Day #223: Daily Bible Reading Plan - August 8th
Scripture Reading: Daniel 1 - 6 …
Attempting to cover six chapters in Daniel at one reading is a difficult task at best, but the application of these six chapters to those of us who live in this world today is obvious: in spite of the pride and arrogance of the rulers of the world around us, the God who delivered Daniel and his three friends and who humbled Nebuchadnezzar and his son is still on His throne and He still rules over the affairs of the nations. As Paul explained to the men of Athens in Acts 17:26: "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth … From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and HE determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live." That was true then and it is true today!
The circumstances surrounding Daniel's presence in Babylon with his three friends were themselves orchestrated by God as He brought judgment upon the kings and people of Judah because of their own idolatry. They had mixed the worship of God with the worship of idols after repeated warnings. Through the prophet Jeremiah God had foretold seventy years of captivity in Babylon and then restoration through a king named, Cyrus (Isaiah 44:28). Daniel and his friends were taken to Babylon as a part of a plan to provide the best servants for the king.
God's providential care over them began even with their provisions, as God showed that those who are faithful to Him are marked out for a special purpose: to testify to who He is!! What was true of them is true for all who know the true God and who worship Him. We are not called to simply soak up God's blessings, but to testify that He alone is God! Daniel and his friends would get the opportunity to do that in a big way!!
The first opportunity came to Daniel as the king desperately looked for someone among his wise men to interpret his dream. He made it more challenging by not telling them what the dream was. He decided that if they couldn't tell him what the dream was, how could he trust their interpretation? But the astrologers and other wise men declared, "There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks!" (2:10). Of course, they were right. But when Daniel heard that he and his friends, along with the wise men of Babylon, were going to be put to death because no one could interpret the king's dream, he and his friends began to pray for God to reveal the dream and its interpretation to them … and God did.
When he came before the king Daniel displayed his humility and his reverence for God when he took no credit for his interpretation but said, "There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. HE has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come … As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than other living men, but so that you, O king, may know the interpretation …" (2:28, 30). We must have that same humility as God reveals His wisdom to us through His Word, in the Gospel of Jesus Christ today. It is not OUR wisdom that we share with others, but that which God has revealed to us by His Spirit … the same Spirit who revealed these things to Daniel.
God revealed to Nebuchadnezzar through Daniel that there would be an end to his kingdom and that there would be another kingdom that would rise up, then a third and then a fourth. During the reign of the kings of the fourth kingdom, he says, "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will endure forever" (2:44). All of this points to the coming of Jesus and the establishment of GOD's kingdom through His death, resurrection and ascension.
The four kingdoms were Babylon, the Medes and Persians, Greece and Rome. And it was during the time of the Roman Empire, the fourth kingdom, that Jesus came and preached the kingdom of God, saying, "My kingdom is not of this world!" WE who believe live in God's kingdom today and when Jesus returns His kingdom will come in its fullness and He will reign over the kingdoms of men. ALL nations will bow at His feet … without exception. Until then, kings and rulers will continue to be as foolish as Nebuchadnezzar and his son and those who would follow them. Those who attempt to set themselves up by their own power and who do not acknowledge the God who created the heavens and the earth and His Son Jesus Christ, whom He has anointed as King of kings and Lord of lords, will be humbled.
Nebuchadnezzar was given every opportunity to avoid such a fate. When Daniel's three friends were about to be thrown into the fiery furnace, they testified (as we are called to do), "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up" (3:17-18). And when they came out of the furnace untouched by the flames, they testified again and Nebuchadnezzar even praised their God for saving them and declared that "his" people should serve and worship only THEIR God.
But apparently, Nebuchadnezzar was not born again by the Spirit of God. In Chapter 4 we actually find a letter, written by King Nebuchadnezzar, of his experience that resulted from his continued unbelief and pride. God sent him a dream to show him what was going to happen, and once again Daniel told him the meaning. Nebuchadnezzar was about to be humbled. God predicted that he would go mad and would be driven away from his people (put away) for "seven times" "so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men" (4:17).
Daniel advised the king to "renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue" (4:27). But twelve months later Nebuchadnezzar was on the roof of his palace and bragged, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built … by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" (4:29). God's prediction went into effect immediately and Nebuchadnezzar recounts his experience and the result in verse 37: "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything He does is right and all His ways are just. And those who walk in pride HE is able to humble." How true!! And it seemed like he had learned his lesson … bur apparently he didn't pass it on to his son.
Chapters 5 and 6 record the end of the Babylonian empire as Nebuchadnezzar's son, Belshazzar, offended God by taking the gold and silver goblets that had been removed from the temple and defiling them as he and his wives and others praised the gods of gold and silver and bronze and iron and wood and stone. God wrote a message for him on the wall and once again Daniel was called in to interpret the message from God. As he was brought in, the king tried to give gifts to Daniel and promise him a high ranking, but Daniel told him to keep his gifts and explained that as God had humbled his father, he was about to do the same to him.
"You … have not humbled yourself though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven" (5:22-23). Not a wise thing to do. The rulers of the nations today who spurn God should take note. Daniel interpreted the message, which revealed that God had numbered the days of his reign and his kingdom would be given to the Medes and Persians. Belshazzar tried to bribe Daniel, unaware that the day he was living would be his last. That very night he was killed and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, just as God had predicted earlier in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Truly, only GOD knows the future, so only God can predict it with 100% accuracy.
Now it was time for the next step in God's plan, as the time came near for Him to begin to restore a remnant of the Jews to the land He had promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants until the Messiah would come. Darius appointed three administrators over all the land and Daniel was one of them. Because of Daniel's wisdom from God (remember Joseph?), he excelled in all he did. When the other two administrators realized that the king was going to promote Daniel above them they convinced the king to issue a decree that anyone who prayed to anyone, god or man, except the king for the next thirty days should be thrown into the lion's den. The foolishness of men who do not know the true God knows no bounds.
The king did what was suggested and of course Daniel did not comply. He continued praying as he had before and the men reported him to the king. Trapped now by his own laws, the king was forced to follow through with Daniel's punishment, even though by this time he didn't want to do so. Remember, we are called to testify to our God, to make Him known, no matter what our circumstances. As his three friends had done before him, so Daniel now testified. In fact, the king himself prayed that Daniel's God would rescue him!!!
God sent the "angel of the Lord" to protect Daniel by shutting the mouths of the lions and the king then ordered that those who had accused Daniel be thrown into the lion's den along with their families. Their fate was different. So it will be with all those who accuse believers of wrong-doing in testifying to God's sovereign character. Their time is short … God will reward those who testify to Him, but those who ignore their testimony will face God's judgment, either sooner or later ... or both!
All of this points to a truth that you and I need to remember: the Sovereign God rules over the affairs of the nations ... then and now. Those who arrogantly proclaim their power and prestige will be humbled in due time. God's principles never change: the humble will be exalted and those who exalt themselves will be humbled, for "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble!" And believe that God is at work among the nations of the earth. Man is NOT in control; the sovereign God rules over the affairs of men and nations. Trust in the Lord and do not be afraid. His kingdom WILL come and His will shall be done ... on earth, as it is in heaven!
"Almighty God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, in Your sovereign power You have established the nations of the earth and set the rulers in place for Your own purposes, whether for judgment or for blessing. All who trust in You need not fear, for You rule over the affairs of the nations. Help me and all who know You to testify to the world that our God reigns as we stand firm against the threats of those who do not know You. To You alone I give my praise, in Jesus' name, Amen"
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
"Your words reveal your heart …"
Day #222: Daily Bible Reading Plan - August 7th
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 16 …
Many of Solomon's proverbs include insight into the "ways" of people … people just like you and me. Modern psychology attempts to deal with the mind, heart, will, intentions and desires that we all experience throughout our lives. This portion of God's Word was written approximately 3,000 years ago, and yet it accurately portrays the deep-seated spiritual causes of virtually every personal and relational problem people face to this day. Because God KNOWS the heart and mind of every human being who has ever lived better than any counselor or psychologist apart from God's Spirit can ever know another human being, God reveals not only the diagnosis, but also the cure for the "dis-ease" called sin!
