November 30: Of First Instincts

Daniel 7:1-28

1 John 1:1-10

Psalm 119:153-176

Proverbs 28:23-24

In today's New Testament reading, John might as well have been speaking to Adam and Eve.  If you recall, after they sinned, their first instinct was to hide.  They were ashamed, they knew they had made themselves unworthy to be in the presence of God.  

For all the time that has passed since Adam and Eve first sinned, we aren't all that different from them, are we?  How often is it our first instinct when we sin to hide the hide the wrongdoing, to hope no one notices…yet how often are we ashamed we cannot face ourselves, much less others?  

The crazy thing is this: when we hide, when we pretend we haven't done anything wrong, we are doing EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE of what God wants us to do.  John is pretty clear: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  Think about that: He doesn't expect perfection - He expects us to fail, to sin!  Yet all He asks is our honesty, which He rewards with forgiveness and purification. 

Father, when inevitably, persistently, we sin, help us to resist the temptation to hide.  Rather, help us to boldly come before You and confess our sins, that we might receive the goodness, the mercy, the forgiveness, the purification You have promised.  

Thursday, November 28

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2019

"These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity -- for 'people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.' If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning." (2 Peter 2:17-20)

"Because I love your commands
more than gold, more than pure gold,
and because I consider all your precepts right,
I hate every wrong path." (Psalm 119:127,128)



Happy Thanksgiving! May God bless your continuing times with your loved ones over the coming days.

Today's reading from 2 Peter 2 highlights the dangers of false teachers and the fruit of their teaching. Their destructive heresies would cause others to stumble, bringing deception instead of truth. Their teaching would undermine the true Biblical teaching about Christ and His completed work on the cross, "even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute." (2:1,2) Peter explains that these teachers will act with impure motives, potentially greed. (2:3)

Peter wisely brings these warnings to his readers, recognizing that their popularity would rise in moments of struggle. As Peter explains, the greed inherent in their motives could seep into their teaching. In essence, their teaching promised comfort rather than the cross. Yet, as we read later, that false gospel of greed would erase the freedom that the true Gospel brings, enslaving people in depravity. (2:19)

Practically speaking, how may we avoid the potential traps set by these false teachers? According to the U.S. Treasury, in order to identify counterfeit bills, detectors should first have knowledge of genuine currency and a genuine note for comparison. Similarly, we determine spiritual falsehood by first knowing and comparing them with the truth. By extension, we must study and ingest God's Word so that we may compare the many claims that we hear and read daily with the truth. In other words, when we are faced with a claim, we may ask the simple question: "Does this idea or concept square with Biblical teaching?" If not, we should reject the teaching as potentially damaging to our integrity and well-being.

Our annual Bible-reading journey makes us ready to identify false teaching because of our exposure to the truth. May we cling faithfully to the One Whose truth will indeed set us free.


Lord God, thank You for the genuine Word that You have given us. Help us to hide this Word in our hearts so that we may evaluate different claims in light of its truth. Give us wise and discerning hearts so that we may embrace You and Your everlasting goodness instead of the fleeting pleasures of sin. In Jesus's mighty Name, amen.


________________________________________________________________________
596 Glenbrook Road, Unit 13 | "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection
Stamford, CT 06906-1423 | and the life. He who believes in me will
(C) 203.820.1741 | live, even though he dies; and whoever
(H) 203.355.9374 | lives and believes in me will never die.
(E) swe@edwa.info | Do you believe this?'" -- John 11:25,26

