TFTD - 23 January 2014 - Thoughts from Today's Bible Readings

23 January 2014

Genesis 38
Psalms 41; 42; 43
Matthew 25

"THE WATER OF LIFE"

Today’s Psalm 42 has this particularly challenging verse, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” [Psalm 42:2] We linked this verse in with the two parables we read today inMatthew 25. There is first a parable of 10 virgins waiting for the bridegroom to arrive, but half of them are foolish and do not bring enough oil (of faith?) and the door is shut on them and they are left outside [Matthew 25:1-10].

The second somewhat parallel parable is of servants who are entrusted with portions of their Master’s property while he is away. When he returns they are called to appear before him. Those who have been conscientious are naturally ready when their Master re-appears, they have been thirsting for him to come. These receive commendation and are told “Enter into the joy of your Master [Matthew 25:23]. Their thirsty soul was satisfied.

However, there is a servant who is described as “slothful” [Matthew 25:26] who is barred from entry and the point is made by Jesus, “To everyone who has will more be given and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” [Matthew 25:29]

We now look again at Psalm 42 where we read another important question - and the answer to it! “Why are you cast down, O my soul, why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him …” [Psalm 42:5]. This thought leads to the Psalmist’s recognition that “by day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.” [Psalm 42:8]

The Psalmist learnt that the Lord will quench our thirst now if we truly drink from his word every day. We will have ample oil in our lamps and will be ready to appear before him with joy. This world is “a dry and weary land where there is no water” [Psalm 63:1] except for “the water of life” [Revelation 21:6] that is only to be found, here and now, in God’s word.
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- DC


Thought for the Day

23 January 2014

"It has been said that the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is "the most searching and powerful utterance we possess on what concerns the moral life". All recognize its nobility, but only the Christian can appreciate its significance in relation to the Gospel message. It depicts the outlook and attitude of mind of Christ and it is impossible fully to appreciate and aspire to its ideals without him. To those prepared to accept the invitation of Jesus to forsake all and follow him, there is no greater guide."

- John J. Fryer
Design for Life (1971)

TFTD - 22 January 2014 - Thoughts from Today's Bible Readings

22 January 2014

Genesis 37
Psalms 39; 40
Matthew 24

"WILL GATHER HIS ELECT"

In both our Genesis and Matthew readings today we have reference to the sun, moon and stars - and in neither case are they to be understood in a literal sense. The context makes this evident. In Genesis Joseph has a dream and tells his parents and brothers about it. “Behold I have dreamed a dream. Behold the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me” [Genesis 37:9] His father has no doubt as to what the dream symbolises and says, “ ‘Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?’ And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind” [Genesis 37:10-11]. Our minds moved forward to the time of Mary and how she kept the sayings about Jesus in mind in her heart. [Luke 2:19, 51]

The jealousy of the brothers is the trigger that creates a sequence of events that leads to the fulfilment of this dream ­ another example of how God weaves in the actions prompted by human nature, to bring about his purpose. It is also the way he oversees the character building of those he is calling to serve him.

In Matthew 24 Jesus says the sun, moon and stars will be a sign of his coming. The time of great tribulation comes to an end when “the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken” [Matthew 24:29]

While we do not exclude a possible application in some physical sense, the saying has an application to a total crisis and collapse of earth’s ruling powers; the “earth (i.e. the people on earth) will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect …” [Matthew 24:30-31]

Let us remember these words and build up our faith in these words, because we cannot have faith in human beings, we must not be like the foolish virgins we will read about tomorrow.
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DC


Thought for the Day

22 January 2014

"The joy we experience now is real enough, but is transient and passing. We have our moments of sorrow and depression as well as joy, but the joy to come is different. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." And when that day comes there will be an end of sorrow and trial. Weeping will give place to joy, a joy which will know no end:

"And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10)"

- Philip Hinde
Joy (1977)

TFTD - 21 January 2014 - Thoughts from Today's Bible Readings

21 January 2014

Genesis 36
Psalms 38
Matthew 23

"FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD IS NEAR"

Our Lord Jesus really set about 'calling a spade a spade' as the saying is, as he confronted the religious leaders in Jerusalem. In today's reading [Matthew 23] he calls them "hypocrites" "blind guides" and children of hell (Gehenna). He says they concentrate on outward appearance "but inside they are full of greed and self indulgence" [Matthew 23:25] He is stirring up as much as possible their hatred of him, which goes hand in hand with their jealousy and envy of the adulation he received as he entered Jerusalem.

As a result their state of mind is such that they are determined to destroy him whatever it costs. Seven times in this chapter Jesus says "Woe to you" [Matthew 23:13,15,16,23,25,27,29] The hidden sevens in the Bible are interesting, as we noted in Revelation. Then, it seems to us, it is especially significant when he says, "Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape … all these things shall come on this generation." [Matthew 23:32,33,36]

The same Gk word is used in Matthew 13:47-50 when Jesus told the parable of the net being "thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age … "

Jesus is using a way of speaking that God used through the prophet Joel; speaking in this case of gathering in a grape harvest, as a parable of the overflow of his anger on the nations " … the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great … for the day of the LORD is near … and the heavens and the earth quake … so you shall know that I am the LORD your God." [Joel 3:13,14,16,17]

Sadly, for many, as with the religious leaders and a million Jews in the First Century, it will be too late, they were among the bad that we cast away when the full net was brought ashore.

