So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, and even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God. They followed the practices Israel had introduced. Therefore the Lord rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers, until he thrust them from his presence.

2 Kings 17

So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, and even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God. They followed the practices Israel had introduced. Therefore the Lord rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers, until he thrust them from his presence. v18-20

God is full of grace yet His patience is not unlimited.  We all die and will face judgement - if we have not accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior then we face eternal damnation.  At the end of times, God waits until the very last moments to give people an opportunity to repent and turn towards Him yet even then the appointed time arrives.

We see this here with Israel where the case against Israel is laid out in v7-20.

God had seen enough with Israel and His patience had run out.

John Piper explains the limits of God's love and patience:

"This means that God’s patience with unrepentant sinners will not last forever. They eventually cross a line beyond which God will not pursue them anymore. He will let them go, and they will never be forgiven. At this point, whatever love he was pursuing them with (Romans 2:4) is gone, and they become the objects of his eternal wrath (Revelation 14:10-11)." 

Piper quotes Jesus to define the trigger for the end of God's patience:

Whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:32).

Jesus also makes it clear that love of God is of paramount importance.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  Matthew 22:37-38

It is clear that Israel failed to do this and God's patience ran out.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who is full of compassion, grace and patience.  Your justice is perfect and Your love never runs out - even when You discipline us.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love because I worry.  Please forgive me and help me turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me 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. 

“Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you but only in due measure; will not let you go entirely unpunished.”

Jeremiah 46

“Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you.  I will discipline you but only in due measure; will not let you go entirely unpunished.” v28

With the Jews living in divided kingdoms and as they are scattered throughout many nations, sin is rampant.  God shows enormous patience but this patience is of course not unlimited. 

I must not act as if God's patience for me is unlimited.  I must turn from sin, repent, and stay on the path God lays out for me.

My Prayer: Lord, it is amazing how many second chances you offer me and all of Your children.  Your patience, mercy, compassion and kindness is truly amazing.  I personally thank You Jesus.  I need You Jesus...desperately.  I am weak...please forgive me.  Help me grow in strength.  Help me find strength in You alone.

The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.

2 Chronicles 36

The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. v15-16

As I wrap up my study of Chronicles and the various kings of Israel and Judah, I can see how patient and full of grace God is.  In v1-14 we see three other kings who "did evil in the eyes of the Lord" and the resulting punishment and consequences of these sins.  This is the primary story of Chronicles - the grace and faithfulness of God - that He made a promise to David that there would also be someone from His line on the throne.  Although once again we see that God's patience is not unlimited, we do see how "again and again" God provided opportunities for His people to repent.  I can never tire of expressing in this blog the incredible nature of God's grace - not just for Israel and Judah - but for me!

God is slow to anger and abounding in love. 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned[.] John 3:16-18

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are - that You give me SO many opportunities to turn from my sin - You are full of grace, slow to anger, and abounding in love...You also give me You Son...thank You God!  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.  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 king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

1 Kings 22

The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” v8

God is slow to anger and abounding in love (see yesterday's post), giving Ahab an extended lease on life.  Yet Ahab, amazingly so, fails to see God's grace, he does not turn towards God, and within 3 years (relatively quickly) he dies just as prophesied in 1 Kings 21.  It's possible he could have lived even longer - who knows.

God's patience is not unlimited - see post here and the Parable of the Gold Coins where the "worthless servant [who failed to use and invest coins given to him by his master] [is thrown]
outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth".

We are to persistently deliver the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Yet for those who deny Jesus, God does not have unlimited patience.

Lord Jesus - help me persistently delivery the Good News of Jesus Christ to those I know who are lost.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has rescued me and You love me and are enormously patient with me.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love patience.  I worry and I often fail to persistently deliver the Good News to the lost.  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 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.

Surely these things happened to Judah according to the Lord’s command, in order to remove them from his presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all he had done, including the shedding of innocent blood. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord was not willing to forgive.

