Why does God repeat the same message over and over? Joel

Sometimes God has to give a message to us more than once.   In the book of Joel we read the same message as his contemporary, Zephaniah. Both of these prophets are telling us about the coming day of the Lord.   They are both warning the nation of the same thing.   God has to tell us more than once because we are dull of hearing spiritual things.   In the gospel we see Jesus telling the Pharisees and Disciples the same things over and over.  In Paul's writings we see the same themes and, sometimes, the exact words to different audiences (Romans and Galatians) and some times to the same audience (1 and 2 Corinthians).  The Bible message is not a complex system of religious rhetoric.   It is a message of God's Love, unfolded by His Mercy and Grace and supported by His perfect justice all directed depraved man.   Yet, we make it difficult and we reject it and we ignore it.   So, God has to repeat it.  Here He has to repeat the warning that they are going into captivity because of the sin and God is going to judge them and unbelievers for disbelief and disobedience.   They won't listen.   God will send more prophets.   Jesus was the last one.   They didn't listen to Him either.  

Where does a life of anger and emptiness come from? Proverbs 22

Proverbs 22:8

He who sows iniquity will reap vanity,

And the rod of his fury will perish.

Solomon's wisdom was given to him by God.   So, when we read something written by Solomon we need to realize the vast depth.  Though mere words they carry insights deeper than we can imagine. In the above proverb we have a psychological dissection of the inner man and how he works ... in his sin.  Solomon shows a complete correlation between sin (sowing iniquity) and anger.    Yes, Paul told us we could be angry "without" sin (Ephesians 4:26), but that is for righteous anger, not human, flesh anger.   Solomon also shows us a correlation between the "empty" life (reap "vanity") and the sowing of sin and producing of anger.   The interchanging of these symptoms (?) or actions or fruits gives us much insight into how to "change" problems.  Anger flows from a life of sin.   People who live in sin and are non-repenttive are destine to produce an empty life and a life that has the fruit of anger.   That anger, will eventually, says Solomon, be quenched by the life of emptiness. If we were to paraphrase the verse we might say it this way: He who sows sin will reap emptiness and all that anger will soon perish with the one who sows sin.    A psychologist might say it this way: A life of unconfessed sin produces shame ... shame will eventually produce an angry soul ... an angry soul will eventually be evident by a life that seems empty and full of nothing ... because it is.   

Do you see a drought or a place for a facet? Psalms 105-107

When we look at life through the eyes of faith we see different things.   We see what God "can" do not what is.   In this section of Psalms (105-107) we see the marvelous wonders of God and His providential working the lives of man.   We see Him harness His creation and bend it to the will and want of man.   God is firmly in control.  When we are lost in the sea of life and we are confounded by the pains the world can give us, we need to remember to look at life through the eyes of faith; which sees the world differently.  You and I see famine and dryness.   But with God on our side, we should see a pool of refreshment and a place of wonder:

Psalms 107:33 & 35

He changes rivers into a wilderness

And springs of water into a thirsty ground;

He changes a wilderness into a pool of water

And a dry land into springs of water;

It is hard to imagine that God can turn dryness into life and flowing with water, but that is what He does.  He can change the circumstance and He can change the heart in the circumstance.  He often prefers to the later over the former, however.   God wants us to see the possibility within a problem for HIs miraculous work rather than simply the problem.   A dry land is a place God is about to water, when we see it through the eyes of faith.   God desires to change all of our dryness to springs but first wants to change our eyes of flesh to eyes of faith. 

Peace is not only the absence of war ... 1 Chronicles 20-24

God gives peace.  God and only God can grant peace.   In 1 Chronicles 22:9 God tells King David that his son, Solomon, will reign when he is gone and God will give him rest from his enemies. Before we look at that further we should understand that there are two types of peace God provides.  One, listed here, is that He removes conflict from our lives. Peace becomes the absence of war.   But, in John 14:27 we read that God not only takes away the enemies, He also provides His Spirit.  So, in this case, peace is not the absence of something, but the presence of something.   God is telling David that in Solomon's day God will not only take away the enemy from him but will provide "rest".   Note what the verse says:

1 Chronicles 22:9

Behold, a son will be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.

God will not only take away the pain and the suffering the enemy can provide but also provide "rest" in its place.   Many people can acquire freedom from enemies, but only God can make the equation satisfied on each end ... He can take away the war AND provide the presence of rest through His Spirit.   Let us rejoice in the fact that God not only takes away the enemies, but through faith He provides HIs Spirit ... and quiets and rests our soul.   

