Forever Faithful God
The word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. Psalm 33:4
READ Psalm 33:1¨C11
When Xavier was an elementary student, I drove him to and from school. One day, things didn¡¯t go according to plan. I was late to pick him up. I parked the car, praying frantically as I ran toward his classroom. I found him hugging his backpack as he sat on a bench next to a teacher. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mijo. Are you okay?¡± He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m fine, but I¡¯m mad at you for being late.¡± How could I blame him? I was mad at myself too. I loved my son, but I knew there would be many times when I¡¯d disappoint him. I also knew he might feel disappointed with God one day. So I worked hard to teach him that God never has and never will break a promise.
Psalm 33 encourages us to celebrate God¡¯s faithfulness with joyful praises (vv. 1¨C3) because ¡°the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does¡± (v. 4). Using the world God created as tangible proof of His power and dependability (vv. 5¨C7), the psalmist calls on the ¡°people of the world¡± to worship God (v. 8).
When plans fail or people let us down, we can be tempted to be disappointed in God. However, we can rely on God¡¯s trustworthiness because His plans ¡°stand firm forever¡± (v. 11). We can praise God, even when things go wrong because our loving Creator sustains everything and everyone. God is forever faithful.
By Xochitl Dixon
REFLECT & PRAY Why is it hard to praise God when your plans fail or people disappoint you? How has He used the world He created to prove His enduring trustworthiness?
Dear God, please remind me of Your past faithfulness as I walk by faith today.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Psalm 33 is an anonymous psalm that praises God and calls listeners to join in the praise (vv. 1¨C3). Specifically, we¡¯re to praise Him for His matchless character (vv. 4¨C5), for His acts of creation and deliverance, and for His power and love (vv. 6¨C19). The song concludes with an affirmation of trust in God and an appeal to Him for ongoing expressions of His lovingkindness (vv. 20¨C22). This structure, as one commentator wrote, ¡°clarifies the movement of the psalm from praise to hope, which when fulfilled leads into a new chorus of similar praise.¡± Take a few moments and reflect on how you¡¯ve experienced God¡¯s character, creation, and love, and give Him praise for all His ¡°unfailing love¡± (v. 22). As the old gospel song says, ¡°Count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done!¡±
Bill Crowder
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?Exodus 20
When a lawyer asked Jesus what was the greatest commandment, Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, explaining that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and that the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. He then said, ¡°On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets¡± (Matt. 22:40).
What that means is that those two commandments¡ªthat we must love God and love our neighbor as we love ourselves¡ªsummarize the Ten Commandments. The first four commandments teach us how to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, while the last six commandments teach us how to love our neighbor as ourselves. All the rest of the law in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, then, is essentially a commentary not only on the Ten Commandments but also on those two commandments to love God and to love our neighbor.
Now, it is not as though the Old Testament law completely spells out each of our obligations before God. In fact, many of the laws function not as precise, all-encompassing definitions of how we ought to love God and our neighbors but instead as paradigmatic case law, giving us concrete examples so that we can understand the principles behind how God wants us to live.1 While we do not have enough laws to expressly cover every possible situation that might arise in our lives, we can confidently trust that we have received all things necessary for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). In the law, God gives us a glimpse of his own holiness, as well as a description of the holiness that he calls us to pursue.
But as we talked about in yesterday¡¯s meditation, it is very important to see that the law is not at the foundation of Yahweh¡¯s relationship with his people. Before he describes a single law¡ªeven before he insists that Israel have no other god before him¡ªYahweh reminds Israel that they are his people: ¡°I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery¡± (Ex. 20:2).
As Christians, we don¡¯t seek to follow the law to earn God¡¯s grace but rather as a response to God¡¯s grace. For the Christian, the law is not the means by which we earn God¡¯s favor¡ªChrist, through his death and resurrection, is the reason we are acceptable to God. We are saved by grace through faith, not by works (Eph. 2:8).
The law, then, represents what we were saved for¡ªthe good works ¡°which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them¡± (Eph. 2:10). We were created¡ªand we were saved¡ªto love God and to love our neighbor, just as God has commanded.
1 Douglas K. Stuart, Exodus, TNAC, vol. 2 (Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 2006), 442¨C45.
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Daily in Your Presence - Aug. 12
Day 225
SOCIABILITY
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. . .
and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
John 2:1-2
FROM THE FATHER'S HEART My child, I did not create you to live alone. All around you I have placed divine appointments¡ªpeople to love, people with needs. Do you have room in your heart for others? Do you know what to say when you walk into a crowded room? Some are skilled in drawing out the best in others, while others shrink in terror at the thought of speaking the first word to a stranger. People need the Lord, My child. And I need you to tell them about Me.? I'll give you the words¡ªand sociability, too.
