Passage of the Day: Chapter/Verse Reference: Job, Chapters 32-34 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
Job 32: … [Elihu, a younger “friend” steps forward]
1 So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. 3 He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him. 4 Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he. 5 But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.
Job 33: … [Elihu goes on with his opinions]
12 “But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than any mortal.
13 Why do you complain to him that he responds to no one’s words?
14 For God does speak—now one way, now another — though no one perceives it.
Job 34: … [Elihu states his final premise]
34 “Men of understanding declare, wise men who hear me say to me,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’
36 Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost for answering like a wicked man!
37 To his sin he adds rebellion; scornfully he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”
My Journal for Today: Well Job has been going around and around with his three “friends” and critics, all of whom feel that Job has some hidden, unresolved sin which he’s unwilling to confess or from which Job has not repented. And now enter a younger critic into the scenario, Elihu, who takes a different approach to the criticism of Job in his down-and-out condition.
Elihu, basically is saying that Job needs to be a better listener to God; and that Job has no right to be questioning God and asking “WHY” God has brought these trials in to Job’s life. As one Commentator has put it about Elihu’s comments: ” He [Elihu] maintained that Job wasn’t suffering because of sin; he was sinning because of suffering. Elihu pointed out that Job’s attitude had become arrogant as he tried to defend his innocence. Elihu also said that suffering is not meant to punish us as much as it is meant to correct and restore us, to keep us on the right path.“ [From Parsons QuickVerse Bible Commentary]
And if we analyze Elihu’s comments in these three chapters of the Book of Job, we see that, like the other three critics, Elihu spouts out elements of truth. It is true, as Elihu contended, that God does engineer or allow trials into the life of men so that they can be tried and proven in the fiery trials of life. And many times those who’re in these tribulations – like Job – can’t see or discern the “WHY” behind God’s ways. But Elihu, possibly because of his lack of life experience being younger than the other critics of Job, was wrong in contending that Job had no right to come to God with his “WHY” questions.
If you’ve read these three chapters from today’s study, you’ll see that Elihu is “right on” with the idea that we need to search hard and listen to God, Who always desires to teach us His ways and His will from the challenges of life. But apparently Elihu didn’t hear or wasn’t listening when Job gave his eloquent word-picture on how we must dig deep into our relationship with God, seeking for God’s wisdom as the miner digs deep into the earth for precious ores and jewels. [See Job, Chapter 28]
Yes, as Elihu contends, we need to be good listeners to God through the trials of life; but no, God doesn’t expect us to just listen to the obvious voices in our life, like those around Job, his friends and family. God does want us to come TO HIM, with our questions and our pain. And our first source in this seeking and listening process is – for the New Covenant believer – God’s word. And in the book of Deuteronomy, written, many scholars say, about the same time as the Book of Job, we can read from the Old Covenant’s word from Deuteronomy 4: 29 – 31, the following …
... 29 But if from there [a place of sin or separation from God] you seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him. 31 For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.
That’s what Job was doing in the midst of his trials and feeling of being separated from God; and that’s what we should do when we feel that God is far away or not hearing our prayers of desperation. We need to just keep-on-keeping-on in our search for God’s will and His way; and we need to do our front-line searching from His word. And it’s God’s promise, which Job was ultimately to learn, that God will be there for us when we come to Him in our search for truth and light. That’s the message, of course, from Jesus in the parable of the “Prodigal Father/Son,” isn’t it?
And so, my friend, as the old Carol King song declares through another voice, … well, ... just listen to it by going to this link … And as our LORD always wants to be, … Jesus is our Friend! He was for Job; and He will be for you or me.
