http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%2019;%20Psalms%2046,%2080,%20135&version=NIV
I’ve decided that I’m done. I am done believing in God serving him in the way that I have been. Why? Because I’ve been serving him in a way that made him way too small and way too powerless. I’ve been believing and serving in a way that said, I know God is able, I just don’t know that he will.” I’ve been believing and serving him in a way that said “I know God has power, but I am not sure how to access it or whether it is for me. “ I’ve been trying to believ and serve a God that is way to small and through a power that was too much mine and not enough him. So I’m done.
For this time forward I will serve a God who is ABLE. I will serve a God who can go way beyond beyond what we can ask or imagine. I will serve a God who can do more than I ask or imagine in my life and more importantly, accomplish more for him through my foolish self than I can even begin to fathom. I will serve a God who spoke it and it was done. I will heed the words in Psalm 46:10:
"Be still and know that I am God."
My text notes tell me that here the Hebrew means “Enough!” – or “Stop!” and know. And I feel like that is what God is speaking to me as he works out my faith – Enough, Carol. Be still and know – believe – that I am the God that my words says that I am. What am I supposed to know about God. The rest of the verse tells me:
"I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth."
In the margins of my bible I have this written next to verse 10: 'God moves in a way that bring him glory'. My text notes tell me that God’s mighty acts in behalf of his people will bring him universal recognition. That’s what it means when the Word says that “The zeal of the Lord Almight will accomplish this.” (2 Kings 19:31; Isaiah 37:32; Isaiah 9:7). And that’s what I – and you are supposed to know. That God does might acts on behalf of his people. He is passionately commited to his children. Did you hear that? He is PASSIONATELY commited to you and does mighty works on your behalf! This is what I’ve decided that I want to know that I know that I know. God is passionate about me, he is commited to not only working on my behalf, but doing MIGHTY WORKS THAT BRING HIM GLORY!
Hezekiah understood this when laid out Sennacherib’s threats to God’s people before God in 2 Kings 19. He goes in faith that God will work on behalf of his covenant people – God’s reputation is at stake and Hezekiah believes that God is passionately commited to him people - therefore he is certain that God will hear and that God will move. His faith is evident in his words as he declares God to be enthroned over all kingdoms and remembers him as creator. His faith is evident as he boldly asks God to see and hear and act. His faith is so evident when he says, “Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are God.” (2 Kings 19:19). Indeed, Hezekiah understood God’s zealous, passionate commitment to do mighty acts on behalf of his people. He believed it, was still, and knew God – and that was all he needed. I want a faith like that.
I have a friend that I received a letter from today. She lived on the farm down the road from ours in Nebraska when I was growing up and taught my sisters in the little church school there. Today, she serves as a missionary in Banda Aceh, Indonesia (proof that God can and will use anyone from anywhere when we willingly answer his call). The greatest privilege of my life has been knowing her journey, being a part of it, and watching God take ashes (like most people, she is one refined by fire) and turn them into this amazing, most beautiful faith. She truly is a planting for the display of God’s glory. Her faith reminds me of Hezekiah’s. Her faith knows that God is passionate for and will do mighty acts on behalf of his people. In fact, I’m not sure anyone could have stated it more clearly. And so I’ll end with her words and a prayer that you and I would have a faith like this:
Greetings from Banda Aceh, Indonesia, in the powerful Name of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ, the One and only Way, the One and only Truth and the One
and only Life! It is with great joy that I report to you that I am back and that the
Lord is sustaining me in the midst of trying times here. Persecution has broken out
in the province against new national believers, so we are expecting great things
from our all-powerful God who can and does work all things for the good of those
who believe in His Name!
May we live a life, friends, that expects great things from our all-powerful God.
If you’d care to share, I would love to hear of a time when God did mighty works on your behalf.
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Isaiah 44-48
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2044-48&version=ESV
Isaiah 46:9-1o "remember the former things of old;for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,'"
In chapters 44 and 45, we read of the great prophecy of Cyrus.
Isaiah wrote this prophecy probably around 700 B.C. and Cyrus came to be king of Babylon around 550 B.C.
In this prophecy, the Lord names Cyrus by name. He says that Cyrus will be the shepherd of His people. That He will accomplish His will by using Cyrus.
As I discussed yesterday, liberal scholars and theologians scoff at predictive prophecy in the Bible. So, they come up with theories to explain away the prophecy. One theory is that a later author came along and then went back and wrote Cyrus in Isaiah after the events had transpired. The author who comes in and fills in the details after they have come to pass is known as a redactor.
I don't want to take that track in my post today. But I want to focus on how sovereign God is. God uses people that we would not think of to accomplish His purposes.
Cyrus was not a believer. He was a pagan from Babylon and worshipped their Gods. Yet, God used this pagan to accomplish His will.
Often times in church, we see some one who is appointed to do something, and our fleshly nature comes out.
We say, "He is not qualified, he has not been a member of the church long enough, she is not pretty enough, or they are not articulate enough."
But our response instead should be to support these individuals for the Lord may have willed them to do these tasks. They may fail. However, we must realize that the Lord is sovereign. He will accomplish His purposes with us or without us. I would rather be involved with Him in fulfilling His purposes!!!!
The prophecy of Cyrus, outside of the prophecies of Christ, is probably one of the most important prophecies in the Bible. The prophecy shows how God is over history and how He works through history. How He did this in such minute detail, is really a testimony to God that He is God. As many of you have heard the old saying, "History is His story."
Read this prophecy, and reflect on how God is sovereign. How He has been sovereign in History and how He has been sovereign in your own life.
If you would like, share with us how you have experienced God's sovereignty in your life. We would be blessed to hear how God has and is working through you.
Philippians 1:6 "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Isaiah 46:9-1o "remember the former things of old;for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,'"
In chapters 44 and 45, we read of the great prophecy of Cyrus.
Isaiah wrote this prophecy probably around 700 B.C. and Cyrus came to be king of Babylon around 550 B.C.
In this prophecy, the Lord names Cyrus by name. He says that Cyrus will be the shepherd of His people. That He will accomplish His will by using Cyrus.
As I discussed yesterday, liberal scholars and theologians scoff at predictive prophecy in the Bible. So, they come up with theories to explain away the prophecy. One theory is that a later author came along and then went back and wrote Cyrus in Isaiah after the events had transpired. The author who comes in and fills in the details after they have come to pass is known as a redactor.
I don't want to take that track in my post today. But I want to focus on how sovereign God is. God uses people that we would not think of to accomplish His purposes.
Cyrus was not a believer. He was a pagan from Babylon and worshipped their Gods. Yet, God used this pagan to accomplish His will.
Often times in church, we see some one who is appointed to do something, and our fleshly nature comes out.
We say, "He is not qualified, he has not been a member of the church long enough, she is not pretty enough, or they are not articulate enough."
But our response instead should be to support these individuals for the Lord may have willed them to do these tasks. They may fail. However, we must realize that the Lord is sovereign. He will accomplish His purposes with us or without us. I would rather be involved with Him in fulfilling His purposes!!!!
The prophecy of Cyrus, outside of the prophecies of Christ, is probably one of the most important prophecies in the Bible. The prophecy shows how God is over history and how He works through history. How He did this in such minute detail, is really a testimony to God that He is God. As many of you have heard the old saying, "History is His story."
Read this prophecy, and reflect on how God is sovereign. How He has been sovereign in History and how He has been sovereign in your own life.
If you would like, share with us how you have experienced God's sovereignty in your life. We would be blessed to hear how God has and is working through you.
Philippians 1:6 "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Isaiah 40-43
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2040-43&version=ESV
In today's reading we begin the last section of Isaiah, chapters 40 to 66. The tenor and tone of these chapters are different from Isaiah chapters 1-39.
Chapters 40 to 66 deal with the coming Messiah and have a much more prophetic inclination to them. While chapters 1 to 39 deal more with judgement on the nations, and historical accounts of Israel, there is some prophecy in them - particularly in chapters 7, 9 and 11.
I write this because many liberal scholars say that because the two sections of Isaiah are so different in their mind that they must be written by two authors. They call this second author of Isaiah 40-66 Deutero-Isaiah (which stands for Second Isaiah).
Another reason why scholars say chapters 40 to 66 were not written by Isaiah is because of the prophecies that have been fulfilled. Notably the prophecy of Cyrus in chapters 44 and 45 of Isaiah and probably one of, if not the greatest prophecy that was fulfilled by Jesus Christ in Isaiah 53. They deny the supernatural and acknowledging the fulfillment of these prophecies would really call into question their denial of the supernatural.
This is another attempt at trying to discredit the Bible, its authority and authenticity. No where in the Bible do the writers ever talk of there being two Isaiahs.
In fact, the Lord Jesus in the Gospel according to John has this to say,
"Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
"Lord, who has believed what he heard from us,
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
(John 12:37-41)
In these verses from the book of John, Jesus quotes Isaiah twice. The first quotation is from Isaiah chapter 53 and the second quotation is from Isaiah chapter 6.
So, Jesus did not look at there being two authors of Isaiah. If He knew that there were two authors and He did not refer to the other author, then He would have been deceiving us and He would have sinned.
But He did not sin. Jesus held a very high view of Scripture. In John 17:17, Jesus says,
"Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth."
So, when you hear scholars or programs on the history channel that talk about the supposed contradictions, or different authors of the books, do some digging on your own. Research the issues, and look to conservative evangelical scholars and resources to supplement your study of the Scriptures. If you have any questions about certain issues, feel free to email me at rshellhamer@yahoo.com . I would be glad to help or assist you or point you to some good Christian resources to help you in your studies.
I wish I could write more about the opening of Isaiah chapter 40 - which John the Baptist quotes in Mark chapter 1. Or the great ending of chapter 40, talking about waiting on the Lord. Or about chapter 42, the first of the 4 chapters on the suffering servant in Isaiah (the others being in chapters 49, 50 and 52 to 53 - which refer to Jesus).
Or the great verse that tells everyone on earth what their purpose in life is. Isaiah 43:7,
"everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made."
Read these chapters. Enjoy them. The book of Isaiah only gets better and better.
But what I wanted to convey to y'all today is that the Word of the Lord can be trusted. It can be relied upon. It is truth.
As the Prophet Isaiah wrote:
"The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever."
(Isaiah 40:8)
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
In today's reading we begin the last section of Isaiah, chapters 40 to 66. The tenor and tone of these chapters are different from Isaiah chapters 1-39.
Chapters 40 to 66 deal with the coming Messiah and have a much more prophetic inclination to them. While chapters 1 to 39 deal more with judgement on the nations, and historical accounts of Israel, there is some prophecy in them - particularly in chapters 7, 9 and 11.
I write this because many liberal scholars say that because the two sections of Isaiah are so different in their mind that they must be written by two authors. They call this second author of Isaiah 40-66 Deutero-Isaiah (which stands for Second Isaiah).
Another reason why scholars say chapters 40 to 66 were not written by Isaiah is because of the prophecies that have been fulfilled. Notably the prophecy of Cyrus in chapters 44 and 45 of Isaiah and probably one of, if not the greatest prophecy that was fulfilled by Jesus Christ in Isaiah 53. They deny the supernatural and acknowledging the fulfillment of these prophecies would really call into question their denial of the supernatural.
This is another attempt at trying to discredit the Bible, its authority and authenticity. No where in the Bible do the writers ever talk of there being two Isaiahs.
In fact, the Lord Jesus in the Gospel according to John has this to say,
"Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
"Lord, who has believed what he heard from us,
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,
"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart,
lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn,
and I would heal them."
(John 12:37-41)
In these verses from the book of John, Jesus quotes Isaiah twice. The first quotation is from Isaiah chapter 53 and the second quotation is from Isaiah chapter 6.
So, Jesus did not look at there being two authors of Isaiah. If He knew that there were two authors and He did not refer to the other author, then He would have been deceiving us and He would have sinned.
But He did not sin. Jesus held a very high view of Scripture. In John 17:17, Jesus says,
"Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth."
So, when you hear scholars or programs on the history channel that talk about the supposed contradictions, or different authors of the books, do some digging on your own. Research the issues, and look to conservative evangelical scholars and resources to supplement your study of the Scriptures. If you have any questions about certain issues, feel free to email me at rshellhamer@yahoo.com . I would be glad to help or assist you or point you to some good Christian resources to help you in your studies.
I wish I could write more about the opening of Isaiah chapter 40 - which John the Baptist quotes in Mark chapter 1. Or the great ending of chapter 40, talking about waiting on the Lord. Or about chapter 42, the first of the 4 chapters on the suffering servant in Isaiah (the others being in chapters 49, 50 and 52 to 53 - which refer to Jesus).
Or the great verse that tells everyone on earth what their purpose in life is. Isaiah 43:7,
"everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made."
Read these chapters. Enjoy them. The book of Isaiah only gets better and better.
But what I wanted to convey to y'all today is that the Word of the Lord can be trusted. It can be relied upon. It is truth.
As the Prophet Isaiah wrote:
"The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever."
(Isaiah 40:8)
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Isaiah 37-39, psalm 76
Today's passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2037-39,%20psalm%2076&version=NIV
Of course King Hezekiah is not perfect, but in chapter 37, he does show a wonderful example of how to handle a crisis. When he heard that the great army of Assyria was at his doorstep, he responded with urgency, repentance, humility, and selflessness.
Hezekiah’s response is immediate. “As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the LORD. “ (Isaiah 37:1). As soon as he heard the words of the Rabshakeh, he turned to God. He did not consult his advisors, he didn’t go out to meet the army, he didn’t survey his options; he immediately turned to God.
When faced with crisis, verse 1 also says that Hezekiah tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord. In biblical times, sackcloth indicated repentance. Hezekiah put pride aside and donned a visual symbol of repentance, humility and dependence upon God on behalf of Judah.
In verse 3, Hezekiah admitted that Judah has no power to deliver itself a victory. He attributes any glory to God and recognizes his own weakness and the weakness of the people of Judah.
In verse 4, Hezekiah acknowledges what matters most – not that his kingdom survive, but that God’s glory is realized. The name of the Lord is being mocked by the Rabshakeh and Hezekiah prays for vindication. He prays that God intervene and rescue Judah that they may be proof of his glory and his power.
The Lord responds to Hezekiah’s prayer and draws the army away, but Hezekiah is left with the threat that they will return. Hezekiah’s response in verses 14-20 follows the same pattern of urgency, repentance, humility and selflessness.
In the end of chapter 37, we see that God does keep his promise and the angel of the Lord strikes down the Assyrian army. Judah is safe for now.
