‘No one can say “Jesus is Lord”except by the Holy Spirit’(1 Corinthians 12:3). ‘In Jerusalem’, on ‘the day of Pentecost’, there are ‘Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven’ (Acts 2:1, 5). They are ‘amazed’ at what they hear - ‘we hear them telling in our own tongue the mighty works of God’ (Acts 2:7-11). The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ (John 16:14). ‘To God be the glory! Great things He hath done!’(Church Hymnary, 374). Speaking ‘as the Spirit gave them utterance’, the apostles pave the way for Peter’s bold proclamation: ‘God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified’ (Acts 2:36). Empowered ‘by the Holy Spirit’, this message - ‘Jesus is Lord’ - is still God’s way of bringing people to Himself. When the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied (Numbers 11:25): Preaching Christ and praying for the Spirit’s power, let us look to God for His blessing.
Showing posts with label god's word. Show all posts
Showing posts with label god's word. Show all posts
Preaching, Praise, Prayer And The Power Of The Holy Spirit
When we gather for worship, we receive teaching from God's Word. We do not gather to hear a lecture. We do not look around for the best theological lecturer we can find. We gather together to worship the Lord. the preaching of His Word is set within the context of praise and prayer. The spirit of praise grows in us as the Word of the Lord is brought to us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we come to hear God's Word, we are to come prayerfully. Like the Psalmist, we must pray, "Give me understanding that I may keep Thy law and observe it with my whole heart" (Psalm 119:34). This is the prayer God wants to hear. This is the prayer God wants to answer. Let it be your prayer and God will give His answer - a life controlled by His Word, a life filled with His Spirit.
We Need Clear Teaching From God's Word.
In 1 Corinthians 14, there is a strong emphasis on the importance of clear teaching from God's Word.
1 Corinthians 14:3 - The Word of God is to be spoken so that people will be built up in the faith, encouraged to go on with the Lord, and comforted by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 14:4, 6 - The Church is to be edified. we are to be taught God's Word so that our minds are raised above earthly things, raised to a deeper love for the Saviour and a closer walk with Him.
1 Corinthians 14:8 - If the Church is to rise to the challenge of living for Christ, there must be clear teaching from God's Word: "If the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?"
1 Corinthians 14:12, 19 - Building the Church up in the faith, giving instruction from the Word of God - these are to be the priorities in the Church's life. Alongside this commitment to the preaching and teaching of God's Word, there is to be a commitment to prayer - "We will give ourselves continually to prayer , and to the ministry of the Word" (Acts 6:4).
1 Corinthians 14:20 - We are called to be mature in our thinking. We grow towards Christian maturity as we fill our minds with the Word of God.
1 Corinthians 14:3 - The Word of God is to be spoken so that people will be built up in the faith, encouraged to go on with the Lord, and comforted by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 14:4, 6 - The Church is to be edified. we are to be taught God's Word so that our minds are raised above earthly things, raised to a deeper love for the Saviour and a closer walk with Him.
1 Corinthians 14:8 - If the Church is to rise to the challenge of living for Christ, there must be clear teaching from God's Word: "If the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?"
1 Corinthians 14:12, 19 - Building the Church up in the faith, giving instruction from the Word of God - these are to be the priorities in the Church's life. Alongside this commitment to the preaching and teaching of God's Word, there is to be a commitment to prayer - "We will give ourselves continually to prayer , and to the ministry of the Word" (Acts 6:4).
1 Corinthians 14:20 - We are called to be mature in our thinking. We grow towards Christian maturity as we fill our minds with the Word of God.
Reading, Studying And Hearing God's Word
There are different ways in which we can approach the Bible.
First, there is "the quiet time." We spend time each day, reading the Word of God. I encourage you to read the Word of God each day, Find some time, each day for a "quiet time" with the Lord.
Second, we can study the Bible in groups. Those who are involved in group Bible studies will testify to the value of gathering together with others to study God's Word. I encourage you to become part of a group which meets regularly to study the Lord's Word.
Third, we can hear God's Word preached when we come to Church. Before I begin to speak about the preaching of God's Word, I encourage you to pray for those who are called to preach the Word of the Lord. We do not preach God's Word perfectly. You can always look around and find other preachers who will be "better" than your own preacher. When you start thinking like this, remind yourself, "The preacher we have is the one whom God has called to be our spiritual leader." Pray for your preacher. Pray that the preaching will be filled with the power of God. Pray that it will be helpful to those who listen to the preaching.