Standing Tall in a Slouching Word - Numbers 13-17

When we stand tall in a slouching world, God sees it.   In the story of the spies going into the promise land you have the story of 12 men who came back with different feelings and a different direction based upon the same facts.  All 12 saw the milk and honey of the land.  All 12 saw the abundant grapes.  All 12 saw the tall giants.   But, only 2 were willing to see these giants through they eyes of faith in God rather than the eyes of flesh.   Caleb and Joshua saw these giants as simply a foe God would have to care for.  They remembered how God destroyed the Egyptians.  They remembered the meat God "fly" in from the sea to feed everyone.  They remembered God producing water from a rock.   They saw, by faith, what God could do while the other 10 saw what flesh could only see - giants in the land.   This is the prefect example of "group think" that is based upon fear rather than faith.   But, in the midst of the group the two "positive deviants" were willing to take a stand for God when the others around decided to slouch like the world.  The rest would die in the worldliness.   God took notice of these two men.  He would reward them.  God always notices those to take a stand in a slouching world.   Are you slouching or standing?   God notices. 

Take the gift and set it on fire today! 2 Timothy 1-2

In our society we have come to admire those who have special talents.   We especially hold the athlete in high esteem.  Those, who from their youth have practiced a sport or discipline and excel beyond all the others.   The Olympic games are a venue for such prodigies. Their parents make great sacrifice and commitment at an early age to produce a "gold" medal athlete/child.    If they lose in the olympics and age is on their side you see them return game after game to attain their goal of Olympic Gold.   Their parents, all along, there to make sure they do not tire or retire before their prize is won.   It is no doubt they go through several stages of energy in their quest.  Days they want to give up and days they want to slack.   Such is the same for young believers.   Timothy was a child prodigy of the faith.  Paul tells us that "from a child" he was taught and believed the Scriptures.   Even Timothy's grandmother was involved in formulating his knowledge.   Yet, Paul was worried that the flame for God would, or could, diminish and he gives young Timothy this warning:

2 Timothy 1:6

For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

Paul knows that the fire for God in our hearts, despite a heritage of deep roots, may glow dimmer and dimmer if we do not activity "kindle afresh" the gift we have been given.   Too many young believers let the flame go low or possibly even extinguish.   Paul sees that our part in our Salvation is by faith to keep the fire burning.   We toss sticks on the fire of the gospel by believing in His Word for daily challenges.  We fan the flames by trusting in His promises day-by-day.   When we do good works it pours fuel on the flames of His love to produce hot coals others can warm their hearts and hands around.   We have an obligation, through faith, to fan the flames of our salvation.   Today we are to "kindle afresh" the gift of God which is in us.  

Unfortunate problem or Miraculous potential? John 10-12

For hundreds of years man has been asking the question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Philosophers, psychologist, preachers and politicians have all voiced their opinion over the centuries. In chapter eleven of John we have an answer most to even fathom.   Apparently one of Jesus' disciples and personal friends was sick, unto death.  His name was Lazarus.  He was loved by the Lord. His sisters, Mary and Martha, had waited on Jesus and served Him faithfully.  They were all believers.   They were "good" peoples. Yet, Lazarus was dying and the Lord of the Universe was at their disposal.  Yet, note Jesus' response when told of this tragedy in the making:   

John 11:4-6

But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was.

Not only does Jesus "NOT" spring into action, He purposely delays His actions.   He even states that the sickness won't bring death.   Yet, that is what it will bring ... temporally.   We see here a marvelous clue as to "why" bad things happen to good people.   Jesus is going to use the "bad" thing to bring glory to Himself and the father.  Lazarus, Mary and Martha are only the vessels God is going to use "this time" to bring glory to Himself.   Without Lazarus dying Jesus can't bring Him back to life.   God brings and allows things to come into our lives for us to be vessels for His glory later.  Job had this experience.  Joseph had this experience.  David had this experience.   Moses had this experience.   You have this experience.  It is not that a bad thing happens to us but what Good thing will follow.  God wants to bring glory into our lives for HIs good.   We have a chance, in the midst of bad, to see His hand.   Moses is leaning on a rock in the desert that looked like a normal rock.   It was a normal rock until the nation of Israel complained about no water.   God made a fountain out of the rock.   Their thirst and complaining made way for God's miracle.     What miracle is God wanting to produce in your life as a result of your bad fortune?