Today’s Reading: Jer 50:1–46, Rom 12:9–13:7, Prov 27:1–27

Today’s Theme: Marks of a Christian

Today we have a very practical lesson form Paul where he lists the marks of the true Christian and calls us to live out our faith by living in the way God intends. This is almost the practical outworking of all the theological and spiritual truth established concerning the gospel and our salvation earlier in the letter.

So read Paul’s bullet point list of virtues and seek to live out the miracle of regeneration today, you are a new creation now live like one, work out (for all to see) what God has worked in by his Holy Spirit and the power of the gospel of God.

Today is Boxing Day in the UK, a day in our household at least where the children practically play with the gifts they received on Christmas day, so it seems quite significant to today’s lesson. We received the gift of salvation, now we need to use it for everyday life.

Jeremiah 50:1–46

God’s pardon

In those days and in that time, declares the Lord, iniquity shall be sought in Israel, and there shall be none, and sin in Judah, and none shall be found, for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.(Jeremiah 50:20, ESV)

Although The Lord appointed these nations to judge his, they themselves still qualify for judgement, God knows how this all balances in his wisdom and purposes.

God has mercy and so pardons the elect remnant… Or none would be saved, this will be true in the final days too.

God is great

“Behold, like a lion coming up from the thicket of the Jordan against a perennial pasture, I will suddenly make them run away from her, and I will appoint over her whomever I choose. For who is like me? Who will summon me? What shepherd can stand before me?(Jeremiah 50:44, ESV)

This is a repeated self revelation of God (we saw it yesterday). God states that no one can summon him. Some teach that we can call and command God but this is simply not true, God is the sovereign king, he appoints whom he will and is not summoned as though he were any mans servant.

God is the king, not a genie in a bottle.

Romans 12:9–13:7

Love genuinely

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.(Romans 12:9, ESV)

Our love must not be a saccharin veneer, it should be genuine love poured out from our hearts in truth.

It is significant that Paul mentions the need for truth and discernment alongside the call to be genuine in love, this is because we can not love apart form the truth and the aborning of evil.

Love like family

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.(Romans 12:10, ESV)

As Christians we are called to love each other with he same affection we show for our families. For this to retain it’s context we must love our families in the way God intended in the first place.

Loving like family will include making sacrifices for each other, bearing with each other and being kind to each other.

We can’t get away with detached love as a duty, either it is family like love or it is not he kind of love God intends between his children.

Paul’s language is great we should out do each other in showing honour to each other, this way everyone is honoured, and loved.

Be passionate

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.(Romans 12:11, ESV)

A timely word after a long Christmas Day, we are called as Christians to be zealous and fervent, full of passion and fire and hunger and desire and delight as we serve our glorious King… Hallelujah!

Be steady

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.(Romans 12:12, ESV)

This is a call to steadiness in the Christian. We are made steady by our hope found in the gospel which causes us to rejoice even in difficult and trying times. Patience steadies and matures the souls to remain faithful under trial while the constant faithful position and power of prayer sustains the spiritual vitality and life of the believer.

So be steady, be constant and hopeful and patient to the glory of God.

Be Empathetic

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.(Romans 12:15, ESV)

Empathy should be part of our make up as saints, we should not be cold, indifferent or aloof form the pain, suffering, hurt or even the jubilation of others, we are called to live our lives on mission just like Jesus, living alongside the people being touched by their infirmities as it were.

We are God’s royal priests in the earth, so do the work of a priest by empathising with those around you, you are their connection to God so show them that God cares.

Be teachable

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.(Romans 12:16, ESV)

Have a teachable spirit, this is how we live in harmony with each other. We should associate with those who are humble as the proud will only make us prideful too.

Retaliation forbidden

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.(Romans 12:17, ESV)

Retaliation is forbidden for us as Christian individuals if we seek to live out the example God has shown us in Christ.

Do your part

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.(Romans 12:18, ESV)

You can not live in peace for other people you can only do your part… but you must do your part.

Love your enemy

To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”(Romans 12:20, ESV)

Quoting OT wisdom and the teaching of Jesus Paul reminds us that we should love those who have made themselves our enemy.

