Resource Manager Posted August 1, 2016 Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 01 August 2016 2 Samuel 18Jeremiah 22Romans 9 "... WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME" These are the concluding words of Romans 9 we read yesterday, “... whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” Of course our understanding and resultant belief has to take in the context of the passages in God’s word – and then we must confirm our belief by our actions! The preceding words here are illuminating! Let’s look at the context! "... it is written, 'Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.'" Paul is quoting from Isaiah 28:16! After his conversion how much must Paul have meditated on the words of the prophets and other parts of the Old Testament, the significance and application of which he had previously overlooked. In writing to the Galatians Paul reflected how, when God "called me by his grace" and "was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone ... but I went away into Arabia ….. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem ..." [Galatians 1:15-18] Jesus had been "a stone of stumbling" for Paul - and how much more is this the case today! The whole of God's word is "a stone of stumbling" in our days - and as a result the whole world is going to be "put to shame" and astonished when Jesus appears - and how soon now! Have we all followed Paul's example in searching out the correct meaning and application of God’s words ? As long as we have we "will not be put to shame" when Jesus returns. The tragedy, as we read in Jeremiah, God's nation was "put to shame' in his days, indeed Jeremiah uses this phrase 12 times! "The wise men shall be put to shame; they shall be dismayed ... they have rejected the word of the LORD, so what wisdom is in them?" [Jeremiah 8:9] And we can ask, "what wisdom is in" our world today!? Jeremiah 4:22 declared, "They are 'wise'in doing evil!" That is so true of our world! Paul, after quoting from Isaiah, then says (as at the beginning of today's chapter) "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge." May it be our "heart's desire and prayer to God" that all those we have contact with, beginning with family members, "may be saved" and "not be put to shame' when our Saviour appears - and how soon now!?-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 02 August 2016 2 Samuel 19Jeremiah 23Romans 10; 11 "DO NOT BECOME PROUD, BUT FEAR" Can we “become proud” because our regular reading and meditation on God’s word results in us seeing more and more of its meaning!? Could we become somewhat like those who succeed in completing a very large and complex, but wonderful jigsaw (if such exists)? The warning we read today – Paul’s warning to the Romans – prompts this question – this self-examination! Paul develops a significant point in Romans 10; 11. The collapse of natural Israel is near, they are going to suffer for rejecting their Messiah, they were even going to lose the wonderful Temple that Herod had built; the focus of belief and work by and for God was going to be among the Gentiles. In Romans 11 Paul makes the vital point that "at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace." [Romans 11:5-6] Those "chosen" in this way - have their anticipation of salvation as a "gift" – oh the wonder of being "chosen by grace." How tragic if they (we?) do not truly appreciate this. How potent with meaning for ourselves, is Paul's warning to the Romans; the Jews are being "broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear." [Romans 11:20] This is "fear" in the sense of being in utter awe of the wonder of what God must be - especially his all-seeing eye! How 'blind' are human eyes today - how blessed are we in contrast. We must make sure we “stand fast through faith.” The words we read recently in Jeremiah are so true! "O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not." [Jeremiah 5:21] May the blindness of spirit that surrounds us - not influence us. On the other hand, we must "not become proud" of our knowledge, but have a wholesome sense of "fear" - that is, awe, in our hearts. Paul had this sense of awe - it was the result of getting closer to God and taking into his heart a fuller sense of all that the Creator and His son must be. In the climax of this chapter Paul says, "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ... For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." [Romans 11:33,36] Meditate on this – and in no sense will we become “become proud” – indeed, the very opposite.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2016 03 August 2016 2 Samuel 20; 21Jeremiah 24Romans 12 "OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD" The 12th chapter of Paul’s letter to the Romans abounds with challenging principles – these are a wonderful guide to our lives. The chapter is, in a sense, summarised by its final words, that followers of Jesus should “overcome evil with good.” Actually, this largely completes Paul’s spiritual advice – words of guidance for all who desire to develop the character of Christ. This is detailed, in particular from Romans 12:9 – which starts, “Let love be genuine.” From tomorrow we will read his advice on various practical issues that challenged the Romans (and in most cases ourselves), in how to keep to godly principles in a godless world. Our world does not know what genuine love is – love in the spiritual sense! This spirit in the world surrounds us, much of it may not openly appear evil but it can undermine our understanding of what is “good”– and our practice of it. We are surrounded by godlessness in many forms –– but that is the problem – it can camouflage our perception that there are only two ways of ‘walking’ – on the broad or the narrow ways. Paul, after stating, "Let love be genuine," then says, "Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good." Romans 12:14 is particularly challenging, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them." Nothing is achieved by cursing them - it only serves to put ourselves in a negative frame of mind. Consider how we find David doing his best to be positive in this thinking and resultant actions in the 2 chapters we read today, 2 Samuel 20; 21. David was doing his best to "overcome evil with good" in difficult circumstances - when the normal human mind would have surely sought to punish those who had shown animosity toward him as he fled from Absalom. The trials David had been through, which began when he was young, can be seen as a training ground for a truly godly character. What a marvellous "song" David composes, as we will read tomorrow. Looking ahead, the two verses in 2 Samuel 22:21-22 jump out! "The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD and have not wickedly departed from my God." Truly, David learnt to "overcome evil with good" - let us do the same.