Week 10
The Lords Day, Week 10!
Thoughts on 1 Corinthians 3&4:
· 1 Cor. 3 - There are divisions in Corinth and Paul is writing, among many reasons, to bring an end to these divisions. The divisions were based on people, teachers, but who are these people??? Even Paul himself is but a laborer, what matters most is the foundation that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Notice the language, the foundation which is laid... But Jesus has already sent His Spirit and returned to be with the Father? So in what way are they laying the foundation? They lay it through the preaching and teaching of the word. I'll put a link at the bottom but this is exactly what I was talking about in my last blog. So many churches waste time on the esthetics and none on the foundation. Pastors and teachers are primarily those who get to pour into the foundation, and if that foundation doesn't take, we continue to focus on it, always coming back to it, looking for cracks in it and the way in which we know there are cracks is the spiritual maturity of our people. Sometimes we have to go back to giving milk, but we are always moving towards more!
· 1 Cor. 4 - Paul now looks at the lifestyle of the Corinthians, who were a very wealthy church. Corinth itself was a sort of modern day New York. At the center of everything, and the church itself seemed to be pretty affluent. Their affluence had led them to look beyond the written word, sounds like our churches today, and Paul gives a very stern warning in verse 6 about this. Then reminds them that all they have has been given by God, don't let your comforts fool you. Paul looks at their lives and compares it to the lives of the Apostles. Night and day, but though he is looking at material things, his point isn't ultimately that the material things themselves are bad but rather the way that those things have distracted them from imitating Pauls manner of life as he follows Christ. This is what happens, last week I looked at the covenant of creation in a sermon and explained how in the garden the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was a sign of Gods protection. The reason is simple, when we are greatly provided for we tend to look away from the provider. Paul reminds them of the provider, and in all things look to Him. The chapter ends with Paul warning them, he can either come visit them with love in a gentle spirit or with the rod, in other words harsh rebuke and correction, the choice was there's. Think about this, how many churches would even listen to rebuke, most will simply look for another pastor or preacher who will make them feel good...
I pray you all have a wonderful Lords day! If you are looking for a place to worship today, join us at 10am at CICC, 458 Wilson Blvd, Central Islip, NY 11722.
https://www.truthnlife.net/blog/build-on-the-rock
Monday, week 10!
Thoughts on Genesis 36-39:
· Genesis 36 - I don't have much here except that Esau's descendants become the nation of Edom, with whom the Israelites have trouble with later on. Notice that they are also formed as a nation before Israel.
· Genesis 37 - Joseph seems to be an arrogant kid brother, and he is hated by his older brothers for being so loved by his father. Joseph isn't innocent, but he's just a kid having these dreams and sharing it with his older brothers. What's really striking is the evil in the hearts of his brothers. But it should show us what all men are capable of especially when we are part of a crowd. Reuben is the only one who tried to do something, but once Joseph is sold, even he is forced to lie and go along with everything.
· Genesis 38 - Reading passages like this, it's important to remember that Genesis is history, and isn't telling us that God approved of all that was going on. Rather it's often reporting what took place and showing how God worked through wicked people, which we all are. But this narrative makes it into Genesis that we would come to recognize the lineage of the Messiah. Consider what takes place in this chapter, and see that God was at work even in the midst of that to bring about the birth of His Son!
· Genesis 39 - Joseph has grown up some, and he is now a man of great character. He's proven himself in his maters house, has been given great responsibility and takes it seriously. When confronted with an opportunity to betray his master he views it as a sin against God! All sin is against God, and if we would only believe it, like Joseph we would probably do better against temptation! But his obedience comes at a price and we learn that even through that, God is with Him! Obedience often comes with a price in a sinful world, but that you and I may be left to pay the price doesn't mean God has abandoned us.
I pray you all have a great week! God bless!
**sorry for another late post!
Thoughts on Ruth:
- This narrative is all about Christ, the true redeemer of humanity! There’s definitely more to it, but not less.
Today we were out early, and are still out with Gabby having her tested for school. Pray for our youngest as she prepares to tackle kindergarten! Tomorrow morning I’ll be back on a normal schedule... God bless!
Wednesday, week 10!
