...before the decree takes effect—before the day passes away like chaff—before there comes upon you the burning anger of the LORD, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the LORD.

Zephaniah 2:2

...before the decree takes effect—before the day passes away like chaff—before there comes upon you the burning anger of the LORD, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the LORD. Zephaniah 2:2

I continue my study of Zephaniah using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For this morning, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Zephaniah 2:2, which is the text for the second division - entitled Now Is the Time to Heed the Warning and Turn to the Lord - per the commentary.  Clearly, the text today emphasizes urgent action...to repent and turn toward the Lord.  We should not delay, lest we either fail to be prepared for when the Lord returns during the Last Days (Revelation) or we do not accept God's offer of grace and forgiveness (see post yesterday) and suffer greatly from His wrath.  From the commentary:  "[W] must recognize that as powerful as God’s love and grace is, it does not diminish His anger and justice. God will do what is right—every time. There is no changing or impeding that reality. Turn now, and follow God; this is the message of Zephaniah." 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of amazing grace for me - giving me salvation, and mercies that are new every morning and never cease...among the many blessings that You pour out for me. I am not deserving of these 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 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.

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

Hebrews 4

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Hebrews 4:9-10

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 4:1-13, as I move on to what the commentary describes as the second division "Entering by Urgency," which looks at Hebrews 4:3-10. The commentary describes how the text, since Hebrews 3:7, maintains an emphasis on how believers can only enter "God's rest" through believe and faith in Jesus Christ.  It states that this repetition is important because "[t]his is a message stubborn sinners need to hear over and over again."  The commentary then highlights how the text uses the word "today" (2x in v7) to urge those hearing the gospel message to not delay in placing their faith in Christ: "God has appointed today for us so that we might respond to his call in faith and not harden our hearts. We cannot presume upon tomorrow. Today may be the only day we have left. But as long as you have today, you have an invitation to faith." The commentary wraps for this division by stating: "[l]ike John 3:16, Hebrews 4:10 powerfully captures the message of the gospel in a single verse. The gospel is not morality. The gospel is not external religion. Nor is it a seven-step program for obtaining a better life. The gospel is the message of Christ’s accomplishments on our behalf so that we might “rest” from our works by trusting in his work. When we trust in Christ’s work, we rest from trusting our own."  Believe in Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of all humanity, so that You can enter God's rest! 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for giving me rest from a works-based salvation and rest for eternity!  I am not deserving of such a gift - the greatest gift of all time.  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. 

You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers....So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90

You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers....So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:5-6, 12

This evening, until I start a new Bible study, I continue using devotionals from John Piper.  Today, the post focuses on what Piper refers to as a "rehearsal for death" where we look at the last day of the year as an opportunity to examine if we were to die today, could we say that we kept the faith (as Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:7-8)...do we continue to run with endurance through all of life's ups and downs - counting the blessings God pours out for us and staying close to him...even pushing ourselves (and others) closer to God.  I pray that I do press on closer to God and stay close to Him.  God, help me number my days!

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed a great God who showers me with blessings every day - with breath and life - to the full!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a God!  My sin of worry and other sins continue.  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.

See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.

Isaiah 65

See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. v17

Our God gives us many, many second chances, as he is a patient God.  Yet God's patience is not unlimited.  God will judge all of us - this should gives all of us urgency to live for God.  For those who live for God, there is hope and a glimpse of the end of times where we will experience a new heaven and new earth.  See also Revelation 21. Among the great promises from God for those who remain faithful:

He will provide (v13)
He will give us joy (v14, 18)
He will forgive all of our sins (v16, 17)
No more weeping or crying (v19)

Great promises indeed.

We must live with an eternal focus.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and whose promises always come true - a faithful God indeed!  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such a God as I worry.  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 do.  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.

I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Isaiah 57

I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. v15

God wants all of His children to return to Him...to turn from their sinful ways towards Him.  We must be willing to acknowledge that we all sin and are in need of a savior...that we are poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3).

See also the Parable of the Lost or Prodigal Son.  

God loves us so much that He offers forgiveness and second (and third, etc.) chances.

However, God's patience is not unlimited and we must act with a sense of urgency.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has welcomed me back SO many times.  Thank You Jesus! I am not worth such love.  I worry.  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 do.  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.  Please 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.

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

Isaiah 55

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. v6

John Piper calls this chapter The Great Invitation. This invitation must be treated with urgency as God's patience is not unlimited.  A few days ago, my reading and post reminded me how we live as foreigners in this world, and how we should focus on the eternity of God and His promises for us.

As I posted yesterday, we all need a Savior and Christ is that Savior.

I think about this quite often with respect to my teenage son who has yet to accept Jesus Christ as His Savior.  I believe I may have set the bar high for him to invite Jesus into his life.  Yet God makes it easy - all are welcome - just as they are as God knows all about us anyway so we don't come to Him with shame but with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).

We should not study God as an intellectual exercise - we should study God to experience Him.

"God is not a thing to be studied. He is a person to be experienced." John Piper

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God worthy of my study and I desire to experience You - to know You.  I need You...desperately...I too often focus on this world and I don't want to be entangled by sin.  I worry.  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 do.  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.

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. v15-16

Paul encourages us to live life with urgency because no one know the hour or the day of Christ's return (Matthew 24:36) but also because our own days are numbered (Moses - Psalms 90:12).

My Prayer: Your will, design, acts - everything You do is perfect.  I, on other hand, am far from perfect and I am broken...sinful and broken.  Yet You chose me and are doing a good work in me...I am not worth such love and blessing...I am disobedient and lazy.  Thank You that You love me and bless me but please forgive me Jesus!  Help me turn from my sin of laziness and help me turn towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Heal her and cure her of this cancer - forever.  Help me serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin.  Help me overcome my laziness and love and serve You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.