Search

Home thoughts from abroad.wordpress.com

Free Daily Bible notes by Rev Stephen Thompson

Open Search
Tag

help with my daily devotional

Daily Bible thoughts 941: Monday 10th August 2015: 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20: Spiritual conflict.

1 Thessalonians 2:17-20: Spiritual conflict.(please click here for todays passage)

I saw a pointed cartoon in a book on evangelism written by Michael Green. It showed a nurse leaving a brand-new baby just outside the door of a maternity unit. The caption read: ‘’You’re on your own now!’’ It made its point very powerfully. New believers need lots of love and care and attention.

These are surprising words. Paul and his friends were like spiritual parents to the new Christians in Thessalonica (1:7, 11). Surely the babes in Christ would feel ‘orphaned’ by the enforced separation (Acts 17:1ff) that came? But one translation of (2:17) says: ‘’when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time…’’ There was such a strong attachment between Paul and these infant believers. He/they felt like orphans. ‘’Do you have any idea how very homesick we became for you, dear friends?’’ The Message. New Christians need to be loved like that.

When you become separated from your young children, even if it is only for a short time, you are desperate to find them; to reconnect. So it was for Paul (17b, 18). But he came up against a problem. There is something of a mystery to the words: ‘’but Satan stopped us.’’ We have to understand this in the context of the Bible story as a whole, which tells us that God is sovereign. He is in supreme control. Nothing can happen without His permission. (Think, for example, of the story of Job: Jb.1:12). Nevertheless, we have a very real enemy who has the power to do things. ‘’I, Paul, tried over and over to get back, but Satan stymied us each time.’’ The Message. ‘’…but somehow Satan prevented our coming.’’ J.B. Phillips. Paul was also aware, though, that there is a way to clear spiritual roadblocks, and we will come to this in the next chapter (3:11). It is by prayer. This is how we bulldoze Satan’s barricades out of the way; this is the way to blow them up!

I heard a philosophy professor, Doctor Don Evans, preaching in Southport many years ago. He was an outstanding speaker. In one of his talks he referred to (19, 20). He said, ‘’If you take your children to London, and you stand outside Buckingham Palace, and the Queen comes out on to the balcony, your greatest joy will be that they are seeing Her Majesty; not that you are!’’ It’s a good point and it has stayed with me. But Paul looked forward to the day when he would actually present his ‘children’ to the King of kings and Lord of lords. The Thessalonians would see Jesus, and at the same time they would be Paul’s pride and joy; the fruit of his ministry.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, please give us new ‘children’ to care for, and help us to care for the new children you give.

0

Daily Bible thoughts 940: Friday 7th August 2015: Jeremiah 12:7-17: Tough love

 Jeremiah 12:7-17: Tough love(please click here for todays passage)

In yesterday’s reading we saw how Jeremiah asked God the age-old question: ‘’Why does the way of the wicked prosper?’’ (1).The answer he received was that things were going to get worse in the short term (5, 6), although long term, as today’s passage shows (15, 16) they would become much better. There was the hope of a more golden future, even for those who attacked and overran and uprooted Judah, because God is good. ‘’…I will relent and take them tenderly to my heart and put them back where they belong, put each of them back in their home country, on their family farms. Then if they will get serious about living my way and pray to me as well as they taught my people to pray to that god Baal, everything will go well for them.’’ The Message. Of course it is true to say that another more terrible possibility was on the horizon if they would not turn to the Lord (17), but that wasn’t what He wanted. His desire was to bless them. He wants to draw to Himself a people from all the nations

But all that was still in the future. Jeremiah was told that the persecution and suffering would become worse for him in the days ahead. There was a lot of heavy rain in the forecast, before the appearance of sunshine.