Be good

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.(Romans 12:21, ESV)

The secret weapon against evil is good not counter evil. Our mandate is to be good, to be so good that our goodness overcomes evil. This is not man made goodness but is dependent of the righteousness God credits to our account and the work and fruit of the Holy Spirit (one of which is goodness).

The Christian and the Government

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.(Romans 13:1, ESV)

This is because God is the sovereign Lord of the universe, so all authority is under his authority, this gives us context for how we should conduct ourselves with governing authorities and dispels the notion that Jesus was a rebel leader for the rebels.

We submit to the authorities as good citizens as long as they do not demand that we deny our faith, in those cases they have perverted their delegated authority and we are to obey God, this is true in much of the suffering church where the authorities are corrupt.

God’s purpose in punishment

for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.(Romans 13:4, ESV)

Capital, punitive and remedial judgement is here defended, God uses intuitions like the police to exact his judgement on those who break the law. If God had not set up and empowered society with officers in this way we would have anarchy.

One of God’s great purposes in the world is human flourishing but where there is anarchy there can be no flourishing.

Pay your taxes

For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.(Romans 13:6, ESV)

This is why we pay tax. In OT Israel this was even tied up in the tithes for the Levites etc. We should pay our taxes in honesty.

Pay the bills

Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.(Romans 13:7, ESV)

Taxes and all the other dues mentioned are the building blocks for any good civil society. If no one pays the electric bills there will be no electricity so lets all pay what we owe to the glory of God.

Proverbs 27:1–27

Don’t be presumptuous

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.(Proverbs 27:1, ESV)

Jesus picks up on tis in the NT

Be hungry

One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.(Proverbs 27:7, ESV)

This is true, I’ve had some of the best eating experiences when I’ve been really hungry. This is also true in the spiritual world, this is why Jesus said we must hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Are you hungry today?

Avoid unnecessary danger

The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.(Proverbs 27:12, ESV)

Avoiding danger is a good principle, courage not withstanding.

Today’s Reading: Jer 49:1–39, Rom 11:25–12:8, Prov 26:12–28

Today’s Theme: A Living Sacrifice

Today is Christmas day when we rejoice and celebrate the coming of our King Jesus to save his people. It is timely that today’s reading looks at the ultimate salvation that will come to Israel because of God’s irrevocable call and promises.

One of the key themes we see in Chapter 12 of Romans is the call to transformation and to live our lives as a living sacrifice before God in light of his grace and by his Spirit. Lets remember that this Christmas day.

Disposes the enemy

Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will cause the battle cry to be heard against Rabbah of the Ammonites; it shall become a desolate mound, and its villages shall be burned with fire; then Israel shall dispossess those who dispossessed him, says the Lord.(Jeremiah 49:2, ESV)

We need to disposes the enemy, he disposed us now we need to take back what is ours.

It is Christmas day today we celebrate the coming of our King who has won the victory for us, now in his name we can boldly plunder the enemies camp and get back all that rightly belongs to us in Christ including the salvation of our loved ones, enter Christmas day with that confidence today. Emmanuel, God is with us.

Mercy in judgement

Leave your fatherless children; I will keep them alive; and let your widows trust in me.”(Jeremiah 49:11, ESV)

God remains merciful and faithful even in the midst of Judgement, as we will read later, he never totally cast of his people, but in mercy, grace and love remains faithful to them even when they have been unfaithful.

There is none greater

For I have sworn by myself, declares the Lord, that Bozrah shall become a horror, a taunt, a waste, and a curse, and all her cities shall be perpetual wastes.”(Jeremiah 49:13, ESV)

God swears by himself because there is no greater power to swear by. When God swears by himself we can be confident that he will fulfil his word because he is God! He is all powerful and never lies or fails.

The only Sovereign

Behold, like a lion coming up from the jungle of the Jordan against a perennial pasture, I will suddenly make him run away from her. And I will appoint over her whomever I choose. For who is like me? Who will summon me? What shepherd can stand before me?(Jeremiah 49:19, ESV)

God declares his sovereignty which no mere creation can challenge. No one can stand before God, he will cause the Lion to flee for there is none like him. We worship him this Christmas morning. He is the Sovereign king who has won our salvation and brought us everlasting peace and joy. Hallelujah!

