Genesis 40:8
Then they said to him, “We have had a dream and there is no one to interpret it.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please.”
Message: Special Revelation
Time: Genesis is the first book and Moses is credited as authoring. The book spans 2400 years of time. It was originally written in Hebrew.
What the Lord is Saying:
As I think more about this doctrine of scripture and what it teaches me and all of us. I've been pondering revelation and looking at natural and now special. Natural is what we see through the created order. Words are spoken, not actual words, but the creation testifies of who God is. It reminds us that there is in fact a God. We see God through the order of our human bodies and the intricacy of how we are made. We see God through the creation, the sky above (the heavens) and the land beside and the sea. These things are evident to man. They are not often enough to save man, but they show man that there is God. And then man can look inward and see the frailty of his own human condition.
Our world thinks if it can explain away this creation then it defends it's notion that there isn't any created order but instead small, gradual changes over time.
The Westminster Confession of Faith states that natural revelation is insufficient "to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation." I am reminded of the message last Sunday and the idea that John came to prepare the way of the Lord and to help people see the wilderness that we live in. So there was special revelation needed to help man see his condition.
The idea here of special revelation is God speaks and God speaks to man. Our reading of scriptures testifies that God spoke to man for the words of the Bible have been identified as the texts that speak forth this special revelation. But how did it come about? Special revelation is necessary so that God can reveal the way of salvation and what it means to truly live in a manner that pleases Him.
Genesis 40 is about Joseph interpreting dreams. In response to a dream, Joseph responds that interpretations belong to God and Joseph has been given the means to interpret dreams. Dreams do speak to us. I had a dream speak to me in my life about Pamela. I'm confident in that. But, I haven't been able to interpret anyone else's dreams and yet many others have dreams and so sometimes it seems that dream interpretation is left to the person having the dream.
I think this idea of special revelation is hard because different men like Muhammad, Joseph Smith, and others have claimed receiving this special revelation. And through those revelations other belief systems have sprouted up. The problem was that the revelation given to the Bible writers is thought to be incomplete or not sufficient. The traditional Christian view is that this special revelation ceased by the end of the first century. Although dreams can still speak to us today, they are personal revelations rather than revelations for all mankind. The death of the apostles ceased this special revelation.
Promise: We have all the revelation from God that we need. We must study the Old and New Testaments to know His will.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for speaking through men of the past and thank you that I can trust Your revelation and that it is complete for all time. You are great God and your ways are great. Thank you for the order of your creation and how it speaks of You and thank you for sending a man, your son, Jesus, to earth, because man needed to see God and hear from him more directly. This occurred and we praise You God for helping us see this special revelation of You. Lord, I want to trust in You and trust in this revelation all of my days.
Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with February being about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve.
Thursday, January 10, 2019
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
Romans 1:18-32 - The Limits of Natural Revelation
Romans 1:18-32
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Message: The Limits of Natural Revelation
Time: Paul probably wrote Romans between A.D. 57-58 while he was at Corinth in the home of his friend and convert Gaius. He planned to go first to Jerusalem to deliver a gift of money from the Gentile churches to the poor in Jerusalem. Then he hoped to visit Rome on his way to Spain. His hopes were later realized, but not as he had expected. When he finally arrived in Rome in early A.D. 60, he was a prisoner under house arrest (Acts 28:11-31).
What the Lord is Saying:
Paul here in these verses records the beliefs very often of those who don't believe. God is made himself evident within themselves. Each person has a knowledge of God within him. However those that did not honor Him as God or give thanks basically are fools - they are futile in their speculations, their foolish heart is darkened, they profess to be wise. Is this not the state of affair of the atheist? Does not God's word reveal the nature of the fallen person? God's revelation of himself through creation or natural revelation is meant to help people see the truth of themselves.
The Gospel is about each person recognizing themselves as a sinner, in need of God. The atheists today don't make it about themselves but instead confront God. They ridicule God and ridicule people that worship God. They make it laughable that anyone would worship the God of the Bible.
Their creator is not God, their creator is man. They exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.This is the problem with man. They replace the God of the Bible with man, teaching that man evolves from man, from birds, from beast. This is what they worship. God has provided natural revelation but people instead choose natural selection. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.