‘’It was the answer Jeremiah needed. He needed to be braced, not pampered.’’ Hugh Black

‘’The easy life is ultimately the hard life, because the easy life stifles maturity, but the difficult life challenges us to develop our ‘’spiritual muscles’’ and accomplish more for the Lord. Phillips Brooks said the purpose of life is the building of character through truth, and you don’t build character by being a spectator.’’ Warren W. Wiersbe: ‘The Wiersbe Bible Commentary (OT), p.1222.

So, Jeremiah was told that there was worse to come. But he was also assured that the wicked in Judah would be punished (7-13). God’s ‘’inheritance’’ (7) included both the land of Israel/Judah and the people themselves (Exodus 19:5, 6; Deut.4:20; 32:9; Ex.15:17; Ps.78:55). As they had forsaken Him, according to the terms of the covenant He would forsake them. His own people were roaring at Him ‘’like a lion’’ (8), so He had come to ‘’hate’’ them. What that means is that He had withdrawn the expression of His love towards them and would now treat them as if He hated them, handing them over to their enemies. While it is true to say that God’s love is unconditional, the enjoyment of His love is conditional. ‘’She’s been, this one I hold dear, like a snarling lion in the jungle, Growling and baring her teeth at me – and I can’t take it anymore.’’ The Message. The people are ‘’like a speckled bird of prey’’ about to be preyed upon (9). The Lord goes on to say that ‘’shepherds’’ (i.e. enemy rulers) will trample His ‘’vineyard’’ (Judah), and turn it into a ‘’desolate wasteland’’ (10). The Babylonians and their allies were going to swarm all over the land (see 2 Kings 24:1, 2) wielding the ‘’sword of the LORD’’ (i.e. His sword of judgment). The land will produce nothing (13) and the farmers will work in vain, bearing the shame of their poor harvest. All this was going to happen because God’s people had broken His covenant (see Lev.26:20, 25, and 33).

God’s Word is true. Do not doubt that it will come to pass. We ignore and reject it at our peril. May these excruciatingly painful lessons from Biblical history not be lost on us.

Prayer: Help me Lord to hold fast to all your Word.

0

Daily Bible thoughts 939: Thursday 6th August 2015: Jeremiah 12:1-6: Take it to the Lord in prayer

Jeremiah 12:1-6: Take it to the Lord in prayer (please click here for todays passage)

This is an age old question, often repeated in the Bible (see for example Job 21:4-21; Habakkuk 1:1-4).

If something troubles you, take it to the Lord in prayer. But when He answers it may not always be what you want to hear. When we begin to seriously pray about an issue it frequently seems to get worse before it gets better. In response to his prayer, Jeremiah was specifically told that the situation would deteriorate in the short to mid-term.

‘’Jeremiah knew that God’s justice would ultimately come, but he was impatient because he wanted justice to come quickly. God didn’t give a doctrinal answer, instead he gave a challenge. If Jeremiah couldn’t handle this, how would he handle the injustices ahead? It is natural for us to demand fair play and cry for justice against those who take advantage of others. But when we call for justice, we must realise that we ourselves would be in big trouble if God gave each of us what we truly deserve…Life was extremely difficult for Jeremiah despite his love and obedience to God. When he called to God for relief, God’s reply in effect was, ‘If you think this is bad, how are you going to cope when it gets really tough?’ Not all of God’s answers to prayer are nice or easy to handle. Any Christian who has experienced war, bereavement, or a serious illness knows this. But we are to be committed to God even when the going gets tough and when his answers to our prayers don’t bring immediate relief.’’ ‘The Life Application Bible’, pp.1304, 1305.

The life of Christian discipleship is not an inoculation against trouble. Anyone who thinks it is will be likely to become seriously disillusioned somewhere along the way. Jeremiah says to us that the more faithful we are the more trouble we will face. But we are never alone; we can always pray.

Just one other thought for today. It is terribly possible for us to become like the people described in (2b; see also Isaiah 29:13; Jeremiah 3:10; Matthew 15:8, 9; Titus 1:16). True religion is a matter of the heart. Above all else we must guard our hearts for out of them flow all the issues of life.

