He trusts in God[.]

Matthew 27:43

He trusts in God[.] Matthew 27:43

I continue my study of The Character of Jesus.  For this morning, I focus on chapter 11: Jesus' Trust in God where I highlighted in my Kindle version the following excerpts:

• The author notes that he believes "Jesus' deepest and most fundamental character of Jesus is His trust in God."
• "From [the] first point to the last point the music of his trust was never broken. He is everywhere and always a man of prayer. At the crises of his life we find him praying. At his baptism and the transfiguration, in the garden, on the cross, he is pouring out his soul to God. Before every important action, in the midst of every difficult situation, at the completion of every stage of work, we find him praying. It was a common thing in Palestine for men to pray, but no man had ever prayed like this man, with such simplicity, with such earnestness, with such boundless trust." 
  
• Scripture is replete with stories of broken trust in God - if only for a moment - leading to a lapse of judgement and sin.  Abraham lied that Sarah was his sister, Moses did not fully follow God's instructions, David slept with Bathsheba then conspired to murder her husband, Peter denied Jesus, etc. Common to all of these stories is how we all sin - even the greatest of biblical heroes.  Sin at one level demonstrates how we trust (or value) either in ourselves or in the world vs God. Yet Jesus never failed to appreciate how as the incarnate Son of God, He was fully dependent on God and needed Him for all things.  God held Jesus' life in His hands.  As such He trusted that God's plan for His life (and death) was good and perfect.    
  
• "It is easy, indeed, to say that one trusts in God, but really to do it when justice seems dead and love seems to have vanished, that is difficult indeed....Jesus of Nazareth found in Nature fresh evidences of God's love. Other men noting how the sunshine falls upon the heads of the good and the bad had come to the conclusion that God does not know — God does not care....The rain falls upon the farm of the man who blasphemes and also upon the farm of the man who serves God, not because God is indifferent to the difference in character, but because he is so good that his mercy covers all of his children. Vice triumphs over virtue, dishonesty tramples upon honesty, injustice lords it over justice, hate defies and defeats love. This happens not once but ten thousand times. Some men read the dark and terrible story and give up their faith in God. Jesus looks upon the same scene and gives to it a different interpretation. He sees good men come and offer their services to the world only to be rejected and repulsed. One of them is stoned, another is beaten, another is killed. Their dead bodies are piled up in sickening heaps, but to Jesus this is not evidence of the indifference of God — it is the proof of his long-suffering patience; it is because he is not willing that any should be lost that he keeps on century after century, sending into the world prophets and apostles, heroes and saints, who shall proclaim the message of heaven to bewildered and sinful man."
• "[I]t should never be forgotten that his life on the day of his death was a terrible and heart-breaking failure. Injustice was stronger than justice, unrighteousness was mightier than righteousness, hate was stronger than love. He had tried to induce the world to accept a beautiful truth, but the world spurned him. In the hour of his great defeat he still looked to God saying, "Not my will but thine be done."  
  

Yes...it is true that trusting God in our darkest hours will be the tallest order we face.  None of us can know how we will do in those hours.  This alone should serve as motivation to lean into God to protect us from the temptations to be anxious or to otherwise sin in response.  See Ephesians 6:10-20 for Paul's encouragement that we put on the armor of God to protect ourselves from the schemes of the world.  We can also take encouragement from John 16:33 where Jesus is noted as sharing that we can take heart that despite the trials we face, Jesus overcame the world and so will we.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who holds my life in Your hands and I know that there will be dark hours - yet at the same time I know You are good and I seek to abide in You so that when these dark hours arrive I will feel Your presence and know that You are saving a place for me in Heaven.  Thank You for Your promises that all come to pass.  I am not deserving of how richly You bless.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.

Malachi 4:1-6

For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. Malachi 4:1

I continue my study of the last four books of the Old Testament, having already covered Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and most of Malachi.  My study leans on the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series volume which covers these books. This morning I continue with Malachi 4:1-6, focusing on a commentary-assisted review of the text, starting with the commentary's main idea and introduction to the text and the first division vv1, 3. Excerpts from the main idea, introduction and the first division:

• Main Idea: "The Day of the Lord will bring both judgment and vindication for God’s people, whose present obedience is sustained by remembering the law and anticipating future restoration."
• Introduction: The Day of the Lord: "For believers, Jesus is a source of comfort and assurance of one’s salvation. For those who are far from God, Jesus is the basis for judgment and condemnation. The book of Malachi concludes with God the Judge rewarding the righteous and punishing the unrighteous to substantiate that He always fulfills His promises."
• The Day of the Lord as a Day of Judgement upon the Arrogant: "[Judgement Day] is a day when God Himself will appear and make all the wrongs right. The excitement is short lived for Israel, though, because the Lord declares, “I am going to start with you guys.” The Israelites, expecting a blessing from God, find out God will come “like a furnace.” By God’s own mouth, He intends to cleanse and purify, not coddle. This will happen when the arrogant and the evildoers burn like straw. That word arrogant is synonymous with “prideful.” Pride may run rampant now, but there will come a day when all will be humbled on level ground. In their own minds the people are self-sufficient and independent of God, caring little for Him. A modern-day example would be people who profess, “I can wait to serve the Lord later. I do not need God in my life.” The Lord strikes fear in their hearts with the promise of a future day of reckoning. He will come with recompense for their evil deeds...We should be longing and looking for that day, for it is promised to us. While relatively few modern Christians woke up this morning thinking, “I cannot wait for the second coming of Christ,” this belief consumed the first-century apostles. In reading their writings we witness an intense anticipation, as if Jesus could come back at any moment. Don’t let the gap between His first and second coming overshadow the significance or imminence of His return."

Believers, we do not know the day or the hour so be ready (Matthew 24:36). Follow the example of Noah who spurned the critics of his day and was obedient to God's call.  Also take comfort in knowing that your obedience and faithfulness will be rewarded and God's justice will be perfect for those who do not fear God.

Comment and discuss this post. 

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of incredible grace and compassion for me - delivering mercies everything morning and that never cease.  You also, most importantly, save!  Thank You Father God!  I am not deserving of how You save.  I sin just like everyone else, but You called me to Yourself and gave me the gift of faith.  Thank You Jesus!  Please forgive me for my sin, for how I can be harsh and critical towards others.  Help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name. “They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

 Malachi 3:13-18

Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name.  “They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him. Malachi 3:16-18

I return to my study of the last four books of the Old Testament, having already covered Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and most of Malachi.  My study leans on the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series volume which covers these books. This morning my focus is an unassisted review of Malachi 3:13-18.  Here, Malachi records God's message to Israel portrayed as God's response to two of His own rhetorical questions where He rightly judges Israel for "speaking against Him" and for doubting "the profit of keeping His charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of Hosts" in v13-15.  V15 describes how God repeats back the thoughts among the faithful who don't see God's justice, even among the nation of Israel itself as they see "the arrogant blessed," and "evildoers [who] prosper [despite how] they put God to the test and...escape."  The good news in the text, starting in v16, is how "those who feared the Lord spoke with one another," and the implication is that at least some of them confessed and repented of their sin as "the Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed His name."  In v17, God makes another of His awesome promises for those who fear the Lord that "they shall be mine, [and] spare[d from eternal damnation]." The text for today ends with an ominous prophecy and warning where God shares another promise that there will be a day - Judgement Day - when all will be held accountable for their deeds, the wicked will be held condemned and the righteous will be spared (based on this book of remembrance).  See also this post from DesiringGod.com.  Believers of today should take note of how we can easily be rightly accused of the same sins of Israel from the book of Malachi.  Confess and repent of these sins and turn towards the Lord.  Non-believers should also take note and seek a God full of grace and mercy who saves - Jesus Christ.  Come to Him and be saved!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are a righteous God whose justice is perfect and who's grace and compassion is incredible.  I am undeserving of my salvation, nor any of the blessings You pour out for me - the grace and mercies that never stop.  Thank You Jesus!  But, again, I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.     

"Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 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 fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.

Malachi 2:17-3:5

"Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 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 fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Malachi 3:1-3

I continue my study of the last four books of the OT using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book as my focus remains Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament. Today my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Malachi 2:17-3:5. The commentary emphasizes the main idea is one where God's people question Him whether He is a God of justice as they perceive His delight in wickedness (3:17).  God of course, in the same verse, shares how He is annoyed and frustrated by such a perception.  The commentary then shares how he will send His messenger (Christ) to "purify the priesthood and judge Israel."  Here are excerpts from the following divisions provided for the text:

• Israel Accuses God of Injustice for Allowing the Wicked to Prosper (2:17): "Basically, the people are becoming impatient with the rampant immorality and the political corruption in Israel. They say, in essence, “God, why are you making the wicked prosper? Do you find joy in their transgressions? Where is your justice?"  Of course, believers should understand that God alone is judge and His justice both perfect and in His time (see also Romans 12:19, Deuteronomy 32:35). Believers should also be careful in accusing God of lacking justice because we all sin and the wages of sin are death so Israel would have been justifiably wiped out if God was not a God of grace and love and patience with Israel's questioning.    
  
