The blog is back-up and here is last night’s post:
I thoroughly enjoy the flow of Jeremiah and today’s reading was no different. The entire reading is interesting and I would encourage you to delve into it; but what I am going to focus on is one of the most quoted scriptures in all the Bible which also happens to be one of the most misapplied scriptures in all the Bible…
Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”
Or in the NIV
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
How many graduates will receive this “promise” in a card or on the inside cover of a book or in a graduation speech over the next several weeks? And how many will receive this promise in a misused fashion?
Too many read this text and apply this text as if God is our vending machine that is just going to make everything “hunky dory” but what about the graduate from college that reads this card and then for two years can’t find a job with the degree he/she just paid $10,000’s of dollars to receive? What about the couple that gets married and they receive the promise, “I know the plans that I have for you…to give you a future and a hope,” and within two years they are filing for divorce. What about the family that on the day of the dedication of their child they receive a card affirming the promise God has for this little baby, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” And then a few months later the baby is diagnosed with a terrible disease and the family realizes their child of “promise” has almost no future…no more than five years.
It is funny this text is used as a prosperity text but notice the actual context…
In chapter 28 a “prophet” named Hananiah prophesies in the empty temple of Jerusalem, it is empty because Babylon ransacked the city and took the temple pieces and most the people back to Babylon, but this guy gives a prophecy that in just two years all the people and all the belongings will be restored to Jerusalem. Jeremiah actually affirms the prophecy, not that he believes it, but, “yeah I wish God would do that…but He’s not going to…”
Then with the backdrop of a false promise of prosperity from Hananiah Jeremiah sends a letter to the Israelites exiles in Babylon and says this is what is really going to happen, “You’re going to live there a long time. Many of you will die there. Your kids will grow-up, get married and die there. And so you might as well make the best of a bad situation. In fact God states very clearly the best way for these folk to prosper in the midst of bad,
“Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” -Jeremiah 29:7
That sounds a lot different than the greeting cards with promises of abundance because of Jeremiah 29:11…
So how does Jeremiah 29:11 then apply?
No matter how bad things get God does not forget and eventually all will be made right. And isn’t that a more accurate promise than prosperity here on this earth?
We are journeying through this world and the promise isn’t in this world we’ll have the greatest experience, that we’ll have no calamity, that we’ll always prosper, that we have a great future here on this earth ahead of us…
The promise is that one day maybe still years from now…maybe long after we’re gone…maybe even long after our children our gone…all things will eventually be made right…sin will be no more, death will be no more, sorrow will be no more, we will not hope against hope, no our hope will ultimately be completely fulfilled, ’till then the best thing for us to do is as we are able pray for the nations we live in and seek to live like Jesus in the midst of those that don’t believe around us and God will ultimately bless them through our prayers, and us through their blessing in some way ’till that day of ultimate blessing.
Oh and one more thing…that ultimate promise comes as a result of relationship with our Lord…
“Then you will callon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” -Jeremiah 29:12-14
Better than a false prosperity promise of Jeremiah 29:11 this year let us give to our young people and our fellow man the promise of an eternal hope that can be ours and theirs as we daily seek the face of Jesus.
Tomorrow’s Reading: Mark 15 & 16
As I have so often reading the book of Job I struggled to find the meaning of the text for myself…or even in the larger context and so I searched for help. I liked what I read in the Asbury Commentary and wanted to share it with you:
Elihu’s fourth speech has two distinct parts. In the first part he moves beyond the penal concerns of the three comforters and emphasizes the remedial implications of suffering (36:1-25). In the second part Elihu focuses on God’s activities in nature, thereby anticipating the speeches of the Lord that follow (36:26-37:24).
Although God is mighty, he does not despise his creatures (36:5). Contrary to what Job claims (21:7), the wicked are not allowed to live (36:6). When the righteous suffer, it is to alert them to their sins (v. 9) and to lead them to repentance (v. 10). Through such suffering God speaks (v. 9). If the righteous learn from their discipline, prosperity and contentment will follow (v. 11). If they do not, doom will overtake them (v. 12). Elihu now applies this principle to Job (vv. 16-21), but this strophe is so problematic that it is not clear whether Elihu is encouraging or warning Job. While there is strong scriptural support for suffering being remedial in nature, the prologue precludes its application to Job. Job’s suffering is neither penal nor remedial. It is a demonstration of his integrity.
Elihu now turns to the greatness of God as revealed in nature (36:26-37:13). This portion begins with an emphasis on the power of God as seen in the storm. God has not only created the forces of nature, he controls them. He sends the rain (vv. 27-28), the thunder (v. 29), and the lightning (v. 30). The destructive qualities of the storm suggest God’s anger and his judgment (vv. 31-32). There is no break in thought here even though the speech extends into the next chapter where there is a shift from an attitude of awe to expectation. The thunder is recognized as the voice of God (vv. 29, 33; cf. Ps 29) and the medium of a theophany. It is in the storm that God frequently reveals himself (Ex 19:18ff.; Ps 18:7-15; Jn 12:29). These verses are a preparation for the theophany Job will experience.
Do you agree w/ this commentary or no?
