Resource Manager Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 01 December 2014 Esther 9; 10Jonah 1Hebrews 6; 7 “THROUGH FAITH AND PATIENCE” How much patience do people have today? In most cases, very little, at least that is so in this country. Life is lived in a constant “hurry’ – you can perceive a sense of urgency in many – this life is all I have, let me enjoy it as much as possible as the future looks very uncertain, especially in the longer term. Less and less are living, feeling the eye of their Creator and his Son is upon them – yet that is the only real way to live. Paul told the Hebrews, “we feel sure of better thingsthings that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do." Could he write that of you and I? Then Paul adds, "we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." [Hebrews 6:9-12] Let us make sure we show "the same earnestness" in our lives, developing a character that leads to us having "the full assurance of hope until the end" possessing the essential qualities of “faith and patience" and showing them day after day. Our reading in Jonah provides us with an example of one who tried to run away from the responsibility God put on him, he had no active faith. Our faith cannot be just passive. Those with genuine faith are "working together with God" [2 Corinthians 6:1]. Jonah learnt the hard way, that he was expected to do this: but God can and does weave the human actions of those he calls to serve him into his purpose. Do you sense that he has weaved, or is in the process of weaving his purpose into yours in at least some small way? Let us, as we read further in Hebrews [Hebrews 6:18-19] "hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor ..." I think we can apply Hebrews 6:17 to us – that God has multiplied the lessons of Scripture for us “to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose” In a world that has become chaotic and godless, how much will we need to make use of that "anchor"? Only a true faith (and the relationship it creates) will make this possible - so that "through faith and patience" we will "inherit the promises." And how beyond all human comprehension are those promises. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 02 December 2014 Job 1; 2Jonah 2; 3Hebrews 8; 9 "PURIFY OUR CONSCIENCE FROM ..." We have three particularly challenging readings today. We start reading about Job and many see the start of this book, which sets the scene for the remaining 40 chapters, as a sort of parable. The question is asked, and answered in Job, do those who are richly blessed appreciate their blessings? How should those around them react? How do you cope when blessings disappear? An adversary appears on the scene (in Hebrew the word 'Satan" means, 'an adversary’ and is sometimes translated that way - e.g. Numbers 22:2; 1 Samuel 29:4; 1 Kings 11:14,23,25) We read how Job dramatically loses his blessings, but remains faithful, rebuking his wife, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" [Job 2:10]. The dramatic experiences of Jonah, because he tried to avoid doing God's will, provide us with a different kind of lesson. Let's absorb into our minds the spirit of his prayer: "When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple ... But I, with the voice of thanksgiving. will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD!" [Jonah 2:7,9] In the Psalms we read, "The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!" [Psalm 50:23] This is thanksgiving for both blessings – and the lack - or removal of them! Our Hebrew chapters contrast the sacrifices under the Law of Moses and the sacrifice of Christ. Paul makes the point, "how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." [Hebrews 9:14]. Do we meditate enough on the wonder of the sacrifice of our Lord? Do we focus far more on intellectually understanding the process of salvation that was created by his sacrifice so that we fail to do so effectively. Do we really "draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience" [Hebrews 10:22]? Are we conscientious in doing this? We reflect on the simple, yet profound words of John in his epistle, "we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure." [1 John 3:2-3] And turning on John's next chapter we realise that to be purified by a true hope is to also have it’s twin sister, love. John makes the point, "whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment" [1 John 4:16-17]-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 03 December 2014 Job 3; 4Jonah 4Hebrews 10 “DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR CONFIDENCE” As we read on in Paul’s message to the Hebrews we find it is increasingly appropriate for today. It contrasts with the misery Job expresses in his opening words when his three ‘friends’ arrive – thankfully we are to see how his mind steadily comes to focus on more positive thoughts in future chapters. And then there is Jonah, frustrated at the mercy of God toward Nineveh, but of course, history shows that Nineveh and Assyria were destroyed – their repentance was not maintained. And so today, the spirituality and repentance of earlier generations, especially when the Bible was first available for all to read – has now vanished like the morning mist. That thought brings us back to our Hebrews chapter. Paul, after expressing that "we have confidence ... by the new and living way that he opened for us" [Hebrews 10:19-20] encourages us to "draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience ..." [Hebrews 10:22]. We are exhorted to "hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering" [Hebrews 10:23] and to "stir up one another to love and good works,... encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." [Hebrews 10:25] "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God," Paul tells them. We recall Jonah's experience and we know what is going to happen to our world will be “a fearful thing”! The people of our world do not have a relationship with God as Jonah did, none at all in fact, nearly all do not even think he exists! "Therefore," Paul tells those who have faith, "do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised." [Hebrews 10:35-36] Sadly some appear to have "throw(n) away (their) confidence." From a human perspective there is delay, but surely that is to make sure the final ingathering is completed. Let us make sure we have the oil of genuine faith in our lamps - ready for when we hear the midnight cry, "Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him" [Matthew 25:6]-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 04 December 2014 Job 5Micah 1Hebrews 11 “MADE STRONG OUT OF WEAKNESS” One of the most uplifting chapters in God’s word is surely the 11th chapter of Hebrews. It provides the evidence of what real belief in God causes us to do (or not