Books of History

By

The Historical books provide a collection of stories about the Israelites spanning nearly a millennium, from their conquest of Canaan until their return to Zion in 539 BCE. These books tell stories of:

The entry of the Israelites into the Promised Land after The Exodus 

The leadership of the biblical judges

The establishment of the United Monarchy, and 

Its subsequent division into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah, and the Babylonian captivity




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The book of Joshua teaches us the "Easy Path to Success"

At one of the great crossroads of life, the Lord visited Joshua and told him to stay the course and keep walking the way "he knew to be right".

Joshua didn't need any special courses or influencers or a seminary degree. He just needed to immerse himself in the assurance of God and live in obedience day-by-day.

Life can be complicated, but following Lord is not.
All of us are commissioned to be bold in our faith.
As we commit ourselves to Lord's path, He will take care of our every need
Just as Jesus said: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" - Matt 6:33




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The book of Judges teaches us that:

"When God's people rely on God's power in obedience to His commands, they find uncommon perseverance in the face of determined opposition. Giving in is no longer an option. Pressing on becomes the battle cry. Victory is Theirs



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This beautiful story of Ruth demonstrates:

The power and passion of Redeeming Love
It teaches us that when we start to walk in God's way, HE will direct us. If we sit back to sort through options, we will never discover God's will.
As we follow HIS lead, we can trust HIM to redeem the hardships of our Past and provide for us in the Present moment and entrust the Future results on HIM.



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The First Book of Samuel reminds us how God chooses his people.

The LORD does not see as man sees;... the LORD looks at the heart (1 Sam 16:7)
Our culture is heavily focused on the externals. We make quick judgements about others based on OUR impressions.
Mentally, we "pigeonhole" people, deciding (with no real evidence) what their capabilities or potential might be.

But God can sovereignly choose to work through anyone to: Kill a Giant, lead a kingdom, or write songs that last 3000 years



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The second Book of Samuel teaches us of the Moment of Destiny

The day David fell into sin with Bathsheba was a day his entire destiny would change in only hours and his choice would impact generations to come.

Days of destiny do not typically look much different than other days until we find ourselves at an unexpected fork in the road with the rest of our lives hanging in balance.

We cannot know what temptations, decisions and opportunities we will face on any given day. But we need God's wisdom, counsel, protection and companionship every day of our lives.



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The First Book of Kings shows us the "Perils of Great Blessing"

The Lord loved King Solomon from day one. He was showered with wealth, wisdom, honour, and authority more than any king of Israel ever. However, Solomon violated God's commands, married idolators and turned to other gods and did evil in Lord's sight(11:6)

For us, we imagine that the greatest danger for those who follow God is inherent in times of testing. Yet those may be the best moments of our lives as we cling to the Lord and cry out to Him.

Peril is closer amid prosperity, ease and honour;
That is when we are prone to relax our guard, indulge in self-sufficiency, and passion for Lord to cool off.

The greatest challenge in times of peace and plenty... is to continually cast ourselves on the Lord for His mercy, wisdom, counsel, and grace.



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2 Kings reminds us of the sufficiency of God's provision and protection

Elisha prophesied in 6:16 "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them"

We too can feel surrounded and overwhelmed by our circumstances. It might be a health crisis, a financial tight spot, a looming deadline, a wandering child, or a faltering marriage. 
These are the times when we need eyes of faith to perceive the Lord's presence.

No matter what our circumstances are, fixing our eyes on the Lord will bring fresh insight, hope and courage. - Amen.



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The Books of Chronicles teaches us to "Set our Hear and Soul to seek the Lord"

David's last words to his son Solomon were: "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God. This is how you begin your kingship" 22:19

Every day of our lives is a new chapter. Each morning when we open our eyes to the light is a fresh opportunity to begin life anew.

How do we make today better than yesterday?

We deliberately reset our direction and consciously chose to give priority to the Lord.

With God's spirit as our guide, every day we must set our heart to:
Seek Him
Serve Him
Follow Him
Please Him

Only then you can experience great confidence, a firm sense of purpose and a lot more joy.



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The book of Ezra teaches us how to Begin at the Beginning

When the Jews returned to Jerusalem and found their city and temple in ruins, the first thing they did was rebuild the altar of God

When you see your life or marriage or career damaged, where do you first turn? what do you rebuild first?

The first thing to do is restore worship in your community.

The best place to visit after a major setback is HIS Wisdom, HIS power, HIS presence, HIS salvation, and HIS tender love

This is a reset button for your life.

The rubble may take a day or even a year to clear, but when you Begin at the right Beginning rest of your life comes back into alignment. 

Begin with the Alter - with worship - and Restoration will follow.




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The book of Nehemiah teaches us how "how one person empowered by God, can make a difference"

Nehemiah was living far away from the desolate city and could have just easily shrugged off the news. But he didn't.

Rather than giving in to anxiety or depression, he took his concern to God.

This is how God works:
-it starts with a person's concern
-moves into prayer
-translates into courageous action

We also must first be aware. Live life with open eyes to the needs of others (rather than self-absorbed)
Then God moves our hearts into intense, persistent prayer
Then God directs and empowers you to step into the circumstance and do what you can

Like Nehemiah, you will also be surprised how much you can accomplish when Lord is backing your efforts.




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This is the last book in the Series of History in the Bible

The story of Esther teaches that we ought to take action when the time is right.

Proverbs 16:9 says that even when God orders a person's steps, that individual is still responsible to walk through the Lord's open doors. 

Esther and Mordecai exercised courage. took risks, employed wisdom and was involved in everyday events.

They refused to be paralysed by fear or be indifferent. They seized opportunities that God provided them.

Yes, God is in control, but there are still victories to be won.

God intends to use our Active steps of faith to accomplish those plans.