TFTBR - October 2011

[Resource Manager]

01 October 2011

 

1 Chronicles 15

Ezekiel 27

Luke 24

 

"SLOW OF HEART TO BELIEVE ALL ...”

 

The floodgates of emotion opened and overflowed as the followers of Jesus realized he was alive again. Is it too difficult for us to imagine ourselves among these followers of Jesus whose utter black despair at his death was suddenly turned to dazzling whiteness! Many more that the twelve and a few women were involved: when Peter spoke of the need to have someone to replace Judas Iscariot, quoting the scripture, “Let another take his office” he was standing “up among the brothers … in all about 120” [Acts 1:15, 20] and saying that he should be “one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus Christ went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John.” [Acts 1:21, 22]

 

They all had been “slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken” - the words Jesus had spoken to the two on the road to Emmaus. [Luke 24:25] That little word “all” caused us to reflect on how often we hear only what we want to hear! We also read only what we want to read, taking in only that we want to take in. So we can pick and choose, maybe without realizing it, the words that appear to fit in with the ideas and beliefs that appeal to us.

 

Of course, God’s prophets did not just speak and write about the future. We have seen that in Ezekiel and even more so in Jeremiah and Isaiah. Those prophets all had very much to say about what was lacking in the people’s attitude and service before God. Today there would be only one body of believers if all applied themselves to read “all that the prophets (and other men of God) have spoken” and written – which God has preserved for us.

 

Paul stated, “whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction …” [Romans 15:4] “All scripture is breathed out by God” he told Timothy [2 Timothy 3:16]. Reading the Bible daily is an invaluable and essential discipline. We must read it all, not just pick and choose what appeals to us.

 

Luke concludes his Gospel with a few words to describe Jesus’ ascension to heaven – then afterwards they “returned to Jerusalem with great joy.” Great joy for us comes from knowing and believing all that God has caused to be written and preserved – for us.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

02 October 2011

 

1 Chronicles 16

Ezekiel 28

Galatians 1; 2

 

"AN EVERLASTING COVENANT TO ISRAEL"

 

What was this covenant – that was everlasting? It was the action of God that brought this covenant into being and Bible readers should all be very conscious of this as they watch the friction in the Middle East about the ownership of the Holy Land. We read today of David’s Psalm that he wrote for the people to sing on the day “they brought in the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it.” [1 Chronicles 16:1]

 

“Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord” [1 Chronicles 16:7] and he gave Asaph this Psalm. Its initial emphasis is thanksgiving: “Oh give thanks to the LORD call upon his name; make known his deeds … let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually” [1 Chronicles 16:8,10,11]

 

After this the psalm is about the relationship God has established with his people, called a covenant. The people would sing, “Remember his covenant forever, the word that he commanded for a thousand generations, the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, which he confirmed as a statute to Jacob, as an everlasting covenant to Israel.” [1 Chronicles 16:15-17]

 

His covenant with Abraham was that “all the land of Canaan (would be his) for an everlasting possession” [Genesis 17:8] The Psalm they sang includes the words, “Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations” [1 Chronicles 16:35] God inspires David to write of the future – and the greatest vision of the future is -“Worship the LORD in the splendour of holiness; tremble before him all the earth … let the earth rejoice, let them say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’ … for he comes to judge the earth. Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.” [1 Chronicles 16:29-34] How long before the nations say “The LORD reigns” we do not know – but we should live our lives so that, one day, our eyes will see and our voices sing, “The LORD reigns.”

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

03 October 2011

 

1 Chronicles 17

Ezekiel 29

Galatians 3; 4

 

“WHAT IS MY HOUSE” - DID DAVID SEEK GREATNESS?

 

David was a shepherd, he sought to do his job properly, and he did, he protected his father’s sheep against the wild animals. He learnt God was with him. He slept under the stars and meditated on all that God had created. His father sent him with provisions for his brothers in the army, he knew nothing about the Philistine champion Goliath until he got there. The acts which made him great were caused by situations thrust upon him. The faith in God, developed from his youth, was the foundation upon which his thinking and attitudes were built. It was this state of mind that gave him the strength to triumph over God’s enemies – they were not his enemies – they only became so because they were jealous of the successes he gained through his faith and trust in God. Saul is a particular example of this.

 

In our reading today in 1 Chronicles 17 David is astonished at the promises God makes to him when God speaks of his servant David’s house “for a great while to come and have shown me future generations” [1 Chronicles 17:17]. David had said, in his humility, “Who am I LORD God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?” [1 Chronicles 17:16] House means – in this contest – the line of descent – like the Queen of England is of the “house of Windsor.”

 

When Peter wrote his first letter to the early converts, he told them they were “being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God” [1 Peter 2:5] In Hebrews we read “let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God” [Hebrews 13:15] as David did for God’s guiding care in his life.

 

Reflect on your life – are your attitudes of faith, aims and ambitions such that God can use you in some part of his purposes? This is the lesson we learn from David’s life. Note what he says in his Psalm (prayer really) to God “You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great” [Psalm 18:35] What an example to us – much food for thought.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

04 October 2011

 

1 Chronicles 18; 19

Ezekiel 30

Galatians 5; 6

 

"THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS ... "

 

One of the most meaningful passages which the Apostle Paul wrote is in our Galatians readings today. It is about the ‘spirit’ – and its contrast with the flesh. Most of us live and move among those whose total focus in life is, what Paul describes as “the desires of the flesh” [Galatians 5:17-21]

 

Now many of these are natural human attitudes, they are not terribly bad things. Those who ignore God, who pretend he does not exist, find these “desires” natural in the challenges and frictions of daily life. Paul’s list of these includes – envy, fits of anger, rivalry, fits of jealousy. In contrast to these, and much worse things such as sexual immorality (which much of the world no long sees as really bad!) Paul gives a list of positives which he calls “the fruit of the Spirit” [Galatians 5:22].

