Resource Manager Posted October 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2014 26 October 2014 2 Chronicles 23Daniel 4Acts 2 "SO THOSE WHO RECEIVED HIS WORD WERE BAPTISED" What is it to receive God’s word? Countless millions have read God’s word. Go back into ancient history; the world before Noah, his wife and family, turned right away from God. Soon the descendants of Noah were turning away again, resulting in God confounding human languages at Babel, a word which is significantly translated into Greek as Babylon. Then God saw in the man Abraham, a man of true faith. God had many dealings with him and we read 2 days ago in 2 Chronicles 20 the prayer of King Jehoshaphat as he stood before the assembly and made an impassioned prayer to the LORD saying they were “the descendents of Abraham your friend.” [2 Chronicles 20:7] But the quite common Hebrew word here is almost always translated elsewhere as love and loves! In God’s message through Isaiah he is addressed “the offspring of Abraham, my friend” [isaiah 41:8], it is the same Hebrew word. In a few days we will read Daniel’s desperate “prayer and pleas for mercy … O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him …” [Daniel 9:3-4] “Love” is the same Hebrew word! As we read John’s Gospel earlier this month we saw Jesus’ response to those who proudly said, “Abraham is our father” – meriting the response, “If you were Abraham’s children you would be doing what Abraham did’ ” [John 8:39] It maybe that some of these were hearing Peter’s speech which we read today in Acts 2. The effect of the Spirit inspired preaching of Peter caused many to be “cut to the heart” [Acts 2:37] and “with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation’ so those who received his word were baptised” [Acts 2:40-41] What a crooked generation it is today! Back to our opening question; “What is it to RECEIVE God’s word?” It is one thing to hear (or to read), it is something else to “receive.” The ‘receiving’ means that God’s word becomes part of your thinking – and therefore of your doing. And “those who received his word and were baptised and “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” [Acts 2:42]. Before Christ returns may more receive God’s word and do this. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted October 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 27 October 2014 2 Chronicles 24Daniel 5Acts 3; 4 “… THEY WOULD NOT PAY ATTENTION” We felt we could have written a ‘book’ of ‘thoughts’ arising from today’s 4 chapters – each will, if read with real feeling, stir our hearts and lift them into meaningful spiritual perceptions. In Chronicles the events in the life of King Joash contained absorbing lessons. He became king when only 7 under special circumstances, he was guided for most of his life by the faithful high priest Jehoiada and while he was alive Joash acted wisely and the Temple was restored to its former glory and the nation prospered. We can see comparisons with the restoration of the knowledge of God’s word when printing was invented and the Bible became available everywhere and respect for its’ divine message spread through the world. Jehoiada found wives for the king and obviously mentored him. Sadly after the death of Jehoiada, “the king listened to ... the princes of Judah” [2 Chronicles 24:17] – other members of the royal family – who, not appreciating the spiritual values Jehoiada had put in place, “they abandoned the temple of the LORD” [2 Chronicles 24:18]. As a result “wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem”. When “the son of Jehoiada” challenged them, “they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD" [2 Chronicles 24:21]. After his death “God sent prophets among them to bring them back to the LORD… These testified … but they would not pay attention.” [2 Chronicles 24:19] God judged the king and the nation and "at the end of the year, the army of the Syrians came against Joash." [2 Chronicles 24:23] and he died as a result of his wounds. We see the comparison with today - and the impending judgements of God on a world that has turned away from belief in its’ Creator and sustainer, despite God's word being so readily available, but "they will not pay attention." Daniel 5 describes events leading to the end of the Babylonian kingdom that Nebuchadnezzar set up, despite how he finally found and wrote praises and "blessed the Most High" as we read yesterday; his descendent (grandson?) Belshazzar, was blind to these blessings. The message the aged Daniel brought to him was "God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end ... you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting." [Daniel 5:26-27] And God has surely nearly completed ‘weighing’ our richly blessed world and found it seriously "wanting" that is, totally lacking, in any effort to "pay attention" to him. But the final question is surely to us personally, how effectively do we "pay attention"? -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted October 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 28 October 2014 2 Chronicles 25Daniel 6Acts 5; 6 “THREE TIMES A DAY” Once again our readings have several lessons we can take and meditate upon and apply to ourselves. The account of Daniel’s life jumps forward to when the Medes and Persians are in power, as with Jeremiah, the chapters are not in time order. The high esteem in which the mature Daniel is held causes jealousy and when “presidents and satraps” knew that “the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom” [Daniel 6:3] they contemplated how they might act to prevent this, “but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. Then these men said, "We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God." [Daniel 6:4-5] Could the same things be said about you or I? These men "came by agreement to the king" and said that they "are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions." [Daniel 6:7] The king agrees. "When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously." [Daniel 6:10] This was Daniel's habit - how valuable to develop good habits like this, but our world is now developing habits, not all of which are necessarily bad, but they are not good either. The habits around us influence us – unless we are strong in faith and commitment – as Daniel was. The Apostle Paul told the Romans that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” [Romans 8:28] Let us realise that this is for the “good” of God’s purpose, some things might not seem “good” for us – at first. The plotters plan succeeds, but Daniel is protected by the power of God from the lions. The plotters suffer! Now we see how Daniel’s faithfulness works “for good" in another way for after Darius sees the wonder of the protection the true God can provide he wrote "to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: 'Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth" [Daniel 6:25-27] What longer term affect did this have? We meditate on the account of Queen Esther and influence of the Jews in time of the Medes and Persians. How wonderfully do “all things” work together for the good of God’s purpose. Finally, we can visualize similar decrees going forth when our Lord returns and the marvelling of those blessed to be there – let us pray for that day to come soon – praying at least “three times a day”. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted October 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2014 29 October 2014 2 Chronicles 26; 27Daniel 7Acts 7 A HISTORY LESSON IN FAITH Stephen is hauled before the Jewish Council and accused of speaking blasphemous words against the Law and saying the Temple would be destroyed. His speech (in Acts 7) before the Council is a history lesson! Why? What was his purpose? He reviews all that had happened since the time of Abraham. Didn’t the members of the Council know their history? As we read the chapter we see Stephen is tracing the things God had instigated since he called Abraham from his homeland in Ur. The lesson is for humans to be awake and aware of God in action, actions which are a response to human faith or lack of it. After Abraham he looks at the work and faith of Joseph. Then God raised up Moses and when he became really faithful, miracles occurred both in leaving Egypt and in the wilderness when the commandments and the Law was given, also the follies caused by failures of faith and the result. Then comes the establishment in the land under Joshua; the days of David and the great Temple built by Solomon. God’s presence was with them, yet God is far greater than just dwelling in the Temple they had built, God said “Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool” [Acts 7:49]. Yet their religious life in Stephen’s time was still built around the Temple! Did they have a relationship with the One God for whom it was built? No! Stephen portrayed the real lessons for them, the mistakes that their history should teach them – how often their ancestors had not been awake to see God in action but had pursued their own ends. Stephen suddenly challenges them, “You stiff necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit (God in action) as your father’s did …” [Acts 7:51] He accuses them - you betrayed and murdered the righteous one, Jesus, … you did just the same as your ancestors did – a folly which they complete my murdering Stephen. It is evident that Stephen had included in his preaching a warning that the Temple was to be destroyed. And it was, about 35 years later – and their nation as well. Our 21st Century will surely see the climax of human history. God will act again but the whole world is blind and unprepared just as the Jews were! An awesome time is coming to destroy the “temples” of the gods of today. Do we preach a message that is parallel to Stephen’s? Are we prepared? Is our faith strong enough to endure? How appropriate are the words of Jesus, “Because lawlessness will abound the love of many will grow cold, but those who endure to the end will be saved.” [Matthew 24:12-13]. We must have the fellowship of fellow believers to help us to endure. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted October 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 30 October 2014 2 Chronicles 28Daniel 8Acts 8 “HAD RECEIVED THE WORD OF GOD” We recall how, in the Gospels, Jesus often went through Samaria in travelling from Jerusalem to Galilee and back. On several occasions he had encounters with the Samaritans. On occasions Jesus spent time with the Samaritans. We read earlier this month of an occasion when he heeded their request to stay and teach them and, as a result, some said, “we know that this is indeed the saviour of the world.” [John 4:42] So we can see that the Samarians were ready for the Gospel harvest. Jesus commissioned his disciples as he was about to ascend to heaven that they were to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [Acts 1:8] They were at first slow to carry out his commission. Preaching was concentrated on Jerusalem until Stephen was killed, but, as we read today in Acts 8, after “his execution … they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” [Acts 8:1] Philip made a particular effort to preach in Samaria [Acts 8:5] “and the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said … and saw the signs that he did … so there was much joy …” [Acts 8:6,8] “When they believed Philip as he preached the good news about the kingdom of God, they were baptised … now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God they sent to them Peter and John” [Acts 8:12,14]. And for us, only in our generation, has the message really reached “the end of the earth” This is a key word – receive, received, that we will encounter in the book of Acts and apostolic writings. Acts11 starts, “Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.” [Acts 11:1].When they believed what Philip preached, “they were baptised, both men and women.” The point that we must realise is; it is one thing to read and to hear about the message of the Kingdom and that Christ’s is to return to establish it – but the vital thing is whether that message is received into the heart and mind. To find God’s word interesting is a major stepping stone in these godless days – but the journey to conviction has to be completed, and then your journey into the kingdom is assured, reading God’s word daily to maintain and build up your conviction is essential “because the days are evil.” [Ephesians 5:16]-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted October 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 31 October 2014 2 Chronicles 29Daniel 9Acts 9 “FOR YOU ARE GREATLY LOVED” What a remarkable set of heart stirring readings we have today, accounts of individuals with whom and through whom God can and did work. First, in 2 Chronicles 29 we have the account of when the good king Hezekiah became king and his instant action beginning in the first month of his reign to restore the Temple and rededicate worship in it and how he inspired “all who were of a willing heart.” [2 Chronicles 29:31] to bring offerings, “and they sang praises with gladness and they bowed down and worshipped.” [2 Chronicles 29:30]. It is a chapter to be read with imagination of the event – that foreshadows - a far greater future event . In Daniel 9, the aged prophet is now living in the era of King Darius, he is deeply grieved as he “perceived in the books … according of the word of the LORD to Jeremiah" [Daniel 9:2] that 70 years must pass “before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem.” Most of the chapter is his impassioned prayer, a great example for us, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him … To us, O LORD, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness…[Daniel 9:4,8,9] The angel Gabriel comes to him, "saying, "O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved." [Daniel 9:22-23] What will the angels say to the 'elect' as they gather them? How soon? When they (we) "meet the Lord in the air" [see 1 Thessalonians 4:17] Our 'feast' of thoughts continued in Acts 9 with the dramatic conversion of Saul - soon to be referred to as Paul. His first action was to be baptised. His preaching then astonished the Jews. Immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God." Then Paul "increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ." [Acts 9:20-22] And us. How, is our strength increasing? How zealous are we in "proving" the things which we claim to believe? Surely Paul became "greatly loved" for his zeal and total commitment - and we must look at ourselves, look into our own hearts. May the angels gather us because we "are greatly loved." -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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