My Prayer Today: Lord, I call out Your Name … and You are my friend! Amen
Showing posts with label seeking truth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label seeking truth. Show all posts
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
2010 – October 27 – Asking All the Hard Questions
Study from God’s Word… Many passages from the three synoptic Gospels, … chapters from the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke in The Daily Bible in Chronological Order … Passage for Reflection: Luke 7: 20 … NIV When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to You to ask, ‘Are you the One Who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’ “
My Journal for Today: It’s an interesting conundrum. … Why would John the Baptist, of all people, send his disciples to ask Jesus if He was THE ONE and only Messiah? John the Baptist had been the one who baptized Jesus in the Jordan and would have heard God in Heaven declare Jesus to be God’s only Son. And John was Jesus’ first cousin and had likely grown up, knowing that his “cuz” was super special, possibly even seeing Him wax eloquent in the synagogue or Temple. And who knows, Jesus may have snuck in a few little miracles along the way to give John an inside track in knowing Jesus as the Messiah.
So, why then did John the Baptist dispatch his disciples to ask that very specific question of this man Jesus, the followers of John asking, “Are you (Jesus) the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” Well, … I believe that John, knowing that his time was short, sent those who had been following him to Jesus so that these disciples could become disciples of the One they should follow rather than following John. And I also believe that Jesus’ cousin wanted these close friends and followers to hear the straight stuff directly from the mouth of the Messiah.
And most certainly, Jesus didn’t disappoint, did He? No, [reading Luke 7: 18-23] the messengers from John the Baptist saw Jesus perform many miracles; and Jesus told them to take this message back to John, saying, “…The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.”
Do you remember the scene in Luke 4 where Jesus went into the synagogue in Nazareth and read from the Scripture there … from Isaiah 61: 1-2; and then Jesus declared that in their hearing that very day, those there in the synagogue had seen the fulfillment of that prophetic scripture because the One Isaiah spoke of was right there in front of them, in the flesh, reading Isaiah’s prophesy. And in that passage (go back and read it), we read of God prophesying the mission of the Messiah … to preach the good news to the poor, to give sight to the blind, and to set free the captives. And when Jesus spoke the words he did to the messengers of John the Baptist in today’s text, they too would have recognized, being knowledgeable of Scripture, that Jesus was declaring Himself, by the miracles they had witnessed and the words He proclaimed, that HE was THE Messiah.
So, what are the questions that you want others to ask of Jesus? Wouldn’t you want them to pray and ask the Lord if He is real? Wouldn’t you want them to ask Him to save them? Wouldn’t you want them to ask God to reveal Himself to any who might have follow you or believe in you? Well, if you’re a Christian, certainly you want others to see what you have seen or to follow Jesus the way that you pursue Him (assuming, of course, you do). And John the Baptist was no different. So, he led his friends to Jesus and helped them to get the right answers to the right questions.
So, why don’t you join me here today, thinking about someone in your life whom you’d like to send to Jesus; and let’s pray that they will ask the right questions from their heart[s] and get the answers they need to receive from God’s Spirit, Whose ministry it is to reveal the Messiah and bring God’s answers to the questions they seek.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help others to see what I’ve seen and to know what I know … and that is YOU. Amen
My Journal for Today: It’s an interesting conundrum. … Why would John the Baptist, of all people, send his disciples to ask Jesus if He was THE ONE and only Messiah? John the Baptist had been the one who baptized Jesus in the Jordan and would have heard God in Heaven declare Jesus to be God’s only Son. And John was Jesus’ first cousin and had likely grown up, knowing that his “cuz” was super special, possibly even seeing Him wax eloquent in the synagogue or Temple. And who knows, Jesus may have snuck in a few little miracles along the way to give John an inside track in knowing Jesus as the Messiah.
So, why then did John the Baptist dispatch his disciples to ask that very specific question of this man Jesus, the followers of John asking, “Are you (Jesus) the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” Well, … I believe that John, knowing that his time was short, sent those who had been following him to Jesus so that these disciples could become disciples of the One they should follow rather than following John. And I also believe that Jesus’ cousin wanted these close friends and followers to hear the straight stuff directly from the mouth of the Messiah.