do); the factor that should be the spiritual mainspring of our lives. The danger is, we might become too familiar with the lessons in this chapter and the ‘inspiration’ they offer to believers: to say, ‘I believe’ is one thing – but what is the ‘quality’ of that belief? Hebrews 10 ends by making the point (and remember there were no chapter breaks originally) “…we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls." And then, reading straight on into Hebrews 11, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Real faith means we have a "conviction!" The minds of those who possess it have a set state of thinking, they really know what the whole purpose of life is - God's purpose: for all that exists "was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible." [Hebrews 11:3] Those who have this conviction are "made strong out of weakness" [Hebrews 11:34] and Paul lists many examples of those possessing this conviction and ends by stating, "all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect." We each ask ourselves – am I really part of the “us”? Again, ignoring the chapter break, we try to absorb the point Paul then makes. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,(all these examples of faith) let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured ...." How much are we enduring? Let us make a practice of "looking" to Jesus - more - and more. Do you realize this is the only time the Greek word rendered “looking” occurs in the Bible!? It means to be totally attentive, a fixed gaze! All those who have faith to do that will surely "be made strong out of weakness."-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 05 December 2014 Job 6; 7Micah 2Hebrews 12 "FOR OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE” The above are the final words of our 12th chapter of Hebrews! Paul builds up a challenging picture of the anger of God becoming increasingly evident and of course this happened to the Hebrews, when the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple occurred within a few years of when he wrote these words. The righteous were fully tested by events; and now, something comparable is looming in the final years of our Gentile world. Paul takes them back in memory to the "blazing fire" [Hebrews 12:18] their forbears experienced in the wilderness when "Moses said, 'I tremble with fear.' [Hebrews 12:21]. Paul paints a parallel word picture of events to come on our world and these require our careful spiritual perception, "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels ..." [Hebrews 12:22], to a time, which is now so near when "the spirits of the righteous (are) made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant" [Hebrews 12:23-24] How busy “innumerable angels” will be in the events leading to the creation of “the city of the living God.”! Going right back to the dawn of history, Paul writes of Abel who was the first one to have his "blood" shed through living righteously before God. Those who "refused" to heed God's words when he "warned them on earth" are used by Paul as examples for us. No one is heeding the warnings today, nearly all minds are completely closed to the thought of their even being a Creator to whom they will be ultimately responsible. How much is this attitude affecting you and I? God's message through Micah, we read today, is very apt, "Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly? But lately my people have risen up as an enemy" [Micah 2:7-8] Paul writes of the final "removal of things that are shakenthat is, things that have been madein order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain." [Hebrews 12:27] Our world faces a final shaking, this will include a physical shaking but how fully this is the case we cannot tell. Let us be among those who “cannot be shaken.” In a week or two we will read God's awesome words through the prophet Haggai, "For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations ...” [Haggai 2:6-7] Our Hebrews chapter has this challenging conclusion! "let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2014 06 December 2014 Job 8Micah 3; 4Hebrews 13 “THE LORD WILL REIGN” Our chapter in Micah [4] today starts with the inspiring words, “It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." A wonderful picture - let us try to visualize it actually happening. When we come to Micah 4:7, we see how God declares, "I will make... those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion..." This obviously refers to his nation, Israel. But as we try to imagine these events actually taking place - we are also conscious there is another side to the scene, although "the LORD will reign" and does and "many nations" respond, the LORD has to "judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations far away" [Micah 4:3] "For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god" [Micah 4:5]. There is no forced conversion among the mortal population. When we come to read Revelation 20 at the end of this month we will see that when “the thousand years are ended” [Revelation 20:7] there is a rebellion, and those who rebel are destroyed. We note that Micah 4:9 should start a new chapter, the message relates to the prophets own times: but "the LORD will redeem you from the hand of your enemies." [Micah 4:10] He did then, but they did not remain faithful. But today? What dramatic events have happened – and will yet happen!! Micah 4:11-13 are different again, these parts of God's word are a jigsaw puzzle, and often only unfolding events make it clear where they fit. Micah 5:2 is the verse the men in Jerusalem identified for King Herod, so he could tell the wise men [Matthew 2:6] where "the king of the Jews" would be born. May we "walk in his paths" [Micah 4:2] now so that when "the LORD ...reigns" we will, through his grace, be there. May we today "confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" We read this today in Hebrews 13:6 – also that we should "continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." [Hebrews 13:15] This will be preparation for doing this even more, in a wonderful setting, beyond really imagining now – at the time when "the LORD will reign." -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 07 December 2014 Job 9Micah 5James 1 "RECEIVE WITH MEEKNESS THE IMPLANTED WORD ..." As we read James 1 it seemed that every verse was pregnant with a message for us in this 21st Century. It is a chapter to be read slowly, like rich quality food, getting its full flavour and appreciating the way the principles for living, which it promotes, are in very great need today. The full context of the words in our heading is - “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” [James 1:21] Let’s meditate on our attitude on receiving God’s word! Is it implanted within us? We reflect also on that