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Daily Bible thoughts 966: Friday 11th September 2015: Jeremiah 16: The cost of ministry.

 Jeremiah 16: The cost of ministry.(please click here for todays passage)

In his remarkable book, ‘Intercessor’, Rees Howells says something along these lines: ‘’The Holy Ghost was stricter with me than any schoolmaster.’’ This Welsh man had a remarkable ministry in prayer, but there was a lot of self-denial and self-sacrifice behind the scenes. God will sometimes deny a person certain legitimate things for His own good reasons. He has a particular purpose for each life. We are not to compare ourselves with others, but faithfully do what the Lord asks of us (John 21: 20-23).

There is a price to be paid for an effective ministry. Indeed, there is a price to pay for a high profile ministry. Although, humanly speaking, he was largely unsuccessful in his day, and unpopular, Jeremiah has become one of the most famous names in history. But there was a price tag attached to what he said and did.

It must have been hard for a man ‘’of Jeremiah’s affectionate and sympathetic nature’’ to obey the commands in (2, 5 and 8). But this was part of his message. It gave him a platform to speak (10ff).

‘’When people asked Jeremiah about his strange behaviour, he would have opportunity to declare the Word of God.’’ Warren W. Wiersbe.

His life was his message, in a way. (In a slightly different way, it should be the case for us as well – that the godly way we live backs up what we say, and causes people to ask questions.)

‘’Jeremiah has already used a sign to reinforce his message (13:1-11); now his whole life becomes a sign (1-4). Being unmarried was unusual in ancient Israel, and so his singleness and childlessness stand out as noteworthy. In fact, they are intended by the Lord as a sign that all normal life in Judah will cease…Jeremiah is also forbidden to participate in normal funeral ceremonies, as a sign that death will be so widespread in Judah that such mourning ceremonies will become impossible (5-7). Gordon McConville: ‘New Bible Commentary’, p.686.

Jeremiah was also told that this was no time for feasting (8).

So, he was a lonely man: unmarried, childless, and with few friends. Someone pointed out that what Jeremiah was called to was tantamount to self-imposed excommunication. Perhaps these things were the kind of increased difficulty envisaged in (12:5).

‘’Jeremiah’s apparently anti-social conduct was to be a witness to the devastation that was about to descend upon Judah, when all normal activities of a community would cease.’’ A.E. Cundall.

How unpopular are you prepared to be for the cause of God in this world? As we will go on to see, although Jeremiah trod a lonely path, he was not alone. He had a ‘’refuge’’ (19). So do you and me. He will be our ‘’strength’’ to carry on.

Prayer: I am grateful Lord that when you ask something of us, you also help us to do that thing. Otherwise we would never have the courage or fortitude or ability to get on with the job.

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Daily Bible thoughts 964: Wednesday 9th September 2015: Psalm 119:25-32: Watch where you run!

 Psalm 119:25-32: Watch where you run!(click here for todays passage)

George Muller was famous in the Christian world for being a man of faith. This faith was linked to his absolute confidence in the Bible as God’s Word. He miraculously ran two orphanages in the Bristol area in the 19th century, feeding hundreds of orphans daily. He trusted God to meet every need. George Muller exercised a long ministry, and continued to travel the world and preach into his eighties. I read that he put his health and longevity down to the Bible and its recuperative power over his entire being.

We see in today’s reading:

  • The renewing power of God’s Word (25): This verse caused me to think about George Muller and what he said about the link between the Scriptures and longevity. Tom Hale makes the point that ‘’according to your word’’ means ‘’according to your promise.’’ The psalmist was ‘claiming’ a promise of God. He says that God has promised, on average, a ‘’long life’’ to His people if they remain faithful (Deuteronomy 6:1, 2). But he adds that it is sometimes God’s will to cut short the life of one of His faithful ones in order to accomplish some special purpose. The supreme example is that He ‘’cut short’’ the life of His own Son in order to provide salvation for the world. George Muller exemplified what it means to live by God’s promises. It is said that he read the Bible through nearly 200 times in his life, and he often put his finger on a promise as he brought it before God in prayer. He would ask Him, and trust Him, to do as He said.
  • The strengthening power of God’s Word (26): Amid the painful realities of life that bring us to tears, God’s Word imparts supernatural strength. In sorrow, there is no healing balm such as that which we find in the Bible. God gives the strength to go on.
  • The keeping power of God’s Word (29): The Bible is a ‘means of grace’. We live in a corrupt and corrupting world, but in the pages of God’s Word we experience the grace to be different; to swim against the current. Someone said, ‘’Either this Book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this Book.’’