Temporary hardening

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.(Romans 11:25, ESV)

Paul has been discussing a historical salvation pattern with us, of hardening or rejection in the children of Israel, leading to salvation for the nations which lead to their jealousy and salvation and so makes his point really clear here that the hardening of Israel is temporary.

It will only last in it’s current context until a designated, preordained, elect number of Gentiles have come into the kingdom. This points to the fact that one of the great signs of the end of days will be a major and general turning of ethnic Jews to Christ.

The Holy Spirit will by his power soften their hearts and open their eyes as God displays his everlasting love for the elect among his people Israel.

This should lead us to pray that God would use us in the gathering of a people from all nations and in the re-gathering of the children of Israel under the rule of King Jesus.

As a side note it is important to understand from a theological perspective that we do not believe in double predestination where God just predestined to block some from salvation condemning them to hell, the hardening of hearts and blinding of eyes always has it’s roots in mans unbelief and sin as Paul has already explained.

All Israel will be saved

And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;(Romans 11:26, ESV)

When Paul says all Israel he is using a corporate term, not speaking of spiritual Israelite but ethnic Jews and he does not mean every last one will involuntarily be saved or be saved in any other way than each individual having to put their faith and trust in Jesus as King, Lord and Saviour because Jesus is the only way to salvation as Paul has clearly demonstrated.

All Israel was used approximately 60 times in the OT and means a number so large and significant that it respects the whole nation and will be in sharp contrast to today’s situation where only a remnant are saved.

We eagerly look forward to and pray for this day. This is the greatest sign of the end and will possibly happen at or just before the second coming of Christ.

Irrevocable

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.(Romans 11:29, ESV)

God’s calling to salvation and specific gift to Israel as a people are irrevocable. This is why we hold that the land some call Palestine belongs to the ethnic Jews.

However the context here is far more important than the land, it is talking about God’s promises for salvation and peace which came at the first Christmas and is now available to all who would come.

We can have confidence that God will fulfill his word to Israel and this should give us assurance and joy concerning our own calling or election and the promise and gifts of grace God has made to us.

We have confidence and assurance that God will save and keep his people (Jew and Gentile) because he is faithful, this is one of the reasons we called the production we did as part of the Ezra Foundation last year Chosen, because God made a sovereign choice that can not be revoked with Israel which should fill all God’s Chosen with hope and joy.

All without distinction

For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.(Romans 11:32, ESV)

We are reminded about the universality of sin and our need for mercy. “All” means without distinction God will have mercy not without exception as that would mean all are saved apart from Christ.

Break out in praise

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!(Romans 11:33, ESV)

Gods wisdom and knowledge is indeed deep and Paul breaks out in praise here when he considers the way the Lord set about to save the whole world using His people Israel as a catalyst and using the unimaginable death and resurrection of his Son.
This Christmas lets breakout in praise too as we consider God’s commitment and mission to save all his elect people.

To him be the glory

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.(Romans 11:36, ESV)

When we consider God as we look at his acts recorded in his word and experienced in our lives we see that he is the source, sustainer and goal of all life. Truly he alone is glorious and worthy of our adoration and praise.

As the Angels sang on the first Christmas lets give him glory today.

A living sacrifice

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.(Romans 12:1, ESV)

We are not Gnostics believing we can do what we want with our flesh but be holy in our spirit. Presenting our physical bodies is a very spiritual act of worship. Christianity is real and practical, it is not esoteric or ethereal but is firm and solid.

Paul’s teaching, theology and arguments are all aimed at instructing his readers in the practical living of the Christian life.

This was written for us and particularly today, it is Christmas day and the temptation will be to indulge the flesh, lets remember today and everyday that God is with us, actually dwelling in our bodies as a temple by the Holy Spirit, so lets live our lives in the flesh in holiness and self control to the glory of God, it is the least we can do in light off this glorious Gospel of God.

