227 Haggai 001 – 002; Ephesians 005
Approximately seventy years has passed since the Temple had been torn down. Haggai is the prophet appointed to address this pressing issue of rebuilding the Temple. Haggai as the other prophets does not mince words. He points out that the people are saying it is not time to rebuild the temple but it is okay for them to have fancy homes--ouch. Like a laser beam he calls attention to their lifestyle and how much they have and how unsatisfied they are on the inside. Message: quit spending your money on your stuff and let's build the Temple. The "point people" to rebuild the Temple are Zerubbabel and Joshua. Haggai spoke to them and they paid attention and in so doing honored God. God then lead Haggai to speak to the people to let them know God will be with them in this important endeavor. Where's the money going to come from?--"I own the silver, I own the gold, Decree of God-of-the-Angel-Armies." God blessed the people for following His word and the Temple was on its way to being rebuilt.
The highlight in Ephesians is the reminder that we need to be controlled by God's Spirit. God has not left us to our own devices to figure out how this Christian walk works. God has placed Himself in us by placing His Spirit in us. Ask God now to fill you with His Spirit and to take control of more than the day but the affections of your heart.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
226 Friday, August 14, 2009
226 Zephaniah 001 – 003; Ephesians 004
Idol worship is the human being in control. If god is in this box, or statue in the corner then in the end I'm in control. Israel, in order to gain control, had to place God in a box. Zephaniah is preaching and says to those, "Who think 'God doesn't do anything, good or bad. He isn't involved, so neither are we.' " A person becomes what they believe about the thing or one they worship. Israel was supposed to be becoming like Yahweh. They chose instead to become more like themselves--not good.
In Ephesians Paul is letting the believers know that just because he is in jail does not mean they slack off. They are to go for it. Pour yourselves out in acts of love. So? There are Jews and Gentiles in this church and there is a little wall built up of animosity. The answer to this wall of animosity is to understand that God has made all believers; one in love is the answer. Next Paul stresses the new life in Christ. The old has to go and let the new grow. For us today let us propose to let the old go and to let the new grow.
Idol worship is the human being in control. If god is in this box, or statue in the corner then in the end I'm in control. Israel, in order to gain control, had to place God in a box. Zephaniah is preaching and says to those, "Who think 'God doesn't do anything, good or bad. He isn't involved, so neither are we.' " A person becomes what they believe about the thing or one they worship. Israel was supposed to be becoming like Yahweh. They chose instead to become more like themselves--not good.
In Ephesians Paul is letting the believers know that just because he is in jail does not mean they slack off. They are to go for it. Pour yourselves out in acts of love. So? There are Jews and Gentiles in this church and there is a little wall built up of animosity. The answer to this wall of animosity is to understand that God has made all believers; one in love is the answer. Next Paul stresses the new life in Christ. The old has to go and let the new grow. For us today let us propose to let the old go and to let the new grow.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
225 Thursday, August 13, 2009
225 Habakkuk 1- 3; Ephesians 3
Habakkuk would have to move his no complaint band to the right wrist. In many circles this book is known as "Habakkuk's Complaint." Habakkuk wasn't just voicing his complaint, but the human spirit whine of "if only I was in control." If Habakkuk was in control he would not use a gentile nation like Babylon to punish the chosen Israel. If only Habakkuk was in charge. Eventually we all come to this in our lives--we all have a little Habakkuk in our soul.
God's answer that Habakkuk was braced for is that ‘the righteous shall live by faith.’ There's that word: faith. Faith in God only; not putting your faith in anything else. Faith in Christ alone we may grasp, but to have faith in all of life--God you are in complete control--is another ball of wax. Here is the rub, we will trust God for our very eternity (fairly big stuff) but to trust God with our career, children, our faith issues, etc. can be another issue, but it shouldn't be. Faith is faith and it works the same in every circumstance.
The mystery hidden from the angels and the prophets--Christ in you the hope of glory. Who is the you? Everyone who places there faith in Christ and that includes the gentiles. What???? We were once the lepers, the beggars, the outcasts and now we are inside operators. Praise His name.
Habakkuk would have to move his no complaint band to the right wrist. In many circles this book is known as "Habakkuk's Complaint." Habakkuk wasn't just voicing his complaint, but the human spirit whine of "if only I was in control." If Habakkuk was in control he would not use a gentile nation like Babylon to punish the chosen Israel. If only Habakkuk was in charge. Eventually we all come to this in our lives--we all have a little Habakkuk in our soul.
God's answer that Habakkuk was braced for is that ‘the righteous shall live by faith.’ There's that word: faith. Faith in God only; not putting your faith in anything else. Faith in Christ alone we may grasp, but to have faith in all of life--God you are in complete control--is another ball of wax. Here is the rub, we will trust God for our very eternity (fairly big stuff) but to trust God with our career, children, our faith issues, etc. can be another issue, but it shouldn't be. Faith is faith and it works the same in every circumstance.
The mystery hidden from the angels and the prophets--Christ in you the hope of glory. Who is the you? Everyone who places there faith in Christ and that includes the gentiles. What???? We were once the lepers, the beggars, the outcasts and now we are inside operators. Praise His name.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
223 Tuesday, August 11, 2009
223 Nahum 1 – 3; Ephesians 2
Israel should have really known better when it came to the boundaries that God had erected to not break. Guess what? God expected the other nations to also know better than to break His law. No excuse. There will be no excuse on that day. What causes nations and even Israel to veer off the path--PRIDE! Pride goes before a fall. Who needs God when you are superior to the other nations and therefore don't need protection. Fill in the gap with God. You know what we don't understand we attribute to God and where we are weak we ask God for protection or power to perform. Since the enlightenment, people more and more felt we could explain the need for God away (gap) since we now have scientific knowledge. As far as power, any ol’ god would do there. The nations and individuals are not much different from the days of old. Once a nation became in their eyes self-sufficient, then they felt free to do more of what pleased them. Nineveh was going to meet the true God of heaven and earth.