If we are to experience this power it will not happen automatically. We will not drift into the life of holiness which God intends for us. There must be a commitment to the Bible, and to a Biblical lifestyle, such as that exemplified by George Muller. I finish today’s thought with another quotation from him:

“The vigour of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts.”

 

Prayer: Lord God, Author of all Scripture, teach me how to live on every word that proceeds from your mouth.

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Daily Bible thoughts 963: Tuesday 8th September 2015: 1 Thessalonians 5: Living in the future tense (Part 2).

1 Thessalonians 5: Living in the future tense (Part 2).(please click here for todays passage)

The film, ‘Marvellous’, captures something of the wonderful story of Neil ‘Nello’ Baldwin, who became kit man at Stoke City in the era when Lou Macari was manager. It’s a drama which truly deserves the epithet ‘heart-warming’. On reading (16) I thought about Neil and a comment his character makes in the film: ‘’I wanted to be ‘appy so I decided I would be!’’

We’re continuing to look at some of Paul’s practical injunctions set in the context of living in the light of Christ’s return. Here are some further points:

Live joyfully (16): Joy is a choice. Neil Baldwin was right. You can’t always choose your circumstances but you can select your attitudes. Living joyfully is very much about being a thankful person (18) – someone who counts their blessings rather than continually obsesses over their burdens. It is also about living to serve others (see 15). If you live for others you will almost certainly run into joy as a by-product. ‘’Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part…Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.’’ (13b-15) The Message. Good, healthy relationships are a key to joy-filled living.

Live prayerfully (17): This is not about always saying prayers, but living in a spirit of prayer. We need to be prayed for (25), and we need to pray for others (23-25). ‘’Friends, keep up your prayers for us.’’ The Message.

Live thankfully (18): As I have already begun to intimate, I see these three exhortations as being interlinked. A prayerful person who is learning to give thanks ‘’in all circumstances’’ will also be coming to understand the secret of joy. In fact, it is no secret. This is out in the open. There is a further dimension to this life of joy and it comes next:

Live with openness to the Holy Spirit (19-22): But do this with discerning wisdom. ‘’Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible.’’ The Message.

To be able to live out the wonderfully practical instructions in this closing section of 1 Thessalonians, we will need the ‘’grace of our Lord Jesus Christ’’ (28). It is ours in abundance.

Prayer: Thank you Lord that you make possible what you insist on.

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Daily Bible thoughts 962: Monday 7th September 2015: 1 Thessalonians 5: Living in the future tense.

1 Thessalonians 5: Living in the future tense.(please click here for todays notes)

Today and tomorrow we will look at some down to earth, practical implications of believing in the second coming of Christ. Many get carried away with speculation. By and large I believe they are missing the point. Belief in the Second Advent should affect our ordinary everyday lives right now. Here are some points to consider:

Be alert (4-9; Luke 9:32): We are to stay spiritually awake. William James said, ‘’Compared with what we ought to be, we are only half awake.’’ (Think about Jesus’ teaching in the gospels about faithfully carrying on with the work we’ve been given to do. For example see Matthew 24:32-44).

Be people of faith, love and hope (see 1:3): As we saw previously, these are the ‘credentials’ of genuine Christian experience. Keep trusting in Jesus; keep on loving God and others and holding on to the revealed truth about your glorious future prepared by the Lord.

Be good congregational members (12, 13a): As far as it depends on you, make it as easy as you can for your leaders to do their often difficult work. Be a fellowship of encouragement, warning, caring, patience, forgiveness and goodness. There is such a lot encapsulated in a few short lines (14, 15). Each statement in this ‘rapid fire’ series of final exhortations is (and I know I am mixing my metaphors) like a sweet to be sucked and savoured. Every word matters.

