Study from God’s Word… Job, Chapters 8 – 10 … Passage for Reflection: Job 9: 14 – 15 … NIV 14 "How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him? 15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.
My Journal for Today: The title for today’s devotional from Dr. LaGard Smith comes from the old 60s song by Jim Croce; and it gives a pretty clear reference to the way Job must’ve felt as he described his dilemma to his second “friend,” Bildad, the Shuhite. And also in Job’s reply to Bildad, he begins his plea to God, feeling very low, which we could certainly understand, given his horrible physical and emotional state. Remember Croce’s song, “You don’t tug on Superman’s cape, and you don’t spit into the wind.”
I like Dr. Smith’s word picture as he compares Job’s feelings of smallness to the image of what we might feel like if we were the size an ant and we’re in the hands of someone the size of a human. Being the size of an ant in the hands of a human, we’d likely feel totally at the mercy of this giant creature; and we would feel it impossible to plead our case for mercy from the human to refrain from squashing us like the “bug” we know we are.
Have you ever felt about as big as an ant and being in the hands of a God Who seems so big and uncaring? Perhaps you’ve seen an ant on your kitchen floor and squashed him like the bug he is, having invaded your space. And maybe, given your set of circumstances, you image that God may see you like that ant, way too big to hear you; and maybe you feel like you don’t deserve to be in His presence.
As one reads and meditates through Job’s retort to Bildad, as I did this morning, you get the idea that Job felt way too small to plead his case before the God Whom Job dearly loved and the One he had followed so faithfully in his life to that point. But here he is, broken completely, knowing that God is God and could have prevented this from happening; and knowing that he really doesn’t deserve – at least in his estimation – to be where he is.
Ever been there; – or at least emotionally felt that way? Sometimes, because of our circumstances, we feel that God is distant; and because of God’s promises to always be with us, we can’t understand His seeming absence or distance. Well, my friend, those are times when our beliefs are tested, probably beyond the limits of human understanding; and our faith is bent almost to the breaking point (or maybe past that point). These are the times when – if we’re believers in Christ’s sacrifice as the God-man and we believe that God’s word is ALL COMPLETELY TRUE – our understanding and belief in passages like Romans 8 or Ephesians 1 is tested to the human limits of understanding. Do we really believe what the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 116: 1 – 2 [linked]? Does God really [and ALWAYS] want to hear what we have to say? Again I take you back to Romans 8 or Ephesians 1 [each linked for your study]; … does God really care about us that much?
Well, if we believe that 2nd Tim. 3: 16 is true and we hold to the truth that ALL SCRIPTURE is the inspired word of God Himself, then we must conclude that God, though He may SEEM far away, is lovingly always within earshot; and His word must be true that He wants to hear our laments, our pleas, our confusion, and yes, even our anger.
So, if you’re feeling like you’re that ant who’s crawling in the hands of a WAY BIG GOD, cry out to Him. He will not only hear you, He will lovingly listen; and if you’re one of His, He’ll keep you in His loving arms forever. So go ahead, tug on His cape; … and yeah, even spit into the wind.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You are way too big for me to comprehend You. But I feel Your love; and I’m thankful for Your loving presence. Amen
Friday, September 10, 2010
Thursday, September 09, 2010
2010 – September 9 – Logical, … But Wrong!
Study from God’s Word… Job, Chapters 4 – 7 … Passage for Reflection: Job 4: 18 – 19 … NIV 18 If God places no trust in his servants, if He charges his angels with error, 19 how much more those who live in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who are crushed more readily than a moth!
My Journal for Today: Job’s friends had earned the right to try to bring this broken man some verbal comfort. If you go back to Job 2 : 11 – 13 [linked], you read how these men had voluntarily come to comfort their “friend;” and they had, being overwhelmed by his agony, sat with him silently for seven days. That’s being a friend.
But then these three began to open their mouths to give Job their perspective on his situation; and their friendship became questionable. The interim moral here is … sometimes when a friend is in agony, it’s just best to be there with them and for them SILENTLY, rather than to give our advice.
But Job’s “friends” did; and here, in today’s text, we read some of the advice from Eliphaz, the Tamanite, who felt compelled to give his take on Job’s plight. And in trying to help Job understand the horrors Job was experiencing, Eliphaz tried to use human logic and his limited understanding of God’s ways to bring some light to bear on what Job had experienced. The problem is that human perspective and intellect will never be able to grasp, nor explain completely, the mind or decisions of God.
For example, as Dr. Smith points out today in his devotional, Eliphaz, trying to give Job some theological logic, declares, in Job 4: 7, “Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?” Well, that may feel that's right since God is a just God. But to Eliphaz, I would say >>>
WRONG!!! Eliphaz’s argument just doesn’t hold up in today’s world; because we know that innocent babies perish every day in abortion clinics. And we know that many righteous missionaries, like Jim Elliot, have perished at the hands of pagans to whom they were advancing God’s love. So, though it may seem logical that evil is met, by God, with just punishment, the logic doesn’t hold in reverse that completely righteous men, like Job, would not experience suffering in their lives, which is being allowed by a sovereign God.
Dr. Smith’s self exam question for today is a good one for all of us. He asks, “Do I rely too strongly on my own reasoning to understand a God who doesn’t always follow my logic?” My friends, I don’t know how many times I have to keep over-learning the truth that … GOD IS GOD; and I AM NOT!!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I get it! I don’t need a lesson like you gave Job. Please know that I fully understand that You are my SOVEREIGN GOD!!! And all You do is for my good! I get it! Amen
My Journal for Today: Job’s friends had earned the right to try to bring this broken man some verbal comfort. If you go back to Job 2 : 11 – 13 [linked], you read how these men had voluntarily come to comfort their “friend;” and they had, being overwhelmed by his agony, sat with him silently for seven days. That’s being a friend.
But then these three began to open their mouths to give Job their perspective on his situation; and their friendship became questionable. The interim moral here is … sometimes when a friend is in agony, it’s just best to be there with them and for them SILENTLY, rather than to give our advice.
But Job’s “friends” did; and here, in today’s text, we read some of the advice from Eliphaz, the Tamanite, who felt compelled to give his take on Job’s plight. And in trying to help Job understand the horrors Job was experiencing, Eliphaz tried to use human logic and his limited understanding of God’s ways to bring some light to bear on what Job had experienced. The problem is that human perspective and intellect will never be able to grasp, nor explain completely, the mind or decisions of God.
For example, as Dr. Smith points out today in his devotional, Eliphaz, trying to give Job some theological logic, declares, in Job 4: 7, “Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?” Well, that may feel that's right since God is a just God. But to Eliphaz, I would say >>>
WRONG!!! Eliphaz’s argument just doesn’t hold up in today’s world; because we know that innocent babies perish every day in abortion clinics. And we know that many righteous missionaries, like Jim Elliot, have perished at the hands of pagans to whom they were advancing God’s love. So, though it may seem logical that evil is met, by God, with just punishment, the logic doesn’t hold in reverse that completely righteous men, like Job, would not experience suffering in their lives, which is being allowed by a sovereign God.
Dr. Smith’s self exam question for today is a good one for all of us. He asks, “Do I rely too strongly on my own reasoning to understand a God who doesn’t always follow my logic?” My friends, I don’t know how many times I have to keep over-learning the truth that … GOD IS GOD; and I AM NOT!!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I get it! I don’t need a lesson like you gave Job. Please know that I fully understand that You are my SOVEREIGN GOD!!! And all You do is for my good! I get it! Amen
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
2010 – September 8 – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Study from God’s Word… Job, Chapters 1 - 3 … Passage for Reflection: Job 2: 10 … NIV He (Job) replied (to his wife), “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God , and not trouble?”
My Journal for Today: So, in the midst of reading through The Daily Bible in Chronological Order [DBICO] , today Dr. LaGard Smith, the Editor, takes me (and his readers) to the Book of Job, which is reported by scholars to be the oldest written book in the canon of the Bible. So, what’s up with that in terms of chronological order? Shouldn’t we read Job in January?
Well, Dr. Smith reasons that the reading of Job is to be placed now in the DBICO reading because Ezekiel, whom we’ve been reading about lately, wrote about Job (see Chapter 14, verses 14 & 20, of the Book of Ezekiel), making a reference to the dilemma of God’s people, the righteous remnant and the disobedient Jews, both of whom had been taken captive and were suffering TOGETHER in Babylon. For Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and most certainly for those Jews who were obedient to God in Babylon, it would have been natural to seek after answers to why God would allow the righteous and the unrighteous Jews to suffer the same captivity in Babylon. Therefore, at this time in their history, the story of Job, which was certainly part of the Scriptural lore of the Jews, would have had great relevance, especially to loyal followers of God. And of course, this book, Job, has great relevance to this very day, especially for every believer in the one, true, and good God.
It’s that great conundrum and the question: “How do we define ‘blessing’ in our lives?” Are the “blessings” only those events or circumstances which are the warm-n-fuzzies? Or could the challenges of life, … yes, even the disasters, be seen as “blessings” in the context of a sovereign God who wants only ultimate good for those who are the called according to His purpose (i.e., steadfast believers and followers of Yahweh)? And how many times have our beliefs in the truth of Romans 8: 28 been challenged by some oppressive circumstances in life, … occurrences which seem much more like “curses” than “blessings?”
Today’s text is, of course, Job’s faithful response to his wife’s perspective on the disasters which had been perpetrated on Job by an unseen Satan, who was challenging God and Job’s faithfulness. And how do we measure up to Job’s faith in the midst of some horror which is visited in our lives? Perhaps you’ve had to deal with the inexplicable death of a child in your life. Maybe you wonder about how a loving God would allow a tsunami or an earthquake to take the lives of thousands of staunch believers as well as those non-believers consumed in the disaster. Just like Job, the headlines of our lives can scream out the question: “What’s up with that, God?!”
And hence it is great for us, as it was for Ezekiel, to have a book of truth, in this case the Book of Job, which helps us see that there are some circumstances in life which we’re not likely going to be explained from our human perspective. No, we’re going to have to learn, as Job was expressing in today’s highlight text, to declare that God’s sovereignty and love for His children go way beyond our ability to get God’s reason WHY when we are beset with inexplicable horrors.
No, my friends; if we could explain everything clearly which happens to us, the concept of “faith” would be meaningless, would it? But prayerfully, we can learn, as did Ezekiel, from the book of wisdom involving Job, that our faith is going to be tested by life and we’re going to have to deal with the horrors as well as the happiness by having faith in a sovereign, and ALWAYS loving God.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I say again, You are God and I am not. Praise You IN all things, ... AT all times, … FOR all time. Amen
My Journal for Today: So, in the midst of reading through The Daily Bible in Chronological Order [DBICO] , today Dr. LaGard Smith, the Editor, takes me (and his readers) to the Book of Job, which is reported by scholars to be the oldest written book in the canon of the Bible. So, what’s up with that in terms of chronological order? Shouldn’t we read Job in January?
Well, Dr. Smith reasons that the reading of Job is to be placed now in the DBICO reading because Ezekiel, whom we’ve been reading about lately, wrote about Job (see Chapter 14, verses 14 & 20, of the Book of Ezekiel), making a reference to the dilemma of God’s people, the righteous remnant and the disobedient Jews, both of whom had been taken captive and were suffering TOGETHER in Babylon. For Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and most certainly for those Jews who were obedient to God in Babylon, it would have been natural to seek after answers to why God would allow the righteous and the unrighteous Jews to suffer the same captivity in Babylon. Therefore, at this time in their history, the story of Job, which was certainly part of the Scriptural lore of the Jews, would have had great relevance, especially to loyal followers of God. And of course, this book, Job, has great relevance to this very day, especially for every believer in the one, true, and good God.