And most certainly, Jesus didn’t disappoint, did He? No, [reading Luke 7: 18-23] the messengers from John the Baptist saw Jesus perform many miracles; and Jesus told them to take this message back to John, saying, “…The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.”
Do you remember the scene in Luke 4 where Jesus went into the synagogue in Nazareth and read from the Scripture there … from Isaiah 61: 1-2; and then Jesus declared that in their hearing that very day, those there in the synagogue had seen the fulfillment of that prophetic scripture because the One Isaiah spoke of was right there in front of them, in the flesh, reading Isaiah’s prophesy. And in that passage (go back and read it), we read of God prophesying the mission of the Messiah … to preach the good news to the poor, to give sight to the blind, and to set free the captives. And when Jesus spoke the words he did to the messengers of John the Baptist in today’s text, they too would have recognized, being knowledgeable of Scripture, that Jesus was declaring Himself, by the miracles they had witnessed and the words He proclaimed, that HE was THE Messiah.
So, what are the questions that you want others to ask of Jesus? Wouldn’t you want them to pray and ask the Lord if He is real? Wouldn’t you want them to ask Him to save them? Wouldn’t you want them to ask God to reveal Himself to any who might have follow you or believe in you? Well, if you’re a Christian, certainly you want others to see what you have seen or to follow Jesus the way that you pursue Him (assuming, of course, you do). And John the Baptist was no different. So, he led his friends to Jesus and helped them to get the right answers to the right questions.
So, why don’t you join me here today, thinking about someone in your life whom you’d like to send to Jesus; and let’s pray that they will ask the right questions from their heart[s] and get the answers they need to receive from God’s Spirit, Whose ministry it is to reveal the Messiah and bring God’s answers to the questions they seek.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help others to see what I’ve seen and to know what I know … and that is YOU. 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
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
Sunday, January 10, 2010
2010 – Day 10. Jan. 10 – Praying for Success
Study from Genesis 24; Passage for Reflection: Genesis 24: 12 … NIV Then he prayed, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.”
My Journal for Today: Today I was led by my Daily Bible in Chronological Order and the companion Devotional to read the story of Abraham’s servant seeking a wife for Isaac. And we read about how the servant subsequently prayed to God for success and was led to Rebekah, who ultimately became Isaac’s wife. And the devotional by Dr. Smith focuses on the prayer of the servant for success in his covenant task, charged by Abraham to find a wife for his covenant son, Isaac, from among God’s people and Abraham’s kinsman.
And in Genesis 24 we read that the servant, given the task, immediately went, with a surrendered attitude, to God, praying for God to lead him to success. And we read that the servant’s prayer was very specific and focused on what he believed was in accord with God’s will and Abraham’s charge. And this becomes a lesson in how we need to seek after God’s will and pray diligently and specifically when we think we have God’s peace, leading us in God’s direction.
As New Covenant Christians, we too can – and should – bring all things to God. We can read of this charge in such passages as John 15: 7 and 1st Peter 5: 7, and if you don’t have those verses memorized, I hope you’ll go to those and study them. And when we understand the implications of these truths and the outcomes of the story in Genesis 24, we’ll see that God strongly exhorts His children to bring anything to Him; but we know that He’s only going to grant “success” (from His omniscient view of our lives) for those things which we NEED, not necessarily what we want. In other words, “success” from our prayers must always be viewed in the light of God’s will and His timing and not from our own (especially selfish) desires.
