Month: September 2021

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Times change but not the message

The times change but not the message:

Haggai 1 and 2 What keeps you from obeying?

As then, so today, fear is the tool of the enemy.  Cyrus gave the returning Israelites permission to rebuild the Temple, so what was the problem? The Samaritans used fear and intimidation to stop the work. As God’s prophet, Haggai reminded them that as God provided food, protection, and leading in the wilderness so He would provide now. Yet, the Israelites were excusing their delay in rebuilding by telling one another, “The time for rebuilding the Lord’s temple has not yet come.” [Hag 1:2] How often do we excuse our obedience using similar reasoning? Haggai reminded them that it was time and God was behind them, so “do not fear!” Haggai was saying, look at your life and your lack of provision for yourselves. God has withdrawn his blessing because of your disobedience. Has that been your experience as well?

Both Haggai and Zechariah were pleading with the people, “turn back to God and He will turn back to you.” Learn from your ancestors who did not listen and obey Me. [Zech 1:2, 3]

 Are we listening? Do we trust God to do what seems an impossible task? Remember the words of another prophet of God; Isaiah. “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ [Is 41:10]

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The Adversaries d NOT have the last word.

God works to prove Himself

Ezra 4 to 6 and Ps 137 It is just so neat to read these chapters to see the truth of Romans 8:28. The adversaries of the temple workers were so sure their first letter back to the king would settle the matter, and all would return to normal “but God.” This reminds us of Prov 21:1 “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord like channels of water; he turns it wherever he wants.” We see the evidence of that when the new king is asked to scour the scrolls of Cyrus once again, and there it was—in plain black and white: let the captive/exiles rebuild the temple so they can pray to God for my sons and me. Another Romans 8:28 story!

Satan is the master deceiver and accuser of the brethren. His primary purpose is to distract God’s people and keep God’s Word from being proclaimed, and he almost succeeded. Praise God for faithful prophets like Haggai and Zechariah, who arrived in Jerusalem at just the right moment.

Where have you seen the hand of God in your life? Where has God turned what the enemy wants to use to distract and destroy only to see his plan foiled? Give God the praise!

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The Cross ensured our “membership”

The Cross is where our membership changed

Today our guest poster is Shelly Stansfield.

Ezra 1-3 The Proof of Our “membership.”

Membership to a club costs. For the Jews, it cost them proof of their ancestry. For those without proof of their ancestry, they were not allowed the same privileges. Ezra says: 59 … they could not prove their fathers’ houses or their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: …62 These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but they were not found there, and so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. The governor told them they were not to partake of the holiest food until a priest consulted Urim and Thummim. (Ezra 2:59-63, ESV)

How do we prove our ancestry? Who is in our ancestry that qualifies us to partake of the holy food?

These people believed they were Jews, believed in the same God, worshipped the same way, but had no proof.

Who is our ancestry with? Are we in the right family?

If we are in a true, personal relationship with Christ as Lord of our lives, not someone we just know a lot about, then we may partake of the holiest food- heaven, eternity, the fruit of the Spirit, and all His promises.

How do we get adopted into His family? First, by asking Him to be Lord of our lives (heart, will/soul, Spirit); trusting His payment for our sins on the cross and resurrection from death, and that He’s coming back for us to take us to His home; and confessing our wrongs (sins).

Whose family are we living moment-by-moment with today?

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You are loved!

You are loved

Dan 10 to 12 Three times Daniel is told he is “greatly beloved.”

God’ so loved the world’ is a favorite verse, and many can quote it but do they truly understand those words? God so loved, not “because you were more numerous than all the other peoples that the Lord favored and chose you—for in fact you were the least numerous of all peoples.” [Deu 7:7] He told Jeremiah that”  ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love. That is why I have continued to be faithful to you.” [Jer 31:3] God loved Daniel, Jeremiah, and many others, and lastly, He loved you! How great is His love? It is beyond measure, beyond our comprehension.

Yet, He came, He lived, He died upon a cruel cross, all because He loved you.

Today you are greatly beloved; you and me. There are so many today that need this message of hope. May we be willing to share that hope with others so that they too can hear: well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord. Are we sharing the joy of Him who gave all?

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“Do We Have a Daniel Heart?”

God is God

Daniel 7 to 9 Daniel has been in Babylon for a v-e-r-y long time. In that time, he has faithfully served kings as but first and foremost; he reverently continues to serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Both Ezekiel and Daniel have visions as they stand by a body of water. They not only ‘saw’ but ‘heard’ the words of the vision. How blessed we are in this century to ‘see’ with heavenly eyes the future through these prophets and hear the meaning. God’s purpose is to know and understand that God is God and there is no other. Isaiah wrote: His deeds and plans are superior to ours, and yet He considers each of us as He orchestrates our day and our future. Again, just as Ezekiel, John, and Isaiah, Daniel fell to the ground as he recognized he was in the presence of God’s holy messenger, Gabriel.

As Daniel arose, the vision was so real that he fell to his knees in prayer. “O Lord, great and awesome God!” You are faithful while we have been unfaithful. You are righteous, but we are unrighteous. You are exalted, but we have been humiliated. Therefore, you were right to judge our sin.

