“And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:” - Jeremiah 16v12
How do we feel when it seems like no one is listening to us? As a pastor, teacher, and parent there have been many times when it indeed feels like no one will listen to anything I say. We feel frustrated, angry, and even hurt.
The nation of Judah were doing this to God. God was judging the nation because no one in the land was paying any attention to Him. The NKJV translates this passage something like, “they are walking after the dictates of their own hearts and no one is listens to me.”
I don't know if God feels the same kind of emotions as we do. I know that He does have emotions, so I have to assume that He feels something of what we feel in rejection. Can you imagine what it is like to be part of the group that does not listen to Him? He has graciously given us His word. He gives us parents, pastors, and teachers to help guide us. Yet, far too often we choose, like Judah, not to listen to Him and choose instead to listen to and follow the dictates of our own wicked hearts.
May I never be one of those who does not listen to Him.
Tuesday, 31 October 2006
Monday, 30 October 2006
The joy of my heart
“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” - Jeremiah 15:16
What is the true joy of our hearts? Sometimes we joy over the success of our sports teams. We can joy in our possessions or our power. We can joy in so many things. We can also joy in good things like our family, our church, or our friends. Not all of these things are bad things to rejoice in, but there is one thing that should be the true “joy of our hearts”
Jeremiah had it right. In the midst of all the troubles around him, Jeremiah found a place of comfort and absolute joy. It was not in any of his situations or surroundings – he found his joy in the word of God, calling it the, “joy and rejoicing of my heart.”
We all trust God’s word and put our faith in what God has to say there, but how often can we honestly say that God’s word is our own joy and the rejoicing of our hearts? Do we find absolute joy and confidence there? Do we find joy in its challenges as well as in its comforts?
Lord, make your word my joy and the rejoicing of my heart!
Sunday, 29 October 2006
They would not hear
“For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.” - Jeremiah 13v11
God, as He always does, had great things that He desired to do for His people. In this case it was the nation Israel and He had renown, praise, and glory that He wanted to give them. There was a problem in receiving it however, they would not hear what God had to say and so missed His blessings.
Today all around us there is a generation of people whom God desires to bless. He has all the blessings of life with Him and eternal life awaiting them, but they will not attain them because they will not hear.
I wonder though how often we are in the same situation. How often does God have blessings laid up for us that we miss because we will not listen to Him?
God, as He always does, had great things that He desired to do for His people. In this case it was the nation Israel and He had renown, praise, and glory that He wanted to give them. There was a problem in receiving it however, they would not hear what God had to say and so missed His blessings.
Today all around us there is a generation of people whom God desires to bless. He has all the blessings of life with Him and eternal life awaiting them, but they will not attain them because they will not hear.
I wonder though how often we are in the same situation. How often does God have blessings laid up for us that we miss because we will not listen to Him?
Saturday, 28 October 2006
Glory in this
“Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” - Jeremiah 9v23,24
All of us can tend to glory in the things we are good at. Wise men glory in how wise they are. Athletes glory in their physical prowess. Artists and musicians can glory in their ability, and so on and so on.
1 Corinthians refers to the same idea – “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”
God makes it clear that we have nothing to glory in within ourselves There really is nothing there at all. Where then are we to glory? We are to glory in the fact that we understand and know God – that He is loving, just, and righteous in all that He does. This means that we glory no matter what is happening because we know that He is doing the right thing. When we do that we learn to glory in the Lord no matter that He is doing.
All of us can tend to glory in the things we are good at. Wise men glory in how wise they are. Athletes glory in their physical prowess. Artists and musicians can glory in their ability, and so on and so on.
1 Corinthians refers to the same idea – “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”
God makes it clear that we have nothing to glory in within ourselves There really is nothing there at all. Where then are we to glory? We are to glory in the fact that we understand and know God – that He is loving, just, and righteous in all that He does. This means that we glory no matter what is happening because we know that He is doing the right thing. When we do that we learn to glory in the Lord no matter that He is doing.
Friday, 27 October 2006
They don’t know how to blush
“Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.” - Jeremiah 8v12
Blushing seems to have gone completely out of vogue. Even Christians seem to be ashamed to be ashamed. What has happened to cause this? How have we become so much like the Judah that Jeremiah wrote to who “were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush”?