In Proverbs 16 Solomon addresses issues of the heart and of the mouth. Most certainly, the two go together. He says in verse 23: "A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction." More damage is done in this world with words than with any other weapon. James must have had Proverbs in mind when he wrote his letter to the church a thousand years later. In James 3, he speaks about the importance of "taming the tongue," and then speaks about "selfish ambition and pride" versus "selflessness and humility." And in Chapter 4, James instructs believers to submit to God and quotes Proverbs 3:34: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). He even talks about making plans and boasting about them, saying that we should always say, "If it is the Lord's will …" (4:15).
All of these things are mentioned right here in Proverbs 16. Solomon begins by talking about the way man plans things, as if we were the "captains of our own fate." He writes, "To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue. All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD" (16:1-2). God judges the heart, the motives and the tongue, for "the LORD works out everything for HIS OWN ENDS" (16:4). No matter what you and I may plan, the results are in the Lord's hands, so "commit to the LORD whatever you do and your plans will succeed" (16:3). That doesn't mean that you make your plans and ask God to do YOUR will, but rather, that you seek HIS will and make your plans accordingly!
That's precisely why Solomon writes a lot about pride. Solomon, himself, battled pride, even though he knew that his rise to be King of Israel was from the Lord, not of his own doing. "The LORD detests all the proud of heart" … and "pride goes before destruction" (16:5,18). The wise listen to instruction as much or more than they speak. People speak their minds today on Facebook, Twitter, and through various other means of communication, without realizing that their words often reveal their hearts for all to see. Words have power, either for good or evil.
"A scoundrel plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends" (16:27-28). "Honest lips," lips that speak the truth, are their own reward. Honesty and righteousness are the fruit of hearts in tune with God's will and relationships are built and even healed by honest words spoken in humility from a heart that loves God and loves others. One of the most powerful instructions for relationships in all the Bible is found in Ephesians 4, where Paul writes in verse 29: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
Think about the words you have spoken or will speak today. Are they words that build up or tear down? What is the intention, the motive of your heart toward other people? "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (16:25). Those words can be taken to refer to many different things, but they surely apply to the way we often treat others. It "seems right" to pay back evil for evil, to attack those who attack us, to speak ill of those who speak ill of us, etc. But the end of that path is spiritual death, for such thoughts and words come not from the LORD!
Verse 6 is an interesting verse: "Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil." We know that nothing can "atone" for sin, can make up for sin, can bear the penalty for sin … nothing except the blood of Jesus. So what does Solomon mean? He is saying the same thing Peter says in I Peter 4:8: "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." Neither of those mean that we can actually make it up to God for our own sins. That would contradict the rest of Scripture. BUT, both ARE saying that when our hearts are in tune with God and our motives rise out of love for others and faithfulness to God, our speech will display the work of God's Spirit in us, for our words will reveal our hearts.
So, "a wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones" (16:23-24). The intention of the wise is to instruct others, not to put them down. As he wrote to his young friend, Timothy, Paul explained, "The Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance, leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will" (II Timothy 2:24-26).
Examine the motives of your heart and the intention of your speech. Ask God to reveal to you the places where YOUR way is not working in building others up and in developing godly relationships that glorify God and bring joy to you and others. Wisdom is not necessarily gained by age. It is those who seek first God's kingdom and God's righteousness who find the wisdom to check our hearts and to season our words so that we can be salt and light, building others up rather than tearing them down to accomplish our own purposes.
Your words reveal your heart … May the Spirit of God transform your heart, tame your tongue, and equip and empower you to be an instrument of healing, speaking truth in love and humility, trusting the Lord to guide your every decision, knowing that in doing so your "plan" to glorify God will succeed. For "you are the salt of the earth. … You are the light of the world … let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:13-14, 16).
"Heavenly Father, I confess that while in my heart and my mind lies the desire to please You, yet in my heart and my mind remain the remnants of the old self that wants its own way, and so at times, my words reveal my heart. Forgive me and cleanse me, continuing to open my ears to Your instruction, that I may fulfill my calling in this world as an ambassador of YOUR kingdom, building others up with my words as I love them in Christ. I commit my way to You, knowing that all things are possible with You! In Jesus' name, Amen"
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 16 …
Many of Solomon's proverbs include insight into the "ways" of people … people just like you and me. Modern psychology attempts to deal with the mind, heart, will, intentions and desires that we all experience throughout our lives. This portion of God's Word was written approximately 3,000 years ago, and yet it accurately portrays the deep-seated spiritual causes of virtually every personal and relational problem people face to this day. Because God KNOWS the heart and mind of every human being who has ever lived better than any counselor or psychologist apart from God's Spirit can ever know another human being, God reveals not only the diagnosis, but also the cure for the "dis-ease" called sin!
In Proverbs 16 Solomon addresses issues of the heart and of the mouth. Most certainly, the two go together. He says in verse 23: "A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction." More damage is done in this world with words than with any other weapon. James must have had Proverbs in mind when he wrote his letter to the church a thousand years later. In James 3, he speaks about the importance of "taming the tongue," and then speaks about "selfish ambition and pride" versus "selflessness and humility." And in Chapter 4, James instructs believers to submit to God and quotes Proverbs 3:34: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). He even talks about making plans and boasting about them, saying that we should always say, "If it is the Lord's will …" (4:15).
All of these things are mentioned right here in Proverbs 16. Solomon begins by talking about the way man plans things, as if we were the "captains of our own fate." He writes, "To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue. All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD" (16:1-2). God judges the heart, the motives and the tongue, for "the LORD works out everything for HIS OWN ENDS" (16:4). No matter what you and I may plan, the results are in the Lord's hands, so "commit to the LORD whatever you do and your plans will succeed" (16:3). That doesn't mean that you make your plans and ask God to do YOUR will, but rather, that you seek HIS will and make your plans accordingly!
That's precisely why Solomon writes a lot about pride. Solomon, himself, battled pride, even though he knew that his rise to be King of Israel was from the Lord, not of his own doing. "The LORD detests all the proud of heart" … and "pride goes before destruction" (16:5,18). The wise listen to instruction as much or more than they speak. People speak their minds today on Facebook, Twitter, and through various other means of communication, without realizing that their words often reveal their hearts for all to see. Words have power, either for good or evil.
"A scoundrel plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends" (16:27-28). "Honest lips," lips that speak the truth, are their own reward. Honesty and righteousness are the fruit of hearts in tune with God's will and relationships are built and even healed by honest words spoken in humility from a heart that loves God and loves others. One of the most powerful instructions for relationships in all the Bible is found in Ephesians 4, where Paul writes in verse 29: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
Think about the words you have spoken or will speak today. Are they words that build up or tear down? What is the intention, the motive of your heart toward other people? "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (16:25). Those words can be taken to refer to many different things, but they surely apply to the way we often treat others. It "seems right" to pay back evil for evil, to attack those who attack us, to speak ill of those who speak ill of us, etc. But the end of that path is spiritual death, for such thoughts and words come not from the LORD!
Verse 6 is an interesting verse: "Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil." We know that nothing can "atone" for sin, can make up for sin, can bear the penalty for sin … nothing except the blood of Jesus. So what does Solomon mean? He is saying the same thing Peter says in I Peter 4:8: "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." Neither of those mean that we can actually make it up to God for our own sins. That would contradict the rest of Scripture. BUT, both ARE saying that when our hearts are in tune with God and our motives rise out of love for others and faithfulness to God, our speech will display the work of God's Spirit in us, for our words will reveal our hearts.