 

Think about the word “fruit” and all that happens before the fruit of any plant is ready for picking, eating and enjoying. What do we have to do to produce this fruit?

 

Then we noticed Paul’s strange comment, “if we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” [Galatians 5:25]

 

Can you live without moving, walking, having a destination to walk to!? The answer is obvious, you can’t! So what does Paul mean? What is his point? Jesus said, “the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” [John 6:63] so Paul’s point is, do we put the words of Jesus and his inspired followers that we hear or read – into practice?

 

What a wonderful world it would be if all were walking in the spirit and producing its fruit, Paul tells us, “the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control” [Galatians 5:22] In Galatians 6 Paul writes, “whatever one sows that will he also reap … the one who sows to the spirit will from the spirit reap eternal life” [Galatians 6:8] Paul put it this way when he wrote to the Romans, “… now that you have been set free from sin and have becomes slaves to God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” [Romans 6:22] May we all produce the fruit of the spirit and then receive God’s fruit and live amongst those who are enjoying it, what a wonderful world that is going to be.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

05 October 2011

 

1 Chronicles 20; 21

Ezekiel 31

Ephesians 1; 2

 

"FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP"

 

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians contains a whole range of spiritual concepts that challenge our understanding. There is the contrast between “the heavenly places” [Ephesians 2:6] and those who are “dead in trespasses and sins” [Ephesians 2:1]. Those to whom Paul is writing had been in this death state. There is no middle position – people are either in one or the other! May we all be in “the heavenly places.”

 

What does this mean? It means that such have a heavenly hope – in contrast to an earthly destiny – for this life is all there is for them. For those with a heavenly hope God has “made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised us up with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” [Ephesians 2:5-7]

 

Paul is not saying anything about going to heaven for a reward – rather that the future for those who lift their eyes to heaven to Christ is to be in “the coming ages” when he returns to earth bringing the reward for the faithful with him [Revelation 22:12]. How close those coming ages must now be! But until then we are in, what he terms “heavenly places” - in contrast to being in the ‘place’ destined for everlasting death.

 

Notice how this chapter [Ephesians 2] starts! “And you were dead in trespasses and sins” Now notice the factors involved in leaving behind that death state. Our deliverance is not something we have, as it were, earned by works. Paul says, “this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, it is not the result of works …” [Ephesians 2:8,9] Now notice Paul’s special point that the truth of this we do not fully appreciate until we look back over our lives and see how God has led us to our present situation.

 

Paul writes, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” [Ephesians 2:10] So as one looks back on the pathway travelled one sees so many experiences and events that we did not initiate ourselves – God has been working in us, the “narrow pathway” is his pathway, as Paul had found. In Ephesians 2:2 Paul had reminded them they “once walked, following the course of this world” – their lives then were a result of this world’s self-centred workmanship! We will read tomorrow how Paul urges them “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” [Ephesians 4:1] Let us all do that – making sure his “workmanship” in us is more effective every day.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

06 October 2011

 

1 Chronicles 22

Ezekiel 32

Ephesians 3; 4

 

"THEN THEY WILL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD"

 

The above phrase occurs so often in Ezekiel. For example, Ezekiel 28; 29; 30 all conclude with these words. In today’s chapter [Ezekiel 32] it occurs in verse15 [Ezekiel 32:15] after predicting the downfall and disgrace of Egypt where the remnant of the people from Jerusalem had gone for safety, taking a reluctant Jeremiah with them [Jeremiah 43].

 

Egypt had been a great nation for centuries as archaeology shows and we particularly remember the experience of Joseph. So what does this phrase mean? We concluded that it means – that events prove that those who know and listen to the words that the prophets utter in the name of the LORD – the one and only God – will know that he is the only LORD and he means what he says. We can therefore see that the fulfilment of God’s words in the past gives confidence and faith to those who take serious notice of his words.

 

Today’s chapter lists all the great nations that had come and gone – and which Egypt was to join in obscurity. Some we know, like Assyria [Ezekiel 32:22,23], some we are not so sure of the detail about, like Elam and Edom. It is interesting that Meshech gets a mention [Ezekiel 32:26] as a nation of the past – before Ezekiel’s time. To equate this name with Moscow, as some have, a city which did not come into existence until 1500 years later, seems totally unreasonable.

 

One could draw up an up-to-date list of Empires that have come and gone. The Roman Empire became nominally Christian in the third Century but perished in its own corruption 200 years later. And what of the British Empire, the Spanish and so on. Human Empires come and go, but when God’s ‘Empire’ is established over all the earth then ALL people will know – but it will be of no special benefit to those who do not “know” the LORD now! Indeed it will be a disaster to many!