• God Defends His Justice, Promising Vindication through His Appointed Messenger (3:1): Christ is described as God's Messenger: "So, who is the approaching “Messenger of the covenant?” He is the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, God incarnate. Jesus’ entry into the temple precincts during the week of His passion is the fulfillment of this prophecy. John the Baptist prepares the way of the Lord by summoning the people of Israel to repentance. With the scene set, God, in the form of man, enters His temple and evaluates His people."  The text alludes to Christ's judgement of how in the temple He judged the money-changers in the temple (see also Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-18, Luke 19:45-47, John 2:14-16).  
  
• God’s Promised Vindication Begins with the Purification of Israel’s Priestly Leadership (3:2-3): God's people are molded into His image, often through trials and suffering - see also Hebrews 12:5-6, 11, 1 Corinthians 3:11-15).  Although Malachi's messages was intended primarily for the priesthood, we as believers are also urged to examine our own lives for sin and to assess our spiritual condition. The commentary shares: "praise God for purging us through suffering. The goal of God is to conform us into the image of His Son. It is not to make us happy. It is not to keep us healthy. It is not to make us wealthy. It is to conform us into the image of His Son (see also Romans 8:29)."  
  
• God’s Promised Vindication Culminates with the Judgment of His People Israel (3:4-5):  God makes explicit how He will judge all, not just the priesthood.  The commentary shares: "the fear of the Lord preserves us for the Day of Judgment. It teaches us to live in light of God’s grace and mercy. Without this proper fear, we are prone to forget the radical nature of the good news of the gospel and to wander from our covenant God. If we lack fear, we may be judged through fire to be lacking worth, showing that we had never truly surrendered to God in the first place." 
  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, thank You for providing scripture to help reveal sin in my life.  I want to please honor and glorify You.  You are worthy!  I, on the other than, remain broken and sinful, and undeserving of my salvation and grace - which You pour out daily.  Thank You Jesus for my salvation and for the grace You pour out daily that never ceases.  Please forgive me and help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 1:6-14

For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts. Malachi 1:11

I continue my study of the last four books of the OT using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book as my focus remains Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament.  Today, I complete a commentary-assisted review of Malachi 1:6-14. The commentary offers both an introduction, two divisions for this text, and a conclusion that summarizes the text and offers application.   

Excerpts from the introduction:

• Given God's judgement on the priesthood in the text for their failure to lead worship with all of their heart, soul and mind - to offer their best - the text offers us an opportunity to examine our own worship to test whether we are truly offering God our best.  Worship is described as "an attitude of one's heart" towards God.  
• Based on what God has done and continues to do for us we should be loving, fearing and worshipping God!

Highlights from the commentary for the two divisions:

• God’s Complaint against Israel’s Priests for Their Depraved Actions of Worship (1:6-12) 
• God’s Complaint against Israel’s Priests for Their Apathetic Attitudes toward Worship (1:13-14)

The priesthood in Malachi's time had grown cold in their worship.  As an example, they offered not perfect, spotless sacrifices, but blemished and imperfect sacrifices.  They did not offer their best.  This of course was reflective of their heart towards God - despite who God is, what He had already done, and continues to do for them (and us). God not only expects our best but He deserves it!  He is worthy! For believers of today, there are many distractions that we allow to separate us from a worship of Him.  We should throw ourselves at the mercy of God to forgive us when we do this - He will welcome us back if we truly return to Him with a repentant heart and if we recommit to loving Him with all of our heart, soul, and mind.  The commentary shares how we cannot hide from God - He knows our heart.   

Excerpts from the conclusion:

• Text to consider for appropriate responses: Romans 12:1, 1 Peter 2:5. 
• Recommended applications: (1) offer your body as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), (2) offer finances to God as spiritual sacrifice (Philippians 4:14-18), (3) offer praise to the Lord (Hebrews 13:15), (4) offer up good works (Hebrews 13:16), (5) offer up those who have accepted the gospel as a result of your sharing (Romans 15:16).