It’s that great conundrum and the question: “How do we define ‘blessing’ in our lives?” Are the “blessings” only those events or circumstances which are the warm-n-fuzzies? Or could the challenges of life, … yes, even the disasters, be seen as “blessings” in the context of a sovereign God who wants only ultimate good for those who are the called according to His purpose (i.e., steadfast believers and followers of Yahweh)? And how many times have our beliefs in the truth of Romans 8: 28 been challenged by some oppressive circumstances in life, … occurrences which seem much more like “curses” than “blessings?”
Today’s text is, of course, Job’s faithful response to his wife’s perspective on the disasters which had been perpetrated on Job by an unseen Satan, who was challenging God and Job’s faithfulness. And how do we measure up to Job’s faith in the midst of some horror which is visited in our lives? Perhaps you’ve had to deal with the inexplicable death of a child in your life. Maybe you wonder about how a loving God would allow a tsunami or an earthquake to take the lives of thousands of staunch believers as well as those non-believers consumed in the disaster. Just like Job, the headlines of our lives can scream out the question: “What’s up with that, God?!”
And hence it is great for us, as it was for Ezekiel, to have a book of truth, in this case the Book of Job, which helps us see that there are some circumstances in life which we’re not likely going to be explained from our human perspective. No, we’re going to have to learn, as Job was expressing in today’s highlight text, to declare that God’s sovereignty and love for His children go way beyond our ability to get God’s reason WHY when we are beset with inexplicable horrors.
No, my friends; if we could explain everything clearly which happens to us, the concept of “faith” would be meaningless, would it? But prayerfully, we can learn, as did Ezekiel, from the book of wisdom involving Job, that our faith is going to be tested by life and we’re going to have to deal with the horrors as well as the happiness by having faith in a sovereign, and ALWAYS loving God.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I say again, You are God and I am not. Praise You IN all things, ... AT all times, … FOR all time. Amen
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
2010 – September 7 – Out of Touch with Reality
Study from God’s Word… Ezekiel 29: 17-21; Daniel 4; Jeremiah 52: 31-34 [2Kgs 25: 27-30] … Passage for Reflection: Daniel 4: 33 … NIV Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
My Journal for Today: Today I’m going to take the title from my current devotional shepherd, Dr. LaGard Smith; but I believe I’m being led by God’s Spirit to take a different tack on his highlight text from God’s word today. Today’s devotional from Dr. Smith was most informing and had great Christian application. However, this particular passage from the Book of Daniel has led me to reflect on the lengths God will go in His prevenient grace to pursue and draw one of His elect to Himself. When someone uses the term “Hound of Heaven” to depict God’s relentless pursuit of His elect, it’s an apt word picture.
I think you Bible students will remember God had used some pretty dramatic interactions betweeen King Nebuchanezzar with Daniel and his young friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (their Babylonian names) to get King Neb to realize that the God these Hebrew lads worshipped was very powerful. But it wasn’t until this latter set of circumstances that lowered the King to a state of brokenness where he knew that he, the King of Babylon, needed a Savior. And it was the events of today’s text which led the Pagan King to faith in the Lord of lords. And from biblical story, I remember what it took for God to bring me down to a personal level of brokenness where, like King Neb, I reached out to receive God’s saving grace.
And for those of you who have lost relatives, like I do, I hope you gain hope that God is going to do all He needs to do to bring your loved one to Christ – IF – (and that’s a big “IF”) he or she is in God’s book of life. And my friend, it may be a messy story – or even a painful picture – to watch unfold; but one day God will have His way with those who resist His call of grace on their lives. For me it took two decades of decadence and a lot of personal and marital pain to break me. For Nebuchanezzar it was even a more ugly set of circumstances. For the Apostle Paul, Christ had to knock him off his high horse of pride and even cause him to go blind so that he could ultimately see God’s calling for this disobedient, Christ-hater to come and serve God.
I don’t know if my sister will ever come to know Christ as Savior and Lord. But if God wants her, she will come. Oh, the process of her coming may get ugly; and I pray that if that’s what it takes, it happens. Because I want my lost sister to come to know God the way He has revealed Himself to me, to King Neb, and yes, to the Apostle Paul. And about the only way I can be a part of that is to continue to witness my testimony to my dear sis (which I’ve done and will continue to do), to pray for her (which I do most days), and to be patient, trusting my God, and knowing that he has a plan for my sis. I just hope she doesn’t have to grow nails like a bird for her to come to know Christ as her Savior. But if that’s what it takes, … bring on those nails, Lord!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I praise you for knocking me off my high horse so that I could surrender to Your will for my eternal life. Amen
My Journal for Today: Today I’m going to take the title from my current devotional shepherd, Dr. LaGard Smith; but I believe I’m being led by God’s Spirit to take a different tack on his highlight text from God’s word today. Today’s devotional from Dr. Smith was most informing and had great Christian application. However, this particular passage from the Book of Daniel has led me to reflect on the lengths God will go in His prevenient grace to pursue and draw one of His elect to Himself. When someone uses the term “Hound of Heaven” to depict God’s relentless pursuit of His elect, it’s an apt word picture.
I think you Bible students will remember God had used some pretty dramatic interactions betweeen King Nebuchanezzar with Daniel and his young friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (their Babylonian names) to get King Neb to realize that the God these Hebrew lads worshipped was very powerful. But it wasn’t until this latter set of circumstances that lowered the King to a state of brokenness where he knew that he, the King of Babylon, needed a Savior. And it was the events of today’s text which led the Pagan King to faith in the Lord of lords. And from biblical story, I remember what it took for God to bring me down to a personal level of brokenness where, like King Neb, I reached out to receive God’s saving grace.
And for those of you who have lost relatives, like I do, I hope you gain hope that God is going to do all He needs to do to bring your loved one to Christ – IF – (and that’s a big “IF”) he or she is in God’s book of life. And my friend, it may be a messy story – or even a painful picture – to watch unfold; but one day God will have His way with those who resist His call of grace on their lives. For me it took two decades of decadence and a lot of personal and marital pain to break me. For Nebuchanezzar it was even a more ugly set of circumstances. For the Apostle Paul, Christ had to knock him off his high horse of pride and even cause him to go blind so that he could ultimately see God’s calling for this disobedient, Christ-hater to come and serve God.
I don’t know if my sister will ever come to know Christ as Savior and Lord. But if God wants her, she will come. Oh, the process of her coming may get ugly; and I pray that if that’s what it takes, it happens. Because I want my lost sister to come to know God the way He has revealed Himself to me, to King Neb, and yes, to the Apostle Paul. And about the only way I can be a part of that is to continue to witness my testimony to my dear sis (which I’ve done and will continue to do), to pray for her (which I do most days), and to be patient, trusting my God, and knowing that he has a plan for my sis. I just hope she doesn’t have to grow nails like a bird for her to come to know Christ as her Savior. But if that’s what it takes, … bring on those nails, Lord!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I praise you for knocking me off my high horse so that I could surrender to Your will for my eternal life. Amen
Monday, September 06, 2010
2010 – September 6 – The Name Says It All
Study from God’s Word… Ezekiel, Chapters 44 - 48 … Passage for Reflection: Ezekiel 48: 35 … NIV And the name of the city from that time on will be: THE LORD IS THERE.
My Journal for Today: Interesting observation Dr. LaGard Smith makes in his devotional entry for today’s date (9/6), reminding his readers that we have cities which almost everyone knows by their designated “nickname,” such as The Big Apple, Big D, Music City, Sin City, The City of Brotherly Love, or Motown. I agree that almost everyone would be able to name all of those because of their designated and characterized nicknames. And even in Old Testament lore, we know of cities like Jericho as the “City of Palms” and Jerusalem as the “City of David.”
And in today’s text we have God’s vision to Ezekiel about the coming City of God. And in another vision God gave to the Apostle John, in The Revelation, we’re given a word picture of the “New Jerusalem.” But both of these could amply be designated – a nickname from God if you will – as “THE LORD IS THERE.” In Hebrew that name is “Jehovah shammah,” which means that in this city, described in great detail by God to/through Ezekiel in the Book by his name, i.e., Chapters 40 – 48, was to be called “The City Where God resides” or “THE LORD IS THERE.”
Do you know, my fellow Christian, where that Temple is now? Yes, right now, as you read this, where is the “Jehovah shammah?” And I would hope that we all know from God’s own word [in this case from Paul in 1st Cor. 6: 19 – 20 (linked here)], God has His New Covenant Temple residence in the hearts of any – and all – believers. Yes, dear one, if you are a born-again Christian, “Jehovah shammah” is in your heart; and that is where God will reside forever when the New Jerusalem, the vision brought to the Apostle John in Revelations 21 is provided for all to bring God’s temple dwellers into His new home in heaven.
And if we can grasp the concept that God has honored each and every born-again Christian with our hearts becoming a “Jehovah shammah,” that place where God’s Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity, resides, we would want to treat God’s Temple with the respect, dignity, and the reverence it reserves; wouldn’t we? Hence the tagline of challenge in the passage to which I’ve linked you above (see 1st Cor. 6: 20). And I know that I’m a shabby Temple Keeper at times; and I need to take my stewardship of this heart which God’s Spirit has taken residence, … His “Jehovah shammah.” Maybe we all should resolve here, before our Lord, to keep His place, the Jehovah shammah, a place purified by how we live for Him.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, You live in me! Amen
My Journal for Today: Interesting observation Dr. LaGard Smith makes in his devotional entry for today’s date (9/6), reminding his readers that we have cities which almost everyone knows by their designated “nickname,” such as The Big Apple, Big D, Music City, Sin City, The City of Brotherly Love, or Motown. I agree that almost everyone would be able to name all of those because of their designated and characterized nicknames. And even in Old Testament lore, we know of cities like Jericho as the “City of Palms” and Jerusalem as the “City of David.”
And in today’s text we have God’s vision to Ezekiel about the coming City of God. And in another vision God gave to the Apostle John, in The Revelation, we’re given a word picture of the “New Jerusalem.” But both of these could amply be designated – a nickname from God if you will – as “THE LORD IS THERE.” In Hebrew that name is “Jehovah shammah,” which means that in this city, described in great detail by God to/through Ezekiel in the Book by his name, i.e., Chapters 40 – 48, was to be called “The City Where God resides” or “THE LORD IS THERE.”
Do you know, my fellow Christian, where that Temple is now? Yes, right now, as you read this, where is the “Jehovah shammah?” And I would hope that we all know from God’s own word [in this case from Paul in 1st Cor. 6: 19 – 20 (linked here)], God has His New Covenant Temple residence in the hearts of any – and all – believers. Yes, dear one, if you are a born-again Christian, “Jehovah shammah” is in your heart; and that is where God will reside forever when the New Jerusalem, the vision brought to the Apostle John in Revelations 21 is provided for all to bring God’s temple dwellers into His new home in heaven.
And if we can grasp the concept that God has honored each and every born-again Christian with our hearts becoming a “Jehovah shammah,” that place where God’s Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity, resides, we would want to treat God’s Temple with the respect, dignity, and the reverence it reserves; wouldn’t we? Hence the tagline of challenge in the passage to which I’ve linked you above (see 1st Cor. 6: 20). And I know that I’m a shabby Temple Keeper at times; and I need to take my stewardship of this heart which God’s Spirit has taken residence, … His “Jehovah shammah.” Maybe we all should resolve here, before our Lord, to keep His place, the Jehovah shammah, a place purified by how we live for Him.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, You live in me! Amen
Sunday, September 05, 2010
2010 – September 5 – Catching a Greater Vision
Study from God’s Word… Ezekiel, Chapters 40 - 43 … Passage for Reflection: Ezekiel 43: 10 - 11… NIV 10 "Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins. Let them consider the plan, 11 and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple—its arrangement, its exits and entrances—its whole design and all its regulations and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.
