Day #10: Daily Bible Reading - January 7th
Scripture Reading: Joshua 6-10 ...
Joshua 6-10 may be difficult for some to read and even more difficult for some to understand. How could God order Joshua and Israel to march into a land that was not theirs and kill men, women and children? Some today point to things like this to explain why they don't believe in the God of the Bible, Israel's God. Such savage behavior cannot be the work of the same God who sent Jesus into the world to save all who believe in Him!
As we began our reading of God's Word more than a week ago, I pointed out that the only way to approach the Bible is to ask yourself what each passage tells you about the God whom we worship, the Creator of all things. Because the entire Bible is the Word of God, only by looking at what each part reveals about God's character do we get a complete picture of God Himself. And only when you understand God's character will you understand why He had to send His own Son to save people like you and me.
Many people today want to believe that people are basically "good" and therefore unworthy of judgment. Most people refuse to believe in a God who would judge mankind so harshly. Yet, we have already witnessed the total destruction of the entire human race, except for Noah and his family. And now we see Israel's army entering the promised land, the land God had promised to Abraham and his descendants centuries before, and destroying entire cities ... because God told them to do so.
If some nation did this today, there would be a huge outcry, and rightly so! How can we explain this? It is really quite simple: All mankind deserves judgment and we read in the NEW Testament that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). The same people who judge God for telling Israel to destroy the people living in the land in the days of Joshua, tell us that God has no right to judge people today. They say there is no hell, that God loves everyone and that there is no judgment.
Yet, if that is true, then Christianity is a false religion. If man does not deserve judgment and if God is not going to judge anyone, then there was really no reason for Jesus to come. Or, as some say, if Jesus died to save everyone, whether or not they believe in Him, none of it matters anyway. Then it is true that you can believe whatever you want. Nobody can tell you what to believe - even God. It's up to you to figure it out yourself.
BUT, if you understand that the ONLY way to know God is through His Word, as His Spirit teaches you, then you realize that you must accept ALL of God's Word. Doing so opens your eyes to see the full character of God and moves you to thanksgiving for His grace. You and I deserve the same fate as those destroyed by the armies of Israel. We are no different. God's holiness demands judgment and death. God cannot look upon evil. As He did with the flood, God will do again with fire at the return of Jesus.
We live in the "day of salvation" (II Corinthians 6:2) and God is being patient (II Peter 3:9). He has sent His gospel into the world and is calling His chosen ones to Himself, one at a time, day by day. Later, God would send a nation even more wicked than His own people, to destroy Israel and to scatter the survivors throughout the earth. Yet, always God kept a remnant for Himself, who believed in Him and worshiped Him. Are you part of that remnant today? Are you safe from God's judgment through faith in Jesus? Have you tasted His grace and kindness and mercy? If so, give thanks to the LORD who alone is worthy of worship and praise. Trust in Him and warn others of His coming judgment. The end will come and only those who believe in Him will be saved!
"Father, I acknowledge that You are right when You judge and that it is only by Your grace that anyone can stand before You and not perish. Continue Your work in me that I may testify to Your greatness and be an instrument in Your hands to offer life to those who remain in the darkness of sin and death. Thank you for saving me, through Your Son Jesus Christ, to whom be praise now and forever. Amen"
Monday, January 6, 2014
Sunday, January 5, 2014
"The first 1,000 years ..."
Day #9: Daily Bible Reading - January 6th
Scripture Reading: Genesis 4-7 ...
"And God saw all that He had made, and it was very good" (1:31). Then sin ... then death - spiritual death and physical death. Mankind began their downward spiral towards destruction. Mankind spread over the earth ... the land and continents all one, separated from the waters on the earth. From the creation of Adam to the birth of Noah was just over 1,000 years. "Men began to call of the LORD" (4:25), and there were men like Enoch, who walked with God and went to be with Him. But most, nearly all of mankind continued their downward slide until finally God said, "Enough!"
"The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that He had made man on the earth and His heart was filled with pain" (6:5-6). How different was the view from heaven from what it had been following God's marvelous creation! All the suffering, pain and anguish that resulted from mankind's rebellion grieved the heart of God ... and God knew that it would only get worse ...