We will all come face to face with crisis in our lifetimes – more than once. How will you respond? Hezekiah’s response in chapter 37 gives us such a wonderful lesson on how to respond with urgency, repentance, humility and selflessness. This response was evidence of Hezekiah’s authentic faith. Pray that God will prepare your heart for crisis so that you may respond as Hezekiah did in chapter 37. Take some time to acknowledge his power and his glory and his perfect plan. Ask Him to build in you a faith that allows you to be proof of his glory and his power.
Today's post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Of course King Hezekiah is not perfect, but in chapter 37, he does show a wonderful example of how to handle a crisis. When he heard that the great army of Assyria was at his doorstep, he responded with urgency, repentance, humility, and selflessness.
Hezekiah’s response is immediate. “As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the LORD. “ (Isaiah 37:1). As soon as he heard the words of the Rabshakeh, he turned to God. He did not consult his advisors, he didn’t go out to meet the army, he didn’t survey his options; he immediately turned to God.
When faced with crisis, verse 1 also says that Hezekiah tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord. In biblical times, sackcloth indicated repentance. Hezekiah put pride aside and donned a visual symbol of repentance, humility and dependence upon God on behalf of Judah.
In verse 3, Hezekiah admitted that Judah has no power to deliver itself a victory. He attributes any glory to God and recognizes his own weakness and the weakness of the people of Judah.
In verse 4, Hezekiah acknowledges what matters most – not that his kingdom survive, but that God’s glory is realized. The name of the Lord is being mocked by the Rabshakeh and Hezekiah prays for vindication. He prays that God intervene and rescue Judah that they may be proof of his glory and his power.
The Lord responds to Hezekiah’s prayer and draws the army away, but Hezekiah is left with the threat that they will return. Hezekiah’s response in verses 14-20 follows the same pattern of urgency, repentance, humility and selflessness.
In the end of chapter 37, we see that God does keep his promise and the angel of the Lord strikes down the Assyrian army. Judah is safe for now.
We will all come face to face with crisis in our lifetimes – more than once. How will you respond? Hezekiah’s response in chapter 37 gives us such a wonderful lesson on how to respond with urgency, repentance, humility and selflessness. This response was evidence of Hezekiah’s authentic faith. Pray that God will prepare your heart for crisis so that you may respond as Hezekiah did in chapter 37. Take some time to acknowledge his power and his glory and his perfect plan. Ask Him to build in you a faith that allows you to be proof of his glory and his power.
Today's post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Isaiah 31-16
I apologize to our faithful readers...we are a little behind in our posting. Please follow the link to read the passages for Monday and Tuesday. Carry on my friends! We have a God who wants a relationship with us and your perseverence in His Word will only strengthen that bond. Wednesday's passage is coming soon!
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2031-36&version=NIV
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2031-36&version=NIV
Sunday, July 25, 2010
To Rest or to Flee
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2028-30&version=NIV
Today we look at one of my favorite passages in God's word - Isaiah 15:18-20. I think it's one of my favorite because I see it's truth in my life all of the time. It has both the power to settle my heart and make me rest, and the power to convict me in a way that sometimes pierces me. Let's look at how it begins:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength".
So many times God uses that verse to gently call to me - to remind me that he is fighting my battles and has everything well in hand. He reminds me that I don't have to work so hard sometimes I tend to try to work out my own salvation - the tendency for my flesh wanting to prove that I am good. The results are I end up spiritually exhausted. God says to me, "Carol, be still, just repent and rest" and with a sigh I lean into his arms and let him carry me.
Other times, probably more often if I am being truthful, he uses the verse to convict me. Too often I'm trying to play God in my circumstances. Instead of living out the beginning of verse fifteen, I choose the second part which reads, "but you would have none of it". I proceed live in the craziness of trying to fight my own battles, trying to fight against God's plan and timing, trying to be wise unto myself instead of searching for God's wisdom. That to is exhausting and generally ends with me looking foolish before God - if not others.
Oh yes, there are a thousand ways that I reject God's rest and strength and try to do life through my own. I'm doing it less often these days though, because I've experienced the rest, the quietness, the trust, and rather like the way it feels. These days I'm asking God to remind me of the truth in vs. 18:
"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are those who wait for him."
If I accept that, allow it to settle in my heart, and live like I believe it, the repentance, rest, quietness and trust arrive much more quickly and stay a lot longer. I spend less time fleeing or chasing my own tail - and that equals a lot more time to love, serve, and worship. But better than that, it equals God's plan and his glory being played out in my life. From the small glimpses I've had of his plan and glory, I desperately want to learn to wait for it because it is so good and so beautiful - it is perfection in a way I can't design myself.
I pray that you and I both choose daily take a deep breathe, repent, rest, be quiet and trust on our gracious and compassionate Lord. For truly, there is immense blessing for those who wait for him, both in the waiting and when he accomplished that on which we are waiting. Rest in Him - it's a very, very good thing - even better than a Sunday afternoon nap! Be blessed!
Today we look at one of my favorite passages in God's word - Isaiah 15:18-20. I think it's one of my favorite because I see it's truth in my life all of the time. It has both the power to settle my heart and make me rest, and the power to convict me in a way that sometimes pierces me. Let's look at how it begins:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength".
So many times God uses that verse to gently call to me - to remind me that he is fighting my battles and has everything well in hand. He reminds me that I don't have to work so hard sometimes I tend to try to work out my own salvation - the tendency for my flesh wanting to prove that I am good. The results are I end up spiritually exhausted. God says to me, "Carol, be still, just repent and rest" and with a sigh I lean into his arms and let him carry me.
Other times, probably more often if I am being truthful, he uses the verse to convict me. Too often I'm trying to play God in my circumstances. Instead of living out the beginning of verse fifteen, I choose the second part which reads, "but you would have none of it". I proceed live in the craziness of trying to fight my own battles, trying to fight against God's plan and timing, trying to be wise unto myself instead of searching for God's wisdom. That to is exhausting and generally ends with me looking foolish before God - if not others.
Oh yes, there are a thousand ways that I reject God's rest and strength and try to do life through my own. I'm doing it less often these days though, because I've experienced the rest, the quietness, the trust, and rather like the way it feels. These days I'm asking God to remind me of the truth in vs. 18:
"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are those who wait for him."
If I accept that, allow it to settle in my heart, and live like I believe it, the repentance, rest, quietness and trust arrive much more quickly and stay a lot longer. I spend less time fleeing or chasing my own tail - and that equals a lot more time to love, serve, and worship. But better than that, it equals God's plan and his glory being played out in my life. From the small glimpses I've had of his plan and glory, I desperately want to learn to wait for it because it is so good and so beautiful - it is perfection in a way I can't design myself.
I pray that you and I both choose daily take a deep breathe, repent, rest, be quiet and trust on our gracious and compassionate Lord. For truly, there is immense blessing for those who wait for him, both in the waiting and when he accomplished that on which we are waiting. Rest in Him - it's a very, very good thing - even better than a Sunday afternoon nap! Be blessed!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
The Direction the Wind Blows
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hosea%208-14&version=NIV
“I will have no compassion, even though he thrives among his brothers. An east wind from the Lord will come, blowing in from the desert; his spring will fail and his well dry up. His storehouse will be plundered of all its treasures.” - Hosea 13:15
You might be wondering why I chose to center on this verse today. Does it matter from which direction the wind blows? As I was studying and deciding what to write about, I read the text notes in my archeological study bible. The note for verse 15 explained that “In a literal sense, wind from the east came to Palestine over the desert, making it a hot, dry wind that brings sand and dust. An east wind brought the plague of locusts on Egypt (Exodus 10:13) and dried up the sea so the Israelites could cross over dry land (Exodus 14:21). Many references mention the destructive results of the east wind; thin and withered heads of grain (Gen. 41:6), broken ships (Eze. 27:26), withered plants (Eze. 17:10), dried fountains (Hosea 13:15) and Jonah’s fainting spell (Jonah 4:8). The east wind was used as a means of judgment by God and here is a figure for Assyria, an instrument of destruction.”
So for the northern kingdom, it did matter from which direction the wind blew. In his message of judgment and warning spoke through Hosea, God very purposefully described the wind to be an ‘east’ wind because he knew that the people would understand the destruction brought by this wind. God made his message of judgment very clear to him.
But why does this detail matter to us? First, I think that it is important to point out why studying the word of God is so important. By studying I mean not just reading or memorizing or answering questions in a bible study, but digging down deep. Studying God’s word means finding out about the context in which his word was spoken so we understand exactly what he was saying. God’s word is his revelation of himself to us. If we want a more complete picture of God, we MUST have a more complete picture of his word. We must be diligent to not just read but to study and to dig and to search for understanding. This is foundational to our faith, because by doing this, we get a greater picture of God, his attributes, and his character. It’s like getting to know the person you will marry (since we are in a covenant love relationship with God). You don’t want to just know what they look like on the outside, but your heart desires to know each deep intimate detail about their hearts and minds as well.
What does the east wind reveal to us about God? It reveals his character and the way he communicates to us. The message here is that God is not a God who keeps himself hidden. He doesn’t want us to play a guessing game about who he is or what he’s saying. He lovingly reveals himself to those who seek diligently after him. What we also learn that when he has something he wants us to know, he isn’t vague, but is very clear. He didn’t just warn the people that it would get a little windy, but he used the east wind to describe his judgment because he knew the message would be very clearly understood.
So rest, my friends, in knowing that God WILL reveal to you what he wants you to know. He will reveal it very clearly. Your job is quite simple – seek him diligently and believe him – take him at his word. He will do the rest.
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and will bring you back from captivity.” – Jeremiah 29:13-14
“I will have no compassion, even though he thrives among his brothers. An east wind from the Lord will come, blowing in from the desert; his spring will fail and his well dry up. His storehouse will be plundered of all its treasures.” - Hosea 13:15
You might be wondering why I chose to center on this verse today. Does it matter from which direction the wind blows? As I was studying and deciding what to write about, I read the text notes in my archeological study bible. The note for verse 15 explained that “In a literal sense, wind from the east came to Palestine over the desert, making it a hot, dry wind that brings sand and dust. An east wind brought the plague of locusts on Egypt (Exodus 10:13) and dried up the sea so the Israelites could cross over dry land (Exodus 14:21). Many references mention the destructive results of the east wind; thin and withered heads of grain (Gen. 41:6), broken ships (Eze. 27:26), withered plants (Eze. 17:10), dried fountains (Hosea 13:15) and Jonah’s fainting spell (Jonah 4:8). The east wind was used as a means of judgment by God and here is a figure for Assyria, an instrument of destruction.”
So for the northern kingdom, it did matter from which direction the wind blew. In his message of judgment and warning spoke through Hosea, God very purposefully described the wind to be an ‘east’ wind because he knew that the people would understand the destruction brought by this wind. God made his message of judgment very clear to him.
But why does this detail matter to us? First, I think that it is important to point out why studying the word of God is so important. By studying I mean not just reading or memorizing or answering questions in a bible study, but digging down deep. Studying God’s word means finding out about the context in which his word was spoken so we understand exactly what he was saying. God’s word is his revelation of himself to us. If we want a more complete picture of God, we MUST have a more complete picture of his word. We must be diligent to not just read but to study and to dig and to search for understanding. This is foundational to our faith, because by doing this, we get a greater picture of God, his attributes, and his character. It’s like getting to know the person you will marry (since we are in a covenant love relationship with God). You don’t want to just know what they look like on the outside, but your heart desires to know each deep intimate detail about their hearts and minds as well.
What does the east wind reveal to us about God? It reveals his character and the way he communicates to us. The message here is that God is not a God who keeps himself hidden. He doesn’t want us to play a guessing game about who he is or what he’s saying. He lovingly reveals himself to those who seek diligently after him. What we also learn that when he has something he wants us to know, he isn’t vague, but is very clear. He didn’t just warn the people that it would get a little windy, but he used the east wind to describe his judgment because he knew the message would be very clearly understood.
So rest, my friends, in knowing that God WILL reveal to you what he wants you to know. He will reveal it very clearly. Your job is quite simple – seek him diligently and believe him – take him at his word. He will do the rest.
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and will bring you back from captivity.” – Jeremiah 29:13-14
Friday, July 23, 2010
Things That Happen in the Desert
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hosea%201-7&version=NIV
Today we jump into the book of Hosea. I would be remiss if I didn’t give you any background before I jump into what is on my heart for today. Hosea followed Amos who prophesied about God’s judgment on Israel at the hands of an unknown enemy and Hosea identifies that enemy to be Assyria. He was the only one of the writing prophets who came from the Northern Kingdom (Israel), and he lived during the tragic final days of this kingdom.
The book of Hosea is divided into two sections. The first (ch.1-3) describes Hosea’s family life- an unfaithful while and faithful husband. The second (ch. 4-14) focus on an unfaithful nation and I faithful God. Today I am focusing on the first. God told Hosea to “take yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery from the Lord” (1:2). Hosea’s family life was to be a symbol of God’s relation to Israel. This is both a covenant and love relationship (as is his relationship with us as we are adopted as his chosen people). I challenge you to find the places in scripture where God speaks of being a ‘husband’ to his people. Because the Israelites – and us – are in a covenant and love relationship with God, disloyalty to God is considered Spiritual adultery. Israel was worshipping Baal, they sacrificed at pagan high places, and they had forsaken God and his commands. And yet God, in an amazing display of compassion and love, cannot let Israel go.
Now, all of that being said, I want to remind you of something I briefly wrote on yesterday at the end of the blog – how God returns to us when we return to him. This is played out in Hosea’s relationship with his wife and it is a beautiful picture of how God loves us. She is adulterous – she even leaves him. Yet he not only welcome’s her back when she returns, but also woos and pursues her to bring her back.
This is one of the most beautiful and important truths that we can know – that God desires a deep, intimate relationship with us. He allows us to make our choices, and unfortunately, like an adulterous wife, we start worshipping at other alters (we each have our own idols to whom we prostitute ourselves). But God is always pursuing us, wooing us in love and compassion and drawing us back.
How does God pursue us? The answer lives in Hosea 2:14:
“Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.”
God doesn’t pursue by leading us to a luxury resort where we are waited on hand and foot, or at a gourmet restaurant where we can eat our fill of rich food, or to the spa to be pampered. He takes us to the desert. Why the desert? No one wants to be in the desert – it doesn’t sound very alluring. But God knows better – he knows that it is in the desert where we best hear and see him. Why? Because of the things that happen in the desert.
