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Daily Bible thoughts 982: Monday 5th October 2015: Jeremiah 17:19-27: Single Issue.

Jeremiah 17:19-27: Single Issue.(please click here for todays Bible passage)

In ‘Search the Scriptures’ it is pointed out that the issue between God and His people turned on the question of obedience, and in these verses it is brought to a single test. ‘’In your Christian obedience are there test issues of this kind, which, although possibly not themselves the most important subject, are the heart of the question of obedience at the time?’’ p.351.

What Is God speaking to you about at the moment, and how will you respond?

Pray for grace to make right choices.

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Daily Bible thoughts 981: Friday 2nd October 2015: Jeremiah 17: 14-18: ‘Where can I go but to the Lord?’

Jeremiah 17: 14-18: ‘Where can I go but to the Lord?’(please click here for todays Bible passage)

Here is Jeremiah up against it. It was tough being a prophet. Day after day you had to get up out of bed and deliver (and live) messages people did not want to hear. We have seen before that Jeremiah suffered for his calling. But:

  • He was conscious that he was God’s man (16a). He was a shepherd to the people, but primarily he belonged to the Lord. So he spoke and acted as one who was not his own. His life wasn’t about doing what he wanted but living under the Lordship of God. Someone said that the Lord is ready to take full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him. So, yes, Jeremiah took his orders and words from God, but he also knew that he could go to Him with his open, bleeding wounds (14). He knew where to take his pain. The Lord was his refuge (17b). Amidst all the heartache, he was a man of praise (14b). He is often characterised as ‘the weeping prophet’, but he was primarily a worshipping prophet;
  • He was committed to speaking God’s words (16b). Are we equally conscious of talking in the sight of God? What difference might it make to your speech if you remembered that God is the ‘silent listener to every conversation’? But sometimes He doesn’t just listen in silence. There are painful moments when you hear Him speak in the depths of your soul and you know you shouldn’t have said that!
  • He did not speak about Hell without tears in his eyes (16b): ‘’…you know I have not desired the day of despair.’’ Jeremiah had to suffer taunts from persecutors who arrogantly poured scorn on his prophecies (15). When was it going to happen? The implication in their question was that it never would. But they were wrong. And there was something of a ‘torn’ feeling in Jeremiah’s heart. No, he had never wanted the judgment he had forecast to fall on his people. It broke his heart to preach it. At the same time, he did want God’s Word (and his words) to be vindicated; he did want to see the Lord deal with his ‘’persecutors’’ (17, 18).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please put courage into my heart. I feel an inclination towards cowardice. Help me to ‘’not run away’’ from anything you ask of me.

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Daily Bible thoughts 980: Thursday 1st October 2015: Jeremiah 17: 11: Money matters.

Jeremiah 17: 11: Money matters.(Please click here for todays Bible passage)

This verse has such resonance with our times. We hear so much in the news about financial malpractice and corruption. It is rife. Where there is money to be had, there will be those who try to lay their hands on it unjustly.

I once heard a preacher speak about how he had been working through some of the Minor Prophets with his congregation. ‘’We have discovered they are very political’, he said. God is concerned about issues of justice. This is something we see in all the prophetic books.

As we’ve seen before, sin is primarily vertical (Godward) in its impact; but it is also horizontal (man ward) in its implications. First of all, it separates people from God; but it also separates them from each other. One of the ways in which the people’s rebellion against God was worked out in those days was in unjust conduct in society. People were trodden down by the rich and powerful. Some people became (criminally) wealthy at the expense of others (see 6:13).

It is foolish to make wealth your goal. Riches are transient. If they are not taken from you, you will be taken from them. Two ladies were in conversation about a wealthy man who had died. ‘How much did he leave?’ asked one. ‘Everything!’ the other replied.

But it is especially foolish to try to get rich by corrupt means. This is self-destructive behaviour. There will be an ‘’in the end.’’ This is an example of how the deceitful heart can lead a person astray. Any gain can only be temporary. What good would their wealth do them when judgment fell?