People without God are people who are spiritually dead and who are living life waiting to die. They are, as Paul would describe later, "without God and without hope in the world" (Ephesians 2:12). God's judgment is just, yet His purpose is much grander ... a new beginning. The flood was about to come, but God had not forgotten His promise - the promise made as God cursed Satan: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; HE will crush your head, and you will strike His heel" (Genesis 3:15).
The rest is, as some say, "history." Actually, approximately 4400-4500 years of history, from the flood until today. And ALL of history centers around God's promise to send a Savior and to create a new heavens and a new earth. The earth is not billions, or even millions of years old. Mankind did not evolve and has not existed for millions of years. "In the beginning, God created ..." (1:1) ... and God sent the promised Savior, to be the sacrifice for sin, "and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him" (Hebrews 9:28).
"Scoffers" have come, denying the truthfulness of God's Word from creation to the flood. "They deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men" (II Peter 3:3-7). "But in keeping with His promise WE are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness" (II Peter 3:13).
It's all true, and if you believe ... if you believe these things, your life has value beyond anything you can imagine, for you are here because this God, the only true God, placed you here at this time for His purposes. Know Him, seek Him, believe in Him, center your life in Him and find your hope in Him. He IS! And because He is, you ARE. There will be another 1,000 years ... when Jesus returns ... and you won't want to miss this!!
"Heavenly Father, help us to discover in Your Word the solid ground we need to live in this world with wisdom and purpose, understanding that we are your special creation, existing for Your glory. Every day is Yours. May we use it to praise and glorify YOU, our Creator! In Jesus' name we pray. Amen"
Scripture Reading: Genesis 4-7 ...
"And God saw all that He had made, and it was very good" (1:31). Then sin ... then death - spiritual death and physical death. Mankind began their downward spiral towards destruction. Mankind spread over the earth ... the land and continents all one, separated from the waters on the earth. From the creation of Adam to the birth of Noah was just over 1,000 years. "Men began to call of the LORD" (4:25), and there were men like Enoch, who walked with God and went to be with Him. But most, nearly all of mankind continued their downward slide until finally God said, "Enough!"
"The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that He had made man on the earth and His heart was filled with pain" (6:5-6). How different was the view from heaven from what it had been following God's marvelous creation! All the suffering, pain and anguish that resulted from mankind's rebellion grieved the heart of God ... and God knew that it would only get worse ...
People without God are people who are spiritually dead and who are living life waiting to die. They are, as Paul would describe later, "without God and without hope in the world" (Ephesians 2:12). God's judgment is just, yet His purpose is much grander ... a new beginning. The flood was about to come, but God had not forgotten His promise - the promise made as God cursed Satan: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; HE will crush your head, and you will strike His heel" (Genesis 3:15).
The rest is, as some say, "history." Actually, approximately 4400-4500 years of history, from the flood until today. And ALL of history centers around God's promise to send a Savior and to create a new heavens and a new earth. The earth is not billions, or even millions of years old. Mankind did not evolve and has not existed for millions of years. "In the beginning, God created ..." (1:1) ... and God sent the promised Savior, to be the sacrifice for sin, "and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him" (Hebrews 9:28).
"Scoffers" have come, denying the truthfulness of God's Word from creation to the flood. "They deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men" (II Peter 3:3-7). "But in keeping with His promise WE are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness" (II Peter 3:13).
It's all true, and if you believe ... if you believe these things, your life has value beyond anything you can imagine, for you are here because this God, the only true God, placed you here at this time for His purposes. Know Him, seek Him, believe in Him, center your life in Him and find your hope in Him. He IS! And because He is, you ARE. There will be another 1,000 years ... when Jesus returns ... and you won't want to miss this!!
"Heavenly Father, help us to discover in Your Word the solid ground we need to live in this world with wisdom and purpose, understanding that we are your special creation, existing for Your glory. Every day is Yours. May we use it to praise and glorify YOU, our Creator! In Jesus' name we pray. Amen"
Saturday, January 4, 2014
"Righteousness ... the gift of God through faith in Jesus"
Day #8: Daily Bible Reading Plan - January 5th
Scripture Reading: Romans 3-4 ...
