Resource Manager Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 01 April 2012 Numbers 15 Proverbs 11 Luke 24 "O ... SLOW OF HEART TO BELIEVE" Today we completed reading Luke’s testimony of the life of our Lord Jesus. He also wrote the book of Acts. Luke was apparently not a Jew, he travelled with the Apostle Paul some of the time. Efforts to prove Luke’s writings, especially Acts, had factual errors of history in them have failed, indeed research convinced at least one sceptic that here was true history and he became a believer. There is a danger that we are being dazzled by the intensity of life today with all its technological inventions, instant communications, etc. that the incredible events of 2,000 years ago start to seem remote and unreal. Yet, where is this world heading? Our world has no future, much of the world is in near chaos, politicians are at their wit’s end, the United Nations is a largely ineffective organisation, Syria is but one example of this. What about climate change? In contrast the reality of Luke’s careful record of Christ’s life, death and resurrection and events after his ascension have a challenging sense of truth. He began his gospel by saying, that as others had written about the life of Jesus “it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught” [Luke 1:3,4] The climax of this account, that we read today, is the overwhelming shock, and initial unbelief, that the faithless followers of Jesus experienced at the news of his resurrection. Several women came to the tomb very early to complete the anointing of his body and they encountered angels and “were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead?’” [Luke 24:5] These men (angels) said, “remember how he told you … And they remembered his words” [Luke 24:6,8] As we read, let us ‘remember’! Luke 24:10 indicates that at least 5 women told “the eleven” (Judas Iscariot was now dead) of their experience, “but these words seemed to them an idle tale.” [Luke 24:9,11] Later that day an unrecognised Jesus came up to two disciples walking to Emmaus. They told him of the women that had said they had “seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive” [Luke 24:23] to which Jesus responds, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!... and he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” [Luke 24:25-27] Are we slow of heart to believe? Let us believe with such conviction that it puts real meaning into our lives. If we remain “slow of heart” and gain no spiritual vision we are really committing spiritual suicide and our fate will be in some ways comparable to that of Judas Iscariot. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 02 April 2012 Numbers 16 Proverbs 12 Galatians 1; 2 “LET HIM BE ACCURSED” In the opening chapter of his letter to the Galatians Paul writes of his astonishment “that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel.” [Galatians 1:6]. He goes on to say that “if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received let him be accursed” [Galatians 1:9]. He says further, “the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel … I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ” [Galatians 1:11,12]. Why were people trying to change it? In Galatians 2 he writes of “false brothers secretly brought in – who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery” [Galatians 2:4]. He means - a return to the slavery of keeping the law of Moses with its priesthood system and rules like keeping the Sabbath, circumcision and tithing – these ‘false brothers’ wanted this observed by every Gentile convert. This would have corrupted the gospel and destroyed what Christ died to achieve. But note, Christ preserved the underlying moral precepts of the Law, they became precepts for individuals. Soon there would no longer be a national law, as the Temple and the nation would no longer exist. We noted that Paul was astonished that the corruption of the Gospel was happening so soon – and we are similarly astonished in reading Numbers today that Moses so soon had a fresh problem with the people. This time it is not among the tribes; the bad report of the 10 spies had been dealt with. This time it among the Levites, the priests. Korah, Dathan and Abiram challenge Moses saying, “Why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord” [Numbers 16:3] Moses responds, “Is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do service in the tabernacle?” [Numbers 16:9] All too often the desire for pride of place is the root cause of problems, so, despite all the evidence of the divine presence, this folly is committed and these jealous Levites are destroyed because of it. This reminded us of the Proverb we read yesterday, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” [Proverbs 11:2] It is interesting that a Psalm of ‘The sons of Korah’ says “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God that dwell in the tents of wickedness.” [Psalm 84:10] Let us in humility make sure we believe the same gospel as Paul, and, just as important, have the attitude of mind he reveals as he concludes his 2nd chapter. “… it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me…” [Galatians 2:20-21]-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 03 April 2012 Numbers 17; 18Proverbs 13Galatians 3; 4 "WHEN YOU DID NOT KNOW GOD" In his letter to the Galatians Paul reminds those who have responded to his teaching and become believers of what they had been previously when they did not know the true God. Some have little trouble in letting previous beliefs and associated practices fade from their minds. If we have been brought up to believe in the true God and his message it is different; the sharp edge of the spiritual excitement of conversion has not been experienced in the same way. Paul writes, “when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.” [Galatians 4:8] Amongst the Galatians there were some who had a diminishing sense of appreciation of what it was to know the true God, and of how meaningful it was compared to their previous idol worship. The Jews who were converted to Christ had a different, but still difficult problem in this regard. Christ came, writes Paul, “to redeem those who were under the Law, so that they might receive adoption as sons.” [Galatians 4:5] This applied to both those from a Gentile and Jewish background – and Paul makes the point, “.. because you are (now) sons, God has sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba, Father’” [Galatians 4:6] What is this Spirit? It is a spiritual perception of the presence of the one and only God who is now “Our Father”! Paul told the Athenians, “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] Returning to Galatians 4 we see how Paul challenges the converts, “now that you have come to know God, or rather be known by God how can you turn back again to …” [Galatians 4:9] what you were before? Knowing God is having a real living relationship with him day by day. Paul is distressed at what was happening to many of the converts he had made in Galatia, he writes, “my little children for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ be formed in you” [Galatians 4:19] And now in 2012 we have some modern “gods” which occupy the minds of the great majority, they come in various forms, they are things they love to see, think and talk about to the exclusion of any godly thoughts. We cannot say they do not have some effect on us, and the degree of that affect is evidence as to whether Christ really is “formed in us.” Paul told the Galatians, “I am perplexed about you” [Galatians 4:20] – would he write the same to you?