We have a fine line to walk as Christians. We must live in the present world, we have no option, and we cannot crawl off to some monastery and hide away in exclusion. Living in this world we must deal with it and all of its inherent evils. We are going to see and encounter things. However, Jesus prayed that though we live in the world we must not be of the world. It is when we become of the world that we cease to be ashamed and forget how to blush.
What a wonderful thing it is when Christians are still embarrassed and still blush at sin. It is time for us to stop being ashamed to be ashamed.
Blushing seems to have gone completely out of vogue. Even Christians seem to be ashamed to be ashamed. What has happened to cause this? How have we become so much like the Judah that Jeremiah wrote to who “were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush”?
We have a fine line to walk as Christians. We must live in the present world, we have no option, and we cannot crawl off to some monastery and hide away in exclusion. Living in this world we must deal with it and all of its inherent evils. We are going to see and encounter things. However, Jesus prayed that though we live in the world we must not be of the world. It is when we become of the world that we cease to be ashamed and forget how to blush.
What a wonderful thing it is when Christians are still embarrassed and still blush at sin. It is time for us to stop being ashamed to be ashamed.
Thursday, 26 October 2006
Following the dictates of the heart
“But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.” - Jeremiah 7v24
One of the great motivations and reasons for Christians to do certain things or accept certain teachings is how they feel it about it, or just somehow knowing it is right. Others may say that we should listen to our hearts when it comes to knowing what to do.
Judah did the same thing. They had already seen Israel punished for her sin, they had God’s prophets telling them God’s way, and yet they decided to listen to the counsel and dictates of their own hearts instead. The result? They went backward instead of forward.
God has graciously given us His word. We know that it can be trusted. He has also given us our heart, which is know is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Yet we still may be tempted to do certain things just because we feel that they are right or okay.
Looking at the choices, God’s perfect word and my deceitful heart, which should we trust?
One of the great motivations and reasons for Christians to do certain things or accept certain teachings is how they feel it about it, or just somehow knowing it is right. Others may say that we should listen to our hearts when it comes to knowing what to do.
Judah did the same thing. They had already seen Israel punished for her sin, they had God’s prophets telling them God’s way, and yet they decided to listen to the counsel and dictates of their own hearts instead. The result? They went backward instead of forward.
God has graciously given us His word. We know that it can be trusted. He has also given us our heart, which is know is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Yet we still may be tempted to do certain things just because we feel that they are right or okay.
Looking at the choices, God’s perfect word and my deceitful heart, which should we trust?
Wednesday, 25 October 2006
What will you do in the end?
“The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” - Jeremiah 5v31
Judah was in a mess. Their prophets prophesied falsely and their priests ruled by their own authority. This in itself was bad enough, but the worse thing was that the people loved it the way it was! All of the religion of the day was done in a way that suited the people!
There is a movement afoot today where churches set up their churches at the whim of the community, where church is designed to meet the needs of the people instead of doing what God wants done. Instead of being centred of Christ, it becomes focused on man. When we look at this passage it is obvious that this concept is nothing new.
This kind of worship may build great numbers in churches, but it is often at the price of standing for God and His truth. The question still remains – “What will you do in the end?” How will men face God at the Bema seat with the knowledge that they have done things their own way instead of God’s way?”
Are you living for God today, or for the moment? If you are living for the moment, what will you do in the end?
Tuesday, 24 October 2006
They have belied the Lord
“They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:” - Jeremiah 5v12
What does it mean to belie the Lord? We often use the phrase, “Your actions belie your words,” to mean that what we do tells a different story than what we do. In this same light it is possible to belie the Lord when we say we are His, yet live like there are no consequences to our actions.
How would we do daily if we honestly asked ourselves the question, “Have I belied the Lord today by my actions? Do my actions agree with my words? It is easy enough to talk about our Lord – a bit more challenging to back it up with actions.
What does it mean to belie the Lord? We often use the phrase, “Your actions belie your words,” to mean that what we do tells a different story than what we do. In this same light it is possible to belie the Lord when we say we are His, yet live like there are no consequences to our actions.
How would we do daily if we honestly asked ourselves the question, “Have I belied the Lord today by my actions? Do my actions agree with my words? It is easy enough to talk about our Lord – a bit more challenging to back it up with actions.
