. We’ll just have to watch and see.
May 15-16, 1973 1 Chr. 25-28, 1 Kings 1, Ps. 91, 1 Th. 4-5
A big choir was being put together here (1 Chr. 25). I think the Lord really digs the medium of music.
+ (1 Chr. 28) – David’s commission to Solomon is really neat: “As for you, my son, Solomon, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and a willing mind.” Amen.
*Lord, I think I’m reading this too fast, but I know that you understand.
Ps. 91:14-16 – God seems so personal and caring in these verses.
1 Thess. 4: 3- God will our holiness.
I’m just not into this tonight and I shouldn’t do it this way. I won’t do it again. I need time and peace and quiet to be satisfied in your presence, Lord.
May 17-18, 1973 1 Kings 23, 1 Chr. 29, 2 Chr. 1, Ps. 95, 78, 2 Th. 1-2
David dies. I really love David—and I can’t wait to meet him in the Kingdom.
+ 1 Kings 3:3 – “Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father, David. What a neat testimony!
Wow. (1 Kings 3). Solomon asks for wisdom. This is so neat. What a testimony. Talk about the dream of a lifetime. Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived (1 Kings 3:12). Neat story here too sharing the wisdom the Lord gave Solomon.
*Ps. 95:7 – Good verse for bringing a person to Christ on a given day at a given time.
*Ps. 78 – Beautiful. Kind of a history of the Hebrew people: love and rebellion. God’s compassion and his judgment.
2 Thessalonians has a lot of good stuff about the judgment, unbelief, and Anti-Christ. Verse for today – 2 Thess. 2:13 – “But we should always give thanks to God for you brethren beloved by the Lord because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”
May 19, 1973 1 Kings 4-5, 2 Ch. 2, Ps. 101, 2 Th.3
1 Kings 4 – Solomon was a very wise man. God really blessed him.
*They begin to build the Temple. About the Temple: (2 Chr. 2:4-6). “God didn’t dwell in a temple made with hands” but this temple Solomon was building was to HONOR God, as he put it, “to burn incense before Him.” Solomon was aware of God’s awesomeness and infinity. He just wanted to pay tribute to the living God.
Ps. 101 – integrity, blamelessness. (v. 4) – “I will know no evil.”
2 Thess. 3:5 – “And may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.”
*This is my verse for today. For some reason I just feel down and kind of tired and depressed. The Lord will raise me out of this. He’s done it before and He’ll do it again.
May 20, 1973 1 Kings 6, 2 Chr. 3, Ps. 97, Rom 1
Solomon builds the Temple—took seven years. Magical number?
Ps. 97:10 – “Hate evil you who love the Lord.” This backs up some of the thoughts I’ve been having about there being “holy anger.” Thank you, Lord…
+ Rom. 1 – What really stands out to me is the deadly spiral of sin (1:18-32). Really …if you really think about it…no person in his right mind has any excuse as far as sin goes, and as far as the thought and reality of acknowledging a Creator God go. We’re all without excuse (v. 20).
Some neat verses for C. (Rom. 1:9-12). Lord, I thank you so much for the miracle that you are working between us. It is absolutely a miracle.
May 21, 1973 1 Kings 7, 2 Chr. 4, Ps. 98, Rom. 2
The Temple and Solomon’s house and all their furnishings must have been really something. Beautiful! Like Heaven.
Ps. 98 – “Sing unto the Lord a new song…For He has done wonderful things…”
+ Amen. I really have a new song to sing since coming back from New Zealand. And it surely is a song of joy.
Rom. 2 – a Couple things stand out to me: 1) (vs. 6-8) – Paul is talking about a working faith here. 2) (v.11-16) – More teaching on “those who haven’t heard,” and others. The moral law of God in our consciences. 3) The REAL JEW (vs. 28-29) – We use this word wrong in our world today. A Jew is a Jew inwardly by faith, not by natural birth.
*My scripture “slurping” is coming along. Almost got Matt. 5 and I have got 1 Cor. 13.
May 22, 1973 1 Kings 8, 2 Chr. 5, Ps. 99, Rom.3
Solomon raises his hands to heaven. I like to raise my hands.
1 Kings 8:23 – Thy servants who walk before Thee and all their heart.”
*1 Kings 8:46————Rom. 3:23. We all sin.
+ What a prayer by Solomon to learn from (he was kneeling, with his hands up-raised, and so personal).
Rom. 3 – Really getting into the “meat” of the book here. This is so thick that it will take a lifetime to fathom.
+ I’ve got to look at this word RIGHTEOUSNESS sometime. I don’t know exactly what it means or what it refers to.