My Journal for Today: Here we are, in the historical context of my Scripture reading for today, in the times where God’s people have been captured and taken away into Babylon and their grand Temple in Jerusalem has been laid waste. Now God gives the people, through Ezekiel an image of a new Temple, grander than anything that could ever be built by man; and it is a Temple where God Himself will dwell with His people forever.
For churches who’ve ever been involved in a fund-raising effort to build a new church building, it’s essential to give the people architectural renderings of the new church to help them “catch the vision” … so that they will respond to the vision and give the funds God wants them to give to make the vision a reality. Well, here God was involved in a building project far greater than anything that man could ever draw up. The Lord wanted to restore, or rather rebuild, the Kingdom of God; and this involved rebuilding the people who would occupy His kingdom. But to do this the Lord had to give them – as He did through Ezekiel – a concrete plan to capture their vision.
I hope you can see, as Dr. Smith helped me see today, the rebuilding Jesus came to tell God’s people about and that of the message Ezekiel was bringing to the people from God. Jesus’ great “Sermon on the Mount” was a building plan for God’s Kingdom; and then came the incredible set of plans which was given through the Apostle John to mankind in the Book of the Revelation. And these plans from God in the New Testament have been given to us about the Temple Life to come so that we, who live by His name, can see the plans offered by God’s word; and then so that we might CATCH the vision, RESPOND to the vision, and then LIVE WORTHY of the vision.
Dr. Smith, once again challenging his readers at the end of his devotional for today, asks, ”Is my vision of heaven truly grand enough to call me higher?”
Good question; … no, GREAT question! And as I ponder it, I think of the words of the Apostle Paul, who, in Ephesians 4: 1, wrote, As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. There was a time when I was a captive to sin; but now, by God’s election and my own choice, in response to God’s saving grace, I’m captive to Christ; and He has given me a vision of the Temple He desires for me to keep where I can – and will – live with Him forever. And I need to have a vision of that “forevermore” life which calls me to live worthy of Temple plans He promises for me, living eternally with Him in heaven. And to that end may I live worthy of His Name.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, Your plans for this Temple You’ve given me is grander than my imagination can unfold; but it is grand enough to call me to live my life for You. Amen
My Journal for Today: Here we are, in the historical context of my Scripture reading for today, in the times where God’s people have been captured and taken away into Babylon and their grand Temple in Jerusalem has been laid waste. Now God gives the people, through Ezekiel an image of a new Temple, grander than anything that could ever be built by man; and it is a Temple where God Himself will dwell with His people forever.
For churches who’ve ever been involved in a fund-raising effort to build a new church building, it’s essential to give the people architectural renderings of the new church to help them “catch the vision” … so that they will respond to the vision and give the funds God wants them to give to make the vision a reality. Well, here God was involved in a building project far greater than anything that man could ever draw up. The Lord wanted to restore, or rather rebuild, the Kingdom of God; and this involved rebuilding the people who would occupy His kingdom. But to do this the Lord had to give them – as He did through Ezekiel – a concrete plan to capture their vision.
I hope you can see, as Dr. Smith helped me see today, the rebuilding Jesus came to tell God’s people about and that of the message Ezekiel was bringing to the people from God. Jesus’ great “Sermon on the Mount” was a building plan for God’s Kingdom; and then came the incredible set of plans which was given through the Apostle John to mankind in the Book of the Revelation. And these plans from God in the New Testament have been given to us about the Temple Life to come so that we, who live by His name, can see the plans offered by God’s word; and then so that we might CATCH the vision, RESPOND to the vision, and then LIVE WORTHY of the vision.
Dr. Smith, once again challenging his readers at the end of his devotional for today, asks, ”Is my vision of heaven truly grand enough to call me higher?”
Good question; … no, GREAT question! And as I ponder it, I think of the words of the Apostle Paul, who, in Ephesians 4: 1, wrote, As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. There was a time when I was a captive to sin; but now, by God’s election and my own choice, in response to God’s saving grace, I’m captive to Christ; and He has given me a vision of the Temple He desires for me to keep where I can – and will – live with Him forever. And I need to have a vision of that “forevermore” life which calls me to live worthy of Temple plans He promises for me, living eternally with Him in heaven. And to that end may I live worthy of His Name.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, Your plans for this Temple You’ve given me is grander than my imagination can unfold; but it is grand enough to call me to live my life for You. Amen
Saturday, September 04, 2010
2010 – September 4 – Regardless of the Consequences
Study from God’s Word… Daniel, Chapter 3 … Passage for Reflection: Daniel 3: 16 – 18 … NIV 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
My Journal for Today: Dr. Smith, the Editor of The Daily Bible in Chronological Order,has his readers today going through one of my favorite chapters in the OT, … that great – TRUE – story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and their confrontation with King Nebuchanezzar. If you’re a fan of OT stories, I’ll bet it’s a favorite of yours as well.
And like Dr. Smith, I always come away from this story wondering if I would have been as brave as these three were if my very life was threatened and my faith challenged as theirs was. I do hope so; but if I did stand up for God they way these three lads did, it would only be because I surrendered to God, received His empowering grace, and allowed Him to lift me up the way His word promises in passages I have in my heart and memory, … passages like Isaiah 41: 10, Romans 8: 31, and Philippians 4: 13. But these young warriors for God did stay strong in their witness for their faith; and in doing so they gave powerful witness to a pagan and prideful king, who had to take notice of God from their incredible faith and the awesome display of power from their God. You can go back and read about their influence of witness in Daniel, Chapter 3, verses 28 – 30.
LaGard Smith, as he does daily, closes his devotional today with a self examination question. He asks, ”What would I be willing to give up for the Lord, even if there was no hope of rescue?” And I have to say that I’m radically convicted by such a challenge. I say convicted because I find myself even unwilling to give up some sinful, selfish eating patterns in my life, knowing that my God would be honored if I was readily willing to restrain myself in my eating patterns.
Do you have any “fiery furnaces” in your life, as my gluttony is for me? And by conviction, is God asking you, as He is for me, to give witness to Him by giving up something or doing something which recognizes God’s power to overcome the fiery furnaces of our lives … just as God did for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? I’ll let you wrestle with God for His blessing over that one as I’m doing right now over my eating habits. And if we can surrender to our God as these three boys did, perhaps we can be stronger witnesses for our God than if we turn away, not believing that God can – and will – give us the strength we need to be warriors for Him rather then wimps for self.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, thank you for the pain of conviction, which draws me closer to becoming the man You desire me to be. Amen
My Journal for Today: Dr. Smith, the Editor of The Daily Bible in Chronological Order,has his readers today going through one of my favorite chapters in the OT, … that great – TRUE – story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and their confrontation with King Nebuchanezzar. If you’re a fan of OT stories, I’ll bet it’s a favorite of yours as well.
And like Dr. Smith, I always come away from this story wondering if I would have been as brave as these three were if my very life was threatened and my faith challenged as theirs was. I do hope so; but if I did stand up for God they way these three lads did, it would only be because I surrendered to God, received His empowering grace, and allowed Him to lift me up the way His word promises in passages I have in my heart and memory, … passages like Isaiah 41: 10, Romans 8: 31, and Philippians 4: 13. But these young warriors for God did stay strong in their witness for their faith; and in doing so they gave powerful witness to a pagan and prideful king, who had to take notice of God from their incredible faith and the awesome display of power from their God. You can go back and read about their influence of witness in Daniel, Chapter 3, verses 28 – 30.
LaGard Smith, as he does daily, closes his devotional today with a self examination question. He asks, ”What would I be willing to give up for the Lord, even if there was no hope of rescue?” And I have to say that I’m radically convicted by such a challenge. I say convicted because I find myself even unwilling to give up some sinful, selfish eating patterns in my life, knowing that my God would be honored if I was readily willing to restrain myself in my eating patterns.
Do you have any “fiery furnaces” in your life, as my gluttony is for me? And by conviction, is God asking you, as He is for me, to give witness to Him by giving up something or doing something which recognizes God’s power to overcome the fiery furnaces of our lives … just as God did for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? I’ll let you wrestle with God for His blessing over that one as I’m doing right now over my eating habits. And if we can surrender to our God as these three boys did, perhaps we can be stronger witnesses for our God than if we turn away, not believing that God can – and will – give us the strength we need to be warriors for Him rather then wimps for self.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, thank you for the pain of conviction, which draws me closer to becoming the man You desire me to be. Amen
Friday, September 03, 2010
2010 – September 3 – False Security in Righteousness
Study from God’s Word… Ezekiel, Chapters 32 – 33 … Passage for Reflection: Ezekiel 33: 13 … NIV 13 If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but then he trusts in his righteousness and does evil, none of the righteous things he has done will be remembered; he will die for the evil he has done.
My Journal for Today: For a New Covenant (i.e., New Testament) oriented Christian this text (today’s highlight passage) may be troubling. It seems to be one of those passages which could be interpreted as support for the Armenian position of salvation: i.e., that one can lose his/her salvation because of their behavioral choices – even after believing in the God of salvation. But one has to take this passage in the context of the Old Covenant which God had made with Israel as well as God’s promise of a Messiah, One Who would come to God’s people and be their agent of salvation, … their Redeemer.
So, for you Calvinist types out there; don’t despair. Today’s passage is absolutely right on target, given the Covenant which God had with His people in the days of Ezekiel. And this is why we see that God’s people kept failing in that covenant, which was dependent upon the faith of those who looked forward to a Messiah and, in faith, put their trust in the God of the Old Covenant, recognizing that they could not live up to God’s Law – in and of themselves. It was the faith of the Old Testament believers, i.e., those who recognized their own unrighteousness and humbly pursued righteousness in the face of their individual and collective sinfulness, which produced salvation for these Old Testament Jews.
I know. It’s complicated, isn’t it? But when Jesus came on the scene, bringing forth the New Covenant, He simplified it for all mankind. But nothing has changed. We NT Christians find salvation – i.e., ever lasting salvation – the same way an OT Jew did. We cast our inability to be righteous on a God Who is the only One who can give us the power to be righteous. In our case, in this New Covenant dispensation, our faith casting is upon Jesus, The Christ, Who came to earth, lived, died, raised from the dead, and was returned to Heaven to be with His Father so that we, i.e., those who would repent of our sinfulness and receive God’s saving grace – in faith, … we would find that promise of the classic passage which you probably have memorized, … John 3: 16.
So, though I’m not righteous, when God sees me, He sees me as righteous, because I know I’m unrighteous and believe in the only One Who can save me from my unrighteousness; and He’s the only one Who can – and will – make me righteous … because of my faith. So, I can have confidence in my eternal security, … not because of me; but because of The Christ. I pray that you have that confidence too; and if you don’t, you need to do what is simply spelled out in Romans 10: 9 – 13, acknowledging to God and someone else that you’re a sinner, … declaring in faith that you repent of your sinfulness, … thanking Christ for dying for your sins, and finally asking Him to become the Lord of your life. If you’ve done that, and meant it in your heart, declaring it openly to someone, you are declared righteous by God – FOREVER!