Romans 1 has always been an interesting text to me because it so clearly testifies of the person walking around the earth today. It was written 1930 years ago and yet it seems to be have written today. As Ecclesiastes says - there is nothing new under the sun. History repeats itself. This was a problem in Paul's day and nothing has changed it is a problem in our day. It simply speaks of the position of mankind. Chapter 2 of Romans will talk about the individual. Romans 1-3 Paul explains that the point of the natural revelation is to show people truth about the Lord so that they can see the truth about themselves - that they are sinners (For all have sinned and fallen short) in need of salvation (justification is a gift by His grace). The crazy thing about justification is that it isn't earned, it is simply recognized. Can people see the truth about themselves?
These texts never bore me. The key here though is something I don't think I've put together before and that is while nature reveals to people the truth of God as creator, each person must still see the truth of themselves as sinners in need of this God that has been revealed. Nature does not teach this. Our conscience does. God's revelation to man obviously does and this happens clearly through scripture.
Promise: Most people will not be saved only by looking at natural revelation. The Gospel must be preached: Repent and believe.
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the truth of your Word. Your word is truth. Thank you for the revelation You have given me. I'm truly amazed. Now help me to show others that revelation. I'm a sinner and too often I don't share it as life is caught up in other ideals, other gods, other forms of idolatry. Thank you for your creation and the testimony it gives of you. May it lead people to realize their condition, their way apart from you. Lord, I pray that the message of repentance and belief would shine in this world. Help me to be an ambassador, a spokes person for you. I can do it because of You in me.
Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with February being about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Message: The Limits of Natural Revelation
Time: Paul probably wrote Romans between A.D. 57-58 while he was at Corinth in the home of his friend and convert Gaius. He planned to go first to Jerusalem to deliver a gift of money from the Gentile churches to the poor in Jerusalem. Then he hoped to visit Rome on his way to Spain. His hopes were later realized, but not as he had expected. When he finally arrived in Rome in early A.D. 60, he was a prisoner under house arrest (Acts 28:11-31).
What the Lord is Saying:
Paul here in these verses records the beliefs very often of those who don't believe. God is made himself evident within themselves. Each person has a knowledge of God within him. However those that did not honor Him as God or give thanks basically are fools - they are futile in their speculations, their foolish heart is darkened, they profess to be wise. Is this not the state of affair of the atheist? Does not God's word reveal the nature of the fallen person? God's revelation of himself through creation or natural revelation is meant to help people see the truth of themselves.
The Gospel is about each person recognizing themselves as a sinner, in need of God. The atheists today don't make it about themselves but instead confront God. They ridicule God and ridicule people that worship God. They make it laughable that anyone would worship the God of the Bible.
Their creator is not God, their creator is man. They exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.This is the problem with man. They replace the God of the Bible with man, teaching that man evolves from man, from birds, from beast. This is what they worship. God has provided natural revelation but people instead choose natural selection. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.
Romans 1 has always been an interesting text to me because it so clearly testifies of the person walking around the earth today. It was written 1930 years ago and yet it seems to be have written today. As Ecclesiastes says - there is nothing new under the sun. History repeats itself. This was a problem in Paul's day and nothing has changed it is a problem in our day. It simply speaks of the position of mankind. Chapter 2 of Romans will talk about the individual. Romans 1-3 Paul explains that the point of the natural revelation is to show people truth about the Lord so that they can see the truth about themselves - that they are sinners (For all have sinned and fallen short) in need of salvation (justification is a gift by His grace). The crazy thing about justification is that it isn't earned, it is simply recognized. Can people see the truth about themselves?
These texts never bore me. The key here though is something I don't think I've put together before and that is while nature reveals to people the truth of God as creator, each person must still see the truth of themselves as sinners in need of this God that has been revealed. Nature does not teach this. Our conscience does. God's revelation to man obviously does and this happens clearly through scripture.
Promise: Most people will not be saved only by looking at natural revelation. The Gospel must be preached: Repent and believe.
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the truth of your Word. Your word is truth. Thank you for the revelation You have given me. I'm truly amazed. Now help me to show others that revelation. I'm a sinner and too often I don't share it as life is caught up in other ideals, other gods, other forms of idolatry. Thank you for your creation and the testimony it gives of you. May it lead people to realize their condition, their way apart from you. Lord, I pray that the message of repentance and belief would shine in this world. Help me to be an ambassador, a spokes person for you. I can do it because of You in me.
Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with February being about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve.
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Psalm 19:1-6 - Natural Revelation
Psalm 19:1-6
1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6 Its rising is from one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
Message: Natural Revelation
Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.