When Abraham’s servant prayed for success in the task Abraham had given him, the servant trusted that the task came from God through Abraham to him. And for years now, I’ve come to learn a protocol for determining God’s will when I am seeking for God’s leading and desiring to pray for “success” in the things which require some well-considered decision making. I was taught this protocol for making God-led decisions years ago by a Godly mentor; and it comes from using the passage in Philippians 4: 6-7 [linked here – which I hope you know - ]. I don’t have the time/space to go into it in depth here; but in summary, it involves avoiding anxiety by taking a leaning I have (something I think God is directing me toward) to God and, as Abraham’s servant, being very specific by asking God to give me HIS direction and success in moving toward this leaning. I make sure, as I’m sure Abe’s servant did, that I’m praying to God with a humble, contrite, and purified heart. I know that praying out of prideful or selfish desires will never unlock God’s grace; and I also know that praying with unresolved sin in my life won’t allow God to release His will for me. So, assuming I come to God with a ready and contrite heart, I pray – very specifically – for that leaning I have; and if I get no peace from my prayers, I simply know that God is saying either “NO” or “WAIT.” If, on the other hand, I get God’s peace that surpasses all understanding, I know that I’m on God’s track to success; and I pray for that success as did Abraham’s servant.
This method of seeking out God’s will and praying for God’s success has never – and I mean NEVER – failed me when I come to the Lord with a right heart seeking HIS success, in HIS timing, and in HIS way. Again returning to the verse, referred to above, John 15: 7, along with my directed passage in Phil. 4: 6-7, these are God’s promises, not Bill Berry’s; and God doesn’t lie (see Num. 23: 19).
So, my dear one, I hope you see that God invites (actually commands) us to come to Him seeking His will and success for our lives; but He wants us to realize that HE is the one defining that success. That is why God commanded Joshua the way he did in Joshua 1: 8, to be in God’s word so deeply and regularly that Joshua (and we) would know God’s truth and God’s way. And if we know God’s word when it comes to praying for success, we’ll be doing the praying and inquiring based upon God’s truth and His will and not upon our own selfish desires. That is my prayer for me … and for all of us.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You know that I come to You often seeking Your way, within Your will, and in Your timing. Help me to come to you with a pure heart, ready to find Your direction and then to follow it diligently. Amen
My Journal for Today: Today I was led by my Daily Bible in Chronological Order and the companion Devotional to read the story of Abraham’s servant seeking a wife for Isaac. And we read about how the servant subsequently prayed to God for success and was led to Rebekah, who ultimately became Isaac’s wife. And the devotional by Dr. Smith focuses on the prayer of the servant for success in his covenant task, charged by Abraham to find a wife for his covenant son, Isaac, from among God’s people and Abraham’s kinsman.
And in Genesis 24 we read that the servant, given the task, immediately went, with a surrendered attitude, to God, praying for God to lead him to success. And we read that the servant’s prayer was very specific and focused on what he believed was in accord with God’s will and Abraham’s charge. And this becomes a lesson in how we need to seek after God’s will and pray diligently and specifically when we think we have God’s peace, leading us in God’s direction.
As New Covenant Christians, we too can – and should – bring all things to God. We can read of this charge in such passages as John 15: 7 and 1st Peter 5: 7, and if you don’t have those verses memorized, I hope you’ll go to those and study them. And when we understand the implications of these truths and the outcomes of the story in Genesis 24, we’ll see that God strongly exhorts His children to bring anything to Him; but we know that He’s only going to grant “success” (from His omniscient view of our lives) for those things which we NEED, not necessarily what we want. In other words, “success” from our prayers must always be viewed in the light of God’s will and His timing and not from our own (especially selfish) desires.
When Abraham’s servant prayed for success in the task Abraham had given him, the servant trusted that the task came from God through Abraham to him. And for years now, I’ve come to learn a protocol for determining God’s will when I am seeking for God’s leading and desiring to pray for “success” in the things which require some well-considered decision making. I was taught this protocol for making God-led decisions years ago by a Godly mentor; and it comes from using the passage in Philippians 4: 6-7 [linked here – which I hope you know - ]. I don’t have the time/space to go into it in depth here; but in summary, it involves avoiding anxiety by taking a leaning I have (something I think God is directing me toward) to God and, as Abraham’s servant, being very specific by asking God to give me HIS direction and success in moving toward this leaning. I make sure, as I’m sure Abe’s servant did, that I’m praying to God with a humble, contrite, and purified heart. I know that praying out of prideful or selfish desires will never unlock God’s grace; and I also know that praying with unresolved sin in my life won’t allow God to release His will for me. So, assuming I come to God with a ready and contrite heart, I pray – very specifically – for that leaning I have; and if I get no peace from my prayers, I simply know that God is saying either “NO” or “WAIT.” If, on the other hand, I get God’s peace that surpasses all understanding, I know that I’m on God’s track to success; and I pray for that success as did Abraham’s servant.
