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TFTBR - February 2017


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01 February 2017

 

Exodus 5; 6

Psalms 58; 59

Romans 10; 11

 

“MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED” 

 

Yesterday we saw how our readings in Romans also referred to Israel in Egypt and God’s continuing purpose with them. Paul told the Romans, “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth’” [Romans 9:17]

 

It was not that the actual name of God, Yahweh, should be proclaimed, but that the reputation of Israel’s God in bringing them out of Egypt, with a remarkable display of power, would be widely known and feared. We will see repeated evidence of this in our readings in coming weeks and months. 

 

There are different reactions to this. The reaction hoped for, is that people will want to come and work and serve Israel’s God – as the only real God. We now look at what Paul goes on to write in Romans 10, expressing his dismay that the Israelites in his day “have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge” [Romans 10:2]. What does that mean? Is there evidence of this today – in a different way?

 

Recall what we read in Job at the end of December. God accused Job of darkening “counsel by words without knowledge” [Job 38:2]. Job confesses, “I have uttered what I did not understand, things to wonderful for me which I did not know… I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you” [Job 42:3-5]

 

So Paul tells the Jews, we read in Romans 10, that they “being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness” [Romans 10:3]

 

This is “the righteousness based on faith” [Romans 10:6]. This is “having the eyes of your hearts enlightened” [Ephesians 1:18] so we see the Jews, although having a zeal for God, did not possess a “knowledge” of God, a true sense of what God was. Think of that as a ‘knowing’ of God which results in developing a true relationship - with our prayers to him coming from our hearts with a sense of awe. 

 

Understanding it in this way we can then read Romans 10:8-13 with a humble mind, and God will be seen as “bestowing his riches on all who call upon him” [Romans 10:12] These are wonderful compared to man’s riches. What are God’s riches? Meditate on the final 4 verses of Romans 11, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!” This “depth” will soon be seen and “proclaimed” as the world becomes aware of God and the wondrous meaning of his “name.” [Romans 11:33-36]

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- DC

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02 February 2017

 

Exodus 7; 8

Psalms 60; 61

Romans 12

 

“VENGEANCE IS MINE I WILL REPAY”

 

Romans 12 is one of the most significant in God’s word. How significant for us is the advice given in Romans 12:12. “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” The world around us offers nothing in which we can genuinely rejoice. Must if not all of us can feel blessings in times of rejoicing between ourselves, The only real rejoicing is in the “hope” we hold and live for.

 

Our world is increasingly hopeless – it is a world that – because pf its godlessness deserves the vengeance of God . Paul advised the believers at Rome, advice that was surely for believers for all ages.” Repay no one evil for evil … so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all … never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." [Romans 12:17-19]

 

Later this month we will come to Psalm 94. It starts “O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth! Rise up, O judge of the earth.” Our creator is one “who disciplines the nations” [Psalm 94:10] He did in ancient days – we are reading in Exodus how he disciplined Egypt – and later we will read how he disciplined those who escaped from Egypt under Moses. History tells us how Israel was disciplined, indeed, in the end, destroyed in the 1st Century for rejecting his Son.

 

So what of our world today!? Has it not rejected God’s Son!? Paul’s advice to Romans is totally applicable to us – let us heed it. Paul told them (and us) “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind …” [Romans 12:2] and then proceeds to describe that transformation. Let us heed his advice, especially noting how the chapter ends, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

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- DC

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03 February 2017

 

Exodus 9

Psalms 62; 63

Romans 13; 14

 

"O GOD ... EARNESTLY I SEEK YOU"

 

David's intense personal relationship with God is an example and an inspiration for us. Psalm 62 starts, "For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation." And then Psalm 63, "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you." Let us all us all develop such spirituality of thought and meditation that we can echo David's words with all our heart. 

 

David declares that God "alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken." [Psalm 62:2] And how our world is going to be "greatly shaken" as God's judgements on its evil, its' total ungodliness, start to happen. Let us remember what we read in Psalm 16 recently. "I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure." [Psalm 16:8-9]

 

So let us be ready to say – again and again – with increasing intensity, "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you. And what greater blessings can we have, for we have the son of David." – and very soon now – we sense – our seeking will become wondrous sight – and with the fullest reality, the words of the crowds we read recently in Matthew's gospel, will be echoing again from the voices of a multitude of immortalised saints! "Hosanna to the Son of David … Hosanna in the highest." [Matthew 21:9]

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- DC
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04 February 2017

 

Exodus 10

Psalms 64; 65

Romans 15; 16

 

“BUT THE LORD HARDENED PHARAOH’S HEART”

 

We thought about this for some time. How do we understand the references in Exodus 10? We read, “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart.” [Exodus 10:1,10,27] Can God blame man for what God does – if that is the way to understand this? Notice how Moses conveys the message of the LORD (i.e. Yahweh/Jehovah) to Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews; how long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?” [Exodus 10:3]

 

Pharaoh refused to recognise the power of the one and only God. In the time of Joseph God’s power had been fully recognised as a result of the 7 years of famine and then of plenty. Then we read in Exodus 1:8 “Now there arose a new king over Egypt that did not know Joseph” and the situation changed. To restore the spirit of knowing and fearing the only real God was surely part of the purpose of God in sending the plagues. God saw that a Pharaoh would be “raised up” whose attitude and pride would cause this to happen.

 

We can see a more recent parallel to this. When printing was invented, the first book printed in nearly every language was the Bible! There was a celebration of 400 years since the King James Version of the Bible was first printed, but not many took any notice. Four Centuries ago there was a wonderful change in the attitudes of many people; the world became more spiritual; laws were influenced by the principles set out in the laws that were read in the Bible. The R.C. Church tried to resist this but the reformation movement, fed by the reading of the Bible, spread throughout the world. People at last read for themselves what God had really done and said.

 

The effect of this reformation movement came to an end during the 20th Century; now a generation or two have come into being who largely do not know the Bible. Sadly a few read the Bible to get power and influence for themselves and distort what it says in trying to find in it things they want to believe; hearts have been hardened!