Live in harmony with one another (13b): You probably have little idea just how much this will bless your leaders. It’s one way you can help them. I once read an article in ‘Time’ magazine about President Ronald Reagan. It said that he was such an affable guy, he hated it when there was in-fighting and squabbling among his staff. At the time that very much resonated with me because I was aware of the pain of having one or two people in my congregation who struggled to get on with each other – at least some of the time. Church leaders hurt when those they serve hurt each other. Remember this, and aim to live in peace. But do it not primarily for the sake of your leaders, but because God Himself calls you to such a life, and makes it possible.

Prayer: Lord God may my everyday life exhibit the truth that I belong to another Kingdom and that I am awaiting the coming of that Kingdom in all its fullness.

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Daily Bible thoughts 961: Friday 4th September 2015: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11: On tiptoe of expectancy.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11: On tiptoe of expectancy.(please click here for todays notes)

I heard a preacher tell a story about how he and his wife had been burgled, sadly not for the first time I think. He said, ‘Wouldn’t it have been nice if those thieves had popped round the day before, saying that they’d be calling the next day, and giving some idea of their time of arrival? We’d have been there to welcome them. We’d have had the kettle on…!’ Point taken. Burglars don’t operate in such a convenient manner.

I remember a quiet Wednesday afternoon some years ago. I had only been out of the house for a short time, collecting my daughter from her primary school. On returning home, I discovered that we had been visited by some criminals (or a criminal). Up until then it had been a peaceful day off! Now our quiet day was dramatically disturbed. It was totally unexpected. We were not ready for our uninvited ‘visitors’.

Paul says that the ‘’day of the Lord’’ will come unexpectedly ‘’like a thief in the night’’ (2) as far as unbelievers are concerned. It will take them by surprise. It will be a day of judgment (9).

But this will not be the case for believers. We belong to ‘’the day’’ and to ‘’the light’’ (5). We have the revelation of God’s Word. ‘’We do not belong to the night or to the darkness’’ (5b). So then we should be different to the rest of the people in the world. We’re in the know. We are aware of what is going to happen – at least to some degree (Luke 21:25-28).

The world will be caught by surprise, but believers should be on the tiptoe of expectancy.

(By the way, note that verses 10, 11 sum up 4:13-18).

If we believe that Jesus is going to come back to this world, this conviction will have some extremely practical implications for our lives now. Paul spells some of them out in 1 Thessalonians 5, and we will go on to consider them in the next couple of studies.

Prayer: Lord, help me to live as a ‘son of the day’ and make the most of the light you have given me

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Daily Bible thoughts 958: Tuesday 1st September 2015: Jeremiah 15:1-9

Jeremiah 15:1-9 (please click here for todays passage)

‘’A nation which is beyond the power of prayer is in a bad way indeed.’ A.E. Cundall.

Yesterday we heard Jeremiah praying for his people, but it was a prayer God would not answer. Moses and Samuel were known to be effective intercessors (1; see Psalm 99:6-8; Exodus 32:11-14, 30-32; 1 Samuel 7:8, 9). But even they would not be able change this situation. (We should not miss the inference, however, that under normal circumstances intercessors can and do make a difference. ‘’History belongs to the intercessors.’’ Walter Wink. )

To my mind, ‘’no longer’’ is a key phrase in (1-9). The nation had passed the point of no return. They had not lacked opportunities to ‘change their ways’ (7b), but they had failed to take them. It didn’t have to end this way. But it was going to because they had persisted in their rejection of God and backsliding (6). The Lord laid a major part of the blame for Judah’s plight on the wicked King Manesseh (4), who was the grandfather of the godly Josiah (see 2 Kings 21:1-16; 23:26, 27).

In an excellent book, ‘AHA’, Kyle Idleman ,the author, quotes this old saying:

‘’Sin will always take you farther than you want to go.

Sin will always cost you more than you want to pay.

Sin will always keep you longer than you want to stay.’’

He goes on to say: ‘’Scripture doesn’t minimize the consequences of sin. We repeatedly see just how seriously God takes it. In the Old Testament, when God wanted to warn the people that destruction was coming, He would most often send a prophet. The prophet would confront the people with the truth of where things were heading. The people would frequently minimize the prophet’s message. Instead of repenting and turning back to God, they would continue down the same path. But when the people were brutally honest and repented of their sin, God would respond with compassion and grace.’’ p.127.

Sadly, Jeremiah’s contemporaries stayed in the place of minimisation and did not progress to brutal honesty and repentance.