This method of seeking out God’s will and praying for God’s success has never – and I mean NEVER – failed me when I come to the Lord with a right heart seeking HIS success, in HIS timing, and in HIS way. Again returning to the verse, referred to above, John 15: 7, along with my directed passage in Phil. 4: 6-7, these are God’s promises, not Bill Berry’s; and God doesn’t lie (see Num. 23: 19).
So, my dear one, I hope you see that God invites (actually commands) us to come to Him seeking His will and success for our lives; but He wants us to realize that HE is the one defining that success. That is why God commanded Joshua the way he did in Joshua 1: 8, to be in God’s word so deeply and regularly that Joshua (and we) would know God’s truth and God’s way. And if we know God’s word when it comes to praying for success, we’ll be doing the praying and inquiring based upon God’s truth and His will and not upon our own selfish desires. That is my prayer for me … and for all of us.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You know that I come to You often seeking Your way, within Your will, and in Your timing. Help me to come to you with a pure heart, ready to find Your direction and then to follow it diligently. Amen
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
2009 – Day 355.Dec 22 – The Voice of God
Passage for Study: 1st Samuel 2 - 3 … 1st Samuel 2-3 linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Today’s passage, written by some scribe or storyteller for God, is a fascinating true tale of the young, growing Prophet-to-be, Samuel. And a lot of it deals with him being mentored by a man, a Priest of God’s people, Eli, who may have been an upstanding, diligent Priest, but who had apparently been a lousy father. His two sons, having a dad who probably was not around very much because of his priestly duties, became scoundrels; and God would ultimately come down on them for defying the Lord. But our scene today focuses on God speaking audibly to Samuel; but the boy prophet didn’t recognize the voice because Samuel had not developed a deep and abiding relationship with God at this point in his life.
Swindoll points out several times when God spoke to people in the Bible, such as when He knocked Saul (who would become Paul) off his horse on the way to Damascus; or when Elijah heard the Lord in a still small voice; or when He spoke instructions to Noah about the ark in Genesis 6. And here we have the Lord, God Himself, speaking directly to His young prophet boy, Samuel; but note in 1st Sam. 3: 7 the Bible author’s note (in parentheses in most versions), where the storyteller writes, “(Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.)”
And I think this is quite revealing about God’s relationship with His chosen and/or anointed agents or leaders under the Old Covenant. In those days, before the coming of God’s Spirit to all who believe in the finished work of Christ on the Cross, God was very selective in whom or as to how His Spirit was imparted to God’s selected agents for action. And Samuel, being very new to God’s selection of him as a Prophet, did not recognize God’s voice.
And I think there is a lesson here – at least there is for me – and I hope there is for you as well. Any Christian under the New Covenant (i.e., in the New Testament dispensation of grace) can hear from God; because God imparts His Spirit into the heart of any born-again believer. No, I don’t mean God speaks audibly to all believers, though God being God certainly could speak audibly to anyone whom He chooses. However, I must admit that I’m a bit of a skeptic when I hear someone say to me, “God told me to …” Or if I hear someone claim, “God said to me …,” I balk a bit in disbelief. Why? Because I’ve never heard God speak to me audibly. Have you? Maybe, like Samuel (or Noah or Elijah or Saul of Tarsus), you are favored or anointed in some special way to hear God speaking to you. I must admit that I was a doubter years ago when Oral Roberts, just recently deceased, clamed that God told him that the Lord would kill Pastor Roberts if he didn’t raise so many millions for the hospital God had “told him” to build in Tulsa, OK.