 

God causes the prophet Joel to paint this picture of the future, “The LORD roars from Zion … the heavens and the earth quake. But the LORD is a refuge to his people … so you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again pass through it.” [Joel 3:16,17]

 

Those who KNOW their God now will have an eternal role in His service from that time.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

07 October 2011

 

1 Chronicles 23

Ezekiel 33

Ephesians 5; 6

 

“MAKING THE BEST USE OF THE TIME BECAUSE …”

 

We all have equal amounts of time; no one is rich or poor when it comes to possessing time. What is the best way to use it? It is true, most are committed to some form of work or schooling – yet that does not change the fact that we must always be conscious of what we are living for – and the all seeing eyes of our Creator. More than this – that we belong to Christ – and if we do not yet do so, we are still not free agents to do as we please.

 

If we choose to do as we please and this means we follow fleshly inclinations we are sowing seeds of habits that will take us away from God – or create stronger underlying character traits that will make it harder for us to serve God effectively when we do decide to take on the name of His Son.

 

The complete context of the words in our heading are – “Awake O sleeper … and Christ will shine on you. Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” [Ephesians 5:14-17]

 

In our Ezekiel reading the prophet reaches the climax of his ministry of warning the exiles: the LORD tells him a fugitive is about to come from Jerusalem and say, “The city has been struck down” [Ezekiel 33:21] The prophet’s message which God had been putting in his mouth had proved true. He had been a true watchman, but few, it seems, had listened and accepted his message, it was not what they wanted to hear.

 

The early part of the chapter is about the responsibility of a watchman; when he does his job properly he is exonerated from all blame for “he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people” [Ezekiel 33:3]. God has given us his word, it is our responsibility to share it at every opportunity – indeed to make opportunities to share it – “for here we have no lasting city but seek the city that is to come” [Hebrews 13:14] and we make the best use of our time if, as true watchmen (and women) we encourage others to seek that city and live in that day when those who have heeded our message will join with us in singing, “Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God!” [Psalm 48:1]

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

08 October 2011

 

1 Chronicles 24; 25

Ezekiel 34

Philippians 1; 2

 

A WORK OUT

 

Those of you who are young know what it is to have “a work out” – we understand it as a simple way of saying - exercising to keep yourself fit. It is just as important; well, actually far more important, to keep ourselves spiritually fit. If you are really young and feel very physically fit, then make sure your aim is also to grow up spiritually fit.

 

In our Philippians readings this morning this phrase occurs. Paul writes, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure” [Philippians 2:12-13]

 

That’s a fantastic verse … God works in us! But if we are not interested in him and do not meditate on his involvement in our lives, then we cannot expect him to watch over us in whatever “work out” we choose. If we choose to “work out” God’s way then we will be training ourselves to think and act in a Christ like way and we will use our lives to serve him.

 

For example, we will aim to follow Paul’s advice “being in full accord and one mind” with those also in training. “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” counselled Paul [Philippians 2:2,3] We have also been reading Ezekiel and the Jews he knew totally failed the spiritual “work out” God expected of them. He had been patient with them over many generations but now all sorts of terrible things happened to them, as we have been reading. Our God is very patient; he wants us to be saved, to be in his wonderful kingdom which will soon come on this earth.

 

Just as we do physical exercises, especially the young – but also those not so young who still want to feel “young.” In the same way both young and old must exercise their minds about God and Jesus by reading the God’s word. In that way we will know what to pray for – and our prayers will be answered. But if we only pray when we are in trouble, is it fair to expect God to answer? Trouble is certainly coming on this earth – we will need to be fully spiritually fit to cope with it. Is there enough oil (of faith) in your lamps?

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

09 October 2011

 

1 Chronicles 26

Ezekiel 35

Philippians 3; 4

 

LESSONS FROM HISTORY

 

The U S Presidents over the last two or three decades have thought they could make progress in solving the Middle East problems between Israel and the Arabs. They have made no progress at all. Some European nations have also got involved without making any progress. The situation is now more volatile than ever with the latest appeal to the United Nations. Words and more words are only generating more heat! But the nations around Israel are not really interested in peace, they are being “driven” by the hysteria generated by Islamic fundamentalists.

 

Today’s reading in Ezekiel 35 highlights how the nations near Israel in the prophet’s day rejoiced and sought to prosper as the big nations, Assyria and Babylon overwhelmed God’s chosen people. The prophet warns that they will suffer for their hatred. God said, I have heard all the reviling you uttered against the mountains of Israel … they are given us to devour” you say. [Ezekiel 35:12]

 

There is a parallel in the jealousies between human beings. Our New Testament reading shows this in referring to the friction between two sisters, Euodia and Syntyche [Philippians 4:2] who had laboured with Paul in the Gospel. His request is to “my fellow workers … help these women” get over their disagreement. Brothers can disagree too! The brothers of Jesus, sons of his mother Mary did not get along with Jesus - until after the resurrection – when their eyes were opened.

 

Think of how many examples there are in Scripture of brothers not getting on together! These are lessons for us, let us open our eyes with an eternal vision and make sure we do not make the same mistakes. But if we do, then we must aim do our utmost to heal the rift – for the sake of Jesus. The lessons from history are both national and personal. Nations are not listening, but we humans, especially if we are members of the body of Christ, must take lessons from the past.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

10 October 2011

 

1 Chronicles 27

Ezekiel 36

John 1

 

“IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD”

 

Today we start to read the Gospel of John. “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.” This is a most challenging gospel to understand. But the Bible would lose our continuing interest if its meaning was immediately plain as we read it. Often we have to carefully think about what we have read, and compare other passages, before we grasp its full meaning. This is God’s wisdom in causing it to be written in this way.

