Resource Manager Posted August 1, 2015 Report Share Posted August 1, 2015 01 August 2015 2 Samuel 18Jeremiah 22Romans 9 "O LORD ... WHO TESTS THE RIGHTEOUS" There are so many lessons, so many words that God gave to Jeremiah that are appropriate to the ways of life that surround us today. Gods’ word is available throughout the world – and when it was first available – what an impact it had – history reveals how a wonderful reformation took place! Jeremiah was being tested to the limit! “I hear many whispering," he says, "Let us denounce him! say all my close friends ... then we can overcome him and take our revenge on him." [Jeremiah 20:10] What false 'friends' they really were, it was essential that Jeremiah's faith was strong – and because it was – his next words are an inspiration to us! “But the LORD is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me ... Their eternal dishonour will never be forgotten." [Jeremiah 20:11] Those who opposed Jeremiah imagined they had a relationship with God, as no doubt the Pharisees also did as they were opposing Jesus. The wonderful Temple was still close by in the time of both Jeremiah and Jesus. Maybe there is a degree of comparison with some attitudes today; the most printed book in the world is the Bible – how many possess one – but rarely open it! When they do read it, is it because it is Sunday or – worse still – only for some special occasion? Is there any real thought given to what they read? Jeremiah exclaims, we can say prayed, [Jeremiah 20:12] "O LORD of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind ... to you have I committed my cause." Let us all feel and say the same! However, if you look at the full text of the above verse you will see I have omitted the middle part of it – so as to emphasize the above point. We are in awe of how the omitted words are likely to prove true for our generation – and maybe in the near future. Jeremiah had also prayed, "let me see your vengeance upon them." And Jeremiah was soon to witness this! We will read in coming chapters of his utterly heart-testing experiences in the process of this happening! And us? Are we "righteous" in God's eyes? Are we conscious of his testing? Tomorrow we will read in Romans 11:5 that "at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace." May we so use our lives – every day – that we are among them. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2015 02 August 2015 2 Samuel 19Jeremiah 23Romans 10; 11 "BEHOLD THE DAYS ARE COMING" Today’s chapter, Jeremiah 23, is very stirring and challenging. There is a heavy burden on this prophet because of their godless ways in following “slippery paths in the darkness” [Jeremiah 23:12] under God’s guidance he is bringing a message of condemnation to the people. Should it not be the same today? Suddenly the prophet receives a totally different kind of message; this is for him personally and for those who share his faith in God. The message is a vision of the distant future, of God’s plan to “… gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them … behold the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land (or earth). In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will dwell securely” [Jeremiah 23:3,5,6] Surely today, the climax of this vision is fast approaching! It is this vision; the conviction that this is God’s ultimate purpose which carries Jeremiah through in his life of service to God, a life that was becoming more and more difficult. “Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken … the land is full of adulteries … both prophet and priest are ungodly” [Jeremiah 23:9-11] And what of most of those who claim to be bring God’s message to the world today! God’s heart “broken”! He later bemoans the fact, “In the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies …” [Jeremiah 23:14]. Those who represented God and whose lives should have set an example were just as bad as the people. We are seeing all to many parallels to this today. It is vital we note the challenge that is made! “Let him who has my word speak my word faithfully” [Jeremiah 23:28]. Obviously, among the few who truly knew God’s word, some were doing that! Sadly after the time of Christ, we see from Peter’s second letter, the same warning is needed. We read, “for no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you …” [2 Peter 1:21; 2:1]. Tragically there is abundant evidence of this today! So, to some extent, we walk in Jeremiah’s footsteps – but he was alone, we are not, or rarely so. This prompts our final point taken from verses in Hebrews 10. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, … let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together … but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near. For if we go on sinning deliberately … there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment …” [Hebrews 10:23-27] Let ours be – a wondrous expectation of the kingdom.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2015 03 August 2015 2 Samuel 20; 21Jeremiah 24Romans 12 "HOLD FAST TO WHAT IS GOOD" There are few things that are genuinely “good” in this world. What is “good” in our lives? Reading and meditating on God’s word would certainly be seen by our Saviour as “good” for us to do - and that “word” would prompt us to “do good.“ Timothy was to tell the Ephesians “They are to do good, to be rich in good works” [1 Timothy 6:18] In Romans 12 today, Paul told them to "hold fast to what is good" [Romans 12:9] What should we count as "good"? Surely, more than "good works"! In our next Romans chapter we read how Paul tells them, "Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law." [Romans 13:8] He lists some of the 10 commandments and then adds, "and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbour as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. " [Romans 13:9-10] Jesus said, "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." [Mark 12:30,31] We live in a world that seems to be totally consumed with attitudes that amount to self-love, often demonstrated as 'self-indulgence.' Look at our Jeremiah reading [Jeremiah 24] he says "the LORD showed me this vision" [Jeremiah 24:1] - a visual parable. "Behold, two baskets of figs ... One basket had very good figs, like first-ripe figs, but the other basket had very bad figs, so bad that they could not be eaten." [Jeremiah 24:2] The meaning is explained, the LORD will regard as "good figs" those who get away from the evil in Jerusalem" and in time to come, "I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and ... I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart." [Jeremiah 24:6-7] We pray that this is in the process of happening to the natural Jews. And us? Today it is God's word that builds us up - it is the only "good thing" in the world that can create in us a healthy mind - let us "hold fast to what is good."