December 27

2 Peter

Who was Peter?  In his opening greeting, Peter introduces himself as a bond servant and apostle of Y'shua. I think it's important for us to remember that's not where Peter started and he had many struggles with faith along the way.  Before he was able to claim this identity, he had to make some life changes which, by the power of the Holy Spirit,  transformed and gradually changed him into the man Christ wanted him to be. It was by following Jesus, Peter learned that leadership is rooted and grounded in loving service to others and so his character became molded and shaped after the example he witnessed in Christ. Peter was with Jesus on that mountain top and saw Him in His glory, he heard the unique voice which announced Jesus's majesty as The Beloved Son, so in verses 16 through 21 he is whole hardheartedly expressing that prophesy was fulfilled in Jesus. Scripture was embedded in Peter's mind and heart so he was able to recognize that everything that was ever prophesied about Jesus was spoken by God and written under the power of the Holy Spirit and he witnessed it all. I believe in today's passage Peter is urging everyone who he is speaking to in the early churches to grasp this truth, by faith, and let their deeds reflect their faith and be demonstrated in their self control, patience, godliness, and brotherly love. I believe his message would be the same for us today and I pray for everyone reading this that we also grasp this truth. Our walk with Jesus is a mercy filled journey.  If Jesus can use twelve ordinary men (which Peter was one of), to advance His Kingdom, then He can certainly use you and I to the same end. I pray today, if we hear our Lord's voice, we do not harden our hearts. I pray we lead by serving, following the examples that have been set before us. I pray that like Peter, we become the sons and daughters Jesus wants us to be and by the power of the Holy Spirit He does a might work through us to spread the gospel.

Randi

November 23: Of Fighting to Lose What Has Already Been Won

Ezekiel 45:13-46:24

1 Peter 1:13-2:10

Psalm 119:33-48

Proverbs 28:11

In the futility of my solo battles against my sinfulness, some parts of the Bible are hard to read.  Today's NT reading is one of those for me.  I am to be "as obedient children," and "not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance."  I am to "be holy, because [God] is holy".  It gets worse…"rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind."  And as difficult as it is for me to forgive sometimes, I am to "have sincere love for each other", to "love one another deeply, from the heart."

Heck and there is really good reason why I am supposed to do this.  After all, I have been redeemed - "not with perishable things, such as silver or gold…but with the precious blood of Christ".  See, in my head, I KNOW this is a priceless gift, one I should be completely grateful for, one I should be reciprocating with my love and obedience.  Which is why sin is so frustratingly difficult - especially repetitive, signature sins.  What, then, to do?

Thankfully, the perfect sacrifice having been made for the atonement of our sins, we are spared the intricate procedures and sacrifices described in today's reading from Ezekiel.  Instead, as Paul says, we are to "come to Him, the living Stone" so that we also, "like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house…".  The battle against sin isn't ours to win - it's His, and He's already won it.  All we have to do is come to Him.

Today's psalm is really helpful in that regard: "Teach me, Lord, the way of Your decrees, that I may follow it to the end.  Give me understanding…direct me in the path of Your commands…turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain…turn my eyes away from worthless things…"

Father, when we are overwhelmed by how our sinfulness seems to restrain us from the perfection You demand, remind us that when we fight the battle, we fight it in vain because it is a battle we can only lose, and a battle You have already won.  Rather than fight to change, we present ourselves to You and ask that You teach us, direct us, turn our eyes away from the worthless, and our hearts towards You.

November 22

November 22, 2019

 

1 Peter 1:9  for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

 

Psalm 119:20  My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.

The belief in the soul is found in just about every culture. From the Native American Indian in Connecticut to the Buddhist in Thailand everyone believes we have some kind of soul. It is interesting how this soul idea is found in our culture.

 

May God rest his soul.

"All Soul's Day" comes two days after Halloween.

SOS … Save our souls

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.

And how can we forget about the best music ever created…. Soul Music.

 

But why is the soul so important? Because from the soul flows all the values, strength, direction and harmony of life. If our soul gets out of joint everything in life is out of joint. When our souls are healthy and strong, we are in harmony with God and the world.

 

Our souls are also eternal. That makes soul care the top priority today. We waste so much of our time on stuff that inevitably ends up in a land fill. Our souls will last for all eternity. That is why we must look after them and keep investing in them.

 

Pastor John Ortberg puts it this way, "There are two things for sure. One is: you have a soul. The other is: if you don't look after this one you won't be issued a replacement."  So, take time today to develop your soul.  There is nothing more important!

 

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, November 21

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2019

"Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  As you know, we count as blessed those who persevered.  You have heard about Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." (James 5:10,11)

In the Scriptures, the New Testament frequently mentions "standing firm" or "persevering" as a hallmark Christian virtue.  James points his readers to the example of the prophets and Job, who showed patience in the face of suffering.  The last sentence above refers to God's restorative power in Job's life, but it also applies generally to all those who persevere, receiving reward in heaven.

Given the struggles of this life and our tendency towards weakness, how can we continue to stand firm and persevere?