 

The problem in this passage is made greater because the translators have had a fixed idea in their minds as to the Church doctrine – formulated in later centuries – which it is expected to support. Note the word “WORD”. “In the beginning was the WORD” In the Greek this is the word Logos. It is sometimes translated as saying [eg John 4:47,49] when Jesus was “saying” this and that to the people - the lexicon says it primarily means ‘spoken word’

 

Our thoughts went back to the first chapter in the whole Bible, Genesis 1. This is all about what God said to create life on earth. God spoke and creation followed as the hosts of angels did his bidding, see Psalms 103:20,21.

 

All that the people heard in the wilderness was God speaking from the top of the mountain. God was known only by his WORD; no one saw God he was known by his voice. Now the translators confuse us in John 1 when they start to use the word “Him” as the pronoun for ‘WORD. The earliest translations (Tyndale) use the word “it.” The best way is to use the noun instead of the pronoun, and then it would read. “All things were made through a word, and without a word was not anything made that was made” [John 1:3]

 

But there is a greater meaning here, a spiritual meaning – that is, that the words of Jesus had the power to bring eternal life to those that accepted them. The Jews [John 1:11] did not accept his words “But to all who did receive him, who believed his name, he gave the right to become ‘children of God’ [John 1:12] Let’s all aim to become children of God?

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

11 October 2011

 

1 Chronicles 28

Ezekiel 37

John 2; 3

 

"UNLESS ONE IS BORN AGAIN"

 

These statements of Jesus to Nicodemus, the Jewish teacher who came to him by night, challenge our thinking and understanding. We need to understand them within the context of the unfolding words of Jesus we read in John 2; 3. Many Christians like to say they are “born again,” but let’s make sure we know what Jesus meant!

 

Nicodemus admitted. “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him” [John 3:2] His words lead Jesus to respond, “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” [John 3:3]. He then says, “unless one is born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” [John 3:5]

 

This means, we believe, the action of God in responding to what he sees in the heart of the one seeking to be re-born. Being baptised in water, although vital, is only part of the process. We recall God’s words through Isaiah, “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him (or her) who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” [isaiah 57:15]

 

Thus there is a ‘rebirth’ in the heart of one who is fully “born again” because of an interaction with Him who is above. The visible action is when the person themselves are ‘born of water’ as happened on the day of Pentecost [Acts 2:37,38). Later in the chapter we note that John Baptist’s disciples comment on how “all are going to him” (Jesus) and “look he is baptising” [John 3:26,22; John 4:1,2], although it was the disciples of Jesus doing the baptising. The later antagonism to Jesus shows that not all had reborn of the spirit.

 

However, many were “not receiving his testimony”! Then the comment is made, who ever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true” [John 3:33] The opposite to this is, “He who is of the earth, belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way” [John 3:31]. We must ask ourselves – in what way do we speak – developing a conviction that, with God’s help, we will speak in that way for the rest of our lives, This proves we have been truly born again?

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

12 October 2011

 

1 Chronicles 29

Ezekiel 38

John 4

 

"GATHERING FRUIT FOR ETERNAL LIFE"

 

It never ceases to surprise how, in doing the daily Bible readings, we come across something we had never really taken notice of previously. We read today in John 4 of a conversation between Jesus and his disciples; they were in Samaria among people the Jews despised. The disciples had gone and bought some food, but Jesus had been talking, first to a woman who came where “Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey (he was no superman!) was sitting beside the well” [John 4:6]. It was midday. He talked to her; we are familiar with the conversation which led to her fetching other townsfolk to converse with him.

 

The seeds of a true faith among the Samaritans were being sown by Jesus. Some years later when Jesus had ascended to heaven and the number of believers had grown greatly in Jerusalem, the stoning of Stephen led to some going to Samaria to preach. Jesus, in his last words as he ascended to heaven [Acts 1:8], had specifically mentioned Samaria as a place where they were “to be my witnesses.”

 

It was persecution in Jerusalem that led to the preaching there [Acts 8:5] and “there was much joy in that city” and “the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria has received the word of God” [Acts 8:8,14] Today’s chapter tells us how Jesus sowed the initial seeds there and he spent two days there [John 4:43]. He had spiritual food to digest to give him spiritual energy, but his disciples had not understood this when he said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘there are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for the harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life.” [John 4:34-36]

 

This is a lesson for us, there is the equivalent of the Samaritans in many parts of the world today, and this is the final ingathering. Jesus says, “Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour” [John 4:38]. When we enter into that labour we are “gathering fruit for eternal life” – and initially that is our own eternal life. Our “food” must also be “to do the will of” the one who sent Jesus into the world, and then we will be with him when he comes again.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

13 October 2011

 

2 Chronicles 1; 2

Ezekiel 39

John 5

 

"ALL THE NATIONS SHALL SEE ... "

 

Today we completed a sequence of chapters [34 to 39] in Ezekiel about a great final rebirth of Israel with their return to their homeland “in the latter years” [Ezekiel 38:8]. This chapter describes a massive attack from the north on regathered Israel led by a man called “Gog” God said, “In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.” It will be greater than when God’s holiness was vindicated by delivering Israel from Egypt under Moses. “With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgement with him (Gog) and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him, torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulphur.” [Ezekiel 38:22]

 

Today’s chapter [Ezekiel 39] first describes the 7 months work to cleanse the land after this destruction! [Ezekiel 39:14] God declares that as a result of this cataclysmic event “all the nations shall see my judgement that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. The house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day forward” [Ezekiel 39:21,22]

 

God further says he will “have mercy on the whole house of Israel and I will be jealous for my holy name” [Ezekiel 39:25]. This reminds us of what we read in Ezekiel 36, “Thus says the Lord GOD, It is not for your sake I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which has been profaned among the nations” [Ezekiel 36:22] God’s name essentially refers to, in this context, his reputation; but today, so many deny God even exists!

