Read The Bible, November 6

by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible

Jeremiah 37-39

There’s an old saying, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” When the time comes – in any life – for death and destruction to be at the door, people instinctively reach out for God, even if they don’t know Him.

That’s what we see with Zedekiah. He has been appointed king by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. (The Chaldean country had besieged Judah and taken off some of the elites. Now they were demanding their choice of leadership in the land). Certainly, Nebuchadnezzar had not chosen someone who would be faithful to his God. So we have a lukewarm Jew as king.

Publicly Zedekiah persecuted and abused Jeremiah, but there are hints that he had the aforementioned “foxhole syndrome.” When the king discovered that Jeremiah had been thrown into a cistern and bogged down in mud, he engineered the prophet’s secret release. And he brought him to his own guardhouse.

Soon thereafter, promising to keep him safe and not to punish him for his words, Zedekiah calls Jeremiah to him. “What’s God saying to you?” is his request.

The prophet boldly tells Zedekiah the word of the Lord. Judah will be overthrown by Babylon; there is no stopping it. If the king will willingly go and turn himself over to Nebuchadnezzar, then he will not be harmed and Jerusalem will not be burned. If the king resists, however, the reverse will be true.

Zedekiah stubbornly remains in his place, and is soon carried away against his will. His palace and many fine homes are burned by the invading army, and Zedekiah’s sons are killed before his eyes. Then he is blinded and carried away. The king’s life is spared, but just as Jeremiah predicted, he suffers greatly.

When God speaks, we must listen. He is calling to His church today, stirring hearts to return to Him. He is a glorious, wonderful, merciful God who wants to bless us all abundantly.

If we will just listen, obey, and receive from Him!

Hebrews 1

Heads up! Every time we read Hebrews we should be energized in the spirit. It’s such a wonderful rendition of Christ and what he has done for us. And it is the best comparison between the old and new covenants.

First we establish who Jesus is. He speaks to us in these last days to bring us the revelation of God’s plan – and just what He wants to do through us.

Jesus is the heir of all things, being the exact representation of God’s nature. (If we’ve seen Jesus, we’ve seen the Father). But His magnificence is explained even more. Jesus “upholds all things by the Word of His power.” (V. 3) It was Jesus who spoke the world into existence, and the power in that word is still here today. The world is still spinning as it was in the beginning – and won’t stop until He tells it to. Think about that!

One Word of His power can create or destroy. When he speaks, things happen. Mind-boggling.

So this mighty, perfect Son of God paid the price for our sins and sat down at the right hand of his Father in heaven.

Now all the hosts of heaven – the angels and the demons are subject to Him. The demons have to flee when He tells them to. And the angels scurry about doing His will in the earth. They are ministering spirits sent to help those who inherit salvation.

Now we usually can’t see these spirits, but they are there. If you think about it, I bet there have been times when you knew they had to be helping you. Maybe a car accident avoided or a dangerous situation averted. Or maybe you knew that they helped you to find something you lost.

We have so many advantages as we walk with our God. As we pray, we can pray for angels to bring people across the paths of our loved ones who haven’t come to know Jesus yet. Using the authority delegated to us, as we speak God’s word, angels must obey us also.

They are at work on our behalf, so let’s be aware of them as much as we can. We will become more and more mindful of the benefits they provide.

We have everything we need for this abundant life we are living.

Read The Bible, November 5

by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible

Jeremiah 34-36   

The kings are no longer appointed by God. The king of Egypt came, deposed the king, and made Eliakim king over Judah, renaming him Jehoiakim. (II Chronicles  36:3-4) Needless to say, they didn’t pick a holy man to reign. So Jeremiah’s words mean nothing to him.

Since Jeremiah is no longer allowed in the temple, he tries to get his message to the leadership some other way. First he brings in some nomads who live in the area. They are true to their traditions as presented to them by their fathers. They don’t drink wine and they never build houses, but live in tents. Those ancestral traditions are obeyed to the letter.

Jeremiah uses these people as representatives of those who follow the leading of their fathers, in contrast to the Jews who don’t. He sends these people with that word to the leaders. To no avail.

Then the prophet calls Baruch the scribe to him. He dictates all of the words which God has spoken to him – from the beginning. Baruch writes them on a scroll, and takes them to the temple. As he reads them, some of the leaders feel compelled to take the messages to the king. Again to no avail.

The king, appointed by Egypt, burns the scrolls and tries to find Baruch and Jeremiah.

It’s ironic how evil tries to silence the messenger. As if the truth won’t be the truth when it’s not being spoken.

On his 95th birthday, Billy Graham aired on TV what he calls his final message: the message of the cross. The message of hope for all mankind.