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2016 04 August 2016 2 Samuel 22Jeremiah 25Romans 13; 14 "DISASTER IS GOING FORTH FROM NATION TO NATION" Today’s chapter, Jeremiah 25, is very disturbing. The prophet is receiving visions from God of future events, some of the visions include a future then far distant. God’s judgements are about to fall on Jerusalem. Jeremiah is told “this whole land shall become a ruin and waste and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years” [Jeremiah 25:11] Many years later Daniel, in Babylon in his old age, “perceived in the books” that God had revealed to Jeremiah that they would be in captivity for 70 years [Daniel 9:2]. We reflect on the traumatic history of the Jews to whom God’s prophets came with divine messages, they also had the glory of the Temple, also many other blessings such as we have read in what David accomplished. Greatest of all was when God’s son did wonders in their midst. We note how Jesus, at the end of one of his parables said, “Every one to whom much was given, much will be required” [Luke 12:48]. There is a Godly principle here: the failure to appreciate and respond to blessings, especially the blessing of hearing and knowing God’s word, will bring in the end an adverse reaction from God – and how much natural Israel suffered! But God has regathered them in the latter days. David had a vision of this in Psalm 102, in his prayer to the LORD he foresaw when it would be said, “You will arise and have pity on Zion; it is the time to favour her; the appointed time has come. This is our time – but there are also utterly awesome events to happen too! We read on today in Jeremiah, “Thus says the LORD of hosts … I begin to work disaster at the city that is called by my name, and shall you go unpunished? (he is addressing other nations) You shall not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth … for the LORD has an indictment against all the nations; he is entering into judgment with all flesh and the wicked will be put to the sword … Behold, disaster is going forth from nation to nation and a great tempest is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth! [Jeremiah 25:28,29,31,32] Australia is one of “the farthest parts”! We note how Jeremiah 30:24 concludes with the words, “The fierce anger of the LORD will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intentions of his mind. In the latter days you will understand this.” Those who understand must make sure they are on the Lord’s side, and their understanding will develop as world events start to correspond more and more to what God has caused to be written and preserved.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2016 05 August 2016 2 Samuel 23Jeremiah 26Romans 15; 16 "THE SWEET PSALMIST OF ISRAEL" Today’s Samuel reading includes the description of David as “the sweet psalmist of Israel” [2 Samuel 23:1] further, it describes his writings as “the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Israel.” Now we know that Christ means ‘anointed’ – all those who truly bear the name of Christ are anointed of God. Our reading states “now these are the last words of David” and as David reflects on his life he writes, “The spirit of the LORD speaks by me: his word is on my tongue” [2 Samuel 23:2]. He continues, “… the Rock of Israel (God) has said to me: when one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth … for does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?” [2 Samuel 23:3-5]. David is looking back on his eventful life, especially at the wonder of his continuing relationship with the One and only real God despite his times of failure. But notice the other comment he makes, “But worthless men (people)are all like thorns that are thrown away … and they are utterly consumed with fire” [2 Samuel 23:6-7] May that NOT include any of the readers of these notes. The more we read God’s word the clearer it becomes that in the end, God only sees two classes of human beings, there is no other, Jesus told many parables to the same effect. David said that God had made with him an “everlasting covenant” [2 Samuel 23:5] and in the New Testament we read Christ is “the mediator of a better covenant” [Hebrews 8:6] for those who are baptised - their mediator is “the son of David” All those appointed to be kings are anointed. Samuel went down to Bethlehem to anoint David’ and earlier he had anointed Saul. One was faithful to his anointing, one was not! “The sweet psalmist of Israel” was inspired to write many psalms – and his words help us to be faithful to our anointing. There are many messages in the Psalms which all those who have been or who are planning to be anointed in baptism should take to heart. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 06 August 2016 2 Samuel 24Jeremiah 27Mark 1 "THE ANGER OF THE LORD" with Israel The final chapter in 2 Samuel begins by telling us “again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.” We are not told why God was angry with his people, there is no indication that it was comparable with his anger in the days of Jeremiah when the final result was that the Temple and the city was destroyed. We are given several accounts of how badly the people were behaving in Jeremiah’s time. We conclude that it was the outcome of so many people being ready to rally around Absalom and being ready to go to war against David and his faithful men. These did not appreciate the conquests and success of David in totally subduing the Philistines and other nations. We ponder the verse which goes on to say that the LORD “incited David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah.” When Joab has reluctantly carried David’s request and has completed the numbering of “valiant men who draw the sword” [2 Samuel 24:9] we read, “But David’s heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the LORD, ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done … I have acted very foolishly” [2 Samuel 24:10] David knew from past experience that the LORD “can save by many or by few” [1 Samuel 14:6] as his dear friend Jonathan had said and experienced. It is better by few, then it is more evident that victory has not been achieved by man’s own strength. Our conclusion of the meaning behind the phrase that the LORD “incited David” is that it means the Lord allowed David to follow his own foolish desires. There is a Proverb which says, “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps” [Proverbs 16:9] and another, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.” [Proverbs 21:1] In this case, it served the LORD’s purpose to allow David to follow his desires. The result taught David a lesson and at the same time resulted in the deserved punishment of the people. In that sense God became a “satan” as the parallel account in 1 Chronicles 21:1 tells us. This should not surprise us too much as the first occurrence of the Hebrew word ‘satan’ in the Bible describes the action of an angel from God in being an adversary to Balaam [Numbers 22:22] Indeed the Hebrew word Satan (satanas) is many times translated as adversary in the Old Testament and names those who are adversaries, for example, satans to Solomon, at the end of his reign. [1 Kings 11:14,23,25] In the same sense Peter became a satan, that is, an adversary to Jesus, as we will read shortly in Mark 8:33. Let us not become a satan! Let us know and do the will of our Heavenly Father as much as we can so that “the anger of the LORD” is not kindled against us as it will be, against so many, as Jesus returns. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2016 07 August 2016 1 Kings 1Jeremiah 28Mark 2 “HAVE YOU NEVER READ” Addressing the religious leaders the Lord Jesus said more than once, “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 its plain meaning; they embellished some parts of it. This leads Jesus to take them to task over their complaints that his disciples were “doing what was not lawful on the Sabbath.” [Mark 2:24] What were the disciples 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 these Pharisees had added to the Law by saying it was “work” if people plucked a few 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. But the law did not allow people to take a bag and pluck grain for future eating. So there is a challenge in what Jesus said, of course they had read this, but their devious minds had read into the Law more than was written. When we come to Mark 12 next week we come across a more serious example in 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, but they distorted their obvious meaning to fit what they wanted to believe. In their case they refused to believe there was to be a future resurrection. Sadly today we can point to examples of the same thing. The daily prayerful reading of God’s word is our safeguard against having Jesus say to us on that day, “Have you never read?” Tragically,it will then be too late to get our understanding and actions right, let us read and act in the right way – NOW.