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Hand-carved pumpkins
lining the Celo Bridge over the South Toe River last night – near Mt. Celo
Church
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My Meditations on
Today’s Readings
(Ellipses are mine
and are used for contemplation
Key Words – The Sovereignty of God: in due time, the days are coming, in those
days and in that time (x 2), for their day has come…the time of their
punishment, for your day has come…the time that I will punish you, before time
began; Who is like Me? Who will arraign Me?
And who is that shepherd that will withstand Me? (x2) Election: My heritage, his inheritance, My people, for I will pardon those whom I
preserve, their Redeemer…the LORD of hosts is His name, the faith of God’s
elect
God Rises Against
the Nations for the Sake of His People – Jeremiah 49 and 50 (Facts:
What It Says – Summarized) Problem:
The nations (Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, Babylon) have destroyed,
oppressed, stolen the inheritance of Israel and Judah. God had punished His people for their idolatry…their
wickedness…their abandonment of Him.
Through Jeremiah he reminds His people that he will again arise on their
behalves. “Thus says the LORD, ‘Has Israel no sons? Has he no heir? Why then does Milcom inherit
Gad, and his people dwell in its cities?
Solution: THEREFORE, behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will
cause to be heard an alarm of war. Resolution:
Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance,’ says the LORD.” The Response of
the Chosen People: “In those days
and times, says the LORD, the children of Israel shall come; they and the
children of Judah together, with continual weeping they shall come, and
seek…the LORD their God. They shall ask
the way to Zion, with their faces toward it, saying, ‘Come and let us join
ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that will not be forgotten.’”
God’s Response Regarding His People: “My
people have been lost sheep. Their
shepherds have led them astray…turned them away. They have forgotten their resting place. All
who have found them have devoured them; and their adversaries said, ‘We have
not offended, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of
justice, the LORD, the hope of their fathers.’
God’s Response to the Destroyers of His
People: “Because you were
glad…because you rejoice, you destroyers of My heritage…you shall be deeply
ashamed…because of the wrath of the LORD…But I will bring back Israel to his
home…In those days and in that time, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought,
but there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, but they shall not be found; FOR
I…will pardon those whom I preserve…For who is like Me? Who will arraign Me? And who is that shepherd who
will withstand Me?” Principle:
God’s Word and His election stand.
Punishment according to the covenant will come, but a remnant will be
saved and blessed. Words of warning to those who cause harm to
God’s people: “To you I will give the land of Canaan
, the allotment of your inheritance. When they were few in number, indeed very
few, and strangers in it; when they went from one nation to another,
from
one kingdom to another people, He
permitted no one to do them wrong;
Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes, Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones,
and do My prophets no harm.”(Psalm 119:11-15) For thus says the Lord of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the
nations which plunder you; for he who
touches you touches the apple of His eye. For surely I will shake My hand
against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will
know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me.” (Zechariah 2:8)
A Cry to God to Arise Against Oppressors: Psalm 119: 121-128 (Facts: What It Says Summarized) Reminders
of David to God before his request: “The sweet psalmist of Israel”, “a
man after God’s own heart”, youngest son and shepherd, King of Israel, a type
of Christ, prays to his God, “I have done
justice…righteousness; My eyes fail from…seeking…Your salvation…and Your
righteous word. I love…Your
commandments…more than god, yes, than fine gold! Therefore…all Your precepts…concerning all
things…I consider to be right. I hate
every false way. David’s acknowledgment that this is not enough before God: “Deal
with…Your servant…according to…Your
mercy, and….teach me…Your
statutes. I am…Your Servant. Give
me…understanding…THAT I may know…Your testimonies.” Then David’s
request and plea: It is time for
You to act, O LORD…FOR…they have regarded…YOUR law…as void. Principle: David understood that as important (and
mandated by God) as it is, doing justice and righteousness, seeking God’s
salvation and His righteous word are not enough without God’s mercy, God’s
teaching, God giving His understanding.
It is not what we do on our own, but what He does through us that
enables us to live a Spirit-filled life that glorifies Him. This great king of
Israel relies not on himself, but on God…arising…God acting…for His honor.
Leaders of the Church Age Called to Rise
Up in Holiness – Titus 1
– (Facts: What It Says – Summarized) Paul is writing to Titus in Crete to set things in order: 1) Appoint
elders in every city for leadership: men who are…blameless…the husband of one
wife…having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination…a
steward of God…not self-willed…not quick-tempered…not given to wine…not
violent…not greedy for money…hospitable…a lover of what is
good…sober-minded…just…holy…self-controlled…holding fast the faithful word…as
he has been taught…both to exhort…and convict…those who contradict. 2) Stop and
rebuke those who…subvert whole households…teaching things not true…for the sake
of dishonest gain…who are…idle talkers…insubordinate…deceivers….that…they may
be sound in the faith. They
profess…to know God, but…in works…they deny Him…being
abominable…disobedient…and disqualified…for every…good work.” Principle: Strong, Biblically-based and knowledgeable
men whose lives and families give evidence to their faith and leadership are to
be the under-shepherds of the church – under the Good Shepherd of the
church. They are to keep the church true
to God’s Word…to exhort and convict to keep those under their care sound in the
faith. Here is a warning to all of us that there are many who profess God, but who do not possess God (Charles Spurgeon). This lack of true faith will be evidenced in
their lives and works, just as true faith will be evidenced in the lives and
works of believers.
My Lessons and Applications: Am I patient in waiting on God…to avenge His people (Romans 12:19)…to
avenge me, or do I try to take matters in my own hands through manipulation or
aggression? Do I go to God in prayer as
David did and ask God to arise…because of HIS honor? Like David, do I prepare myself through
careful study, knowledge and application of His Word? Do I submit to Him…as His servant…awaiting
His will and His way, in His timing? Do
I attend a church that is faithfully led by men who know, study, love, and
apply God’s word to their lives, to the leadership of the church, to their own families…who seriously serve as Spirit-filled under-shepherds for the people
entrusted to their care? Do I merely
profess God or truly possess Him? Do my
works…my life…give testimony to my faith?
Tenacity
is more than endurance, it is endurance combined with the absolute certainty
that what we are looking for is going to transpire. Tenacity is more than
hanging on, which may be but the weakness of being too afraid to fall off.
Tenacity is the supreme effort of a man refusing to believe that his hero is
going to be conquered. The greatest fear a man has is not that he will be
damned, but that Jesus Christ will be worsted, that the things He stood for –
love and justice and forgiveness and kindness among men – will not win out in
the end; the things He stands for look like will-o’-the-wisps. Then comes the
call to spiritual tenacity, not to hang on and do nothing, but to work
deliberately on the certainty that God is not going to be worsted.
If
our hopes are being disappointed just now, it means that they are being
purified. There is nothing noble the human mind has ever hoped for or dreamed
of that will not be fulfilled. One of
the greatest strains in life is the strain of waiting for God. "Because
thou hast kept the word of my patience." Remain spiritually tenacious.
Oswald Chambers – My
Utmost for His Highest
Judaic symbols
– from today’s Psalm 119 reading: “Ayin”
- Eye
Bereansonline.org
– Psalm 119 Hebrew symbol meanings
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