Monday, 23 October 2006
The foreskin of your heart
“Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.” - Jeremiah 4v4
This hardly seems at first glance like an appropriate topic for a devotional thought, but God uses it and it is the perfect illustration of a surgery that many Christians need to submit to. In the Old Testament God instituted circumcision for physical cleanliness, but more importantly as a sign of spiritual cleanliness for Israel. All Jewish boys were circumcised physically as a matter of course, but many had never experienced spiritual circumcision where the fleshliness of their heart was cut away. Here Isaiah instructed them of that needed aspect.
As always there is a principle here for today. God wants all fleshliness removed form our hearts as well. We can perform all of the religious rituals we want, but if we do not deal with the fleshly desires of the heart we will battle our whole lives. Lets follow His advice and circumcise the fleshly desires of our hearts!
This hardly seems at first glance like an appropriate topic for a devotional thought, but God uses it and it is the perfect illustration of a surgery that many Christians need to submit to. In the Old Testament God instituted circumcision for physical cleanliness, but more importantly as a sign of spiritual cleanliness for Israel. All Jewish boys were circumcised physically as a matter of course, but many had never experienced spiritual circumcision where the fleshliness of their heart was cut away. Here Isaiah instructed them of that needed aspect.
As always there is a principle here for today. God wants all fleshliness removed form our hearts as well. We can perform all of the religious rituals we want, but if we do not deal with the fleshly desires of the heart we will battle our whole lives. Lets follow His advice and circumcise the fleshly desires of our hearts!
Sunday, 22 October 2006
Repentance in pretence
“And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.” - Jeremiah 3v10
Israel had already suffered God’s wrath. He had dispersed her to nations for her sin. Sadly, Judah was going down the same track, but she had gone through all the motions of repentance. God knew their hearts though, they had gone through all the motions, but had really done nothing about their sin. They had repented “feignedly,” or “in pretence,” but not with their whole heart.
It is easy for us to sit back and judge Judah. “Shame on them for trying to fool God. Don’t they know He can’t be tricked?” Yet, how often do we do the same thing? We read something in our devotions or hear something in church and we go through the routine of doing something about, but we never really have a change in our hearts. We swear that we are going to do better, but don’t deal with the root of the problem, which is sourced in our wicked hearts.
When God convicts us of sin, may we let the repentance be genuine, from the heart – the kind of repentance that results in real change, and not only a temporary turning away.
Saturday, 21 October 2006
I remember you
“Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.” - Jeremiah 2v2
I am always amazed at the concept that a perfect, holy, sinless God would choose to remember imperfect, wicked, sinful souls like us. Here of course He is talking about His people, Israel, but He sets down a principle that He does remember His people.
God remembers the early days of our relationship with Him. He remembers the “honeymoon” time when we walked close to Him, followed Him, and were willing to go wherever He called us. It reminds me of the church in Revelation that had “left their first love.”
It is sad how often that while He remembers us, we do not remember Him. While we far too often forget about Him, He never, ever forgets about us.
Once again I am amazed at our awesome God. His remembers me because He loves me with His perfect love. I can forget about Him because my love is imperfect. Praise God that I can love Him because He first loved me!
I am always amazed at the concept that a perfect, holy, sinless God would choose to remember imperfect, wicked, sinful souls like us. Here of course He is talking about His people, Israel, but He sets down a principle that He does remember His people.
God remembers the early days of our relationship with Him. He remembers the “honeymoon” time when we walked close to Him, followed Him, and were willing to go wherever He called us. It reminds me of the church in Revelation that had “left their first love.”
It is sad how often that while He remembers us, we do not remember Him. While we far too often forget about Him, He never, ever forgets about us.
Once again I am amazed at our awesome God. His remembers me because He loves me with His perfect love. I can forget about Him because my love is imperfect. Praise God that I can love Him because He first loved me!
Friday, 20 October 2006
They shall not prevail
“For, behold, I have made thee this day a defensed city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.” - Jeremiah 1v18-19
God gave us instructions on how to go; gird up, rise up, speak up, and buck up. But He did not stop there. He tells us that He has already done a work to prepare us. He has made us a defenced city, preparing us for the attack of the wicked one. He has made us an iron pillar, ready to stand during attack after attack. He has made us a brazen wall to stand against the fiery attacks of the enemy.
Why does He have to do all of this? Because the enemies will come to fight against me – it will come, the battles will rage and we will face opposition. But, there is good news - THEY SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST THEE!! Glory to God the enemy has no power over me? Why, because not only has God provided all of my protection, but, but He is right beside me to deliver me!