(1) Remember that longtime perseverance develops out of many small decisions.  We often discount the impact of "small decisions," thinking that the consequences are minimal.  Taken individually, that analysis may hold water.  Yet, our lives' course follows the path of our compounded decisions.  These small decisions affect our attitudes and actions over the long term.  In short, we must soberly remember that the small decisions are important.  Faithfulness comes through many small decisions that add up to a life of perseverance.

(2) Partner with a fellow warrior.  Many Scriptural examples show us saints who persevered almost alone.  As Pastor Scott has explained, feeling alone can lead us away from honoring God.  As an antidote—and by God's grace in the time of the Church—we have brothers and sisters ready to stand with us, if we would only forge the bonds of friendship.  As Elders, we pray for the faithfulness of our Grace Church family.  As individuals, we can link up with one or more friends, resolving that we are in one another's corners, especially when the road gets tough.  Whose corner would you occupy in times of trouble?

(3) Seek God consistently.  As David shared in Psalm 84, one day in God's presence is better than thousands elsewhere.  By reading Scripture, worshiping, praying, and fellowshipping with God's people, your heart can become strengthened for difficult moments.  While we are always vulnerable to temptation, removing ourselves from core spiritual disciplines makes us more vulnerable.  Seeking God daily represents a great "small decision."  As you face temptation and struggles, present them before Your Father.  He hears us, knows us, and cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7)  By the Spirit's power, we are made ready for each day; connecting with God makes that possible.

Lord God, thank You for standing with us in times of struggles and persecution.  Thank You that You never leave us nor forsake us.  Strengthen our hearts and minds for this day ahead.  Make us ready to face today and help us to take the course of faithfulness in today's many choices.  Help us to know You better through our time with You today.  We love You and give You our hearts, minds, souls, and spirits.  In Jesus's Name, amen.

Nov.20

James 4

I get to spend my day with kindergartners. Watching them interact can be anywhere on the spectrum from entertaining to frustrating depending on what's going on. Some have not turned 5 yet and the idea of sharing, compromising, and talking issues out is far fetched to say the least. What I've noticed is that when they interact they all think they're right based on what they feel in the moment. What they disagree over is usually based on their own paradigm, desires and self gratification. There are days I'm not sure how different I am than any of them and in reading today's passage, I think that is exactly what James is warning us about.  As Christ followers, our feelings and fleshly desires, when not checked against the word of God and evaluated for our motives, are exactly what cause quarrels.  When we don't stop and pray and realign hearts with Christ we find ourselves giving into the ways of the world instead of the ways of God. It is easy to see how we can encounter conflicts. Conflicts are not created by the Spirit of God and are created when our motives and desires are outside of the principles of the Kingdom. The Spirit of God does not create envy or give way to pride. I think what James wants us to understand is that when our perspective is not Kingdom centered and is more personal centered that's when we will be likely to give into the temptation or conflict. God's word is Spirit breathed truth and the foundation of who we are in the body of Christ. It's what unites us as keeps us as one. Only by the power of the Holy Spirit's conviction will we be able to check ourselves, set aside our pride aside, and humble ourselves before God so that we can receive grace and be lifted up. Lord, we thank You for grace. I pray that by the power of Your Spirit when faced with choices today we resist the enemy and set our minds on things above that reflect Your Kingdom and bring You honor and glory.

Randi

November 16: Of Cold Train Platforms, Sin and Watchmen

Ezekiel 33:1-34:31

Hebrews 13:1-25

Psalm 115:1-18

Proverbs 27:21-22

From Ezekiel:

   6: "But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone's life, that person's life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood."

   11: "Yet you Israelites say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' But I will judge each of you according to your own ways."   

   20:"Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.  Turn!  Turn from your evil ways!  Why will you die, people of Israel'"

"Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters."

- Hebrews 13:1

It was 22F at 5:45 AM the other day while I was on the way to the train station.  My wife told me to dress warmly and, grumbling because I'd already dressed, I did.  As I stood on the open platform with a wind that made it feel 5 degrees colder I was grateful to her for loving me enough to point out what she knew, and to persist when I was being stubborn.  Had I insisted on lighter clothing, the consequences would have been very uncomfortable.  See I could choose my clothing, but I could not dictate the temperature. 

