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Ben's birthday is Monday. It's hard to imagine that I will have been a father for seven years now! I remember the diapers, the bottles, the spit-up, the band-aids and the question and answer sessions we have had that all blend together and make up the compounded ingredients of a father-child relationship.
OK, enough reminiscing. This message isn't about the past. It's about the present. Thursday night, Ben got his first birthday present from his aunts Kylee, Camerin and their friend Becca. Well, actually they made the purchase for themselves, but Cathi (the evil mother-in-law) looked at them and said something to the effect of, "Oh no. You are not bringing a rodent in to this house to live. You need to get rid of that thing." That's right, Tinkerbell happens to be a hamster. A hamster that was brought over and presented to Ben as a birthday present before Tina or I could object.
Ben's eyes lit up with excitement and we knew that Tinkerbell was going to be staying with us for the foreseeable future. Once we got past the surprise, we noticed that she (I think it's a she) is pretty cute. She came with a plastic cage, complete with a lookout tower and the obligatory wheel for exercises. That wheel is where this post is headed. It's made completely of plastic, and squeaks loudly with every cycle of rotation. I think hamsters are nocturnal, because that's what I heard throughout that first night.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.Without the power of God, our efforts are like the running of a hamster on the wheel. We can expend as much effort as we like, but we won't make any progress, and the only effect we can have on others is to bother them with our squeaking. It isn't until our thoughts and actions are guided by the power of the Holy Spirit that our good works can be pleasing to the Lord.
We have empowered Tinkerbell to explore our home in a hamster ball from time to time. It is within the limitations of our boundaries that Tinkerbell can run all that she likes and her efforts are pleasing everyone involved... except for Phoebe the beagle. She'll have to just get used to a little competition for our attention.
Have a great week as you explore the world around you from the protective confines of the Lord!
Today's reading is found in Jeremiah 19-20 and Daniel 1.
Just because Jeremiah was under God's protection, that doesn't mean life was always easy. He actually cursed the day he was born, but note that he never broke faith with God here. That's important. Life isn't always easy and you're not always going to be cheery about your circumstances, but your faith should be firmly anchored in the rock.
The Babylonians invaded Israel (we'll end up reading about this a couple times) and Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were among the Jews that were chosen to be educated with the best students given a place in the king's court. During this three-year education, they were given the finest that Babylon had to offer, including food and wine direct from the king's own table. Daniel wanted to avoid these luxuries, possibly because they cooked with unclean ingredients, but it doesn't say why he did this.
After a ten-day period of water and vegetables, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were the healthiest of the students and displayed knowledge and understanding from God. They proved that they were the right ones for their tasks by avoiding the king's table and their gifts from God were used to better their positions and serve God and his people in Babylon. The Jews knew they weren't completely cut off, they were just in a 70-year holding pattern. And this quartet would assist their cause for much of this time.
Today's reading is found in Daniel 2-3 and Jeremiah 7:1-8:3.
If you ask most people about dream interpretation and the Bible, most will want to talk about Joseph, as he is the most famous person who did this. He is not the only one to do it, though, and didn't do it in the most "difficult" way. Daniel had to both tell Nebuchadnezzar what the dream was, and then interpret it. Of course, this was only necessary because that was the demand that Nebuchadnezzar had made. If Pharaoh had demanded that of Joseph, God would have provided the answer to him as well as to Daniel.
Take note that Daniel gave all of the credit to God, just as Joseph had done. Also notice that the interpretations for each person may have started out sounding good to the subject, but ended up not so great. No king wants his empire to lose stature. Also notice the great esteem that the interpreter was given once this task was completed. Give credit to the Lord in all that you do, because you won't even be able to get out of bed unless He allows it! If the proper credit is given, and your efforts are ultimately for His glory, your work will be rewarded, no matter where you try to point the glory.
One last note about today's read: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace that was so hot that it was deadly to even be near the door. They made no attempt to escape or fight back and they were in there just because they refused to prostitute themselves by worshiping a graven image. This is another well-known story, but one point toward the end doesn't get enough attention. When they came out, they and their clothes were unharmed. In fact, they didn't even smell like smoke.
That's what God is all about. He can rescue you from any predicament you can get yourself into, even one that is deadly just to venture near. After His intervention, He will not notice even a hint of your plight. When I stand in front of him, my soul, which is downright trashy by Heavenly standards, will be white as snow and God won't even note the memory of my sins. Nothing I could do is beyond His forgiveness. To think otherwise is to question the authority and power of His blood, and I'm not prepared to do that.
Today's reading is found in Jeremiah 8:4-11:23.
My mother wanted to write a piece for us, so here you go:
The Lord's compassion and promises are not just for the nation Israel. They are for all nations. Other nations have been reaching out for the inheritance God gave Israel. God has an inheritance for each nation - their own inheritance. Just like each member of a family receives their own portion of an inheritance so does each nation. God promises that if a nation acknowledges Him that nation will receive the inheritance promised them. But, if a nation refuses to obey God they will eventually be destroyed.
God's desire is that we cling to Him - to be His people, His pride, His glory as an honor to His name. We often hear parents say their child is their "pride and joy". God is no different. God desires to say that about YOU!