God gave us instructions on how to go; gird up, rise up, speak up, and buck up. But He did not stop there. He tells us that He has already done a work to prepare us. He has made us a defenced city, preparing us for the attack of the wicked one. He has made us an iron pillar, ready to stand during attack after attack. He has made us a brazen wall to stand against the fiery attacks of the enemy.
Why does He have to do all of this? Because the enemies will come to fight against me – it will come, the battles will rage and we will face opposition. But, there is good news - THEY SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST THEE!! Glory to God the enemy has no power over me? Why, because not only has God provided all of my protection, but, but He is right beside me to deliver me!
Thursday, 19 October 2006
Four steps to do God’s work
“Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.” - Jeremiah 1v17
Jeremiah was still not convinced that he was the best man for the job. Even after God gave him all kinds of encouragement he could not see it. The Lord than simply gives him four simple instructions:
Gird up – prepare yourself, get ready, gird your loins with truth
Rise up – get up and get going
Speak up – say what God wants you to say
Buck up – take courage, don’t be afraid
I think we all work better when the steps laid out for us. As we serve God today we can take the same instructions to heart. Lets make sure we prepare ourselves by girding up our loins with truth. Lets not be content there though, but let us rise up and get going. Even then we can’t just “go out” we need to speak up and proclaim God’s word. It’s a scary process, so we need to take courage from God that He is with us and not be confused or confounded at their opposition.
Jeremiah was still not convinced that he was the best man for the job. Even after God gave him all kinds of encouragement he could not see it. The Lord than simply gives him four simple instructions:
Gird up – prepare yourself, get ready, gird your loins with truth
Rise up – get up and get going
Speak up – say what God wants you to say
Buck up – take courage, don’t be afraid
I think we all work better when the steps laid out for us. As we serve God today we can take the same instructions to heart. Lets make sure we prepare ourselves by girding up our loins with truth. Lets not be content there though, but let us rise up and get going. Even then we can’t just “go out” we need to speak up and proclaim God’s word. It’s a scary process, so we need to take courage from God that He is with us and not be confused or confounded at their opposition.
Wednesday, 18 October 2006
I am with you
“But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.” - Jeremiah 1v7-8
Jeremiah did not jump at God’s call the first time. I like this about the word of God. It does not lay any pretence that the characters are any kind of super humans with some kind of inbred sanctity. When God called Jeremiah his first response was fear. “What am I going to say God, I am far too young for this task!” He is something like Moses in that he was afraid because he was aware of his own limitations.
God did not respond in anger at Jeremiah’s fears. God instead gave him some blessed words of comfort to take with him.
I will go wherever I send you
I will give you the words to say
Don’t be afraid of them
I will deliver you
Surely Jeremiah realised that he did not have to face his seemingly insurmountable task alone. His job was not going to be easy, in man’s eyes it was not going to even necessarily be successful; but as He went he could bravely go knowing that what was going to happen was not his work, but God’s work.
Oh that we would learn that lesson in our lives. We can go with confidence because God goes with us to do the work He wants to do in each of our lives.
Jeremiah did not jump at God’s call the first time. I like this about the word of God. It does not lay any pretence that the characters are any kind of super humans with some kind of inbred sanctity. When God called Jeremiah his first response was fear. “What am I going to say God, I am far too young for this task!” He is something like Moses in that he was afraid because he was aware of his own limitations.
God did not respond in anger at Jeremiah’s fears. God instead gave him some blessed words of comfort to take with him.
I will go wherever I send you
I will give you the words to say
Don’t be afraid of them
I will deliver you
Surely Jeremiah realised that he did not have to face his seemingly insurmountable task alone. His job was not going to be easy, in man’s eyes it was not going to even necessarily be successful; but as He went he could bravely go knowing that what was going to happen was not his work, but God’s work.
Oh that we would learn that lesson in our lives. We can go with confidence because God goes with us to do the work He wants to do in each of our lives.
Tuesday, 17 October 2006
Clay on the Potter’s wheel
“But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” - Isaiah 64v8
What does a lump of clay do? Has it the power to jump on the potter’s wheel and shape itself into a thing of beauty? Can a lump of clay turn into a fine, useful, and beautiful utensil?
These are silly questions. A lump of clay has no power of its own and Isaiah here returns to an illustration he used earlier in the book. The picture is simple – God is the Master Potter and we are clay on His wheel. As such He has absolute power to do with us as He will.
