Today we finish up Ephesians. We are going to continue in the Epistles and pick up Philippians and then Colossians. For today:
Read 2 Kings 12
Read Ephesians 6
When St. Paul uses the phrase "put on..." (as he does in v. 11) we recognize it as baptismal language. Frequently he will talk about putting on Christ, or putting on love, or some similar comment. Earlier in Ephesians he encouraged us to "put off your old self...and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (4:22-24). We know that we are made new creations through the washing and regeneration of the Holy Spirit. We are made new and given the righteousness of Christ in our baptism.
Today we are called to recall our baptismal gift and to renew our determination to live fully in that new life. Today we are called to rely on the protective armor that was given to us the day we were given new birth. What an encouraging thing it is to remember that we have been given salvation, righteousness, truth. We have the Gospel of peace, which, ironically, prepares us for battle. We have faith that can extinguish the attacks of the evil one. We have the Word of God that we can wield as a weapon against our spiritual adversary. And remember, it is a spiritual adversary. This is why physical violence or force does no good. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. Even if we have flesh and blood enemies of Christ and of His Christians (us), ultimately, the Old Evil Foe is driving them. The real enemy are the "cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil."
So, Christians, stand firm in your baptismal armor. Be confident, knowing that the victory is in Christ. And it's a good thing too...because if the victory were up to me or to you, we would be doomed for sure. Truly, we all fall short and are found weak and weary in the midst of attack. Even when the foe is not railing against us, our own sinful flesh lures us down the wrong paths.
But Christ is our Victor. He has won the battle through his cross and empty tomb. And (praise God!) He is pleased to call us His soldiers. So, soldiers, stand up and stand firm!
Stand up, stand up for Jesus, Stand in His strength alone.
The arm of flesh will fail you, Ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the Gospel armor; Each piece put on with prayer.
Where duty calls or danger, Be never wanting there.
Stand up, stand up for Jesus; The strife will not be long;
This day the din of battle, The next the victor's song.
The soldiers, overcoming, Their crown of life shall see
And with the King of Glory Shall reign eternally.
(LSB 660:3-4)
Ask Yourself:
What are the Devil's favorite attacks against me? Against my family?
What can I do to better stand firm against him? What can I do to better equip my family to stand firm?
What encouragement do I find in today's reading?
Pray:
Pray from your heart today concerning the questions you asked yourself. Ask God for forgiveness. Ask Him for strength. Give Him thanks for the victory!
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!
Here is a thanksgiving psalm for you to pray today. Surely God's mercies are new every morning. Be sure to give Him thanks today. Our regular Bible study will continue tomorrow.
Psalm 136
Here is a thanksgiving psalm for you to pray today. Surely God's mercies are new every morning. Be sure to give Him thanks today. Our regular Bible study will continue tomorrow.
Psalm 136
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
All Things Under His Feet
Well, I managed to get so busy I didn't comment on all of Galatians. Well, we're going to continue on in 2 Kings, and we'll start Ephesians. So, off we go...
Read 2 Kings 7
Read Ephesians 1
Paul, in his usual style, loads up the opening of his letter to Ephesians with rich language concerning our crucified and risen Christ. It is packed with theology and jammed full of practical application.
What should we focus on today? Maybe we focus on the redemption we have in Christ, who shed his blood for our forgiveness...Or maybe we focus on the fact that God chose us from before the foundation of the world, knowing that he would rescue us through the cross...Maybe we focus on the fact that God predestined us for salvation...Maybe we focus on how in our Baptism we were sealed with the Holy Spirit...Or maybe we focus on how we are co-heirs with Christ, inheriting all that God has promised his people...And this is only scratching the surface. We could probably read Ephesians 1 everyday until we have it memorized and still be able to glean more meaning, more practical value, more appreciation every time we study it! How deep, how rich, how beautiful is the Word of God.
But today, let's ponder briefly that all things are "under His feet." Think of this, the Lord of all left his heavenly throne to be born a humble servant. Wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger, he had a lowly birth. Traveling on foot here and there preaching and teaching, his adult years were certainly not lived in luxury. Hauled off to an unjust trial, stripped, beaten, and crucified, he was treated like a common criminal.