Prayer: God be in my heart and in my loving.

 

0

Daily Bible thoughts 938: Wednesday 5th August 2015: Psalm 119:9-16

 Psalm 119:9-16 (please click here for todays passage)

God’s Word is mentioned in almost every verse of this longest psalm, and longest chapter, in the Bible. In the days when it was written, people did not have personal copies of Scripture as we do now, so they memorised it (or parts of it) and passed it on orally. The acrostic structure of this psalm, with each section beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet, made for easy memorisation. Here are some thoughts to consider from the psalm’s second stanza:

  • Purity and the Word (9): By the way, this applies to every age group and both sexes. It’s not just for ‘young men’ (see also 11; John 15:3): ‘’the best book, in the best place, for the best reason.’’ C. Morgan. ‘’I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.’’ The Message. Whatever the eleventh verse exactly means, it points to a deep and meaningful relationship with the Scriptures. There is nothing superficial going on here.
  • Prayer and the Word (10): These two belong together. They were ‘made for each other.’ We must talk to the Author about His Book, and allow Him to speak back to us about His Book. We need to ask for help to do what it says. There is something incredibly powerful about turning what you read into prayer.
  • Praise and the Word (12): Approach the Bible with thanks for it, and gratitude that the Author (and His assistance) is available to you.
  • Proclamation and the Word (13):’’I’ll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth’’ The Message. Derek Prince and his wife, Ruth, spoke about the importance of declaring the Bible out loud; saying what it says, and saying what is in keeping with what it says. We need to speak it to ourselves, to others, to the powers of darkness, and before God in prayer.
  • The preciousness of the Word (14): Do you consider your Bible to be your most valuable possession? ‘’I delight far more in what you’re telling me about living than in gathering a pile of riches.’’ The Message.
  • Pondering the Word (15): I believe this links to (11). Meditation is one of the ways we ‘hide’ God’s Word in our hearts and experience its nourishment and power.
  • A promise regarding the Word (16): It is a commitment to ‘’not neglect’’ This is a joyful dedication. Your life will not change by wishing for things to be different, but by definite decisions.

Prayer: Lord, help me to see the Bible for the precious jewel it is and to value it above all my earthly possessions.

0

Daily Bible thoughts 936: Monday 3rd August 2015: 1 Thessalonians 2:13: Good reception.

1 Thessalonians 2:13: Good reception.(please click here for todays passage)

Many of us will have visited places where it was hard to get a good mobile phone signal (or T.V. or radio signal for that matter, or Wi Fi connection.) We experienced poor reception. Jesus, in His parable of the sower (or the grounds) spoke about receptivity – about how we respond to the ‘seed’ of the Word sown into us; how we hear; what our hearts are like. In Thessalonica Paul found good reception. It wasn’t difficult to get a signal!

‘Impression management’ they call it. It’s when you’re trying to project an image of who you are but that isn’t who you are! You are trying to manage what people think about you. As we have seen, there was nothing of this in Paul’s ministry. ‘’When we witness for Christ, our focus should not be on the impressions we make. As true ministers of Christ, we should point to him, not to ourselves.’ ‘The Life Application Study Bible’, p.2161.

The verse opens with an expression of continual thanks, and it reminds us of (1:2). ‘’And now we look back on all this and thank God, an artesian well of thanks.’’ The Mesaage. We have no greater joy as leaders than to see people respond well to the Bible (and, above all, to Jesus Himself.) We are gardeners, planting seeds, and we delight to watch our garden grow with beautiful plants. At the heart of any effective ministry there lies the effective broadcasting and reception of God’s truth, Big numbers and building projects may come (or they may not.) They are not the issue. Primarily we are workers with the Word; cultivators of spiritual gardens, watching God give the growth.