Desert season’s in our lives are the times when we reach out to God the most, seek God the most, need God the most, and see his loving provision and compassion the most. There are things that happen in the desert that simply can’t happen anywhere else. Things that happen that remind us of the greatness of God’s love and mercy for us. In the desert:
So God may lead you into the desert, but there we see new life. Out of the desert comes new hope and a new song (2:15). There in the desert we move from seeing God as a master to loving him as a husband (2:16). We will long for no other God’s but him (2:17). In the desert we move again to living under the hand of our husband’s protection (2:18). In the desert we fall in love with the one who romances us by giving showing us his righteousness, justice, faithfulness, love, and compassion. (2:19-20). There in the desert a love relationship with God – and are very lives – are restored (2:21-22). And at the end of every desert journey is a promised land (2:23).
I know that many of us have been in the desert, some of us are in one right now, and all of us will certainly find ourselves in one again at some point in our lives. Friends, I pray that you will know in the midst of that desert that God did not abandon you there. Search for him there, knowing in confidence that you will find him to be very, very close to you. I pray that you will see his provision, direction, protection, and abundance there. I pray that you will cling tightly to God, that your love relationship will be renewed in such a way that this desert brings you to a new land. I pray that God would romance you in that desert in such a way that your desert will bring you to a land where you will live out your life always aware and delighting in his covenant relationship of love with you. I pray that at the end of your life on earth, you will be invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb, and that you will see this God who has written a romance story like no story ever written – a story that is not fiction but true. I pray that you will, on that day, see “heaven standing open and there before you will be a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True” (Rev.19:11).
Our God desires an intimate covenant relationship of love with you. I encourage you to find some time in your day to get alone with him and let him allure you.
If you are in a desert and would like us to pray for you, please share your request - it would be our pleasure.
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
Today we jump into the book of Hosea. I would be remiss if I didn’t give you any background before I jump into what is on my heart for today. Hosea followed Amos who prophesied about God’s judgment on Israel at the hands of an unknown enemy and Hosea identifies that enemy to be Assyria. He was the only one of the writing prophets who came from the Northern Kingdom (Israel), and he lived during the tragic final days of this kingdom.
The book of Hosea is divided into two sections. The first (ch.1-3) describes Hosea’s family life- an unfaithful while and faithful husband. The second (ch. 4-14) focus on an unfaithful nation and I faithful God. Today I am focusing on the first. God told Hosea to “take yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery from the Lord” (1:2). Hosea’s family life was to be a symbol of God’s relation to Israel. This is both a covenant and love relationship (as is his relationship with us as we are adopted as his chosen people). I challenge you to find the places in scripture where God speaks of being a ‘husband’ to his people. Because the Israelites – and us – are in a covenant and love relationship with God, disloyalty to God is considered Spiritual adultery. Israel was worshipping Baal, they sacrificed at pagan high places, and they had forsaken God and his commands. And yet God, in an amazing display of compassion and love, cannot let Israel go.
Now, all of that being said, I want to remind you of something I briefly wrote on yesterday at the end of the blog – how God returns to us when we return to him. This is played out in Hosea’s relationship with his wife and it is a beautiful picture of how God loves us. She is adulterous – she even leaves him. Yet he not only welcome’s her back when she returns, but also woos and pursues her to bring her back.
This is one of the most beautiful and important truths that we can know – that God desires a deep, intimate relationship with us. He allows us to make our choices, and unfortunately, like an adulterous wife, we start worshipping at other alters (we each have our own idols to whom we prostitute ourselves). But God is always pursuing us, wooing us in love and compassion and drawing us back.
How does God pursue us? The answer lives in Hosea 2:14:
“Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.”
God doesn’t pursue by leading us to a luxury resort where we are waited on hand and foot, or at a gourmet restaurant where we can eat our fill of rich food, or to the spa to be pampered. He takes us to the desert. Why the desert? No one wants to be in the desert – it doesn’t sound very alluring. But God knows better – he knows that it is in the desert where we best hear and see him. Why? Because of the things that happen in the desert.
Desert season’s in our lives are the times when we reach out to God the most, seek God the most, need God the most, and see his loving provision and compassion the most. There are things that happen in the desert that simply can’t happen anywhere else. Things that happen that remind us of the greatness of God’s love and mercy for us. In the desert:
God feeds and clothes – Deuteronomy 8:3-4 – and we see his provision
God leads us – Exodus 15:13 – and we see his direction
God guards us from enemies – Joshua 24:17-18 and we see his protection
God does not abandon us – Nehemiah 9:19 – and we see his eternal presence
God spreads a table before us – Psalm 78:19 – and we see his abundance
This is just the short list of what happens in the desert. The key thing about the desert is that in all of the things God does there; we know who the source is. The desert is but a dry and thirsty land that offers no provision or protection or direction of its own. Therefore, when we receive all of the things listed above, he knows with certainty that God is the one who has provided. And when we are reminded of the richness of God’s mercy and grace, when we are reminded of his abundant love for us and how closely we watches over us, when we once again are aware of his hand leading and guiding us, we can’t help but to fall in love with him all over again.So God may lead you into the desert, but there we see new life. Out of the desert comes new hope and a new song (2:15). There in the desert we move from seeing God as a master to loving him as a husband (2:16). We will long for no other God’s but him (2:17). In the desert we move again to living under the hand of our husband’s protection (2:18). In the desert we fall in love with the one who romances us by giving showing us his righteousness, justice, faithfulness, love, and compassion. (2:19-20). There in the desert a love relationship with God – and are very lives – are restored (2:21-22). And at the end of every desert journey is a promised land (2:23).
I know that many of us have been in the desert, some of us are in one right now, and all of us will certainly find ourselves in one again at some point in our lives. Friends, I pray that you will know in the midst of that desert that God did not abandon you there. Search for him there, knowing in confidence that you will find him to be very, very close to you. I pray that you will see his provision, direction, protection, and abundance there. I pray that you will cling tightly to God, that your love relationship will be renewed in such a way that this desert brings you to a new land. I pray that God would romance you in that desert in such a way that your desert will bring you to a land where you will live out your life always aware and delighting in his covenant relationship of love with you. I pray that at the end of your life on earth, you will be invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb, and that you will see this God who has written a romance story like no story ever written – a story that is not fiction but true. I pray that you will, on that day, see “heaven standing open and there before you will be a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True” (Rev.19:11).
Our God desires an intimate covenant relationship of love with you. I encourage you to find some time in your day to get alone with him and let him allure you.
If you are in a desert and would like us to pray for you, please share your request - it would be our pleasure.
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
Thursday, July 22, 2010
A legacy of trust and authentic worship
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%2018;%202%20Chronicles%2029-31;%20Psalm%2048&version=NIV
Today we read the account of King Hezekiah. In a laundry list of Kings who have not served God or who served him half-heartedly, we read of Hezekiah’s legacy. Here is what 2 Kings 18:5-7 tells us about him:
“Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him; he was sucessful in whatever he undertook.”
When I read this I was fascinated by how closely it parallels proverbs 3:5-8 (incidentally, my text notes indicate that the writer of Chronicles saw Hezekiah as a second Solomon – who wrote the proverbs):
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.”
Both Hezekiah and Solomon knew the secrets to success. We see Proverbs 3:5-8 out in both of their lives. Trust in the Lord and a reverent fear of God was the foundation of their legacy. Let’s take a closer look at how this played out in the reign of Hezekiah and how it can be played out in our own lives as well.
First and foremost Hezekiah made a decision. His decision was to trust – to put his weight fully down on God and his loving sovereign power and promises. This decision is lived out as he chooses smash the sacred stones and Asherah poles (these became part of worship when kings who didn’t trust God reigned – they reflected pagan religion and idolatry). This action was a demonstration of his choice to trust in the Lord. The message was clear – he knew there is no one or no thing that has more power in his life than God himself. We also can make this choice – to stop trusting in things that the world does – money, status, career, men or women, friends, even our own powers and ability to effectuate a situation – and put our weight fully down on God. We make the choice – the power of the Spirit works itself in our lives to enable us to do so.
The second thing Hezekiah did was return to worship to it’s right place and intentions. Worship is meant to express honor, reverence, and praise to the one true God. Hezekiah destroyed places and ways of false worship and opened again the doors of the temple. He made worship an act that was consecrated – set apart – to and for the Lord – a pure worship.
We also can do the same in our lives. Allow God to search your heart about the way that you worship. Do you worship because God expects it – are your worshipping to earn God’s favor? Or do you worship so that other’s will see you and praise you for the way you serve and worship? Perhaps you worship a false God – a God who you’ve created to fit your own needs and/or desires and have tried to put the name of the Lord on that God. All of these are a form of flesh-gratifying worship – not of God but of your own purposes.
What, then, is true authentic worship? “True worship will worship the Father in Sprit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” – John4:23. This is a worship where ‘self’ is removed. A worship to God and for God. We are to worship to and through the power of God. We are to worship in truth – to the true God as revealed to us in his word. We are to worship God because he is truth. The Holy Spirit and the Word of God should be central to your worship. When this is central in our worship, our flesh is removed and our worship is authentic and consecrated – set apart – for praise and glory of God. When we worship in Spirit and in truth, like Hezekiah and Solomon, the way we live our very lives becomes worship – a life that seeks to trust and acknowledge God, his wisdom, his will, his glory.
Allow me to mention one last thing that it important to note about Hezekiah that will lead us into the book of Hosea and our discussion there for the next several days. He understood that sins of the past did not keep God from working in the lives of the people today. He knew the truth that although the sins of the past bring difficulty and judgment, the minute one returns to God, he returns to them. This truth is the same in your life today. In any area where you have forsaken God, you need only to return that area – perhaps your entire life – over to him. When you do , he will return swiftly – immediately – to you and to this area, bring relief, and again begin working to give your rest and success.
With words of grace, I end today with what Hezekiah spoke to the people of Israel. God is speaking this to you today – just substitute your own name:
“People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you…submit to the Lord, come to the sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever…for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.” – 2 Chronicles 30:6-9.
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
Today we read the account of King Hezekiah. In a laundry list of Kings who have not served God or who served him half-heartedly, we read of Hezekiah’s legacy. Here is what 2 Kings 18:5-7 tells us about him:
“Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him; he was sucessful in whatever he undertook.”
When I read this I was fascinated by how closely it parallels proverbs 3:5-8 (incidentally, my text notes indicate that the writer of Chronicles saw Hezekiah as a second Solomon – who wrote the proverbs):
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.”
Both Hezekiah and Solomon knew the secrets to success. We see Proverbs 3:5-8 out in both of their lives. Trust in the Lord and a reverent fear of God was the foundation of their legacy. Let’s take a closer look at how this played out in the reign of Hezekiah and how it can be played out in our own lives as well.
First and foremost Hezekiah made a decision. His decision was to trust – to put his weight fully down on God and his loving sovereign power and promises. This decision is lived out as he chooses smash the sacred stones and Asherah poles (these became part of worship when kings who didn’t trust God reigned – they reflected pagan religion and idolatry). This action was a demonstration of his choice to trust in the Lord. The message was clear – he knew there is no one or no thing that has more power in his life than God himself. We also can make this choice – to stop trusting in things that the world does – money, status, career, men or women, friends, even our own powers and ability to effectuate a situation – and put our weight fully down on God. We make the choice – the power of the Spirit works itself in our lives to enable us to do so.
The second thing Hezekiah did was return to worship to it’s right place and intentions. Worship is meant to express honor, reverence, and praise to the one true God. Hezekiah destroyed places and ways of false worship and opened again the doors of the temple. He made worship an act that was consecrated – set apart – to and for the Lord – a pure worship.
We also can do the same in our lives. Allow God to search your heart about the way that you worship. Do you worship because God expects it – are your worshipping to earn God’s favor? Or do you worship so that other’s will see you and praise you for the way you serve and worship? Perhaps you worship a false God – a God who you’ve created to fit your own needs and/or desires and have tried to put the name of the Lord on that God. All of these are a form of flesh-gratifying worship – not of God but of your own purposes.
What, then, is true authentic worship? “True worship will worship the Father in Sprit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” – John4:23. This is a worship where ‘self’ is removed. A worship to God and for God. We are to worship to and through the power of God. We are to worship in truth – to the true God as revealed to us in his word. We are to worship God because he is truth. The Holy Spirit and the Word of God should be central to your worship. When this is central in our worship, our flesh is removed and our worship is authentic and consecrated – set apart – for praise and glory of God. When we worship in Spirit and in truth, like Hezekiah and Solomon, the way we live our very lives becomes worship – a life that seeks to trust and acknowledge God, his wisdom, his will, his glory.
Allow me to mention one last thing that it important to note about Hezekiah that will lead us into the book of Hosea and our discussion there for the next several days. He understood that sins of the past did not keep God from working in the lives of the people today. He knew the truth that although the sins of the past bring difficulty and judgment, the minute one returns to God, he returns to them. This truth is the same in your life today. In any area where you have forsaken God, you need only to return that area – perhaps your entire life – over to him. When you do , he will return swiftly – immediately – to you and to this area, bring relief, and again begin working to give your rest and success.
With words of grace, I end today with what Hezekiah spoke to the people of Israel. God is speaking this to you today – just substitute your own name:
“People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you…submit to the Lord, come to the sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever…for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.” – 2 Chronicles 30:6-9.
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
isaiah 23-27
todays passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2023-27&version=NIV
Chapter 24-27 contains the third series of oracles and is the vision of God ruling the nations in judgment and salvation. According to my study Bible notes, these chapters are often called "apocalypic" because they depict the final conflict and God's victory.
There is an end of evil and a joyful worship! The Lord will swallow up death forever. In 2 Peter 3:10 - 13, we are told that the day of the Lord will come like a thief. So how are we to live and how what we have to look forward to?
10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
So I have to take some time and look at my own life. How am I living? holy and godly? Of course none of us can muster up enough willpower to live perfect lives, but we as children of God we are made holy through the blood of Christ. That doesn't exempt us from working through the process of sanctification with the Holy Spirit. Take some time to inventory your life. Ask God to reveal the areas of your life that He wants you to work on and pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to take you down that path. Then, spend some time praising Him for the promise of a new heaven and a new earth! Isn't it great to have something so amazing to look forward to!!
Todays post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Isaiah 18-22
Todays passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2018-22&version=NIV
He is the one whom we can depend on when facing a struggle. He is the one we can thank for providing the tools we need. When facing adversity, we are to humble ourselves before Him. I'm so thankful that I can depend on Him.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Isaiah 13-17
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2013-17&version=NIV
ISAIAH 13 – 17
Isaiah chapters 13-17 present a series of prophesies against many nations: Babylon, Philistine, Moab, Damascus. These chapters depict the coming judgment of the Lord and illustrate how all nations are ultimately accountable to Him. For the oppression imposed upon Israel, Babylon receives an especially long and scathing rebuke. The only ray of hope in this passage shines upon Israel (14:1-2), as God promises to deliver His people from Babylonian captivity and restore them to their own land.