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2016 08 August 2016 1 Kings 2Jeremiah 29Mark 3 "WHOEVER BLASPHEMES AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT" As we read Mark 3 we saw how the jealousy of the religious leaders toward Jesus was mounting and even his family were not supporting him and "went out to seize him, for they were saying, "He is out of his mind." [Mark 3:21], although there is an indication that his mother had become, at least to some degree, conscious of his powers, see John 2:1-5. The religious leaders, the scribes were making wild accusations against him, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "by the prince of demons he casts out the demons." [Mark 3:22] Jealousy can cause people to express strange, totally unreasonable objections; these leaders were denying that the remarkable miracles he was doing was because he possessed divine power. This was especially because some people being healed, "fell down before him and cried out, You are the Son of God.'" [Mark 3:11] The reaction of Jesus to the extreme reactions of the religious people is significant. "Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin" for they were saying, Jesus “has an unclean spirit." [Mark 3:28-29] We ponder ponder this "eternal sin" is occurring today as so many have decided that there is no Creator, that everything, in some 'impossible' way, sort of created itself, there never was a Creator! Surely this classifies as 'blasphemy'! Jesus later bluntly said, "I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven." [Matthew 12:31] The majority of people today appear to accept this "blasphemy' that there is never was a Creator! Surely they will deserve the awesome judgements that Jesus later, before his arrest and crucifixion, said would one day come - at the time of his return. We will read of this in Mark 13 where Jesus said "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. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect ..." [Mark 13:25-27] What an awesome climax this world is going to witness - and we cannot help but see that a major cause will be the "blasphemies against the Holy Spirit" But, says Jesus, "for the sake of the elect, whom he chose" those days will be "shortened." [Mark 13:20] And how awesome are his words in the previous verse. ".... there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be." How heart-overwhelming for "whoever (has) "blasphemes against the Holy Spirit."-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2016 09 August 2016 1 Kings 3Jeremiah 30Mark 4 "BEHOLD THE STORM OF THE LORD" We have an interesting and challenging mixture of chapters’ to read today. First, in 1 Kings 3 we read how Solomon, now king, had a challenging ‘encounter’ with the LORD. He “appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, "Ask what I shall give you." [1 Kings 3:5]. And he asks for " ... an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?" [1 Kings 3:9] This pleases the LORD and he not only gives him that, but also "riches and honour so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days." [1 Kings 3:13] And the riches and honour become a test for him - which he fails in his latter years as we will see when we come to 1 Kings 11. A lesson for us. It is intriguing that Solomon in Proverbs was to write, “give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me.” [Proverbs 30:8] What “food” is that? Let us make sure we know! Psalm 111:5 tells us the LORD “provides food for those who fear Him.” In Jeremiah our chapter describes, a "storm of the LORD" - but first we will look at Mark 4 where the disciples "leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat .... and a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat ..." [Mark 4:37]. But Jesus is] asleep on the cushion. And they woke him ..." [Mark 4:38], they are afraid they "are perishing" [Mark 4:38]. Jesus, "rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?’" [Mark 4:39-40] Is that going to be a question for us to answer? There are good reasons to believe that it is! Consider now how the words in Jeremiah 30 challenge us! It is a fascinating prophecy of the latter days! Speaking of Israel, the LORD, through the prophet declares, "For I will restore health to you ... because they have called you an outcast: 'It is Zion, for whom no one cares!'" [Jeremiah 30:17] "Thus says the LORD: Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob and have compassion ..." [Jeremiah 30:18] It is the last 3 verses that challenge our attention most of all. Israel is told "And you shall be my people, and I will be your God." [Jeremiah 30:22] This could happen very soon! But when it happens, then other events will occur! " Behold the storm of the LORD! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the LORD will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intentions of his mind. In the latter days you will understand this." Let us be fully aware of God's "intentions" to act in our days, our godless days! Let us "wake" Christ - making sure he is in our minds, making sure we truly belong to him.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2016 10 August 2016 1 Kings 4; 5Jeremiah 31Mark 5 "FOR I WILL SATISFY EVERY WEARY SOUL" We have some inspiring readings today: first, we read of the tremendous organisational ability and efficiency of Solomon. He began by organising the efficient running of his kingdom and then planned out all the detail of organising the construction of the Temple. Then in Jeremiah we were inspired by the prophecy God reveal to him about the future of Israel – and we remember that at that time the nation was collapsing – and did utterly collapse in his lifetime. Our world is, in a sense, collapsing – humanly speaking, it has no long term future. It has no future – humanly speaking? In Mark 5 we read of one of the most dramatic healings Jesus did; this healing had the side effect of the death of about 2,000 pigs! But eating pork was forbidden under the Mosaic law [Leviticus 11:7] and last month we read the blunt messages Isaiah had to convey to the people on this. [isaiah 65:4; 66:3] But now back to Jeremiah 31! What a remarkable long term prophecy God gave him. Jeremiah's words challenge all nations! It is a challenge for today - to see the significance of events - from God's perspective! He responds to the plea, "'O LORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel.'" [Jeremiah 31:7] A significant word – “remnant.” Jeremiah is caused to proclaim [Jeremiah 31:10] "Hear the word of the LORD, O nations ... He who scattered Israel will gather him ..." [Jeremiah 31:10] "... from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth ..." [Jeremiah 31:8] Are the “nations” ‘hearing’ the word of the LORD? Those who read and “know” God’s word today have witnessed, to some degree, this regathering in their lifetime - but it is far from complete, much of the land they possessed in the days of Solomon is still not under their control. In 1 Kings 4:21 we learn, "Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt." But what appeals to us most of all in our reading in Jeremiah today is the remarkable personal promise it contains. "For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish." [Jeremiah 31:25] And what does the next verse say - of Jeremiah's feelings!? "At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me." And this verse is "pleasant" and pleasing to us. All those who truly believe in God and seek to serve his Son, as their Saviour, find that today God "will satisfy the weary soul" - for they experience spiritual refreshing every day when they read and meditate on His word with all their hearts.