Category: 1 Chronicles

Least

jonmbarnesLeave a comment
war-953246_1920
Hi Peeps,
Today’s Quote
“Less is more in the hands of the least, discarded, and thrown away societies around the world, but God has a balanced compensation plan for eternity with those who love Him.” ~ Jon Barnes

Poverty 

People in poverty who know and walk with God are the most content people in the world because they know that their pain and suffering for doing good is only for a brief moment.  Materialism, capitalism, persecution, or hunger will not stop them from loving God. God’s Affirmative Action plan for the poor will shock the rich and sinners on judgment day, as it did with the rich man in hell, wanting to tell his brothers to act right. Notice that he didn’t get a second chance.

Discovery

The poor will use imagination, grit, and discovery to fuel progress to freedom and liberty in God because the love of money is not the center of their attention and greed.  Working for food and survival is the opposite of working for excess and self-indulgence.  Discovering the difference between the two is a good start.

Pains

God gives relief to the hunger pains of the poor supernaturally by feeding them spiritual food, contentment, and the fear of the Lord.  This love and fear is a reverence that balances the scales of eternal fate and is a reference point for those that are in contempt with greed, evil, and selfish mindset, who will discard human life like trash.  The pains of the righteous are temporal but the pains of the unjust are forever.
Today’s Question
Why are you always looking for second chances when you can do the right things NOW?
Enjoy The Reading
 

Gifts for Building the Temple

29 Then King David turned to the entire assembly and said, “My son Solomon, whom God has clearly chosen as the next king of Israel, is still young and inexperienced. The work ahead of him is enormous, for the Temple he will build is not for mere mortals—it is for the Lord God himself! 2 Using every resource at my command, I have gathered as much as I could for building the Temple of my God. Now there is enough gold, silver, bronze, iron, and wood, as well as great quantities of onyx, other precious stones, costly jewels, and all kinds of fine stone and marble.
3 “And now, because of my devotion to the Temple of my God, I am giving all of my own private treasures of gold and silver to help in the construction. This is in addition to the building materials I have already collected for his holy Temple. 4 I am donating more than 112 tons of gold[a] from Ophir and 262 tons of refined silver[b] to be used for overlaying the walls of the buildings 5 and for the other gold and silver work to be done by the craftsmen. Now then, who will follow my example and give offerings to the Lord today?”
6 Then the family leaders, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the generals and captains of the army,[c] and the king’s administrative officers all gave willingly. 7 For the construction of the Temple of God, they gave about 188 tons of gold,[d] 10,000 gold coins,[e] 375 tons of silver,[f]675 tons of bronze,[g] and 3,750 tons of iron.[h] 8 They also contributed numerous precious stones, which were deposited in the treasury of the house of the Lord under the care of Jehiel, a descendant of Gershon. 9 The people rejoiced over the offerings, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord, and King David was filled with joy.

David’s Prayer of Praise

10 Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly:
“O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel,[i] may you be praised forever and ever! 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 12 Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.
13 “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! 14 But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! 15 We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.
16 “O Lord our God, even this material we have gathered to build a Temple to honor your holy name comes from you! It all belongs to you! 17 I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. You know I have done all this with good motives, and I have watched your people offer their gifts willingly and joyously.
18 “O Lord, the God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make your people always want to obey you. See to it that their love for you never changes. 19 Give my son Solomon the wholehearted desire to obey all your commands, laws, and decrees, and to do everything necessary to build this Temple, for which I have made these preparations.”
20 Then David said to the whole assembly, “Give praise to the Lord your God!” And the entire assembly praised the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and they bowed low and knelt before the Lord and the king.

Solomon Named as King

21 The next day they brought 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 male lambs as burnt offerings to the Lord. They also brought liquid offerings and many other sacrifices on behalf of all Israel. 22 They feasted and drank in the Lord’s presence with great joy that day.
And again they crowned David’s son Solomon as their new king. They anointed him before the Lord as their leader, and they anointed Zadok as priest. 23 So Solomon took the throne of the Lord in place of his father, David, and he succeeded in everything, and all Israel obeyed him. 24 All the officials, the warriors, and the sons of King David pledged their loyalty to King Solomon. 25 And the Lord exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel, and he gave Solomon greater royal splendor than any king in Israel before him.

Summary of David’s Reign

26 So David son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 He reigned over Israel for forty years, seven of them in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 28 He died at a ripe old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth, and honor. Then his son Solomon ruled in his place.
29 All the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in The Record of Samuel the Seer, The Record of Nathan the Prophet, and The Record of Gad the Seer.30 These accounts include the mighty deeds of his reign and everything that happened to him and to Israel and to all the surrounding kingdoms.
Love,
Jonathan

Grandparents

jonmbarnesLeave a comment
hands-981400_1920.jpg
Hi Peeps,
Today’s Quote
“Off the backs of your grandparents, you can see the good work and mistakes made, as you listen and learn from their lifestyles, stories, history, and work ethics.”  ~ Jon Barnes

Relatives

Family and relatives are a reflection of who you are, what to become, and what to improve upon.  These examples will help you navigate which future goals and activities to focus on in developing character, work ethic, morals, values, and dreams.  Your spiritual economic value is proportionate to your personal drive, heart, and love for God, not money.  Your family is a relative model of this fact. Reject the negative lifestyles.

Values

What you learn to value will predict the outcome of your fate.  While studying your own family, you begin to mold and shape the parameters of your character, ethics, and destiny with God.  These choices will make or break your future, based on obedience to God, learned from your parents and grandparents.  Your value in life is proportionate to the value you place in God’s love and lessons learned from your family’s mistakes.