2 Kings 24

Surely these things happened to Judah according to the Lord’s command, in order to remove them from his presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all he had done, including the shedding of innocent blood. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord was not willing to forgive. v3-4

As I posted last Friday, God's patience is not unlimited.  However, his justice is perfect.

In today's verses we see further demonstration of God's perfect justice. Coffman's Commentary provides further insight which quotes from Jeremiah:


Jeremiah 15:1 explains why this was true. "It was because the measure of their sins was full, and in justice God had no choice except to punish them. Even if the greatest intercessors such as Moses and Samuel had come before the Lord (pleading for Judah), it would have done no good."

While God does punish us, just as parents would hope for their children, we should see God's punishment as for the glory of God and good for us.  See also this post and posts on viewing discipline as training.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God whose love for us never stops even when You discipline us.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love as I worry and I am harsh with my words and actions.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me 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.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to Jesus and for them to choose Him as their Lord and Savior.  Provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me 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. 

Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited.

Zephaniah 1

Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited. v7

Over the past few days, I've posted about the need for reverent fear of the Lord.  Here, we once again learn of an impending punishment for Judah. Although Judah obeyed God under King Josiah, they did not under Josiah's sons.  Punishment awaits not just Judah and the surrounding nations (see v3), but "all mankind on the face of the earth".  Such a punishment equates to the end of times and this message from Zephaniah is once again a warning that God's patience is not unlimited and that there will be an end and at that time all will be judged according to what they have done (Revelation 22:12)

We must act with a sense of urgency during the time we have here on earth.

Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. Jude 1:22-23

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. Revelation 1:3

 

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12

 

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:7-8

 

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God....creator and author of all things and merciful Heavenly Father.  You have been SO patient with me...thank You Jesus.  I know I am not worth such love and patience because I often fail to dispense such patience, grace and mercy to others.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such 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 strength and wisdom.  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, the 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.

Therefore, thus says the LORD, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the LORD of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. Cry out again, Thus says the LORD of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.

 Zechariah 1:14-17

Therefore, thus says the LORD, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the LORD of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. Cry out again, Thus says the LORD of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem. Zechariah 1:16-17

I continue my study of the last four books of the OT (complete: Zephaniah, Haggai; to complete: Zechariah, Malachi) - using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For this morning, my focus is an unassisted review of Zechariah 1:14-17, which the commentary outlines as the second of four divisions for the text vv1:7-2:13 (1:7-13, 1:14-17, 1:18-21, 2:1-13).  Here, v14 shares how God is "exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion."  God does not need it but He seeks glory for Himself only and He is jealous when His people give away their worship and glory to other gods that cannot compare to the One True God.  God is also angry with Judah's neighbors who have oppressed God's people and led them astray with worship of foreign gods - God is angry that these neighbors are at peace while God's people are struggling.  Vv16-17 then pivots to how God has "returned to Jerusalem with mercy," and how God's people will once again experience prosperity and the comfort of being in the arms of God.  Key once again to this prosperity, comfort, and fellowship with God is repentance of God's people.  God's patience is not unlimited and He is all powerful - knowing this and keeping in mind He knows all of our sin, we should run into His arms and stay there as reverent fear of God should serve as a preservative, keeping us from straying from Him.  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who is full of grace and mercy that never ceases...thank You Jesus for this grace and mercy and that I can never be separated from Your love.  Amazing indeed.  Yet I am undeserving of such grace, mercy and love.  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.   

The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.

2 Kings 24, 2 Chronicles 36, Jeremiah 22, and Daniel 1, Jeremiah 37, 52

 The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. 2 Chronicles 36:15-16

Day 220 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 as my commentary* describes "The Great Deportation", indicating that "[t]here have been many deportations [to Babylonia] already, and more will follow, but this is to be by far the greatest deportation of them all".