-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 04 April 2012 Numbers 19Proverbs 14Galatians 5; 6 "WHO HINDERED YOU FROM OBEYING THE TRUTH?" In every generation there are things which hinder people from living their lives in God’s way. Our chapter in Proverbs lists many positives and their counterpart negatives in human behaviour. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” [Proverbs 14:34] In past centuries we can see how, when the Bible was printed, the countries in which it was widely read - many people tried to live godly lives. The U.S.A. had a reputation for this, led by those who came to this new world in the 17th and 18th Centuries, sometimes they were seeking religious freedom to live according to God’s word instead of the traditional Christianity practised in most of Europe: sadly the U S A’s reputation has been badly tarnished since those days. Looking at Proverbs again, “In the fear (awe) of the LORD one has strong confidence, it is a fountain of life” [Proverbs 14:26,27] When we direct our minds to the reality of God and establish a relationship with him, then our lives develop a wonderful positiveness. We completed the reading of Galatians and some of Paul’s words make this point. But we see how he is most concerned about the influence of those who want the Galatians to obey the Mosaic Law and practice circumcision. He writes, “You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the Truth?” [Galatians 5:7] We do not have their problems today but there are many others! We each need to ask ourselves, ‘Is anything hindering me from being obedient to Christ?’ Note how Paul states that “the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘you shall love your neighbour as yourself’” [Galatians 5:14] Whether we achieve this depends on whether we produce ‘the fruit of the Spirit” which “is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” [Galatians 5:22-24] Is anything hindering you from developing more and more of these fruits? Let us all prove we “belong to Christ.” --------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2012 05 April 2012 Numbers 20; 21 Proverbs 15 Ephesians 1; 2 "A PLAN FOR THE FULLNESS OF TIME" The opening chapters of Ephesians, when read prayerfully and carefully, open an intensely thought provoking picture of the whole purpose of God “that we should be holy and blameless before him.” [Ephesians 1:4] This holiness is achieved, not by our works, but by our reactions to his actions to show us his love. Our reaction should be one of “praise of his glorious grace.” [Ephesians 1:6] What intense value Paul puts on the word grace; “the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time …” [Ephesians 1:7-10] Are we now on the brink of the fullness of time, the climax of this world as we know it? There is a danger we can become side tracked from our present humble role in working for God - by constantly trying to interpret the significance of world events. Paul reminds the Ephesians how they “were once dead in trespasses and sins …” [Ephesians 2:1]. That would be our situation now if we were walking through life in this way! But, by “the grace of God” - having been either brought up to know God’s will - or having been attracted to it by some means and brought to realize the darkness of our thinking (despite its fleshly attractions), we came to realize how “the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ …” [2 Corinthians 4:4] Paul also warned the Ephesians of “the spirit that is now at work among the sons of disobedience” [Ephesians 2:2] and how “we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature, children of wrath like the rest of mankind.” [Ephesians 2:3] We are surrounded by these “passions” more than ever and they are penetrating amongst us just as with the Israelites in the wilderness as they journeyed toward their promised land. So many of them lost their vision and their trust in the word of God through Moses. And as for us? Let us think positively - note how Paul wrote; “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” [Ephesians 2:10] Let us walk more confidently so God can work more effectively in us, for the “fullness of time” is coming. Let us constantly seek ways of “encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day approaching” [Hebrew 10:25] -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 06 April 2012 Numbers 22; 23 Proverbs 16 Ephesians 3; 4 “HAVING LOST ALL SENSITIVITY” Are you sensitive? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? It seems to us that people generally have largely lost whatever ability they had to be really sensitive to the feelings of others. It is wonderful that there are always some who will give help to victims of some tragedy, such as when there are floods or storms, but is that as far as it goes? Nearly everyone is living for themselves; almost all follow the principle of - ‘self-first’. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, as in his other letters, stresses the need for the committed follower of Christ to be sensitive to the feelings and needs of fellow believers. As we completed reading Galatians we may have noticed verse10 in the last chapter, “as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially those who are of the household of faith.” [Galatians 6:10] Today in Ephesians we read, “Put away falsehood, let each of you speak the truth to his neighbours for we are members one of another” [Ephesians 4:25] Challenging isn’t it to be described as “members one of another”! It is because committed believers have become, in God’s eyes, one spiritual family. We came across the word sensitivity when reading the NIV Bible which translates Paul as writing that they “must no longer live as the Gentiles (non-Christians) do, in the futility of their thinking … having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with continual lust for more” [Ephesians 4:17,19] The ESV (which we normally use) translates it as “they have become callous” – and that is what the world today has become as it becomes less and less Christian. The true believer is the very opposite! “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth”, writes Paul, “but only such as is good … that it may give grace to those who hear” [Ephesians 4:29] This fits in with today’s Proverb’s reading, “The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious … gracious words are like honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body” [Proverbs 16:23,24]. This is the best possible advice for us in this insensitive world. Today, which is known as, ‘Good Friday,’ some in the world vaguely remember that it is to do with the crucifixion of Christ. Did Jesus ‘die in vain’? May our reading of God’s word make our memory of him grow stronger and make us more and more like Him – otherwise our reading is in vain.