The most notable passage in today’s reading is 14:12-15:
12"How you are fallen from heaven,
O Day Star, son of Dawn!
How you are cut down to the ground,
you who laid the nations low!
13You said in your heart,
'I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
in the far reaches of the north;
14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.'
15But you are brought down to Sheol,
to the far reaches of the pit.
Scholars disagree on who is being addressed in this passage. Many -- including John Calvin -- see this as a literal rebuke of the king of Babylon. However, others see this as a figurative description of the fall of Satan. With either interpretation, the following truths are our takeaway:
1.There is a God.
2.I am not He.
3.Woe to anybody who mistakes himself as being God.
Let’s spare ourselves from woe, and let God be God in our lives.
Chad
ISAIAH 13 – 17
Isaiah chapters 13-17 present a series of prophesies against many nations: Babylon, Philistine, Moab, Damascus. These chapters depict the coming judgment of the Lord and illustrate how all nations are ultimately accountable to Him. For the oppression imposed upon Israel, Babylon receives an especially long and scathing rebuke. The only ray of hope in this passage shines upon Israel (14:1-2), as God promises to deliver His people from Babylonian captivity and restore them to their own land.
The most notable passage in today’s reading is 14:12-15:
12"How you are fallen from heaven,
O Day Star, son of Dawn!
How you are cut down to the ground,
you who laid the nations low!
13You said in your heart,
'I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
in the far reaches of the north;
14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.'
15But you are brought down to Sheol,
to the far reaches of the pit.
Scholars disagree on who is being addressed in this passage. Many -- including John Calvin -- see this as a literal rebuke of the king of Babylon. However, others see this as a figurative description of the fall of Satan. With either interpretation, the following truths are our takeaway:
1.There is a God.
2.I am not He.
3.Woe to anybody who mistakes himself as being God.
Let’s spare ourselves from woe, and let God be God in our lives.
Chad
Sunday, July 18, 2010
2 Chronicles 28; 2 Kings 16-17
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Chronicles%2028;%202%20Kings%2016-17&version=ESV
2 Kings 17:21-23 "When he had torn Israel from the house of David, they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. And Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD and made them commit great sin. The people of Israel walked in all the sins that Jeroboam did. They did not depart from them, until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had spoken by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria until this day."
722 B.C. This is when Israel fell to the Assyrians. The prophets - Isaiah, Micah, and Amos have warned Israel of this coming day.
What saddens me when I read this account, is how I read how far Israel had literally fallen away for the Lord.
Let's look at some of the things that Israel did that stirred up the anger of the Lord:
v. 9 - they built up high places in all their towns
v. 11 - they made offerings on all the high places
v12 - they served idols, that were false and they themselves became false (v.15)
v.15 - They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them.
v. 18 - And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens andBD)"> sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.
Because of these things, the Lord removed Israel out of His sight. Some one might say that is harsh. Why did He not give them a second chance?
Verse 13 says,
"Yet the LORDAN)"> warned Israel and JudahAO)"> by every prophet and every seer, saying,"Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets."
The Lord had warned the people. Over and over again. He gave them prophets and His Word to warn them, guide, them, and instruct them in how to live lives for Him that are pleasing to Him.
This is what saddens me today about evangelical Christianity. We have become like a modern day Israel before their capture of the Assyrians. We have taken God for granted and ignored His Word.
God is a loving God. He is also a just God. As you celebrate the Lord's Day today, think about His love and justice. Contemplate your life and ask the Lord to reveal areas in your life that are not pleasing to Him, and submit these areas to the Lord and ask for His help in making them areas that become pleasing to Him.
The tribe of Judah would fall about 140 years later in 586 B.C. We will read more of this when we get to the prophets of Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
Remember the year 722 and what happened to Israel when you read the rest of Isaiah in our readings. It will help you with the context of what is going on and what is fixing to be going on in the land of Israel and Judah.
The Lord put this in the Bible so that we could learn from this. Now, the United States is not a theocracy, as Israel was, or a land built by God and chosen by God explicitly, even though we have many Christian foundations in our nation's heritage.
But the way our nation lives today and they way Israel lived before its fall to Assyrian in 722 BC is quite stunning in their similarities.
Pray for our nation today that it might return to the Lord. Pray that we might not have to endure what Israel did.
Lord help us and our nation.
Ephesians 5:15-17
"AG)">Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
2 Kings 17:21-23 "When he had torn Israel from the house of David, they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. And Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD and made them commit great sin. The people of Israel walked in all the sins that Jeroboam did. They did not depart from them, until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had spoken by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria until this day."
722 B.C. This is when Israel fell to the Assyrians. The prophets - Isaiah, Micah, and Amos have warned Israel of this coming day.
What saddens me when I read this account, is how I read how far Israel had literally fallen away for the Lord.
Let's look at some of the things that Israel did that stirred up the anger of the Lord:
v. 9 - they built up high places in all their towns
v. 11 - they made offerings on all the high places
v12 - they served idols, that were false and they themselves became false (v.15)
v.15 - They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them.
v. 18 - And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens andBD)"> sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.
Because of these things, the Lord removed Israel out of His sight. Some one might say that is harsh. Why did He not give them a second chance?
Verse 13 says,
"Yet the LORDAN)"> warned Israel and JudahAO)"> by every prophet and every seer, saying,"Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets."
The Lord had warned the people. Over and over again. He gave them prophets and His Word to warn them, guide, them, and instruct them in how to live lives for Him that are pleasing to Him.
This is what saddens me today about evangelical Christianity. We have become like a modern day Israel before their capture of the Assyrians. We have taken God for granted and ignored His Word.
God is a loving God. He is also a just God. As you celebrate the Lord's Day today, think about His love and justice. Contemplate your life and ask the Lord to reveal areas in your life that are not pleasing to Him, and submit these areas to the Lord and ask for His help in making them areas that become pleasing to Him.
The tribe of Judah would fall about 140 years later in 586 B.C. We will read more of this when we get to the prophets of Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
Remember the year 722 and what happened to Israel when you read the rest of Isaiah in our readings. It will help you with the context of what is going on and what is fixing to be going on in the land of Israel and Judah.
The Lord put this in the Bible so that we could learn from this. Now, the United States is not a theocracy, as Israel was, or a land built by God and chosen by God explicitly, even though we have many Christian foundations in our nation's heritage.
But the way our nation lives today and they way Israel lived before its fall to Assyrian in 722 BC is quite stunning in their similarities.
Pray for our nation today that it might return to the Lord. Pray that we might not have to endure what Israel did.
Lord help us and our nation.
Ephesians 5:15-17
"AG)">Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
A Faith that Stands
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Micah+1&version=NIV
I have a sweet group of girls that I pray with twice a month. Our times of prayer together have become such a blessing – such a time of refreshment for all of us that we look forward to it almost with a yearning. It is a time of unloading burdens, a time of reminding one another of God’s faithful promises, a time of worship. This group and our time together, without question, is one of the most amazing blessings in my life.
However, I’ve noticed something these past two weeks. I’ve noticed that we’ve come up against challenges lately. Things that we prayed about in faith – scores on papers and exams, provision for car repairs, help with bringing closure to parts of our pasts, hopes for desires of our hearts - were met with disappointment and unexpected answers.
This morning as I was running, I was thinking about and praying about this – wondering what God’s purpose was in it, certain that he had one – or several. And knowing that God certainly had a purpose, I wondered if this was a challenge to our faith. Perhaps we’d given Satan a reason to have a conversation with God that went something like, “Sure, these girls pray boldly and expect answers, but what happens when those answers don’t come – or they aren’t what they wanted, or when huge challenges come against them. I bet their faith won’t be so great then”. Maybe God gave permission for these things to happen. Or maybe he allowed them to refine our faith – to call us to go deeper.
Either way, there is a verse in Micah that I’ve been standing on for several months, and I am determined (only through the help of God) to make it the foundation on which I continue to stand despite disappointment and challenge. It’s considered one of the strongest statements of faith in all of scripture. Here is the statement upon which Micah chose to stand:
“But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” – Micah 7:7
Micah lived in tough times – times when he very likely couldn’t understand what God was doing, times when his prayers of faith were met with disappointment. And yet he stands with great confidence. The faith of Micah that is evident in this inspired book is a faith that I want in my life. But I’m continually reminded that this type of faith is one that often comes from disappointments and challenges because it is here that a choice is made. The choice is whether we will continue to stand despite what we see or experience. After all, faith is in the unseen – and that’s what makes so amazing and God honoring. It’s a faith that doesn’t ask for proof before we will believe that God is the God that he says that he is. It doesn’t for action before we will believe that God will do what he says he will do. It’s instead stands on the Word, the promises, the love of God.
However, saying I want that faith and getting there are two totally different things. But I believe Micah makes a wise mentor, and by looking at what he did in allowing God to build his faith, we can set ourselves on the same path and walk towards that goal – towards the perfecting of our faith.
1) Micah knew that he could not build his own faith or learn God’s ways by his own power. Listen to what he writes in 4:4 – “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his path.” Micah understood two things. First, he understood that God is the author and perfecter of his faith – he knew that on his own, he could not muster up faith or learn the ways of God – he had to go to the source. Secondly, he clearly understood that to learn the ways of God you have to spend time in his presence – in his house and in his Word.
2) Micah believed God’s promises. He didn’t see the Savior, he had no evidence that He was coming, and yet if you read 5:1-5, he clearly received and believed the promise.
3) He understood a proper relationship with God – the kind of obedience required of a covenant people – and lived accordingly. God’s requirements are not burdensome. He simply asks us to “act justly and to love mercy and to walk humble with your God” (8:8). As his chosen people living under the new covenant, we have one up on Micah – because not only do we know the requirements, but we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to help us walk in obedience.
4) Micah makes a choice to stand in faith – despite circumstances. This is evidenced by his amazing statement of faith in 7:7 that we’ve already read and discussed.
5) He understands and lives under God’s great mercy. He embarks on his journey of faith knowing that there are times he won’t get it right. He knows he can’t earn it but that God is merciful and compassionate. He also knows that through God he has victory over sin. “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance…You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sin underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depth of the sea” (7:18-20)
My prayer for you, precious friends, is that you would pursue God and know God the way Micah did. I pray that God would help you follow the path of this wise mentor He has shown us in his word. And I pray that God would work out a faith in you that stands on His promises and waits in hope.
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
I have a sweet group of girls that I pray with twice a month. Our times of prayer together have become such a blessing – such a time of refreshment for all of us that we look forward to it almost with a yearning. It is a time of unloading burdens, a time of reminding one another of God’s faithful promises, a time of worship. This group and our time together, without question, is one of the most amazing blessings in my life.
However, I’ve noticed something these past two weeks. I’ve noticed that we’ve come up against challenges lately. Things that we prayed about in faith – scores on papers and exams, provision for car repairs, help with bringing closure to parts of our pasts, hopes for desires of our hearts - were met with disappointment and unexpected answers.
This morning as I was running, I was thinking about and praying about this – wondering what God’s purpose was in it, certain that he had one – or several. And knowing that God certainly had a purpose, I wondered if this was a challenge to our faith. Perhaps we’d given Satan a reason to have a conversation with God that went something like, “Sure, these girls pray boldly and expect answers, but what happens when those answers don’t come – or they aren’t what they wanted, or when huge challenges come against them. I bet their faith won’t be so great then”. Maybe God gave permission for these things to happen. Or maybe he allowed them to refine our faith – to call us to go deeper.
Either way, there is a verse in Micah that I’ve been standing on for several months, and I am determined (only through the help of God) to make it the foundation on which I continue to stand despite disappointment and challenge. It’s considered one of the strongest statements of faith in all of scripture. Here is the statement upon which Micah chose to stand:
“But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” – Micah 7:7
Micah lived in tough times – times when he very likely couldn’t understand what God was doing, times when his prayers of faith were met with disappointment. And yet he stands with great confidence. The faith of Micah that is evident in this inspired book is a faith that I want in my life. But I’m continually reminded that this type of faith is one that often comes from disappointments and challenges because it is here that a choice is made. The choice is whether we will continue to stand despite what we see or experience. After all, faith is in the unseen – and that’s what makes so amazing and God honoring. It’s a faith that doesn’t ask for proof before we will believe that God is the God that he says that he is. It doesn’t for action before we will believe that God will do what he says he will do. It’s instead stands on the Word, the promises, the love of God.
However, saying I want that faith and getting there are two totally different things. But I believe Micah makes a wise mentor, and by looking at what he did in allowing God to build his faith, we can set ourselves on the same path and walk towards that goal – towards the perfecting of our faith.
1) Micah knew that he could not build his own faith or learn God’s ways by his own power. Listen to what he writes in 4:4 – “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his path.” Micah understood two things. First, he understood that God is the author and perfecter of his faith – he knew that on his own, he could not muster up faith or learn the ways of God – he had to go to the source. Secondly, he clearly understood that to learn the ways of God you have to spend time in his presence – in his house and in his Word.
2) Micah believed God’s promises. He didn’t see the Savior, he had no evidence that He was coming, and yet if you read 5:1-5, he clearly received and believed the promise.
3) He understood a proper relationship with God – the kind of obedience required of a covenant people – and lived accordingly. God’s requirements are not burdensome. He simply asks us to “act justly and to love mercy and to walk humble with your God” (8:8). As his chosen people living under the new covenant, we have one up on Micah – because not only do we know the requirements, but we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to help us walk in obedience.
4) Micah makes a choice to stand in faith – despite circumstances. This is evidenced by his amazing statement of faith in 7:7 that we’ve already read and discussed.
5) He understands and lives under God’s great mercy. He embarks on his journey of faith knowing that there are times he won’t get it right. He knows he can’t earn it but that God is merciful and compassionate. He also knows that through God he has victory over sin. “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance…You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sin underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depth of the sea” (7:18-20)
My prayer for you, precious friends, is that you would pursue God and know God the way Micah did. I pray that God would help you follow the path of this wise mentor He has shown us in his word. And I pray that God would work out a faith in you that stands on His promises and waits in hope.
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
Friday, July 16, 2010
2 Chronicles 27; Isaiah 9-12
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Chron%2027;%20Isaiah%209-12&version=ESV
In today's readings we come to some of the most cited verses in Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 9 and chapter 11. Both of these chapters prophesy of the messiah to come.