So, "a wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones" (16:23-24). The intention of the wise is to instruct others, not to put them down. As he wrote to his young friend, Timothy, Paul explained, "The Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance, leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will" (II Timothy 2:24-26).
Examine the motives of your heart and the intention of your speech. Ask God to reveal to you the places where YOUR way is not working in building others up and in developing godly relationships that glorify God and bring joy to you and others. Wisdom is not necessarily gained by age. It is those who seek first God's kingdom and God's righteousness who find the wisdom to check our hearts and to season our words so that we can be salt and light, building others up rather than tearing them down to accomplish our own purposes.
Your words reveal your heart … May the Spirit of God transform your heart, tame your tongue, and equip and empower you to be an instrument of healing, speaking truth in love and humility, trusting the Lord to guide your every decision, knowing that in doing so your "plan" to glorify God will succeed. For "you are the salt of the earth. … You are the light of the world … let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:13-14, 16).
"Heavenly Father, I confess that while in my heart and my mind lies the desire to please You, yet in my heart and my mind remain the remnants of the old self that wants its own way, and so at times, my words reveal my heart. Forgive me and cleanse me, continuing to open my ears to Your instruction, that I may fulfill my calling in this world as an ambassador of YOUR kingdom, building others up with my words as I love them in Christ. I commit my way to You, knowing that all things are possible with You! In Jesus' name, Amen"
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
"Worship God with thanksgiving … or … "
Day #221: Daily Bible Reading Plan - August 6th
Scripture Reading: Psalms 93 - 95 …
God IS who He says He is. God has revealed Himself to mankind from the beginning and what we know about God from His Word is what God desires for us to know as we live in this world. We do not yet know everything ABOUT God, but what He has revealed we know to be true. God IS who He says He is and He has not changed from the beginning. God is absolute perfection, therefore He does not need to change. His glory IS His perfection. His character is the same today as it was when He said, "Let there be light!" That is a comfort to those who have come to know Him as "Abba, Father," through faith in Jesus Christ … but should alarm the hearts of those who do not know Him and who reject His offer of forgiveness and life through Jesus. Those who sneer at our God and who worship other gods will eventually discover that He IS who He says He is!
So who is God? What is He like? How can we know for sure? The Bible gives us a picture of God as loving, kind, compassionate and gracious … slow to anger and abounding in mercy. AND the Bible gives us a picture of God as holy, righteous and just, carrying out His wrath and vengeance on those who continue in their wickedness and who reject Him by worshiping other gods. Which picture is accurate? BOTH!! God IS who He says He is. It is not a matter that is up for discussion. God is not one thing today and something different tomorrow.
This is the God the Psalmist writes of in our Psalms today. He is the LORD, who reigns over His creation and who is "robed in majesty and is armed with strength" (93:1). God did not simply create the world, wind it up and let it go. His reign is an active reign. He is intimately involved in His creation. He is on His throne. So the Psalmist writes, "Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns Your house for endless days, O LORD" (93:5). Jesus is the same "yesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews 13: 8), because GOD is the same yesterday, today and forever. You can't have one without the other because Jesus IS God in the flesh!!
Psalm 94 thus begins, "O LORD, the God who avenges, O God who avenges, shine forth. Rise up, O Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve!" (94:1-2). Who of those who know God has not asked, "How long will the wicked be jubilant?" (94:3). When I have watched some celebrate the death of people who are their "enemies," I cry out for God's justice. They say, "The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed" (94:7). But they are wrong. With question after question the Psalmist notes that the God who created us hears and sees and disciplines the nations. He promises that "the LORD will not reject His people; He will never forsake His inheritance" (94:14).
What a comfort that is for those who know the true God and who have come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ, for we, too, are His inheritance today. God's "judgment will again be founded on righteousness" (94:15). As you and I live in this world justice seems hard to find. The wicked seem to prosper and evil appears oftentimes to have victory over those who trust in the Lord our God, but God WILL have the last word! With confidence we can testify, "Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death … When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought joy to my soul" (94:17, 19).
Those who do wickedness and evil will not win! "The LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. He WILL repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness" (94:22-23). As those who believe in Jesus Christ we must remember that were it not for God's grace and mercy to US, we would face His wrath and judgment, too. Knowing who God is … that He is a God of wrath as well as mercy … a God of judgment as well as compassion … leads us to rejoice in the cross of Jesus Christ and to give thanks to God always for revealing Himself to us by His Word and Spirit.
That knowledge leads us to Psalm 95. This Psalm is written only for believers, for no one else will respond. "Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song" (95:1-2). What an incredible blessing, what an amazing gift to know the one true God and to be able to approach Him without fear through the shed blood of Christ … to be able to bow down before Him in worship … the One who is our Maker, our Creator … "For He is OUR God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care" (95:7).
God warns those who hear His voice not to harden their hearts as the people did in days past. He reminds them that "for forty years I was angry with that generation" (95:10). That was the generation that came out of Egypt and who refused to go into the promised land because they were afraid of the nations who lived there. They all wandered in the wilderness for forty years and died without entering God's "rest" in the land God had promised to Abraham and his descendants. God said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways" (95:10). Therefore God said, "They shall never enter my rest" (95:11).
But there was more to it than not entering the land of Canaan. Listen to how the writer of Hebrews applies this Psalm: "Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest!" (Hebrews 4:1-3). God was pointing to the eternal sabbath rest that awaits believers as we enter the rest of heaven, and ultimately, the new heaven and the new earth.
And the writer of Hebrews goes on to explain that "TODAY" is the day of salvation (II Corinthians 6:2). Those who believe God's promise in the Gospel know that our enemies have been defeated by Jesus Christ and we are free to enter the promised land!! We will live in the presence of God and will worship Him with thanksgiving forever! The options before all of mankind are clear: Worship Him with thanksgiving for the gift of His Son, through whom we receive forgiveness and life ... OR, face His wrath and judgment, because God IS who He says He is.
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name! You are worthy to be praised and those who know You through faith in Your Son Jesus Christ will rejoice in the privilege of worship and will give You thanks all our days. May Your Spirit fill us with joy as we offer our worship to You in Jesus' name, Amen"
Scripture Reading: Psalms 93 - 95 …
God IS who He says He is. God has revealed Himself to mankind from the beginning and what we know about God from His Word is what God desires for us to know as we live in this world. We do not yet know everything ABOUT God, but what He has revealed we know to be true. God IS who He says He is and He has not changed from the beginning. God is absolute perfection, therefore He does not need to change. His glory IS His perfection. His character is the same today as it was when He said, "Let there be light!" That is a comfort to those who have come to know Him as "Abba, Father," through faith in Jesus Christ … but should alarm the hearts of those who do not know Him and who reject His offer of forgiveness and life through Jesus. Those who sneer at our God and who worship other gods will eventually discover that He IS who He says He is!
So who is God? What is He like? How can we know for sure? The Bible gives us a picture of God as loving, kind, compassionate and gracious … slow to anger and abounding in mercy. AND the Bible gives us a picture of God as holy, righteous and just, carrying out His wrath and vengeance on those who continue in their wickedness and who reject Him by worshiping other gods. Which picture is accurate? BOTH!! God IS who He says He is. It is not a matter that is up for discussion. God is not one thing today and something different tomorrow.
This is the God the Psalmist writes of in our Psalms today. He is the LORD, who reigns over His creation and who is "robed in majesty and is armed with strength" (93:1). God did not simply create the world, wind it up and let it go. His reign is an active reign. He is intimately involved in His creation. He is on His throne. So the Psalmist writes, "Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns Your house for endless days, O LORD" (93:5). Jesus is the same "yesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews 13: 8), because GOD is the same yesterday, today and forever. You can't have one without the other because Jesus IS God in the flesh!!