Be transformed

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.(Romans 12:2, ESV)

We should be transformed and the means by which this has to be done is by our minds being renewed which is done through the work of the Holy Spirit as we feed on the truth off God’s word.

This is a key theme for Paul and one of the goals of this letter, to see practical, real transformation. This is the power of the gospel at work in the believer.

We must make a conscious decision to not conform to the ways of the world. We should instead allow our nature to be transformed by the Holy Spirit so that our natural response will be to do God’s will and we will know God’s truth in such a natural way that we will indeed know what God’s will is an any given situation.

The measure we are transformed against is the truth revealed in the gospel of God and recorded in the pages of the bible where we find God’s will clearly displayed and defined.

Show your family that you are transformed this Christmas day and everyday to the glory of God.

Sober judgement

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.(Romans 12:3, ESV)

Our culture is so egocentric that sober judgement seems alien. We must not think of ourselves as more than we are but should be humble before God and man living according to the faith God has lovingly and individually provided for each of his elect children.

Live in light of God’s grace, you were chosen and now stand and will finish the race all by God’s grace extended to you so don’t be foolish and prideful, live in gratitude to God’s amazing and undeserved grace.

The sluggard

The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.(Proverbs 26:16, ESV)

The sluggard is not only lazy, selfish and cowardly but is also very prideful these are all traits we need to guard against… Especially after a big Christmas dinner 🙂

Be content

For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.(Proverbs 26:20, ESV)

When we learn to be content there will be no room for quarreling. Whatever presents you get or do not get, be content.

Don’t harbor hate

Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart;(Proverbs 26:24, ESV)

This becomes a rotten stinking pool and ends up poisoning the one harboring the evil and those around them.

Have a blessed Christmas day.

Today’s Reading: Jer 47:1–48:47, Rom 11:11–24, Prov 26:1–11

Today’s Theme: Grafted In

Today we read about the olive tree who is Christ and how we as Gentiles have been grafted in alongside the natural branches Israel but that natural or grafted in branches which exhibit unbelief are cut of and pruned away so we need to continue in the kindness of God and persevere in the faith.

Paul offers a rebuke to any in the gentile church that would seek to be prideful against Israel and the Old Testament, reminding them that they stand by grace and are rooted in the OT and so in a way rooted in Israel.

Jeremiah 47:1–48:47

Security is in Jesus

“Leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, O inhabitants of Moab! Be like the dove that nests in the sides of the mouth of a gorge.(Jeremiah 48:28, ESV)

Leave man made security and find security in the Rock, Christ Jesus.

Judgement for rebellion

Moab shall be destroyed and be no longer a people, because he magnified himself against the Lord.(Jeremiah 48:42, ESV)

Here is the reason for all this destruction, it is pride, arrogance, wickedness and rebellion directly against The Lord… The nations of the earth should take note because God has not changed.

We need to apply this to our personal lives too, if we openly rebel against God we will go through suffering and discipline.

Romans 11:11–24

Full inclusion

Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!(Romans 11:12, ESV)

When the Jews come to realisation and salvation it will mark the consummation of the ages, the new heaven and earth and the resurrection of the just.

Their full inclusion is in regards to Christ, their failure led to the riches of grace in the gospel of God being made open to all nations, so their salvation can only be an even greater blessing.

Save some

in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.(Romans 11:14, ESV)

Jews need to be saved like everyone else. Paul hoped that even as he ministered to the Gentiles it would make Jewish people jealous and so prod them awake to the riches of Christ.

The tree, the roots and the branches

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree,(Romans 11:17, ESV)

The olive tree itself is Christ, the roots are God’s word, covenants, promises and prophecies in the OT, the branches are either natural branches of ethnic Israelites which are now saved, the broken of natural branches are those ethnic Jews who do not believe while the wild olive shot that was grafted in are believing gentiles.

The key is the tree, the root and offspring of David, Jesus the Christ the Son of the Living God. He is the promised Messiah and the source of life and freedom, any discounted from him are dead, only if we as branches are connected to him as our source will we be fruitful.

Don’t be arrogant

do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.(Romans 11:18, ESV)

That is if you are arrogant against the Jews as a gentile in the church not the whole church, just those with the bad attitude.

