The Cup of Our Salvation

What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?  I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.

 --Psalm 116:12-13  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 28, 2013 of Psalm 116; Ephesians 1:15-2:10; 2 Kings 18:17-19.

The 116th Psalm is a song of deeply personal thanksgiving.  The psalmist starts out by telling us why he loves the Lord.  He recalls the sorrows and distress he suffered in the past and how God delivered him from his suffering.  One interesting note is found in verse 9 where he promises to follow God and obey His voice in his walk through life.  This concept resounds with what the Apostle Paul tells us often in his letters, in one form or another, that though we must live in this world we must not let it influence us to where we do not put God and Jesus first and foremost in our lives.  The psalmist says he will trust in the Lord always, and so should we.

And then our psalmist renews his own personal covenant with God, his promise to praise and worship Him, by posing the question of today's first focus verse and then answering it in the second.  What can I give to God, he asks, in return for all that He has given me?  His answer seems simple - he will take up the "cup of salvation" and call upon God's name.  This "cup of salvation" may refer to that which is used for the drink offering during the Feast of First Fruits to celebrate the beginning of the harvest and the fullness of the harvest yet to come (please reference Leviticus 23:9-14).  And calling upon the Lord may be just that - a promise to continue seeking God's help in times of trouble.  But I believe the psalmist's answer goes a little further.

I see the cup of salvation as being that which Jesus poured out for us as an offering to God.  In His prayer on the Mount of Olives, Jesus asked, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."  (Luke 22:42.)  The contents of that cup of salvation was very bitter for Jesus' tastes, for it was a blend of the pain and suffering He was about to endure.  But the main ingredient in that cup that God would will Him to drink from is the sin of all the world distilled into one pure essence that our Lord would have to take upon Himself.  The cup commemorating the first fruit of the greater harvest to come, one that Jesus Himself will reap when He returns.  Jesus took of this bitter drink and made it sweet for us.  He holds it out, offering it to us freely.  All we have to do is reach out and grab it and take a sip.  All we have to do is reach out and grab Jesus and accept Him into our lives.  Then we can call upon the name of our Lord and Savior, singing praises to Him and witnessing to Him.  We can never repay God for all the good He has done in our lives.  But that's OK.  All He wants is for us to believe in His Son and to worship Him.  So let's take up the cup of our salvation and call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Father God, how could we ever begin to thank You for all the goodness You have given us, for all the grace You extend to us, for all the blessings You shower on us?  Lord You poured out the cup of our salvation so that we might drink of it freely.  May we never forget the One who sacrificed all just for us.  May we always shout His name and let the whole world know just what He has done for us!  In that most beautiful and glorious of names, Jesus we pray.   Amen.

Trust and Obey

He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan.  He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.  For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.  The Lord was with him; he prospered wherever he went.  And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.

 --2 Kings 18:4-7  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 27, 2013 of Psalm 115; Ephesians 1:1-14; 2 Kings 17-18:16.

Since the times of Jeroboam and the horrible example he set, the kings of the northern kingdom of Israel sinned against the Lord by serving Baal and caused the people to sin also.  They built altars and idols in the high places and worshiped false gods.  One after another the kings failed to obey God's commandments and led the people in wrongful ways.  Through His prophets and His holy men, the Lord warned them to repent and turn from their wickedness or face sure punishment.  The prophets cautioned that the Lord's patience would not last forever.  And at last the Lord did indeed extract punishment against the people of Israel, giving them to be carried off and dispersed into foreign captivity by the Assyrians.

The kings of Judah came a little closer to following God's commandments.  Through King Jehu they put an end to the worship of Baal (please see "Unfinished Business"), but time after time the kings ignored the altars built to other minor gods and the people of Judah burned incense there to honor these idols.  This practice finally changed when Hezekiah became king of Judah.  He destroyed all these places of worship, smashed the altars and icons, burned the idols, even broke into pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had forged 700 years before as a means of healing the people but that since then had become an idol of worship in itself.  Hezekiah had accomplished what no other king of Judah before had done in ridding the land of all signs and means of idolatry.  For this he prospered and, unlike the kingdom of Israel, was able to resist Assyrian aggression with God's help.

Perhaps the most telling words in today's focus verses regarding Hezekiah are that "he trusted in the Lord God".  Hezekiah trusted the Lord and believed in both His promise of salvation and His warning of retribution.  Because of his faith and his love of his people and his land, he trusted that God would honor him if he honored God, so he saw to it that the Lord was put first in the lives of the people.  No longer were man-made gods worshiped, but only the one true God.  And God rewarded Hezekiah's faith.  Judah did not fall to Assyria.  God destroyed the army they poised against Jerusalem and saw to the death of the Assyrian king by the hands of his own sons.  And all because Hezekiah trusted God and obeyed His commandments, leading his people to righteousness.  Trust and obey, for there's no other way.  Amen.

Lord God of all, may we always trust in You and obey Your commandments.  May we especially be heedful to the wonderful commandment You and Your Son gave us, to love one another fully just as Jesus loves us.  Forgive us, Lord, when we place some false god before You.  Help us destroy all idols we place in our lives.  Help us, please Father, to resist Satan's temptations.  Lead us into righteousness for Your name's sake.   In the sacred name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

What Will We Harvest?

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.  For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

 --Galatians 6:7-8  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 26, 2013 of Psalm 114; Galatians 6; 2 Kings 15-16.

Paul closes his letter to the churches in Galatia beginning with a plea that they support each other with grace and with love.  If someone is caught in a wrongful act, they should be dealt with kindly and with gentleness, because all of us are subject to doing wrong and may ourselves be tempted and caught some day.  Paul asks that they help each other, sharing the load of those who are overburdened.  Then he admonishes them not to think of themselves too highly because they just might not be all they think they are.  And almost as an aside, Paul gives a plug to preachers and church teachers everywhere by saying they deserve to be rewarded materially ("share in all good things") for their efforts.

Up to these last remarks in his epistle, Paul had likely been dictating his message to a scribe or one of his young followers.  But now he takes the pen into his own hands to finish.  He comments that it is easy to see the difference in handwriting for his letters were large.  This may be by design, so that the people would notice that he is now addressing them directly, or it may be a result of poor eyesight, leading some to think this may be Paul's famous "thorn in the side".

Then Paul closes with one last plea for the people in the churches to not pay heed to the Judaizers, especially as regards circumcision of the flesh, understanding that strict adherence to Mosaic Law will not bring salvation of itself, but only by belief in our Lord Jesus Christ.  Paul includes one last defense of his apostleship and authority before he blesses them in benediction.

And nestled in the middle are today's focus verses, stating without equivocation that we reap what we sow.  An agrarian society would be familiar with planting and harvesting, even one within the Greek and Roman cultural influences,  In the previous chapter, Paul went to great lengths describing the fruits of the flesh and of the Spirit, giving long lists of examples for each.  Here he sums it up for us.  If we plant seeds of the flesh, if we care more about worldly possessions and pleasures, if we allow the popular culture to influence the very fabric of our lives, we will reap a harvest of corruption and face the lake of fire when we are judged.  But if we sow to the Spirit, if we put God and Jesus first in our lives, if we obey Jesus and love one another, if we heed the word of God, salvation and eternal life with God and Jesus will be our harvest.  The choice should be simple.  Let's sow to the Spirit.  The fruit will be sweeter.  Amen.

O Lord and Master, thank You so much for giving us the inspired and insightful writings of Your Apostle Paul that we might better know how to live our lives.  Thank You for Your mercy in forgiving us when we sow to the flesh, but then repent and turn from that path and return to the narrow way Jesus blazed for us.  Help us, please Lord, to plant only the seed of the Spirit so that we might reap a harvest of joyful life with You in paradise.  In Your wonderful name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Unexpected Humbleness

He raises the poor out of the dust, and lifts the needy out of the ash heap, that He may seat him with princes -- with the princes of His people.

 --Psalm 113:7-8  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 25, 2013 of Psalm 113; Galatians 5:13-26; 2 Kings 13-14.

