Day #254: Daily Bible Reading Play - September 8th
Scripture Reading Numbers 17 - 20 ...
What could God's appointing of Aaron and his sons to serve Him at the tabernacle possibly have to do with you ... as you live in the 21st century, more than 3,000 years later? More than you could possibly imagine! There is an unbroken connection from Aaron to Jesus to you and me and all who believe in Jesus Christ. What God points out here applies to the lives of believers throughout all generations To understand it, we go to the last book of the Bible ... to Revelation, chapter 1, verses 5-6: "To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father - to Him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen"
We who believe in Jesus Christ are called to serve Him, as priests served Him at the tabernacle and later the temple. But to do that we need to learn some things from our reading today. First is this: How was it determined that Aaron and his sons would serve God at the tabernacle? God chose them. When the people of Israel grumbled against the leadership of Moses and Aaron, God made it clear through the budding of Aaron's staff that Aaron and his sons and his father's family were chosen BY GOD to bring the offerings of the people before God in the sanctuary. God said, "No one else may come near where you are" (18:4). In fact, God told Aaron, "You are to be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the altar, so that wrath will not fall on the Israelites again" (18:5).
" ... the wrath of God ..." That phrase is not popular in today's religious climate, but God has not changed and what He says about entering His presence in the days of Moses and Aaron is still true today. "Only you and your sons may serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and inside the curtain" (18:7). Why such strict rules? Because God is holy and nothing unholy can enter His presence. I wish people understood that. I wish all people, including those who claim to know God but who have not confessed Jesus Christ as their Savior and their Lord ... I wish they understood this one simple fact: God is holy!! The human mind cannot grasp the perfection of God. People just don't realize that the very character of God makes it impossible for sinners to enter into His presence.
That's why God sent Jesus, the WORD of God, God's Son ... That's why God the Son entered this world and took upon Himself human flesh, becoming true man and true God at the same time. We needed someone to go into the very presence of God in heaven for us, and while Aaron and his sons and their descendants were allowed by God to go into the tabernacle and the temple, they could not possibly enter in the Most Holy Place in heaven. That's what Jesus did as He hung on the cross. The blood of bulls and goats was offered to God by Aaron and the rest of the priests, but Jesus offered His own blood as the perfect sacrifice for sin.
God instructed Aaron and his sons and the Levites to "present the best part" (18:30) to the LORD. "By presenting the best part of it you will not be guilty in this matter; then you will not defile the holy offerings of the Israelites, and you will not die" (18:32). Do you understand that we are talking about life and death when we talk about the cross and Jesus offering His blood in our place? The Old Testament sacrifices were pictures of what needed to happen, but as the writer of Hebrews says, "Those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" (10:4). And then those amazingly marvelous verses ... Hebrews 10:19-20: "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is His body ..."
Every time I read those verses I thank God for His amazing grace to me, to you, to all who believe. Through the blood of Jesus we have access to the throne of God!! The people of Israel witnessed the power of God in ways that many of us might like to have seen, but their hearts were hard. They were spiritually dead. They needed a Savior. God was showing them every time they brought a sacrifice to the tabernacle that they needed a Savior, they needed cleansing from their sin in order to approach God. But their stubborn and foolish grumbling and rebellion is second only to that of millions today who attempt to approach God with their own meagre offerings of religious acts. They are no more effective than were the offerings of the people in our readings who in the end rejected God's offer of forgiveness. As Paul writes it to the Galatians, "By the works of the law no one will be justified" (declared innocent before God - 2:16).
God paints another picture in Chapter 19, as he speaks about touching a dead body. Again, it may be difficult to see what this has to do with you and me, but the truth is, we are around spiritually dead people every day and a world that is corrupted by mankind's sin. Creation itself groans and needs to be purified. So the cleansing water itself may point to Jesus as the living water and to being baptized by His Spirit - washed clean through the work of His Spirit within us. " ... because of His mercy, He saved us through the washing of rebirth and the renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior ..." (Titus 3:5). Whether or not this is a picture of baptism, it was through the "sprinkling" of the "water of cleansing" that those who were "unclean" would become ceremonially clean and be allowed inside the camp. "But if a person who is unclean does not purify himself, he must be cut off from the community because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD" (19:20).
All of this points to Christ and to God choosing us to be a "kingdom and priests to serve" God in His sanctuary - forever!! Finally, as the people grumbled again because they had no water, Moses and Aaron were instructed to strike a rock and God would give the people water. In their frustration, they took credit for getting water for Israel and God said, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I gave them" (20:12). This may seem like a harsh punishment for the two men God had used to bring His people out of slavery in Egypt and who had put up with so much already, but Moses and Aaron were about to enter a much better "promised land." God needed to let the people know that no one, not even Moses and Aaron, no one was without sin.
Paul writes in I Corinthians 10:4 that the "rock" the people drank from was CHRIST! He was there ... leading and guiding Moses and Aaron, and through them the people. But these things happened and were written down for US, on whom the fulfillment of all these things has come (I Corinthians 10:11). We need to learn from their mistakes and then understand that we who believe are priests, called to serve the living God!! Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we are cleansed and renewed so that we will place our faith in Jesus and then offer ourselves as "living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God" (Romans 12:1). Aaron was about to die, and Moses would soon follow, but God continued to show the people their need for a Savior.
As Edom refused to let the people of Israel pass through their land, believers will face opposition so long as we are in this world, but nothing will keep us from reaching our destination. GOD has made a way, as He made a way for Israel. We ARE "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God" that we may "proclaim the praises of Him who called" us "out of darkness into His wonderful light" (I Peter 2:9). As we saw earlier, in Revelation, chapter 1, verses 5-6: "To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father - to Him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen" Take seriously all God shows us in these chapters and then live out the life HE has given you to live FOR HIM!!
"O LORD, my God, You are holy, righteous, perfect in all Your ways. As you revealed the sin of the people in ages past, so Your Spirit convicts me of my own sin and of my need for a Savior. I believe that through the shedding of the blood of Your Son, Jesus, I have been forgiven and I now draw near in confidence to serve You, my God. May my life be a testimony pointing to You, my God, for You have washed me and made me clean and I am Yours! In Jesus' name, Amen"
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Saturday, September 6, 2014
" Sound doctrine ... the responsibility of all who preach and teach God's Word ..."
Day #253: Daily Bible Reading Plan - September 7th
Scripture Reading: Titus 1 - 3 ...
There are those today who believe that there is too much emphasis on "doctrine" in "conservative" or "mainline" churches. The pentecostal movement of forty-plus years ago taught people to be open to the Spirit and to a "word from the Lord." It seems that the only doctrine (which means a "principle or teaching to be believed as true") that some want to accept is that each person is free "in the Spirit" to interpret the Bible and their inner feelings in order to discover truth. Without getting into a debate over where that has led in the past three or four decades, it is a dangerous position for those who are responsible to preach and teach the truth that God has revealed. If in any way "doctrine" is subject to the interpretation (or misinterpretation) of people like you and me, we can't be sure of anything we hear. That is exactly where many people have landed. Christianity is lumped with every other religion as a stale, meaningless attempt to enslave unwitting people into a system of belief for the benefit of those who stand to gain power or wealth or influence.
Such skepticism, while understandable, leaves people without God and without hope. If we cannot know the truth then we must live without knowledge, without assurance and without a foundation for life. We are then left to the supposed wisdom of our day or of past generations who have left us the world we have before us ... not exactly a ringing endorsement! However, the teaching that is circulating today concerning "doctrine" and the inability of anyone to know truth is itself a doctrine - a false doctrine. As Paul writes to Titus, a young pastor taught and appointed by Paul, who had been sent to the island of Crete to establish biblical leadership in the churches there by appointing elders (overseers), he explains to him that those who have rejected "sound doctrine" were to be refuted and opposed (1:9).
He told Titus that such men "claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him" (1:16). What actions was Paul talking about? They were teaching false "doctrine." True doctrine is that which has been inspired by God in His Word. The mistake of the church of Rome early on was that it began to mix the doctrines of men with the teaching of God's Word, and eventually the "tradition" of the church became confused with sound doctrine. It remains the same today. Others added their own doctrines, claiming that these doctrines were found in God's Word. As Peter said, these "twist and distort the Scriptures to their own destruction" (II Peter 3:16). Most of the debates within the visible church today have little to do with sound interpretation of the Scriptures, but arise rather from a failure to study the whole Bible, taking verses out of their context to prove a teaching that is based on tradition ... denominations are "famous" for doing so.
In the 1500's and 1600's, the time of the "Reformation," many turned to the written Word of God as the "only rule of faith and practice." They did not "develop" their own doctrine, but earnestly sought the Scriptures, believing that the same Spirit who inspired the writers to write God's Word was now living in them and would give them understanding as they studied, prayed and grew in knowledge together. Sadly, while sound doctrine was the fruit of the Reformation, denominations were also formed and the visible church was hopelessly divided into groups, each of whom had their own "views" on certain things. Words like "Calvinism" and "Lutheran" and "Baptist" and "Presbyterian," to mention a few, joined with "Catholic" to describe a set of "doctrines" specific to certain groups and each insisted that THEIR set of teachings was the only true teaching ...
So what about Paul and Titus and the early believers? What did THEY believe?? These were the days when the Church was being formed. There was in every city where the Gospel was preached and believed by some ONE Church - not many. While they had their divisions (read Paul's letters to the Corinthians), there was no question that there was TRUTH to be believed or rejected. So Paul says of Elders that they "must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he (they) can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it" (Titus 1:9). Paul tells Titus that these teachers of FALSE doctrine "must be silenced" and that he should "rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith" (1:13).