-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 04 August 2015 2 Samuel 22Jeremiah 25Romans 13; 14 "SALVATION IS NEARER TO US NOW" What a challenging mixture of chapters we read today. First we read David's remarkable 'song' to the LORD; his 50 verses of praise to him because "the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies …" [2 Samuel 22:1] He began by declaring, "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge..." The many highlights in his life proved that to be true: you and I, especially those of us who have served our Lord for many years, sometimes in distant lands, should be able to echo, to at least some degree, many of the points he makes of the reality of his (our) relationship with his (our) Lord. David went through times of crisis in his life - as did Jeremiah (as we will read from tomorrow) and so did Paul. No one knows when the end of their mortal journey will come - but the whole world is on a journey - and we can echo the words of Paul we read today, "the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed." [Romans 13:11] Paul implores the believers in Rome to "cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime ... and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." [Romans 13:12-14] How close now before "the hour has come" that God has appointed? Jeremiah 25, his last before the words of God to him become personal about his own increasingly difficult situation - made total faith the top priority in his life. An example for us. The vision God gives him in today's chapter of the ultimate future, the situation we appear to be so close to now, is awesome! He is told "The LORD will roar from on high ... against all the inhabitants of the earth ... the LORD has an indictment against the nations; he is entering into judgment with all flesh ... Behold, disaster is going forth from nation to nation ... a great tempest is stirring …" [Jeremiah 25:30-32] As we see the world in 2015 in increasing turmoil within and between nations - and also increasing extreme events of nature, we become awesomely aware that "salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed."-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 05 August 2015 2 Samuel 23Jeremiah 26Romans 15; 16 “LET EACH OF US PLEASE HIS NEIGHBOUR” We completed reading Paul’s letter to the Romans today – and noted his counsel about the great value of true spiritual relationships – these are of greater and greater value to us as the world around us descends into more and more godlessness. Paul tells them, “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbour for his good, to build him up." [Romans 15:1-2] What makes someone “weak.” Are we really strong? What kind of strength? The world's perspective on being "strong" makes it somewhat the opposite of "peace"! Let's have in our minds what our Lord meant when he said, " Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." [John 14:27] It is clear that what God's word means by being strong and having peace, is very different to what these words mean in our world. Our next words in Romans [Romans 15:3] make another important point, “For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." Where is this written? Psalm 69:20-21 recounts one of David’s experiences, and it is wonderfully prophetical of Christ, his 'greater' son. "Reproaches have broken my heart”, David wrote, “so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none ... for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink." Let’s also note David's words we read in 2 Samuel 23 today, ""The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; his word is on my tongue ..." [2 Samuel 23:2] Do we value "his word" that we have in hands as much as we should? Back in Romans Paul tells them (and us), "whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." [Romans 15:4] These precious words are designed and have been preserved by God to give us the spiritual strength to endure. What spiritual joy we have today in knowing the meaning of life! “Peace" of mind will be essential as all life around us descends into a turmoil of fear as our Lord manifests himself and descends from heaven and the angels come "to gather his elect." If we fully believe now, true "joy and peace" will be natural for us especially as we will have been “neighbours” to keep “each of us” strong and “build him up.”-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 06 August 2015 2 Samuel 24Jeremiah 27Mark 1 "AS ONE WHO HAD AUTHORITY" Today we started reading the Gospel of Mark, it is the shortest of the 4 gospels – and we need to put the 4 gospels together if we want to gain a fully comprehensive picture of the life and teachings of our Lord and Saviour. We read that "Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.'" [Mark 1:14-15] The word 'gospel' is unique to the New Testament, the word is an abridged way of saying 'the good news' or 'good message'. And what was the 'good news'? It is the message about "the kingdom of God" – a phrase which occurs 14 times in Mark's Gospel. It would be a kingdom on the earth in which God would be fully known and genuinely worshipped. The gospel of the kingdom gave believers the conviction that one day God (through his Son) would take control over all life on earth. Jesus' teaching is a challenge! We read, " they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes." [Mark 1:22] Who has a message that has a sense of "authority" today? No one! Oh yes, some claim to speak with "authority" – but genuine "authority' has to be founded on God's word. The Apostle Paul complained about those who "practice cunning and tamper with God's word" [2 Corinthians 4:2] How few are faithful today, reading God's word diligently every day and comparing scripture with scripture to make fully sure they have properly understood the divine message. We read how Jesus became immensely popular – but this was because of his healings: we read that " at sundown ... the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases" [Mark 1:33-34] Because of his miracles, especially the feeding of the "five thousand" [Mark 6:44] crowds followed him into desolate places. But how much were they listening to his teaching about "the kingdom of God"? Our chapter ends by telling us that, "Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter." If we were there, we would probably have done the same! But why? Would it be to really take into our minds his message – seeing him – from our hearts – "as one who had authority" – believing the wondrous message of a coming "kingdom of God" on earth when he returns in glory? See Matthew 6:10 – is that our genuine prayer?-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 07 August 2015 1 Kings 1Jeremiah 28Mark 2 “HAVE YOU NEVER READ” More than once, in addressing the religious leaders the Lord Jesus said, “Have you never read”? He was referring to items in their Scriptures, the Old Testament. Of course they had read these divinely inspired words again and again, it was an essential part of their “job.” These were the foundations from which they taught the people to behave as God required – and to understand the blessings God was prepared to give in the future. The tragedy was that they were not satisfied with their plain meaning; they embellished how some parts of the Laws given through Moses were to be observed. For this reason Jesus takes them to task over their complaints that his disciples were “doing what was not lawful on the Sabbath.” [Mark 2:24] What were they doing? As they walked through the grain fields they plucked a few heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands and ate the corn. Jesus responds to the Pharisees, “have you never read what David did when he was in need and was hungry, and those with him …” [Mark 2:25] What the Law said was