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Daily Bible thoughts 807: Thursday 5th February 2015: Ephesians 6:10-20

Ephesians 6:10-20 (click here for todays passage)

When you become a Christian you not only have new relationships with people. You also have changed relationships with evil powers. At one time you were playing on their team, even if unwittingly. But now you’ve been ‘’transferred’’ (Colossians 1:13, 14). You are kicking the other way. It’s war! (This new antagonism is expressed in the word ‘’against’’ (11, 12).

A freshly minted Christian said to the famous preacher, Spurgeon: ‘Mr. Spurgeon, now that I am a Christian, how much of the world must I give up?’ The wise Christian leader replied, ‘Don’t worry; the world will give you up!’ Someone pointed out that when you become a Christian you make a whole lot of new friends, and that’s good. At the same time, you make a whole lot of new enemies, and that’s not so good! Not all those enemies are in ‘earthly’ places, although it might often feel like they are.

We Christians are in a war that is more real, more vicious, and more savage than any fight between nations or people groups. I sometimes think that we would be shocked if God were to lift the veil of time, and give us a peek at what is happening behind the scenes.

Thank God, we have all the strength we require to stay standing in this spiritual battle, and not be knocked off our feet. (You will notice this emphasis on standing in verses 11, 13 and 14). We find our strength; this ‘’mighty power’’ (15), ‘’in the Lord’’ Himself. Essentially, to ‘’Put on the full armour of God…’’ (11 and 13) is to put on God (see also Romans 13:14). The armour is made up of characteristics of God and His Christ. It is unusual weaponry for an unconventional war. (See 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, and think about David’s sling and stone!). So, yes, the ‘’struggle’’ (12) is real, but so is the armour God supplies. We have to choose to ‘’put on’’ these spiritual qualities, day by day and even moment by moment. It’s been said that no-one will ‘drift’ into holiness. Nor will they drift into victory. There are regular choices to be made to resist the devil and be like God and His Son Jesus. We choose, by God’s grace, to be people of truth (integrity), righteousness, faith and peace who take the good news of the gospel into the world. We determine to live as saved, prayerful people of the Word. God will help us to make the right choices and fend off the evil one.

It has been pointed out that prayer may not be a piece of the armour, so much as the ‘atmosphere’ in which we put it on. But that seems something of a technicality. Every Christian who has got hold of prayer and used it knows what a mighty weapon it is. It is instructive that Paul regularly asked for the prayers of his fellow-believers, and these requests were by no means a formality. He believed that the prayers of other people would make a material difference in his own life and ministry. He was almost constantly in trouble, and often in danger. He knew he needed courage and that the intercessions of others would help him be a brave soldier of Christ.

Prayer: Help me to pray today like it will make a difference, for I am led to believe that it will.

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Daily Bible thoughts 806: Wednesday 4th February 2015: Ephesians 6:5-9

Ephesians 6:5-9 (click here for todays passage)

The call for Christ-centred relationships continues in this passage about slaves and masters. These principles also carry over into the contemporary workplace, and we can apply them to employees and employers.

‘’…just as you would Christ.’’ (5);

‘’…but like slaves of Christ…’’ (6);

‘’…as if you were serving the Lord, not men…’’ (7);

‘’…their Master and yours…’’ (9).

Paul says that slaves should treat their masters as they would Christ, for He truly is their Master. They really are His slaves. Ultimately, He’s the One paying the wages! (8).

If that seems revolutionary, think through what he says, by inference, to Masters (9). The message is, ‘You and your slaves are employees in the same company, and you have the same Boss!’ If Christian slaves were accountable to Christ so were Christian masters. They could only ever be ‘middle-management’, for they had Someone over them. (This is also true of non- Christian masters/bosses, even though they may not be aware of it. They are answerable to a higher authority.)

‘’Servants, respectfully obey your earthy masters but always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ…And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you’re really serving God. Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave or free. Masters, it’s the same with you. No abuse, please, and no threats. You and your servants are both under the same Master in heaven. He makes no distinction between you and them.’’ The Message.