Titus was charged with teaching "what is in accord with sound doctrine" (2:1). That means Titus needed to know what sound doctrine WAS and the only way he would know that is if he had been taught! (1:9). Paul was a Pharisee and knew the Old Testament well. Then he met Jesus, and was born again by the Spirit. That enabled him to rightly interpret/understand the truth concerning God's promises and the Gospel that Jesus taught His disciples. That is what Paul had passed on to Timothy and Titus and others, and what is passed on to us in his letters to the churches. By the guidance of the Holy Spirit sound doctrine was written down for us. That is why it is so strange today to hear those who want to emphasize the work of the Holy Spirit exchange the sound doctrine of God's Word for what can only be described as self-interpreted "words" from a source believed to be God. Where such "words" are in accord with Scripture, they are simply understanding given by God to those who seek Him through His Word. But where these "revelations" go beyond God's Word and add to God's Word ... or in some cases are contrary to God's Word, they must be rejected.
Sound doctrine is based on God's revelation of truth found in His written Word. The beauty of this truth is that all who are born again by the Spirit have the same Teacher and the same textbook. That means there is ONE Church and where we may not agree we can sit down with each other and study God's Word together and arrive at truth that is true for everyone. Isn't that a novel idea? So long as it is more important to you or me to "defend" my own teaching or my own doctrine or my church's tradition, we will forever be hopelessly divided. But those who are chosen by God (the elect - 1:1) have all been "baptized by one Spirit" (I Corinthians 12:13) and therefore are ONE in Christ Jesus. In this day in which we live we need each other! The forces of evil are mounting their last stand against God's Anointed and against His body and we must stand firm in the faith that has once for all been entrusted to us (Jude 3).
How shall we then live? "The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men" (people from every tribe, nation and tongue). It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good" (2:11-14). It is GOD who chooses us, calls us, saves us and gives us eternal life. We belong to Him and sound doctrine comes from Him alone and is centered in Jesus Christ. All Scripture points to Him ... from beginning to end.
All who are saved are saved by grace "through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" (3:4-5). Anyone who teaches contrary to this, that those who have not been born again can somehow believe and be saved, is not teaching sound doctrine. What comes FIRST is important because the Gospel gives glory to GOD and not to man. Those thus saved by grace "devote themselves to doing what is good," (3:8) not in order to become saved, but because they have already been saved through the working of the Spirit. Now that same Spirit enables them to obey God's Word, to live in faith and obedience for the glory of God, "so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive" (2:10).
Oh, how the church today needs sound doctrine, and it is the responsibility of all who preach and teach God's Word to study and to do our best "to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (II Timothy 2:15). The church needs such men, called of God and filled with His Spirit. Sound doctrine is God's gift to the Church and true teaching will always be confirmed by the Bible, the inerrant, infallible Word of God. Study God's Word, listen carefully to those who teach and be sure that what you are hearing is truth from God's Word. Remember how Paul himself commended the Bereans because "they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts 17:11).
May there be such diligence in the Church today, on the part of those who teach and those who hear, that God may be glorified, the name of Jesus be exalted, and those who believe be equipped to proclaim and defend the truth against all those who oppose it. Sound doctrine - learn to love it and to crave it as food for the soul!!
"My Father and my God, You have revealed Your truth in Your Word through the prophets and apostles, and through Your Son Jesus Christ and the work of His Spirit in those who wrote what You led them to write. Raise up leaders in Your Church who will be faithful to proclaim the sound doctrine revealed in the Bible and give wisdom to those who lead and those who hear to rightly understand what You have revealed. Give us strength in these days to stand firm against the false doctrine of false teachers and to defend the truth that alone is able to save those who believe and to equip us for life and godliness, to the praise of our Savior! In Jesus' name, Amen"
Scripture Reading: Titus 1 - 3 ...
There are those today who believe that there is too much emphasis on "doctrine" in "conservative" or "mainline" churches. The pentecostal movement of forty-plus years ago taught people to be open to the Spirit and to a "word from the Lord." It seems that the only doctrine (which means a "principle or teaching to be believed as true") that some want to accept is that each person is free "in the Spirit" to interpret the Bible and their inner feelings in order to discover truth. Without getting into a debate over where that has led in the past three or four decades, it is a dangerous position for those who are responsible to preach and teach the truth that God has revealed. If in any way "doctrine" is subject to the interpretation (or misinterpretation) of people like you and me, we can't be sure of anything we hear. That is exactly where many people have landed. Christianity is lumped with every other religion as a stale, meaningless attempt to enslave unwitting people into a system of belief for the benefit of those who stand to gain power or wealth or influence.
Such skepticism, while understandable, leaves people without God and without hope. If we cannot know the truth then we must live without knowledge, without assurance and without a foundation for life. We are then left to the supposed wisdom of our day or of past generations who have left us the world we have before us ... not exactly a ringing endorsement! However, the teaching that is circulating today concerning "doctrine" and the inability of anyone to know truth is itself a doctrine - a false doctrine. As Paul writes to Titus, a young pastor taught and appointed by Paul, who had been sent to the island of Crete to establish biblical leadership in the churches there by appointing elders (overseers), he explains to him that those who have rejected "sound doctrine" were to be refuted and opposed (1:9).
He told Titus that such men "claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him" (1:16). What actions was Paul talking about? They were teaching false "doctrine." True doctrine is that which has been inspired by God in His Word. The mistake of the church of Rome early on was that it began to mix the doctrines of men with the teaching of God's Word, and eventually the "tradition" of the church became confused with sound doctrine. It remains the same today. Others added their own doctrines, claiming that these doctrines were found in God's Word. As Peter said, these "twist and distort the Scriptures to their own destruction" (II Peter 3:16). Most of the debates within the visible church today have little to do with sound interpretation of the Scriptures, but arise rather from a failure to study the whole Bible, taking verses out of their context to prove a teaching that is based on tradition ... denominations are "famous" for doing so.
In the 1500's and 1600's, the time of the "Reformation," many turned to the written Word of God as the "only rule of faith and practice." They did not "develop" their own doctrine, but earnestly sought the Scriptures, believing that the same Spirit who inspired the writers to write God's Word was now living in them and would give them understanding as they studied, prayed and grew in knowledge together. Sadly, while sound doctrine was the fruit of the Reformation, denominations were also formed and the visible church was hopelessly divided into groups, each of whom had their own "views" on certain things. Words like "Calvinism" and "Lutheran" and "Baptist" and "Presbyterian," to mention a few, joined with "Catholic" to describe a set of "doctrines" specific to certain groups and each insisted that THEIR set of teachings was the only true teaching ...
So what about Paul and Titus and the early believers? What did THEY believe?? These were the days when the Church was being formed. There was in every city where the Gospel was preached and believed by some ONE Church - not many. While they had their divisions (read Paul's letters to the Corinthians), there was no question that there was TRUTH to be believed or rejected. So Paul says of Elders that they "must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he (they) can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it" (Titus 1:9). Paul tells Titus that these teachers of FALSE doctrine "must be silenced" and that he should "rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith" (1:13).
Titus was charged with teaching "what is in accord with sound doctrine" (2:1). That means Titus needed to know what sound doctrine WAS and the only way he would know that is if he had been taught! (1:9). Paul was a Pharisee and knew the Old Testament well. Then he met Jesus, and was born again by the Spirit. That enabled him to rightly interpret/understand the truth concerning God's promises and the Gospel that Jesus taught His disciples. That is what Paul had passed on to Timothy and Titus and others, and what is passed on to us in his letters to the churches. By the guidance of the Holy Spirit sound doctrine was written down for us. That is why it is so strange today to hear those who want to emphasize the work of the Holy Spirit exchange the sound doctrine of God's Word for what can only be described as self-interpreted "words" from a source believed to be God. Where such "words" are in accord with Scripture, they are simply understanding given by God to those who seek Him through His Word. But where these "revelations" go beyond God's Word and add to God's Word ... or in some cases are contrary to God's Word, they must be rejected.
Sound doctrine is based on God's revelation of truth found in His written Word. The beauty of this truth is that all who are born again by the Spirit have the same Teacher and the same textbook. That means there is ONE Church and where we may not agree we can sit down with each other and study God's Word together and arrive at truth that is true for everyone. Isn't that a novel idea? So long as it is more important to you or me to "defend" my own teaching or my own doctrine or my church's tradition, we will forever be hopelessly divided. But those who are chosen by God (the elect - 1:1) have all been "baptized by one Spirit" (I Corinthians 12:13) and therefore are ONE in Christ Jesus. In this day in which we live we need each other! The forces of evil are mounting their last stand against God's Anointed and against His body and we must stand firm in the faith that has once for all been entrusted to us (Jude 3).
How shall we then live? "The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men" (people from every tribe, nation and tongue). It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good" (2:11-14). It is GOD who chooses us, calls us, saves us and gives us eternal life. We belong to Him and sound doctrine comes from Him alone and is centered in Jesus Christ. All Scripture points to Him ... from beginning to end.
All who are saved are saved by grace "through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" (3:4-5). Anyone who teaches contrary to this, that those who have not been born again can somehow believe and be saved, is not teaching sound doctrine. What comes FIRST is important because the Gospel gives glory to GOD and not to man. Those thus saved by grace "devote themselves to doing what is good," (3:8) not in order to become saved, but because they have already been saved through the working of the Spirit. Now that same Spirit enables them to obey God's Word, to live in faith and obedience for the glory of God, "so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive" (2:10).
Oh, how the church today needs sound doctrine, and it is the responsibility of all who preach and teach God's Word to study and to do our best "to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (II Timothy 2:15). The church needs such men, called of God and filled with His Spirit. Sound doctrine is God's gift to the Church and true teaching will always be confirmed by the Bible, the inerrant, infallible Word of God. Study God's Word, listen carefully to those who teach and be sure that what you are hearing is truth from God's Word. Remember how Paul himself commended the Bereans because "they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts 17:11).