most provocative statement in James 1:2-4, “Count it all joy … when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing.” Lacking nothing? That must mean – lacking no facet of character that will help us to come closer and closer to being a replica of Christ! To receive tests and trials with “joy” requires total spiritual vision and Paul is the ultimate example of one who did. We complete our growing up physically in our teenage years and when we are 20 God counts us as mature and responsible for our lives from then on. (read Numbers 32:11). However, our growing up before God is a lifelong journey through the wilderness of this world to demonstrate our “steadfastness”. God knows that we need situations which test the genuineness of our faith. Only through these will our spiritual growth be complete. We are all different and God recognises this and selects different characters to fit them into different parts of his spiritual temple [Ephesians 2:21] so that his temple is “complete, lacking nothing.” Those who truly grow will have the strength to brush aside all the filthiness and rampant wickedness that surrounds them – and more than that, will have a character that receives the word of God and implants that word into their minds. They will not be a “hearer who forgets” but “a doer who acts” and “will be blessed in his (or her) doing” [James 1:22-25] and will succeed in their efforts “to keep oneself unstained from the world” [last verse] -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 08 December 2014 Job 10Micah 6James 2 “… AND TO WALK HUMBLY” Today’s readings give us pictures of the various situations, that those seeking to serve God in a way that pleases him, pass through in their ‘journey’ in trying to do this. Our ‘destination’ is to have a fulfilling relationship with our Creator through his Son, who is the architect of the new creation for “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” [2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15] Our ultimate destination is, through his grace, to experience the wonder of the reality of that relationship in his kingdom. In Job we saw how this godly man is at the stage of struggling to overcome his depression, “You have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit. Yet these things you hid in your heart; I know that this was your purpose." [Job 10:12-13] Some of us may be in a similar situation, our lives are full of difficulties like Job, but as we read on in Job we will see how his vision of God's ultimate purpose with him becomes clearer; this is an inspiration for us, especially for those of us who are struggling with problems that seem really large. The prophet Micah lives in an ungodly world where the "inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth." [Micah 6:12] Has not our world become similar! So the prophet's words in Micah 6:8 are appropriate counsel for all believers to take to heart: "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Those who are conscious of the all-seeing eyes of God will take these words to heart. No one today thinks of living "humbly." We are influenced by this spirit. To counteract this influence we must let James words in his 2nd chapter challenge us! "Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?" [James 2:5] However, it is increasingly clear that all too many are influenced by the false values that surround them. It was happening then in the final years' of the nation of Israel - and it is happening now in the final years of the Gentile nations of the world. Let us, who read God's word every day, renew our efforts "to walk humbly" appreciating more and more the wonder and privilege of our relationship with our Saviour and his and our God.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 09 December 2014 Job 11Micah 7James 3; 4 “IF THE LORD WILLS” What a challenging letter the Apostle James wrote. So many of the verses are quotable – there are so many basic principles stated – as the basis for leading a genuine Christ-like life. It is the one place in God’s word in which the phrase “If the Lord wills” occurs [James 4:15]. This phrase became commonly appended to the vast majority of us, we suspect, became a largely ‘ritual’ expression for many. The context which leads to James using this expression is, "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit' yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.' " [James 4:13-15] Do we see our life as a "mist" that will vanish into nothingness? The more we see our lives from God's perspective - the more we come to realize that is what our life is now. But our minds should develop - to then also wonderfully realize, there is a divine 'tomorrow' in a world wonderfully renewed by God: our daily reading will make our vision of this clearer and clearer. Where is James quoting from when he writes, "the Scripture says, 'He (God) yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us'?" [James 4:5] God through Isaiah said, "For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite." [isaiah 57:15] How meaningful, indeed awesome, is the picture that develops in our minds as we meditate on these words! God is constantly at work. The Psalms repeatedly reveal this to us: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" [Psalm 46:1] All those who have developed a real relationship with God through constant efforts to be in his service will therefore constantly say, "'If the Lord wills, (I) will live and do this or that" -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 10 December 2014 Job 12Nahum 1; 2James 5 “SLOW TO ANGER AND GREAT IN POWER” Today we began reading the prophet Nahum and his “oracle concerning Nineveh”. This city and nation (Assyria) was the great power of that earlier generation before Babylon became great. Remarkably it had repented at the preaching of Jonah and we reason that there was still some awe of Israel's God at that time - flowing on from the greatness of Solomon and his great grandson Asa. But the repentance of Nineveh did not last – rather - like the spiritual renewal in our own world after God's word was printed and made widely available, basic human nature soon asserted itself again. The oracle that Nahum received has been preserved as part of God's word because its message of God in action is relevant for today as it would have been in the First Century. "The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm ... The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it. Who can stand before his indignation?" [Nahum 1:3,5,6] We ponder in awe the “indignation” God is about to show to our world! Then the good side of the ‘picture’ of God is stated, "The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him." [Nahum 1:7] There are comparisons in the message in today's final chapter of the epistle of James with his warnings of coming doom on Jerusalem - he was a leading spokesman for the believers there (Acts 15:13 onwards) He writes, "Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you ... Your gold and silver have corroded .... You have laid up treasure in the last days." [James 5:1,3] Having money and possessions is also the ‘god’ of our world today. To those remaining faithful, James advises, "Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord ... Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand ... Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job." [James 5:7,8,11] And as we read further in Job, we will see how his steadfastness and vision of increases. While it is true that the LORD is "slow to anger" - ultimately God acts to deal with the godless and they realise too late there is a Creator who is "great in power." Let us. Like Job. be steadfast and increase our vision, "having the eyes of our hearts enlightened" [Ephesians 1:18] to ‘see’ ever more clearly as our world’s darkness grows more intense. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 11 December 2014 Job 13Nahum 31 Peter 1 "SET YOUR HOPE FULLY ON ... " Today we began reading the letters of Peter, he writes to "the elect exiles of the dispersion." The heart of his message remains the same today, to " set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." [1 Peter 1:13] "In this you rejoice," he says, "though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faithmore precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by firemay be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ." [1 Peter 1:6-7] His message is parallel to what we have just read in James; "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete ..." [James 1:2-4] How can we count being "grieved by various trials" as "all joy"? It goes against all normal human behaviour - but the genuine committed followers of Christ go through a process of learning to see life on a higher level and aim to live " looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." [Hebrews 12:2] Therefore, with our hope fully set on “looking to Jesus” we endure the trials of this life, fully developing the attitude of “steadfastness” - sensing more and more fully that we "have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God" [1 Peter 1:23] feeding our minds on that word day after day, for, as Peter next wrote, "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever." -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 12 December 2014 Job 14Habakkuk 11 Peter 2 “CHOSEN AND PRECIOUS” Our chapter in 1st Peter today is particularly challenging; Peter bluntly spells out that followers of Jesus have separate values from the rest of the world, their “citizenship” is different, their aims in life are different, They “are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." [1 Peter 2:9] In a spiritual sense they are "sojourners and exiles" [1 Peter 2:11] rather than citizens of the country they live in with its focus on living without any thought of God and the Saviour he sent into the world 2,000 years ago. True believers in the original gospel must "keep (their) conduct among the Gentiles honourable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." [1 Peter 2:12] We long for that "day" when God is recognized and glorified through the return of his Son Jesus who, says Peter, is "the living stone"; [1 Peter 2:4] which is solid and secure, "a firm foundation" (see 2 Timothy 2:19). This foundation, says Peter, is "rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious" [1 Peter 2:4] "a cornerstone …, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame" [1 Peter 2:6]. Peter is quoting Isaiah 28:16 to emphasize that the eternal purpose of God was revealed, and could be known, by those of earlier generations who heeded his word through his prophets and could become “chosen and precious”. This is just as true for our generation. A "cornerstone" is the key point in the foundation of a building. There is a "marvellous light" [1 Peter 2:9] in the hearts of true believers - although they live as "sojourners and exiles" [1 Peter 2:11] in today's world, standing apart from the ungodliness and total lack of principle that surrounds them, looking for, and drinking "the pure spiritual milk that by it (they) may grow up into salvation." [1 Peter 2:2] We need that mind nourishing milk every day - how many are suffering from spiritual malnutrition? Too many we fear; and the oil in their lamps is low. Have you checked your oil? -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 13 December 2014 Job 15Habakkuk 21 Peter 3; 4; 5 “THE END OF ALL THINGS” It is evident that Peter's epistles are mainly written to fellow Jews; it is most likely he is writing from Jerusalem which, his Master had said as he wept over the city, would be destroyed, especially the Temple. His message is quite parallel with those the apostle Paul wrote to the Gentiles. Peter writes (1 Peter 4:7 on), "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling … as good stewards of God's varied grace ... whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God suppliesin order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ." Today, as the end of Gentile times seems to get ever closer, the same advice is very appropriate, as is what we read today in Habakkuk's prophecy with its warnings against ungodliness. "Woe to him who ... founds a city on iniquity! Behold, is it not from the LORD of hosts that ... nations weary themselves for nothing? [Habakkuk 2:12-13] But next come these dramatic words of prophetic vision, " For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea." The chapter ends, " ... the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him." The picture of the ultimate blessings to come to those who are godly is an inspiration to us in many Scriptures, especially the Psalms, look at Psalm 22:27; 72:19; 86:9; 98:1-3. Returning to Peter's epistle, we notice how he brings his letter to a conclusion by stating, "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen" [1 Peter 5:10-11] Let us say, "Amen" to these words as we sense "the end of all things" is getting closer with the increasing crisis and conflict in the Middle East; but it will only be "the end of all things" for those who ignore God, even saying there is no God. We must follow Peter's advice and be " self-controlled and sober-minded" and daily feeding our minds on God's word is an invaluable help in making sure we are like this.