Psalm 94 thus begins, "O LORD, the God who avenges, O God who avenges, shine forth. Rise up, O Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve!" (94:1-2). Who of those who know God has not asked, "How long will the wicked be jubilant?" (94:3). When I have watched some celebrate the death of people who are their "enemies," I cry out for God's justice. They say, "The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed" (94:7). But they are wrong. With question after question the Psalmist notes that the God who created us hears and sees and disciplines the nations. He promises that "the LORD will not reject His people; He will never forsake His inheritance" (94:14).
What a comfort that is for those who know the true God and who have come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ, for we, too, are His inheritance today. God's "judgment will again be founded on righteousness" (94:15). As you and I live in this world justice seems hard to find. The wicked seem to prosper and evil appears oftentimes to have victory over those who trust in the Lord our God, but God WILL have the last word! With confidence we can testify, "Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death … When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought joy to my soul" (94:17, 19).
Those who do wickedness and evil will not win! "The LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. He WILL repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness" (94:22-23). As those who believe in Jesus Christ we must remember that were it not for God's grace and mercy to US, we would face His wrath and judgment, too. Knowing who God is … that He is a God of wrath as well as mercy … a God of judgment as well as compassion … leads us to rejoice in the cross of Jesus Christ and to give thanks to God always for revealing Himself to us by His Word and Spirit.
That knowledge leads us to Psalm 95. This Psalm is written only for believers, for no one else will respond. "Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song" (95:1-2). What an incredible blessing, what an amazing gift to know the one true God and to be able to approach Him without fear through the shed blood of Christ … to be able to bow down before Him in worship … the One who is our Maker, our Creator … "For He is OUR God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care" (95:7).
God warns those who hear His voice not to harden their hearts as the people did in days past. He reminds them that "for forty years I was angry with that generation" (95:10). That was the generation that came out of Egypt and who refused to go into the promised land because they were afraid of the nations who lived there. They all wandered in the wilderness for forty years and died without entering God's "rest" in the land God had promised to Abraham and his descendants. God said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways" (95:10). Therefore God said, "They shall never enter my rest" (95:11).
But there was more to it than not entering the land of Canaan. Listen to how the writer of Hebrews applies this Psalm: "Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest!" (Hebrews 4:1-3). God was pointing to the eternal sabbath rest that awaits believers as we enter the rest of heaven, and ultimately, the new heaven and the new earth.
And the writer of Hebrews goes on to explain that "TODAY" is the day of salvation (II Corinthians 6:2). Those who believe God's promise in the Gospel know that our enemies have been defeated by Jesus Christ and we are free to enter the promised land!! We will live in the presence of God and will worship Him with thanksgiving forever! The options before all of mankind are clear: Worship Him with thanksgiving for the gift of His Son, through whom we receive forgiveness and life ... OR, face His wrath and judgment, because God IS who He says He is.
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name! You are worthy to be praised and those who know You through faith in Your Son Jesus Christ will rejoice in the privilege of worship and will give You thanks all our days. May Your Spirit fill us with joy as we offer our worship to You in Jesus' name, Amen"
Monday, August 4, 2014
"The scepter will not depart from Judah ..."
Day #220: Daily Bible Reading Plan - August 5th
Scripture Reading: I Chronicles 1 - 4 ...
As Jacob, the son of Isaac, blessed his sons in Genesis 49, he said to Judah, "Your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons will bow down to you. ... The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until HE comes to whom it belongs, and the obedience of the nations is HIS!" (Genesis 49:8-10). That promise of God explains the genealogy in our reading for today.
I and II Chronicles follow I and II Kings. While the books of the Kings focus more on the political climate at the time, the books of Chronicles focus on the "structure" of the nations of Israel and then of Judah, and the religious climate, specifically what is going on in the temple. All of this leads up to the fall of Jerusalem. It is impossible when talking about the people of God to separate what was going on politically with what was going on with the temple. The people of Israel and of Judah were (ARE!) a special people to the Lord. God showed that He was with the people through the temple and the priests and the sacrifices and the feasts.
As God sent the prophets to speak to the people, He warned them of judgment and called them to return to Him, but they rejected God over and over again. The amazing thing throughout this period of history, as the nations of the world were in constant turmoil around God's people, is that God maintained His promise to Judah and the genealogy in Chapters 2-3 point to God's faithfulness. You find a list of the kings of Judah in Chapter 3 ... ALL from the tribe of Judah. While the kings in Israel changed family lines repeatedly, that was not the case in Judah. It couldn't be, because the Messiah, the ONE who would rule over not only Israel, but the nations, would come from the line of Judah.
When you get to the New Testament the tracing of the lineage of Jesus was not by accident. If Jesus was not from the tribe of Judah by His physical descent, He could not be the Messiah. Paul writes to the Romans that he was "a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God - the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding His Son, who as to His human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 1:1-3).
And Paul ends his letter to the Romans by saying that God revealed the mystery of the gospel "through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey HIM (Jesus) ..." (16:26). Undoubtedly, Paul was thinking of Genesis 49:10 and God's promise to bring the Messiah, the Christ, the "Anointed One," the KING, through the line of the tribe of Judah!! Such a plan could never have been conceived by the mind of sinful men, let alone carried out over a period of hundreds of years ... two thousands years from the time of Abraham. God's hand is in all of this, even as His hand is in the activities of the nations all over the world today, and especially, the nation of Israel, the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Even the fact that we read of the other clans of Judah in these chapters, which are then followed by the others sons of Jacob and their genealogies, reminds us that it is God's sovereign choice that determined that the Savior would come from Judah. That the nation of Israel exists today and the Jews exist as a people point to a sovereign God who desires to make Himself known. To know the God of the Bible is to know the only true God, our Creator, and to know the God of Israel. The Church today exists not on its own or as a replacement for these people, but as the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3: "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples (nations) on earth will be blessed through you."
Far too many people, even those who claim to believe in Christ and who are part of the visible church, know nothing of God's promises and seem to think that Christianity is no more than a personal preference as one of many possible choices of religions. I have even been told by more than one person that they know someone who WAS a Christian, but who changed to a different religion. I am quick to tell them that is impossible, because anyone who is born again by the very Spirit of the one true God cannot and will not deny Christ or turn away. John writes in I John 2:18-19: "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out FROM US, but they did not REALLY belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us."
No true believer has EVER left the true Church, the body of Christ. No true believer has or ever will turn away from Jesus Christ and deny Him. Some may wander or drift or doubt for a time, but if they belong to Him, He will bring them back, for Jesus promised that not ONE of His sheep, that the Father had given Him (chosen) would be lost, and He will raise them up at the last day! That's God's promise, based on His promise to Judah in Genesis 49:10: "The scepter will not depart from Judah until HE comes ..." Jesus is on the throne and very soon the obedience of the nations will be His, when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord!
Until then, give thanks for the evidence throughout Scripture that God is faithful to His promises and that He is at work today, as He was in the days of the kings, fulfilling His promises to those who trust in Him.
"Almighty and everlasting God, my Father in heaven, my Savior, I thank You for Your faithfulness and rejoice in the truth of Your Word. I know I can count on You and trust You to keep Your promises. In those moments when I don't understand what is going on in the world or in my own life, help me to see the big picture and to find my hope in You every day, for then I will find the peace I long for. In Jesus' name, Amen"
Scripture Reading: I Chronicles 1 - 4 ...
As Jacob, the son of Isaac, blessed his sons in Genesis 49, he said to Judah, "Your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons will bow down to you. ... The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until HE comes to whom it belongs, and the obedience of the nations is HIS!" (Genesis 49:8-10). That promise of God explains the genealogy in our reading for today.
I and II Chronicles follow I and II Kings. While the books of the Kings focus more on the political climate at the time, the books of Chronicles focus on the "structure" of the nations of Israel and then of Judah, and the religious climate, specifically what is going on in the temple. All of this leads up to the fall of Jerusalem. It is impossible when talking about the people of God to separate what was going on politically with what was going on with the temple. The people of Israel and of Judah were (ARE!) a special people to the Lord. God showed that He was with the people through the temple and the priests and the sacrifices and the feasts.
