Posts Tagged ‘God’s grace’

Scripture reading for November 13th: Acts 19-20

“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.  Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men.  For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.” (Acts 20:25-27)   Paul was about to leave the church he had spent nearly two years building up.  He loved those there and knew he would not see them again.  He was headed for Jerusalem and had been warned that prison and hardships would be in his future.  The one thing that comforted him was that he had presented the whole will of God to these people.  He had not held back anything that God had laid on his heart.  As far as it concerned the preacher, he was innocent of their blood!  They were accountable for what they had been told!

There was one other warning that God laid on this pastor’s heart for the leaders.  “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.  Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.  For I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.  Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.  Be on your guard!” (Acts 20:28-31a)

It is God’s church and the Holy Spirit installs leadership!  Shepherds are to remember that the flock was bought with the Master’s own blood and is precious to Him!  The shepherds and overseers must be watchful because Satan is always after God’s sheep.  Satan’s helpers may look like sheep, but are really savage wolves.  Paul warned that these wolves would come from within the body, drawing disciples away from the true shepherds.  They would distort the truth and deceive some of the sheep if the shepherd was not watchful!

As a watchful pastor, I know that this warning is especially true for these last days that we live in.  Distorted doctrines abound which some deceptive people within the body of Christ use to draw people away from truth.  Many are after followers and financial support and use ear-tickling teaching to pad their accounts.  Discernment and watchful shepherds are sorely needed!

Scripture reading for May 3rd: 2nd Chronicles 33-36

The Chronicles are filled with records of the kings of Israel and Judah.  Each record usually begins with a note about the age of the king when he took office and a general comment about whether he did good or evil.  Manasseh was only 12 years old when he began his reign and Josiah was only 8 years old.  Manasseh did evil and Josiah did what was right and good.

Manasseh was the son of a good king, Hezekiah.  Manasseh was born to king Hezekiah later in his life after God miraculously spared his life and gave him 15 more years.  Hezekiah had torn down the idol temples and humbly tried to walk with the Lord but Manasseh undid much of his father’s reform and took the nation away from God.  He worshiped the starry host of heaven and even offered his children to these worthless idols.  (2nd Chronicles 33:3-6)

God tried to speak to Manasseh but because he refused to listen, he was taken in captivity to Babylon.  Manasseh did cry out to the Lord there and God had mercy on him.  He was restored to Jerusalem where he removed some of the idols he had erected and tried to restore the Lord’s altar.  He failed to teach his own sons. One of them, Amnon, succeeded his father and did evil without repentance.

Josiah was one of the youngest kings and one of the best.  He sought the Lord early in his reign and purged Jerusalem of idols and images.  (2nd Chronicles 34:3-7)  He set out to repair the temple, collecting funds to pay the workers and do the repairs.  While repairing the temple, the priest Hilkiah, found the Book of the Law that had been lost and neglected.  When Josiah heard the word of God, he humbled himself and sought prophetic help.  Huldah, the prophetess, told the king of the anger of God aroused because of the unfaithfulness of his people and their disobedience to His commands.  Josiah led the people to renew their covenant with the Lord.

These two kings took opposite paths.  Their youth was not the main factor in their walk with God.  Their heart to follow God and obey His word determined God’s verdict concerning their lives.  What will He write about us?

Scripture reading for February 12th: Numbers 5-8

Everybody wants to be blessed!  The Amplified Bible’s expanded meaning of “to be blessed” is ” happy, to be envied, ” .  Blessed people have good things coming their way.  They enjoy an abundance and their lives are filled with joy and peace.  This peace is beyond circumstances and permeates the soul and heart.  In our reading for today, we find the Aaronic blessing that God instructed Aaron to speak over His people so that God could put His Name on them and bless them.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”  “So they will put My name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”  (Numbers 6:24-27)

One of the blessings mentioned here is being kept safe by the Lord.  God is a refuge for His people and an ever-present help in time of trouble.  (Psalm 46:1)  The Lord is all-powerful and has the ability to stop any attack on His people.  He promises protection to all who are set apart for Him.

A sign of God’s blessing is His smiling face!  Isn’t it great to know that God can smile and is happy with you!  One way that we can make God smile is to walk in faith.  Faith is a prerequisite for pleasing God. (Hebrews 11:6)  When our Father is happy with us His children, we know His grace will flow to us.  Grace is His unmerited favor sending more than we deserve our way.

It is interesting that this blessing comes right after the description of the Nazirite vow that could be taken by one who voluntarily wanted to consecrate himself to the Lord for a set period of time.  This Nazirite vow speaks of Jesus Christ, who as known as a Nazarene, for his original home town of Nazareth.  Jesus voluntarily set Himself apart to fully obey God, His Father.  Jesus offered Himself fully as a sin offering for all of us.  Because of His faithfulness, and by faith in Him we can enjoy better than the Aaronic blessing!  We have open access to God’s throne by Jesus’ blood.  We can come before Him and know His smile of pleasure and His joy is in us.  His gracious gift of eternal life is ours forever!  We will see His face one day!

Scripture reading for March 16: Ruth 1-4

The story of Ruth is set in the time of Judges between 40-100 years before the time of David (1000 BC).  This simple story unfolds as a famine forces  an Israelite family to leave Israel for Moab.  Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, stay in Moab.   Nothing good appears to happen to them there.  The husband dies. Both sons marry Moabite girls and then they die as well.  Naomi is left bitter and ready to return to her land and people. The daughters-in-law are left with a choice to make.

Naomi tells her daughters-in-law to go on back to their own people.  She is too old to have more sons for them to marry.  Orpah goes on back.  Ruth, the other daughter-in-law, clings to her mother-in-law and makes a beautiful confession of devotion and faith.  (Ruth 1:16-17)  Ruth is ready to follow Naomi and Naomi’s God until death!  What conviction and faith are exhibited by this descendant of Lot!

Choices have consequences.  In choosing to go to the land of Israel, Ruth would have been an alien and would not have had an inheritance or a people to take her in.  She would have had to rely on God’s grace and try to help her older mother-in-law to live.  There was no welfare or jobless benefits.  Those that did not work, did not eat.  Ruth began to glean fields.  The law in Israel left the corners of the fields and the grain that was dropped for the orphan and widow. (Deuteronomy 24:19)  She would work as she could and get food for her family.  God’s divine providence placed Ruth in the field of Boaz, a close relative of Naomi’s.  Boaz was also a descendant of Rahab, the harlot that hid the spies! 

Because of her hard work and humble spirit and her choice to stay with Naomi, Ruth’s good reputation was spread around.  Boaz heard about her and showered her with favor. (Ruth 2:11-12)   In Israel, the closest relative to a widow had the right to buy the widow’s property and also to take the widow and continue the family line.  Boaz was in that line.  He was a possible “kinsman redeemer”.  Boaz responded to Ruth’s humble appeal, purchased the field, and took her as his wife!  Both Boaz and Ruth are mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus Christ! (Matthew 1:5-6)

Jesus Christ is our “kinsman-redeemer”.  He is a “close relative” who has bought us back from slavery to sin.  When we humbly appeal to Him in faith, He will surely make the transaction for us as well!  Ruth is a type of Gentile bride for Jesus Christ.  When we closely read this beautiful story, we get a glimpse into the heart of God and Jesus Christ!  Thank the Lord for being our “Kinsman-Redeemer”!

“Who are you?” he asked.  “I am your servant Ruth,” she said.  “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer.” (Ruth 3:9)