The psalmist opens the 113th Psalm singing praises to God.  Three times in the first verse he instructs all those who follow the Lord to praise Him.  This is only fitting since the 113th is one of six (Psalms 113 through 118) known as the "Egyptian Hallel" (or "Egyptian Praise") that celebrate God's deliverance of His people from Egypt.  The 113th is generally sung before the meal of the Passover observance.  Because of His goodness God is to be praised, His very name blessed now and forevermore, from the east to the west, and every minute of the day.  God is to be praised because He sits on high where He rules over all creation.

But then the psalmist spots a remarkable aspect of God that too often escapes the notice of His followers because we are blinded by His awesome glory and infinite power.  The psalmist sees that God humbles Himself, lowers His own stature in order to exalt the lowly among us.  God shows His graciousness through His concern for the poor and for the childless who will have no one to see to their needs in old age or to carry on after they are gone.  God elevates the poor and the needy, those that society casts off and treats almost like trash.  He makes of them princes among His people.  And the barren woman, who might carry a certain amount of sorrow and grief and guilt, is made to share the joyous emotional experience of a mother with her children.  Praise the Lord.

God humbled Himself so much that He came to earth in the person of His Son as a vulnerable baby, to grow and live among us.  To experience what we go through.  To face the temptations of Satan that we face every day.  He came not to rule but to serve.  He exalted the poor and lowly while rebuking the high and haughty.  He associated with sinners so that they might come to know Him and be saved.  Jesus exemplified the true strength of meekness.  He lived His life knowing exactly how it would end, yet not once did He waver from His mission.  By His life and His words and His actions, the Lord instructs mankind in the way we need to be to gain righteousness and grow in our faith.  He shows us the way we must walk.  He gives us all we ever need to believe in.  And if we believe, if we truly know the Son so we also know the Father, then He will lift us out of this ash heap of life and treat us like royalty in His kingdom.  We will share in all the joy of even the most joyous.  But for now we must do as Jesus wants us to do and live our lives in service to others and to love all just as He loves us.  Praise the Lord indeed!  Amen.

Lord Jesus, Master of our lives, thank You so much for humbling Yourself to come and live among us.  Thank You for exalting us among the princes of heaven.  Thank You for the promise of joy and honor to come, if not in this life then the next with You.  Please help us live as You would have us do, in Your service for Your commission and Your commandment.  In Your glorious name, Lord Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Unfinished Business

Then they broke down the sacred pillar of Baal, and tore down the temple of Baal and made it a refuse dump to this day.  Thus Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel.  However Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin, that is, from the golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan.

 --2 Kings 10:27-29  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 24, 2013 of Psalm 112; Galatians 4:21-5:12; 2 Kings 10:18-12.

Jehu was anointed by Elijah as instructed by God with the ultimate purpose, along with Elisha the prophet and King Hazael of Syria, of putting an end to the worship of Baal throughout Israel (please see "Carried Off By a Whirlwind").  To gain the crown, Jehu received help from other commanders of the army of Israel to overthrow and kill Jehoram (Joram), the son of Ahab and Jezebel.  He also ordered the execution of Jezebel and the rest of the seventy sons of Ahab, and then he killed or had killed all who remained of Ahab and Jezebel, their great warriors and priests and even their acquaintances, we are told.  This almost completed what the Lord had spoken to Elijah concerning the house of Ahab, who had caused Israel to sin.  But a little more remained of Jehu's mission.  Jehu had King Ahaziah of Judah and forty-two of his relatives killed because they had sided with Joram, both in war and in worship of Baal.  Then Jehu and his forces entered Samaria, Ahab's home region, where they killed everyone who remained of the house of Ahab, ending his line just as God ordered through Elijah.  Still, the bloodshed was not quite finished.

Jehu called for all the priests and followers of Baal from throughout all the land of Israel to come to the temple of Baal to attend a huge feast in the god's honor.  He saw to it that none would be allowed to miss the event, through coercion, deception, and threats.  Once everyone had gathered in the temple, Jehu made sure no servants or followers of the Lord were present, then ordered everyone inside to be killed and the temple smashed and burned.  With this final stroke, Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel, fulfilling Elijah's prophesy.  Unfortunately, Jehu didn't exactly walk fully in the ways of the Lord.  He left the golden calves that Jeroboam had erected in the high places of Bethel and Dan for the people to worship, and in doing so allowed the people of Israel to sin.

I wonder if sometimes we aren't like Jehu.  Through diligence and faith and a desire to do better and be better, we manage to remove some "idol" from our life, some object or action or attitude that we give more of ourselves to than we give to God and Jesus.  We conquer an addiction to alcohol or drugs, we quit finding reasons not to go to church, we stop wasting our money on worthless things and give more of it for the advancement of the kingdom.  But then we find something else to "worship", and suddenly we have another idol causing us to sin.  God help us but we must destroy all the idols in our lives.  Amen.

Father on high, Jehu fulfilled Your word given in the prophesy of Elijah and destroyed the worship of Baal throughout all Israel, but he left other idols for the people to worship, other man-made objects to come before You in their lives.  He left them all an avenue to sin.  Please, loving Father, help us destroy all the idols in our lives, not just the ones we can live without.  Help us rid ourselves of any thing or thought that we might place ahead of You.  In the name of Jesus our Savior we pray.  Amen.

Heirs of God

Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 

 --Galatians 4:7  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 23, 2013 of Psalm 111; Galatians 4:1-20; 2 Kings 9-10:17.

The fourth chapter of Paul's letter to the churches in Galatia opens with a comparison of a child to a slave, even if that child is the heir to a great house, because the child is under the constant control and watchful eye of guardians and stewards until the child has grown into adulthood (or at least the age of majority for their culture).  Paul then relates this to how we are children in our faith, young and inexperienced spiritually, and under the control and influence of what Paul calls the "elements of the world".  For the Judaizers, Jews by birth, these elements would be aspects of Mosaic Law.  For the Gentiles, the elements are more likely their original heathen gods, carved of wood or stone or cast from precious metals.  In either case, the elements Paul refers to are whatever we give ourselves up to as slaves.  In many ways we are too often like the children Paul speaks of, in bondage to some element of our culture, something man-made or man-derived, something not God.

And then, Paul says, when the time was right, God the Father sent His Son, His Heir, into the world, born of a woman, raised as a faithful Jew, fully in compliance with the Law of Moses.  And then the amazing gift.  Jesus redeemed all who had previously been under the law, in bondage to these elements, so that we could be adopted by God.  And once adopted by this selfless act of our Lord, we become co-heirs with Jesus to the greatest house of all -- the kingdom of heaven.  And because we are now His sons and daughters by adoption, God has sent the Holy Spirit, the "Spirit of His Son", to dwell within us.  So now Paul tells us in today's focus verse that we are no longer slaves -- neither to Mosaic Law or requirements to do good works, nor to idols we create to fill the gaps we had before Christ and the Spirit entered our lives -- but are now indeed heirs of the one true God.

But then Paul wonders why the members of the Galatia churches no longer act like heirs to Paradise, but have turned back and are following what the Judaizers tell them, observing the law, in bondage once again.  We need to ask ourselves the same question.  If we truly believe we are the adopted children of God redeemed through Jesus Christ, why don't we act like it?  Nothing should hold us in slavery to it.  Nothing should interfere with our worship and praise of God our Father and Jesus our Brother.  We are the heirs of God.  Let's act like it.  Amen.

Father, Abba, Daddy, because of our faith and belief in Jesus as Your Son and our Lord and Master, He has redeemed us and You have adopted us into Your most holy family.  Thank You, Father, for this most wonderful and gracious gift.  We were lost and alone, and You took us in and treat as Your own.  Jesus claims us as His.  No more could we ever ask for.  Please, Lord, may nothing ever prevent us from worshiping You and offering praise in Your holy name.  In the beautiful name of Jesus our Brother we pray.  Amen.

Overheard

The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool." 

 --Psalm 110:1  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 22, 2013 of Psalm 110; Galatians 3:15-29; 2 Kings 6:24-8.

In one of his most prophetic moments, David paints a beautiful picture of the coming Messiah in the words of the 110th Psalm.  Though short in length, it is long in vision.  In these seven verses he gives the Messiah attributes of a King (verses 1-3), of a Priest (verse 4), and of a great Warrior (verses 5-7).  Concerning the Lord as Priest, David makes a comparison to Melchizedek, who was both king of Salem (later Jerusalem) and a priest of God Most High, and who brought bread and wine to Abraham (then Abram) after a battle (please reference Genesis 14:14-20).  So the comparison to the Priest provides a nice transition between his descriptions of the King and the Warrior.