 

The world is full of scoffers; they will be more than silenced! We read in Jeremiah 2 months ago, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, Behold disaster is going forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth! And those pierced (slain) by the LORD shall extend from one end of the earth to the other” [Jeremiah 25:32-33] Finally, we noted in today’s chapter in John’s gospel [John 5] the point Jesus made that unless you “have his word abiding in you” [John 5:38] you will not have eternal life. May we diligently read his word so that his word abides (lives) in us.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

14 October 2011

 

2 Chronicles 3; 4

Ezekiel 40

John 6

 

"... AND YET YOU DO NOT BELIEVE"

 

What a fascinating chapter is John 6, but what caught our attention today was how, when the people did not get the answers and actions they requested from Jesus, so many turned away. The first 15 verses describe the miracle of feeding the 5,000. It excited the crowd and they were annoyed when they found he had slipped away from them. The disciples also were on their own and they experienced a storm on the lake and saw Jesus walking on the water in the storm “and they were frightened” [John 6:19] and he said, “It is I” and “they were glad to take him into the boat and immediately the boat was at the land” [John 6:21]

 

Is there a potential comparison with his return to earth: time when we are frightened by the chaos and “storms” in our lives in a world that is now in chaos? We noted “it was now dark” [John 6:17] as the disciples desperately rowed. Will anxious believers in this world’s darkness be immediately certain the return of Jesus is actually happening? Let us listen for his voice.

 

The crowds catch up with Jesus and he says to them, “you are seeking me not because you saw signs, but because you ate the fill of the loaves” [John 6:26]. They ask, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” [John 6:28]. They are more interested in doing miracles themselves and to have more miraculous “loaves and fishes” than listening to his words and “the food (for thought and action) that endures to eternal life.” [John 6:27]

 

They turn away from his comment, “This is the work of God that you believe in him whom God has sent.” [John 6:29]. Real belief leads to actions to show acceptance of that belief! They are not prepared to think through what he means – and the same happens today. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life … whoever believes in me shall never thirst …you have seen me and yet you do not believe” [John 6:36] Later “many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.” [John 6:66] On Sunday we will read how Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth …” [John 8:31]. Let us abide (live) with the words of Jesus and God in our hearts directing our actions.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

15 October 2011

 

2 Chronicles 5; 6

Ezekiel 41

John 7

 

"RENDER TO EACH WHOSE HEART YOU KNOW"

 

In today’s reading of 2 Chronicles 6 we have Solomon’s remarkable prayer at the dedication of the wonderful Temple he had just completed. It was constructed of cedar, but just about all the interior had been overlaid with gold. Imagine it! The greatest focus of the gold was on the Most Holy Place where Israel’s God, the only real God was to “dwell” between the cherubim above the ark.

 

Solomon “knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly … and spread out his hands toward heaven” [2 Chronicles 6:13] He was on a raised bronze platform about 4.5 ft (1.4 metres) high. In his humility he is fully aware of the unimaginable greatness of God. His words include, “but will God indeed dwell with man on earth? Behold heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you …” [2 Chronicles 6:18] Solomon then enumerates the various situations which will cause men and women to offer prayers here.

 

2 Chronicles 6:29 onwards particularly caught our attention. “Whatever prayer, whatever plea is made …. each knows his own affliction and his own sorrow … then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his (or her) ways, for you, you only know the hearts of the children of mankind”

 

A great amount of food for mediation is in those words. God can “tune in” to all hearts and there are hearts that he has a relationship with – to “know” them! This perception of Solomon reflects the words of his father David in Psalm 11, “The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of men. The LORD tests the righteous … he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.” [Psalm 11:4,5,7]. We read two days ago the words of Jesus to those critical of him, “I know that you do not have the love of God within you” [John 5:42]. God and Jesus know our hearts! Does that affect your life, the way you think?

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

16 October 2011

 

2 Chronicles 7

Ezekiel 42

John 8

 

"IF YOU ABIDE IN MY WORD YOU ARE …"

 

Jesus said, “Whoever is of God knows the words of God, the reason you do not hear them is that you are not of God” [John 8:47]. Of course they were hearing what he said. The point was they could not see what he meant because their minds were so fixed on their own way of thinking; in that sense, they were not hearing. Is it not the same today?

 

Thankfully there are some listening who are wanting to believe and understand what Jesus says. To them he says, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” [John 8:32]. This confuses them! Free from what? As descendents of Abraham, they say, we are not “enslaved to anyone, how is it that you say, ‘you will become free?’ ” [John 8:33]

 

Jesus then makes the point, “everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin … if the Son sets you free. You will be free indeed.” [John 8:36] Most of his listeners fail to get the point – and in the end the essential point is whether they are “of God” – or not. If they are “of God” they will listen and develop an understanding of his words. It maybe that some or many who listened would later hear Peter’s message on the day of Pentecost and who would abide (live)I with his words in their hearts because they “were cut to the heart” [Acts 2:37] on is that day.

