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TFTBR - September 2017


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26 September 2017

 

1 Chronicles 9

Ezekiel 22

Luke 19  

 

"SLAUGHTER THEM BEFORE ME"

 

Today in Luke 19 we read one of the last parables of Jesus; it is usually called, "The parable of the Ten Minas" – a 'mina' is an amount of money – which is said to be about 3 months wages for a labourer. 

 

The parable features a 'nobleman' who "went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return." [Luke 19:12] As he went away his servants were each given 'ten minas' and were told, "Engage in business until I come." [Luke 19:13] But the citizens, as distinct from the servants, "sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us." [Luke 19:14] 

 

Let us make sure we are effectively using our 'minas' – that is - our opportunities and talents.

 

How depressingly true is the attitude in the world today – just about everyone thinks this life is all they have and want to do indulge in their own thing – and what a variety of 'things' there are available to them! How distracting this often is – especially for the younger generation – they ask themselves "do I really believe there is a 'nobleman' who is going to return" and "how soon now?  Tomorrow?" How well am I using my talents?

 

There is a saying that 'Tomorrow never comes.' But one day it will – and how soon now!? And then, what of the 'citizens' who do not want Christ to return to reign (and prevent the continuation fleshly sinful ways)? We cannot envisage what the literal application is of edict to 'slaughter them before me' will mean in reality for those who have been totally godless!  

 

The LORD gave Jeremiah an awesome prophecy "against all the inhabitants of the earth" which we read last month. The prophecy pictures the day when, "disaster is going forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth! And those pierced by the LORD on that day shall extend from one end of the earth to the other." [Jeremiah 25:32-33] Is this the 'slaughter' the parable is referring to!?

 

What an awesome time awaited those who rejected and crucified Jesus – how many would experience the destruction of Jerusalem!?  

 

Our final thoughts come from the words of Jesus in today's chapter; as "he wept over" Jerusalem! He said, "Would that you … had known …the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes" [Luke 19:42] Let us help each other to make sure they are not "hidden from (y)our eyes."

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- DC

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27 September 2017

1 Chronicles 10
Ezekiel 23
Luke 20

“FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING …”

We have 3 chapters today that teach valuable lessons. 1 Chronicles 10 tells us that “Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the LORD …” [1 Chronicles 10:13] in not keeping his commandments, a lesson for all those who have committed themselves to serve the LORD.

“The word of the LORD came to me” says Ezekiel [Ezekiel 23:1] and he receives a parable that pictures God’s disgust at the spiritual adultery of the nation. The LORD says to them, “Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back you yourself must bear the consequences …” [Ezekiel 23:35] And what consequences does today’s world face for doing this!?

In our chapter in Luke [Luke 20] we see how “there came to him (Jesus) … those who deny that there is a resurrection” [Luke 20:27] as yet another example of those who believe what they want to believe and serve God on their own terms as Saul and nearly all the people in Ezekiel’s day had done. We note how Jesus responded to these deniers with a declaration of what is true, he “said to them, ‘The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore because they are equal to the angels and are sons of God being sons (and daughters Footnote) of the resurrection” [Luke 20:36]

Jesus then says [Luke 20:37] that even the writings of “Moses showed (this), in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (see Exodus 3:6). God was not proclaiming himself to be the God of the dead who have gone into oblivion for ever.

God transcends time, he is from everlasting to everlasting; the prayer/Psalm of Moses states this, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” [Psalm 90:2]

Oh, how incredible is the wonder of knowing and having a real everlasting relationship with God! Saul failed, the people of Israel’s time failed, the Sadducees failed, it seems nearly everyone today is failing – make sure you do not fail; feeding your mind of God’s word every day is an essential ingredient.
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- DC

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28 September 2017

 

1 Chronicles 11

Ezekiel 24

Luke 21  

 

"DISTRESS OF NATIONS IN PERPLEXITY"

 

Our reading in Luke's gospel today [Luke 21] contains the awesome prophecy Jesus gave of events on earth when he is about to return. The meaning of Luke 21:24 is clear to us – that "Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." It is no longer "trampled underfoot" – but it is not clear that some parts of the old city are yet under complete Jewish control – but surely "the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."  

 

At that time Jesus said awesome events will occur; "there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world." [Luke 21:25-26] Will the "roaring of the sea" be literal? 