 

The stage is set therefore, for God to bring another series of plagues on the earth, to show his power to Godless man, so that once again people will be aware of the true God, but it will require one last dramatic act of God to really cause them to wake up – and that surely will be the return of Christ to rule the earth.

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- DC

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05 February 2017

 

Exodus 11; 12

Psalms 66; 67

Mark 1

 

“AS WAX MELT MELTS BEFORE THE FIRE”

 

Tomorrow's Psalm [Psalm 68] is a declaration of God in action for those who serve him, “God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered and those who hate him shall flee before him! As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away, as wax melts before the fire, so shall the wicked perish before God” [Psalm 68:1-2]

 

That is a very graphic illustration! Visualize a fire causing wax to melt! We know what happens to plastic when it is too close to heat! We call to mind the prediction of Paul that Christ with his mighty angels would come “in flaming fire inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel …” [2 Thessalonians 1:8]

 

In our Exodus reading (tomorrow) there is the dramatic account of the Egyptian armies being utterly destroyed as they tried to go through the parted waters of the Red Sea after the Israelites [Exodus 14:27-31]. Maybe David had this in mind as he penned the words of this Psalm; but of course he also played the major role in the defeat of the Philistines after he killed Goliath – and later triumphs.

 

Who are God’s enemies? They are those who persecute his people, that is, those who are serving him. Yet God does it in his way, in his time. This was illustrated in our Exodus reading, the people, having escaped from Egypt thought they were trapped and the Egyptians would destroy them.

 

However look at Moses, who, after being so timid when God first told him that he was chosen to lead the people out of Egypt [Exodus 4:10-13], now has total confidence in God and in what he will do. The same is the experience of many believers and it will be our experience today if we are really aiming to let God guide our lives – and surely, given the situations the world is facing and our knowledge of what the Bible says of the end our age – we need total faith in God’s guiding care over our path, the path that lies ahead of us.

 

Look at tomorrow's Psalm again, “Blessed be the Lord who daily bears us up: God is our salvation.” [Psalm 68:19]

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- DC 

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06 February 2017

 

Exodus 13; 14

Psalms 68

Mark 2

 

“AND THEY FEARED GREATLY”

 

Exodus 13; 14 describe for us the dramatic deliverance of Israel from Egypt. Yet, as all the drama is unfolding so that “the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD” [Exodus 14:4], the escaping people of God led by Moses were unable to see the hand of God in action, they were not escaping in faith! There is a lesson for us here! “The Egyptians pursued them … and overtook them encamped at the sea…” [Exodus 14:9] “the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly.” [Exodus 14:10]

 

The people were in despair and said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness?” [Exodus 14:11]

 

It will be a challenge of faith to us – not to be in despair when God’s prophecy through Haggai is fulfilled! “….thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land.” [Haggai 2:6] This is a total shaking!

 

Our thoughts go forward to Revelation and the prophecy of “flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth” [Revelation 16:18] Just as the people of God “feared greatly” as they were delivered from Egypt, so will God’s people very soon have experiences as God acts, as Christ is returning, to show his hatred of the widespread godlessness that now exists.

 

Let us build up our faith to the uttermost, for our world has become a ‘latter day’ Babylon and God’s words through Isaiah must, we fear, have some application to today’s world! “The sound of an uproar of kingdoms … Wail, for the day of the LORD is near … the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger … I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant …” [isaiah 13:4,6,9,11]

 

Egypt was punished for its arrogance; it had forgotten all the wonders in the days of Joseph, just as our world has forgotten all the wonders (and words) in the days of Jesus! It is certain to be said of the godless, after Jesus returns, “and they fear greatly” – but what of the godly who are looking for his return and the deliverance it will bring?

 

The answer to this question is in 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear … whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” Our daily meditative reading of God’s word is an essential foundation for perfecting our love for our Lord and in being ready for his return.

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- DC

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07 February 2017

 

Exodus 15

Psalms 69

Mark 3

 

"MAGNIFY HIM WITH THANKSGIVING"

 

Is there an attitude of thankfulness for all the blessings we have today? In most countries there is ample food and clothing, especially in Australia where there is an abundance of everything we could possibly require – and many things we do not need! It is such a contrast to the time when we were young – when we lived - during the awesomely destructive 1939-45 war - and experienced the difficulties for years afterwards. But now there is more than plenty of everything – but how many are thankful?

 

We have to say that a thankful spirit is rarely seen, instead the spirit is to seek more and more, especially money – and look for someone to blame (usually the Government) when it is lacking.

 

This is a train of thought that occurred to us as we read David’s Psalm 69, written at a difficult time of his life, despairing of “those who hate me without a cause” [Psalm 69:4]. He saw many who lacked any love for God and he says to God, “the reproaches of those who reproached you have fallen on me” [Psalm 69:9]

 

Parts of the Psalm are a prophecy of the experiences of his ‘greater son’ Jesus, “I looked for pity, but there was none … for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink” [Psalm 69:20-21]. This pointed forward when David’s greater son was on the cross – see John 19:29

 

Of those who showed no pity, David wrote, “Let them be blotted out of the book of the living” [Psalm 69:28] and sadly that will also be the lot of all those who do not have the spirit of thanksgiving, but instead take everything, as their “right” to possess.

 

The Psalm starts to reach its climax as David writes, “let your salvation, O God set me on high! I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.” [Psalm 69:29-30]. We saw a direct parallel to this in our Exodus reading [Exodus 15] when “Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD” [Exodus 15:1]. It was a song of thanksgiving, “I will sing to the LORD … he has become my salvation … I will praise him … I will exalt him.” [Exodus 15:2] And surely we will do this, if by His grace we are there, in his kingdom.