My Prayer for Today: Again, HALLELUJAH, Lord for what You’ve done to give me, a sinner, Your righteousness. Amen
My Journal for Today: For a New Covenant (i.e., New Testament) oriented Christian this text (today’s highlight passage) may be troubling. It seems to be one of those passages which could be interpreted as support for the Armenian position of salvation: i.e., that one can lose his/her salvation because of their behavioral choices – even after believing in the God of salvation. But one has to take this passage in the context of the Old Covenant which God had made with Israel as well as God’s promise of a Messiah, One Who would come to God’s people and be their agent of salvation, … their Redeemer.
So, for you Calvinist types out there; don’t despair. Today’s passage is absolutely right on target, given the Covenant which God had with His people in the days of Ezekiel. And this is why we see that God’s people kept failing in that covenant, which was dependent upon the faith of those who looked forward to a Messiah and, in faith, put their trust in the God of the Old Covenant, recognizing that they could not live up to God’s Law – in and of themselves. It was the faith of the Old Testament believers, i.e., those who recognized their own unrighteousness and humbly pursued righteousness in the face of their individual and collective sinfulness, which produced salvation for these Old Testament Jews.
I know. It’s complicated, isn’t it? But when Jesus came on the scene, bringing forth the New Covenant, He simplified it for all mankind. But nothing has changed. We NT Christians find salvation – i.e., ever lasting salvation – the same way an OT Jew did. We cast our inability to be righteous on a God Who is the only One who can give us the power to be righteous. In our case, in this New Covenant dispensation, our faith casting is upon Jesus, The Christ, Who came to earth, lived, died, raised from the dead, and was returned to Heaven to be with His Father so that we, i.e., those who would repent of our sinfulness and receive God’s saving grace – in faith, … we would find that promise of the classic passage which you probably have memorized, … John 3: 16.
So, though I’m not righteous, when God sees me, He sees me as righteous, because I know I’m unrighteous and believe in the only One Who can save me from my unrighteousness; and He’s the only one Who can – and will – make me righteous … because of my faith. So, I can have confidence in my eternal security, … not because of me; but because of The Christ. I pray that you have that confidence too; and if you don’t, you need to do what is simply spelled out in Romans 10: 9 – 13, acknowledging to God and someone else that you’re a sinner, … declaring in faith that you repent of your sinfulness, … thanking Christ for dying for your sins, and finally asking Him to become the Lord of your life. If you’ve done that, and meant it in your heart, declaring it openly to someone, you are declared righteous by God – FOREVER!
My Prayer for Today: Again, HALLELUJAH, Lord for what You’ve done to give me, a sinner, Your righteousness. Amen
Thursday, September 02, 2010
2010 – September 2 – When Dead Bones Come to Life
Study from God’s Word… Ezekiel, Chapters 37 – 39 … Passage for Reflection: Ezekiel 37: 4 - 5 … NIV 4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "
My Journal for Today: What a bazaar picture described in today’s devotional text, … that famous passage about the dry bones coming to life which inspired that great Negro Spiritual, which you may have sung, somewhat jokingly, “the toe bone connected to de foot bone, … the foot bone connected to the ankle bone,” and so on. But though God’s sense of humor may seem to be on display here, I like Dr. LaGard Smith’s exclamation that in this word picture God, to Ezekiel, was being “dead serious.”
God wanted Ezekiel, His Prophet, to see in this miraculous display a picture of the nation, Israel, being raised from death to life; but for us, in Christ, the Lord has taken this picture one step further, by bringing our Redeemer, Jesus, back from the dead to be the Lamb of God Who was resurrected to bring any who believe on Him back from death (in sin) to life (in Christ). In both instances we see the power of God to bring life out of death; and as the old spiritual acclaims, “… hear de word of de Lord!”
God was trying to show Ezekiel a picture of hope that showed him, beyond even his imagination, how to believe that the God of Israel was very capable of having victory over death. I think about Jesus showing a select few His ability, as the God-man, to conquer death when he raised Lazarus from the grave. And He showed his inner Disciples His power – as the Son of God – to have power over creation when He walked on the water. Even Ezekiel, as God’s prophet, apparently needed this type of over-the-top, wildly bazaar, image to see that God would one day raise the defeated children of God from the death grip of their sinfulness back to life to live in the land God had promised to them.
But how do we apply all this imagery to our lives today? And Dr. Smith asks the very pertinent question at the end of his devotional for today: ”If God can bring even dry bones to life, is there anything about my spiritual deadness He cannot wholly transform?”
Really, my friends, … .how much do we really believe? You may have believed enough to be sealed for eternal life; but do you believe that God can transform you from deadness into a life transformed into Christ’s own image? Do you believe enough to KNOW that God is bringing you back to complete life in Himself so that you can join the army of God just as the picture of the dry bones coming back to life depicted God restoring the Israelites into His chosen army, walking in march step to God’s way for God’s glory?
My friend, I revel in the thought that God saw fit to breathe His life back into my dead bones; and I walk today with Him rather than in the deadness of my sin. And that happened because He saw fit to die and be reborn into life, showing me that my dry bones can walk again in life through Him. Will you join me in my prayer today, by seeing your life in Christ, which has resurrected your dry bones into a living soldier for His glory? And if so, say with me …
My Prayer for Today: Hallelujah, Lord, … HALLELUJAH!!! Amen
Study from God’s Word… Ezekiel, Chapters 37 – 39 … Passage for Reflection: Ezekiel 37: 4 - 5 … NIV 4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "
My Journal for Today: What a bazaar picture described in today’s devotional text, … that famous passage about the dry bones coming to life which inspired that great Negro Spiritual, which you may have sung, somewhat jokingly, “the toe bone connected to de foot bone, … the foot bone connected to the ankle bone,” and so on. But though God’s sense of humor may seem to be on display here, I like Dr. LaGard Smith’s exclamation that in this word picture God, to Ezekiel, was being “dead serious.”
God wanted Ezekiel, His Prophet, to see in this miraculous display a picture of the nation, Israel, being raised from death to life; but for us, in Christ, the Lord has taken this picture one step further, by bringing our Redeemer, Jesus, back from the dead to be the Lamb of God Who was resurrected to bring any who believe on Him back from death (in sin) to life (in Christ). In both instances we see the power of God to bring life out of death; and as the old spiritual acclaims, “… hear de word of de Lord!”
God was trying to show Ezekiel a picture of hope that showed him, beyond even his imagination, how to believe that the God of Israel was very capable of having victory over death. I think about Jesus showing a select few His ability, as the God-man, to conquer death when he raised Lazarus from the grave. And He showed his inner Disciples His power – as the Son of God – to have power over creation when He walked on the water. Even Ezekiel, as God’s prophet, apparently needed this type of over-the-top, wildly bazaar, image to see that God would one day raise the defeated children of God from the death grip of their sinfulness back to life to live in the land God had promised to them.
But how do we apply all this imagery to our lives today? And Dr. Smith asks the very pertinent question at the end of his devotional for today: ”If God can bring even dry bones to life, is there anything about my spiritual deadness He cannot wholly transform?”
Really, my friends, … .how much do we really believe? You may have believed enough to be sealed for eternal life; but do you believe that God can transform you from deadness into a life transformed into Christ’s own image? Do you believe enough to KNOW that God is bringing you back to complete life in Himself so that you can join the army of God just as the picture of the dry bones coming back to life depicted God restoring the Israelites into His chosen army, walking in march step to God’s way for God’s glory?
My friend, I revel in the thought that God saw fit to breathe His life back into my dead bones; and I walk today with Him rather than in the deadness of my sin. And that happened because He saw fit to die and be reborn into life, showing me that my dry bones can walk again in life through Him. Will you join me in my prayer today, by seeing your life in Christ, which has resurrected your dry bones into a living soldier for His glory? And if so, say with me …
My Prayer for Today: Hallelujah, Lord, … HALLELUJAH!!! Amen
2010 – September 2 – When Dead Bones Come to Life
Study from God’s Word… Ezekiel, Chapters 37 – 39 … Passage for Reflection: Ezekiel 37: 4 - 5 … NIV 4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "
My Journal for Today: What a bazaar picture described in today’s devotional text, … that famous passage about the dry bones coming to life which inspired that great Negro Spiritual, which you may have sung, somewhat jokingly, “the toe bone connected to de foot bone, … the foot bone connected to the ankle bone,” and so on. But though God’s sense of humor may seem to be on display here, I like Dr. LaGard Smith’s exclamation that in this word picture God, to Ezekiel, was being “dead serious.”
God wanted Ezekiel, His Prophet, to see in this miraculous display a picture of the nation, Israel, being raised from death to life; but for us, in Christ, the Lord has taken this picture one step further, by bringing our Redeemer, Jesus, back from the dead to be the Lamb of God Who was resurrected to bring any who believe on Him back from death (in sin) to life (in Christ). In both instances we see the power of God to bring life out of death; and as the old spiritual acclaims, “… hear de word of de Lord!”
God was trying to show Ezekiel a picture of hope that showed him, beyond even his imagination, how to believe that the God of Israel was very capable of having victory over death. I think about Jesus showing a select few His ability, as the God-man, to conquer death when he raised Lazarus from the grave. And He showed his inner Disciples His power – as the Son of God – to have power over creation when He walked on the water. Even Ezekiel, as God’s prophet, apparently needed this type of over-the-top, wildly bazaar, image to see that God would one day raise the defeated children of God from the death grip of their sinfulness back to life to live in the land God had promised to them.
But how do we apply all this imagery to our lives today? And Dr. Smith asks the very pertinent question at the end of his devotional for today: ”If God can bring even dry bones to life, is there anything about my spiritual deadness He cannot wholly transform?”
Really, my friends, … .how much do we really believe? You may have believed enough to be sealed for eternal life; but do you believe that God can transform you from deadness into a life transformed into Christ’s own image? Do you believe enough to KNOW that God is bringing you back to complete life in Himself so that you can join the army of God just as the picture of the dry bones coming back to life depicted God restoring the Israelites into His chosen army, walking in march step to God’s way for God’s glory?
My friend, I revel in the thought that God saw fit to breathe His life back into my dead bones; and I walk today with Him rather than in the deadness of my sin. And that happened because He saw fit to die and be reborn into life, showing me that my dry bones can walk again in life through Him. Will you join me in my prayer today, by seeing your life in Christ, which has resurrected your dry bones into a living soldier for His glory? And if so, say with me …
My Prayer for Today: Hallelujah, Lord, … HALLELUJAH!!! Amen
My Journal for Today: What a bazaar picture described in today’s devotional text, … that famous passage about the dry bones coming to life which inspired that great Negro Spiritual, which you may have sung, somewhat jokingly, “the toe bone connected to de foot bone, … the foot bone connected to the ankle bone,” and so on. But though God’s sense of humor may seem to be on display here, I like Dr. LaGard Smith’s exclamation that in this word picture God, to Ezekiel, was being “dead serious.”
God wanted Ezekiel, His Prophet, to see in this miraculous display a picture of the nation, Israel, being raised from death to life; but for us, in Christ, the Lord has taken this picture one step further, by bringing our Redeemer, Jesus, back from the dead to be the Lamb of God Who was resurrected to bring any who believe on Him back from death (in sin) to life (in Christ). In both instances we see the power of God to bring life out of death; and as the old spiritual acclaims, “… hear de word of de Lord!”