Scripture teaches us God gave us free will, and Adam and Eve showed us that sin is the exercise of that free will in disobedience to God.  When they ate the forbidden fruit, their reasons didn't matter...and having sinned, they made themselves imperfect, and therefore devoid of the perfection being in God's presence demanded.  They couldn't choose to sin, then demand they get to stay.  

It is so very different today.  Not only do we sin, we insist that the sin is good, and we demand results inconsistent with our sinfulness.  We contort a right so we can justify the murder of infants, we reduce marriage from a lifelong commitment to each other and to God to a disposable convenience...and then we wonder why people - children in particular - seem to have such less regard for human life.  We reward participation instead of perseverance, and pursue equality instead of excellence, and we wonder why so many of the next generation seem so much more fragile, so much more entitled.  We diminish sacred intimacy to an act of transactional self gratification, and we wonder why respect and relationships, each by definition selfless, are so much more difficult to build these days.

To make matters worse, we have watchmen who call us out, who know that God would much prefer we live with Him, rather than choose to live apart from Him.  But the world calls them bigoted, "haters".  And in yet another distortion, quotes scripture such as from Hebrews above, and insists that love means acceptance not just of the person, but of the sinful choices they make.  

When you are in the midst of the battle, it is easy to get discouraged.  It is tempting to give up, to stop blowing the trumpet and warning the people.  When we feel that way, perhaps we can remember Paul's prayer for the Hebrews:

     "Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip [us] with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory for ever and ever.  Amen."

Nov 15

November 15, 2019

Hebrews 12:14 

 "Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. (NLT)

Let me interact with the second part of this verse. Work at living a "holy" life means that we have a plan and are totally committed to implementing it. What is your plan for holiness?  Let me share mine. I use the word "PURITY" as an acrostic so I can remember it.

"P" Put your name by a signature sin. We must know our key weakness and where Satan is going to attempt to trip us up. This means we own our sin and stop blaming others for it.

 "U" Unmask who you are before God.  Get honest with God and admit that you can't win this battle alone.  Say to the Lord, "this is who I am and I need both your forgiveness and your strength to overcome this sin." It is only with the power of the Holy Spirit that we will gain the victory. There is no victory without frontline prayer.

"R" Replace old patterns with new possibilities. Our signature sin has created bad patterns of thinking and behaving in our lives. Getting rid of those patterns involves replacing them with godly patterns. It takes about 30 days to break an old pattern.

"I" Identify your new Identity. Choose a new identity. Are you a sinner or a saint? Before Christ I was a different person. Now I am in Christ, and He is in me. I am a new creation; my old identity has gone. The gospel changes our identity. 

"T" Trust a friend to help you. God never intended us to take this journey alone. Develop a trusted friendship and confess your sins. We all need someone to stand with us in the battle.

"Y" Yell at the start and the finish. We must not give a sin more than 5 seconds of airtime before we launch a violent counterattack. First we shout, "NO! Get out of my head. Oh God, in the name of Jesus help me. Save me now, I am yours."  Then when we are victorious, we shout out, "Praise the Lord for giving me the victory." 

Jesus can give us the power to live a holy life. But we must practice PURITY.

 

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, November 14

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2019

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:1-3)

This passage transitions out of Hebrews 11, a recounting of the Hall of Faith.  The "great cloud of witnesses" refers to the saints of ages past, whom the Hebrew believers could see as examples and models for their budding faith.  The same trust and reliance on God, which has allowed them to carry through despite grave challenges and even abandonment by everyone else, could carry these young Christians—and us as well.

We not only have the testimony of the witnesses, but also the presence and strength of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We can look to His perseverance and follow His example of staying faithful.

Practically speaking, whom do you seek to exemplify?  To whom do you look as a role model?  What values do those role models exhibit?

Our role models will shape us and normalize our thinking to fit a certain mold.  In Christ, we may experience a renewing of our mind and spirit, guided into truth and holiness by the Holy Spirit.  If we submit our minds to the Lordship of Christ, we find freedom and purpose beyond ourselves.

Where are you looking for inspiration today?

Lord God, thank You for the great cloud of witnesses and freedom through the renewing of our minds.  Help us to identify and connect with solid, godly role models.  Give us strength by the power of Your Holy Spirit to live in submitted obedience, to Your honor and glory.  In Jesus's Name, amen.