Honesty

God loves an honest person, cheerful giver, and a kind obedient soul who does good work.  People around the world respect the smile of a person with a pure heart.  When you honestly look yourself in the mirror, God will help you answer the tough questions about yourself and what you need to improve upon.  Use your grandparents, parents, family, or friends as an example of what not to do, based on God’s Commandments.
Today’s Question
If your grandparents are liars, will you follow them into the pit of hell or learn from their mistakes?
Enjoy The Reading
 

1 Chronicles 28 

David’s Instructions to Solomon

28 David summoned all the officials of Israel to Jerusalem—the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of the army divisions, the other generals and captains,[a] the overseers of the royal property and livestock, the palace officials, the mighty men, and all the other brave warriors in the kingdom. 2 David rose to his feet and said: “My brothers and my people! It was my desire to build a Temple where the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, God’s footstool, could rest permanently. I made the necessary preparations for building it, 3 but God said to me, ‘You must not build a Temple to honor my name, for you are a warrior and have shed much blood.’
4 “Yet the Lord, the God of Israel, has chosen me from among all my father’s family to be king over Israel forever. For he has chosen the tribe of Judah to rule, and from among the families of Judah he chose my father’s family. And from among my father’s sons the Lord was pleased to make me king over all Israel. 5 And from among my sons—for the Lord has given me many—he chose Solomon to succeed me on the throne of Israel and to rule over the Lord’s kingdom. 6 He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will build my Temple and its courtyards, for I have chosen him as my son, and I will be his father. 7 And if he continues to obey my commands and regulations as he does now, I will make his kingdom last forever.’
8 “So now, with God as our witness, and in the sight of all Israel—the Lord’s assembly—I give you this charge. Be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God, so that you may continue to possess this good land and leave it to your children as a permanent inheritance.
9 “And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 10 So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work.”
11 Then David gave Solomon the plans for the Temple and its surroundings, including the entry room, the storerooms, the upstairs rooms, the inner rooms, and the inner sanctuary—which was the place of atonement. 12 David also gave Solomon all the plans he had in mind[b]for the courtyards of the Lord’s Temple, the outside rooms, the treasuries, and the rooms for the gifts dedicated to the Lord. 13 The king also gave Solomon the instructions concerning the work of the various divisions of priests and Levites in the Temple of the Lord. And he gave specifications for the items in the Temple that were to be used for worship.
14 David gave instructions regarding how much gold and silver should be used to make the items needed for service. 15 He told Solomon the amount of gold needed for the gold lampstands and lamps, and the amount of silver for the silver lampstands and lamps, depending on how each would be used. 16 He designated the amount of gold for the table on which the Bread of the Presence would be placed and the amount of silver for other tables.
17 David also designated the amount of gold for the solid gold meat hooks used to handle the sacrificial meat and for the basins, pitchers, and dishes, as well as the amount of silver for every dish. 18 He designated the amount of refined gold for the altar of incense. Finally, he gave him a plan for the Lord’s “chariot”—the gold cherubim[c] whose wings were stretched out over the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant. 19 “Every part of this plan,” David told Solomon, “was given to me in writing from the hand of the Lord.[d]”
20 Then David continued, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the Lord is finished correctly. 21 The various divisions of priests and Levites will serve in the Temple of God. Others with skills of every kind will volunteer, and the officials and the entire nation are at your command.”
Love,
Jonathan

Outsourced

jonmbarnesLeave a comment
hiring-2402042_1920.jpg
Hi Peeps,
Today’s Quote
“Why is your intelligence outsourced when you can easily ask God for the inspiration and location of good information yourself?” ~ Jon Barnes

Designer

It is fun to ask questions of the Author and finisher of our Faith.  When you truly believe that God is, your actions speak for your thoughts, words, good works, and heart.  There is nowhere to hide from God or yourself because all that you do is in the open. Yeah, we are all transparent to God and the clothing of your personality cannot cover up your motives of good or evil.

Fashion

Since we were created and fashioned by The Great Designer God, in His likeness and Image, our inspiration, love, and intelligence should reflect this.  You will never see a person with 3 eyes, 3 noses, and 3 lips.  This is not what God looks like and you cannot change that fact.  Your design, image, fashion, and fate are sealed. Fashion yourself after God’s love and looks!

Pattern

Our patterns have been defined and fixed from the beginning of time and we should become more inspired to learn more about our Creator, His Designs, and Pattern in His World.  You can see the vast designs, shapes, depths, similarities, and differences in all of creation, as you travel around the world, enjoying God’s Artistic Masterpieces.  Continue to develop yourself as a masterpiece from God.
Today’s Question
Did you know that you are an Original Masterpiece from God to love, develop, and reflect the light of God’s lifestyle or did you outsource your gift into sin, slavery, and wicked behavior?
Enjoy The Reading
 

