Monday Blog Post 10/14/13

Monday, October 14, 2013

Jeremiah 25

 

"Again and again the Lord has sent you his servants, the prophets, but you have not listened or even paid attention. ⁵ Each time the message was this: 'Turn from the evil road you are traveling and from the evil things you are doing. Only then will I let you live in this land that the Lord gave to you and your ancestors forever." (Jeremiah 25:4-5)

 

Reading through Jeremiah, I am amazed at how consistent his message is.  It had to have been difficult to preach the same message over and over again.  Yet, this was God's word to God's people – "How many times do I have to tell you the same thing?"

 

2007 – probably one of the worst years of my life!

I had decided that I wanted to leave a solid job that I had worked for 8 years in order to pursue a career in teaching.  I remember the conversations that I had with several people that were very close to me.  Each of them asked me the same thing:  "You're leaving your 9-to-5-well-paying-job (with no stress and no work to take home) to teach twenty-five 10 year olds, write lesson plans, and grade papers on the weekends?  Why?"  Those were good questions.  Each time I heard them they made me think.  The simple answer to them both was that I wanted to do what I wanted to do.  I got my opportunity and did my time for the next 10 months taking two Tylenol every day at 3:15pm.  God had sent people to ask me the hard questions and I had thought about not going through with teaching, but in the end it was as if I had never listened or paid attention at all.  I simply wanted to have it my way – and, I did…the hard way.

 

How many times does God have to tell us the same thing before we get it?  How many times do we have to bang our heads against the wall before we realize that it hurts? So often we want things to be our way, but there is a cost.  It cost the Israelites the land God had given them and many lives.  What is it costing us?  What are we missing out on that God has desired to do in and through us?

 

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:  "Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved.  In quietness and confidence is your strength.  But you would have none of it." (Isaiah 30:15)

 

"So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion.  For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help."  (Isaiah 30:18)

 

Lord, please help us to not only hear You, but to also obey You.

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"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26)

Kenny Sullivan

(201) 218-0751

שלום

October 13

2 Thessalonians 1 October 13, 2013

 

Since the ladies are away on a retreat I am going to tell a story from one of the most brilliant and perceptive theologians of our time, Rocky Balboa. It comes from the final film in the series (we hope) and the aging Rocky is inspired to fight his last match against the undefeated heavyweight champion. Many people, including his son, believe Rocky will be humiliated. Rocky sits down with his son but their conversation quickly deteriorates into an argument. Rocky knowing that his son doesn't understand the heart of a winner tries to teach him.

Rocky tells his son, "But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward—how much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! You gotta be willing to take the hits and not point fingers, saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him or her or anybody! Cowards do that, and that's not you!"

Life isn't easy. Even Rocky knows this. The question isn't whether life is going to hit you hard. The question is, when life hits you, will you be a winner or a whiner?  Winners take the hits and move forward, whiners blame other people for their problems.

The people in the city of Thessalonica were going through some terrible life storms. The year was 51 A.D. and Timothy had been sent to the city to see how things were going. Upon his return Paul was overjoyed that although they had been hit by persecution and injustice, they were standing steadfast and they were proving themselves to be winners. 

Every person reading this knows how difficult life can be. But if we are going to become winners we must continue to grow our faith even when everything screams for us to abandon God. Winners persevere and endure trials. Winners also focus on the promises of God and not the problems. God will pay back unjust people. There is a judgment day coming for all troublemakers. Winners realize that even when we are knocked down on the canvas we can appropriate God's power and stand up again. And when we beat the 10 count, this brings glory and honor to the name of Jesus Christ.

If you are knocked down today, get up and strengthen your faith. It's time to get back into the arena.

 

 

 

 

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"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

October 12: Birthdays and Marching Orders

Jeremiah 19:1-21:14

1 Thessalonians 5:4-28

Psalm 82:1-8

Proverbs 25:9-10

Birthdays galore - as we meditate on God's word, perhaps we might remember two celebrants: my sister Cindy, and our brother Chad.  God bless them both!

=========================

What deceptively difficult marching orders.  

"Acknowledge those who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you...hold them in the highest regard in love.  Live in peace with each other.  Warn those who are idle and disruptive...be patient with everyone.  Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.  Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances."