What the Lord is Saying:
The Protestant Reformation wanted to return the church to its commitment to Scripture as the only infallible authority. The problem that had occurred is human traditions had supplanted the revealed Word of God. The Protestant Reformation occurred about 500 years ago. This is the same time period in which the whole Bible began to be translated into Germany and English after the printing press was invented in 1436. Portions of the Bible had been translated previously from the Latin Vulgate.
Prior to this time, it was the charge of monks to copy Scripture and this process generally took 1000's of hours. As such, it was common for only certain people to have the scripture and therefore Scripture was often told to you rather than read yourself. This often resulted in interpretations and sometimes human traditions of what people thought the scripture meant to be applied.
Revelation from God is generally broken down as either natural revelation or special revelation. Natural revelation refers to revelation towards humanity in general. It is also called general revelation. Special revelation is wherein God speaks directly to his people through a prophet or an Apostle.
Natural revelation is referenced in Psalm 19:1 - The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. As one looks up to the sky, to see above, the heavens, the view of them declare God's glorious being or existence. It speaks to the work of God's hands. Each person upon seeing the expanse of the sky, the heavens, sees a vast and spacious expanse, richly adorned with stars and planets -- all of it declares the work of His hands. All people are left without excuse when they can see before their eyes the created work of God.
Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with February being about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve.
1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6 Its rising is from one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
Message: Natural Revelation
Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.
What the Lord is Saying:
The Protestant Reformation wanted to return the church to its commitment to Scripture as the only infallible authority. The problem that had occurred is human traditions had supplanted the revealed Word of God. The Protestant Reformation occurred about 500 years ago. This is the same time period in which the whole Bible began to be translated into Germany and English after the printing press was invented in 1436. Portions of the Bible had been translated previously from the Latin Vulgate.
Prior to this time, it was the charge of monks to copy Scripture and this process generally took 1000's of hours. As such, it was common for only certain people to have the scripture and therefore Scripture was often told to you rather than read yourself. This often resulted in interpretations and sometimes human traditions of what people thought the scripture meant to be applied.
Revelation from God is generally broken down as either natural revelation or special revelation. Natural revelation refers to revelation towards humanity in general. It is also called general revelation. Special revelation is wherein God speaks directly to his people through a prophet or an Apostle.
Natural revelation is referenced in Psalm 19:1 - The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. As one looks up to the sky, to see above, the heavens, the view of them declare God's glorious being or existence. It speaks to the work of God's hands. Each person upon seeing the expanse of the sky, the heavens, sees a vast and spacious expanse, richly adorned with stars and planets -- all of it declares the work of His hands. All people are left without excuse when they can see before their eyes the created work of God.
I've always loved the words of Paul in Romans 1:19-20 - that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
The changing of day to night, one after the other, continually means that there is a constant, daily, throughout the day communication by God of Himself. Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge. There is no voice to be heard, but the communication is still there. There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard.
The changing of day to night, one after the other, continually means that there is a constant, daily, throughout the day communication by God of Himself. Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge. There is no voice to be heard, but the communication is still there. There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard.
Promise: As we speak truth, we can always appeal to creation as proof of His existence. We can use God's natural revelation to point to Him.
Prayer: Lord, I have always been partial to the fact that Your creation testifies to who you are. I've always loved the words of Paul that express this. It is the creation that we have before our eyes each day - before we even utter a word or hear a word - that expresses You. Perhaps it is the simpleton to me, the person that was adverse to learning growing up and reading, and the knowledge that springs forth without a word being uttered. I'm thankful for how you communicate to us through your creation. Thank you that the sky above, the heavens are telling of the Glory of God. It is sort of painful that people don't see this. It is painful that they don't realize what you are speaking right before their eyes. We see the creativity of each person and each person's appearance. And we see the creativity in our land and all the different places of beauty that there are throughout our world. There is uniqueness in each part of the World. Lord, thank you for the display of Your Glory in creation.
Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with February being about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve.
Monday, January 7, 2019
James 1:12-18 - The Goodness of God
James 1:12-18
12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
Message: The Goodness of God
Time: James is thought to be the brother of Jesus. He did not follow Jesus while he was on the earth, but became a follower and leader of the church at Jerusalem after Jesus' resurrection. It is written about AD 45-48. It is practical application of living a holy life. Faith produces a real change in a person.
What the Lord is Saying:
Our creator is incapable of doing evil. Instead God can only do good. Trials or difficult times are a part of the live that we live on earth. James points out that Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. So the person who perseveres under a trial is blessed. I've often personally said that trials are times of being mad, sad, and then glad. The calling card though of being human is experiencing trials. Jesus after being baptized immediately experienced trials for 40 days.
