In the 40's and 50's, there was a radio show and eventually TV show called, "Truth or Consequences". It was a game show in which the contestant had to correctly answer a question or suffer the "consequences" of a wrong answer through a zany or embarrassing stunt. I thought of that show as I read Zechariah, chapter seven. God tells the people through his prophet, Zechariah, that they are to live out their lives in true, heart-righteous obedience or suffer the consequences. However, these consequences are much more serious than the TV show's zany and embarrassing ones.
I fear I'm not thinking right in regard to a serious and holy God. Committed meditation on the facts of God through His word are called for here!! And this is just what He is calling His people to do through the prophet. Consider what happened to your fathers, He tells them. When I told them how to live, they did not obey. (see last post: Deaf Hearts) Now this is what happened to them: Great wrath from the LORD of hosts, I would not listen when they called, I scattered them with a storm wind, and their land became desolate.
Praise God for His prophets who committed to telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth with His help. We, too, have His help. And let us not become weary or oppressed by this truth. The very presence of His Word to teach us these things shows His love for us is as strong as His wrath against the sin in us.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Deaf Hearts
As a continuation of the last post, I will again use the term "solemn". As believers, we must be all about living and speaking Christ to unbelievers! But as we do this, we must also be much about watchfulness of our own hearts. For while I used the last post to propose the condition of the heart without God, the passage from Zechariah actually refers to the heart that had supposedly been submissive to Him. These five characteristics were being lived out by God's own people!
We must be much in prayer for our hearts to be devoted to obedience or we may find ourselves manifesting some or all of these traits: refusal to pay attention, turning stubborn shoulders, stopping ears from hearing, making our hearts like a "diamond" and in so doing, hearts not hearing: deaf! And what are we missing with deaf hearts? The law and the words which the LORD of hosts has sent by His Spirit through the former prophets.
It is a "dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). This is solemn truth indeed but a needful reminder.
We must be much in prayer for our hearts to be devoted to obedience or we may find ourselves manifesting some or all of these traits: refusal to pay attention, turning stubborn shoulders, stopping ears from hearing, making our hearts like a "diamond" and in so doing, hearts not hearing: deaf! And what are we missing with deaf hearts? The law and the words which the LORD of hosts has sent by His Spirit through the former prophets.
It is a "dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). This is solemn truth indeed but a needful reminder.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Diamond Hearts
"But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen," says the LORD of hosts; but I scattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land is desolated behind them so that no one went back and forth, for they made the pleasant land desolate."(Zechariah 7:11-13) Solemn words! "They refused to pay attention...turned a stubborn shoulder...stopped their ears from hearing...made their hearts like flint". The ESV translation says, "they made their hearts diamond-hard". As a believer, I think, "why do people work so hard to go to hell." But then I'm arrested by another thought, "there go I apart from God's grace!" My attitude must be as the apostle Paul, "Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ." God grant me power, wisdom and the compassion and love of Christ. Guide me in devoting myself completely to the word and solemnly testifying to unbelievers that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world and He is The only Rock that can crush a diamond and make it shine! Praise Your Holy Name!!
Thursday, July 4, 2013
"Sound Living"
The word "sound" by definition is "good condition; not damaged, injured, or diseased". I believe most all people desire their life to be "sound". In fact, I would like for my life to be "sound as a bell" according to the definition given: "in perfect condition". The Bible gives us advice as to how this can be a reality. And as I read Morning of Charles Spurgeon's, Morning and Evening, July 4th, I can think of no better way to put it than he: "'Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy Word is truth.' (John 17:17) The passages of Scripture which prove that the instrument of our sanctification is the Word of God are very many. The Spirit of God brings to our minds the precepts and doctrines of truth, and applies them with power. These are heard in the ear, and being received in the heart, they work in us to will and to do of God's good pleasure. The truth is the sanctifier, and if we do not hear or read the truth, we shall not grow in sanctification. We only progress in sound living as we progress in sound understanding. 'Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.' Do not say of any error, 'It is a mere matter of opinion.' No man indulges an error of judgment, without sooner or later tolerating an error in practice. Hold fast the truth, for by so holding the truth shall you be sanctified by the Spirit of God."
AMEN!!
AMEN!!
Friday, June 28, 2013
A Consuming Sleep-Over
The visions of the prophets are not there merely for dramatic effect. There is meaning behind everything God inspires in His word. I don't mean to wear out the validity and urgency of scripture. But really, what else matters when it's all said and done? And this morning I was so excited by what I read in Zechariah, chapter five. The first few readings of this chapter earlier in the week brought no thrill to me. Praise God for giving us the power of perseverance.
Zechariah saw a flying scroll and even determined its size as he observed it. And on a side note (and I use "side note" loosely as it's really a powerful addition, but for this post is not the subject), the size of the scroll is exactly the size of "The Holy Place" in the tabernacle. I just love all these details with purpose! But back to my excitement! Now keep in mind the scroll represents God's law, God's word, and in verse four, God says, "I will make it go forth and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; (these are actually representative disobediences that encompass all the commands of God) and it will spend the night within that house and consume it with its timber and stones."