Watch out for pride.
There is judgment that comes upon sin. No one will escape the judgment, unless you are willing to cast your lot with Jesus who took our punishment upon himself. God's wrath abides upon us, but God had mercy and sent His Son to take the penalty, our hell in order to set us free. Celebrate your freedom in Jesus, today--even now.
Israel should have really known better when it came to the boundaries that God had erected to not break. Guess what? God expected the other nations to also know better than to break His law. No excuse. There will be no excuse on that day. What causes nations and even Israel to veer off the path--PRIDE! Pride goes before a fall. Who needs God when you are superior to the other nations and therefore don't need protection. Fill in the gap with God. You know what we don't understand we attribute to God and where we are weak we ask God for protection or power to perform. Since the enlightenment, people more and more felt we could explain the need for God away (gap) since we now have scientific knowledge. As far as power, any ol’ god would do there. The nations and individuals are not much different from the days of old. Once a nation became in their eyes self-sufficient, then they felt free to do more of what pleased them. Nineveh was going to meet the true God of heaven and earth.
Watch out for pride.
There is judgment that comes upon sin. No one will escape the judgment, unless you are willing to cast your lot with Jesus who took our punishment upon himself. God's wrath abides upon us, but God had mercy and sent His Son to take the penalty, our hell in order to set us free. Celebrate your freedom in Jesus, today--even now.
Monday, August 10, 2009
222 Monday, August 10, 2009
222 Micah 004 – 007; Ephesians 001
"I will transform the battered into a company of the elite." so says the Lord God. This is a powerful truth that once again informs us of God's grace. One sentence later God says to Micah this will be, "A showcase exhibit of God's rule in action." The Lord is going to take the bruised and banished and rule through them from Mt. Zion from here to eternity. Micah is now speaking for the Lord about that great day when Christ rules from Israel. God sets the hope of the future next to the devastation of the present. Who will be the one to be the Shepherd-leader of Israel in that great day? He will come from Bethlehem and he will be the Peacemaker of the world. "The day is coming"--God's Decree--"When there will be no more war. None." is a definitive and bold statement recorded in Micah. This bold prediction is not only for Israel but for the world. We as well have a bright future because of Jesus.
Ephesians is one of my favorite books in the Bible. In this first chapter we are reminded that we are in Christ seated in the heavens and therefore are blessed with every spiritual blessing. Paul basically lays down many of the ways we are blessed in Him in the next 16 or so verses. Read them carefully and drink in the richness of God's grace. Fill yourself up today on goodness of God in Christ and let out the junk from this world.
"I will transform the battered into a company of the elite." so says the Lord God. This is a powerful truth that once again informs us of God's grace. One sentence later God says to Micah this will be, "A showcase exhibit of God's rule in action." The Lord is going to take the bruised and banished and rule through them from Mt. Zion from here to eternity. Micah is now speaking for the Lord about that great day when Christ rules from Israel. God sets the hope of the future next to the devastation of the present. Who will be the one to be the Shepherd-leader of Israel in that great day? He will come from Bethlehem and he will be the Peacemaker of the world. "The day is coming"--God's Decree--"When there will be no more war. None." is a definitive and bold statement recorded in Micah. This bold prediction is not only for Israel but for the world. We as well have a bright future because of Jesus.
Ephesians is one of my favorite books in the Bible. In this first chapter we are reminded that we are in Christ seated in the heavens and therefore are blessed with every spiritual blessing. Paul basically lays down many of the ways we are blessed in Him in the next 16 or so verses. Read them carefully and drink in the richness of God's grace. Fill yourself up today on goodness of God in Christ and let out the junk from this world.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
221 Sunday, August 9, 2009
221 Micah 001 – 003; Acts 28.10 – 28.31
A leader's first job is to define reality. This is what is happening and not happening, and therefore this has to change. When reading the prophets it becomes obvious there is a battle over reality. God is speaking through the prophets to help the Israelites and other nations to get out of denial. Many of the messages were addressed to the leaders. In Micah the struggle is stated plainly in these words, " 'Don't preach,' say the preachers. " 'Don't preach such stuff. Nothing bad will happen to us.' " They even say ‘isn't God on the side of good people?’ Perhaps this is the battle of the ages for the hearts and souls of all the people. Humans have a propensity to define their reality under their own terms whether it is true or not. For Israel they were the chosen people of God and therefore they were the good guys and their behavior was exempt from scrutiny. Even when God was punishing them for their sins they were saying ‘this is not God or it is not happening to us because of our sin.’ The Israelites became convoluted in their reasoning. Most people do since when we fell we fell on our head. What is really happening in your life?
A leader's first job is to define reality. This is what is happening and not happening, and therefore this has to change. When reading the prophets it becomes obvious there is a battle over reality. God is speaking through the prophets to help the Israelites and other nations to get out of denial. Many of the messages were addressed to the leaders. In Micah the struggle is stated plainly in these words, " 'Don't preach,' say the preachers. " 'Don't preach such stuff. Nothing bad will happen to us.' " They even say ‘isn't God on the side of good people?’ Perhaps this is the battle of the ages for the hearts and souls of all the people. Humans have a propensity to define their reality under their own terms whether it is true or not. For Israel they were the chosen people of God and therefore they were the good guys and their behavior was exempt from scrutiny. Even when God was punishing them for their sins they were saying ‘this is not God or it is not happening to us because of our sin.’ The Israelites became convoluted in their reasoning. Most people do since when we fell we fell on our head. What is really happening in your life?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