First, there is "the quiet time." We spend time each day, reading the Word of God. I encourage you to read the Word of God each day, Find some time, each day for a "quiet time" with the Lord.
Second, we can study the Bible in groups. Those who are involved in group Bible studies will testify to the value of gathering together with others to study God's Word. I encourage you to become part of a group which meets regularly to study the Lord's Word.
Third, we can hear God's Word preached when we come to Church. Before I begin to speak about the preaching of God's Word, I encourage you to pray for those who are called to preach the Word of the Lord. We do not preach God's Word perfectly. You can always look around and find other preachers who will be "better" than your own preacher. When you start thinking like this, remind yourself, "The preacher we have is the one whom God has called to be our spiritual leader." Pray for your preacher. Pray that the preaching will be filled with the power of God. Pray that it will be helpful to those who listen to the preaching.
God Is Speaking. Are We Listening?
When I was a boy, in my first year at Secondary School, I was presented with a Gideon's New Testament. at the presentation, the Headmaster said to us, "Don't put this New Testament in a drawer and leave it there. Read it. It's for reading." Unfortunately, I did exactly what he told us not to do. I laid it to one side. I forgot about it.
The Bible is like a record. The message is on the record, but you will only hear it if you play the record. God's message is in the Bible, but you will only hear it if you read your Bible. How do we hear the message on the record? We bring the needle and the record into contact with each other. How do we really hear God speaking to us? We bring the reader and the Author into contact with each other.
Two years after I received my Gideon's New Testament, I came to faith in Jesus Christ. When I found Christ, my living Saviour, I also discovered the Bible as a new and living Book. Let's return to the record and the needle. What makes the difference when the needle touches the record? It's the electrical power. What makes the difference when the reader and the Author are brought into contact with each other? It is the power of the Holy Spirit. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, our eyes are opened. We read the Bible with new eyes. We do not only see the many pages and the many words. We also see Jesus, the Saviour, the living Word of God. Without the Holy Spirit, the Bible seems to us to be so many hundreds of pages and so many difficult words. With the Holy Spirit living in us, we learn to read the Bible as the true and living Word of God.
The Bible is like a record. The message is on the record, but you will only hear it if you play the record. God's message is in the Bible, but you will only hear it if you read your Bible. How do we hear the message on the record? We bring the needle and the record into contact with each other. How do we really hear God speaking to us? We bring the reader and the Author into contact with each other.
Two years after I received my Gideon's New Testament, I came to faith in Jesus Christ. When I found Christ, my living Saviour, I also discovered the Bible as a new and living Book. Let's return to the record and the needle. What makes the difference when the needle touches the record? It's the electrical power. What makes the difference when the reader and the Author are brought into contact with each other? It is the power of the Holy Spirit. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, our eyes are opened. We read the Bible with new eyes. We do not only see the many pages and the many words. We also see Jesus, the Saviour, the living Word of God. Without the Holy Spirit, the Bible seems to us to be so many hundreds of pages and so many difficult words. With the Holy Spirit living in us, we learn to read the Bible as the true and living Word of God.
Our Understanding Of God's Word Is To Be Filled With Worship.
Our understanding of God's Word is to be filled with worship. It is. therefore, to be expected that our reading of Scripture will be enriched as we think also of the songs of praise we offer to God as we worship Him. We celebrate our Saviour's death and resurrection for us. We remember the great events. He died for us and was raised again for us. We read the Scriptures which tell the wonderful story of our Saviour's love for us, and, singing our songs of praise to the Lord. We rejoice in His great salvation and His mighty triumph over Satan. May God bless each of us in our remembering, reading and rejoicing.
Listen To What God Is Saying. Do What He Says.
God spoke (Numbers 1:1). His people obeyed (Numbers 1:54 ). This is the constant pattern of the life of the life of faith. We hear the Word of God. We obey the Word of God . The names of God ’s people differ from place to place. The pattern of their life remains the same.
We find the same pattern in Numbers 2.
The pattern is also repeated in Numbers 3 and 4. Both of these chapters begin with
When we read so much that is unfamiliar to us, we must look for the Word that comes to us in our present day as a Word from the Lord, who is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
Hear and obey. Listen to what
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This post is taken from my notes on Numbers.
"Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread."
Jeremiah 52:1-34
We need ‘a portion for each day... all the days of our life’(34). When we pray, ‘Give us this day our daily bread’, we must look beyond our physical need for food. We must remember our spiritual need for ‘the Bread of life’: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God’(Matthew 6:11; John 6:35; Luke 4:4). Day-by day, we should pray for spiritual feeding: ‘Break Thou the Bread of life, dear Lord to me, as Thou didst break the bread beside the sea. Beyond the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord. My spirit longs for Thee, Thou living Word! Thou art the Bread of life, O Lord, to me, Thy holy Word the truth that saveth me. Give me to eat and live with Thee above. Teach me to love Thy truth, for Thou art love’(Mission Praise, 64).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
We need ‘a portion for each day... all the days of our life’(34). When we pray, ‘Give us this day our daily bread’, we must look beyond our physical need for food. We must remember our spiritual need for ‘the Bread of life’: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God’(Matthew 6:11; John 6:35; Luke 4:4). Day-by day, we should pray for spiritual feeding: ‘Break Thou the Bread of life, dear Lord to me, as Thou didst break the bread beside the sea. Beyond the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord. My spirit longs for Thee, Thou living Word! Thou art the Bread of life, O Lord, to me, Thy holy Word the truth that saveth me. Give me to eat and live with Thee above. Teach me to love Thy truth, for Thou art love’(Mission Praise, 64).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
God’s Word Is Not To Be Kept Within The Place Of Worship.
Jeremiah 51:34-64
‘When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud’(61). God’s Word is not to be kept within the place of worship. We are to take His Word to ‘Babylon’. We must speak His Word in the places where He is not worshipped. We are to call people to turn from their sinful ways. We are to call them to return to the Lord. This will not be an easy message to speak. Many people won’t want to hear it. We must warn people that by neglecting God’s salvation, they are placing themselves in danger of His judgment. We must speak of the Day when everyone of us must ‘answer’ to God concerning the way we have lived our lives (Hebrews 2:3; 4:13). We must call on people to ‘believe in the Lord Jesus’ and ‘be saved’(Acts 16:31).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud’(61). God’s Word is not to be kept within the place of worship. We are to take His Word to ‘Babylon’. We must speak His Word in the places where He is not worshipped. We are to call people to turn from their sinful ways. We are to call them to return to the Lord. This will not be an easy message to speak. Many people won’t want to hear it. We must warn people that by neglecting God’s salvation, they are placing themselves in danger of His judgment. We must speak of the Day when everyone of us must ‘answer’ to God concerning the way we have lived our lives (Hebrews 2:3; 4:13). We must call on people to ‘believe in the Lord Jesus’ and ‘be saved’(Acts 16:31).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
God Is Still Speaking To Us Through His Word.
Jeremiah 47:1-48:17
‘The day has come to destroy all the Philistines... The Lord is about to destroy the Philistines... Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh are destroyed’(47:4). That seems like ancient history - nothing to do with us! What about this? - ‘A curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!’(48:17). The Bible may have been written many centuries ago - but it still has a great deal to do with us! We miss the point if we read the Bible as no more than a book of ancient history. God is still speaking to us through His Word. He is still calling us to sit up and take notice. He is still demanding our attention. We must not be lazy in the work of the Lord. We are to be faithful servants of the Lord. ‘Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord... your labour in the Lord is not in vain’(1 Corinthians 15:58).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘The day has come to destroy all the Philistines... The Lord is about to destroy the Philistines... Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh are destroyed’(47:4). That seems like ancient history - nothing to do with us! What about this? - ‘A curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!’(48:17). The Bible may have been written many centuries ago - but it still has a great deal to do with us! We miss the point if we read the Bible as no more than a book of ancient history. God is still speaking to us through His Word. He is still calling us to sit up and take notice. He is still demanding our attention. We must not be lazy in the work of the Lord. We are to be faithful servants of the Lord. ‘Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord... your labour in the Lord is not in vain’(1 Corinthians 15:58).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Do Not Fear... I Am With You.’