But Joel's prophecy is about our days - and how true it is today those words of Jesus to the hypocrites that surrounded him that concentrate on the outward appearance "but inside they are full of greed and self indulgence"

Is not this the spirit in the world today? How close to being "full" is this world? A fearful repetition of the Jewish world of 1950 years ago! We call to mind the final message of Jesus, "Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth … they (the angels) were told not to harm … only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads." [Revelation 8:13; 9:4] How can those who do not read the Bible have any hope of having the seal of God on them … God's word tells you how to have it!
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- DC


Thought for the Day

21 January 2014

"In this blessed provision for the forgiving of our sins we recognize the wonderful compassion of God, manifested to those who seek to know Him and to serve Him. In, and through, His beloved Son "we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7). Reconciliation to God and continued fellowship with Him and His Son are only possible on the basis of His forgiveness of our sins. Little wonder, therefore, that this aspect of the Divine mercy is constantly stressed in the Scriptures as an outstanding feature of the character of God, and gratefully recognized and appreciated by those who have been the recipients of it."

- F.W. Turner
Meditations (1949

TFTD - 20 January 2014 - Thoughts from Today's Bible Readings

20 January 2014

Genesis 34; 35
Psalms 37
Matthew 22

"COMMIT YOUR WAY TO THE LORD"

The above saying of Jesus in today's reading of Matthew 22:14 provoked our thoughts - seeing that Peter wrote that God "is not wishing that any should perish" [2 Peter 3:9]. Why call so many, but choose so few? We should remember well the parable of the sower sowing the seed and how many examples of unproductive ground were given compared to "the good soil." Today there is more unreceptive and unproductive ground than ever.

It is helpful to look at the context of Peter's words, for we often hear it said that God is not willing that any should perish. Peter writes, "The Lord …. Is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief … the earth and the works that are done in it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness …" [Matthew 22:9-11] It seems to us Peter is saying that God does not wish that any of you (to whom he is writing) should perish who "after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord … are again entangled in them and overcome" [2 Peter 2:20]

Returning to Christ's parable we see it is about those who, although invited to the "wedding feast" given for the son, Jesus [Matthew 22:2] are too preoccupied with their business interests [Matthew 22:5] while others invited, treated those bringing the invitations "shamefully" [Matthew 22:6] Eventually the wedding feast goes ahead after, according to Luke's account of the parable, "the servants … bring in the poor and crippled …" [Luke 14:21] and "so the wedding hall was filled with guests" [Matthew 22:10]

But then a problem occurs. The guests need to have a "wedding garment"! What is this? In Revelation last month we read about the "marriage supper of the Lamb" and it is stated of the Bride "it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen … for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints" [Revelation 19:8]

The deeds of the saints are those done as acts of faith, for they cannot "earn" their invitation to the wedding. Sadly, those without a wedding garment are cast out. We noted the wonderful words in today's Psalm 37 which are so appropriate here, "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and … He will bring forth your righteousness as the light" [Psalm 37:5,6]
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- DC


Thought for the Day

20 January 2014

"When we obeyed the Truth we looked with eagerness for the Lord’s coming which we expected almost immediately. But the years pass, our eager expectation fades, and we become accustomed to the Lord’s long continuing absence. Our eager anticipation of his immediate return has not been realized, but we must not allow a feeling of disappointment to interfere with our preparation. The only sure way to be ready on the unexpected day of the Lord is to be ready every day."

- Leonard Bedwell
The Bridegroom Cometh (1960)

TFTD - 19 January 2014 - Thoughts from Today's Bible Readings

19 January 2014

Genesis 32; 33
Psalms 36
Matthew 21

"BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD"

Today's chapter in Matthew [Matthew 21] is full of exciting incidents. The opposition to Jesus caused by his popularity had reached fever pitch. The religious leaders were afraid to do anything because his popularity had become so intense. We read of his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, "the crowds that went before him and that followed after were shouting 'Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!'" [Matthew 21:9,10]

Then we are told, he enters the temple (where the religious leaders normally reign supreme) "and drives out all who bought and sold in the temple … you make it a den of robbers." [Matthew 21:12-13] Jesus tells them.

Next, "the blind and the lame came to him in the temple and he healed them." Drama upon drama, "but when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did they were indignant" [Matthew 21:15] Their spiritual blindness was absolute, they were so sure of themselves that they knew all the answers, their mindset had created total spiritual darkness.

Two particular thoughts occurred to us from this incident. One, there are mindsets today: there is the total conviction that there is no God, that everything that exists sort of created itself. Ever more remarkable things have been uncovered in research by the men of science, making it impossible, it seems to us, for the rational thinking mind to even start to think there was no creative Master Mind - yet when we affirm there must be because of the vast array of evidence of most marvellous design - the atheist is indignant just as the High Priests were.