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 14 December 2014 Job 16; 17Habakkuk 32 Peter 1; 2 "YET I WILL REJOICE ... " In completing our reading of Habakkuk we noticed the ‘footnote’ that concludes the last verse, “To the choirmaster …” this indicates that the last 3 verses are a hymn or song. It has always been in our hymn book, yet, for many years we have rarely heard it sung. It seems to us that we need to renew our acquaintance with it for its words will be very appropriate if, as we fear, this world experiences the increasingly drastic effects of the climate change. These are the words of Habakkuk’s song of rejoicing! “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, Yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places” [Habakkuk 3:17-19] Such a time of extreme stress would be a great challenge to the reality of our faith. Both James and Peter made similar points in this week’s readings. James said, “Let … the rich (boast) in his humiliation … blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial …” [James 1:10,12] and Peter stated that when “trial comes upon you to test you … rejoice insofar as you share in Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed …” [1 Peter 4:12-14] And today we had these powerful words in his 2nd letter. He lists the qualities a true believer must develop and adds, “if these qualities are yours and are increasing they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful … Therefore … be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.” [2 Peter 1:8,10] And what are these qualities that we should practice so that we never fall? “Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.” A really good musician practices a lot! How much will you and I rejoice, if we practice “these qualities”? The answer - is wonderful.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 15 December 2014 Job 18; 19Zephaniah 12 Peter 3 "I WILL BRING DISTRESS ...." History illustrates the awesome outworking of initial events from when the LORD has declared. "I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD... their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the LORD." [Zephaniah 1:17-18] We started reading this short and somewhat overlooked prophecy of Zephaniah today. He would have been one of the prophets Peter referred to, as we read the final chapter of his 2nd letter today, he told them they "should remember the predictions of the holy prophets" [2 Peter 3:2]. He then stressed that "scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning" [2 Peter 3:3-4] His message had an initial application to the final years before Jerusalem fell. But Peter also tells his readers (and today that is you and I) "do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfil his promise as some count slowness ..." [2 Peter 3:8-9] The Lord "is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar ..." [2 Peter 3:10] The “heavens” we understand to be the rulers, and today so many Govts are in trouble, especially being financially unstable, and nearly all have armies at the ready! Soon “the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed" [2 Peter 3:10] (“burned up” some versions say – NIV “will be laid bare”) – this is when "the Lord will come like a thief." At that time, and how close is it (!?) the ways of godless thinking and living will be seen for all the foolishness they are - and we must never forget - there are only 2 ways - the broad way and the narrow way, those on the narrow way, are "waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace." [2 Peter 3:13-14] Included in what they (we) are waiting for, is what Job perceived and that we read today in his 19th chapter. He declared, "I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!" [Job 19:25-27] He believed in resurrection! That final comment is most thought provoking. Our hearts will be in danger of fainting within us for multiple reasons, when God "bring(s) distress" - the experience will be awesome for believers! But how imminent then will be the time when they will "see God" through seeing his Son, marvelling in anticipation of the ultimate time when “God himself will be with them as their God … for the former things have passed away” [Revelation 21:3-4] Let us anticipate in faith the things that "our eyes shall behold" to carry us through the coming time of “distress.”-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 16 December 2014 Job 20Zephaniah 21 John 1; 2 "THE BURNING ANGER OF THE LORD" What ominous warnings do we read in today's chapter in Zephaniah! They are a sequel to what we read yesterday - they are a challenge for us to act to make sure we are on the Lord's side - Now! Hopefully all those who read and know their Bibles' are already in the process of doing this. How awesome is this message, "before there comes upon you the burning anger of the LORD, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the LORD. Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the LORD." [Zephaniah 2:2-3] "The humble of the land" - the word 'land' (Heb. ‘eretz' could equally be translated as 'earth' as in the A.V.) It is a pity that the 2nd and 3rd chapters of this prophecy are not read in sequence, for while the rest of chapter 2 describes God's judgements on the surrounding nations "because they taunted and boasted against the people of the LORD of hosts. The LORD will be awesome against them ..." [Zephaniah 2:10-11], but then in chapter 3 we read where God says, "my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed." [Zephaniah 3:8] At the same time God tells his own nation, they "shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD, those who are left in Israel; they shall do no injustice and speak no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. For they shall graze and lie down, and none shall make them afraid." [Zephaniah 3:11-13] As a result, as the next verses tells us, "Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil." [Zephaniah 3:14-15] Jesus is king! Are we on the brink of these events? We cannot say for certain, but the world scene is increasingly ominous. A fitting conclusion to our thoughts is 1 John 2:28, from our third reading today; " ... abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming." Let us “seek the LORD, so that we may “have confidence” while the rest of the world feels his “burning anger.”