The pouting prophet

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Jonah 1-4; Psalm 129

TO CHEW ON: "But it (God's relenting from the disaster He said He would bring on Nineveh - Jonah 3:11) displeased Jonah exceedingly and he became angry." Jonah 4:1

At a church conference I attended some years ago, I heard Rich Wilkerson sum up each of the church offices in a catchy way.

Apostles: Entrepreneurs who start new things for God.
Evangelists: Salesmen—"You need Jesus."
Pastors: Encouragers—"Everything is going to be okay."
Teachers: Always looking for the teachable moment.
Prophets: Concerned with keeping things in the right category—"That's just not right!"

Isn't that last so Jonah! After preaching, he camped outside the city—his front-row seat for the fireworks—but they never came. And so he said to God (my paraphrase): I told you so! I knew Your merciful nature. That's exactly why I ran away to Tarshish—because I knew in the end You'd change Your mind.

Then God gave this pouting prophet an object lesson from his own reaction to circumstances. When a fast-growing vine sprung up providing shelter from the sun, he was happy. But when a worm nibbled at it till it died he had pity on the plant, simply because it affected his own comfort. In this way God showed him his shallowness and how very different Jonah was from God, whose compassion went way beyond a plant to embrace all people (as well as animals - Jonah 4:11).

How readily we too get hung up on our own ideas of how God should work and like Jonah get swept into self-righteous anger when things don't happen according to our little prophetic 'that's not right' categories. A sidebar article in my Bible leaves us with some advice on how to neutralize such an attitude:

"Do not allow anger or pride to remain in your heart. They led to Jonah's disobedience. Turn away from these attitudes, and seek to have God's character of mercy, grace, patience, forgiveness and lovingkindness" - Leslyn Musch, "Truth-In-Action Through Jonah," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1199.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to have Your heart of compassion and pity on the people around me in the spirit of being a fellow traveler. Help me to be a conduit of your mercy, grace, patience, forgiveness, and love to everyone around me. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 129

The Bible Project VIDEO: Jonah (Read Scripture Series)









MORE: God's patience with His Jonahs

"...God not only treats Nineveh with pity and mercy, but also treats his stiff-necked prophet that way too. He is slow to anger and ready to relent in his wrath toward Nineveh, and toward Jonah" - By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org. (Read all of "Should I not Pity That Great City Minneapolis.")

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Finishing well

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Genesis 48-50

TO CHEW ON: "'But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.'" Genesis 50:20

Joseph's brothers' reaction to him after their father's death reminds me of Jesus' wisdom when He said, "'For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you'" - Matthew 7:2 (NIV). The fact that these brothers feared Joseph would look for retribution after their father died speaks more about the condition of their own hearts and minds than Joseph's. They were obviously not accustomed to dealing with someone as guileless as he was.

Joseph for his part, though grieved, stuck with the conviction that he had expressed when he first revealed his identity to them (compare Genesis 45:7-8 and Genesis 50:20). He never did take revenge on those brothers. Unlike so many Bible characters, Joseph not only started and middled well, but he also ended well.

A sidebar article in my Bible sums up Joseph's life and suggests applications we can make for ours:

"The life of Joseph powerfully displays God's sovereign ability to bring to pass His destiny for an obedient individual. In his youth, Joseph received a vision of God's plan for his life. Shortly thereafter, it appeared that not only had the vision died, but that his life would be wasted away in slavery and prison. Nevertheless, Joseph remained faithful to God. That which had been meant for evil, God used to prepare and position His servant to realize the fulfillment of His vision for Joseph's life.

• Ponder God's vision (Genesis 37:5-11). Do not share it prematurely but ask for His timing.

• Expect God's favour in the sight of others (Genesis 39:4,21). God is able to make a way even when it seems impossible.

• Remain faithful to God in all you do (Genesis 39:9). Do not compromise, especially when the vision is slow in coming.

• Believe that God is sufficient (Genesis 41:14-57). He has given you the gifts you need to realize His purpose through you.

• Trust in God's sovereign providence (Genesis 45:7; 50:20). He causes all thing to work for your good as you remain faithful to His calling and purpose for you."

by  Leslyn Musch, "Truth-In-Action through Genesis," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 74 (emphasis added).

