Sunday, April 26, 2020

You Were Made for God


“For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.” (1 Samuel 12:22)

The name of God often refers to his reputation, his fame, his renown. This is the way we use the word “name” when we say someone is making a name for himself. Or we sometimes say, that’s a “name” brand. We mean a brand with a big reputation. This is what I think Samuel means in 1 Samuel 12:22 when he says that God made Israel a people “for himself” and that he would not cast Israel off “for his great name’s sake.”

This way of thinking about God’s zeal for his name is confirmed in many other passages.

For example, in Jeremiah 13:11 God describes Israel as a waistcloth, or belt, with which God chose to highlight his glory, even though there were times when Israel was temporarily unfit. “For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen.” Why was Israel chosen and made the garment of God? That it might be a “name, a praise, and a glory.”

The words “praise” and “glory” in this context tell us that “name” means “fame” or “renown” or “reputation.” God chose Israel so that the people would make a reputation for him. God says in Isaiah 43:21 that Israel is “the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.”

And when the church came to see itself in the New Testament as the true Israel, Peter described God’s purpose for us like this: “You are a chosen race . . . that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

In other words, Israel and the church are chosen by God to make a name for him in the world. This is why we pray first and foremost, “Hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9). This is why we pray, “Lead us in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake” (see Psalm 23:3).

When we speak of being a God-centered people, remember, this is because we are joining God in his God-centeredness. And on this side of the cross, that means being a Christ-dependent, Christ-exalting people. “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake” (1 John 2:12). “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).


John Piper 

For His Glory


23 Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,
24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD." - Jeremiah 9:23-24

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." - Mark 8:38

Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!  - Psalm 105:3

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  - Psalm 23:3

9 "For my name's sake I defer my anger; for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. 
10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. 
11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.  - Isaiah 48:9-11

I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.  - Isaiah 42:8

"I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.  - Isaiah 43:25

"For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. - Malachi 3:6

but you are the same, and your years have no end.  - Psalm 102:27

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?  - Numbers 23:19

Bible Study

23 Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,
24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD." - Jeremiah 9:23-24

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?  - Numbers 23:19

9 "For my name's sake I defer my anger; for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. 
10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. 
11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.  - Isaiah 48:9-11

20 My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. 
21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: 
22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 
23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 
24 "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." 
25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. 
26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. 
27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. 
28 Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; 
29 let him put his mouth in the dust- there may yet be hope; 
30 let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, and let him be filled with insults. 
31 For the Lord will not cast off forever, 
32 but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; 
33 for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. 
34 To crush underfoot all the prisoners of the earth, 
35 to deny a man justice in the presence of the Most High, 
36 to subvert a man in his lawsuit, the Lord does not approve. 
37 Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? 
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? 
39 Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins? 
40 Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD! 
41 Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven: 
42 "We have transgressed and rebelled, and you have not forgiven. 
43 "You have wrapped yourself with anger and pursued us, killing without pity; 
44 you have wrapped yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can pass through. 
45 You have made us scum and garbage among the peoples.  - Lamentations 3:20-45

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Paul’s Salvation Was for You


Formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. . . . I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:13–14, 16)

Paul’s conversion was for your sake. Did you hear that? Here it is again: “I received mercy for this reason, that Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” That’s us — you and me.

I hope you will hear this very personally. God had you in view when he chose Paul and saved him by sovereign grace just the way he did.

If you believe on Jesus for eternal life — or if you may yet believe on him for eternal life — Paul’s conversion is for your sake. The point of his conversion happening the way it did is to make Christ’s incredible patience vivid for you.

Remember that Paul’s pre-conversion life was a long, long trial to Jesus. “Why are you persecuting me?” Jesus asked on the Damascus road (Acts 9:4). “Your life of unbelief and rebellion is a persecution of me!” And yet Paul tells us in Galatians 1:15 that he had been set apart by God for his apostleship since before he was born. That’s amazing. It means that all his life up to the point of his conversion was one long abuse of God, and one long rejection and mockery of Jesus — who had chosen him to be an apostle before he was born.

That is why Paul says his conversion is a brilliant demonstration of Jesus’s patience. And that is what he offers us today.

It was for our sake that Jesus saved Paul when and how he did. To “display his perfect patience” to us (1 Timothy 1:16). Lest we lose heart. Lest we think he could not really save us. Lest we think he is prone to anger. Lest we think we have gone too far away. Lest we think our dearest one cannot be converted — suddenly, unexpectedly, by the sovereign, overflowing grace of Jesus.

John Piper 

Do You Value Wisdom?

BIBLE MEDITATION

“How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver” Proverbs 16:16

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

I was interested to note in the newspaper an event when several billion dollars was physically moved from one bank to another—$7.5 billion, to be exact. And there to watch and protect was an army of one hundred policeman and guards—all with their guns, tear gas, and all forms of electronic communications—because, of course, everybody wants money, don't they? People would do anything to get their hands on that money.

I wonder, if they had a truckload of wisdom going down the street, how many policemen do you think they’d have needed to guard it?

ACTION POINT

It will be a great day in your life when you begin to seek after wisdom with the same intensity and commitment as you seek after money. Is there an idol of gold in your life? Do your savings account, your retirement fund, or your investments claim more of your attention and time than your Heavenly Father? If so, confess it. He already knows anyway. Then ask Him to empower you to restructure your priorities. Cast away any idols.


LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Eternal Life Giving Spirit


There is only one life giving Spirit, Christ Jesus!
He was ordained by God for this purpose.
Because of Him alone, we have victory!
From the beginning, Satan brought sin. 
But Christ has overcome!
Satan is defeated and Christ is Lord!
There is salvation for eternal life found only by the precious blood bought pardon.
Christ redeemed sinful man.
You must repent!
Sin destroys!

Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. - 1 Corinthians 15:45

then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. - Genesis 2:7

Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. - Romans 5:14

For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. - John 5:21

For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." - John 6:33

39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." - John 6:39-40

Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. - John 6:54

As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. - John 6:57

For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. - Romans 8:2

But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. - Romans 8:10

April 25

14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them.
15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him.
16 And he asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?"
17 And someone from the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute.
18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able."
19 And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me."
20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.
21 And Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.
22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
23 And Jesus said to him, "'If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes."
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!"
25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."
26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, "He is dead."
27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"
29 And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer."
30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know,
31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise."
32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. - Mark 9:14-32

1 Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do.
2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.
3 And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem.
4 If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.
5 I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia,
6 and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go.
7 For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.
8 But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost,
9 for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
10 When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am.
11 So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.
12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity.
13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
14 Let all that you do be done in love.
15 Now I urge you, brothers-you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints-
16 be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer.
17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence,
18 for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people.
19 The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord.
20 All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand.
22 If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come!
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. - 1 Corinthians 16

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 
2 I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." 
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 
4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 
5 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. 
7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 
8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. 
9 Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place- the Most High, who is my refuge- 
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. 
11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. 
12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. 
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. 
14 "Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. 
15 When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. 
16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."  - Psalms 91

1 Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, "Turn aside, friend; sit down here." And he turned aside and sat down.
2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down.
3 Then he said to the redeemer, "Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech.
4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, 'Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.' If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you." And he said, "I will redeem it."
5 Then Boaz said, "The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance."
6 Then the redeemer said, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it."
7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel.
8 So when the redeemer said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself," he drew off his sandal.
9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon.
10 Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day."
11 Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem,
12 and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the LORD will give you by this young woman."
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son.
14 Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel!
15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him."
16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse.
17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, "A son has been born to Naomi." They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron,
19 Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab,
20 Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon,
21 Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed,
22 Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David. - Ruth 4