Idleman goes on to say: ‘’There’s a temptation to avoid using words like sin, sinner, hell, and punishment. But as I write this, I am convicted once again that perhaps one of the reasons people minimize sin is because preachers don’t seem to take it seriously.’’ P.128.

But the above comment was not true of Jeremiah. He faithfully told it like it was. He laid it on the line, and he paid a very high price for it, as we shall see.

Prayer: Lord keep me faithful. May I never change my ‘shape’ to be moulded to the world and what it wants to hear.

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Daily Bible thoughts 957: Monday 31st August 2015: Jeremiah 14:13-22: Only the truth sets free.

 Jeremiah 14:13-22: Only the truth sets free.(please click here for todays passage)

‘’…only the real word of God will stand the test of time and experience.’’ A.E. Cundall.

False preaching (13-16): Jeremiah protested to God that the people had been misled by false prophets. The Lord agreed with him that they had been, and he assured him that these counterfeit preachers would be punished by experiencing the very judgments they said would not happen. Those who say there is no Hell will end up there themselves if they do not repent of their sins and trust in Christ. Tragically, the people in the pulpit who preach error take many of the people in the pews down with them. (For bodies to be left unburied in the streets would be considered a terrible disgrace by Jewish people: verse 16). The people in the pews, by the way, should have known better, because they had been given clear tests to apply to know whether a prophet was true or false. ‘’The sermons they’ve been handing out are sheer illusion, tissues of lies, whistlings in the dark.’’ The Message. No genuine prophet would encourage people into idolatry. The people could check the preaching with the Word of God (Isaiah 8:19, 20).

Genuine feelings (17, 18): ‘’None should preach destruction who cannot weep for those under its threat.’’ In these verses God’s heart is expressed through the mouth of Jeremiah. He doesn’t have physical ‘’eyes’’ that ‘’overflow with tears’’, but throughout the Bible His feelings and actions are described in human terms, because these are the only ones we understand. The Lord wept for Judah as a father might weep for his ‘’virgin daughter’’ who had been violated, beaten and left to die. There is deep heartbreak here. God was not indifferent to their suffering, even though He was the One who had to inflict it.

True praying (19-22): Here are some timeless elements of authentic prayer:

  • It is honest (19): It faces up to disappointments and difficult and unanswered questions (19);
  • It confesses sin (20). Jeremiah stood in a grand Biblical tradition of spiritual leaders who showed solidarity with their own people, confessing their sins as if they were their own;
  • It seeks the honour of God’s Name (21a);
  • It appeals to God’s Word (21b; see Leviticus 26:44, 45);
  • It recognises that God is our only hope (22).

Prayer: We pray for all who preach that they may first hear from you Lord, and bring your messages. Protect us from all error. Help us to be discerning.

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Daily Bible thoughts 955: Thursday 27th August 2015: Psalm 119: 17-24: Eyes to see.

Psalm 119: 17-24: Eyes to see.(please click here for todays passage)

A stranger needs a map in order to find his or her way around. Earlier this year, my wife and I took a long walk high above the beautiful, serene green waters of Lake Brienz in Switzerland. Although we were following marked footpaths, there came a point, after several hours on our feet in the extremely warm temperatures, when we weren’t exactly sure where we were. It was at that point that we bumped into a friendly fellow-traveller. He was sitting on a bench, with a commanding view of the pure waters and towering peaks beneath and above him. Although he knew only a little English, and we spoke no German, he did have a map which he readily shared with us. Looking at it gave us some sense of where we were and how far we still had to go.

This section in Psalm 19 could prompt at least three prayers; three prayers that spring from a deep longing for God’s Word (20):