A GRATEFUL RESPONSE Wherever people flocked together, Lord, You made room in Your heart for them. Meeting needs, touching lives, changing hearts, You spent time with all of them, no matter what their status, background, or race. Lord, if You loved and needed people, so do I. Your sociability encourages me to make others a priority. Thank You for caring.
SIMPLE TRUTH
Jesus' welcome mat is always out.
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THE THIEF ON THE CROSS ¡°REMEMBER ME¡±
He was one of the most anonymous people in Scripture. All we know is that the ¡°malefactor¡± (as the Authorized Version calls him) was one of two thieves who were crucified alongside Jesus on a dark Friday some 2,000 years ago.
We don¡¯t know his name. We don¡¯t know where in Palestine he came from. We know nothing of his education, his family, or even his career¡ªif he even had one. We just know he was a thief the Romans wanted dead before sundown.
Initially, both of the thieves being crucified had mocked Jesus. The chief priests chided, ¡°If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ¡®I am the Son of God¡¯¡± (Matthew 27:42, 43). But in the very next verse, we read, ¡°Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing¡± (verse 44).
Did you catch that? Both robbers mocked, both reviled. Until ... one malefactor, who we know so little about, did a 180-degree turnaround. Hearing his compatriot demand that Jesus prove His divinity by saving them together, the now-penitent thief said: ¡°Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong¡± (Luke 23:40, 41).
Some have suggested that when this thief heard Jesus say, ¡°Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do¡± (Luke 23:34 KJV), this man was convicted of his own sin¡ªand his personal need for a Savior. The Bible doesn¡¯t give us a reason for the thief¡¯s repentance, just the word that he did. And for Jesus, that was enough!
As Luke recorded it: ¡°Then he said to Jesus, ¡®Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.¡¯¡± And on that very day, Jesus assured him, ¡°You will be with Me in Paradise¡± (Luke 23:42, 43).
Salvation! In a sentence! What hope that should give us all!
Reflect: Do you know of people who experienced a ¡°180-degree turnaround¡± in their view of God and Jesus? Were you such a person? The Lord allows U-turns!
KEY BIBLE TEXTS "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." Luke 23:42
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Submission to God Ephesians 6:1¨C9
Escaped slave, abolitionist, and statesmen Frederick Douglass observed, ¡°Between the Christianity of this land and the Christianity of Christ, I recognize the widest possible difference¡ªso wide that to receive the one as good, pure, and holy, is of necessity to reject the other as bad, corrupt, and wicked.¡±
Modern readers of today¡¯s passage are often troubled to see Paul include masters and slaves in his directions about how Christian families ought to operate. It is a fact, however, that in the New Testament era, slaves were considered a part of the household as much as children were. Obedience was expected of both (vv. 1, 6).
As we read Paul¡¯s directives, it is crucial to recognize that he is not endorsing the practice of slavery (see this month¡¯s ¡°Practical Theology¡± column). Rather, he is offering guidelines for Christians forced to live within that social structure. He does not tell them to unravel the practice but to be Christlike within its constraints. His directions to children, however, while essentially the same, are based on something else. They grow out of the commandment to ¡°Honor your father and mother¡± (Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16). Paul observes that this is the first of the ten commandments to include a promise.
Family was a biblical institution grounded in Creation. Slavery was not. Yet followers of Jesus in Paul¡¯s day were called to live Christianly within both. This does not mean they were obligated to accept either institution¡¯s ¡°bad, corrupt, and wicked¡± elements as part of God¡¯s will. Elsewhere, Paul advises slaves to gain their freedom if they can (1 Cor. 7:21). He says that those who submit should take comfort in knowing that God sees their obedience as something rendered to Him. Those who expect obedience must keep in mind that they will one day answer to God.
>> While our own experience may not fit this passage exactly, we all have people to whom we must submit. How can we do this in a way that will bring glory to Christ?
Pray with Us ¡°There is no authority except that which God has established¡± (Rom. 13:1). Submission to earthly authority begins with submission to You. Whatever our qualms about our earthly leaders, we trust that You are ultimately in control.
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WHERE ARE YOU PITCHING YOUR TENT?
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:1-2
Many who should be setting their tents nearer to the land of Canaan are pitching their camp nearer to Egypt. They are not living in the light of the Sun of Righteousness. Many attend places of amusement to gratify the taste, but no spiritual strength is gained by so doing, and you will find yourself on the losing side. To encourage the love of amusement is to discourage the love of religious exercises, for the heart becomes so crowded with trifling, with what is pleasing to the natural heart, that there is no room for Jesus. . . .
