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Daily Bible thoughts 1053: Tuesday 12th January 2016: 2 Timothy 2:14-19: An Audience of one.

2 Timothy 2:14-19: An Audience of one.(please click here for todays passage)

Christians today don’t always emphasise the sins of speech in the way the Bible does, but we need to understand that what we talk about shapes the people we become (16). ‘’Hymenaeus and Philetus’’ are examples of what can happen (17b, 18). They got into ‘’godless chatter’’ – which means false teaching in the context – and it damaged them; but it also wreaked havoc in the lives of others through them. Whether we speak heretical words, or just idle words, they don’t lead anywhere good. Words matter. If we belong to the Lord we ‘’must turn away from wickedness’’ in all forms (19). This includes verbal wickedness. ‘’Words are not mere words, you know. If they’re not backed by a godly life, they accumulate as poison in the soul.’’ The Message.

Christian leaders have the responsibility to remind God’s people of truth, and to warn against error. ‘’Repeat these basic essentials over and over to God’s people.’’ The Message. Much Christian service is like this. Furthermore, every aspect of a person’s ministry is carried out ‘’before God’’ (14). As a leader it is essential to ‘’Do your best…’’ (15). But this pursuit of excellence is not for its own sake. It is above all for God. I may want to please my earthly employers (and that is a good thing), but most of all I want to live and work for the smile of God. Sometimes, the human verdict on a person’s ministry, whether good or bad, is not the correct one. God is the Judge, and we want to hear His ‘Well done’ most of all. (Think about Jeremiah, for example. By and large he was disapproved of by men, but he was approved by God. We know he was faithful. God will not allow popular opinion to have the final say.) There is a Dave Godfrey children’s song which says, ‘’I’m living for an Audience of One; the Audience is Jesus.’’

In a world where the devil will always be at work to deceive people and lead them into error, Christian ministers must work particularly hard to ‘’correctly’’ handle the Bible (15), then we will not need not be ‘’ashamed’’. The truth sets people free, but false teaching fastens them in chains. So much is at stake in our teaching. ‘’Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won’t be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple.’’ The Message.

It is good to know that whatever people do, God will not be overthrown. His purposes stand firm (19). He knows all those who are truly his, and this belonging to God is manifested in a serious pursuit of holiness.

‘’Meanwhile, God’s firm foundation is as firm as ever.’’ The Message.

Prayer: Lord bless your preachers with clear-sighted understanding of your truth, and help them to always be faithful to follow your instructions.

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Daily Bible thoughts 1025: Thursday 3rd December 2015: Luke 3:1-22: Plain speaking.

Luke 3:1-22: Plain speaking.(please click here for todays passage)

This chapter opens with another detailed historical note (1, 2). This is Luke, the careful historian, showing that the events surrounding the coming of Jesus were rooted in history. There is a theological as well as a historical point to be made however. It is that before ‘’the word of God’’ can come through you, it must first come ‘’to’’ you (2).

John the Baptist’s ministry was in fulfilment of prophecy (4-6). His speech was direct and plain, and potentially offensive (7-14). In the end he paid a high price for his honesty (19, 20). Darkness does not like to be exposed by light. Rich and powerful got caught in the headlights of his preaching, and they used (or abused) their power to remove him.

John called the people to not rely on any supposed spiritual pedigree (8, 9). You can’t get into heaven on your parents’ ticket (or that of any ancestor). He preached repentance and judgment; the need for repentance in the light of coming judgment. He said that people should show their repentance by changed lives, and he spelled out in concrete terms what repentance would like for different people in differing circumstances (10-14). He left nothing abstract and unclear.

Most important of all – and this was the pulse of his ministry – John glorified Jesus (15-17). He had come to prepare the way for Him and he pointed to Him. He was a witness; a signpost to Christ. What an example he is to us all. Charles Spurgeon, the great Victorian preacher, shared John’s heartbeat. He said: ‘’I have a great need for Christ; I have a great Christ for my need.’’

When Jesus was baptised (21, 22) there was a further declaration of His unique identity as God’s Son. As we work through this third gospel we will discover that two of Luke’s key themes are prayer and the Holy Spirit. Here they are inter-linked.