I had trouble deciding on which one to focus on as they are such marvelous passages of Scripture. But I decided on Isaiah chapter 11.
Isaiah chapter 11 begins with the prophesy that the messiah will come from the stump of Jesse. Scripture has already spoken of this in 2 Samuel 7:8-17, also known as the Davidic Covenant.
Then read how Isaiah describes the messiah.
"And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins."
(Isaiah 11:2-5)
The Holy Spirit rests upon the messiah. The Holy Spirit, a Spirit of counsel, of knowledge, and fear of the Lord. And through the power of the Holy Spirit, his delight shall be fear in the Lord. How great that is.
As we grow in God's grace, we too should delight in the fear of the Lord. The latter verses of this section speak of equitable judgment for all. People today want to accept Jesus as a God of love and forgiveness, but not one of judgment and righteousness. When we do that, we are accepting only half of the Gospel, which is not the true Gospel. In order for God to be true to His character, of being holy, and just, and loving, he must punish sin. Thanks be to God that Jesus took the punishment for our sin. When we place our faith in Christ and His work on the Cross, God freely bestows on us His love and Grace. That is the Gospel.
I am reading a book called What is the Gospel by 9 Marks ministries. The author phrases the Gospel in 4 essentials, although more to the Gospel than this exist, but these are crucial in any Gospel presentation.
1. God - He created us and thus has authority over us
2. Man - we have rebelled against God and tried to usurp His authority
3. Christ - through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, God has provided a way for us to be reconciled to him
4. Response - we must respond by repentance from sin and faith towards Christ if we are to be recipients of God's salvific grace for us
There are other components of the Gospel. Like His Second Coming to inaugurate His Kingdom on the earth.
Verses 6- 9 describe how pleasant an peaceful and tranquil this kingdom will be. I have always loved the picture of verse 8:
"The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den."
When Christ comes, all things will be subject to Him. Even the order of nature will become peaceful. How great that will be.
I feel this is one area of the Gospel we sometimes neglect. We focus on the forgiveness of sin, and living a Christ-like life here and now, but we don't focus too much on His Second Coming.
I think that is a mistake. Now I am not saying we need to all bring out charts of prophecy and try to predict when He will come again. Jesus said the only one who knows is the Father in Heaven. (See Mark 13:32)
But what I am saying is that we should live a life in expectation of His Second Coming. We should not hold on to this life too tightly.
The Apostle John in 1 John 2:28 - 3:3 explains this well:
"And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure."
Placing our hope in Jesus and His Second Coming purifies us as Jesus, himself is pure. I remember when I first read that several years back.
I think that fact that we will be like Him when He comes is lost on a lot of us. It is OK to enjoy this life, however, Christ wants us to do so in a way that is pleasing to Him. But when our desires to please ourself are contrary with the Word of God, then we need to reassess our desires.
We need to ask ourselves each and every day: are our thoughts and hopes of Him purifying ourselves? Or are our thoughts and hopes exalting us and others at the expense of Christ?
Living in a way in which we constantly strive to live after, for, and like Christ is not easy. No one said being a Christian ever was. But the end result is worth it.
As Jesus said,
"And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it."
Luke 9:23-24
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
In today's readings we come to some of the most cited verses in Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 9 and chapter 11. Both of these chapters prophesy of the messiah to come.
I had trouble deciding on which one to focus on as they are such marvelous passages of Scripture. But I decided on Isaiah chapter 11.
Isaiah chapter 11 begins with the prophesy that the messiah will come from the stump of Jesse. Scripture has already spoken of this in 2 Samuel 7:8-17, also known as the Davidic Covenant.
Then read how Isaiah describes the messiah.
"And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins."
(Isaiah 11:2-5)
The Holy Spirit rests upon the messiah. The Holy Spirit, a Spirit of counsel, of knowledge, and fear of the Lord. And through the power of the Holy Spirit, his delight shall be fear in the Lord. How great that is.
As we grow in God's grace, we too should delight in the fear of the Lord. The latter verses of this section speak of equitable judgment for all. People today want to accept Jesus as a God of love and forgiveness, but not one of judgment and righteousness. When we do that, we are accepting only half of the Gospel, which is not the true Gospel. In order for God to be true to His character, of being holy, and just, and loving, he must punish sin. Thanks be to God that Jesus took the punishment for our sin. When we place our faith in Christ and His work on the Cross, God freely bestows on us His love and Grace. That is the Gospel.
I am reading a book called What is the Gospel by 9 Marks ministries. The author phrases the Gospel in 4 essentials, although more to the Gospel than this exist, but these are crucial in any Gospel presentation.
1. God - He created us and thus has authority over us
2. Man - we have rebelled against God and tried to usurp His authority
3. Christ - through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, God has provided a way for us to be reconciled to him
4. Response - we must respond by repentance from sin and faith towards Christ if we are to be recipients of God's salvific grace for us
There are other components of the Gospel. Like His Second Coming to inaugurate His Kingdom on the earth.
Verses 6- 9 describe how pleasant an peaceful and tranquil this kingdom will be. I have always loved the picture of verse 8:
"The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den."
When Christ comes, all things will be subject to Him. Even the order of nature will become peaceful. How great that will be.
I feel this is one area of the Gospel we sometimes neglect. We focus on the forgiveness of sin, and living a Christ-like life here and now, but we don't focus too much on His Second Coming.
I think that is a mistake. Now I am not saying we need to all bring out charts of prophecy and try to predict when He will come again. Jesus said the only one who knows is the Father in Heaven. (See Mark 13:32)
But what I am saying is that we should live a life in expectation of His Second Coming. We should not hold on to this life too tightly.
The Apostle John in 1 John 2:28 - 3:3 explains this well:
"And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure."
Placing our hope in Jesus and His Second Coming purifies us as Jesus, himself is pure. I remember when I first read that several years back.
I think that fact that we will be like Him when He comes is lost on a lot of us. It is OK to enjoy this life, however, Christ wants us to do so in a way that is pleasing to Him. But when our desires to please ourself are contrary with the Word of God, then we need to reassess our desires.
We need to ask ourselves each and every day: are our thoughts and hopes of Him purifying ourselves? Or are our thoughts and hopes exalting us and others at the expense of Christ?
Living in a way in which we constantly strive to live after, for, and like Christ is not easy. No one said being a Christian ever was. But the end result is worth it.
As Jesus said,
"And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it."
Luke 9:23-24
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Amos 6-9
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Amos%206-9&version=ESV
Amos 8:11-12: "Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it."
As we continue in chapters 6 to 9 of Amos in our readings today, I was struck by the verses above. Amos is continuing to tell the people of Israel of their impending judgment because of their sin.
Israel, the people of God, would have a famine of the words of the Lord. They would seek for the word of the Lord and not find it. Wow!!! The people of God would not be able to find God's revelation to them. I think this is the most inditing punishment on the people of Israel in the whole book of Amos.
And you know, this is happening to our nation today. People are seeking a word from God but not finding it. Why? It is not because it is not accessible to people. Today we have the NIV, NASB, KJV, NKJV, RSV, and ESV (my favorite) in versions and translations of the Bible. With the advent of the Internet, the Bible is available for free on an innumerable amount of websites as well.
No, the issue why people are not finding it is because they are not looking to the Bible. They are looking to self-help books, and gurus, and pantheistic ideologies that seek to build one's self esteem up and image. There is nothing wrong with having a positive self esteem and image if it is grounded in the Biblical understanding of man's fallen nature in sin and that the only thing that makes him pleasing in God's eyes is the righteousness of Christ that is imputed to him when he or she places their faith in Christ for their salvation.
But the world doesn't want that. They want to contribute to their salvation. Jesus doing it all for us on the cross is foolish to the world. They want no part of it.
Isaiah 55:1-3 is such a beautiful and applicable scripture pertaining to this:
"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does
not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live;"
The Lord wants us to call on Him. To those who are Christians, we can become hardened to the Word when we neglect it. That is why we must read and re-read our Bibles year after year.
I know we have just passed the half-way mark in our Bible readings for this year. And I want to commend all who have stuck with it. (And for those who have fallen behind, it is never too late to just start with today's reading and continue with us the rest of the year!!) I would like to ask that you prayerfully begin to contemplate what you would do in regards to your Bible readings for next year.
It is great that we are reading the Bible together as a class. But the Christian walk, as we all know, is a marathon and not a sprint. Without a constant refreshing of our souls with the truths of Scripture on a day by day and year by year basis, we are subjecting ourselves to the ills of the world.
Pray to the Lord and thank Him for the gift of His Word. Value His Word, store His Word in your heart. It is only through knowledge and growth in the Word of God that we can learn of, know of, and strive to live like Christ.
That in and of itself should be worthy enough to create an excitement in all of us to read and study His Word for the rest of our lives.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Amos 8:11-12: "Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it."
As we continue in chapters 6 to 9 of Amos in our readings today, I was struck by the verses above. Amos is continuing to tell the people of Israel of their impending judgment because of their sin.
Israel, the people of God, would have a famine of the words of the Lord. They would seek for the word of the Lord and not find it. Wow!!! The people of God would not be able to find God's revelation to them. I think this is the most inditing punishment on the people of Israel in the whole book of Amos.
And you know, this is happening to our nation today. People are seeking a word from God but not finding it. Why? It is not because it is not accessible to people. Today we have the NIV, NASB, KJV, NKJV, RSV, and ESV (my favorite) in versions and translations of the Bible. With the advent of the Internet, the Bible is available for free on an innumerable amount of websites as well.
No, the issue why people are not finding it is because they are not looking to the Bible. They are looking to self-help books, and gurus, and pantheistic ideologies that seek to build one's self esteem up and image. There is nothing wrong with having a positive self esteem and image if it is grounded in the Biblical understanding of man's fallen nature in sin and that the only thing that makes him pleasing in God's eyes is the righteousness of Christ that is imputed to him when he or she places their faith in Christ for their salvation.
But the world doesn't want that. They want to contribute to their salvation. Jesus doing it all for us on the cross is foolish to the world. They want no part of it.
Isaiah 55:1-3 is such a beautiful and applicable scripture pertaining to this:
"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does
not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live;"
The Lord wants us to call on Him. To those who are Christians, we can become hardened to the Word when we neglect it. That is why we must read and re-read our Bibles year after year.
I know we have just passed the half-way mark in our Bible readings for this year. And I want to commend all who have stuck with it. (And for those who have fallen behind, it is never too late to just start with today's reading and continue with us the rest of the year!!) I would like to ask that you prayerfully begin to contemplate what you would do in regards to your Bible readings for next year.
It is great that we are reading the Bible together as a class. But the Christian walk, as we all know, is a marathon and not a sprint. Without a constant refreshing of our souls with the truths of Scripture on a day by day and year by year basis, we are subjecting ourselves to the ills of the world.
Pray to the Lord and thank Him for the gift of His Word. Value His Word, store His Word in your heart. It is only through knowledge and growth in the Word of God that we can learn of, know of, and strive to live like Christ.
That in and of itself should be worthy enough to create an excitement in all of us to read and study His Word for the rest of our lives.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Amos 1-5
Todays passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=amos%201-5&version=NIV
Amos was a prophet appointed to the northern kingdom during roughly the same time as Isaiah who was appointed to the southern region. Their messages were basically the same. God was angry and his justice would be universal – the Israelites would not be exempt because of their covenant with the Lord, instead, they would be held to an even higher standard.
God was angry because of their oppression of the poor and weak; obscenity; and insincere worship. These sinful actions were evidence of a nation who refused to seek the Lord. They had sunk into a life that was saturated with sin. In chapter 5, God pleaded with his children to return to Him. Although they faced destruction, it was not too late to turn back to Him.
“This is what the LORD says to the house of Israel: ‘Seek me and live…’” (Amos 5:4).
Even though they were buried deep in sin, God still wanted them. He still desired for his children to seek Him and offered them life if they chose it.
That right there, stuck in the middle of the Old Testament minor prophets is the central theme of the Bible. Seek the Lord and live. He offers life. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23) just like the Israelites who had turned their back on God, and the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23) who died on the cross for our sins because God loves us (John 3:16). No matter how deeply saturated in sin we are, the gift is still there for us to take. And there is no one that is to far gone for God to transform. He wants us all, just as we are. It’s not too late. You’re not too deep. Seek Him and you will live.
Take some time to dwell on that. If you’re already a believer – Praise God for his gift and as you meet others who don’t know him, remember that there is no one who is too deep in sin to accept his gift. If you have not accepted the free gift of eternal life – surrender your life to Him. Admit to him that you are a sinner and that you want to seek Him for restoration and salvation. It’s never too late, no matter what you’ve done!
Todays post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Amos was a prophet appointed to the northern kingdom during roughly the same time as Isaiah who was appointed to the southern region. Their messages were basically the same. God was angry and his justice would be universal – the Israelites would not be exempt because of their covenant with the Lord, instead, they would be held to an even higher standard.
God was angry because of their oppression of the poor and weak; obscenity; and insincere worship. These sinful actions were evidence of a nation who refused to seek the Lord. They had sunk into a life that was saturated with sin. In chapter 5, God pleaded with his children to return to Him. Although they faced destruction, it was not too late to turn back to Him.
“This is what the LORD says to the house of Israel: ‘Seek me and live…’” (Amos 5:4).
Even though they were buried deep in sin, God still wanted them. He still desired for his children to seek Him and offered them life if they chose it.
That right there, stuck in the middle of the Old Testament minor prophets is the central theme of the Bible. Seek the Lord and live. He offers life. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23) just like the Israelites who had turned their back on God, and the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23) who died on the cross for our sins because God loves us (John 3:16). No matter how deeply saturated in sin we are, the gift is still there for us to take. And there is no one that is to far gone for God to transform. He wants us all, just as we are. It’s not too late. You’re not too deep. Seek Him and you will live.
Take some time to dwell on that. If you’re already a believer – Praise God for his gift and as you meet others who don’t know him, remember that there is no one who is too deep in sin to accept his gift. If you have not accepted the free gift of eternal life – surrender your life to Him. Admit to him that you are a sinner and that you want to seek Him for restoration and salvation. It’s never too late, no matter what you’ve done!
Todays post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Isaiah 5-8
Todays passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%205-8&version=NIV
Isaiah is one of my favorite books of the Bible, and chapter 6 is one of my favorite chapters in that book. It’s such a beautiful opportunity to see the Lord, to see ourselves in light of who He is, to hear His call and then to walk in faith’s total dependence.
“I saw the Lord…” (Isaiah 6:1). So who did God see?