 

Those under Moses in the wilderness, initially had a spirit of “thanksgiving” but. sadly, as we read on in Exodus, we will see how the great majority failed to maintain their thankfulness and confidence in God. In Exodus 15:26 we read today that the LORD said to them, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God and do that which is right in his eyes …”  But they did not continue to listen and do so.

 

Today, we can say, if we will continue to diligently read the word God has caused to be preserved – and “magnify him with thanksgiving” in our hearts genuinely believing and living in ways that show we really believe – then – yes then, we will reach that wondrous promised land – a renewed and glorified earth.

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- DC

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08 February 2017

 

Exodus 16

Psalms 70; 71

Mark 4 

 

"WHO THEN IS THIS?" 

 

We all have probably had the experience of suddenly seeing another side of friend’s character that we did not know existed. We then wonder who they really are! Hopefully these are good things we see, but sadly, that is not always the case.

 

Now consider the experience of the disciples of Jesus, our heading is the question they asked themselves at a time when they had been “filled with great fear” and as a result had said, “Who then is this, that even wind and see obey him?” [Mark 4:41]

 

We have already read in Mark of Jesus doing many marvelous healings; a paralysed man, a leper, a man with a withered hand, &c, so that “his fame spread everywhere” [Mark 1:28]: yet when he stills the storm and “the wind ceased and there was a great calm” [Mark 4:39] they then asked each other “Who then is this?”

 

Most of them were fishermen, this miracle occurred in an environment with which they were very familiar. Surely they had learnt when there was a risk of this nature and would not venture out. Matthew, Mark and Luke all record this dramatic event, it was etched in their memory. 

 

It is described as “a great windstorm” and the “waves were breaking into the boat.” As Jesus dramatically stills the storm, he asks, “Have you still no faith?” [Mark 4:40] 

 

Compare this with what we read today in Exodus 16, there is a challenging parallel! The nation of Israel had witnessed miracles, the plagues, walking through the sea on dry land and the destruction of the Egyptians armies at the hands of their all-powerful God ­ the one whose name/reputation was being established by these events. 

 

As they “grumbled against Moses” because of the lack of food [Exodus 16:2] Moses could have said, “Have you still no faith?”

 

We have commented several times that in this 21st Century we are travelling in a sinful Godless wilderness. Storms of God’s judgements are starting to break out more and more in this world, they are going to get worse. We all need to really get to know our Lord and Master and develop such a measure of faith that makes us certain Jesus is in control whatever may come on this earth: and when he returns - .and how soon now? - it will not enter our minds to say, “Who then is this?”as our faith becomes utterly wondrous sight. 

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- DC

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09 February 2017

 

Exodus 17; 18

Psalms 72

Mark 5 

 

“THE PRAYERS OF DAVID” 

 

The Psalms are divided into 5 books, and today we complete the second, today’s Psalm [Psalm 72] ending with the words, “the prayers of David, the son of Jesse are ended.” There are more Psalms attributed to David later on. The Psalms (the Hymn Book of Israel) are not compiled in the order they were written and at the head of today’s Psalm it says “of (or for) Solomon”

 

We believe David wrote this near the end of his life, probably his last Psalm, as Solomon was ascending the throne. But David, under inspiration, is really writing of his greater son’s reign, that of Jesus. This Psalm is an incredible picture of the Kingdom of God on earth when Jesus reigns. As we read it we cannot help but contrast it with the kingdoms of men as they are now!

 

Whenever we listen to the news, it is largely an account of trouble and strife: in contrast, David’s prayer for his son is – “May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice … may he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy… in his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound … may he have dominion from sea to sea … to the ends of the earth … may all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him. May his name endure forever … all nations call him blessed … may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen” [Psalm 72:2,4,7,8,17,19]

 

May David’s prayer be our prayer today – and when we say “AMEN” let us say it with fervent conviction and desire. 

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- DC

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10 February 2017

 

Exodus 19; 20

Psalms 73

Mark 6  

 

“ALL THAT THE LORD HAS SPOKEN WE WILL DO” 

 

This was the great promise the people made to Moses when they “encamped before the mountain (of the LORD)” [Exodus 19:2]. It was 2 months since they had left Egypt. God instructs Moses to tell the people: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians … Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” [Exodus 19:4-6]. What an awesome promise!

 

What God, through his power, had done to the Egyptians, which they had witnessed, beginning with the plagues, should have filled them with an overwhelming awe as to the nature and power of the one and only God – their God. They readily said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do” [Exodus 19:8]. 

 

The presence of the Lord is in this mountain, “there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast so that all the people in the camp trembled” [Exodus 19:16] The mountain “was wrapped in smoke because the LORD descended on it in fire” [Exodus 19:18] What an utterly awesome experience! “The people were afraid and trembled … Moses said … do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear (awe) of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” [Exodus 20:20]

 

In a sense the people had been baptised before they came to the mountain. Paul makes this point. “I want you to know, brothers that our fathers … were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” [1 Corinthians 10:1-2] 

 

The writer to the Hebrews takes up this example of this awesome encounter with God and invites baptised believers in Christ to contemplate the contrast. “for you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them … But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels … to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant.” [Hebrews 12:18,22,24] 

 

How clear is our spiritual vision? Is it clearer than it was to those with Moses? We all have God’s word, the Bible in our hands, they didn't. Are we in awe of the God we serve, or plan to serve, appreciating his wondrous grace and mercy? We can read of “all that the LORD has spoken.” Our lives must show how much we realize this and whether we have said, or intend to say, “… we will do.” If we have said it – let us make sure we keep our word?

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- DC

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11 February 2017

 

Exodus 21

Psalms 74

Mark 7 

 

"THE HABITATIONS OF VIOLENCE"

 

Every time we listen to the world news we hear accounts of violence in various places. Our Psalm today [Psalm 74] has some comparison to this as it was most likely written after the destruction of the Temple for the Psalmist (Asaph) is lamenting, “the enemy has set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground.” [Psalm 74:7] He then laments about the situation saying, “there is no longer any prophet and there is none among us who knows how long” [Psalm 74:9]

 

How long? Well, the situation is that “a foolish people reviles your name … for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence” [Psalm 74:18,20] How parallel this situation is with the world today; we could write a Psalm today that would be similar – except for the fact that although there is no longer any prophet we all have access, if we are inclined, to the word of God. This opens out for us visions of how God sees life and the ultimate end in that awaits the world!