May there be such diligence in the Church today, on the part of those who teach and those who hear, that God may be glorified, the name of Jesus be exalted, and those who believe be equipped to proclaim and defend the truth against all those who oppose it. Sound doctrine - learn to love it and to crave it as food for the soul!!
"My Father and my God, You have revealed Your truth in Your Word through the prophets and apostles, and through Your Son Jesus Christ and the work of His Spirit in those who wrote what You led them to write. Raise up leaders in Your Church who will be faithful to proclaim the sound doctrine revealed in the Bible and give wisdom to those who lead and those who hear to rightly understand what You have revealed. Give us strength in these days to stand firm against the false doctrine of false teachers and to defend the truth that alone is able to save those who believe and to equip us for life and godliness, to the praise of our Savior! In Jesus' name, Amen"
Friday, September 5, 2014
"I am going there to prepare a place for you … "
Day #252: Daily Bible Reading - September 6th
Scripture Reading: John 13 - 15 …
What must it be like to KNOW that you are about to leave this world and go to heaven? I have been present several times as death approached for one who knew Jesus Christ as their Savior and as they anticipated being in His presence … it is a holy moment. For Jesus, it was even moreso. He was not only going to the Father, but He was returning to Him!! "Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. … Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God" (13:1,3). Those who would say that Jesus did not know these things have either not read the Bible or have not believed it … so their words about Jesus are not worth the paper they are written on!!
Jesus came from heaven to earth for a specific purpose, and now the time had come to complete all that He had come to do. Always the Teacher, He wanted to leave His disciples a picture that they would not forget. He was sending them out into the world as His witnesses and they needed to know that whatever they went through to serve Jesus, it was for HIM. Jesus had nothing to prove … no "position" to try to hold onto … nothing to gain that was not already His … and He wanted the disciples to operate from the same motivation … so He washed their feet.
It must have seemed like a simple thing, but there was a lesson to be learned. Jesus made sure they learned it: "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet" (13:13-14). The lesson was that "no servant is greater than his master" (13:16). I don't believe Jesus meant that we should literally wash each other's feet … the point He was making was greater than that! He was saying that there was no task too small for them to do. There was no task that they should think they were too good or too important to do for one another and for others.
Pride is a huge barrier to the ministry to which Jesus calls His disciples. It was pride that Jesus wanted to root out of those who would be responsible to carry the Gospel to the world. Theirs would not be an easy road. Theirs was not a position of prominence. God could have made it different, but He chose to use humble servants, people who would be willing to suffer for the sake of Jesus Christ, to proclaim the Gospel to the world. The Apostle Paul would write to the Corinthians, "We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us" (II Corinthians 4:7). No one gets glory or praise except Jesus in this scenario, and He gives glory to the Father who sent Him.
After exposing Judas Iscariot, Jesus told the rest of the disciples, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (13:34-35). But wait, how is this a "new command"? Didn't the law of Moses tell people to love their neighbor as themselves? Yes … (Leviticus 19:18). So why did Jesus say "a new command I give you"? Because like the rest of the law, people without the Spirit of God cannot and will not understand it. Jesus was about to ascend into heaven and pour out His Spirit and this command would now take on new meaning for His followers. They would understand that this command did not just mean to have a feeling of love toward someone or to do a few good things for someone, it meant that they must follow Jesus' example in being willing to serve and, if necessary, to literally lay down their lives for one another, as He was about to do for them.
Jesus repeatedly told them not to be troubled or afraid, but rather, to trust in Him. He was going, but He would come back to take them to be with Him. When Thomas declared that they didn't know the way, Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (14:6). That was true then and it is true now. Some today want to believe that even those who don't know Jesus or confess Him as Savior and Lord can enter into heaven through Jesus, but Jesus says those who are His disciples will love and obey Him. "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching" (14:23). Jesus said in John 6:29, "The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent." Those who do not confess Jesus as Savior and Lord cannot and will not obey Him and will not be saved, for it is by GRACE that we receive God's gift of life through faith in His Son, Jesus … the One He has sent.
Jesus told the disciples that "anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father" (14:12). There is much debate about what Jesus meant, but there shouldn't be. Can anyone possibly do anything greater than what Jesus did, if by "greater" we mean more important, more powerful, more amazing, more ANYTHING??!!! Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, preached the good news of the kingdom, calmed the storms, made the blind to see, forgave sinners and died and rose again!!! What "greater" thing could any of us possibly do? Yet, Jesus said anyone who has faith will do greater things!!
It all has to do with the message … it was only AFTER His death and resurrection that the mission Jesus gave the disciples could be accomplished: "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things" (Luke 24:45-48). One person, preaching the Gospel, can do greater things than Jesus did with respect to the fruit that comes from the Word of God concerning Jesus' death and resurrection. It was not until Jesus went to the cross and rose from the dead that His work was finished and the resurrection could be preached!! JESUS could raise people from the dead, but how many times did He do that? He came to give spiritual life - eternal life, to all who would believe, but that would ONLY happen through the preaching of the Gospel to all nations.
Jesus handed over that mission to the disciples and to US! That's why He poured out His Spirit to empower them and why the same Spirit empowers true believers today. To prepare them for what lay ahead Jesus gave them another picture: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the Gardener" (15:1). The Father trims and prunes the branches so they will bear fruit. "I am the vine, you are the branches," Jesus said, " … apart from ME you can do nothing" (15:5). "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples" (15:8). "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit …" (15:16).
Bearing fruit will require fulfilling Jesus' command to love one another because we need each other and because it is in displaying Christ's love that others are drawn to hear the message of forgiveness and life through faith in Jesus. None of this is easy. In fact, it is impossible unless the Spirit of God lives within you. The world will hate you … BECAUSE you love Jesus. Why? Because of His Name! (15:21). There is a growing trend today in the church that we need to love all people and do good to all people because that's what Jesus says to do. The supposed quote from St. Francis of Assisi is "Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words." Such a philosophy is NOT what Jesus taught. You will never be persecuted for the NAME of Jesus unless you SPEAK the Name of Jesus!
If the Gospel is doing good deeds, people will rarely persecute you for that, and it will certainly not be because of the name of Jesus. The mission Jesus gave the disciples and that He gives to us is greater than doing good deeds. He tells us to love one another, to be willing to lay down our lives for one another, to serve one another, to encourage one another, to lift up one another because the mission He has given to us is hard and lonely and exhausting and it will cost us everything to do it. It will cost us our-SELF! That's why Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (15:13). THIS is the love to which Jesus calls His disciples.
"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' … They will treat you this way because of my name" (15:18-21). As the Holy Spirit testifies about Jesus, so those who are His true disciples do the same. Empowered by the Spirit the disciples of Jesus have spread the Gospel all over the world, being persecuted because of His name … even to death … knowing that when they leave this world they will enter into the presence of the Father and the Son, for the Spirit already lives within them.
Do you know where you are going? Do you know the way? Only those who are united to Jesus by faith will enter into His presence. Because His Spirit has given us new life and already lives within us we, too, can know where we are going, for we are aliens and strangers here. Our home is with our Father and our Savior and we long for that day when we shall see Him face-to-face. Until then we wait, we work, we stay attached to the Vine, for apart from Him we can do nothing. Knowing that He has prepared a place for us, we endure persecution for His Name's sake and we watch … and we wait … knowing that soon we will be in His presence and will be with Him - forever! O glorious day!!
"My Father in heaven, I believe in Jesus and I love You for sending Him to be My Savior. I confess Jesus as my Lord and I desire to follow Him, to serve Him, to obey His command to love as He has loved me. Empower me with Your Spirit, that I may be found faithful in serving others, proclaiming that in Jesus they, too, can find eternal life. Take away any pride or fear or anything else that may prevent me from following Jesus. Make me willing to lay down my life, in Jesus' name, Amen"
Scripture Reading: John 13 - 15 …
What must it be like to KNOW that you are about to leave this world and go to heaven? I have been present several times as death approached for one who knew Jesus Christ as their Savior and as they anticipated being in His presence … it is a holy moment. For Jesus, it was even moreso. He was not only going to the Father, but He was returning to Him!! "Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. … Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God" (13:1,3). Those who would say that Jesus did not know these things have either not read the Bible or have not believed it … so their words about Jesus are not worth the paper they are written on!!
Jesus came from heaven to earth for a specific purpose, and now the time had come to complete all that He had come to do. Always the Teacher, He wanted to leave His disciples a picture that they would not forget. He was sending them out into the world as His witnesses and they needed to know that whatever they went through to serve Jesus, it was for HIM. Jesus had nothing to prove … no "position" to try to hold onto … nothing to gain that was not already His … and He wanted the disciples to operate from the same motivation … so He washed their feet.
It must have seemed like a simple thing, but there was a lesson to be learned. Jesus made sure they learned it: "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet" (13:13-14). The lesson was that "no servant is greater than his master" (13:16). I don't believe Jesus meant that we should literally wash each other's feet … the point He was making was greater than that! He was saying that there was no task too small for them to do. There was no task that they should think they were too good or too important to do for one another and for others.
Pride is a huge barrier to the ministry to which Jesus calls His disciples. It was pride that Jesus wanted to root out of those who would be responsible to carry the Gospel to the world. Theirs would not be an easy road. Theirs was not a position of prominence. God could have made it different, but He chose to use humble servants, people who would be willing to suffer for the sake of Jesus Christ, to proclaim the Gospel to the world. The Apostle Paul would write to the Corinthians, "We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us" (II Corinthians 4:7). No one gets glory or praise except Jesus in this scenario, and He gives glory to the Father who sent Him.
