1 Chronicles 16:30-341NIV New International Version Translations
30 Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. 31 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!” 32 Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them! 33 Let the trees of the forest sing, let them sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. 34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Background2http://www.christnotes.org/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=13&c=0
The books of Chronicles are basically repetitions of what is in the books of Samuel and of the Kings, yet there are some excellent useful things in them which we do not find elsewhere. The FIRST BOOK traces the rise of the Jewish people from Adam, and afterward gives an account of the reign of David. In the SECOND BOOK the narrative is continued, and relates the progress and end of the kingdom of Judah.
Biblical Truths3http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-commentary/1chronicles-lbw.htm
The LORD made the skies and the earth. He is the king of all that he has made. So, all people should give to him the honor that he deserves. They should worship him and they should bring gifts to him. All that God has made should shout for joy. The skies, the earth, the sea, the fields and the forests will all sing for joy. The LORD will come and he will be the judge of the world. He will be the judge of all people. They will all have to give an account of their lives to God. So, he will reward or punish them. God is good and he loves his people. He will always love them. Therefore, they thank him and they praise him.
Items for Discussion
- The title of this study is most interesting because it asks what should our hearts, that is the very character and nature of who we are, be founded upon -– How does our faith affect our beliefs?
- Why should “fear of the Lord” be such an important part of our faith?
- What attributes of behavior would we expect to see if our hearts were founded upon God?
- How do we express confidence in what we believe?
- Re-read verses 32 and 33 – Do you interpret the verses literally, figuratively and what do you think the author of Chronicles is trying to tell us?
Philippians 4:5-7
5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Background4http://www.christnotes.org/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=50&c=0
The Letter to Philippi is also called the Letter of Joy. The Philippians felt a very deep interest for the apostle. The scope of the epistle is to confirm them in the faith, to encourage them to live in a way that was becoming of the gospel of Christ, to caution them against forcing their teachers back to the Jewish faith, and to express gratitude for their Christian bounty. This epistle is the only one, among those written by Paul, in which no official expression of disapproval or condemnation is implied or expressed. Full commendation and confidence are expressed throughout and the Philippians are addressed with affection.
Bible Truth5http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-commentary/philippians-lbw.htm
Verse 5 Christians should behave towards other people with mercy, patience and understanding love. The Lord is near might mean:
- The Lord is always close to them.
- The Lord knows everything that a Christian does.
- The Lord is coming again soon.
These words encourage Christians to remember the love with which God deals with them. They hope that God will deal with them with sympathy. So they should be gentle towards other people who make mistakes.
Verse 6 The Lord is near might also introduce the words Do not worry about anything. These words will remind Christians that the Lord is always with them. And they will meet him when he returns. Christians should pray about everything. They should pray:
- that God will forgive them for the past
- about what they need now, both for the body and for the spirit
- for God to guide them in the future.
God’s love desires what is best for us. His wisdom knows what is best. His power can cause what is best for us to happen. Every prayer should include thanks. We should be grateful that God wants to listen. We should believe that he will give us the best answer.
Verse 7 The result of prayer is that we will have God’s peace in our hearts. God’s peace will be like a soldier who is on guard duty in our hearts. The peace that God gives will protect our thoughts and desires. That is because God has united us to Christ Jesus. This peace is far beyond anything that human beings can understand. Human people can never produce this peace, however much they try. Good ideas will never free a Christian from worry in the way that God’s peace does. It is also far beyond anything that we can understand. God is able to do so much more than we could ever ask. He is able to do so very much more than we could even think (Ephesians 3:20). Christ ‘loves us more than anyone can ever really know (Ephesians 3:19).
Items for Discussion
- How does the Christian balance confidence that God is in charge with the understanding that we are also held accountable for our actions?
- Why should every prayer we make include a thank you to God?
- Do you think we live in a world that values peace – why or why not?
- We are called to gentleness – why is this so important to Christianity?
- Why should God’s people, when all around them is going wrong, feel confident?
- Confidence does not mean inaction – how should the Christian respond when the world around them is without peace?
Discussion Challenge
- How do you help the Christian Church be a respite for peace when the world around them is filled with hate?
- 1NIV New International Version Translations
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5