I asked the congregation last Sunday this question: If you told someone that they needed to believe in Jesus and they asked you, "Why?" ... how would you answer them? Why does anybody NEED to believe in Jesus? People might answer that Jesus gives you hope, that believing in Him helps you through life, that Jesus lets you know that you are never alone, or a hundred other reasons, all very personal and most of them true according to the Scriptures. People experience many positive things through believing in Jesus and the promise of eternal life is certainly something to be thankful for!
But other religions offer some of these things and promise life after death, too, so why Jesus? The answer lies in Romans 3-4, as clearly as any other place in the entire Bible, and it has to do with the word, "righteousness." Without going into a long theological dissertation, here is the gospel in brief: There is not one person on the face of the earth who has ever lived, is living now or ever will live that is "good enough," "righteous" enough, to stand before God and claim a place in heaven. "Oh, but God is love and He will certainly forgive people." No, He won't. He can't. His standard is perfection and none of us have met that standard. Paul explains that the law was given to show people their sin; "so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God" (3:19). "There is no one righteous, not even one" (3:10).
Chapter 3, verse 21, is the beginning of Paul's presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ: "But NOW a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known." Verses 25-26 explain that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross satisfied God's justice for all who have faith in Jesus. And then Paul goes on to explain that this removes any possible grounds for boasting because this righteousness is received "by faith, so that it may be by grace" (4:16). "By grace you have been saved through faith (and that not of yourselves - it is the gift of God) not by works, so that no man can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Chapter 4 points to Abraham as an illustration that proves the point. God made His covenant of grace with Abraham and with all who would believe through the work of His Spirit within them. Over and over again in this chapter Paul points to Genesis 15:6: "Abram believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." "It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith" (4:13). Paul had already spoken of this righteousness in Romans 1:16-17, when he said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"
You and I can never BE "righteous" through our own efforts, no matter how hard we try. No amount of religious works or good deeds can make up for our sin before God's holiness. But God sent Jesus to be our perfect "sin-offering," and God "credits" the righteousness of Jesus to the account of every person who trusts in Jesus, who believes that He suffered, died and rose again for THEM ... for YOU, for ME!!! Do YOU believe in Jesus? Do you rest in HIS righteousness and not your own? Are you SURE you are saved from God's wrath by faith in Jesus? THIS is why people need to believe in Jesus. There is one way to enter God's presence: through the righteousness that is yours through faith in Jesus. Praise God for His marvelous gift!
"Father, I thank You for Your love and grace in sending Your Son to pay the penalty for my sin, and for the righteousness that is now mine by faith. I confess my sin before you and rest in your grace for forgiveness and for strength to overcome the sin that remains. Hallelujah! I am free!! In the name of Jesus. Amen"
Scripture Reading: Romans 3-4 ...
I asked the congregation last Sunday this question: If you told someone that they needed to believe in Jesus and they asked you, "Why?" ... how would you answer them? Why does anybody NEED to believe in Jesus? People might answer that Jesus gives you hope, that believing in Him helps you through life, that Jesus lets you know that you are never alone, or a hundred other reasons, all very personal and most of them true according to the Scriptures. People experience many positive things through believing in Jesus and the promise of eternal life is certainly something to be thankful for!
But other religions offer some of these things and promise life after death, too, so why Jesus? The answer lies in Romans 3-4, as clearly as any other place in the entire Bible, and it has to do with the word, "righteousness." Without going into a long theological dissertation, here is the gospel in brief: There is not one person on the face of the earth who has ever lived, is living now or ever will live that is "good enough," "righteous" enough, to stand before God and claim a place in heaven. "Oh, but God is love and He will certainly forgive people." No, He won't. He can't. His standard is perfection and none of us have met that standard. Paul explains that the law was given to show people their sin; "so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God" (3:19). "There is no one righteous, not even one" (3:10).