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who is worthy of my praise and worship!  Thank You for my salvation and for the mercies You pour out for me every day and that never cease.  I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 1:6-14

For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts. Malachi 1:11

I continue my study of the last four books of the OT using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book as my focus remains Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament.  Today, I complete an unassisted review of Malachi 1:6-14.  Here, God specifically calls out the priesthood - right away calling them by name in v6. They don't believe they are despised or polluted God's name - God responds rhetorically in vv-7-8 by offering not spotless, perfect or unblemished sacrifice, but instead blind animals or animals that lame or sick.  God shares how He will not accept offerings from the priesthood, implying there is sin that must be repented before approaching God. V11 shares God declaration that His name will be great among the nations and that offerings to Him will be pure or holy. Vv12-13 describes once again God's judgement of the priesthood for not just their imperfect offerings but also their lack of awareness of their sin. The text closes with God sharing once again how He is great and His name will be feared among the nations.  We should be careful with how we approach God - certainly not arrogantly thinking we are without sin - all of us sin...daily, and should ask God to reveal our sin, either through scripture, the Holy Spirit, or through others that point this out to us.  Often times it takes someone to do this as God appoints someone to do this for us.  Nathan stands out as an example of someone appointed by God to point out David's sin (see 2 Samuel 12).  We should be encouraged to have brothers and sisters in our lives to do this for us - God intends for us to live in fellowship not just with Him but also with fellow believers who can support and encourage us in our walk with Christ. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an amazing God full of grace and love and Your mercies are both new every morning and they never cease!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor of any of the mercies You continue to pour out for me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

James 5:7-11

You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. James 5:8

I pause my study of Ecclesiastes to prepare to lead Sunday school for the next two Sundays - with this upcoming Sunday looking at James 5:7-11, and Sunday 25AUG looking at James 5:12-20.  This morning, I focus on an unassisted review of James 5:7-11.  The heading for the text in the ESV translation refers to this text as Patience in Suffering.  V7a starts with a call to all brothers and sisters in Christ to "be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord."  Before we proceed to v7b, we must look at why we must be patient because the text that we should be patient...therefore - referring to previous text.  James 4 provides warnings against worldliness and arrogance/pride.  James 5:1-6 provides a warning to those who have lived lavishly, luxuriously, and self-indulgently, trusting in their riches and treating poorly the laborers who have worked their fields.  Similar to Egypt where God heard the cries of the suffering Israelites (see Exodus 2:23-25), "the cries of the harvesters [working the fields of the rich] have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts" (4:4).  James 4:5b-6 describe how the rich have "fattened [their] hearts in a day of slaughter....[and] condemned and murdered the righteous person.  [The righteous person] does not resist [the rich who condemned and murdered]."  James 4:6 describes suffering on the part on the righteous person.  Jesus of course should be described as righteous and holy as He lived a sinless and perfect life.  He did not resist going to the cross - suffering on behalf of believers who also suffer but receive eternal life.  James 4:7 references the righteous person condemned and murdered in v6.  We want justice for the condemned and murdered person, but we must wait for the Lord to deliver this justice and this will come but we don't know when so we must be patient.  Patience is described in more detail as waiting for the "early and late rains" as a farmer does before the harvest.  We are also urged not just to be patient but to not grumble and complain against "one another" (v8), to avoid God's judgement.  In a further description of the patience we should have, we are urged to demonstrate the same patience as others who suffered yet remained patient and steadfast, including Job (vv10-11).  The book of Job chronicles incredible suffering of the book's namesake and yet Job never cursed God.  At the end of the book of Job (chapter 42), Job is restored, as God blesses him for his patience and steadfastness.  Believers will also be rewarded in Heaven for their faith, patience, steadfastness, and perseverance.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who went to the cross so that I could have life now to the full and for eternity with You.  Thank You Jesus for my salvation and for the blessings You pour out for me.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.      

“For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me[.]...This God—his way is perfect[.]