Notice three important things:

  • God’s Word must be broadcast: ‘’which you heard from us’’ (see also 1:5, 8);
  • God’s Word must be received: ‘’when you received the word of God…you accepted it…’’;
  • God’s Word is active: ‘’…the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.’’ ( see Hebrews 4:12). Just like the seed is alive and active below the surface of the soil, so it is with God’s Word. The B. Phillips translation says they received it ‘’not as a mere human message, but as it really is, God’s Word, a power in the lives of you who believe.’’ The power is in the Word of God. Preacher, can you believe it? Your ministry, which may seem ordinary and unspectacular in your eyes (and in the opinion of others), is one of immense power. If there isn’t a lot to show for it at the moment, don’t doubt that there is much activity in your ‘garden’. One of these days it will show up. Just be patient. (And don’t miss what is already happening!)

Finally, don’t lose sight of the further New Testament revelation that Jesus Himself is the living ‘Word’ (John 1:1). Ultimately our ministry is all about Him. We want to see people receive Him, and watch Him work to change their lives.

Prayer: Lord, renew our confidence in the power of your Word to change lives and achieve your purposes in the world.

0

Daily Bible thoughts 934: Thursday 30th July 2015: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6: Back on the bike!

 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6: Back on the bike!(please click here for todays passage)

In the ‘Sacred Year’, Michael Yankoski writes movingly about the ‘carnival’ of the celebrity Christian circuit, and how it can lead to a disconnect between a life lived on the stage, in the spotlight, and the other existence lived out in private. He gradually became disillusioned with his own involvement in it: ‘’…I couldn’t help but wonder if I was just another pawn in the brightly lit song-and-dance called ‘’American Christianity.’’ Leading a life offstage that didn’t actually warrant what I was saying on stage. Was my life deeply grounded in God…or were the edges of my life cracked and fraying?’’ (p.7).

Paul’s visit to Thessalonica was a success. But this success was not measured in terms of numbers, or a building programme, or in many other ways the Christian ‘carnival’ assesses how well we’re doing. Essentially, this was about character. We will look at a couple of key measurements today, and refer to some more tomorrow:

  • They refused to be intimidated (1, 2). In spite of their injuries, they quickly got back on the bike! Many of us might have asked for some time off to heal and recover, but they just got on with the job. They showed immense courage, but it wasn’t worked up; it was worked in, by God Himself. The story of what happened in Philippi is told in Acts 16: 11-40. Paul and Silas were badly beaten and unjustly imprisoned. There was a lot of mental, emotional and physical pain involved in these incidents. They carried wounds. They were scarred. But they also saw a church planted in and around what they went through. So there was encouragement too. After the events at Philippi they picked themselves up, brushed themselves off and started all over again ‘’with the help of…God’’ (2). The message of Jesus is so hated and so unwanted by so many in our culture (and we are increasingly aware of this) that only with ‘outside help’ will we ‘’dare’’ to carry on. The words ‘’strong opposition’’ are, in the original language, an athletic term meaning ‘’a contest, a struggle’’. We are acutely aware that we are in a war zone. As a book from a few decades ago correctly expressed it, being a Christian is ‘’Risky Living’’. ‘’We were sure of ourselves in God, and went right ahead and said our piece, presenting God’s Message to you, defiant of the opposition.’’ The Message.
  • They worked with integrity. Reading between the lines you can see that Pau and his team were being maligned. When mud is thrown some of it inevitably sticks. Even though untrue, some lies can carry weight. On two occasions Paul writes ‘’You know’’ (1, 5). He could appeal to their knowledge of them, and God’s knowledge. He had ‘’a conscience void of offence, toward God, and toward men.’’ (Acts 24:16). Paul and his colleagues did not use their ‘pulpit’ to manipulate people and make a fast buck. They spoke the truth, even though it would not always be popular. Paul, knowing that God sees the inside of the cup and not just the outside, could declare that their motives were pure. They wanted to please God, not people. ‘’Be assured that when we speak to you we’re not after crowd approval – only God approval.’’ The Message. One of the ways Satan tries to destroy the message is by defaming the messengers. Somebody estimated that nine times Paul defends his integrity against lies in this letter. But Paul was not defending himself for the sake of his own reputation; it was so that the cause of the gospel would not suffer.