Rom. 3:31 – “Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary we establish the Law.”
I’m thinking of Matt. 5:17-20. Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law but to “fulfill it.” FULL FILL. Fill us full of the Holy Spirit!!!
May 23, 1973 2 Chr. 6-7, Ps. 135, Rom. 4
2 Chr. 6:17 – Solomon asks for a confirmation of God’s Word. It must be good to ask God to confirm His Word to us.
+ 2 Chr. 7:14 – This verse means so more now knowing it is God’s response to Solomon’s prayer. God answered his prayer completely. In the answer, too, we get a hint of the future when the Temple would be destroyed, and the people scattered.
Psalm 135 is a psalm of praise! Hallelujah!! “Sing praises to His Name for it is lovely.”
Romans 4 – Abraham is the father of faith. Genesis 15:6 is a mighty big verse of the O.T. It’s funny that I never saw it before or fathomed it until about 6 months ago.
*Lord, I’m feeling kind of left out here at home. Kind of a stranger. But I resist you, Satan, in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Father—Help me sort out things.
May 24, 1973 1 Kings 9, 2 Chr. 8, Ps. 136, Rom. 5
Qualities of David that God said to Solomon were what He expected of him: 1) integrity of heart, 2) uprightness (1 Kings 9:4).
Psalm 136 – “For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
Rom. 5:3-5 – The Christian chain of growth problems: yield perseverance, proven character, hope, and love from the Holy Spirit.
There are a lot of things coming to my mind here in this chapter, but I just can’t put them down on paper.
May 25-26, 1973 1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chr. 9, Prov.1-3, Rom. 6-7
1 Kings 10:23 – “So Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.: *Solomon’s downfall: the lust for women!! Turned him away from the Lord (1 Kings 11-16).
May 27, 1973 Proverbs 4-6, Rom. 8
Proverbs 4:9 – Wisdom will “place on your head a garland of grace. Our knowing God will lead us back to His selfless love and provision for us.
Prov. 4:20-22 – God’s Word is medicine to our bodies. Has to do with our health.
Prov. 5:15-19 – This is beautiful about the intimacy and uniqueness that a man and woman are to share. Man (v, 19) “Be exhilarated always with her love.” I think of C,
*Praise God. Proverbs 16:3 – I was just thinking about this. I’ve got to set some things right. Uncle Dave and Aunt Shirl?
Proverbs 6:20 – “My son, observe the commandment of your father and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.” Prov. 6:27 – “Can man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned?”
Rom. 8 – My favorite chapter in the whole Bible. *We have received a “spirit of adoption” by the Holy Spirit, not a spirit of slavery leading to fear again.”
May 28, 1973 Proverbs 7-9, Rom. 9
Proverbs 7 – Solomon unveils a detailed picture of prostitution and seduction—seems so real and current! He is really down on sex sin…says that it “will cost him (a man) his life.
Prov. 8 – Wisdom speaks here. This is weird but a neat account of pre-creation. Prov. 8:10-11 – “Take my instruction and not silver, and knowledge rather than the choicest gold. For wisdom is better than jewels, and all desirable tings cannot compare with her.”
+ WISDOM————————————–WISDOM! I need it!
Rom. 9 – Hard to understand chapter. Rom. 9:30-33 are good verses about Israel and where they went wrong. They left the path of “faith” and pursued a path of works.
May 29-30, 1973 Prov. 10-15, Rom. 10-11
Prov. 10:3 – Starving Christians? I don’t know… Prov. 10:16 – “The wages of the righteous is life.” Prov. 11:25 – “The generous man will be prosperous. And he who waters will himself be watered.” Proverbs 14:12 – There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
*Prov. 15:13 – “A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad the spirit is broken.”
+ Romans 10-11 – the plight of the Jews. (v. 22) – Really stood out to me about the cushy talk about eternal security. This is the book of Romans. Talks about the continuance of faith. I have a lot to learn about the Jews, and it’s becoming clearer and clearer to me all the time.
May 31, 1973 Proverbs 16-18, Rom. 12
Prov. 16:20 – “He who gives attention to the word shall find good. And blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.” Prov. 18:22 – “He who finds a wife finds a good ting and obtains favor from the Lord.”
Rom. 12 – This is a heck of a chapter for the group of us here. (v. 9) – “Let love be without hypocrisy,” (v.10) – “be devoted to one another in brotherly love,” (v. 12) – “devoted to prayer.”
*Lord – Tonight was great and promising. Thank you for putting it together. I’m going to need you so much this summer.
Lord, I’m a little uptight about C. too. Dowse me with your peace of heart and mind before tomorrow night. Amen.