You see, I do believe that God communicates His truth to any or all believers. And like with even a Samuel, I think that God reasons [note: I don’t say “speaks”] more clearly to those who have a deeper, more mature, relationship with the Lord. But now, in this age of grace, when we have God’s completed and canonized Scripture, I don’t think God has to use the “office of Prophet” to speak for Him. Nor does The Lord need to anoint and speak through specially selected agents to accomplish His will on earth as the Lord did in the Old Testament times.
My friends, any day that you delve deeply into God’s word, trying to get to know your God, through His Book of Truth, you are “hearing” the word of God. When you hear an anointed preacher, who has interpreted and is speaking God’s truth from His word, you are “hearing” the spoken word of God. But the latter is not because that preacher/teacher is singled out to hear from God in some special way as were the Prophets of old, men like Noah, Elijah, Isaiah, or Samuel. No, when a Preacher is speaking from a pulpit and you hear God speaking through him to your heart, it’s because this preacher is correctly and faithfully interpreting God’s truth – from God’s word, - the Bible.
Hence, the point today is for all believers to recognize our calling to go deep, developing an abiding relationship with God, by going deep into His word. And it behooves us to know God intimately through His word, so well that we recognize false teachers/preachers who are numerous on the landscape these days. Secret Service agents are trained to know a counterfeit dollar because they’ve studied the real thing so long and so hard that they can recognize a fake one when they see it.
My friend, we need to be so mature in our study of God’s word, when we hear pretenders to God’s truth, like those you might see or hear on Trinity Broadcasting Network; or when a popular televangelist, like (you fill in the name of one you know is a faker here), you’ll be able to recognize his counterfeit teaching. Dear one, I hope you’re going deep DAILY into God’s word and studying the ABSOLUTE TRUTH of God’s word, so that you’ll know the truth or fiction when you hear if or read it. Your ability to sense God’s truth is going to be dependent on the depth of your understanding of God’s word. So, it behooves all believers to go deep and get to know God intimately through His word.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I come here daily to get to know You closely through Your word. Show Yourself, Lord, to me through Your truth. Amen
My Journal for Today: Today’s passage, written by some scribe or storyteller for God, is a fascinating true tale of the young, growing Prophet-to-be, Samuel. And a lot of it deals with him being mentored by a man, a Priest of God’s people, Eli, who may have been an upstanding, diligent Priest, but who had apparently been a lousy father. His two sons, having a dad who probably was not around very much because of his priestly duties, became scoundrels; and God would ultimately come down on them for defying the Lord. But our scene today focuses on God speaking audibly to Samuel; but the boy prophet didn’t recognize the voice because Samuel had not developed a deep and abiding relationship with God at this point in his life.
Swindoll points out several times when God spoke to people in the Bible, such as when He knocked Saul (who would become Paul) off his horse on the way to Damascus; or when Elijah heard the Lord in a still small voice; or when He spoke instructions to Noah about the ark in Genesis 6. And here we have the Lord, God Himself, speaking directly to His young prophet boy, Samuel; but note in 1st Sam. 3: 7 the Bible author’s note (in parentheses in most versions), where the storyteller writes, “(Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.)”
And I think this is quite revealing about God’s relationship with His chosen and/or anointed agents or leaders under the Old Covenant. In those days, before the coming of God’s Spirit to all who believe in the finished work of Christ on the Cross, God was very selective in whom or as to how His Spirit was imparted to God’s selected agents for action. And Samuel, being very new to God’s selection of him as a Prophet, did not recognize God’s voice.