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the story of Joseph. Help me to trust Your sovereignty in my life in a similar way. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 16
 

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

20 things about Jesus in Colossians

Jesus by the sea - Alexandre Bida

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Colossians 2:1-19

TO CHEW ON: "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily."  Colossians 2:9


"Colossians clearly portrays Jesus as superior to and preeminent over all things," writes Leslyn Musch in her Truth-In-Action Through Colossians commentary of my Bible. She says: "As you read this letter, look for all the things said about Christ" - Leslyn Musch, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1671.

Let's take up her challenge and look for clues about Jesus in Colossians.

1. He has a kingdom. Paul refers to "the Kingdom of the Son of His (the Father's) love" - Colossians 1:13.
2. We are redeemed (bought back) through His blood - Colossians 1:14.
3. We have forgiveness of sins through His blood - Colossians 1:14. 
4. He is the image of the invisible God - Colossians 1:15.
5. He is the firstborn over all creation - Colossians 1:15.
6. He created everything in heaven and earth - Colossians 1:16.
7. He is before all things - Colossians 1:17.
8. In Him all things consist - Colossians 1:17.
9. He is the head of the body—the church - Colossians 1:18.
10. He is called the "firstborn from the dead" giving Him the preeminence - Colossians 1:18.
11. All the fullness dwells in Him - Colossians 1:19.
12. He reconciles all things in heaven and earth to Himself - Colossians 1:20.
13. In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily - Colossians 2:9.
14. He is the head of all principalities and powers - Colossians 2:10.
15. He makes believers alive together with Him - Colossians 2:13.
16. He disarmed and triumphed over principalities and powers - Colossians 2:15.
17. He is now sitting at the right hand of God - Colossians 3:1.
18. He will one day appear on earth again - Colossians 3:4.
19. He will reward those who fear Him and serve Him in obedience - Colossians 3:23,24.
20. He is a mystery - Colossians 4:3.

There is much to ponder and wrap one's head around here!  Musch says, "Let faith rise in you as you see the unsurpassed greatness of who Jesus is and all that He has accomplished on our behalf" - source as above.

Let's take that challenge into our day!

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, these many aspects of You boggle my mind. Please illumine my mind and heart to begin to understand Your greatness, Your loveliness, and Your preeminence. Amen.

MORE: Fairest Lord Jesus - sung by Ross Parsley

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

Don't slip back into legalism

Image: Pixabay.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Galatians 2:15-3:5

TO CHEW ON: "'For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.'" Galatians 2:18

It's easy for us to slip back into legalistic ways if we have been brought up under a legalistic system. Our reading today is Paul's reasoning against that.

In the first part, Paul repeats to the Galatians what he said to Peter and other apostles (Galatians 2:14-21). It is the argument he made in Jerusalem for justification (appearing pure before God—"just as if I had never sinned") by faith, not by keeping the law (Galatians 2:16).

Then he addresses the Galatians directly about their tendency to do the same thing: "O foolish Galatians! … Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Galatians 2:1,2).

I love how Leslyn Musch sums up this principle in the "Truth-In-Action Through Galatians" article in my Bible. Under the title "The Walk of Faith" she writes:

"Faith accepts God's testimony in a trusting, childlike manner and salvation as a free gift. The Law was given to lead us to Christ; thus any use of the Law as a means of earning our salvation is a distortion. By nature mankind presumes to seek salvation by works. It seems offensive to the flesh to believe we cannot. But God's word says it is an offense to Him to believe we can" - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1641.

And so Paul would say to us, who feel in our heart of hearts that God loves us more and accepts us on the basis of what we do and how we live—No.

 "Tell me this one thing: did you receive God's Spirit by doing what the Law requires or by hearing the gospel and believing it? How can you be so foolish! You began by God's Spirit; do you now want to finish by your own power? " - Galatians 3:2,3 (GNT).

Let's not rebuild for ourselves and others the legalistic structures of our time—church attendance, financial giving, time spent in fasting and prayer, amount of serving and ministry we do, etc.,—as ways to gauge how well we and they are living the Christian life and how much we're pleasing God and earning His love. For it's all a gift:

"Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing" - Ephesians 2:8-10 (MSG) emphasis added.  