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2012 07 April 2012 Numbers 24; 25 Proverbs 17 Ephesians 5; 6 "THE ORACLE OF HIM WHO HEARS THE WORDS OF GOD" The one who uttered the oracle referred to above was destroyed by God! The wonder of hearing and reading the words of God is only of real value if it leads to godly thoughts and actions. Indeed, the Apostle Peter writes of those who fail to do this, that “it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back … ” [2 Peter 2:21] Today we completed reading the 3 chapters in Numbers [Numbers 22-24] which tell us about Balaam. He was a unique man who had much power and influence and the king of Moab called on him to help him by putting a curse on Israel as they came to the borders of Moab. He was willing to do what the king requested because he was promised much reward. The events which followed are remarkable. An angel from the LORD meets him in the way [Numbers 22:31] and he has conversations with the LORD through his angel. His efforts to try to put curses on Israel through divination fail and instead “the Spirit of God came upon him and he … said … the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, the oracle of him who hears the words of God who sees the vision of the Almighty” [Numbers 24:15,16] Part of his vision is of “the latter days” [Numbers 24:14] when “Israel is doing valiantly and one from Jacob shall exercise dominion …” [Numbers 24:18,19] – surely a reference to Jesus. Yet, despite all this Balaam goes back to his place frustrated that he is unable to do what the king of Moab wants and gain wealth and honour as a reward. Numbers 25 tells us that the people of Israel “began to whore with the daughters of Moab … and the people ate and bowed down to their gods” [Numbers 25:1,2] with the result God caused a plague and “those who died by the plague were twenty four thousand.” [Numbers 25:9] The seduction by the women of Moab was deliberate for when we come to Numbers 31 we learn the Israelites “killed Balaam” [Numbers 31:8] also that it was “Balaam’s advice, (that) caused the people of Israel to act treacherously … so the plague came among the congregation” [Numbers 31:16] This wily man knew the weakest part of human nature, he thought he had had some measure of revenge, but he had no vision of the Eternal. There are far too many examples of those “who hear the words of God” but the way of the flesh appeals more strongly. Read 2 Peter 2:14-20.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 08 April 2012 Numbers 26 Proverbs 18 Philippians 1; 2 "... BUT ONLY IN EXPRESSING HIS OPINION" We live today in a world of many voices, many opinions and many opportunities to express them. There are ‘tweets’ and ‘blogs’ in abundance on the Internet where people express their views on matters and comment on those of others. Newspapers have Opinion pages on their sites and in print. Polls are taken, especially by politicians, to see if the opinion of people about them is still good, or fairly so. Our thoughts flowed along these lines after we read Proverbs 18 this morning and noted Proverbs 18:2, “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only in expressing his (or her) opinion.” Then in Proverbs 18:4 that “the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook” of clear fresh water for us to drink and absorb into our minds. In the final chapter of God’s word there is the invitation, “let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price” [Revelation 22:17] God’s word provides that fountain of wisdom and as we began reading Paul’s letter to the Philippians we noted how he told them “you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel” [Philippians 1:7] The gospel was firmly established and it was now a matter of defending what had been established “and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ” [Philippians 1:10] Sadly, in the Centuries which followed, more and more followed their opinions than going to the fountain for pure water. Paul goes on to tell them he longs to “hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” [Philippians 1:27] You are to realise, he tells them that you must “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] Let us ‘stand firm’ so that it will be our great joy on the day of judgement – to see the source of that pure water that we have held on to - so it has guided us throughout our life from the day we first drank of it. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 09 April 2012 Numbers 27Proverbs 19Philippians 3; 4 "NOT THAT I HAVE ALREADY OBTAINED ... " There is an attitude among some who claim to follow Christ that they are already certain of being rewarded by God because they have accepted Christ. This is an unscriptural way of thinking. Paul did not have this attitude until the end of his life as we see in the final letter he wrote, see 2 Timothy 4:6-8. In his letter to the Philippians he makes some important points, “I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ … that I may know him … that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection of the dead” [Philippians 3:8,10,11] To know Christ is to have a real relationship with him, nothing must hinder that relationship. In the very next verse Paul says, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 3:12-14] Paul’s way of thinking is plain! Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” [Luke 9:62] What a mess you would make in ploughing a field if you did not look straight ahead, Paul is the ultimate example of doing this. His message to the Philippians, which contains less criticism of believers than any of his other letters encourages them not to slacken their efforts in any way. What encouraging words his last chapter contains, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice … 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 4:4,6,7] “Press on” “Straining forward” Those who read God’s word every day feel motivated to do this.