Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.

Malachi 3:6-10a

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Malachi 3:10a

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.  While yesterday my study included a commentary assisted overview of the book of Malachi and an unassisted review of Malachi 3:6-10a, today my study is a commentary-assisted review of Malachi 3:6-10a.  This commentary for this text is includes the following excerpts:

1. Main idea and introduction to the text: "God’s commitment to His covenant trumps Israel’s rebellious history, holding out repentance to Israel and lavishing blessing on both Israel and the nations. Even though the people have fluctuated in their affections and devotion to God, He has not changed, which, as we will see, is the very foundation of His promise of restoration."
2. Division #1 - Malachi 3:6: The text begins with God's promise of mercy for Israel based on a promise He made to Jacob in Genesis 32:28.  God keeps His promises. The commentary shares: "Most of the time, when the Israelites are referred to as the children of Jacob, it’s a rebuke for their disobedience. It’s a reference to the name of their forefather before the divine blessing was bestowed. Yet, even though they were faithless, God would remain faithful to them, as He was to their father, Jacob. Their rebellion has led them far from God, but restoration is still possible if they desire change."  We are are challenged today with the same promise - repent and return to God and He will return to You (see v7).   
   
3. Division #2 - Malachi 3:7-10a: True repentance and reconciliation with God focuses on humility, where the commentary shares how Israel was challenging God by asking God how to return to Him, thinking they were already living as God intended.  God disputes this and offers a sharp rebuke - the commentary calls the dialogue here not one of "clarification" but one of "disputation."  We should not be so arrogant to argue with God believing His judgement is wrong.  Instead we should seek clarification about why and how we can live as He desires us to. We exist to glorify God.  God's rebuke focused on how the Israelites were not tithing to God - v8 - calling them robbers.  Our possessions come from God and belong to Him.  We should give back to God what is His in obedience to His commands - see also 2 Corinthians 8-9.  In response to those who claim that we are no longer under the law but under grace, the commentary shares that "grace never expects less;it always demands more...We should not give to God because we are under obligation to tithe, we should give because He has already given us the inexpressible gift of His Son Jesus Christ."  See also Luke 18-19. "Malachi is not necessarily calling out those who have been faithfully giving, asking them to give more; Malachi is calling out those who gave nothing. He is calling out those who haphazardly gave. He is calling out those who are giving without worshiping. God doesn’t need your money. He wants your heart. He wants you to understand that a closed hand is unable to receive a blessing. With a generous, open hand, you are opening yourself up to receive God’s blessings. With a rebellious, closed hand, you are hindering your ability to receive God’s blessings."

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me.  Thank You Father God Jesus for Your grace and mercy and how You keep Your promises despite how I often fall down.  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 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. 

But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.

Malachi 3:6-10a

But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Malachi 3:8-10a

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.  Given a long pause of my study in Malachi, I first review the commentary's introduction for this book and then read Malachi 3:6-10a which cover the first two divisions per the commentary for the text 3:6-12. Here are a few key excerpts from the commentary's introduction for Malachi:

• "Throughout Malachi we will see how God, as a loving Father, confronts, corrects, and challenges the people of Israel about straying from Him. No one is excluded."
• "Malachi is a call for Israel to return to God before the Messiah comes to earth, for it was written to a people who lived in expectation of Him, but who had not yet seen Him."
• To understand the audience for this book, "we can assume that the nation of Israel has returned from the Babylonian captivity by the time of this book’s writing. By addressing the book “to Israel” rather than “to Israel and Judah,” he is stating that there are no longer two separate kingdoms and that they have returned to their unified state."
• "As will be demonstrated, moral degradation was at an all-time high, with adultery, divorce, falsehood, fraud, and sorcery running rampant throughout the city; the source of much of the corruption was the priests themselves."
• "Malachi, like the prophets before him, looks forward to the Messiah’s coming. He prophesies about the forerunner of the Messiah, John the Baptist, who will prepare the way for Jesus. In the same passage, he also predicts the coming of the Lord Christ Himself[.]
• "The prophecies and warnings that will be exposited in this book bear a special weight also because Malachi is the final canonical work of the OT before the coming of Christ. A 400-year silence from God will be broken by Gabriel’s prediction of John’s and Jesus’ birth in Luke[.]" 