Although we would rather only contemplate God's compassion, we must realize that God gives a fair warning of judgment if we turn our backs on Him. When we realize that we are living under God's judgment we seem to think that we can suddenly say, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." We think that words, not repentance, should make us right with God. But God may say, "You love to wonder from me....I will punish you for your sins". We would be wise to respond early to God's warnings or we may hear, "I am tired of always giving you another chance". Wow - coming from God, what a tragedy that would be!
How hard it must have been for Jeremiah to stand alone and speak the warnings God gave him. God gave Jeremiah personal promises of security. We too must closely listen to God and as He speaks to our hearts, stand firm knowing that God will keep us secure. No matter what life brings our way, if God is at the center, we have His promises.
Today's reading is found in Jeremiah 12-15.
My father didn't want my mom to have all of the fun, so he wrote this piece for us:
In Jeremiah 8 the question is asked, "Why have these people turned away from God?" The answer is given in verse 7, "My people do not know the requirements of the Lord." The prophets and priests had failed to follow God's teachings. As a result of sin there was punishment from God. In Jeremiah 8:20 we see a very sad condition, "The harvest is past the summer has ended, and we are not saved." What could be worse?
Jeremiah weeps for the people in chapters 8 and 9. In Jeremiah 9:23-24 the Lord says that a man should not boast of his wisdom, strength, or riches, but that he understands and knows the Lord.
In chapter 10 the false worthless idols are contrasted with the true and living God, the God of all creation. Let's never try to limit God's hand in creation for God uses the argument of creation time and again to show His power and authority.
In chapter 11 God shows that a covenant without obedience is futile. Back in Exodus 19:5-6, God told Israel that if they obeyed Him fully and kept His covenant then they would be His treasured possession, a kingdom of priest and a holy nation. What a wonderful covenant and promise. In I Peter 2:9, God says, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light."
Today's reading is found in Jeremiah 16-18 and 35.
My home is my abode. Tina and I control what goes on here and nobody has the right to change that or to bring anything in here that we don't allow. If somebody decided to visit and use our basement to do drugs, I would forcibly eject them from my home. Why do I say this? The Israelites had defiled the land of God with detestable images. They invaded the sanctity of His chosen nation and His chosen people with lies and idolatry. That puts much of this rage into perspective for me.
They chose to trust in their strength and the strength of allies and found those efforts lacking. All God ever demanded of them is that they trust in His strength that would never fail them. That commandment is still in force today, you know. Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. It gives you something to ponder, doesn't it? Give God the controls of your life and He will shape you into something useful and beautiful, much like the pottery in this reading. With God at the helm of your life, your ship will never need lifeboats.
Today's reading is found in Jeremiah 49:1-33, 2 Kings 24:5-7, 2 Chronicles 36:6-8, 2 Kings 24:8-9, 2 Chronicles 36:9, Jeremiah 22:24-23:32.
Well, has all of this pleading helped? Let's ask Jehoiachin, shall we? He was so bad, that God allowed him to be in charge for a little over three months. That's about the time God allowed Josiah's son to be in place before the destruction first began, and with Jehoiachin at the tender age of 18, he hadn't had too much time to screw his life up. He sure must have been trying! He tried so hard that God declared him to be a detestable person through and through.
For years, the kings, priests and prophets had been placed over the Israelites with the trust that they would watch over them and keep them on the right path, much like a good shepherd. God is the landowner in this reading and he was upset that his shepherds had done such a shoddy job. Like the good shepherd that He is, the Lord announced His plans to take the job back upon himself. The prophets had been doing worse than a shoddy job aiding the people, they were worsening their situation. God separated them from the prophets He spoke with, saying they were as different as straw and grain. Bedding and nourishment.
Today's reading is found in Jeremiah 23:33-24:10, Jeremiah 29:1-31:14.
Many Jews were now exiles in Babylon under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar, but they were not forgotten. God had Jeremiah send a letter to them, telling them what His expectations of them were to be. Quite simply, it said to live there. Build your homes, raise your families, and seek the good of Babylon, for as Babylon would prosper, so would they. That's not what I usually think about when I consider the proper rules of an uprooted prisoner of war.
The American creed is to resist and try to escape. Of course, Americans have somewhere to try and escape to, but the Jews didn't. That gives one insight as to why they were to work toward the prosperity of Babylon. They knew that this period was to last seventy years, about as long as a human can expect to live. This generation was to prepare the next for the coming forgiveness. We'll read about how well they did in future days.
The Jews so far had been a wash up, worse than the surrounding kingdoms and each generation was worse than the one before with very few exceptions. Only an all-powerful God could work toward changing that, and He used difficult tools to accomplish a difficult task. And when it was all said and done, they were to be restored and He would be their God, just as they were his people.
Weekly LinkBaker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology From the site: As part of Crosswalk.com's Bible Study Tools/Online Study Library, Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology is linked to Easton's Bible Dictionary, Hitchcock's Bible Names, Jack Van Impe's Prophecy Dictionary, Nave's Topical Bible, Smith's Bible Dictionary, and Torrey's Topical Textbook . Anytime a reference can be found in any of the other online tools a hyperlinked symbol will be placed next to the reference, allowing you to immediately jump to that resource and expand your study capabilities.This is the most comprenensive site I have seen for theological and historical Biblical information. Certainly worth a bookmark on your browser, this Dictionary of Biblical Theology has many answers to difficult questions situated just a click away. For my use, I hope it will generate more questions as I uncover more and more answers. What can I say, though? I'm a glutton! |
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