1 Chronicles 27

Military Commanders and Divisions

27 This is the list of Israelite generals and captains,[a] and their officers, who served the king by supervising the army divisions that were on duty each month of the year. Each division served for one month and had 24,000 troops.
2 Jashobeam son of Zabdiel was commander of the first division of 24,000 troops, which was on duty during the first month. 3 He was a descendant of Perez and was in charge of all the army officers for the first month.
4 Dodai, a descendant of Ahoah, was commander of the second division of 24,000 troops, which was on duty during the second month. Mikloth was his chief officer.
5 Benaiah son of Jehoiada the priest was commander of the third division of 24,000 troops, which was on duty during the third month. 6 This was the Benaiah who commanded David’s elite military group known as the Thirty. His son Ammizabad was his chief officer.
7 Asahel, the brother of Joab, was commander of the fourth division of 24,000 troops, which was on duty during the fourth month. Asahel was succeeded by his son Zebadiah.
8 Shammah[b] the Izrahite was commander of the fifth division of 24,000 troops, which was on duty during the fifth month.
9 Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa was commander of the sixth division of 24,000 troops, which was on duty during the sixth month.
10 Helez, a descendant of Ephraim from Pelon, was commander of the seventh division of 24,000 troops, which was on duty during the seventh month.
11 Sibbecai, a descendant of Zerah from Hushah, was commander of the eighth division of 24,000 troops, which was on duty during the eighth month.
12 Abiezer from Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin was commander of the ninth division of 24,000 troops, which was on duty during the ninth month.
13 Maharai, a descendant of Zerah from Netophah, was commander of the tenth division of 24,000 troops, which was on duty during the tenth month.
14 Benaiah from Pirathon in Ephraim was commander of the eleventh division of 24,000 troops, which was on duty during the eleventh month.
15 Heled,[c] a descendant of Othniel from Netophah, was commander of the twelfth division of 24,000 troops, which was on duty during the twelfth month.

Leaders of the Tribes

16 The following were the tribes of Israel and their leaders:
Tribe Leader
Reuben Eliezer son of Zicri
Simeon Shephatiah son of Maacah
17 Levi Hashabiah son of Kemuel
Aaron (the priests) Zadok
18 Judah Elihu (a brother of David)
Issachar Omri son of Michael
19 Zebulun Ishmaiah son of Obadiah
Naphtali Jeremoth son of Azriel
20 Ephraim Hoshea son of Azaziah
Manasseh (west) Joel son of Pedaiah
21 Manasseh in Gilead (east) Iddo son of Zechariah
Benjamin Jaasiel son of Abner
22 Dan Azarel son of Jeroham
These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel.
23 When David took his census, he did not count those who were younger than twenty years of age, because the Lord had promised to make the Israelites as numerous as the stars in heaven. 24 Joab son of Zeruiah began the census but never finished it because[d] the anger of God fell on Israel. The total number was never recorded in King David’s official records.

Officials of David’s Kingdom

25 Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the palace treasuries.
Jonathan son of Uzziah was in charge of the regional treasuries throughout the towns, villages, and fortresses of Israel.
26 Ezri son of Kelub was in charge of the field workers who farmed the king’s lands.
27 Shimei from Ramah was in charge of the king’s vineyards.
Zabdi from Shepham was responsible for the grapes and the supplies of wine.
28 Baal-hanan from Geder was in charge of the king’s olive groves and sycamore-fig trees in the foothills of Judah.[e]
Joash was responsible for the supplies of olive oil.
29 Shitrai from Sharon was in charge of the cattle on the Sharon Plain.
Shaphat son of Adlai was responsible for the cattle in the valleys.
30 Obil the Ishmaelite was in charge of the camels.
Jehdeiah from Meronoth was in charge of the donkeys.
31 Jaziz the Hagrite was in charge of the king’s flocks of sheep and goats.
All these officials were overseers of King David’s property.
32 Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a wise counselor to the king, a man of great insight, and a scribe. Jehiel the Hacmonite was responsible for teaching the king’s sons. 33 Ahithophel was the royal adviser. Hushai the Arkite was the king’s friend. 34 Ahithophel was succeeded by Jehoiada son of Benaiah and by Abiathar. Joab was commander of the king’s army.
Love,
Jonathan

Imposed

jonmbarnesLeave a comment
fog-1850228_1920
Hi Peeps,
Today’s Quote
“Learn to love Frustration, because it is fuel for improvement and you should look at it as a good thing to move forward with wisdom and love.” ~ Jon Barnes

Self Imposed

Self-imposed frustration is when you analyze things to the point of inaction, dissension, and omission.  Personal choices are your own and you must be willing to make them.  Do not use other people as an excuse to not make good personal choices and goals for yourself. Occasionally helping people get off their feet is nice, but living for them day to day is something else and far above your pay grade.

Job-Related

Doing a good job is what we all can hope for, but your job is not your life.  After you have completed the best job you can at work, for your company, or around the house, do something else.  Balance your types of activities in the day so that you don’t burn out with your self-imposed slave mentality.  Relax, breath, have some fun, exercise, and take a walk with God daily.

God Related

God can relate to all of your needs since He made us.  Ask Him about your concerns and focus on what you learned from Him today.  Sometimes, you just need to take a nap to wake up with a better perspective and approach to a situation and new instructions.  You should always enjoy the work in progress and the completion of a task.  Relate your experience with how God created the world and I think you will calm down a little bit with new adventures.
Today’s Question
Why do you let your mind wander into the darkness of nothingness, which imposes wicked lost thoughts, that are not your own?