Today's focus verse clearly indicates to this correspondent that David is talking about the Christ.  In it he appears to overhear the Lord God the Father speaking to the Lord Christ.  David refers to the latter as "my Lord" - his Lord, his Christ.  In this conversation between God and Christ that continues throughout the psalm, the Messiah is instructed to sit at God's right hand, the honored place given to Jesus His resurrection and ascension.  Almost every phrase in this song points to Jesus as described in His Gospel and especially in His Revelation to the Apostle John as well as other apocalyptic scripture.  When Jesus returns, He will take His rightful place as King over all the new creation.  He will be the conquering Warrior, victorious in war, His enemies made into a footstool.  The world will be His Temple and He will be our Priest.  And He will judge all the nations, all the people.  In a few brief words, David manages to accurately describe the vision Jesus gave to John around 1000 years later (from the 10th century BC to the 1st century AD), of Jesus' second coming and His victory at the battle of Armageddon.

The word of God included in our Holy Bible often corroborates itself, especially regarding promises and covenants made and kept.  Christians base their faith on their belief in the resurrection of Jesus and the promise of their own resurrection.  This is linked to Christ's return at the end of days and His victory over evil just as He defeated death.  Our faith is securely grounded in the scriptures provided by David, Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and John, as well as from Jesus Himself as recorded by the Gospel writers.  Thanks to God, we don't just have one record, but many views of the future that is to come, and of our life with God and Jesus in Paradise.  Amen.

Gracious God, thank You for giving us Your holy word in such abundance that we can take assurance in knowing what You promise You will make happen.  You are ever faithful, and Your servants have truly recorded what will come to pass, all for our benefit.  Forgive us when we doubt You, or try to rush Your hand when we become impatient.  Give us the strength, please Father, to endure until Your Son comes to take us home.  Come, Lord Jesus, come.  Holy holy holy is the name of Jesus in which we pray.  Amen.

According to God's Mercy

Help me, O Lord my God!  Oh, save me according to Your mercy, that they may know that this is Your hand -- that You, Lord, have done it!  I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.

 --Psalm 109:26-27, 30  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 21, 2013 of Psalm 109:26-31; Galatians 3:1-14; 2 Kings 4:38-6:23.

In the 109th Psalm, David cries out to God for judgment over those who falsely accuse him (please see verses 1-5), apparently especially over one particular individual who David strongly curses (verses 6-20).  Why does David so emphatically and graphically curse these people and ask God to judge them so harshly?  Why are language and pleas that seem almost hate-filled allowed to enter the pages of God's holy word?  For one, this type of writing demonstrates God's righteous judgment toward the wicked.  It shows His authority over them, which may lead them to follow Him in the end.  And it allows the righteous to praise the Lord for His just judgments.  So out of his own love of God and hatred of sin, David calls on the Lord to punish the wicked that persecute him, and in so doing vindicate his own righteousness.

In today's focus verses, David is begging God for His help, but he puts a qualifier on the request: "according to Your mercy".  David is asking the Lord, in His mercy, to save Him, but only if it is according to His will.  If God would so will it, David seeks His mercy for himself over his enemies.  But David doesn't leave it at that.  He gives God a reason for granting his request: so that everyone, and especially his tormentors, will know that what judgment befalls them comes at the hand of God.  It will be the God of all creation who pronounces His judgment over the wicked, and not by any works or feats of David.  But how will the people know this?  Because David promises to "greatly praise the Lord... among the multitude".  He tells God he won't leave it to chance that maybe folk will figure out that God's hand was at work, but will indeed tell all the people with his mouth.  He will vocally praise God for avenging the righteous.

Too many times we try to impose our will over God, asking for things there is no way He would grant because He is just and fair not only to us but to all His children.  And in those times when we do ask that His will, not our will, be done and He does answer our prayer, do we remember to thank Him or do we take His goodness for granted?  Or worse yet, do we think we ourselves somehow managed to answer our request with our own mortal efforts?  Like David, we must ask God to act according to His will, in His mercy, and then ensure we make it known that it was His hand that answered our prayer, giving thanks to Him so that all can hear.  Amen.

Merciful Father, please forgive us when we take Your generous grace for granted.  Forgive us when we have the audacity to think we can impose our will over You.  Forgive us when we fail to acknowledge from where all goodness comes.  Thank You, Lord, for being ever faithful to us.  Please help us remain faithful to You.  In the holiest name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Crucified With Christ

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

 --Galatians 2:20  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 20, 2013 of Psalm 109:16-25; Galatians 2; 2 Kings 3-4:37.

Paul addresses this epistle "to the churches of Galatia" (please see verse 2), a geopolitical region of central Asia Minor.  The timing of this letter and the particular churches it may pertain to are uncertain; it could have been written after either Paul's first or his second missionary journey.  (If the former, this would likely be the earliest of Paul's letters.)  We do know it was written for the benefit of more than one church family and that the date of its authorship is not nearly as important to us as its main theme: justification by faith.

The primary problem that Paul speaks to is how can man, who is sinful by nature, come to God, who is holy.  Certain Jewish Christians, who we know as the Judaizers, were spreading out from Jerusalem and teaching that some aspects of Mosaic Law must be adhered to, perhaps most notably that the Gentiles must be circumcised as are the Jews before they can be considered among the redeemed.  The Judaizers even harassed Peter, to whom was given apostleship to the Jews as was Paul to the Gentiles, so much so that he stopped eating with the Gentiles unless they were circumcised.  Paul's response was that the only way man can ever come to God is by accepting the salvation that God Himself makes available by His grace alone, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ His Son.  In the scripture surrounding and including today's focus verse, Paul recalls the argument he used as he openly rebuked Peter to his face for not staying true to this point of what Jesus Himself taught.

We are justified in approaching God the Father by our faith in Jesus His Son, and only by our faith and nothing else.  No manner nor amount of works or deeds can ever save us, only our faith.  We are sanctified by the Holy Spirit, not by the Law of Moses nor any law of man, set apart from a sin-filled world for the service of the Father and the Son.  We are "crucified with Christ" so that we might be dead to our old sinful nature and resurrected and reborn into a new life in Christ and Christ in us.  And even though we still live in this corrupt world, "in the flesh", we live by our "faith in the Son of God" and the hope and promise of our resurrection life with Him hereafter.  Only by the grace of God are we saved.  Only by our faith are we redeemed.  Amen.

Gracious God, thank You for the gift of salvation You so freely give us!  Thank You, Jesus, for loving us and for paying the price for us so that our Father might see us through Your eyes.  Our faith in You is our only hope, the only promise we need.  In Your perfect name, dearest Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Carried Off By a Whirlwind

Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

 --2 Kings 2:11  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 19, 2013 of Psalm 109:1-15; Galatians 1; 1 Kings 22:29-2 Kings 2.

Elijah is on the run for his life, hiding in a cave because Jezebel is having all the prophets and men of God killed so that only Baal would be served.  But God has other plans for Elijah and He orders him to leave the relative safety of his cave.  The Lord wants Elijah to anoint Hazael as king over Syria, Jehu as king over Israel, and Elisha as his own replacement (please see 1 Kings 19:15-16).  It is God's plan that each of these will play a role in the near future of putting an end to the worship of Baal in Israel.  The latter of these tasks is immediately accomplished as Elijah comes upon Elisha plowing a field behind twelve pair of oxen.  Elijah walked up to Elisha and threw his robe, his mantle, on the younger man.  This action indicated that Elisha was to be the older prophet's disciple, to follow him and learn from him, and take over for him once his days were accomplished.  "Elisha" means "God is salvation", and during his ministry he performed more recorded miracles than anyone else other than Jesus Christ.

Elijah's time was drawing to a close and he, Elisha, and many other prophets knew it.  Elisha refused to leave his master's side, even when Elijah asked him to three times.  As they walked along together talking, a fantastic apparition appeared, separating the two men, and Elijah was whisked away in a whirlwind.  He did not die or pass from this life as mortal men do.  He was taken off to God in heaven while still alive.  This miraculous feat had occurred only once before and never since.  When Enoch, the father of Methuselah, completed his days on earth, God simply took him away (Genesis 5:21-24).  One minute "Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him" (Genesis 5:24).  He basically ceased to exist in this world.