Nov. 13

Psalm 111, Hebrews 11

In the past few weeks of prayer, I have been brought to tears in awe of God. I think I'm extolling him with all my heart (v.1) but it probably doesn't even scratch the surface compared with the first day of heaven. Think back to Genesis 1. Everything starts with His creation. We read in Hebrews 11 that faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see, and it is by this same faith we believe that the universe was formed at God's command. What we see now in the planets, the stars, and the world around us was not made out of anything that was visible or already existed, it was created by the spoken word of God. Once we base our life on that truth, we see not only God's plan for redemption and His hand for provision, we can also begin to see that God exists beyond everything and anything we could possibly imagine. Wouldn't it be wonderful if this could be the irresistible faith that people see in us? Let's add our names to the Hall of Faith in today's reading. By faith, we will keep our eyes fixed on the hope and promise of Jesus until His return.

Randi

November 9: Of Troubles, Trust and Obedience

Ezekiel 20:1-49

Hebrews 9:11-28

Psalm 107:1-43

Proverbs 27:11

There's the joke about the guy who, having fallen halfway down a cliff and clinging for dear life to a small plant, with no way back up or safely down, cries out for help.  A loud voice replies, offering to save him but asking for his trust.  When the man agrees, the voice - God - tells him to let go of the plant, at which point the man seeks a second opinion: "Is there anyone else up there?"

Let's think about that in the context of today's psalm for a second.  The psalm tells of "the redeemed".  There are four groups of them in the reading - the first were lost and hungry; the second imprisoned in darkness because of their actions; the third were fools, in despair because of their choices; and the fourth were simply living their lives, afflicted but what life brought.   The first group was fed and housed, the second set free, the third saved from their bad choices, the fourth got through life's storms.  

What's interesting is they all did the same thing the guy on the cliff did: "they cried to the Lord in their trouble".  The difference is, when God answered, I believe each of the four groups listened, and then obeyed.  They didn't ask for a second opinion.  They didn't pretend they knew better.   They didn't demand God help them the way THEY wanted.

We are all going to find ourselves on that cliff in one way, shape or form, often, throughout our lives.   Helpless, we are going to need help, be it from God or from any of the resources He sends into our lives - pastors and doctors, for example.  Like that man on the cliff, like Naaman in the Old Testament, we will have a choice: to listen, to trust and obey…or not.  Father, when faced with that situation, inspire us to You, and to obey.  

November 8

Ezekiel 18 November 8, 2019

Combining Ezekiel and Hebrews

No Jesus – No Peace

Know Jesus – Know Peace

The old covenant was a two-sided deal. If the people observed God's laws and commands, and they kept them perfectly, he would bless them and give them life. But if they failed to live as his law instructed, they would suffer for it. The penalty was death for violations of the holy law. Wouldn't you know it?  Before the ink was dry on the old covenant, they had already broken it several times. This nation was given every advantage to encourage them on the path of keeping the rules. They had seen tremendous God sightings time after time, but just a few hours after a supernatural act, they were back in their sinful habits. All of this is a picture of the human heart. There are no "good people." We have all violated God's holy standard.

But fast forward to Jesus and the new covenant.  The keeping of this covenant will come from the inside of our hearts. This new covenant focuses on the beauty of Jesus, not the keeping of the rules. As a result of this new focus, we strive to keep the rules, but we do so out of love. Yet throughout the whole deal, we do not claim our innocence; we claim the amazing grace of Jesus. We admit that we have all fallen short of perfection and need to repent of our sins.

The blessing of today is not in our human effort to keep the rules; our focus is on the beauty of Jesus and knowing Him.

It is true…. Know Jesus and Know Peace.

 

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, November 7

"Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being." (Hebrews 8:1,2)


The Book of Hebrews continues to expand on the supremacy of Christ's priesthood. In the priesthood, select individuals served on behalf of the nation, seeking to bring reconciliation between God and man. In Himself, Christ served as the ultimate High Priest, becoming a guarantor of a better covenant. Unlike the human priests, Christ carried out His work in the heavenly realms and has "sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven." Importantly, Christ has finished His work -- through a once-for-all sacrifice.