But Jesus, being perfect before his Heavenly Father, was raised up on the third day. He ascended into power and glory, and now he rules over all things. You can imagine him up in the highest heaven, and all creation is his footstool. What you place your feet on is certainly not in authority over you. It's the other way around!
What is comforting about this is that we now know that Jesus is capable of keeping all his promises to us. If Jesus had died and stayed dead, why would we ever have confidence to trust that his word would be true? But he did rise, and more than that, rules in the heavens. And he rules especially over the Church. Yes, he is especially careful to guard and guide his people, to protect and provide, to help and fill with hope. Jesus is doing more than watching over us, but he is also active in us.
We have such hope and life and peace through him! And what Good News we have to share! We're kind of like those lepers in our 2 Kings reading. We discover the Good News, and we just drink it in. We rejoice, and consume it (in a good way), and partake of the spoils more and more. And then we remember, "Oh, this is Good News, and everyone should hear it!"
And God tells us that people are ready to hear the Word and respond in faith. What a privilege to be his messenger! Thanks be to God!
Ask Yourself:
How can I share the Good News today?
If I am nervous, anxious, or embarrassed, what can give me the confidence?
How does knowing that Jesus is the head of the Church help us in our daily life?
Pray:
Pray from your heart today. Be sure to ask God for opportunities to partake of the Good News and opportunities to share it!
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Read 2 Kings 7
Read Ephesians 1
Paul, in his usual style, loads up the opening of his letter to Ephesians with rich language concerning our crucified and risen Christ. It is packed with theology and jammed full of practical application.
What should we focus on today? Maybe we focus on the redemption we have in Christ, who shed his blood for our forgiveness...Or maybe we focus on the fact that God chose us from before the foundation of the world, knowing that he would rescue us through the cross...Maybe we focus on the fact that God predestined us for salvation...Maybe we focus on how in our Baptism we were sealed with the Holy Spirit...Or maybe we focus on how we are co-heirs with Christ, inheriting all that God has promised his people...And this is only scratching the surface. We could probably read Ephesians 1 everyday until we have it memorized and still be able to glean more meaning, more practical value, more appreciation every time we study it! How deep, how rich, how beautiful is the Word of God.
But today, let's ponder briefly that all things are "under His feet." Think of this, the Lord of all left his heavenly throne to be born a humble servant. Wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger, he had a lowly birth. Traveling on foot here and there preaching and teaching, his adult years were certainly not lived in luxury. Hauled off to an unjust trial, stripped, beaten, and crucified, he was treated like a common criminal.
But Jesus, being perfect before his Heavenly Father, was raised up on the third day. He ascended into power and glory, and now he rules over all things. You can imagine him up in the highest heaven, and all creation is his footstool. What you place your feet on is certainly not in authority over you. It's the other way around!
What is comforting about this is that we now know that Jesus is capable of keeping all his promises to us. If Jesus had died and stayed dead, why would we ever have confidence to trust that his word would be true? But he did rise, and more than that, rules in the heavens. And he rules especially over the Church. Yes, he is especially careful to guard and guide his people, to protect and provide, to help and fill with hope. Jesus is doing more than watching over us, but he is also active in us.
We have such hope and life and peace through him! And what Good News we have to share! We're kind of like those lepers in our 2 Kings reading. We discover the Good News, and we just drink it in. We rejoice, and consume it (in a good way), and partake of the spoils more and more. And then we remember, "Oh, this is Good News, and everyone should hear it!"
And God tells us that people are ready to hear the Word and respond in faith. What a privilege to be his messenger! Thanks be to God!
Ask Yourself:
How can I share the Good News today?
If I am nervous, anxious, or embarrassed, what can give me the confidence?
How does knowing that Jesus is the head of the Church help us in our daily life?
Pray:
Pray from your heart today. Be sure to ask God for opportunities to partake of the Good News and opportunities to share it!
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Inheritance
Read Psalm 132
Read 1 Kings 21
Oh how many terrible sins we see today! It begins with some coveting, and then when Ahab is told "no," it leads to envy and jealousy. It quickly turns into bearing false witness against a neighbor, as Naboth is falsely accused. Then it leads to murder. Once Naboth is illegally and illegitimately disposed of, Ahab is free to steal the vineyard.