As God sent the prophets to speak to the people, He warned them of judgment and called them to return to Him, but they rejected God over and over again. The amazing thing throughout this period of history, as the nations of the world were in constant turmoil around God's people, is that God maintained His promise to Judah and the genealogy in Chapters 2-3 point to God's faithfulness. You find a list of the kings of Judah in Chapter 3 ... ALL from the tribe of Judah. While the kings in Israel changed family lines repeatedly, that was not the case in Judah. It couldn't be, because the Messiah, the ONE who would rule over not only Israel, but the nations, would come from the line of Judah.
When you get to the New Testament the tracing of the lineage of Jesus was not by accident. If Jesus was not from the tribe of Judah by His physical descent, He could not be the Messiah. Paul writes to the Romans that he was "a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God - the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding His Son, who as to His human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 1:1-3).
And Paul ends his letter to the Romans by saying that God revealed the mystery of the gospel "through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey HIM (Jesus) ..." (16:26). Undoubtedly, Paul was thinking of Genesis 49:10 and God's promise to bring the Messiah, the Christ, the "Anointed One," the KING, through the line of the tribe of Judah!! Such a plan could never have been conceived by the mind of sinful men, let alone carried out over a period of hundreds of years ... two thousands years from the time of Abraham. God's hand is in all of this, even as His hand is in the activities of the nations all over the world today, and especially, the nation of Israel, the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Even the fact that we read of the other clans of Judah in these chapters, which are then followed by the others sons of Jacob and their genealogies, reminds us that it is God's sovereign choice that determined that the Savior would come from Judah. That the nation of Israel exists today and the Jews exist as a people point to a sovereign God who desires to make Himself known. To know the God of the Bible is to know the only true God, our Creator, and to know the God of Israel. The Church today exists not on its own or as a replacement for these people, but as the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3: "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples (nations) on earth will be blessed through you."
Far too many people, even those who claim to believe in Christ and who are part of the visible church, know nothing of God's promises and seem to think that Christianity is no more than a personal preference as one of many possible choices of religions. I have even been told by more than one person that they know someone who WAS a Christian, but who changed to a different religion. I am quick to tell them that is impossible, because anyone who is born again by the very Spirit of the one true God cannot and will not deny Christ or turn away. John writes in I John 2:18-19: "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out FROM US, but they did not REALLY belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us."
No true believer has EVER left the true Church, the body of Christ. No true believer has or ever will turn away from Jesus Christ and deny Him. Some may wander or drift or doubt for a time, but if they belong to Him, He will bring them back, for Jesus promised that not ONE of His sheep, that the Father had given Him (chosen) would be lost, and He will raise them up at the last day! That's God's promise, based on His promise to Judah in Genesis 49:10: "The scepter will not depart from Judah until HE comes ..." Jesus is on the throne and very soon the obedience of the nations will be His, when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord!
Until then, give thanks for the evidence throughout Scripture that God is faithful to His promises and that He is at work today, as He was in the days of the kings, fulfilling His promises to those who trust in Him.
"Almighty and everlasting God, my Father in heaven, my Savior, I thank You for Your faithfulness and rejoice in the truth of Your Word. I know I can count on You and trust You to keep Your promises. In those moments when I don't understand what is going on in the world or in my own life, help me to see the big picture and to find my hope in You every day, for then I will find the peace I long for. In Jesus' name, Amen"
Sunday, August 3, 2014
"Celebrating FREEDOM in the Lord, our God ..."
Day #219: Daily Bible Reading Plan - August 4th
Scripture Reading: Leviticus 25 - 27 ...
God's instructions to the people of Israel covered virtually every area of their lives. We sometimes feel as though the government does that today, but in the nation of Israel GOD was ruling over them and His laws were perfect and just. It is important to understand that God's commands in the Garden of Eden were given to Adam and Eve who were created perfect. They could have kept God's commands. But following mankind's fall into sin, laws became necessary not only to reflect God's holiness, His perfection, but also to restrain man's sinful tendency to take advantage of others and to oppress them. Therefore, God gave them guidelines for how to live together, remembering that HE was their God and that everything belonged to Him, including THEM!
The sabbath day was part of God's commands to the people of Israel. They were to refrain from work on the seventh day, remembering that God was their Creator and that He had delivered them from their slavery in Egypt. Now God institutes a "sabbath YEAR," the seventh year. During that year the people of Israel were not to sow their fields or prune their vines. They could eat what the land produced naturally. God promised that if they were faithful, He would "send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years" (25:21).
God also instituted the "Year of Jubilee," which was the fiftieth year, to be celebrated after seven sabbath years. The year of Jubilee must have been an amazing time. Land was sold and debts were made based on the time from the year of Jubilee, because on the year of Jubilee the land was returned to its owner or their family and debts were cancelled. On the year of Jubilee everyone was free ... it was like starting over. Most certainly, this points to our redemption in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus our debts are cancelled and we become "co-heirs" with Christ.
The word, "redeem," from which we get the word, "redemption," is clearly defined in Leviticus. To "redeem" meant to buy back ... to remove the debt. A man could have one of his relatives redeem his land and it would be returned to him. The same was true of those sold into slavery ... they could be redeemed and set free. Peter writes in I Peter 1:18-19 that believers were redeemed, not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, who gave the perfect payment for sin and removed our debt by paying it Himself. Such a beautiful picture of God's salvation!
It is clear that God called the people to obedience to all He commanded for their own good and for His glory. All of this was not to enslave the people, but to remind them that their life depended on the God who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. As God pronounced judgment on those who disobeyed, who turned to idols and who forgot Him, He revealed what would eventually happen: "I will scatter you among the nations" (26:33). The history of Israel reveals their idolatry and God's judgment against it.
Yet, God makes the same promise here that He makes later in the New Testament: "If they will confess their sins ... when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, I will remember my covenant with Jacob and ... with Isaac ... and with Abraham" (26:40-42). But how? How could they pay for their sin? They couldn't! They needed a Redeemer ... and God would send them a "kinsman-Redeemer," one who was Himself a true man and a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Judah ... (now you know why the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 is so important!). JESUS would do what they couldn't do.
Meanwhile, God promises that "in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them so as to destroy them completely, breaking my covenant with them. I am the LORD their God. But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the LORD" (26:44-45). The promise of grace existed even in the Old Testament as it pointed to the One who Himself would redeem all who put their faith in Him ... Jesus, the Christ!
All the rules of "redemption" pointed to Jesus, and as much as the people in the days of Moses needed redeeming, so do you and I. We have in so many ways sinned against God and sold ourselves into slavery to sin. We have disobeyed God's laws and, yes, we have pursued and worshiped idols of our own making in this world. Were it not for God's grace, we would most certainly perish under God's just judgment. But "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should NOT perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). We inevitably come back to Jesus as our only hope, as the fulfillment of God's promises, as our Savior, our Redeemer, our Lord.
Through Jesus there will be a continual Year of Jubilee in the glories of heaven, and eventually in the new heavens and the new earth. God will dwell among us and never again will there be any sin or need for redemption, for we shall be made like Him and will live with Him in the glory of perfection. How can you and I not long for that time to come?? That is the hope towards which all of Scripture points and for which our hearts must long.
For those who know Christ, the celebrating begins now ... as we look to the future. We celebrate true FREEDOM in Christ because God says that our redemption is certain and even now He sees us as holy "in Christ Jesus." May our lives be lived in thanksgiving and praise to God for His remarkable gift of grace in Christ and may we daily live to serve Him, our Redeemer, our Lord and our God!!