The second thought is, as we shall read in the next day or two; how fickle human attitudes are that have no depth to their understanding or belief. Many of those who joined in the shouts of 'Hosanna' were soon to be persuaded to cry 'Crucify Him'!

So we must most earnestly ask ourselves, how deep is our own conviction? Do we have, or are we earnest - in creating within ourselves the full assurance of hope and faith? Read Hebrews 6:11; 10:22.
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- DC


Thought for the Day

19 January 2014

"Jesus lifted his eyes not just to see the world, but to look beyond it. We should seek to look at the world with his eyes, but also to look further. God has given us life not to be lived with lowered eyes, but to search for Him through all that is in this world, through things, events, people. All should reveal God to us. If we do this properly then our eyes will be blessed like those of the disciples (Luke 10:23-24), for they will then see what "prophets and kings have desired to see". Our eyes will then carry God to others, for then will our eye be single and our whole body full of light."

- Derek Hayward
Present Your Bodies (1990)

TFTD - 18 January 2014 - Thoughts from Today's Bible Readings

18 January 2014

Genesis 31
Psalms 35
Matthew 20

"ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD"

One characteristic of human nature that God does not like, which was evident in our readings today in Genesis is the effect of favouritism resulting in unfairness and prejudice. We see God's reaction to Jacob's favouritism toward Rachel and dislike of Leah. Rachel was party to this as is evident from Leah's comment to her, "You have taken away my husband" [Genesis 30:15] and Leah's approach to Jacob, "I have hired you with my son's mandrakes" [Genesis 30:16]

We must be thankful that from the time of Christ, the principle of one man one wife was restored. Prejudice is again evident among the sons of Laban, while they acknowledged the blessings that came during the first 14 years that Jacob was with them, they resent Jacob providing for his own household [Genesis 31:1] and even Rachel and Leah came to be regarded by him as "foreigners" [Genesis 31:15] We will soon read of the prejudice that occurs between the sons of Jacob because of his favouritism toward Joseph.

Yet the remarkable thing in several of these situations is that God makes use of human prejudices and jealousies, weaving them into his pattern of events toward a Divinely ordained end. "For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" [Romans 8:28] But, let us realize that this is for the good of his purpose, it might not necessarily seem to be for ours at the time, such as when Joseph was put into the pit by his brothers! Paul's words to the Philippians are words to hold in our minds where, he says that people do things (in this case preaching) from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love … [Philippians 1:15-16] "Let love motivate us in all that we do - did not Jesus even say, 'love your enemies'."
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- DC


Thought for the Day

18 January 2014

"Fellowship should be the loving companionship of those who believe the same divinely-revealed things in all essential particulars, and follow them in the conduct of their lives. Paul calls this the "fellowship of the gospel," "the fellowship of Jesus Christ our Lord,” the “fellowship of Christ’s sufferings." While John says, "You also may have fellowship with us," and that we may know what is the nature of that fellowship he adds, "our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3)"

- C.C. Walker
Brotherhood and Fellowship (1923)

TFTD - 17 January 2014 - Thoughts from Today's Bible Readings

17 January 2014

Genesis 30
Psalms 34
Matthew 19

"HE ANSWERED ..."

It very interesting to read the encounters between Jesus and the religious leaders, but the one in our Matthew [Matthew 19] reading today is of particular interest because it does not seem they came to him to test him out over an issue they had with what he said or did, such as Jesus breaking the Sabbath, according to their interpretation of Sabbath keeping; it is more likely it was because they had a dispute between themselves over what situations made it alright for divorce and remarriage to take place. A whole 'party'of Pharisees had arisen (Hillel) who interpreted the Law so as to allow divorce for all kinds of trivial reasons.

They came up to him asking, "Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?" [Matthew 19:3]. They expected some answer based upon the laws Moses had laid down about divorce. But first Jesus said, "Have you not read … " But of course they had read, they had read and endlessly debated all the inspired writings that had come down to them. It is a lesson to us to prayerfully read what the record actually says ­ and not to go to it with some preconceived way of thinking and try to read into the texts that which we want then to say. The men who had wanted to be able to divorce their wives easily were doing just that.

Jesus surprised them by going back to an event long before what Moses wrote about divorce. They had not expected that. Matthew 19:4-6 says, "He answered, "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife … What therefore God has joined together let not man separate"

They did not want to be reminded of the foundation principle.

It is significant that among the first century believers, the principle of one man, one wife is clearly practiced and divorce strongly discouraged, 1 Corinthians 7 being a very significant chapter. The Creation principles had been re-established.

As marital merry-go-rounds are practiced more than ever in Australia and most other countries; we need to make sure we "have read" what is plainly written and accepted what it plainly means. How many will be asked at the Judgement Seat, "Did you not read …?"
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- DC


Thought for the Day

17 January 2014

The Bible ... is not a joint product in which there is a fallible element, but a God-breathed word, given through specially chosen men; as such it remains the Word of God, about the origin and contents of which man was not consulted.

- F.T. Pearce
The Inspiration of the Bible (1965)