Prayer: Lord, by your Spirit, help me to glorify you.

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Daily Bible thoughts 1023: Tuesday 1st December 2015: Jeremiah 23:1-8: True Shepherds

Jeremiah 23:1-8: True Shepherds

We have seen how chapter 22 is a kind of ‘rogue’s gallery’ of the final kings of Judah. In the Old Testament kings were shepherds. That’s how they were regarded. They were to love the people and lead them with compassion, tenderness and care. All the kings mentioned in the 22nd chapter, apart from Josiah, were bad shepherds. God was going to punish them for what they had done, and He prophesied a new day of shepherd care with different shepherd leaders, but ultimately the coming of the Messiah Himself, the ‘’good shepherd’’ (John 10).

So chapter 23 needs to be seen in contrast with chapter 22. This section of it:

  • Shows how much the quality of shepherding matters to God – He who is Himself the Shepherd of Israel (Psalm 23);
  • Challenges all leaders about how they shepherd the flock of God. We cannot do this carelessly or lightly;
  • Looks forward to a new and greater ‘exodus’ from Babylon and other lands. God’s dispersed people will come home. Even in the middle of messages of judgment, we can hold on to this note of hope;
  • Anticipates the coming of the Messiah. Matthew Henry points out that there aren’t as many Messianic predictions in Jeremiah as there are in Isaiah, but this is certainly one of them. Jeconiah may not have had sons to succeed him on the throne, but David’s line would continue; the promises made to David would be fulfilled. However bleak things may look, you can hold on to God’s Word. It will be fulfilled.

Prayer: Lord Jesus be my shepherd all the days of my life.

 

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Daily Bible thoughts 1022: Monday 30th November 2015: Luke 2:41-52: Holy habits.

 Luke 2:41-52: Holy habits.(please click here for todays passage)

Here are some further thoughts from my recent reading in Luke:

  • Consider phrases like ‘’used to go’’, ‘’as usual’’ and ‘’according to the custom’’ (42). This speaks of holy habits of public worship. Jesus grew up in that atmosphere, where there was a commitment to attend the recognised gatherings. Although we don’t have ‘laws’ about church worship, we could learn a thing or two from the Jews about the importance of regularly coming together before God. Furthermore, we know that we should not give up on meeting together. Hebrews 10:25 is surely a word for these times. For Joseph and Mary, going up to Jerusalem for the Passover meant a 60-70 mile journey. It took effort. It was also a step of faith for many of the worshippers, trusting God with their land and work while they were away from home. We can afford to take time out to praise God with others. While we are resting, He will keep the universe running. It does not rest on our shoulders. In one sense, ‘Sabbath’ time is a necessary and humbling reminder that we are not God.
  • We (as individuals and as churches) can ‘lose’ Jesus in a sense, and not realise it for a time (43b, 44). We can lag behind Him. We can also (as here) move on ahead of Him. The key is to keep in step with Him.
  • Jesus’ primary submission had to be to the Father (49; cf. John 14:31). Nevertheless, the passage emphasises that He was an obedient boy.
  • Sometimes, a good question can be more potent than a good answer (46). I often pray that God will help me to ask the right questions. We have thought recently about how God blesses and uses older people. It’s important to know that years on the clock don’t mean you are finished. But here we see how God’s Hand can be on young people. Jesus was just ‘’twelve years old’’ (42).
  • For a second time in this chapter we read about Mary ‘’treasuring’’ (51) these things in her heart (see 19). ‘’His mother held these things dearly, deep within herself.’’ The Message.
  • Finally, here are three great things to pray for your children, whatever their ages (52; see also 40 and 1:80).

Prayer: Let my heart be full to overflowing with thoughts of Jesus

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Daily Bible thoughts 1021: Friday 27th November 2015: Psalm 119:73-80: The faithful wounds of a Friend.

Psalm 119:73-80: The faithful wounds of a Friend.(please click here for todays passage)

‘’In affliction the psalmist himself reaped benefit.., but now we find that he is concerned so to live in affliction that the benefit can touch others also. The same human agents of affliction reappear (78, cf.69) but he prays to bear with their hostility in such a way that those who fear you may experience joy through his steadfastness of hope (74) and gather to him in fellowship (79).’’ J.A. Motyer: ‘New Bible Commentary’, pp.568/569.