Chapter 3, verse 21, is the beginning of Paul's presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ: "But NOW a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known." Verses 25-26 explain that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross satisfied God's justice for all who have faith in Jesus. And then Paul goes on to explain that this removes any possible grounds for boasting because this righteousness is received "by faith, so that it may be by grace" (4:16). "By grace you have been saved through faith (and that not of yourselves - it is the gift of God) not by works, so that no man can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Chapter 4 points to Abraham as an illustration that proves the point. God made His covenant of grace with Abraham and with all who would believe through the work of His Spirit within them. Over and over again in this chapter Paul points to Genesis 15:6: "Abram believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." "It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith" (4:13). Paul had already spoken of this righteousness in Romans 1:16-17, when he said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"
You and I can never BE "righteous" through our own efforts, no matter how hard we try. No amount of religious works or good deeds can make up for our sin before God's holiness. But God sent Jesus to be our perfect "sin-offering," and God "credits" the righteousness of Jesus to the account of every person who trusts in Jesus, who believes that He suffered, died and rose again for THEM ... for YOU, for ME!!! Do YOU believe in Jesus? Do you rest in HIS righteousness and not your own? Are you SURE you are saved from God's wrath by faith in Jesus? THIS is why people need to believe in Jesus. There is one way to enter God's presence: through the righteousness that is yours through faith in Jesus. Praise God for His marvelous gift!
"Father, I thank You for Your love and grace in sending Your Son to pay the penalty for my sin, and for the righteousness that is now mine by faith. I confess my sin before you and rest in your grace for forgiveness and for strength to overcome the sin that remains. Hallelujah! I am free!! In the name of Jesus. Amen"
Friday, January 3, 2014
"And so it was fulfilled!"
Day #7: Daily Bible Reading Plan - January 4th
Scripture Reading: Matthew 1-2 …
People today try and try to find something to satisfy the desire to be "fulfilled" … to find meaning in the daily existence we call "life." Yet, as you read Matthew's gospel record of Jesus' birth you will hear him often using the word "fulfill" or "fulfilled." As a Jew writing to his fellow Jews, Matthew was aware that many did not believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the "Anointed One," the "Christ." The same is true for many reading the Bible today. There is often little understanding of what led up to Jesus' birth and why the circumstances of His birth are so important to know and to believe.
Imagine not having the Old Testament Scriptures and reading the genealogy of Joseph in Matthew 1. "A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the Son of David, the son of Abraham" (vs. 1). Who is David and who is Abraham? And verse 2 is no better: "Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers." So what!?! And then all of the names that follow. Do we really need to read this? What is there to understand??
It is here that many lose their way before they even get started, yet all this points to the fulfillment of promises made hundreds of years before, in fact, more than two thousand years before. God's promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are recorded in the book of Genesis, chapters 12 -50, and it is in Jacob's blessing of his son, Judah, that we find these words: "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until HE comes to whom it belongs, and the obedience of the nations is HIS" (Genesis 49:10).
God had promised and so it had to happen as God said. While the kingdom of Israel was divided and the rulers of the northern kingdom of Israel came from many different ancestral lines, the tiny nation of Judah was ruled over by ONE line, the line of the tribe of Judah, which included King David. Even during and after the exile to Babylon, the line continued until Jesus was born. In every detail leading up to His birth God was at work to FULFILL that which had been written … what God Himself had promised through the prophets.
Jesus was and is "Immanuel," "God with us." He is "JESUS," "the LORD saves." He is the One who was to be born in Bethlehem and He is the "Branch" of Isaiah 11:1: "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse (David's father); from HIs roots a Branch will bear fruit." The Hebrew word, "nazar" means "branch," so He grew up in Nazareth and was called a "nazarene." Details, planned by God so that there could be no doubt that Jesus was and IS the promised One.
Place your hope in Jesus today and know that through faith in Him you have peace with God, the forgiveness of your sins and life ETERNAL!! If you believe in Him, He is with you now, He will be with you forever, and you are HIS. "Rejoice in the Lord" for, indeed, "It was fulfilled!" "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ Jesus" (II Corinthians 1:20). True fulfillment comes in knowing, loving and serving Jesus!