After exposing Judas Iscariot, Jesus told the rest of the disciples, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (13:34-35). But wait, how is this a "new command"? Didn't the law of Moses tell people to love their neighbor as themselves? Yes … (Leviticus 19:18). So why did Jesus say "a new command I give you"? Because like the rest of the law, people without the Spirit of God cannot and will not understand it. Jesus was about to ascend into heaven and pour out His Spirit and this command would now take on new meaning for His followers. They would understand that this command did not just mean to have a feeling of love toward someone or to do a few good things for someone, it meant that they must follow Jesus' example in being willing to serve and, if necessary, to literally lay down their lives for one another, as He was about to do for them.
Jesus repeatedly told them not to be troubled or afraid, but rather, to trust in Him. He was going, but He would come back to take them to be with Him. When Thomas declared that they didn't know the way, Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (14:6). That was true then and it is true now. Some today want to believe that even those who don't know Jesus or confess Him as Savior and Lord can enter into heaven through Jesus, but Jesus says those who are His disciples will love and obey Him. "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching" (14:23). Jesus said in John 6:29, "The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent." Those who do not confess Jesus as Savior and Lord cannot and will not obey Him and will not be saved, for it is by GRACE that we receive God's gift of life through faith in His Son, Jesus … the One He has sent.
Jesus told the disciples that "anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father" (14:12). There is much debate about what Jesus meant, but there shouldn't be. Can anyone possibly do anything greater than what Jesus did, if by "greater" we mean more important, more powerful, more amazing, more ANYTHING??!!! Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, preached the good news of the kingdom, calmed the storms, made the blind to see, forgave sinners and died and rose again!!! What "greater" thing could any of us possibly do? Yet, Jesus said anyone who has faith will do greater things!!
It all has to do with the message … it was only AFTER His death and resurrection that the mission Jesus gave the disciples could be accomplished: "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things" (Luke 24:45-48). One person, preaching the Gospel, can do greater things than Jesus did with respect to the fruit that comes from the Word of God concerning Jesus' death and resurrection. It was not until Jesus went to the cross and rose from the dead that His work was finished and the resurrection could be preached!! JESUS could raise people from the dead, but how many times did He do that? He came to give spiritual life - eternal life, to all who would believe, but that would ONLY happen through the preaching of the Gospel to all nations.
Jesus handed over that mission to the disciples and to US! That's why He poured out His Spirit to empower them and why the same Spirit empowers true believers today. To prepare them for what lay ahead Jesus gave them another picture: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the Gardener" (15:1). The Father trims and prunes the branches so they will bear fruit. "I am the vine, you are the branches," Jesus said, " … apart from ME you can do nothing" (15:5). "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples" (15:8). "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit …" (15:16).
Bearing fruit will require fulfilling Jesus' command to love one another because we need each other and because it is in displaying Christ's love that others are drawn to hear the message of forgiveness and life through faith in Jesus. None of this is easy. In fact, it is impossible unless the Spirit of God lives within you. The world will hate you … BECAUSE you love Jesus. Why? Because of His Name! (15:21). There is a growing trend today in the church that we need to love all people and do good to all people because that's what Jesus says to do. The supposed quote from St. Francis of Assisi is "Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words." Such a philosophy is NOT what Jesus taught. You will never be persecuted for the NAME of Jesus unless you SPEAK the Name of Jesus!
If the Gospel is doing good deeds, people will rarely persecute you for that, and it will certainly not be because of the name of Jesus. The mission Jesus gave the disciples and that He gives to us is greater than doing good deeds. He tells us to love one another, to be willing to lay down our lives for one another, to serve one another, to encourage one another, to lift up one another because the mission He has given to us is hard and lonely and exhausting and it will cost us everything to do it. It will cost us our-SELF! That's why Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (15:13). THIS is the love to which Jesus calls His disciples.
"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' … They will treat you this way because of my name" (15:18-21). As the Holy Spirit testifies about Jesus, so those who are His true disciples do the same. Empowered by the Spirit the disciples of Jesus have spread the Gospel all over the world, being persecuted because of His name … even to death … knowing that when they leave this world they will enter into the presence of the Father and the Son, for the Spirit already lives within them.
Do you know where you are going? Do you know the way? Only those who are united to Jesus by faith will enter into His presence. Because His Spirit has given us new life and already lives within us we, too, can know where we are going, for we are aliens and strangers here. Our home is with our Father and our Savior and we long for that day when we shall see Him face-to-face. Until then we wait, we work, we stay attached to the Vine, for apart from Him we can do nothing. Knowing that He has prepared a place for us, we endure persecution for His Name's sake and we watch … and we wait … knowing that soon we will be in His presence and will be with Him - forever! O glorious day!!
"My Father in heaven, I believe in Jesus and I love You for sending Him to be My Savior. I confess Jesus as my Lord and I desire to follow Him, to serve Him, to obey His command to love as He has loved me. Empower me with Your Spirit, that I may be found faithful in serving others, proclaiming that in Jesus they, too, can find eternal life. Take away any pride or fear or anything else that may prevent me from following Jesus. Make me willing to lay down my life, in Jesus' name, Amen"
Thursday, September 4, 2014
"GOD's plan for Judah and Jerusalem … prepare to be amazed!"
Day #251: Daily Bible Reading Plan - September 5th
Scripture Reading: Joel 1 - 3 …
In the days prior to Jesus' birth God sent prophets to foretell the future and to call a remnant in Israel to repentance. John the Baptist came to prepare the way for the Lord by preaching repentance. Jesus preached, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 4:17). As the prophets spoke of the future God revealed things that were about to take place and things that would take place in the days prior to Jesus' return. They spoke often of "the day of the Lord," a time of judgment, when God would pour out His wrath on the nations surrounding Jerusalem. While many try to "spiritualize" these predictions of coming judgment or ignore them completely, God's Word speaks truth and everything that God has spoken through the prophets either HAS taken place or WILL take place.
Some within the church today pray for revival … an admirable goal, or at least so it would seem. But what IS revival? True revival is not having evangelistic meetings, but rather, an awakening among those who claim to be the people of God … a powerful move of the Spirit causing people to humble themselves before God and to repent, to turn back, to return to the Lord, turning away from idolatry and serving the living God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. God's judgment is about to fall on the earth as never before in the history of mankind and millions are "playing church," failing to warn those who make a mockery of God that all is not well in our world and within the church.
When Joel proclaims to the elders of Judah, "Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers?" (1:2), he is not talking about something good, he is talking about judgment from God. The land was being destroyed … "surely the joy of mankind is withered away" (1:12). So Joel brings God's message: "Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. … For the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty" (1:14-15). God's judgment does not come unannounced. God sends His messengers to call people to repentance, but the message goes unheard by most because their hearts are hard and their minds are closed.
So God declares, "Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand - a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness" (2:1-2). Such a day lies yet in the future. All former judgments that God brought upon Israel and Judah and upon the nations of the world pale in comparison to what is yet to come. But do you hear about this in most churches today? Do you even hear about sin or a call to repentance? Listen!! What do you hear? Is it not like the time when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with the tablets of the Law written by the very finger of God … yet he heard the sound of laughter and revelry as the people of Israel danced around the golden calf?!!!
The "day of the LORD" WILL come. The earth will shake (yes, literally!), the sky will tremble, the sun and moon will be darkened and the voice of the LORD will thunder at the head of His army (2:10-11). "The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?" (2:11). Still God called, then and now, to those who would be given "ears to hear": "Even now, return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love" (2:12-13).
We who believe today know something the people in Joel's day did not know - we know that God sent a Savior and that the only way to avoid God's judgment is to place our faith in Him. A small number, a remnant, heard God's voice and confessed their sin and received His forgiveness and they trusted God's promises, but the nation around them was destroyed. That was then. God speaks through Joel of another time … a time when He will bring blessing to Zion (Jerusalem) and to Judah and Israel. "In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations … I will enter into judgment against them" (3:1-2).
You and I may promise things and forget what we have promised or have insufficient power to make our promises happen … but not God. God says that He will "repay you for the years the locusts had eaten" (2:25), the days when Jerusalem and Judah and Israel have been oppressed. "You will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you … then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other" (2:26-27). Then Joel speaks about the time when the Spirit of God will be poured out on all people (2:28). Peter quotes these verses in Acts 2:17-21, stating that what happened on the day of Pentecost was in fulfillment of these words spoken by Joel centuries earlier.
While the Spirit was poured out on Pentecost, that was only the beginning of the fulfillment of all that God was predicting. God will bring the nations into Israel (not a stretch of the imagination!) and there He will pour out His wrath. He even singles out "Tyre and Sidon" (Lebanon) and "regions of Philistia" (the Gaza strip), declaring, "I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done" (3:4). God has a really good memory and He does not forget how the nations treated Israel in the past … or in the present. While there will be a time when Jesus reigns and the nations "beat their swords into plowshares," (Isaiah 2:4), this will be a time when they "beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears" (3:10).
"There I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full" (3:12-13). We know this is yet future because the Apostle John writes of a future "harvest" of the earth in Revelation 14:18-19, as the angel swings his sickle on the earth and throws the armies of the nations "into the great winepress of God's wrath." How can those charged with preaching and teaching God's Word today avoid these truths and fail to call people to repentance?? It is only then that the offer of God's forgiveness through faith in the work of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross is welcomed with overwhelming thanksgiving!! It is only in the context of hearing the judgment we deserve that we rejoice in the grace and compassion and mercy of God in sending us a Savior who is Christ the Lord!!
"The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble … BUT the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel" (3:16). In a future day, perhaps very soon, God will stand for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as the nations of the world come against them. All that is predicted in the prophets will take place, as God has spoken. "Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her" (3:17). This prophecy has not yet been fulfilled … but it will be. "Egypt will be desolate, Edom (southern Jordan) a desert waste, because of violence done to the people of Judah" (3:19).