Jeremiah 46:1-28
‘Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He said, “I will rise, I will cover the earth, I will destroy cities and their inhabitants”’(8). The spirit of rebellion against God is very powerful. Many lives have been destroyed by the attitude of proud unbelief: ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him...?’(Exodus 5:2). We must take our stand against this attitude. We must stand up for the Lord. We see the world going from bad to worse. We must continue to believe the Word of God. When we are filled with fear, He comes to us with His Word, ‘Do not fear... Do not be dismayed...’. When we feel the spirit of rebellion sweeping over us, God comes to us with His promise: ‘I will surely save you out of a distant place’. He gives us ‘peace and security’- ‘Do not fear... I am with you’(27-28).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He said, “I will rise, I will cover the earth, I will destroy cities and their inhabitants”’(8). The spirit of rebellion against God is very powerful. Many lives have been destroyed by the attitude of proud unbelief: ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him...?’(Exodus 5:2). We must take our stand against this attitude. We must stand up for the Lord. We see the world going from bad to worse. We must continue to believe the Word of God. When we are filled with fear, He comes to us with His Word, ‘Do not fear... Do not be dismayed...’. When we feel the spirit of rebellion sweeping over us, God comes to us with His promise: ‘I will surely save you out of a distant place’. He gives us ‘peace and security’- ‘Do not fear... I am with you’(27-28).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
The Lord Speaks His Word To Those Who Are Prepared To Make Time For Listening To Him.
Jeremiah 43:8-44:14
‘The Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah’(43:8). The Lord speaks His Word to those who are prepared to make time for listening to Him. Come to God’s Word, praying that it will be ‘a lamp to your feet and a light to your path’. Come with the prayer, ‘Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your Word’. See that you ‘live according to His Word’: ‘I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You’(Psalm 119:105,18,9,11). Pray that God will ‘speak’ to you. ‘Listen’ to what He says to you (1 Samuel 3:10). ‘Say to them, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says...”’(43:10). Don’t keep God’s Word to yourself. Share His Word. We are not to listen to God without also speaking for Him. We must remember that we cannot really speak for Him unless we are also listening to Him.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘The Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah’(43:8). The Lord speaks His Word to those who are prepared to make time for listening to Him. Come to God’s Word, praying that it will be ‘a lamp to your feet and a light to your path’. Come with the prayer, ‘Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your Word’. See that you ‘live according to His Word’: ‘I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You’(Psalm 119:105,18,9,11). Pray that God will ‘speak’ to you. ‘Listen’ to what He says to you (1 Samuel 3:10). ‘Say to them, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says...”’(43:10). Don’t keep God’s Word to yourself. Share His Word. We are not to listen to God without also speaking for Him. We must remember that we cannot really speak for Him unless we are also listening to Him.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘The Word Came To Jeremiah From The Lord.’
Jeremiah 40:1-16
‘The Lord your God pronounced this evil against this place; the Lord has brought it about, and has done as He said. Because you sinned against the Lord, and did not obey His voice, this thing has come upon you’(3). We hear a great deal today about ‘the feel good factor’. People need to get a good feeling: ‘Give them a pat on the back. Make them feel good about themselves’. There’s not much of a ‘feel good factor’ in Jeremiah’s preaching! The people must have been wondering, ‘Where did they dig him up from? He has nothing good to say about anyone or anything’. We must rise above the sarcasm of those who have no time for the Word of the Lord. We must ask, ‘Where did Jeremiah’s message really come from?’. This is what the Word of the Lord says: ‘The Word came to Jeremiah from the Lord’(1).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘The Lord your God pronounced this evil against this place; the Lord has brought it about, and has done as He said. Because you sinned against the Lord, and did not obey His voice, this thing has come upon you’(3). We hear a great deal today about ‘the feel good factor’. People need to get a good feeling: ‘Give them a pat on the back. Make them feel good about themselves’. There’s not much of a ‘feel good factor’ in Jeremiah’s preaching! The people must have been wondering, ‘Where did they dig him up from? He has nothing good to say about anyone or anything’. We must rise above the sarcasm of those who have no time for the Word of the Lord. We must ask, ‘Where did Jeremiah’s message really come from?’. This is what the Word of the Lord says: ‘The Word came to Jeremiah from the Lord’(1).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Is There Any Word From The Lord?’