Ouch.  Where to begin?  How often have I, rightly or wrongly, felt slighted and wanted to retaliate?  How often have I nursed and nurtured the hurt, dreaming of painful payback?  How often have I grown frustrated with those whom I thought did not do their fair share, did not carry their own weight...and how easy was it to let my tongue grow sharp and let loose some cutting remark.  How difficult has it been to be patient with the shortcomings I find in others which I am pretty certain others see in me as well. And how impossible is it, when things are going wrong, to give thanks?  And when when being rightly admonished, to hold that person in the highest regard, in love.  

I don't know if my inability to adhere to these guidelines is a manifestation of my relationship with God.  Either way, I know I fall short.  Grievously, perpetually.  Which is why I am grateful for the blessing that follows - that "God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify us through and through.  May our whole spirit, soul and body, be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The One who calls us is faithful, and He will do it."  What a reassurance that all this goodness comes to me not by my strength, but by His works.  

10/11/13

10/11/13

The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, "Go down to the potter's shop, and I will speak to you there." So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Then the Lord gave me this message: "O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand. If I announce that a certain nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed, but then that nation renounces its evil ways, I will not destroy it as I had planned. And if I announce that I will plant and build up a certain nation or kingdom, but then that nation turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless it as I said I would. (Jeremiah 18:1-10 NLT)

Wow, what a vision of God's wonderful plan for His people. But we think about God's plan, and usually we think about God having everything in our lives planned out. I'm not so sure about that idea. That does not seem like something God would do. God is not boring. I think that the idea of everything being planned is kinda a boring idea. God created us and gave us a thing called choice, by which He gave us freedom to live lives with Him, or without him. And I think that this passage agrees with my idea. I also think that the book of Jonah also agrees with this idea. God wants people to change, he begs them to turn to Him, but it requires our willingness, and our desire to do so. Even here, God is asking His people to change their hearts, and promises that the foretold will not become the reality if hearts are changed. It is all about a heart that is focused and centered on the Creator of the world.

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Thursday, October 10

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013

Jeremiah 14:11–16:15

1 Thessalonians 2:10–3:13

Psalm 80:1–19

Proverbs 25:1–5

 

 

Today’s reading in 1 Thessalonians provides a unique view into the missionary Paul and his beloved friends in Christ, even though they had shared less than a month together.  In Christ, their connection had strengthened through the Gospel, and their similar experiences of persecution had knitted them together in hope of the Second Coming.

 

 

“For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.” (1 Thessalonians 2:11,12)

 

Paul demonstrates how those who would like to win souls and to build up the church must approach their ministry with a spirit of flexibility, becoming “all things to all men.” (1 Thessalonians 9:22)  In yesterday’s passage from 1 Thessalonians, we read how Paul had treated the Thessalonian believers as a nurturing mother.  Here, he explains how he encouraged, comforted, and urged his children in the Lord, helping them to live worthily for God Himself.  He had prepared the Thessalonians to become fruitful, bringing renown to the Name of Christ:  “And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.  The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia — your faith in God has become known everywhere.  Therefore, we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,  and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead — Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.” (1 Thessalonians 1:7–10)

 

 

“And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

 

Please note that the word of God holds its own authority.  Its eternal value contrasts with the passing value of man’s wisdom.  Furthermore, the word of God, which may represent both the Scriptures or the Gospel, actively changes our hearts.  Hebrews 4:12,13 explains:  “…  The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

 

 

“For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes?  Is it not you?  Indeed, you are our glory and joy.” (1 Thessalonians 2:19)

 

Both letters to the Thessalonians discuss the Second Coming of Christ quite prominently, with Paul’s words turning to this subject, either directly or indirectly, in each chapter.  For Paul the servant of God, he found his “glory and joy” in the lives of the faithful Thessalonians, not in the trappings of the world.  A growing love for souls may empower evangelism and bring righteous joy in witnessing changed lives in the Gospel.

 

 

“Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you.  May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.  May he strengthen your hearts to that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with his holy ones.” (1 Thessalonians 3:11–13)

 

Paul prays for an overflowing love and a strengthening of the Thessalonians’ heart to become “blameless and holy.”  In this chapter and in No. 4, Paul frames no just his desire for the believers, but also God’s will for them.  We may benefit from joining Paul in praying these items for Grace Church and for our friends and relatives in Christ:  that we might become ready for Christ’s coming.

