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Daily Bible thoughts 988: Tuesday 13th October 2015: Jeremiah 18:5-12: The hinge of repentance.

Jeremiah 18:5-12: The hinge of repentance.(please click here for todays Bible passage)

‘ ‘’…can I not do with you as this potter does?’’ declares the LORD.’ (6).

  • God is in charge. Don’t fight Him or resist Him. Yield to Him. Be soft and malleable in His Hands. Go with Him as He forms and shapes you. Be quick to repent when He shows you the things that are wrong in your life.
  • God looks for change. Repentance is the ‘hinge’ upon which so much turns. The people of Judah deserved God’s judgment for their sins. They had been repeatedly warned to turn from evil and back to the Lord. He did not want to inflict this punishment on them, so again He called them to repent; to change their minds (the literal meaning of ‘repent’) about the way they were living. (Repentance is a change of mind leading to a change of behaviour.) The statement in (7, 8) should have encouraged them to ‘turn’ when the call came in (11). But they would not (12). Their heels were well and truly dug in; their attitudes were entrenched. So the people were going to be ‘’marred’’ (4). However, they would still be in the hands of the ‘Potter’ as they were re-shaped in judgement, including deportation to a foreign land (13-17).

 

  • God gives freedom to choose. ‘’The Lord is absolutely sovereign, but He does not act in a mindless or mechanical manner. Both His threats and His promises are conditional; they are carried out in accordance with our response. If we respond rightly; He cancels the threat; if we respond wrongly, He cancels the promise. Thus, within His overall sovereignty, God has granted human beings a certain degree of freedom to choose the right response or the wrong one.’’ Tom Hale: ‘The Applied Old Testament Commentary’, p.1102. ‘’Note carefully the cardinal rule of prophecy which is enunciated here, that both the promises and threats of God are not absolute but conditional. Judah often presumed on the divine promises, viewing them from the point of view of privilege and not of responsibility, in spite of prophetic warnings of the disaster that would overtake such an attitude.’’ E. Cundall.

 

‘’ ‘…Turn back from your doomed way of life. Straighten out your lives.’ ‘’But they’ll just say, ‘Why should we? What’s the point? We’ll live just the way we’ve always lived, doom or no doom.’’’ The Message. Many people still respond in this way today, as the gospel message calls them (and us) to repent of sin and trust in Jesus (Mark 1:4, 14, 15). The call to repentance has never been popular, but repentance is the hinge upon which so much turns.

‘ ‘’…can I not do with you as this potter does?’’ declares the LORD.’ (6).

  • God is in charge. Don’t fight Him or resist Him. Yield to Him. Be soft and malleable in His Hands. Go with Him as He forms and shapes you. Be quick to repent when He shows you the things that are wrong in your life.
  • God looks for change. Repentance is the ‘hinge’ upon which so much turns. The people of Judah deserved God’s judgment for their sins. They had been repeatedly warned to turn from evil and back to the Lord. He did not want to inflict this punishment on them, so again He called them to repent; to change their minds (the literal meaning of ‘repent’) about the way they were living. (Repentance is a change of mind leading to a change of behaviour.) The statement in (7, 8) should have encouraged them to ‘turn’ when the call came in (11). But they would not (12). Their heels were well and truly dug in; their attitudes were entrenched. So the people were going to be ‘’marred’’ (4). However, they would still be in the hands of the ‘Potter’ as they were re-shaped in judgement, including deportation to a foreign land (13-17).

 

  • God gives freedom to choose. ‘’The Lord is absolutely sovereign, but He does not act in a mindless or mechanical manner. Both His threats and His promises are conditional; they are carried out in accordance with our response. If we respond rightly; He cancels the threat; if we respond wrongly, He cancels the promise. Thus, within His overall sovereignty, God has granted human beings a certain degree of freedom to choose the right response or the wrong one.’’ Tom Hale: ‘The Applied Old Testament Commentary’, p.1102. ‘’Note carefully the cardinal rule of prophecy which is enunciated here, that both the promises and threats of God are not absolute but conditional. Judah often presumed on the divine promises, viewing them from the point of view of privilege and not of responsibility, in spite of prophetic warnings of the disaster that would overtake such an attitude.’’ E. Cundall.