When clay is being shaped it goes through a lot. Clay in shaped, beaten, punched, and kneaded. If clay had feelings it certainly would not enjoy this process. It would hurt and would not be nice! Clay is also tenderly shaped and moulded to the Master’s purpose. He is indeed moulding a masterpiece, a thing of great beauty. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.
The moulding and shaping may not always be comfortable, but it always for our best and for His purpose and glory. Lets accept His moulding and shaping with great joy!
What does a lump of clay do? Has it the power to jump on the potter’s wheel and shape itself into a thing of beauty? Can a lump of clay turn into a fine, useful, and beautiful utensil?
These are silly questions. A lump of clay has no power of its own and Isaiah here returns to an illustration he used earlier in the book. The picture is simple – God is the Master Potter and we are clay on His wheel. As such He has absolute power to do with us as He will.
When clay is being shaped it goes through a lot. Clay in shaped, beaten, punched, and kneaded. If clay had feelings it certainly would not enjoy this process. It would hurt and would not be nice! Clay is also tenderly shaped and moulded to the Master’s purpose. He is indeed moulding a masterpiece, a thing of great beauty. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.
The moulding and shaping may not always be comfortable, but it always for our best and for His purpose and glory. Lets accept His moulding and shaping with great joy!
Monday, 16 October 2006
The value of our own righteousness
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” - Isaiah 64v6
How good can we be? No matter how hard we try we may tend to think that there is something, no matter how small, good about us. We like to think that surely there is something we can do right, or something we have done right. Surely we cannot be all that bad.
God has a very clear, definitive view of just how bad our sin is. It is so bad that He puts in in terms not of our sin, but in our perceived righteousness. All of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags in His sight. The KJV translators avoided the literal meaning for the sake of tastes and propriety in 17th century England, but the literal meaning is that all of our best efforts at being righteous in God’s sight are as vile as menstrual rags.
There is nothing good in us, lets make sure that we remember that. All we have is totally my His grace and mercy and is a result of His great love wherewith He loved us.
Sunday, 15 October 2006
Beauty for ashes
“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” - Isaiah 6v3
This passage in Isaiah is directed primarily toward God’s promise of deliverance for Israel from her captivity, but like so many of this promises looks forward to the final deliverance that Messiah is going to provide. Jesus made that clear when He proclaimed this passage was taking about Him in Luke 4. Therefore, according to Ephesians 2, we too share in these promises.
In this present world we are often confronted with the ashes that come as a result of trials. There is often a spirit of mourning and heaviness as we deal with this sin cursed world and with our own flesh. God has a much better future for us. When Christ returns for us all of that will be changed. Our ashes will become beautiful, the oil of joy will replace our mourning, and our heaviness will be replaced with garments of joy as we, His “trees of righteousness,” glorify Him.
What a day that will be! Praise God that every day I can look forward to my ashes being turned to beauty”
This passage in Isaiah is directed primarily toward God’s promise of deliverance for Israel from her captivity, but like so many of this promises looks forward to the final deliverance that Messiah is going to provide. Jesus made that clear when He proclaimed this passage was taking about Him in Luke 4. Therefore, according to Ephesians 2, we too share in these promises.
In this present world we are often confronted with the ashes that come as a result of trials. There is often a spirit of mourning and heaviness as we deal with this sin cursed world and with our own flesh. God has a much better future for us. When Christ returns for us all of that will be changed. Our ashes will become beautiful, the oil of joy will replace our mourning, and our heaviness will be replaced with garments of joy as we, His “trees of righteousness,” glorify Him.
What a day that will be! Praise God that every day I can look forward to my ashes being turned to beauty”
Saturday, 14 October 2006
Whose fault is it?
“Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” - Isaiah 59v1-2
Whose fault is it when it seems like God is just not there? I’m not talking about when we are going through a dry spell in our spiritual lives or our ministries. I’m not even talking about trials and tribulations – those are the times when we should sense God’s presence.
There may be times when we just don’t feel like God is there. Prayers are not being answered, our Bible reading seems empty, and preaching seems dry and dead. What is the problem when that happens?
God’s hand is not shortened; His ear is not blocked so that He can’t hear. Clearly it is not God’s fault.
There is a problem however, and it is ours. “Your iniquities have separated you from God. Your sins have hid His face, He will not hear.” God cannot tolerate sin. Sin is so offensive to God that He turned His back on His Son on the cross. That being the case, what makes us think that He will hear us at all when sin? When we sin we cannot expect God to hear our prayers, we cannot expect to sense His presence
Whose fault is it? It is ours and our sin – God’s hand is still not shortened and His ears are still not blocked.
