Not Listening to the Prophets

12/8- 2 Chronicles 36:15-17 But they mocked God’s messengers despised His words and scoffed at His prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against His people and there was no remedy.” 

Thoughts: God speaks using means- usually people.  God uses the language, education, writing style, experiences of each prophet to bring forth what the Spirit wants to say to God’s people and the world.  Their words are not static because the Spirit that inspired them and illuminates them is not static but living and active, convicting to the heart and guiding with purpose. 
    But it is possible to not only ignore the Word of God- but to mock it.  This passages records why the people of God were taken into exile.  They mocked God’s messengers and despised his word and scoffed at the prophets.  This triad of rejection is a reminder that they utterly rejected God so God lifted His protection from them.  To reject God and get mad that He somehow rejects us is ridiculous.  There are consequences to rejecting, not listening, and purposefully disobeying God.   This has always been true- you reap what you sow.  In the New Testament it explains this rejection as God giving us over to do what we want to do- and just leaving us to our own devices (Romans 1).   We need God’s help, God’s correction, and God’s Word.   Jesus came as God’s ultimate Word made flesh.  But he was rejected too.  Within a generation, as Jesus predicted, the people were exiled again- for almost 2,000 years- and the sacrifices and worship in the Temple ceased.  When God is gracious enough to give us a Word, we should treasure it and heed it carefully.

Prayer: Lord, instead of rejecting your word, let me accept it and apply it to my life. 12/8- 2 Chronicles 36:15-17 But they mocked God’s messengers despised His words and scoffed at His prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against His people and there was no remedy.” 

Thoughts: God speaks using means- usually people.  God uses the language, education, writing style, experiences of each prophet to bring forth what the Spirit wants to say to God’s people and the world.  Their words are not static because the Spirit that inspired them and illuminates them is not static but living and active, convicting to the heart and guiding with purpose. 
    But it is possible to not only ignore the Word of God- but to mock it.  This passages records why the people of God were taken into exile.  They mocked God’s messengers and despised his word and scoffed at the prophets.  This triad of rejection is a reminder that they utterly rejected God so God lifted His protection from them.  To reject God and get mad that He somehow rejects us is ridiculous.  There are consequences to rejecting, not listening, and purposefully disobeying God.   This has always been true- you reap what you sow.  In the New Testament it explains this rejection as God giving us over to do what we want to do- and just leaving us to our own devices (Romans 1).   We need God’s help, God’s correction, and God’s Word.   Jesus came as God’s ultimate Word made flesh.  But he was rejected too.  Within a generation, as Jesus predicted, the people were exiled again- for almost 2,000 years- and the sacrifices and worship in the Temple ceased.  When God is gracious enough to give us a Word, we should treasure it and heed it carefully.

Prayer: Lord, instead of rejecting your word, let me accept it and apply it to my life.  

12/8- Spirit of Perfectionism

12/8     Scripture –   ^“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:  “’The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).  When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.” (Matthew 1:22-25)

Of all the spirits of this age the spirit of perfectionism may be the one that most robs me of Christmas joy and defeats me.  I love holidays and want make everything perfect for those I love.  I am the one the magazines are targeting when they show lovely decorated homes with perfect tables and declare that 1001 Christmas ideas and recipes will be mine if I only pay $1.99. Never mind that there are stacks of these magazines already at home or that there are only 365 days in the entire year!

Every year I wrap our staircase in magnolia and then sigh disappointedly as it never looks as pretty as in Southern Living. My dishes are less than Martha Stewart’s and my table cannot measure up to the Barefoot Contessa. Yet I believe if I just try hard enough I too will achieve glossy perfection. Yet this world of endless projects and countless things to bake even as one follows all the holiday diet tips make me feel very small and insecure.

But Christmas is not about worldly perfection. The first Christmas was in a stable and one that was not the sparkling clean panorama featured in our Christmas cards. It was dirty and smelly and yet the Son of God chose to be born in poverty not perfection. He chose to be with us in our sin, shame, discomfort, and pain. Jesus chose to be “God with us” - and not at our best but at our worst. He left the splendor of heaven, exchanged His crown for a cross, and died for us – not because we were perfect but because we weren’t! What an assuring reminder that our best efforts are enough for Him and that He will clothe us with His sinless perfection if we accept Him as our Savior and Lord.  Our Christmases need not be perfect, because they and we are made perfect in Him! That is grace!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, by the power of your Holy Spirit help me to place you at the center of my holiday.

Application: Give up doing one thing you do not enjoy this holiday season. Spend the time with the Lord instead.

12/7/12- When Peace is on Earth

Friday- December 7 –

Ephesians 3:14-21  For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ^*15from whom every family^* in heaven and on earth takes its name. ¹⁶I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, ¹⁷and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. ¹⁸I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

Yesterday we discussed the years the locust eat.  But what about those times when everything is close to perfect?  Christmas can be such a time.  Homes look lovely.  Food is delicious. Children are adorable. Abundance is everywhere and we seem a bit closer to “peace on earth, goodwill to men!”   But we must be careful to depend on God at these times too.  Jesus did not come into the world to make our Christmas dreams come true.  He is not a “Santa in the sky” there only to grant our wishes.  God wants more for us than we even know to ask Him for! The best that we know pales when compared to the riches of God’s glory.  The love of Christ surpasses all knowledge and as we begin to comprehend its magnitude, we are filled with the fullness of God.  How incredible that God longs to accomplish in us more than we than we can dream or even imagine! After all, would any of us have thought a mere babe could change our world forever!?!

Prayer: When times are hard, Lord.  Let me believe that you will restore me.  Keep my hope kindled in you.

Application:  Think of how you can help one person today- maybe someone you run into- and hold the door for them; maybe someone who is down and needs encouragement.  Think of them and then help them. 

Break forth o beauteous heavenly light, and usher in the morning.
You shepherds, shudder not with fright, But hear the angel’s warning.
This Child, now weak in infancy, our confidence and joy shall be;
The power of Satan breaking, our peace eternal making.
(PH #26- Johann Rist 1641)

11/30/12- Advent and Waiting

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Thoughts: In our culture, waiting and resting are bad things.  Yet they are reminders that we are not there yet.  As we prepare for advent (Sunday), we need to remember that one of the themes of advent is waiting on God to come- as Mary did, as the whole world did, as we do.
    In heaven there will not be lines- only circles.  In heaven there will not be lack of patience, because we do not run out of time, and we see (finally clearly) that all time and eternity is in God's hands.  
    Here our bodies are forced to rest- to sleep as a sign of our finitude, and a bit of humility to our pride.  Sabbath is broken in a rebellion against our ability to wait, to rest, to spend time with family and God.  In heaven we see Sabbath is much more important than our idea of work and productivity- which apart from God's glory- has no eternal importance.  
    So wait on the Lord.  When you are going through the trials, pains, and griefs of life-- wait on Him.  

Prayer: Help me to wait on you, O Lord.  Give me confidence to wait on you.