But "Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. Their bloodguilt, which I have not pardoned, I will pardon … the LORD dwells in Zion!" (3:21). No power, no ruler, no nation can stop what God has decreed. As He has declared, so it will happen. Only those whom He has chosen will find refuge in Him and by His grace He has made a way for sinners like you and me to come to Him. He provided the blood of the Lamb, the perfect sacrifice for sin, in Jesus Christ, and through faith in Him we will be saved! Yes, "everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls" (2:32).
Have you called on the name of the LORD? Have you placed your faith, your hope in the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob … the God who makes promises and keeps them?!! Know today that the "day of the LORD" is approaching swiftly, when God will pour out His just judgment upon all mankind, and only those who have found refuge in the mercy of God in Jesus will be spared. It is this message that the Church has been called to proclaim since Jesus ascended into heaven, for only those who repent and believe will be saved. Let those who have been called by God and delivered from the darkness of sin through Jesus Christ rejoice in Him and live to testify of His grace and compassion, calling sinners to repentance. Perhaps someone who is reading these words will be confronted with the reality of their sin and guilt before the holy God and be moved to repent and believe.
To that end, pray with me for the Word of God to bear fruit until we hear the trumpets sound and the "day of the LORD" begins. God has promised that we who believe will not face His wrath (I Thessalonians 5:9). Praise God for His grace and live to worship Him, for He is worthy of our praise!! God has a plan for Judah and Jerusalem ... prepare to be amazed!!
"LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, I thank You for revealing Your plan for Israel and for the world in Your Word. As I witness the rise of evil all around me, I take refuge in Your promises that evil will be overcome in the day of the LORD, as Your judgment falls upon those who do not know You and who do not acknowledge the reign of Your Son, Jesus Christ. My hope is in You. Keep me strong as I rest in the truth of Your Word, that I may fight against evil and call others to repent, to turn to You and find that Your grace is sufficient. In Jesus' name, Amen"
Scripture Reading: Joel 1 - 3 …
In the days prior to Jesus' birth God sent prophets to foretell the future and to call a remnant in Israel to repentance. John the Baptist came to prepare the way for the Lord by preaching repentance. Jesus preached, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 4:17). As the prophets spoke of the future God revealed things that were about to take place and things that would take place in the days prior to Jesus' return. They spoke often of "the day of the Lord," a time of judgment, when God would pour out His wrath on the nations surrounding Jerusalem. While many try to "spiritualize" these predictions of coming judgment or ignore them completely, God's Word speaks truth and everything that God has spoken through the prophets either HAS taken place or WILL take place.
Some within the church today pray for revival … an admirable goal, or at least so it would seem. But what IS revival? True revival is not having evangelistic meetings, but rather, an awakening among those who claim to be the people of God … a powerful move of the Spirit causing people to humble themselves before God and to repent, to turn back, to return to the Lord, turning away from idolatry and serving the living God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. God's judgment is about to fall on the earth as never before in the history of mankind and millions are "playing church," failing to warn those who make a mockery of God that all is not well in our world and within the church.
When Joel proclaims to the elders of Judah, "Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers?" (1:2), he is not talking about something good, he is talking about judgment from God. The land was being destroyed … "surely the joy of mankind is withered away" (1:12). So Joel brings God's message: "Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. … For the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty" (1:14-15). God's judgment does not come unannounced. God sends His messengers to call people to repentance, but the message goes unheard by most because their hearts are hard and their minds are closed.
So God declares, "Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand - a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness" (2:1-2). Such a day lies yet in the future. All former judgments that God brought upon Israel and Judah and upon the nations of the world pale in comparison to what is yet to come. But do you hear about this in most churches today? Do you even hear about sin or a call to repentance? Listen!! What do you hear? Is it not like the time when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with the tablets of the Law written by the very finger of God … yet he heard the sound of laughter and revelry as the people of Israel danced around the golden calf?!!!
The "day of the LORD" WILL come. The earth will shake (yes, literally!), the sky will tremble, the sun and moon will be darkened and the voice of the LORD will thunder at the head of His army (2:10-11). "The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?" (2:11). Still God called, then and now, to those who would be given "ears to hear": "Even now, return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love" (2:12-13).
We who believe today know something the people in Joel's day did not know - we know that God sent a Savior and that the only way to avoid God's judgment is to place our faith in Him. A small number, a remnant, heard God's voice and confessed their sin and received His forgiveness and they trusted God's promises, but the nation around them was destroyed. That was then. God speaks through Joel of another time … a time when He will bring blessing to Zion (Jerusalem) and to Judah and Israel. "In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations … I will enter into judgment against them" (3:1-2).
You and I may promise things and forget what we have promised or have insufficient power to make our promises happen … but not God. God says that He will "repay you for the years the locusts had eaten" (2:25), the days when Jerusalem and Judah and Israel have been oppressed. "You will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you … then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other" (2:26-27). Then Joel speaks about the time when the Spirit of God will be poured out on all people (2:28). Peter quotes these verses in Acts 2:17-21, stating that what happened on the day of Pentecost was in fulfillment of these words spoken by Joel centuries earlier.
While the Spirit was poured out on Pentecost, that was only the beginning of the fulfillment of all that God was predicting. God will bring the nations into Israel (not a stretch of the imagination!) and there He will pour out His wrath. He even singles out "Tyre and Sidon" (Lebanon) and "regions of Philistia" (the Gaza strip), declaring, "I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done" (3:4). God has a really good memory and He does not forget how the nations treated Israel in the past … or in the present. While there will be a time when Jesus reigns and the nations "beat their swords into plowshares," (Isaiah 2:4), this will be a time when they "beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears" (3:10).
"There I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full" (3:12-13). We know this is yet future because the Apostle John writes of a future "harvest" of the earth in Revelation 14:18-19, as the angel swings his sickle on the earth and throws the armies of the nations "into the great winepress of God's wrath." How can those charged with preaching and teaching God's Word today avoid these truths and fail to call people to repentance?? It is only then that the offer of God's forgiveness through faith in the work of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross is welcomed with overwhelming thanksgiving!! It is only in the context of hearing the judgment we deserve that we rejoice in the grace and compassion and mercy of God in sending us a Savior who is Christ the Lord!!
"The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble … BUT the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel" (3:16). In a future day, perhaps very soon, God will stand for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as the nations of the world come against them. All that is predicted in the prophets will take place, as God has spoken. "Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her" (3:17). This prophecy has not yet been fulfilled … but it will be. "Egypt will be desolate, Edom (southern Jordan) a desert waste, because of violence done to the people of Judah" (3:19).
But "Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. Their bloodguilt, which I have not pardoned, I will pardon … the LORD dwells in Zion!" (3:21). No power, no ruler, no nation can stop what God has decreed. As He has declared, so it will happen. Only those whom He has chosen will find refuge in Him and by His grace He has made a way for sinners like you and me to come to Him. He provided the blood of the Lamb, the perfect sacrifice for sin, in Jesus Christ, and through faith in Him we will be saved! Yes, "everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls" (2:32).
Have you called on the name of the LORD? Have you placed your faith, your hope in the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob … the God who makes promises and keeps them?!! Know today that the "day of the LORD" is approaching swiftly, when God will pour out His just judgment upon all mankind, and only those who have found refuge in the mercy of God in Jesus will be spared. It is this message that the Church has been called to proclaim since Jesus ascended into heaven, for only those who repent and believe will be saved. Let those who have been called by God and delivered from the darkness of sin through Jesus Christ rejoice in Him and live to testify of His grace and compassion, calling sinners to repentance. Perhaps someone who is reading these words will be confronted with the reality of their sin and guilt before the holy God and be moved to repent and believe.
To that end, pray with me for the Word of God to bear fruit until we hear the trumpets sound and the "day of the LORD" begins. God has promised that we who believe will not face His wrath (I Thessalonians 5:9). Praise God for His grace and live to worship Him, for He is worthy of our praise!! God has a plan for Judah and Jerusalem ... prepare to be amazed!!
"LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, I thank You for revealing Your plan for Israel and for the world in Your Word. As I witness the rise of evil all around me, I take refuge in Your promises that evil will be overcome in the day of the LORD, as Your judgment falls upon those who do not know You and who do not acknowledge the reign of Your Son, Jesus Christ. My hope is in You. Keep me strong as I rest in the truth of Your Word, that I may fight against evil and call others to repent, to turn to You and find that Your grace is sufficient. In Jesus' name, Amen"
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
"A good name is more desirable than riches …"
Day #250: Daily Bible Reading Plan - September 4th
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 22 …
How would those who know you best, who are closest to you, describe you? I'm not talking about those who may have thought they knew you and who judge you based on their own misperceptions. We all have people who judge our character and if asked to give a reference would be anything but positive. There will always be some who cast doubt on your reputation … if you remember, the prophets, Jesus and the apostles all had their detractors - those who said negative things about them. But those who are close to you, who have a close-up view not only of your actions, but of your heart … these have an important place in helping you discover who you really are. It is good to listen to what they have to say because "a good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold" (22:1).
People in the world like to hand out awards, and many people are always seeking awards of one kind or another. It makes some people feel good to be recognized. The world of entertainment thrives on such recognition, whether TV, movies, sports or some other forum, it seems that everyone is searching for their fifteen minutes of fame. As we continue to read through Solomon's proverbs it is important that you understand the reason behind so many of Solomon's "sayings." These are truths from God that when applied to life help you to see what is important to GOD … and as you do that, you find that the things that count in the world are of little or no consequence to God.