1 Chronicles 26

Duties of the Gatekeepers

26 These are the divisions of the gatekeepers:
From the Korahites, there was Meshelemiah son of Kore, of the family of Abiasaph.[a] 2 The sons of Meshelemiah were Zechariah (the oldest), Jediael (the second), Zebadiah (the third), Jathniel (the fourth), 3 Elam (the fifth), Jehohanan (the sixth), and Eliehoenai (the seventh).
4 The sons of Obed-edom, also gatekeepers, were Shemaiah (the oldest), Jehozabad (the second), Joah (the third), Sacar (the fourth), Nethanel (the fifth), 5 Ammiel (the sixth), Issachar (the seventh), and Peullethai (the eighth). God had richly blessed Obed-edom.
6 Obed-edom’s son Shemaiah had sons with great ability who earned positions of great authority in the clan. 7 Their names were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad. Their relatives, Elihu and Semakiah, were also very capable men.
8 All of these descendants of Obed-edom, including their sons and grandsons—sixty-two of them in all—were very capable men, well qualified for their work.
9 Meshelemiah’s eighteen sons and relatives were also very capable men.
10 Hosah, of the Merari clan, appointed Shimri as the leader among his sons, though he was not the oldest. 11 His other sons included Hilkiah (the second), Tebaliah (the third), and Zechariah (the fourth). Hosah’s sons and relatives, who served as gatekeepers, numbered thirteen in all.
12 These divisions of the gatekeepers were named for their family leaders, and like the other Levites, they served at the house of the Lord. 13 They were assigned by families for guard duty at the various gates, without regard to age or training, for it was all decided by means of sacred lots.
14 The responsibility for the east gate went to Meshelemiah[b] and his group. The north gate was assigned to his son Zechariah, a man of unusual wisdom. 15 The south gate went to Obed-edom, and his sons were put in charge of the storehouse. 16 Shuppim and Hosah were assigned the west gate and the gateway leading up to the Temple.[c] Guard duties were divided evenly. 17 Six Levites were assigned each day to the east gate, four to the north gate, four to the south gate, and two pairs at the storehouse. 18 Six were assigned each day to the west gate, four to the gateway leading up to the Temple, and two to the courtyard.[d]
19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers from the clans of Korah and Merari.

Treasurers and Other Officials

20 Other Levites, led by Ahijah, were in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of the gifts dedicated to the Lord. 21 From the family of Libni[e] in the clan of Gershon, Jehiel[f] was the leader. 22 The sons of Jehiel, Zetham and his brother Joel, were in charge of the treasuries of the house of the Lord.
23 These are the leaders that descended from Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel:
24 From the clan of Amram, Shebuel was a descendant of Gershom son of Moses. He was the chief officer of the treasuries. 25 His relatives through Eliezer were Rehabiah, Jeshaiah, Joram, Zicri, and Shelomoth.
26 Shelomoth and his relatives were in charge of the treasuries containing the gifts that King David, the family leaders, and the generals and captains[g] and other officers of the army had dedicated to the Lord. 27 These men dedicated some of the plunder they had gained in battle to maintain the house of the Lord. 28 Shelomoth[h] and his relatives also cared for the gifts dedicated to the Lord by Samuel the seer, Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah. All the other dedicated gifts were in their care, too.
29 From the clan of Izhar came Kenaniah. He and his sons were given administrative responsibilities[i] over Israel as officials and judges.
30 From the clan of Hebron came Hashabiah. He and his relatives—1,700 capable men—were put in charge of the Israelite lands west of the Jordan River. They were responsible for all matters related to the things of the Lord and the service of the king in that area.
31 Also from the clan of Hebron came Jeriah,[j] who was the leader of the Hebronites according to the genealogical records. (In the fortieth year of David’s reign, a search was made in the records, and capable men from the clan of Hebron were found at Jazer in the land of Gilead.) 32 There were 2,700 capable men among the relatives of Jeriah. King David sent them to the east side of the Jordan River and put them in charge of the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh. They were responsible for all matters related to God and to the king.
Love,
Jonathan

Carnal

jonmbarnesLeave a comment
admission-2974645_1920.jpg
Hi Peeps,
Today’s Quote 
“Copying people and not the ways of God is a carnal thing to do, since you are following someone else’s dreams and it’s not the real you.” ~  Jon Barnes

Minded

High-minded thoughts are always bought with a price of your own.  You will get what you paid for, so don’t be surprised, particularly from the seeds you have sown. Take another look into the Good Book and find better solutions today.  Take your time, try reading scriptures out aloud, and God will help you find your way to authentic learning and living. 

Spiritual

Each day, look at what you are doing, saying, and thinking.  Check in with God to see if you are channeling your energy into the right direction, people, and places.  Looking at, analyzing, and trying to run someone else’s life is not your job, but let your light shine.  Helping people to help themselves is a better approach to love and kindness. 

Beware

People burn themselves up and out by trying to play god with the lives of others.  Instead, let God play with your life to make it better and then you will be able to help other people.  Otherwise, we tend to mess things up, trying to predict the future for ourselves, family, and friends.  Tomorrow is not promised to you or me.  The next second may be our last.  Bless God in the second that we have right now.
Today’s Question
Is your life like a carnival of carnal minded people, spinning on the world’s greatest show circus, or are you simply enjoying God’s company?
Enjoy The Reading
 