Jeremiah 37:1-21
‘Is there any Word from the Lord?’- ‘Yes! There is a Word from the Lord’. The Word from the Lord wasn’t exactly what the king wanted to hear - ‘You will be handed over to the king of Babylon’(17). God was going to bless His people - but they would have to be patient: Things were going to get an awful lot worse before they would get much better! Before their restoration - “I will bring them back and restore them to this place’- , God’s people faced captivity - ‘They will be taken to Babylon’. There was bad news - a captivity of ‘seventy years’. There was good news - the captivity wouldn’t last forever (27:22; 29:10-11)! God speaks of His blessing - ‘It will certainly come’- , but He also says, ‘Wait for it’(Habakkuk 2:3). Let’s listen to all that He says to us - and not ‘only hear what we want to hear’!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Is there any Word from the Lord?’- ‘Yes! There is a Word from the Lord’. The Word from the Lord wasn’t exactly what the king wanted to hear - ‘You will be handed over to the king of Babylon’(17). God was going to bless His people - but they would have to be patient: Things were going to get an awful lot worse before they would get much better! Before their restoration - “I will bring them back and restore them to this place’- , God’s people faced captivity - ‘They will be taken to Babylon’. There was bad news - a captivity of ‘seventy years’. There was good news - the captivity wouldn’t last forever (27:22; 29:10-11)! God speaks of His blessing - ‘It will certainly come’- , but He also says, ‘Wait for it’(Habakkuk 2:3). Let’s listen to all that He says to us - and not ‘only hear what we want to hear’!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
God Is Speaking. Are We Listening?
Jeremiah 36:1-32
‘The king cut it with the penknife, and threw it into the fire’(23). The king didn’t like God’s Word. He thought he could get rid of God’s Word. What a fool he was! God saw what was going on. The king’s attempt to silence God was utterly futile. God would not be silenced. He continued to speak His Word. Soon, the king was hearing another Word from the Lord: ‘You burned that scroll...’(29)! God is still speaking to us today. He calls us to listen to Him. He calls us back from the way of ‘wickedness’, back from the brink of ‘disaster’(31). He calls us back from the way of unbelief, the way that leads to ‘the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels’. He calls us to be ‘blessed’. Have faith in the Saviour. Receive ‘the Kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world’(Matthew 25:41,34).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘The king cut it with the penknife, and threw it into the fire’(23). The king didn’t like God’s Word. He thought he could get rid of God’s Word. What a fool he was! God saw what was going on. The king’s attempt to silence God was utterly futile. God would not be silenced. He continued to speak His Word. Soon, the king was hearing another Word from the Lord: ‘You burned that scroll...’(29)! God is still speaking to us today. He calls us to listen to Him. He calls us back from the way of ‘wickedness’, back from the brink of ‘disaster’(31). He calls us back from the way of unbelief, the way that leads to ‘the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels’. He calls us to be ‘blessed’. Have faith in the Saviour. Receive ‘the Kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world’(Matthew 25:41,34).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘If The Son Sets You Free, You Will Be Free Indeed.’
Jeremiah 34:1-22
‘Freedom for the slaves’- What a good idea! ‘Everyone agreed’. The slaves were ‘set free’. So far, so good! Then things went wrong - ‘Afterwards they changed their minds and took back the slaves... and enslaved them again’(8-11). What did God have to say about this? - ‘You have turned round and dishonoured Me... You took back the slaves... You forced them into slavery again... You have not obeyed Me’(16-17). Jesus Christ isn’t like these slavemasters! He doesn’t only promise us freedom. He gives us our freedom: ‘If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’. He doesn’t come to us with ‘a pack of lies’- promising this, that and the other, and then breaking every promise. He sets us free with His Word of truth - ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free’(John 8:36,32; Psalm 119:45).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Freedom for the slaves’- What a good idea! ‘Everyone agreed’. The slaves were ‘set free’. So far, so good! Then things went wrong - ‘Afterwards they changed their minds and took back the slaves... and enslaved them again’(8-11). What did God have to say about this? - ‘You have turned round and dishonoured Me... You took back the slaves... You forced them into slavery again... You have not obeyed Me’(16-17). Jesus Christ isn’t like these slavemasters! He doesn’t only promise us freedom. He gives us our freedom: ‘If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’. He doesn’t come to us with ‘a pack of lies’- promising this, that and the other, and then breaking every promise. He sets us free with His Word of truth - ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free’(John 8:36,32; Psalm 119:45).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Hearing, Reading And Sharing God's Word