Elijah's translation directly from this life to heaven and Enoch's being taken by God, when viewed together, serve as an example of what believers of the risen Christ can expect when our Lord Jesus returns to take His church home.  When the Rapture occurs, we will be carried off to heaven as if by a whirlwind.  One second we're here, the next we're gone.  In the blink of an eye, Jesus will take us home, to the place He has prepared just for us.  Thank You, Jesus!  Amen.

Blessed Lord Jesus, thank You for the promise given in God's holy word by the example of Elijah that You will carry us off in a whirlwind to live with You and our Father in heaven forever!  Thank You for the hope this gives, knowing our eternal life is secure, that the promised Rapture has a precedent.  Help us never doubt You, O Lord our Strength and our Redeemer.  In Your glorious name, Lord Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Take An I Test

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.  Test yourselves.  Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? -- unless indeed you are disqualified.

 --2 Corinthians 13:5  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 18, 2013 of Psalm 108; 2 Corinthians 13; 1 Kings 21-22:28.

Even though most of the members of the church in Corinth had returned to the ways and practices Paul taught them originally, some still questioned his authority and challenged him, albeit in his absence, before others.  He tells them he will soon be visiting for the third time and warns that trials may be held if necessary, where the strict rules of Jewish evidence presentation (two or three witnesses required) would be applied (please see verse 1).  He is a little concerned that some there may see him as weak because of his slight stature and his complete servitude to Christ, so he wants to caution them that he will be as strong and stern and harsh as the situation he finds on his arrival dictates.  He reminds them that even Jesus showed weakness when He was crucified, yet He reigns with the power of God.  In a like manner Paul, though weak to Christ, lives with Him in His power and His authority to address the church (verse 4).

Then Paul tells all these people who are trying to find fault with him to examine themselves, apply the same test to themselves as they use on Paul.  One aspect of this statement reflects what Jesus tells us all: "Judge not, that you be not judged."  (Matthew 7:1, and Luke 6:37 in slightly different words.)  Paul wants the people there to take a close look at themselves to see just how true their faith really is.  When they look inward, do they see Jesus?  If not, then they are certainly not qualified to question Paul's faith and authority.  Instead, they need to work on their own faith.

This is Christ's message for us as well, delivered by His authorized servant Paul.  We need to look deep into our own hearts, delve to the depths of our innermost being.  Do we see Jesus there?  Can others see Jesus in us, coming through us?  Do we show the great and unconditional love of Christ in our words and our actions?  Do our deeds honor the Lord and fulfill our commission from Him?  Is everything we do pleasing in His sight?  If not, then we are not qualified to question or challenge the faith of others.  Jesus tells us to first remove the plank from our own eye before we try to remove the speck from our brother's or sister's eye  (Matthew 7:5).  God knows how we really are.  We need to examine ourselves, test our own convictions, so that we might truly know ourselves and fix what is broken.  For we cannot fool God.  Amen.

Jesus our Savior, forgive us when we are quick to question the strength of the faith of others without first examining ourselves for our own weaknesses.  Lord, please help us see ourselves as we truly are, as You see us.  Help us find the broken pieces of our being so that we might repair them and more faithfully follow  You, Lord Jesus.  In Your precious and holiest name, dear Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Observe These Things

Whoever is wise will observe these things, and they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.

 --Psalm 107:43  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 17, 2013 of Psalm 107:33-43; 2 Corinthians 12; 1 Kings 19:10-20.

The psalmist has given thanks to the Lord and praised Him for His everlasting goodness and mercy.  And he has portrayed the children of Israel as travelers in distress, as prisoners in a dungeon, as sick people ravaged by illness, and as sailors caught in a raging storm, all delivered by the merciful hand of God.  (Please see "Gathered Out of the Lands".)  In each case he notes that the people themselves brought about their own woes.  Their sin, their rebellion, their refusal to repent or even give thanks to the Lord for saving them results in their being cast time after time into dire situations.  "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness", he laments (please see verse 31).

Our psalmist almost begs the people to lift up the name of God and give thanks, to praise Him and witness for Him when they gather together, to not be ashamed to publicly worship Him.  He reminds them of some of the great feats God has performed throughout the history of the people.  He notes that the Lord has dominion over the forces of nature and uses that sovereignty to achieve far different results for different people.  For the wicked, He dries up all sources of water and makes a once fruitful land become barren.  He brings the haughty down and leaves them to wander about, lost in a wilderness of their own making.  But for the righteous, for those who fear Him and obey His voice, the Lord brings forth the water of life in the midst of the desert, causes a bountiful harvest to flourish in the wasteland, and "sets the poor on high, far from affliction" (verse 41).

We are promised we'll see the same sort of dichotomy at the end of days, when the tares are separated from the wheat (Matthew 13:30), when the wicked will be cast into the lake of fire while the righteous live with God and Jesus forever (Revelation 21:7-8).  The psalmist beseeches us to seek wisdom and take note of these things provided to us by God in His holy word, to understand that He is a loving God who will do good by us if we follow Him.  But His lovingkindness does have a limit, a fact Jesus makes clearly evident in His Revelation to the Apostle John.  If we are wise, whether we are concerned about the here and now or about some unforetold time in the future, we will follow Jesus our Christ.  Otherwise we have a lot to lose.  Amen.

Ever loving and merciful Father, forgive us when we fail to thank You and praise You for the many blessings You give us each and every day.  Thank You for giving us chance after chance, even up to the end of days, to repent of our sin and seek Your forgiveness.  In the saving name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Risking All

And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house.  (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly.  For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.)

 --1 Kings 18:3-4  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 16, 2013 of Psalm 107:21-32; 2 Corinthians 11; 1 Kings 18-19:9.

After the house of Jacob split into two kingdoms, Israel in the north and Judah in the south, Israel was led by one sinful king after another.  The line of succession was tumultuous and often violent.  The matter of today's focus verses occurs during the reign of King Ahab, the son of Omri, who ruled over Israel for 22 years (please see verse 16:29).  Our author notes that Ahab "did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him" (verse 16:30), a phrase our author used often when describing the kings of Israel, giving us the indication that each succeeding king was worse than the one before him.  Ahab compounded his sin when he married Jezebel, a Sidonian, who further led him to serve and worship Baal.  He had altars and houses of worship built for Baal and the Asherah, leading the people into the sin of worshiping false gods (verses 16:31-34).

This section of the first book of the Kings centers on Elijah, whose very name means "Yahweh is God", and his interactions with Ahab, the king who favored Baal over Yahweh.  Chapter 18 opens with God ordering Elijah to face Ahab so that the Lord might end the drought He had imposed and thus display His power.  And then we turn to an interesting discourse on a man named Obadiah (not the author of the Old Testament book of the same name), who we are told had the very important position of heading up King Ahab's household.  When we first meet Obadiah, he has been sent by Ahab to try to find even a little grass for the livestock when he comes upon Elijah who sends him back to Ahab to tell the king of the holy man's coming.  But early in this narrative, our author imparts a bit of knowledge, the significance of which belies its parenthetical inclusion.  Jezebel was behind the rounding up and slaughter of prophets and holy men of the one true God in her zeal to serve Baal.  She would not rest until all those throughout the entire land who served the Lord were hunted down and killed.  From the first part of our author's little aside we learn that Obadiah "feared the Lord greatly", a fact he must have kept very well hidden from Jezebel.  And then comes the absolutely amazing morsel of information.  Not only did Obadiah hide his belief in God from his employers, but he also hid 100 prophets of God in two caves, keeping them safe and the word of God alive.  He provided them with food and water, a very difficult task indeed during a time of drought and famine.

We should model ourselves after Obadiah, doing whatever is necessary to ensure the word of God and our belief in Him thrives, no matter the costs or risks we ourselves might incur.  But unlike Obadiah, we should not try to hide our belief.  We should make it known and share it with all we encounter and everywhere we go.  Amen.

Lord God, we love to say Your name.  Thank You for the example of Obadiah who took great risks to keep alive belief in You.  Please help us be as willing as he to do all we can to help spread the Gospel of Christ Jesus throughout the world.  In the glorious name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Mighty in God

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.