That is quite the disgusting list. No wonder at the end of our 1 Kings 21 reading for today we see that no one "sold himself to do what was evil" like Ahab did. His wife certainly didn't help him to do right either.
What about Naboth though? Was he right to tell the king "no?" Or should he have followed the royal order? I believe that Naboth was right to say "no," and the king knew it. That's why Ahab just pouted at first. He knew he had no right to claim his land.
The Old Testament laws were very specific about the land and passing on an inheritance. Even if someone came upon hard times and had to sell his property, there was a year of jubilee every 50th year to return the land back to the family that owned it. God, it seems, wanted all Israelites to have a delightful inheritance that could not be taken away. So yes, far be it from Naboth to sell his inheritance. Each inheritance was important because it points to the eternal inheritance we receive through the Messiah. As co-heirs with Christ, we receive what he has earned, what he deserves. Yes, the Promised Land of Israel foreshadows our own Promised Land, Heaven.
And that Heaven is ours through Jesus Christ. You know, Naboth isn't the only one who was falsely accused and put to death so that wicked rulers could have their way. Jesus too was given an unfair trial, and even when the testimony didn't agree, they hauled him off anyway and sought his death. He was defended only weakly by Pilate, though Pilate knew he had done nothing deserving death. Only Pilate didn't know how true that was. He had done nothing wrong, and therefore did not deserve the punishment from God he received.
Yet Jesus willingly suffered it that we might have an inheritance. Jesus willingly died on that horrible tree so that our false testimony, our coveting, our stealing, our jealousy and envy, our hatred and murder might be forgiven. Completely washed away. Removed from us as far as the east is from the west.
We have that promise, that guarantee.
And that is something to be grateful for! Thanks be to God!
Ask Yourself:
What sins are weighing on me right now? What temptations are enticing me right now?
Jesus willingly died for my sins. Which ones am I reluctant to give him?
How can I learn to better be content? How can I better focus on my heavenly (not earthly) inheritance?
Pray:
Pray from your heart today concerning the answers to the above questions. Confess your sins to Jesus, and recall that as a baptized child of God they are all forgiven in Christ. Ask for the strength of the Spirit to live in God pleasing ways.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Read 1 Kings 21
Oh how many terrible sins we see today! It begins with some coveting, and then when Ahab is told "no," it leads to envy and jealousy. It quickly turns into bearing false witness against a neighbor, as Naboth is falsely accused. Then it leads to murder. Once Naboth is illegally and illegitimately disposed of, Ahab is free to steal the vineyard.
That is quite the disgusting list. No wonder at the end of our 1 Kings 21 reading for today we see that no one "sold himself to do what was evil" like Ahab did. His wife certainly didn't help him to do right either.
What about Naboth though? Was he right to tell the king "no?" Or should he have followed the royal order? I believe that Naboth was right to say "no," and the king knew it. That's why Ahab just pouted at first. He knew he had no right to claim his land.
The Old Testament laws were very specific about the land and passing on an inheritance. Even if someone came upon hard times and had to sell his property, there was a year of jubilee every 50th year to return the land back to the family that owned it. God, it seems, wanted all Israelites to have a delightful inheritance that could not be taken away. So yes, far be it from Naboth to sell his inheritance. Each inheritance was important because it points to the eternal inheritance we receive through the Messiah. As co-heirs with Christ, we receive what he has earned, what he deserves. Yes, the Promised Land of Israel foreshadows our own Promised Land, Heaven.
And that Heaven is ours through Jesus Christ. You know, Naboth isn't the only one who was falsely accused and put to death so that wicked rulers could have their way. Jesus too was given an unfair trial, and even when the testimony didn't agree, they hauled him off anyway and sought his death. He was defended only weakly by Pilate, though Pilate knew he had done nothing deserving death. Only Pilate didn't know how true that was. He had done nothing wrong, and therefore did not deserve the punishment from God he received.