For the Old Testament priesthood, the covenant brought only temporary appeasement of God's wrath. As a result, the sacrificial system continued day after day, year after year. The Lord Jesus Christ triumphed by His sacrificial death, at which point God tore the Temple's curtain in two. No longer would there need to be a sharp divide between God and His followers. Those who have trusted in Christ have complete access to the throne of God's grace, as Christ has opened wide the doors.



"Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice." (Proverbs 27:9)

Proverbs often celebrates the wonderful blessing of friendship. Our friends shape and sharpen us. As members of Christ's Body, we benefit from having brothers and sisters who also identify with Christ. Those relationships can give life and encourage our continued growth in Christ.

In order to build great friendships, we will do well to invest greatly in friendship. Listening and caring about others' situations will help us to show this "pleasantness." We can never really give "heartfelt advice" until we have "felt" for another person in our heart. We vulnerably welcome others into our hearts in friendship, seeking to grow together.

For which friends could you give thanks today? How could you appreciate and celebrate them and God's provision?



Lord God, thank You for the surety of the new covenant in Christ. Help us to understand Your fullness and purposes in Christ. Give us practical ways to love others as friends and to grow together. We thank You for Your friendship and concern for us. In Jesus's Name, amen.



________________________________________________________________________
596 Glenbrook Road, Unit 13 | "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection
Stamford, CT 06906-1423 | and the life. He who believes in me will
(C) 203.820.1741 | live, even though he dies; and whoever
(H) 203.355.9374 | lives and believes in me will never die.
(E) swe@edwa.info | Do you believe this?'" -- John 11:25,26

Blog Post 6th November 2019

Ezekiel 14:12-16:42

Hebrews 7:18-28

Psalm 106:1-12

Proverbs 27: 4-6

 

In today's verses, we see idolaters being condemned. In Ezekiel, we see that God condemned the elders for worshiping idols in their hearts and then daring to come to God's prophet for advice. On the outside, they appeared to worship God, making visits to the temple to offer sacrifices. However, they were not sincere. We may have idols in our hearts when we pursue reputation, wealth, acceptance or sensual pleasure with the intensity and commitment that should be reserved for serving God. God wants to recapture the hearts

of his people. We must never let anything captivate our imagination in a way that replaces or weakens our devotion to God. We must remember that the relationship our pastor, family or friends have with God will not protect us from the consequences of our own sins. Each person is responsible for his or her own relationship with God. Is your faith personal and real, or are you resting in what others have done?

If we push God aside for anything, even education, family, career, or pleasure, we are abandoning him in the same way. Many Christians regard the advice of priests and ministers, Christian friends, and even pop musicians before they consider the words of Jesus written in the Bible. I know I am guilty of this as when I have faced troubles I have gone to close friends or gone to music to look for comfort and answers. When in fact, I should first go to Jesus and the word of God for guidance and comfort. Above all else I must seek a relationship with Christ.

At the end of the day, our good deeds cannot save us or make us right with God but it is by the grace of God that we are saved. Salvation comes through Christ, whose sacrifice brings forgiveness of our sins. So how can we draw near to God? Our spirit needs and wants closeness with God. We want to know the living God personally, not as an idea or concept.

 

I pray that we draw near to God  through prayer, worship and Bible meditation.  Also, that we use the word of God everyday to draw nearer and nearer to him. I pray that we all work on our relationship with God throughout our day to day lives, Amen.

 

 

 

We can accept the gift of salvation by faith, trusting entirely in Jesus for that salvation. We can do this with a simple prayer "Dear God, I trust in Jesus alone. Please forgive my sins through him, and give me the eternal life secured by your son. Amen."

November 2: Of Tomato Sauce, Adobo and Obedience

Ezekiel 3:16-6:14

Hebrews 4:1-16

Psalm 104:24-35

Proverbs 26:27

Two Saturdays in a row, I've inflicted my cooking on the unsuspecting and the helpless - my daughter and her four housemates last week, my wife and two sons today.  I cooked the same recipes - a fresh crushed tomato pasta sauce, and a variation on an Filipino staple - chicken adobo, but with coconut milk and crushed red peppers added to the soy sauce, coconut vinegar, garlic and black pepper.  I found the recipes in a publication, written by someone whose reputation as a chef was pretty credible.  So I got to know the chef, and then I followed her instructions.  I admit there were a couple of times I hesitated - "coconut milk?  Really?" - but from the response of five hungry fresh graduates (one of them an occasional vegetarian) in the end I was happy I followed chef's instructions to the letter.  I didn't realize it would turn out so good.