‘’Paul’s method was as pure as his motive: he presented the Word of God in the power of the Spirit, and trusted God to work.’’ Warren W. Wiersbe: The Wiersbe Bible Commentary (NT),p.709

 

0

Daily Bible thoughts 933: Wednesday 29th July 2015: Jeremiah 11:18-23

 Jeremiah 11:18-23(please click here for todays notes)

Many years ago I was in a youth meeting in Leeds. The speaker, a former Scottish communist, was talking about the days just after his conversion when he and some friends regularly prayed into the night. He said something like this, ‘When you pray through the night, God shows you things about people.’ Well, experiencing revelation isn’t contingent on praying in the night, but God can show His people stuff they would not naturally know. He can drip drops of His infinite knowledge into human minds and hearts when required.

  • The plot revealed (18). God showed Jeremiah what his enemies were up to. It’s ironic to think that their plan was to erase the memory of his name (19). Even today there are people who are not Christians who know the name of Jeremiah. Sometimes someone will be described as a ‘Jeremiah’. Jeremiah was like Jesus (19; Isaiah 53:7; 1 Peter 2:23). He was plotted against but committed himself into the Hands of God who turned things around.
  • The plot resisted (21). People intent on having their own way will often resort to threats. These threats may not be as dire as the ones hurled at the prophet, but they are designed to induce fear in the recipients and win the day for the protagonists. We know, however, that although Jeremiah’s life was in danger he would not cave in. God made his heart strong and brave.
  • The prayer answered (20-23). Jeremiah prayed specifically and God specifically answered. Those who attack God’s people should realise that sooner or later He will deal with them, if they do not repent of their wrongdoing.
  • The downfall revealed (21-23). Just as God showed Jeremiah what they were plotting, He also opened his eyes to see what the outcome would be. People will reap what they sow.

God’s people in God’s world are not guaranteed an easy ride, for this is a fallen world, cracked and marred by sin. But we are in the Hands of God, and He will work everything out for His glory and our good. He is not taken by surprise by evil men. He knows what they are plotting. If you think God doesn’t know how to turn bad into good think about the cross of Jesus.

Prayer: Thank you Lord that the cross makes sense of everything.

0

Daily Bible thoughts 932: Tuesday 28th July 2015: Jeremiah 11:9-17: When prayer doesn’t change things.

Jeremiah 11:9-17: When prayer doesn’t change things.(click here for todays passage)

‘’Unless the Word of God is obeyed and worked out practically in our lives, God can’t bless us as He desires to do.’’ Warren W. Wiersbe: ‘The Wiersbe Bible Commentary (OT)’,P.1220.

I believe in the power of prayer. If you have been reading these notes for a time you will know this to be the case. But there can come a time when God will no longer listen to a person’s prayer (11b). There may even come a moment when God tells you to stop praying for someone (14; see 7:16; 1 John 5:16). We cannot continue in persistent, wilful rebellion against God and expect Him to hear our prayers. We cannot plot our own course, fight against His Lordship, and assume that He will always and inevitably answer us. The people of Judah and Jerusalem had reached a point of no return. They knew what God’s Word clearly said. They had been reminded of it. They were repeatedly warned about the consequences of continuing on their course away from God. Now was the time for the bill to come in. The people had ‘conspired’ with one another to rebel against God (9). (We can encourage each other in bad as well as good.) God saw a storm of judgment coming, in which the wind would break the branches and the lightning set the tree on fire (16, 17).

