Resource Manager Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 01 November 2014 2 Chronicles 30Daniel 10Acts 10 “IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD” We read in 2 Chronicles 30 of how Hezekiah organised a great Passover celebration in the Temple he had restored for worship. Invitations were sent to all the tribes. It was necessary to hold it a month later than normal [2 Chronicles 30:2] but that was permissible in the circumstances. Hezekiah’s “proclamation throughout all Israel” [2 Chronicles 30:5] includes all the northern tribes. He says, “…. if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your children will find compassion … For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful…” [2 Chronicles 30:9] and “The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart…” [2 Chronicles 30:12] Our thoughts go forward to the far greater assembly in the future Temple that will be, said Jesus, “a house of prayer for all the nations” [Mark 11:17] when God’s kingdom covers the earth [isaiah 2:2-3). The start of the spread of the gospel news to all nations was illustrated for us in today’s chapter 10 in Acts. Peter receives a vision [Acts 10:9-17] that “perplexed” him, but then learns that it means he is to preach to a Roman Centurion – and “his relations and close friends.” [Acts 10:24] Cornelius has learnt there is one true God and tells Peter about the vision he has experienced, and then says, “Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord." [Acts 10:33] We need to ponder carefully that phrase ’’we are all here in the presence of God" recognizing that whenever we meet to read and discuss God's word we are "in the presence of God." Peter concludes his preaching by saying Jesus "is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." What is recorded is obviously only a very brief summary. Peter is astonished when the Holy Spirit comes upon them and declares, “Can anyone withhold water for baptising these people who have received the Holy Spirit as we have?” [Acts 10:47] The practice of baptism was the climax to the preaching of the essential message of God’s word – and it is so today – although today it is also important to make sure that those being baptised ‘unlearn’ false teachings, if they have been exposed to them, such as the belief they will go to heaven when they die. True believers live “in the presence of God” because they have been “bought with a price” The “Holy Spirit” possesses them, they are no longer their own. Read 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. This means they constantly live “in the presence of God” – for, as Paul told the Athenians, “In him we live and move and have our being.” [Acts 17:28]-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2014 02 November 2014 2 Chronicles 31Daniel 11Acts 11; 12 “WHAT WAS RIGHT AND GOOD” We continue our reading in 2 Chronicles of the great reforms that King Hezekiah instituted to bring back true worship throughout the land. It could not be accomplished in a moment, it took time, it took organisation. The abundance of evil that existed had to be disposed of - and this was the first thing they did, breaking in pieces the objects of evil living, the things people ‘worshipped’ as the first verse of 2 Chronicles 31 tells us. We ponder the work of the saints at the start of Christ’s kingdom to destroy all the ‘fleshly’ things that have multiplied around us and the vile places of ‘worship’ that exist – a widespread cleansing will happen as Christ’s kingdom begins to operate. Surely a really great cleansing is going to be necessary in many countries. Then “Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, division by division, according to his service … in the gates of the camp of the LORD and to give thanks and praise.” This will surely happen as Christ’s kingdom begins operation, a great sharing out of various responsibilities in bringing “righteousness and peace” into all the world. Psalm 85 is a wonderful prayer and vision of this when “righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way.” [Psalm 85:13] and “steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other” [Psalm 85:10] Hezekiah organises and praises the whole family of Levites for their priestly duties. 2 Chronicles 31:18 tells us “They were enrolled with all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, the whole assembly, for they were faithful in keeping themselves holy.” We can, to some extent paraphrase the work of Hezekiah as the work of Christ, for "he did what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God" [2 Chronicles 31:24]. In the same way Christ "must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet" [1 Corinthians 15:25] What wonders of experience and challenges of responsibility are in store for those who are faithful to the end - and how close are we to the end of the kingdoms of men!? Let us strive ever more diligently to do “what is good and right and faithful in keeping” ourselves “holy.” -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2014 03 November 2014 2 Chronicles 32Daniel 12Acts 13 “LOOK YOU SCOFFERS” Today we read how the missionary work of the dramatically converted Paul began in earnest. Many of the Jews however, are jealous of his popularity and this blinds their minds to the message he is preaching. He warns them, “Beware, therefore lest what is said in the prophets should come about, ‘Look you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.” [Acts 13:40-41, he is quoting from Habakkuk 1:5] It is exactly the same today, but with different motivations. People are scoffers – but when Christ comes and divine power is clearly evident, they will “be astounded and perish.” And how thought challenging is what we read in the last chapter of Daniel today! The prophet us told to “shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall increase.” [Daniel 12:4] It is remarkable how knowledge has dramatically increased in the last century or two – and now – almost yearly! It is the same with travel, the running to and fro! Sixty five years ago we were travelling (by ship) from the U.K. to Australia, it took 30 days! Today you can fly in less than 30 hours! It took 5 days to fly 65 years, ago, staying in hotels overnight – and cost a small fortune! Daniel’s prophecy ends in him being told he is to “rest” until you “stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.” Jesus tells us this in Revelation 14:13, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord … that they may rest from their labours…” At the beginning of the chapter Daniel is told, “… there shall be a time of trouble such as never has been .. at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book” This is “the end of the days” of human rule. At that time, which seems so near, we may feel inclined to say “look you scoffers” to the many disbelievers; but it is far more important to look to God’s word and be faithful to the Lord ourselves so that we can “stand in (our) allotted place at the end of the days.” Many of us today, can expect, by the grace of our Lord, to be “changed” (see 1 Corinthians 15:51-54) after being “astounded” at events and witnessing the “scoffers” perishing as we start to “shine like the brightness of the sky above” [Daniel 12:3] The reality of this is far beyond present comprehension, how earnestly we must pray.