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) . Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

After Jehoiakim's death (see post yesterday), his son Jehoiachin succeeds him as king (2 Kings 24, 2 Chronicles 36) and scripture tells us that "he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father had done".  Jeremiah prophecies that Jehoiachin will be taken captive and "[Nebuchadnezzar] carried all Jerusalem into exile: all the officers and fighting men, and all the skilled workers and artisans—a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest people of the land were left (2 Kings 24:14)." Jehoiachin’s uncle Mattaniah (renamed as Zedekiah) is installed as a puppet king over Judah and he also "did evil in the eyes of the Lord". 

God's patience is not unlimited - yes, He is full of mercy and grace, but we must all act with urgency because we do not the day or hour when Jesus will return or when we will be called Home to Heaven - we must act with urgency (1) for our own salvation, (2) to snatch others from the fire, (3) and to love God and others, etc.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and mercy for me and You gave me the greatest gift of all - salvation.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift.  I often fail to share the Good News of Christ, fail to love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and fail to love others.  Please forgive me Jesus!  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 Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The Lord takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.

Nahum 1

The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. v2-3

Nahum, according to this commentary, is a story of how God does not let the guilty go unpunished.  Nineveh, in Jonah's time, repented and God showed His great patience, mercy and compassion by sparing punishment for the city.  Yet Nineveh went back to it's sinful ways and failed to turn TO God.

Repentance means to turn away from our sin and towards God.  We must acknowledge we need Him, that He is in control, and that His ways are good...for Him and for us.  This is freedom FROM the sting of sin and death.

I am reminded how God's patience is not unlimited and it is up to Him when and how He is patient.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who is slow to anger and abounding in love.  You have shown Your great mercy and compassion to me many times - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I am often harsh with my words and actions.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my 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 will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. v26

Throughout the Old Testament, you can read about how sinful Israel was - yet God restores. 

27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. 29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. 30 I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. 32 I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel! v27-32

Key things I need to remember is that God's patience is not unlimited - God reserves the right to punish me.  Also, everything He does is for HIS glory....not for me.   My Prayer: Lord, Your works and Your will are perfect.  I have seen and witnessed Your work in my life and I am amazed.  You are also so patient and merciful with me.  I am not deserving of such blessing and patience.  I fail to love You with all of my heart mind and soul.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me for my weakness and failings.  Encourage and energize me.  Give me strength.  Help me be the man You intend for me.  Help me glorify You.

“So I will put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you. You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”

Ezekiel 23, 2 Kings 24-25, 2 Chronicles 36, Jeremiah 39 and 52 

“So I will put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you. You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.” Ezekiel 23:48-49

Day 230 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 Ezekiel. My commentary* this morning describes what has long been prophesied by Ezekiel and many other prophets regarding the sin of both Judah and Israel.  God gives Ezekiel a message to deliver to both Judah and Israel that my commentary* describes as "probably no more graphic an indictment...in all of Scripture.  Modern readers are almost offended by the candid exposure of two promiscuous sisters, representing Israel and Judah. One gets at least some idea of the degree to which God himself is offended by his people’s infidelity."  My commentary* goes on to describe how "God feels deeply the shame and disgrace that his “bride” has brought him. Her disrespect for his spiritual leadership, her chasing after material satisfaction, and her many adulteries with lesser gods have left him no choice. Israel must be put away until she repents. The time has come. Even now it [siege of Jerusalem] begins."

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

Yes...God is slow to anger and abounding in love, but God's patience is not unlimited (see also RC Sproul on this).  That is why believers are commanded to snatch others from the fire as this "the fire" will be the destination for those who do not accept Jesus - either when they die or when Jesus returns (whichever comes first). 

Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. Jude 1:22-23

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and You have snatched me from the fire - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift.  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, energy 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 Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost! Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all going to die?”

Numbers 16-18

 The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost! Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all going to die?” Numbers 17:12-13

Day 39 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on an insurrection from Korah, Dathan, and Abiram and 250 men from among the Israelite community leaders (council).  The grumbling and complaining extends to a large pocket of the Israelites (14,700 of them).  God pours out His wrath on Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (including all of the 250 associated men), as well as on the 14,700 Israelites.