A God who is Holy, holy holy
He is Lord of Hosts, God Almighty
His glory fills the earth
He is lofty, exalted, He is King
He is our judge; He sees our sin, He reveals to us our sin
He is a God who provides atonement of our sins
“Then I said, ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.’" (Isaiah 6:5).
Isaiah also saw himself in light of the Lord. What he saw, wasn’t pretty. He saw himself as a sinner, as unclean, as unworthy. He knew he was not worthy to be in the presence of such majesty. He was awestruck.
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:6).
Isaiah heard the call of the Lord. He is a God who speaks to us and Isaiah heard his voice after his sin was atoned for. God had a purpose for Isaiah, and without even waiting to hear what it was, he signed up for the job. He didn’t dwell on the sin that God had just forgiven him of, He didn’t try to explain or justify it. He just accepted the forgiveness and answered God’s call. He faithfully jumped from “Woe is me” to “Here am I, send me!”
“He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.' "Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim” (Isaiah 6:9).
We have learned about the character of the people of Israel in the books of the Kings and the first 5 chapters of Isaiah. So what God asked Isaiah to do something that wasn’t going to be easy. He warned Isaiah in advance that the people wouldn’t listen. Their hearts were hard and hearing Isaiah’s message would only harden them more. Isaiah didn’t question God. He didn’t ask “Why bother, Lord”. He didn’t come up with a list of excuses. He just asked “How long”. He acted in faithful obedience without questioning God’s divine plan.
As Christ followers, we are all commissioned to share the good news of the Gospel. This chapter shows such a wonderful example as to how we are to respond to our commissioning. Like Isaiah, we should take time to stand in awe of our Holy Lord’s Majesty. We should ask God to reveal our sin, acknowledge it, and cry out to him for forgiveness. Realizing that forgiveness is immediate and complete, we should expect in confidence to hear from the Lord, and without questioning God’s plans, move forward in faithful obedience.
Today's post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Isaiah is one of my favorite books of the Bible, and chapter 6 is one of my favorite chapters in that book. It’s such a beautiful opportunity to see the Lord, to see ourselves in light of who He is, to hear His call and then to walk in faith’s total dependence.
“I saw the Lord…” (Isaiah 6:1). So who did God see?
A God who is Holy, holy holy
He is Lord of Hosts, God Almighty
His glory fills the earth
He is lofty, exalted, He is King
He is our judge; He sees our sin, He reveals to us our sin
He is a God who provides atonement of our sins
“Then I said, ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.’" (Isaiah 6:5).
Isaiah also saw himself in light of the Lord. What he saw, wasn’t pretty. He saw himself as a sinner, as unclean, as unworthy. He knew he was not worthy to be in the presence of such majesty. He was awestruck.
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:6).
Isaiah heard the call of the Lord. He is a God who speaks to us and Isaiah heard his voice after his sin was atoned for. God had a purpose for Isaiah, and without even waiting to hear what it was, he signed up for the job. He didn’t dwell on the sin that God had just forgiven him of, He didn’t try to explain or justify it. He just accepted the forgiveness and answered God’s call. He faithfully jumped from “Woe is me” to “Here am I, send me!”
“He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.' "Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim” (Isaiah 6:9).
We have learned about the character of the people of Israel in the books of the Kings and the first 5 chapters of Isaiah. So what God asked Isaiah to do something that wasn’t going to be easy. He warned Isaiah in advance that the people wouldn’t listen. Their hearts were hard and hearing Isaiah’s message would only harden them more. Isaiah didn’t question God. He didn’t ask “Why bother, Lord”. He didn’t come up with a list of excuses. He just asked “How long”. He acted in faithful obedience without questioning God’s divine plan.
As Christ followers, we are all commissioned to share the good news of the Gospel. This chapter shows such a wonderful example as to how we are to respond to our commissioning. Like Isaiah, we should take time to stand in awe of our Holy Lord’s Majesty. We should ask God to reveal our sin, acknowledge it, and cry out to him for forgiveness. Realizing that forgiveness is immediate and complete, we should expect in confidence to hear from the Lord, and without questioning God’s plans, move forward in faithful obedience.
Today's post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Monday, July 12, 2010
Isaiah 1-4
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%201-4&version=NIV
ISAIAH 1-4
So now we embark upon Isaiah, which is probably my favorite of all the books of the Old Testament. Written almost 700 years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah is filled with numerous prophesies of the coming Messianic Age. With so many references to our Lord -- His birth, His life, His ministry, and His death -- Isaiah has often been called “The Fifth Gospel.” This book also features some of the most beautiful prose and poetry in the entire Bible. I remember reading excerpts of Isaiah in school (public school of all places!!) because of the high regard it commands as a work of literature.
Chapters 1 - 4 detail of all the ways that Israel has failed to live up to God’s standards. From the highest offices of leadership to the lowest ranks of the common people, “there is no soundness” (1:6) in the nation of Israel. God desires an authentic relationship with His people; however, all He receives are vain sacrifices and compromised morality. When God decides that enough is enough, His judgment is brought to bear upon the people of Israel.
My favorite verse in this passage is 1:18:
"Come now, let us reason together,"
says the LORD.
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.”
In a time like ours where there are many who try to portray religion and reason to be in total conflict, I find it reassuring that God uses reason in His attempts to draw us nearer to Him. Furthermore, this verse is the first ray of hope that God provides amidst all the gloom of His judgment: our sins will be washed clean.
These are the major themes that run though Isaiah: Israel (we) are disobedient to God’s commands, God’s judgment is rendered upon Israel (us), and yet, in His great compassion, God provides Israel (us) with a promise of salvation.
As we read through Isaiah, let’s use it as a lens for examining our own relationships with God as well as the overall health and ministry of the church. Let’s make sure we always keep God the focus of our time spent in worship, in Sunday school, when we tithe, and when we pray.
Rock on!
Chad
ISAIAH 1-4
So now we embark upon Isaiah, which is probably my favorite of all the books of the Old Testament. Written almost 700 years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah is filled with numerous prophesies of the coming Messianic Age. With so many references to our Lord -- His birth, His life, His ministry, and His death -- Isaiah has often been called “The Fifth Gospel.” This book also features some of the most beautiful prose and poetry in the entire Bible. I remember reading excerpts of Isaiah in school (public school of all places!!) because of the high regard it commands as a work of literature.
Chapters 1 - 4 detail of all the ways that Israel has failed to live up to God’s standards. From the highest offices of leadership to the lowest ranks of the common people, “there is no soundness” (1:6) in the nation of Israel. God desires an authentic relationship with His people; however, all He receives are vain sacrifices and compromised morality. When God decides that enough is enough, His judgment is brought to bear upon the people of Israel.
My favorite verse in this passage is 1:18:
"Come now, let us reason together,"
says the LORD.
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.”
In a time like ours where there are many who try to portray religion and reason to be in total conflict, I find it reassuring that God uses reason in His attempts to draw us nearer to Him. Furthermore, this verse is the first ray of hope that God provides amidst all the gloom of His judgment: our sins will be washed clean.
These are the major themes that run though Isaiah: Israel (we) are disobedient to God’s commands, God’s judgment is rendered upon Israel (us), and yet, in His great compassion, God provides Israel (us) with a promise of salvation.
As we read through Isaiah, let’s use it as a lens for examining our own relationships with God as well as the overall health and ministry of the church. Let’s make sure we always keep God the focus of our time spent in worship, in Sunday school, when we tithe, and when we pray.
Rock on!
Chad
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Prayer Request
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%2015;%202%20Chronicles%2026&version=NIV
I was going to write today about the dangers of pride, focusing on the passage in 2 Chronicles 26:16 that tells us that after King Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. But to be honest with you, I’m struggling to write. It happens often when I try to blog, so today, instead of talking about pride (or maybe because we are talking about pride), I’m going to humble myself before you and ask instead that you pray for me.
Actually, I ask that you pray for all of us who blog. I have no doubt that Satan isn’t a big fan of the blog and will throw all sorts of distractions in our direction to stop us from being effective in what we write – or to stop us from writing at all. It happened to me last Sunday when I got distracted by saying goodbye to my sister and taking her to the airport, by church and lunch and by July 4th and preparing for friends to come for dinner. Those aren’t excuses – I should have remembered and planned ahead – but I didn’t and I forgot and I apologize.
But tonight when I felt so stuck when I tried to write and completely unmotivated, stuck, and as if I had nothing wise or worthy to say, I was just reminded of how familiar the feeling was – that it happens so often when I try to blog or when I’m preparing my lesson to teach on Sundays. As one who believes in spiritual warfare (and if you don’t, keep reading the Bible, because it clearly speaks of it), I believe that often the struggle to blog is spiritual and the best way to prevent that is prayer coverage.
So I’m asking you to pray for me – and for Kelly, Russ, and Chad as we blog. It amazed me to read Kelly’s post earlier in the week that noted that we are half way there. Pray that we persevere in our commitment, that we might be protected from distractions. Pray that God would protect our minds, give us clarity in thought and in word, and that he would plant in our hearts the words that would touch yours. Please pray that the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and power, and of knowledge and fear of the Lord would rest on each of us as we continue on our journey.
In return, I am making a commitment to pray for each of you. I pray that you also might persevere. I pray that you grow in knowledge of God, his Word and his abundant grace, mercy and love for you. I pray that the truth in the Word might plant itself in your hearts. I pray for excitement and joy as you learn more about him. I pray that your desire for God and knowledge of him would increase daily. And I pray that he places a shield of protection around you, your minds, your hearts, and even your physical bodies.
Lastly – please feel free to post any prayers requests that you have – not only today but any time. It would be our pleasure to pray for you.
Love to you my friends – and thank you for the privilege of sharing life in Christ with you on this journey.
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” – Ephesians 6:18
I was going to write today about the dangers of pride, focusing on the passage in 2 Chronicles 26:16 that tells us that after King Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. But to be honest with you, I’m struggling to write. It happens often when I try to blog, so today, instead of talking about pride (or maybe because we are talking about pride), I’m going to humble myself before you and ask instead that you pray for me.
Actually, I ask that you pray for all of us who blog. I have no doubt that Satan isn’t a big fan of the blog and will throw all sorts of distractions in our direction to stop us from being effective in what we write – or to stop us from writing at all. It happened to me last Sunday when I got distracted by saying goodbye to my sister and taking her to the airport, by church and lunch and by July 4th and preparing for friends to come for dinner. Those aren’t excuses – I should have remembered and planned ahead – but I didn’t and I forgot and I apologize.
But tonight when I felt so stuck when I tried to write and completely unmotivated, stuck, and as if I had nothing wise or worthy to say, I was just reminded of how familiar the feeling was – that it happens so often when I try to blog or when I’m preparing my lesson to teach on Sundays. As one who believes in spiritual warfare (and if you don’t, keep reading the Bible, because it clearly speaks of it), I believe that often the struggle to blog is spiritual and the best way to prevent that is prayer coverage.
So I’m asking you to pray for me – and for Kelly, Russ, and Chad as we blog. It amazed me to read Kelly’s post earlier in the week that noted that we are half way there. Pray that we persevere in our commitment, that we might be protected from distractions. Pray that God would protect our minds, give us clarity in thought and in word, and that he would plant in our hearts the words that would touch yours. Please pray that the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and power, and of knowledge and fear of the Lord would rest on each of us as we continue on our journey.
In return, I am making a commitment to pray for each of you. I pray that you also might persevere. I pray that you grow in knowledge of God, his Word and his abundant grace, mercy and love for you. I pray that the truth in the Word might plant itself in your hearts. I pray for excitement and joy as you learn more about him. I pray that your desire for God and knowledge of him would increase daily. And I pray that he places a shield of protection around you, your minds, your hearts, and even your physical bodies.
Lastly – please feel free to post any prayers requests that you have – not only today but any time. It would be our pleasure to pray for you.
Love to you my friends – and thank you for the privilege of sharing life in Christ with you on this journey.
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” – Ephesians 6:18
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
Go Where?
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1&version=NIV
“I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a god who relents from sending calamity.” – Jonah 4:2
God asked Jonah to do a difficult thing. He asked him to go to Nineveh with a warning of impending judgment. Jonah’s is none to happy about what God is asking of him. Why? Because the city of Nineveh was an enemy of Israel. I imagine that Jonah felt like the inhabitants of the city deserved God’s punishment, that they weren’t deserving of God’s compassion and mercy. He didn’t want to warn them for fear that they’d head the warning and he’d rather see God heap burning coals upon their heads (my words, not Jonah’s).
So first he tries to flee God’s command. Quickly he learns that he can’t flee God - big storm, thrown overboard, belly of stinky fish – ‘nough said, God has his attention and he wisely chooses obedience. But even though he’s obedient, he’s not happy about it. He does what God asks of him, but I get the feeling he’s secretly hoping that Nineveh ignores his warning. The word tells us that once he’s warned them, he goes and sits outside the city to watch and see what would happen. What I think he’s hoping for is a front row seat from which to watch God destroy this rebellious people. Instead, he gets a reminder of God’s sovereignty, mercy, and loving compassion for all people.
Has God asked you to do a difficult thing? Perhaps he’s asked you to love someone who is unlovable. Maybe he’s asked you to forgive someone who is undeserving. Or maybe he’s asked you not only to love and forgive someone who isn’t deserving, but to minister to them – to share the gospel message. That can be a tough thing because I think there are sometimes people in our lives who we quite frankly hope we don’t see in heaven. I’m thinking each one of us can think of someone we don’t believe is deserving of mercy and compassion from God and with whom we’d rather not share an eternity in heaven.
But from Jonah we learn two things. First, we learn that you cannot run from God’s calling without consequences in your life. Who is to say what the consequence might be, but certainly you miss the amazing experience of seeing God change a life you thought was impossible to change. Secondly, we are reminded that God is concerned for and loves everyone. I have to tell you that right now, the fact that he is so gracious and merciful, even to people who “cannot tell their right hand from their left” is a great comfort to me. He has the ability to change the heart of even the most appalling people. Who are we to limit his power or get in the way of his loving compassion? After all, did he not extend this compassion first to us – and still does every day – even when we should already know our right from our left?
Is God calling you to go to Nineveh? I encourage you to answer the call. You might not understand the why know how God could ever use you there, but I urge you to trust in his sovereignty and his power to equip you to carry out the task to which he is calling you. His compassion and mercy is for all people, and I guarantee you’ll find great joy in the midst of obedience to a difficult calling – so go willingly. You will get the privilege of having a front row seat to watch God change the life of someone that you thought was a impossible case – and in seeing God work in that way alone you will be blessed beyond measure because you will witness God’s glory.