-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 17 December 2014 Job 21Zephaniah 31 John 3; 4 "BY THIS IT IS EVIDENT ... " We are reading the letters of John. They are rather challenging, partly because he writes in quite a different way to Paul and Peter. It some ways he is simpler, he tries to make sure his readers grasp the basics of living for Jesus and for the Father. As we meditate - slowly and carefully on his ways of making his points - John who "was the disciple Jesus loved" [John 13:23; 20:2; 21:7,20] - reveals to us the basic things our Lord looks to see developing in our lives. He says "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God ..." [1 John 3:9-10]. John sometimes uses the word 'devil' which only occurs in the New Testament and seems odd until we remember Jesus said, "Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil." [John 6:70] This word describes minds which have become anti-God, although they, like Judas, are blind to this. John makes the blunt statement, "whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother." [1 John 3:10] He goes on to write, "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death." [1 John 3:14] John portrays our lives as having two basic options, the way of love or the way of (to) death, we “abide’ in one or the other. Jesus called this the narrow and the broad way - and most choose the broad - and easier – way, Verse 15 is challenging, "Everyone who hates his brother (or sister) is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." Attitudes, sooner or later, are made evident by actions. the increasing chaos in our world illustrates this. What 'abides' in us, in our hearts, dictates our eternal destiny. Is "eternal life" abiding in me - in you? Soon we will be reading Revelation and one of the hidden ‘sevens’ within it is the phrase, “the book of life” – the names of the followers of Jesus are already in that book! But they can be blotted out! See. Revelation 3:5. Finally we note the simple and straightforward words of John calling us ‘little children’ – for that is what we are in God’s sight, "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him" [1 John 3:18] Does your heart need reassuring? Do you only "talk" about the truth of God's word? Let us make sure “it is evident” that we “are the children of God.”-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 18 December 2014 Job 22 Haggai 1; 2 1 John 5 “CONSIDER YOUR WAYS … BE STRONG” The above are the 2 key phrases in today’s 2 chapters of the prophecy of Haggai . He is a prophet who was given the challenging task of stirring up the people who had returned to Jerusalem - to get on with the work of rebuilding of the temple; he is referred to in the book of Ezra 6:14. At first the people are not motivated to get on with the rebuilding; the Babylonians had utterly ruined the Temple, rebuilding was a big task. Yet the prophet’s challenge to the people was also directed at their way of life; a factor in their lack of motivation. "Is it time", he asks, " for you yourselves to dwell in your panelled houses, while this house lies in ruins?" [Haggai 1:4] Do the comforts of life today hinder us in taking the opportunities to go forth and serve in the Mission fields? Haggai observes that there is a lack of blessing from the Lord, they had "sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes." [Haggai 1:6] That could be referring to inflation! The LORD gives a message through Haggai for them to "Consider your ways." [Haggai 1:7] and complains, "my house … lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house." [Haggai 1:9] adding, "Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. And I have called for a drought ..." In Centuries past many in our world believed in one God, the Creator, but few still do today, they no longer consider their ways! Is this attitude affecting you and I? There are 2 words, repeated 3 times in Haggai 2 which should challenge us, "be strong, O Zerubbabel,... Be strong ... Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. ‘Work, for I am with you..." [Haggai 2:4] We need to ask ourselves - and each other - to "Consider (y)our ways" and to "Be strong" before it is too late - and the return of Christ occurs and we are "called" to give an "account of our management" - see Luke 16:2 and its’ telling parable by our Lord. So let us "Consider (y)our ways" - we can be good with words and talking, but they must be followed up with actions. Soon we will read in Revelations that "the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." [Revelation 20:2] ------- - DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 19 December 2014 Job 23; 24Zechariah 12 John 1; 3 John 1 “WALKING IN THE TRUTH” Today we read the two final letters of the Apostle John, now very elderly for he calls himself, “the elder”. His letters, although brief, have some valuable lessons for us. The first is addressed to “the elect lady” but there is no indication as to who she is. I like to see her as being the mother of Jesus; we read nothing of Mary after she is named as being among the assembly (about 120)” - with her children; the word “brothers” includes sisters. This occurs after Jesus ascended to heaven [Acts 1:14]. John writes to this special "lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth ..." [2 John 1] So they are loved by others, now this is specially understandable if this is Mary and her other sons and daughters (and probably grandchildren). He tells this “elect lady” he “rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth.” [2 John 4] We recall that John recorded that earlier not "even his brothers believed in him" [John 7:5] and Mary stood by the cross with just one supporting person - John! We read in John 19:26-27, "When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home." Surely, a bond was formed then with Mary and, soon after the resurrection, with her other children! And later, it seems, her son James, called “the Lord’s brother” [Galatians 1:19] played an important role in the Jerusalem ecclesia. The Greek word for "elect" is usually translated as "chosen." We will soon see John use it in Revelation; the time when the Lamb conquers all opposition "and those with him are called chosen and faithful." [Revelation 17:14] Those genuinely faithful become the elect, the chosen who will reign with him. Our minds cannot genuinely imagine this! Will we indeed be there! John again makes the point that in his 3rd letter that "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth" [3 John 4] We note the word "walking" - not simply knowing what is truth. When we were young, and it is more than 65 years since my wife and I were baptised, it was normal for believers to teach and encourage, setting their children an example in knowing and then "walking" in the way of truth. But today the scene has become different, the ways of the world are in the faces of our children, indeed, in our faces too! Let us renew our efforts to set the example of such "walking" more clearly - being supplemented by our loving and earnest words of encouragement to all around us, starting with our own children. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2014 20 December 2014 Job 25; 26; 27Zechariah 2; 3Jude 1 "BUILD YOURSELVES UP …" Today we read the single chapter letter of Jude who describes himself as a "brother of James" and, assuming this is James "the Lord's brother", Jude is another son of Mary and (half) brother, in the flesh, of Jesus. He writes lamenting the presence of "ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality ..." [Jude 4]. And ever since the 1st Century there has been an increasing tendency to take the wonder of God's grace for granted and to see no real need to aim at making our thinking and doing more and more like that of Jesus, The anguish of Paul in writing to the Galatians is parallel to Jude's words, he wrote, "my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you." [Galatians 4:19-20] How great is the perplexity today! Jude tells his readers, that they "must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions. It is these who cause divisions..." [Jude 17-19] Those divisions have led to their being so many different churches - but today, in some countries, there are not many churches of any kind! The “scoffers” are encouraged by seeing these divisions. Jude's challenge to his initial readers, "to those who are called" [Jude 1], those, who like us, sense the wonder of that calling, is to "build yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life." [Jude 20-21] How earnestly are we "waiting" today as "scoffers" and "ungodly passions" abound! Look at how much effort some put into ‘body building’! In comparison how little effort do many seem to put into ‘faith building’! Jude ends his short letter with a wonderful prayer, "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." The coming "time" is really beyond imagining, but let us "build (y)ourselves up" in anticipation; how “great” then will be our “Joy”.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 21 December 2014 Job 28Zechariah 4; 5Revelation 1; 2 HORNS, STONES AND EYES We are now reading the prophet Zechariah and the book of Revelation – and both have a fair amount of symbolic language that, at first sight, is confusing. We are familiar with the parables of Jesus and largely understand their meaning. Revelation is a final message God gave to Jesus who gave it to John [Revelation 1:1] and Zechariah is a prophet who was in Jerusalem when they returned from exile in the time Ezra [Ezra 5:1]. The symbols which caught our attention in Zechariah are first – horns! The angel tells Zechariah, “These are the horns which scattered Judah” [Zechariah 1:21]. This had happened 70 years before, and Zechariah sees the angel asking, “O LORD of hosts , how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah against which you have been angry these 70 years?” [Zechariah 1:12] Jeremiah had been told that this would be the period [Jeremiah 25:11] But Zechariah is further told, “Thus says the LORD of hosts I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease … My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.” [Zechariah 1:17] Horns are a symbol of strength, as in animals, and the chapter ends with Zechariah being told, “these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.” [Zechariah 1:21] The strength of the nations surrounding Israel have succeeded in the past, so is this a prophecy concerning these days? For more than 65 years the nations surrounding Israel have been “cast down” in their efforts to attack it. We will read some fascinating predictions in the prophecies the LORD gave Zechariah. In Zechariah 2 we read that Israel is “the apple of his eye” [Zechariah 2:8] In Zechariah 3 the LORD says, “Behold I will bring my servant the Branch. For behold on the stone I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.” [Zechariah 3:9] A stone is a solid object, not easily broken, often impossible; Jesus is the “chief cornerstone” of God’s spiritual building. [Matthew 21:42] Seven is the symbol of completion and perfection as we will see in reading Revelation. God is to remove the iniquity of Israel suddenly. The seven eyes are explained in Zechariah 4:10, “These 7 are the eyes of the LORD which range through the whole earth.” Today is “the day of small things” [Zechariah 4:10], things which we should despise. The more we read the Bible the clearer these things become. Today man is able to have ‘eyes’ (cameras) around the place far more than he has in the past – but God has always had that power, nothing escapes his eyes, let us be more and more conscious of that.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 22 December 2014 Job 29; 30Zechariah 6; 7Revelation 3; 4 "FOR YOU CREATED ALL THINGS" Today we completed reading in Revelation the letters to the seven ecclesias: they are quite diverse from one another, but we see them as being representative of the spirituality within different communities of believers down through all ages. We cannot help put sense that the last named (Laodicea) is representative of all too many of the communities of believers in these last days when the world around us threatens to overwhelm us with its attitudes. Jesus said to Laodicea, "… because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." [Revelation 3:16] But then he adds, "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent." [Revelation 3:19] If we sense we are in this situation, may we become "zealous and repent." There is a statement made at the end of each letter that should inspire us; "to the one who conquers I will ...." What wonders await all who conquer! We notice how Paul expressed this in his final letter to Timothy, "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] To endure, is an essential part of conquering. Let us be inspired by what is to come after we have conquered! Jesus said, "The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God ... and I will write on him the name of my God ... and my own new name. [Revelation 3:12] Revelation 4 climaxes with a vision of the ultimate 'picture,' the climax to the kingdom and the praises raised to him who is seated on the throne and (those who) worship him who lives for ever and ever, "saying, 'Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." [Revelation 4:11] We will begin January by reading that wondrous account of God’s creative work. Our chapter in Zechariah's prophecy, Zechariah 8, also gives us an inspiring look into the future when those who "endure" will "reign with him." We read how people will say, "Let us go at once to entreat the favour of the LORD. Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favour of the LORD. .... saying (to us!?), 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.' [Zechariah 8:21-23] This will be the time when those who have conquered will witness how, to quote Paul's words to the Romans, "the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption (the curse put on it in Eden - Genesis 3:17-18) and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God." [Zechariah 8:21] May we be worthy, by his grace, to be among those children and witness how the one who "created all things" completes his work and the age of "everlasting life" [Daniel 12:2] becomes a reality - far beyond our present imagination.