Resource Manager Posted January 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 26 January 2015 Genesis 42; 43Psalms 46; 47; 48Matthew 28 "OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH" Today's Psalm 46 fills us with a sense of awe; one cannot avoid concluding it is a prophecy that has its ultimate application to the climax of the era in which we live - an age when God is ignored and is believed by most not to exist. We are living in a time when people are saying, as Peter put it in his final letter in warning about the last days, "all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation." [2 Peter 3:4] – a time when "they deliberately" ignore the records of God's actions in the past, discounting them as fiction. Let us memorise this Psalm as our prayer for this year. It is the year when, the final '2 blood moons' (after 2 last year), for more than the next 100 years (according to NASA) will occur in succeeding years first at Easter (the Passover), and then during the Feast of Tabernacles. Remarkably they occurred like this for the first time in about 500 years in 1949/50 as Israel was reborn and repelled all efforts to destroy it! Then again in 1967/68 when the 6 day war occurred and they again took control of the Holy City. A ‘blood moon’ is when the shadow of the earth momentarily blots out the reflected light of the moon and, what is called, a lunar eclipse occurs and the ‘shadow’ of the moon reflects as a dull red. We ponder the prophecy the LORD gave to Joel, “The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes." [Joel 2:31] Back to our Psalm! It tells us, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble ... The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." [Psalm 46:1-3,6,7] Those blessed of the LORD to live in and through that time will be told, "Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth." [Psalm 46:8] Then the wonderful news, "He makes wars cease to the end of the earth" [Psalm 46:9] This vision concludes by telling us, "'Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!' The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." Imagine how urgently we are going to seek shelter in that fortress as, in some sense “the earth gives way”! Our LORD and Saviour will truly be, more than ever “our refuge and strength” at that time. And the final chapter of the Gospel of Matthew we also read, concludes with the words of our Lord, "behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." [Matthew 28:20] Let us believe, with all our heart, the word that God has caused to be written and preserved.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted January 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 27 January 2015 Genesis 44; 45Psalms 49Romans 1; 2 “GOD SENT ME BEFORE YOU” Today we read of the drama of Joseph whom his brothers sold as a slave into Egypt; he revealed himself to his astonished brothers when they came again to Egypt to buy food because of the continuing severity of the famine. They are overwhelmed by the revelation; remember, they are totally in his power humanly speaking, because of the absolute power of his position. They would be most conscious of what they did to him in his youth - and therefore fearful. But Joseph makes the vital point, "do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither ploughing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God ..." [Genesis 45:5-8] So Joseph sees the ‘big picture’ of God’s oversight! Let us perceive more clearly how our Creator remarkably foresees the freewill actions of human nature and weaves it into his plan and purpose ! This event is clear evidence of this, let us be spiritually awake to see this in other situations, even in our lives today – as we look back on events. We are going to read next month how this event laid the foundation for the descendants of the sons of Jacob to become a nation (made up of 12 tribes). And how remarkable today is the action and reaction of the world with the reborn nation of Israel. But the world is blind to its significance, and what it portends. The world has also become blind to the wonder of the Creator and his creation, a point we see Paul making as we started reading his powerful letter to the Romans. These were people who had worshipped idols, gods of human imagination. "What can be known about God" he tells them "is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse." [Romans 1:19-20] Paul then says, "Claiming to be wise, they became fools" [Romans 1:22] They have become greater fools today, but in a different way. What we read from Romans 1:28 fits our situation so aptly, "since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness ..." Let us - in contrast - be "filled with all manner of" righteousness, which increases as we feed on God's word every day. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted January 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2015 28 January 2015 Genesis 46; 47Psalms 50Romans 3; 4 "IT DEPENDS ON FAITH" The Apostle Paul when he was called Saul had been full of zeal for keeping the law and saw the followers of Christ as appearing to have no respect for keeping the law so he persecuted them - until he was dramatically converted. After his conversion and the maturity gained by the experiences that followed, he wrote his remarkable letter to the Romans, a letter primarily to the Gentiles. His third chapter begins with a key question, "what advantage has the Jew?" and then answers, "Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God." This of course means the books we call 'The Old Testament.' This was the Bible of the first generation or two of believers before the Gospels and letters were in circulation. It is sad that most of those who see themselves as Christians today, if they read at all, only read 'The New Testament. Paul stresses "the faithfulness of God" [Romans 3:3] toward his chosen nation - and now toward all nations [Romans 3:9, 29]. But there are 2 sides to this “faithfulness”. God reacts to what he sees seeing “faith” and also faithlessness! Therefore we must not say, “God is unrighteous to inflict wrath" [Romans 3:5] on the disobedience he sees in his creation. What God looks to see Paul says as he hi-lights the example of Abraham in the 4th chapter, is - faith, genuine belief and trust in God for "faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness" [Romans 4:9] and it will be “counted” to us also. Paul stresses this was "the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe ... so that righteousness would be counted to them as well." [Romans 4:11] We read in Genesis earlier this month all the things Abraham did - through faith. Paul is stressing that "the promise God made to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith." [Romans 4:13] Acting faithfully toward God in our lives is what matters most of all and Abraham is the key example for us to follow. Paul now realized that "the law brings wrath" [Romans 4:15]: that is why he then wrote, "it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace ... to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all" [Romans 4:16] We should recall God's promise to him