 

So we can ask “how long” must this “violence” all around the world continue!? But we ask this question from a special perspective! Now that significant violence is in countries immediately north of God’s land and it seems certain the chosen people he has brought back to live there will be involved in the violence!

 

The Psalm contains lessons for us – for the writer turns his thoughts to God! “Yet God is my King from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.” [Psalm 74:12]. Let us echo this prayer! We remember how God worked deliverance in the days of Moses and David – and soon for us! Let us have a sure faith in this!

 

The last two verses are a prayer to God and they can – and should be - ours today, “Arise, O God, defend your cause; remember (be mindful) how the foolish scoff at you all the day! Do not forget the clamour of your foes, the uproar of those who rise up against you, which goes up continually!” Many foes say he does not exist!

 

Finally we are attracted to add the words with which David concluded Psalm 9, “Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you! Put them in fear, O LORD! Let the nations know they are but men!” May “the habitations of violence” reach a dramatic climax, as prophesied – and then be no more! [Psalm 9:19]

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- DC

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12 February 2017

 

Exodus 22

Psalms 75; 76

Mark 8  

 

"WILL BE ASHAMED WHEN HE COMES" 

 

"For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes …" [Mark 8:38] Why would we be ashamed of Jesus? Notice, he specifically refers to his words!  

 

What has Jesus said that we would be ashamed of talking to our neighbours about? Isn't it our responsibility to try and share our faith with others? 

 

Next week in Mark we will read in Mark 12 that the second commandment is "You shall love your neighbour as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these" [Mark 12:31] Yet today, when you have a neighbour who is totally godless, it is difficult! Why? Do we feel ashamed of what we believe? If so, why? 

 

When Jesus rebuked Peter because he refused to believe that Jesus was going to be killed, he said to him, "you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man" [Mark 8:33] Let us try harder to set our minds on the things of God. In doing so, we will recall that even in the Law God gave the Israelites through Moses, the Old Testament, [Leviticus 19:18] there is the command "you shall love your neighbour as yourself" - this has been a command for all ages. What a different world this would be if that command was carried out! And who can doubt but that it will be expected of those who live in God's Kingdom.

 

Should we be training for God's Kingdom now? What better way to show your love for your neighbour than by encouraging them to believe in the words of Jesus! We must try to speak to them in the spirit of love, a desire to share something precious, our pearl of great price! This will be reflected in the words that we choose, remembering also that we see each other as much by what we do – as by what we say. We must seek wisdom from above in doing this. 

 

Recall the words of James; he wrote, "the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere." [James 3:17] Finally - remember the reply of Jesus when someone asked him, "and who is my neighbour?" Read Luke 10:29.

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- DC

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13 February 2017

 

Exodus 23

Psalms 77

Mark 9  

 

"YOU SHALL NOT JOIN HANDS WITH …"

 

Shaking and joining hands is a physical sign of friendship, but Moses uses the term in an opposite context in today’s Exodus 23. We read his warnings about joining hands for bad reasons. He makes some down-to-earth statements of things that God sees as wrong. Many of these are part of life today as men and women act in devious ways to cheat and deceive one another or the Government.

 

”Now these are the rules you shall set before them,” God said to Moses [Exodus 21:1], “You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice” [Exodus 23:1-2]. When Jesus said that we should love our enemies [Matthew 5:44], he had in mind things which Moses had said - as we also read today, “If you meet your enemies ox or his donkey going astray you shall bring it back to him” [Exodus 23:4]

 

Today’s chapter in Mark finishes in a challenging way, “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its saltiness how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves …” [Mark 9:50] What did he mean?

 

On another occasion he told his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth” [Matthew 5:13]. The point is this; those who follow Jesus are to be the “salt” that influences and gives flavour to all it comes in contact with. But what if the salt has lost its saltiness? What if those that should provide the influence of “salt” have ceased to have any influence or have even joined hands with those who ignore God, or at least, turn a blind eye to their ungodly ways of living? Jesus said that such useless salt “is thrown away” [Luke 14:35].

 

There is a really blunt message in Mark 9:42 and onwards; but it is said in more complex language. The “hell” and “unquenchable fire” [Mark 9:44] are part of a mini-parable to convey the utter destruction of those found to be worthless. Here Gehenna is the Greek word for “hell”. It is the rubbish dump outside one part of the wall of Jerusalem where fires continually burn to consume the rubbish thrown over the wall.

 

The lesson of Jesus is that his hearers must get rid of all hindrances in their walk to the kingdom – with special words of condemnation to those who cause others, the “little ones”, to fail. [Mark 9:42] and who “join hands with” those who do not meaningfully have God and Jesus in their lives. Meditate on Colossians 4:5-6; what is your “speech” like?

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- DC

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14 February 2017

 

Exodus 24; 25

Psalms 78

Mark 10

 

“THEY FLATTERED … THEY LIED”

 

Scanning our eyes through today’s reading of Psalm 78, our attention was arrested by the many references to God’s people Israel that – they did this, and they did that. We counted 27 times the word “they” occurred! The word “they” was used in reference to things they did – or did not do. We meditated on this. God’s eyes are on Israel because they are his chosen people! So what did his angels see as they looked into their hearts?  

 

There were times, we read, when “they sought him; they repented and sought God earnestly. They remembered that God was their rock, the most High God, their redeemer” [Psalm 78:34-35] That is all to their credit and the same can be said of followers of Christ in all ages, when they started to follow him. 

 

Are the next 2 verses equally true of Jews and Christians? We read – “But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. Their heart was not faithful toward him; they were not faithful …” [Psalm 78:36-37]. What would you expect God’s reaction to be to this behaviour?  