2 Samuel 22

“For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me[.]...This God—his way is perfect[.] 2 Samuel 22:5, 31

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, and John Piper moves on from Advent and Christmas to examines how calamity demonstrates that God's ways are both mysterious yet perfect, and that God's providence extends over all including destruction and death.  Piper pulls from scripture the following responses to calamity:

1. Satan is not ultimate; God is.  Looking at Job, Piper writes: "Satan had a hand in Job’s misery, but not the decisive hand....Satan brings misery. But Satan is not ultimate or decisive. He is on a leash. He goes no farther than God decisively permits."
2. [Satan] is not the decisive cause of [death]; God is. Looking at the world's greatest natural disaster in December 2004 (earthquake that caused tsunami in Indian Ocean that killed 230,000), Piper shares how even though Satan may have created the earthquake, God could have stopped the waves - He did not. See also Psalm 89:8–9 and Luke 8:24 where God has power over the sea and wind.
3. Destructive calamities in this world mingle judgment and mercy.  Using a number of Biblical examples, including Jesus's death on the cross, Piper describes how both judgement and mercy are found in calamity.  Often we don't understand how judgement may be in play - this is the mystery of God. Using Job as an example, Piper writes "God’s purposes are not simple. Job was a godly man and his miseries were not God’s punishment."
4. The heart that Christ gives to his people feels compassion for those who suffer, no matter what their faith is.  Using Romans 12:15, Piper urges us to "weep with those who weep."
5. Finally, Christ calls us to show mercy to those who suffer, even if they do not deserve it. Piper shares how this is the definition of mercy - it is undeserved.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You reign over all, including Satan and calamity.  Thank You for how You demonstrate mercy in my life - I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For behold, the Lord is coming out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain.

Isaiah 26-27

For behold, the Lord is coming out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain. Isaiah 26:21

I continue with my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, on Lesson 10, Day 3, the focus continues with Isaiah 26-27, primarily on Isaiah 26, where my commentary indicates that while Isaiah 24-25 describe "triumphant prophecies of final victory by the Lord over all tyrants who oppress God’s people in this world[,]" God's people seek encouragement and guidance about how to endure in the present while waiting for God's promised end times judgement of the whole world.  My study urges me to look at various scripture examples of how natural disasters are God's hand - we are referred to the following examples to learn about God and His role and designs for natural disasters:

• Isaiah 26:9 > inhabitants of the world learn righteousness
  
• Isaiah 45:6-7 > that people may know there is none like Him
  
• Amos 3:6 > Lord causes disasters
  
• Jeremiah 14:1,22 > God brings rain
  
• Psalm 148:8 > Fire, hail, snow, mist, and story wind fulfill His word
  

In contrast to a post a couple of days ago, which focused on end times and the creation of the new heaven and new earth where the faithful will live for eternity with God, in Isaiah 26:21, we see a picture of how God punishes the wicked. While we all sin, the difference between our own wickedness and unbelievers is how we placed our faith in Jesus to wipe away our sin. God's justice is perfect. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me and who gives me the gift of forgiveness of sin and eternal life - amazing grace indeed!  I am not deserving of such a gift.  My sin continues.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and sposues to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock....In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul. My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.

Isaiah 26-27

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock....In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul. My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. Isaiah 26:3-4,8-9

I return to my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, on Lesson 10, Day 1, the focus moves to Isaiah 26-27, primarily on Isaiah 26, where my commentary indicates that while Isaiah 24-25 describe "triumphant prophecies of final victory by the Lord over all tyrants who oppress God’s people in this world[,]" God's people seek encouragement and guidance about how to endure in the present while waiting for God's promised end times judgement of the whole world.  The commentary writes that "Isaiah 26 is a song of realistic praise for God’s present protection and future deliverance for his suffering people."  In particular v3-4 and v7-9 offer such encouragement and guidance.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me, and who protects and delivers me from the dark forces of this world now and for eternity - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings - my sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you.

Isaiah 24-25

Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you. Isaiah 25:3

I return to my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, on Lesson 9, Day 4, the focus continues with Isaiah 25, where we see - following judgement of the whole earth in the preceding chapter - messianic prophecies providing eternal salvation for the faithful. My commentary indicates that as part of God's perfect plan of redemptive history, God converts violent nations in Isaiah 25:2-3, and these verses describe the reverence of God as a response from the subdued violent nations. My commentary includes numerous examples of enemies of God converted by Him, including "Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:34-35), the Roman centurion who crucified Jesus (Mark 15:39); [and] Saul of Tarsus, who began the day breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples and ended the day a Christian (Acts 9:1-8)." In fact, all believers were once enemies of God (Romans 5:10). My commentary continues: "[u]ntil the violent are converted, God must protect his beloved people from the storm of their vicious attacks, so verses 4-5 depict the refuge God is from their onslaught. The delight of his people comes when God at last stills the song of the violent by either converting them or crushing them, as he does at the end of [Isaiah 25]." These early verses in Isaiah represent a great example of how believers gain peace knowing that that the forces of this world (Satan) are no match for the King of Kings!