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for paying the complete price for my salvation. Help that my motivation for living in ways You condone arises from my love for You and the realization that Your ways are designed for my best present and future. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked GNT are from the Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition). Copyright © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.


Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Encouragement to quitters

"Rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem" - Artist unknown

From Treasures of the Bible (Captivity and Return)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Zechariah 4:1-5:4

TO CHEW ON: " 'The hands of Zerubbabel
Have laid the foundation of this temple,
His hands also shall finish it.
Then you will know
That the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you.' " Zechariah 4:9

You will recall that Zechariah was prophesying to exiles who had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. They had begun rebuilding the temple but due to opposition, discouragement, and distraction had abandoned the job.

Zechariah's vision and words concern Zerubbabel—the governor—who had begun the build but quit midway through. The Message Bible puts our focus verse in everyday language:

"'Zerubbabel started rebuilding this temple and he will complete it. That will be Your confirmation that the God-of-the-Angel-Armies sent me to you' " Zechariah 4:9 MSG.

In addition to this encouraging prophecy to quitter / procrastinator Zerubbabel, two other thoughts from our reading jump out at me. To Zerubbabel and all of us who are tempted to quit or lay aside the assignments we've been given, I believe God would say:

1. "For who has despised the day of small things…" - Zechariah 4:10.

Don't judge the worth of a project by its small beginnings or its humble originator. There are no small jobs or insignificant people in God's family. I'm reminded of Paul's picture of the church as a body with no part more important than any other (1 Corinthians 12:12-24).

Leslyn Musch says of this verse in her "Truth-In-Action Through Zechariah" article: "Give yourself wholeheartedly to the things that God is asking you to do, and trust that He will bless. … Remember as you are faithful with little, God will entrust you with more  (Matthew 25:21)" - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1265.

2. " 'Not by might or by power but by My Spirit,' says the Lord" - Zechariah 4:6

We can't do these things on our own. If ours are God-given assignments, we need His help to complete them and fit them into His grand design.

Musch again: "Ask God to fill you to overflowing with His Holy Spirit. The picture given is of an endless supply of oil representing the Holy Spirit" - Op. Cit, p. 1264.

PRAYER: Dear God, where I have given up or postponed doing those things You have asked of me, please forgive me. Help me to apply to these tasks these encouraging words of their significance and Your help. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

God wants YOU

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Jonah 2:1-3:10

TO CHEW ON: "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message I tell you.'" Jonah 3:1,2

God went to great lengths to get just the person He wanted—Jonah—for the job of preaching to Nineveh. When this reluctant prophet ran the other way, God followed him. When the sailors tossed him into the sea, God protected him. From the belly of the fish, God heard him. When that fishy time-out was over, God talked to his host and the fish tossed him. Then God gave him a second chance.

I have found something similar about God's assignments. They come with a quiet but weighty persistence. My excuses don't sway Him. He just listens to them and then when I pray, Lord, give me something to do, whispers, I've already given you a job. Just go and do it.

But what if we feel we've really blown it and disqualified ourselves from ever being used by God again? Leslyn Musch reminds us we can:

"Ask God for a second chance. You may have disobeyed the Lord to the point you believe He can no longer use you. Look at Jonah! There is hope for you too. Ask God's forgiveness for your sin, submit to His will for you. Draw near to Him through worship; praise Him for His mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Tell Him you will follow Him full, and do it" - "Truth-In-Action Through Jonah," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1199.

Are you dithering over following through on a job God has given you, hoping, perhaps, that He'll change His mind and give it to someone else? You'd better not count on that. God has amazing tenacity (as Jonah would testify). If He's picked you as the person for a job, He wants you for the job. Better to obey than to hang back and find yourself in a Jonah spot.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for second chances. But it's probably better not to need them. Help me to listen and obey when You first give me a task to do. Amen.

