Posts Tagged ‘God is faithful’

Scripture reading for August 27th: 2nd Corinthians 1:12-2:8

Paul’s failure to visit the Corinthians as planned had left some of them charging Paul with being unreliable.  Paul wrote this second letter to them to defend his reliability and to deal with issues that needed resolution.  Paul explained that he had dealt with them in holiness and sincerity, according to God’s grace.  He had planned to visit them on his way to Macedonia and then come back though on his way back to Judea.  He decided not to personally visit at that time to spare them a personal rebuke.   He was not being deceptive, but faithful to God.  (2nd Corinthians 1:15-17)

“For as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”  For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in Him has always been “Yes.”  For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.  And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2nd Corinthians 1:18-20)  Paul may have appeared to be undependable, but God was and is faithful.  God’s word can be trusted.  Every one of His promises are true and believers can say “Amen” to them for their lives.

Paul next wrote to encourage these Corinthians to restore the brother that they had disciplined for having his father’s wife.  (1st Corinthians 5:1-5)  “The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him.  No instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.  I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. . . .in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.” (2nd Corinthians 2:6-11)  This man’s punishment of being handed over to Satan had evidently brought deep sorrow and repentance to this brother.  He was a broken man who now needed restoration from the same church family who had in love put him out.  Paul encouraged them to obey his direction.  Forgiveness was needed to restore him and this congregation to the flow of God’s grace.

Are you standing firm in God’s grace today?  Is there a promise of God that you need to say “Amen” to?  Is there a brother or sister that needs restoration and forgiveness?  Be obedient!

Scripture reading for May 12th: Nehemiah 8:2-10:39

Nehemiah knew that the real strength of God’s city would come not from walls of stone around it, but from a renewed commitment to follow the Law of the Lord.  The word of God is a sure foundation for blessing and success and also a strong source of protection when His people are walking in faith.  Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law began to read aloud to the people.  They listened attentively.  (Nehemiah 8:1-3)

As the people listened, they needed explanation.  It had been many years since they had heard God’s word and some had never heard it.  The people began to weep at the law of God.  Nehemiah told the people not to weep, but to share food and fellowship and rejoice because the “joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10)

They were reading the law of God again the second day and found that the Israelites were to celebrate the Feast of Booths by making shelters and living outside for a week.  This feast commemorated their deliverance from Egypt and wandering in the wilderness.  They decided to celebrate it. They read from the Book of the Law each day for seven days and on the eighth day had a holy assembly.  There they repented and separated themselves from foreign influences and confessed sins.  A beautiful prayer of repentance is recorded in Nehemiah 9.

Following this prayer, they made vows to God to maintain purity in marriages.  (Nehemiah 10:30)  They recognized God’s desire for godly offspring and purity of living and worship.  They promised not to buy or sell on the Sabbath and to cancel debts in the seventh year.  (Nehemiah 10:31)  They promised to pay their temple alms and tithes to care for the Levites and the House of God.  (Nehemiah 10:32-37)

All this commitment was brought about by simply reading aloud the Book of the Law!  God’s word has power to bring change in our hearts.  It brings conviction of sin and reveals the love and mercy of God. The confession was public and the vows of commitment were even put in writing!  (Nehemiah 9:38)  This new commitment brought the joy of the Lord to the people and it was their strength!