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 10 April 2012 Numbers 28Proverbs 20John 1 "BUT TO ALL WHO DID RECEIVE HIM ... " Today we start reading John; this is a gospel which challenges us to think very carefully and make sure we harmonise our thoughts about various passages of Scripture. The Gospel starts, “In the beginning was the Word” What beginning? The very first words in the Bible are “In the beginning God created … “ The original Greek in this place for “word” is ‘Logos’ – a word translated several ways, a particular sense is ‘a word that has been spoken’- see for example John 18 where it occurs in both verse 9 and verse 32 “this was to fulfil the word that he had spoken”. We recall that at the beginning of the world God spoke at the start of each day and certain acts of creation took place. We have God’s word through Isaiah, “so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose” [isaiah 55:11] This happened at creation. Now note Peter’s words in his first Epistle - that Christ “was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” [1 Peter 1:20,21] We read today, “And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” [John 1:14]. God’s word of foreknowledge had “become flesh” – it was all God’s doing. What was in the beginning was God’s word, his plan, and it brought life and light to the world and ultimately it was made flesh in the person of his Son who came to speak God’s message as we will see most clearly as we read John’s Gospel. John the Baptist testifies of Jesus, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” [John 1:29] The world has just celebrated Easter but for most it was a meaningless celebration, but those who know his voice will say, as Nathaniel said to him, “… you are the Son of God! You are the king of Israel” [John 1:49] And one day he will return to be king, not just of Israel, but of the whole world. We must take into our hearts the point made in John 1:12, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Let us receive him and the way we start (or have started) is to confess our faith and be baptised.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 11 April 2012 Numbers 29; 30 Proverbs 21 John 2; 3 "WHOEVER DOES NOT BELIEVE IS ..." Once again our readings remind us there is no middle ground, you either believe – or you do not. There is a limit as to how long you can stand at the crossroads trying to decide, the signposts are clear to those with eyes to see and those who cannot see - are in darkness. Today the contrast between right and wrong ways has never been greater. The right way is always narrow as Jesus plainly said [Matthew 7:14]: and as we read words in John’s Gospel today, words which are very familiar to many; but maybe not so familiar are the words which follow, but they are just as significant. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already” [John 3:16-18] Jesus uses the simple illustration of the contrast between light and darkness – half light is of no value. When the truth of the Gospel begins to “dawn” in our minds we must not turn away from it, nor can we hold it at a distance, although some might think they can. Jesus sadly observes, “people loved darkness rather than light” [John 3:19]. Then we noticed how Jesus used the word “true” and relates it to “light.” He says, “But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God.” [John 3:21] Those who believe - must be conscious of this at all times and read God’s word constantly; remember David’s words, “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” [Psalm 119:105] Again today in Proverbs [Proverbs 21] we had repeated reference to the contrast between the two paths; but note Solomon words, “Every way of man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart” [Proverbs 21:2]. If our “heart” is guided by the light of the gospel then we will demonstrate the truth of Proverbs 21:11 - “when a wise man is instructed he (or she) gains knowledge” and Proverbs 21:29, “the upright gives thought to his ways”. Let us give thought to our ways, and make sure we see the light with ever greater clarity for it shines brightly in the darkness for those with “eyes” to see. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 12 April 2012 Numbers 31 Proverbs 22 John 4 "UNLESS YOU SEE SIGNS AND WONDERS ... " What caused people to believe in Jesus? When Jesus called disciples he did not attract them by performing miracles. We saw in John 2 that his disciples were with him when he performed “the first of his signs” in Cana [John 2:2,12]. No doubt it added to their belief, but true belief cannot be based on seeing miracles. When his teaching became challenging and harder to understand as we will soon see in John 6, “many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him” [John 6:66] except for the twelve [John 6:67-68]. The comment of Jesus in today’s chapter, John 4,“unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe” [John 4:48] has been a challenge ever since! It makes us think deeply about the reasons we believe in Jesus. It is sad that in the last hundred years or so Christianity has seen efforts to practice ‘miracles’ in order to stimulate belief and attract followers. We recall years ago meeting one who had done this from her teenage years, but she had woken up to how meaningless it all was. One example of her disillusionment she said was when ‘I started to read the gospels and saw how different were the ‘healings’ my husband and I were doing, such as when the same person came week after week for ‘healing’ of a bad shoulder.’ So we read today of Jesus saying, “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. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” [John 4:23,24] He was answering a Samaritan woman who had asked whether, “on this mountain (or) … Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship” [John 4:20] Jesus answers by saying it is not the place you go to – it is your ATTITUDE in worship that matters. On one occasion he told a parable about a Pharisee who went into the Temple to pray and condemned him because his prayer was self-centred, all about what he was doing in serving God [Luke 18:9] In today’s chapter we noted how Jesus said, “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]. Our worship must be true and sincere and from our heart, then it will become “a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” [John 4:14]-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 13 April 2012 Numbers 32Proverbs 23John 5 "THE SON CAN DO NOTHING OF HIS OWN ACCORD" In our readings in John’s Gospel we start to encounter the many statements of Jesus about how he looks to the Father for guidance; that he does nothing out of his own initiative. His response in the time of his temptation in the wilderness demonstrated this. Three times he said, “It is written.” His Father’s inspiration of the Old Testament writers was his inspiration and resultant guidance. What an example to us – and the more we read and meditate and digest the Scriptures the more our inner strength develops. The words of Jesus are a prime part of that inner strength for he said, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” [John 6:63] We read today in John 5, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. [John 5:19,20] We know the Father loves all those who commit their lives to believing in and following the Son and in making him their Lord. For this reason we specially