Yet Jesus willingly suffered it that we might have an inheritance. Jesus willingly died on that horrible tree so that our false testimony, our coveting, our stealing, our jealousy and envy, our hatred and murder might be forgiven. Completely washed away. Removed from us as far as the east is from the west.
We have that promise, that guarantee.
And that is something to be grateful for! Thanks be to God!
Ask Yourself:
What sins are weighing on me right now? What temptations are enticing me right now?
Jesus willingly died for my sins. Which ones am I reluctant to give him?
How can I learn to better be content? How can I better focus on my heavenly (not earthly) inheritance?
Pray:
Pray from your heart today concerning the answers to the above questions. Confess your sins to Jesus, and recall that as a baptized child of God they are all forgiven in Christ. Ask for the strength of the Spirit to live in God pleasing ways.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Ordinary Whispering
Wow! I should have taken the time to comment on yesterday's readings. Yesterday we had the conclusion of the book of Job, and poor old Job is finally restored! We also read about Elijah defeating the prophets of Baal. Isn't that a fun story! (fun might not be the most appropriate word, but I'll use it anyway).
But we have great readings today (and everyday!) as well. We'll catch a few psalms as we finish 1 Kings. We'll start a NT epistle along with 2 Kings. It makes it easy for me to remember where we are when we are in the same chapters in the different books. : ) So...
Read Psalm 130
Read 1 Kings 19
I wish I could know what the whisper sounded like, or what the whisper said. What was it like to hear that voice, after enduring the wind, the fire, and the earthquake? What incredible events in Elijah's life!
And what do we make of it all? A lot of people will use this story to say that we should quiet distractions and take the time to listen to God. True, except what is that "listening" like? Lots of people claim they can hear an audible voice of God. Or, rather, they attribute their impulses in instincts and intuition as God talking to them. So we hear a lot of people say, "God told me..." and "God said...". I'm perfectly comfortable with that, as long as what comes next is a Bible verse. Otherwise, I'm uncomfortable with it.
I'm not saying that God can't talk audibly, or guide and direct you, or anything like that. But God doesn't ordinarily work that way! We are promised that God speaks to us through Scripture. We have no promise apart from that. So, how can you know that what you think or feel is from God? I've known people to walk into an interview and say, "God told me I was going to get this job." They didn't get the job. So then what? Was God wrong?
We have to get used to the ordinary means through which God works. We also have to get used to accepting his promises. Elijah was directed to eat and drink under the broom tree. He did. God used that food to strengthen him for a 40 day journey. Ordinary eating and drinking did extraordinary things. And God didn't use the cataclysmic shaking of the earth to reveal a great and glorious message to Elijah. He used a low, small voice. And the message was one of hope. The remnant would not be destroyed. God had preserved 7,000 faithful. God's promises continue. Kings shall be anointed to do God's work. Another prophet will be raised up to support and succeed Elijah. God still reigns. God still reveals his plans.
I think we'd love for God to shake things up, to speak from a whirlwind or from a fire (which he did, by the way, for Job and Moses, but not Elijah and not for us!). We'd love for God to use the obviously miraculous to encourage and support us. He uses the miraculous, all right. But it is the "ordinary" miracles that he has promised. Baptism doesn't look all that flashy. Communion looks like regular eating and drinking - and a meager snack at that. The preaching in the Church is regular guys talking in regular ways (can we captivate like Hollywood can?). But through these ordinary things, God whispers his encouragement, his hope, and his forgiveness into our lives.
And why wouldn't he? He used ordinary blood shed on a primitive instrument of torture (the cross) to redeem us. God has a good track record of using the ordinary to do the extraordinarily miraculous. Thanks be to God!
Ask Yourself:
Do I sometimes doubt God's ordinary means? Am I hoping for the extraordinary, when the miraculous is already given to me?
Am I discouraged as Elijah was? How can I continue on?
How can I better wait for the Lord and hope in his Word, as Psalm 130 states?
Pray:
O Lord, thank you for using the ordinary to do extraordinary things. Thank you even for using me to do your work. Purify my soul, and cleans my lips and hands, that I may speak and serve as I ought. Thank you for the redemption that is mine through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
But we have great readings today (and everyday!) as well. We'll catch a few psalms as we finish 1 Kings. We'll start a NT epistle along with 2 Kings. It makes it easy for me to remember where we are when we are in the same chapters in the different books. : ) So...