God was trying to show Ezekiel a picture of hope that showed him, beyond even his imagination, how to believe that the God of Israel was very capable of having victory over death. I think about Jesus showing a select few His ability, as the God-man, to conquer death when he raised Lazarus from the grave. And He showed his inner Disciples His power – as the Son of God – to have power over creation when He walked on the water. Even Ezekiel, as God’s prophet, apparently needed this type of over-the-top, wildly bazaar, image to see that God would one day raise the defeated children of God from the death grip of their sinfulness back to life to live in the land God had promised to them.
But how do we apply all this imagery to our lives today? And Dr. Smith asks the very pertinent question at the end of his devotional for today: ”If God can bring even dry bones to life, is there anything about my spiritual deadness He cannot wholly transform?”
Really, my friends, … .how much do we really believe? You may have believed enough to be sealed for eternal life; but do you believe that God can transform you from deadness into a life transformed into Christ’s own image? Do you believe enough to KNOW that God is bringing you back to complete life in Himself so that you can join the army of God just as the picture of the dry bones coming back to life depicted God restoring the Israelites into His chosen army, walking in march step to God’s way for God’s glory?
My friend, I revel in the thought that God saw fit to breathe His life back into my dead bones; and I walk today with Him rather than in the deadness of my sin. And that happened because He saw fit to die and be reborn into life, showing me that my dry bones can walk again in life through Him. Will you join me in my prayer today, by seeing your life in Christ, which has resurrected your dry bones into a living soldier for His glory? And if so, say with me …
My Prayer for Today: Hallelujah, Lord, … HALLELUJAH!!! Amen
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
2010 – September 1 – Entertained, Not Pained
Blogger’s Note: Continuing on with my journal/blog entries for September, 2010 in my commitment to read through the Bible this year, using The Daily Bible in Chronological Order, edited by Dr. F. LaGard Smith, who also wrote the companion book, The Daily Bible Devotional, from which I’ll be extracting all my 2010 devotionals, including these for September.
Study from God’s Word… Ezekiel 33: 21 – Ezek 36: 38 … Passage for Reflection: Ezekiel 33: 32 … NIV 31 [God to Ezekiel] My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. 33 "When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them."
My Journal for Today: Ezekiel must’ve felt like a rejected shepherd at times, coming to the people and declaring God’s prophesies. Sometimes the leaders of God’s people would even come to Ezekiel to hear him espouse God’s truth; and then they would go away and do nothing to honor or obey their God.
There’s a lot of that going on today, with people who sit in the pews Sunday after Sunday and God’s ordained messengers, the Spirit-anointed preachers of the day, preach the truth; but then the flock, hearing God’s messages, seem to desire only entertainment from their Sundays in church; and they go away, not having really listened and taking in none of the pleas of their Pastor, … applying none of his preaching for obedience and Godly action. How exasperating it must be to cry out to God’s flock, calling them to action, and have them then go away and continue to live selfish, flesh-driven lives.
But then there are those preachers who preach messages of entertainment, tickling the ears of the flock with entertaining messages of self-power and selfish gain for their internally directed “faith.” And I think you know about whom I refer. They are the Oprahs, the Osteens, and the like, who come to draw in the masses and give them syrupy entertainment rather than truth from God’s word, which often can be painful. And let’s face it; … who wants pain when they can be entertained?
Dr. Smith, in his devotional for today, asks the tough application question of his readers (i.e., me): ”How many sermons, speaking directly to me, have I managed to conveniently ignore?”
You, my friends who read here with me, must answer that one for yourself as I have to for myself. And the most important question is, “Do I seek entertainment or truth when I go to worship and hear God’s messenger?” Or maybe I could also ask, “Is my Pastor challenging me onward as a Christian soldier; or is he just entertaining me to make me feel good?” Answering those questions could tell us a lot about our own hearts – as Christians – as well as about the calling of our spiritual Shepherds. And they are certainly questions we must not ignore.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to seriously seek Your truth! Amen
Study from God’s Word… Ezekiel 33: 21 – Ezek 36: 38 … Passage for Reflection: Ezekiel 33: 32 … NIV 31 [God to Ezekiel] My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. 33 "When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them."
My Journal for Today: Ezekiel must’ve felt like a rejected shepherd at times, coming to the people and declaring God’s prophesies. Sometimes the leaders of God’s people would even come to Ezekiel to hear him espouse God’s truth; and then they would go away and do nothing to honor or obey their God.
There’s a lot of that going on today, with people who sit in the pews Sunday after Sunday and God’s ordained messengers, the Spirit-anointed preachers of the day, preach the truth; but then the flock, hearing God’s messages, seem to desire only entertainment from their Sundays in church; and they go away, not having really listened and taking in none of the pleas of their Pastor, … applying none of his preaching for obedience and Godly action. How exasperating it must be to cry out to God’s flock, calling them to action, and have them then go away and continue to live selfish, flesh-driven lives.
But then there are those preachers who preach messages of entertainment, tickling the ears of the flock with entertaining messages of self-power and selfish gain for their internally directed “faith.” And I think you know about whom I refer. They are the Oprahs, the Osteens, and the like, who come to draw in the masses and give them syrupy entertainment rather than truth from God’s word, which often can be painful. And let’s face it; … who wants pain when they can be entertained?
Dr. Smith, in his devotional for today, asks the tough application question of his readers (i.e., me): ”How many sermons, speaking directly to me, have I managed to conveniently ignore?”
You, my friends who read here with me, must answer that one for yourself as I have to for myself. And the most important question is, “Do I seek entertainment or truth when I go to worship and hear God’s messenger?” Or maybe I could also ask, “Is my Pastor challenging me onward as a Christian soldier; or is he just entertaining me to make me feel good?” Answering those questions could tell us a lot about our own hearts – as Christians – as well as about the calling of our spiritual Shepherds. And they are certainly questions we must not ignore.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to seriously seek Your truth! Amen
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
2010 – August 31 – Sincerely Seeking Direction
Study from God’s Word… 2Kgs 25: 23-24 [Jer. 40: 7-10]; Jer 40: 11-16; 2Kgs 25: 25 [Jer 41: 1-3; Jer 41: 4-15; 2Kgs 25: 26 [Jer 41: 16-18]; Jer 41: 1-22; Jer 43: 1-13; Jer 44: 1-30; Jer 51: 64 … Passage for Reflection: Jeremiah 42: 19 – 20 … NIV "O remnant of Judah, the LORD has told you, 'Do not go to Egypt.' Be sure of this: I warn you today 20 that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the LORD your God and said, 'Pray to the LORD our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.'
My Journal for Today: What a scenario. The remnant army officers in Judah come to Jeremiah because he is a recognized prophet of God; and they ask him to pray to God for direction now that they had killed the Babylonian appointed governor. Jeremiah prays and gives them God’s directions, which we read above in today’s text. But these hard heads are not having any of the truth; and they reject what Jeremiah brings to them from God; and off to Egypt they go.
My wife has a pet phrase. She says, “You can’t deal with dumb!” And she is so right. Why do we pray to God for direction when we have our mind made up ahead of time? The answer is PRIDE, the mother of all sin. When we look in a mirror, what we want to see is what we want to see, … not necessarily what we see. Hence, many who seek direction pray to God only to hear back from Him what they want to do anyway. And when the mirror reflects the truth, they either break the mirror in anger or deny it is reflecting truth; and these arrogant fools (the “dumb” ones in my wife’s estimation) go off and do what they had a mind to do anyway.
“You can’t deal with dumb!”
And are we much different than these dumb Judean soldiers? No; … I think not. So often we’re just looking to God for His blessing only on what we want to do rather than really looking into His mirror of truth. That’s why many people turn away from looking into God’s mirror of truth, His word. They’re only going to do what they want to anyway, in denial or defensiveness. And so the prideful sinner begins to isolate himself into self direction rather than the Savior’s direction.
We have a definite way to find God’s will; and that is through looking into His mirrors of truth … The Bible and through prayer (as Jeremiah was charged to do). But we’ve got to be willing to let God guide us when we seek His truth. And God’s word, Old and New Testaments, is clear (see Deut. 4: 9 and Matt. 7: 7-8). The man who seeks God with all His heart will find Him. The question becomes what is in our hearts when we go to God? Do we really seek the truth; or do we seek confirmation of our own selfish desires?
God is clear on the answer. If we seek His will and His way from His word, we will see His truth depicted in His mirror of truth. Seek Him; and we will find Him.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I seek after Your way. Amen
My Journal for Today: What a scenario. The remnant army officers in Judah come to Jeremiah because he is a recognized prophet of God; and they ask him to pray to God for direction now that they had killed the Babylonian appointed governor. Jeremiah prays and gives them God’s directions, which we read above in today’s text. But these hard heads are not having any of the truth; and they reject what Jeremiah brings to them from God; and off to Egypt they go.
My wife has a pet phrase. She says, “You can’t deal with dumb!” And she is so right. Why do we pray to God for direction when we have our mind made up ahead of time? The answer is PRIDE, the mother of all sin. When we look in a mirror, what we want to see is what we want to see, … not necessarily what we see. Hence, many who seek direction pray to God only to hear back from Him what they want to do anyway. And when the mirror reflects the truth, they either break the mirror in anger or deny it is reflecting truth; and these arrogant fools (the “dumb” ones in my wife’s estimation) go off and do what they had a mind to do anyway.
“You can’t deal with dumb!”
And are we much different than these dumb Judean soldiers? No; … I think not. So often we’re just looking to God for His blessing only on what we want to do rather than really looking into His mirror of truth. That’s why many people turn away from looking into God’s mirror of truth, His word. They’re only going to do what they want to anyway, in denial or defensiveness. And so the prideful sinner begins to isolate himself into self direction rather than the Savior’s direction.
We have a definite way to find God’s will; and that is through looking into His mirrors of truth … The Bible and through prayer (as Jeremiah was charged to do). But we’ve got to be willing to let God guide us when we seek His truth. And God’s word, Old and New Testaments, is clear (see Deut. 4: 9 and Matt. 7: 7-8). The man who seeks God with all His heart will find Him. The question becomes what is in our hearts when we go to God? Do we really seek the truth; or do we seek confirmation of our own selfish desires?
God is clear on the answer. If we seek His will and His way from His word, we will see His truth depicted in His mirror of truth. Seek Him; and we will find Him.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I seek after Your way. Amen
Monday, August 30, 2010
2010 – August 30 – Faithful as the Rising Sun
Study from God’s Word… Lamentations, Chapters 3 – 5 … Passage for Reflection: Lamentation 3: 22 – 23 … NIV 22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
My Journal for Today: Does anyone, besides me, love a beautiful sunrise? Oh, I love a pretty sunset too; but for my own special reasons, wrapped in my desire for constancy, I revel when I see the sun changing colors and showing itself, coming up over the horizon. As I said, I think it tells me that God is going to be with me that day, just as God’s word speaks out in two of my favorite verses in the Old Testament, which are today’s highlight text.
Each day, especially these days, brings forth plenty enough evil or ugliness; and we certainly don’t need to seek it out. It is trumpeted every day by others, by the media, and by our life circumstances. And yes, a lovely sunset is comforting to put a tough day behind us; … but when that sun comes up – and I see it in the morning – it’s like God saying, “Don’t worry; I’m here to be with you all through today.” And when He presents Himself in all the colors of His spectrum, it loudly declares, from God Himself, “I’m in control!”
Yes, my dear one, the truth of Lamentations 3: 22-23, is a testament to God’s constancy, His faithfulness, and His sovereignty. And if you get that truth into your heart, clinging and believing it’s strength, you’ll live with the knowledge that the days of evil are forever wrapped and sandwiched between the bread of life, the sunrises of every morning and the sunsets of every evening. God is faithful; and Dr. Smith in his devotional for today, reminded me of this by referring me to the words of Henry Francis Lyte’s classic hymn … Abide With Me …
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
And when you know that Henry Lyte was dying of TB in 1847, when he wrote this classic lyric, it adds to the poignancy and power of its truth, … that when we abide in the Lord and let Him abide in us, we will experience the beauty of God’s constant sunsets and sunrises in our lives.