Here are some things the Bible teaches about money, and if you observe them you will be kept safe:

  • Work honestly (Ephesians 4:28);
  • Give generously (Luke 6:38; 1 Timothy 6:17-19);
  • Live within your means (Romans 13:8);
  • Whatever God blesses you with, live prayerfully as a wise steward of God’s resources, always looking to Him to know how you should use His

Prayer: Thank you Lord God for your generous blessing on my life. Teach me to use your money as you please.

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Daily Bible thoughts 977: Monday 28th September 2015: Psalm 119:38-40: For the glory of the Lord.

Psalm 119:38-40: For the glory of the Lord.(please click here for todays Bible passage)

Can you say that you ‘’long’’ for God’s Word? Is there an element of ‘panting’ in your soul? So often we find in Biblical religion an intensity of desire that seems to be lacking in much of church life as we know it.

And have you got to a place where you want God’s ‘’promise ‘’ to be fulfilled more for His glory than for your good. What you want most is for people to see how wonderful He is. It’s not wrong to want the promises of God to come to pass in your life so that personal needs are met. But is there an even deeper desire for the lifting up of His wonderful Name?

So today’s thought is brief and to the point. But it is no less important for being short. Let’s join with the psalmist in prayer, picking it up at verse 36:

‘’Give me a bent for your words of wisdom, and not for piling up loot. Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets, invigorate me on the pilgrim way. Affirm your promises to me – promises made to all who fear you. Deflect the harsh words of my critics – but what you say is always so good. See how hungry I am for your counsel; preserve my life through your righteous ways!’’ The Message.

Go after God and the things of God with all your heart.

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Daily Bible thoughts 976: Friday 25th September 2015: Psalm 119:36, 37: A double turn

 Psalm 119:36, 37: A double turn.(please click here for todays Bible passage)

Here are two complimentary turnings, the one positive; the other negative: ‘’Turn my heart toward…Turn my eyes away…’’

Consider:

  • We need God’s help if we are going to love His Word. He creates spiritual appetite;
  • Spiritual desire can help us to overcome selfish ambition. God’s Word is life’s truest treasure. It matters much more than money in the bank The more we love God and His Word, the less material things will captivate our hearts;
  • There are empty, vain and ‘’worthless things’’ that do not warrant our attention. They may seem to offer life, but they are nebulous and hard to hold on to. They burst like bubbles in the bath. Their promise quickly disappears;
  • On the other hand, true life is to be found in the Bible. There our lives are renewed.

Although we can and should pray that we will love God’s Word and that we won’t give time and attention to meaningless things, it strikes me that we also have responsibilities to do what we can with God’s help. Let’s do those things that cultivate spiritual appetite, and make wise choices: take steps to close off unhealthy (and dirty) streams. In my experience, the more time and attention we give to the things of God, the more time and attention we will want to give to them and our desires for lesser things will weaken. So, let’s ask God to turn our hearts toward and our eyes away, but let’s also do everything we can to fight. Jesus shows us how:

‘’Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour.’’ (Matthew 4:8). Jesus was not deceived. He saw that although ‘Sodom’ looked good (Genesis 13:10a), it was corrupt and doomed (Genesis 13:10b, 13). He dealt with the temptation by means of the Word of God (Matthew 4:10, 11). He used ‘’the sword of the Spirit’’ (Ephesians 6:17) to fend off and chase away the evil one.

Prayer: ‘’May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers.’’ (1 Kings 8:58).

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Daily Bible thoughts 975: Thursday 24th September 2015: Psalm 119:35: Direction and Delight.

 Psalm 119:35: Direction and Delight.(please click here for todays Bible Passage)

The prayer requests regarding God’s Word keep coming thick and fast: ‘’Teach me…Give me…Direct me…’’ This third request speaks of God’s authority over our lives. Which way do I need to go? God will tell me, and primarily by means of His Word.