If the question should be asked, ‘Why did the early Christians not campaign against slavery, as William Wilberforce was to do in later years in the U.K.?’ The answer probably is that they couldn’t! They didn’t live in a democracy, but under an iron-fisted dictatorship. They couldn’t protest effectively about anything. However, it can be argued that teaching like this undermined the institution of slavery and sowed the seeds for its eventual destruction.

Prayer: Thank you Lord Jesus that knowing you and wanting to serve you makes all the difference in every area of life. You change everything for good.

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Daily Bible thoughts 805: Tuesday 3rd February 2015: Ephesians 6:1-4

 Ephesians 6:1-4 (click here for todays passage)

In the church, there are new relationships. We have already looked at Paul’s Christ-centred approach to marriage. Here we see the centrality of Christ in the home. Note especially the expressions ‘’in the Lord’’ and ‘’of the Lord’’. Whether he is addressing parents or children, Paul has in mind what Jesus would want. Let us adopt his mind-set: ‘What would Jesus do?’ ‘What is most likely to please Jesus?’ ‘What do I believe Jesus wants of me in this situation?’

He begins with the children (1-3). His key message seems to be to remind them that they are ‘’in the Lord’’, therefore they should ‘’find out what pleases the Lord’’ (5:10) with regard to their parents. The implication is that being ‘’in the Lord’’, they will be enabled to become like Him and do his will. We should always honour our parents. There is no age limit on this. We should do so because it is ‘’right’’. We should do it because it is commanded. There is an incentive to do it because is ‘’the first commandment with a promise’’. And because we are ‘’in the Lord’’ we will find the strength to do the right thing, even in difficult circumstances. Children, look to the Lord for your example, teaching and power, whatever your age. Jesus Christ is your Lord.

He goes on to speak to the fathers (4). Clearly Paul saw that the man has an important leadership role in the home. But as someone said, ‘Children are wet cement.’ It’s easy to leave the wrong impressions on their souls if we are too harsh with them. We are not to leave our hefty boot prints all over their soft hearts. We can crush their spirits if we are unnecessarily over-bearing. Christian fathers are to always remember Christ. Here are some of the implications in Paul’s words:

  • Pray for your children – above all you want them to be taught by Christ;
  • Be an example of Christ-likeness to them. Show them the Jesus way in your behaviour;
  • Teach them Christ’s Word. It’s not about laying down your law but lifting up Christ’s Word;
  • Be gentle in your leadership: ‘’Fathers, don’t exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.’’ The Message.

If you know that you have failed as a child, or as a parent, there is no need to carry that heavy backpack of guilt wherever you go. You can repent; you can apologise, and determine to be different. Jesus will help you, and He will be pleased that you want to change in order to delight and honour Him.

‘’Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…’’ (Hebrews 12:2)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, in every relationship, help me to be like You. I know that I am so unlike You, but I also know that You are changing me. I’m a work in progress and I praise You for your grace.

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Daily Bible thoughts 804: Monday 2nd February 2015: Nahum 3

Nahum 3 (click here for todays passage)

‘’ ‘’I am against you,’’ declares the LORD Almighty.’’ (5a)

‘’What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?’’ (Romans 8:31).

We can know God as our enemy, as this chapter (and book in general) shows. Or we can have Him as our Friend. It is a terrible thing to have God be ‘’against’’ you; but it is wonderful to know that He is ‘’for’’ you. God is always ‘for’ Jesus, His perfect Son, and He is ‘for’ all who are in Jesus by trust in Him (See Nahum 1:7, 8).