 

Their freedom was accomplished, they were honest with themselves, they accepted “the truth” – and were baptised! They heard Peter quote the Psalms, “You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence” [Acts 2:28] There are the two paths – of life – or of death. All begin by walking on the path of death, but all have the opportunity to be set free from that path by seeing “the truth” that is revealed in God’s word, first through the men of God, the prophets of old – and later by Jesus and the apostles. And today? Well, all can read God’s word and develop an understanding of what Jesus really meant and then decide which path they wish to walk on – there is no third way.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

17 October 2011

 

2 Chronicles 8

Ezekiel 43

John 9; 10

 

“WHERE I WILL DWELL … FOREVER"

 

There are so many much loved hymns to “the glory of the Lord”. The best known is Handel’s Messiah with words all taken from Scripture. What is it to sing about the Lord’s glory? Have we a clear picture in our minds of the future glory?

 

The detail in the final 9 chapters in Ezekiel are difficult reading, they go into great detail about the measurements, etc of this future temple. There are dramatic word pictures in today’s reading of Ezekiel 43. Here, after “the man” had led Ezekiel around every aspect of the Temple and described its functions, “the glory of the God of Israel” comes from the east. It is like “the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with His Glory” [Ezekiel 43:1, 2]

 

Ezekiel says it is just like the awesome vision of God’s glory he had by the river Chebar that we puzzled over in Ezekiel 1. The glory enters the city by the EAST gate and Ezekiel hears “this is the place of my throne… where I will dwell … forever” [Ezekiel 43:7] The prophet is told to describe to them the vision he has had “that they may be ashamed of their iniquities” [Ezekiel 43:10] Do we feel unworthy as a result of reading these visions of the future kingdom, its temple and its glory? Note the significant word “IF” – “if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple … and all its laws …” [Ezekiel 43:11] The key principle is right here … their (and our) reaction to the grandeur of God’s glory means we must ask ourselves - are we ashamed of our failures? All around us are people who have no sense of shame. We must not let their attitudes rub off on us?

 

God’s glory, is seen in the absolute wonder of his creation – of which we have learnt incredibly more detail in our generation, but it is dumbly ignored or denied by almost all the people around us. It seems certain God will deal with them as he dealt with the people of Ezekiel’s age in the tragedy that befell Solomon’s magnificent temple. Surely - a lesson we must learn if we are to dwell forever and experience the full wonder of God’s glory.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

18 October 2011

 

2 Chronicles 9

Ezekiel 44

John 11

 

"IT IS FOR THE GLORY OF GOD"

 

Flowing on from yesterday’s thoughts we reflected further on the things which display God’s glory – including the ways in which we should seek to do this. We read previously the words of Solomon and the glory that came to him because of his attitude and service to God. Today [2 Chronicles 9] there is the account of the Queen of Sheba being overwhelmed by the magnificent glory she witnessed in Jerusalem.

 

We noted, as we know some others have, that each year Solomon received “666 talents of gold” [2 Chronicles 9:13]. The only other place in Scripture that refers to 666 tells us it is “the number of the beast.” [Revelation 13:18]!! Gold, as the most valuable currency in the world, corrupts those who worship it instead of God [Matthew 6:24] and at the end of his life [1 Kings 11:4] Solomon’s heart was “turned away”. God had tested him by the abundance of the things he gave him! Many of us live among relative “abundance” – we must be aware how this is testing us.

 

In Ezekiel’s vision of the future Temple [Ezekiel 44] he says, “I looked, and behold the glory of the LORD filled the temple of the LORD. And I fell on my face” [Ezekiel 44:4]. We meditated on the overwhelming sense of awe at this vision – of seeing the actual evidence of God’s presence! We must soberly meditate on that familiar text about those who “will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” [Luke 21:27]

 

Now notice the words in today’s reading in John’s Gospel, a lot of food for thought here! Jesus comes to Bethany to the grieving sisters, their beloved brother Lazarus had been dead four days. As they travelled to Bethany Jesus told his disciples, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son God may be glorified through it.” [John 11:4]

 

Outside his burial place, all are weeping and even “Jesus wept” [John 11:35]. He was totally tuned in to their emotion, the power of the Spirit to know all thoughts as well as hear all words must, on many occasions, be an overwhelming experience. He says, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God!” [John 11:40]

 

What did they see? Some saw, only to run and tell the Pharisees [John 11:46]. Others saw – and believed! [John 11:45] Today we see and know more of the absolute marvels in nature! Less and less are these seen as the glory of God’s creative handiwork? Paul told the Corinthians to, “do all to the glory of God” [1 Corinthians 10:31]. The small things matter just as much.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

19 October 2011

 

2 Chronicles 10; 11

Ezekiel 45

John 12

 

"WHOEVER HATES HIS LIFE IN THIS WORLD"

 

In John’s Gospel today we read that although Jesus “had done so many signs among them, they still did not believe in him” [John 12:37] This surprises us, but the main reason for this unbelief lies in the “difficult” things he said, such as, “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” [John 12:25]

 

What did Jesus mean? We can understand some that are stricken down with a debilitating disease or grievously injured in some accident saying they hated life – although even in those situations many still cling to life hoping there will be some improvement. The greater thought is probably because they believe this life is all there is – and - while there’s life there’s hope – as the saying is.

 

Against this background of human attitudes we ponder the nature of the attitude of those who really believe in Jesus. “Though he die, yet shall he live,” Jesus told Martha concerning her dead brother Lazarus. And Martha replies, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day” [John 11:24,25]

 

Then Jesus makes another strange statement, “everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” [John 11:26] Now when we think in the language of the Bible, the meaning soon becomes clear. In passages like 1 Corinthians 15:6,18 we see believers who “have fallen asleep” are those who die with the hope of resurrection. When Jesus told his disciples “”Lazarus has fallen asleep” [John 11:11] they misunderstood what he meant.