 --2 Corinthians 10:3-4  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 15, 2013 of Psalm 107:10-20; 2 Corinthians 10; 1 Kings 16-17.

In this tenth chapter of his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul takes the opportunity to defend his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ.  While he is quite pleased that overall the church has returned to the practices he taught them, there are still some there who question and even at times challenge his authority, and some who prefer to follow these certain leaders that Paul refers to as false apostles (please reference chapter 11, among others), leaders who themselves claim higher authority than Paul (please see verse 7).

Paul begins his defense of his apostolic authority with today's focus verses, noting that while he and Timothy (chapter 1 verse 1) "walk in the flesh", they do not make war in the manner of the flesh.  This can be considered as a combination of two other instructions Paul gives us: to live in the world but not be of the world (examples can be read in 1 Corinthians 5:9-11, Titus 2:11-13, and Romans 12:1-3, among others), and that we do not do battle against flesh and blood but against the rulers of darkness of this age (Ephesians 6:12).  So Paul is saying that even though he is simply a man, a mere mortal human, his battle is not with other men, but with that great schemer Satan (2 Corinthians 2:11 and 11:14).  And Paul does not go into this fight following the impulses of man's sinful nature, "according to the flesh", nor with the limitations of man's mortal body.

Paul uses the next few verses to contrast his approach to that used by the false teachers.  While they use what seems to be pure logic and sometimes raw emotional arguments to confuse and sway those who will listen, Paul employs spiritual weapons to combat their pretentiousness.  Paul does not go to war against the powers of darkness armed with implements of the world, but instead wields divine weapons of heavenly provision.  Who but Satan arms the world with weapons of the world?  Paul, on the other hand, is armed by God (see Ephesians 6:13-20).  Paul uses God's own words, scripture from the Old Testament and those things the risen Christ spoke to him, to do battle with the evil one and his minions.  For only divine, spiritual weapons are sufficient for the task at hand: for pulling down fortresses and casting down "every high thing that exalts itself" over Jesus and God.  Mighty weapons are required to bring "every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (verse 5).  Let us take up those same arms and wade into that mighty and terrible fray, assured of the ultimate victory in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

Father, through the words of Paul You tell us who our true enemy is in this life, and You arm us to do battle against him.  Please give us the courage, O Lord, to take up those arms and Your shield and join the battle so that we might share in Jesus' victory.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Gathered Out of the Lands

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever.  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, and gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

 --Psalm 107:1-3  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 14, 2013 of Psalm 107:1-9; 2 Corinthians 9; 1 Kings 14:21-15.

The 107th Psalm opens the fifth and final book of the Psalms.  It is interesting in that it presents four different images to describe God's providential deliverance of Israel from their captivity.  The first depicts travelers in distress, the nation wandering in the wilderness, being guided to safety (verses 4-9).  The second compares Israel to prisoners in a dungeon being released to freedom (verses 10-16).  The third has them as sick men being restored to health (verses 17-22).  And the last compares the people as sailors in a storm-tossed sea, their seamanship and navigational skills having failed them, being safely brought to their destination by the hand of God (verses 23-32).  In each example, the people's plight is brought upon themselves by their own sin, by their disobedience to God's word, by their rebellion, as individuals and as a people, against God.

But before the psalmist presents the problems and God's provision in each of the four vignettes, he opens with a beautiful call to worship and praise our Lord.  Why should we praise God?  Because He is good!  The psalmist is emphatic about this point.  In fact, our author uses the words "good", "goodness", or "lovingkindness" no less than seven times in the 43 verses in describing God.  God is good, and His mercy endures forever.  God is not fickle, showing mercy one day and then withholding it the next.  The Apostle Paul notes that all things come together for the good of those who love God and obey His voice (please see Romans 8:28).  God is ever-faithful, has always kept His promises and always will.  So we have every reason to thank and praise Him.

The psalmist also tells us that we, the redeemed, need to proclaim God's goodness.  Jesus is our redeemer.  He saved us out of the hands of our enemy Satan, our true adversary in this world.  By His death we need not fear dying.  By His blood we are washed clean.  And by the grace and mercy of God, we have been reborn and adopted into His holy family, no longer required to be one of His chosen people from the house of Judah to be counted among His children.  Christ has gathered us to Himself from all the lands, not just those of Israel.  He calls us from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.  None are denied, if they only believe in Jesus as the Son of the one true God and make Him Master over their lives.  And someday He will return and take us all home, to live with Him and our Father forever.  Amen.

Faithful God, thank You adopting us into Your family.  Dearest Jesus, thank You for giving us new life in You and for sending the Holy Spirit to guide us in our walk on earth.  In Your name O Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Unmistakeable

Then he cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord, and said, "O altar, altar!  Thus says the Lord: 'Behold, a child, Josiah by name, shall be born to the house of David; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men's bones shall be burned on you.'"

 When he was gone, a lion met him on the road and killed him.  And his corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey stood by it.  The lion also stood by the corpse. 

 --1 Kings 13:2, 24  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 13, 2013 of Psalm 106:40-48; 2 Corinthians 8; 1 Kings 13-14:20.

The united kingdom was split into two pieces because of the unrepentant sin of King Solomon.  Rehoboam, his son, assumed the throne in Jerusalem over Judah and Benjamin, but Jeroboam ruled over Israel in the north.  Jeroboam sinned greatly by turning from God.  He had cast golden calves and idols of other gods set on the high places for the people to worship and offer sacrifices.  A young prophet, a man of God, came up from Judah to Bethel and spoke at the altar in Jeroboam's presence and where all could hear.  He very clearly and accurately foretold the final punishment God would exact against Jeroboam and his line.  This remarkable prediction, as recorded in today's first focus verse, was not completely fulfilled until around 300 years later (please reference 2 Kings 22-23:25).  By that point in time, the word of God was lost and all but forgotten.  This child who became king, born of the house of David, brought that word back.  The amazing thing is that God spoke directly through this unnamed prophet from Judah to declare His judgement on Jeroboam and the people.  And we have the proof of its telling 300 years later.

As the young man of God returned home, forbidden by God to eat or drink while in that land of idolatry, he was tricked into disobeying God by an older prophet from that region.  Perhaps the older man, who seemingly did possess true prophetic gifts, wanted to gain favor from King Jeroboam by getting advantage over this man who had come before the king to rebuke him.  This older man was apparently more interested in self-promotion than in using his gift to prophesy for God, so he lied to the younger man and got him to eat and drink in direct disobedience to God's command to him, and then pronounced God's judgement over the young man.  The results are given in today's second focus verse: death by a lion attack as he tried to return home.  But the lion did not eat the young prophet's corpse nor attack the donkey, and the donkey did not flee the very obvious threat the lion posed.

Both of these incidents clearly point out the hand of God at work in the lives of mankind, as individuals and as a people.  The first took 300 years to complete, the second was more immediate.  But both, recorded in concise language in our Bible for all of us to see, bear clear indication of God at work, both have elements that would be impossible in the natural, but very possible in God.  Read and believe.  Amen.

Lord God, thank You for giving us evidence of Your hand directing our lives.  In Your word we see that what You proclaim You will fulfill, now or in Your appointed time.  Thank You for Your eternal and gracious faithfulness.   In the name of Jesus Christ we pray.  Amen.

Spring Cleaning

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

--2 Corinthians 7:1  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 12, 2013 of Psalm 106:32-39; 2 Corinthians 6:11-7; 1 Kings 11:14-12.

In today's focus verse, Paul encourages the members of the church in Corinth to continue maturing in their faith.  He previously intimated that part of their misery comes from their refusal or perhaps their inability to accept and return the love they have been given (please see chapter 6 verses 12-13).  And he has already given them some keys toward perfecting their holiness (verses 6:14-17), even quoting as he often does from the Old Testament scriptures to make his point.  One way we can cleanse ourselves is to not associate with unbelievers.  Now Paul is not saying we should entirely separate ourselves from non-believers, for they are the very ones who most need the Gospel and how are they to hear and know the Good News of Jesus if we don't carry it to them.  We cannot detach ourselves completely from the world because we live in it.  No, Paul does not advocate some Christian policy of isolationism, but he does caution us to beware of false teachers, those who would skew the Gospel for their, or Satan's, own agenda.  Those who would tarnish the word of God are the ones Paul warns us to not associate with for they can soil our spirits.