‘’…in faithfulness you have afflicted me.’’ (75b).

Previously we have read:

‘’Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.’’ (67); and

‘’It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.’’ (71).

He recognised God’s faithfulness behind His troubles. He came into a deeper relationship with his Bible because of them. So in today’s passage we see him:

  • Pinning his hopes in God’s Word (74b);
  • Claiming God’s promises (76);
  • Delighting in the Word (77);
  • Meditating on the Scriptures (78);
  • Seeking to live the Word (80);
  • Praying for more understanding (73b).

His suffering caused him to cling more tightly to his Bible, and to the God who wrote it. See how his heart’s desire was that in his sufferings he would be a blessing to others (74, 79). Today he is to us!

Prayer: Help me to live in such a way, Lord, that in my troubles I may bless others.

 

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Daily Bible thoughts 1015: Thursday 19th November 2015: Jeremiah 22:13-19: A bit of an ass?

Jeremiah 22:13-19: A bit of an ass?
As we work through this ‘rogues gallery’ of the final kings of Judah, we come now to ‘’Jehoiakim’’ (18), who was one of that territory’s most evil kings (2 Kings 23:36, 37; 24:1-7). Josiah was his father and Shallum his brother. Jehoiakim only became king after his brother Shallum was exiled (2 Kings 23:34).
‘’Jehoiakim wasn’t much different from some modern politicians who profit from dishonest gain while they ignore the cries of the poor and needy.’’ Warren W. Wiersbe: ‘The Wiersbe Bible Commentary (OT)’, p.1236.
Here are some observations based on the text:
Loving justice (13): God is grieved when the poor are oppressed by the rich and powerful. One of Jehoiakim’s evil deeds was to make his countrymen work without pay (see Deuteronomy 24:14, 15). He was effectively reducing his brothers to slavery. We need to take care that we do not become complicit in any form of injustice.
True nobility (15, 16): What is it that makes a person noble? It has nothing to do with birth or the blood flowing in their veins. Not really. It has everything to do with character. Leadership is fundamentally about who you are. Jehoiakim’s ‘apple’ fell very far from Josiah’s ‘tree’. It was a case of ‘like father, unlike son’. Josiah lived comfortably, but fairly, caring about matters of justice. True religion considers the poor and needy (see James 1: 27). As someone said, knowing God and doing His will are inseparable. ‘’So that makes you a king-living in a fancy palace? Your father got along just fine, didn’t he? He did what was right and treated people fairly. And things went well with him. He stuck up for the down-and-out, And things went well for Judah. Isn’t this what it means to know me?…But you’re blind and brainless. All you think about is yourself. Taking advantage of the weak, bulldozing your way, bullying victims.’’ The Message.
Sheer folly (18): You can be a great person in the eyes of the world, but it’s only for a short time. Then what? Will it be seen that you were an ‘ass’ so to speak; that you wasted your life? ‘’They’ll give him a donkey’s funeral, drag him out of the city and dump him.’’ The Message. Just recently, a famous (or infamous/notorious ) lady died. She was well-known for devoting her life to an overtly sinful business, and no doubt made a lot of money from it. These words of mine are not intended to judge her. Only God can know the true state of her soul. But I couldn’t help but reflect on the tragedy of a life given over to the vanity and folly of sin. The words spoken about Jehoiakim (19) say that he would have no burial. Instead his body would be left exposed on the ground (see Deuteronomy 28:26; Jeremiah 36:30.This point is not contradicted by 2 Kings 24:6 by the way. The statement there simply means that he died. No burial is mentioned.) How tragic when someone dies and it can be said: ‘’Nobody will shed tears over him.’’ The Message.
Prayer: ‘’Teach me to live, that I may dread, the grave as little as my bed.’’ Bishop Thomas Ken.

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Daily Bible thoughts 1011: Friday 13th November 2015: Psalm 119:65-72: Better than gold.