My Prayer for Today: O Lord, abide in me! Amen
My Journal for Today: Does anyone, besides me, love a beautiful sunrise? Oh, I love a pretty sunset too; but for my own special reasons, wrapped in my desire for constancy, I revel when I see the sun changing colors and showing itself, coming up over the horizon. As I said, I think it tells me that God is going to be with me that day, just as God’s word speaks out in two of my favorite verses in the Old Testament, which are today’s highlight text.
Each day, especially these days, brings forth plenty enough evil or ugliness; and we certainly don’t need to seek it out. It is trumpeted every day by others, by the media, and by our life circumstances. And yes, a lovely sunset is comforting to put a tough day behind us; … but when that sun comes up – and I see it in the morning – it’s like God saying, “Don’t worry; I’m here to be with you all through today.” And when He presents Himself in all the colors of His spectrum, it loudly declares, from God Himself, “I’m in control!”
Yes, my dear one, the truth of Lamentations 3: 22-23, is a testament to God’s constancy, His faithfulness, and His sovereignty. And if you get that truth into your heart, clinging and believing it’s strength, you’ll live with the knowledge that the days of evil are forever wrapped and sandwiched between the bread of life, the sunrises of every morning and the sunsets of every evening. God is faithful; and Dr. Smith in his devotional for today, reminded me of this by referring me to the words of Henry Francis Lyte’s classic hymn … Abide With Me …
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
And when you know that Henry Lyte was dying of TB in 1847, when he wrote this classic lyric, it adds to the poignancy and power of its truth, … that when we abide in the Lord and let Him abide in us, we will experience the beauty of God’s constant sunsets and sunrises in our lives.
My Prayer for Today: O Lord, abide in me! Amen
Sunday, August 29, 2010
2010 – August 29 – From the Depths of Despair to the Heights of Hope
Study from God’s Word… Lamentations, Chapters 1 and 2 … Passage for Reflection: Lamentations 1: 20 … NIV [Jeremiah, singing the lament of “Jacob”] “See, O LORD, how distressed I am! I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed, for I have been most rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves; inside, there is only death.”
My Journal for Today: As I read Jeremiah’s lamentation, I feel great empathy. I was once like Israel or Judah, ignoring my God and falling prey to my own selfish sinfulness. And I became captive to the consequences of my sin. Also like Israel and Judah, it took a cataclysm of brokenness for me to realize that I had to bring my brokenness to God and surrender to His will, living His way, and following His word.
And now, perhaps like Jeremiah, I see clearly the waste that comes from choosing to ignore God in disobedience; and I grieve, not only for all the years I lost, living in my own sinfulness; but I grieve for others whom I know will have to be broken to the core of their being before they realize the ramifications of their own personal disobedience. I feel some of the same grief Jeremiah must’ve felt, seeing God’s children languishing in the consequences of their sin and having to come to the place of confession and cleansing before their God.
But even though I identify with the grieve expressed in Lamentations, I have come to know and proclaim the hope and victory one can have when he’s willing to surrender self to the Savior and receive the free saving and sanctifying grace offered by our Messiah, Jesus Christ. From the depths of despair, any believer in Jesus Christ can be – and will be – lifted to the heights of hope if he (or she) is able to die to self and follow Jesus (see Luke 9: 23 and 1st John 1: 9). Taking our crosses to the foot of His is the only way to shed the grief of our past and to live in the hope of His future.
And no more need be said as the remedy of the grief expressed by Jeremiah than to look to The Messiah.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, You are the hope … and the only hope. Amen
My Journal for Today: As I read Jeremiah’s lamentation, I feel great empathy. I was once like Israel or Judah, ignoring my God and falling prey to my own selfish sinfulness. And I became captive to the consequences of my sin. Also like Israel and Judah, it took a cataclysm of brokenness for me to realize that I had to bring my brokenness to God and surrender to His will, living His way, and following His word.
And now, perhaps like Jeremiah, I see clearly the waste that comes from choosing to ignore God in disobedience; and I grieve, not only for all the years I lost, living in my own sinfulness; but I grieve for others whom I know will have to be broken to the core of their being before they realize the ramifications of their own personal disobedience. I feel some of the same grief Jeremiah must’ve felt, seeing God’s children languishing in the consequences of their sin and having to come to the place of confession and cleansing before their God.
But even though I identify with the grieve expressed in Lamentations, I have come to know and proclaim the hope and victory one can have when he’s willing to surrender self to the Savior and receive the free saving and sanctifying grace offered by our Messiah, Jesus Christ. From the depths of despair, any believer in Jesus Christ can be – and will be – lifted to the heights of hope if he (or she) is able to die to self and follow Jesus (see Luke 9: 23 and 1st John 1: 9). Taking our crosses to the foot of His is the only way to shed the grief of our past and to live in the hope of His future.
And no more need be said as the remedy of the grief expressed by Jeremiah than to look to The Messiah.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, You are the hope … and the only hope. Amen
Saturday, August 28, 2010
2010 – August 28 – Safe In God’s Arms
Study from God’s Word… 2Kgs 25: 2-4 [Jer. 39: 2-3]; 2Kgs 25: 4-6 [Jer. 39: 4-5]; 2Kgs 25: 6-7 [Jer 39: 5-7; 52: 9-11]; 2Kgs 25: 8-10 [2Chron 36: 17-19 and Jer. 39: 8; 52: 12-14]; 2Kgs 25: 18-21 [Jer 52: 24-27]; 2Kgs 25: 13-17 [2Chron 36: 18 and Jer 52: 17-23]; 2Kgs 25: 11-12 [Jer 39: 9-10; 52: 15-16]; 2Kgs 25: 21 [Jer 52: 27-30]; 2Chron 36: 20-21; 2Kgs 25: 22; Jer. 39: 15-18; Jer. 39: 11-14; Jer. 40: 1-5 … Passage for Reflection: Jeremiah 39: 17 – 18 … NIV 15 While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him: 16 "Go and tell Ebed-Melech the Cushite, 'This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city through disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. 17 But I will rescue you on that day, declares the LORD; you will not be handed over to those you fear. 18 I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the LORD.' "
My Journal for Today: If you were to go back and read the parallel accounts of the fall of Jerusalem which I was led to read today via The Daily Bible in Chronological Order, edited by Dr. F. LaGard Smith, you would see what a tragic time this was in Israel’s history; and it had been fully prophesied by Jeremiah and a number of God’s Prophets of the time. But God’s children ignored His prophesies; and they fell. But today, in the highlighted text, we’re led to read of an assurance that God gave to one of the Hebrew leaders [and thereby all of God’s people – including you and me] by Jeremiah which shows God’s ultimate mercy and His retained love for His recalcitrant, disobedient children, whom God had disciplined through the Babylonian captivity.
To illustrate the point of today’s text (underlined and emboldened above), Dr. Smith uses a word picture with which most parents, and especially dads, can identify. It is the picture of the little one at pool side, afraid to jump in the water but being encouraged by his dad to do so. And as often is the case, to help the little one make the jump, the dad declares, “Come on; jump, I’ll catch you!” And the fearful child jumps in spite of the fear because he trusts in his dad to be there to catch him.
And I think you can see the descriptive parallel between today’s text and this very common picture of a father helping his child overcome a fear. That, of course, was what God’s children needed to do coming out of the Babylonian enslavement. They needed to trust their God and jump into His arms, letting Him rescue them from their captivating fears. And that is what ALL OF US MUST DO in our relationship with Christ, our Messiah and Lord. And as I write this, you may be thinking, as I am right now, of that wonderful proverb Solomon wrote to his son (and to you and me - Prov. 3: 5 – 6 - which states, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart …” Or maybe you were thinking of the passage from Isaiah 41: 10, in which God, the Father, declares, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Or maybe this encouragement from the Apostle Paul came to your mind, where he declared in “Romans 8: 31, “If God be for us, who can be against us.”
All of these passages are God, our Father, at poolside, trying to get us to jump into His arms; … because the truth is (see Heb. 13: 5-6 or Deut. 31: 6) God will always be there to catch us.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I cling to the trust that You’ll always be there for me. Amen
My Journal for Today: If you were to go back and read the parallel accounts of the fall of Jerusalem which I was led to read today via The Daily Bible in Chronological Order, edited by Dr. F. LaGard Smith, you would see what a tragic time this was in Israel’s history; and it had been fully prophesied by Jeremiah and a number of God’s Prophets of the time. But God’s children ignored His prophesies; and they fell. But today, in the highlighted text, we’re led to read of an assurance that God gave to one of the Hebrew leaders [and thereby all of God’s people – including you and me] by Jeremiah which shows God’s ultimate mercy and His retained love for His recalcitrant, disobedient children, whom God had disciplined through the Babylonian captivity.
To illustrate the point of today’s text (underlined and emboldened above), Dr. Smith uses a word picture with which most parents, and especially dads, can identify. It is the picture of the little one at pool side, afraid to jump in the water but being encouraged by his dad to do so. And as often is the case, to help the little one make the jump, the dad declares, “Come on; jump, I’ll catch you!” And the fearful child jumps in spite of the fear because he trusts in his dad to be there to catch him.
And I think you can see the descriptive parallel between today’s text and this very common picture of a father helping his child overcome a fear. That, of course, was what God’s children needed to do coming out of the Babylonian enslavement. They needed to trust their God and jump into His arms, letting Him rescue them from their captivating fears. And that is what ALL OF US MUST DO in our relationship with Christ, our Messiah and Lord. And as I write this, you may be thinking, as I am right now, of that wonderful proverb Solomon wrote to his son (and to you and me - Prov. 3: 5 – 6 - which states, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart …” Or maybe you were thinking of the passage from Isaiah 41: 10, in which God, the Father, declares, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Or maybe this encouragement from the Apostle Paul came to your mind, where he declared in “Romans 8: 31, “If God be for us, who can be against us.”
All of these passages are God, our Father, at poolside, trying to get us to jump into His arms; … because the truth is (see Heb. 13: 5-6 or Deut. 31: 6) God will always be there to catch us.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I cling to the trust that You’ll always be there for me. Amen
Friday, August 27, 2010
2010 – August 27 – What Do You Trust?
Study from God’s Word… Jeremiah, Chapters 37 – 38 … Passage for Reflection: Jeremiah 38: 22 … NIV All the women left in the palace of the king of Judah [i.e., King Zedekiah] will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon. Those women will say to you: " 'They misled you and overcame you — those trusted friends of yours. Your feet are sunk in the mud; your friends have deserted you.'
My Journal for Today: Reading Chapters 37 & 38 of Jeremiah’s Book in the OT, we read of an interesting interaction between Zedekiah, the King of Judah at the time of the Babylonian siege, and the Prophet Jeremiah. A lot of political intrigue was going on at the time; and the people, especially the officials of the King’s court had trouble believing in and buying into God’s word, through Jeremiah, that only the people who surrendered to Babylon would live to remain alive and be loyal to the one, true God. And one could understand their reluctance to this prophetic paradox. Here, supposedly, was God’s Prophet saying that God’s chosen people of the covenant, the followers of the God of the universe, must surrender to a pagan people, the Babylonians in order to save themselves. And King Zedekiah, though showing some respect to Jeremiah, with at least a marginal belief in God, just couldn’t take the prophesies from Jeremiah. And his quandary was evident as he had Jeremiah taken captive, under house arrest, yet he kept coming back to Jeremiah, asking for what God was saying to him. He just didn’t know what to believe.