It requires the faith that works by love and purifies the soul to meet the mind of God. There are those who believe in Christ; they do not think Him an impostor; they believe the Bible to be a revelation of His divine character. They admire its holy doctrines, and revere the name, the only name given under heaven whereby men can be saved, and yet, with all this knowledge, they may be as truly ignorant of the grace of God as the veriest sinner. They have not opened the heart to let Jesus in.
What shall I say for the benefit of the youth? Will you open your hearts to Jesus, that His love, His mercy, may fill the chambers of your soul, that you may sing and make melody in your hearts unto God? O if all your affections were given unto Jesus, you would learn the language and the songs of Canaan!
In the worldling you expect to see lightness, trifling, vanity, immorality, jesting, and joking, but let it not so much as be named among you who are risen with Christ. . . . We must now elevate our thoughts and come to learn in the school of the Master.
As we near the close of time, the current of evil will set more and more decidedly toward perdition. We can be safe only as we hold firmly to the hand of Jesus, constantly looking to the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is our mighty Helper.
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"The bow shall be seen in the cloud." ¡ª Genesis 9:14
The rainbow, the symbol of the covenant with Noah, is typical of our Lord Jesus, who is the Lord's witness to the people. When may we expect to see the token of the covenant? The rainbow is only to be seen painted upon a cloud. When the sinner's conscience is dark with clouds, when he remembers his past sin, and mourneth and lamenteth before God, Jesus Christ is revealed to him as the covenant Rainbow, displaying all the glorious hues of the divine character and betokening peace. To the believer, when his trials and temptations surround him, it is sweet to behold the person of our Lord Jesus Christ-to see him bleeding, living, rising, and pleading for us. God's rainbow is hung over the cloud of our sins, our sorrows, and our woes, to prophesy deliverance. Nor does a cloud alone give a rainbow, there must be the crystal drops to reflect the light of the sun. So, our sorrows must not only threaten, but they must really fall upon us. There had been no Christ for us if the vengeance of God had been merely a threatening cloud: punishment must fall in terrible drops upon the Surety. Until there is a real anguish in the sinner's conscience, there is no Christ for him; until the chastisement which he feels becomes grievous, he cannot see Jesus. But there must also be a sun; for clouds and drops of rain make not rainbows unless the sun shineth. Beloved, our God, who is as the sun to us, always shines, but we do not always see him-clouds hide his face; but no matter what drops may be falling, or what clouds may be threatening, if he does but shine there will be a rainbow at once. It is said that when we see the rainbow the shower is over. Certain it is, that when Christ comes, our troubles remove; when we behold Jesus, our sins vanish, and our doubts and fears subside. When Jesus walks the waters of the sea, how profound the calm!
?Charles Spurgeon.
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KIDS TALK ABOUT GOD FAMILY DEVOTIONAL by Carey Kinsolving & Friends August 12, 2023 ? ? WHY IS GOSSIP WRONG? ? ¡°Knowledge is power, if you know it about the right person,¡± wrote Ethel Watts. Or, as Ivern Ball quipped, ¡°A small town is a place where there is little to see or do, but what you hear makes up for it.¡±
In small towns or large cities, gossip wreaks havoc wherever it spreads. And it does spread, says Scott, 11: ¡°A rumor is in all likelihood an expanded lie, which becomes larger as it goes along. A lot of rumors spread from jealous people who aren¡¯t at peace with themselves and have a big mouth the size of a western African Safari Elephant.¡±
Thanks, Scott for being specific. Africans are quick to point out that their elephants are bigger than those in India.
Like a charging elephant, a tongue out of control can destroy, says Maddie, 11: ¡°You can never take back the words you say. Once I was called a bad name in the 4th grade. It hurt me very bad, but I decided to go up and face the world.¡±
Way to go, Maddie. It takes courage to ignore gossip. The Lord takes care of those who entrust themselves to him. The Book of Proverbs is full of sayings about how those who lay a trap for a righteous person will be caught in it themselves.
The Bible says this about Jesus: ¡°He did not retaliate when he was insulted. When he suffered, he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly¡± (I Peter 2:23 NLT).
If you gossip, you might find yourself living in fear, says Kaci, 10: ¡°My sister was hurt by some mean gossip at school. But the boy is too afraid to tell more gossip about her now because her boyfriend is 6¡¯4¡å.¡±
This is called the Terminator Method for controlling gossip. It¡¯s very effective until the gossip gets a friend who¡¯s 6¡¯8¡å.
For permanent results, Karlyn, 11, recommends the Golden Rule. ¡°God said do unto others as you would have done to you. We don¡¯t like it when people are rude and start rumors about us. So we shouldn¡¯t do that to others.¡±
Your tongue needs the Golden Rule because ¡°it¡¯s the most powerful thing you have,¡± says Holly, 10. The Bible compares the destructive potential of the tongue to a spark that starts a forest fire. Both are small, but the effects are devastating.