The root is not Israel but the OT scriptures which pertain to Israel. It is foolish as Gentiles to be arrogant against Israel when we rely on their scriptures to even have a faith and Jesus himself is Jewish.

The reason, unbelief

That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear.(Romans 11:20, ESV)

The breaking off was not unjust it was for unbelief. So we must walk in the fear of God and remain in the faith and in Jesus because as Paul is about to say, if God did not spare the natural branches what makes us think he will spare those grafted in to the commonwealth of Israel.

God will cut and prune

For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.(Romans 11:21, ESV)

God will cut and prune the church and those harbouring evil thoughts of pride and arrogance do no belong in Gods vine but are parasites and will be cut of like Judas.

Continue in God’s kindness

Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.(Romans 11:22, ESV)

We are called to perverse, this is the perseverance of the saints, without this we will be cut off.

God has been kind to us not so we can take liberties but so we would walk in light of his kindness by the Spirit and not by the flesh.

Do away with ideas of the Christian life in a rocking chair, we ware called to grow and be fruitful and walk in the Spirit.

So up, to your task, you must press on and persevere as a sure evidence of your security and salvation.

Grafted back in

And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.(Romans 11:23, ESV)

Messianic Jews are those of ethnic Israel who through the centuries have been grafted back in to Christ.

Proverbs 26:1–11

Answer fools in the Spirit

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.(Proverbs 26:4-5, ESV)

Sounds like a contradiction but it is not, it is saying that we should not answer a fool in such a way that we become foolish by losing our temper for example but at the same time we must not just ignore him, we need to correct him in the Spirit so the he does not get away with thinking his foolishness is ok.

Don’t eat vomit

Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.(Proverbs 26:11, ESV)

When we return to old sins we are like dogs and fools eating our own vomit…yuk.

Today’s Reading: Jer 44:1–46:28, Rom 11:1–10, Prov 25:1–28

Today’s Theme: The Remnant of Israel

Today we have a short passage in Romans but it deals with a very important point which is the fact that God has not rejected his people Israel but has always till this day preserved a remnant. Just like in OT days God has kept a remnant faithful to himself and so keeps the spirit of the covenants, promises and prophecies yet to be fulfilled alive.

This serves well to challenge the ideas of replacement theology which say the church has replaced Israel in every way which is simply not consistent with the bible.

Jeremiah 44:1–46:28

Don’t provoke God

Why do you provoke me to anger with the works of your hands, making offerings to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have come to live, so that you may be cut off and become a curse and a taunt among all the nations of the earth?(Jeremiah 44:8, ESV)

The people were unrepentant even after judgement. We need to ask ourselves today, are we provoking the Lord to anger though some sort of idolatry.

As we will read later, those who are persistent in unbelief are cut off (as individuals) but a remnant is always saved.

Don’t forget

Have you forgotten the evil of your fathers, the evil of the kings of Judah, the evil of their wives, your own evil, and the evil of your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah and in thestreets of Jerusalem? They have not humbled themselves even to this day, nor have they feared, nor walked in my law and my statutes that I set before you and before your fathers.(Jeremiah 44:9–10, ESV)

We should not forget the pit and penalty of sin we have been saved from. We should live in the light of Gods mercy and grace, never forgetting what we were and our dark heritage as sons of Adam and so live lives which are pleasing to God in joy.

The feminine perversion

Jeremiah said to all the people and all the women, “Hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah who are in the land of Egypt.(Jeremiah 44:24, ESV)

Women seem to be prominent in the worship of the queen of heaven, identifying with the feminine.

The queen of heaven was a false god worshipped in the Ancient Near East.

In today’s word we see this demonic stronghold in two prominent places. The first is in false religion whether it is the feminine god of the occult and new age or the worship of Mary in Roman Catholicism. The second is in philosophy and politics where the feminist agenda has gained a dangerous foothold in our society and in doing so tears at the fabric of the family and the wider community.

Women are created in the image of God for a good function and purpose, not to be worshiped or to worship themselves.

Whose word stands?