In the realm of trials James wants to clarify that God is not tempting us. God is never the agent in moving us away from righteousness. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. While God doesn't tempt us from righteousness He is a God that carries out His justice. He is good and just. Divine justice serves God's goodness to his creation.
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above. James is remarking that people were often putting God's goodness to trial.
God is good toward his people, working out all things for the good of His people (Romans 8:28). He manifests goodness in punishing our sins. God still loves what is good but as a judge of evil His believers are judged in Christ. God disciplines us for our own good. He has mercy toward us.
While God is good and he never has anything to do with tempting us, He does discipline us. Discipline may produces a trial in our lives. But, trials that are a result of sin are nothing that God directly does to us.
Promise: Let us proclaim all aspects of God's goodness and call people to repent so that they will receive God's goodness and mercy.
Prayer: Lord, there are a lot of truths here that you are expressing to me. You are a good God and yet you discipline me because you do not want to see your people stray from truth. You don't tempt people an cause them in any way to do evil. Thank you for the trials in my life that are there for you teaching me and thank you for using all things in my life to work together for good. Help me to keep my focus on You at all times and lean on You and trust You. I thank you for mornings for when I am sharp and focused on You.
Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with January being about the doctrine of God.
12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
Message: The Goodness of God
Time: James is thought to be the brother of Jesus. He did not follow Jesus while he was on the earth, but became a follower and leader of the church at Jerusalem after Jesus' resurrection. It is written about AD 45-48. It is practical application of living a holy life. Faith produces a real change in a person.
What the Lord is Saying:
Our creator is incapable of doing evil. Instead God can only do good. Trials or difficult times are a part of the live that we live on earth. James points out that Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. So the person who perseveres under a trial is blessed. I've often personally said that trials are times of being mad, sad, and then glad. The calling card though of being human is experiencing trials. Jesus after being baptized immediately experienced trials for 40 days.
In the realm of trials James wants to clarify that God is not tempting us. God is never the agent in moving us away from righteousness. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. While God doesn't tempt us from righteousness He is a God that carries out His justice. He is good and just. Divine justice serves God's goodness to his creation.
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above. James is remarking that people were often putting God's goodness to trial.
God is good toward his people, working out all things for the good of His people (Romans 8:28). He manifests goodness in punishing our sins. God still loves what is good but as a judge of evil His believers are judged in Christ. God disciplines us for our own good. He has mercy toward us.
While God is good and he never has anything to do with tempting us, He does discipline us. Discipline may produces a trial in our lives. But, trials that are a result of sin are nothing that God directly does to us.
Promise: Let us proclaim all aspects of God's goodness and call people to repent so that they will receive God's goodness and mercy.
Prayer: Lord, there are a lot of truths here that you are expressing to me. You are a good God and yet you discipline me because you do not want to see your people stray from truth. You don't tempt people an cause them in any way to do evil. Thank you for the trials in my life that are there for you teaching me and thank you for using all things in my life to work together for good. Help me to keep my focus on You at all times and lean on You and trust You. I thank you for mornings for when I am sharp and focused on You.
Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with January being about the doctrine of God.
Sunday, January 6, 2019
Jeremiah 23:23-34 - Divine Omnipresence
Jeremiah 23:23-34
23 23 “Am I a God who is near,” declares the Lord,
“And not a God far off?
24 “Can a man hide himself in hiding places
So I do not see him?” declares the Lord.
“Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the Lord.
Message: Divine Omnipresence
Time: The Chaldeans (Babylonians) are besieging Jerusalem. Nubuchadnezzar is king of Babylon. Zedekiah is the last king of Judah before Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC.
What the Lord is Saying:
Yesterday, I studied God's infinite ways and that He is beyond measure. Man is a finite being with a clear beginning, but man's spirit has no end. Our human bodies have a beginning and end. Our soul lives on forever. God is a different sort of being. He is separate from man and it seems that this is something that man has a hard time to wrap around.
Prayer: Lord, it is comfort to know you are near, when I need you. But, it can also not be a comfort because many times my thoughts and actions do not glorify You. I often try to pretend that you are not near. I take advantage of your forgiving ways. I focus too much on how things make me feel rather than leaning on your everlasting arms and accepting what You provide. Lord, I pray that I would live a life that is pleasing to you. Forgive me for thinking I can get away from you. I want to stay close by your side, no matter who I am taking with, no matter the situation I am in.
Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with January being about the doctrine of God.
23 23 “Am I a God who is near,” declares the Lord,
“And not a God far off?
24 “Can a man hide himself in hiding places
So I do not see him?” declares the Lord.
“Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the Lord.
Message: Divine Omnipresence
Time: The Chaldeans (Babylonians) are besieging Jerusalem. Nubuchadnezzar is king of Babylon. Zedekiah is the last king of Judah before Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC.
What the Lord is Saying:
Yesterday, I studied God's infinite ways and that He is beyond measure. Man is a finite being with a clear beginning, but man's spirit has no end. Our human bodies have a beginning and end. Our soul lives on forever. God is a different sort of being. He is separate from man and it seems that this is something that man has a hard time to wrap around.
God's omnipresence is something I began to touch on yesterday. God fills all creation. He is everywhere present. No matter where we go, He is there. He can be in many places (or all places) at once. This is an amazing thought. My mind can't help but want to figure this out. It's not that God is like a gas because God is immaterial.
His presence is not any greater in one place than the other.
Here in Jeremiah 23, the Lord is giving a bitter indictment of the leaders of God's people. False prophets were the greatest hindrance to the acceptance of Jeremiah's preaching. responding to words from false prophets and correcting them. The Lord says in verse 16 - Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you.They are leading you into futility; They speak a vision of their own imagination, Not from the mouth of the Lord. I notice in life that we are often a people of shortcuts. When it comes to the subjects of politics and religion, we seem to be quicker to listen to the opinions of others rather than seeking out truth from the source. In politics, we often listen to the news or what others are saying. In religion, rather than studying God's word on our own we listen to the opinions of others. In so doing we end up extra biblical opinions. God is calling out the false prophets and stating that they do not speak from the Lord.
The Lord responds to the false prophets because they acted like he was far away-“Am I a God who is near,” declares the Lord, “And not a God far off?" The atheist states there is no God and therefore man can do whatever he wishes without being concerned that anyone is watching. This is what man would like to think. The idea that someone is watching not only our actions, but what we are thinking and devising in our heart is not an appealing idea for we all know therefore that we have been found out, discovered, for who we really are. And then the fact that God loves us in spite of this should make us drop to our knees ever more.
Promise: God is omnipresent and sees through all of our false claims that he is not near.
Prayer: Lord, it is comfort to know you are near, when I need you. But, it can also not be a comfort because many times my thoughts and actions do not glorify You. I often try to pretend that you are not near. I take advantage of your forgiving ways. I focus too much on how things make me feel rather than leaning on your everlasting arms and accepting what You provide. Lord, I pray that I would live a life that is pleasing to you. Forgive me for thinking I can get away from you. I want to stay close by your side, no matter who I am taking with, no matter the situation I am in.
Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with January being about the doctrine of God.
Saturday, January 5, 2019
Psalm 147:5 - Divine Infinity
Psalm 147:5
Great is our Lord and abundant in strength;
His understanding is infinite.
Message: Divine Infinity
Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.
What the Lord is Saying:
The language that we use to describe God has been talked about at times in 2 different ways: affirmation and negation. Affirmation says what God is; negation says what God is not. Affirmation is cataphatic theology; negation is apophatic theology. Affirmation words are "God is good" or "God is holy." Negation words are "God is immutable" or "God is immaterial."
I think these sort of descriptions of God trouble many people because they are words that cannot be used to describe man and therefore there is a separation between man and God and man cannot completely understand a God who is always or never a certain way.
The passage here in Psalm 147:5 says (God's) His understanding is infinite or beyond measure. No matter how hard we try to think of God as being measurable, He is not. Man has limits. God is infinite. This is hard to wrap our minds together. About God, this means that He can exert His power anywhere at anytime; anywhere on this planet at anytime in our history. He also has the power to though set limits on His creation. Solomon recorded these words in Ecclesiastes 3:11 - He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. We are people of limitations. This is the way God designed it. We have limitations to our understanding of Him.
Although God has no limits there are still things he cannot do. For example, he is incapable of doing evil.
John Gill, an English Baptist Pastor who lived 1697-1771 said:
Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with January being about the doctrine of God.
Great is our Lord and abundant in strength;
His understanding is infinite.
Message: Divine Infinity
Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.
What the Lord is Saying:
The language that we use to describe God has been talked about at times in 2 different ways: affirmation and negation. Affirmation says what God is; negation says what God is not. Affirmation is cataphatic theology; negation is apophatic theology. Affirmation words are "God is good" or "God is holy." Negation words are "God is immutable" or "God is immaterial."