that they should not “work” on the Sabbath Day – and the Pharisees had added to the Law by saying that people should not pluck a few the ears of corn to have a nibble as they passed by on the Sabbath. The final verses of Deuteronomy 23 show that what the disciples did was allowable under the Law. This did not of course allow them to take a bag and pluck grain for future eating. So there is a challenge in what Jesus said, of course they had read, but their devious minds had read into the Law more than was written. When we come to Mark 12 next week we will come across a more serious example, an encounter Jesus had with the Sadducees. He rebuked them saying, “You neither know the Scriptures nor the power of God” [Mark 12:24] Again, they must have read them, in one sense they ‘knew’ them but they distorted their obvious meaning to fit what they wanted to believe. In their case they did not want to believe in a future resurrection. Sadly today we can point to examples of the same thing, a particular one is doubting the wonder of the days of creation and the Creators’ unlimited power. Some minds are attracted by human theories about evolution. Our prayerful reading of God’s word every day is the best safeguard against having Jesus say to us on that day, “Have you never read?”-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 08 August 2015 1 Kings 2Jeremiah 29Mark 3 "WHOEVER DOES THE WILL OF GOD, HE IS ..." Our chapter in Mark [Mark 3] ends with a challenging statement: “a crowd is sitting around him (Jesus), and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you." Jesus then asks the crowd, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" The chapter then ends by telling us how Jesus "looking about at those who sat around him, said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother." Like so many of the teachings and sayings of Jesus these words challenge us to think through his words to his meaning. At this stage "not even his brothers believed him" [John 7:5] when he was on the cross only his mother and some of the female followers of Jesus were there. His mother was there - supported by the disciple John - see John 19:25-27. The ‘faith’ of the other disciples failed them. But after the resurrection and his ascension to heaven we learn that "the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers" [Acts 1:14] were with the disciples. After these awesome experiences they were ready to do "the will of God" whatever the cost; they had heard the angels say, "why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." [Acts 1:11] Do his – and the angels words – come alive in our minds daily so that we are 'alive' with real – committed belief!? Actions show what people really believe! All around us are those whose actions show they do not give a moment's thought to there being a God, who had a Son, who invites them to follow him – genuinely follow! We ourselves prove by our words and actions in doing “the will of God” whether we really believe – and, as a result, have a wondrous relationship as a brother, sister or mother of Jesus – this being a day after day experience. As a result they will be “ready” when that awesome “day” comes.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 09 August 2015 1 Kings 3Jeremiah 30Mark 4 "BECAUSE THEY HAVE CALLED YOU AN OUTCAST" Jeremiah is told "Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you" [Jeremiah 30:2] The reason is given in the following verse, "For behold the days are coming ... when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah ... I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it." [Jeremiah 30:3] This is God's reason for making a specific point that Jeremiah should put his words into book. It is a message for future generations to read. Notice he names both Israel and Judah! At the time he was writing Israel (the northern kingdom had already been taken captive to Assyria, and dispersed into other lands. There is no record that they ever returned. However many of those from Judah who were later taken to Babylon returned 70 years later. In the days of Jesus these Judah-ites were all called Jews and we learn from events on the Day of Pentecost, soon after Jesus ascended to heaven, that Jews came from many nations and were in Jerusalem at the time of the feast". [Acts 2:5-11] The chapter in Jeremiah proceeds to detail the "words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah" [Jeremiah 30:4] Concerning the final ingathering God's words are, "Alas! That day is so great there is none like it; it is a time of distress for Jacob; yet he shall be saved out of it." [Jeremiah 30:7] Was this fulfilled with the Holocaust? No, as the context indicates it is after they have returned to "take possession." [Jeremiah 30:3] of their land.. It is a time when "there is none to uphold your cause" [Jeremiah 30:13], a time when past supporters (lovers) "care nothing for you" [Jeremiah 30:14] "Therefore all who devour you shall be devoured ... because they have called you an outcast: it is Zion for whom no one cares" [Jeremiah 30:16-17] But God cares, Hitler was destroyed! But scripture tells us of a time of great trouble is in store for many nations at the time God shows that he cares. Those who really know God and His word also care! Do you? The scene in the Middle East seems to be nearly set for God to act to show how much he cares about his chosen people! And for the rest of the world! Have a look at 1 Peter 4:18-19.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 10 August 2015 1 Kings 4; 5Jeremiah 31Mark 5 “IF THE HEAVENS ABOVE CAN BE …” Yesterday and today we read some really remarkable prophecies in Jeremiah. Yesterday’s chapter ended with a challenging forecast that “In the latter days you will understand" about "the storm of the LORD!" This is ominously described as "a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked." Jeremiah 31 begins with a sweeping forecast about Israel. The first words are, "At that time, declares the LORD, I will be the(ir) God ... and they shall be my people." Jeremiah 31:8 jumps out to demand our attention. "Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth ...." This has happened - but it is not yet completed. How long now before they regain their belief in God? In ancient times their belief peaked in the reign of Solomon which we are now reading, from 1 Kings 3. The time came, and is coming again, when "something greater than Solomon" [Matthew 12:42] appeared. Soon that greatness will be visibly manifested to utterly confound our world. The words given to Jeremiah then have now been made known throughout all the world, but how many are listening/reading? "Hear the word of the LORD, O nations ... 