Vv3:6-10a contains both an encouragement and a rebuke from God.  V6 shares an attribute of God and how He does not change - He is our Rock - and how this will save Israel from destruction despite their disobedience and sin.  The verse shares how the children of Jacob are not consumed - this is of course good news for Israel because God made promises to make Israel a great nation through Abraham, Jacob, David, and others (including Jeremiah) and when God makes promises He does not change His mind.  Incredible promises by God are made throughout scripture and believers can take comfort in knowing that all of God's promises find their "Yes" in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 1:20).  The text continues in v7 with God going back and forth with Israel in dialogue exploring how Israel can "get right" with God.  God shares how Israel can "return to [God]" which will in turn result in God returning to Israel.  This same reconciliation applies to everyone (since the Fall, all of humanity is broken and sinful - see Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8) and it requires confession of sin, request of forgiveness and belief and faith in Jesus as Savior (see Romans 10:10).  In v8, God then shares a response with Israel how they can return to Him by refraining from the sin of which they are guilty (one sin of many - God using His discretion to emphasize what He feels needs calling out).  Israel was not giving to God their tithes and God refers to this as "robbing" Him.  This of course is not just a sin of Israel, but of believers today who do not appropriately tithe.  This is a sensitive topic for most but an important one - see also Matthew 6:21.  Important words from God today!

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My Prayer: Father God, You are a God that makes promises that always come to pass!  Thank You for the incredible promises You make and how I can have peace that they always come to pass.  I am not deserving of the promises of salvation and blessing You make to me as well as other promises.  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 if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Romans 5:10

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Romans 5:10

I agree with this post on DesiringGod.com that states that Holy Week is the most important week in all of history. As such, I continue with one of the recommendations from the post to prepare for Holy Week, which is to read John Piper's 40-day devotional Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die. Today I read reason #21: To Reconcile Us to God.  Here, John Piper explores the doctrine of reconciliation (see also RC Sproul on this topic).  The Fall (Genesis 3) ushered in the need for reconciliation as the sins in the Garden of Eden brought about consequences of sin - primarily separation from God (see specifically Genesis 3:23-24). In the devotion, Piper first shares that reconciliation requires action from both man and God: "[humanity's] attitude toward God must be changed from defiance to faith. And God’s attitude to [humanity] must be changed from wrath to mercy. But the two are not the same. [All of humanity] need[s] God’s help to change; but God does not need [humanity's help]."  Piper then shares how God does not need to actually change because is it is "in His nature" to love and save us.  Reconciliation occurs as a result of "God’s own planned action to stop being against me and start being for me."  Romans 5:10 is described as key for us to understand because God's action towards us was done both first and while we were still hostile to Him.  Most hostility towards God is described as not "consciously hostile" but instead as "quiet insubordination and indifference."  God's first move towards us in reconciliation is then described by referencing other scripture - specifically Matthew 5:23-24 - where the text shares that believers, if you are to offer a gift at the at the alter, you are first to reconcile with a brother then offer your gift.  Piper concludes the devotion by sharing: "...when we hear the gospel of Christ, we find that God has already done that: He took the steps we could not take to remove his own judgment. He sent Christ to suffer in our place. The decisive reconciliation happened “while we were enemies.” Reconciliation from our side is simply to receive what God has already done, the way we receive an infinitely valuable gift."  Rejoice in the gift of salvation and reconciliation with God!

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for the reconciliation that allows me to be in fellowship with You.I am not deserving of my salvation nor the reconciliation You provide.  My sin is great and it continues - daily.   Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from 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.

Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil.