note Jesus’ words in John 5:24, “Truly, truly I say unto you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but is passed from death into life” This means he does not experience the judgement of condemnation. This is made plain in John 5:28,29, “… an hour is coming when all in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgement” Jesus then goes on to make the point, “I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me” [John 5:30] This again makes it clear that Jesus was a separate being from his Father and had a separate will, distinct from God’s. The man made doctrine of the Trinity of later centuries confused all this; theologians try to ‘escape’ from this confusion by declaring it a ‘mystery’ – but it is a man-made mystery. Finally we noted Jesus words’ to his critics, “I know you do not have the love of God within you.” [John 5:42]. We can talk of the love of God, but to truly love God means to have a prayerful relationship with him that transforms our lives. Daily Bible reading and meditation is an essential foundation for achieving this. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 14 April 2012 Numbers 33Proverbs 24John 6 "THEY CAMPED BY THE JORDAN" Today’s chapter 33 in Numbers shows that the people had completed their wilderness travels and “they camped by the Jordan” [Numbers 33:49] The chapter lists all the places where they had camped in those 40 years. The chapter starts by telling us, “These are the stages of the people of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt … under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by the command of the LORD” [Hebrews 3:1,2] So the LORD saw it was necessary to have a record of their wanderings. In the New Testament the third and fourth chapters of Hebrews are devoted to drawing lessons from those 40 years. They are lessons drawn from the failure of faith of almost all the adults who had left Egypt, those 20 and over in the 12 tribes, except for the 2 ‘good’ spies and most of the Levites. The writer, almost certainly Paul, quotes from God’s words in the Psalms, “your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’” [Hebrews 3 :9] Humans can ‘see’ but not ‘know’ – like those who believe in evolution today. But they had seen! They had seen God’s judgements on the Egyptians and trembled in awe at Mt. Sinai and been feed and watered in the wilderness. With this example the message to the Hebrews about 1400 years later is, “Take care, brothers (and sisters) lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But 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 indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” [Numbers 33:12-14] Numbers details all the places they had camped at – by the Jordan was the 38th time! Little more than every 12 months they had had the big task of moving camp. Imagine it! They number some 600,000 adults [Numbers 26:51] Now the faithful remain, those who had come out of Egypt as children and those born in the wilderness. Apart from the faithful Levites, Joshua and Caleb and Moses, no-one was older than 59, the fleshpots and relatively ‘soft’ life in Egypt were a fading memory that had no appeal. That is not so with us! In today’s Proverbs there are appropriate verses, “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small” [Proverbs 24:10] “My son, eat honey: for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off” [Proverbs 24:13,14] The word of God provides the ‘honey’ for us, let us make sure we take some every day.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 15 April 2012 Numbers 34Proverbs 25John 7 “RIVERS OF LIVING WATER” A really challenging saying of Jesus was, “If anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” [John 7:37-38] Jesus is obviously NOT speaking of people feeling a physical thirst! What is the ‘water’ that will flow out of believers? What Scripture had ‘said’ this? Isaiah is the scripture and in the way the prophet makes the point we see more clearly what Jesus means. Look at Isaiah 12 “You will say in that day … ‘Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid … he has become my salvation’ With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” [isaiah 12:1-3] Then in Isaiah 58, we read of times of failure when people put on a show of righteousness [isaiah 58:1-4] that “did not make your voice to be heard on high” [isaiah 58:4]. But for those who were genuinely righteous the time will come when, “the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire … and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” [isaiah 58:11] This is the prospect of living on earth when the whole world becomes a Garden of Eden. Remember the conversation Jesus had with the Samaritan woman, when he said he could provide “living water” to drink – if the woman had asked for it! [John 4:10] What did he mean? Isaiah has made it clearer what he meant! But until that time comes, John’s gospel provides a rich source of nutrients for those with a thirsty mind! We must ask ourselves. “Is my mind thirsty? Remember what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the mount? “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” [Matthew 5:6]. To do that you must have a genuine dissatisfaction with the nutrients this world provides. Ask yourself; Am I satisfied with the way I think, the things that occupy my mind? Do you go to bed at night thinking your day has included times of positive spirituality? It is sad that many are not conscious they are suffering from spiritual malnutrition. This is a tragic situation, especially among young people, with so many looking for “kicks” in enjoying all the froth and bubble of life today, the very opposite of “living water”. In the Bible’s final message we have God on the throne saying, “To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless …” [Revelation 21:6-8] Let us live today and all the tomorrows in this mortal life wearing “the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” [Ephesians 6:17]-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 16 April 2012 Numbers 35Proverbs 26John 8 THE ORIGIN OF THE CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER Our reading in Numbers illustrates how the law regarding manslaughter originated. This is a law that is to be found in much of the world, certainly the western world – as an alternative to charging someone with murder. It is used where someone causes a person’s death, but it appears he or she did not do it deliberately. Few realize this law originated about 3,500 years ago as part of the laws God gave to Moses. Numbers 35:9 tells us, “the LORD spoke to Moses saying, speak to the people of Israel … when you cross the Jordan into the land … then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there.” There were to be 6 of these cities in all, they “shall be for refuge for the people of Israel and for the sojourner among them” [Numbers 35:15]. There follows definitions of how deaths can occur