Will you go?
Something to share: We would love it if you’d like to share a time in your life when God asked you to go to Nineveh and what you got to see him do there.
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
“I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a god who relents from sending calamity.” – Jonah 4:2
God asked Jonah to do a difficult thing. He asked him to go to Nineveh with a warning of impending judgment. Jonah’s is none to happy about what God is asking of him. Why? Because the city of Nineveh was an enemy of Israel. I imagine that Jonah felt like the inhabitants of the city deserved God’s punishment, that they weren’t deserving of God’s compassion and mercy. He didn’t want to warn them for fear that they’d head the warning and he’d rather see God heap burning coals upon their heads (my words, not Jonah’s).
So first he tries to flee God’s command. Quickly he learns that he can’t flee God - big storm, thrown overboard, belly of stinky fish – ‘nough said, God has his attention and he wisely chooses obedience. But even though he’s obedient, he’s not happy about it. He does what God asks of him, but I get the feeling he’s secretly hoping that Nineveh ignores his warning. The word tells us that once he’s warned them, he goes and sits outside the city to watch and see what would happen. What I think he’s hoping for is a front row seat from which to watch God destroy this rebellious people. Instead, he gets a reminder of God’s sovereignty, mercy, and loving compassion for all people.
Has God asked you to do a difficult thing? Perhaps he’s asked you to love someone who is unlovable. Maybe he’s asked you to forgive someone who is undeserving. Or maybe he’s asked you not only to love and forgive someone who isn’t deserving, but to minister to them – to share the gospel message. That can be a tough thing because I think there are sometimes people in our lives who we quite frankly hope we don’t see in heaven. I’m thinking each one of us can think of someone we don’t believe is deserving of mercy and compassion from God and with whom we’d rather not share an eternity in heaven.
But from Jonah we learn two things. First, we learn that you cannot run from God’s calling without consequences in your life. Who is to say what the consequence might be, but certainly you miss the amazing experience of seeing God change a life you thought was impossible to change. Secondly, we are reminded that God is concerned for and loves everyone. I have to tell you that right now, the fact that he is so gracious and merciful, even to people who “cannot tell their right hand from their left” is a great comfort to me. He has the ability to change the heart of even the most appalling people. Who are we to limit his power or get in the way of his loving compassion? After all, did he not extend this compassion first to us – and still does every day – even when we should already know our right from our left?
Is God calling you to go to Nineveh? I encourage you to answer the call. You might not understand the why know how God could ever use you there, but I urge you to trust in his sovereignty and his power to equip you to carry out the task to which he is calling you. His compassion and mercy is for all people, and I guarantee you’ll find great joy in the midst of obedience to a difficult calling – so go willingly. You will get the privilege of having a front row seat to watch God change the life of someone that you thought was a impossible case – and in seeing God work in that way alone you will be blessed beyond measure because you will witness God’s glory.
Will you go?
Something to share: We would love it if you’d like to share a time in your life when God asked you to go to Nineveh and what you got to see him do there.
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
Friday, July 9, 2010
2 Kings 14, 2 Chronicles 25
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%2014,%202%20Chronicles%2025&version=ESV
2 Chronicles 25:14-16 "After Amaziah came from striking down the Edomites, he brought the gods of the men of Seir and set them up as his gods and worshiped them, making offerings to them. Therefore the LORD was angry with Amaziah and sent to him a prophet, who said to him, "Why have you sought the gods of a people who did not deliver their own people from your hand?" But as he was speaking, the king said to him, "Have we made you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?" So the prophet stopped, but said, "I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel."
In today's readings, we read of the King Amaziah. In verse 2 of 2 Chronicles 25 we read,
"And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart."
Yesterday we discussed being half hearted in our obedience to the Lord. Today, we'll focus on having a heart that is not fully for the Lord.
Amaziah had it all. He was the King of Judah, from the royal lineage of David, had wealth and possessions, and yet it was not enough in his mind. He became spiritually proud.
When the prophet of God comes to rebuke Amaziah for worshipping the gods of the Edomites, Amaziah basically tells him to keep quiet.
Amaziah's true character is written in God's Word when Jehoash, the king of Israel tells him,
"You have indeed struck down Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Be content with your glory, and stay at home, for why should you provoke trouble so that you fall, you and Judah with you?" (2 Kings 14:10)
Of course, Amaziah did not listen and he was defeated by Jehoash.
Spirtual pride is devastating to the Christian. We can think we have done something, when in reality all the glory and credit should go to God.
The Lord Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount said,
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5)
The Apostle Paul wrote,
"Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." (1 Corinthians 10:12)
Speaking of Paul, he is a great example of Christian humility. He could have boasted about what he had done. But he knew all that he had done was through the power of God, not by his flesh.
Let's look at how Paul talks about in himself in his epistles.
In the book of Galatians, probably the earliest book written by Paul, Paul introduces himself as an apostle. (Galatians 1:1) Nothing wrong with that, as it is the truth, and perhaps he did this to state the authority by which he was speaking.
Then, in the book of Romans, written probably around 53-55 AD, Paul writes of himself as a servant of Jesus Christ. He no longer is talking about his authority, but about how he is a slave for Christ. (See Romans 6 for more on this theme of slavery to Christ.)
And lastly, in 1 Timothy 1:16, 1 Timothy was one of the last books Paul wrote, Paul calls himself the worst of all sinners. (1 Timothy 1:16)
As Paul grew in Christ, so too did his humility. He relied more and more on Christ and what He had done in His life and what He was yet to do.
None of us has attained full Christian humility in this life. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:10, tells us what the proper attitude should be of ourselves,
"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain...."
We are not what we were, we should thank God for who we presently are in Christ, and thank Him for what we are to become.
John the Baptist said a saying that is pertinent to all of us today about Christ and how He should be reflected in our lives.
"He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30)
May we all strive to live lives in which ourselves are decreased and Christ is increased.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
2 Chronicles 25:14-16 "After Amaziah came from striking down the Edomites, he brought the gods of the men of Seir and set them up as his gods and worshiped them, making offerings to them. Therefore the LORD was angry with Amaziah and sent to him a prophet, who said to him, "Why have you sought the gods of a people who did not deliver their own people from your hand?" But as he was speaking, the king said to him, "Have we made you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?" So the prophet stopped, but said, "I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel."
In today's readings, we read of the King Amaziah. In verse 2 of 2 Chronicles 25 we read,
"And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart."
Yesterday we discussed being half hearted in our obedience to the Lord. Today, we'll focus on having a heart that is not fully for the Lord.
Amaziah had it all. He was the King of Judah, from the royal lineage of David, had wealth and possessions, and yet it was not enough in his mind. He became spiritually proud.
When the prophet of God comes to rebuke Amaziah for worshipping the gods of the Edomites, Amaziah basically tells him to keep quiet.
Amaziah's true character is written in God's Word when Jehoash, the king of Israel tells him,
"You have indeed struck down Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Be content with your glory, and stay at home, for why should you provoke trouble so that you fall, you and Judah with you?" (2 Kings 14:10)
Of course, Amaziah did not listen and he was defeated by Jehoash.
Spirtual pride is devastating to the Christian. We can think we have done something, when in reality all the glory and credit should go to God.
The Lord Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount said,
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5)
The Apostle Paul wrote,
"Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." (1 Corinthians 10:12)
Speaking of Paul, he is a great example of Christian humility. He could have boasted about what he had done. But he knew all that he had done was through the power of God, not by his flesh.
Let's look at how Paul talks about in himself in his epistles.
In the book of Galatians, probably the earliest book written by Paul, Paul introduces himself as an apostle. (Galatians 1:1) Nothing wrong with that, as it is the truth, and perhaps he did this to state the authority by which he was speaking.
Then, in the book of Romans, written probably around 53-55 AD, Paul writes of himself as a servant of Jesus Christ. He no longer is talking about his authority, but about how he is a slave for Christ. (See Romans 6 for more on this theme of slavery to Christ.)
And lastly, in 1 Timothy 1:16, 1 Timothy was one of the last books Paul wrote, Paul calls himself the worst of all sinners. (1 Timothy 1:16)
As Paul grew in Christ, so too did his humility. He relied more and more on Christ and what He had done in His life and what He was yet to do.
None of us has attained full Christian humility in this life. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:10, tells us what the proper attitude should be of ourselves,
"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain...."
We are not what we were, we should thank God for who we presently are in Christ, and thank Him for what we are to become.
John the Baptist said a saying that is pertinent to all of us today about Christ and how He should be reflected in our lives.
"He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30)
May we all strive to live lives in which ourselves are decreased and Christ is increased.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
2 Kings 12-13, 2 Chronnicles 24
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%2012-13;%202%20Chronicles%2024&version=ESV
2 Kings 13:15-19: "And Elisha said to him, "Take a bow and arrows." So he took a bow and arrows. Then he said to the king of Israel, "Draw the bow," and he drew it. And Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. And he said, "Open the window eastward," and he opened it. Then Elisha said, "Shoot," and he shot. And he said, "The LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them." And he said, "Take the arrows," and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground with them." And he struck three times and stopped. Then the man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times."
In 2 Kings 13, we read of the death of the prophet Elisha. Right before Elisha's death, he tells Joash to strike the ground with the arrows.
The way the text reads to me, Joash is probably saying what is all this about? And so he hits the ground half-heartily. As a result of this, Elisha says Joash will only defeat the Syrians 3 times, whereas if he would have struck the ground 5 or 6 times he would have struck down Syria until he had made an end of the country's power.
Joash was half-hearted in his obedience to God in this matter. And as a result, though he was blessed with victory over the Syrians 3 times, he could have been blessed even more. God wants to bless us. He wants to shower us with blessings!!! However, we must follow hard after Him. We must be obedient to His Word and the leanings of the Holy Spirit on our hearts.
Joash is a great example for us in that when we follow the Lord with a half-heart, our blessing that we receive may not be as big as it could have been.
I am in no way espousing any kind of prosperity Gospel here. I am not saying obey and you will get a rich reward. What I am saying is, obey God, trust in Him, and let Him surprise you with His blessings.
They may be temporal blessings. But the most important blessing we have is an intimate relationship with Him. When we are obedient to God, we draw closer to God and He draws closer to us. (James 4:8)
We will never understand all of God's Word, and we may even question why He wants us to do certain things. But we must remember that God is God and we are not.
Live your life with a whole hearted obedience towards God.
As the old hymn says,
"Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's Post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
2 Kings 13:15-19: "And Elisha said to him, "Take a bow and arrows." So he took a bow and arrows. Then he said to the king of Israel, "Draw the bow," and he drew it. And Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. And he said, "Open the window eastward," and he opened it. Then Elisha said, "Shoot," and he shot. And he said, "The LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them." And he said, "Take the arrows," and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground with them." And he struck three times and stopped. Then the man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times."
In 2 Kings 13, we read of the death of the prophet Elisha. Right before Elisha's death, he tells Joash to strike the ground with the arrows.
The way the text reads to me, Joash is probably saying what is all this about? And so he hits the ground half-heartily. As a result of this, Elisha says Joash will only defeat the Syrians 3 times, whereas if he would have struck the ground 5 or 6 times he would have struck down Syria until he had made an end of the country's power.
Joash was half-hearted in his obedience to God in this matter. And as a result, though he was blessed with victory over the Syrians 3 times, he could have been blessed even more. God wants to bless us. He wants to shower us with blessings!!! However, we must follow hard after Him. We must be obedient to His Word and the leanings of the Holy Spirit on our hearts.
Joash is a great example for us in that when we follow the Lord with a half-heart, our blessing that we receive may not be as big as it could have been.
I am in no way espousing any kind of prosperity Gospel here. I am not saying obey and you will get a rich reward. What I am saying is, obey God, trust in Him, and let Him surprise you with His blessings.
They may be temporal blessings. But the most important blessing we have is an intimate relationship with Him. When we are obedient to God, we draw closer to God and He draws closer to us. (James 4:8)
We will never understand all of God's Word, and we may even question why He wants us to do certain things. But we must remember that God is God and we are not.
Live your life with a whole hearted obedience towards God.
As the old hymn says,
"Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's Post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
2 Kings 7-11
Today's passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20kings%207-11&version=NIV
In our culture today, we have countless tv shows, books and movies that focus on witchcraft and sorcery - Charmed, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Craft, Harry Potter and Twilight. Many young people and adults today look for answers from Ouija boards, tarot cards and psychics. Some are being charmed by the idea of deriving power from spells and potions. Teens can learn spells for summoning a loved ones spirit or for freeing themselves from depression or for passing a class in the book The Teen Spell Book. In face there are 100s of search results that come up when you key in the keywords teen and witchcraft on Amazon. According to an NPR report, WICCA is believed to be the fastest growing religion on college campuses and among teens. today. These young people are looking for answers and they are looking for power and they are looking in the wrong direction. Young people and adults are getting caught up in a whirlwind sorcery that goes against Christianity.
As a Christian, this is are scary. There is no light derived from these things, only darkness. They can cause us to look to another power, a dark power for answers and for power, but as Christians, our answers come from the Word of God and our power comes from God in the form of the Holy Spirit. Satan uses “harmless” books like Harry Potter to plan seeds in the minds of our youth that can draw them away from a worship of Christ and toward a worship of darkness. And according to 2 Kings 9:22, peace is impossible when idolatry and witchcraft abound:
"How can there be peace," Jehu replied, "as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?"
These things are sins and sin is what breaks our connection with God. Leviticus 19:26-31 lists divination, sorcery, witchcraft, mediums, interpreting of omens and casting of spells to be detestable practices. In Galatians 5, witchcraft, among other things is listed as sinful nature, contrary to the Spirit and will obstruct our inheritance in the Kingdom.
It’s not very popular to stand against this pop culture of witchcraft and darkness, but I believe it’s dangerous not to. Don’t allow satan to have an doorway into your life by taking part in these “harmless” shows and books. Arm yourself with the Word of God so that you may be nourished with truth. I leave you with Philippians 4:8. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
In our culture today, we have countless tv shows, books and movies that focus on witchcraft and sorcery - Charmed, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Craft, Harry Potter and Twilight. Many young people and adults today look for answers from Ouija boards, tarot cards and psychics. Some are being charmed by the idea of deriving power from spells and potions. Teens can learn spells for summoning a loved ones spirit or for freeing themselves from depression or for passing a class in the book The Teen Spell Book. In face there are 100s of search results that come up when you key in the keywords teen and witchcraft on Amazon. According to an NPR report, WICCA is believed to be the fastest growing religion on college campuses and among teens. today. These young people are looking for answers and they are looking for power and they are looking in the wrong direction. Young people and adults are getting caught up in a whirlwind sorcery that goes against Christianity.