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Jeremiah 12-14:10, I Thessalonians 1:1-29, Psalm 79, Proverbs 24:34

Jeremiah 12-14:10, I Thessalonians 1:1-29, Psalm 79, Proverbs 24:34

Whenever Divan and I travel, I always make a soundtrack for our trip with songs that will make us laugh, me dance, and sing at the top of my lungs. They (obviously) consist of tunes inspired or based on the adventure. We just got back from South Africa and I can tell you that D is pretty sick of The Lion King (there is only so many times I can sing "The Circle of Life") and my parents had to endure the story of "The Elephant's Child" a few more times then intended. "The Elephant's Child" is a folk tale narrated by Jack Nicholson about how the elephant got its trunk after an encounter with a hungry crocodile in the forests of the Limpopo River. We of course know that God created the mighty elephant with trunks and all. These old folk stories and myths also give explanation of how constellations get stuck in the sky, how the rabbit got their ears, and how the tiger got its stripes. These stories all start with the subject lacking and missing something and because x, y, and z occurred, they gained a new status or feature...into how we know them today. Jeremiah 13:22-23 really got my attention today. It brings up the obvious- that the Ethiopian can not change his skin and the leopard cannot change its spots. There is an obvious feature for every created being that can not be altered. The bottom line is man will never be good.

Out story begins with the Creator, Adam, Eve, and the fall of man. We were created "good" but with the quick entrance of sin, we are all born with sin and no matter how hard we scrub the dirt, we will ways remain messy. These chapter in Jeremiah are peppered with questions directed at God, "Why is it easier for the wicked? Why do THEY have it so good? Why does this happen to me!" And it even ties in with our reading in Psalms 79, "How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever?" These are big questions we have everyday... That I face everyday! I wanna be good, I think I'm good, but all this crap happens! I know I can't change my spots, I can't change my skin. I try to cover things up (yes I love make-up) but no matter how much I cover up, I will always have my skin, I will always have my spots, I can "neither do good who [is] accustomed to doing evil." In a few days we will hear Paul identify himself as "The worst of sinners." (I Timothy 1:16).

There are all these questions and these chapters in Jeremiah are honestly, the hardest for me to read. I cringe and make faces at seeing God in this way. It's hard for me to think of my loving God being so angry, so full of wrath. He has poured out His cup so much, he acts with discipline. I wish I feared more, but my heart is filled with deep sadness instead. I don't know if this is right or not, but I ache for Israel. I ache for our hard hearted country. I ache for the lost. But as always, there is an answer, there is hope. Even through these red chapters I have been able to write the word "hope". In these verses we see the need and the answer is Christ. We are all from generation to generation in need of Christ, the "Savior in times of distress." We will always have sin like the leopard has spots, like the elephant has its trunk, but because of sin, we are able to have salvation, hope, and mercy through Christ alone. If it wasn't for this ugliness, we would never know the BEAUTY of Christ Jesus, of His sacrifice and the fulfillment of Gods compassion and love for us.

October 8

Jeremiah 10-11

Colossians 3:18-4:18

Psalm 78:56-72

Proverbs 24:28-29

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.  Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains.  Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.

Colossians 4:2-4

I will never stop being amazed at how Paul could write letters of encouragement to other believers while he himself was in prison. He instructed others to devote themselves to prayer with a thankful heart while he himself was in prison. He asked them to pray for him that he would make the most of every opportunity while he himself was in prison. Paul saw a purpose to his suffering and didn't dwell on it. He continued to focus on God and His plan and His purpose for everything.

I'm glad for this reminder because I often forget. When life gets difficult or I run into a bump in the road, my first thought is to focus on the problem and ask "why me" and feel sorry for myself. As we know, this is not what Paul did. He continued to do God's work the entire time he was imprisoned and God used him for His great plan despite his limitations. 

Please pray for me and my family at this time, that we would put our trust in the Lord with an alert mind and a thankful heart. My grandfather passed away last month. He had been taking care of my grandmother (who was in advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease). This past Saturday, my grandmother passed away. Please pray especially for my mom and her siblings, that despite losing both parents in about a month, that all of us will lean completely on Jesus.