Thoughts on Psalms 27-29:
· Psalm 27 - Did you know that the book of Psalms was the church's first hymnal? As I read this psalm I wanted to sing it, I felt the words crying out from within me, the Lord is my light and my salvation, He is my strength and whom shall I fear??? All I ask is that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all my days, to gaze upon your beauty Lord God... Do you know in heaven we will sing and worship all the time? So here's a question, did you go to church Sunday? Do you find it difficult to go to church ever? I'm not saying if you're sick, but is it a priority to gather with the saints and rehearse for heaven? If you don't look forward to it here, why do you want to go to heaven? Why do you want to be in His presence then, if you can't stand to be in His presence today? Our hearts should long for this day, and every week, on the Lords Day we get just a glimpse, just a taste of what heaven will be like as the saints gather, sing praises, and are built up by the preaching of the living Word, whereas in Heaven we will be in the actual physical presence of the Living Word!
· Psalm 28 - The Lord is our strength, man I have such a hard time with this. 17 years in the Marines has sort of embedded in me that I want to be my own strength. My prayers often leave out what I need God to do because a part of me feels like I can do it... But this Psalm reminds me of my complete dependence on Him. That I need to call onion because I am weak and He is not, because He knows better than I do what I need. So hear my pleas oh God and answer them! I see my 4 year old who is of course, very independent already, and how she struggles to put her shoe on, something so simple for me yet so hard for her and she will go at it forever if you let her. She won't ask me, and then if I say, "let me help" she says no, I want to do it! That's me with God, things that are so simple for Him, and He says call on me, I am your strength, and your fortress, I will answer you, and I am over here struggling, crying, wanting to show my independence while God is saying, it would be so easy for me if you just cried out! Blessed be the Lord for He hears the voices of His people, so let's call on Him and trust in Him.
· Psalm 29 - God is worthy all of honor and glory, He is sovereign over all His creation!!! Praise the Lord.
Here's a link to Psalm 27 being sung, listen to it and be encouraged today! God bless.
Thursday, week 10!
Thoughts on Job 19 & 20:
· Job 19 - Job feels alone and abandoned. In all of this he points to God as the source of his pain, God is the one who breaks him down, he is the one who has kindled his wrath against him, taken away everything. God has put his loved ones far from him and caused them to no longer recognize him. His closest friends hate him, he is nothing but skin and bones... it is the hand of God that has touched him! But perhaps you are tempted to say, isn't it the devil that's doing this? yes, but he is Gods devil, in chapter 1 he must get the permission of God to touch Job. Notice though Job looks to God as the source of His pain, He also looks to Him as the source of His redemption! In all of this Job turns his gaze beyond this life, to the day where his skin has been destroyed, and yet in his flesh he shall see God. In times of pain we can ask, why God? But we must also be prepared to say than even in all of it, my Redeemer lives - and so I will live also!
· Job 20 - In chapter 19 Job seeks mercy from his friends in verse 21, well I don't think Zophar heard him! Job was once a man of great wealth and prosperity, and now left with nothing. Zophar looks at him and says, the exulting of the wicked is short and the joy of the godless but for a moment? What do you think the implication is here? That Job deserves this, that he had it good for a while but now his wickedness has caught up to him. The idea still being that all of this was deserved... The difficulty is, that we all do deserve worse than what even Job went through. But by Gods mercy we don't get what we immediately deserve. The sun shines on the wicked and the righteous the same in this world. Good and bad happen to both, and God continues to do things without partiality. If we could see things from Gods perspective it would make sense, but from ours, it appears often without rhyme or reason. Don't try to act like you know, because you don't. But what we do know is that all of it is for His glory and for our good...
I hope you are all having a good week! May the Lord bless you and keep you!
Week 10, Friday!
Thoughts on Isaiah 51-55:
· Isaiah 51 - The Lord is comforting his people, though they are in exile and being ruled by a foreign nation, he will repay the evil being done to them. For them, continue to seek righteousness, don't give in to the world around them, trust in Him for salvation is from Him alone. What does this have to do with us??? Well, do you know that if you are HIs then you are not of this world? You to are currently in exile, and the world around us is evil, and full of pain and suffering, but for us, we look to the God of our salvation, whose salvation is to all generations, we once drank of the cup of His wrath, and by His grace we no longer do! I love verses 21-23, He took the cup of wrath from us, He pleads our cause, and He puts it in the hands of our tormentors...