"Almighty and everlasting God, to be able to call You, 'Abba, Father,' is the greatest privilege anyone can receive. I confess my sin before You today and trust in the cleansing blood of Jesus for forgiveness and life. You are MY God and I am yours, in body and soul, in life and in death. I thank You for redeeming me and vow to live my life daily for You until I receive my inheritance among the saints by Your amazing grace. I love You, Father ... in Jesus' name, Amen"
Scripture Reading: Leviticus 25 - 27 ...
God's instructions to the people of Israel covered virtually every area of their lives. We sometimes feel as though the government does that today, but in the nation of Israel GOD was ruling over them and His laws were perfect and just. It is important to understand that God's commands in the Garden of Eden were given to Adam and Eve who were created perfect. They could have kept God's commands. But following mankind's fall into sin, laws became necessary not only to reflect God's holiness, His perfection, but also to restrain man's sinful tendency to take advantage of others and to oppress them. Therefore, God gave them guidelines for how to live together, remembering that HE was their God and that everything belonged to Him, including THEM!
The sabbath day was part of God's commands to the people of Israel. They were to refrain from work on the seventh day, remembering that God was their Creator and that He had delivered them from their slavery in Egypt. Now God institutes a "sabbath YEAR," the seventh year. During that year the people of Israel were not to sow their fields or prune their vines. They could eat what the land produced naturally. God promised that if they were faithful, He would "send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years" (25:21).
God also instituted the "Year of Jubilee," which was the fiftieth year, to be celebrated after seven sabbath years. The year of Jubilee must have been an amazing time. Land was sold and debts were made based on the time from the year of Jubilee, because on the year of Jubilee the land was returned to its owner or their family and debts were cancelled. On the year of Jubilee everyone was free ... it was like starting over. Most certainly, this points to our redemption in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus our debts are cancelled and we become "co-heirs" with Christ.
The word, "redeem," from which we get the word, "redemption," is clearly defined in Leviticus. To "redeem" meant to buy back ... to remove the debt. A man could have one of his relatives redeem his land and it would be returned to him. The same was true of those sold into slavery ... they could be redeemed and set free. Peter writes in I Peter 1:18-19 that believers were redeemed, not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, who gave the perfect payment for sin and removed our debt by paying it Himself. Such a beautiful picture of God's salvation!
It is clear that God called the people to obedience to all He commanded for their own good and for His glory. All of this was not to enslave the people, but to remind them that their life depended on the God who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. As God pronounced judgment on those who disobeyed, who turned to idols and who forgot Him, He revealed what would eventually happen: "I will scatter you among the nations" (26:33). The history of Israel reveals their idolatry and God's judgment against it.
Yet, God makes the same promise here that He makes later in the New Testament: "If they will confess their sins ... when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, I will remember my covenant with Jacob and ... with Isaac ... and with Abraham" (26:40-42). But how? How could they pay for their sin? They couldn't! They needed a Redeemer ... and God would send them a "kinsman-Redeemer," one who was Himself a true man and a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Judah ... (now you know why the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 is so important!). JESUS would do what they couldn't do.
Meanwhile, God promises that "in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them so as to destroy them completely, breaking my covenant with them. I am the LORD their God. But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the LORD" (26:44-45). The promise of grace existed even in the Old Testament as it pointed to the One who Himself would redeem all who put their faith in Him ... Jesus, the Christ!
All the rules of "redemption" pointed to Jesus, and as much as the people in the days of Moses needed redeeming, so do you and I. We have in so many ways sinned against God and sold ourselves into slavery to sin. We have disobeyed God's laws and, yes, we have pursued and worshiped idols of our own making in this world. Were it not for God's grace, we would most certainly perish under God's just judgment. But "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should NOT perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). We inevitably come back to Jesus as our only hope, as the fulfillment of God's promises, as our Savior, our Redeemer, our Lord.
Through Jesus there will be a continual Year of Jubilee in the glories of heaven, and eventually in the new heavens and the new earth. God will dwell among us and never again will there be any sin or need for redemption, for we shall be made like Him and will live with Him in the glory of perfection. How can you and I not long for that time to come?? That is the hope towards which all of Scripture points and for which our hearts must long.
For those who know Christ, the celebrating begins now ... as we look to the future. We celebrate true FREEDOM in Christ because God says that our redemption is certain and even now He sees us as holy "in Christ Jesus." May our lives be lived in thanksgiving and praise to God for His remarkable gift of grace in Christ and may we daily live to serve Him, our Redeemer, our Lord and our God!!
"Almighty and everlasting God, to be able to call You, 'Abba, Father,' is the greatest privilege anyone can receive. I confess my sin before You today and trust in the cleansing blood of Jesus for forgiveness and life. You are MY God and I am yours, in body and soul, in life and in death. I thank You for redeeming me and vow to live my life daily for You until I receive my inheritance among the saints by Your amazing grace. I love You, Father ... in Jesus' name, Amen"
Saturday, August 2, 2014
"Keep on keeping on!! Jesus is coming!"
Day #218: Daily Bible Reading Plan - August 3rd
Scripture Reading: II Thessalonians 1 - 3 ...
Living in the first century was not easy. The early believers faced the usual trials and struggles of life, alongside severe persecution for their new faith in Jesus Christ. It would have been understandable if some had turned away from Jesus in the face of such suffering ... in fact, some who claimed to believe did fall away, but not those who knew the true God and who trusted in Jesus. They endured and persevered because they knew that their struggles were temporary and that when Jesus came, He would make it all right!! This is the message people need to hear today instead of the false assurance that God wants them to have their best life now. That may work for people who have no trials in this world, but it doesn't work for millions of true believers around the world. Our hope goes beyond what we can see.
As Paul commends the Thessalonian believers in this, his second letter to them, he reminds them that "God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled" (1:6-7). The desire for justice lies within each of us because we are made in the image of God, and those who have God's Spirit within us long for that justice to come ... but Paul is quick to inform the Thessalonians that "this will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels" (1:7). Retribution in this world doesn't always happen, but in the end God will deal with those who do not know Him and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (1:8). "They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power on the day he comes to be glorified in His holy people" (1:9-10). What a promise and what an encouragement for those who long for justice in this world.
Paul's desire, as ours should be, was 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" (1:12). That is the focus of life for all who believe ... that Jesus would be honored and glorified on account of our witness as we endure suffering for His Name's sake. To do less is to dishonor Him and to fail in our witness to the world. I share often with people that if you take the name of Jesus Christ upon you then you ARE a witness ... the only question is whether you are a good one or a bad one!! Your life reflects HIM to those around you. Paul rejoiced in the Thessalonians because Jesus was being glorified on their account - may it be so for us, too.
To encourage them further, Paul corrects a rumor that had apparently been circulated that the "day of the Lord" had already come (2:2). Paul had spoken about that day and the prophets speak often of the "day of the Lord," which refers not to the entire series of events prior to and surrounding the return of Jesus, but specifically to God's wrath ... a wrath which Paul spoke of in his first letter to the Thessalonians, chapter 5, verse 9: "For God did not appoint US (believers) to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." Paul explains that there will be a "rebellion" (the word is "apostasy" or a "falling away") BEFORE Jesus comes. In addition, the "man of lawlessness," the "antichrist," will be revealed when he exalts himself, claiming to be God (2:3-4).
The day of God's wrath will not take place until these things happen. Paul says that the antichrist will be overthrown by Jesus at His coming (2:8). And he gives some details that are very important for US today to hear and believe. "The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders" (2:9). I wonder how many people realize this verse is in the Bible. People clamor for miracles and follow those who appear to do them today, ignoring this and other verses (like II Corinthians 11:13-15). Not all miracles are done or will be done by the power of God. Paul says that many will perish because they "refused to love the truth and so be saved" (2:10). The truth is found in God's Word. ANY teaching that is contrary to the Word of God is false ... it is a lie from Satan himself and his demons.