by accident. These 6 cities have a special responsibility, “the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and the avenger of blood” [Numbers 35:24] The “avenger” being a family member who feels the death needs to be avenged, who does not see it as accidental. Witnesses are needed, and the principle is established “no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness.” [Numbers 35:30] Further, someone who is found guilty of murder cannot ‘buy’ his freedom by paying a ‘ransom’.” [Numbers 35:32]. Today we would say, a fine. As the Bible became printed and more widely read these principles influenced much of the world. Godly principles have been a vital part of life on this earth for hundreds of years, but today many of them are being forgotten or ignored, but we can be thankful that enshrined within the laws of this country, many still remain. In our reading in John’s Gospel today we have Jesus saying, “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 8:31] But so many today seek to be “free” of all restraints and laws to do as they please. Even followers of Christ can be influenced by this attitude forgetting what Paul wrote, “the law of the spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” [Romans 8:2]. Have you been set free? If not, why not?-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 17 April 2012 Numbers 36Proverbs 27John 9; 10 " ... FOR THEY KNOW HIS VOICE" Today our New Testament reading confronts us with the picture Jesus paints of himself as the good shepherd and the sheep he is calling to follow him, “for they know his voice.” Many who listened to Jesus did not understand what he meant, and John comments, “This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.” [John 10:4, 6] Do we understand? We “hear his voice” today by reading what John wrote. But it is one thing to ‘hear’ or to read, but Jesus said, “Take care then how you hear” [Luke 8:18] Do you read attentively, seeking to correctly understand? Many heard Jesus, many read the Bible and there are many different reactions. What motivates our reading? Do we read because we are seeking? Is it idle curiosity? Is it to find fault? Is it to boast of our knowledge? Another challenging statement Jesus made was, “For judgement I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind” [John 9:39] It is plain he is not talking of physical blindness but of the blindness of the mind. When Jesus said this, “some of the Pharisees near him heard these things and said to him, ‘Are we also blind?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind you would have no guilt (sin) but now you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.” [John 9:40,41] There are many today who say, ‘we see’ - meaning they are convinced they are the highest form of evolved animals and this happened all by chance, the result of an almost timeless series of ‘creative’ accidents. For those who ‘see’ life in this way then this is the only type of life they will ever know and the comment of Paul about the philosophy of such, “Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die” [1 Corinthians 15:32] appears to be true of all to many. But for those who “know his voice” there is a wonderful prospect, Jesus is “the good shepherd” and says “I came that they (the sheep) may have life and have it abundantly” [John 10:11,10] The more we read the more we discover the awesome nature of that abundance.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 18 April 2012 Deuteronomy 1Proverbs 28John 11 "GATHER INTO ONE THE CHILDREN OF GOD" Disunity is a common feature in our world. The nature of politics highlights this; there is constant debate between opposing voices. In contrast the message of God’s word looks forward to a time of oneness. The friction created by those who were jealous of the tremendous popularity of Jesus reaches its peak following the fresh burst of support and belief in him after he raised Lazarus. The High Priest Caiaphas unwittingly prophesied “that one man should die for the people” [John 11:50]. But he saw it from his own jealous human perspective that Jesus should die - so that there would be no rebellion that would jeopardise and even destroy their own position of authority. Then John adds the comment, that the death of Jesus would also “gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad” [John 11:52]. Initially Jews and Gentiles who believed in Jesus became one body in Christ. Their united appreciation of the plan and purpose of God was the catalyst. Mary and Martha demonstrated their faith in God’s plan even before Lazarus came to life again. We read today, “I know that he (Lazarus) will rise again in the resurrection at the last day … that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” [John 11:24,27] This is when “the children of God” will be one. The principles that God’s children must willingly follow are well spelt out in Proverbs 28 which we also read today. “Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it completely.” [Proverbs 28:5] “Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered” [Proverbs 28:18] “A faithful man (or woman) will abound with blessings” [Proverbs 28:20] “Whoever trusts his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.” [Proverbs 28:26] Let us not trust in our own mind but feed daily on God’s word and look forward to being there when Jesus returns to “gather into one the children of God.” -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 19 April 2012 Deuteronomy 2Proverbs 29John 12 "WHOEVER LOVES HIS LIFE LOSES IT" Today’s chapter in John [John 12] is one of the most profound and challenging in the whole Bible. The words Jesus sometimes employs are single words which are ‘opposites.’ One either ‘loves’ or ‘hates,’ or ‘keeps’ or ‘loses’ there is no third option. In the end, of course, this is what life amounts to, one is either in the kingdom to be established at Christ’s return or one is not. Jesus said, “whoever loves his life loses it” but “whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life,” [John 12:25]. In what sense do we “hate” our lives? Did Jesus ‘hate’ his life? Well, first think what does it mean to love our lives? It is to pamper ourselves, to be self-centred, to think and set out to do all the things that will bring us personal enjoyment. Jesus set the example of doing the opposite! In this sense, we conclude, we should ‘hate’ our lives, turning away from all things that are self-centred. Those who fail to follow Jesus’ example will in the end ‘lose’ their lives. Jesus went on to say, “If anyone serves me, he (or she) must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honour him (or her).” [John 12:26] Another contrast is light and darkness. Are our minds really illuminated by the true meaning of life and what it really means to follow Jesus? Do we read God’s word looking for illumination? Jesus said, “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” [John 12:46] How we live shows