So we can begin cleansing our spirit by avoiding those who claim to be Christians with their words, but their actions, the "fruits they bear", indicate otherwise.  Those who try to get us to believe in something other than the Gospel as presented in our Holy Bible can poison our faith.  But Paul also says we must cleanse ourselves of the filthiness of our flesh as well.  The "flesh" is our mortal life, as opposed to our spiritual life.  As mortals, we are born into the original sin and live in it every day of our life on earth.  Satan centers his attacks on our flesh, on the lusts and pleasures of our physical body, as much as on our spirit.  Greed, gluttony, covetousness, sexual improprieties, and other acts and temptations Paul lists elsewhere in his letters must be avoided if we are to have any chance of cleaning the filth from our own personal world, from our flesh.  We must learn to recognize Satan's assaults, no matter their source or substance, and willingly and with great purpose resist them.

Each step we take, each action we perform, each word we utter, each thought we think carries us further along in our walk.  We can either choose the many wide roads that will lead us through all the mud and slime of this world, adding more filth to our souls, or we can choose the one straight and narrow way that leads to Christ and the Father.  Scrape off the gunk and the grime and get on that narrow path.  Amen.

Father in heaven, if not for the blood of our Savior Jesus Christ, we would one day come before you filthy with sin.  That blood of the one Spotless Lamb sacrificed on our behalf washed us clean, but it is up to us to stay clean, to not wallow in the muck of the world.  Help us, Lord Jesus, cleanse our flesh and our spirit of all filth and to grow in our faith in God.   In Your name, dearest Jesus we pray.  Amen.

An Intervention

Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stopped.  And that was accounted to him for righteousness to all generations forevermore.

--Psalm 106:30-31  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 11, 2013 of Psalm 106:24-31; 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:10; 1 Kings 9:10-11:13.

Our psalmist recalls the time while wandering through the wilderness that the children of Israel camped for a spell in the plains of Moab, at Shittim, what would be their last stop before crossing the Jordan.  Against God's commandment to have no other god and in spite of all the warnings from Moses, some of the men took up with the women of Moab and started worshiping their god Baal.  God knew that the women of the region could lure the men of Israel away from Him, so He sternly prohibited them, through Moses, from having any relationships with the locals.  God ordered Moses to have all those who bowed down to Baal killed in broad daylight in front of all the people so as to serve as a vivid warning.  One rebellious young man ignored this threat and brought a Midianite woman into his family, in plain view of everyone.  When Phinehas, the son of Eleazar who himself was the son of Aaron, Moses' brother and the chief priest, saw this great offense to God, he picked up a spear and killed both the young man and the Midianite woman for their disobedience to God's command.  This direct action appeased God and stayed His terrible anger and turned away His wrath.  For this God blessed Phinehas and all his descendants to follow.  (Please reference Numbers 25:1-13.)

For the sake of all the people, Phinehas took action and intervened on the people's behalf with God, that His anger and thirst for their destruction might be quenched.  For his efforts and his understanding of the Lord's will, he and his descendants were blessed.  We should never be called upon to kill someone to save us all from God's wrath because Jesus already took care of that for us.  He served as the last sacrifice needed, offered up for all mankind, once for all of us.  But that doesn't mean we cannot intervene with God on behalf of others.  In fact, this is His will for us.  Jesus commands us to love one another as we love ourselves.  And if we truly do love each other, we will be more than willing to take action and intercede for them with God our Father.  If we intervene for them, and if we are sincere, we may be able to persuade our Lord to not punish them further for their offenses.  Or maybe He will heal them of their illness or injury.  Or maybe He will see them safely through a perilous time.  Or maybe He will comfort their grief.  Or maybe He will guide their footsteps so that they might follow Jesus.  Our ability to intervene for our people goes beyond what Phinehas did because our intervention comes in the form of prayer.  When we pray that God intercede in some way in the lives of others, we show our love for them and our faith in Him.  For this our Father will be pleased.  And as the psalmist said, our prayer will be accounted to our righteousness, and we will be blessed to all generations to come.  Amen.

Holy Father, please forgive us when we disobey Your commandments and ignore Your warnings.  Please, Lord, hear the prayers of those who might intervene on our behalf.  And embolden us to pray to You for intercession for the benefit of others.  Please bless those who care enough about us to pray for us, and please bless us when we pray for others.   In the name of Jesus we beg You and we pray.  Amen.

God's Temple

And the Lord said to him: "I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually."

--1 Kings 9:3  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 10, 2013 of Psalm 106:16-23; 2 Corinthians 4:17-5:10; 1 Kings 8:22-9:9.

King Solomon spared no expense, neither in money nor manpower nor time, for construction of the permanent Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, fulfilling God's promise to his father David to put his son upon the throne of Israel who will build a house for the Lord's name (please reference 2 Samuel 7:12-13).  The Temple itself, while magnificent, comprised but one building in the entire complex that included what may have been an armory connected by a colonnade to a throne room, the King's own house, and a residence just for the daughter of Pharaoh, one of his wives.  Gold saw extensive use throughout the complex and its furnishings, as were very expensive stones and cedar lumber from far off lands.  The cost of the completed project would have been enormous by any economic standards.  But Solomon could well afford it, for God was gracious to him, giving him great riches along with the wisdom he requested (1 Kings 3:11-13).

So through Solomon the word of God to David regarding the house for God's name and the permanent home for the Ark of the Covenant was finished.  At the Temple's dedication, Solomon prayed that the Lord forgive His children when they fail to obey God's voice, that He honor the requests of foreigners who come to the Temple so that they might come to know the one true God, and that He dwell in this Temple among His people forever.  Today's focus verse shows part of God's answer.  The Lord agreed to honor Solomon's prayer and to always be there for His people.  But He then qualified this positive response with a warning.  God promised to keep His end of the bargain but only if the children of Israel would live up to their responsibilities as well.  Otherwise He would leave His Temple and abandon the people and they would be defeated and carried off into captivity again.  And of course this is exactly what happened.  The people failed to follow God's commandments and were taken captive and dominated by their enemies.  The Temple itself was destroyed, rebuilt, and eventually destroyed again.

But Jesus changed all that.  God kept His promise to keep one of David's descendants on the throne of Israel forever since Jesus, the King of kings, came from the line of David.  More importantly, He provided us with a new temple for God's name, where His eyes and His heart will always be.  When our Christ rose into heaven to once again be with our Father, He sent God's Holy Spirit to all those who believe in Him and accept Him as their Lord and Savior.  The Holy Spirit dwells within us.  We, each of us, are God's new Temple, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Lord Jesus, thank You for sending God's Holy Spirit to live within us so that we might be God's temple.  Within us He dwells forever, and God is with us forever.  Father, thank You for the life and teachings and sacrifice of our Savior Jesus, and for accepting us, mere mortal and sinful man, as Your holy temple.  May we always honor You in how we live.  In the glorious name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Do Not Lose Heart

Therefore we do not lose heart.  Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

--2 Corinthians 4:16  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 9, 2013 of Psalm 106:1-15; 2 Corinthians 3-4:16; 1 Kings 7:13-8:21.

When Paul wrote his second letter to the church in Corinth (there is a school of thought that believes this to actually be the fourth letter in the series to the Corinthians, with two being lost long ago), he had traveled to Macedonia where he met with Titus.  His colleague and brother in Christ's service shared the good news that the church family had finally turned from their rebellion against Paul's teachings.  This greatly relieved and delighted Paul, evident in the lighter tone of this letter and leading up to his last recorded visit to the Corinth church.  The basic elements of this letter are Paul's expression of joy at the church's acceptance of his ministry, a reminder of their commitment of financial support for the Christians in Judea, and a defense and vindication of Paul himself and his authority as an Apostle of Christ.

Today's focus verse comes from that first component, specifically dealing with the circumstances of Paul's apostolic ministry.  Coming toward the end of chapter four, it repeats and therefore reinforces how the chapter began, with the statement that "we do not lose heart".  Through the early chapters of this letter, Paul provides insight into why he and Timothy (ostensibly the "we" used here and referenced in verse one of chapter one), and by extension the entire church, can maintain their confidence in Paul's ministry, attributing his effectiveness to the mercy of God.  He has renounced the false teachers that once held sway, comparing the openness of his message with their deceitful ways.  And he praised Jesus for shining a light into the darkness of man's heart.  In this, Christ makes of us a new creation.  Sadly, some are blinded by Lucifer and cannot see the Light of the Gospel and are doomed to perish.