Zephaniah 3:9-20

Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. Zephaniah 3:14-15

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 3:14-15, which is the text for the fifth division for the commentary's chapter on 3:9-20 (six divisions in total). Here the text continues to describe how God restores the faithful remnant of Judah (see post yesterday and text focusing on those "who are left").  God seeks for this remnant to rejoice and exult "with all your heart."  Why?  The text tells us why: (1) God has taken away the consequences of our sin, (2) He has taken away our enemies, (3) He is in our midst, and (4) we shall never again fear evil.  Of course such a message rings true for not just Judah but also all believers!  Excerpts from the commentary on this text:

• "The appropriate response to the redemptive work of God among His people is to throw a party. This is precisely what God is communicating. What’s more, this is not just a momentary celebration. The understanding here is that this is their new way of life. This is not just a fleeting, volitional choice to “sing for joy” or “shout loudly.” This is a transformation of the heart. Israel was heading toward certain judgment and death, but instead they have inherited the grace of God. There is much to be excited about!"
• Believers are referred to Hebrews 2:14-15 where the same message is described in the New Testament. 
• This message from Zephaniah serves as a prophecy for Jesus who is described in Matthew 1:23 as Immanuel, "God is with us."
• We are reminded that while some believe Heaven is ultimately our goal, this is not the case as Heaven is described as a benefit but not the goal.  Reconciliation with God as described in the text today is the goal. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of amazing grace and compassion for me.  Taking away my sin, loving me while still hostile and an enemy towards You...and saving me.  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 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 at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord. From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering.

Zephaniah 3:9-20

“For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord. From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering. Zephaniah 3:9-10

I continue my study of Zephaniah using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Zephaniah 3:9-10, which is the text for for division of the commentary for the commentary's chapter on 3:9-20 (six divisions in total). The commentary's introduction for 3:9-20 includes the below main idea for the entirety of the text:

Main idea: "God is rich in mercy and will restore His people to a place of prominence and blessing.

Excerpts from the commentary relating to 3:9-10:

• Division title: "God Will Restore His People"
• "Arguably the most painful book in the Bible, it has not left us excited and hopeful for more. In what has surely felt like one body blow after another, God has chastised His people, called them to repentance, and threatened them with judgment. In all of this, however, we have maintained that His love and justice are the motivating factors for His behavior."
• "This claim of restoring pure speech means much more than just clean language. This is a reference to being purified. It speaks of repentance being accomplished in the hearts of God’s people. From rampant rebellion to penitent humility, the people of Judah have been rescued and redeemed. To be purified means to be cleansed. Purification occurs when we are both forgiven and repentant. The old sin is gone and the future behavior is not the same as the past. The result of this purification, then, will be a readiness to call on Yahweh and worship Him with their lives."
• "Notice two specific ways in which they will respond to His grace. First, they will call on His name. For a people who had previously struggled to trust God, this is a marvelous turnaround. By calling on His name, they are indicating trust in Him."  See also Luke 9:23.
  
• "Second, not only are they trusting God, they are now committed to serving Him—but not just serving Him, they are committed to doing so with “single purpose.” This is, again, far different from the message we heard throughout the rest of the book. These had been a people who were focused on themselves and whose focus was scattered across a host of different ideals and goals. Instead, they are now united in their focus on God and His commands."
• "Gathering us together from around the world, God is redeeming a people for Himself."  See also Revelation 7:9-10.
  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are SO good as Your forgiveness and mercies are new every morning and they never cease!  Your grace - amazing grace - never ends!  Thank You Jesus for my salvation and Your amazing grace.  Of course I am undeserving.  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.

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Zephaniah 3:9-20

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

I continue my study of Zephaniah using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is a unassisted review of Zephaniah 3:9-20, which is the text for next chapter of my commentary.  Zephaniah's message from the Lord up until this moment (chapter 1 and 2 and chapter 3 so far) has been harsh (but warranted) as God renders judgement not just on Judah but also her neighbors.  Judah has been full of pride and spurning God (see Zephaniah 3:1-2).  Now, remarkably, in 3:9-20 we see God's amazing grace - this is a great example of how God loved us (believers) while we were still slave to our sin, softened our heart towards Him and saved us (see also Romans 5:8) - not because of anything we did (see also Ephesians 2:8).  Of the many blessings from Zephaniah 3:9-20:

• No condemnation, forgiveness - v11
• Freedom from pride, lies and deceit as sin - v11
• Peace of mind - v13
• Joy - v14
• Protection - v15
• Fellowship with God - v17
• Will make God's people a renowned name (for His glory) - v20
• Restored fortunes - v20
  

Of course, those who remain proud and haughty will not experience restoration as God will remove from Judah's midst those who remain "proudly exultant" (v11).  This is similar to Adam and Eve's separation from God after their sin and the Fall (Genesis 3). What a terrible thing to be separated from God's love at any point - believers can take great comfort in knowing that nothing can separate us from His love (see also Romans 8:38-39).  His mercies are new every morning and never cease (Lamentations 3:22-23).