"Father, as I read your Word I am amazed at Your wisdom in planning our salvation through the coming of Your Son, Jesus, into this world. I believe that He came in fulfillment of Your promises and I trust You to keep every promise You have made. May my life bring You glory as I live with You and for You, today and every day. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen"
Scripture Reading: Matthew 1-2 …
People today try and try to find something to satisfy the desire to be "fulfilled" … to find meaning in the daily existence we call "life." Yet, as you read Matthew's gospel record of Jesus' birth you will hear him often using the word "fulfill" or "fulfilled." As a Jew writing to his fellow Jews, Matthew was aware that many did not believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the "Anointed One," the "Christ." The same is true for many reading the Bible today. There is often little understanding of what led up to Jesus' birth and why the circumstances of His birth are so important to know and to believe.
Imagine not having the Old Testament Scriptures and reading the genealogy of Joseph in Matthew 1. "A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the Son of David, the son of Abraham" (vs. 1). Who is David and who is Abraham? And verse 2 is no better: "Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers." So what!?! And then all of the names that follow. Do we really need to read this? What is there to understand??
It is here that many lose their way before they even get started, yet all this points to the fulfillment of promises made hundreds of years before, in fact, more than two thousand years before. God's promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are recorded in the book of Genesis, chapters 12 -50, and it is in Jacob's blessing of his son, Judah, that we find these words: "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until HE comes to whom it belongs, and the obedience of the nations is HIS" (Genesis 49:10).
God had promised and so it had to happen as God said. While the kingdom of Israel was divided and the rulers of the northern kingdom of Israel came from many different ancestral lines, the tiny nation of Judah was ruled over by ONE line, the line of the tribe of Judah, which included King David. Even during and after the exile to Babylon, the line continued until Jesus was born. In every detail leading up to His birth God was at work to FULFILL that which had been written … what God Himself had promised through the prophets.
Jesus was and is "Immanuel," "God with us." He is "JESUS," "the LORD saves." He is the One who was to be born in Bethlehem and He is the "Branch" of Isaiah 11:1: "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse (David's father); from HIs roots a Branch will bear fruit." The Hebrew word, "nazar" means "branch," so He grew up in Nazareth and was called a "nazarene." Details, planned by God so that there could be no doubt that Jesus was and IS the promised One.
Place your hope in Jesus today and know that through faith in Him you have peace with God, the forgiveness of your sins and life ETERNAL!! If you believe in Him, He is with you now, He will be with you forever, and you are HIS. "Rejoice in the Lord" for, indeed, "It was fulfilled!" "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ Jesus" (II Corinthians 1:20). True fulfillment comes in knowing, loving and serving Jesus!
"Father, as I read your Word I am amazed at Your wisdom in planning our salvation through the coming of Your Son, Jesus, into this world. I believe that He came in fulfillment of Your promises and I trust You to keep every promise You have made. May my life bring You glory as I live with You and for You, today and every day. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen"
Thursday, January 2, 2014
"Has God changed?"
Day #6: Daily Bible Reading Plan - January 3rd
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 1-6 ...
Thankfully, you and I don't live in the days of Isaiah. God's judgment was falling upon Israel, and would eventually fall upon the rest of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the nation of Judah. It was a matter of time. "They have forsaken the LORD; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him" (1:4). The prophets spoke repeatedly of God's anger, of His coming wrath and of the inevitable judgment that would follow. What a depressing time in which to live!
Thankfully, we live in a different time; a time when God is loving and gracious and forgiving. We live in the New Testament age following the death and resurrection of Jesus and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. We can come to God through faith in Jesus Christ and know that our sins are forgiven and that we have eternal life. "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound."
But wait, does that mean God has changed? Does the God of the Old Testament no longer exist?
Such an understanding of God, of His Word, of His character, of His plan of salvation is not only inaccurate, it is dishonoring to God and misleading to millions who rely on a make-believe God to overlook their sinful rebellion.
The truth is that God HAS NOT CHANGED!! In the first six chapters of his long prophecy (the longest of the prophets by far), Isaiah presents the true God, who warns of judgment, who calls people to repentance and who offers forgiveness to those who come to Him. God's pronouncement of judgment is unmistakeable, but so is His offer of grace - even in the Old Testament. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool" (1:18).
Amidst all the declarations of judgment, God promises restoration for those who repent and a future glory for Israel. But for those who continue in their rebellion against God, His wrath will be poured out. "Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, His hand is still upraised" (5:25). God's character is the same today. Paul writes in Romans 2:4-5: "Do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the days of God's wrath, when His righteous judgment is revealed."
