Resource Manager Posted May 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2014 26 May 2014Joshua 12Isaiah 162 Timothy 2“IF WE ENDURE…”We continue with our reading and reflections on the final epistle that Paul wrote: our chapter [ 2 Timothy 2] begins with his encouragement to Timothy, “my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ …” He encourages him to “share in the suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” [2 Timothy 2:3]Paul is “bound with chains as a criminal”, but says, “the word of God is not bound.” [2 Timothy 2:9] Today, with widespread translation and printing and websites, the word of God is more unbound than ever before, but how few are taking notice of it, especially in western countries which are overflowing with fleshly distractions and “the love of money.” Paul and Timothy are examples to us; Paul declares, “I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” [2 Timothy 2:10]Before his conversion Paul served himself, developing his ego as a Pharisee, blind to “the way” – the way of Christ; the human ambitions he then had, in a sense, “died” outside Damascus. Among the early believers inspirational sayings began to circulate and Paul includes one in this letter, “The saying is trustworthy, for: ‘If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.” [2 Timothy 2:11-12]This saying remains totally true today, have we “died with” him? Our thoughts immediately go to Paul’s words to the Colossians, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness … for on account of these the wrath of God is coming” [Colossians 3:5-6]As the moral restraints on our world totally disintegrate, even more endurance will be required – and our endurance will need to include the confession of our faith in Christ for 2 Timothy 2:12 in today’s chapter concludes Paul’s quotation of the ‘saying’ – “if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful …” to his promise that “if we endure, we will also reign with him.”-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted May 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2014 27 May 2014Joshua 13;Isaiah 17; 182 Timothy 3; 4“… BUT DENYING ITS POWER”Today we completed Paul’s 2nd letter to his “son in the faith” Timothy. He deplores what he sees the future is going to hold for believers; a serious decline of faith and a Christ-like way of living. As Paul looks into the future “the Spirit” gives him a ‘picture’ of what is going to develop in “the last days.” [2 Timothy 3:1]Paul of course has no idea as to how far off this future time is. But the description of this ‘time’ that is revealed to him has a specific focus on the condition of believers: they “will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness but denying its power” [2 Timothy 3:4-5].The word “power” is the Gk word dunamis, it does not necessarily refer to something miraculous, earlier this month we saw Paul use it twice in his first chapter in writing to the Colossians, ”may you be strengthened with all power” [Colossians 1:11] “… I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” [Colossians 1:29]Believers need real energy of mind – and the real pursuit of godliness generates such power – spiritual strength of mind. Paul told the Corinthians that the Lord said to him as he struggled with a divinely given “thorn in the flesh”, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” [2 Corinthians 12:9]Paul then adds, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” This is not power in the sense of miracle working, but inner strength developed through the reality of our relationship with our Lord and the Father. We read 2 days ago how Paul told Timothy, “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” [2 Timothy 1:7]Back to 2 Timothy 3; we are aware how true Paul’s prediction has been throughout history that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and imposters will go from bad to worse. But as for you (and us!) continue in what you have learned and firmly believed … how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred scriptures … breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” [2 Timothy 3:12-14,16] May we increase our zeal for the Holy Scriptures and develop a greater “spirit .. of power and love and self-control” as we complete our “training in righteousness”.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted May 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2014 28 May 2014Joshua 14Isaiah 19Titus 1; 2; 3“YET I WHOLLY FOLLOWED THE LORD”In Joshua 14 today we read of the blessings received by a man who “wholly followed the LORD.” Caleb was the other man, who with Joshua, spied out the land and brought back an optimistic report; this was after the people had miraculously escaped from Egypt, been fed in the wilderness, built the tabernacle and received the law. Surely the whole nation had evidence on which to base their faith – and today, God’s book is available for all to read and provides much evidence to build up our faith.Caleb is now aged 85 and seeks his promised reward. We read his testimony to Joshua of the time “when Moses … sent me … to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart” [Joshua 14:7] His was a good positive report, spoken in faith. Sadly, he adds, “my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the LORD” [Joshua 14:8]A prophecy about Egypt features in Isaiah 19 – and today the Coptic Christians in their midst are an unhappy and somewhat persecuted minority. Isaiah 19:17 came remarkably true after Israel was re-established in 1947/48. We read, “In that day the Egyptians will be like women and tremble with fear before the hand that the LORD of hosts shakes over them. The land of Judah will become a terror to the Egyptians …” [isaiah 19:16-17] This never happened in history – until then!But then Isaiah is caused to look further into the future to the time when “the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day and worship …” [isaiah 19:21] In that day all the world will become dramatically aware there is a Creator – and a divine law to be obeyed (see Isaiah 2:2-3)Let us “wholly follow the LORD” now, for, said Jesus, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” [John 20:29]. Caleb saw – yet in seeing he was aware of all the difficulties, but he “wholly followed the LORD”. We see the