1 Chronicles 25 

Duties of the Musicians

25 David and the army commanders then appointed men from the families of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to proclaim God’s messages to the accompaniment of lyres, harps, and cymbals. Here is a list of their names and their work:
2 From the sons of Asaph, there were Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. They worked under the direction of their father, Asaph, who proclaimed God’s messages by the king’s orders.
3 From the sons of Jeduthun, there were Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei,[a] Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six in all. They worked under the direction of their father, Jeduthun, who proclaimed God’s messages to the accompaniment of the lyre, offering thanks and praise to the Lord.
4 From the sons of Heman, there were Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael,[b] Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. 5 All these were the sons of Heman, the king’s seer, for God had honored him with fourteen sons and three daughters.
6 All these men were under the direction of their fathers as they made music at the house of the Lord. Their responsibilities included the playing of cymbals, harps, and lyres at the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman reported directly to the king. 7 They and their families were all trained in making music before the Lord, and each of them—288 in all—was an accomplished musician. 8 The musicians were appointed to their term of service by means of sacred lots, without regard to whether they were young or old, teacher or student.
9 The first lot fell to Joseph of the Asaph clan and twelve of his sons and relatives.[c]
The second lot fell to Gedaliah and twelve of his sons and relatives.
10 The third lot fell to Zaccur and twelve of his sons and relatives.
11 The fourth lot fell to Zeri[d] and twelve of his sons and relatives.
12 The fifth lot fell to Nethaniah and twelve of his sons and relatives.
13 The sixth lot fell to Bukkiah and twelve of his sons and relatives.
14 The seventh lot fell to Asarelah[e] and twelve of his sons and relatives.
15 The eighth lot fell to Jeshaiah and twelve of his sons and relatives.
16 The ninth lot fell to Mattaniah and twelve of his sons and relatives.
17 The tenth lot fell to Shimei and twelve of his sons and relatives.
18 The eleventh lot fell to Uzziel[f] and twelve of his sons and relatives.
19 The twelfth lot fell to Hashabiah and twelve of his sons and relatives.
20 The thirteenth lot fell to Shubael and twelve of his sons and relatives.
21 The fourteenth lot fell to Mattithiah and twelve of his sons and relatives.
22 The fifteenth lot fell to Jerimoth[g] and twelve of his sons and relatives.
23 The sixteenth lot fell to Hananiah and twelve of his sons and relatives.
24 The seventeenth lot fell to Joshbekashah[h] and twelve of his sons and relatives.
25 The eighteenth lot fell to Hanani and twelve of his sons and relatives.
26 The nineteenth lot fell to Mallothi and twelve of his sons and relatives.
27 The twentieth lot fell to Eliathah and twelve of his sons and relatives.
28 The twenty-first lot fell to Hothir and twelve of his sons and relatives.
29 The twenty-second lot fell to Giddalti and twelve of his sons and relatives.
30 The twenty-third lot fell to Mahazioth and twelve of his sons and relatives.
31 The twenty-fourth lot fell to Romamti-ezer and twelve of his sons and relatives.
 
Love,
 
Jonathan

Balancing

jonmbarnesLeave a comment
skateboards-1150036_1920.jpgHi Peeps,
Today’s Quote
The balancing of activities is such a joy when you can see the many benefits in doing good, by faith, from the hand of God on your life which is spiritual and not carnal, with no strings attached.” ~ Jon Barnes

Everyday

Every day will be different so find something new, challenging, and fun to do.  Be early for your appointments and when they don’t show up, you will know what to do.  Go with it and with God and don’t stress. Work on something else and fix things yourself with your extra time in the day, with the new people you meet.  Be glad you have time to move things around and do new things your own way.

Appointment

Life is a joy, like a big toy and the clock is ticking fast.  Enjoy each moment, like you own it since it just might be your last. Oops, it’s gone, there goes your moment, your appointment arrived from the past. Be ready.  Your destiny is set when you place your bet on something that doesn’t last. God is the Author and finisher of our fate. Maybe it’s time to know where you really stand before it is too Late.

Arrivals

Now is the time to open up your Bible and learn more about life.  Study the patterns, memorize the stories, and know everything in sight.  Take a look and start to cook with the fresh ingredients that are all there.  God has given you enough to feed on to arrive and become an heir. I enjoy writing a little poetry from time to time.
Today’s Question
Is it natural for you to be spiritually cool, learning about God, and balancing your life?
Enjoy The Reading
 

1 Chronicles 24

 

Duties of the Priests

24 This is how Aaron’s descendants, the priests, were divided into groups for service. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and they had no sons. So only Eleazar and Ithamar were left to carry on as priests.
3 With the help of Zadok, who was a descendant of Eleazar, and of Ahimelech, who was a descendant of Ithamar, David divided Aaron’s descendants into groups according to their various duties. 4 Eleazar’s descendants were divided into sixteen groups and Ithamar’s into eight, for there were more family leaders among the descendants of Eleazar.
5 All tasks were assigned to the various groups by means of sacred lots so that no preference would be shown, for there were many qualified officials serving God in the sanctuary from among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar. 6 Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, acted as secretary and wrote down the names and assignments in the presence of the king, the officials, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the family leaders of the priests and Levites. The descendants of Eleazar and Ithamar took turns casting lots.
7 The first lot fell to Jehoiarib.
The second lot fell to Jedaiah.
8 The third lot fell to Harim.
The fourth lot fell to Seorim.
9 The fifth lot fell to Malkijah.
The sixth lot fell to Mijamin.
10 The seventh lot fell to Hakkoz.
The eighth lot fell to Abijah.
11 The ninth lot fell to Jeshua.
The tenth lot fell to Shecaniah.
12 The eleventh lot fell to Eliashib.
The twelfth lot fell to Jakim.
13 The thirteenth lot fell to Huppah.
The fourteenth lot fell to Jeshebeab.
14 The fifteenth lot fell to Bilgah.
The sixteenth lot fell to Immer.
15 The seventeenth lot fell to Hezir.
The eighteenth lot fell to Happizzez.
16 The nineteenth lot fell to Pethahiah.
The twentieth lot fell to Jehezkel.
17 The twenty-first lot fell to Jakin.
The twenty-second lot fell to Gamul.
18 The twenty-third lot fell to Delaiah.
The twenty-fourth lot fell to Maaziah.
19 Each group carried out its appointed duties in the house of the Lord according to the procedures established by their ancestor Aaron in obedience to the commands of the Lord, the God of Israel.