It's been said that we all suffer from an incurable terminal disease: life.  We all die.  Some sooner than others, some more quietly than others, but we will all pass from this life.  Our physical body, the "outward man", will break down and someday stop functioning all together.  Yet both Jesus and Paul have assured us that the same God who raised Jesus from the dead will raise us as well.  Paul takes it a little further.  Although our bodies are dying, perishing a little every day, our souls, the "inward man", are constantly being renewed, day by day, leading up to our own resurrection.  That constant renewal comes directly from the Holy Spirit, sent by Christ after His ascension.  We who believe will not perish, but will have everlasting life.  Amen.

Dearest Jesus, thank You for sending God's Holy Spirit to each of us, to be our Helper, our Companion, our Counselor.  He renews our soul every minute of every day, keeping our confidence and faith in You secure.  Thank You, Father, for Your promise to raise us when we die and bring us to live with Christ Jesus for all of time.  In Your name, precious Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

With Joy and Gladness, For Now

For He remembered His holy promise, and Abraham His servant.  He brought out His people with joy, His chosen ones with gladness.

--Psalm 105:42-43  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 8, 2013 of Psalm 105:42-45; 2 Corinthians 2; 1 Kings 5:13-7:12.

God told Abram to pack up his wife and all his belongings and head out.  Abram never asked where or why, he just followed as the Lord led him.  Abram, later to be renamed Abraham by God, obeyed the Lord for the remainder of his days.  And the Lord rewarded his faithfulness by making a covenant with him.  God promised Abraham that from his descendants a great nation would arise and they would inherit what we know as the Promised Land (please reference Genesis 15).

Our psalmist remembers how Moses led that great and growing nation out of captivity in Egypt and the many trials they experienced during their exodus through the wilderness until finally, after the passing of a rebellious generation including even Moses and Aaron but excluding Joshua and Caleb, the house of Israel entered the land promised to it so long before, fulfilling God's covenant with Abraham.  Our psalmist notes this promise made and promise kept in the first of today's focus verses.  But notice how the psalmist describes the mood of the people at this momentous milestone in their history: they were filled with joy and gladness.

The people showed themselves to be pretty fickle during their over-long journey in exodus.  They complained a lot, and about everything.  Still God met their needs, brought them out of captivity and through the wilderness and delivered them into a rich and fertile land.  God even defeated their enemies from before them.  So they had every reason to appreciate what the Lord had done for them and to worship Him.  It was only natural that they would be happy and joyful, praising God for His mighty works on their behalf.  The trouble is, they too soon forgot God's grace and generosity and returned to their complaining, disobedient, sinful ways.  And of course they paid the consequences.

Sadly, this sounds pretty much like us today.  We complain about everything, even blaming God for our misfortunes.  Life gets really tough and we pray to the Lord for His help.  He doesn't owe us anything and certainly isn't obligated to give us any aid, but because He loves us so much He intercedes on our behalf, even sacrificing His only Son for us.  So then everything starts going better and we begin to forget about God's favors and take His love for granted.  And the cycle continues because we, like the children of Israel, just can't seem to remember how much God truly means to us.  Let us remember that He has delivered us from strife and has a much better promised land awaiting our arrival.  Be joyful and glad.  Amen.

Loving Father, thank You for bringing us out of the wilderness of our lives and providing for our every need.      Your love and mercy are so evident we should always be filled to overflowing with joy and gladness.  Forgive us, please Lord, when we take You for granted and fail to recognize You are King over all creation.  In the name of Jesus, the Spotless Lamb, we pray.  Amen.

Of Wisdom and Discernment

And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore.

--1 Kings 4:29  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 7, 2013 of Psalm 105:37-41; 2 Corinthians 1; 1 Kings 3:16-5:12.

God appeared to King Solomon in a dream and asked what the king desired that God might give him.  Solomon replied that he would only want "an understanding heart" to judge the Lord's people, so that he could "discern between good and evil".  Solomon could have asked for long life or great riches, but instead he only wished for wisdom, that he might be a fair and capable ruler over God's people.  This pleased the Lord, so He granted Solomon "a wise and understanding heart".  In addition, God gave Solomon what he didn't ask for, riches and honor, so that he would be unique among all the kings and none would be like him. Solomon's reputation soon spread throughout the region as the people respected him because they saw that "the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice" (please reference 1 Kings 3:5-28).

Solomon readily admitted that his gift for discernment when judging the people came from God.  Probably his most well known and often quoted declaration of this is found in his introduction to the book of Proverbs, when he states, "The fear of the Lord", or a respect and reverence for God as expressed in our submission to His will, "is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7).  Wisdom springs from that knowledge and understanding, and it all starts by submitting to God's will, by obeying His word.

Like Solomon, we should not ask God for great riches or any material things of this world for ourselves, but should pray that He give us discernment into His will for us.  Most of us struggle with this very question: what would God have us, as individuals, do?  Yes, we all know that we should obey His commandments as given by His holy word in our Bible.  And we know we should follow Jesus' command to love each other and His commission to spread the Gospel throughout the world.  But what many of us don't know is how God wants us personally to do these things.  Which path should we follow when both could serve Him?  Where will our walk take us if we choose this over that?  How can we best express our submission to God's will if we are unsure exactly what that will is?  Even those who know what their mission for God is still sometimes get conflicted with questions such as whether to stay the course or to move on.  If to stay put, does something need to change?  If to move, to where?  And each answer, each decision, can lead to yet another question.  Solomon gave us the example to follow.  Ask God for discernment of His will, for an understanding heart that we might fairly judge ourselves and properly rule over our own lives.  Then watch as the Lord not only gives us understanding, but much more as well.  Amen.

Generous God, thank You for all the blessings You pour out on us daily!  But Lord, even with all these gifts, we seek one more, that You please give us a clearer understanding into Your will for us.  Please, Father, give us a wise and understanding heart, that we might better submit to Your will and serve You in the way You intended when You made us.  In Jesus' holy name we pray.  Amen.

Do So With Love

Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.  Let all that you do be done with love.

--1 Corinthians 16:13-14  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 6, 2013 of Psalm 105:23-36; 1 Corinthians 16; 1 Kings 2-3:15.

Paul had just written a quite stern and severe letter to the members of the church in Corinth, rebuking them for turning from his teachings and allowing the culture in which they lived to influence the practices of their church.  Yet here, in today's focus verses, we get the impression that maybe Paul thought they were really trying to stay faithful and were doing the best they could given the circumstances of their environment.  He had just spent fifteen chapters trying to correct some of their aberrant and even sinful behavior as well as offering advice on how to improve some of the things they weren't necessarily doing wrong but that could be done better.  At times harsh and accusing, other times pleading for obedience, Paul seemed almost like a father speaking to his children throughout this letter, even more so in the latter half of this concluding chapter.

But everything Paul told the church in Corinth rings true for us today.  God is speaking to us, through Paul, as His children.  While we may not all participate in every practice and behavior Paul rebuked the Corinthians for, one could find every one of these faults in our churches across America.  We live in a culture that is becoming increasingly immoral.  Because they are so pervasive in the environment around us, some of the philosophies and trends of the popular culture are making their way into our churches, being accepted and adopted by our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Every Christian church across our land should closely study this letter to the church in Corinth.  We need to heed its warnings and remove the culture from our worship while we can.

We should also take to heart Paul's closing exhortations, for they too were given to us as well as the warnings.  We must keep a close and vigilant watch for Christ's second coming and not grow lax in our practices, thinking it couldn't possibly come in our time.  We must remain firm and strong in our faith, being brave enough to stand up for Jesus against the culture that would ridicule and persecute us for that belief.  And above all else, everything we do must be done with love in our hearts, the same love we have for ourselves, a love like Christ Jesus has for us.  When we rebuke another, we must do so kindly and with love, just as Paul did in this letter.  When we disagree within our churches on whatever issue comes to hand, we must keep our anger in check, not make it personal, always remembering to love one another as Jesus instructed us.  This is what God our Father would have us do.  Amen.