Tomorrow’s Reading: Jeremiah 27-31
Let us be honest for a moment. Everyone who has committed a truly horrific sin…maybe even some that have minor sins…are really, really, really glad that Psalm 51 is in the scriptures! I am raising both hands to testify of this!!
Oh it is a Psalm I have gone to more times than I care to admit in my life…this and Psalm 32
I want to point out a couple key thoughts that come to me from this 51st Psalm:
“Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.” Ps. 51:1
David doesn’t appeal to God based on His past actions, “Oh God remember how well I’ve served You and that I have been basically good ’till now…” No, David knows that there is no reason he deserves forgiveness but that forgiveness is accessible to him through the love and power of God. Our appeals for forgiveness should not be based on negotiation of our merits, but simply asking Jesus to pour out His compassion…which He has in abundance…unlimited even.
“For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
4 Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.” -Ps. 51:3, 4
David’s confession does not try and justify or rationalize his actions. There is no, “Well I was under pressure, and I messed-up this once.” He just confesses.
“Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.” -Ps. 51:6“Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” -Ps. 51:10“For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” -Ps. 51:16, 17
David doesn’t spend a lot of time talking about the actual sin of his adultery and murder…in fact read the Psalm again and notice he never mentions it directly. I point this out because how many times do we spend talking to God about the outward action of our sin but not the true sin, the true issue. David understands that the ultimate sin was not what took place with Bathsheba or Uriah, the ultimate sin was what took place in his heart that allowed him to get to that level of action. So he goes to God and acknowledges and asks God to deal with the root of the problem, his heart…what is one the inside.
“Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.”-Ps. 51:13
David’s commitment to God–as you give me the joy of salvation I will teach people about You and I will lead people to follow You. I will do evangelism.
Do we go back to our sins so often because after we confess and ask forgiveness we don’t then GO TO work for the Lord’s cause?
Tomorrow’s Reading: Job 35 & 36
I was once told or read…I honestly do not remember which…that in the days of Israel’s early history that when a Kingdom was conquered by another Kingdom that the rulers of the conquered Kingdom would be stripped down naked and forced to dance before the people as they entered their new city. Since hearing that, if this is in fact true I have always had a new perspective on 2 Samuel 6:12-16,
“Now it was told King David, saying, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. 13 And so it was, that when the bearers of the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. 14 And David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouting and the sound of the trumpet. 16 Then it happened as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.”
If the historical assessment at the top is accurate than understand what David is doing…
The Ark of the Lord is being brought into Jerusalem and David is, of his own free will, stripping down and dancing before the Ark. What is he indicating? To me based on the historical understanding I have, David is communicating to the people that he, the King of Israel, is actually subject to the King of Kings. Wouldn’t this make sense as to why Michal his wife is so upset? This was the behavior of a conquered king, not a ruling king!
“But when David returned to bless his household, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel distinguished himself today! He uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ maids as one of the foolish ones shamelessly uncovers himself!”” -2 Samuel 6:20
She is saying David acted like a servant, not a king…
But David understands something about Godly leadership that Michal does not, that her father King Saul did not…
“I will be more lightly esteemed than this and will be humble in my own eyes, but with the maids of whom you have spoken, with them I will be distinguished.”” -2 Samuel 6:22
Servant leadership is the greatest power amongst God’s movement and God’s people.
Tomorrow’s Reading: Psalm 51-53
For this post I want to share a link with you to four sermons I just completed that are from Exodus 20 that I pray will be a blessing to you.
Here is the link
or you can view the sermons:
04-02-2016 Chad Stuart: Remember: Part 1 from Spencerville Church on Vimeo.
04-09-2016 Chad Stuart: Remember: Part 2 from Spencerville Church on Vimeo.
04-16-2016 Chad Stuart: Remember: Part 3 from Spencerville Church on Vimeo.
04-23-2016 Chad Stuart: Remember: Part 4 from Spencerville Church on Vimeo.
So I recently sent out a survey to our church family and one of the questions on there was, “I will invite at least one person to church in the next 12 months.” 23.4% of the respondents said, “NO.” This survey is completely anonymous so I have no idea who those 23% are, and some of them may have very legitimate reasons for saying, “No,” I personally can’t think of any, but some may…I guess if they’re homebound that would make sense for them to say “no” but much beyond that I don’t understand…
But there are some who reason simply, “It is not my responsibility” or “I just don’t care enough to.”
I read something in today’s reading that those folk who said, “No” may want to hear,
“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” -2 Corinthians 5:20
Who are the “We”? The church members, that is whom Paul is writing to. The last line is interesting…in order to be ambassadors, true ambassadors we must be “reconciled to God.” And then verse 21 tells us how…
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf,” -2 Corinthians 5:21a
For what purpose?
“so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” -2 Corinthians 5:21b
“the righteousness of God” i.e. ambassadors.
Christ became sin for us not so we could sit in church and never reach out to anyone…
But so we could be ambassadors.
Saying “No” could be very close to saying “No” to being God’s ambassador…
And I’m not saved by being an ambassador…but if I am truly saved, then I will be an ambassador…
Something to think about if my “no” is because I just don’t care to or I somehow think being an ambassador is not my responsibility.
Tomorrow’s Reading: Exodus 17-20