'He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him ... has redeemed him from hands too strong for him." [Jeremiah 31:10,11] The time is coming - how soon now - when "they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD" [Jeremiah 31:12] They will acknowledge their king - Jesus - returned in glory. Looking on to Jeremiah 31:33 God declares, " I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people" and "I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." [Jeremiah 31:34] Finally Jeremiah 31:37 'jumped out' to demand our attention! Note what it says! In these days when 'clever' men are trying to explore and understand everything and have now discovered how completely endless space is, what Jeremiah was told long ago jumps out at us! "Thus says the LORD: 'If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the LORD.' [Jeremiah 31:37] But God has not cast off his people, the world has witnessed the miracle of their regathering and re-establishment as a nation – and have found it impossible to measure the heavens! Let us "Hear the word of the Lord" - and in hearing and reading, believe. As we come to the end of Mark's gospel we will read "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever does not believe will be condemned." [Mark 16:16] Let us make sure we really believe - with all our heart – showing this by our words and actions! -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 11 August 2015 1 Kings 6Jeremiah 32Mark 6 "THE LITTLE WORD ..." Today’s reading in 1 Kings 6 describes how Solomon in the 4th year of his reign began to build a most remarkable temple on the mount in Jerusalem. It took him 7 years [1 Kings 6:38] to build. We read, “When the house was built; it was with stone prepared in the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was being built” [1 Kings 6:7] Imagine those 7 years, there has never been a building site like it since. The stone almost certainly came from a quarry right next to, if not partly under the present walls of the city that the Saracens rebuilt 500 years ago. I have been right down into it, one walks into history, the stones for the Wailing Wall came from there, you can see where they came from and some faulty ones were left behind. There has never been a building site like this. We took note of the references throughout the chapter to how all the stonework and all the cedar was overlaid with pure gold [1 Kings 6:18,21-22], it would have been totally awesome to work there and see it completed. There is that little word “IF” in 1 Kings 6:12. It is essential we take notice of it. We read how Solomon is told, “concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you which I spoke to David your father and I will dwell among the children of Israel.” [1 Kings 6:12-13] God still worked by the same principles with Solomon’s descendants. In Jeremiah we are reading of the last useless king of Solomon’s line of descent and the destruction of Solomon’s temple. But God looks for a house to dwell in today! Look at 1 Peter 2:4-5 ; “As you come to him, a living stone, rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house …” Can you sense that spiritual house? Can you sense the shaping of yourself, as a living stone, to fit you into some part of God’s building? Look back on your pathway in life. Solomon was to write in his Proverbs, “In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death” [Proverbs 12:28] “IF” you are on that pathway – make sure you stay on it. When we come to 1 Kings 11 we will see how Solomon stumbled badly as he neared the end of his life. The conclusion to the pathway of his life is a solemn lesson for us! Our Lord is telling us today, the same as he told Solomon, “IF you will walk … obey … keep … then I will establish my word with you” and how more and more wonderful that word is – as it grows as a ‘building’ in our minds as we read through it day after day for a full 12 months each year.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 12 August 2015 1 Kings 7Jeremiah 33Mark 7 "OUT OF THE HEART OF MAN COME …" The first verse of our chapter in Jeremiah [Jeremiah 33:1], tells of how "The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah ... while he was still shut up in the court of the guard" and told him of the judgments he was about to bring. They would come on " ... men whom I shall strike down in my anger and my wrath, for I have hidden my face from this city because of all their evil." [Jeremiah 33:5] We ponder, in a spirit of awesome anxiety what God will one day (how soon?) bring on this world for the same reason. In our chapter in Mark [Mark 7] we saw how Jesus made the very same point to his disciples. The religious leaders of that era had been teaching how a failure to observe their rituals caused defilement – this was based on their distortion and embellishment of God's laws through Moses: this caused Jesus to tell his disciples, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." [Mark 7:20-23] How great is the defilement in our world today! Now let’s note what the LORD further said to Jeremiah. After telling the prophet of his anger because of the evil in the hearts of the people, the LORD then gives him a view of the distant future - describing a situation with Jerusalem and his chosen people. Surely this time is almost upon us! "Behold, I will bring ... health and healing ... I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel ... I will cleanse ... and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me. And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth" [Jeremiah 33:6,8,9] This wondrous prediction "enters not the heart" of those who know not God! But how wondrous for those who truly know and believe his word! We must absorb the wonder of the words which follow. "In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness ..." [Jeremiah 33:15] This is Jesus and surely we are living in the time when those words are about to be fulfilled! Do you believe? What enters your heart? The answers are shown – by what comes out of it.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 13 August 2015 1 Kings 8Jeremiah 34Mark 8 “WHOEVER IS ASHAMED … OF MY WORDS” We live in the world of 2015 which has little or no time for considering there might be a God – a wondrous Creator! Well that is certainly the case in ‘educated western’ countries. So few believe that the Creator sent his only begotten son to bring a message of salvation to the world. Those who still believe can find few that show the slightest interest – that is certainly the case in affluent countries! Near the end of his life Peter wrote, “scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires” [2 Peter 3:3] Jude also wrote, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” [Jude 18] Jesus said, as we read today in the concluding verses of Mark 8, words which challenge us to absorb their full meaning. "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me … what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." What an adulterous and sinful generation we live in! But it had become like that in Jerusalem about 30 years after Jesus ascended to heaven! James, the half-brother of Jesus wrote, probably not long before he was assassinated, "You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." [James 4:4] So many around him had become ashamed of the words of Jesus, their faith, if they had had any, had completed evaporated. Let us meditate on James next words, "do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? Do we appreciate this? God knows the hearts of each one! This was shown after Jesus ascended to heaven and the disciples met to find a replacement for Judas Iscariot and could not decide between two who had followed Jesus from the beginning, but had not been counted among the twelve, so "they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen " [Acts 1:24] He knows our hearts and whether we are ashamed, or become ashamed of his words and hide our lights - let us all be worthy