And those who escape the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, few in number; and all the remnant of Judah, who came to the land of Egypt to live, shall know whose word will stand, mine or theirs.(Jeremiah 44:28, ESV)

The word of faith and new age movements are stupid to say our words stand and have so much power, Gods word stands not ours. So we stand on the word of God which is eternal and sure.

No full end to Israel

Fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the Lord, for I am with you. I will make a full end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but of you I will not make a full end. I will discipline you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished.”(Jeremiah 46:28, ESV)

This shows the special place Israel has before God as his covenant people, this prophecy was fulfilled as spoken because other nations of the time are no more but Israel and the Jews are preserved.

Romans 11:1–10

Not Rejected

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.(Romans 11:1, ESV)

God has not rejected the Jews, this flows perfectly from the last verse we read in the OT, which states that God will not make a full end to his people but will discipline them.

All those who hold that the Jews have been completely rejected need to contend with this verse.

Paul identities himself as a Jew, pointing of to the fact that from the start of the church there have always been an elect and remnant group of Gods people Israel who have also been believers in Jesus.

The Remnant

So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.(Romans 11:5, ESV)

God has saved a remnant of Jews by grace to his honour and glory as he upholds his eternal covenants.

The Elect

What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,(Romans 11:7, ESV)

The doctrine of election applies to the Jews in the same way it does to the Gentiles. The majority were judicially hardened through unbelief but this is not the end of the story, God still has purposes that will come to pass which include a time when the majority of Jews will each profess faith in Yeshua (Jesus) as the Messiah (we read more about this tomorrow).

Proverbs 25:1–28

Don’t gossip

Argue your case with your neighbor himself, and do not reveal another’s secret,(Proverbs 25:9, ESV)

When someone tells you something don’t go and tell others, that is called gossip and it is sinful.

Empty clouds

Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.(Proverbs 25:14, ESV)

This is picked up in the NT in Jude so beware of false teaches who have head knowledge with no power and even those who seem to be powerful but are in fact in the flesh and so hold empty promises like useless clouds with no rain in them.

Like Pastor said on Sunday, as a sponge we should soak in God and so should those who minister so what comes out of us is living water from God which will bring life and refreshment to those who drink from our lives.

Another thing about dry clouds with no water is that they unnecessarily block the warmth and life of the sun, we should not block the Son (Jesus).

Love as a weapon

for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.(Proverbs 25:22, ESV)

Love is a great weapon to use, people do not know how to answer it, and the Lord rewards us. this is also Picked up by Jesus in the NT

Don’t give way

Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.(Proverbs 25:26, ESV)

Lord may the water of our life be clean and wholesome through standing without compromise before the wicked

Live to glorify God

It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glorious to seek one’s own glory.(Proverbs 25:27, ESV)

The only one that should actively seeks his own glory is God

Today’s Reading: Jer 42:1–43:13, Rom 9:30–10:21, Prov 24:23–34

Today’s Theme: Jesus is Lord

Today we have so many good lesson in our reading, one of the most important is that Jesus Christ is Lord of all and we must confess him as Lord and live in line with that confession to be saved.

Jeremiah 42:1–43:13

The Lord our God

that the Lord your God may show us the way we should go, and the thing that we should do.”(Jeremiah 42:3, ESV)

Notice they do not say the Lord our God but the Lord your God. This was evidence of a lack of relationship with the Lord. We should all know the Lord personally and so be able to say the Lord our God or the Lord my God.

The Lord your God

Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I will pray to the Lord your God according to your request, and whatever the Lord answers you I will tell you. I will keep nothing back from you.”(Jeremiah 42:4, ESV)

Jeremiah reminds them that the Lord is their God too. Maybe they were discouraged or distracted and so did not feel worthy to call God their God so it is good that Jeremiah reminds them who they are.

Be encouraged that God is your God today, you don’t need a witch doctor, Sharman, priest or Man of God to go to God on your behalf, because of Jesus you can boldly approach God’s throne of grace.

The Land

If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you.(Jeremiah 42:10, ESV)

There is something peculiar about the land of Israel, God chose it specifically.