· Isaiah 52 -54: These must be read as a single unit, really it should all be read this way, but this portion specifically is directly connected. First is the Lords coming salvation, here we are 100's of years before Christ, and yet He is pointing ahead to the good news of salvation. This salvation is going to go forth to all the ends of the earth. The one to bring salvation will be a servant who shall be high and lifted up. Nothing to look at, by human standards, yet wise enough to shut the mouths of kings. He is the King of the universe and yet in physical form there was no majesty found in Him. Is. 53:4-12 we should all be very familiar with, the suffering servant who will save the world from their sin. He is salvation, but this Savior comes to establish an eternal covenant, an eternal relationship with man, one of peace with God, and it is established by the grace of God as He is the one to fulfill all the requirements. Once you are a part of this covenant there is no escaping it, it is unbreakable because it is established by God, He is the one who has had compassion on us. God has purchased us by the blood of His Son, and our vindication belongs wholly to Him.
· Isaiah 55 - Come one, come all, this message is for everyone, though not all will respond. But those who do will find compassion, forgiveness, and though we won't understand everything, that doesn't matter for God's ways are not our ways, there remains a tremendous gap from us to God, one that we are incapable of filling, but we trust His WORD, knowing it is true, powerful, and accomplishes all that it sets out to do!
Praise the Lord! His salvation has come to the people of the world. Do not be ashamed of this message, point everyone to Him, tell them to believe Him. We have been given a tremendous opportunity today with the Corona virus madness happening in our world. You and I have been granted peace with God, don't become like the rest of the world, they are under the wrath of God, it makes sense that they are mad, they are enemies of God and are not ready to meet Him. You and I are, we are dressed in the righteousness of Christ, and if He should call us home, blessed be the name of the Lord. But be at peace, preach the saving message of Jesus Christ Crucified. We will not grieve like the rest of this world, we will not act like those who are in darkness, we are at peace with the living God, the One in whose hands are all life and death... Trust HIM, Love Him, and Love your neighbor enough to tell them about HIM!
Saturday, week 10!
Thoughts on Matthew 26-28:
- Matthew 26 - it’s the week of Christ’s death, he’s done everything to prepare the disciples for this. The woman with the alabaster jar sticks out to me, or actually Jesus response, “the poor you will always have with you”. Consider those words, I think there are many Christians today who would look at the woman the same way that the disciples did. Because they value the poor more than they do Jesus. I’m not saying we don’t help the poor, but we don’t exist to help the poor. We want to glorify God in all we do, but we’ve been given a primary command, preach the Gospel. To “help” the poor apart from the Gospel is only to make their trip to hell more comfortable. There’s a lot more in this chapter, but I’m only going to comment on one more. The betrayal, Judas walked with him for at least a couple of years. He said all the right things, talked the talk and walked the walk. He was one of the twelve... until he wasn’t. There are many Judas’s among us, walking and talking like Christians until they’re not. This shouldn’t surprise us. The church is filled with them, and sometimes pressure is needed to force them to come out. That pressure is persecution. As we see the culture change don’t be surprised if the visible church shrinks...
- chapter 27 - the trial, what a joke! There’s no trial, it’s all done at night so those who love Jesus are not able to say anything and rushed to get Him killed. Yet all of this was foreordained by God. Jesus prayed knowing what would take place and how horrific it would be, and it was. Spit at, flogged, mocked, and hung naked on a cross... in the end, it was He who gave up His Spirit resulting in the curtain to the temple being split into. Man, would now be able, through Jesus Christ, to have total access to God.
- chapter 28 - Matthew doesn’t spend a lot of time looking at the resurrection, His point is that Jesus did rise and was seen. But He does include Christ’s final words, “And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."” Consider these words everyday, are you living this out? Are you playing a part, any part in this, because that’s what our Savior commands? So much in these verses, break them down word by word, meditate on them, and if you believe, then get to work!
I hope you had a wonderful week and that the current madness has not made you fearful! Jesus still has all authority, exercise wisdom in everything, but continue to be bold in your witness! God bless.