I think these sort of descriptions of God trouble many people because they are words that cannot be used to describe man and therefore there is a separation between man and God and man cannot completely understand a God who is always or never a certain way.
The passage here in Psalm 147:5 says (God's) His understanding is infinite or beyond measure. No matter how hard we try to think of God as being measurable, He is not. Man has limits. God is infinite. This is hard to wrap our minds together. About God, this means that He can exert His power anywhere at anytime; anywhere on this planet at anytime in our history. He also has the power to though set limits on His creation. Solomon recorded these words in Ecclesiastes 3:11 - He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. We are people of limitations. This is the way God designed it. We have limitations to our understanding of Him.
Although God has no limits there are still things he cannot do. For example, he is incapable of doing evil.
John Gill, an English Baptist Pastor who lived 1697-1771 said:
his understanding is infinite; it reaches to all things, not to the stars of heaven only, as in Psalm 147:4, but to the fowls of the air, to the beasts of the field, and cattle upon a thousand hills; to all on the surface of the earth, or in the bowels of it; and to the fishes of the sea: it reaches to all men, and to all the thoughts of their hearts, the words of their mouths, and the actions of their lives; it reaches to all things past, that have been, to everything present, and to whatsoever is to come; it includes not only the knowledge of all things that are, or certainly will be, but of all things possible, or which he could bring into being if he would; it is concerned not only with the quality and nature of things it perfectly understands, but with the quantity of them; even all things in creation and providence, which are without number and past finding out by men; and so his understanding is without number, and cannot be declared, as the word signifies.
Promise: No act of goodness or evil escapes God's notice.
Prayer: Lord, there are things about You that I read about, understand and yet don't really comprehend how that is possible. Lord, I don't understand how you listen to my words here and then listen to all the other voices of people throughout this land and how you keep it all together. You are definitely without limits and I don't comprehend it all, but I trust You and I pray that You would help me to continue to be an ambassador for you and I would accept that I don't need to understand everything at all times. Thank you for loving me and knowing my every need. You are holy.
Friday, January 4, 2019
John 14:6-7 - Truth Himself
John 14:6-7
6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. 7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with January being about the doctrine of God.
6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. 7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
Message: Truth Himself
Time: While John does not admit to have written this gospel, there is ample evidence from others that he did. It was most likely written in Ephesus around 85-95 AD and is the fourth gospel. John provides a Jesus more clearly as the Son of God. John cites Jesus' seven "I Am" statements, mentions many miracles of Jesus, signifying Him as God's Son. He is the Son of Man and atoned for our sins and the Son of God with eternal implications in rising from the dead.
What the Lord is Saying:
We uphold truth in life. Truth is what we seek. Truth is a representation of things as they are. The opposite of truth is lies and we do not want to be lied to, but we want to be told the truth. [Well, there are some times when we think what we want instead is to feel good when we think the truth of who we are does not measure up to others.] Jesus in John 14:6 proclaims that He himself is the truth. He says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." Thus, he proclaims that He is the truth that we seek. By Jesus all truth is proclaimed to man.
The Lord's enemy is Satan who is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
God wants His people to be people of truth. John 4:23 says, but an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is looking for truth. Paul remarks in Romans 1:23 that the problem with people that reject God is they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator. God is truth and what He says is the truth and it should be what we want.
I'm noticing lately that our world right now is bent on taking sides right now rather than focusing on what is right and true. We have become this nation of division where we are more interested in being on what we perceive the right team than on the side of truth. And rather than listening to information directly, we are opting to get our news from others who may or may not report on it accurately.
The only standard of truth is God. The Holy Spirit helps us to know His truth - I Corinthians 2:6-16.
Promise: We must study the truth and love the Truth.
Prayer: Lord, I love you as the Truth and Truth giver for all time. Thank you for defining what is true so that life can have peace. I pray that more would seek you as Truth and Truth giver. Change hearts O God. Conform people to your ways. Help people to see you as You are.
The only standard of truth is God. The Holy Spirit helps us to know His truth - I Corinthians 2:6-16.
Promise: We must study the truth and love the Truth.
Prayer: Lord, I love you as the Truth and Truth giver for all time. Thank you for defining what is true so that life can have peace. I pray that more would seek you as Truth and Truth giver. Change hearts O God. Conform people to your ways. Help people to see you as You are.
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