disciples, and show we are obeying Jesus when he said, "let your light shine before others, so that they may ... give glory to your Father who is in heaven." [Matthew 5:16]-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 14 August 2015 1 Kings 9Jeremiah 35Mark 9 "IF THE SALT HAS LOST ITS' SALTINESS" In Mark 9 today, the chapter ends with the words of Jesus, “Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another." [Mark 9:49-50] We know that putting a little salt into a meal makes all the difference - and so did the original teaching of Christ, the apostles and the earlier prophets make all the difference to our perceptions on the meaning and purpose of life – let us fully believe and practice them. This original teaching led the pagans of the Roman Empire to increasingly accept Christ's teaching in the generations that followed the time of Christ. But succeeding generations soon saw the “saltiness" of those teachings become ritualised with the Roman equivalent of the Pharisees – and sadly, much of "the salt lost its' saltiness'. However, 600 years ago, when printing was invented (and the Bible was soon translated and printed in many languages) a great reformation took place and 'saltiness' was more in evidence! Those who took on the role of teachers had the greatest responsibility, James warned, "that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness." [James 3:1] Jesus had taught, "Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required" [Luke 12:48] How much has been given today! Most can read so easily - and by so many methods! But how few respond to the words of Jesus, " "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." [Matthew 7:7] What is it to "seek" and "knock" in this sense? Obviously some real effort is required! But there are few seekers today. Everyone lives for the moment, it's like the things we like to drink and eat! 'Instant' coffee and pre-prepared frozen meals; today personal effort is minimalized. Today there is very little response to the invitation by Jesus to "...search the scriptures ... it is they that bear witness about me" [John 5:39] Today, "the salt has lost its saltiness' almost completely. We can compare this to Jeremiah's experience, that is why his book has several useful lessons for us – we should read it diligently. But God's word is full of lessons! But are we prepared to really take them to heart? Let's finish with some words which Paul penned to the Colossians, "Walk in wisdom ... making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt..." [Colossians 4:5-6]-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 15 August 2015 1 Kings 10Jeremiah 36Mark 10 "WHAT THEREFORE GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER" A feature of our godless world is the minimising of the importance of commitment in marriage. How few exchange vows that their union is taking place in the sight of God! Many do not exchange vows at all! Those who still do so must be conscious of the all-seeing, all-hearing and all-knowing presence of God; read Psalm 139. We read today how, after Jesus said that in marriage a man must “hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh,” he added, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” [Mark 10:8-9] His disciples felt provoked to “ ask him again about this matter. And he said to them, ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, and if she divorces her husband and marries another; she commits adultery.” [Mark 10:10-12]. Adultery is an obsolete word today – as is the word ‘sin’ – we live in a world in which nearly everyone does what is right in his (or her) own eyes. What influences our eyes and heart in making decisions? Does God’s word have real influence on us? Remember Solomon’s proverb, “Every way of man (or woman) is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart” [Proverbs 21:2] The more we fill our minds with God’s word, the more conscious we are of what is lacking in our hearts – and will try to change it. The situation was desperate in Israel in the days of the prophet Joel. Note the text in Joel 2:12-13. “ ‘Yet even now’, declares the LORD … rend your hearts and not your garments’ Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love …” Jesus was conscious of the children and it is they who are the innocent sufferers in broken marriages. They will be the ‘next generation’ – and what is the next generation presently showing itself to be like! And with all the pressure today in many countries for what they want to call same-sex ‘marriage’ – what will human life degenerate into – if Jesus does not return – and soon! Our next verse tells us “they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the children come to me, do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” [Mark 10:13-14] Do you have a child-like faith? Think about the ingredients of a real marriage where both are convinced that God has brought them together; this means that both fully accept what Jesus says - that to “receive the kingdom” one must be child-like before God [Mark 10:15]. Make sure you are making good progress toward receiving the kingdom? -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2015 16 August 2015 1 Kings 11Jeremiah 37Mark 11 A WISE MANS’ FOLLY It seems incredible that Solomon near the end of his life should be so foolish as to turn to other gods. Today’s chapter tells us “when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.” [1 Kings 11:4] The wives that turned away his heart were “foreign wives” [1 Kings 11:8] and he made “high places” for them where they could worship their own gods and even got involved in such worship himself. [1 Kings 11:5] We ponder how this could possibly happen. Now it was only possible for him to have all these wives, and such was the culture of that age, because he had so much wealth and resultant esteem. His wisdom, his proverbs and the grandeur that displayed his wealth brought him so much fame. Now think back to what we read of his first personal encounter with God. We read this in 1 Kings 3 when “the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, ‘Ask what I shall give you’. And Solomon said, “ … give your servant … an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may be able to discern between good and evil” [1 Kings 3:9] God granted his request, but also said, “I give you also what you have not asked for, both riches and honour, so that no other king shall compare with you …” [1 Kings 3:13] Was that only a great additional blessing? Was it not also a test – a test which in the end found a weakness in Solomon’s character? His wealth and honour was a test for him, and he did not fully pass the test. In another way he failed to. He wrote over a thousand Proverbs, one that is often quoted, was, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he shall not depart from it” [Proverbs 22:6]. It seems he was so pre-occupied with his building projects that he neglected the training of his son Rehoboam, with disastrous results as we shall read tomorrow.. The lesson for us is the truth of that maxim, ‘Practice what you preach.’ Paul put it very well in his first letter to the Corinthians, “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” [1 Corinthians 10:11-12] -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 17 August 2015 1 Kings 12Jeremiah 38Mark 12 “YOU KNOW NEITHER THE SCRIPTURES NOR …” We saw today in Mark 12 how Jesus challenged those who distort God’s word. This word, to them, was what we call the ‘Old Testament’. These equally inspired words are largely ignored today despite the wonderful discovery of scrolls of all of the books (except ‘Esther’) in caves beside the ‘Dead Sea’ nearly 70 years ago. We read how Jesus challenged the Sadducees “who say there is no resurrection” [Mark 12:18] They had told Jesus a hypothetical story of a woman who had been widowed 7 times – but had had no children by any of her husbands They had asked, “In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife." Jesus responds, "you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels ..." [Mark 12:23-25] Jesus then asks them (and us) to think of the meaning of Moses words, "as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of the dead, but of the living." [Mark 12:26-27] Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were all dead when God spoke to Moses out of the burning bush - but because God is eternal, he transcends time, from his perspective they were alive. It is helpful to meditate on Peter's point; "with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day". [2 Peter 3:8]. Our minds struggle to grasp this! These misguided religious leaders will experience the resurrection, for Jesus said, "there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out." [Luke 13:28] They will find themselves among the goats and the tares! Let us "know ... the scriptures" - that is "know" - in the sense of fully believing them - and living in ways that show we have that conviction. Paul in his letter to the Hebrews, said, "let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." [Hebrews 10:22] Meditate on those words! Do you and I have a "true heart"? Do we have the "full assurance of faith"? Can we truly say "our hearts (are) sprinkled clean from an evil conscience" and we have been "washed" in the waters of baptism? We will be totally committed in living so as to make sure we have, if we really "know ... the scriptures" and we will be awaiting the wonder of Christ's return and the wonder of reunion at the resurrection. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 18 August 2015 1 Kings 13Jeremiah 39Mark 13 "LEST HE COME SUDDNELY, AND …” Today we read 3 thought challenging chapters – but that is the ‘appeal’ of God’s word – and each year we exercise our minds each day seeking to think through the words we read and gain more understanding – and also take lessons for ourselves from them. In 1 Kings 13 we read of the dramatic confrontation of a prophet of God with Jeroboam who had been set up as king over the breakaway northern kingdom. For Jeroboam it was a warning – and healing – but he did not learn the lesson. The prophet was also tested – and he failed the test. In Jeremiah 39 we read of how God’s judgements on Jerusalem finally came to pass – and the fate of those who would not heed God’s word through Jeremiah – another lesson for us. But the most challenging chapter for us today is Mark’s account [Mark 13] of the teaching of Jesus to his disciples as they sat on the Mount of Olives. He told them of the destruction of the Temple and “there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." [Mark 13:2] This happened about 40 years later. But the teaching of Jesus that challenges us above all - are the words of Jesus about his eventual return. It will be when "the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory." [Mark 13:25-26] Literal!? His return will certainly he literal, so why think otherwise of awesome disturbances in the skies!? But how awesome for true believers is the next verse! "And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth ..." There are 2 more verses that particularly challenge us! Verse 32 quotes Jesus as telling us that "concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." And then the final verses in the chapter, "Therefore stay awake ... lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake." Reading God's word daily is the essential foundation to keeping "Awake." A particular problem to be overcome in staying awake is that we have thought many times over the years that he must be about to come – but we must remember that Jesus also said, “be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” And remember – it will be “suddenly”!-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 19 August 2015 1 Kings 14Jeremiah 40Mark 14 "BUT LET THE SCRIPTURES BE FULFILLED" Whenever there is reference to “the scriptures” in the New Testament it is referring to the Old Testament. Our chapter in Mark today [Mark 14] makes heart-searching reading: its’ 72 verses begin with a woman [Mark 14:3] anointing Jesus with precious oil, and Jesus rebuking those who criticised her, saying, “she has anointed my body beforehand for burial." [Mark 14:8] It is evident from John 11:2; 12:1-3 that the woman is Mary, the sister of Lazarus. We then read of the institution of the Lord's supper, the singing of a hymn (a Psalm) and of Jesus saying, "You will all fall away, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." [Mark 14:27-28] Where is it “written”? See Zechariah 13:7. Jesus had a clear vision of what was going to happen - and his words - and other inspired words in Scripture reveal a 'vision' - to a considerable degree - of what is going to happen in our days - but, as with the disciples then, the meaning of his words is beyond their minds to grasp. How human Jesus was! Because he knew for certain what was going to happen - this - in some ways made the situation even harder for him! He " began to be greatly distressed and troubled." [Mark 14:33] In the darkness, in the middle of the night, they came to arrest him, he tells them, "Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled." [Mark 14:49] And the Scriptures were fulfilled! With what awe would the mind of Jesus have earlier absorbed such Scriptures as Psalms 22; 69 and Isaiah 53. But there are many more Scriptures - still to be fulfilled - in our days! We are now living in the middle of a spiritual night, darkness is over the minds of nearly everyone, they are just living for the day, the week, and very little more. Let us make sure darkness is not over our minds - for surely Jesus, in heaven, will very soon come, as we read his predictions yesterday in Mark 13. We particularly noted Mark 14:24-27; may we be ready when "the angels ... gather his elect" as Jesus comes "with great power and glory" and "the scriptures" are "fulfilled." -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2015 20 August 2015 1 Kings 15Jeremiah 41Mark 15 "... THAT WE MAY SEE AND BELIEVE" What does it take – to make people believe? We should ask this of ourselves! What are the foundations on which our belief is built? What is belief? Well, it depends on what it is belief in! The most important challenge the world faced at the time the Gospels were written – was the challenge to believe who Jesus was – that his crucifixion and resurrection really happened – and, above all, the wonder of what this signifies as to the meaning and purpose of life. In today's New Testament reading Mark 15 triggered this line of thought. Scepticism prevails in our godless world today, most want to believe that everything that exists. sort of, created itself. When