Psalms 148:5-6
Let them praise the name of the Lord!
For he commanded and they were created.
And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
Subject: God Sustains Creation
In Paul''s letter to the Colossians, he is speaking about the supremacy of Christ. He wants all believers to know that Christ is deserving of our praise because He is above all things. He can therefore save us to the uttermost. In that letter he makes this supremacy claim with verses like this:
Colossians 1:16-17
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
In the above Psalm we have the OT basis for Paul's doctrine. God created the universe and by Him all things hold together. By His "decree." Mankind thinks the heavens and the earth are going to be destroyed. They eventually will, but not by green-house gases; rather by the same Word that Created it. God created the world by His Word. God sustains the world by His Word. God will destroy the world by His Word. Until then nothing is going to happen. God creates and He sustains. He is worthy of our praise.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Subject: God's Sovereignty and the Affairs of Man - Esther 6-10
Esther 10:1-2
King Ahasuerus imposed tax on the land and on the coastlands of the sea. And all the acts of his power and might, and the full account of the high honor of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?
Subject: God's Sovereignty in the Affairs of Mankind
Note the following, taken from one web source:
Three of the historical books, namely, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther and three of the minor prophets, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi have their context in the reign of the Medo-Persian Empire. During this period the captives of Judah were permitted to go back to Jerusalem and restore their ancient city and its temple. The key to the Babylonian Empire is Gentile dominion over Jerusalem. The key to the Empire of the Medes and the Persians is restoration of Jerusalem.
When the nation of Israel was taken captive by the Babylonians, they were treated as slaves. However, due to their God's constant care, under the Medes and the Persians God began to elevate them. Under Babylonian rule, Daniel is the one mentioned being brought into the leadership of the kingdom. Under the Medes and Persians, Nehemiah is brought into leadership and, eventually, Mordecai, in this book of Esther. Although Esther is the main figure of the book, the story is about God intervening in the affairs of the Medes and the Persians to put Mordecai in the right place, to persevere the Jews. Remember, God is to bring fourth His Son, the Messiah (Christ Child) via the Jewish lineage. Satan wanted to destroy all Jews to prevent that. The acts of evil Haman, who wanted to kill the Jews (and Mordecai in specifically) were simply the outworking of Satan's desire to kill the Son of God's redemption plan. God intervene in history (as He always does) to assure that the Gospel message is not hindered. This is God's purpose. God protected His people to protect His plan to assure His prophecies would come true. The Christ would be born and no act of King Ahasuerus or wicked Haman would prevent that. God intervenes in history to make sure His-Story is completed.
King Ahasuerus imposed tax on the land and on the coastlands of the sea. And all the acts of his power and might, and the full account of the high honor of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?
Subject: God's Sovereignty in the Affairs of Mankind
Note the following, taken from one web source:
Three of the historical books, namely, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther and three of the minor prophets, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi have their context in the reign of the Medo-Persian Empire. During this period the captives of Judah were permitted to go back to Jerusalem and restore their ancient city and its temple. The key to the Babylonian Empire is Gentile dominion over Jerusalem. The key to the Empire of the Medes and the Persians is restoration of Jerusalem.
When the nation of Israel was taken captive by the Babylonians, they were treated as slaves. However, due to their God's constant care, under the Medes and the Persians God began to elevate them. Under Babylonian rule, Daniel is the one mentioned being brought into the leadership of the kingdom. Under the Medes and Persians, Nehemiah is brought into leadership and, eventually, Mordecai, in this book of Esther. Although Esther is the main figure of the book, the story is about God intervening in the affairs of the Medes and the Persians to put Mordecai in the right place, to persevere the Jews. Remember, God is to bring fourth His Son, the Messiah (Christ Child) via the Jewish lineage. Satan wanted to destroy all Jews to prevent that. The acts of evil Haman, who wanted to kill the Jews (and Mordecai in specifically) were simply the outworking of Satan's desire to kill the Son of God's redemption plan. God intervene in history (as He always does) to assure that the Gospel message is not hindered. This is God's purpose. God protected His people to protect His plan to assure His prophecies would come true. The Christ would be born and no act of King Ahasuerus or wicked Haman would prevent that. God intervenes in history to make sure His-Story is completed.
Monday, December 19, 2016
Subject: The Method and Subject of Teaching about God - Deuteronomy 32-34
Deuteronomy 32:1-3
“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak,
and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.