The difference today lies not in a change in God's character but in the fact that we live in "the day of salvation" (II Corinthians 6:2). Isaiah was sent to bring a message of judgment, and yet there would be a "remnant", a "stump in the land" (6:13). Today is the time of salvation when God has poured out His Holy Spirit and the gospel of grace through faith in Jesus has gone into every corner of the earth. Be assured, God's judgment will come upon all who do not repent, as certainly as it did on Israel and Judah. But for those who come to know the God of Israel before whom the angels worship, "Holy, Holy, Holy," our guilt has been taken away for our sin has been atoned for (6:7)!!
"Thank you, Father, for your compassion, mercy and grace! I confess my sin before You and rest in your promise to forgive through Your Anointed One, the Messiah, the Christ, my Savior and my Lord, Jesus. Amen"
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 1-6 ...
Thankfully, you and I don't live in the days of Isaiah. God's judgment was falling upon Israel, and would eventually fall upon the rest of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the nation of Judah. It was a matter of time. "They have forsaken the LORD; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him" (1:4). The prophets spoke repeatedly of God's anger, of His coming wrath and of the inevitable judgment that would follow. What a depressing time in which to live!
Thankfully, we live in a different time; a time when God is loving and gracious and forgiving. We live in the New Testament age following the death and resurrection of Jesus and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. We can come to God through faith in Jesus Christ and know that our sins are forgiven and that we have eternal life. "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound."
But wait, does that mean God has changed? Does the God of the Old Testament no longer exist?
Such an understanding of God, of His Word, of His character, of His plan of salvation is not only inaccurate, it is dishonoring to God and misleading to millions who rely on a make-believe God to overlook their sinful rebellion.
The truth is that God HAS NOT CHANGED!! In the first six chapters of his long prophecy (the longest of the prophets by far), Isaiah presents the true God, who warns of judgment, who calls people to repentance and who offers forgiveness to those who come to Him. God's pronouncement of judgment is unmistakeable, but so is His offer of grace - even in the Old Testament. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool" (1:18).
Amidst all the declarations of judgment, God promises restoration for those who repent and a future glory for Israel. But for those who continue in their rebellion against God, His wrath will be poured out. "Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, His hand is still upraised" (5:25). God's character is the same today. Paul writes in Romans 2:4-5: "Do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the days of God's wrath, when His righteous judgment is revealed."
The difference today lies not in a change in God's character but in the fact that we live in "the day of salvation" (II Corinthians 6:2). Isaiah was sent to bring a message of judgment, and yet there would be a "remnant", a "stump in the land" (6:13). Today is the time of salvation when God has poured out His Holy Spirit and the gospel of grace through faith in Jesus has gone into every corner of the earth. Be assured, God's judgment will come upon all who do not repent, as certainly as it did on Israel and Judah. But for those who come to know the God of Israel before whom the angels worship, "Holy, Holy, Holy," our guilt has been taken away for our sin has been atoned for (6:7)!!
"Thank you, Father, for your compassion, mercy and grace! I confess my sin before You and rest in your promise to forgive through Your Anointed One, the Messiah, the Christ, my Savior and my Lord, Jesus. Amen"
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
"Is Job's God YOUR God?"
Day #5: Daily Bible Reading Plan - January 2nd
Scripture Reading: Job 1-2 ...
God is not whoever you and I determine we want Him to be or whoever we imagine Him to be. God is who He is! Throughout the book of Job you will find people with particular views of God. The key "players" in this real-life drama are introduced in the first two chapters: God, angels, Satan, Job, his wife and Job's three friends. Many people read this account of Job and and focus on Job, but while we learn some lessons about suffering and encouragement through the trials Job faced (James 5:11), the main point of the entire book is to reveal Job's God ... first to Job! ... and to his friends and to all who have read his story through the centuries since.
Job believed in God, worshiped God and served God, so why does God allow Satan to torment Job? Those who know God's character understand Job's initial response: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised" (1:21). He had just lost his children and the bulk of his possessions, yet He trusted the God He worshiped. "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing" (1:22).