Yes, God is slow to anger and abounding in love, but we should not put the Lord Your God to the test (Deuteronomy 6:16) by constantly grumbling and complaining, and by questioning who is put above us in positions of leadership.  God is in control and we need to view our circumstances through His eyes and fear Him.  We should also be aware that God's patience is not unlimited. The Israelites react in fear after seeing God's wrath and this is a good thing because such fear acts as preservative drawing us near to Him and keeping us from sinning.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me and who is slow to anger and abounding in love - I have felt this compassion and mercy in my life time and time again and I am grateful.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me and help me 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 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.

But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars.

Acts 7

But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars. v42

John Piper uses the story of Stephen's defense to the Sanhedrin, to teach us about God's grace - writing that Stephen's speech offers both encouragement and a warning.  Piper writes that we should be encouraged because the story illustrates God's abounding love in that "[God] is eager to forgive and move on with repentant and humble people."  We should also be warned that God's patience is not unlimited using v42 to support his thoughts. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who encourages and is full of grace for me - thank You Jesus!  I am grateful!  Yet I am undeserving of the blessings You pour out on me.  I worry and I have other sin.  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.

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.

Then they will know that I am the Lord.

Ezekiel 6

Then they will know that I am the Lord. v14

God repeats these words four times.  As a follow up to my post yesterday, it should be clear to us when God is at work, particularly in our own lives.  Now we see in chapter 5-6 that God's anger grows more fierce and terrifying in terms of the punishment that is to be meted out. Yet the question in my mind becomes - how do we wait so long to not notice that God is real, He reigns and wants our submission and obedience.  We should not be frightened by God but instead drawn to Him because He is slow to anger, abounding in love, and full of compassion and grace for He sent His Son so we could be free from the sting of sin and death.

We ALL sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8) and we all need a Savior.  Jesus Christ is that Savior.

God is waiting for us to accept Him as our Savior, but His patience is not unlimited.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is SO patient with me, even though You know everything about me, including my sin.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such a God as You.  I worry far too much...I should not even worry at all.  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.

“‘I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the Lord am the Holy One in Israel.

Ezekiel 39

⁷ “‘I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the Lord am the Holy One in Israel. v7

Yesterday, Pastor Scott sermoned on Acts 5, where Scott implored us to be in irreverent fear and respect for the Lord.

The same thing here applies in Ezekiel - where the Lord tells Ezekiel that His name will not be profaned.  This message is directed towards me, you, and all believers who willingly disobey and sin.  God's patience is not unlimited for those that sin openly like Ananias and his wife Sapphira from Acts 5:1-11.

My Prayer: Lord, You are pure and holy, and perfect.  I strive to be more like You.  Most of all Lord I strive to please You, if only because You desire this and I exist for this.  I fall down however often, with impatience, anger, and selfishness, just to name a few.  I know You Lord that You love me anyway, but please forgive me.  Help rid me of these sins and help me become more like You.  Help me so that Your desires are my desires and so that I can honor and delight You with my life everyday.

"Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.”

John 12

"Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” v36

Many people will say that Jesus' patience is unlimited and I don't believe this to be true...we only have the time we are living to live as Jesus commands us to live and then all believers are held accountable for their life.  If you are not a believer then unfortunately (what an understatement) you are eternally damned to hell.

God is patient of course more so than we can ever be, but He does not guarantee us that His patience will never run out.

Ultimately, as Billy Graham points here on page 21 of this PDF:

"Believers will not be judged for their sin, for Christ dealt with our sin on the cross at Calvary.   Instead, at the judgment seat, our work on earth for Christ’s Kingdom will be evaluated and rewarded according to God’s perfect righteousness and justice".

The Bible is clear elsewhere that our days are numbered - see here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You have enormous patience for me and You have already provided more 2nd chances than I deserve.  I am weak, lazy, selfish, etc.  Thank You for Your patience and for loving me no less - despite my sin.  Please forgive me for such sin and help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as myself and help me grow in my faith.