Jeremiah 26:1-24
‘He has spoken to us in the Name of the Lord our God’(16). Jeremiah was a true servant of the Lord. We need people like him today. He was faithful. He was unashamed of his Lord. He was unafraid to speak up for his Lord. We see this same faithfulness in Christ’s apostles: ‘Day after day, in the temple and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and preaching the Good News that Jesus is the Christ’(Acts 5:42). We could do with people like that today, people who are enthusiastic about sharing the Gospel, people who are eager to win others for Christ. We can be people like that. God can make us like that - if we let Him! As you hear the Word of the Lord in Church, as you read His Word in your own home, pray that God will give you the strength to share with others the Word He has given to you.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘He has spoken to us in the Name of the Lord our God’(16). Jeremiah was a true servant of the Lord. We need people like him today. He was faithful. He was unashamed of his Lord. He was unafraid to speak up for his Lord. We see this same faithfulness in Christ’s apostles: ‘Day after day, in the temple and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and preaching the Good News that Jesus is the Christ’(Acts 5:42). We could do with people like that today, people who are enthusiastic about sharing the Gospel, people who are eager to win others for Christ. We can be people like that. God can make us like that - if we let Him! As you hear the Word of the Lord in Church, as you read His Word in your own home, pray that God will give you the strength to share with others the Word He has given to you.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Before We Can Speak For God, We Must Take Time To Listen To Him.
Jeremiah 23:21-40
‘I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied’(21). Before we can speak for God, we must take time to listen to Him. We dare not attempt to speak for God if we are not prepared to spend time listening to Him. Everything could have been so different - if ‘these prophets’ had taken time to listen to God: ‘If they had stood in My council, they would have proclaimed My words to My people and would have turned them from their evil ways’(22). ‘If’- God doesn’t force us to listen to His Word. He invites us to listen. The choice is ours. You can allow other things to become more important than spending time with God. Don’t be ‘too busy’ for the ‘one thing’ that is more important than anything else - listening to God’s Word (Luke 10:41-42).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied’(21). Before we can speak for God, we must take time to listen to Him. We dare not attempt to speak for God if we are not prepared to spend time listening to Him. Everything could have been so different - if ‘these prophets’ had taken time to listen to God: ‘If they had stood in My council, they would have proclaimed My words to My people and would have turned them from their evil ways’(22). ‘If’- God doesn’t force us to listen to His Word. He invites us to listen. The choice is ours. You can allow other things to become more important than spending time with God. Don’t be ‘too busy’ for the ‘one thing’ that is more important than anything else - listening to God’s Word (Luke 10:41-42).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
God Is Looking For People Who Will Listen To Him.
Jeremiah 22:1-30
Jeremiah was speaking to people who had given up on worshipping the Lord (9). His message was clear: ‘O land, land, land, hear the Word of the Lord?’(29). God is speaking His Word. Are we listening? God is looking for people who will listen to Him. He wants us to pay attention to His Word. God’s Word is like ‘the sound of a trumpet’. It demands our attention. Many people say, ‘We will not listen’. God’s Word shows us ‘the good way’ and calls us to ‘walk in it’. Many people say, ‘We will not walk in it’. What about you? What do you say? What is your response to the Word of the Lord? God is warning us: ‘I am bringing disaster on this people... because they have not listened to My Word’. Don’t bring this judgment on yourself. Listen to God’s Word. Walk in His way (6:16-19).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Jeremiah was speaking to people who had given up on worshipping the Lord (9). His message was clear: ‘O land, land, land, hear the Word of the Lord?’(29). God is speaking His Word. Are we listening? God is looking for people who will listen to Him. He wants us to pay attention to His Word. God’s Word is like ‘the sound of a trumpet’. It demands our attention. Many people say, ‘We will not listen’. God’s Word shows us ‘the good way’ and calls us to ‘walk in it’. Many people say, ‘We will not walk in it’. What about you? What do you say? What is your response to the Word of the Lord? God is warning us: ‘I am bringing disaster on this people... because they have not listened to My Word’. Don’t bring this judgment on yourself. Listen to God’s Word. Walk in His way (6:16-19).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
God Hasn’t Given Up On Us. He Looks Beyond What We Are Now. He Sees What We Will Become.