Whose fault is it when it seems like God is just not there? I’m not talking about when we are going through a dry spell in our spiritual lives or our ministries. I’m not even talking about trials and tribulations – those are the times when we should sense God’s presence.
There may be times when we just don’t feel like God is there. Prayers are not being answered, our Bible reading seems empty, and preaching seems dry and dead. What is the problem when that happens?
God’s hand is not shortened; His ear is not blocked so that He can’t hear. Clearly it is not God’s fault.
There is a problem however, and it is ours. “Your iniquities have separated you from God. Your sins have hid His face, He will not hear.” God cannot tolerate sin. Sin is so offensive to God that He turned His back on His Son on the cross. That being the case, what makes us think that He will hear us at all when sin? When we sin we cannot expect God to hear our prayers, we cannot expect to sense His presence
Whose fault is it? It is ours and our sin – God’s hand is still not shortened and His ears are still not blocked.
Friday, 13 October 2006
Seeing God’s blessings
“If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” - Isaiah 58v13-14
People try all kind of things to see “God’s blessings” on their lives and ministries. The problem is when looking for God’s “blessings” becomes the motivation. We can all get caught in this trap. We see what seems like everyone else prospering while we are just plodding along in mundane service.
How do we overcome this problem? Verse 13 seems to have a helpful application – 1) Delight in the Sabbath. The idea is not just keeping one special day as under the Law, but to delight in doing things God’s way and following His plan, 2) Honour God; 3) Stop seeking our own ways and our own pleasures, 4) Don’t speak our own words. Then in verse 14 God tells us that this is truly delighting in the Lord and we will ba able to rise above and ride upon the high places.
Our circumstance may not change, but when we learn to truly delight in Him we learn to rise above those circumstances. When we get our eyes off ourselves and on Him we learn to delight in whatever He has for us – then we truly have great delight!
People try all kind of things to see “God’s blessings” on their lives and ministries. The problem is when looking for God’s “blessings” becomes the motivation. We can all get caught in this trap. We see what seems like everyone else prospering while we are just plodding along in mundane service.
How do we overcome this problem? Verse 13 seems to have a helpful application – 1) Delight in the Sabbath. The idea is not just keeping one special day as under the Law, but to delight in doing things God’s way and following His plan, 2) Honour God; 3) Stop seeking our own ways and our own pleasures, 4) Don’t speak our own words. Then in verse 14 God tells us that this is truly delighting in the Lord and we will ba able to rise above and ride upon the high places.
Our circumstance may not change, but when we learn to truly delight in Him we learn to rise above those circumstances. When we get our eyes off ourselves and on Him we learn to delight in whatever He has for us – then we truly have great delight!
Thursday, 12 October 2006
A proper fast
“Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?” - Isaiah 58v6-7
In words that are much like what Jesus will use to later condemn the Pharisees Isaiah condemns “fasting for show” where people fast and abuse themselves in some kind of religiosity. There is no good in this, it is a vain attempt to placate ones own sin without dealing with the heart.
In these verses God gives us two things that should accompany our fasting. First, our fasting must be accompanied doing the spiritual work of “loosing the bands of wickedness, undoing burdens, and breaking the yoke of sin.” However, that is not really enough, there is a second component which most of us miss – there is a physical work that God wants His people to do – “deal bread to the hungry, bring the homeless to protection, and to clothe the naked.” Combined with what Jesus says about taking care of the needy as an indication of how we feel about Him, it at least appears that we must be doing something to care for the needy.
In words that are much like what Jesus will use to later condemn the Pharisees Isaiah condemns “fasting for show” where people fast and abuse themselves in some kind of religiosity. There is no good in this, it is a vain attempt to placate ones own sin without dealing with the heart.
In these verses God gives us two things that should accompany our fasting. First, our fasting must be accompanied doing the spiritual work of “loosing the bands of wickedness, undoing burdens, and breaking the yoke of sin.” However, that is not really enough, there is a second component which most of us miss – there is a physical work that God wants His people to do – “deal bread to the hungry, bring the homeless to protection, and to clothe the naked.” Combined with what Jesus says about taking care of the needy as an indication of how we feel about Him, it at least appears that we must be doing something to care for the needy.
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