Is there good news in bad news?

When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem, and they are stirring up the city against you. Now therefore, go by night, you and the people who are with you, and set an ambush in the field. Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, rise early and rush upon the city. And when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may do to them as your hand finds to do.” (Judges 9:30–33)

When a leader becomes evil and angers God, there are usually others who support them anyway. Just reading the world news shows this is still true. Zebul gave Abimelech what he thought was good advice. It was followed and with ‘success’ in that this man destroyed many people. However. God used his decisions to destroy him.

Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and captured it. But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut themselves in, and they went up to the roof of the tower. And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. And a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. Then he called quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” And his young man thrust him through, and he died. And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone departed to his home. Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. And God also made all the evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal. (Judges 9:50–57)

As I read and listen to current events, this OT story helps me to pray. I do not know the will of God but I do realize that many ‘leaders’ are making decisions that destroy people and the places where they live. Will God turn their own decisions against them? It is possible, and stories like this one give me confidence that God can use anything to serve His purposes. Even in the deaths of many, is He turning people to faith in Him? We hear those things, but not in mainline news. 

Sadly, even Christian news websites focus mainly on bad news rather than the greatest good news of all. Instead of glorifying the Lord, many of the stories are about the failures of humanity and of Christians to live for Christ, or about liberal groups that do not promote the gospel at all. Could these mean that His return is near? I don’t know, but all of it burdens my heart to pray more.

Yet You know, Jesus, the difficulties I’m having with prayer. It seems the hardest work of all, especially because I’d rather do just about anything else. Keep at me and block the discouragement and distractions. Help me see that the size of the needs are nothing compared to the power and grace of You.

God's Patience

Some say that the world is in rebellion against God. This is based on media reports. However, in Christian circles the news of thousands putting their faith in Christ does not get reported by secular media. 

This is one reason for caution in predicting the return of Christ. However, Scripture does give hints that His second coming is marked by current events. The NT gives a description that could be contemporary:

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. . . . And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:3–12)

God still remains to be patient, yet as one author says, He might be holding back His visible wrath, yet that delay could be more dreadful than a quick punishment for sin. In not striking down those who rebel against Him, He is allowing them to do their own thing out of the hardness and corruption of their hearts without any striving with them, therefore making themselves even more fit fuel for his vengeance. “So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.” (Psalm 81:12)

Even though this seems like patience, it is part of God’s judgment in that increased sin will certainly give those who are judged an eternity to reflect on the length of His divine patience on earth, and their inexcusable abuse of it.

As for God's patience, He reigns in the midst of his enemies to show his power over Himself, as well as over sinful rebels. He suffers a great interval of time between the saying what He will do and the performance of it — to show that He has not forgotten His word, or repented of it, or neglects it that sinners might not perish, but change their minds. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) God would rather be pleased with a conversion than the destruction of rebels. 

It is a terror that God has anger, but a deep hope for me that He is slow to it in the lives of those on my prayer list. Jesus died for my sin and faith in Him assures me of no more condemnation, yet I shudder for those who resist His saving mercy. However, I cannot save them, only share Jesus with them, pray and do whatever God asks of me.

I’m to pray for those who also share the gospel — that the word of the Lord may be honored, and that God will protect them from evil and from those without faith. God is faithful and will guard us. May we who do believe have confidence concerning His power in our lives so we will do what He says and direct our hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. I’m not to get tired of doing good, and that includes kindness to those who have not yet arrived where God wants them to be. (2 Thessalonians 3:1–17)

PRAY: Thank You Lord Jesus Christ for loving me and giving me great hope through Your patience and grace. Please continue to comfort my heart as I pray for others to be brought to faith and then established in every good work and word.

He is coming again…

 

We soon celebrate the arrival of God in the flesh, marveling that He chose to come as a baby, grow up as we do, and then die for our sins. But He is coming again. And why is it taking such a long time?