MORE: The secret battle

"The battle is lost or won in the secret places of the will before God, never first in the external world. The Spirit of God apprehends me and I am obliged to get alone with God and fight the battle out before Him. Until this is done, I lose every time. The battle may take one minute or a year, that will depend on me, not on God; but it must be wrestled out alone before God, and I must resolutely go through the hell of a renunciation before God. Nothing has any power over the man who has fought out the battle before God and won there" - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, December 27th reading.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A reason to celebrate

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Nahum 1:1-15

TO CHEW ON: "Behold, on the mountains
The feet of him who brings good tidings,
Who proclaims peace!
O Judah keep your appointed feasts,
Perform your vows.
For the wicked one shall no more pass through you;
He is utterly cut off." - Nahum 1:15

These beautiful words, made famous by the chorus "O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion" from Handel's Messiah, are part of Nahum's comforting prophecy to Judah (and Isaiah's too: Isaiah 52:7). Nahum prophesied shortly before 612 B.C. His prophecy concerns the Assyrians and Nineveh their capital city.

The Assyrians had been a thriving force for centuries. One hundred years earlier (722-721 B.C.) they had conquered the northern king of Israel (2 Kings 17:6). After that they threatened Judah. It was only God's intervention that saved Judah at that time (2 Kings 19:33-37).

Now Assyria's doom is near (Nineveh fell in 612 B.C.) and Nahum's message is one of comfort. He assures Judah that good tidings are on the way. Even now the messengers bringing the news are climbing the mountains that surround Jerusalem. Soon the people will be able to worship and celebrate with freedom again.

Nahum's prophecy is an example of how Bible prophecies do double duty—for though Nahum's words were a prediction of the fall of Assyria, they also predict the fall of another enemy—our enemy Satan. The plan for that fall went into high gear when Jesus came to earth—the incarnation we celebrate this season. Leslyn Musch sums up our appropriate response so well. You and I can:

• Thank God for the good news of the gospel.

• Worship Jesus who has given us the victory over Satan.

• Surrender our hearts fully to the One who has delivered us and set us free (Romans 10:13-15; 16:20)" - Leslyn Musch, Truth-In-Action through Nahum, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1221.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for coming to earth and defeating Satan by Your death and resurrection. Help me to live out in my life the fact of Your victory. Amen.

MORE: "O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion" by G. F. Handel

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Are you afraid of death?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Hebrews 2:1-18

TO CHEW ON: "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Hebrews 2:14,15

If there is one fear that hounds us throughout our lives, it is the fear of death. Death is a state that raises so many questions: When will I die? Will I suffer? What then? Will I be aware? Does my after-life existence (if I have one) have anything to do with how I've lived my life? And on and on.

The inevitability of death and its meaning have been woven into the belief systems of all the various religions. The book of Hebrews author's claims that Jesus has destroyed the power of death is one of the most comforting and audacious.

Our passage implies or states outright several things about death:
1. It would appear that angels don't die: "But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death" (Hebrews 2:9) emphasis added.

2. Death is depicted in dark terms as part of the domain of Satan. It is called "suffering of death" and the devil has the "power of death" (Hebrews 2:9,14).

3. Jesus died. Literally (Hebrews 2:9,14). But He did not stay dead "But we see Jesus … crowned with glory and honour" (Hebrews 2:9).

Christ the Messiah's power and victory over death's chains is a theme that flows through scripture.

• Psalms speak of freedom from the bondage of this fear - Psalm 107:14.

• So does Isaiah - Isaiah 42:7; 61:1.

• Jesus applied the latter prophecy from Isaiah to Himself (Luke 4:18),  and during His time on earth He demonstrated His power over death repeatedly by resuscitating  dead people - Matthew 9:25; Luke 7:14,15; John 11:43,44.

• Paul interprets Christ's death and resurrection similarly to the Hebrews writer in Romans 8:2: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."

So how does all this impact you and me? We need to put our faith in what Christ has done, that it actually happened, that it is for us as individuals, and that when we come to the border between life and death, we will find it is so.

I like how Leslyn Musch sums it up in her Truth-In-Action Through Hebrews commentary on these verses:

"Understand that Jesus has destroyed the power of death and released you from the satanic bondage of the fear of death. In faith, take hold of freedom" - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1748.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for becoming human, subjecting Your self to death, and defeating it through rising again. Through faith in You, help me to live free from the fear of death. Amen.