Now a theologian may say I am spiritualizing the passage a bit. I hope not because the picture I get here, using my salvation and transformation (a continual process), is a beautiful portrait of God's power over sin. He makes His word enter the "house" of the person He saves, drives it home to the very destruction of all the sin that person had formerly embraced. Whatever that person's sin problem before salvation, God completely disrupts and destroys. To have the "scroll spend the night" will be a complete turn-around and the former way of life, "its timber and stones", will be consumed. God's power "will" transform us. Some of it is immediate, some continual but no believer will ever be comfortable in that "house" again.
The negative side of the verse for the hardened, non-seeker who will not submit to God, and I'm afraid this is what the verse is really saying: God will have the victory over sin and it will be destroyed forever.
Praise God for Jesus Christ Who made the way possible and for His holy Word that brings continual change and consuming of sin.
Zechariah saw a flying scroll and even determined its size as he observed it. And on a side note (and I use "side note" loosely as it's really a powerful addition, but for this post is not the subject), the size of the scroll is exactly the size of "The Holy Place" in the tabernacle. I just love all these details with purpose! But back to my excitement! Now keep in mind the scroll represents God's law, God's word, and in verse four, God says, "I will make it go forth and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; (these are actually representative disobediences that encompass all the commands of God) and it will spend the night within that house and consume it with its timber and stones."
Now a theologian may say I am spiritualizing the passage a bit. I hope not because the picture I get here, using my salvation and transformation (a continual process), is a beautiful portrait of God's power over sin. He makes His word enter the "house" of the person He saves, drives it home to the very destruction of all the sin that person had formerly embraced. Whatever that person's sin problem before salvation, God completely disrupts and destroys. To have the "scroll spend the night" will be a complete turn-around and the former way of life, "its timber and stones", will be consumed. God's power "will" transform us. Some of it is immediate, some continual but no believer will ever be comfortable in that "house" again.
The negative side of the verse for the hardened, non-seeker who will not submit to God, and I'm afraid this is what the verse is really saying: God will have the victory over sin and it will be destroyed forever.
Praise God for Jesus Christ Who made the way possible and for His holy Word that brings continual change and consuming of sin.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
"Far From the Flames"
Taken from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening: "The world loves not the nonconformity of nonconformity, or the dissidence of dissent. Worldly wisdom recommends the path of compromise, and talks of "moderation". 'What's the good of crying down a thing when it is so fashionable, and everybody does it?' Multitudes of professors yield to this cunning advice, to their own eternal ruin. When the town is on fire, our house cannot be too far from the flames. When the plague is abroad, a man cannot be too far from its haunts. The further from the viper the better, and the further from worldly conformity the better."
Lord, I desire to live as one who bears a blood-bought name,
As one who fears but grieving Thee, and knows no other shame.
Lord, I desire to live as one who bears a blood-bought name,
As one who fears but grieving Thee, and knows no other shame.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Seasons of Distress
Seasons of distress are often bumper to bumper. You get through one and run slap into another. And on and on it goes. Sometimes the distress is caused by your own internal struggle with sin. Sometimes it's caused by external sin and sadness. Sometimes it's caused by the sinfulness of others who do not consider their sin a problem. Bottom-line: distress in this life is a given. The cause is sin and it's here until God makes all things new.
On my prayer walk this morning, I found that not only was the physical part a laborious effort, but the conversation with God as well. Prayer is like that at times but as I look up at the sky, I know He is and I continue to talk no matter how bad I feel because I know He has the answer to distress.
When I got into the car to go home, on the radio, a cello was playing a beautiful rendition of "Sweet Hour of Prayer". What comfort it brought to my mind and heart. As I recalled the words learned from childhood, they began playing in my head. There is one phrase, however, with which I took issue: "In seasons of distress and grief, my soul has often found relief." I would have to disagree there. Even though this doesn't fit, I would say "always only" found relief.
How loving is God to nudge me in my darkness and let me know He is there!! I've included some of the words here, maybe to encourage you, too!
Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, that calls me from a world of care. And bids me at My
Father's throne make all my wants and wishes known. In seasons of distress and grief, my soul has
often [always only] found relief. And oft escaped the tempter's snare by thy return, sweet hour of
prayer. [There are many more verses and the author is William W. Walford, 1845]
On my prayer walk this morning, I found that not only was the physical part a laborious effort, but the conversation with God as well. Prayer is like that at times but as I look up at the sky, I know He is and I continue to talk no matter how bad I feel because I know He has the answer to distress.
When I got into the car to go home, on the radio, a cello was playing a beautiful rendition of "Sweet Hour of Prayer". What comfort it brought to my mind and heart. As I recalled the words learned from childhood, they began playing in my head. There is one phrase, however, with which I took issue: "In seasons of distress and grief, my soul has often found relief." I would have to disagree there. Even though this doesn't fit, I would say "always only" found relief.
How loving is God to nudge me in my darkness and let me know He is there!! I've included some of the words here, maybe to encourage you, too!
Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, that calls me from a world of care. And bids me at My
Father's throne make all my wants and wishes known. In seasons of distress and grief, my soul has
often [always only] found relief. And oft escaped the tempter's snare by thy return, sweet hour of
prayer. [There are many more verses and the author is William W. Walford, 1845]
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