In Charnock’s wonderful book, the author writes a long section on God’s patience. He illustrates from Bible accounts such as in 1 Samuel where we are told that even though God spared the Amalekites a long time after the injury committed against the Israelites in their passage out of Egypt to Canaan, but when he came to deal with them, he would destroy them  quickly and utterly. His patience has limits. Isaiah describes this in vivid language:

For a long time I have held my peace; I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor; I will gasp and pant. I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools. And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. They are turned back and utterly put to shame, who trust in carved idols, who say to metal images, “You are our gods.” (Isaiah 42:14–17)

This morning’s news tells of one city in the middle east that is nearly out of water. This is just another description of disasters everywhere in the world. Earthquakes, floods, freak weather, and more. Are we in a phase where God is saying, “I’ve had enough”? Some polls say that we are in a “post secular” period where people are again thinking that God is real and involved in this world. Are such thoughts prompted by these many disasters and the rising evil in human behavior?

The NT has hints that this messy world is telling us that Jesus will come soon. While some scoff, others look again at what He says will happen:

For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15–18)

PRAY: Lord, You clearly say no one knows the day or the hour, but You do give signs of the times. You also tell Your people how to live, not in fear, or as if we need to worry, but to behave as usual. I’m to respect those who mentor me, be at peace with all Christians, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all, seeking to do good to everyone. Also continue to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, heed the Holy Spirit, listen to what You say, value godliness and avoid evil. You will set me apart for Yourself and keep me blameless until You come. You are faithful and You will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:12–25)  
And I am certain of this that You will work together all things for good, for those who belong to You and are being transformed into Your image. We are justified and glorified. If You are for us, who can be against us? You gave up Your life and gave it to me — You will graciously give me all things! (Romans 8:28–32) And even though I long to see Your face, when that time will happen is up to You.

Walking with Jesus

 

Today’s devotional is about Enoch, born soon after creation and who lived a long time. His claim to fame is two-fold: he was an upright man who walked with God, and he did not die but was taken into eternity without a body left for burial.

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5)

Like others back then, he lived hundreds of years so that was not unusual, but walking with God describes only a few, like Noah and others who fully trusted the Lord.

I imagine a child walking with his father, holding his hand and completely trusting dad without questioning where they were going, what they were doing, or asking “are we there yet.” It is a most relaxed and carefree life, not without trials and difficulties, yet without the anxiety experienced by those who think “I can do this myself” or “I don’t need help or God.”

Enoch’s life of simple faith reminds me of this verse: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

Living this way is not complicated. Doing justice involves determining what is right and wrong and living accordingly. My three children are strong in their sense of justice. Our oldest is always the defender of the weak. The youngest stands out in the way he treats those who work for him. The middle one is a delight to be around because of her determination to see things done right and fair. All three correct me if I get off track, yet doing justice is not holding a big stick over the heads of others. Instead, it is a concern for peace and a genuine respect for people.

Loving kindness fits with God’s idea of justice. He wants us to do right because that is the best thing for us. Living righteously removes the consequences of living sinfully. It brings joy and peace. This is why God wants us to love kindness — because He does.

Walking humbly with God is not “see how good I am” but having a correct assessment of one’s own importance, acknowledging my sin, plus total dependence upon the Lord. Humility also is not self-focus — either in pride or self-pity but considering others as more important. The OT says this:

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)

The NT describes humility as Jesus lived it:

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:1–8)

Even though living this way is not complicated, it is challenging. The sinful old nature wants to rule even after realizing that Jesus died that I might live in the freedom and joy of walking with Him. The world and the devil continually throw junk at me.

Another part of Enoch’s life is that God took him — he did not die and require burial like almost everyone else. Many who believe in Jesus refer to this passage and link it to how He will take His people in the same way:

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16–18)

PRAY: Whether I die or am ‘taken up’ is not a big issue. I know that You will usher me into Your presence for all eternity and in the meantime, You hold my hand so that I can walk with You.

PONDER: How can walking with Jesus make a difference to this day and to the way that I talk and treat others? How can I do justice and love kindness and mercy in greater humility? How is my attitude toward the return of Jesus and could I be more vocal about it?