Read Psalm 130
Read 1 Kings 19
I wish I could know what the whisper sounded like, or what the whisper said. What was it like to hear that voice, after enduring the wind, the fire, and the earthquake? What incredible events in Elijah's life!
And what do we make of it all? A lot of people will use this story to say that we should quiet distractions and take the time to listen to God. True, except what is that "listening" like? Lots of people claim they can hear an audible voice of God. Or, rather, they attribute their impulses in instincts and intuition as God talking to them. So we hear a lot of people say, "God told me..." and "God said...". I'm perfectly comfortable with that, as long as what comes next is a Bible verse. Otherwise, I'm uncomfortable with it.
I'm not saying that God can't talk audibly, or guide and direct you, or anything like that. But God doesn't ordinarily work that way! We are promised that God speaks to us through Scripture. We have no promise apart from that. So, how can you know that what you think or feel is from God? I've known people to walk into an interview and say, "God told me I was going to get this job." They didn't get the job. So then what? Was God wrong?
We have to get used to the ordinary means through which God works. We also have to get used to accepting his promises. Elijah was directed to eat and drink under the broom tree. He did. God used that food to strengthen him for a 40 day journey. Ordinary eating and drinking did extraordinary things. And God didn't use the cataclysmic shaking of the earth to reveal a great and glorious message to Elijah. He used a low, small voice. And the message was one of hope. The remnant would not be destroyed. God had preserved 7,000 faithful. God's promises continue. Kings shall be anointed to do God's work. Another prophet will be raised up to support and succeed Elijah. God still reigns. God still reveals his plans.
I think we'd love for God to shake things up, to speak from a whirlwind or from a fire (which he did, by the way, for Job and Moses, but not Elijah and not for us!). We'd love for God to use the obviously miraculous to encourage and support us. He uses the miraculous, all right. But it is the "ordinary" miracles that he has promised. Baptism doesn't look all that flashy. Communion looks like regular eating and drinking - and a meager snack at that. The preaching in the Church is regular guys talking in regular ways (can we captivate like Hollywood can?). But through these ordinary things, God whispers his encouragement, his hope, and his forgiveness into our lives.
And why wouldn't he? He used ordinary blood shed on a primitive instrument of torture (the cross) to redeem us. God has a good track record of using the ordinary to do the extraordinarily miraculous. Thanks be to God!
Ask Yourself:
Do I sometimes doubt God's ordinary means? Am I hoping for the extraordinary, when the miraculous is already given to me?
Am I discouraged as Elijah was? How can I continue on?
How can I better wait for the Lord and hope in his Word, as Psalm 130 states?
Pray:
O Lord, thank you for using the ordinary to do extraordinary things. Thank you even for using me to do your work. Purify my soul, and cleans my lips and hands, that I may speak and serve as I ought. Thank you for the redemption that is mine through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Just Enough
Read Job 41
Read 1 Kings 17
Christians often refer to the 1 Kings 17 reading and point to God's incredible mercy to provide for our needs. And well they should! What an incredible miracle it was that the jar of oil and the jar of flour always ran out. Each day the widow poured out what was left and make a cake of bread. Each day there was more in the jar. We certainly do well to rejoice that God provides. We certainly do even better to recognize that God has given us what we need, and so much more as well!
But we can't ignore the fact that God didn't give the widow a full jar. In fact, she was asked to obey God and give the last of what she had to the prophet, Elijah. When she poured out the oil and the flour, there weren't an abundance of ingredients left over. But there was enough for Elijah's cake. And then there was enough for the widow and her son. And then there was enough for all of them the next day. And the next. And the day after that.
God didn't give the widow a full jar, and I don't think that many of us would say that our jar of abundance or jar of prosperity is full. Don't we all have those other things we think we need! Couldn't we all use a few less bills, a few more dollars, a few more comforts?