 

‘’ ‘…Turn back from your doomed way of life. Straighten out your lives.’ ‘’But they’ll just say, ‘Why should we? What’s the point? We’ll live just the way we’ve always lived, doom or no doom.’’’ The Message. Many people still respond in this way today, as the gospel message calls them (and us) to repent of sin and trust in Jesus (Mark 1:4, 14, 15). The call to repentance has never been popular, but repentance is the hinge upon which so much turns.

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Daily Bible thoughts 987: Monday 12th October 2015: Jeremiah 18:1-4: Pottery Class!

 Jeremiah 18:1-4: Pottery Class! (please click here for todays Bible passage)

‘’…shaping it as seemed best to him.’’ (4b).

God has lessons for his people in ordinary things, if we will just go and see. Listen for His promptings today. Don’t miss what He might want to show you. In one chapter of his wonderful book, ‘The Sacred Year’, Michael Yankoski writes about lessons he learned whilst looking at an apple. The title of the chapter is: ‘’Single Tasking: The practice of attentiveness.’’ He says that we have so much information coming at us in this technological age that we are in danger of losing the ability to concentrate, to focus. ‘’This apple is beginning to speak, and I don’t want to miss a single word’’, he says. He quotes Thomas Moore: ‘’Spirituality is seeded, germinates, sprouts and blossoms in the mundane.’’

Here are three thoughts from today’s passage (and see also Isaiah 29:16; 45:9; 64:8; Rom.9:20, 21):

GOD IS SOVEREIGN: He has a plan for your life. His plans are good. Furthermore, His plans for you are more important (and better by far!) than your plans for you. He has the right to do with you whatever He pleases. Are you willing to take on His shape? ‘Give up your small ambitions.’ Let go of your perceived rights. ‘’There is simply no limit to the progress and development of the soul which is able to meet God with a never-faltering ‘’Yes’’ ‘’ F.B. Meyer.

IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR LIFE, GOD MAY CHANGE YOUR SHAPE: ‘’Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, the potter would simply start over and use the same clay to make another pot.’’ The Message. He might give you another role, a different job. You may not always be where you are now, doing what you are currently doing. Are you ready to change direction if your sovereign Lord chooses? He is the ‘God of surprises’. Gordon McDonald is a thoughtful and inspiring writer. One of his books is entitled ‘Mid-course correction.’ It’s well worth a read. In the middle of your life God may change your shape because you have sinned yourself into a bad shape. (The defect was in the clay and not in the Potter after all.) If that is so, it is good to know that no fall need be final. However, God may just decide to do something different with the same piece of clay because He is the Potter and it’s His right!

LIFE IS FRAGILE, BUT WE ARE SAFE IN GOD’S HANDS: When those ‘marring’ experiences come, as come they will, remember where you are and whose you are. You are out of shape, but you are still in the Hands of the Potter. Can you see Him ‘’working at the wheel’’ (3)? It is more important to be able to see God than your maimed life. When everything seems to be going wrong, keep your eyes on Him. Ron Jones was the General Superintendent of the Elim Pentecostal movement when I was the pastor of a little church in Lancaster. I remember him speaking at our church on this passage and admitting, ‘’It’s this wheel business I don’t like.’’ I want to be formed by God, but I don’t necessarily like what’s involved in the process.

‘’Note that a lump of clay has little value in itself, but when it has been made into something useful by the Master Potter, it has great value.’’ Tom Hale: ‘The Applied Old Testament Commentary’, p.1102’

Prayer: Sovereign and loving Lord, shape me as seems best to you.

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Daily Bible thoughts 986: Friday 9th October 2015: Proverbs 25:1-10: More pearls of wisdom.

Proverbs 25:1-10: More pearls of wisdom.

‘’God delights in concealing things; scientists delight in discovering things.’’ The Message (2). God doesn’t ‘conceal’ from us what we need to know, but it remains the case that his thoughts and ways are too high for anyone to fully grasp (Romans 11:33-36). On the other hand, an earthly king gets ‘’glory’’ when he is given wisdom to ‘’search out a matter’’ (1 Kings 3:9; 4:34).

‘’Like the horizons for breadth and the ocean for depth, the understanding of a good leader is broad and deep.’’ The Message (3).