But notice what Paul says about the Thessalonians ... (this is true about every true believer!): "... from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth" (2:13). We who believe have been chosen and called by God to "share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2:14). How often do you think about that? When facing trials, suffering or even persecution in some way, our hope is in the Lord and His promise that in the end we will share in the glory of Jesus as He reigns over all the nations! If you believe in Jesus and are one of God's children your future could not be brighter ... you just need to look further ahead!!!
As Paul asks them to pray for the rapid spread of the Gospel, he explains that not everyone has faith, but that "the Lord is faithful and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one" (3:3). Love and perseverance are God's gifts to His people. Meanwhile, we are called to labor for the kingdom, not to be idle and to "keep on keeping on." God is at work ... in us and through us, for His glory. It isn't over 'till it's over, and when it is, we will be with the Lord, forever!
"Heavenly Father, living in this world it often seems that evil wins and that the trials of life grow heavy, but in those moments Your Spirit speaks comfort and peace through Your Word to my heart and mind: Jesus is seated at Your right hand and all WILL BE well. Give me grace and strength to rejoice in Your love and faithfulness and give me peace to endure, that I may continually testify that You are good - ALL the time ... not only in the good times, but especially in those 'other' times. In Jesus' name, Amen"
Scripture Reading: II Thessalonians 1 - 3 ...
Living in the first century was not easy. The early believers faced the usual trials and struggles of life, alongside severe persecution for their new faith in Jesus Christ. It would have been understandable if some had turned away from Jesus in the face of such suffering ... in fact, some who claimed to believe did fall away, but not those who knew the true God and who trusted in Jesus. They endured and persevered because they knew that their struggles were temporary and that when Jesus came, He would make it all right!! This is the message people need to hear today instead of the false assurance that God wants them to have their best life now. That may work for people who have no trials in this world, but it doesn't work for millions of true believers around the world. Our hope goes beyond what we can see.
As Paul commends the Thessalonian believers in this, his second letter to them, he reminds them that "God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled" (1:6-7). The desire for justice lies within each of us because we are made in the image of God, and those who have God's Spirit within us long for that justice to come ... but Paul is quick to inform the Thessalonians that "this will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels" (1:7). Retribution in this world doesn't always happen, but in the end God will deal with those who do not know Him and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (1:8). "They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power on the day he comes to be glorified in His holy people" (1:9-10). What a promise and what an encouragement for those who long for justice in this world.
Paul's desire, as ours should be, was 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" (1:12). That is the focus of life for all who believe ... that Jesus would be honored and glorified on account of our witness as we endure suffering for His Name's sake. To do less is to dishonor Him and to fail in our witness to the world. I share often with people that if you take the name of Jesus Christ upon you then you ARE a witness ... the only question is whether you are a good one or a bad one!! Your life reflects HIM to those around you. Paul rejoiced in the Thessalonians because Jesus was being glorified on their account - may it be so for us, too.
To encourage them further, Paul corrects a rumor that had apparently been circulated that the "day of the Lord" had already come (2:2). Paul had spoken about that day and the prophets speak often of the "day of the Lord," which refers not to the entire series of events prior to and surrounding the return of Jesus, but specifically to God's wrath ... a wrath which Paul spoke of in his first letter to the Thessalonians, chapter 5, verse 9: "For God did not appoint US (believers) to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." Paul explains that there will be a "rebellion" (the word is "apostasy" or a "falling away") BEFORE Jesus comes. In addition, the "man of lawlessness," the "antichrist," will be revealed when he exalts himself, claiming to be God (2:3-4).
The day of God's wrath will not take place until these things happen. Paul says that the antichrist will be overthrown by Jesus at His coming (2:8). And he gives some details that are very important for US today to hear and believe. "The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders" (2:9). I wonder how many people realize this verse is in the Bible. People clamor for miracles and follow those who appear to do them today, ignoring this and other verses (like II Corinthians 11:13-15). Not all miracles are done or will be done by the power of God. Paul says that many will perish because they "refused to love the truth and so be saved" (2:10). The truth is found in God's Word. ANY teaching that is contrary to the Word of God is false ... it is a lie from Satan himself and his demons.
But notice what Paul says about the Thessalonians ... (this is true about every true believer!): "... from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth" (2:13). We who believe have been chosen and called by God to "share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2:14). How often do you think about that? When facing trials, suffering or even persecution in some way, our hope is in the Lord and His promise that in the end we will share in the glory of Jesus as He reigns over all the nations! If you believe in Jesus and are one of God's children your future could not be brighter ... you just need to look further ahead!!!
As Paul asks them to pray for the rapid spread of the Gospel, he explains that not everyone has faith, but that "the Lord is faithful and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one" (3:3). Love and perseverance are God's gifts to His people. Meanwhile, we are called to labor for the kingdom, not to be idle and to "keep on keeping on." God is at work ... in us and through us, for His glory. It isn't over 'till it's over, and when it is, we will be with the Lord, forever!
"Heavenly Father, living in this world it often seems that evil wins and that the trials of life grow heavy, but in those moments Your Spirit speaks comfort and peace through Your Word to my heart and mind: Jesus is seated at Your right hand and all WILL BE well. Give me grace and strength to rejoice in Your love and faithfulness and give me peace to endure, that I may continually testify that You are good - ALL the time ... not only in the good times, but especially in those 'other' times. In Jesus' name, Amen"
Friday, August 1, 2014
"In the beginning was the Word …"
Day #217: Daily Bible Reading - August 2nd
Scripture Reading: John 1 - 2 …
Who is Jesus? You and every person who has ever lived, is living now or will live must answer that question. While many stumble about in the spiritual darkness of their minds and hearts, God speaks to those whose ears have been opened by His Spirit: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made …" (1:1-3). And then, "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (1:14). People can say what they want to say about Jesus, but this much is beyond doubt: John and the other writers of Scripture believed that Jesus was God in the flesh and lived and died to declare that He is Lord!!
Some might wonder why this is so important, but if Jesus is NOT God and man, if He is just a good man who was empowered by God to do miracles, then He Himself was a sinner and as such His suffering and death on the cross is meaningless and we remain in our sin, unable to save ourselves. Either Jesus is who HE says He is, and who the BIBLE says He is, or we have no hope. Eternity is at stake!!
In the first chapter of his Gospel, John reveals the way of salvation by faith in Jesus. He reveals the spiritual darkness that blinds men (1:5) and prevents them from recognizing Jesus (1:10), but then declares: "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of GOD!" (1:12-13). Those who believe in the name of Jesus and who thus receive Him as their Savior and Lord, do so only AFTER they have been born again by the Spirit of God. It is not by natural descent or human decision or coercion that anyone is born again, "regenerated," but by the power of God's Spirit working through His Word.
Moses revealed the Law, but in Jesus Christ God's grace and truth are revealed by the Spirit and those who come to the Father through faith in Jesus understand that it was not by our own efforts, but by the grace of God that gave us new life in Christ. Throughout the Gospels we find this new life being given to unlikely people, to those whom the religious leaders called, "sinners." Spiritual blindness makes people believe that they can come by their own goodness or by their own efforts. At the very beginning of his Gospel, John explains man's problem and God's solution.
God sent John the Baptist to be "the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord'" (1:23). John preached repentance and men were convicted of their sin, but they were waiting for the Messiah, the Savior … was John the one? NO! But he was sent to introduce Him to the world: "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (1:29). Many today believe the purpose of Jesus' coming was to show us how to love one another, to do acts of kindness, to help the poor and oppressed … and Jesus did all those things and we ARE called to follow His example … but that's not why He came. Jesus didn't come to simply give people a "better" life in this world. Jesus came to take away the guilt and power of sin to condemn those who would believe in Him.