‘’Direct me…’’ This is one thing a person is saying to God when they become a Christian, and they are baptized. They are affirming the ‘Lordship’ of Jesus over their lives. They are handing over the keys to another Driver, saying, ‘’Steer me. Take me where you want me to go.’’

There is a story told about a driver in a Surrey town who wasn’t quite sure if he was where he wanted to be. Winding down his window he asked a passer-by: ‘Leatherhead?’ The suddenly angry looking pedestrian replied: ‘Fish Face!!’ You have no doubt been in a situation where you have similarly needed to ask for help. God’s directions take us down the ‘’path’’ or ‘’road’’ of His Word. It is a ‘delightful’ road. Expect to find direction for your life in the systematic reading of the Scriptures. Also, you can check any so-called guidance with it. Does it line up with God’s Word or somehow contradict it? Keeping on His road is necessary for joy.

Over the last year or two, Jilly and I have been discovering Yorkshire – particularly on days off during the summer months. Again and again we have turned down roads where the views have been simply stunning. We have found ‘delight’ in breath-taking scenery. It is regularly like this as we travel through the Bible; we find a beauty and a wonder and a joy that surpassed our expectations. God’s directions and your delight are inextricably bound up together.

Where will you find ‘’delight’’? God’s answer is not the world’s. Have you yet found ‘’delight’’ in God’s Word? The key to life’s greatest joys and most enduring pleasures is found there. What do you delight in? Job could say: ‘’I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.’’ (Job 23:12).

One final thought: If you are taking a certain ‘’path’’ you are not taking others. You are choosing this pathway over other potential routes. Following God will mean rejecting other possible ways which may, superficially, appear more attractive. But if you let the Lord choose the route, you will go through the most stunning scenery, even if the road is sometimes difficult. Once, on a visit to the Isle of Skye, I turned down a narrow road with passing places. It was just a black line on the map: the road to Kylerhea. I found it a little bit scary. It took me over hills and through a wild, rugged landscape. A sort of nervous, insecure feeling went through my veins. Then suddenly the road fell away before me into a steep descent, and opened up a vista that felt like a foretaste of heaven itself, and moved me in a way that I cannot put into words. On that challenging road I found unexpected delight. It is like this for all serious students of God’s matchless Word.

Prayer: ‘’Guide me down the road of your commandments; I love travelling this freeway?’’ The Message.

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Daily Bible thoughts 974: Wednesday 23rd September 2015: Psalm 119: 34: Light and life.

 Psalm 119: 34: Light and life. (Please click here for todays Bible Passage)

When God enlightens you, you have a responsibility to live it!

‘’Give me insight so I can do what you tell me – my whole life one long, obedient response.’’ The Message.

Someone described the life of a Christian disciple as ‘’a long obedience in the same direction.’’

We come to the Bible with an urgent request that God will shed His light on the pages He has written. We need the understanding that He gives, and we are not too proud to admit our need. We come like beggars with outstretched hands: ‘’poor in spirit’’, but never doubting that our loving, divine Benefactor will give us what we need. Even as we confess our lack, we believe in His generosity.

  • When God gives you understanding, you will see that you can ‘’obey’’ His Word; that His endless supply of help is at your disposal. You will ‘get it’ that God never calls without also equipping. Even though you may fall again and again, God will cause you to see that power is available for you to get up and keep going down ‘obedience road’.
  • When God gives you understanding, you will grasp how vital obedience is. It could never be an ‘optional extra’.
  • When God gives you understanding, your ‘’heart’’ will be profoundly affected. It is out of our hearts that we live, and there is a constant need for our hearts to be stirred and moved and changed. I read recently about a Christian mother who survived a devastating divorce, and raised four sons in the aftermath, by learning to live on the promises of God. She carefully went through her Bible and took note of every promise and then learned to ‘stand’ on these faithful words and ‘claim’ them in prayer. One of her boys said, ‘’She not only survived, she thrived.’’ That’s what can happen when God’s Word gets into your heart.