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 04 November 2014 2 Chronicles 33Hosea 1Acts 14; 15 “THROUGH MANY TRIBULATIONS” How heart stirring are the accounts we have in the book of Acts of the ways in which the Gospel was spread, and the opposition it faced and overcame so that “a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.” [Acts 14:1] But those who did not believe stirred up opposition – and it has been so ever since! The nature of the opposition has changed from time to time – but today, the opposition is – complete indifference, the message of the God of the Bible is almost completely ignored – and is some ways this is the hardest opposition to contend against. At Lystra Paul appears to have been stoned to death, and they “dragged him out of the city supposing that he was dead.” [Acts 14:19] Wonderfully, “when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city.” We reflect on Paul’s summary of his many afflictions we read in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 which ends with the comment that “apart from other things there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” Today, as news travels so fast, if we are really committed to the work of Christ we will experience similar anxieties as we hear of the plight of genuine believers in countries such as Iran and Ukraine. So we read that Paul and Barnabas made their way back to Antioch “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." [Acts 14:22] We ourselves ponder the final time of tribulations that may await us as we see our world in increasing turmoil and remember the words of Jesus, "there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days... after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect ..." [Mark 13:19,20,24-27] Let us try our best to develop the strength of faith we are reading about in the Acts as we know not how “many tribulations” await us as the time of the kingdom comes ever closer, remembering that Jesus said, “the one who endures to the end will be saved.” [Mark 13:13]-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 05 November 2014 2 Chronicles 34Hosea 2Acts 16; 17 “THE TIMES OF IGNORANCE” Some people, and today it seems many people, prefer to remain ignorant of what matters most – that is, ignorant of the meaning of life, of its’ cause and destiny: they live for the day, the month, and at most the next year or two. We read today of the challenge that resulted when Paul explores the way of life and attitudes in Athens: the people worshipped many gods, all of them the result of human imagination. He challengingly told them about the one real God who was “unknown” to them. He proclaimed to them, “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him." [Acts 17:23-27] Getting to KNOW the one and only real God is a process; in the ultimate, it is a lifelong process! It is not to be compared to going to a college or University to learn the things needed for a career. We must realize that being intellectually aware of God is only a foundation! "Knowing" God is an experience developed in the way we live our lives in serving him. Paul tells the Athenians "for in him we live and move and have our being" [Acts 17:28]. We are "God's offspring" [Acts 17:29] as God's word shows and as his Son taught, "from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female." [Mark 10:6] So Paul challenged the people of Athens - and the original gospel has challenged the world ever since! The people of Athens failed the challenge, no ecclesia was formed there. The world is failing the challenge today, especially those parts which see themselves as 'educated' and knowing all the answers; it is "the times of ignorance" [Acts 17:30] all over again. Paul told them “God overlooked this ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.” [Acts 17:30] We all need to be fully conscious in our minds that, as Paul told the Athenians, God "has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed" [Acts 17:31] It is becoming clear that that “day” is getting very close. Are you ready for it? How well do you and I “know” God?-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2014 06 November 2014 2 Chronicles 35Hosea 3Acts 18; 19 “HIS GOODNESS IN THE LATTER DAYS” There is no doubt that we are living in “the latter days” and there are many scriptures that give warnings about those days. We read in Daniel how he told the King, "there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days" [Daniel 2:28]. There are many Scriptures that give warning about this time, we also read how Daniel was told of "a time of trouble, such as never has been ... But at that time your people shall be delivered" [Daniel 12:1-2], as we read 3 days ago. We have another remarkable prophecy today, it is in Hosea 3; after being told by the LORD that "the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod" [Hosea 3:4] - and how true this has been since the Temple was destroyed and the Jews scattered, we read in the next verse; "Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the LORD and to his goodness in the latter days." That ‘seeking’ will find its completion when David is raised to life again (see his expectation expressed in Psalm 17:15). At that time those counted as righteous (through their faith) will see both him and Jesus, “the son of David”. What a wonderfully succinct prophecy Hosea brings to us - and we await its wonderful fulfilment. Let us make sure we are already seeking the Lord - and finding him - as we will recall that yesterday, we read Paul was telling the Athenians to do. And let us not become too self-confident in doing so, noting the lesson in today's reading, 2 Chronicles 35, about the later folly of good king Josiah who had inspired the people with a great Passover gathering, indeed we read in 2 Chronicles 35:18 that "No Passover like it had been kept in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as was kept by Josiah ..." Then he became over confident - and was killed in a battle in which Israel did not need to get involved. (2 Chronicles 35:20 onwards) The Scriptures are so full of lessons for us - let us read them every day - and heed those lessons so that we can live (or be raised) to see the completion of "his goodness in the latter days" in which we surely live. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2014 07 November 2014 2 Chronicles 36Hosea 4Acts 20 “I AM INNOCENT” We are now reading, in Acts 20, the climax to Paul’s travels. He is heading towards his destiny in Jerusalem. He arrives at Miletus and “sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.” [Acts 20:17] Among the things he said to them was his declaration [Acts 20:25] that none of them would see his face again, adding the challenging comment, to them and to us, "Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God" [Acts 20:26-27] This creates for us food for thought and meditation. How much have you and I "declared" at least a fundamental message to our neighbours, friends and work associates that there is a God who made everything and who will soon punish the world because it has become so totally godless. And then, to that message we can add that after this punishment, which is pictured in his word as being very severe, there will be a wonderful transformation far beyond our comprehension. It will greatly exceed the transformation that took place in Judah and Jerusalem in the time of Ezra which we will start reading about tomorrow. Today, in the last chapter of 2nd Chronicles, we read of the utter desolation of God's nation because "all the officers of the priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful" [2 Chronicles 36:14]. It is the same today compared to when the Bible was first available for all to read. Most of us are familiar with Isaiah's prophecy of what 'shall come to pass in the latter days". Wonderfully "many peoples shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house (Temple) of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples" [isaiah 2:2-4] And in Zion they will worship at the new glorious temple, which Jesus said would be "a house of prayer for all the nations" [Mark 11:17] Let us witness to the wonder of our faith in this hope so that we can say, "I am innocent" of the fate of my workmates, neighbours and others of the world I have contact with because I have not failed to testify to what I believe. Remember the comment Paul made to the Corinthians, "I believed, and so I spoke" [2 Corinthians 4:13] Let us do likewise. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 08 November 2014 Ezra 1; 2Hosea 5Acts 21; 22 “… THEY GLORIFIED GOD” Today we read of how Paul returned to Jerusalem and it is obvious from the text that Luke, the author of Acts, is with him and this is a firsthand account from his personal experience of these events. He writes, “When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry." [Acts 21:17-19] Imagine the conversation from what we have read in the last few days. How pleased they were to learn this news, for information travelled very slowly in those days and was largely by word of mouth. We read, "And when they heard it, they glorified God." [Acts 21:20] Let us imagine the reaction among these elders, the foundation members of the ecclesia in Jerusalem, among them would be those who remembered the final words of instruction of their Lord before he ascended to heaven to "be my witnesses ... to the end of the earth." [Acts 1:8] Did it inspire some of them to travel? It is possible Peter went to Babylon 1 Peter 5:13 and John ended up on “the isle of Patmos.” [Revelation 1:9] How does our reaction compare to those in Jerusalem? To what extent can it be said we have "glorified God" with wonder and appreciation in knowing the way the original truth of the gospel has now spread into so much of the world since the end of the last world war? Look at the list of countries now shown in the CALS Diary! Do we read of events in those countries with wonder and appreciation realizing how the final ingathering is taking place before our Lord appears? How eager we should be to be part of that wider ingathering if we can possibly make or take the opportunity. Have we genuinely "glorified God" in being able to know this work for the Lord in these final days? -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 09 November 2014 Ezra 3; 4Hosea 6Acts 23; 24 “BE IT KNOWN” People promise to say the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth in a court of law! The fullness of that wording is interesting as it tries to counter the common human tendency to bend the truth, this is done sometimes to the extent that it really becomes an outright lie. It has been said that “half-truths” are more dangerous than lies. When a human being declares to others, “Be it known to you …” certain ‘facts’ it is always as they want to see the facts. We have examples of this in both our Old and New Testament readings today. In Ezra we are reading of the struggles of the first contingency of Jews who returned from captivity to Jerusalem with the purpose of rebuilding the temple. Nebuchadnezzar, in destroying it, was so thorough that even the foundations were wrecked. The non-Jews who, were transported to the area from Assyria, [Ezra 4:20] take offence when the Jews decline their offer of involvement in the work. The result is they try to stop the work. When a new King comes on the Persian throne they write a letter to him saying, “Be it known to the king that the Jews … are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city … if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished they will not pay tribute, custom or toll and the royal revenue will be impaired …” [Ezra 4:12-13] This was a total distortion of the facts, really a lie. It is astonishing how often money is made an issue it was a most important factor in human decision making then and now. Now in the New Testament we read that after Paul’s arrest by the Romans in a riot that the Jews provoked, they allege before the Roman Governor that Paul is “one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world … he even tried to profane the Temple, but we seized him.” [Acts 24:5-6] Testimonies as to the true cause of a situation are so often distorted through prejudice. Paul refuted these claims [Acts 24:12-13] and says, “I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man” [Acts 24:16]. Do we “always take pains” to have a clear conscience? God knows whether we bend the truth, even slightly! Do we have a clear conscience in the way we teach what God’s word says? Paul tells Timothy, in the last letter he wrote, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” [2 Timothy 2:15] The most dangerous thing of all for people to do is to bend God’s “word of truth.” -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 10 November 2014 Ezra 5; 6Hosea 7Acts 25; 26 "SANCTIFIED BY FAITH" The word “sanctified” means, ‘cleansed of sin’ and therefore righteous – in God’s eyes. Keeping the Law of Moses was the way in which the Jews of old could feel sanctified, for this reason, having a place where they could make offerings and worship was of high importance to them. We are reading in the book of Ezra of the diligent efforts of the returned Jews to rebuild the Temple for this purpose: their refusal of the help of the people already in the land (who became the Samaritans) is therefore understandable. In Acts 26 our minds are attracted by the greater detail Paul goes into - about the words Jesus spoke to him when he was struck blind when he was nearing Damascus. Paul is explaining this in his defence before king Agrippa. He was told he is to be Christ’s “servant” and “witness” [Acts 26:16] "... 