The Commandments of Christ for your Phone

"....WITH ALL YOUR HEART" Thoughts from Today's Bible Readings - May 9th

“ …. WITH ALL YOUR HEART”

            Sometimes we use the phrase ‘half-hearted’ meaning – we do not feel total commitment to what we are doing.  We cannot follow God and His Son, who died for us, in this frame of mind.  Our chapter in Deuteronomy today contains a powerful appeal by Moses to the people he will soon leave - about the frame of mind they should set themselves to possess when they start to live in the promised land and enjoy its blessings.   They will need full sincerity of heart in serving their God who has given them these blessings, fully realizing he is the only real God.

            Moses words contain several passages which are powerful exhortations for us in the 21^st Century and our anticipation of an utterly wonderful ‘promised land.’  He writes, “You shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the LORD your God is giving you …and you shall go to the place that the LORD your God will chose to make his name dwell there.”   [26 v.2]  Then Moses briefly gives a history of the formation of the nation from the days of Abraham to the time when “the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds …”[v.8]. 

            At this coming time of entry into their promised land, he tells them, “you shall rejoice in all the good that the LORD your God has given to you …” [v.11]  Moses reminds them of all the statutes and rules … the LORD your God commands” adding  “ You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul.” [v.16]  He reminds them that they “have declared today that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in his ways …”[v.17]

            The parallel to our commitment to Christ reaches a higher dimension with Moses next words, “… you are a people for his treasured possession .. he will set you in praise and in fame and in honour high above all nations … you shall be a people holy to the LORD your God.”  They briefly achieved this under Solomon, but then God had a greater Son of David in view, and a wonderful promised land for those who follow him. Peter was granted a wonderful comprehension of this that he, with all who follow this Son, “are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession …” [1 Peter 2 v.9]

            Let us make sure we are “careful ..with all (y)our heart” to show by our words and actions that we belong to this holy spiritual nation now, for the time is surely close when our faith will be turned to sight.

"SPEAKING TWISTED THOUGHTS" Bible Reading Thoughts for May 8th

“SPEAKING TWISTED THINGS”

            In today’s 20th chapter in Acts we have the account of a long conversation Paul had with “the elders of the church” [v.17] at Ephesus whom he called to see him at the port of Miletus.  He told them then “that they would not see his face again’ [V.38].

                It was obviously an intense discussion.  He tells them,  “I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock …  I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert …”  [v.27-31]

            It is natural for most of us to want to try to avoid all problems, all controversy, to ignore it if we can.   But what does that achieve?  Does it bring us closer to God and to Christ?  We have many lessons on this from Christ himself in the gospels.  Of course the circumstances in Ephesus are different, it is an entirely Gentile community – but what is not different is human nature – and the only solution to that is the development of a genuine Christ-like frame of mind.  The foundation ingredient for do that, especially for us today, is the meditative reading of God’s word.

            Bible reading is the only way to untwist things that have been twisted.   With what intensity did Paul seek to do this! We might think he did this by intense study, reasoning and constructive argumentation, and we see some of this in his letter to them – but what does the text in Acts say? 

What is the point he makes in reminding them of the spirit of mind he showed when he was among them?   “…. Be alert  remembering that for three years I did not cease night and day toadmonish everyone with tears.”  [v.31]  A most challenging example to follow. The lesson is clear – academic reasoning is not the major part of dealing with “twisted things”. 

Paul left Timothy at Ephesus [1 Tim 1 v.3] and he ends his letter to him by saying, “O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions …”  We must do the same

"SHOWING BY THE SCRIPTURES THAT ..." Bible Reading Thoughts for today - May 7th

“SHOWING BY THE SCRIPTURES THAT …”

            The references to “the  Scriptures” in the New Testament refer to the use of the ‘Old Testament’ in the preaching of the message of Christ.  It is very disappointing that so many who see themselves as ‘Christians’ today only read the New Testament and sometimes have a Bible that omits most – or even all of the Old Testament.