Ever been there; … when things are really confusing; and you’re getting conflicting advice, some of which just doesn’t make sense? And like King Zedekiah in today’s text, you just don’t know whom to turn to or whom to believe. And that is why we have such an advantage, being New Covenant believers, over the people of Jeremiah’s day. We don’t have to seek out select Prophets, who are blessed by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. No, we have, through our faith in the fulfillment of all of the OT Prophets, Jesus Christ, the very Holy Spirit Who guided Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Micah, Joel, and all of the OT prophets. And we also have God’s declared and final word as part of His New Covenant, sealed forever by the blood of God’s Son, Jesus, … the very Messiah prophesied by Jeremiah and others.
But like Zedekiah, we can hear the truth (or in the case of reading God’s word); but then we must, like King Zedekiah, receive and believe the truth enough to obediently follow the direction of God’s word. Zedekiah had only a marginal faith in the truth of God’s word from Jeremiah; and he paid dearly – with his life – for his very human denial and lack of willingness to surrender to God’s proclaimed truth.
How about you, my friend? Are you willing to get God’s truth deeply into your consciousness, to listen to God’s proclamations of purpose (for example, read and meditate on Isaiah 55: 11 and 2nd Tim. 3: 16-17]; and then, after knowing what God’s word say, are we willing to do what Jesus commanded of His disciples, … i.e., to willingly set aside self and follow Him (see a verse you should have memorized, Luke 9: 23)? Because if you’re not willing to selflessly surrender to God’s truth from His word, you will only have your self and others from Satan’s world to influence your direction; and the outcomes of that WILL BE horrible.
Enough from this pitiful teacher! What will be my choice (or yours) … to know God’s truth and to follow His word, or to languish in the proclamations of those who only have selfish motives to share with us?
Our choice!
My Prayer for Today: LORD, I choose Your word and the direction You provide to me as I get to know you more and more and more. Amen
My Journal for Today: Reading Chapters 37 & 38 of Jeremiah’s Book in the OT, we read of an interesting interaction between Zedekiah, the King of Judah at the time of the Babylonian siege, and the Prophet Jeremiah. A lot of political intrigue was going on at the time; and the people, especially the officials of the King’s court had trouble believing in and buying into God’s word, through Jeremiah, that only the people who surrendered to Babylon would live to remain alive and be loyal to the one, true God. And one could understand their reluctance to this prophetic paradox. Here, supposedly, was God’s Prophet saying that God’s chosen people of the covenant, the followers of the God of the universe, must surrender to a pagan people, the Babylonians in order to save themselves. And King Zedekiah, though showing some respect to Jeremiah, with at least a marginal belief in God, just couldn’t take the prophesies from Jeremiah. And his quandary was evident as he had Jeremiah taken captive, under house arrest, yet he kept coming back to Jeremiah, asking for what God was saying to him. He just didn’t know what to believe.
Ever been there; … when things are really confusing; and you’re getting conflicting advice, some of which just doesn’t make sense? And like King Zedekiah in today’s text, you just don’t know whom to turn to or whom to believe. And that is why we have such an advantage, being New Covenant believers, over the people of Jeremiah’s day. We don’t have to seek out select Prophets, who are blessed by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. No, we have, through our faith in the fulfillment of all of the OT Prophets, Jesus Christ, the very Holy Spirit Who guided Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Micah, Joel, and all of the OT prophets. And we also have God’s declared and final word as part of His New Covenant, sealed forever by the blood of God’s Son, Jesus, … the very Messiah prophesied by Jeremiah and others.
But like Zedekiah, we can hear the truth (or in the case of reading God’s word); but then we must, like King Zedekiah, receive and believe the truth enough to obediently follow the direction of God’s word. Zedekiah had only a marginal faith in the truth of God’s word from Jeremiah; and he paid dearly – with his life – for his very human denial and lack of willingness to surrender to God’s proclaimed truth.
How about you, my friend? Are you willing to get God’s truth deeply into your consciousness, to listen to God’s proclamations of purpose (for example, read and meditate on Isaiah 55: 11 and 2nd Tim. 3: 16-17]; and then, after knowing what God’s word say, are we willing to do what Jesus commanded of His disciples, … i.e., to willingly set aside self and follow Him (see a verse you should have memorized, Luke 9: 23)? Because if you’re not willing to selflessly surrender to God’s truth from His word, you will only have your self and others from Satan’s world to influence your direction; and the outcomes of that WILL BE horrible.
Enough from this pitiful teacher! What will be my choice (or yours) … to know God’s truth and to follow His word, or to languish in the proclamations of those who only have selfish motives to share with us?
Our choice!
My Prayer for Today: LORD, I choose Your word and the direction You provide to me as I get to know you more and more and more. Amen
2010 – August 27 – What Do You Trust?
Study from God’s Word… Jeremiah, Chapters 37 – 38 … Passage for Reflection: Jeremiah 38: 22 … NIV All the women left in the palace of the king of Judah [i.e., King Zedekiah] will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon. Those women will say to you: " 'They misled you and overcame you — those trusted friends of yours. Your feet are sunk in the mud; your friends have deserted you.'
My Journal for Today: Reading Chapters 37 & 38 of Jeremiah’s Book in the OT, we read of an interesting interaction between Zedekiah, the King of Judah at the time of the Babylonian siege, and the Prophet Jeremiah. A lot of political intrigue was going on at the time; and the people, especially the officials of the King’s court had trouble believing in and buying into God’s word, through Jeremiah, that only the people who surrendered to Babylon would live to remain alive and be loyal to the one, true God. And one could understand their reluctance to this prophetic paradox. Here, supposedly, was God’s Prophet saying that God’s chosen people of the covenant, the followers of the God of the universe, must surrender to a pagan people, the Babylonians in order to save themselves. And King Zedekiah, though showing some respect to Jeremiah, with at least a marginal belief in God, just couldn’t take the prophesies from Jeremiah. And his quandary was evident as he had Jeremiah taken captive, under house arrest, yet he kept coming back to Jeremiah, asking for what God was saying to him. He just didn’t know what to believe.
Ever been there; … when things are really confusing; and you’re getting conflicting advice, some of which just doesn’t make sense? And like King Zedekiah in today’s text, you just don’t know whom to turn to or whom to believe. And that is why we have such an advantage, being New Covenant believers, over the people of Jeremiah’s day. We don’t have to seek out select Prophets, who are blessed by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. No, we have, through our faith in the fulfillment of all of the OT Prophets, Jesus Christ, the very Holy Spirit Who guided Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Micah, Joel, and all of the OT prophets. And we also have God’s declared and final word as part of His New Covenant, sealed forever by the blood of God’s Son, Jesus, … the very Messiah prophesied by Jeremiah and others.
But like Zedekiah, we can hear the truth (or in the case of reading God’s word); but then we must, like King Zedekiah, receive and believe the truth enough to obediently follow the direction of God’s word. Zedekiah had only a marginal faith in the truth of God’s word from Jeremiah; and he paid dearly – with his life – for his very human denial and lack of willingness to surrender to God’s proclaimed truth.
How about you, my friend? Are you willing to get God’s truth deeply into your consciousness, to listen to God’s proclamations of purpose (for example, read and meditate on Isaiah 55: 11 and 2nd Tim. 3: 16-17]; and then, after knowing what God’s word say, are we willing to do what Jesus commanded of His disciples, … i.e., to willingly set aside self and follow Him (see a verse you should have memorized, Luke 9: 23)? Because if you’re not willing to selflessly surrender to God’s truth from His word, you will only have your self and others from Satan’s world to influence your direction; and the outcomes of that WILL BE horrible.
Enough from this pitiful teacher! What will be my choice (or yours) … to know God’s truth and to follow His word, or to languish in the proclamations of those who only have selfish motives to share with us?
Our choice!
My Prayer for Today: LORD, I choose Your word and the direction You provide to me as I get to know you more and more and more. Amen
My Journal for Today: Reading Chapters 37 & 38 of Jeremiah’s Book in the OT, we read of an interesting interaction between Zedekiah, the King of Judah at the time of the Babylonian siege, and the Prophet Jeremiah. A lot of political intrigue was going on at the time; and the people, especially the officials of the King’s court had trouble believing in and buying into God’s word, through Jeremiah, that only the people who surrendered to Babylon would live to remain alive and be loyal to the one, true God. And one could understand their reluctance to this prophetic paradox. Here, supposedly, was God’s Prophet saying that God’s chosen people of the covenant, the followers of the God of the universe, must surrender to a pagan people, the Babylonians in order to save themselves. And King Zedekiah, though showing some respect to Jeremiah, with at least a marginal belief in God, just couldn’t take the prophesies from Jeremiah. And his quandary was evident as he had Jeremiah taken captive, under house arrest, yet he kept coming back to Jeremiah, asking for what God was saying to him. He just didn’t know what to believe.
Ever been there; … when things are really confusing; and you’re getting conflicting advice, some of which just doesn’t make sense? And like King Zedekiah in today’s text, you just don’t know whom to turn to or whom to believe. And that is why we have such an advantage, being New Covenant believers, over the people of Jeremiah’s day. We don’t have to seek out select Prophets, who are blessed by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. No, we have, through our faith in the fulfillment of all of the OT Prophets, Jesus Christ, the very Holy Spirit Who guided Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Micah, Joel, and all of the OT prophets. And we also have God’s declared and final word as part of His New Covenant, sealed forever by the blood of God’s Son, Jesus, … the very Messiah prophesied by Jeremiah and others.
But like Zedekiah, we can hear the truth (or in the case of reading God’s word); but then we must, like King Zedekiah, receive and believe the truth enough to obediently follow the direction of God’s word. Zedekiah had only a marginal faith in the truth of God’s word from Jeremiah; and he paid dearly – with his life – for his very human denial and lack of willingness to surrender to God’s proclaimed truth.
How about you, my friend? Are you willing to get God’s truth deeply into your consciousness, to listen to God’s proclamations of purpose (for example, read and meditate on Isaiah 55: 11 and 2nd Tim. 3: 16-17]; and then, after knowing what God’s word say, are we willing to do what Jesus commanded of His disciples, … i.e., to willingly set aside self and follow Him (see a verse you should have memorized, Luke 9: 23)? Because if you’re not willing to selflessly surrender to God’s truth from His word, you will only have your self and others from Satan’s world to influence your direction; and the outcomes of that WILL BE horrible.
Enough from this pitiful teacher! What will be my choice (or yours) … to know God’s truth and to follow His word, or to languish in the proclamations of those who only have selfish motives to share with us?
Our choice!
My Prayer for Today: LORD, I choose Your word and the direction You provide to me as I get to know you more and more and more. Amen
Thursday, August 26, 2010
2010 – August 26 – The Devil, You Say!
Study from God’s Word… Ezekiel, Chapters 26 – 28 … Passage for Reflection: Ezekiel 28: 17 … NIV Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.
My Journal for Today: What are your thoughts about Satan? Unfortunately I think some people either think of him as a silly, but sappy, cartoon figure depicting the evil side of mankind. It’s the result of how man thinks of the opposite of “god” or maybe “good,” which is no more real to them as satan [with a small “s”]. And then there are those who ascribe too much power to The Devil, declaring “the Devil made me do it” to every mistake or improper decision that such a person might make.