 

Similarly, the word “hate” needs to be understood in the way Jesus uses it! Jesus said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” [Luke 14:27] We all need to ask, ‘What are the most important things in life for us? What tops the list? If we love the things this life surrounds us with – where do we stand in the sight of God? The more we really love God, “life in this world” is seen it its proper perspective.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

20 October 2011

 

2 Chronicles 12; 13

Ezekiel 46

John 13; 14

 

"IF ANYONE LOVES ME HE WILL KEEP MY WORD"

 

Our thoughts today flow on from yesterday’s, “Hate” is the opposite to “love” – and we saw the sense in which Jesus used the word “hate.” We know we cannot love the “life” that is all around us today with its self centred ways of thinking and doing. As we read John 13; 14 we see how Jesus tried to provoke deeper thinking among his disciples.

 

After “hating” the atmosphere of life in this present age we must then move on to find positive ways of thinking and understanding. John 14 starts “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God” What is it to “Believe in God”? If someone says ‘I believe my house is on fire’ – that belief is quickly proved or disproved. “Belief” can often be a ‘surface’ belief of no real substance. Jesus said to them, “I am telling you this now; before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.” [John 13:19] He repeats this again in John 14:9, he wants to make sure they get the point.

 

We can reason with people today so that they say, ‘Yes, I believe there must be a God, a Creator.’ Now that is just the first stepping stone – they – and we – must keep going! The final stepping stone is labelled “love.” Jesus says, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word” [John 14:23]. This is not keeping his word in a “ritual” way as the Pharisees and others did. Take special note of Jesus’ next words, “ … he will keep my word , and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

 

Home!? What does he mean? He is surely speaking of a private and intimate relationship. The Jews had only thought in terms of a national relationship – God was the God of Israel. Keeping the words of Jesus is the result of believing them in such a way that they become part of our thinking. In John 15 we will read, “you are clean through the word I have spoken to you.” [John 15:3] The “dirt” in this world gives us much reason to realize his words are vital. It is evident, at least to others, if we do not wash regularly to keep our bodies clean. How evident is it with our mind? It is evident to God!

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

21 October 2011

 

2 Chronicles 14; 15

Ezekiel 47

John 15; 16

 

"THE LORD IS WITH YOU WHILE YOU ARE WITH HIM"

 

A prophet said the above words to Asa, the great grandson of Solomon [2 Chronicles 15:2]. Our reading of the chapter shows that these words were heeded. It had been a time when “there was no peace to him who went out or to him who came in, for great disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands. They were broken in pieces. Nation was crushed by nation and city by city, for God troubled them with every sort of distress.” [2 Chronicles 15:6,7]

 

That has been the scene in much of the world in recent years, it seems to be increasing but there is no prophet of God to give a challenging message today. Asa listened to God’s prophet and we read how they “sought him (God) with their whole desire, and he was found by them, and the LORD gave them rest all around” [2 Chronicles 15:15]. But there was no Asa in the days of Jesus and we read in John 15 the emotional words of Jesus to his disciples, “If you were of the world the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world therefore the world hates you.” [John 15:19]

 

Then Jesus said some words which also challenge us today, “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin” [John 15:22]. Now think; the words of Jesus and others that God has sent with his messages can now be read in every language of the world. This year the world has been made conscious that it is 400 years since the A.V. Bible was first printed. Today “they have no excuse” for ignoring God and his word.

 

Jesus concludes his words to the disciples by saying, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace (of mind). In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” [John 16:33] Let us take to heart the words of Paul that “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 4:7] Let us remember, the LORD is with us while we are with him.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

22 October 2011

 

2 Chronicles 16; 17

Ezekiel 48

John 17; 18

 

"YOUR WORD IS TRUTH"

 

Does anyone speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth in the world these days? Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” [John 18:38] and the motive behind the question is not readily apparent - it was the end of their conversation.

 

Before his arrest, in his prayers, Jesus had expressed some remarkable thoughts which John has recorded for us. In the pressure on him because he knew what was about to happen, Jesus is thinking and praying for his disciples! What a remarkable example for us to try to follow if we are ever in a difficult and dangerous situation; we should focus our minds and pray for others.

 

Jesus prays, “Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me that they may be one, even as we are one” [John 17:11]. Strength comes through unity and Jesus knew they faced 3 heart wrenching days: it seems obvious they were together in their deep distress. Jesus continues, “I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word …” [John 17:12-14]. What kind of joy was fulfilled?

 

Glance back to John 16:22-24, “you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you … Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” Joy beyond imagining awaits Christ’s true followers in the time soon to come.

 

For now, the words of Jesus are so meaningful, “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” [John 17:16,17] This brings us back to the question, “What is truth?” Surely it means that the foundation of all that is true is in what God has spoken via Jesus and other godly people. Another word for truth in modern parlance is the saying, ‘Get real!’ meaning something like – ‘Face reality.’