'to those in which I will appear to you delivering you from your people and from the Gentilesto whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'" [Acts 26:17-18] Paul was surrounded by 'Satan's' when he came up to Jerusalem. We recall how Jesus said to Peter, "Get behind me Satan" [Mark 8:33] and Peter's conversion was completed by his agony and weeping when Jesus was arrested. The 'spirit' of mind of so many today is a constant challenge to us, for some of us a daily challenge to "turn (away) from darkness ... and the power of Satan and become stronger and stronger in our "place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me (Jesus)" To be "sanctified" is to be holy, to have a sanctuary in our heart – the result of our genuine faith - until there is a literal sanctuary (Temple) in Christ's kingdom and our faith is turned to wondrous sight - an experience of immeasurable wonder compared to the efforts of those with Ezra. Let us be truly "sanctified by faith" today, and then we will witness, indeed be part of, the time in the kingdom when, as Paul's experienced, " the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily." [Acts 19:20] - but it will then be known throughout all the earth.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 11 November 2014 Ezra 7Hosea 8Acts 27 “… FOR I HAVE FAITH” We read today of two outstanding characters, believers who had an active faith with whom God could work to perform his will, they are great examples for us. First we have Ezra who is a direct descendent of Aaron [Ezra 7:5] "who had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach ..." [Ezra 7:10] The "king of Persia ... granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him. " [Ezra 7:1,6] May that be true of you and I because of our commitment to serve our king, and, as we develop our faith, to see him ever more clearly as we gain "a true heart in full assurance of faith" [Hebrews 10:22]. The attitude of Ezra convinced the Persian king and so, says Ezra, "I took courage, for the hand of the LORD my God was on me" [Ezra 7:28] God's message through Hosea is one that applies to our world today and its total lack of faith and ignorance of God. He tells his prophet, "My anger burns against them ... they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind" [Hosea 8:5,7] And they, the northern nation of Israel to whom he was a prophet, were soon no more. The whirlwind for our world is developing more and more and is looking increasingly fearsome as the people of the world convince themselves there is no Creator who watches over them and sees all that they do.. In our Acts chapter [Acts 27] the ship sailing to Rome reaped "the whirlwind," but wonderfully 'Christ’ was watching over Paul and he was able to tell those with him that "this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.' So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told." [Acts 27:23-25] Paul's faith was supreme in the crisis - and our faith? How have we “set” our heart? Ezra is an example. God's word reveals to us the extremity of the crisis that faces our world - and which it deserves. But, as Paul wrote, let us make sure "we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls." [Hebrews 10:39]-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 12 November 2014 Ezra 8Hosea 9Acts 28 “THIS PEOPLE’S HEARTS HAVE GROWN DULL” It is challenging to note how God’s word often uses the word ‘heart’ to describe the real attitude of human minds, as God sees them. Our reading in the book of Acts reaches its’ conclusion, and this seems to be almost an anti-climax. Paul is in Rome for “two whole years” living there “at his own expense.” At the start of this time “the local leaders of the Jews” [Acts 28:17] gathered together at his request and Paul explains to them the circumstances that led to him being in Rome. He tells them, “it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain." [Acts 28:20] And for us, ‘it is because of the hope of Israel" – and all that flows on from this hope about the kingdom age, that we stand apart from others who claim to believe in Christ! The local Jews "came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus ..." [Acts 28:23] The foundation for all that he said about the hope of the followers of Christ in “the kingdom of God” [Acts 28:31] was "from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved." [Acts 28:24] Paul saw their attitudes as being a fulfilment of a prophecy by Isaiah, "this people ... will indeed hear but never understand ... will indeed see but never perceive." [Acts 28:26] Can we see parallels in this with today when Bibles are more freely available than ever before: but people only read what they want to read. Isaiah also wrote (under God's direction) says Paul, "this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes ..." [Acts 28:27] Interested point! Do you "hear" as a result of what your eyes see? In these days of TV and multiple visual aids most people do! How much of what we "see" makes our minds "dull"? So much of it is carefully packaged from the perspective of human wisdom. May this not be happening to those who really read and digest God's word. May we make sure we have an adequate 'meal' every day to keep our "hearts" healthy. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 13 November 2014 Ezra 9Hosea 10Colossians 1 “… EVERYONE MATURE IN CHRIST” How can everyone be mature? Becoming mature is a vital process and as we begin reading Paul’s letter to the Colossians today the total earnestness of Paul unfolds very clearly. The believers there had once been “very hostile in mind, doing evil deeds” [Colossians 1:21] But now? They are on the only road that leads to real salvation, a road we are also on! It leads to the wonderful and eternal meaning of existence “if indeed” says Paul “you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard ... of which I, Paul, became a minister." [Colossians 1:23] Paul writes of "the mystery" explaining it "is Christ in you, the hope of glory". [Colossians 1:27] What 'vision' develops in our minds as we contemplate this mystery of "the hope of glory" which begins with the reality of having Christ "in" us! Paul, in the next verse tells us he proclaims Christ, "warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature." Warning