From: August 2, 2024
“This same Hezekiah closed the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works” (2 Chronicles 32:30 ESV).
King Hezekiah prepared Jerusalem for an impending siege by the Assyrians, by closing the “upper outlet of the waters of Gihon,” which were outside the city walls, and built a tunnel to carry the water to the Pool of Siloam within the city. By diverting the waters of the Gihon, he sought to prevent the Assyrian forces under King Sennacherib from having access to water. He said, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?” (2 Chron. 32:4).
That Hezekiah built a tunnel to redirect the waters of Gihon is more clearly described in 2 Kings, where it says, “He made the pool and the tunnel by which he brought water into the city” (2 Kings 20:20). The 1,750 foot long, hand-carved tunnel through solid rock still carries water from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam to this day. It is considered one of the greatest works of water engineering technology in the pre-Classical period.
My wife and I waded through the tunnel on one of our trips to Israel some years ago. The water runs knee deep and the tunnel walls still show the tool marks of the workers who carved it out with pick and shovel. Those with claustrophobia wouldn’t want to walk the tunnel. But if you’re willing to get wet, walk stooped over to keep from banging your head and have a really good flashlight, it’s well worth the experience.
Hezekiah’s tunnel is just one example of the way that the Bible is confirmed to be historically accurate. For the Bible records real people, real places, and real events. More than that, the Bible is God’s Word.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Your Word. We love Your Word and we desire to follow it as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Fill us afresh with Your Spirit that we might read and understand Your Word and apply to our hearts. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: August 2, 2023
“Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus. In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches. Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home.” (Romans 16:3-5 NLT).
In Paul’s letter to the Roman believers, he gave greetings to the church that met in the home of Aquila and Priscilla. In those days there were no church buildings, so the church met in homes or in public meeting facilities, such as the Hall of Tyrannus in Ephesus (See Acts 19:9-10).
Paul had met Aquila and Priscilla in the city of Corinth on his second missionary journey. They were Jewish tentmakers who had moved from Rome to Corinth after Claudius Caesar deported the Jews (Acts 18:1-3). Paul, who also knew the tentmaking trade, lived and worked with them in Corinth, where they became his disciples and life-long friends. Apparently, after the death of Claudius, Aquila and Priscilla had returned to their home in Rome. It was to this couple, and to the church that met in their home, that Paul sent greetings.
When we confuse the church with the building, we stop being the church on mission. We stop being the church on the move. It is important to remember that the church is the people, not the steeple. As followers of Christ, we don’t go to church. We are the church.
PRAYER: Father, thank You for grafting us into the body of Christ, which is the church. Fill us afresh with Your Holy Spirit that we might glorify You today. We begin our day and desire to fill and end our day in continuous worship. For we are the church, the temple where You have chosen to abide. We surrender our bodies afresh to You as living sacrifices. Lead, guide and direct us to Your service today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: August 2, 2022
DO YOU KNOW THE BLESSINGS OF FELLOWSHIP?
As the apostle Paul concluded his epistle to the Romans, he expressed his great desire to come and visit with them. He didn’t know when he would be able to come to Rome. He hoped to one day carry the gospel to Spain and stop off at Rome along the way, so he asked for them to join him in praying for God to make such a visit possible.
He may not have known when he might visit, but he was sure that whenever that day did come, Christ would bless their fellowship together. For Paul knew what the Lord had put inside of him for Rome. For wherever Paul went, he came in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. Paul wanted the Romans to share in the fullness of the blessing that he carried.
As we visit with others, are we like Paul, confident in the knowledge that we bring the blessing of Christ wherever we go? We may not know where or to whom God may send us tomorrow, but we can be sure to carry the fullness of His blessing wherever we go.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we want to always be a blessing to others through sharing Your gospel. We often forget that we carry the greatest blessing of all. Strengthen us by Your Spirit to know what we carry from You always. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: August 2, 2016
Do you seek wise counsel before making plans? No matter how wise you may be, there is always much to be learned from another’s perspective. We all have blind spots, so we need others to enlarge our vision. These counselors should not to be mere ‘yes’ men, agreeing with us. They are to be wise in the biblical sense and willing to disagree and confront. Having sought out wise advice, be sure to be humble enough to follow it.
From: August 2, 2015
In Paul’s closing remarks to the church in Rome, he shared his prayer that the Lord allow him to visit them. He prayed that he might come to them with joy so that both might be mutually refreshed. There is an encouragement that refreshes us when we fellowship with other believers in the joy of the Lord. We have had this prayer answered as we visited our brothers and sisters in London this past week. It had been our heart’s desire for some time to visit and know this mutual refreshment. And God finally made it possible. Do you know this fellowship that refreshes?
From: August 2, 2012
Do you seek wise counsel before making plans? No matter how wise the leader there is always much to be learned from another’s perspective. We all have blind spots, so we need others to enlarge our vision. These counselors are not to be mere ‘yes’ men agreeing with us. They are to be wise in the biblical sense. Having heard wise advice, be humble enough to follow it.
From: August 2, 2011
Do you act without counsel? If wisdom is knowledge combined with experience, you can get it by experiencing loss yourself. Or you can listen to someone else’s experience and avoid loss. Gather wise counselors to yourself before making important plans.