whether we really believe far more than what we say. Note the next verses, “If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world … the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.” [John 12:47,49] How are we measuring up now in keeping the words Jesus has spoken? “The last day” is as near as the day of our death or the coming of Christ. Let our priorities in daily living be such that we “hate” our life so that we can “keep it for eternal life.” -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 20 April 2012 Deuteronomy 3Proverbs 30John 13; 14 "MY PEACE I GIVE TO YOU” What is the peace of Jesus? The world is full of restless hearts and minds, many are looking for the next new experience, others are disturbed because their lives are out of control for one reason or another. Those who have a real relationship with Jesus develop “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding” [Philippians 4:7]. Today’s chapters in John continue to challenge us to think through them, but that is the wonder of the Bible, it is a book which never ceases to challenge and fascinate. It is not a book which we can put back on the shelf and say I have got my mind right around it all, I just have it there in case I want to check that my memory is accurate. Jesus promised his disciples that after he is no longer with them they will receive “the Helper, the Holy Spirit” and this Spirit “will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” Immediately after this he says, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” [John 14:26,27] In coming hours, the disciples were to be dreadfully distressed, only John remained close to him after he was arrested [John 18:15] and went in to personally witness his trial. He was the one “whom Jesus loved” [John 13:23], evidently the youngest, so age is no indicator of closeness to Jesus. It is John who, through the Holy Spirit, is able to recall and later write down this intimate conversation. part of which we read today. After Jesus told them not to be afraid he says, “You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe.” [John 14:28,29] Events have taken place in our lifetime which the Scriptures have predicted, especially in the Middle East: the world is fearful and the time is surely coming when that fear will ‘explode’ into world-wide consternation. At that time it will be vital for true believers to have the words of Jesus at the forefront of their minds, “My peace I give to you … let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Let us seek to experience that “peace” now – especially in times of personal stress and distress.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 21 April 2012 Deuteronomy 4Proverbs 31John 15; 16 "LEST THEY DEPART FROM YOUR HEART" Deuteronomy 4 is a powerful exhortation by Moses, part of his final message before he dies. It contains much that also applies to those trying to remain faithful to Jesus as they journey through today’s wilderness to the promised land of God’s worldwide kingdom, praying with greater and greater urgency, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done.” As God’s involvement in the affairs of man unfolds and the final intense dramas of conflict and confusion multiply, convinced Bible believers know the visible involvement of God’s intervention is ever nearer. With these thoughts in mind, let us consider what Moses, in his final message, said to the people about their privileged position. “What nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?” [Deuteronomy 4:7] We should apply that to ourselves, gaining strength of mind from the intimacy of the personal relationship with God that Jesus reveals in today’s chapter in John. He told his disciples, “… you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you.” [John 15:3,4] That simple phrase says it all, a most wonderful principle to follow. A heart-felt acceptance of God’s word puts us into a special and wonderful relationship with our Lord and his and our God, a relationship which must grow and grow. We find the same point in the last message of Moses to the Israelites before his death. Note Deuteronomy 4:9, “ … take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children ” The world is continually influencing us to cause God to “depart” from our hearts. We may have an intellectual acknowledgement of him still in our minds; but can we put God, as it were, into a compartment of our minds and just open the compartment whenever we feel the need to speak and act religious? Such was the tremendous experience of the impressionable teenagers and children, both in Egypt and the wilderness, that they together with their children born during those 40 years went into the promised land and remained faithful. A dedicated daily reading of God’s word is an essential foundation if we are to do the same. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 22 April 2012 Deuteronomy 5Ecclesiastes 1John 17; 18 "IN MUCH WISDOM IS MUCH VEXATION" Today we began reading Ecclesiastes written by “the preacher, the son of David, king of Jerusalem [Ecclesiastes 1:1]. His first words are, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” What does vanity mean? The lexicon says the Hebrew word means, transitory, emptiness. Solomon is reviewing, apparently in his old age, all that he has accomplished in his life and is overwhelmed by a sense of feeling that in the end it was just “vanity” – that it was centred on the here and now. He laments, “all things are full of weariness” [Ecclesiastes 1:8] and “my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge” [Ecclesiastes 1:16] but “in much wisdom is much vexation” [Ecclesiastes 1:14]. We will read tomorrow his words, “then I considered all that my hands had done and all the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity” [Ecclesiastes 2:11] We wonder to what extent those who today fill much of their ‘spare’ time with tweeting and twittering and relaxation with TV and DVD entertainment reflect on the ultimate emptiness of it all? In contrast we saw today in John’s Gospel the intensity of thought and meaning in the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. As it reaches its climax his mind is centred on his disciples, “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] Unity of mind, how wonderful, how strengthening! He continues, “they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth” [John 17:17-19]. God’s word is “truth,” it alone reveals the ultimate meaning of life to us. Sanctify means to “be set apart” from the world having our minds focussed on God and his ways and what is really true – in an everlasting sense. It is a truth we must take into our hearts and believe. Finally, how meaningful are the words of Jesus to Pilate, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice” [John 18:37]. Let us read and “listen” to what we read and aim to fully possess “the wisdom from above” [James 3:17] and make sure we are “sanctified