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| On my way to Mt. Mitchell last week - off the Blue Ridge Parkway in NC - near Mt. Celo Church |
My Meditations on Today’s Readings
(Ellipses are mine
and are used for contemplation.)
Waiting for God’s Word
to be Accomplished – Jeremiah 39 and 40 – Facts:
What It Says – Summarized God’s Word Stands. Though
it Linger, Wait for It: Remember when God said, “I will raise up My servant, Nebuchadnezzar?”
(Jeremiah 25:9) We were shocked that God
would call a heathen His servant, much less use that servant to bring judgment
against His Chosen people. Here is the
fulfillment of God’s Word. The consequences: The Chaldeans have come and have
seized Judah. King Zedekiah tries to
escape with the men of war, but they are captured. The Judean king is forced to watch as his
sons are murdered before his eyes by Nebuchadnezzar. All the nobles of the land are killed, and then
Zedekiah’s eyes are put out; he is bound in bronze fetters, and Zedekiah and
the people of Judah are taken as captives to Babylon. The
rewards: The poor Judeans, who
had nothing, are given vineyards and fields. Nebuchadezzar remembers Jeremiah. The
king orders the captain of the guard to rescue Jeremiah, do him no harm, and
take the prophet to his home so he dwells among the people. And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah
and said to him: ‘The LORD…your…God…has
pronounced this doom on this place. Now
the LORD has brought it, and has done…just
as He said…BECAUSE…you people…have sinned against the LORD…and not obeyed
His voice, THEREFORE…this thing has come upon you.” When Jeremiah is
still in the prison, God tells him to go to the Ethiopian, Ebed-Melech, who had
saved the prophet’s life from the dungeon and assure Ebed-Melech that his life would
be spared in the siege – as a reward. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of
Israel: ‘Behold, I will bring My
words upon this city for adversity and not for good, and they shall be
performed in that day before you.
But…I will deliver…you…in that day,’ says the LORD, ‘and…you…shall not
be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid….Your life shall be
as a prize to you…BECAUSE…you have put
your trust in Me,’ says the LORD.
Principle: God’s Word…will…stand. There will be consequences and rewards for
obedience that will be given temporally and/or eternally. “ For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it
shall speak and not lie. Though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely
come; it will not tarry.”
(Habakkuk 2:3)
The Waiting Soul’s
Strength and Comfort – Psalm 119: 81-88 – (Facts: What It Says – Summarized) David’s Pangs and Peace: The Pangs:
“My soul faints…for Your
salvation… my eyes fail from searching Your word, saying, ‘When will you
comfort me?’…I have become like a wineskin in smoke…How many are the days of
Your servant?...When will You execute judgment on those who persecute
me?....The proud have dug pits for me, which is not according to Your law…they
persecute me wrongfully…HELP ME!...They almost made an end of me on
earth…Revive me.” Then the Peace before,
in the midst of, and after the Pangs: “BUT…I hope in Your word….All…Your commandments are faithful…But…I did not
forsake Your precepts…Revive
me…according to Your lovingkindness…SO THAT…I may keep the testimony of
Your mouth.” Principle:
God’s Word prepares us, sustains us, confirms His truth within us…in the
mountaintop and valley experiences of our lives…and in the routine times in
between. For the
vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie.
Though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come; it will not tarry.” (Habakkuk 2:3)
How to Live While We Wait for His Second
Coming – 1 Timothy – Facts: What It Says – Summarized) More
exhortations from Paul to Timothy – Passing the Torch. Regarding Bondservants: (Charles Stanley has preached sermons
on this, relating it to employer/employee relationships.) 1) When
under the yoke…count your own master worthy of honor…SO THAT…the name of God
and His doctrine may not be blasphemed.
2) Believing Masters: Do not despise them because they are
brethren…but…serve them…BECAUSE…those who are benefited are believers and
beloved. Regarding the Doctrine of Godliness: Is opposed to…pride…knowing nothing…obsessed with disputes…arguments over words…from
which come…envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wrangling of men of
corrupt minds and destitute of the truth…who suppose that godliness is a
means of gain…from such…withdraw yourselves. Is evidenced by… 1) contentment…having
food and clothing…be content. 2) Flee…from all those things opposed to
godliness. 3) Pursue
righteousness…godliness…faith…love…patience…gentleness. 4) Fight the good
fight of faith. 5) Lay hold on
eternal life, to which you were called.
Regarding
Riches: 1) The desire to be
rich draws men into temptation…into foolish and harmful lusts…which drown men…in
destruction…in perdition…for which…some have…strayed from the faith…in their
greediness…and…pierced themselves through with many sorrows. For…the
love of money is….the root of…all…evil. 2) Do not be haughty if you have riches.
Do not trust in them; they are uncertain. Trust in God.
Do good…THAT…you may be rich in good works…ready to give…willing to
share…storing up for yourselves a good foundation…for the time to come…that…you
may lay hold on eternal life. Final Reminders
in this First Letter: 1) Guard…what was committed
to your trust. 2) Avoid...the profane and
idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge…for…by
professing it, some have strayed concerning the faith.
Principle: We are to work out our salvation in godliness in accordance with God’s Word until our Lord
Jesus Christ returns. For the
vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie.
Though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come; it will not tarry.”
(Habakkuk 2:3)
My Lessons and Applications – The counsel of the Word of God is
here. Believe the prophecies; believe
the Word of God. Stand firm. FIGHT the good fight. It will not be easy. Feed your soul with the Word of God for how
to live until Jesus comes - for comfort, for exhortation, for edifying, for
convicting, for salvation. Do not be
misled by the world’s vain idea of knowledge nor be lured by riches. Remember.
Hold the vision. God has
promised. His Word has stood true and
will stand true. Focus on Jesus’s life
on earth, on His work for us in Heaven now as our Intercessor, and on His
Second Coming and eternity with Him. For the
vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie.
Though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come; it will not tarry.”
(Habakkuk 2:3)
I urge you in the sight of
God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who witnessed the good
confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot,
blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in
His own time. He who is the blessed and
only Potentate, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, who alone has
immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see,
to whom be honor and everlasting power.
Amen
1 Timothy 6:13-16
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