 

We read on … “Yet he, being compassionate … did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often …” [Psalm 78:38] This is evidence of the God of love that many “Christian” leaders talk about, portraying him as ever merciful, that believers are once saved, are always saved! This became a “slogan”, you don’t have to worry about sin when you follow Jesus! But isn’t it human nature, the more you get away with something, the more you do it! It seems as if that is how human nature worked with the Jews, they even killed their Messiah!

 

Let us go back to the Psalm and note the situation that ultimately developed! The time came, the Psalmist has to reluctantly see the time, when God “was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel” [Psalm 78:59]. Here is a very sober warning for Christian believers today. Could worship become just “flattery” from a heart that is not genuinely “steadfast”? Has it become that way for some? For many? 

 

We read in Hebrews 3:13, “Exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today’, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ if …” [Hebrews 3:13-14] Turn this up and read Paul’s exhortation to his fellow Hebrews as his nation was nearing its’ climax. And what a tragic climax.

 

It seems clear that the world of “today” – in which God’s word has been so easily available - is nearing its’ climax! Let us meditate right now – from our hearts - on the question Jesus asked! “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" [Luke 18:8]. The answer may depend on how real is your faith – and my faith! Faith is “proved” by actions, our priorities day after day, not just by our words.

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- DC

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15 February 2017

 

Exodus 26

Psalms 79; 80

Mark 11 

 

"GOD SPOKE ALL THESE WORDS"

 

What is at first most surprising as we read the book of Exodus, is the detail Moses is given of the way to construct the tabernacle. We note that, starting with Exodus 20:1 "God spoke all these words" to Moses. Today in Exodus 26 we have God's detailed instructions; he said to Moses, "moreover you shall make the Tabernacle with …" [Exodus 26:1] and there follows detailed instructions off the texture, length and colour of the 10 curtains that are to enclose its' contents. There are also 50 loops and clasps to secure the curtains, and the "50 clasps are of gold" [Exodus 26:6].

 

In addition Moses is to make "curtains of goats hair" [Exodus 26:7] for a top covering, 30 of these are needed, they are to be longer, 30 cubits (about 45 ft. each, nearly 14 metres). Next are details of the sizes of the acacia wood frames [Exodus 26:15-29] and the need for bronze bases [Exodus 26:37]. The verse that particularly stood out was Exodus 26:30, "you shall erect the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you were shown on the mountain." 

 

Why all this meticulous attention to detail? It led us to ponder the words in the first chapter of the final book of the Bible, written when the Tabernacle and then the Temple were things of the past! The Apostle John says he "turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden Lampstands, and in the midst of the Lampstands one like the son of man …" [Revelation 1:12-13]  

 

John is told "the seven Lampstands are the seven churches." [Revelation 1:20]. The 7 churches, the assemblies of believers, are named and described in Revelation 2; 3. We see them as being representative of all the different types of assemblies of "saints" that have existed throughout the earth since that time. Each is told "I know thy works" because the Son of man was in the midst of them. 

 

We recall Paul's words to the Ephesian believers telling them they were "members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord." [Ephesians 2:19-21].

 

Just as God oversaw the construction of a physical tabernacle in the wilderness, we see there is now a spiritual temple! Do we sense the wonder of this? Do we sense its' growth – last year – this year!? ? Just as in Revelation John saw Jesus in the midst of the assemblies of believers – and he knew their works, so also Paul concludes his revelation of the true, but physically unseen state of things by writing, "In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." [Ephesians 2:22] 

 

Are we conscious of "being built" - and of the builder? Are we co-operating with him? Moses is our example. Tragically the majority of the people with Moses in the wilderness lost their vision of the spiritual reality behind the physical. Is not the same tragedy happening in today's wilderness? As we read God's word each day – is it coming "alive in our minds"? Do we believe "God spoke all these words" and caused them to be recorded – for us? Do our thoughts and actions show we believe this?

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- DC

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16 February 2017

 

Exodus 27

Psalms 81; 82

Mark 12 

 

"AS IT HAS BEEN SHOWN …"

 

In Exodus we are reading all the details of the construction of the tabernacle. This was to be the centre of worship for the Israelites for hundreds of years to come. All the detail of its' construction and its' measurements are given; this may seem rather boring to read – the precise material to be used, highlighting in particular where gold or silver was to be used. We may think, "why was all this detail given, including every small aspect of construction? 

 

Today we read all the detail of the construction of the altar, the network of bronze, rings and poles, pots for the ashes, shovels, basins, forks and firepans ending with the comment to Moses [Exodus 27:8] "as it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made." So God was concerned with every little detail. Why? 

 

Then we suddenly thought that this is the marvel of everything that God has created. In our lifetime there has been an enormous expansion of knowledge of every aspect of everything that exists. Charles Darwin considered the simple single cell to be the basic building block of life – but it is now known that life down to the smallest particle that is not visible to the unaided human eye - is incredibly complex. 

 

God is the great creator, so it was natural that he should give Moses fully detailed instructions about the tabernacle where the Levites would minister before him and the people would come into his presence for worship.

 

The chapter finishes with another command of God! To bring, "pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may burn regularly … it shall be a statute forever to be observed …" [Exodus 27:20-21] Today some might note that the oil of olives is used, because it is a renewal energy source!  Good, they would say, but in God's method of operation nothing ever goes to waste – except those who have no time for their Maker – will be discarded as waste! 

 

With the example of God's precision of detail for the altar and tabernacle, we should reflect on the precision of detail when the new creation under Christ came into being. On Sunday in Mark we will read the words of Christ, "whoever believes and is baptised will be saved" [Mark 16:16]. But some do not think they need to understand and believe all that Jesus and his disciples taught (and what they wrote) and grasp the wonder of it all and what is to come! They (and ourselves) will soon find out that it matters – what has been shown to us in God's word!