and teaching! Paul is passionately committed to effectively serving his Lord who "called" him on the road to Damascus. He is doing this "with all wisdom," he is not a teacher who is just presenting facts to his pupils, but, through the Spirit, he is intimately aware, indeed "powerfully" aware of their thought processes, he is "teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ." Some of us have been, or are presently going, to University for several years, we then have knowledge of particular things to a fair degree - but we are not mature, although we might be tempted to think we are. Certainly we do not have "all wisdom." Now look carefully at the final verse in this chapter, it clearly indicates Paul’s total commitment - and what an example for us! He writes of his utter dedication to be successful in making "everyone mature" saying " For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me." Paul makes the same point to the Philippians [Philippians 3:17] "Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us." Are you and I mature? Are we “imitating” Paul? Are we letting our Lord work within us? What example are we setting? -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 14 November 2014 Ezra 10Hosea 11Colossians 2 “THEREFORE AS YOU RECEIVED … SO WALK IN HIM” Colossians 2:6 jumped out at us this morning! It is surprising how often in doing the Bible readings one’s mind is captured by something one seems to have missed before. This verse is brief and to the point, it reads, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.” Paul is telling the Colossians, if we expand his meaning a little, - that - first - "you received" - Jesus, believing in him, accepting him as your saviour - but then what? The answer seems obvious and natural - you "walk in him." Receiving him cannot be a passive thing, we cannot say, 'I believe' and then nothing changes in what dominates our thought processes and resultant actions. Paul is not in Colosse physically, but he says, " though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ." [Colossians 2:5] Our faith must develop a "firmness". We will read next month that powerful first chapter of James' letter where he writes, "the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." [James 1:3-4] May we all aim to become "perfect and complete" in our relationship with our Lord, and through him, with our Creator, becoming fully conscious of how 'in him we live and move and have our being" [Acts 17:28] so that when that day comes, and how soon that could be, when he "will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect" [Matthew 24:31] we will be gathered because we "so walk in him." -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 15 November 2014 Nehemiah 1; 2Hosea 12Colossians 3; 4 “SERVANTS WHO DELIGHT TO FEAR YOUR NAME” Today we began reading the inspiring words of Nehemiah. They are inspiring because they show his faith and absolute commitment to serve God – and the wondrous power of prayer in carrying out this commitment. Earlier, inspired by Ezra, the Temple had been restored, but Jerusalem itself was still in ruins and the people were living in very difficult conditions. Nehemiah is a cupbearer, a very responsible and trusted position in service to the Persian King. Visitors from Jerusalem bring him news of its “great trouble and shame” [Nehemiah 1:3]. As a result he says, “I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying ..." [Nehemiah 1:4] He reflects on God's saving power in the past and prays, "O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name ..." [Nehemiah 1:11] Do we “delight to fear" - that is, be in heart felt awe of what God must be? And for us, as we read today in Colossians 3:1, to have that attitude toward “the Son at the right hand of God.” Obviously Nehemiah’s relationship with God was real! Is ours? Nehemiah is cupbearer to the King, a very trusted position in protecting the king from any effort to poison him. His spirit of distress is evident as he serves the king. The king asks, "Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick?" [Nehemiah 2:2] Nehemiah tells him of the news that has come to him, the King responds, "What are you requesting?" [Nehemiah 2:4] Nehemiah reacts! Imagine it! "So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favour in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.’" [Nehemiah 2:4-5] How instantaneous his prayer must have been - and how he must have marvelled and felt humbled by the answer! He is sent to Jerusalem and on arrival "I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, 'Let us rise up and build.' So they strengthened their hands for the good work" [Nehemiah 2:18]. May the hand of our loving heavenly Father be upon us for good - that is the good of working in his vineyard: this includes using whatever talents we have to rebuild the faith of any whose 'walls' have fallen down - or are collapsing. The tragedy is, as we read in Proverbs, those "without self-control (are) like a city broken into and left without walls." [Proverbs 25:28] -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2014 16 November 2014 Nehemiah 3Hosea 131 Thessalonians 1; 2 "TO PLEASE GOD WHO TESTS OUR HEARTS" As Paul and his companions travelled to bring the message of Christ their reception was different in each place. We have had the same experience ourselves. What is very pleasing is that in countries in which we did not expect to have much if any success in teaching the truth about the Bible, good progress has, most remarkably, been made. We think of Nepal, then of Bangladesh, then Cambodia and now our efforts to spread the truth of God’s word in Burma, now called Myanmar, is attracting increasing interest. And what about several middle east countries, it is astonishing that the truth of God’s word is penetrating these countries, spreading from the widespread interest in Pakistan. Today we are reading Paul’s letters to the believers in Thessalonica and noted his comments in the first chapter that “they received the word in much affliction” [1 Thessalonians 1:6], also how they “became an example … for not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere” [1 Thessalonians 1:7-8] No wonder Paul is so enthusiastic in what he writes! In the 2nd chapter he recalls; “we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict … we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. For we never came with words of flattery … nor with a pretext for greed …” [1 Thessalonians 2:2,4,5]. It is tragic that so often the motive in preaching has been wrong. Those with the wrong motive God will judge. Writing to the Hebrews Paul said, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” [Hebrews 10:31] Those with the right motive respond to Paul’s call to “walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.” [1 Thessalonians 2:12 – today’s chapter] Finally, we noted the point he made at the end of the 1st chapter – that we “wait for his son from heaven … Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” This reminded us of what we read in Hosea today, the fate of those who have no time for God, ”they shall be like the morning mist or like the dew that goes early away… or like smoke from a window” [Hosea 13:3] to become no more, presumably not even to know they ever existed. But, the really vital thing is for us to each ask ourselves, ‘What does God find when he tests my heart?’