Has God shown you something in His Word today? It is to be translated into action. If it really sinks into your heart it will be!

‘’Do whatever he tells you.’’ (John 2:5).

Prayer: ‘’Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.’’

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Daily Bible thoughts 972: Monday 21st September 2015: 2 Thessalonians 1:12b: Serving grace.

 2 Thessalonians 1:12b: Serving grace.(please click here for todays Bible passage)

‘’…according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.’’

Everything in the Christian life is ‘’…according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.’’

This applies to:

  • Our entire experience of salvation (5-10);
  • The ability to persevere through trials (3,4);
  • The answers to prayers for spiritual growth (11, 12). In our passage it seems to particularly relate to this latter point – and especially to the request about the double glorification: Christ in us and us in Him.

Grace is (God’s) undeserved favour. Everything we receive from God comes to us as an unearned and undeserved gift. We can’t boast about these things or consider that we merit them. We don’t.

John Stott wrote that not only is there saving grace, but there is also such a thing as serving grace. It takes grace to make a person into a Christian; but it also requires grace to live as a Christian. We sometimes fail to grasp this. We can’t live the Christian life from out of our finite resources, but according to God’s infinite riches.

Grace:

  • It is God’s undeserved blessing on our lives in Christ;
  • It is the divinely bestowed ability to live the life of a Christian disciple;
  • It is deeply humbling and reminds us that we will always be incapable on our own;
  • It brings us to our knees in wonder and causes us to sing that it is

‘’Grace is behind and through all of this, our God giving himself freely, the Master, Jesus Christ, giving himself freely.’’ The Message.

Could there be a more fitting conclusion to this first chapter? It provides the key to everything we have read in it.

Prayer: Thank you that I am not alone, or left to my own devices.

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Daily Bible thoughts 970: Thursday 17th September 2015: 2 Thessalonians 1: 5-10: Pay back.

 2 Thessalonians 1: 5-10: Pay back.(please click here for todays message)

‘’God is just…’’ (6a). You may not want to hear that. You may prefer it if I say ‘’God is love’’ (1 John 4:16). Both statements are in fact true of God. His love is seen especially in that He has made a way for us to be forgiven through Jesus. But if we reject His way we will keep our sins and we will experience His justice (8). If we refuse ‘’the gospel’’ – the good news of Jesus, then we will be left facing the bad news of eternal punishment. The offer of the gospel is addressed to the human will and it can be declined (8). There has to be a response of faith (10b).This passage could hardly be clearer in spelling out the results of such rejection.

At least three things stand out here:

  • God will ‘’pay back trouble’’ to the church’s troublers (6). The apparent triumph of the persecutors is but for a season. ‘’You’re suffering now, but justice is on the way. When the Master Jesus comes out of heaven in a blaze of fire with his strong angels, he’ll even up the score by settling accounts with those who gave you such a bad time.’’ The Message. (See also Isaiah 66:15, 16; Matthew 13:40-43; Luke 3:17).
  • God will ‘’give relief’’ to His suffering people, and to all who care about them (7).
  • Those who do not want Him will not have Him: ‘’Those who refuse to know God and refuse to obey the Master will pay for what they’ve done. Eternal exile from the presence of the Master and his splendid power is their sentence.’’ The Message. To my mind (9) expresses the essence of Hell. Those who do not want God’s company/companionship in this life will not have it in the next. As Jim Packer notes in his fine book, ‘Knowing God’, ultimately all that the Lord will do in judgment will be to underline the choices we have already made. Surely no-one can read the words in 2 Thessalonians and not see that there is going to be a day of division, of separation in the universe. Not everyone will get to live with Christ in heaven because many have made it clear they do not want Him. We will not all live ‘’happily ever after.’’

As someone said, ‘’We make our choices, and then our choices turn around and make us.’’

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