Category: Rescue & Redemption

Re:Verse reading–Daniel 6 (day two)

…and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. vs. 10b

The deliverance of Daniel was not due to a random selection by God. Daniel’s faith was secure, and had been for some time. He didn’t experience some last minute epiphany that he should be a righteous man. Daniel’s routine, his custom, was to spend time with the Lord. Whether there was a decree or not, Daniel would have been seeking after the Lord. The miracle of the lion’s den was simply a manifestation of the work the God was doing in the heart of his servant.

What is your custom? Is your daily walk reflective of a crisis, or is it a pattern you have followed for years? There is no need to wait for struggle to come to commit to a righteous existence. Daniel had no fear. Not because he knew the Lord would deliver him from the lions, but simply because he trusted completely in the Lord.

Re:Verse reading–Daniel 6 (day one) 

“Soon Daniel distinguished himself above all the other presidents. . .because an excellent spirit was in him.”–v 3

The Bible has a peculiar concept of spirituality.  Larger than most of us imagine.  More comprehensive.  His Spirit lives in us.  Animates us.  Motivates us to excellence in every field of endeavor.

Politics can be a an expression of spirituality.  Should be!  Marriage. . .yard work. . .medicine. . .childcare.  In these and other material duties, the believer has opportunity to demonstrate the difference the Spirit makes.  Faithfulness.  Integrity.  Innovation.  Daniel excelled because the Spirit was in him.

Christians do not deny the value of material things.  We subordinate them to a larger and better love of God.  Material things are blessings and duties from God rather than competitors to Him.

Do you have an excellent Spirit in you?

“Aim at Heaven and you get Earth ‘thrown in’.  Aim at Earth and you will get neither.”–C. S. Lewis.

Re:Verse passage – Jeremiah 29:1-14 (day seven)

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13

The key phrase here is “all your heart”. Your search for God is not cursory, it must be an all-consuming search.  The difficulty comes when we have the best of intentions, but our heart is not in it.

What do we do when our head knows that we should desire God more than we do?

What do we do when we really do not want to worship with all our heart?

This morning you may not want God more than you want anything else.  You may want lunch more than worship, or you may want a raise more than you want a relationship with God.  If that is true of you this morning let me offer a couple suggestions that have helped me in tiresome days.  First, repent, confess to God that you know your heart is not in it. Fervently spill your heart out before God asking Him to intervene and redirect your heart. The other step is to act obediently.  Even when you don’t want to worship or seek God, suppress the flesh and look up toward our God.  Repentance followed by obedience will bring about great blessing in your life softening your heart making it moldable for our God.

 

Seek the welfare of the city,…for in its welfare you will find your welfare. Jeremiah 29:7

“Love your neighbor as your self.”-Jesus

It does us good to do good to others. Is that okay to say out loud? Should we be motivated to do good to others because it is a good return on our investment? According to Jesus, yes. It’s okay to seek your own welfare while pursuing the welfare of others. That’s how God’s economy works. Jesus even said, “it’s more blessed to give than to receive.” Clearly, he inspires us to give sacrificially to others by offering us greater blessing.

Now, this is true in two ways. The first is obvious, when you invest in the welfare of others, overtime it can only bring great benefit to you; giving begets giving (and thus receiving). The second is a greater blessing, when we give or seek the welfare of others we point others to the greater benefactor-God. We give because God gives, in fact no one can out give Him. So, when we give we glorify God, and that is a superior blessing.

“’Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’”

God’s design for His children to be engaged and interact with society and culture has not changed.  He doesn’t want believers insulated and isolated from the lost and needy.  Rather, He instructs us to “live” in the regular patterns and rhythms of life with Godly passion, perspective,and purpose.  This will be a catalyst for conversations and opportunities to share the gospel and glorify God.  Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Re:Verse passage – Jeremiah 29:1-14 (day four)

It is not exactly the way that the Israelites would have written the script…70 years in exile in a foreign land, hosted by a conquering enemy.  What was God thinking?  ‘We are His chosen people…surely our enemy will be defeated and we will return to our land.’  But God had a plan of rescue and redemption.  In the meantime, Israel was to be a blessing to the Babylonians.  They were to pray for them and seek the welfare of the city where they were exiled.

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas found themselves beaten and locked away in the depths of a prison.  They would not have chosen this experience, but they witnessed to God’s goodness in spite of their circumstances.  God had a plan of rescue and redemption for them and He received the glory.

Where has God got you now?  Are your circumstances difficult? Regardless…good or bad…allow God to work through your life to bring redemption to others and glory to Himself.

Re:Verse reading–Jeremiah 29:1-14 (day three)

Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.

You like to tell yourself you don’t want to “settle”, so you keep looking past this moment for something better.  But you really don’t know what you’re looking for.  Much of the history of the Old Testament can be summarized thusly: If you won’t live here, you won’t live anywhere.  Later, Jesus said the same in various ways. “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”  And, “Whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”  There’s nothing that you are afraid to do at this moment that you’ll have the moral courage to do in some idealized future.  The Lord draws near now.  Live.

 

Re:Verse reading–Jeremiah 29:1-14 (day two) 

Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’ Vs. 7

I write this post in Seattle, Washington at the beginning of the week as the Chapel Singers begin their week of service with the Seattle Union Gospel Mission. This organization seeks to engage the enormous plight of homelessness in the city by meeting physical needs and addressing their spiritual condition. We are called to engage, to help, to care for these people. Their welfare is our welfare. Will you pray for these young people as they expand their hearts this week? Please pray that God will continue to stretch them for continued service throughout their walk.

 

Re:Verse reading–Jeremiah 29:1-14 (day one) 

“When Babylon’s seventy years are completed, I will visit you and will fulfill my promise to you.”–v 10

Two parallel stories merged in Babylon in 586 BC.  Two nations.  Both groups known to God.  Both groups dealt with in great fairness, even if on separate paths.

God gave Babylon seventy years to repent.  To hear the gospel.  To turn from idolatry.  Many (some) did.  It was a window of grace and opportunity.

The exiles from Israel were under God’s discipline. ( Please see Hebrews 12:5-13.  It is one of the reasons that we still fear God, and should!)  For a time, they are commanded to live in Babylon and be “lights for the Gentiles”.

How wise God is to work together two stories for the purpose of grace!

Consider, please.  The way that God is currently working in your life may be much about lost people around you.  He is writing more than one story, here.

Re:Verse reading—Psalm 27 (day seven)

     The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? (v.1)

As impossible as it sounds, the answer is no one.  I shall fear no one except God above.

     Even though an army encamps against me, my heart shall not fear (v.3)

The most powerful thing this world has ever known is the creative voice of God.  Should anything come against God’s children, God only has to say, “peace, be still.”  Then it’s over, there’s not even a battle, but solely at God’s command adversaries fall. Yet, while God whispers to us, “fear not” our hearts race at each difficult day.

I’ve heard this N.T. Wright quote many times in recent days, “As surprising as it might be, the most frequent command in the Bible is not “Be good” or “Be moral” but “Fear not.”” Depending on how you parse the phrase, we are told to “fear not” anywhere from 125-366 times in Scripture.  Hundreds of times we are told to “fear not” as God’s constant Scriptural reminder that if God is for us no one shall prevail against us.