The Bible calls anyone who can bring the tongue under control ¡°perfect¡± or ¡°mature¡± (James 3:2). If you¡¯re a woman looking for the perfect man or a man looking for Miss Right, ask yourself if God is in control of his or her words?
¡°Gossip is wrong because the Bible tells us not to let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths, and we should build up people with our words, not tear them down,¡± says Jonathan, 12.
The Apostle Paul wrote that our words should ¡°impart grace to the hearers¡± (Ephesians 4:29). The Bible is clear that eternal salvation comes to us by God¡¯s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and that this kind of faith comes by hearing the Word of God. It¡¯s humbling to realize that God allows us to impart grace to others through the words we speak.
Think about this: Grace builds up, and gossip tears down.
Memorize this truth: ¡°If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body¡± (James 3:2).
Ask this question: Do your words build up or tear down?
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LET BROTHERLY LOVE CONTINUE
Dearly
Beloved,
LET BROTHERLY LOVE CONTINUE
¡°Let brotherly love continue. Do
not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly
entertained angels. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them - those who
are mistreated - since you yourselves are in the body also¡± (Hebrews 13:1-3
NKJV).
The book of Hebrews was mainly
about the superiority of Jesus Christ over the Old Testament prophets and
religious systems. In concluding his message, the writer of the book admonished
his audience to let brotherly love continue. The Greek word (filadelfia)
translated as ¡°brotherly
love¡± in most English translations of the Bible can mean mutual love of
brothers (and sisters) or ¡°love for one's fellow believer, affection for a
fellow believer.¡± It is in contrast with another Greek word (agapee) also
translated as ¡°love¡±
which is the unconditional and unparallel love that God has for mankind. The
implication of the admonition was that brotherly love already existed among the
Hebrews that the book was addressed to. So, it must continue and the
continuation should have no end. The writer of the book went ahead to give two
explanations on how to demonstrate brotherly love (Hebrews 13:2-3). One, by
entertaining strangers: he inferred to Abraham who unknowingly entertained
angels (see Genesis 19). Two, by caring for the less privileged: Jesus Christ
alluded to this in one of His parables (see Matthew 25:34-46). There are other
ways of making brotherly love continue among us.
It is evident from these two
ways of demonstrating brotherly love that the ¡°brother¡± that one is to love may
not necessarily be a sibling or a fellow believer (as a commentator put it) or
somebody of common interest, but anyone that one can help at a given time. The
Samaritan in the popular parable of the Good Samaritan has been a classic
example of a demonstration
of brotherly love (see Luke 10:25-37).
Many people would say that they
love God, and are ready to do anything for Him. However, do they love their
fellow ¡°brother¡±? Such people are hypocrites! Apostle John said, ¡°If anyone
says, ¡®I love God,¡¯ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does
not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen¡±
(1 John 4:20 NIV).
A very important reason why one
should let brotherly love continue is that one may on one occasion or the other
be at the receiving end of such love. The ¡°strange¡± stranger who needs the love or care maybe YOU!
Do you have brotherly love? Be
ready to demonstrate it to anyone that comes your way. Let brotherly love
continue!
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
Prayer Point: Pray that God will
help you to continue to demonstrate genuine brotherly love to anyone that comes
your way.
_________________________
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
+2348055159591
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"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. FOR TO ME, TO LIVE IS CHRIST AND TO DIE IS GAIN" (Philippians 1:20-21 NIV).