The thing is, we can be pretty good at following instructions to the letter.  Recipes are just one example.  I mean, have you ever tried assembling Ikea furniture or a massive Lego toy without diligently following the manual step by step?  We do so willingly, however difficult, tedious, even infuriating obedience might be, because we trust the source and believe something good will come of it in the end.  Why then, I wonder, is it so difficult to follow God's instructions to the letter?  And what can we learn from Ezekiel in today's reading?  

Let's think for a second about how we might have reacted had we heard God give us the instructions he gave Ezekiel.  "Uh, God, did you say 390 days one one side?  And then another 40 days on the other?"  Or "wait, you want me to cook my bread with WHAT?!"  If you are anything like me, you would have at the very least asked "why?"  And you might have demanded to understand why, perhaps even agree, before you obeyed.

I ask myself why it is so easy to obey a cook I've never met and struggle to obey God?  Why was Ezekiel able to obey such difficult instructions when I probably wouldn't have?  I think there are two answers.  The first is that the stakes with God are so much higher.  Because He wants to give us so much more than a good meal, what He asks of us is so much greater.  The second is that Ezekiel knew God - so intimately, in fact, that he conversed with Him; he spoke to God, and he heard God's answers.  

So Father, after eating the chicken and reading about Ezekiel, I pray that You allow me to get to know You, so much that when we converse, I can hear You speak to me.  And when You tell me to do something, remind me that what You want for me is so much better than anything I might cook for myself, and give me the desire to obey You, unquestioningly and to the letter.

Nov 1

November 1, 2019

Hebrews 3

Typically, we think of worship as us talking to God. But you really honor someone when you listen to them. There is a time to joyfully shout in worship, but there is also a time to quietly listen in worship.  Listening prayer is a holy habit we all need to work on in our technically driven world.

I constantly meet people who say, "I don't hear the Lord speaking." Could it be that you are distracted?  We live in a noisy world with our smart phones, computers, TV, radios, workouts, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and PlayStations.

 So, as the Holy Spirit says: 

"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…

Three truths about listening to God.

1. The voice is God is a whisper not a shout, we shout he doesn't. We won't hear his voice above the 1000 cacophonous sounds that assault our ears unless we intentionally draw away from the world. How many minutes of solitude will you have today with the Lord? 

2. The voice of God won't break through sin; if we have sin in our lives that will block his voice.  

3. The voice of God is only heard by the desperate.

Psalm 42:1   As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.

Jeremiah 29:13  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

There is no more important task today than hearing the voice of God. Take time right now to quiet your soul and tune your spiritual ears to his voice.

A great Frontline prayer comes from the young boy Samuel, "Speak Lord, your servant is listening."  Pray that today and then listen. 

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Friday Blog - Scott Taylor

November 1, 2019

Hebrews 3

Typically, we think of worship as us talking to God. But you really honor someone when you listen to them. There is a time to joyfully shout in worship, but there is also a time to quietly listen in worship.  Listening prayer is a holy habit we all need to work on in our technically driven world.

I constantly meet people who say, "I don't hear the Lord speaking." Could it be that you are distracted?  We live in a noisy world with our smart phones, computers, TV, radios, workouts, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and PlayStations.

 So, as the Holy Spirit says: 

"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…

Three truths about listening to God.

1. The voice is God is a whisper not a shout, we shout he doesn't. We won't hear his voice above the 1000 cacophonous sounds that assault our ears unless we intentionally draw away from the world. How many minutes of solitude will you have today with the Lord? 

2. The voice of God won't break through sin; if we have sin in our lives that will block his voice.  

3. The voice of God is only heard by the desperate.

Psalm 42:1   As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.

Jeremiah 29:13  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

There is no more important task today than hearing the voice of God. Take time right now to quiet your soul and tune your spiritual ears to his voice.

A great Frontline prayer comes from the young boy Samuel, "Speak Lord, your servant is listening."  Pray that today and then listen. 

 

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"