 

So when Pilate said to Jesus, “What is truth?” we rather think he was saying it in exasperation, he, as are others, are constantly surrounded by distorted “truth” and half truths. In today’s world it is more than ever the case. But we can say, as we pray to God, “Your word is truth” and make it the foundation of our thinking and doing.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

23 October 2011

 

2 Chronicles 18; 19

Daniel 1

John 19

 

"A SPIRIT OF GRACE AND PLEAS FOR MERCY"

 

Zechariah’s remarkable prophecy [Zechariah 12:10] is quoted in today’s reading in John 19. John is completing his intimate account of the final hours of Jesus and the dying commission that was given to John to look after his mother. The two of them stood near the cross. John “the disciple whom he loved … took her to his own home” [John 19:26,27]. As to the others “they all left him and fled” [Mark 14:50], apart from Peter – and we know well the tragedy of his denial.

 

Now note the two Old Testament prophecies that John quotes as being fulfilled at this time. The first is that “not one of his bones will be broken.” This is an unexpected application of the Divine command to Moses that they were not to break the bones of the Passover lamb (Exodus 12:46, reaffirmed in Numbers 9:12). Should we conclude that the purpose of the Passover had fulfilled its purpose after the sacrifice of Jesus? Maybe not, the religious Jews still celebrate the Passover today and have just done so, so we should really say the final awakening of its meaning for natural Israelites is about to happen.

 

This perception links in with the other prophecy that John refers to in this chapter; “they will look on him whom they have pierced” [Zechariah 12:10]. This prediction to their act of looking “on him” surely applies to when Jesus returns. The complete prophecy is, “I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn …”

 

At Christ’s return, those who caused him to be pierced will need to be there. At the resurrection some of these will receive the “spirit of grace” as they make “pleas for mercy”! We serve a merciful God. But tragically there will be anguish for some, for Jesus had warned, “When once the Master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock … you will begin to say, We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets. But he will say … Depart from me … there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out” [Luke 13:25-28].

 

Today God’s Word and its wondrous Gospel message is in the entire world! Will some say, ‘We had a Bible in our home and we did read it sometimes”, as they seek that “spirit of grace” and make their “pleas for mercy” - for not only natural Jews will be involved on that day – soon to come! Will you? Why not? God will decide.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

24 October 2011

 

2 Chronicles 20

Daniel 2

John 20; 21

 

"... WHAT WILL BE IN THE LATTER DAYS"

 

Today we read Daniel’s account of the remarkable dream of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and how God revealed the interpretation to Daniel. He tells the king, “there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days” [Daniel 2:28]. The interpretation was about a sequence of Empires – but at the time of the climax of human rule, no empires would then exist!

 

As we reflected on this we realized a remarkable thing, looking back more than 60 years to when we were young, there were still the remnants of Empires such as the British Empire in India and the Dutch in what is now Indonesia. Empires of one kind or another have existed throughout all of history – only in our lifetime has this ceased to be the case. If you include the break up of the Soviet Union into a dozen or so nations, we can say this applies only to the last 20 years!

 

Now the interpretation of the King’s dream shows a final time when the world will be “as you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with miry clay.” [Daniel 2:43] So today we have the unique spectacle of the United Nations. Never has a title been more inappropriate, they are so disunited! The same applies to the European Union!

 

The next verse is very familiar to students of prophecy, is it too familiar so that it loses its impact on our thinking? “In the days of these kings (this totally disunited time) the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to other people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever.” [Daniel 2:44]. This is the only hope for a hopeless world. But it is more than a hope – it is a fact of faith – a wondrous light in the darkness for those with “eyes” to see it!

 

God’s “stone” – Jesus – “cut from a mountain by no human hand” [Daniel 2:45] is about to destroy what Nebuchadnezzar saw. Let us make sure, by the grace of God, our faith will be such that God will preserve us at that time.

-------

- DC

[Resource Manager]

25 October 2011

 

2 Chronicles 21; 22

Daniel 3

Acts 1

 

"WILL YOU AT THIS TIME RESTORE THE KINGDOM?"

 

Luke wrote the book of Acts, as is evident from its opening verses when you compare them with the opening verses of his Gospel. He tells us that in the 40 days before Jesus ascended to heaven he had made it plain he was alive “after his suffering by many proofs” and that he talked “about the kingdom of God” [Acts 1:3]. There is so much in the writings of the prophets about God’s kingdom, such as what we read yesterday in Daniel, that it is clearly a world wide kingdom. There is a wonderful future life awaiting genuine followers of Christ.

 

It was only centuries later that a belief in heaven going came arose and the whole Christian message and faith became tragically corrupted. It is sad to see the attempts to support belief in heaven going when “no one has ascended into heaven except (Jesus)” [John 3:13]. There are attempts find an example of heaven going by referring to Elijah, but we see in our reading today in 2 Chronicles 21 that “a letter came to him (Jehoram) from Elijah the prophet” [2 Chronicles 21:12] stating the judgement of the LORD upon him. So Elijah had been caught up into the sky to go to another place – but he still had a role to play in the Lord’s service.

 

There was an expectation among the disciples that now was the time when Jesus would proclaim his kingship over Israel. They asked him, “Lord will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” [Acts 1:6] – probably his triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey [John 12:12-16] only 7 weeks previously was influencing their thinking.

 

His answer is, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” [Acts 1:7] Their task, he tells them, will be to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth” [Acts 1:8] The first generation received special “power” to help them preach that message; today’s generation, with God’s word available in all languages, is completing that task “to the end of the earth.” Jesus words, as recorded by Matthew, are specific, “this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” [Matthew 24:14] And when the end comes, let us make sure we are among those waiting for their Master, who, said the angels to the disciples as they gazed at his ascending figure, “will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” [Acts 1:11]

-------

- DC