 

This is one of those passages of Scripture that we keep at the 'back of our mind' in case a literal application will suddenly occur. We must note that the very next words are – "And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."

 

Human nature is such that, unless we have a genuine faith developed from a prayerful heart-felt acceptance of the Divine word we will share in the 'distress' and 'perplexity' that is causing everyone else to "faint with fear." Those possessing genuine faith will 'straighten up' and "raise (y)our heads, because (y)our redemption is drawing near." [Luke 21:28] and we will not be overwhelmed by the 'distress' and 'perplexity' that surrounds us.

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- DC

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29 September 2017

 

1 Chronicles 12

Ezekiel 25

Luke 22  

 

"PRAY THAT YOU MAY NOT ENTER INTO TEMPTATION"

 

This is an intriguing statement by Jesus; it would seem they are his last words to his disciples before his arrest. We read them today in Luke 22:46. We are not told whether the disciples put them into practice? Surely the words of Jesus are applicable to us today!  

 

It was not the first time Jesus said these words to his disciples. When they went as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. Earlier in the chapter we read, "when he came to the place, he said to them, 'Pray that you may not enter into temptation.'" [Luke 22:40], he then went and knelt down and prayed. 

 

This repeated request to make a specific prayer is surely a lesson for us, especially how the challenges of our godless world close in more and more - surrounding us!  

 

How real the surrounding power of God needs to be to us in these last days. Let us take into our hearts the wonderful words of Paul. He told the men pf Athens about the one and only true God they worshipped as 'unknown' that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for "In him we live and move and have our being" [Acts 17:27-28].  

 

We must meditate in awe at the reality on what Paul means! Our thoughts go to Psalm 66, presumably by David. Is this not a hymn to be used in the kingdom age!? Surely true believers can use it now to some degree. "Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! Say to God, 'How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power'" [Psalm 66:1-3]. 

 

Then in Psalm 66:8-10 we are encouraged to pray, "Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip. For you, O God, have tested us". And so the disciples were tested – and Peter, for one, failed the test; for the moment he failed to "Pray that he may not enter into temptation." 

 

Let us apply the lesson to ourselves, especially as our world is becoming so utterly godless and is now hemming us in on every side! May our minds and hearts be fixed ever more firmly on the words of Scripture – such as the closing words of this Psalm, "If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!" 

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- DC

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30 September 2017

 

1 Chronicles 13; 14

Ezekiel 26

Luke 23  

 

"I FIND NO GUILT IN THIS MAN"

 

Pilate was the most powerful man in Israel in the days of Jesus. But he was strangely helpless in carrying out his own desire to let Jesus go free, though he said "I find no guilt in this man," [Luke 23:4] adding, "nothing deserving of death has been done by him" [Luke 23:15] "I will release him" (Luke 23:16 and again Luke 23:22).  

 

After all these declarations, it is strange how Pilate gives in. When we compare the different gospel records we get a clearer picture, one issue being that Jesus was claiming kingship. Pilate queried him on this, but said Jesus, "My kingdom is not of this world (or age)." 

 

So Pilate, the most powerful man in Jerusalem was indifferent to truth and justice and gave in to the demands that Jesus should be crucified; the biased and prejudiced jealous men got their way. 

 

There is a parallel today to what happened at that time. Like the voices of the prejudiced religious leaders of that age, so today we have the insistent voices (and writings) of the atheistic and agnostic intellectual leaders and throughout my lifetime they have been getting louder! 

 

The great majority argue that evolution is true, there is no God. They are no better than the Jewish leaders in the time of Jesus who blindfolded their minds to the heavenly power Jesus displayed.  

 

When you add all the evidence together from Scripture – and the background of secular history in the first centuries the intelligent mind becomes certain it all happened. We have a firm foundation for our faith that Jesus did rise from the dead and is the coming king and is the only eternal hope for our godless world. 

 

Just as the resurrection of Jesus astonished the Jewish leaders – and those still alive died in the later destruction of Jerusalem, so the return of Jesus will astonish the world – also those who do not believe the Bible and are not ready for his coming; instead being convinced there is no God. All will perish, but many only after they have seen the folly of their beliefs: many will first see, in some measure, the wonders of his kingdom – and the fulfilment of the prayer, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth."  

 

What do we really believe? Are we influenced by the spirit that surrounds us, as Pilate was? If we are, we are not ready for his coming! That will be a tragedy, and the 'guilt' will be ours.

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- DC

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