The vivid picture of the judgment of Nineveh continues (1-4). You can hear the noise of the battle as well as see it. It is a portrait of shame and disgrace as well as one of death (5-7). The punishment described in (5) was a common one for prostitutes and adulteresses in Bible times. Such women were publicly put to shame. Did the Ninevites (Assyrians) have any true friends anywhere in the world? If they did, they were ‘conspicuous by their absence’. There was no queue to comfort this once brutal, now fallen, people (7). The Assyrians were among the cruellest people of their time and there was applause all round when they went down (19). They didn’t just spill copious amounts of blood, but also tortured people before killing them. Pride is a perennial problem of the human condition. The people of Nineveh were full of it. They thought they were standing, but they were going to have a great fall. They were not better than ‘’Thebes’’, another great city swept away in a tide of divine judgment (8-11). They had not learned the lesson of this disaster. Thebes was the chief city of Upper (southern) Egypt. For centuries it was one of the leading cities of the Middle East. But it was eventually captured and came to ruin. Its magnificent ruins can still be seen today. The Babylonians were going to find a vulnerable, wide-open people (12, 13), ‘’ripe’’ for the picking. Work as they might (14-17) the Assyrians will not be able to protect themselves. Their ‘’merchants’’ and ‘’guards’’ will let them down, making off with whatever they can take. When the time for judgment comes there is no adequate defence that can be constructed. You can’t keep God out! Here was a nation that was past the point of no return. It was too late for healing (18, 19). Her condition was terminal, and everyone standing round the ‘bedside’ was uproariously happy.

‘’When the story of your fate gets out, the whole world will applaud and cry ‘’Encore!’’ Your cruel evil has seeped into every nook and cranny of the world. Everyone has felt it and suffered.’’ The Message. When you watch the news this week, you may well hear disturbing things; alarming things – similar to the atrocities carried out by the Assyrians. I’m sure you don’t need me to make the connections between Nahum’s world and ours. The message remains the same. God will have the final say.

‘’Nahum’s message to Nineveh has been proven true by history: evil will be punished. But Nahum’s message to Judah (and to us) has also been proven true: The LORD is …a refuge in times of trouble (Nahum 1:7). The book of Nahum is thus a book of judgment and of comfort – judgment for the wicked and comfort for the righteous. For us, may Nahum be a prophet of comfort.’’ Tom Hale: ‘The Applied Old Testament Commentary’, p.1275.

Prayer: ‘’Rock of Ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.’’

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Daily Bible thoughts 803: Friday 30th January 2015: Nahum 2

Nahum 2
A few years ago the B.B.C. ran a fascinating series on the restoration of old buildings. In each programme several were introduced to the viewers, and people got to vote on which one they most wanted to see renewed. This led to some remarkable transformations. I confess I never realised that restoration could be such a wonderfully riveting subject.
God is in the restoration business! ‘’The LORD will restore the splendour of Jacob, like the splendour of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and have ruined their vines.’’ (2).
In chapters 2 and 3 of ‘Nahum’, the judgment announced in the first chapter is described in graphic detail. For example, look at verse 6. Historians have confirmed that Nineveh’s wall was breached by the force of backed-up canal water. In these chapters we see the Babylonians overthrowing the city of Nineveh. We are left asking, ‘’So, what happened to the famous and fierce Assyrian lion And all those cute Assyrian cubs? To the lion and lioness Cozy with their cubs, fierce and fearless? To the lion who always returned from the hunt with fresh kills for lioness and cubs, The lion lair heaped with bloody meat, blood and bones for the royal lion feast? ‘’ The Message. The lion, and his den were overthrown. Nineveh was totally silenced; completely destroyed. In fact its ruins lay undiscovered for more than two thousand years. They lay buried in sand, but were finally discovered in 1845. God’s Word, through Nahum, came to pass. And God launched this attack on the Assyrians in order to restore the ‘’splendour’’ of Israel (both northern and southern kingdoms). The Assyrians had destroyed Israel’s glory. ‘’Israel’s lived through hard times. He’s been to hell and back.’’ The Message. God was now going to destroy Assyria.
It is good to know that the Lord is able to restore people:
• He is able to restore broken-down lives. The image of God in people is now defaced because sin, but God restores the glory of that image in those who turn to Christ (Ephesians 4:20-24; Colossians 3:9, 10). He can so change people that we no longer see the waste and ruination of sin, but simply the shining light of His own reflection;
• He is able to restore prodigals to the Father. It may be that there is someone reading these words, and you know that you are not where you once were spiritually. You are in the ‘far country’ and you are eating pig food. But such a welcome awaits you back ‘home’ at the Father’s table. He will throw a party for you if only you will turn back to Him. He longs to see you on the horizon, and He will run to welcome you;
• He is able to restore Christians and churches to their first love (Revelation 2:4, 5). It will entail repentance; a painful recognition of where we now are compared to where we once were; and a deliberate turning back. But don’t doubt that the Lord can restore you;
• He is able to restore good times to those who have been through bad times. In fact, they often find themselves in even better times than they ever knew. This is the sheer goodness of God. He regularly saves the best wine for later.
God’s purpose in restoration is that we should shine as lights in this dark world. He clothes us with His beauty for His glory (Isaiah 60:21).
Prayer: Thank you for going to work on this old wreck of a life. May everything you do in me bring all honour to you.