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 23 December 2014 Job 31; 32Zechariah 8Revelation 5; 6 “… LOVE TRUTH AND PEACE” What do you love? The prophecy of Zechariah, a key later prophet who returned from exile in Babylon, is now caused, in today’s chapter, to write prophecies that have a last days and kingdom era application. He has visions of the time when “Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain." [Zechariah 8:3]. He is told, "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness." [Zechariah 8:8-9] He is then given more details of events at that time, "I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the LORD of hosts. For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce ... And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things." [Zechariah 8:11-12] This has started to happen, but when will there be peace? Zechariah 8:16 has a challenging message! "These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace ..." How wonderful when that spirit fully develops and then spreads over all the earth - but today it is the opposite. Zechariah is told that at that time God's people will hold fasts, a prelude to "seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts." [Zechariah 8:19] His next words then jump out at us - and into our minds, "Therefore love truth and peace." There will be “cheerful feasts” of a sort in coming days, but those participating will not “love truth and peace” as a result. The prophets vision then extends wider still, "Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favour of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'" [Zechariah 8:22-23] What is a Jew? Ultimately they are all people who belong to God, having committed their lives to him. Look at tomorrow's chapter in Revelation, "... I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all ... languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes ... crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" [Revelation 7:9-10] These are they who "love truth and peace" now - and "entreat the favour of the LORD" – may we be among them.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 24 December 2014 Job 33Zechariah 9Revelation 7; 8; 9 “DO NOT HARM … UNTIL” Our readings in the book of Revelation lead to a description of the ultimate climax of human history we read of visions, largely, but not entirely, in symbol, picturing God’s judgements. It is a time for opening “the book of life” [Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12,15; 21:27] The seventh and only other reference to “the book of life” is in Philippians [Philippians 4:3]. What blessings are in store for those he counts, by his grace, as righteous but the opposite for the others. There is no reference to any third group, it is clear we cannot remain neutral! We read today how John looked and saw “a great multitude that no one could number from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the lamb clothed in white robes …. crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb’” [Revelation 7:9-10] “The lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd and he will guide them to springs of living water and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” [Revelation 7:17] Jesus is the Lamb and we read in John’s Gospel of him speaking of ‘living water’, “If anyone thirsts, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” [John 7:38] Jesus had spoken about this to the Samaritan woman saying, “whoever drinks of the water I will give him, it will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” [John 4:14] We can understand that kind of symbolic language. One would like to ignore the other side of the picture! But we cannot. We read how the angel is told, “Do not harm the earth … until we have sealed the servants of God on their foreheads” This reminds us of the blood on the doorposts in Egypt when God was about to bring the final plague! In Revelation we also read of plagues on “the rest of mankind” coming on those “who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent … nor give up worshipping demons and idols … nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality …” [Revelation 9:20-21] We noted with interest that in the margin of the NKJV Bible sorceries is given the meaning of drugs! The things some people take today, e.g. ice, creates a form of insanity. We live at a time when the climax of human history is approaching fast, how great is the need to fill our minds with God’s word and have our foreheads “sealed”, having established an enduring relationship with our Saviour, a relationship we are conscious of every day. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 25 December 2014 Job 34Zechariah 10Revelation 10; 11 "THERE WOULD BE NO MORE DELAY" In the Old Testament we read how often there were bad kings on the throne in Jerusalem that corrupted the people, or were corrupt because of the people, kings like Manasseh; yet God – from our human perspective – kept delaying in acting to destroy the Holy City and its Temple. Then in the New Testament Jesus wept over Jerusalem and forecast its destruction and that of the Temple. Yet 40 years elapsed after they crucified their Messiah before God’s judgements were carried out, in that time there was a great ingathering of individuals, people like, Paul, who came to believe and serve Jesus with all their heart. Now, our readings in Revelation indicates a humanly indeterminate length of time as God’s keeps watch over the affairs of human beings - meanwhile our Lord, our mediator, as “the Lamb of God (is) seated in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water …” [Revelation 7:17] and God’s word, for those who diligently read it, provides that “living water.” [John 4:10] The time is to come when, as we read today, “there would be no more delay, but in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets” [Revelation 10:6-7] An example of the prophets is our current reading in Zechariah. Today’s chapter, Zechariah 10, forecasts Israel’s return to their own land, “I will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God” [Zechariah 10:6] and “I will make them strong in the LORD and they shall walk in his name” [Zechariah 10:12] Back in Revelation 11, we read, “the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever … The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged and for rewarding your servants … those who fear your name both small and great …” [Revelation 11:15,18] No matter how small we feel in the affairs of the world, if we fear, that is, are in awe of all that God and His Son must be, then we should redouble our efforts to become more like Christ, servants of whom he is not ashamed (see Hebrews 2:11) – not knowing how soon it will be before God says, there will “be no more delay”.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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