 Psalm 119:65-72: Better than gold.(please click here for todays passage)

What would you rather have: your Bible or a massive lottery win? I hope you can say the former (72); that God’s Word is your ‘’delight’’ (70). ‘’Truth from your mouth means more to me than striking it rich in a gold mine.’’ The Message. Is God’s Word your most prized possession by far?

Verse 65 reads as a prayer in the ‘New International Version’: Do good to your servant according to your word, O LORD.’’ But in the ‘ESV’ it is rendered as a statement: ‘’You have dealt with your servant, O LORD, according to your word.’’ In the Bible, God promises good to His people, and in experience we prove this to be true: that He is good and that what He does is good (68). I knew a man who was an excellent servant of the church. When someone said this to him, his response was, ‘’Well, I have a good Master.’’ What God’s Word says about Him, and what we experience of Him; of His goodness, should encourage us to keep on praying for HIs help so that we can be His faithful people in this antagonistic world. Therefore we keep on asking, ‘’Teach me…teach me…’’ (66a, 68b; also see James 1:5-7).

Even when we go through ‘affliction’ (67, 71) we can affirm: ‘’You are good, and what you do is good…’’ We see the productive power in trials (see James 1:2-4) bringing us into an even closer relationship with God’s Word (67, 71), and ultimately, of course with the Word’s Author. During what I call my ‘nightmare year’ (which actually was around 18 months in reality) – a time of great trauma in the church – the Bible came alive to me in such vivid ways. I kept a journal that year, and it is full of jotted down Scriptures that became personal friends. They walked with me and put an arm around my shoulder and comforted me. At the end of it all I could see that it was good for me to be afflicted in the way I was. ‘’My troubles turned out all for the best – they forced me to learn from your textbook.’’ The Message. The context suggests that the psalmist’s affliction had to with persecution, but he would not allow the hostility of others to deflect him from the path of whole-hearted obedience (69). In the world we will often encounter hardness of heart, but the people of God have soft hearts towards Scripture, and ultimately before God Himself. They are malleable and He can shape them according to His truth. ‘’The godless spread lies about me; but I focus my attention on what you are saying; They’re bland as a bucket of lard, while I dance to the tune of your revelation.’’ The Message.

‘’We are pupils in his school of affliction (67, 70), he is the Principal of the school and the graduation award is the treasure of his word.’’ J.A. Motyer: ‘New Bible Commentary’, p.568.

Prayer: ‘’Be good to your servant, GOD; be as good as your Word.’’ (65). The Message.

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Daily Bible thoughts 1006: Friday 6th November 2015: Jeremiah 21: Courageous living.

 Jeremiah 21: Courageous living. (please click here for todays passage)

‘’The first twenty chapters of Jeremiah have come in roughly chronological order; the remaining chapters are arranged on the basis of subject matter rather than chronology. Here in this chapter, Jeremiah jumps forward to the ninth year of the reign of Judah’s last king, Zedekiah. Zedekiah had foolishly rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and now Babylon was attacking Jerusalem (see 2 Kings 24:18-20; 25:1; Jeremiah 52:1-4). Tom Hale: ‘The Applied Old Testament Commentary’, p.1105.

That’s a helpful introduction to this chapter and the remainder of the Book. I want to highlight three points:

Courage (1-7): It takes courage to tell people what you know they will not want to hear. Jeremiah would be considered a traitor for delivering messages such as these. ‘’But he was not pro-Babylonian, he was pro-Yahweh, and he saw clearly that Jerusalem’s only recourse was to submit to God’s righteous chastisement.’’ A.E. Cundall. Tom Hale points out that, regrettably, King Zedekiah was more interested in avoiding trouble than in avoiding the sins that caused him trouble. There comes a point where we cannot realistically expect God to answer our prayers if our hearts are set against doing His will. It is thought likely that verses 11-14 were spoken on an earlier occasion when there was still time for repentance. Such messages had been given, and rejected, over and over. They had been met with smug complacency. It was now too late for the desired miracle. Zedekiah (and this is still true of many today) wanted a ‘genie’ who would pop out of the bottle when required and grant him his wishes. At that moment he’d have settled for one. ‘’Maybe GOD will intervene with one of his famous miracles and make him leave.’’ The Message. It wasn’t going to happen; not this time. Jeremiah had to deliver this message, and he needed courage, for the messenger would be ‘shot’.