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for rejoicing over me with gladness and exult over me with singing, and for quieting me with Your love...and of course saving me!  I am not deserving....no.  My sin 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.

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ecclesiastes 9:1-10

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21

I continue my study of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book. My focus today is a commentary-assisted review of Ecclesiastes 9:1-10, going back over this text which I have previously covered over the past four days.  Specifically for today my focus is how the commentary extends (and closes) an examination of this text with a section entitled Jesus Delivers from Death and Gives Abundant, Eternal Life. 

Excerpts from this section of the commentary:

• "Ecclesiastes depicts in great detail the curse of sin and death. Death’s tyranny makes life meaningless because if this life is all there is, then death cancels everything out. You cannot take your money with you. Your legacy will ultimately be forgotten. Nothing you did really seems to matter. Some scholars look at this and say Ecclesiastes believes there is nothing beyond the grave, but that is wrong. Ecclesiastes does not teach annihilation; it teaches uncertainty.  Solomon purposefully takes on this particular human perspective, and he says we cannot know for sure if anything lies beyond death because none of us has ever gone there and come back."
  
• "However, we do know something is out there, and we long for it because eternity is in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). What Ecclesiastes aches for, the New Testament presents to us. Paul wrote to the church at Rome to tell them that death did enter the world through one man, but life also came into the world through one man (Romans 5:12-21)."
• "However, the promise is not just for eternal life; the promise is also for abundant life (John 10:10)—living life to the fullest as it was meant to be lived."
• "The good news is that Jesus came to redeem us so that we can begin to live according to God’s good design."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who died for the sin of all humanity so that Your elect can have life now to the full and for eternity.  Thank You Jesus for the greatest gift of all time - amazing grace indeed!  I am not deserving of such grace.  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.

“Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.”

Genesis 42-44

“Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.” Genesis 43:23

I maintain a pause on my study of Ecclesiastes to focus on Joseph, in particular Genesis 42-44, and I lean on the Christ-Centered Exposition Series volume for this book. Based on the commentary's breakdown of the divisions and subdivisions of this text (see post from Monday, 24JUN), I move on to the second division, which explores Genesis 43.  Here, after much consternation and hesitation about letting his remaining sons (less Simeon who remains detained in Egypt) return to Egypt with Benjamin, Jacob (Israel) relents to Judah's pleading (v11) as the famine is severe and they are in dire need of food (v1).  Upon the sons return to Egypt, they are warmly greeted by Joseph and invited in to dine (v16).  Not expecting such a warm greeting, the sons are fearful (v18) that they are being lulled into an ambush whereby they also will be taken captive just as Simeon is.   The steward of Joseph's house, apparently also a man of God as Joseph is, remarkably offers a message "do not be afraid" (v23) that calls to mind the same message from the angel Gabriel to Mary from Luke 1:30.  Joseph sees Benjamin and then weeps as he has yet to reveal his true identity to his brothers that do not recognize him - Joseph yearns to be reunited with his family (v30). At the meal they share, Joseph and his other brothers share pleasantries and conversation as the occasion is described as "merry" (v34).   

The commentary highlights a number of passages in the text, including (but not limited to)