We could get into the discussion about the cause of evil, but again, those who know the God who reveals Himself in His Word know that God cannot do evil. Satan did what God allowed him to do because Satan wanted to cause Job harm and to prove his accusation that Job only worshiped God because God blessed Him (1:10-11). But God knew Job, and it was God's desire to reveal His glory and power and compassion and mercy TO Job and THROUGH Job.
Job's wife, on the other hand, apparently did NOT know God. "Curse God and die!" (2:9), was her advice. Yet, Job displayed both his knowledge of God and his faith in God when once again he responded, "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" (2:10). And again it is said of Job, "In all this, Job did not sin in what he said" (2:10). Already, God was using Job to testify to God's character. God does what is right - always! Trusting God is never foolish; it is always the right thing to do.
But now come Job's three friends: Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. These men thought they knew God ... but they didn't, and what follows will display their ignorance for all to see - an ignorance shared by many today who claim to know God. We'll pick it up here next week, but ask yourself this day: "Is Job's God YOUR God?" Do you know Him? Do you trust Him? Will you serve Him? He IS worthy!
"O Lord, my God, I believe Your Word and I know You are a God of compassion and mercy to those who call upon You. You never forsake those who trust in You. Father in heaven, give me grace to trust You and to worship you in my present and future circumstances, through faith in Jesus, today, tomorrow and forever. Amen"
Scripture Reading: Job 1-2 ...
God is not whoever you and I determine we want Him to be or whoever we imagine Him to be. God is who He is! Throughout the book of Job you will find people with particular views of God. The key "players" in this real-life drama are introduced in the first two chapters: God, angels, Satan, Job, his wife and Job's three friends. Many people read this account of Job and and focus on Job, but while we learn some lessons about suffering and encouragement through the trials Job faced (James 5:11), the main point of the entire book is to reveal Job's God ... first to Job! ... and to his friends and to all who have read his story through the centuries since.
Job believed in God, worshiped God and served God, so why does God allow Satan to torment Job? Those who know God's character understand Job's initial response: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised" (1:21). He had just lost his children and the bulk of his possessions, yet He trusted the God He worshiped. "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing" (1:22).
We could get into the discussion about the cause of evil, but again, those who know the God who reveals Himself in His Word know that God cannot do evil. Satan did what God allowed him to do because Satan wanted to cause Job harm and to prove his accusation that Job only worshiped God because God blessed Him (1:10-11). But God knew Job, and it was God's desire to reveal His glory and power and compassion and mercy TO Job and THROUGH Job.
Job's wife, on the other hand, apparently did NOT know God. "Curse God and die!" (2:9), was her advice. Yet, Job displayed both his knowledge of God and his faith in God when once again he responded, "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" (2:10). And again it is said of Job, "In all this, Job did not sin in what he said" (2:10). Already, God was using Job to testify to God's character. God does what is right - always! Trusting God is never foolish; it is always the right thing to do.
But now come Job's three friends: Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. These men thought they knew God ... but they didn't, and what follows will display their ignorance for all to see - an ignorance shared by many today who claim to know God. We'll pick it up here next week, but ask yourself this day: "Is Job's God YOUR God?" Do you know Him? Do you trust Him? Will you serve Him? He IS worthy!
"O Lord, my God, I believe Your Word and I know You are a God of compassion and mercy to those who call upon You. You never forsake those who trust in You. Father in heaven, give me grace to trust You and to worship you in my present and future circumstances, through faith in Jesus, today, tomorrow and forever. Amen"
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
"Sing unto the Lord!"
Day #4: Daily Bible Reading Plan - January 1st
Scripture Reading: Psalms 1-2 …
The Psalms were meant to be sung! It is said that music is the universal language and the words of the Psalms speak to the minds and hearts of those who know the LORD, "Yahweh," the great "I AM." While the Psalms express the emotions of those who know God and who seek Him, the focus of the Psalms is God Himself. As you read through the Psalms this year as part of our daily reading plan, look forward to Wednesdays, when you come back to these songs. The Psalter hymnal presented a "tune" for each Psalm, however, most of them were quite similar and almost all of them were quite slow and methodical. The Psalms cover a range of emotions, so as you read them perhaps try to imagine what type of music went with this Psalm as the congregation of Israel sang it in worship.