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Daily Bible thoughts 801: Wednesday 28th January 2015: Nahum 1:1-8

Nahum 1:1-8 (click on Nahum for passage)

‘’The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away.’’ (5a)

Here are firm, steadfast things; things that endure, that remain: ‘’…mountains…and…hills…’’. Later this year, God-willing, Jilly and I will be travelling to Saas Fee in the ‘Valais’ region of Switzerland, and then we hope to move on to Wilderswil in the ‘Bernese Oberland.’ It is some twenty six years since I was last there, but I don’t expect much to have changed; at least not in the physical features of the landscape. The towns and places nestling at the foot of these ‘mountains’ and ‘hills’ will have altered somewhat, but I expect the mighty peaks to look the same. So we can say that things that don’t change, or don’t change quickly or perceptibly, can change by God’s presence and power. He is ‘’great in power’’ (3a). God can deal radically with our longstanding problems and immoveable difficulties.

There are things in life that we can’t change. There are big things we can’t alter. They are much bigger than us and tower over us, leaving us in their dark shadows. ‘Mountains’ may represent the larger difficulties, but ‘hills’ can still be sizeable. It’s an awesome sight to be in Grindelwald and look up to see the snow-capped ‘Eiger’, ‘Monch’ and ‘Jungfrau’. They cause you to feel dwarfed. But I can also feel little when I’m driving down the road from Skipton to Kendal, and I see Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-ghent to my right. But God can deal with these big realities that are too big for us. The words ‘’quake’’ and ‘’melt’’ speak of powerful action. (Look also at the language used in verses 4, 5b, 6b and 8). God can do what we can’t. He is able.

But although it is consistent with the teaching of Jesus that mountainous obstacles can be moved in response to faith (Mark 11:22-25), and I feel it right to emphasize this truth, we must not miss the main point that the passage is about God’s judgment on Nineveh. Great cities, empires, power structures in this world will not last forever. In due course all that opposes God will be defeated. The only way of escape is to take ‘’refuge’’ in Jesus (7).

GOD is serious business. He won’t be trifled with…He’s powerful, but it’s a patient power. Still, no one gets by with anything. Sooner or later, everyone pays.’’ The Message. God’s patience should not be confused with indulgence (3).

‘’The stage of history is large. Larger-than-life figures appear on this stage from time to time, swaggering about, brandishing weapons and money, terrorizing and bullying. These figures are not, as they suppose themselves to be, at the centre of the stage – not, in fact, anywhere near the centre…At any given moment a few superpower nations and their rulers dominate the daily news. Every century a few of these names are left carved on its park benches, marking rather futile, and in retrospect pitiable, attempts at immortality. The danger is that the noise of these pretenders to power will distract us from what is going on quietly at the centre of the stage in the person and action of God. God’s characteristic way of working is in quietness and through prayer.’’ Eugene Peterson: Introduction to ‘Nahum’ in ‘The Message’, p.1684. In Nahum’s day, Assyria, with its capital Nineveh, seemed invincible. A world free from Assyrian terror was unimaginable. But Nahum was sent to announce that such a thing would come about. It did!

Prayer: Lord God, I thank you that you do have the ‘whole world’ in your hands. There isn’t a mountain or hill that you can’t move.

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Daily Bible thoughts 800: Tuesday 27th January 2015: Psalm 113

Psalm 113 (click for todays passage)

It is thought that Jesus and His disciples used psalms 113-118 at the last supper. This psalm of praise, which opens and closes with the words, ‘’Praise the LORD’’, says a number of important things about praise (1-3):

  • God is to be praised by His people;
  • Praise should be given in time and through eternity. Everlasting praise is due to God;
  • Praise is to be offered everywhere in the world.