Family Leaders among the Levites

20 These were the other family leaders descended from Levi:
From the descendants of Amram, the leader was Shebuel.[a]
From the descendants of Shebuel, the leader was Jehdeiah.
21 From the descendants of Rehabiah, the leader was Isshiah.
22 From the descendants of Izhar, the leader was Shelomith.[b]
From the descendants of Shelomith, the leader was Jahath.
23 From the descendants of Hebron, Jeriah was the leader,[c] Amariah was second, Jahaziel was third, and Jekameam was fourth.
24 From the descendants of Uzziel, the leader was Micah.
From the descendants of Micah, the leader was Shamir, 25 along with Isshiah, the brother of Micah.
From the descendants of Isshiah, the leader was Zechariah.
26 From the descendants of Merari, the leaders were Mahli and Mushi.
From the descendants of Jaaziah, the leader was Beno.
27 From the descendants of Merari through Jaaziah, the leaders were Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.
28 From the descendants of Mahli, the leader was Eleazar, though he had no sons.
29 From the descendants of Kish, the leader was Jerahmeel.
30 From the descendants of Mushi, the leaders were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.
These were the descendants of Levi in their various families. 31 Like the descendants of Aaron, they were assigned to their duties by means of sacred lots, without regard to age or rank. Lots were drawn in the presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the family leaders of the priests and the Levites.
Love,
Jonathan

 

Broker

jonmbarnesLeave a comment
stones-3364324_1920
Hi Peeps,
Today’s Quote
“When you have a lot of money and nothing to show for it, you are broke and when you have a little money and plenty to show for it with God, you are rich!” ~ Jon Barnes

Broke

The temptation and deception from the devil broke the will of Man.  Historically, we never recovered and continue to fall.  Biblical stories simply show the fall, decay, and stupidity of Mankind from the beginning of time and it provides the best solutions for our lifestyle choices, today if you read and use them.  When you bury this bible in the dirt, you will have nothing to show for your life, because all that you do and all that you are will be tormented forever, erased, and torched.

Broken

When you have nothing to show for what God has given you or done for you, your life has become an empty waste, full of nothing.  You are nothing without God, broke, broken, and destined to become fuel in the pit.  To God, your soul is still priceless to be used either to burn or to enjoy in Heaven.  You are broken if you ignore God and choose to be burned.  Interesting choices, up or down.

Broker

You will not be able to broker your own deal and strong will your way into God’s House after the fact.  Once you die without God’s provision of Jesus, His Blood from the cross, repentance, forgiveness of sins, and using His active owner’s Bible manual, you will remain broken and doomed.  God will judge each person because He can see who, what, where, when, why, and How you will be judged. 
Today’s Question
Will you be pardoned by Christ because you are following God or in prisoned with satan for eternity?
Enjoy The Reading
 

1 Chronicles 23

Duties of the Levites

23 When David was an old man, he appointed his son Solomon to be king over Israel.2 David summoned all the leaders of Israel, together with the priests and Levites. 3 All the Levites who were thirty years old or older were counted, and the total came to 38,000. 4 Then David said, “From all the Levites, 24,000 will supervise the work at the Temple of the Lord. Another 6,000 will serve as officials and judges. 5 Another 4,000 will work as gatekeepers, and 4,000 will praise the Lord with the musical instruments I have made.” 6 Then David divided the Levites into divisions named after the clans descended from the three sons of Levi—Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

The Gershonites

7 The Gershonite family units were defined by their lines of descent from Libni[a] and Shimei, the sons of Gershon. 8 Three of the descendants of Libni were Jehiel (the family leader), Zetham, and Joel. 9 These were the leaders of the family of Libni.
Three of the descendants of Shimei were Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran. 10 Four other descendants of Shimei were Jahath, Ziza,[b] Jeush, and Beriah. 11 Jahath was the family leader, and Ziza was next. Jeush and Beriah were counted as a single family because neither had many sons.

The Kohathites

12 Four of the descendants of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
13 The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart to dedicate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices in the Lord’s presence, to serve the Lord, and to pronounce blessings in his name forever.
14 As for Moses, the man of God, his sons were included with the tribe of Levi. 15 The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer. 16 The descendants of Gershom included Shebuel, the family leader. 17 Eliezer had only one son, Rehabiah, the family leader. Rehabiah had numerous descendants.
18 The descendants of Izhar included Shelomith, the family leader.
19 The descendants of Hebron included Jeriah (the family leader), Amariah (the second), Jahaziel (the third), and Jekameam (the fourth).
20 The descendants of Uzziel included Micah (the family leader) and Isshiah (the second).

The Merarites

21 The descendants of Merari included Mahli and Mushi.
The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish. 22 Eleazar died with no sons, only daughters. His daughters married their cousins, the sons of Kish.
23 Three of the descendants of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.
24 These were the descendants of Levi by clans, the leaders of their family groups, registered carefully by name. Each had to be twenty years old or older to qualify for service in the house of the Lord. 25 For David said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has given us peace, and he will always live in Jerusalem. 26 Now the Levites will no longer need to carry the Tabernacle and its furnishings from place to place.” 27 In accordance with David’s final instructions, all the Levites twenty years old or older were registered for service.
28 The work of the Levites was to assist the priests, the descendants of Aaron, as they served at the house of the Lord. They also took care of the courtyards and side rooms, helped perform the ceremonies of purification, and served in many other ways in the house of God.29 They were in charge of the sacred bread that was set out on the table, the choice flour for the grain offerings, the wafers made without yeast, the cakes cooked in olive oil, and the other mixed breads. They were also responsible to check all the weights and measures.30 And each morning and evening they stood before the Lord to sing songs of thanks and praise to him. 31 They assisted with the burnt offerings that were presented to the Lord on Sabbath days, at new moon celebrations, and at all the appointed festivals. The required number of Levites served in the Lord’s presence at all times, following all the procedures they had been given.
32 And so, under the supervision of the priests, the Levites watched over the Tabernacle and the Temple[c] and faithfully carried out their duties of service at the house of the Lord.
Love,
Jonathan