And I think there is a lesson here – at least there is for me – and I hope there is for you as well. Any Christian under the New Covenant (i.e., in the New Testament dispensation of grace) can hear from God; because God imparts His Spirit into the heart of any born-again believer. No, I don’t mean God speaks audibly to all believers, though God being God certainly could speak audibly to anyone whom He chooses. However, I must admit that I’m a bit of a skeptic when I hear someone say to me, “God told me to …” Or if I hear someone claim, “God said to me …,” I balk a bit in disbelief. Why? Because I’ve never heard God speak to me audibly. Have you? Maybe, like Samuel (or Noah or Elijah or Saul of Tarsus), you are favored or anointed in some special way to hear God speaking to you. I must admit that I was a doubter years ago when Oral Roberts, just recently deceased, clamed that God told him that the Lord would kill Pastor Roberts if he didn’t raise so many millions for the hospital God had “told him” to build in Tulsa, OK.
You see, I do believe that God communicates His truth to any or all believers. And like with even a Samuel, I think that God reasons [note: I don’t say “speaks”] more clearly to those who have a deeper, more mature, relationship with the Lord. But now, in this age of grace, when we have God’s completed and canonized Scripture, I don’t think God has to use the “office of Prophet” to speak for Him. Nor does The Lord need to anoint and speak through specially selected agents to accomplish His will on earth as the Lord did in the Old Testament times.
My friends, any day that you delve deeply into God’s word, trying to get to know your God, through His Book of Truth, you are “hearing” the word of God. When you hear an anointed preacher, who has interpreted and is speaking God’s truth from His word, you are “hearing” the spoken word of God. But the latter is not because that preacher/teacher is singled out to hear from God in some special way as were the Prophets of old, men like Noah, Elijah, Isaiah, or Samuel. No, when a Preacher is speaking from a pulpit and you hear God speaking through him to your heart, it’s because this preacher is correctly and faithfully interpreting God’s truth – from God’s word, - the Bible.
Hence, the point today is for all believers to recognize our calling to go deep, developing an abiding relationship with God, by going deep into His word. And it behooves us to know God intimately through His word, so well that we recognize false teachers/preachers who are numerous on the landscape these days. Secret Service agents are trained to know a counterfeit dollar because they’ve studied the real thing so long and so hard that they can recognize a fake one when they see it.
My friend, we need to be so mature in our study of God’s word, when we hear pretenders to God’s truth, like those you might see or hear on Trinity Broadcasting Network; or when a popular televangelist, like (you fill in the name of one you know is a faker here), you’ll be able to recognize his counterfeit teaching. Dear one, I hope you’re going deep DAILY into God’s word and studying the ABSOLUTE TRUTH of God’s word, so that you’ll know the truth or fiction when you hear if or read it. Your ability to sense God’s truth is going to be dependent on the depth of your understanding of God’s word. So, it behooves all believers to go deep and get to know God intimately through His word.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I come here daily to get to know You closely through Your word. Show Yourself, Lord, to me through Your truth. Amen
Thursday, September 10, 2009
2009 – Day 252.Sept 10 – Grace Under Pressure
Passage of the Day: Job 24 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Job 24 is an interesting example of our human need to explain things. As sinners going through this life, we see all that is wrong, … all the perversity, … all the bad things happening to what we perceive as good people, … all the darkness descending upon the earth; and a lot of the time we are not privileged to the other side, God’s view of things. It’s so frustrating; and it could lead to hopelessness.
And in Chapter 24, Job is simply voicing a lot of his “What’s happening, Lord?” questions. And there’s nothing wrong with one of God’s children going to God with the frustrations of our lives, expressing our anguish to our Lord. BUT (again, the contrast word!), note the end of this chapter, where Job begins to come back into focus, seeing and expressing that no matter what may seem ugly on our side, God has a design for everything which will one day be completed; and we’ll see that He was creating a beautiful tapestry for us all to enjoy.
And that’s the word picture which Chuck Swindoll reminds his readers (like me) to attempt to see. When a tapestry artist weaves a tapestry to hang on the wall, beautifully illustrating some aspect of life, there are two sides of the tapestry. If you look at the back side, the colored threads are all gnarled and twisted by the artist; and they seem like a bizarre mess to our view. BUT, when we’re allowed to see what the artist is trying to represent by weaving all that backside together; … when we are privileged to see the artistry which has unfolded to be hung for all to see, those same threads, which were a distorted mess on the backside, become a beautiful picture on the front side. And that’s the way life often is to us. We see the backside, while God is weaving the front side. And we may go all the way through life not being able to see God’s intent and what He’s weaving together for us to see in heaven.