we challenge those who believe in what they call evolution – some say – it is all happening so slowly we do not notice it! Some even claim God brought all things into existence this way – but if this were true it would mean there would be billions of things in the process of transformation, but all that exists is complete in itself! Our thoughts were prompted to travel along these lines, after we read Mark 15, the challenge of the disbelieving bystanders after Jesus had been nailed to the cross. They called out, " save yourself, and come down from the cross!" So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe." [Mark 15:30-32] What does it take for you and I to "see and believe"? That is, to believe in such a way that we see the absolute reality of Christ being our saviour and king – that he is the soon coming king of the world! How did the Bible come to be written if the incredible resurrection of Jesus did not take place!? The events of the First Century, recorded by Roman historians (Tacitus and Suetonius) early in the 2nd Century, show that about AD 67, less than 40 years later, hundreds were being put to death in Rome – for being followers of Christ! What a sense of belief they must have had! How the message had spread! An absolute conviction! The Roman Centurion, wrote Mark, who saw Jesus die, “who stood facing him …said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God.!’” [Mark 15:39] But the biggest question of all is for us personally, what does it take for you and I to "see and believe" – and show by our actions in the way we live our lives – the conviction we claim to have in our hearts? In what sense do we "see"? How real is our claim to "believe"? What do our actions show? Let us consider the way we live our lives day after day! It is a vital question for self-examination by each one of us.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2015 21 August 2015 1 Kings 16Jeremiah 42Mark 16 "IF WE DO NOT ACT ACCORDING TO ..." Our readings in Kings and Jeremiah have been a dismal account of human behaviour when the people lost all meaningful contact with God – as in the time of the Judges when [last verse] “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes." Jeremiah has a most challenging time - as the only one who is fully faithful to God that is still in the land. The lesson for us in his 42nd chapter is that it is no good seeking to know the will of God if, when we know it, we decide not to obey it. We read "all the people from the least to the greatest, came near and said to Jeremiah the prophet, "Let our plea for mercy come before you, and pray to the LORD your God for us ... that the LORD your God may show us the way we should go, and the thing that we should do." [Jeremiah 42:1-3] Notice – he is Jeremiah’s God – not theirs! So Jeremiah says, "Behold, I will pray to the LORD your God according to your request, and whatever the LORD answers you I will tell you. I will keep nothing back from you." [Jeremiah 42:4] They respond, ""May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the LORD your God sends you to us. Whether it is good or bad, we will obey ..." [Jeremiah 42:5-6] This spirit is ideal, may it be our attitude of mind! But the tragedy is that when, "at the end of ten days the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah" [Jeremiah 42:7] the message was not what they wanted to hear! They had "set their faces to go to Egypt to live there" [Jeremiah 42:17] We will read tomorrow in Jeremiah 43 how the voices of the godless men prevail and they still go down to Egypt. Our world today is full of godless people, it has become a latter-day Egypt. The lesson for us is obvious! If we seek to know the will of God, then, when we know it, we must act according to what we know. This should be the result of our diligent reading of his word. So many are 'happy' to live in today's 'Egypt' – but it is folly to try to have 'a foot in both camps.' What strength of mind we must seek to develop – for most of us ‘rub shoulders’ with the world nearly every day – we must try to influence them – rather than letting them influence us. Today we finished reading Mark’s gospel – and the challenge to believe that Jesus has actually risen, unless he manifested himself to them. We think of the great challenge when he comes again, let us make sure we have ample oil in our lamps – ready to welcome him. Tomorrow we will start reading Paul's 2 letters to the Corinthians – which contain a great deal of instruction and guidance; let us "act according to" what we read for much of it clearly has application to the way of life that surrounds us today. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 22 August 2015 1 Kings 17Jeremiah 431 Corinthians 1; 2 "I DECIDED TO KNOW NOTHING … EXCEPT ..." Today we started to read Paul’s letters to the Corinthians – his words are full of thought challenging concepts! There is discord among the members and Paul challenges them to set their household in order. “I appeal to you … that all of you agree … that you be united in the same mind ..." [1 Corinthians 1:10] Paul tells them that Christ sent him "to preach the gospel" but "not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing ..." [1 Corinthians 1:17-18] Human wisdom cannot understand the reason for the crucifixion of Christ. It ignores that it must be a fact of history! Paul says, "God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God." [1 Corinthians 1:28-29] Meditate on the point Paul makes here! It is human nature to boast of what we know, what we have done – and, especially for the older ones amongst us, what we have, in the end, accomplished. But when we came to Christ, if we came to him in all the fullness of our minds, our lives at some stage reach a point in our meditations - of experiencing utter awe at the total commitment that drove the Lord, whom we serve, to become the ultimate sacrificial offering for our lives, for your and my times of ungodliness. Those events of almost 2,000 years ago - suddenly become more alive and 'real'! And then we move on in thought, with a large degree of trepidation, to humbly contemplate the future, the world's future, but above all - ours. Paul had been a proud Pharisee, but now he tells the Corinthians, "I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." [1 Corinthians 2:2] What is it to "know nothing" in the sense Paul uses the phrase here? Our world is increasingly besotted with gaining knowledge of a vast array of things that previous generations had no consciousness of. It is 'material' knowledge - and the more they gain, the more the thought of there being an all knowing, all seeing Creator, is blotted out of their minds! How great is the danger of this for us? Are we being influenced by this spirit? Let us, with Paul, say, "I (have) decided to know nothing ... except Jesus Christ and him crucified." And this form of ‘knowing’ is awesome at the times we really submerge ourselves in the deepest meditation.