• Judah's pleading in more detail: "[t]he brothers must take Benjamin so that the family of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob “may live and not die” (v. 8; cf. 42:2). Indeed, Judah’s insistence in this matter is important because he is essentially pleading with his father to empower him to rescue their family from death by starvation. This foreshadows what Judah’s ultimate offspring, Jesus Christ, the bread of life, does for all those found in him (John 6:35; Hebrews 2:14-15)." Judah is then described in the commentary as taking full responsibility and becoming fully accountable for Benjamin (v9). 
• Jacob's (Israel) recognition (v14) that God's favor is what is sought and this of course requires faith and trust in God
• The reunion of all the brothers is described and compared to the parable of the prodigal son: "[a]t play in this moment are parallels with the parable Jesus would tell about the prodigal son (Luke 15). But rather than the runaway son knowingly coming home from a far country to his father to pursue reconciliation, here the wayward brothers leave their home unknowingly to enter a far-off country to reconcile with the son who was lost. Fittingly, it is Joseph—the one who was mistreated and suffered harm—who initiates reconciliation."
• The dinner itself is portrayed as symbolic of the gospel message: "the dinner is a glimpse of the gospel. Think about what happens in this moment: a favored son who endured hardship as a righteous sufferer prepares a table before him in the presence of his enemies (Psalm 23:5). The brothers, of course, do not deserve to be at a feast because they are enemies of this royal figure at whose table they sit. Nevertheless, in his grace and kindness, Joseph welcomes undeserving sinners to dine alongside him and gives them a generous portion as an act of reconciliation and restoration. Isn’t that what God does for us in Christ?...In the gospel, Jesus mirrors the grace of Joseph by welcoming undeserving sinners to the table to receive a generous portion of his Spirit as an act of reconciliation and restoration. In Christ we are invited to his table so that we might taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8; 1 Pet 2:3).

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You SO much for going to cross, shedding Your blood, so that I can be reconciled to God.  I am undeserving of such blessing and my salvation.  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 Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God[.]

1 Peter 3

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God[.] 1 Peter 3:18

For my daily study, I continue to lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which today looks at what John Piper describes as "the greatest good of the good news - the gospel - [and how it] is the enjoyment of fellowship with God himself." Piper shares how this is explicit in the verse highlighted in the devotion today - 1 Peter 3:18.  He continues: "[a]ll the other gifts of the gospel exist to make this one possible[, including:]

• "We are forgiven so that our guilt does not keep us away from God."
• "We are justified so that our condemnation does not keep us away from God."
• "God is propitiated so that his wrath doesn’t stand between us and God as our Father."
• "We are given eternal life now, with new bodies in the resurrection, so that we have the capacities for being with God forever and enjoying God to the fullest."

Piper concludes the devotion today by writing that the love of God is ultimately expressed in Jesus Christ.  Sin separates us from God but Christ restored us to Himself - not just once but for eternity.  And the result is that we have life to the full now and for eternity (see also John 10:10). Piper's final words for today are to refer us to Psalm 16:11. Amen and praise God!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are SO good that You came so that I could continue fellowship with God!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You restored me to Yourself.  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.

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

 Romans 5

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:9-11

For my daily study, I continue to lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which today looks at the ultimate end (or prize) of the gospel that we receive as believers.  John Piper summarizes this end or prize by sharing:  "[t]he end of the gospel is “we rejoice in God.” The highest, fullest, deepest, sweetest good of the gospel is God himself, enjoyed by his redeemed people. God in Christ became the price (Romans 5:6–8), and God in Christ became the prize (Romans 5:11)."  Piper unpacks how this comes about: he starts by pointing to verse 9 where we are saved from the wrath of God.  He continues by describing how this is not the "highest, best, fullest, most satisfying prize of the gospel."  It gets better because we are "saved by his life" in verse 10. It then gets even better - all the way to the best in verse 11 as Piper shares that "[m]ore than that, we also rejoice in God[.]"  Justified = saved from His wrath > reconciled = saved by His life > reconciliation = rejoice in God.  Believers must stand in awe of God Himself in what we have received - God Himself!  The most amazing wonderful gift in the world!  My thoughts turn immediately to David from Psalm 16 where he writes that God is His portion (Bayleaf Baptist Church sermon - verse ) - referencing the Levites who did not get land of their own in the promised land but instead received land in the tribes of others but more importantly were able to get closer to God than anyone through their service and priestly duties. In the same vain, believers are able to get close to God - we should rejoice at this!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are worthy of rejoicing over as You saved me Your wrath, I am now reconciled to You, and through this reconciliation I have You!  Thank You Jesus!  The greatest gift of all time.  I am not deserving of this.  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 if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:10-11