See the article in God of Covenants called “A place to dwell”

Disobedience leads to your fears

then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid shall follow close after you to Egypt, and there you shall die.(Jeremiah 42:16, ESV)

If we disobey the Lord and make our own provisions then that which we feared driving us to the ill advised decision may come upon us.

Clear instruction

The Lord has said to you, O remnant of Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Know for a certainty that I have warned you this day(Jeremiah 42:19, ESV)

The Lord makes his direction clear. Lord help us to simply listen to your clear instructions.

Obelisks

He shall break the obelisks of Heliopolis, which is in the land of Egypt, and the temples of the gods of Egypt he shall burn with fire.’ ”(Jeremiah 43:13, ESV)

Now we see these obelisks in our city centres, I have seen them in at least London, Washington and Paris. We should pray that the stronghold of the occult in our cities be broken.

Romans 9:30–10:21

Pursue by faith

Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,(Romans 9:32, ESV)

We should only pursue holiness as a result of our faith in God, we should not attempt to pursue God by works or we too will stumble. The lesson is that no matter who we are or what we do we all must have faith.

Salvation

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.(Romans 10:1, ESV)

This should be our primary concern for Israel. The most important need for any person or people group is eternal salvation for the soul.

This is in our reading today so let’s remember to pray for salvation for the Jewish people.

Jesus, The end of the law

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.(Romans 10:4, ESV)

Christ made a new better way as we read about in Hebrews, so the law has no hold over us to just reveal sin and then condemn us, the laws demands have been fulfilled in Christ and now we are free to live in righteousness before God without fear.

In this new, better way we believe in the Gospel of God and receive the righteousness of Christ by faith… Hallelujah!!

Jesus is Lord

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.(Romans 10:9, ESV)

This is how we get saved, there must be belief and confession. No one can just kind of be saved, it is essential that we confess that Jesus is Lord.

Some say that Jesus is just saviour but is only Lord for a mature Christian and there is a distinction between believers and disciples but this is utter nonsense.

They (simply believe advocates) call people like us who worship Jesus as Lord “Lordship Salvationist” as though it were a derogatory term but we gladly embrace it…. Yes Jesus Christ is Lord.

If we are saved then he is the Lord of our lives, we are not our own, we live in him and for him. Say it today, sing it today and live it today Jesus Christ is Lord.

One Lord, One People

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.(Romans 10:12, ESV)

The western church and the messianic church need to note this, we are one new man in Christ with one Lord over us all as we call upon him.

Open to all peoples

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”(Romans 10:13, ESV)

The Gospel is open to all people, form every nation, tribe and tongue. It is open to those in every station of life to every age and gender.

Some religions like Hinduism have classes within the religion (The Caste System) but this is foreign to Christian thought, theology and practise because as Paul quotes from the OT everyone can receive the benefit of the gospel of God no matter who they are, where they are from or what they look like.

How, share it

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?(Romans 10:14, ESV)

The how of the gospel, this is the tool God uses to save men and the point that Paul is making is that the gospel by its very nature must be shared or it is no gospel at all.

The word

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.(Romans 10:17, ESV)

It all begins with the word, so get it in and share it out. We are privileged as Pastor preached so powerfully yesterday that we have the bible translated for us so we can understand it, now may we through our words and actions translate it for those around us.

Note that hearing is so important so the gospel of God must be shared verbally.

God shows himself

Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”(Romans 10:20, ESV)

God is the initiator of salvation for both Gentile and Jew because we were not looking for God, he has revealed himself to us.

Proverbs 24:23–34

Rebuke the wicked

but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them.(Proverbs 24:25, ESV)

Lord help us to be bold to rebuke the wicked. May we stand as a voice for justice and righteousness.

Personal retaliation

Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.”(Proverbs 24:29, ESV)

Personal retaliation is forbidden, Jesus picks this up by reminding us to turn the other check.

The lure of the sluggard

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,(Proverbs 24:33, ESV)

Lord please keep us from the lure of the sluggard, help us to take care of what you have given us and to not rest and sleep more than we should or at the wrong time.

Laziness

and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.(Proverbs 24:34, ESV)

Laziness leads to poverty