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 11 August 2016 1 Kings 6Jeremiah 32Mark 6 "NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR YOU" The book of Jeremiah confuses us a little because it is not in chronological order. Jeremiah 32 starts by telling us the word of the LORD came to him “in the tenth year of Zedekiah” [Jeremiah 32:1] “At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem” [Jeremiah 32:2]. We do not know which month, but Jeremiah 39:2 tells us that “in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month” a breach was made in the walls and the Babylonians captured the city. Today’s chapter is about a very critical time, Jeremiah is at times a mental ‘iron man’ because of his faith in God, but at times he falters.. “The word of the LORD came …” [Jeremiah 32:6] telling him his cousin was coming to him asking him to “Buy my field that is in Anathoth” and when his cousin comes, he remarks, “Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.” After the transaction is finalised he “prayed to the LORD, saying ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who has made the heavens and the earth by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” [Jeremiah 32:16-17] Yet his faith is struggling as events get worse and “siege mounds have come up to the city to take it” [Jeremiah 32:24] and there is “famine and pestilence” and he asks, “Yet you O Lord GOD, have said to me, ‘Buy the field … though the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.” [Jeremiah 32:25] Let us specially note the response from God! “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” [Jeremiah 32:27] God is quoting back to Jeremiah his words that nothing was too hard for him. Jeremiah’s struggle with faith may be paralleled in the experiences of the faithful, our probable experience, as the world that we are so familiar with falls apart; for, as we will read next week in Mark, Jesus forecast a time of “such tribulation as has not been since the beginning of creation … and if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days” [Mark 13:19-20] This is described from the divine perspective of foreknowledge, as though it has already happened. [Romans 8:28-30] Back in Jeremiah let us embrace the conclusion of our chapter conclusion which describes the prophet receiving a heart stirring vision of the ultimate future for his people [Jeremiah 32:37-41], this future will also embrace God’s people whom he has called out from among the Gentiles [Romans 9:24-26]. May we maintain our faith in God; may Jeremiah’s words be part of our prayer to our heavenly Father, “Nothing is too hard for you” may we perceive and believe from our hearts with increasing faith, that the Creator and his Son are in control of our future because we have developed genuine faith. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 12 August 2016 1 Kings 7Jeremiah 33Mark 7 "AND THIS CITY SHALL BE TO ME" In Jeremiah 32, yesterday's reading, the chapter shows that Jerusalem was now in a desperate situation as "the army of the king of Babylon was besieging it, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard ..." [Jeremiah 32:2] Imagine the prophet's feelings - the test to his faith. When we come to Jeremiah 32:37, we see how God starts to unfold a fascinating long term vision of the future to him! How would Jeremiah have reacted? He does not say. Are there not comparisons with our reaction to God's prophecies today!? Especially when ‘godlessness’ appears to totally surround us! Jeremiah is told, "Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever ..." Those who know - in both heart and mind - the ultimate purposes of God - see how he appears to be starting the process of fulfilling them in our days – and they "fear and tremble" in their hearts. They are increasing sure they are seeing God's promises through Jeremiah starting the process of fulfilment. So what do we learn from Jeremiah's record of God's promises - as to what is yet to happen? "I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul." [Jeremiah 32:41] Our hearts are further stirred when we link this with God’s other promises.This will become the time when, says the LORD, "this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth … They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it." [Jeremiah 33:9] This vision - for Jeremiah - is our vision too! Is it beyond our comprehension to envisage the time (how soon now?) when "the city shall be to” God - and to all genuinely God fearing people "a praise and a glory" which they will see - and in which they will share! Let us so believe and live so that we, by his grace, will be there, and see “this city” become to God “a name … before all the nations of the earth.” Finally, when “Jerusalem will dwell securely … this is the name by which it will be called: 'The LORD is our righteousness.'” [Jeremiah 33:16] Let us embrace this vision in our hearts as well as our minds, marvelling at the wonders when, by God’s grace, this vision becomes a reality – and we are there! -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2016 13 August 2016 1 Kings 8Jeremiah 34Mark 8 “FOR YOU, YOU ONLY, KNOW THE HEARTS OF ALL … MANKIND” The above words are part of a prayer to God Solomon made. He is seen to be the wisest king to ever live. How can God “know the hearts of all”? Is this an exaggeration? Now during my lifetime clever human beings have discovered the ‘magic’ of making remarkable use of the different ‘waves’ in the air that were discovered in the 19th Century. Most scientists in those days still believed there was a Great Creator, and scientists such as Faraday reasoned that God could not have created air and space with nothing in it! So he, among other scientists of that age, experimented and discovered radio waves of varying frequencies. Human cleverness since then has discovered even micro waves: their discoveries are now harnessed for the benefit of the human race, think of the way this message is reaching you! It is telling us to think carefully about the unlimited powers the Creator possesses! We live in an age of wonders as to what us human beings, that God has created, can do – so should we not be ready to think deeply about what God himself can do and has always done? Surely he sees and knows all, remember Paul’s words to the idol worshipping people of Athens. He told them about the One true God, saying, “In Him we live and move and have our being” [Acts 17:28] Think what those words mean! Our reading of Solomon’s long prayer at the dedication of the Temple prompted these thoughts – what in depth mediations they lead on to!! Do they for you?. Consider the full context of the words at the top. “Whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house, then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know all the hearts of all the children of mankind), that they may fear you all the days that they live …” [1 Kings 8:38-40] Does God “know” your heart? This leads us to realize the only way for our lives to have real meaning - eternally! We meditate on Paul’s words to Timothy: he is told to tell people, that they should “set their hopes … on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy … to be rich in good works … thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” [1 Timothy 6:18-19] Those who do this know that God “knows the hearts of all” Let us all realize the wonder of this – to the full – as Solomon did.