This sweet, holy man, who reminds everyone of God’s forgiveness awaiting them, speaks very plainly. He said, “The cross confronts, and sometimes makes them hostile.” The reason? “It doesn’t suggest, but it commands that people receive it and change their lifestyles.” Those who don’t want to change, fight against the message ,and they fight against the messenger.

It was the same in the days of Jeremiah. Those who didn’t want to hear what God was saying would try to stop the message. But they couldn’t.

The truth is the truth. Eventually everyone will know it, but for some it will be too late.

That’s the way it was in the days of Jeremiah. That’s the way it is today.

Philemon

Even though slavery was a common practice in the early days of the church, it’s easy to see God’s attitude toward it here.

Paul is appealing to Philemon to accept Onesimus, his former slave, as a brother in Christ. He has come to the Lord under Paul’s ministry while in prison. Onesimus is being sent back, to fulfill the law of the land, but Paul’s appeal is for pardon and freedom.

This is such a good picture of the way God works in our hearts. Our works are no longer under the law, but they are fruits emanating from spirits loyal to our God.

When we become new creatures, our hearts are sensitive to what our Father wants. No longer are we compelled, but we are led, to do what is right toward our brothers and sisters.

The urgings of the Spirit should be our guide. God’s Word in accordance with these leadings bring us to a higher level than any law – whether an earthly one or the God-ordained Old Testament law.

It’s always a higher standard, but one we embrace willingly when we allow our Father to work within our hearts.

A better covenant and a better way of life.

Read The Bible, November 1

by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible

Jeremiah 24-26

It’s getting tougher all the time. Jeremiah  has more prophecy urging the people to turn back to God, warning them that they will be carried off into captivity if they don’t. But, once again, they don’t listen.

In fact, the priests and other prophets plot together to kill Jeremiah. Once again, they think that if they get rid of him, the word will go away. But, of course, it won’t go away when it’s God’s word.

One of the elders, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, stands up for Jeremiah and prevents the untimely death.

In the middle of these chapters something very significant is slipped in. (If our ears aren’t in tune, we might miss it).

Jeremiah says, “And this whole land shall be a desolation and a horror, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.”(25:11) When you are reading, you can almost pass over the term “seventy years” without noticing, but later there will be those who notice. Daniel will notice from the land of Babylon, and know that the time has come for the return to take place. He will see it as a promise from God.

This is a lesson for us. There are many promises in the Word given to those who believe. Some will pass right by them, and their lives will never be affected at all. Others will see and allow the word to penetrate their hearts. They will grab hold of the promises which God has spoken, and they will see His truth being manifested in their lives.

When the seventy years are complete in Babylon, Daniel is reading the Word and sees that promise. He begins to fast and pray that the word would be fulfilled. His prayers start the process which cause Cyrus to be called to return those to Jerusalem to rebuild.

What is your need today? Is it for family? Health? Finances? If it is for any of those things, find what your Father has to say about it and begin to meditate on that word until you believe it. Grab hold of it just as Daniel did the word he saw.

There are many promises available to those who believe. Ask your father to enlarge your heart so that you believe His Word. Ask Him to show you what you need to see – and ask Him to “quicken” those words to you so that you know that He is speaking to you directly.

Titus 1

This letter is written to another of Paul’s sons in the faith. Titus, like Timothy, is a true man of God, and a protegé of Paul.

Just as with Timothy’s letters, we see some of the problems faced by the early church – and for that matter, the present day church.

First paul reminds Titus to appoint only elders who have good solid credentials of honesty, decency, and so forth. Then he goes  on to the subject of “empty talkers, deceivers, and rebellious men”  who creep into the fellowships.

Many, for the sake of sordid gain, are teaching false doctrines. Some are teaching prejudice against whole groups of people; others are teaching the law of the Old Testament and Jewish myths.

They “profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.”(V.16)

Jesus said that “you will know them by their fruits.” Not just by what they say.

In our day, we have many “ear-ticklers,” who sometimes amass large crowds, but who are teaching false or imbalanced doctrine. We are told to avoid those who aren’t “rightly dividing the Word” and teaching the truth.

The Lord is looking for those who will be true to His Word. Just as Jesus came full of “grace and truth,” we must follow in His steps. Grace is being over taught in some quarters, because it is essentially giving a license to sin. Jesus never came to give people a license to sin; He came to give them power over sin.

Truth doesn’t always “feel good,” but it is good, for it brings deliverance to those who receive it. A child might not “like” having to come in out of the street, but our love for them protects them and helps them to do what will be good for them.

Let’s “endure sound doctrine,” as Paul tells us to do. Our Father’s plans are so remarkably wonderful for all of us – if we embrace them fully. After all, He is smarter than we are. Right?