-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 17 November 2014 Nehemiah 4Hosea 141 Thessalonians 3; 4 “THE PEOPLE HAD A MIND TO WORK” Yesterday we started reading the inspiring book of Nehemiah. It is inspiring because it shows there is no limit to what can be achieved in serving the LORD when there is genuine dedication. We read, “the people had a mind to work” [Nehemiah 4:6] to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem despite the opposition of Arabs such as Sanballat, who when he ”heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered … ‘What are these feeble Jews doing?’” [Nehemiah 4:1-2] The whole account Nehemiah provides is an inspiration. They relied both on their own strength and on the LORD “each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built.” [Nehemiah 4:18] and Nehemiah said,” to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us." [Nehemiah 4:19,21] And our work for our Lord "is great" as is our hope as our reading in 1 Thessalonians 4 wonderfully portrays in describing the time (and how soon now is this?) when "the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet..." [1 Thessalonians 4:16] with the result that "the people (who have) a mind to work" for their Lord with whatever talents they have, showing how much they love him and "who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words." [1 Thessalonians 4:17-18] Paul repeats those last words in his last chapter, showing how vital is this advice, “encourage one another and build one another up” [1 Thessalonians 5:11] The last verse of Hosea' prophecy, also our reading today, adds a fitting conclusion to our thoughts, "Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them. " -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 18 November 2014 Nehemiah 5; 6Joel 11 Thessalonians 5 “THE BREASTPLATE OF FAITH” Some of the verses in the final chapter of Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians are really appropriate for conditions we live in today. The chapters in Nehemiah are also full of lessons, showing his dedicated effort, despite all kinds of distraction and opposition. He led the people in overcoming these so that the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem were completed in just 52 days [Nehemiah 6:15]. Although the word "faith" is not used (for it is largely a N.T. word), the dedication and faith of Nehemiah is so unshakable; it can be truly said that he was a man who had "put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation" [1 Thessalonians 5:8] as Paul was encouraging the Thessalonians to do. Paul told them, as he tells us, "God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him." [1 Thessalonians 5:9-10] His words are full of practical advice, “Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient ..." [1 Thessalonians 5:13-14] What an increasing challenge it is to find and maintain inner peace - and outward peace - when the world is increasingly without peace! The world situation is getting steadily worse - and it demands that we note Paul's prophecy that "the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘There is peace and security’, then sudden destruction will come upon them ..." [1 Thessalonians 5:2-3] They will only be talking about the urgent need for it – they will not achieve it! How even more vital it will be for us, when that happens, to have on "the breastplate of faith" living in every situation in ways that show, as Paul puts it, we really "are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness" [1 Thessalonians 5:5] even though the darkness is all around us, trying to suffocate us. Let us follow the example of Nehemiah, who, in the face of increasing opposition prayed, "... now, O God, strengthen my hands." [Nehemiah 6:9] Let us say the same because we have put on "the breastplate of faith." -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 19 November 2014 Nehemiah 7Joel 22 Thessalonians 1; 2 “TO THIS END WE ALWAYS PRAY” Paul's 2nd letter to the Thessalonians portrays details of some of the dramas that will occur at the return of Christ. He stresses how the enemies of God will be destroyed "when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus" [2 Thessalonians 1:7-8] So there are those who, while being aware there is a God and a Saviour "do not obey" - do not seriously give heed to the gospel, the good news, or having at first responded, become distracted, or should we say, attracted, by the nature of the life that surrounds them. Could “the flaming fire” be literal? Or is it symbolic language to emphasize the impact and world awareness of Christ’s return? There are verses today in Joel describing how the “earth quakes … The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining … the day of the LORD is great and very awesome; who can endure it?” [Joel 2:10-11] The good news of the original gospel has now spread into all the earth, being now available in every language. Sadly, many will be aware of the gospel, but fail to "obey" it and "will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at among all who have believed." [2 Thessalonians 1:9-10] This pictures events that we find it impossible to imagine in any real way. Then Paul adds a vital message that we should especially take notice of! He writes, "To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfil every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." [2 Thessalonians 1:11-12] How much do we pray for each other – following the example of Paul? It is the Lord's ongoing work today to "make you (and I) worthy of his calling." We cannot by our own efforts, make ourselves worthy. We must become, and hopefully already are, effective "ambassadors for Christ ... that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Working together with him" [2 Corinthians 5:20-21; 6:1 - continuous verses] "To this end we always pray" every day," that he will, until he returns, "comfort (y)our hearts and establish them in every good work and word." May we all be comforted and established in these ways.