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2016 14 August 2016 1 Kings 9Jeremiah 35Mark 9 "LET YOUR HEART THEREFORE BE WHOLLY TRUE" Our Old Testament readings today tied up with each other. Our chapter in 1 Kings contains God’s response to Solomon’s prayer of dedication which we read yesterday. Today we read, “The LORD appeared to Solomon …. The LORD said to him, ‘I have heard your prayer and your plea … I have consecrated this house … My eyes and my heart will be there for all time … But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children … the house that I have consecrated by my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.” [1 Kings 9:2,3,6,7] Tragically, all this happened. In the last verse of yesterday’s chapter of Jeremiah [Jeremiah 34:22] we read, “Behold, I will command, declares the Lord, and I will bring them (the Babylonians) back to this city. And they will fight against it and take it and burn it with fire.” Within 2 or 3 years this happened and the City and its Temple were destroyed. The casting out of the people and the destruction of the Temple occurred some 330 years after its dedication, what an utter tragedy. Yet Solomon’s prayer remains true and is as meaningful to us as it was to the sincere God fearing men and women that heard it. We notice how Solomon, after he had offered his prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God, then prayed for the people, saying, “The LORD our God be with us … that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways … Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people … Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the LORD …” [1 Kings 8:57-61] We are just like the people Solomon prayed for! May our hearts be “wholly true to the LORD.” May we be there to worship in God’s future Temple. In 2 days’ time we will read how Jesus quoted God’s words through Isaiah [isaiah 56:7], “My house shall be called the house of prayer for all nations”. One day soon this everlasting Temple will be built - for God’s Kingdom will be here. May we be there! How wondrous – far surpassing our present imagining! But will we be really there? ‘We make the answer now!’-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2016 15 August 2016 1 Kings 10Jeremiah 36Mark 10 “HOW DIFFICULT!” A verse in Mark 10, today’s reading, says how “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” [Mark 10:23] It set us thinking as to what constitutes wealth today? There would be different answers in different countries! The young man to whom Jesus said this “had great possessions” [Mark 10:22] The previous verses says, “And Jesus, looking at him, loved him” Why did Jesus have that attitude? Well, from Mark 10:17 we read that this young man “ran up and knelt before him” and in the ensuring conversation about the commandments of God said, “Teacher all these I have kept from my youth” [Mark 10:20]. But the young man admits he has “great possessions” and, when told to “sell all that you have”, he went away “sorrowful.” Does this mean that if you have few or no possessions and no money in the bank you are going to be in the kingdom of God? No, it does not! James, in his epistle, writes, “Listen my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom” [James 2:5] There we see the heart of the matter – “rich in faith” – spiritual wealth and James goes on to say [James 2:14-17) how we show our faith by how Christ-like we become and what we do in our lives, our priorities. Now back to our question at the beginning – what constitutes wealth today? We live in a vastly different world to the First Century. The great majority have forms of “wealth” which invite them to occupy their minds with various pursuits day after day. Jesus invited the young man to “come follow me” after he had disposed of his wealth. So, we reason, there are all kinds of things today that can distract us from effectively following Jesus. Yet some of those things, put to the right use, can help us to do that – the internet and emailing being an example. There is a theory, that cannot be proved, but is interesting; that the young man did end up following Jesus; he is the one who “sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles feet” [Acts 4:37] So many have forms of “wealth” today – “how difficult” that makes it for us to effectively follow Jesus and truly make him our Lord. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2016 16 August 2016 1 Kings 11Jeremiah 37Mark 11 "AND THE LORD WAS ANGRY” What makes God angry? An easy question? This heart examining question was prompted by this mornings reading of 1 Kings 11. From 1 Kings 11:9 we read, “And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him ... But he did not keep what the LORD commanded." A vital lesson for us - for all those who have read and absorbed into their hearts and minds the words and actions of the Creator of all things. We recall the principle Jesus bluntly stated, "Everyone to whom much was given, of him his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God [Luke 12:48] Ponder how much has been given to you and to me in being privileged to see the "light" of the meaning of life in the increasingly dark and godless world that surrounds nearly all of us. I say nearly all, because those of us, in our declining years, who are blessed to live among fellow believers, as in 'Olivet' near here, are particularly blessed. God willing, we will be there to guide discussions on the readings this afternoon: they can come and listen to the readings every weekday afternoon. As a result of Solomon's failure in later years, our chapter today reveals how “the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite." [1 Kings 11:14] Other adversaries are named, "God also raised up as an adversary to him, Rezon ... He was an adversary of Israel all the days of Solomon" [1 Kings 11:23,25] It is worth noting that the Hebrew word translated 'adversary' is actually 'satan' in the Hebrew text. But 'adversary' is what 'satan' means; we remember what we read 3 days ago, how Jesus said to Peter ""Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." [Mark 8:33] We must ‘set our minds on’ the things of God – so that this has become our established way of thinking? Peter went through the experience of denying his Lord – until that became his established way of thinking. Our Kings chapter states in its early verses [1 Kings 11:4) that "when Solomon was old ... his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God" [1 Kings 11:4] as David's his father had been. A warning for us - perhaps most particularly for those who become highly thought of - as Solomon became. May it never be said of you and I, "and the LORD was angry" because our hearts are turning away - maybe being distracted by the intense varieties of ways of living that surround many of us – as TV in particular constantly illustrates. Let us aim – more than ever – to set “our minds on the things of God.”