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- DC

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17 February 2017

 

Exodus 28

Psalms 83; 84

Mark 13

 

"KEEP … STAY AWAKE"

 

How challenging is today's chapter in Mark's gospel [Mark 13]. In part, the words of Jesus, applied to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, this was 35-40 years after the preaching/teaching years of Jesus. But then Jesus moves his "vision" further forward to reveal the divine "picture" of the final time of judgement on godless human beings; "days" when "there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be." [Mark 13:19]

 

Those days are to be "shortened" and "cut short" [Mark 13:20] or "no human being would be saved." This final time of judgement is followed by the darkening of the sun and the moon [Mark 13:24] "and the stars will be falling from heaven" [Mark 13:25] "And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory." [Mark 13:27] and the verse ends! "And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from … the ends of the earth…" 

 

But look at Mark 13:32-33 these verses are even more arresting and challenging to our thoughts and meditation! "But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake." Awake to what? Today, virtually all are "asleep" to the reality that there is a God, an almighty, all-seeing Creator!

 

His Son taught that there is no middle path; he taught that "the way is easy that leads to destruction …" [Matthew 7:13] and then that "the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." [Matthew 7:14] Those who "stay awake" are the only ones' who find it. 

 

The whole world is on the "easy" way today. How much does this influence us? Believers do not know the "day" or the "hour" – but some see 2017 as a significant year. We have just quoted how Jesus said that "concerning that day or that hour, no one knows" – but what about the year!? 2017 is 70 years since Israel became a nation again. Is that significant? Think of how often "70" occurs in a significant context in Scripture!  When Jesus said, as we read today, "Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come." [Mark 13:33] – let us make sure we are doing just that.

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- DC

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18 February 2017

 

Exodus 29

Psalms 85; 86

Mark 14  

 

"TEACH ME THY WAY O LORD"

 

In the Old Testament in Exodus [Exodus 29] we are reading about the institution of the first covenant with Moses ordaining Aaron as High Priest and all the sacrifices of animals that were involved.

 

We compare this with what we read today in Mark's gospel about the institution of the "new covenant" [Mark  14:24] that replaced all the sacrifices that were ordained through Moses. With the offering of God's Son for him to become the High Priest forever – this brought to an end the Law. If we look at Hebrews 8 we will see its' instructive references to the "new covenant" [Hebrews 8:13].

 

The first covenant and its associated laws were laws for a nation, the Israelites, for their national worship. The "new covenant" is a law for each person individually. The principles established by the law through Moses were completed in the sacrifice of Christ.

 

Today's reading in Mark shows us how Jesus created heart searching among his followers by saying, "one of you will betray me" [Mark 14:18] - this caused each one to ask, "Is it I?" [Mark 14:19] 

 

Under the ritual of the original law there was not enough searching of the heart and today the same mistake is made when ritual and ceremony is created that distorts the simple act of the "new covenant" we read of today and in other parts of the New Testament.

 

It is rather remarkable that today's reading in the Psalms [Psalm 86] has such an appropriate prayer by the Psalmist. Let us deeply meditate on his appeal to God. "Teach me thy way O LORD that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you O Lord my God with my whole heart." [Psalm 86:11-12]. This is exactly what Jesus wanted his disciples to do.  

 

It is exactly what he expects from all those who seek a real living individual relationship with him. 

 

Let us remember what Jesus told the woman of Samaria? "The hour is coming and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him." [John 4:23] We must be teachable! The world that surrounds us has no sense of this at all.

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- DC

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19 February 2017

 

Exodus 30

Psalms 87; 88

Mark 15; 16 

 

"THAT WE MAY SEE AND BELIEVE"

 

What causes belief – real conviction of belief? Well, it depends what you want to believe; what you see you need to believe! If someone cries "Fire" – you lose no time in acting to verify if the cry is genuine – and seeing what you can possibly do in helping to put it out – or escape from it!. 

 

Our thoughts were triggered along these lines as we read today in Mark 15 that "the chief priests and 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 15:31-32]

 

These men had witnessed – or had had first-hand testimony of his remarkable miracles! When he raised Lazarus they had "made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were …. believing in Jesus." [John 12:10-11] Their minds were locked into a certain way of thinking – like a race horse "they had 'blinkers' on their eyes." And isn't it the same today; especially as more and more marvellous miracles of nature are discovered – they still say – all that exists is is a result of pure chance – given enough "endless" time!

 

Mark 15:39 tells us that "the centurion who stood facing him" witnessing the incredible events at his death, and "saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, 'Truly this man was the Son of God.'" Recall how several Roman Centurions had contact with Jesus and his miracles with significant impact on them (e.g. Matthew 8:5-13) Now Roman history shows that there were so many Christians in Rome by AD64 that Nero put hundreds to death (see Tacitus) – astonishing – but could not have returning Centurions and soldiers have been a vital factor in this happening?

 

The disciples, apart from John [John 19:26-27], had disappeared after the arrest of Jesus, their unstable faith shattered. An interesting fact is that, at the crucifixion "there were also other women looking on from a distance (and names three) … and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem." [Mark 15:40-41] 

 

In Mark 16 we read of 3 who came to the tomb "every early on the first day of the week" [Mark 16:2] to anoint his body: those who sought to do something for Jesus were the first to believe. What about us? Do we really believe? 

 

Jesus told his disciples just before he ascended, to "proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved." [Mark 16:15-16] "Whoever believes?" What is the quality – the absolute conviction – that is the foundation of genuine belief? Each individual must discover that for themselves: their lives thereafter will be different – and when they sing, "Take my life and let it be, ever only all for thee" - they will mean it.

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- DC

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20 February 2017

 

Exodus 31; 32

Psalms 89

1 Corinthians 1; 2

 

“THAT YOU BE UNITED IN THE SAME MIND”

 

We have an overflow of challenging thoughts in our readings today. Paul’s words that particularly arrested our attention was his “appeal to you brothers by the name of our Lord that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment” [1 Corinthians 1:10-11]. 