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Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are taken from the  New King James Version (NKJV) Used with permission. The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

The synergy of faith and works

TODAY'S SPECIAL: James 2:1-26

TO CHEW ON: "But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith by my works." James 2:18

Though to some James's letter opens up the possibility of contradiction (Aha—it's works that saves us, not faith!), his contrast of faith and works serves to show how they are not independent of each other but interdependent.

After naming Abraham as an example of someone who lived this interdependence "when he offered Isaac his son on the altar" (vs. 21), James asks, "Do you see that faith was working together with his works and by works faith was made perfect?"

[The words "working together" are synergeo. "Compare synergist and synergism. … There is a practical harmony or synergism between vertical faith in God and horizontal works to a needy world. Faith is both spiritual and practical" - Dick Mills, "Word Wealth," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1754.]

Said another way:

"Faith is not simply an idea separate from real life. Rather faith is to produce in us right living, right motives, right thinking, right relationships. Our good works confirm that faith is alive and active in us. Seek to live your faith daily in practical ways" - Leslyn Musch, "Truth-In-Action Through James," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1760.

During the Advent season opportunities abound to live this faith in practical ways. Let's take the obvious ones—from contributing food or cash to the hampers our church hands out, to inviting the lonely single to spend Christmas day with our family, to helping out with Christmas dinner at the downtown mission. Let's also look for and welcome unexpected, unusual opportunities to live out our faith during this interlude when even the secular world is exposed to the story of the One in whom our faith is anchored.

 PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to understand at the level of living the synergy of faith and works. I want my life to be a flesh-and-blood enactment of what I claim to believe. Amen.

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New King James Version (NKJV) Used by permission. The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Cleansed and refined

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Malachi 3:1-12

TO CHEW ON: "But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner's fire
And like launderers' soap." Malachi 3:2

I wonder how the "day of His coming" will find us, will find me? Living, as we do, in a time when God is portrayed and viewed as more like us than different, will we too be shocked, speechless, struck down with awe and fear when He appears?

The images of God here are of soap and fire. Pictures of God cleansing and refining run through the Bible.

Cleansing / Washing:

• Naaman had to dip his leprous body in the Jordan River the prescribed number of times to be cleansed (2 Kings 5:10).

• God invites us to come to Him for cleansing from our sin (Isaiah 1:18) and idols (Ezekiel 36:25).

• New Testament writers remind us over and over that Jesus' blood cleanses us from our sin and sinful human condition (1 John 1:7; Hebrews 9:14; Titus 3:5).

Purifying / Refining:

• Job testified to God's purifying motive through his calamity and illness (Job 23:10).

• Testing is a sign of God's love and parenthood (Proverbs 3:12).

• Purifying may come through the difficult circumstances of life. Isaiah called these the "furnace of affliction" (Isaiah 48:10) and Peter the "fiery trial" (1 Peter 4:12).

• Testing serves to drive us to God and bond us in loyalty to Him as His people (Zechariah 13:9).

• Its end result is praise, honour and glory "at the revelation of Jesus" (1 Peter 1:7).

Isn't that last reference interesting! For instead of being fearful at His coming, if we have been cleansed and purified during our life on earth, His coming can be a time of anticipation, praise, honour, and glory.

Let's not be taken off guard at the trials that come our way, for they serve to ready us for His coming. I appreciate the light in which Leslyn Musch casts these verses in my Bible's commentary:

"In great mercy Jesus comes to us as the refiner and purifier of His people. It is a precious expression of His grace that He does not leave us in our sin, but promises to cleanse us. Today when you sense the conviction of the Holy Spirit, respond with repentance. Allow the Lord to purify you" - Leslyn Musch, Truth-In-Action Through Malachi, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1274.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to feel and know Your love through painful times of cleansing, purifying and refining

MORE: "...hemmed in with troubles"?

"There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"  - Romans 5:3-5 (The Message)

Handel's Messiah Alert: Readers familiar with Handel's Messiah will probably recognize words from Malachi in that music. Handel used Malachi 3:1-3 in three of his choruses:

• Chorus 5 - "For Thus Saith the Lord of Hosts" (which also contains words from Haggai 2:6-7)

• Chorus 6 - "But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming?"