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2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
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REDEEMED! 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ¡°Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit.¡± In 1969 the U.S. Embassy in Iran was overpowered and the Americans inside were held hostage for 444 days. They lived in terror for over a year not knowing if they would live to see another day, be it prisoner or free. They were finally redeemed and allowed to go free, but what scars they carried with them into freedom! Forgetting that particular incident and thinking of our redemption from sin, what is the worth of the human soul? The Lord Jesus paid the price for our redemption, and I am so grateful that we have been set free from the penalty of sin! The writer of this hymn, Fanny Crosby, was eagerly looking forward to that day when her Redeemer would appear and her blinded eyes would be opened and she would behold the most beautiful sight she could ever imagine¡ªJesus! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child and forever I am. REFRAIN: Redeemed, redeemed, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am. (2) Redeemed, and so happy in Jesus, No language my rapture can tell; I know that the light of His presence, With me doth continually dwell. REFRAIN: Redeemed, redeemed, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am. (3) I think of my blessed Redeemer, I think of Him all the day long: I sing, for I cannot be silent; His love is the theme of my song. REFRAIN: Redeemed, redeemed, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am. (4) I know I shall see in His beauty, The King in whose law I delight; Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps, And giveth me songs in the night. REFRAIN: Redeemed, redeemed, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am. (5) I know there¡¯s a crown that is waiting, In yonder bright mansion for me, And soon, with the spirits made perfect, At home with the Lord I shall be. REFRAIN: Redeemed, redeemed, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . You can enjoy the inspiration video, ¡°Redeemed¡± from by going to: Blessings dear hearts! May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions! 2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
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Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." When we are faithful to do the things that God expects, He will show us the unexpected! The miraculous becomes the expected. In fact, Jesus declared that certain proofs would accompany believers (Mark 16:16-18). We can expect the sick to be healed. We should not find it peculiar when principalities and powers are defeated. That is the sovereign God we serve! In Acts 3, Peter and John were on their way to the Temple to pray. Nothing unusual to report here! They were going about their expected business. A certain man, lame from birth, was lying in front of the Beautiful Gate. Every day, his companions carried him to this specific spot so that he could beg for alms ¨C his expected daily routine. As Peter and John walked past him, he called out. The two disciples stopped and focused their attention squarely on the beggar. ¡°Look at us,¡± Peter said. The man looked at them, hoping to receive some coins ¨C an expected exchange. Peter said, ¡°Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.¡± Instantly healed, he went walking, leaping, and praising God into the Temple. Unexpected! For those who believe, signs and wonders will follow. Expect the unexpected! May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you and give you His peace. As you go about your daily routine, may you expect the unexpected! May you be on the lookout for opportunities to glorify the Savior. Step out in faith believing in the name of Jesus¡ Amen. 2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land
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History Ends-Prophecy Begins
A CLASSIC MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE History Ends-Prophecy Begins The great Reformer John Calvin (1509-1564) was so overwhelmed with the historical accuracy of Daniel's prophecy in the first part of chapter eleven that he wrote forty pages of commentary describing in minute detail the future exploits of each world leader, the battles engaged, and the ensuing intrigue. In fact, the meticulous and historically accurate nature of these verses has persuaded many liberal ministers to believe that Daniel could not have written this book, suggesting that no one could have been privy to so many details of forthcoming events. Therefore, they argue, the Book of Daniel must have been written much later. To that I would simply reply that since God is God, and since He knows all things, it really would not be difficult for the Almighty to fill Daniel with His Holy Spirit and through him make known the events in history yet to come (2 Peter 1:20-21). Some readers may want me to spend as much time as John Calvin did in delineating past predictions that have already been fulfilled in the first part of chapter eleven, perhaps hoping that I would trace the accomplishments of every king, every skirmish, and every historical circumstance in this four hundred-year period to prove there are no errors in Daniel's prophecy. However, for those who may not have as great a historical bent, this would be too much detail, since the first thirty-five verses of this chapter eleven include 135 prophecies-each completely fulfilled down to the smallest detail. Undoubtedly, delving into each of the 135 predictions would become exceedingly laborious. With those considerations in mind, I will simply sketch out a few of the completed historical events of this chapter and then spend most of the time exploring the confluence of the many events that suggest so strongly that we are now at the time of the end-a discussion which begins with verse 36. Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. And now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of C recta. And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those. Details that Confound the Skeptics These first four verses trace the history of four Persian rulers and Alexander the Great of Greece-giving summary details of the Ptolemies of Egypt and the Seleucids of Syria, whom, as you will recall, represented the two major divisions of Alexander's worldwide kingdom. It is this kind of historical detail that confounds the skeptic who says, "How could any one-God included-have known with such accuracy the events, people, and interaction of nations four centuries before such events took place?" Here, however, we are not concerned with the critics' skepticism, but rather rejoice in the knowledge that we have a God who knows the future, has ordained its activity, and is now allowing us to unseal mysteries so long hidden from view. Here's a quick summary of some of the enormous amount of prophetic information contained in Daniel's vision-all of which has now been fulfilled. When Daniel received his fourth revelation, Cyrus was king of Medo-Persia. However, Christ- in the vision-told Daniel there would be three more MedoPersian rulers prior to the reign of successor number four. The three kings were Cambyses, Pseudo-Smerdis, and Darius I Hystaspes. The fourth would be Xerxes I, a powerful ruler who later accumulated great armies, power, and wealth over a four-year period which he used to invade Greece in the year 480 B.C. I highlight this here because it was Xerxes' attack of Greece that moved Alexander the Great to attack Medo-Persia some one hundred and fifty years later. However, not all would go well for Alexander in spite of his great power and dominance of so much of the then-known world. Though the young king grasped worldwide control, he soon died of malaria and syphilis at the age of thirty-two. Previously, we saw a defeated Greece predicted in the form of a leopard (Daniel 7:6), and as the goat in Daniel 8:5-6. Events prophesied; events fulfilled. And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion. And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times. But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail: And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north. So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress. And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand. And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it. For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall. So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand. But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed. He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him. After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be helped with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. The Wars between the South and the North From verse 5 we begin to see a powerful struggle taking place between the kings of the South-Egypt-and the kings of the North-Assyria, today's Syria. These nations were constantly at each other's throats, alternating victories. It was a see-saw world of power-grabbing, palace intrigue, and battle fatigue for supreme command of the region. Finally, a scheme was devised to put an end to these constant wars that were taking such a great toll on the people and their respective governments. This was the plan: Ptolemy II had a daughter Berenice, and it was decided that if she would marry Antiochus II of Syria a union designed to create a long and lasting peace in the area could be forged. However, even the best laid plans of kings and princesses often do not meet all expectations, and since it was a forced marriage, Antiochus II of Syria hated the arrangement. However, for political reasons, he chose to live with what he disliked. But when the king of Egypt, Ptolemy II, died, Antiochus realized he suddenly had a golden opportunity to get rid of his spouse-which he did. He divorced her and took back his original wife, Laodice. The ancient soap opera continued to play out when Laodice, overcome with jealousy, had Berenice poisoned along with most of her family. In the end, the hoped-for peace between Egypt and Assyria did not hold. In fact, this was only the beginning of the shedding of blood between the powers of the north and south. Other high profile names to surface during the next four centuries would be men such as Ptolemy Euergetes, Seleucus Callinicus, Antiochus III, and Ptolemy Philopator, along with the wicked Antiochus Epiphanes who, upon returning from Egypt after having amassed great wealth, began to show his unnatural hatred toward the Jews, an attitude best described by the phrase, "His heart shall be against the holy covenant" (v. 28). This beast of a man would also be a precursor of the persecution an end-time global dictator exercises against Israel during the Great Tribulation hour. We have seen earlier that Antiochus was the designated archetype of the "future man of iniquity"-the Antichrist yet to come. I believe he will soon be on the scene as the clock of history winds down and brings us to the time of the end. It is impossible to do justice to the history that takes place between verses 1 and 35 without writing a major compendium on the prophecies and their actual fulfillment. There are already many commentaries available that deal with such issues. For our purpose, however, the most important, underlying message of these first thirty-five verses is this: They contain 135 Bible prophecies that have been 100 percent fulfilled. There is no supportive evidence in history to contradict any of the 135 prophecies, i.e., everything prophesied has come true. They provide a convincing introduction to end-time events-a period of time in world history that is rapidly approaching. Prophecies still to come in this chapter can be expected to be fulfilled in the same manner as the 135 prophecies were in the first thirty-five verses of Daniel chapter eleven. With that brief background, we will now proceed to the futuristic nature of Daniel's revelation which begins in verse 36 in next weeks study. 2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
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John 11:26 'And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?' JOHN 11:26 Some people have interpreted this as saying that it is possible to never die. Therefore, there are people today who are believing that they will live physically until the second coming of Jesus, even if that is thousands of years away. Although it is understandable how someone could interpret this verse in that manner, it is very doubtful that this is what Jesus truly meant. First, a doctrine as profound as this would certainly be well documented in other scriptures. Other scriptures may sometimes be quoted as supporting this claim but they would not lead a person to this conclusion by themselves. There would already have to be a prejudice in favor of this stand within a person to lead him to interpret these scriptures in this light. That is not a sound method of Bible interpretation. Also, there is not a single scriptural example of anyone who obtained this. That should make anyone suspect of this teaching. Enoch or Elijah might be cited as examples, but they were translated so that they didn't die. They are not still in their physical bodies on this earth. There have been periods in church history where certain truths were suppressed, such as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit or healing, and then revived through a move of God. But there was always a remnant of the church that continually experienced these blessings of God. That cannot be shown to be true with this belief that a believer can remain on the earth in his physical body until Jesus comes. Therefore, this passage of scripture concerning never dying is generally accepted as referring to our eternal life that we receive at salvation. The promise of never dying spiritually is made many times in scripture and it is promised to every believer. 2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