  1. Ask God for help to obey (17; see James 1:21-25): ‘’Do good to your servant’’ can read ‘’make full provision for’’. There is an important Biblical principle that God initiates and we respond. If we are going to obey Him we will need God’s prior work in our lives. He fully provides for our all need.
  2. Ask God for eyes to see (18, 19; see 1 Corinthians 2:12-14): In the ‘’full provision’’ sought, one thing is specified. It is the ability to understand God’s Word. As stated earlier, a stranger, or foreigner, needs a map to find their way around (Hebrews 11:9, 13; 1 Peter 2:11). We need to be given eyes to understand the ‘Map’ of Scripture. ‘Map-reading’ doesn’t come naturally. ‘’I’m a stranger in these parts; give me clear directions. My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous! –insatiable for your nourishing commands.’’ The Message. When I was first starting to read the Bible my mum gave me some notes from ‘Scripture Union’ to help explain what I was reading. It was then that I was introduced to the ‘Scripture Union Prayer’, which is Psalm 119: 18. Still today I usually use this prayer before I read the Bible. Someone said that ‘’…without divine aid there is no comprehension (18), without obedience no blessing (21, 22).’’
  3. Ask God for wisdom to understand (23, 24; see James 1:5-8): In the face of hostility in this ‘strange land’ (23) where we live as aliens, our strength is in the Word of God. Our wisdom is located there too. I thank God for the ministry of counselling, but I sometimes wonder if there would be such a need for it in the church as there appears to be if people really knew their Bibles and were able to apply God’s Word to their lives. All the counsel we need is rooted in a Biblical perspective. Anything out of line with Scripture is not going to help us ultimately (24). Alec Motyer writes: ‘’Our passions do not make the life of holiness easy (9); neither…do our circumstances. The earth is an alien place (19); society contains those who desert the word (21), personal – even official – opposition is encountered.’’ He goes on to say that the ‘’…longing for divine provision (17-20)’’ is ‘’matched by avoidance of divine displeasure through committed obedience…at whatever cost (even the disapproval of influential people), the Lord’s word dominates mind, emotion and the practical advice that directs life.’’ ‘New Bible Commentary’, p.567.

Prayer: ‘’Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things from out of your law.’’

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Daily Bible thoughts 954: Wednesday 26th August 2015: 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18: When ignorance is not bliss.

 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18: When ignorance is not bliss.(please click here for todays passage)

In ancient times, when a dignitary went to visit a city, it was a common custom for the populace to go out to meet him on route, and escort him on the rest of his way. This would seem to be the picture Paul draws on in today’s reading. The visit was known as a ‘’Parousia’’ and this is a word Paul frequently uses for the second coming of Christ.

In what ways do these verses ‘’comfort’’ or ‘’encourage’’ (18)?

  • They bring knowledge (13). What we know can significantly affect our emotions. This passage is about certainty: ‘’According to the Lord’s own word…’’ (15). We are building on Rock when we construct our lives on Christ’s Word (Matthew 7:24-27). If we know the truth it will set us free.
  • They remind us that Jesus both died and rose again, and that our future hope is based on this concrete fact (14; 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23; Colossians 1:18). We can expect to rise again if we are ‘’in’’ This truth is our anchor.
  • There is the inference (14b) that believers who have died are with Jesus, even though their bodies are yet to rise from the grave (Philippians 1:21, 23).
  • They assure us that there will be a physical resurrection for fellow-believers who have died (16).
  • They tell us that both they, and Christians still alive at the time of Christ’s coming, will share the same destiny, which is to ‘’be with the Lord forever.’’ (17b).
  • They speak of a reunion. Although for a time we will be parted by death, one day we will be ‘’together’’ (17) again. The word translated ‘’caught up’’ is a particularly strong one meaning ‘to seize hastily’, ‘to rob with violence’, to draw to oneself by swift, sudden movement (see Acts 23:10 where the same Greek word is used.) A magnet will attract something if it is the right material. There can be no doubting the sheer magnetism of Jesus, and His power to draw to Himself, at His coming, all those who are His.

Reading between the lines, some of the Christians in Thessalonica had already died since Paul and his colleagues left town. The church had somehow got a message to Paul (perhaps they had written to him?) and they wanted to know if those believers who had passed away would suffer any disadvantage over others still alive at the time of the second coming. As someone said, Paul’s reply was, ‘Not at all. Jesus will come down from heaven. There’ll be enough noise to wake the dead!! They will get the front seats, and the rest of us will fill up the rows behind.’ All of these truths taken together mean that we don’t have to ‘’grieve like the rest of men who have no hope’’ (13b). Yes there will be tears and the pain of parting, but we have a bright light shining in our ‘valley of the shadow’ (Isaiah 9:2).

Although we do not have the answer to every question, we do know that one day Jesus will return to planet earth, and it will be the destiny of all true believers to be with Him (and each other) for always. Can you look forward to this? Is your trust in Jesus?

Prayer: Thank you Lord for unveiling enough of the glorious future you are preparing to whet our appetites.

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