Psalm 1 begins by revealing the contrast between the man who loves God, who seeks after God, who delights in obedience, and the man who cares nothing of God and who does his own thing and goes his own way. In the end, "the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish" (1:6). That means that the "way" the righteous have chosen is the way of life, while the way the wicked have chosen leads to death. Perhaps Jesus was thinking of this Psalm when He said in His Sermon on the Mount: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).
Jesus said, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life!" (John 14:6). Psalm 2 presents that fact in no uncertain terms. Psalm 2 is one of the many "Messianic" Psalms. God has anointed ONE to be King. He is the promised "Seed of the woman" (Genesis 3:15), the descendant of Abraham through whom all nations will be blessed, the Ruler from the tribe of Judah, the Son of David!! The nations of the world then and now oppose Jesus' reign, but God laughs at them. "I have installed MY King on Zion, my holy hill" (2:6). No power of hell or human plan can change that fact. God promises to give the world to His Anointed One and He "will rule them with an iron scepter" (1:9). That actually refers to Jesus reigning during the Millennium, following His return to earth (See Isaiah 2:1-5).
For now, God calls all people to "Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for His wrath can flare up in a moment" (2:12). That is hardly the picture of the "god" many worship today, even in churches throughout our nation and the world. Psalm 1 began by telling us who is "blessed," and the Psalmist ends Psalm 2 by saying, "Blessed are all who take refuge in HIM" ( God's anointed!). May you be blessed as you find in Jesus all you need in this new year!
"O LORD Almighty, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, give to me the understanding of your Word, that I may know You and draw near to You through faith in Your Son, the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus! I take refuge in Him, for YOU are my hope and my joy!! In Jesus' precious name. Amen"
Scripture Reading: Psalms 1-2 …
The Psalms were meant to be sung! It is said that music is the universal language and the words of the Psalms speak to the minds and hearts of those who know the LORD, "Yahweh," the great "I AM." While the Psalms express the emotions of those who know God and who seek Him, the focus of the Psalms is God Himself. As you read through the Psalms this year as part of our daily reading plan, look forward to Wednesdays, when you come back to these songs. The Psalter hymnal presented a "tune" for each Psalm, however, most of them were quite similar and almost all of them were quite slow and methodical. The Psalms cover a range of emotions, so as you read them perhaps try to imagine what type of music went with this Psalm as the congregation of Israel sang it in worship.
Psalm 1 begins by revealing the contrast between the man who loves God, who seeks after God, who delights in obedience, and the man who cares nothing of God and who does his own thing and goes his own way. In the end, "the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish" (1:6). That means that the "way" the righteous have chosen is the way of life, while the way the wicked have chosen leads to death. Perhaps Jesus was thinking of this Psalm when He said in His Sermon on the Mount: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).
Jesus said, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life!" (John 14:6). Psalm 2 presents that fact in no uncertain terms. Psalm 2 is one of the many "Messianic" Psalms. God has anointed ONE to be King. He is the promised "Seed of the woman" (Genesis 3:15), the descendant of Abraham through whom all nations will be blessed, the Ruler from the tribe of Judah, the Son of David!! The nations of the world then and now oppose Jesus' reign, but God laughs at them. "I have installed MY King on Zion, my holy hill" (2:6). No power of hell or human plan can change that fact. God promises to give the world to His Anointed One and He "will rule them with an iron scepter" (1:9). That actually refers to Jesus reigning during the Millennium, following His return to earth (See Isaiah 2:1-5).
For now, God calls all people to "Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for His wrath can flare up in a moment" (2:12). That is hardly the picture of the "god" many worship today, even in churches throughout our nation and the world. Psalm 1 began by telling us who is "blessed," and the Psalmist ends Psalm 2 by saying, "Blessed are all who take refuge in HIM" ( God's anointed!). May you be blessed as you find in Jesus all you need in this new year!
"O LORD Almighty, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, give to me the understanding of your Word, that I may know You and draw near to You through faith in Your Son, the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus! I take refuge in Him, for YOU are my hope and my joy!! In Jesus' precious name. Amen"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)