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, where John Piper seeks for believers to prepare our hearts for Christmas.  Today's Solid Joys daily devotion marks day 23 of Advent, and today John Piper looks at how God reconciles us to Himself through Jesus Christ.  Believers know that reconciliation is at the heart of the gospel.  We all sin, sin separates us from Christ, but Christ died to forgive our sins - forever - so that believers could have life now in abundance, and forever with Him in Heaven (John 3:16-18, 10:10)...with Christ now in our hearts, God is with us...always (Matthew 28:20) - Emmanuel.  Piper describes how Christ purchased this reconciliation for us, how Christ enabled us to receive this reconciliation, and finally, how Christ came into the world as flesh (see also post from 2 days ago on incarnation) so that we can exalt and worship Him.  Piper wraps the devotion today by exhorting us to respond: "Exult in [Christ]. Experience him as your pleasure. Know him as your treasure."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me, who purchased my reconciliation, who enabled me to receive it, and You give me Yourself so that I can exalt and worship You - and I know this is why I exist.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings and gifts.  My sin is great and it continue...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 Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God[.]

 2 Samuel 12

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God[.]  1 Peter 3:18a

As my vacation continues for another two days, I pause from my study of both Isaiah and Proverbs to listen to DesiringGod.com's daily devotion, which focuses on the gifts of the gospel, primarily unity with God as sin separates us from Him but Christ's death on the cross reconciles us to Him. In this devotion, John Piper outlines not just this gift but other gifts of the gospel that are made possible via this reconciliation:

• We are forgiven so that our guilt does not keep us away from God.
• We are justified so that our condemnation does not keep us away from God.
• God is propitiated so that his wrath doesn’t stand between us and God as our Father.
• We are given eternal life now, with new bodies in the resurrection, so that we have the capacities for being with God forever and enjoying God to the fullest.

God Himself and our ability to be with Him anytime and forever are the greatest gifts of all time - full stop. Thank You Jesus!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Jesus, thank You for willingly laying down Your life so that I could be forgiven, justified, reconciled to You, and in so doing, given fullness of life now and forever!  Amazing!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving!  My sin is great and it continues.  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.

More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5:1-11

More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:11

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued my study of chapter six The Blessings of Justification By Faith, which covers Romans 5:1-11.  My focus today is Romans 5:11 which my commentary refers to with the heading We Exult in God Himself. With focus on this single verse, I reflect on the meaning of reconciliation and it brings to mind a return to God's design of our relationship with Him.  In the beginning (Genesis 2), before The Fall, man and woman lived in the Garden of Eden and there was no sin and no shame. Sin entered the world and since that time, sin separates us from God.  Jesus death on the cross gives us forgiveness of sins and we are restored to God's design for His relationship with us.  We should rejoice in reconciliation. 

My commentary wants us to read this verse and rejoice in God. It offers (quoting Tim Keller) six signs of rejoicing to God:

1. Your mind is deeply satisfied with the doctrine of justification by faith.  You rejoice in it by studying it and speaking about it to others. 
2. You only think of your past in terms it. You don't say: What a mess made of it there!  Instead you say: Me, a Christian! Despite my deep flaws, despite my record!  Yet it is absolutely true!
3. When you discover in yourself a new character flaw, ...the discovery does not make you doubt God's love.  Rather it makes you feel closer to him, and his grace for you becomes more precious in your sight. 
4. When your conscience accuses you and says: How could God love you after what you've done? you don't try to answer with reference to your performance. 
5. When you face criticism, you don't say This is totally unfair.  You rejoice gently inside with thoughts like, Well, I'm really a much worse sinner than they know but....Well may the Accuser roar, of sins that I have done: I know them all, and thousands more: Jehovah knoweth none. 
6. When you face death, you do it with serenity because you are going to a friend. 

 #5 in particular can sometimes be painful as I am often defensive but I shouldn't be. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and I get to walk with You!  Your Son, the Word, the Holy Spirit - all of it!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the reconciliation You bought for me. My sin continues...daily.  Please forgive me...anger, etc. 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.

Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Matthew 26

Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. v74-75

Jesus told Peter during the last supper (Matthew 26:34) that Peter would disown Him three times before the rooster crowed and indeed this comes to pass as "no word from God will ever fail" (Luke 1:37).  Yet Jesus restores Peter completely and He does for this all of His children - we don't deserve it but Jesus is full of grace and provides forgiveness and reconciliation back to God.

The greatest gift of all time.  Jesus is the reason for the season...

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is so full of grace for me...even though I am completely undeserving.  Thank You Jesus!  I am unworthy...I worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome my 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 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 said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit.

Jonah 2

I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. v4-6

Jonah, like the Prodigal Son, ran from God, and yet God still welcomed him back.  We need to be restored daily...and our confession and repentance, like Jonah's and that of the Prodigal Son will facilitate this.  We may, by sins of either commission or omission, separate ourselves from God...but God gives us freedom from the sting of sin and death through reconciliation with His Son.

Greatest gift of all time.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You offer the greatest gift of all time - freedom from the sting of sin and death and reconciliation through Your Son.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a sacrifice - such love.  I miss the mark 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 Him.  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.

Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.

2 Chronicles 33

Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God. v13

For believers we need to go to God daily, to remind ourselves of God's greatness, to thank Him for what He has done, and to cleanse ourselves of our sin.  If we do not, we remain separated from God and this wedge grows.  Although God's patience is not unlimited, He does want us to come back to Him so that we can reconciled and restored.  Manasseh does come back and his story is our story - we all wander.  The key then is to not wait to be restored and reconciled.  Go to God daily, if not more, for what we have done so that we can turn from our sin towards Him who can better direct our steps then we can. 

For God to remain visible in our lives, we must have a heart of gratitude - this reminds us of how much God has done, how great He is, and how we all need a Savior.

My Prayer:  Lord You are indeed a great God, who has done many signs of wonder in my life.  I am amazed at how You work.  Thank You Jesus for how You have blessed me.  My cup overflows.  I am not worth such a God.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn 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 and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  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.

That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise to the Lord in this manner[.]

1 Chronicles 16

That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise to the Lord in this manner[.] v7

When we worship God we must recognize who He is and His attributes.

When we take the time to reflect on who God is, what He has done corporately and personally, then our natural response is to humble ourselves and ask forgiveness for our sin so that we are not separated from for too long...that we can remain near to Him. 

Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:15

Instead, just as David instructed Asaph we are to "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." v11

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who has created the heavens and the earth, yet You humbled Yourself to save me.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love.  I lazy and 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 for 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 Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy.

Zephaniah 3

The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. v15

Zephaniah reminds us that we have a God who is full of mercy, as we get what we don't deserve and we don't get what we deserve.

The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;
    never again will you fear any harm.

On that day
    they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, Zion;
    do not let your hands hang limp.
The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.” v15-17

Yes, both Judah and its surrounding nations faced harsh punishment for its turning away from and denying the Lord, but God provided a remnant that will once again trust in the name of the Lord (v12) and live in harmony again with Him.

In the same way, we have a God in Christ Jesus that spares us from the punishment we all deserve (Romans 3:23, 6:23) by taking our place on the cross.  In doing so, we are able to defeat sin and death - oh what a gift!  

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who is SO full of mercy, grace, and compassion.  Thank You for such love but I am not worth such love as my anger, grumbling, worries, etc. continue!  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 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.  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.

In that day,” declares the Lord,"I will gather the lame; I will assemble the exiles and those I have brought to grief.

Micah 4

In that day,” declares the Lord,"I will gather the lame; I will assemble the exiles and those I have brought to grief. v6

We are all lame, stricken with some thorn in our side (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) - for none of us are free of sin and pain (Romans 3:23).  We are all exiled and separated from God due to our sin.  

Yet through Jesus we have reconciliation and restoration - freedom from the sting of sin and death. 

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

God has already gathered us to Him and He will do so once more in Heaven - for all of this we should be grateful!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who knows everything about me yet choose to submit His life for me so that I may be saved from the sting of sin and death!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such an act of grace and love - by a long shot! I continue to sin in my life and I need You daily to help protect myself from shame and from further sin.  Please forgive me for my worry.  Help me turn from my sin and turn 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 and cure 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.  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.