unfolding fulfilment of prophecy, especially with Israel, as an aid to strengthening our faith; may we be able to say in that day, “yet I wholly followed the LORD”-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted May 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 29 May 2014Joshua 15Isaiah 20; 21Philemon 1“I REMEMBER YOU IN MY PRAYERS”The short letter of Paul to Philemon has some valuable lessons for us in the area of spiritual relationships of believers with one another. Paul is writing as “a prisoner of Christ Jesus” [Philemon 1:1] and Timothy is with him – and other visitors support him, “Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke” [Philemon 1:24]. He tells Philemon, “I remember you in my prayers.” [Philemon 1:4]We meditate on what filled Paul’s hours and days in his imprisonment, his mind was very much occupied with thoughts about the believers he knew and the news he hears about them. We remember the dramatic night when he and Silas sang hymns while in prison, and we surely imagine him singing hymns with “Epaphras my fellow prisoner” [Philemon 1:23].How do we compare, we who are free to do as we please – does how we spend our time help or hinder our spiritual life? We have to admit that, unless we are at some spiritual gathering, the events of our daily lives rarely help us spiritually; it is vital that we ask ourselves – do they hinder, do they undermine?Paul is pleased with Philemon “because I hear of your love and the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints (fellow believers), and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective …” [Philemon 1:5-6]Would others hear the same sort of thing about us? If not, what would they hear? Would it have any effect on them in the sense of a good (or bad) example we set them? Paul is able to say to Philemon, “I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.” [Philemon 1:7]Do we shed abroad a spirit that refreshes the hearts of other believers – so that we are a light that really shines in the increasing spiritual darkness of this world – the effect of that light being so good that even some unbelievers will notice? Let us live so that we do this, it maybe that we do it unconsciously, only realizing the effect we have had as we look back on events. And in communicating with fellow believers – and those who do not yet believe, which may include some of our children, we can state, “I remember you in my prayers.”-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted May 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 30 May 2014Joshua 16Isaiah 22Hebrews 1; 2“HE IS ABLE TO HELP …”Today we began reading the specially thought-provoking letter to the Hebrews. The author is not named, but the best conclusion is that Paul wrote it as a message to his fellow Jews and he didn’t name himself because a prejudice against him had developed and some, maybe many Jews, would have ignored the letter if it had been obvious it came from him.Now Paul had a special relationship with his Saviour because he appeared and spoke to him on the road to Damascus. He is wonderfully conscious of the continuing unseen presence of Christ in his life and encourages his fellow Hebrews to develop the same consciousness, he quotes many Old Testament passages from the Psalms and Moses’ writings that foretold the special and wonderful role God’s Son would have. We see the emphasis in these two chapters of how he would first come into the world to die as a once and for all sacrifice for sins and also experience life as we do and so be able to understand and help us,We note in particular the closing verses in chapter 2 (from Hebrews 2:16) “For surely … he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. The Greek word, translated ‘tempted’ essentially means ‘tested.’Yes, “he is able to help,” but we do not receive this help, this guiding oversight of our lives, unless we prayerfully seek it. We will see Paul’s warning in Hebrews 3, where, quoting David’s words in Psalm 95, Paul says, “Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” [Hebrews 3:15] It is God’s ‘living word’ that we read and ‘hear’ – and “he is able to help” if we truly ‘listen’ and respond.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted May 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 31 May 2014Joshua 17Isaiah 23Hebrews 3; 4; 5“THEY WERE NOT UNITED BY FAITH”The 3 short chapters [Hebrews 3; 4; 5] we read today in Hebrews provide us with an abundance of thoughts. Paul is reflecting back on the lessons of earlier days, such as we have been reading in Joshua when the people were “entering his (God’s) rest” [Hebrews 4:1] as they settled in the promised land. We read. “for good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith …” [Hebrews 4:2]A key lesson that is not very obvious in the book of Joshua, is the failure of many of them to properly settle in the land. The generations, after the death of Joshua, as we will read in the book of Judges in coming weeks, “were not united in faith,” except briefly, when a good leader arose. This is the lesson of all history – but the leaders are rarely ones, of whom it can be said, “they walked with God” – as was said of Enoch and Noah. [Genesis 5:22; 6:9] Gods’ response to Solomon’s prayer about his sons, spells out the Divine attitude of giving blessings, “…if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me as you have walked ….” [1 Kings 8:25]Returning to Hebrews we read, “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God (the kingdom) … Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.” [Hebrews 4:8,9,11]We need to highlight (in our minds) the words which immediately follow, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart”We must read God’s word prayerfully so this happens with us, sensing how true it is that, as David expressed it in Psalm 139, “O LORD, you have searched me and known me! … you discern my thoughts from afar. You … are acquainted with all my ways.” [Psalm 139:1-3] Moses surely was strengthened by knowing this as he led the people through the wilderness, and now Joshua senses the same. May we be “united by faith” in sensing the same as we complete our journey to the kingdom through today’s wilderness..-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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