But Job closes with the reality of what Paul wrote about in Romans 8: 28, which I certainly hope you know by heart now. God is weaving all things together for our good – for our beauty; BUT we’ve got to trust that He’s doing just that; because what we see very often is the backside of His tapestry. And Job expresses this in Chapter 24, saying that we may not be able to see or explain the workings of God; and we will either trust His work for our good or we will live our lives in frustration, not being able to explain what God is doing.
My brothers or sisters in Christ, thus far in life I’m learning to trust my God’s work. I see all this mess around me; and I see, as you do, all the violence, all the abortions, all the corruption, all the greed, all the … [well, you fill in the blanks with your frustration]; and I’m learning to see that God is still in control. Oh, I come to God with my frustrations, just as Job is doing in Chapter 24; but ultimately I come to see that I’m still looking at the backside of God’s tapestry; and I trust that one day I’m going to see the beauty He is weaving for His glory.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, just give me glimpses of Your glory not and again so that I can hold onto the hope that I have in You, Lord, … in the midst of all the ugliness of this life. Amen
My Journal for Today: Job 24 is an interesting example of our human need to explain things. As sinners going through this life, we see all that is wrong, … all the perversity, … all the bad things happening to what we perceive as good people, … all the darkness descending upon the earth; and a lot of the time we are not privileged to the other side, God’s view of things. It’s so frustrating; and it could lead to hopelessness.
And in Chapter 24, Job is simply voicing a lot of his “What’s happening, Lord?” questions. And there’s nothing wrong with one of God’s children going to God with the frustrations of our lives, expressing our anguish to our Lord. BUT (again, the contrast word!), note the end of this chapter, where Job begins to come back into focus, seeing and expressing that no matter what may seem ugly on our side, God has a design for everything which will one day be completed; and we’ll see that He was creating a beautiful tapestry for us all to enjoy.
And that’s the word picture which Chuck Swindoll reminds his readers (like me) to attempt to see. When a tapestry artist weaves a tapestry to hang on the wall, beautifully illustrating some aspect of life, there are two sides of the tapestry. If you look at the back side, the colored threads are all gnarled and twisted by the artist; and they seem like a bizarre mess to our view. BUT, when we’re allowed to see what the artist is trying to represent by weaving all that backside together; … when we are privileged to see the artistry which has unfolded to be hung for all to see, those same threads, which were a distorted mess on the backside, become a beautiful picture on the front side. And that’s the way life often is to us. We see the backside, while God is weaving the front side. And we may go all the way through life not being able to see God’s intent and what He’s weaving together for us to see in heaven.
But Job closes with the reality of what Paul wrote about in Romans 8: 28, which I certainly hope you know by heart now. God is weaving all things together for our good – for our beauty; BUT we’ve got to trust that He’s doing just that; because what we see very often is the backside of His tapestry. And Job expresses this in Chapter 24, saying that we may not be able to see or explain the workings of God; and we will either trust His work for our good or we will live our lives in frustration, not being able to explain what God is doing.
My brothers or sisters in Christ, thus far in life I’m learning to trust my God’s work. I see all this mess around me; and I see, as you do, all the violence, all the abortions, all the corruption, all the greed, all the … [well, you fill in the blanks with your frustration]; and I’m learning to see that God is still in control. Oh, I come to God with my frustrations, just as Job is doing in Chapter 24; but ultimately I come to see that I’m still looking at the backside of God’s tapestry; and I trust that one day I’m going to see the beauty He is weaving for His glory.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, just give me glimpses of Your glory not and again so that I can hold onto the hope that I have in You, Lord, … in the midst of all the ugliness of this life. Amen
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