            We read today in ACTS of a powerful preacher, “a Jews named Apollos … an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures” [18 v.24] who, when he came to Achaia, “he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus” [v.27,28]   

            We add great strength to our understanding and preaching when we gain a good knowledge of the Old Testament, we notice how often they are quoted in their preaching and writing – as a stimulous to the first generation of believers.  We notice how many times passages in Deuteronomy, that we are currently reading, are quoted – Jesus quoted from it in refuting the temptations that came to him when the Spirit led him into the wilderness.

            We are also reading the Song of Solomon and this is largely understood as a poetic parable that can be applied to the bride of Christ awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom [3 v.6,7] and how the bride, made up of genuine believers, should make themselves spiritually beautiful in his eyes.

            Today’s chapter 4 starts with the bridegroom saying “Behold you are beautiful, my love, behold, you are beautiful.” - and we can interpret the description of the physical beauty as applying toaspects of character that Christ will 'embrace' when he returns.  Paul's words to the Philippians are very appropriate; "it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure ... that you may be blameless and innocent children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights ... holding fast to the word of life " [ch.2 v.13,15,16]  How much are you shining and "holding fast" ?  What are you "showing by the Scriptures"?

"GOD WHO MADE THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING ..." Bible Reading Thoughts for May 6th

Acts 16:14 - in Lydia we have a wonderful example:
- she heard the gospel being preached
- her heart was opened by the Lord
- which meant she attended to the words spoken by Paul

She had to open her ears and her mind. She "attended" unto the things spoken of by Paul, lit it means she held her mind on his words. The Greek is present active, therefore she kept these things in her mind, she kept on thinking about them.

The same Greek is used by Paul in his exhortation to Timothy (1 Tim 4:13,15):
"Till I come, give ATTENDANCE to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine...Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all"

Till Christ comes, Pray that through the reading and hearing Gods word, that our hearts may be opened, so we truly attend and hold the mind on the word of God. So that, the effect on us will be evident to all, including our Master and coming King.

“GOD WHO MADE THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING …”

           

            What exciting chapters (16 & 17) we read in Acts today!  We see Paul’s total commitment to preach among as many Gentiles as possible  the genuine message of salvation.  This was despite whatever kind of hostility arose.  He usually began by speaking to the Jews – and “reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving …” [17 v.2,3] his message about the teaching, life and death of Jesus; but most Jews rejected this with acts of violence.

            The Jews revered their holy book, but they seriously misunderstood it – the same has been the case, but for different reasons, among Christians since the first couple of Centuries; since then all too many decide what they want to believe, such as going to heaven when they die – and vainly look for proof, ignoring all the passages that tell them something different.

Paul came to Athens and found “the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new” [v.21];  these were the things of human imagination, but Paul challenged them to get to know “the God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth” [v.24].  The Bible has made this challenge to the world ever since.  Paul told the Athenians to “seek God … that they might feel their way toward him and find him … he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness ..” [v.27,30,31]

There are increasing reasons to believe that the “day” of judgement in now very close!  Our world is in a total mess. The reactions in Athens was that “some mocked” [v.32] especially at the thought of the dead being raised.  What is your reaction?  How pleased God will be if he sees your reaction as being like it was “in Thessalonica (where) they received the word with all eagerness, examining the scriptures daily ...”[v.11]   May we feel motivated to do the same – and not be like the virgins who had no oil in their lamps (Matt. 25 v.3) or like those, of whom Jesus said in his final message to  one  of the churches,  “because you are lukewarm .. I will spit you out of my mouth … so be zealous … behold I stand at the door …” [Rev. 3 v.16,19,20].  Let’s be ready to open it.

"GOD WHO KNOWS THE HEARTS ..." Thoughts from Today's Bible readings - 5/5/14

"GOD WHO KNOWS THE HEART..."                                                                                               

Today we read about a conference of a serious nature that took place in Jerusalem among the disciples and other principal brethren, it was about problems that had arisen among the believers.  Some of the Pharisees who were now believers in Christ were saying that the Gentiles whom Paul had been converting, that “it is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses”   [Acts 15 v.5]

Peter recounts to the assembly how God had acted to bring about the conversion and baptism of Cornelius, a Roman, and also his relatives and friends so God ordained, says Peter, that “by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God who knows the heart, bore witness to them …” [v.7,8]  How powerful to fully realize that “God knows the heart”!  We  must meditate on that fact.