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 20 November 2014 Nehemiah 8Joel 32 Thessalonians 3 “ALL THE PEOPLE WERE ATTENTIVE” We have 3 interesting and challenging readings today. Nehemiah describes how “all the people were attentive” [Nehemiah 8:3] when the books of Moses were read to them. They answered, “ ‘Amen, Amen,’ lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD" [Nehemiah 8:6] They were told, "this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." [Nehemiah 8:10] This is the strength we will need as our world falls apart as is prophesied in Joel. Joel 3 starts by asking us to "behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land." [Joel 3:1-2] It is evident we live “at that time” for the LORD has restored the fortunes of his people in our days – and the “divided up” Holy Land is a bone of contention – and trigger - for impending events,. God particularly intends to " judge all the surrounding nations" [Joel 3:12] "For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon are darkened ..." [Joel 3:14-15] and this year and next year we have the apparent signs of the 'blood moons' on 4 Jewish Holy Days (Passover and Tabernacles). Significant events have occurred in the past in such years, or the next. After next year they are not to occur again for at least 100 years, according to NASA. How close are we to the time when, "The LORD roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the LORD is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel. So you shall know that I am the LORD ...." [Joel 3:16-17] !? Today's 3rd chapter of 2 Thessalonians is a sequel to the first 2 chapters; it is a petition for faith in view of the coming evils they described. It starts with a prayer "that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honoured..." - and so it has been - but is so no longer. May we be even more "attentive" to that word that "we may be delivered from wicked and evil men." [2 Thessalonians 3:2] fully realizing, as Paul then states, "the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil ... May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ" [2 Thessalonians 3:3,5] because we continued to be genuinely "attentive" to his word. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2014 21 November 2014 Nehemiah 9Amos 11 Timothy 1; 2; 3 “BLESSED BE YOUR GLORIOUS NAME” We have a most meaningful chapter [Nehemiah 9] in Nehemiah today. It is the remarkable account of how the people “assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins ..." [Nehemiah 9:1-2] It was an all-out effort to renew their commitment 'to God - to 'get back on track' as we would put it today. The leading Levites told them to "Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise." [Nehemiah 9:5] Do we fully understand what this means? What is the "name" of God? Just a word you say - just like when someone addresses you or I - by name? How can a "name" be "glorious" in itself? These Levites say (a prayer really) "You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it ... You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram ... You found his heart faithful before you ... you saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt ... And you made a name for yourself, as it is to this day … you divided the sea before them ..." [Nehemiah 9:6-11]. It is invaluable to understand how God "made a name" for himself. In Exodus 3 is the account of the encounter of Moses with God at the burning bush and his being told to go to the people and bring them out of Egypt [Exodus 3:10-11] Take special notice of how Moses responds, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" [Exodus 3:13] We may be familiar with God's answer, but we also need to think - and ask ourselves - why would Moses expect the people to ask, 'What is our God's name?' It would asked, Moses knew, in the sense of wanting to know his particular reputation. The people would be familiar with all the different reputations of the various Egyptian Gods. The essential meaning of the answer God gave Moses at the bush was that he was going to make a reputation for himself in what was about to happen. This understanding is confirmed in this record in Nehemiah, but also in many other places, see Isaiah 63:12-14, Jeremiah 32:20, Daniel 9:15 The challenging extension to our thoughts is how the meaning of God's name changes in the New Testament, for now God has become a Father. What did Jesus tell his disciples? See John 17:6,26. How is the prayer of Jesus working out in the lives of you and I? "I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them." Think through these words they lead to the deepest meditation.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2014 22 November 2014 Nehemiah 10Amos 21 Timothy 4; 5 "KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON YOURSELF" Paul, who told Timothy he was his "true child in the faith" [1 Timothy 1:2], is very straightforward in his advice to him about making sure he grows spiritually. There are many verses in his epistle to him we can, and should, apply as his advice and encouragement to ourselves and so be " trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine" [1 Timothy 4:6] "Godliness," Paul tells him, "is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.... to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God ..." [1 Timothy 4:8,10] Nearly all his advice equally applies to sisters. Timothy is to "set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." [1 Timothy 4:12] He was to devote himself "to the public reading of Scripture..." [1 Timothy 4:13] as well as teaching. None of the believers would have had their own copies of Scripture, which would of course be our Old Testament! What a blessing we have! Do we genuinely appreciate this? There is a danger that those who see their role as being in the forefront of working for Christ - start to fail in their own spirituality - there are sad and distressing examples of this. All such should note Paul's advice to Timothy to "Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching." Adding, "Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers." [1 Timothy 4:16] As our world grows ever more godless - and we encounter this godlessness in so many ways, almost every day - it is ever more vital that we take Paul's advice to Timothy to ourselves to "keep a close watch on yourself."