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IN THE LIGHT
I John 1:7 NKJV ¡°But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.¡± John 1:4-5 AMP ¡°In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it].¡± People think light comes from the sun and stars. But those are creations. Light proceeds from God. Our God is a consuming fire. (Heb. 12:29) In order to walk with the Lord, we must let go of the world, and allow His fire to burn away everything that is worthless and distracting. This world lies in darkness, and darkness flees from light. So it is impossible to walk with the Lord while clinging to the world. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior His blood covers us and removes our sin. It is then that our journey with Him begins. His Light shines on us, in us, and through us. Nothing is hidden. So we have fellowship with Him, and we can safely and confidently abide in His Presence. When Adam sinned he cut himself off from the Presence of God. He could no longer see God or walk with Him in the cool of the day. Adam hid himself because he was afraid. He had good reason to fear. That consuming fire would have destroyed him, as well as his future descendants. It was an act of mercy on God¡¯s part that He withdrew His Presence from the man He had created. But he did not abandon man. There came a day when God sent His Son to redeem us and restore our broken fellowship with Him. In Jesus we live in the Presence of God and walk in the Light of Life. He leads us home to the One who is our dwelling place. (Ps. 90:1)
IN HIM WE LIVE 08-11-2023
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2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
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Ever feel like your paying a high price
Cow-Folk & Friends Ever feel like your paying a high price for a decision you wished you had never made  As a Chaplain I hear this a lot- Some are sinking into financial crisis because of foolish spending. Others are locked in terrible marriages or in situations because of rash decisions - the list goes on. Their despair is unspeakable. They feel helpless and are on the verge of giving up. For some it¡¯s so bad - they have no hope and some just look forward to death. Friend-you don¡¯t have to live without hope ! GOD has given you His promises that He does not walk out on His people. Psalm 107:19 tells us, ¡°Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses.¡± We all have made mistakes in our life: There are things we can¡¯t change- There are words spoken that we can¡¯t erase- Yet-GOD has been and is - merciful to us ! All He asks is that we cry out to Him in our desperation and trust Him. He can heal-give life and thankfully  provide supernatural grace ! Psalm 107:20 goes on to say, ¡°He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.¡± The key to surviving any desperate situation- Is Hope ! Hope in knowing JESUS loves you. Hope that He is - right now this very minute- working out a solution for you. Hope that the future you place in His hands will be better than the present you hold in your own. I pray  you have a great day and always allow others the opportunity to hear-see and feel the love of GOD through you. GOD Bless !!
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2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
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Who Am I?
God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
READ Romans 5:6¨C10
Robert Todd Lincoln lived under the extensive shadow of his father, beloved American president Abraham Lincoln. Long after his father¡¯s death, Robert¡¯s identity was engulfed by his father¡¯s overwhelming presence. Lincoln¡¯s close friend, Nicholas Murray Butler, wrote that Robert often said, ¡°No one wanted me for secretary of war; they wanted Abraham Lincoln¡¯s son. No one wanted me for minister to England; they wanted Abraham Lincoln¡¯s son. No one wanted me for president of the Pullman Company; they wanted Abraham Lincoln¡¯s son.¡±
Such frustration isn¡¯t limited to the children of the famous. We all are familiar with the feeling of not being valued for who we are. Yet nowhere is the depth of our value more evident than in the way God loves us.
The apostle Paul recognized us for who we were in our sins, and for who we become in Christ. He wrote, ¡°At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly¡± (Romans 5:6). God loves us because of who we are¡ªeven at our worst! Paul wrote, ¡°God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us¡± (v. 8). God values us so much that He allowed His Son to go to the cross on our behalf.
Who are we? We¡¯re God¡¯s beloved children. Who could ask for more?
By Bill Crowder
REFLECT & PRAY When have you felt lost in another person¡¯s shadow? How will you permit this to teach you about God¡¯s concern for you individually?
Father, I thank You that You love me for who I am and what I am, and that Your forgiveness and love are mine.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT A central theme of Romans 5:6¨C10 is our reconciliation to God¡ªsomething we might doubt if we focus on our struggles and the things we regret. Paul discusses justification by faith in Jesus (v. 1). This justification brings us a wonderful hope: complete salvation from our sins and eternity with God the Father. Paul notes how we¡¯ve been ¡°justified by [Christ¡¯s] blood¡± (v. 9). Then he makes the point that if Jesus¡¯ death was enough to rescue us when we were dead in our sins, how much more so is His life (v. 10)! This salvation rescues us from God¡¯s righteous wrath against sin. In chapter 6, Paul deals with the dangerous heresy that it¡¯s okay to go on sinning since Christ¡¯s blood brings complete forgiveness from sin. He says, ¡°We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?¡± (v. 2). Tim Gustafson
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Exodus 19
Exodus 19 is a pivotal chapter in the Bible. At this point, Yahweh tells his people to stop at Mount Sinai, where he will meet with them and take them to himself as his people through covenant and by giving them his law, beginning with the Ten Commandments in the next chapter.
To understand what is happening in this chapter, it¡¯s important to keep in mind that grace came first. Yahweh is about to give his law to Israel, but it isn¡¯t as though the law is the beginning of Yahweh¡¯s relationship to Israel¡ªin fact, Israel has belonged to Yahweh since the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, when Yahweh swore his covenantal love to those patriarchs and to their offspring after them.