 Daniel has recorded all of this so that we might recoil in our sin and exalt He who is the Lord God Almighty. Isaiah the prophet wrote: “seek the Lord while He may be found.” [Is 55:6]

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The Righteous Shall Prevail!

God's justice is sure

Daniel 4 to 6 Daniel served under several kings and knew the ways of God because he spent time with God three times a day. Nebuchadnezzar was a wise king, but foolishly, he ignored the advice to repent of his sin, and God called him to account. Daniel interpreted the visual lesson of the handwriting on the wall for Belshazzar. Daniel boldly told him that he had not learned the lesson of “he who is prideful will be humbled,” from the experience of his grandfather. And then was Darius, who is a prime example of one who is the fool extraordinaire. Signing a law then regretting it was his major blunder. Wicked men of his court sought to elevate themselves and demote Daniel with an extreme measure of death in the lion’s den. Yet, Daniel remained steadfast just as Paul told the Corinthians: “be ye steadfast, immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord.” [1Cor 15:58]

Daniel survived to live another day, but the wicked men and their families became breakfast for the hungry lions. This is a truth that will not change: sin has its consequences, and often our families pay the price along with us.

Stay faithful to God, stay humble, because it is the righteous that shall prevail.

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The Power of Prayer

Praying with others

Daniel 1 to 3 When confronted with what seems an impossible request, what do you choose to do? Many are standing up or choosing to be vaccinated. What do you do? Do as Daniel and the three Hebrews did, go to God in prayer. “O God of my fathers, I acknowledge and glorify you, for you have bestowed wisdom and power on me. Now you have enabled me to understand what we requested from you.” [Dan 2:23]

First, Daniel acknowledged who God is. Secondly, he glorified God for what He can or will do. Thirdly it seems he waited through the night for an answer, and when it came, he honored God for revealing the answer.  Fourthly, Daniel did not face this problem alone. He sought the help of his three best friends because, ultimately, it would affect them all. “He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. ” [Dan 2:18] 

Who are your praying brothers/sisters that will come alongside you to pray you through what seems an impossible request? 

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Mockers and Scoffers Beware!

God is calling us to be prepared

Joel 1 to 3 Joel describes the advanced guard of locusts sent to destroy the land and crops. Judah has faced yet another onslaught of the enemy Babylon as he describes the locusts. Whether real or imaginary they are those things that come to seek, kill and destroy. How like our arch enemy Satan! 

Secondly, Joel now describes the vivid and impending visitation of the Lord. (MacArthur) God is not finished yet with His people. He now calls his people to a fast, a sacred assembly, and to cry out to the Lord for “perhaps God will grant a reprieve.” [Joel 2:13]  Joel speaks of the day of the Lord, and Peter references that in his first sermon in Acts 2, where he says that He will pour out His Spirit on all flesh “in those days.”

Do we feel the Spirit’s presence, calling us to repent and to fast? Today as then, there are the scoffers, the mockers regarding God’s call for repentance. Has the Spirit sanctified us because “in the last day scoffers will come, being propelled by their own evil urges. “[2Peter 3:3]

Are we prepared? 

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The Gospel Message from the Tree of Life

The Gospel Message

Ezekiel 47God forbade Adam and Eve to eat from the tree in the middle of the garden. God removed them from that beautiful garden when they chose to disobey for He had said: “you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.” [Gen 2:17] When they disobeyed they died, not physically but spiritually. But, now in the New Jerusalem, Ezekiel sees a river extending from the threshold to the Dead Sea with its healing powers. Along that river is the Tree of Life, no longer in the Garden, but along the river banks. Its leaves are offered to heal and its fruit to feed.

No longer will the Dead Sea be dead but a living and vibrant sea full of fish of all kinds. Men will fish, and men will eat. That is a picture of the transforming power of the gospel. We have the gospel message that heals the “Dead Sea” of men’s hearts and its fruit; the Word of God, to feed their hearts and minds.

Jesus used that picture as he taught the disciples. He said to them: “feed my lambs” and “feed my sheep,” and we do that with His life-changing message of love and hope.

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The Pure in Heart

Pray for a pure heart

Ezekiel 44 God is very clear about those who will seek His presence. Paul wrote to the Ephesian church; remember you, who are called the “uncircumcision” by the so-called “circumcision,” were without the Messiah, alienated from the covenant of promise, without hope, and without God. But, now you are brought near by the blood of Christ.” Therefore, in this new relationship, remember the price that has been paid for your heart circumcision and be ye holy as you seek entrance into His Most Holy Place.

The Lord is clear: Thus says the Lord GOD, “No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the sons of Israel, shall enter My sanctuary.” [Ezek 44:9] It isn’t just that we are not a Jew by birth, but it is that regardless of Jew or Gentile, our hearts need circumcising. We must seek cleansing from our defilement, for only the pure in heart will see God. [Matt 5:8]

Once a heart is cleansed, one’s ears can hear and take in spiritual truths, and our lips can speak that which is right and pure.  It begins in the heart, the seat of our affections. The psalmist wrote: “Create in me a pure heart..” [Ps 51:10] Have you prayed and asked God for a pure heart?

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