in truth.” -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 23 April 2012 Deuteronomy 6; 7Ecclesiastes 2John 19 ‘THIS WAS MY REWARD’ Ecclesiastes again attracted our meditation. The reminisces of the wisest of king’s, Solomon, on the nature of his life’s achievements are thought provoking. He was blessed with a special dispensation of wisdom, but what is wisdom? One evidence of it is the Proverbs Solomon wrote. As we read Ecclesiastes we perceive the exercise of his wisdom in a material way followed by his reflections on this from a human perspective. His second chapter details how Solomon uses his wisdom to accomplish everything physically possible, “ … my heart still guiding me with wisdom … I made great works, I built houses and planted vineyards … made myself gardens and parks and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water … had slaves … also great possessions of herds … also gathered for myself silver and gold … I got singers … many concubines … so I became great and surpassed all who were before me … whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure … this was my reward for all my toil” [Ecclesiastes 2:3-11] Note that comment! “this was my reward” - but we noted even more his next comment, “then I considered all that I had done and the toil I had expended.” And what is the outcome of this wisest man’s consideration? “Behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind.” Other versions have, “I saw everything was emptiness and chasing the wind” (NEB) “meaningless” (NIV) You cannot grasp the wind, Solomon is seeing that life has no lasting substance, yet we all strive after things we can possess, but at the end of the day there is nothing ‘eternal’ in what we have achieved! Then Solomon makes an astonishing declaration [Ecclesiastes 2:17] “so I hated life” – this was because he came to see it as ‘meaningless’ from an eternal perspective. Solomon lacked the clear vision his father David possessed. Look at Psalm 17 where David comments on the “men of the world whose portion is in this life” [Psalm 17:14], but he ends the Psalm by stating, “As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake , I shall be satisfied with your likeness.” [Psalm 17:15] David rejoiced in that vision, he also knew it would be only because of God’s “mercy” and because “you (God) teach me wisdom in the secret heart” [Psalm 51:1,6] A diligent and meditative reading of the Scriptures teach our hearts this wisdom, it is “the wisdom from above” [James 3:17,18] - and reveals the time of eternal satisfaction to come for those who embrace that wisdom. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 24 April 2012 Deuteronomy 8; 9 Ecclesiastes 3 John 20; 21 "KNOW THEREFORE THAT THE LORD IS NOT ... " Today’s 2 chapters in Deuteronomy contain the heart of Moses’ final exhortation to the people of Israel. It is an impassioned plea for them to remain faithful after his death and they cross the Jordan into the promised land. “God has led you these forty years in the wilderness that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart … And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna … that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” [Deuteronomy 8:2,3] Before God fed them in the wilderness they heard the word of the LORD, a word of promise, given through Moses. Jesus quoted this passage to the tempter in the wilderness [Matthew 4:4] These words should inspire us to make and take every opportunity to feed our minds on God’s word. In the next chapter there is an equally important point, “Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people.” [Deuteronomy 9:6] We recall how stubborn they had been at stages on their wilderness journey. It is all a lesson of how we are unable to “earn” our salvation by being constantly righteous. The New Testament makes it clear that salvation is only by faith [1 Peter 1:5,9] which creates a mind that leads us to “work out” our “salvation with fear and trembling”. Yet it is not of our own strength “for it is God who works in you. to will and to work for his good pleasure” [Philippians 2:12,13] This was the experience of the Israelites. They learnt this the hard way! And us? Another point Moses makes should be put alongside this. It is “not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” [Deuteronomy 9:5] Those who hope to “inherit the earth” [Matthew 5:5] because they have put on the name of Jesus, it will be because of the saving work of Jesus and their own commitment to follow as closely as they can in his footsteps, just as the Israelites succeeded when they followed in the footsteps of Moses.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted April 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 25 April 2012 Deuteronomy 10; 11Ecclesiastes 4Acts 1 "JESUS ... WILL COME IN THE SAME WAY AS YOU SAW HIM GO" These words should be familiar to all Bible readers: they are the words of the “two men … in white robes” (a common way of describing angels) said to the disciples as their astonished eyes watched their Lord ascending upwards “and a cloud received him out of their sight” [Acts 1:9-11]. We suspect it was no ordinary cloud, but like the cloud that Moses climbed up into on the mountain. [Exodus 24:16] Countless generations of Bible believers have looked for their Lord to descend from heaven in their lifetime. The disciples had asked, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” [Acts 1:6] and were told by their Lord they were to be “my witnesses in Jerusalem” but ultimately that the witnessing was to be “to the end of the earth” [Acts 1:8] He had said this earlier, also on the mount of Olives, “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] The other sign which Jesus gave, which Luke also recorded, was that “Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” [Luke 21:24] Today, Jerusalem is frequently the centre of world attention – and the returned Jews have made it the capital of their resurrected country. The evidence is plain that the climax of the ages is near, but it was not for his disciples, then or now, to know exactly when: let’s notice again Jesus’ answer when the disciples asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” [Acts 1:6] The response was to commission his disciples to be “my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria” [Acts 1:8] and it is for true believers today to complete that commission “…and to the end of the earth.” Are you his disciple? Are you carrying out this commission? If you are, you will be really looking for his return “in the same way (as the disciples) saw him go into heaven.” And you will be following the examples given in the book of Acts, which we have now started reading, of the message to be proclaimed and noting the way in which the Old Testament is also used as an essential part of that message.------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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