 

This essential factor needs to exist among those who follow Christ. However the believers in Corinth were in disarray because they were following leaders. Paul is stressing that the only way believers can be united is to follow Christ; that they must aim to develop the “mind of Christ” [1 Corinthians 2:16], as Paul had done.

 

“God is faithful,” writes Paul, “by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” [1 Corinthians 1:9] God is faithful to believers - and expects faithfulness in response. The failure to do this is the tragedy we read of today in Exodus 32; they were put to the test when Moses delayed – and they failed the test. This was a very great tragedy after they had been given so much evidence of the Divine presence. There are many examples of how, after evidence of divine presence and power has been given that God puts people to the test to see if they are faithful.

 

Paul writes about the challenge of “the cross.” [1 Corinthians 1:18] The message of “the cross is folly to those who are perishing.” What they could not understand they tried to ignore, yet they were attracted by the dynamics of the Christian movement and the fact that they were “not lacking in any spiritual gift” [1 Corinthians 1:7]. So many in Corinth wanted the experiences the church offered but were unwilling to put their minds to understand that Paul “preached Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to the Gentiles” [1 Corinthians 1:23]

 

God had an objective in all this testing; Paul puts it this way, “God chose what is low and despised in the world … so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” [1 Corinthians 1:28-29] Where there is boasting and human ego, believers will never be united. So often, those seeking leadership, or looking for leaders to follow, are elevating men: this attitude destroys unity, a unity that should be based, not on human wisdom, but on the wisdom that is from above. 

 

What does the word wisdom mean to us? There is no mystery about it. The Greek word for wisdom, Sophia, means more or less the same as in English. Human wisdom has invented the theory of evolution! Earlier the lack of good wisdom caused would-be ‘believers’ to look for what they wanted to believe, as a result we have so many churches and divisions among believers. Let is make sure that in 2017 we read God’s word diligently, absorbing the spirit of it as well as the ‘letter’ so “that” we are “united in the same mind.”

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- DC

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21 February 2017

 

Exodus 33; 34

Psalms 90; 91

1 Corinthians 3 

 

"I ... COULD NOT ADDRESS YOU AS SPIRITUAL PEOPLE" 

 

Our 5 chapters today were intensely thought provoking. First, the utterly remarkable and challenging relationship of Moses (and the people through Moses) with the LORD (yhwh) who had delivered them from Egypt .

 

Second, the Psalms of Moses, Psalms 90; 91; “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” [Psalm 90:12]: then noting the opening words of Psalm 91, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High … will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust’.” Moses is the ultimate Old Testament example of one who achieved an intimate relationship with God.

 

And now in Paul’s heart searching first letter to the Corinthians we read Paul’s distress at their minimal progress toward real spirituality – so parallel to Moses’ experience with the God’s nation in the wilderness. In 1 Corinthians 2 we read, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he (or she) is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” [1 Corinthians 2:14] and then 1 Corinthians 3 starts, “But I, brothers (and sisters - footnote) could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.” [1 Corinthians 3:1]

 

Paul deplores their lack of unity, their failure to see the need to team together under the guiding hand of Christ as he had been doing himself. “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants not he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” [1 Corinthians 3:6-7] He goes on to state, “For we are God’s fellow workers” [1 Corinthians 3:9]. Visualise that! As such we team together to build God’s spiritual house which is only seen by the “eyes” of those who have spiritual vision.

 

God laid “the foundation … which is Jesus Christ.” [1 Corinthians 3:11] “Let each one take care how he (or she) builds upon it” [1 Corinthians 3:10] whether it be “gold silver … hay, straw” then “the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.” [1 Corinthians 3:13]: whether you have genuinely become “spiritual people.”

 

What does 1 Corinthians 3:15 mean? “If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he (or she) … will be saved, but only as through fire.” What is our work? It is the same as Paul at Corinth, to witness, to bring people to Christ beginning with our children. The time appears to be very short; let us become more spiritual, more zealous to build – how close is God’s building to being completed!? How soon now to when he comes to inspect our building?

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- DC

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22 February 2017

 

Exodus 35

Psalms 92; 93

1 Corinthians 4; 5  

 

"FOR YOU O LORD HAVE MADE ME GLAD …" 

 

Today's Psalm [Psalm 92] tells us "It is good … to declare your steadfast love in the morning" [Psalm 92:1-2] It is important to begin each day with taking at least a little time to focus our thoughts upon God, to declare to him in prayer our "steadfast love." We read on, "For you O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy." [Psalm 92:4] 

 

The wonders of creation are all around us, it is so easy to take them for granted. It is the greatest foolishness of human thinking to imagine that everything, sort of "created" itself. God's handiwork surrounds us on every side, men have discovered so much more about the wonders of their own bodies and the incredible intricacies of nature, yet so few acknowledge and are in awe of the unlimited creative "mind" that brought it all into being.

 

The Psalmist says "It should make us 'glad' and sing for joy. How great are your works O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep." [Psalm 92:4-5] That last brief statement seems inadequate. Can we begin to imagine the thought processes of God! No - we cannot. Through Isaiah God said, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." [isaiah 55:8-9]

 

Last month in Psalm 40 we read "You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told." [Psalm 40:5] Tomorrow in Psalm 94 we will read the contrast, "the Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath" [Psalm 94:11] But having said that the Psalm is positive and we read on and see, "Blessed is the man whom you discipline O LORD, and whom you teach out of your Law" [Psalm 94:12]

 

So we learn, especially in the Psalms, that God's eyes and thoughts are toward those who fear and love Him. We have been learning in Exodus of how close to God Moses became; we read yesterday of how he was able to speak to God "face to face, as a man speaks to a friend" [Exodus 33:11] This does not mean physically face to face, but rather, mind to mind: the limits to physical contact is described in Exodus 33:20 when God said, "you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live."  