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 23 August 2015 1 Kings 18Jeremiah 441 Corinthians 3 "... WILL DISCLOSE THE PURPOSES OF THE HEART" How we respond to challenging events “will disclose the purposes of the heart” [1 Corinthians 4:5] and reveal to our Lord – and to ourselves – if we are honest with ourselves – the real purposes, the real objectives that dominate our minds. The Bible contains numerous examples of this and we read several today. Elijah challenges Ahab and the prophets of Baal! They had served Baal for the fleshly benefits they believed they were getting. Yet there were those who remained faithful to the Almighty and Obadiah had hidden and fed a hundred in a cave “because he feared the Lord greatly” [1 Kings 18:3] Elijah had maintained a full conviction of faith – and even for him, his convictions faltered as we will read tomorrow – resulting in a valuable lesson. Elijah challenged them all on Mt. Carmel, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions?” [1 Kings 18:21] What a lot of such “limping” there is today! Opinions, but not convictions achieved by having real godly “purposes of the heart” – let us make sure we have them. Jeremiah in Egypt confronts those who have gone there, they also had “limped” between two different ways of thinking – and therefore of acting. They said to him, “We will surely perform our vows that we have made, to make offerings to the queen of heaven …” [Jeremiah 44:25] Their reasoning was that “since they left off making offerings to the queen of heaven … we have lacked everything …” [Jeremiah 44:18] This is another example of ‘limping’ between opinions – with no “purposes in the heart” other than seeing how their material needs could be satisfied. In Paul’s words to the Corinthians we read, “I brothers could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh …” [1 Corinthians 3:1-3] How many of us are ready for the “solid food” of Scripture? Reflect on the context of our opening quotation – it is when “the Lord comes who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his (or her) commendation from God.” The Lord is surely just about to knock at the door! There is conflict in Corinth and Paul urges them “that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written …” [1 Corinthians 4:6] That is ideal advice for us too – and to behave accordingly – with conviction - having grown beyond being infants – also - not faltering between opinions – because, when “the Lord comes …” he “will disclose” all. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2015 24 August 2015 1 Kings 19Jeremiah 45; 461 Corinthians 4; 5 "MY WORDS WILL SURELY STAND" Our Old Testament readings show how God's prophets, Elijah and Jeremiah both had a difficult time. It was the wonder of their contact with God that sustained them - and we see an increasing parallel with this today as life in our world becomes increasingly chaotic and difficult. Elijah flees from the anger of the wicked queen Jezebel after the prophets of Baal are all destroyed, but the LORD wonderfully sustains him after his apparently sudden lapse of confidence in serving his Lord. He travels "forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God." [1 Kings 19:8] This is "the mountain of God" [Exodus 3:1] Elijah is told to "Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD." [1 Kings 19:11] and he experiences violent weather - wind, earthquake and fire - but "the LORD is not in" them. And then "the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" [1 Kings 19:12-13] Could it be when we really prayerfully read God's word, some part of them, especially in times of crisis, appear to come as a "low whisper."? Or “a still small voice” as the older translations expressed this. How that voice would stand out in contrast to the awesomeness of the previous earthquake, wind and fire! We ponder the possibility of comparison for us - we may well be buffeted by various kinds of storms in this ever more godless world - and retreat into our "cave"! Now we see a comparison in reading about Jeremiah, who is now unwillingly in Egypt - and surely this world is a kind of latter-day Egypt. The LORD tells him of his people, "Behold, I am watching over them for disaster and not for good." [Jeremiah 44:27] The faithful are " few in number" [Jeremiah 44:28], they alone will return. The LORD then tells him to declare to "all the remnant of Judah, who came to the land of Egypt to live" so that they "shall know whose word will stand, mine or theirs." [Jeremiah 44:28] "... that you may know that my words will surely stand against you for harm" [Jeremiah 44:29] We can see the comparison with today - the world has turned its back on God's word - on any thought of there being a Creator - God's word, long ago pronounce his judgement on the world of "the latter days." (recall what we read in Jeremiah 23:20-24!) In that day, we who are really spiritual, will 'hear' him saying to others, " my words (are) surely stand(ing) against you for harm" “But”, we read in Malachi, “for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise” [Malachi 4:2] To experience this “sun” we must absorb God’s word every day.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 25 August 2015 1 Kings 20Jeremiah 471 Corinthians 6 "DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT …" The last 7 verses of 1 Corinthians 6 are powerful indeed – powerful in the sense that they challenge our hearts and minds to the very core! 1 Corinthians 6:14 states, "God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power." In view of this wonderful truth, no, more than that, awesome and humbling truth - with what commitment and dedication we should live our lives! The Corinthians were tragically failing in this! Paul challenges them with some very blunt language! “Do you not know that ..." Almost certainly they knew, but had blotted these particular perceptions out of their minds! Look ahead to 2 Corinthians 2 "I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you ... I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice ..." So what were the things he wrote? What things had he challenged them about? They involved some points that are totally different to our normal sense of knowledge! We should consider them extremely carefully. We read from 1 Corinthians 6:15, in today’s chapter. "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two will become one flesh." But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body." In the next verse Paul repeats the challenging question again – and what a thought challenging point he then makes! "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." [1 Corinthians 6:19-20] Paul’s words need carefully digesting – can we adequately do that? It is possible to suffer from mental indigestion! Meditate on that possibility! Can we avoid facing up to the actual point Paul is making? When we joined our lives to Christ - through baptism – symbolising that we accepted his death - and resurrection - as being for us - then, from then on, we belonged to Christ! Recall the words we read in 1 Corinthians 3, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" [1 Corinthians 3:16] How wonderful! How awesome! If we fully accept the points Paul makes they can overwhelm us! Let us "glorify God" in every way we can, so that day after day after day – we are becoming more and more like our Saviour. Let us try to be as positive as Paul was in what he told the Philippians, "Christ will be honoured in my body, whether by life or by death." [Philippians 1:20] We will accomplished this – when we have really come to "know that we are not our own." -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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