Loving Father, thank You so much for the words You give us through Paul the Apostle of Jesus our Christ.  He rebukes us to abandon behavior that You would find displeasing.  Yet he does so with love, showing us by example the love You and Jesus have for us.  Forgive us, Lord, when we stray from the path Jesus laid for us to follow, and help us regain our footing when we stumble.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Who's Next?

Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon.  And they blew the horn, and all the people said, "Long live King Solomon!"

--1 Kings 1:39  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 5, 2013 of Psalm 105:12-22; 1 Corinthians 15:35-58; 1 Kings 1.

The first book of Kings opens with the declaration that "King David was old, advanced in years".  David reigned for forty years over the united kingdom of Israel and Judah.  The scripture gives the impression that he may have pretty much been confined to his bed and it is unlikely at any rate that he had much of anything to do with the day to day tasks of administration, activities that would have fallen to the likes of Joab, the commander, Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, and Nathan, the prophet.  Adonijah, who now would have been the oldest of David's surviving sons, took the opportunity of his father's infirmity and absence from office to exalt himself as king.  He amassed some chariots and horsemen and a small force of men in preparation for assuming the throne.  At this point our author provides a very interesting parenthetical comment that hints at the notion that Adonijah may have been spoiled, never disciplined by his father.  So he may have thought he could get away with anything he wanted.  He managed to get Joab and Abiathar to go along with him, but excluded Nathan, Zadok, and Solomon, David's son by Bathsheeba, from his plans.  Nathan and Bathsheeba went to the king, who knew nothing of Adonijah's scheme.  Apparently David had promised Bathsheeba that their son Solomon would succeed him as king over all of Israel and Judah, so David ordered that it would be so.  Zadok and Nathan were to take Solomon, riding on David's own mule so all the people would know the king himself had chosen his successor, and go to Gihon, there to anoint Solomon as king.  After this was accomplished, the trumpets sounded and the people recognized Solomon as their rightful ruler.  Adonijah was foiled in his attempt to take the crown and, fearing Solomon, swore allegiance to the new king.

With a little help, David came to the realization that he could no longer do his job adequately.  Before someone else not of his choosing could take over, he set events in motion to have his preferred successor take over for him, with his overt blessings.  We need to show similar wisdom.  We should not hold onto the reins so tightly after we get to the point we can no longer control them.  We should train and appoint someone to take over for us, lest the choice be taken from us.  Solomon assumed the throne with God's and his father's permission and blessings.  We must pray to our Father for His blessings over our chosen successor.  May God honor our prayer.  Amen.

Lord God, there comes a time when we can no longer fill the role we play in life.  Please give us the wisdom to know when to start grooming someone to learn our job, and then bless them to take over for us.  We ask that You bless them also, that they may be even more successful than we could ever be.  Please, Father, grant our plea.  In the dear name of our Savior Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Resurrection of the Body

For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.  And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!  Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

--1 Corinthians 15:16-19  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 4, 2013 of Psalm 105:1-11; 1 Corinthians 15:1-34; 2 Samuel 23:8-24.

Because of their Greek cultural background, the Gentile converts in Corinth had difficulty accepting resurrection of the dead as a possibility.  They generally believed that the soul was immortal, but they could not believe that the body could be resurrected, nor did they even want to.  These early Christians felt the body to be the home and source of all man's sins. The death of the physical body was welcomed as it provided release of the soul from sin.  To them, if the body is resurrected, the soul would once again be enslaved.

Paul countered this way of thinking with what has become one of the basic tools of Christian Apologetics: witnesses to the fact.  That Jesus died on the cross and was buried in a sealed tomb was a widely held and (for all intents and purposes) uncontested fact.  Too many people, both Jews and Gentiles, believers and non-believers, saw these events transpire.  Paul carries the argument to the next step.  After Jesus died and was buried, He appeared first to Peter (Cephas, in Paul's telling), then to the twelve disciples as a group.  Next comes the clincher.  Peter and the disciples may have thought to conspire together and lie so that this movement Jesus started could continue under their leadership.  Maybe Jesus didn't really rise from the grave.  Maybe His followers stole His body and made up this whole story of resurrection just to further their own agenda.  Paul dispels this notion by declaring that 500 men (and we have no idea how many woman and children) saw the risen Christ all at the same time!  Not Christ in the Spirit, but Jesus in the flesh, in His body, complete with fresh scars!  At the time of the writing of this letter, the majority of these eyewitnesses still lived.  Paul is saying if you don't believe him, go and ask some of them.  Yet no one refuted Christ's appearance in the body after His death and burial.  No one of these witnesses denied His resurrection.

The resurrection of the body is the cornerstone of our Christian faith.  The Apostles included it in their Creed, one of the aspects of the Three Persons of God in which they and we believe.  Jesus died and in so doing defeated death.  God raised our Christ from the dead, and that is our promise, through Jesus, that He will do the same for us.  In Jesus is our only hope, that we will be raised from this first life to live for eternity with God and Jesus, avoiding the second and lasting death.  Without the resurrection, we have no hope and our belief and faith is all just wasted effort.  Had Jesus just died and that was the end of it, Christianity would be a sham and we would be pitiably hopeless.  But too many people witnessed the risen Jesus.  His story did not end at the grave, and neither will ours.  Christ lives, and so will we.  All glory to God, and to Jesus His Son, for ever and ever!  Amen.

Fairest Lord Jesus, even death could not stop You nor the grave hold You.  You died and conquered death and so will we.  Our Father raised You from the grave and He will do the same for us.  This is the promise of the empty tomb, of the bare cross.  You rose so that we might follow.  Thank You, blessed Jesus!  In Your glorious name, dearest Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Don't Confuse Others

For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the Spirit he speaks mysteries.  But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.

--1 Corinthians 14:2-3  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on June 3, 2013 of Psalm 104:27-35; 1 Corinthians 14; 2 Samuel 22-23:7.

The church in Corinth held to an incredible variety of beliefs and practices (please see "Being Saved") that were not consistent with what Paul originally taught them.  Among these was how the people exercised speaking in tongues in their public worship.  Paul uses most of chapter 14 to address what he sees as a growing concern.  Paul makes it clear that he considers speaking in tongues to be a gift, but it can only edify and benefit others if it is interpreted.  This practice originates from the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended and filled all the disciples who "began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (please reference Acts 2:4).  But the point Paul is trying to make is that speaking in some unknown language only benefits the speaker, and even then only spiritually or emotionally, while serving no benefit whatsoever to those who may hear it if they do not understand what is spoken.  He notes that those who do hear such a speaker may think him mad (verse 23).  There must be someone who can interpret what the speaker says so others can understand.  The disciples at Pentecost, while speaking in other tongues, were clearly understood by all those present who heard them speaking in their own native languages and were astounded by it (Acts 2:7-8).  As a result, "that day about three thousand souls were added" to the church (Acts 2:41).  This is the true work of the Holy Spirit.

The gift of prophesy, Paul asserts, is much more desirable to be received from God.  To prophesy is to speak as a mediator for God, to be His spokesperson, and may include making inspired declarations about things to come.  When we prophesy we use clear language easily understood by everyone who hears.  We express God's message that edifies the church, that instructs and benefits His people.  Prophesying allows us to exhort others and comfort them rather than confuse them as speaking in tongues can do.  Just as musical sounds must be clear and distinct to be useful and enjoyable, our speech must be clear and intelligible language to be useful and instructive (verses 7-9).  Paul further emphasizes the importance of being understood by saying he would rather speak only five words in prophesying rather than 10,000 words in tongues (verses 18-19).

If a non-believer or an unchurched individual visited our church service and everyone spoke in tongues with no interpretation, the visitor would likely think us mad and leave without benefiting a bit from the Spirit.  But if that visitor came and everyone spoke for God as led by the Holy Spirit, that person might be saved.  This is the Lord's message to us through Paul.  Speak as directed by the Holy Spirit the inspired word of God so that others may know Jesus and be saved.  Amen.

Lord God, thank You for the many gifts You shower upon us.  Father, we desire to speak Your inspired word so that we might benefit others, and with Your help and grace save souls and increase Your Son's church here on earth in preparation for the day He will come again to take His church home.  Please give us this wonderful gift, O Lord, to prophesy and be Your spokesperson.  In the most holy name of Jesus Christ we pray.  Amen.