Then, when Yahweh brought Israel out of Egypt, he redeemed them¡ªthat is, he purchased them back to himself. So, the law is in no way the foundation of Yahweh¡¯s relationship with Israel. On the contrary, law comes after grace.
Why the law, then? Yahweh gave the law to Israel to structure his (pre-existing) relationship with them. Through the law, they would understand the heart and the character of Yahweh, learning what he loves and what he hates. If Israel kept the law, Yahweh promised to bless them: ¡°Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation¡± (Ex. 19:5¨C6).
Yahweh set great blessings before Israel if they obeyed¡ªthey would be his treasured possession in all the earth, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation among all other nations. There would likewise be great curses for disobedience, but we will read about that later.
To inaugurate this relationship with his people, Yahweh came near to them at Mount Sinai in thunder, lightning, a thick cloud, a very loud trumpet blast, and smoke (Ex. 19:16¨C20). In the context of what we have read so far in the Bible, this is an incredible movement. Yahweh had become increasingly distant from his people since Adam and Eve sinned in Genesis 3, but here Yahweh comes closer to his people than at any time since the fall.
Still, Yahweh cannot dwell perfectly with his people. Israel must take special care to consecrate themselves before Yahweh comes, and under no circumstances is any Israelite allowed to touch the mountain at all (Ex. 19:9¨C15). Yahweh¡¯s goal in redemption is to dwell with his people in holiness again, but they are not yet ready for that level of consummation.
But in Exodus 19, Yahweh takes one giant step closer toward that goal. Tomorrow we will see more of what Yahweh desires from his relationship with his people as he begins to unfold his law.
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Generations to generations
GENERATION TO GENERATION
During the terrifying days of the Spanish Inquisition, many Jews openly converted to Catholicism but practiced parts of their religion underground in secret. Centuries later, some of their descendants began to identify their Jewish heritage as they discovered the history behind family practices¡ªsuch as lighting candles on Saturday and saying Adonai as they crossed themselves.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, Spain was a dark place for the Jewish people. Oppression and prejudice had existed for years, but in the wake of the Spanish Inquisition, many Jews converted to Catholicism to protect themselves. They were known as conversos or marranos.
A number of these people continued to practice Judaism underground. They lit Sabbath candles in the darkness of their own homes. They whispered Hebrew blessings during mass. They held their Passover seders outdoors, a safe distance from watching eyes.
Years later, some of their descendants began to recognize that small pieces of their family¡¯s religious practices were linked to Judaism. They had never realized that the faith of their ancestors had been passed down through the centuries. History came alive with the knowledge of who their ancestors really were.
In Scripture, the psalmist records a promise to keep faith alive through generations to come. He remembers the sayings and practices of old, learned from his fathers, and vows that his people ¡°will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord.¡±
Like the conversos of Spain, he promises to pass on the knowledge of his God. Sharing the knowledge of God with our children is one of the most powerful ways we can keep our faith alive! The impact of our example will live on for generations.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS "I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:" Psalm 78:2
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Submit to One Another ?Ephesians 5:21¨C33
In a culture that prizes independence, submission is not a popular idea. Many modern readers bristle when they come to Ephesians 5:22, where Paul says wives should submit to their husbands. However, the command to submit is not just for wives. In this section of his letter, the apostle speaks of submission as a universal obligation and as an expression of reverence for Christ (v. 21).
These guidelines are sometimes referred to as the Haustafel, a German word that means ¡°household order.¡± The command of verse 21 serves as a heading for this section of this letter, which runs through Ephesians 6:9. Here Paul describes the roles of wives, husbands, children, fathers, enslaved people, and masters. Paul¡¯s goal was to help his readers live Christianly within a social structure of his day. John Stott points out that Paul¡¯s directives assume the dignity of womanhood, childhood, servanthood, and equality before God of all human beings.
The apostle describes differences in the roles of husbands and wives, using Christ and the church as a pattern. The guiding principle is the rule of love. He commands husbands to love their wives ¡°just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her¡± (v. 25). Wives, in turn, respond to this love with voluntary submission. In its proper context, the call for wives to ¡°submit to their husbands in everything¡± is not demeaning. Husbands are to act as servants to their wives in the same way that Jesus served the church (vv. 28¨C29). Rather than ascribing a difference in status between husbands and wives, Paul emphasizes mutuality. Both are dependent upon each other. Each serves the other. Husband and wife are equal in the eyes of Christ (1 Cor. 11:8¨C12).
>> Jesus said, ¡°The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master¡± (Matt. 10:24). If He was not ashamed to take the role of a servant, we should not be reluctant to submit to one another in love.
Pray with Us Mutual submission is a simple concept, but it is difficult to carry out between imperfect people. Endow us with the humility and Christlike love to truly see one another as better than ourselves!
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BAYO AFOLARANMI
Momsooky