The result of the conference is that they decide to write to the Gentiles saying that “it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.  If you keep yourselves from these you will do well …” [v.28,29]   

Nowadays, at least in this country, there is no sacrificing to idols or drinking blood or animals strangled so that they retain the blood in their bodies.  The one thing that there is – here and it seems in all countries – is an increasing abundance in “sexual immorality.”  It was widespread in those days as we see it is mentioned in nearly all the letters of the apostles and in the final messages of Jesus to the churches (Rev. 2 v.15,20)  

The final message of Jesus in the last chapter in the Bible has Jesus telling us. “Behold I am coming soon (in God’s sense of ‘soon’ for he sees “one day is as a thousand years” [2 Peter 3 v.8])  bringing my recompense (reward) with me, to repay everyone for what he has done … Outside are the … sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” [Rev.22 v.12,15]

Let us all know God in our hearts and realize he knows us – so let us keep ourselves from these. To really “know” God, which must include having an intimate prayer life, provides the strength to do this – and our regular reading and meditation on his word is an essential part of achieving this.

Deuteronomy 22:1-4 lays out wonderful exhortation on looking after the welfare of our brothers and sisters.

Notice the words that are used and where this is used by Christ and the Apostles:
"Sheep go astray" / "bring them again" - Matt 18:12-13, Lu 15:3-8
"Lost" / "found" - Lu 15:4,9,32
"Lift them up" - Lu 10:34, Heb 12:12
"Restore" - Gal 6:1

Also note exhortation of not to "hide thyself" (used x3 in these verses 1-4), which literally means to veil from sight, therefore to close ones eyes to.  When we are presented with a need of our brothers or sisters, we must respond to it, it is our duty as a disciple of Christ.

When we follow this Hebrew for "hide", it has echoes of "forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors (those who sin against us)".

We must show the same character and behaviour as we would like our Heavenly Father to show to us, Ps 55:1:
"Give ear to my prayer, O God; and HIDE not (same Heb as Deut 22) thyself from my supplication. Attend unto me, and hear me..."

"LOOK YOU SCOFFERS, BE ASTOUNDED AND PERISH" Bible Readings Thoughts for May 4th

“LOOK YOU SCOFFERS, BE ASTOUNDED AND PERISH”                                                                                

                                                                

The Missionary journeys of Paul now commence and today’s reading in Acts 13 is full of drama about his initial experiences.  There are a lessons for us today from the varied reactions of people then, they are so similar to today – although today there are even more scoffers.  

Paul and Barnabas came to Antioch in Pisidia (southern Turkey) and went into the synagogue and were invited to speak (v.15). Paul started by giving them a history lesson of God’s actions in bringing Israel through the wilderness to the promised land; then giving them kings, in particular David who God said is, “a man after my heart, who will do all my will.” [v.22]   His message then jumps forward to the role of John the Baptist – and then to Jesus and how the Jews “fulfilled them (the message of the prophets) by condemning him” [v.27].

             Paul knew many of the Jews in Antioch would do the same by becoming jealous of the Gentiles when they accepted the message that “everyone who believes (in Jesus) is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the Law of Moses.” [v.38,39]. The warning is made, “Beware therefore, lest what is said in the prophets should come about.” [v.40] – that is, God’s judgement on those who were wilfully blind to this new work of God.

             Tragically that’s what happened!  Now the same can be said of people today and the reaction of so many to any teaching there is even a God at all!  Paul quoted the words God inspired the prophet Habakkuk to write, “Look you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’” [v.41, Hab. 1 v.5] 

Today we have scoffers who deride the Bible, apparently learned men who scoff at the very thought that there is a God.    One day soon, they will “be astounded and perish.”  Then God’s laws will come into action, no longer will the permissive laws exist that allow many kinds of ungodliness.  Let us prepare ourselves for that time by taking the words of Jesus, the Apostles and the prophets fully to heart.