But maybe all that wouldn't be good for us. Maybe that would lead us away from trusting God. Maybe we should be thankful (instead of frustrated) that God doesn't give us the full jar. This way we grow in the daily life of faith. Daily we can look with trusting eyes to God to provide. Daily we can give thank to him for all that he has given. Daily we can learn to be content. Daily we can fight against the greed and covetousness. Daily we can thank God that he says "no" like a loving parent.
And ultimately, we can rejoice that we have a God who says "yes," to our eternal salvation, won for us through his own Son, Jesus Christ, who provides for all our spiritual needs through the cross.
Ask Yourself:
Am I finding it hard to be content? What am I coveting?
Am I frustrated that God doesn't provide more...that I have to struggle with the needs of this life?
How can I learn to thank God for providing "just enough"?
Pray:
Thank you for providing me with just enough. Help me to learn to be content. Help me to trust and love you always. Amen.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Read 1 Kings 17
Christians often refer to the 1 Kings 17 reading and point to God's incredible mercy to provide for our needs. And well they should! What an incredible miracle it was that the jar of oil and the jar of flour always ran out. Each day the widow poured out what was left and make a cake of bread. Each day there was more in the jar. We certainly do well to rejoice that God provides. We certainly do even better to recognize that God has given us what we need, and so much more as well!
But we can't ignore the fact that God didn't give the widow a full jar. In fact, she was asked to obey God and give the last of what she had to the prophet, Elijah. When she poured out the oil and the flour, there weren't an abundance of ingredients left over. But there was enough for Elijah's cake. And then there was enough for the widow and her son. And then there was enough for all of them the next day. And the next. And the day after that.
God didn't give the widow a full jar, and I don't think that many of us would say that our jar of abundance or jar of prosperity is full. Don't we all have those other things we think we need! Couldn't we all use a few less bills, a few more dollars, a few more comforts?
But maybe all that wouldn't be good for us. Maybe that would lead us away from trusting God. Maybe we should be thankful (instead of frustrated) that God doesn't give us the full jar. This way we grow in the daily life of faith. Daily we can look with trusting eyes to God to provide. Daily we can give thank to him for all that he has given. Daily we can learn to be content. Daily we can fight against the greed and covetousness. Daily we can thank God that he says "no" like a loving parent.
And ultimately, we can rejoice that we have a God who says "yes," to our eternal salvation, won for us through his own Son, Jesus Christ, who provides for all our spiritual needs through the cross.
Ask Yourself:
Am I finding it hard to be content? What am I coveting?
Am I frustrated that God doesn't provide more...that I have to struggle with the needs of this life?
How can I learn to thank God for providing "just enough"?
Pray:
Thank you for providing me with just enough. Help me to learn to be content. Help me to trust and love you always. Amen.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Do You?
Read Job 39
Read 1 Kings 15
God has finally begun to speak (in Job 38) and he answers Job from the midst of a tempest. God's words at the end of this marvelous book give Job and all of us a good does of humility. I think a lot of times we like to think of God as our buddy, but he is much more than that. Yes, Jesus does say in the book of John that he has called us friends. But lest we get to casual in our sin and arrogance, we must also remember that Jesus isn't just our buddy, he is God Almighty. Through Him all things were made!
And in Job 39 God challenges Job (and us) to consider some of his marvelous works. The mountain goat, the wild donkey, the wild ox, the ostrich, the war horse, the hawk - all of them are marvelous creations. We can learn and learn and learn about these and other creatures, but we will still not fully know them, understand them, predict them, tame them, or animate them the way God does.
God continues to challenge Job by saying "do you" know this or "can you" do that. The answer is obviously that no human can know what God knows, do what he does, or rule like he does. Compared to God, man is insignificant.
And we need that humility lest we become proud toward God, lest we think that we have it all figured out, that we can control our own destiny, that we are the center of the universe. Do we understand God and his ways? Can we manipulate him, or get him to follow our ways? Can we assert ourselves before God the Almighty Father?
No. There's the dose of humility that we need.
And then we can rejoice that no one - no human - is insignificant to a loving Savior. We should have been little insects that God judged and threw away, but that's not what happened. In love, the Creator of all looked down on us and loved us. He sent his Son so that, dying on the cross, he might rescue us and remake us, recreate us.