God cares about your character … who you ARE! Solomon explains why a good name is more desirable than great riches when he says in verse 2: "Rich and poor have this in common; the LORD is the Maker of them all." God is not impressed by what you have or don't have. "Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life" - from GOD!! (22:4). In the end, it is GOD who gives out awards!! Remember Paul's words to Timothy: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. And now there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the LORD, the righteous Judge will award to me on that day" (II Timothy 4:7-8). GOD determines who has a "good name," and who doesn't, and the only name that matters is "disciple of Jesus!"
In the church today so many take some other name on them and think that marks who they are, but our identity is found only in Jesus Christ and knowing that we have taken HIS name upon us. In baptism we are baptized into the name of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said that we should be baptized into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Your name and mine mean nothing if we are not attached to the VINE (John 15:5). As you read through the rest of Proverbs 22, God's instructions are intended to help you and me think about our "name," our reputation. How does your life look to those who observe it? Do your words and actions line up with who you SAY you are?
Verse 6 is one of those verses that everybody knows but most don't know where to find it: "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." What do you want your children to be known for? Solomon's proverbs are for those who desire wisdom, and wisdom requires instruction. If you find someone who thinks they "know it all," beware! Our society often scorns wisdom passed from one generation to another, but Solomon writes, "Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your fathers" (22:28). Not all things from the past are bad and not all new things are good.
I have referred to the words of Jeremiah before, "This is what the LORD says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls'" (Jeremiah 6:16). When God says, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it," that was true 3,000 years ago and it is true today! When God says, "Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him," that was true then, and it is true now! When God says, "A generous man will himself be blessed" (22:9) and "He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend" (22:11), those principles still apply to our lives and the lives of others today.
You can go through the entire book of Proverbs and separate the sayings into things that give you a good name (in God's sight) and things that don't. "Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach … so that your trust may be in the LORD!" (22:17,19). God desires that you live in such a way that you have a good name in HIS sight, so that HE will have a good name through you in the eyes of those around you. Peter writes it this way, inspired by the same Spirit who moved Solomon to write Proverbs:
"Dear friends (fellow-believers), I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us" (I Peter 2:11-12). That's another way of saying what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount: "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).
As a believer, as a follower of Christ, your good name is wrapped up in God's good name. "Your Name and renown are the desire of our hearts" (Isaiah 26:8). Listen to the sayings of the wise and put them into practice and God will help you to make a good name for yourself … and for Him!!
"Heavenly Father, You have given me life and breath, and You have transformed my heart and mind to seek Your face, to know Your will and to obey Your Word. Forgive my sins, for the sake of Your great Name, and fill me, Father, with Your Spirit, empowering me to discern that which is good and right in YOUR eyes and to stay away from those who do evil. Help me to resist temptation and to find in glorifying You and exalting Your Name my greatest joy! In Jesus' name, Amen"
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 22 …
How would those who know you best, who are closest to you, describe you? I'm not talking about those who may have thought they knew you and who judge you based on their own misperceptions. We all have people who judge our character and if asked to give a reference would be anything but positive. There will always be some who cast doubt on your reputation … if you remember, the prophets, Jesus and the apostles all had their detractors - those who said negative things about them. But those who are close to you, who have a close-up view not only of your actions, but of your heart … these have an important place in helping you discover who you really are. It is good to listen to what they have to say because "a good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold" (22:1).
People in the world like to hand out awards, and many people are always seeking awards of one kind or another. It makes some people feel good to be recognized. The world of entertainment thrives on such recognition, whether TV, movies, sports or some other forum, it seems that everyone is searching for their fifteen minutes of fame. As we continue to read through Solomon's proverbs it is important that you understand the reason behind so many of Solomon's "sayings." These are truths from God that when applied to life help you to see what is important to GOD … and as you do that, you find that the things that count in the world are of little or no consequence to God.
God cares about your character … who you ARE! Solomon explains why a good name is more desirable than great riches when he says in verse 2: "Rich and poor have this in common; the LORD is the Maker of them all." God is not impressed by what you have or don't have. "Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life" - from GOD!! (22:4). In the end, it is GOD who gives out awards!! Remember Paul's words to Timothy: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. And now there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the LORD, the righteous Judge will award to me on that day" (II Timothy 4:7-8). GOD determines who has a "good name," and who doesn't, and the only name that matters is "disciple of Jesus!"
In the church today so many take some other name on them and think that marks who they are, but our identity is found only in Jesus Christ and knowing that we have taken HIS name upon us. In baptism we are baptized into the name of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said that we should be baptized into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Your name and mine mean nothing if we are not attached to the VINE (John 15:5). As you read through the rest of Proverbs 22, God's instructions are intended to help you and me think about our "name," our reputation. How does your life look to those who observe it? Do your words and actions line up with who you SAY you are?
Verse 6 is one of those verses that everybody knows but most don't know where to find it: "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." What do you want your children to be known for? Solomon's proverbs are for those who desire wisdom, and wisdom requires instruction. If you find someone who thinks they "know it all," beware! Our society often scorns wisdom passed from one generation to another, but Solomon writes, "Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your fathers" (22:28). Not all things from the past are bad and not all new things are good.
I have referred to the words of Jeremiah before, "This is what the LORD says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls'" (Jeremiah 6:16). When God says, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it," that was true 3,000 years ago and it is true today! When God says, "Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him," that was true then, and it is true now! When God says, "A generous man will himself be blessed" (22:9) and "He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend" (22:11), those principles still apply to our lives and the lives of others today.
You can go through the entire book of Proverbs and separate the sayings into things that give you a good name (in God's sight) and things that don't. "Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach … so that your trust may be in the LORD!" (22:17,19). God desires that you live in such a way that you have a good name in HIS sight, so that HE will have a good name through you in the eyes of those around you. Peter writes it this way, inspired by the same Spirit who moved Solomon to write Proverbs:
"Dear friends (fellow-believers), I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us" (I Peter 2:11-12). That's another way of saying what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount: "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).
As a believer, as a follower of Christ, your good name is wrapped up in God's good name. "Your Name and renown are the desire of our hearts" (Isaiah 26:8). Listen to the sayings of the wise and put them into practice and God will help you to make a good name for yourself … and for Him!!
"Heavenly Father, You have given me life and breath, and You have transformed my heart and mind to seek Your face, to know Your will and to obey Your Word. Forgive my sins, for the sake of Your great Name, and fill me, Father, with Your Spirit, empowering me to discern that which is good and right in YOUR eyes and to stay away from those who do evil. Help me to resist temptation and to find in glorifying You and exalting Your Name my greatest joy! In Jesus' name, Amen"
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
"Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD!"
Day #249: Daily Bible Reading Plan - September 3rd
Scripture Reading: Psalms 105 - 107 …
Here in the United States we think that the time of George Washington was ancient history, but it was only 240 years ago. Going back to the pilgrims, who came to these shores in the early 1600's, we go back only 400 years ago. History is important, especially when you understand that is is all HIS-story! History is the unfolding of God's plan and as the writer of Psalms 105 and 106 reviews the history of Israel prior to his days, he goes back to an event that has significance even for us today, though it took place more than 4,000 years ago!!
It was then that God called a man named, Abraham, to go to the land that He would show him and God would give it to him and to his descendants FOREVER! In the news today you can read of the struggle over this land - a struggle that has lasted for most of the past 4,000 years. It is clear to whom the Psalmist is addressing his words and why. He begins by giving thanks to the LORD. The word "LORD" refers to the God who revealed Himself to Moses, the great "I AM." That was the name God gave to Moses when he asked what God's Name was. "LORD" means, "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). So the writer of the Psalm says, "Glory in His holy Name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice" (105:3).
Listen then to whom he is speaking: "O descendants of Abraham his servant, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones … He remembers His covenant forever, … the covenant He made with Abraham, the oath He swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob, as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: 'To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit'" (105:6-11). Four thousand years ago the one true God, the Great "I AM," the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of Israel, promised this land to the descendants of Abraham and it WILL BE theirs FOREVER!!! Nothing and no one will ever change that.
It would be from Israel, through the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10) that the Savior would come who would bear God's wrath against sin on the cross and so deliver those who believe in Him. His name is Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. The Psalmist goes through the history of Israel as they went down into Egypt, became a great nation, and were delivered through Moses and the plagues God sent. He recounts how they wandered through the wilderness because of their complaining and rebellion against God. And he explains why God was good to them: "For He remembered His holy promise given to His servant Abraham" (105:42).
Why did God do all of this: "That they might keep His precepts and observe His laws … and praise the LORD!" (105:45). When they didn't, it would have been understandable if God had rejected them, but He didn't. The Psalmist goes on in Psalm 106 with his history lesson. He prays that God would remember him "when You show favor to YOUR people"… "that I may enjoy the prosperity of Your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of YOUR nation" (106:4-5). So few people today recognize that God does not forget His promises - EVER!! Fewer people believe that God has chosen a people to belong to Him. It began with a remnant of Israel (not every descendant of Abraham is chosen - but Israel IS a chosen people), and today the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has a chosen people from every tribe, nation and tongue - the Church … not the visible church, but the TRUE Church - those who are born again by the Spirit of God and who confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
From the time Israel left Egypt to the time the Psalmist writes these words, God had delivered Israel over and over. Why? "He saved them for HIS NAME's sake, to make His might power known!" (106:8). "For their sake He remembered His covenant and out of His great love He relented" of the judgment He could have sent upon them and of the rejection they deserved (106:45). So the Psalmist cries out, "Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy Name and glory in Your praise. Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, 'AMEN!'" (106:47-48).