Dust

jonmbarnesLeave a comment
hands-731241_1920
Hi Peeps,
Today’s Quote,
“When God gives you small details of dust to care for, polish, and shine like diamonds, you will begin to see, know, and understand His Thoughts, based on the love, kindness, and honest work of faith you personally apply to His Will.” ~  Jon Barnes

Creation

We were created out of the dust of what God had already accomplished.  He wanted humankind to be both smart enough and dumb enough to make their own choices in life.  This non-robotic feature of thinking is only a human characteristic and fitting for people to have.  With this consciousness comes the responsibility to think, love, control, respect, and have enough common sense to obey God.

Soul

Since the body is made up of dirt, the soul is the crown jewel of creation, since it still belongs to God and it will return to God for judgment.  The devil cannot destroy your soul, only God has that control and choice, based upon who you are and love.  If you love God and keep his commandments by following Him, your soul will be happy forever.  If not, that is your choice and price to pay.

Ashes

God is the only master of destroying the world.  We cannot!  We think we can, but God says otherwise. Look at how easy the flood consumed the world in the days of Noah.  It was a non-negotiable, single event in history that has left its mark upon time itself.  Nuke bombs are like candles in the hand of God, so why fear.  Know that God’s protection is within His Will of what shall happen to mankind, so keep polishing and shining your work in faith and love.
Today’s Question
Do you feel relieved that God is in Control all of the dust in the Universe or are you scared of the devil because you work for evil one?
Enjoy The Reading
 
22 Then David said, “This will be the location for the Temple of the Lord God and the place of the altar for Israel’s burnt offerings!”

Preparations for the Temple

2 So David gave orders to call together the foreigners living in Israel, and he assigned them the task of preparing finished stone for building the Temple of God. 3 David provided large amounts of iron for the nails that would be needed for the doors in the gates and for the clamps, and he gave more bronze than could be weighed. 4 He also provided innumerable cedar logs, for the men of Tyre and Sidon had brought vast amounts of cedar to David.
5 David said, “My son Solomon is still young and inexperienced. And since the Temple to be built for the Lord must be a magnificent structure, famous and glorious throughout the world, I will begin making preparations for it now.” So David collected vast amounts of building materials before his death.
6 Then David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. 7 “My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God,” David told him. 8 “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon,[a] and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. 10 He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’
11 “Now, my son, may the Lord be with you and give you success as you follow his directions in building the Temple of the Lord your God. 12 And may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the Law of the Lord your God as you rule over Israel.13 For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the Lordgave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!
14 “I have worked hard to provide materials for building the Temple of the Lord—nearly 4,000 tons of gold, 40,000 tons of silver,[b] and so much iron and bronze that it cannot be weighed. I have also gathered timber and stone for the walls, though you may need to add more. 15 You have a large number of skilled stonemasons and carpenters and craftsmen of every kind.16 You have expert goldsmiths and silversmiths and workers of bronze and iron. Now begin the work, and may the Lord be with you!”
17 Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to assist Solomon in this project. 18 “The Lordyour God is with you,” he declared. “He has given you peace with the surrounding nations. He has handed them over to me, and they are now subject to the Lord and his people.19 Now seek the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. Build the sanctuary of the LordGod so that you can bring the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant and the holy vessels of God into the Temple built to honor the Lord’s name.”
Love,
Jonathan

Hype

jonmbarnesLeave a comment
concert-768722_1920
Hi Peeps,
Today’s Quote
“Too often our attention is on the hype, sales pitch, glamour, and stardom, event, projects, goals, and things; only to realize that we missed the fine print or simple details staring us in the face from God’s message.”  ~  Jon Barnes

Older

Experiences from old wise people that are passed down to the next generations carry many possible solutions to future problems and we have to be open to listening on both sides of the fence.  Slow down and take the time you need to get this job done right the first time to connect generations with God’s wisdom.  Many of us just want it now by picking people’s pockets, half doing a good job, wanting full payment for subpar work, and giving slave labor wages for hard work. The older generation has a responsibility to teach, learn and listen to the next generation to connect facts, not hype.

Know

The worst thing that can happen is that you are legally enslaved to a system of self-corruption, mismanagement, greed, poverty, and the likes of which you don’t even know that you are enslaved.  May God pull the wool from over your eyes so that you begin following the riches of God’s Love and reverse your enslaved future that is following evil into the darkness of hell will all of your money and cheap ideas.  The Bible is clear on all of these issues of wickedness, deceit, lying, cheating, killing, stealing,  fornication, and infidelity. Know your place and your motives and then line them up with God’s plan.  

Fashioned

If your mind is fashioned and patterned after following the flesh of your heart, wickedness, and desires then your spirit has lost the war and you don’t know or love God.  Since you are following your own ways, lust, and desires, God’s future plan for your soul is an everlasting fire.  Like the sun burns nonstop from the beginning of time when God set things in motion, eternity will be even longer for your daily pain of disobedience and sin.  
Today’s Question
Is this the price you want to pay for the hype you are living with or will you let God change your heart and fix your mind?
Enjoy The Reading
 

David Takes a Census

21 Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel.2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Take a census of all the people of Israel—from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north—and bring me a report so I may know how many there are.”
3 But Joab replied, “May the Lord increase the number of his people a hundred times over! But why, my lord the king, do you want to do this? Are they not all your servants? Why must you cause Israel to sin?”
4 But the king insisted that they take the census, so Joab traveled throughout all Israel to count the people. Then he returned to Jerusalem 5 and reported the number of people to David. There were 1,100,000 warriors in all Israel who could handle a sword, and 470,000 in Judah. 6 But Joab did not include the tribes of Levi and Benjamin in the census because he was so distressed at what the king had made him do.