May my teaching drop as the rain,
my speech distill as the dew,
like gentle rain upon the tender grass,
and like showers upon the herb.
For I will proclaim the name of the Lord;
ascribe greatness to our God!
Subject: The Method and Subject of Teaching about God
This chapter of Deuteronomy is the last song of Moses. God had told him that, because of his failure to follow in faith during the incident of the water coming out of the rock, he will not be allowed to go into the promise land. He is about to go up to the top of a mountain to die. The "song,"" as stated in the above verses is Moses' teaching. Notice that this is not "harsh" teaching. Moses wants his teaching to "drop as rain" and he wants his speech to "distill as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass." Teaching about God should not fall like bricks on people. Nor should it be like paint drying. It should be neither harsh nor boring. The word picture he gives us is that of refreshing and nurturing. Teaching about God should fall on people's ears in a way that wants them to drink it in. Why? The last line of the above verses tells us. Because he is proclaiming the "name of the Lord." Moses is about to "ascribe greatness to our God! If the method of our teaching is to be refreshing the subject of our teaching is to be exalting ... exalting the God of the universe. God is worthy of praise and exaltation and we should be lifting Him up in our teaching in a way that causes others to be refreshed.
“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak,
and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.
May my teaching drop as the rain,
my speech distill as the dew,
like gentle rain upon the tender grass,
and like showers upon the herb.
For I will proclaim the name of the Lord;
ascribe greatness to our God!
Subject: The Method and Subject of Teaching about God
This chapter of Deuteronomy is the last song of Moses. God had told him that, because of his failure to follow in faith during the incident of the water coming out of the rock, he will not be allowed to go into the promise land. He is about to go up to the top of a mountain to die. The "song,"" as stated in the above verses is Moses' teaching. Notice that this is not "harsh" teaching. Moses wants his teaching to "drop as rain" and he wants his speech to "distill as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass." Teaching about God should not fall like bricks on people. Nor should it be like paint drying. It should be neither harsh nor boring. The word picture he gives us is that of refreshing and nurturing. Teaching about God should fall on people's ears in a way that wants them to drink it in. Why? The last line of the above verses tells us. Because he is proclaiming the "name of the Lord." Moses is about to "ascribe greatness to our God! If the method of our teaching is to be refreshing the subject of our teaching is to be exalting ... exalting the God of the universe. God is worthy of praise and exaltation and we should be lifting Him up in our teaching in a way that causes others to be refreshed.
Sunday, December 18, 2016
Subject: Hospitality - 3 John
3 John 1:5-6
Support and Opposition
Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.
Subject: Hospitality
We often think of hospitality as hosting someone in our homes. That would be the classic definition. However, in Christianity, hospitality is actually a spiritual gift and the word carries a much broader, nobler and Gospel meaning. Paul states the spiritual gift of hospitality this way:
Romans 12:13
Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Or, consider the Hebrews writer's text:
Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
The word translated as hospitality in the Bible is the Greek word, "philoxenia." It is made up of two Greek words. It is the combination of the word for "friend" and "stranger." It actually means, "to be-friend a stranger." The English concept of hospitality is not so much the entertaining idea as it is the assisting and meeting needs idea. This is were we are in the 3 John passage above. John is thanking them for assisting and meeting the needs of those who are traveling through their church, spreading the Gospel message. Our Christian hospitality is not about having a wonder home, decorated just right with the right appetizers for our friends. It can be that, but also needs to add the concept of assisting and meeting needs of strangers and furthering the Gospel message or demonstrating the Gospel message.
Support and Opposition
Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.
Subject: Hospitality
We often think of hospitality as hosting someone in our homes. That would be the classic definition. However, in Christianity, hospitality is actually a spiritual gift and the word carries a much broader, nobler and Gospel meaning. Paul states the spiritual gift of hospitality this way:
Romans 12:13
Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Or, consider the Hebrews writer's text:
Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
The word translated as hospitality in the Bible is the Greek word, "philoxenia." It is made up of two Greek words. It is the combination of the word for "friend" and "stranger." It actually means, "to be-friend a stranger." The English concept of hospitality is not so much the entertaining idea as it is the assisting and meeting needs idea. This is were we are in the 3 John passage above. John is thanking them for assisting and meeting the needs of those who are traveling through their church, spreading the Gospel message. Our Christian hospitality is not about having a wonder home, decorated just right with the right appetizers for our friends. It can be that, but also needs to add the concept of assisting and meeting needs of strangers and furthering the Gospel message or demonstrating the Gospel message.