-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2016 17 August 2016 1 Kings 12Jeremiah 38Mark 12 "SO THE KING TOOK COUNSEL" An important lesson from our reading of 1 Kings 12 is how different people “took counsel.” Solomon was dead and the leaders of the people came to his son Rehoboam saying, “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father … and we will serve you.” [1 Kings 12:4] It’s rather like people telling a political party to lighten our tax burden and we will vote for you! Solomon’s burden must have been heavy with all the things he had undertaken to build, not just the Temple and his own house! Ecclesiastes 2 illustrates some of the other things. These all needed financing. Rehoboam “took counsel with the old men” who had served with his father and they say, “speak good words to them.” [1 Kings 12:7] But Rehoboam then asks the young men who had grown up with him and they gave the opposite advice - so he “abandoned the counsel that the old men gave” [1 Kings 12:8] and responded “according to the counsel of the young men.” [1 Kings 12:8] This results in a rebellion and the formation of a separate kingdom of the 10 northern tribes who appoint Jeroboam as their king; he had been their spokesman before Rehoboam. Now it is Jeroboam’s turn to seek counsel and he “said in his heart, ‘Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David. If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple … at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again … they will kill me and return to Rehoboam’.” [1 Kings 12:26-27] “So the king (Jeroboam) took counsel” [1 Kings 12:28] and as a result he made “two calves of gold” for the people in the north to worship as the “gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” [1 Kings 12:28]. Tomorrow we will read of the condemnation “a man of God” came and made to him because he did this! There was no attempt by any of those seeking counsel to seek it from the Lord. In Jeremiah we read today of how “King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah” for his counsel, but the prophet said, “If I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.” [Jeremiah 38:15] How few seek counsel from God in our days! If they would carefully read his Scriptures that is where they would find counsel, but as Paul wrote to the Romans, quoting from Psalm 36, “there is no fear of God before their eyes” [Romans 3:18] Let us make sure the fear, that is, the awe of God is in our minds - of what God must be, so we can say, at the Judgement Seat, we constantly took counsel from his word to guide our lives. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2016 18 August 2016 1 Kings 13Jeremiah 39Mark 13 "FROM THE FIG TREE LEARN ITS' LESSON" In todays' New Testament reading, Mark 13, we encounter the thought challenging words of Jesus that believers should "From the fig tree learn its lesson" [Mark 13:28] This first takes our thoughts to Joel's prophecy, "... a nation has come up against my land ... It has laid waste my vine and splintered my fig tree." [Joel 1:6-7] This reveals that Israel is God's "fig tree." So what "lesson" should we "learn"? Jesus says "as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates." [Mark 13:28-29] The next verse [Mark 13:30] is particularly challenging "Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place." Well, the generation that heard Jesus say this - experienced the destruction of the fig tree when the Romans destroyed the Temple and scattered the Jews nearly 40 years later. But now God's fig tree has come into bloom again! It was reborn in 1948 , 68 years ago! We recall the comment in the Psalms that "The years of our life are seventy" [Psalm 90:10] But the fig tree of "this generation" is not yet producing the fruit of belief in God. But the point Jesus particularly makes is that "the generation" of "the fig tree" will “learn” a “lesson” as they see "all these things take place." It is rather remarkable that from the establishment of the Zionist movement by Theodore Herzl in 1897 – it was exactly 70 years to when the Jews captured Jerusalem in 1967 and made it their capital. So what are we to anticipate when 70 years are completed from when the Jews established their nation in 1948? Only time will answer that question - but words of warning arise in our hearts, we must not be obsessed by dates (while taking note of them) but we must make sure we are really drawing near to Jesus and the Father, so much so that "Christ is formed in" us. See Galatians 4:19 - and he will recognise and accept us when he comes - and if we will "learn the lesson ....from the fig tree" we cannot help but be in increasing anticipation that our faith will soon be turned to sight! But until then "we walk by faith, not by sight." [2 Corinthians 5:7] but we surely will walk with a firmer and surer step! And we will need to, for Jesus also said, “For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation” [Mark 13:19] – and while this had an initial application to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 – Mark 13:24-26 show they are followed by the sight of “the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.”-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 19 August 2016 1 Kings 14Jeremiah 40Mark 14 "WATCH AND PRAY" Today in Mark 14 we his moving account of the events in the Garden of Gethsemane. That evening the disciples had been together in what is known as the “upper room.” This was when what we call “the last supper” took place. As the bread and the cup were passed around [Mark 14:22-25] the disciples would not have accepted in their minds what it was all about! Let us use our imagination as to the kind of emotions they would experience in the weeks that followed his ascension, especially when joined with thousands who had been “cut to the heart” on the Day of Pentecost. If we can really open up our mind’s eye on the heart felt emotion so many would feel, and would find overwhelming on this and subsequent occasions - we will find this creates most heart stirring personal meditations in us. After that last supper and “they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives” [Mark 14:26]. It is quite a climb and Jesus initiates a conversation that the time is coming when they will even deny that they know him! This leads Peter to declare, “If I must die with you I will not deny you.” [Mark 14:31] It is now late evening and they come down from the Mount and “went to a place called Gethsemane” where Jesus “began to be greatly distressed and troubled.” He tells them to “remain here and watch” [Mark 14:34] What are they to watch for? It is instructive that Matthew’s gospel records that Jesus twice asked them to , “watch with me” [Matthew 26:38,40] They have no thought that a band of soldiers will come! After emotionally praying to his father he returns and finds them sleeping and “he says to Peter, ‘Simon are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?” [Mark 14:37] Their minds were closed to any thought of his imminent arrest – and if they had been aware – would there have been any value in their watching for the event that are about to happen? The next comment of Jesus is significant, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” [Mark 14:38] Jesus means – watch yourselves! Check out your strength – of faith: what a lesson this is for us: this could well be needful soon when the god of mammon collapses like Dagon of old.