Judgment for David’s Sin

7 God was very displeased with the census, and he punished Israel for it. 8 Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt for doing this foolish thing.”
9 Then the Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer. This was the message: 10 “Go and say to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will give you three choices. Choose one of these punishments, and I will inflict it on you.’”
11 So Gad came to David and said, “These are the choices the Lord has given you. 12 You may choose three years of famine, three months of destruction by the sword of your enemies, or three days of severe plague as the angel of the Lord brings devastation throughout the land of Israel. Decide what answer I should give the Lord who sent me.”
13 “I’m in a desperate situation!” David replied to Gad. “But let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great. Do not let me fall into human hands.”
14 So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel, and 70,000 people died as a result. 15 And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But just as the angel was preparing to destroy it, the Lordrelented and said to the death angel, “Stop! That is enough!” At that moment the angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing floor of Araunah[a] the Jebusite.
16 David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth with his sword drawn, reaching out over Jerusalem. So David and the leaders of Israel put on burlap to show their deep distress and fell face down on the ground. 17 And David said to God, “I am the one who called for the census! I am the one who has sinned and done wrong! But these people are as innocent as sheep—what have they done? O Lord my God, let your anger fall against me and my family, but do not destroy your people.”

David Builds an Altar

18 Then the angel of the Lord told Gad to instruct David to go up and build an altar to the Lordon the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19 So David went up to do what the Lord had commanded him through Gad. 20 Araunah, who was busy threshing wheat at the time, turned and saw the angel there. His four sons, who were with him, ran away and hid. 21 When Araunah saw David approaching, he left his threshing floor and bowed before David with his face to the ground.
22 David said to Araunah, “Let me buy this threshing floor from you at its full price. Then I will build an altar to the Lord there, so that he will stop the plague.”
23 “Take it, my lord the king, and use it as you wish,” Araunah said to David. “I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, and the threshing boards for wood to build a fire on the altar, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give it all to you.”
24 But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it for the full price. I will not take what is yours and give it to the Lord. I will not present burnt offerings that have cost me nothing!” 25 So David gave Araunah 600 pieces of gold[b] in payment for the threshing floor.
26 David built an altar there to the Lord and sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. And when David prayed, the Lord answered him by sending fire from heaven to burn up the offering on the altar. 27 Then the Lord spoke to the angel, who put the sword back into its sheath.
28 When David saw that the Lord had answered his prayer, he offered sacrifices there at Araunah’s threshing floor. 29 At that time the Tabernacle of the Lord and the altar of burnt offering that Moses had made in the wilderness were located at the place of worship in Gibeon. 30 But David was not able to go there to inquire of God, because he was terrified by the drawn sword of the angel of the Lord.
Love,
Jonathan

Option

jonmbarnesLeave a comment
girl-2573111_1920.jpg
Hi Peeps,
Today’s Quote
“We are not making plans, but exercising our options so that God can tell us what to do.” ~ Jon Barnes

When God

When God is in control of your lifestyle, you learn to follow the options given to you from the plans of God.  These options will narrow down into a specific step to take and a door to enter.  Then you will see the hand of God move and make things happen that you would otherwise be unaware.  Miracles happen each day but the eyes of many are shut closed to them.

Opens

All of the negative things we see and face points to the reason people need God in their lives.  Evildoers keep expanding their hold while good people do little to fight, challenge and work for freedom, liberty, and justice.  We all tend to go along with the crowd, the injustice, and the horrible truth that mankind is extremely evil.  As you study the past with God, the future opens up, and you’ll know what to do.

Your Eyes

The hope of many hinges on the next person doing the right things in helping out the person beside them.  We walk around in our self-inflicted, electronically controlled jail cell, under house arrest, but able to function as if we are free.  Using good tools are important, but when they talk back and lie to us with misinformation, miscalculations, and other fraudulent information, advertisements, and the likes, our minds have become convoluted, predisposed, and trapped.
Today’s Question
Are your eyes closed to God’s Good Options?
Enjoy The Reading
 

1 Chronicles 20

David Captures Rabbah

20 In the spring of the year,[a] when kings normally go out to war, Joab led the Israelite army in successful attacks against the land of the Ammonites. In the process he laid siege to the city of Rabbah, attacking and destroying it. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.
2 Then David went to Rabbah and removed the crown from the king’s head,[b] and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and he found that it weighed seventy-five pounds.[c] David took a vast amount of plunder from the city. 3 He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes.[d] That is how David dealt with the people of all the Ammonite towns. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.

Battles against Philistine Giants

4 After this, war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. As they fought, Sibbecai from Hushah killed Saph,[e] a descendant of the giants,[f] and so the Philistines were subdued.
5 During another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath of Gath. The handle of Lahmi’s spear was as thick as a weaver’s beam!
6 In another battle with the Philistines at Gath, they encountered a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all, who was also a descendant of the giants. 7 But when he defied and taunted Israel, he was killed by Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimea.
8 These Philistines were descendants of the giants of Gath, but David and his warriors killed 
Love,
Jonathan