In government there may well be some ‘’wicked’’, self-serving people (4, 5). But when they are removed ‘’righteousness’’ can prevail. ‘’Remove impurities from the silver and the silversmith can craft a fine chalice; Remove the wicked from leadership and authority will be credible and God-honouring.’’ The Message. (Proverbs 16:12; 20:8, 26).

Someone said, ‘’If the Lord’s going to raise you up let Him raise you up; but whatever you do, don’t raise yourself up!’’ (1 Peter 5:6).People do have a natural tendency to promote themselves; to want the seats of honour. They hunger for position. When they do, they set themselves up for a demotion (Luke 14: 7-11). ‘’Don’t work yourself into the spotlight; don’t push your way into the place of prominence. It’s better to be promoted to a place of honour than face humiliation by being demoted.’’ The Message.

There is a warning in (8) that we should not be hasty in bringing an accusation against someone. It is likely that we do not know all the facts. We may get it all wrong and end up red-faced and embarrassed. People who jump to conclusions tend to hit the ground with a terrible thump! Also, we are better to first go to the person in question and seek to resolve the matter. In the case of a fellow-Christian this process is absolutely required (Matthew 18:15-17). ‘’Don’t jump to conclusions – there may be a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw.’’ The Message.

In a dispute with a neighbour, don’t betray a confidence in order to defend yourself (see also 11:13 and 20:19). You will be likely to lose one of life’s most treasured possessions – your reputation (22:1). ‘’In the heat of an argument, don’t betray confidences; Word is sure to get around, and no one will trust you.’’ The Message.

Prayer: Lord, once again I confess my lack of wisdom. How I hunger and thirst for yours.

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Daily Bible thoughts 985: Thursday 8th October 2015: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17: Thank you and please!

 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17: Thank you and please!

It is good to thank God for each other in the church.

It is right to thank God for each other’s salvation. Our experience of conversion springs from God’s loving choice in eternity (13a), and we came into it, historically, in and through the gospel call (14a). We then believed ‘’in the truth’’ about Jesus (13b) and the Spirit set us apart to belong to God. This is God’s work from start to finish. It is all about His initiative. The ultimate goal of the gospel call is that we ‘’might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.’’ (14b; see 1:12). We are being made like Jesus even now, and ultimately we will be perfectly like Him (1 John 3:2). This process of being made like Christ has already begun, but until that day when we see Him ‘face to face’, our job is to stand fast and hold on to God’s Word. The primary we are changed to be more like Jesus is by reading the Bible and putting it into practice.

This short section, which starts with a ‘thank you’, ends with a ‘please’. Paul slips seamlessly from praise into prayer. The passage ends with a lovely, practical prayer:

‘’May Jesus himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech.’’ The Message.

Our inheritance includes ‘’eternal encouragement’’ (16). There will be no discouragement in heaven. Even now, God wants us to experience our inheritance amidst, often, less than encouraging circumstances. There is obviously a link between encouragement (literally meaning ‘to put courage in’) and strength. Today you can pray for someone’s encouragement, and seek to be the answer to your prayer! There are people around you who need ‘’fresh heart’’ and God can use you to give it to them.

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Daily Bible thoughts 984: Wednesday 7th October 2015: 2 Thessalonians 2:5-12: God rules.

 2 Thessalonians 2:5-12: God rules.

Here are some important points to consider:

  • Remember what you know (5): Remember what you believe. It isn’t always at the forefront of your mind is it? If the Thessalonians had simply remembered what they knew, they would not have come to believe that the Second Coming of Jesus had already taken place. You could get the impression from (5) that Paul had repeated some of these truths that were now forgotten. Remember what you know. It is important! Believe your beliefs and doubt your doubts.
  • There is a timing in God’s purposes (6,7): Although the spirit of lawlessness is abroad in the world, ‘’the man of lawlessness’’ will not get up to go about his work until God’s alarm clock sounds. ‘’You’ll also remember that I told you the Anarchist is being held back until just the right time. That doesn’t mean that the spirit of anarchy is not now at work. It is, secretly and underground. But the time will come when the Anarchist will no longer be held back, but will be let loose.’’ The Message.
  • Jesus is greater than all evil (8): The most important thing to remember about the antichrist is that he is ‘’the man doomed to destruction’’ (3); the one ‘’the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendour of his coming.’ (8). Yes, he’s going to get into the ring, and will put up a ferocious fight for a time. For a little while it will look like he’s going to wind up heavy weight champion of the world. But we’ve been allowed to read the back pages in advance of their publication! We know he’s going down!! The outcome of the bout is not in question. ‘’But don’t worry. The Master Jesus will be right on his heels and blow him away. The Master appears and – puff! – the Anarchist is out of there.’’ The Message. (Notice that, just like Jesus, the antichrist will have both a ‘’revelation’’ (8; see 3 and 6 also) and a ‘’coming’’ (9). This is the counterfeit ‘Messiah’ who will want the entire world to follow him. ‘Antichrist’ literally means ‘in place of Christ’. This man will want to substitute himself for Jesus.
  • All that glitters is not gold (9,10a): Miracles are not necessarily a sign that people are genuine. You have to check out what they say; observe how they live. Test it all against the Bible. ’Beware ‘’prophets’’ who contradict what God has already said in His Word (v.15). If you stand on the Word, you will not fall for the devil’s lies.’’ Warren W. Wiersbe.
  • Note the order: Verse 10 comes before verse 11! The rejection of the truth comes first! (See Romans 1:18ff.) Again, we see God underlining the choices people have already made. ‘’The Anarchist’s coming is all Satan’s work. All his power and signs and miracles are fake, evil sleight of hand that plays to the gallery of those who hate the truth that could save them. And since they’re so obsessed with evil, God rubs their noses in it – gives them what they want. Since they refuse to trust truth, they’re banished to their chosen world of lies and illusions.’’ The Message.
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Daily Bible thoughts 983: Tuesday 6th October 2015: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17: Stay focussed

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17: Stay focussed

When I was a teenager, there was a lot of speculation in the air about the Second Coming. There’s nothing new about that of course, and it’s interesting in the light of the fact that when the Bible speaks about Jesus’ return it is with a view to our sanctification, and not for speculation. Be that as it may, it was not uncommon back then to hear some Christians say, ‘’Keep your eyes on…’’ and then mention a leading American diplomat as a possible candidate for the role of antichrist. Again, there’s nothing particularly novel about such talk, and repeatedly Christian writers and preachers have got it wrong. While it is important to know that ‘’the man of lawlesslessness’’ will appear at the appointed time, it is much more important that we should keep our eyes on Jesus.

It is more important to think about the coming again of Christ, than it is to concentrate on the coming of antichrist. The second coming of Jesus is mentioned first in this chapter, and it should fill our minds and hearts more than any thoughts about the appearance of His arch-enemy. The simple thought that we are going to be ‘’gathered to him’’ (1; see 1 Thessalonians 4:17) is one of the most precious truths about the Second Advent. We will be ‘’with the Lord for ever.’’ What a comfort and encouragement that is. We are going to be drawn to Jesus like iron filings to a powerful magnet.

Nevertheless, it is important for us to know that the Christ will not come until the antichrist has first appeared. It seems that when Paul was in Thessalonica, he gave a lot of teaching about the return of Jesus. We know that this theme figures in his first letter. It seems that since he had left, the Thessalonian Christians had received messages, purporting to have come from Paul and his team, saying that Jesus had already returned. So he wrote his second letter predominantly to correct this false understanding (3).

If any of us should be alive when ‘’the man of lawlessness is revealed’’ it will be important to remember that he is ‘’the man doomed to destruction’’. For a little while he will be allowed to run riot on the world stage, and his reign will be bitter for all religious belief. But he will be no match for Jesus (8) and his day will be relatively and mercifully short.

I came across a comment in ‘The New Bible Commentary’’ pertaining to his rule: ‘’The principle of rebellion against God is already operating…but it is not openly enthroned in the world as it will be for the brief duration of antichrist’s domination…’’

Here are some other Biblical references to look at that probably refer to the same person: Daniel 7:25; 8:9ff; 11:36; Mark 13:14; Revelation 13. Although ‘’many antichrists have come’’ it remains true that ‘’the antichrist is coming.’’ (1 John 2:18).

Prayer: Lord keep me from wild speculation, as exciting as it may be. Help me to keep my eyes on Jesus.

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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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