• Chorus 7 - "And He Shall Purify the Sons of Levi"

Prayer clinic

"Answer to Daniel's Prayers" - Artist Unknown 
 (Northrop's Treasures of the Bible, 1894)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Daniel 9:1-27

TO CHEW ON: "In the first year of his (Darius) reign, I Daniel understood by the books the number of years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet .... Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes." Daniel 9:23

What a wonderful little prayer clinic Daniel puts on for us here. I believe we, as pray-ers, can learn about effective prayer from his example. Here are some things that pinged with me today:

1. His prayers flowed from his study of "the books" (Daniel 9:1-3). Daniel studied Jeremiah and gained insight into God's plan and purpose for His people. Then he set himself to pray into those plans and purposes.

Similarly we can study the Bible to see what it says about God's purposes in general and then pore and pray over passages that seem especially relevant to our time.

2. He stood in for his people (Daniel 9:4-19) It seems odd to hear devout, praying-three-times-a-day Daniel confessing: "...We have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments..." Surely he hadn't done those things. Yet he completely identified with his sinful countrymen and the sins of his people. Of course his prayer continuing on tells us that no matter how white his life looked, he too was sinful and knew it: "Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people..." Daniel 9:20.

Leslyn Musch in her commentary at the end of Daniel helps us apply this to our praying:

"Intercede before God, identifying with the sins of a church or a nation. Confess those sins before God asking for the Lord's mercy, forgiveness and restoration for His glory" - Leslyn Musch, "Truth-In-Action Through Daniel," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1140.

3. His prayers made a difference (Daniel 9:20-27). The angel Gabriel assured Daniel "At the beginning of your supplications the command went out."

Wow! That tells us that prayers can be like a trigger. They spark changes in the heavenliness. They move the hand and command of God: "The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]" - James 5:16b Amplified
 
PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for these lessons on prayer. Help me to apply them to my life so I will be an effective prayer warrior in Your kingdom. Amen.
 
MORE: Effective intercessory prayer

"I'm convinced that when we stand before God with the record of spiritual successes and failures, we will learn that intercessory prayer had more to with with bringing about positive changes in our world than any other single spiritual activity" - Dick Eastman, Love On Its Knees, p. 17 (from Dick Eastman On Prayer - Three Bestsellers in One).

Illusion of the seen

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:15


TO CHEW ON: "... we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18

You are no doubt familiar with optical illusions where your eyes see an object two ways. For example, there is a figure of a girl that rotates clockwise, and then counterclockwise. Or the black-and-white sketch (pictured) where your eye picks out a crone face with a hawk nose, or the profile of a young woman wearing a fancy hat.

Paul here is talking about the optical illusion of life, in that we can also view it two ways. There is the view that sees only the obvious, tangible, day-to-day stuff as real. And there is the view that sees the invisible things of eternity as real.

This eternal view is what we as followers of Jesus aspire to. It's the view that forgives one's enemies, is okay with being low instead of exalted, stores treasures in heaven, gives away one's coat to one's enemy, values and aspires to childlikeness (for lots more examples read Jesus' Sermon on the Mount—Matthew 5, 6,7).

Picking out the alternate picture in an optical illusion needs focus and concentration. So does living life from the perspective of eternity. As a sidebar article in my Bible explains it:

"We must learn that trials and difficulties will seem light and temporary when viewed from the perspective of the immeasurable glory that awaits us in eternity. We must learn to live by faith and not by what we can or cannot see with our natural eyes.... Set your focus and faith on unseen and eternal things. See the present from the perspective of the future. Look forward to God's great and eternal glory" - Leslyn Musch, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1627 (emphasis added).

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that this life isn't all there is. Help me to see the things and people around me with an eternal perspective.

MORE: Christian vision

"Christian vision ... is an act of imaginative seeing that combines the insight of faith, which goes to the heart of things below the surface, and the foresight of faith, which soars beyond the present with the power of a possible future. This combining of the not-yet-combined is the secret of visionary faith. Vision and reality, word and fulfillment, present and future, situation and possibility, restlessness and reaching out, anger at what is wrong and an aim for what is better—whatever the contrast between the pair, visionary faith is out to close the gap" - Os Guinness, The Call, p. 177.