John said, "I baptize with water … He will baptize with the Holy Spirit" (1:33). Paul would write decades later that all who believe have been "baptized by one Spirit into one Body" (I Corinthians 12:13). ONLY Jesus, the Word made flesh, through whom everything was created, can give new life and make us new creations! The first disciples soon discovered the power and authority of this one whom they were called to follow. Talk about your life never being the same!!
His first miracle was innocent enough, but very quickly people began to see that there was something different about Jesus. It is sad in our day that even many who claim to believe in Jesus seem to think His miracles were no big deal and that following Him has little significance in this life … then you go to heaven. As Jesus said to Nathanael, "You shall see greater things than that! I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man" (1:50-51). Jesus' miracles testified that He was God in the flesh and that the message He brought was truth from God to bring eternal life to those who believed.
As Jesus entered into the temple courts He expressed His devotion to the Father through His zeal for the temple, the physical, earthly dwelling-place of God's glory. Already the Jews were demanding that He do another miracle, but Jesus spoke in words they could not possibly understand, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days" (2:19). John explains, "The temple He had spoken of was His body" (2:21). As His ministry began people saw the miraculous signs He did and heard His words and believed in His name … but Jesus did not come to draw a following … He came to give Himself as a ransom, to pay the penalty for sin on the cross. They would have made Him King, but His kingdom was not of THIS world.
Living in this world today it is so easy to think only in terms of what we need for life in this world. Our prayers are often focused about things that we need (or want) that we believe would make our lives easier. If only we had …… (fill in the blank!). But all we really need is Jesus. As someone has said, "If you had everything this world could offer and didn't have Jesus, you would have nothing. But if you have nothing and have Jesus, you have everything!" Jesus came to give life, now and forever. Jesus has the power not only to change your circumstances, but to change YOU!! Paul wrote, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come" (II Corinthians 5:17).
Do you have this new life? Have you been born again by the Spirit of God? Have you received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord and have you heard His call to follow Him? Only those who are disciples of Jesus in THIS world will spend eternity with Him in the world to come. We who believe have been saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) and now live as servants of God, awaiting Jesus' return when we will be made like Him and live with Him forever in a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness (II Peter 3:13).
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God …" (1:1) … And now this living Word, Jesus Christ, is seated at the right hand of the Father, ruling over all things, putting all His enemies under His feet, and He promises, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End" (Revelation 22:12-13). May you and I be found IN CHRIST when He returns, being born again by His Spirit, believing in His Name, and serving our Master.
"Father in heaven, I hear Your voice declaring the truth concerning Your Son through Your Word and I respond in faith, believing that He IS the Christ, the One whom You sent to take away MY sin through His sacrifice on the cross. I find my joy, my hope and my peace in Him, believing there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. By Your grace alone I stand in Your presence and testify with John that Jesus is Lord! I thank You today for Your grace to ME, in Jesus' name, Amen"
Scripture Reading: John 1 - 2 …
Who is Jesus? You and every person who has ever lived, is living now or will live must answer that question. While many stumble about in the spiritual darkness of their minds and hearts, God speaks to those whose ears have been opened by His Spirit: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made …" (1:1-3). And then, "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (1:14). People can say what they want to say about Jesus, but this much is beyond doubt: John and the other writers of Scripture believed that Jesus was God in the flesh and lived and died to declare that He is Lord!!
Some might wonder why this is so important, but if Jesus is NOT God and man, if He is just a good man who was empowered by God to do miracles, then He Himself was a sinner and as such His suffering and death on the cross is meaningless and we remain in our sin, unable to save ourselves. Either Jesus is who HE says He is, and who the BIBLE says He is, or we have no hope. Eternity is at stake!!
In the first chapter of his Gospel, John reveals the way of salvation by faith in Jesus. He reveals the spiritual darkness that blinds men (1:5) and prevents them from recognizing Jesus (1:10), but then declares: "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of GOD!" (1:12-13). Those who believe in the name of Jesus and who thus receive Him as their Savior and Lord, do so only AFTER they have been born again by the Spirit of God. It is not by natural descent or human decision or coercion that anyone is born again, "regenerated," but by the power of God's Spirit working through His Word.
Moses revealed the Law, but in Jesus Christ God's grace and truth are revealed by the Spirit and those who come to the Father through faith in Jesus understand that it was not by our own efforts, but by the grace of God that gave us new life in Christ. Throughout the Gospels we find this new life being given to unlikely people, to those whom the religious leaders called, "sinners." Spiritual blindness makes people believe that they can come by their own goodness or by their own efforts. At the very beginning of his Gospel, John explains man's problem and God's solution.
God sent John the Baptist to be "the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord'" (1:23). John preached repentance and men were convicted of their sin, but they were waiting for the Messiah, the Savior … was John the one? NO! But he was sent to introduce Him to the world: "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (1:29). Many today believe the purpose of Jesus' coming was to show us how to love one another, to do acts of kindness, to help the poor and oppressed … and Jesus did all those things and we ARE called to follow His example … but that's not why He came. Jesus didn't come to simply give people a "better" life in this world. Jesus came to take away the guilt and power of sin to condemn those who would believe in Him.
John said, "I baptize with water … He will baptize with the Holy Spirit" (1:33). Paul would write decades later that all who believe have been "baptized by one Spirit into one Body" (I Corinthians 12:13). ONLY Jesus, the Word made flesh, through whom everything was created, can give new life and make us new creations! The first disciples soon discovered the power and authority of this one whom they were called to follow. Talk about your life never being the same!!
His first miracle was innocent enough, but very quickly people began to see that there was something different about Jesus. It is sad in our day that even many who claim to believe in Jesus seem to think His miracles were no big deal and that following Him has little significance in this life … then you go to heaven. As Jesus said to Nathanael, "You shall see greater things than that! I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man" (1:50-51). Jesus' miracles testified that He was God in the flesh and that the message He brought was truth from God to bring eternal life to those who believed.
As Jesus entered into the temple courts He expressed His devotion to the Father through His zeal for the temple, the physical, earthly dwelling-place of God's glory. Already the Jews were demanding that He do another miracle, but Jesus spoke in words they could not possibly understand, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days" (2:19). John explains, "The temple He had spoken of was His body" (2:21). As His ministry began people saw the miraculous signs He did and heard His words and believed in His name … but Jesus did not come to draw a following … He came to give Himself as a ransom, to pay the penalty for sin on the cross. They would have made Him King, but His kingdom was not of THIS world.
Living in this world today it is so easy to think only in terms of what we need for life in this world. Our prayers are often focused about things that we need (or want) that we believe would make our lives easier. If only we had …… (fill in the blank!). But all we really need is Jesus. As someone has said, "If you had everything this world could offer and didn't have Jesus, you would have nothing. But if you have nothing and have Jesus, you have everything!" Jesus came to give life, now and forever. Jesus has the power not only to change your circumstances, but to change YOU!! Paul wrote, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come" (II Corinthians 5:17).
Do you have this new life? Have you been born again by the Spirit of God? Have you received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord and have you heard His call to follow Him? Only those who are disciples of Jesus in THIS world will spend eternity with Him in the world to come. We who believe have been saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) and now live as servants of God, awaiting Jesus' return when we will be made like Him and live with Him forever in a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness (II Peter 3:13).
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God …" (1:1) … And now this living Word, Jesus Christ, is seated at the right hand of the Father, ruling over all things, putting all His enemies under His feet, and He promises, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End" (Revelation 22:12-13). May you and I be found IN CHRIST when He returns, being born again by His Spirit, believing in His Name, and serving our Master.
"Father in heaven, I hear Your voice declaring the truth concerning Your Son through Your Word and I respond in faith, believing that He IS the Christ, the One whom You sent to take away MY sin through His sacrifice on the cross. I find my joy, my hope and my peace in Him, believing there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. By Your grace alone I stand in Your presence and testify with John that Jesus is Lord! I thank You today for Your grace to ME, in Jesus' name, Amen"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)