If you do not recognize the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of Israel, who made a covenant of GRACE with Abraham and "credited righteousness" to him by faith (Genesis 15:6), then you do not know the one true God and you will perish in your sin. But if you know Him as your God and have put your faith in His Son Jesus Christ for forgiveness and life, then you are even now, at this moment, one of His chosen ones, for apart from His Spirit you could not and would not trust in Christ and desire to obey His Word. And all of us who are so chosen by God and have put our faith in Jesus Christ are "Abraham's seed and heirs according to God's promise" (Galatians 3:29). What an amazing God we worship and serve!! And He will receive every person who comes to Him in Jesus' name. If you have not done that, you can do it at this moment by confessing your sin and asking God to forgive you, declaring your faith in Jesus, confessing Him as YOUR Savior and now as your Lord.
Finally, the writer of Psalm 107 reminds us what we must do as God's chosen people: "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say this …" (107:1-2). No one else CAN say this! Only those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ can know that we are saved and have received the gift of eternal life by God's grace. Everyone else is trying to be good enough, to follow the "rules" and "traditions" of their religion to try to please their "god," but we KNOW that it was the blood of Jesus shed on the cross that redeemed us, as Peter writes in I Peter 1:18-19: "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." He was the perfect sacrifice and by His shed blood we ARE redeemed!!!
Therefore, like all those who wandered in desert wastelands, who sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, who rebelled and were afflicted and who endured trials of all kinds … we cry out to the LORD, our God, and He delivers us. Why? The Psalmist tells us in verses 8, 15, 21 and 31: "Let them give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men." This is the purpose of God's redemption, of His covenant of grace, of His promises … that He would have a people who would give thanks, who would worship Him, who would exalt and praise His name - FOREVER!!! "Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD!" (107:43).
"O LORD, my God, in You I find my hope and my joy, for Your promises are true and You have delivered me from Your just wrath and from the emptiness of life in this world through Your Son, Jesus Christ. I rejoice in Your covenant with Abraham and his descendants and I give thanks that You have made ME one of Your chosen ones by faith. Thank You, Father, for Your Holy Spirit and for Your grace, in Jesus' name, Amen"
Scripture Reading: Psalms 105 - 107 …
Here in the United States we think that the time of George Washington was ancient history, but it was only 240 years ago. Going back to the pilgrims, who came to these shores in the early 1600's, we go back only 400 years ago. History is important, especially when you understand that is is all HIS-story! History is the unfolding of God's plan and as the writer of Psalms 105 and 106 reviews the history of Israel prior to his days, he goes back to an event that has significance even for us today, though it took place more than 4,000 years ago!!
It was then that God called a man named, Abraham, to go to the land that He would show him and God would give it to him and to his descendants FOREVER! In the news today you can read of the struggle over this land - a struggle that has lasted for most of the past 4,000 years. It is clear to whom the Psalmist is addressing his words and why. He begins by giving thanks to the LORD. The word "LORD" refers to the God who revealed Himself to Moses, the great "I AM." That was the name God gave to Moses when he asked what God's Name was. "LORD" means, "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). So the writer of the Psalm says, "Glory in His holy Name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice" (105:3).
Listen then to whom he is speaking: "O descendants of Abraham his servant, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones … He remembers His covenant forever, … the covenant He made with Abraham, the oath He swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob, as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: 'To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit'" (105:6-11). Four thousand years ago the one true God, the Great "I AM," the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of Israel, promised this land to the descendants of Abraham and it WILL BE theirs FOREVER!!! Nothing and no one will ever change that.
It would be from Israel, through the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10) that the Savior would come who would bear God's wrath against sin on the cross and so deliver those who believe in Him. His name is Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. The Psalmist goes through the history of Israel as they went down into Egypt, became a great nation, and were delivered through Moses and the plagues God sent. He recounts how they wandered through the wilderness because of their complaining and rebellion against God. And he explains why God was good to them: "For He remembered His holy promise given to His servant Abraham" (105:42).
Why did God do all of this: "That they might keep His precepts and observe His laws … and praise the LORD!" (105:45). When they didn't, it would have been understandable if God had rejected them, but He didn't. The Psalmist goes on in Psalm 106 with his history lesson. He prays that God would remember him "when You show favor to YOUR people"… "that I may enjoy the prosperity of Your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of YOUR nation" (106:4-5). So few people today recognize that God does not forget His promises - EVER!! Fewer people believe that God has chosen a people to belong to Him. It began with a remnant of Israel (not every descendant of Abraham is chosen - but Israel IS a chosen people), and today the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has a chosen people from every tribe, nation and tongue - the Church … not the visible church, but the TRUE Church - those who are born again by the Spirit of God and who confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
From the time Israel left Egypt to the time the Psalmist writes these words, God had delivered Israel over and over. Why? "He saved them for HIS NAME's sake, to make His might power known!" (106:8). "For their sake He remembered His covenant and out of His great love He relented" of the judgment He could have sent upon them and of the rejection they deserved (106:45). So the Psalmist cries out, "Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy Name and glory in Your praise. Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, 'AMEN!'" (106:47-48).
If you do not recognize the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of Israel, who made a covenant of GRACE with Abraham and "credited righteousness" to him by faith (Genesis 15:6), then you do not know the one true God and you will perish in your sin. But if you know Him as your God and have put your faith in His Son Jesus Christ for forgiveness and life, then you are even now, at this moment, one of His chosen ones, for apart from His Spirit you could not and would not trust in Christ and desire to obey His Word. And all of us who are so chosen by God and have put our faith in Jesus Christ are "Abraham's seed and heirs according to God's promise" (Galatians 3:29). What an amazing God we worship and serve!! And He will receive every person who comes to Him in Jesus' name. If you have not done that, you can do it at this moment by confessing your sin and asking God to forgive you, declaring your faith in Jesus, confessing Him as YOUR Savior and now as your Lord.
Finally, the writer of Psalm 107 reminds us what we must do as God's chosen people: "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say this …" (107:1-2). No one else CAN say this! Only those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ can know that we are saved and have received the gift of eternal life by God's grace. Everyone else is trying to be good enough, to follow the "rules" and "traditions" of their religion to try to please their "god," but we KNOW that it was the blood of Jesus shed on the cross that redeemed us, as Peter writes in I Peter 1:18-19: "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." He was the perfect sacrifice and by His shed blood we ARE redeemed!!!
Therefore, like all those who wandered in desert wastelands, who sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, who rebelled and were afflicted and who endured trials of all kinds … we cry out to the LORD, our God, and He delivers us. Why? The Psalmist tells us in verses 8, 15, 21 and 31: "Let them give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men." This is the purpose of God's redemption, of His covenant of grace, of His promises … that He would have a people who would give thanks, who would worship Him, who would exalt and praise His name - FOREVER!!! "Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD!" (107:43).
"O LORD, my God, in You I find my hope and my joy, for Your promises are true and You have delivered me from Your just wrath and from the emptiness of life in this world through Your Son, Jesus Christ. I rejoice in Your covenant with Abraham and his descendants and I give thanks that You have made ME one of Your chosen ones by faith. Thank You, Father, for Your Holy Spirit and for Your grace, in Jesus' name, Amen"
Monday, September 1, 2014
"Building God's temple ... a preview of things to come ..."
Day #248: Daily Bible Reading Plan - September 2nd
Scripture Reading: I Chronicles 20 - 24 ...
Studying history is like learning a foreign language to most people. We tend to live in the present, as though there was no connection with the past or the future. Young people and older people alike see little, if any, importance in studying the Old Testament, but in God's timetable there is a direct line from all that we read in the Old Testament to our day today and then to the future that lies before us. One of the deceptions of Satan in our world is the idea that the earth and some form of humans have been around for millions of years. Such utter foolishness leaves people thinking that things just happen and nothing is planned by God, but once you understand that mankind has been on the earth for a mere 6,000 years and that God DOES have a plan stretching from man's creation to our final days on this planet, everything begins to come into focus. Then what happened 3,000 years ago, in the days of David, has a direct connection to your life and mine today.
Such is the case with the building of the temple - a house for God. Up until the days of David God had not had a "house" to dwell in. In fact, as the Apostle Paul would write a thousand years later, "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands" (Acts 17:24). Why then did God instruct Moses to build the tabernacle, and why did He give David and Solomon instructions for the temple? It certainly was not because God wanted or needed a place to live! Then why? It was for Israel ... to show them that He was there, that He was with them. The nations around them had their "gods," but they were just statues and superstitions. Israel's God was different. He displayed His presence and His power throughout the history of Israel in various ways and announced His judgment and the hope of the coming Savior through the prophets.
God was the Creator of Israel, the God of Israel, the Leader of Israel, the King of Israel and the HOPE of Israel. God was Israel's God, not because Israel chose Him, but because HE chose Israel! And He wanted them to know that ... thus, the temple. When David was "incited" (tempted) by Satan to count his armed soldiers, the temptation was to trust in the number of his army rather than in his God. This would ultimately be the downfall of the kingdom of Israel and later of Judah. God's anger burned against David and He offered him the three options: three years of famine, three months of military defeats or three days of a plague from the Lord (21:12). David chose: "Let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for His mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men" (21:13).
God sent a plague and 70,000 men were killed. Then David pleaded with the LORD, his God, to stop the plague and God told David to go build an altar and to offer a burnt offering. David humbled himself and obeyed God and He showed mercy on David and Israel and the plague stopped. What lesson was to be learned from this experience? GOD was the One whom David and Israel must depend on. We say it often, but do we mean it: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). Israel's God is the ONLY true God, and He is able to help those who cry out to Him - ALWAYS! Humility and obedience are the sacrifices God desires.
So what about the temple? What is God teaching US, today, through the building of the temple? Since the time of the Judges, the tabernacle of the LORD that Moses had made in the desert was being kept at Gibeon. David had made Jerusalem the capital city of Israel and it was now called "the city of David." David was King of a growing political power among the nations of the world, with an army of more than a million soldiers. He realized now, however, that God would deal with HIM, just as He did with the nations, if David did not remember that he needed God's presence and power, as did the whole nation of Israel.