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Subject: God's Sovereignty vs. Mans Free Choice
Acts 25:9-12
But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”
Subject: God's Sovereignty vs. Man's Free Choice.
Earlier in Acts Paul received the following vision from God about his future and God's purpose for Paul:
Acts 23:11 - The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
Paul knew he was to be in Rome to profess the Gospel. However, he didn't know the method he would take to get to Rome. For us today we may have thought the journey would be first class travel on American Airlines. Yet, that is not the case in the above passage. Paul is actually simply worshipping in Jerusalem and is accused of false worship by the Jewish religious leaders. They want to kill him but he narrowly escapes and is brought to trial before the local procurator, Festus, for Roman rule (Chief Financial Officer of the Province ... his job as to collect taxes). Later we learn that Paul would have been let go and released with no guilt, had he NOT appealed to stand before Caesar, in Rome. However, God used this incident to get Paul where He wanted him to be. Paul could have used the court system for his release. But, instead, he used the court system to accomplish God's will. God had arranged for him to be in Rome. It just was not going to be on the guided tour type method. It was to be through the prison system. Nero, Caesar at the time, was not yet, but would soon be, a chief enemy of the Christianity. Paul did not care either way. Paul knew God wanted him to be in Rome and he choose to use his free will to accomplish God's sovereign plan. That is how God guides and directs. God accomplishes His design through man''s obedient walk of faith.
But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”
Subject: God's Sovereignty vs. Man's Free Choice.
Earlier in Acts Paul received the following vision from God about his future and God's purpose for Paul:
Acts 23:11 - The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
Paul knew he was to be in Rome to profess the Gospel. However, he didn't know the method he would take to get to Rome. For us today we may have thought the journey would be first class travel on American Airlines. Yet, that is not the case in the above passage. Paul is actually simply worshipping in Jerusalem and is accused of false worship by the Jewish religious leaders. They want to kill him but he narrowly escapes and is brought to trial before the local procurator, Festus, for Roman rule (Chief Financial Officer of the Province ... his job as to collect taxes). Later we learn that Paul would have been let go and released with no guilt, had he NOT appealed to stand before Caesar, in Rome. However, God used this incident to get Paul where He wanted him to be. Paul could have used the court system for his release. But, instead, he used the court system to accomplish God's will. God had arranged for him to be in Rome. It just was not going to be on the guided tour type method. It was to be through the prison system. Nero, Caesar at the time, was not yet, but would soon be, a chief enemy of the Christianity. Paul did not care either way. Paul knew God wanted him to be in Rome and he choose to use his free will to accomplish God's sovereign plan. That is how God guides and directs. God accomplishes His design through man''s obedient walk of faith.
Friday, December 16, 2016
Subject: Eternal Security and the Perseverance of the Saints - Revelation 12-17
Revelation 14:12-13 (NASV)
Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”
Subject: Eternal Security and the Perseverance of the Saints.
In this section of Revelation we have the destruction of the earth, mankind's government and man himself as the wrath of God is poured out on the earth. God is brining His judgement to all those who have rejected His grace via the Gospel. Yet, in the midst of this wrath, literally right in the midst of the description of this pouring out of wrath we have the above passage which describes one of the greatest truths in God's Word: The Perseverance of the Saints. The NASV rightly uses the term "perseverance." The ESV calls it the "endurance" of the saints, while the NIV calls it the "patient endurance" of the saints. The historical doctrine is "perseverance." This is the doctrine that once God elects you to be saved you will NEVER lose that calling and election. You will endure to the end. You will persevere to the end. God gives us this picture in the midst of the wrath to remind us He is not only faithful to bring the wrath He promised through the ages to those who REJECTED Him, but He also will faithfully hold onto those who ACCEPTED Him. The "saints" mentioned in this passage are the ones saved during the tribulation by the ministry of the two witnesses. There is no other saints in history that will endure what these saints mush endure. Yet, like all saints, they will be saved to the end. And, verse 13, be blessed. Both for how they died and what they will enjoy in death. We are blessed as we persevere in faith. This is God's "blessed" assurance based upon His faithfulness to His Word toward us!!!
Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”
Subject: Eternal Security and the Perseverance of the Saints.
In this section of Revelation we have the destruction of the earth, mankind's government and man himself as the wrath of God is poured out on the earth. God is brining His judgement to all those who have rejected His grace via the Gospel. Yet, in the midst of this wrath, literally right in the midst of the description of this pouring out of wrath we have the above passage which describes one of the greatest truths in God's Word: The Perseverance of the Saints. The NASV rightly uses the term "perseverance." The ESV calls it the "endurance" of the saints, while the NIV calls it the "patient endurance" of the saints. The historical doctrine is "perseverance." This is the doctrine that once God elects you to be saved you will NEVER lose that calling and election. You will endure to the end. You will persevere to the end. God gives us this picture in the midst of the wrath to remind us He is not only faithful to bring the wrath He promised through the ages to those who REJECTED Him, but He also will faithfully hold onto those who ACCEPTED Him. The "saints" mentioned in this passage are the ones saved during the tribulation by the ministry of the two witnesses. There is no other saints in history that will endure what these saints mush endure. Yet, like all saints, they will be saved to the end. And, verse 13, be blessed. Both for how they died and what they will enjoy in death. We are blessed as we persevere in faith. This is God's "blessed" assurance based upon His faithfulness to His Word toward us!!!
Thursday, December 15, 2016
Subject: Love and Intimacy - Song of Songs 5-6
Song of Songs 5:1
I came to my garden, my sister, my bride,
I gathered my myrrh with my spice,
I ate my honeycomb with my honey,
I drank my wine with my milk.
Eat, friends, drink,
and be drunk with love!
Subject: Love and Intimacy
Because of the increase in technology and its application to science and health, there as been some great studies recently on the human brain activity. A recent study showed, as they watched the activity of the brain, that the same areas of increased activity in the brain were the same when the subject was focused on God, sex and/or gambling (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/11/29/brain-looks-like-god-spiritual-experience-triggers-areas-sex/). That is quite remarkable, as it shows that what Paul was saying in Romans 6 is physically true:
Romans 6:12-14
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Our "members" are tools of the body that can be submitted to God or to sex or to gambling. In the Song of Solomon we might see the same thing. In the above passage we see the young man (Solomon) dreaming of intimacy with his soon-to-be bride. He is "drunk" on love. That same euphoric feeling he gets in worship he is getting in the feelings of intimacy. God created us to enjoy intimacy. When we use it for His glory it sparks the type of feelings as above. Our physical bodies are "members" we can submit to worship God, through sexual pleasure, or worship self, through sexual pleasure. They are the same, just different predisposition. One is to worship the Creator of sex and the other is to worship the creation: Sex! Note what Paul says about worshiping the creation rather than the Creator:
Romans 1:24-25
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Song of Solomon is a complete lesson to us on how to worship the Creator in intimacy vs. the creation of intimacy.
I came to my garden, my sister, my bride,
I gathered my myrrh with my spice,
I ate my honeycomb with my honey,
I drank my wine with my milk.
Eat, friends, drink,
and be drunk with love!
Subject: Love and Intimacy
Because of the increase in technology and its application to science and health, there as been some great studies recently on the human brain activity. A recent study showed, as they watched the activity of the brain, that the same areas of increased activity in the brain were the same when the subject was focused on God, sex and/or gambling (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/11/29/brain-looks-like-god-spiritual-experience-triggers-areas-sex/). That is quite remarkable, as it shows that what Paul was saying in Romans 6 is physically true:
Romans 6:12-14
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Our "members" are tools of the body that can be submitted to God or to sex or to gambling. In the Song of Solomon we might see the same thing. In the above passage we see the young man (Solomon) dreaming of intimacy with his soon-to-be bride. He is "drunk" on love. That same euphoric feeling he gets in worship he is getting in the feelings of intimacy. God created us to enjoy intimacy. When we use it for His glory it sparks the type of feelings as above. Our physical bodies are "members" we can submit to worship God, through sexual pleasure, or worship self, through sexual pleasure. They are the same, just different predisposition. One is to worship the Creator of sex and the other is to worship the creation: Sex! Note what Paul says about worshiping the creation rather than the Creator:
Romans 1:24-25
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Song of Solomon is a complete lesson to us on how to worship the Creator in intimacy vs. the creation of intimacy.
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