As a Christian, this is are scary. There is no light derived from these things, only darkness. They can cause us to look to another power, a dark power for answers and for power, but as Christians, our answers come from the Word of God and our power comes from God in the form of the Holy Spirit. Satan uses “harmless” books like Harry Potter to plan seeds in the minds of our youth that can draw them away from a worship of Christ and toward a worship of darkness. And according to 2 Kings 9:22, peace is impossible when idolatry and witchcraft abound:
"How can there be peace," Jehu replied, "as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?"
These things are sins and sin is what breaks our connection with God. Leviticus 19:26-31 lists divination, sorcery, witchcraft, mediums, interpreting of omens and casting of spells to be detestable practices. In Galatians 5, witchcraft, among other things is listed as sinful nature, contrary to the Spirit and will obstruct our inheritance in the Kingdom.
It’s not very popular to stand against this pop culture of witchcraft and darkness, but I believe it’s dangerous not to. Don’t allow satan to have an doorway into your life by taking part in these “harmless” shows and books. Arm yourself with the Word of God so that you may be nourished with truth. I leave you with Philippians 4:8. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
2 Kings 1-6
First of all...congratualtions...we are half way through the Bible. What a blessing! I want to remind you of 2 Timothy 3:16 before we continue: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" You are actually reading the Word of God. Words that he breathed onto pages for you to read so that you can know Him and know his immeasurable love for you and have a relationship with Him. I want to encourage you to persevere and continue to dig through the treasures of His letters to you so that you might understand a little bit just how wide and deep and high his love for you is. I encourage you today to renew your committment to the reading plan and continue with us on this journey of love. I'll be praying for you!
Today's passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%201-6&version=ESV#en-ESV-9650
My focus today is on the first part of 2 Kings chapter 5. Naaman is a leper who has been given a word from God in verse 10. "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean."
Most of us probably thought…if that were me, I would have high tailed it out of there and run down to the river and started washing myself immediately. But something holds Naaman back. Let’s take a look at the first part of his response in verse 11:
“Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.”
Naaman wanted the easy way out. He wanted God to just snap his fingers and fix his problem. He didn’t want to be bothered with the faithful obedience that God required of him. He just wanted the quick & easy fix. Many of us have probably fallen into this same trap. Instead of faithfully and obediently opening the door that God puts in front of us, we stand and wait for Him to drop the answer to our prayers on our doorstep with a big red bow and a note that says “To my sweet child Kelly, From God, with love.”
Verse 12 shows the second part of his response that holds him back from healing.
“Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage.
Naaman thought he had a better idea than God. The rivers of Damascus are better, can’t I just wash there? Naaman wasn’t just your average humble and defeated leper. He was a commander of an army who has been victorious in battle. He is used to coming up with his own battle plans, so when God didn’t answer the way he wanted him to answer, he turned away from healing in rage. He questioned God’s infinite wisdom and offered up his version of what he thought was a better plan.
He almost missed out on an amazing miraculous blessing of healing. And although I would like to think that I would have made a beeline for the river Jordan, I realize that often in the past, I haven’t. God isn’t always a God of quick and easy fixes. He often doesn’t answer our prayers the way we expect him to or want him to. He heals us physically and spiritually in His own perfect way and in his own perfect timing.
In verse 13, we see that Naaman is blessed with servants who provide wise counsel. They encourage him to obey the simple command so that he may be healed. They’re like – “dude, you could actually be healed and you’re not going to take advantage of it?” Only when Naaman finally concedes to the word of God and obediently follows his plan, is he fully healed of his leprosy.
We are probably all a lot more like Naaman than we care to admit. But we can’t let our desire for a quick and easy fix get in the way of a beautiful blessing. God’s ways are higher than our ways and his wisdom is infinite. Pray that God will surround you with wise counsel so that you don’t ignore his guidance. Ask God to open your eyes to any pride or disobedience or laziness that is blocking the doorway to an answered prayer. Ask Him to give you the strength to overcome these hindrances to His blessings. Feel free to share your comments or experiences on the blog regarding today's passage. We'd love to hear about your own expereinces!
Todays' post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Today's passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%201-6&version=ESV#en-ESV-9650
My focus today is on the first part of 2 Kings chapter 5. Naaman is a leper who has been given a word from God in verse 10. "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean."
Most of us probably thought…if that were me, I would have high tailed it out of there and run down to the river and started washing myself immediately. But something holds Naaman back. Let’s take a look at the first part of his response in verse 11:
“Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.”
Naaman wanted the easy way out. He wanted God to just snap his fingers and fix his problem. He didn’t want to be bothered with the faithful obedience that God required of him. He just wanted the quick & easy fix. Many of us have probably fallen into this same trap. Instead of faithfully and obediently opening the door that God puts in front of us, we stand and wait for Him to drop the answer to our prayers on our doorstep with a big red bow and a note that says “To my sweet child Kelly, From God, with love.”
Verse 12 shows the second part of his response that holds him back from healing.
“Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage.
Naaman thought he had a better idea than God. The rivers of Damascus are better, can’t I just wash there? Naaman wasn’t just your average humble and defeated leper. He was a commander of an army who has been victorious in battle. He is used to coming up with his own battle plans, so when God didn’t answer the way he wanted him to answer, he turned away from healing in rage. He questioned God’s infinite wisdom and offered up his version of what he thought was a better plan.
He almost missed out on an amazing miraculous blessing of healing. And although I would like to think that I would have made a beeline for the river Jordan, I realize that often in the past, I haven’t. God isn’t always a God of quick and easy fixes. He often doesn’t answer our prayers the way we expect him to or want him to. He heals us physically and spiritually in His own perfect way and in his own perfect timing.
In verse 13, we see that Naaman is blessed with servants who provide wise counsel. They encourage him to obey the simple command so that he may be healed. They’re like – “dude, you could actually be healed and you’re not going to take advantage of it?” Only when Naaman finally concedes to the word of God and obediently follows his plan, is he fully healed of his leprosy.
We are probably all a lot more like Naaman than we care to admit. But we can’t let our desire for a quick and easy fix get in the way of a beautiful blessing. God’s ways are higher than our ways and his wisdom is infinite. Pray that God will surround you with wise counsel so that you don’t ignore his guidance. Ask God to open your eyes to any pride or disobedience or laziness that is blocking the doorway to an answered prayer. Ask Him to give you the strength to overcome these hindrances to His blessings. Feel free to share your comments or experiences on the blog regarding today's passage. We'd love to hear about your own expereinces!
Todays' post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Saturday, July 3, 2010
How do you fight your battles?
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Chronicles%2019-23&version=NIV
I am so excited today to be writing about 2 Chronicles 20 - it is one of my absolute favorite passages in God's word because it settles my heart no matter what battle I'm facing. Perhaps you're facing a battle today and you need your heart settled also. Maybe someone has come against you, maybe Satan is attacking your self-esteem. He might be telling some of you that there is not hope, or that you'll never make it through whatever obstacle your facing right now.
No matter what the battle field looks like before you, no matter from what direction the attack is coming, there is a battle plan that will not fail. Jehosephat knew that plan. He goes down in my book as one of the wisest and courageous leaders in scripture because of the way he lead people threw the battle we read about in 2 Chronicles 20. Here is what he did - and what we should do also no matter what or whom we face:
1 - He sought the Lord (vs. 3-4) - and taught his followers to do the same. Like my sweet friend Tonia reminds me of frequently - he knew that the battle is fought on our knees. He prayed - and he fasted - and called those he lead to do the same.
2 - He praised God for who he was, for his strength, and remembered the works of the past (vs.6-7).
3 - He knew and claimed the promises of God's protection for his chosen ones (vs. 8-11).
4 - He turned his eyes to God and waited on his directions (vs. 12-13).
5 - He received God's instruction, and worshiped God when he received it (vs. 14-18). Notice that he did not wait to worship until the battle was won, but worship God even before it fully started. Also, friends, it is important to know that if you seek God's direction, he will answer. You won't have to search for the answer - in some way he will show you - if you keep your eyes on him as Jehosephat did and wait for it.
6 - He followed God's instruction and he went into battle worshiping and praising God (vs. 19-23).
7 - He experienced victory in the battle without fighting because he did what God told him to do which was simple stand - and God fought and won the battle for him! (vs. 22-27).
8 - He praised and worshiped God for the victory and told everyone how God gave him victory. (vs. 27-30).
My friends - if you are a fighting a battle this day, please rest in the knowledge that you already have victory. You may not see it yet, the battle might rage on for a while, but victory is already yours. I pray that you will hear the words that the Lord spoke to Jehosephat, and the truth that these words are your promise also will settle in your heart. You need only to fall to your knees, put on your armor, and then stand and let God fight for you.
You will no have to fight this battle. Take your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you. - 2 Chronicles 20:17
It would be our privilege to join you on the battlefield. How can we pray for you this day?
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
I am so excited today to be writing about 2 Chronicles 20 - it is one of my absolute favorite passages in God's word because it settles my heart no matter what battle I'm facing. Perhaps you're facing a battle today and you need your heart settled also. Maybe someone has come against you, maybe Satan is attacking your self-esteem. He might be telling some of you that there is not hope, or that you'll never make it through whatever obstacle your facing right now.
No matter what the battle field looks like before you, no matter from what direction the attack is coming, there is a battle plan that will not fail. Jehosephat knew that plan. He goes down in my book as one of the wisest and courageous leaders in scripture because of the way he lead people threw the battle we read about in 2 Chronicles 20. Here is what he did - and what we should do also no matter what or whom we face:
1 - He sought the Lord (vs. 3-4) - and taught his followers to do the same. Like my sweet friend Tonia reminds me of frequently - he knew that the battle is fought on our knees. He prayed - and he fasted - and called those he lead to do the same.
2 - He praised God for who he was, for his strength, and remembered the works of the past (vs.6-7).
3 - He knew and claimed the promises of God's protection for his chosen ones (vs. 8-11).
4 - He turned his eyes to God and waited on his directions (vs. 12-13).
5 - He received God's instruction, and worshiped God when he received it (vs. 14-18). Notice that he did not wait to worship until the battle was won, but worship God even before it fully started. Also, friends, it is important to know that if you seek God's direction, he will answer. You won't have to search for the answer - in some way he will show you - if you keep your eyes on him as Jehosephat did and wait for it.
6 - He followed God's instruction and he went into battle worshiping and praising God (vs. 19-23).
7 - He experienced victory in the battle without fighting because he did what God told him to do which was simple stand - and God fought and won the battle for him! (vs. 22-27).
8 - He praised and worshiped God for the victory and told everyone how God gave him victory. (vs. 27-30).
My friends - if you are a fighting a battle this day, please rest in the knowledge that you already have victory. You may not see it yet, the battle might rage on for a while, but victory is already yours. I pray that you will hear the words that the Lord spoke to Jehosephat, and the truth that these words are your promise also will settle in your heart. You need only to fall to your knees, put on your armor, and then stand and let God fight for you.
You will no have to fight this battle. Take your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you. - 2 Chronicles 20:17
It would be our privilege to join you on the battlefield. How can we pray for you this day?
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
Friday, July 2, 2010
1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%2022,%202%20Chronicles%2018&version=ESV
2 Chronicles 18:7 : "And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so."
In today's readings, we read of the end of Ahab. Ahab was shown grace by God, as we read yesterday, but today we read how Ahab did not heed and in fact despised the Word of the Lord, which ultimately lead to his death.
Ahab and Jehoshaphat are in alliance. Jehoshaphat asks Ahab if there are any other prophets besides the 400 Ahab has provided that would speak about their going up to retake Ramoth-gilead.
Ahab tells him of Micaiah the son of Imlah, and says he hates him because he never prophesies good concerning himself.
Isn't that true for a lot of us today? We like the Word of the Lord when it speaks to us in the ways we want to spoken to. But when the Word confronts us and forces us to think about ourselves and how we are not following God in specific areas of our lives, how quickly we are to turn from those parts of Scripture.
Ahab did not follow all of God's Word, and towards the end we see how he deluded himself in this. He told Jehoshaphat when they were in the battle to dress in his kingly attire while he, Ahab, would dress as a regular soldier. How foolish is that? Ahab knows what the revelation of God says about him, yet he thinks he can fool God by clothing himself as a regular soldier and in effect hide from God?
Ahab is a good example for us. An example of what happens to one when a person selectively listens to the Word of God. That path will lead to ruin.
Proverbs 30:5 says "Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him."
and Psalm 119:160 says "The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever."
We must always read, strive to understand, and obey the truths of the Word of God. We can not be selective in the parts we read, strive to understand, or obey.
God has given us a great treasure in revealing Himself to us through His Word and His Son. A better understanding of His Word gives us a stronger and deeper appreciation for His Son, whom we are all to strive to be like and live like in this world.
Philippians 1:9-11 "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
2 Chronicles 18:7 : "And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so."
In today's readings, we read of the end of Ahab. Ahab was shown grace by God, as we read yesterday, but today we read how Ahab did not heed and in fact despised the Word of the Lord, which ultimately lead to his death.
Ahab and Jehoshaphat are in alliance. Jehoshaphat asks Ahab if there are any other prophets besides the 400 Ahab has provided that would speak about their going up to retake Ramoth-gilead.
Ahab tells him of Micaiah the son of Imlah, and says he hates him because he never prophesies good concerning himself.
Isn't that true for a lot of us today? We like the Word of the Lord when it speaks to us in the ways we want to spoken to. But when the Word confronts us and forces us to think about ourselves and how we are not following God in specific areas of our lives, how quickly we are to turn from those parts of Scripture.
Ahab did not follow all of God's Word, and towards the end we see how he deluded himself in this. He told Jehoshaphat when they were in the battle to dress in his kingly attire while he, Ahab, would dress as a regular soldier. How foolish is that? Ahab knows what the revelation of God says about him, yet he thinks he can fool God by clothing himself as a regular soldier and in effect hide from God?
Ahab is a good example for us. An example of what happens to one when a person selectively listens to the Word of God. That path will lead to ruin.
Proverbs 30:5 says "Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him."
and Psalm 119:160 says "The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever."
We must always read, strive to understand, and obey the truths of the Word of God. We can not be selective in the parts we read, strive to understand, or obey.
God has given us a great treasure in revealing Himself to us through His Word and His Son. A better understanding of His Word gives us a stronger and deeper appreciation for His Son, whom we are all to strive to be like and live like in this world.
Philippians 1:9-11 "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
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