Yes, Satan is very powerful; and he is much more powerful than I am (or you are). But he is a created being, an angel who fell from God’s grace; and now, though he has a free-will like man, he and his angelic followers, pridefully think of themselves as gods or adversaries of God Almighty, Yahweh. And there are two passages in scriptures, one of them found in my Scripture studies for today, Ezekiel 28, and the other in Isaiah 14, which are, according to scholars. who are much more well versed in Scripture than I, human depictions of God’s created adversary, the Devil.
And it is fascinating for any Scripture student, like me, to wonder why the Almighty Yahweh, who created His angels, would allow a lesser being, like Satan, to stick around after he fell from heaven to take up residence on earth as the prince of darkness, masquerading as an angel of light. But it’s clear that Satan, the Devil, and his demon minions, are part of God’s plan. But they create an atmosphere – i.e., Satan’s system, the world – which is to some degree – hell on earth.
But the one characteristic of our enemy, the Devil, which is emphasized in Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14, is pridefulness. And if there is an “original sin,” pride is it. Pride – or the desire to become a god by controlling our own destiny – is that character trait which is most Satan like. And thereby the opposite of pride, humility, is likely the character trait which is most like Christ; and I believe that God has allowed Satan to continue to exist on earth while HE, the Lord, pursues His beloved human race so that we, the pursued who must come to faith in God, can see what anti-God characteristics are like. We cannot see Whom God is without having an arch-type who depicts all that God is not; and that is Satan in all his malevolent being.
So, as I move forward in my life, I must have faith that God is God; and He is in control of even a very powerful adversary like the Devil. Yes, Satan is much, much more powerful that I; but I have the power of the Living God, in His Spirit, dwelling in me so that I can be victorious over Satan and his world – and yes, even over my own deceitful, prideful heart. The truth of 1st John 4: 4 bubbles up from my consciousness as I write this, declaring, You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them [your spiritual enemies], because the One who is in you [God's Spirit] is greater than the one [Satan] who is in the world. And I will go with that thought today as I do battles with God’s enemy, The Devil, who will always be my enemy … every day of my life.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You, and You alone give me the power to be victorious over you arch enemy, the Devil. Amen
My Journal for Today: What are your thoughts about Satan? Unfortunately I think some people either think of him as a silly, but sappy, cartoon figure depicting the evil side of mankind. It’s the result of how man thinks of the opposite of “god” or maybe “good,” which is no more real to them as satan [with a small “s”]. And then there are those who ascribe too much power to The Devil, declaring “the Devil made me do it” to every mistake or improper decision that such a person might make.
Yes, Satan is very powerful; and he is much more powerful than I am (or you are). But he is a created being, an angel who fell from God’s grace; and now, though he has a free-will like man, he and his angelic followers, pridefully think of themselves as gods or adversaries of God Almighty, Yahweh. And there are two passages in scriptures, one of them found in my Scripture studies for today, Ezekiel 28, and the other in Isaiah 14, which are, according to scholars. who are much more well versed in Scripture than I, human depictions of God’s created adversary, the Devil.
And it is fascinating for any Scripture student, like me, to wonder why the Almighty Yahweh, who created His angels, would allow a lesser being, like Satan, to stick around after he fell from heaven to take up residence on earth as the prince of darkness, masquerading as an angel of light. But it’s clear that Satan, the Devil, and his demon minions, are part of God’s plan. But they create an atmosphere – i.e., Satan’s system, the world – which is to some degree – hell on earth.
But the one characteristic of our enemy, the Devil, which is emphasized in Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14, is pridefulness. And if there is an “original sin,” pride is it. Pride – or the desire to become a god by controlling our own destiny – is that character trait which is most Satan like. And thereby the opposite of pride, humility, is likely the character trait which is most like Christ; and I believe that God has allowed Satan to continue to exist on earth while HE, the Lord, pursues His beloved human race so that we, the pursued who must come to faith in God, can see what anti-God characteristics are like. We cannot see Whom God is without having an arch-type who depicts all that God is not; and that is Satan in all his malevolent being.
So, as I move forward in my life, I must have faith that God is God; and He is in control of even a very powerful adversary like the Devil. Yes, Satan is much, much more powerful that I; but I have the power of the Living God, in His Spirit, dwelling in me so that I can be victorious over Satan and his world – and yes, even over my own deceitful, prideful heart. The truth of 1st John 4: 4 bubbles up from my consciousness as I write this, declaring, You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them [your spiritual enemies], because the One who is in you [God's Spirit] is greater than the one [Satan] who is in the world. And I will go with that thought today as I do battles with God’s enemy, The Devil, who will always be my enemy … every day of my life.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You, and You alone give me the power to be victorious over you arch enemy, the Devil. Amen
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
2010 – August 25 – With A Vengeance
Study from God’s Word… Ezekiel 25: 1 – 17; 29: 1 – 16; 30: 1 – 26; and chapter 31: 1 - 18 … Passage for Reflection: Ezekiel 25: 15 – 17 … NIV 15 "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: 'Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah, 16 therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Kerethites and destroy those remaining along the coast. 17 I will carry out great vengeance on them and punish them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I take vengeance on them.' "
My Journal for Today: Today’s Bible reading and Dr. Smith’s devotional entry focuses on the nature of vengeance; and we note man’s tendency to want “justice” when he feels hurt or wronged in some way. Of course, the reality is that most of the time we humans are really out for revenge rather than God’s justice.
Dr. Smith rightly attributes the desire for vengeance in our hearts to the degree of maturity of our faith. If we, born-again Christians, are deeply steeped in God’s truth (i.e., the Bible) then we know that vengeance is God’s business, not ours. And so, to the degree we have a deep and abiding relationship with God, in Christ, we’ll leave the business of vengeance to our God; because only HE can see all of the truth and all of the circumstances; and only HE knows exactly what should be done in any circumstance to “make it right.”
But somehow, deep in our humanity, vengeance is our reaction to being wronged, isn’t it? Admit it, you’re probably like me when you go to a movie and you see Wyatt Earp, the protagonist hero, make it right with Doc Holliday and his brothers, gunning down the antagonists, the Clanton gang at the O.K. Corral. It just feels good; doesn’t it? And that’s our measurement of immaturity in our relationship with Christ, … that our faith is not developed enough to let go and let God.
Dr. Smith challenges his readers today, writing, ”If I have somehow managed not to throttle people who deserve throttling, can I move to the next step of not even WANTING to throttle them?” And I must admit that I’m not quite mature enough to follow the call Jesus had for those of us who follow Him (see Matt. 5: 39, and Luke 6: 29). Wow! Jesus’ charge of discipleship in Luke 9: 23 can be a real stitch at times, can’t it?
My friends, I’m afraid I’m not there yet; but God’s conviction has me praying that I will be one day.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to leave the vengeance business of life in Your hands. You know what’s best. I don’t !! Amen
My Journal for Today: Today’s Bible reading and Dr. Smith’s devotional entry focuses on the nature of vengeance; and we note man’s tendency to want “justice” when he feels hurt or wronged in some way. Of course, the reality is that most of the time we humans are really out for revenge rather than God’s justice.
Dr. Smith rightly attributes the desire for vengeance in our hearts to the degree of maturity of our faith. If we, born-again Christians, are deeply steeped in God’s truth (i.e., the Bible) then we know that vengeance is God’s business, not ours. And so, to the degree we have a deep and abiding relationship with God, in Christ, we’ll leave the business of vengeance to our God; because only HE can see all of the truth and all of the circumstances; and only HE knows exactly what should be done in any circumstance to “make it right.”
But somehow, deep in our humanity, vengeance is our reaction to being wronged, isn’t it? Admit it, you’re probably like me when you go to a movie and you see Wyatt Earp, the protagonist hero, make it right with Doc Holliday and his brothers, gunning down the antagonists, the Clanton gang at the O.K. Corral. It just feels good; doesn’t it? And that’s our measurement of immaturity in our relationship with Christ, … that our faith is not developed enough to let go and let God.
Dr. Smith challenges his readers today, writing, ”If I have somehow managed not to throttle people who deserve throttling, can I move to the next step of not even WANTING to throttle them?” And I must admit that I’m not quite mature enough to follow the call Jesus had for those of us who follow Him (see Matt. 5: 39, and Luke 6: 29). Wow! Jesus’ charge of discipleship in Luke 9: 23 can be a real stitch at times, can’t it?
My friends, I’m afraid I’m not there yet; but God’s conviction has me praying that I will be one day.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to leave the vengeance business of life in Your hands. You know what’s best. I don’t !! Amen
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
2010 – August 24 – From Checklist to Wish List
Study from God’s Word… Jeremiah 23: 1-8; Jer. 33: 14-26; Jer. 31: 29-40 … Passage for Reflection: Jeremiah 31: 31, 33 … NIV 31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. … 33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
My Journal for Today: Reading through the three discourses by Jeremiah from today’s Bible passages, Dr. Smith, in his devotional for this date, points his readers (me) to how God’s people, the Hebrews, will move from a checklist religion to a wish list faith. And as Dr. Smith points out, it’s the difference between a “have to” and a “want to” faith.
The Jews under the Mosaic Covenant were programmed by The Law to be obligated unto righteousness to be saved. Under the Messianic New Covenant God’s people will desire righteousness because their hearts have been transformed by their faith. And as my devotional shepherd points out, “… the Law was said to be a schoolmaster preparing the way for Christ. (And) In Christ we finally grow up!”
Children usually do the right thing because they know the rules; and they know if they break them, there will be dire consequences. But mature adults (hopefully) do the right thing because they know it’s the right thing to do. Dos and don’ts are tailor made for kiddies; but we big people should appreciate doing good stuff because good stuff is done by good people.
In this morning’s devotional Dr. Smith posits, ”Do I live my life out of duty and obligation or out of sheer joy of serving the Lord?” My reader friend, … when we answer that question honestly, we’ll know if our faith is a religion-based faith or a relationship-based faith. From Jeremiah’s prophesy, God’s people will one day have a faith that is embedded in their hearts by a relationship with their Messiah. I would hope that any who read this already have such a faith.
My Prayer for Today: Praise You, Lord for giving me a faith that is a covenant of love You purchased for me on Calvary. Amen
My Journal for Today: Reading through the three discourses by Jeremiah from today’s Bible passages, Dr. Smith, in his devotional for this date, points his readers (me) to how God’s people, the Hebrews, will move from a checklist religion to a wish list faith. And as Dr. Smith points out, it’s the difference between a “have to” and a “want to” faith.
The Jews under the Mosaic Covenant were programmed by The Law to be obligated unto righteousness to be saved. Under the Messianic New Covenant God’s people will desire righteousness because their hearts have been transformed by their faith. And as my devotional shepherd points out, “… the Law was said to be a schoolmaster preparing the way for Christ. (And) In Christ we finally grow up!”
Children usually do the right thing because they know the rules; and they know if they break them, there will be dire consequences. But mature adults (hopefully) do the right thing because they know it’s the right thing to do. Dos and don’ts are tailor made for kiddies; but we big people should appreciate doing good stuff because good stuff is done by good people.
In this morning’s devotional Dr. Smith posits, ”Do I live my life out of duty and obligation or out of sheer joy of serving the Lord?” My reader friend, … when we answer that question honestly, we’ll know if our faith is a religion-based faith or a relationship-based faith. From Jeremiah’s prophesy, God’s people will one day have a faith that is embedded in their hearts by a relationship with their Messiah. I would hope that any who read this already have such a faith.
My Prayer for Today: Praise You, Lord for giving me a faith that is a covenant of love You purchased for me on Calvary. Amen
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