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My Prayer: You are indeed an awesome God whose plans are perfect and who protects and rescues the faithful from Satan from the dark forces of this world, providing salvation and victory over sin and death - glorious indeed!  I am not deserving of such blessings...my sin - of worldly distractions, etc. - continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.

Isaiah 24-25

The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. Isaiah 24:5

I return to my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, on Lesson 9, Day 3, the focus continues with Isaiah 24, where we see God's judgement on the whole earth. We examine parallels between the flood and subsequent covenant God made with Noah and his descendants in Genesis 7-9.  God once again unleashes His wrath against sinful humanity in Revelation - and here in Isaiah 24 God seeks to warn Israel about its unfaithfulness, and all the nations for its sin. Such warnings of course are not unique to Isaiah, and my study points out prophecies from Zechariah 14 that warns of "The Coming Day of the Lord." As a posted a couple of days ago, believers should be expectant of such a day, prepared, anticipating, and enduring faithfully. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God whose judgement and justice is perfect.  In Your judgement and justice, we see Your holiness, Your grace, and Your love.  Thank You for saving a place in Heaven for me.  I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”

Romans 11

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” Romans 11:33-34

 

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter fifteen From Theology to Doxology, which covers Romans 11.  My focus today is Romans 11:33-36, which my commentary refers to under the heading God Deserves the Glory Forever. As Paul questions the mystery of the grafting in of the natural branches initially cutoff from the root (Jesus), Paul realizes that while he does not understand everything about how God works, he does know that God is good and his ways, although not always known, are good and perfect - worthy of glory and worship. My commentary points out that Paul, just as he has done through Romans, references the Old Testament - first in v11:34 (Isaiah 40:13) then in v11:35 (Job 41:11). We are reminded that God is self-sufficient, that nothing can thwart God's plans, and that we should never question God's judgements and ways - again they are perfect: "He acts in his own wisdom and is obligate to no one."  The commentary indicates that Paul seeks to warn Roman Christians to avoid such questioning of God. 

 

Comment and discuss this post here.

 

My Prayer: Heavenly Father - You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and mercy and Your ways are perfect!  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am not deserving of the grace and mercy You pour out for me.  I have questioned Your ways and judgement...and I have other sins of worry, anger, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to accept You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Romans 9

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

This afternoon, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter thirteen God's Word Has Not Failed, which covers Romans 9:1-29.  My focus today is Romans 9:14-18, which my commentary refers to under the heading Truth 2: God's Ways Are Just and His Salvation Is Merciful.  Yesterday, I discussed in v6-13 how God's word does not fail and how Paul's anguish over unbelieving Jews should be considered as part of God's perfect design and plan. In v14, we see Paul look at injustice and of course because we all sin and are deserving of death (Romans 3:23, 6:23), Paul correctly answers that there is no injustice.   In v15-16, Paul quotes Exodus and explains further by indicating that it is up to God how He is to be compassionate and His ways are perfect. When someone does not receive compassion, it is not that God does not have compassion it is that God has another plan and again a plan that is perfect.  With v17, Paul once again uses Exodus and the example of how God hardened Pharaoh's heart so that God's name "be proclaimed in all the earth." Just as God's Word does not fail, God is just.

My commentary goes further, quoting John Stott: "[t]he wonder is not that some are saved and others not, but that anybody is saved at all.  For we deserve nothing at God's hand but judgement.  If we receive what we deserve (which is judgement), or if we receive what we do not deserve (which is mercy), in neither case is God unjust. We are encouraged to see "election" as a mystery and where we see election we should see mercy. Indeed, God is merciful.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are merciful indeed and I experience Your mercies as new every day - thank You Jesus for the mercy and compassion You have poured out for me.  I am not deserving...by a long shot....I have gossip, anger, worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Lamentations 3-5

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Day 240 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with my study of Lamentations.  As Jeremiah continues to weep and lament over the suffering of Judah over the fall of Jerusalem, we see glimpses of hope:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:22-26

You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.” You, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life. Lamentations 3:57-58

John Piper looks closely at Lamentations 3:31-33, and uses these verses to describe how God's judgement of Judah is "not His last word" as He point to a New Covenant. Piper also says that our pain is not His heart's delight - it is however a means to the good in which He delights. 

My Prayer: Heavenly Father - You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - giving me strength during times of difficulty and weakness - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.