And, God is pleased to be persuaded by our prayers, just as earthly parents allow themselves to be persuaded by their children because they love them.
And so, every time you read about something in God's creation and are amazed, every time you watch a show about animals or the ocean life or the stars in the far reaches of the galaxy, any time you are astounded by the height, breadth, depth, and variety of creation rejoice that God is mighty, powerful, and merciful!
Ask Yourself:
What specific parts of creation astound me? Can I learn more about it, and use that as a springboard for witnessing?
Do I sometimes feel insignificant to God? Should I?
Do I also feel valuable to God? How can I remind myself of God's dying love for me?
Pray:
O Lord, Heavenly Father, Maker of Heaven and Earth, I am astounded by the works of your hand. Surely your works are incredible, and your ways astonishing. I rejoice to see this Creation you have made out of nothing, and I am humbled. Yet, consider me in my lowliness. For the sake of Christ, regard your lowly servant. Cast me not away from your presence, but create in me a clean heart. Restore to me the joy of my salvation, and renew a right spirit within me. Amen.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Read 1 Kings 15
God has finally begun to speak (in Job 38) and he answers Job from the midst of a tempest. God's words at the end of this marvelous book give Job and all of us a good does of humility. I think a lot of times we like to think of God as our buddy, but he is much more than that. Yes, Jesus does say in the book of John that he has called us friends. But lest we get to casual in our sin and arrogance, we must also remember that Jesus isn't just our buddy, he is God Almighty. Through Him all things were made!
And in Job 39 God challenges Job (and us) to consider some of his marvelous works. The mountain goat, the wild donkey, the wild ox, the ostrich, the war horse, the hawk - all of them are marvelous creations. We can learn and learn and learn about these and other creatures, but we will still not fully know them, understand them, predict them, tame them, or animate them the way God does.
God continues to challenge Job by saying "do you" know this or "can you" do that. The answer is obviously that no human can know what God knows, do what he does, or rule like he does. Compared to God, man is insignificant.
And we need that humility lest we become proud toward God, lest we think that we have it all figured out, that we can control our own destiny, that we are the center of the universe. Do we understand God and his ways? Can we manipulate him, or get him to follow our ways? Can we assert ourselves before God the Almighty Father?
No. There's the dose of humility that we need.
And then we can rejoice that no one - no human - is insignificant to a loving Savior. We should have been little insects that God judged and threw away, but that's not what happened. In love, the Creator of all looked down on us and loved us. He sent his Son so that, dying on the cross, he might rescue us and remake us, recreate us.
And, God is pleased to be persuaded by our prayers, just as earthly parents allow themselves to be persuaded by their children because they love them.
And so, every time you read about something in God's creation and are amazed, every time you watch a show about animals or the ocean life or the stars in the far reaches of the galaxy, any time you are astounded by the height, breadth, depth, and variety of creation rejoice that God is mighty, powerful, and merciful!
Ask Yourself:
What specific parts of creation astound me? Can I learn more about it, and use that as a springboard for witnessing?
Do I sometimes feel insignificant to God? Should I?
Do I also feel valuable to God? How can I remind myself of God's dying love for me?
Pray:
O Lord, Heavenly Father, Maker of Heaven and Earth, I am astounded by the works of your hand. Surely your works are incredible, and your ways astonishing. I rejoice to see this Creation you have made out of nothing, and I am humbled. Yet, consider me in my lowliness. For the sake of Christ, regard your lowly servant. Cast me not away from your presence, but create in me a clean heart. Restore to me the joy of my salvation, and renew a right spirit within me. Amen.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Sorry, no comments from me for a few days now. I'm trying to catch up and get ahead. Hopefully I'll get back to providing devotional thoughts soon.
But the Word of God is living and active! The Scripture readings are the reason for this blog anyway. So keep up with the daily reading, think about it, pray about it, and keep it in mind all day long. Today...
Read Job 38
Read 1 Kings 14
But the Word of God is living and active! The Scripture readings are the reason for this blog anyway. So keep up with the daily reading, think about it, pray about it, and keep it in mind all day long. Today...
Read Job 38
Read 1 Kings 14
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
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