(see 1 Samuel 5:4) In seeking “to interpret the signs of the times” [Matthew16:3] a phrase Jesus only used when addressing the Pharisees, the emphasis must be on watching ourselves. Our prayers are the most essential part in this- and to be with and help each other to maintain our strength of mind so we do not fail - as the disciples did - but we are ready when “the angels (come to) gather his elect” as we read yesterday [Mark 13:27]. Let us be ready to “watch and pray” more fervently than ever – and have our minds overflowing with the ‘spirit’ of God’s word, for this, wrote Paul is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” [Ephesians 6:17] -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 20 August 2016 1 Kings 15Jeremiah 41Mark 15 "IT WAS OUT OF ENVY" One of the outstanding characteristics of human nature is the capacity to be jealous, to envy others; many advertising tactics exploit this. The gospels repeatedly show us that those in positions of authority were envious of the great popularity Jesus enjoyed. Our ‘democratic’ societies have elections every few years and we witness the clash of ego’s between those seeking the prestige of being in government. As we read Mark 15 we saw that it was easy for Pilate to “perceive that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered (Jesus) up.” [Mark 10] But Pilate was also a man of the world, so “wishing to satisfy the crowds … having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified” [Mark 15:15] We need to put the 4 Gospels together to get a full picture of the process of the mockery of a ‘trial’ that led up to Pilate’s decision; they all illustrate the envious mood of the advocates raising their voices against Jesus.. Human elections these days are full of efforts to satisfy the majority, but they never remain satisfied for long. With what cynicism did those who had been envious of Christ call out and “mocked him” as he hung on the cross, “saying, ‘He saved others, he cannot save himself. Let Christ the king of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” [Mark 15:31-32] How shocked they would have been if that had happened! But how utterly shocked, astonished, dumbfounded, the world will be when Christ does come down – from heaven. Remember what we read yesterday in Mark 14; he told the High Priest, “you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” [Mark 14:62] All envy will vanish at that time – to be replaced by utter awe for “the powers in the heavens will be shaken” [Mark 13:25] and “he will send out the angels to gather his elect” [Mark 13:27] And how do you qualify to be among the elect? All those whose character has been the very opposite of envy! Paul perfectly describes the qualities of the elect, “Love is patient and kind: love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant … rejoices with the truth … Love never ends.” [1 Corinthians 13:4-8] It will never end in God’s kingdom, but we must practice it now and make sure we get rid of all our tendencies to envy.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2016 21 August 2016 1 Kings 16Jeremiah 42Mark 16 “DID MORE TO PROVOKE THE LORD TO ANGER …” We like to read of good things and we are tempted to gloss over reading about bad things. For this reason Bible readers sometimes skip over parts of the Old Testament and fail to pick up the lessons they teach us. A couple of days ago we read of “the unbearable news” a prophet brought and now we read of the absolute chaos that followed. The kings of the northern kingdom were not descended from David; they also had no proper place where they could worship the LORD. In today’s chapter [1 Kings 16] the rulership descended into chaos and civil war with 7 different kings in quick succession. One of them, Zimri, only reigning for 7 days! The seventh was Ahab who “did more to provoke the LORD to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him” [1 Kings 16:33]. In the meantime the southern kingdom of Judah, after the folly of Solomon’s son Rehoboam and then the brief but bad 3 year reign of his son Abijam, had Asa, Solomon’s great grandson on the throne. He was a good king but one needs to read the parallel record in 2 Chronicles 14; 15) to get the full story. One particular thing we noticed was that, at the start of his reign, Asa “removed Maacah his mother from being Queen Mother because she had made an abominable image …” [1 Kings 15:13]. Who was Maacah? The text says [1 Kings 15:10] she was “the daughter of Abishalom” which the parallel Chronicles account [2 Chronicles 11:21] renders more correctly as Absalom. So this bad mother was the daughter of the vain and ambitious Absalom! The outworking of David’s sin and frequent lack of parental control was only now being completed. As we read on we pick up many clues as to the good and bad influence of the principle women – and isn’t that often the case!? Another thing that Asa did was to “put away the male cult prostitutes out of the land” [1 Kings 15:12] and “the heart of Asa was wholly true to the LORD all his days” [1 Kings 15:14]. When the LORD Jesus returns to reign for a 1,000 years, not just 41 years as Asa did, he will do far far more than Asa did. He will cleanse the whole world of its fleshly ways of living, and rid the world of those who delight in them! And those whose hearts have become “wholly true to the LORD” will also be there. The wicked kings of those days “did much to provoke the LORD to anger”, but how much greater must is his anger today! We will read next week in Jeremiah about God’s anger against the latter day Babylon, that is, this world now: “Go out of the midst of her, my people! Let everyone save his life from the fierce anger of the LORD!” [Jeremiah 51:45]-------DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 22 August 2016 1 Kings 17Jeremiah 431 Corinthians 1; 2 "IN EVERY WAY YOU WERE ENRICHED ..." Just about everyone today is seeking riches – so they can enjoy various pleasures and, hopefully, be without stress. We reflected on this as we started reading Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians today. This letter of Paul, even more than most of his letters, needs to be read carefully – to get the correct sense of its’ context. In what sense were the believers “enriched”? This had happened to them, “in every way” [1 Corinthians 1:5] His letter is addressed “to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours ..." [1 Corinthians 1:2] Let us make sure we are “enriched” and are among them. What does "sanctified" mean? We do not use this word today! It is linked to the word "saints" - the converts in Corinth were "called to be saints" - that is to become 'holy' - the opposite to the godless spirit that surrounded them! It is exactly the same today. At Corinth they were worshipping idols - today we have different kinds of idols! Paul told them that "in every way you were enriched" - in what ways? What kind of enriching? Paul says they “were enriched in Christ, "in all speech and all knowledge" [1 Corinthians 1:5] A complete contrast to the "knowledge" that fills the vacuum in human minds today. The result was, says Paul, "that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." [1 Corinthians 1:7-8] Let us make sure we are among them. Paul is not writing about a spiritual gift' that would enable them to do miraculous things. It is the gift of true wisdom and understanding. We read on into 1 Corinthians 2 where Paul says, "among the mature we do impart wisdom ... a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." [1 Corinthians 2:7-8] Those who crucified Christ were sure they knew all that was important! Today, is it any different? No, although what they "know" today is so different to what they thought they knew then! What Paul next writes calls for our deepest meditation, he states, "it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him" What riches of understanding does Paul mean! Those who truly “love him” – are also, “knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” [Colossians 2:2-3] It was the Spirit that caused the Scripture to be written! See 2 Timothy 3:16-17. We have this in our hands, the Corinthians didn't. Let us read and absorb them so that "in every way" we will be "enriched." – and as a result - be “guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." [1 Corinthians 1:8]-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 23 August 2016 1 Kings 18Jeremiah 441 Corinthians 3 "FOR WE ARE GOD'S FELLOW WORKERS" Our headline quotation is from what Paul told the Corinthians in his first letter to them. We read this today in 1 Corinthians 3:9. The world lacks an Apostle like Paul today to challenge it - as to what is true - what it is to believe – and, just as important, the way in which people should live and seek to meaningfully serve their Creator and His Son. In the Old Testament we read the account of the prophet Elijah coming on the scene to challenge the worshippers of Baal, those who denied there was a true God and, instead, worshipped a God of their own imagination (Today we can say this is ‘Evolution’!). Elijah has a dramatic confrontation with these prophets and says, "Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape."... "And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there." [1 Kings 18:40] Soon we believe a far greater than Elijah will appear, even Jesus Christ, who will return to an utterly godless world and just before he appears we will see, as Jesus predicted, "people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken." [Luke 21:26] We pray that the world at that time will not be utterly godless; that there may be a few, who, although not having the power of Elijah, they will, nevertheless, be flickering lights. Jesus said, "Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." [John 8:12] This is only achieved by genuinely following Jesus - as Paul experienced after being 'turned around'! Let us take in his words that we read today in 1 Corinthians 3. Paul told the believers there (and us) "For we are God's fellow workers." [1 Corinthians 3:9]. Each were to do their part in the work - teamwork was essential - but, says Paul, "Let each one take care how he builds ..." [1 Corinthians 3:10] for "each will receive his wages according to his labour." [1 Corinthians 3:8] As "fellow workers" we need to read and then absorb God's words of guidance and inspiration - every day. We "walk by faith, not by sight." [2 Corinthians 5:7] - walking by sight means we fail to see the need for God's guiding wisdom. As "God's fellow workers" - let us remember what we read yesterday in 1 Corinthians 2. Paul told them, "among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory." [1 Corinthians 2:6-7] All those who genuinely seek to be "God's fellow workers" read and absorb this "hidden wisdom" every day. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 24 August 2016 1 Kings 19Jeremiah 45; 461 Corinthians 4; 5 "THE SOUND OF A LOW WHISPER" We have a contrasting set of chapters to read today. Jeremiah receives a remarkable range of prophecies about the future, the highlight being that the LORD “will not make a full end” [Jeremiah 46:28] of Israel. Paul in our First Corinthians chapters reprimands the “sexual immorality” among the believers [1 Corinthians 5:1], a reprimand which, we pray, is not needed today. But it is our 1st Kings chapter [1 Kings 19] which particularly attracted our thoughts. It is wonderful the lessons and challenges which all parts of God’s word has for us, let us not be ‘afraid’ of any of them. We read yesterday in 1st Kings of Elijah’s confrontation with the pitiable king Ahab, who was dominated by his idol worshipping wife, Jezebel. Is there a parallel here? Not necessarily with our marriage partner, but with those we mix with, especially work with, whose ways of thinking, talking and doing may have a subtle influence on us? One would have thought that Elijah’s strength would be at its’ peak after the events on Mt. Carmel, but when Ahab’s wife Jezebel hears of what has happened to her 450 prophets (of Baal) she "sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.' Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life" [1 Kings 19:2-3] Elijah’s faith collapses and he asks “that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers." [1 Kings 19:4] Elijah's collapse of faith is a lesson, a warning for us. But God watches over him, and when, 40 days later, he "came to a cave and lodged in it ... the word of the LORD came to him ... "What are you doing here, Elijah?" [1 Kings 19:9] This brings to mind Paul's declaration at Athens about the one true God, that, 'In him we live and move and have our being' [Acts 17:28] Elijah, Paul, indeed all genuine believers must develop a sense of the wonder of this! What an awesome experience Elijah now has! "The LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks ... And after the wind an earthquake, " then "a fire .. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper" [1 Kings 19:11-12] "And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave." [1 Kings 19:13] It was no ordinary “whisper” and Elijah's spirit is transformed, he is also reassured, being told there are "seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal ..." [1 Kings 19:18] Today, modern communications reassure us that there are still many, in this godless, world - who are still faithful - and while they cannot hear "the sound of a low whisper" they have God's word they can pick up and absorb every day, even every hour if they desire. May we all be among them.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 25 August 2016 1 Kings 20Jeremiah 471 Corinthians 6 "GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BODY" What a challenging chapter 6 in 1st Corinthians we read today. Giving glory to God is more than just a matter of words – of singing praises to Him! We confirm the things we say and sing by our way of living: this is the point Paul makes – in very plain language – to the believers at Corinth where some were even daring to take some of their fellow believers "to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?" [1 Corinthians 6:1] Paul follows this up with an even more challenging statement, "... do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?" [1 Corinthians 6:2] Paul despairs and says, " I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers ..." [1 Corinthians 6:5] The plain fact is - we demonstrate to our Lord that we are worthy (or unworthy) of living in God's soon coming kingdom by how we live now – not just by correctly understanding and believing his word. Paul challenges them further, "... do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?" [1 Corinthians 6:9] He then details the kinds of unrighteousness he means; attitudes and actions we see increasingly around us today! "Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." [1 Corinthians 6:9-10] Paul then makes this wondrous point, "such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified ..." [1 Corinthians 6:11] To be 'sanctified' - means - 'saint-i-fied - accepted by God as - holy. Do we sense this as fully as we should - the way God perceives you and I - now! The word picture Paul is painting to inspire their minds builds up to a climax of awesome thoughts - and a final truly challenging question - pointing to a wondrous 'truth' – we find it in the last 2 verses; "... 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." We must see our situation from God's perspective - if we are to be in His Kingdom. He sees us, body, heart and mind, as being a "Temple" in which his Spirit can dwell and operate. We saw that point in 2 days ago in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. We are 'sanctified' people and a final thought 'jumps' into our minds - the words of Jesus - in his prayer just before his arrest! We find it in John 17:19-20, "for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word" Let us "glorify God" today and every day until Jesus comes – recognising ever more clearly we “are not (y)our own.”-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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