David began to make preparations to build the temple, but God told David that he was not the one who would build God's house because he had shed too much blood in wars. God's temple was to be a place of peace. David's son, Solomon, would build the temple, and God would place His Name there. David said, "The house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations" (22:5). When David was counting his army he was trying to make a name for himself; when he was preparing the materials for the temple he desired to make a name for GOD!! God promised that Solomon would build God's house and God would grant peace and quiet during his reign (22:9).
Again, God reveals His wisdom and His plan as He speaks to David about Solomon ... and in so doing speaks of David's "greater Son," who would build the spiritual temple: the Church! "He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of HIS kingdom over Israel FOREVER" (22:10). David instructed Solomon: "Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD" (22:19). God's Name would dwell among His people and all the world would know that HE is God!!
Has that happened yet? Chapters 23 and 24 speak about the Levites and the priests, the descendants of Aaron. God has a long memory ... because it is all present to God. When the Israelites built the golden calf during the time Moses was on Mt. Sinai, it was the Levites who rallied to Moses when he came down from the mountain and asked who was on the LORD's side. God made them servants at the tabernacle, and now at the temple. But it was to Aaron and his descendants that God gave the priesthood ... those who would enter into the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies to bring the offerings of the people before the LORD, their God.
The building of the temple enabled the people to focus on the truth that their God was alive, that He was present with them, that He was holy and that the only way to approach Him was to bring a sacrifice, an offering. Their sin separated them from their God and only through the Levites and the priests could they come to worship and draw near to God. And even then, they were separated from God, for only the High Priest could enter into the Most Holy Place ... and that only once a year, on the Day of Atonement. Payment must be made for sin and no one can do it for themselves. Even the priests had to bring an offering for themselves, confessing their own sin.
At the present time there is no temple in Jerusalem. That is because God is fulfilling His promise to build a spiritual temple, a house in which God dwells by His Spirit ... the Church. The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 2 that Jews and Gentiles have been made ONE together in Christ (Ephesians 2:13-16). To the Gentiles he says, "You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit" (Ephesians 2:19-22).
What a glorious message ... the realization that the God of Israel not only lives among us, but within us. Those who know Jesus Christ, who have been born again by His Spirit, are united to Christ and part of His eternal kingdom. God will again, in the future, have a temple in Jerusalem for a time, but its purpose will be different. Jesus will reign in Jerusalem and the nations will bring Him tribute. With Isaiah we who believe can say, "Yes, LORD, walking in the way of Your laws, we wait for You; Your Name and renown are the desire of our hearts" (Isaiah 26:8). By His Spirit God now writes His law on the hearts of believers and moves us to exalt HIS Name and to make Him known to the nations.
The building of God's temple was a preview of things to come, when the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel, will be known all over the world and all will know that He alone is God, there is no other. Until then, it is the calling of the Church, the temple of the Spirit, to make Him known, to declare His Name to the nations and to exalt the Name of Jesus, God's true Son, the Son of David. May we be about our Father's business and live to worship and praise and serve Him every day, for HIS glory!!
"O LORD, our God, You alone are worthy of praise and worship. Your Name alone is to be exalted, for You alone are God, our Creator. As You revealed Your wisdom and power through Israel in the days of David, so empower us today to declare Your glory to the nations, that those who are bound in the darkness may come to Your light and be saved, joining us in thanksgiving for Your grace and mercy. In Jesus' name, Amen"
Scripture Reading: I Chronicles 20 - 24 ...
Studying history is like learning a foreign language to most people. We tend to live in the present, as though there was no connection with the past or the future. Young people and older people alike see little, if any, importance in studying the Old Testament, but in God's timetable there is a direct line from all that we read in the Old Testament to our day today and then to the future that lies before us. One of the deceptions of Satan in our world is the idea that the earth and some form of humans have been around for millions of years. Such utter foolishness leaves people thinking that things just happen and nothing is planned by God, but once you understand that mankind has been on the earth for a mere 6,000 years and that God DOES have a plan stretching from man's creation to our final days on this planet, everything begins to come into focus. Then what happened 3,000 years ago, in the days of David, has a direct connection to your life and mine today.
Such is the case with the building of the temple - a house for God. Up until the days of David God had not had a "house" to dwell in. In fact, as the Apostle Paul would write a thousand years later, "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands" (Acts 17:24). Why then did God instruct Moses to build the tabernacle, and why did He give David and Solomon instructions for the temple? It certainly was not because God wanted or needed a place to live! Then why? It was for Israel ... to show them that He was there, that He was with them. The nations around them had their "gods," but they were just statues and superstitions. Israel's God was different. He displayed His presence and His power throughout the history of Israel in various ways and announced His judgment and the hope of the coming Savior through the prophets.
God was the Creator of Israel, the God of Israel, the Leader of Israel, the King of Israel and the HOPE of Israel. God was Israel's God, not because Israel chose Him, but because HE chose Israel! And He wanted them to know that ... thus, the temple. When David was "incited" (tempted) by Satan to count his armed soldiers, the temptation was to trust in the number of his army rather than in his God. This would ultimately be the downfall of the kingdom of Israel and later of Judah. God's anger burned against David and He offered him the three options: three years of famine, three months of military defeats or three days of a plague from the Lord (21:12). David chose: "Let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for His mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men" (21:13).
God sent a plague and 70,000 men were killed. Then David pleaded with the LORD, his God, to stop the plague and God told David to go build an altar and to offer a burnt offering. David humbled himself and obeyed God and He showed mercy on David and Israel and the plague stopped. What lesson was to be learned from this experience? GOD was the One whom David and Israel must depend on. We say it often, but do we mean it: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). Israel's God is the ONLY true God, and He is able to help those who cry out to Him - ALWAYS! Humility and obedience are the sacrifices God desires.
So what about the temple? What is God teaching US, today, through the building of the temple? Since the time of the Judges, the tabernacle of the LORD that Moses had made in the desert was being kept at Gibeon. David had made Jerusalem the capital city of Israel and it was now called "the city of David." David was King of a growing political power among the nations of the world, with an army of more than a million soldiers. He realized now, however, that God would deal with HIM, just as He did with the nations, if David did not remember that he needed God's presence and power, as did the whole nation of Israel.
David began to make preparations to build the temple, but God told David that he was not the one who would build God's house because he had shed too much blood in wars. God's temple was to be a place of peace. David's son, Solomon, would build the temple, and God would place His Name there. David said, "The house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations" (22:5). When David was counting his army he was trying to make a name for himself; when he was preparing the materials for the temple he desired to make a name for GOD!! God promised that Solomon would build God's house and God would grant peace and quiet during his reign (22:9).
Again, God reveals His wisdom and His plan as He speaks to David about Solomon ... and in so doing speaks of David's "greater Son," who would build the spiritual temple: the Church! "He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of HIS kingdom over Israel FOREVER" (22:10). David instructed Solomon: "Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD" (22:19). God's Name would dwell among His people and all the world would know that HE is God!!
Has that happened yet? Chapters 23 and 24 speak about the Levites and the priests, the descendants of Aaron. God has a long memory ... because it is all present to God. When the Israelites built the golden calf during the time Moses was on Mt. Sinai, it was the Levites who rallied to Moses when he came down from the mountain and asked who was on the LORD's side. God made them servants at the tabernacle, and now at the temple. But it was to Aaron and his descendants that God gave the priesthood ... those who would enter into the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies to bring the offerings of the people before the LORD, their God.
The building of the temple enabled the people to focus on the truth that their God was alive, that He was present with them, that He was holy and that the only way to approach Him was to bring a sacrifice, an offering. Their sin separated them from their God and only through the Levites and the priests could they come to worship and draw near to God. And even then, they were separated from God, for only the High Priest could enter into the Most Holy Place ... and that only once a year, on the Day of Atonement. Payment must be made for sin and no one can do it for themselves. Even the priests had to bring an offering for themselves, confessing their own sin.
At the present time there is no temple in Jerusalem. That is because God is fulfilling His promise to build a spiritual temple, a house in which God dwells by His Spirit ... the Church. The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 2 that Jews and Gentiles have been made ONE together in Christ (Ephesians 2:13-16). To the Gentiles he says, "You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit" (Ephesians 2:19-22).
What a glorious message ... the realization that the God of Israel not only lives among us, but within us. Those who know Jesus Christ, who have been born again by His Spirit, are united to Christ and part of His eternal kingdom. God will again, in the future, have a temple in Jerusalem for a time, but its purpose will be different. Jesus will reign in Jerusalem and the nations will bring Him tribute. With Isaiah we who believe can say, "Yes, LORD, walking in the way of Your laws, we wait for You; Your Name and renown are the desire of our hearts" (Isaiah 26:8). By His Spirit God now writes His law on the hearts of believers and moves us to exalt HIS Name and to make Him known to the nations.
The building of God's temple was a preview of things to come, when the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel, will be known all over the world and all will know that He alone is God, there is no other. Until then, it is the calling of the Church, the temple of the Spirit, to make Him known, to declare His Name to the nations and to exalt the Name of Jesus, God's true Son, the Son of David. May we be about our Father's business and live to worship and praise and serve Him every day, for HIS glory!!
"O LORD, our God, You alone are worthy of praise and worship. Your Name alone is to be exalted, for You alone are God, our Creator. As You revealed Your wisdom and power through Israel in the days of David, so empower us today to declare Your glory to the nations, that those who are bound in the darkness may come to Your light and be saved, joining us in thanksgiving for Your grace and mercy. In Jesus' name, Amen"
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