Tag: Through the Word in 2020

Through the Word in 2020 / Feb. 7

February 7th, 2020

We are reading the Bible through together this year, using the Discipleship Journal Reading Plan published by the Navigators. You can download it free of charge from: https://www.navigators.org/resource/bible-reading-plans/

Today’s 4 readings are: Matthew 13:1-23; Acts 18:18-28; Psalm 30, Exodus 19-20.

The 2nd half of Psalm 30:5 gets quoted often, even by those who may have no sense of its origin. ”weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” And by itself, it does form a nice little platitude – though not at all accurate in every circumstance.

The context here makes all the difference. For it is in the midst of David extolling how it is God remains faithful to those who are His. Faithful, even when we have sinned against Him. The first past of the verse brings it into clearer focus: “For His anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime” This would be a good place to mentally insert the word “therefore”. In other words, it is because the first part of the verse is true, that the second part is true. And this is meant to remind the Believer – not the World in general – that even on those times when we have failed our Savior gravely, wounded Him deeply by our sin and rebellion, grieved His Holy Spirit within us – so as to rouse His anger, it is not the kind of anger that casts off.

Unlike fickle human anger which often sacrifices love on the altar of anger – not so our God. When He has set His love on one, He may at times be angry with us, but it is only a momentary anger punctuating a lifetime of love.

Hear His Word Believer. Yes, we can anger Him at times. But in Christ and as Christ’s – bought with His blood, it is an anger within a context of love, and never, NEVER the withdrawal of love in anger. And so it is we might smart for a time under the hand of His righteous discipline – but there is never any reduction in His love. His anger is – when it is all said and done, never according to what we really deserve, but always tempered – is but for a moment. But His favor, ah, that Dear One, is for a lifetime.

What a wonderful Savior He is.
Through the Word in 2020 / Feb. 5

February 5th, 2020

We are reading the Bible through together this year, using the Discipleship Journal Reading Plan published by the Navigators. You can download it free of charge from: https://www.navigators.org/resource/bible-reading-plans/

Today’s 4 readings are: Matthew 12:22-37; Acts 17:16-34; Psalm 28, Exodus 13-15.

It is amazing how God’s dealings with the Children of Israel grant us lasting insight into how He still continues to deal with the Saints in every generation. And part of our reading today in Exodus 14:10-15 is one such wonderful example.

As with the immediate aftermath of Israel fleeing the confines of Egypt, it is not unusual for the newly minted Christian, to suddenly and fearfully find him or herself pursued by his former sins in a most menacing way. How fiercely they come seeking fresh dominion. And at times, it may seem as though remaining as was would be preferable to being caught once again – and then perhaps dragged even lower than before they believed.

We fear we will never be free of the fetters we have been strapped by for so very very long. Generations of bondage to sin leaving its scars everywhere.

But God has a plan. He intends to be glorified in His grace toward us in victory over our former bondage – a decisive victory that we have not yet imagined.

How shall it be accomplished? The same way our deliverance was at the first – by believing our Lord, and trusting Him.

1. Believing unequivocally that He has our best interest at heart. “Fear not”. Do not fear that what Christ has done can in any way be un-done.

2. Believing that He intends to vanquish the power of sin’s dominion over us. “Stand firm”. Stay your ground. Do not flee back. The LORD WILL fight for you.

3. Believing enough, to let our hearts be silent in trust – that in our continuing to follow, God will break Egypt’s back on our behalf. “Be silent”. Do not cry out as though there is no hope – trust His promise. Trust Him.

4. Believing that it is our call to continue to “go forward” (15) where it seems there is no clear path before us – what appears to be only sea. Keep pressing on toward Heaven. God’s intent is to bring you there. Keep in the Word. Keep in prayer. Keep in worship. Keep in the Gospel. Keep in faith. Press on where it seems there is no place to press on – and He will make a way.
Through the Word in 2020 / Feb. 4

February 4th, 2020

We are reading the Bible through together this year, using the Discipleship Journal Reading Plan published by the Navigators. You can download it free of charge from: https://www.navigators.org/resource/bible-reading-plans/

Today’s 4 readings are: Matthew 12:1-21; Acts 17:1-15; Psalm 27, Exodus 10-12.

In Matt. 12, this is now the second time Jesus has confronted the Pharisees on this same question – they do not get what Jesus means, that God has said He desires mercy above sacrifice. See: 9:13.

The point of the sacrifices is not the sacrifices themselves, but the mercy they are intended to point to. God doesn’t delight in the practice – He delights in what the practice is meant to display – that there is a sacrifice, an atonement for sin – a blood atonement – the blood of the Lamb of God.

This is what Jesus means when He says something greater than the Temple had arrived. The Temple could only function as a temporary edifice to spotlight the types and shadows. It could support the priesthood, the sacrifices, the table of shewbread, the lampstand and the holy of holies with the Ark, but it was not the substance.

Christ is the substance. And the problem with the Pharisees at that point, is the very same one with all man-made religion: It fails to recognize the authentic that the types and shadows point to. They were not recognizing Jesus as the fulfillment of all these things.

And many is the religionist today who does the very same thing, even in the name of Christianity. Putting emphasis upon rites, rituals and law-keeping – rather than on the substitutionary death of Christ on the Cross as that to which all of these other things can only point. Keeping them in and of themselves, no matter how scrupulously – has no value at all. He alone, is Heaven’s treasure and the provision for our sin.

What a wonderful Savior!

Tag: Through the Word in 2020

Through the Word in 2020 / Feb. 7

Through the Word in 2020 / Feb. 5

Through the Word in 2020 / Feb. 4