Furthermore, these people trusted in their religion and religious practices. They sought to shelter behind them. But God’s Word smashed right through their vulnerable defences:

‘’Do you think making promises and devising pious programmes will save you from doom? Do you think you can get out of this by becoming more religious?’’ The Message

‘’A people’s lives are only as good as their worship. Worship defines life. If worship is corrupt, life will be corrupt.’ Eugene Peterson.

‘’The people knew that the curses and judgments were written into the covenant, but they thought God wouldn’t send judgment on His own chosen people. Wasn’t God’s temple in Jerusalem? Wasn’t the ark of the covenant there? And didn’t the priests have the law? Would God allow these sacred things to be destroyed? But God always keeps His promises, whether to bless or to chasten, and the greater the privileges we have from Him, the greater the responsibility we have to Him.’’ Warren W. Wiersbe: ’The Wiersbe Bible Commentary (OT)’, p.1221.

Trust in religion and religious observances will not save anyone. Our trust must be in Christ alone.

‘’On Christ the solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.’’

0

Daily Bible thoughts 931: Monday 27th July 2015: Jeremiah 11:1-8: Let’s take this outside!

Jeremiah 11:1-8: Let’s take this outside!(please click here for todays passage)

Proclamation: However much we may think we know our Bibles, we need to be reminded of what’s in them. The content of God’s Word is not to be treated as theory; it is for life. God has never left His people in any era, in any doubt as to what He requires of them. ‘’The terms are clear. I made them plain to your ancestors when I delivered them from Egypt…’’ The Message. If we choose to ignore ‘the Maker’s instructions’, we are responsible for the consequences. The preacher’s task is to ‘’Listen’’ to God’s Word, and then ‘’tell’’ (2). It is to say, ‘’Amen, LORD’’ (5b) to whatever He tells you to say. Jeremiah was to remind the people of Judah and of Jerusalem of ‘’the terms of this covenant’’ (2). This refers to the covenant God made with the Israelites at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:1-8). Moses had commanded that the words of the law should be read periodically to the Israelites (Deut.31:9-13). That is what Jeremiah does here. Rewards were promised for those who kept the terms of God’s covenant (Leviticus 26:3-13), but curses were promised for those who didn’t (Leviticus 26:14-39; Deuteronomy 27:26; 28:15-68). Furthermore, if they did obey, God had promised them a land ‘’flowing with milk and honey’’ (5; see Exodus 3:8). He had sworn to give this land to Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 15:18). That was the land where the people of Judah were living at the time. But the Divine ‘Landlord’ could (and would) evict the ‘tenants’ if they did not observe the terms of their ‘tenancy agreement’.

Warren Wiersbe: makes this helpful comment regarding today’s passage: ‘’Their ownership of the land depended on God’s promise to Abraham, but their possession and enjoyment of the land depended on their obedience to God’s law.’’ ‘The Wiersbe Bible Commentary (OT), p.1220.

Power: ‘’…I brought them out of Egypt, out of the iron-smelting furnace…I brought your forefathers up from Egypt…’’ (4, 7). In the Old Testament we are taken back again and again to the exodus as a supreme example of God’s delivering power on behalf of His people. From a New Testament perspective, we know that the mighty happenings at the Red Sea are a foreshadowing of the greater deliverance we have experienced in and through Jesus. It’s a greater escape; an even more wonderful liberation. What power it took to bring us ‘’out of darkness into his wonderful light.’’ (1 Peter 2:9). But having been rescued we have a responsibility to remember God’s Word and obey it. We don’t do this to get saved but because we are saved.

Patience: ‘’I warned them again and again…’’ (7). It is clear that God did not want to bring the curses on His people. Even though He had clearly warned then before, He repeated His warnings over and over. He was ‘long suffering’ with them. He gave them ample opportunity to repent. ‘’He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.’’ (2 Peter 3:9).

One final thought: God’s Word is not to be kept within the walls of the church. It is for ‘’the streets’’ (6). Let’s take this outside!

Prayer: Lord God, give us a faithfulness to you like Jeremiah’s.

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