Consolation (5; see Romans 8:31): It is a terrible thing when God says He is against you. That’s not a ‘boat’ you want to be in. ‘’I’m joining their side and fighting against you, fighting all-out, holding nothing back.’’ The Message. But the consolation I find in this verse lies in the realisation that this can never be true of those who are ‘in Christ’. Paul teaches in Romans 8 that if God is ‘’for us’’ no-one can be against us.

Clarity (8-10): Within the unpopular message handed to Jeremiah to convey, there was nevertheless a ray of hope. It was not exactly what people wanted to hear, but ‘’the way of life and the way of death’’ were made utterly clear. It was not possible for Jerusalem to be saved, but it was the case that the populace, the people, could be saved. They could escape with their lives if they humbled themselves and surrendered. No one could be in any doubt about what they had to do. ‘’Listen carefully. I’m giving you a choice: life or death. Whoever stays in this city will die – either in battle or by starvation or disease. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who have surrounded the city will live. You’ll lose everything – but not your life.’’ The Message. This sounds a lot like the message of the gospel which has been entrusted to us. It sets out clear alternatives (Matthew 7:13, 14), and we must communicate it in such a way that people know what they are. Let’s not make a simple message foggy. If people are prepared to lose their own lives for Jesus’ sake, they will then find them.

 

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Daily Bible thoughts 1004: Wednesday 4th November 2015: Luke 1:57-80: ‘’His name is John’’.

Luke 1:57-80: ‘’His name is John’’. (please click here for todays Bible passage)

Jilly, my lovely wife pointed out to me the power of two in this story. To my mind it’s a great thought. You’ve got Zechariah and Elizabeth backing each other up as they take their stand on God’s truth (57-66). ‘’It’s better to have a partner than go it alone…And if one falls down, the other helps…’’ The Message (from Ecclesiastes 4).

When the Holy Spirit is active, doing a ‘new thing’, he may cut across cherished traditions. There was nothing inherently wrong with naming the son after the father (traditions aren’t necessarily sinful). But this new day required a new approach. God was doing something new and the ‘new wine’ required a ‘new wineskin’. At times, those who seek to keep in step with God’s Spirit will find that they have to be prepared to go against the norm, the accepted ways of doing things (61). People, almost by default, have a tendency to question change and even resist it. But if the Lord has given us insight into what He is doing we must be prepared to stand with Him against the tide of public opinion. There comes a time to say, as it were, ‘’His name is John’’. Here is something that is no longer up for grabs because God has revealed His mind on it. We know what He thinks, and though the entire world should be moving in the opposite direction, we will stick with God. For every believer, there comes a time to firmly take our stand and say, ‘I believe this is how it is because God says this is how it is!’ (I would add the point from verse 66, that people may well notice when ‘’the Lord’s hand’’ is with someone, but that won’t necessarily make them popular.)

Looking at (63, 64), you see something of the liberating power of obedience to God. It does not bring you into slavery. Well, in one sense it does; yet in slavery to Christ there is true freedom. The hymn writer, George Matheson, captured something of the paradox when he wrote, ‘’Make me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free.’’ When Zechariah firmly took his stand on what God had revealed, he was ‘’Immediately’’ set free.

The ‘Magnificat’ of Mary (46-55) and the ‘Benedictus’ of Zechariah (68-79) share this feature in common that both express continuity with the Old Testament. Yes, God was doing something new; but He wasn’t going off at a tangent. Everything that was now about to happen in the ‘new’ was a fulfilment of the ‘old’. For a time, I went once a week to pray with the clergy at a local Anglican church. We shared some beautiful liturgical prayers, and these words of Zechariah were at the core of every prayer time. We always stood for this part. I couldn’t help but feel that there was something especially powerful about words that reminded us that Jesus came into the world in fulfilment of prophecy, and that He came for ‘’the forgiveness of…sins’’ (77).

Prayer: Thank you Lord for the amazing way the Bible hangs together.

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