in Genesis 17:4-5 and his life of faith beginning from when he left Ur. We must each reflect on our own acts of faith, for it is not just something we talk about! What things have we done, and are doing - that show our faith? Our eternal future "depends on faith." -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted January 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2015 29 January 2015 Genesis 48; 49; 50Psalms 51; 52Romans 5; 6 “WE REJOICE IN OUR SUFFERINGS” The above quotation from today's readings in Romans is contrary to human nature. Many parts of our world are full of suffering, some of it seemingly endless. The hearts of many are constantly in anguish over the circumstances of their lives! The news each day never fails to bring reports of fresh anguish. However, for those belonging to Christ who, in various ways over the centuries have experienced suffering because of their faith, this experience of suffering- as a result of following Christ - requires carefully thinking about to fully understand. Paul in his letter to the Romans says they must lift up their hearts and minds and see their lives from Gods' and Christs' perspective. Paul is the ultimate example of one who learnt to do this. He writes that "therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ ... we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. " [Romans 5:1-2] Then we specially note what he next says, "More than this "- indicating the most important principle his own experiences have brought home to him - "we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us." [Romans 5:3-5] This, we understand, is holiness of spirit; 'holy' means that which is 'set apart' - we have entered into a privileged position, as did those Levites who long before were called to serve in the tabernacle.(see Numbers 8:14-16) Early in his letter Paul told them, "God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son" [Romans 1:9] “My spirit”, to Paul, meant his heart and mind; it is having a living faith and putting it into action. - realizing, as Paul told them at the beginning of his letter, "you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ" [Romans 1:6], he is anxious that they fully sense the wonderful but challenging result of such belonging. Back to Romans 5 - in verse 9 - we learn, "Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God." [Romans 5:9] How wonderful! This utterly awesome experience of God’s wrath with its’ final outpouring yet to come on our world - will be the ultimate test for our faith. Let us, as we read in Romans 5:2, "rejoice in hope of the glory of God" - and may this sustain us in "our sufferings." Finally we look ahead to Paul's wonderful point in Romans 8:18, "the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted January 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 30 January 2015 Exodus 1; 2Psalms 53; 54; 55Romans 7; 8 “WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS” Today’s chapters 7 and 8 in Romans are two of the most challenging to get our minds around in God’s word – but this is what makes the Bible so fascinating. God’s book is designed to last the lifetime of each one of us. As we read day after day, year after year, comparing Scripture with Scripture, the fullness of its message and meaning grows ever clearer in our minds. Romans 7 tells us how the natural mind worked under the Law of Moses. Paul was confronted by a recognition of the ways of failing to keep that Law, for example he wrote, “I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." [Romans 7:7] But human nature is such that laws like this - prompt a recognition of covetousness! The idea of coveting is totally obsolete today, the aim of modern marketing is to encourage people to covet. Paul inspires his readers to live so "that we may bear fruit for God." [Romans 7:4] and in Romans 8 Paul encourages Christ's followers to think positively, i.e. to think spiritually, and not let their minds dwell "on the flesh" for " those who are in the flesh cannot please God" [Romans 8:8] When we succeed in at least starting to develop a spiritual mind, and what a great help many Psalms are in doing this, the outcome says Paul, is that "all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" [Romans 8:14-15] How real and ever present in our lives is our Heavenly Father? Paul tells the Romans they have become “children of God, and if children, then heirsheirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." [Romans 8:16-17] Paul then make a really challenging point, saying, " I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." [Romans 8:18] There were and are times when Paul - and ourselves "groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." [Romans 8:23] The chapter reaches its climax when he writes, "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life ... nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." [Romans 8:37-39] May we all be "more than conquerors." -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted January 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 31 January 2015 Exodus 3; 4Psalms 56; 57Romans 9 "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I WILL HAVE MERCY" We read yesterday that “all things work together for good for those who are called according to his (God’s) purpose” [Romans 8:28] and we read today an example of this as Paul writes about Moses and Pharaoh in a series of questions and answers over the way things happened and interacted leading to certain results, results God had intended. Paul examines the scene and says, “Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.’ So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed …” [Romans 9:14-17] The point we must grasp is that ALL need God to show mercy to them - and we are most unwise to question the ‘morality’ of God as to where he shows mercy and where he does not! Let us meditate on what he causes to happen “in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy” [Romans 9:23]. God “has mercy on whomever he wills” [Romans 9:18]. Therefore, as we are reading in Exodus, God is using Moses to confront Pharaoh and as a result God’s “name” (his reputation) is “proclaimed in all the earth” as the all-powerful God of Israel who wonderfully delivered them from Egypt. Many nations are in awe of Israel as a result. But note how, at the same time, God in his wisdom first allowed his chosen people to endure a period of difficulty. They had been content to dwell in the relative ease of life in Egypt after the death of Joseph, they had largely forgotten the God of their fathers.. God sought to make ready their minds so they would seek his deliverance!. After that he tested them in the wilderness to see if they appreciated all that had happened. Now consider the 21st Century – are we not likely to see (and some are already seeing) in the increasing challenges to our lives today, what could be a comparable situation? May God show mercy to us in the traumas that develop as our godless unsuspecting world ‘counts down’ to the “day” Jesus Christ returns to this earth.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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