‘’Start right now and keep on going! It is always time to praise the Lord. Make every breath a hymn of worship…If you have a problem praising the Lord from sunup to sundown, what will you do for all eternity?’’ Warren W. Wiersbe: ‘With the Word’, pp.382, 383.

Why does the Lord deserve such praise? Because of who He is (4-6), and because of what He does (7-9); because of His greatness and His closeness (His transcendence and immanence).

‘’The movement of thought is from the sovereignty which rules all, to the goodness which touches each.’’ J.A. Motyer: ‘New Bible Commentary’,p.562.

Who He is (4-6): He’s the King of the Universe. Although, as we will see, He is obviously present and active within it, He is so far above it. He’s in charge of all things and all peoples. There is no one like Him. ‘’God is higher than anything and anyone, outshining everything you can see in the skies. Who can compare with GOD, our God, so majestically enthroned, Surveying his magnificent heavens and earth?’’ The Message.

What He has done (7-9): He has shown His compassion and power.

  • Look at (7 and 8) and compare them with Ephesians 2:1-10.Do you see a parallel?
  • How often this story IS told in the Bible (9). Someone is biologically unable to have a child, and then God, the Creator, does a miracle. (Let’s not forget that the Son of God came into the world because of a miracle of conception. It wasn’t that Mary was ‘’barren’’ , but she was unable to have a baby in her circumstances. She was a single woman living a pure life. God did a miracle!) As we read these words let’s take heart that the Lord can overturn our spiritual ‘barrenness’ and give us ‘children’. How we long to see many miracles of new birth, and our mighty God can make this happen. ‘’He gives childless couples a family, gives them joy as the parents of children.’’ The Message. A line in a hymn comes to mind as I think about this: ‘’May barrenness rejoice to own your fertilizing power.’’ B. Meyer says that Hannah’s story (in 1 Samuel) ‘’…should be a great comfort to those who have never been used in soul-winning…God can make barren souls authors of life to thousands.’’ However, he adds: ‘’Souls are only born to those who cannot live without them.’’ Great verses through the Bible’ p.235.

‘’Mary’s joyful song of praise (Luke 1:46-55) echoes Psalm 113:7-9. God’s grace makes kings out of beggars and joyful mothers out of the barren. Praise the Lord!’’ Warren W. Wiersbe: ‘With the Word’, p.383.

Prayer: ‘’Fill thou my life, O Lord my God, in every part with praise.’’

 

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Daily Bible thoughts 798: Friday 23rd January 2015: Ephesians 5:8-20

Ephesians 5:8-20

Have you ever seen those ‘before and after’ photos from slimming groups and the like? The Christian’s story is one of ‘’…once…but now…’’ (8; see also 11). Paul’s call for new standards in this section is based on the fact that Christians are new people. They are not what they once were; they are not who they were. They should now live in keeping with who they are; they have to be what they are. Paul tells the Ephesians to live out of who God has made them; who He is making them to be. Here are some things about the new life they are called to. They are to:

  1. Live fruitfully (9): In union with Jesus such a life is possible (John 15);
  2. Live thoughtfully (10): They are to be sensitive towards the Lord’s feelings and seek to please Him;
  3. Live brightly (11-14): This is a morally ‘dark’ world, and Christian people used to be dark themselves. But they have been brought out of darkness into ‘’wonderful light’’ (1 Peter 2:9). Christ, the ‘’light of the world’’ (John 8:11) has raised them (2:1-11) and shone upon them. They are now to reflect His light in the world (Matthew 5: 14-16) They cannot expect to be popular when they ‘’expose’’ the ‘’fruitless deeds of darkness’’ (11). There is no place for compromise (11a). Christians need to put distance between themselves and sin. So they must also
  4. Live carefully (15, 16): The world is not only dark, it is also dangerous (‘’evil’’ ). It will take great wisdom to seize the opportunities that come our way for witness/service in such a hostile environment. (I heard the results of a survey this morning, revealing that half the men in the U.K. say they are atheists or agnostic. If this is even only partially true, it speaks about the great challenge we face);
  5. Live insightfully (17): Ask God for the wisdom to know how you should live your life day by day (James 1: 5-8);
  6. Live powerfully (18): This is a command, not a suggestion. The idea is ‘always be filled’. D.L. Moody was asked, ‘Why do you pray so often to be filled with the Holy Spirit?’ He replied, ‘Because I leak!’ In an age where Christians generally feel more liberated about alcohol, it is important to remember that the Bible forbids drunkenness. Don’t let your liberty become license. (I got a picture of my life when I was praying just the other day. I saw a sea cave, and I felt that the Lord was saying to me that He wants to wash in; flood in with the waves of His Spirit. But He also wants to wash things out. I know this picture is not just for me);
  7. Live thankfully (19, 20): When should Spirit-filled people give thanks? Always, in all circumstances and for all things. Only the fullness of the Spirit can make this possible. Let’s be careful about what we say to each other. We should seek to lift one another up as much as possible with joyfully constructive words.

This morning, when I came into the office, it was still dark, so I needed to put the light on to be able to see. It is an unusually dark and snowy morning. A couple of times I tried turning the light off, but there still wasn’t sufficient natural light in the room. In a few minutes I will try again. It is impossible to see to do anything without light. Let us be that light in God’s World, giving people reason to be glad that we are there.

Prayer: Lord, you have changed me. You are changing me. Help me to live out my new and true identity in this dark world.

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Daily Bible thoughts 797: Thursday 22nd January 2015: Isaiah 66:14-24

Isaiah 66:14-24

This wonderful prophecy of Isaiah concludes on a note of triumph. In the end God will triumph over all His enemies. However, what is a triumph for God and His people will be a tragedy for those who reject Him and worship other gods.

‘’Many may wonder why Isaiah ends his book with such a negative final verse. The reason is simple: it is the true ending for all those who rebel against God. If, after hearing all of Isaiah’s marvellous promises and terrible warnings, one still chooses to rebel against God, let that person know what his end will be. Isaiah’s book is written not so much to make believers happy as to bring unbelievers to repentance. Remember that Jesus Himself quoted Isaiah’s last verse in order to deter people from going to Hell (see Mark 9:47-48). The good news of salvation must always be combined with warnings of judgment; otherwise we will end up preaching only half the truth.’’ Tom Hale: ‘The Applied Old Testament Commentary’, p.1074.

I read a story about a simple Christian man who took a labouring job. Each lunch time he took out a book of Moody’s sermons and read them. One day one of his fellow-workers asked him what he was reading. He told them, and they said, ‘Well read them to us.’ So that was what he did, every lunch time, until one day he forgot his book. ‘Then you’ll have to give us one of your own sermons,’ they laughingly told him. ‘’All right’’, he said. When a friend asked him what he said, he answered, ‘’I told them about ‘ell. They’d never heard about ‘ell.’’

It seems to me that many Evangelicals are going soft on the Bible’s clear and repeated teaching about Hell and Judgment. We have no right to re-write Scripture. A preacher’s job is to say what the Bible says. It is not to re-create the content. This last part of Isaiah is a reminder that there are two ways we can choose, and the way that leads away from God will have eternally disastrous consequences (14b). ‘’Many, oh so many, are under GOD’s sentence of death.’’ The Message. That is something people don’t like to hear and we may feel reluctant to say it. But we didn’t write the script; our job is to deliver the lines. God will bless our preaching if we honour Him and His Word.

In (19-21) Isaiah foresees the day when Jews and Gentiles will be one before God (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11. They will be a ‘’holy priesthood’’ (1 Peter 2:5, 9). He also looks ahead to when all people will ‘’bow down’’ before the Lord (Phil.2:9-11). It is good to know that a day is coming when every knee will bend before Christ and acknowledge His Lordship over the entire universe. They will not all be saved; but they will all ‘’bow’’ and ‘’confess’’.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank you for this wonderful book of Isaiah and its timeless message. Help me to never be ashamed of any part of it. Please strengthen me to always say what you say, even though it might be unpopular.

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