-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2014 23 November 2014 Nehemiah 11Amos 31 Timothy 6 “PUFFED UP WITH CONCEIT” As a sequel to our thoughts yesterday, we recall how often the gospels revealed the Pharisees, Sadducees and other Jewish hierarchy as being “puffed up with conceit” in their opposition to Jesus. But our human minds continuously threaten to descend into this kind of behaviour UNLESS they are strongly influenced by a conviction of the privilege, and, as a result, the wonder and inner spiritual joy of serving God and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ. As we read his letters to Timothy we see how he gave Paul much “joy”. In his 2nd Epistle he writes, “I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy” How much do we have this experience with fellow believers? How saddening it is when we sense wrong attitudes such as Paul counselled Timothy to be on his guard against in today’s final chapter of his 1st Epistle. He feared that the growing ecclesia at Ephesus [1 Timothy 1:3] where Timothy was based, would lose sight of the true spirit and foundation of its commitment to God and Christ. He continues, “if anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing …” [1 Timothy 6:3-4] That’s a remarkable statement to make! If you become conceited it results in you understanding nothing! But that’s exactly what happened to the Pharisees and Sadducees, except for one or two like Nicodemus, the one who came to Jesus by night. [John 3:1-12; 19:39] This conceit, Paul goes on to write, creates a “constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth … ” [1 Timothy 6:5] We must tell ourselves, ‘I have been warned, I need the right kind of food for my mind every day – and this will lead to a genuine prayer life so that, as Paul tells Timothy, we will be genuinely motivated to “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” so that we can “Fight the good fight of the faith.” [1 Timothy 6:11-12] until our faith is turned to sight - and how soon will that be?-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 24 November 2014 Nehemiah 12Amos 42 Timothy 1 "NOT BECAUSE OF OUR WORKS, BUT ..." We started reading Paul’s final letter today; “the time of my departure” from this life “has come’ [2 Timothy 4:6] he tells Timothy. Since his dramatic conversion his life had been filled with doing a great many works in carrying his saviour’s name to a great many places. But his ultimate salvation will not be because of this! We cannot ‘earn’ salvation through “works" - rather we are "working together with him" [2 Corinthians 6:1] "for," as Paul told the Philippians, " it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." Our "works" should be the result of our totally committed love for Christ, the result of realizing that this life, although remarkable in so many ways, is simply a preparation for the transition to the 'real' endless life that is to come. There are 'burdens' in this life, and Paul fully experienced these, but, as he told the Corinthians, "this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." [2 Corinthians 4:17-18] Paul reminds Timothy in his last letter to him (and us) of the 'spirit' of mind they shared together in serving Christ. We should notice and try to absorb into our own thinking the point he makes, "God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." [2 Timothy 1:7] This is the end result of developing a genuine relationship with God, fully sensing that "in him we live and move and have our being." [Acts 17:28] With this wonderful relationship, which is impossible to fully comprehend, we are motivated to work in his vineyard, Paul being an outstanding example for us of doing this. And yet, may we all fully realize, as Paul tells Timothy [2 Timothy 1:9] it is " not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus ..." It is a challenge for us to comprehend how Paul had become so conscious of the eternal timeless nature of the Creator for which the word, 'omniscience' has been created by men. Paul perceives that, in God's consciousness, this "holy calling" was given "us in Christ Jesus before the ages began" but "has now has been manifested through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" [2 Timothy 1:9-10] It is God alone who “knows the end from the beginning” [isaiah 46:10]. In Revelation 21:5-6, the one on the throne says, he is “the beginning and the end.” So he has, already in his all-seeing ‘knowing’ seen death as being “abolished.” This is far beyond normal understanding and provokes thought challenging meditation on the infinite nature of the Creator we serve. Recently the Pope pronounced that God used "evolution" to bring all things into being! What pontifical nonsense. Let us join with Paul in saying, as he told Timothy, "I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me" [2 Timothy 1:12]. May we use our minds to "follow the pattern of the sound words" [2 Timothy 1:13] that can only be found in the scriptures "which is (are) at work in you believers." [1 Thessalonians 2:13] - but only if we continue to feed our minds on them every day.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted November 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2014 25 November 2014 Nehemiah 13Amos 52 Timothy 2 "WOE TO YOU WHO DESIRE THE DAY OF THE LORD" Today we read the prophet Amos’ warning, “Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why would you have the day of the LORD?” [Amos 5:18] This verse provides food for much thought. We desire the Day of the LORD! Why? We long for the day when our Saviour comes. What kind of people in the prophets’ day desired the “day of the Lord” – when they should not? Were they mistaken in thinking God was on their side? They were only hearing half the message of the prophets, like as today, when many churchgoers think God is purely a God of love. A contemporary of Amos was Obadiah whose short message we will read on Sunday when we will read, “For the day of the LORD is near upon all nations” [Obadiah 1:15] In the prophet’s day some people in Israel were looking for that day to come – so that their enemies would be destroyed! We know it going to be a time when God shows his anger on the whole godless world of today. Only those genuinely trying to be righteous and walk in the sight of God should desire the day of the LORD, knowing it will be a time of great distress. The day of the Lord about to come on the world will particularly affect certain classes of people; Amos writes, “Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches … who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp … invent for themselves instruments of music, who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils …” [Amos 6:4-6] The words of Amos are very appropriate for those in our world who are enjoying prosperity.. Human nature is unchanged, but today’s world provides the godless person with so many options for behaving in an ungodly manner – most do not even consider that there could be a God.. Let us make sure we desire the day of the LORD for the right reason being fully aware of what is to take place as we thought about in reading Joel a few days ago – and at the beginning of the month, the start of Daniel 12 when we read, “There shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.” Let us make sure our name is written in God’s book.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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