Jeremiah 18:1-23
‘The pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands, so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him’(4). This is what the Lord is doing in our lives. He is ‘the Potter’. We are no more than ‘jars of clay’(6; Isaiah 64:8; 2 Corinthians 4:7). Our lives are ‘marred’ by sin. It would be very easy to give up on ourselves. God hasn’t given up on us. He looks beyond what we are now. He sees what we will become. He is preparing us for ‘eternal glory’. ‘We are being renewed day by day’. ‘We are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory’(2 Corinthians 4:16-17:3:18). ‘Jesus, You are changing me. By Your Spirit, You’re making me like You... You are the Potter and I am the clay. Help me to be willing to let You have Your way...’(Mission Praise, 389).
Jeremiah 19:1-20:6
‘Listen! I am going to bring on this city and the villages around it every disaster I pronounced against them, because they were stubborn and would not listen to My Word’(15). God is warning the people. He is calling them back from the way of sin and disobedience. He is calling them to return to Him. He is looking for people who will take Him seriously. He calls us to live in obedience to His Word. He calls us to worship Him with the dedication of our lives and not only the words of our lips. Sometimes, we wonder, ‘Will God’s blessing be lost forever? Is there a way of rediscovering His blessing in our lives?’. ‘There’s a way back to God from the dark paths of sin. There’s a door that is open and you may go in. At Calvary’s Cross is where you begin, when you come as a sinner to Jesus’(Mission Praise. 682).
Jeremiah 20:7-18
Jeremiah is deeply depressed - ‘Cursed be the day I was born!... Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame?’(14-18). He has been preaching God’s Word. He’s getting nothing but abuse in return: ‘The Word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long’(8). Does he stop preaching ? No! He keeps on going. He feels like giving up: ‘If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His Name”’. There is, however, a greater Power which drives him on - ‘His Word is in my heart like a fire’. No matter how much Jeremiah tries to keep silent, he ‘cannot’do it (9). He moves forward in triumphant faith: ‘The Lord is with me like a mighty warrior’(11). He calls on the people to worship the Lord: ‘Sing to the Lord! Give praise to the Lord!’(13).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘The pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands, so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him’(4). This is what the Lord is doing in our lives. He is ‘the Potter’. We are no more than ‘jars of clay’(6; Isaiah 64:8; 2 Corinthians 4:7). Our lives are ‘marred’ by sin. It would be very easy to give up on ourselves. God hasn’t given up on us. He looks beyond what we are now. He sees what we will become. He is preparing us for ‘eternal glory’. ‘We are being renewed day by day’. ‘We are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory’(2 Corinthians 4:16-17:3:18). ‘Jesus, You are changing me. By Your Spirit, You’re making me like You... You are the Potter and I am the clay. Help me to be willing to let You have Your way...’(Mission Praise, 389).
Jeremiah 19:1-20:6
‘Listen! I am going to bring on this city and the villages around it every disaster I pronounced against them, because they were stubborn and would not listen to My Word’(15). God is warning the people. He is calling them back from the way of sin and disobedience. He is calling them to return to Him. He is looking for people who will take Him seriously. He calls us to live in obedience to His Word. He calls us to worship Him with the dedication of our lives and not only the words of our lips. Sometimes, we wonder, ‘Will God’s blessing be lost forever? Is there a way of rediscovering His blessing in our lives?’. ‘There’s a way back to God from the dark paths of sin. There’s a door that is open and you may go in. At Calvary’s Cross is where you begin, when you come as a sinner to Jesus’(Mission Praise. 682).
Jeremiah 20:7-18
Jeremiah is deeply depressed - ‘Cursed be the day I was born!... Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame?’(14-18). He has been preaching God’s Word. He’s getting nothing but abuse in return: ‘The Word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long’(8). Does he stop preaching ? No! He keeps on going. He feels like giving up: ‘If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His Name”’. There is, however, a greater Power which drives him on - ‘His Word is in my heart like a fire’. No matter how much Jeremiah tries to keep silent, he ‘cannot’do it (9). He moves forward in triumphant faith: ‘The Lord is with me like a mighty warrior’(11). He calls on the people to worship the Lord: ‘Sing to the Lord! Give praise to the Lord!’(13).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
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