 

How wonderfully precious the Bible should be to us, our reading of it should lead us to us, "you O LORD have made me glad." How God fearing men and women longed to read it hundreds of years ago. Copies were precious then because they all had to be hand written. Today the situation is the very opposite, the attitudes toward God's word today are tragic. How much are we affected by this? How "glad" for a godly reason – do you feel this morning.

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- DC

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23 February 2017

 

Exodus 36

Psalms 94; 95

1 Corinthians 6 

 

"WHEN THE CARES OF MY HEART ARE MANY ..." 

 

Our readings today provoke a multitude of thoughts, but it is the Psalms that provoke our personal meditations – that are so needful in the godless world of 2017, Psalm 94 contains many consoling and stimulating thoughts, especially for those who are exposed, every day, to the world and its unspiritual values most days of the week. This Psalm shows that our only sure strength of mind when life is difficult - is to have a real ‘living’ relationship with our God. 

 

We read the Psalmists’ prayer, “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul” [Psalm 94:19] and “When I thought, ‘My foot slips,’ your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.” [Psalm 94:18] 

 

What are God’s consolations? It has the sense of compassion and comfort. It reminds us of Paul’s words, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 4:6-7] 

 

When God answers the petition with which this Psalm begins we will need that attitude of mind in all its fullness. We read, “O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance shine forth! Rise up, O judge of the earth … O LORD …how long shall the wicked exult? They pour out their arrogant words …” [Psalm 94:1-4] Arrogant words! The new U.S. President exemplifies this. 

 

The Psalm concludes, “But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge. He will bring back on them their iniquity and will wipe them out for their wickedness …” [Psalm 94:22-23] Psalm 95 is also our reading today. Let us meditate on Psalm 95:6-8, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts …” 

 

We hear his voice by reading his word, let us make sure we “hear” what we are reading. Oh the wonder that we “are the people of his pasture” and he knows “the cares of my (our) heart.” 

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- DC

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24 February 2017

 

Exodus 37

Psalms 96; 97; 98; 99

1 Corinthians 7

 

“SECURE YOUR UNDIVIDED DEVOTION TO THE LORD” 

 

This phrase occurs in our Corinthians chapter [1 Corinthians 7] today. It is a chapter that is not as clear in meaning in some sections as we would like, but it becomes clearer as you take a contextual view of the flow of Paul’s reasoning. As we have read in the preceding chapters the large ecclesia at Corinth is in a real spiritual mess. The members were largely from a pagan background - the Jews had “opposed and reviled” [Acts 18:6] Paul when he preached in their synagogue at Corinth.

 

Now we note that Paul wrote to the ecclesia about the extensive immorality they were failing to deal with. Given the rapidly increasing immoral atmosphere in which we live today, the principles revealed in this chapter apply so much to us today. Paul writes, “I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.” [1 Corinthians 7:35] In 1 Corinthians 7:31 he had written, “for the present form of this world is passing away”. 

 

Actually it was nearly 200 years before the city was totally wrecked by the barbarians, a city with a 1700 year history of human greatness, but the ecclesia failed to continue and make any mark on ecclesial history. The only way for an individual to survive was to have “undivided devotion to the Lord”. Remember how in yesterday’s chapter [1 Corinthians 6] Paul gave a list of those who will not have a place in God’s kingdom. 

 

We must note that he is not just listing what we would call the worst forms of behaviour, but he says the kingdom will not include “thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified …" [1 Corinthians 6:10-11] Sanctified means counted as holy.

 

The ever more evil world of Corinth was influencing and destroying the devotion of believers to the Lord ­ recall how the previous chapter concluded ­ before Paul made these points! We read there, “do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you … you are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 

 

Some claiming to be Christians today make much of their imagination of possessing the Holy Spirit; but it is really the other way round, the Holy Spirit possesses us, but we only realize this if we give the Lord our “undivided devotion” ­ the challenge and the difficulties in achieving this have never been greater. 

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- DC

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25 February 2017 

 

Exodus 38

Psalms 100; 101

1 Corinthians 8; 9

 

"IF ANYONE LOVES GOD, HE IS KNOWN BY GOD"

 

Love is, above all, an active quality; genuine love causes us to do things: it is a motivation from the heart. The things love causes us to do are not things we do out of a sense of obligation, occasions when we say, “I suppose I had better …”

 

We meditated on this as we read the start of 1 Corinthians 8. 1 Corinthians 8:3 tells us, “But if anyone loves God, he (or she) is known by God.” When God, who sees all things through his spirit [Psalm 139], knows our professions of love for him are genuine - we are “known by God.” But this is more than a one sided sense of knowing, to truly know God results in a two-way relationship. David’s Psalms show this, we read this morning, “Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his” [Psalm 100:3]

 

We read a few days ago in Exodus, “Moses said to the LORD … you have said, ‘I know you by name … therefore if I have found favour in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you …” [Exodus 33:12-13] Knowing God comes through living and therefore working for and with him and knowing his ways; this produces the end result – the wonder of the realization that we are “working together with him” [2 Corinthians 6:1].

 

The great wonder of this, Paul told the Corinthian, is to realize that “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” [1 Corinthians 10:13] Many believers in Corinth experienced temptations to continue to enjoy the fleshly advantages of “fellowship” in the idol temples and the feasting on the food that had been offered to the idols. In human ways of thinking this food was special having been blessed by Temple priests: we have seen this happening in Indian temples.

 

It is not difficult to see the modern equivalents, especially in prosperous countries in the things that the masses idolize. In Corinth athletic sports were idolized, it is no different today; the spectators idolize those who perform successfully – and are idolised. Paul’s pointed comment is – “Every athlete exercises self-control … they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable” [1 Corinthians 9:25]

 

Paul tells believers, “So run that you may obtain it … I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” [1 Corinthians 9:24,27]

 

We can say that the ‘oil’ which ‘lubricates’ all our understanding and ways of thinking and resultant efforts to “run” effectively – is – our love for God and our awareness that we are “known” by God. The foundation for this is the extent to which we “know” – in our hearts – his word.

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- DC

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