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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Wednesday, 9 August 2023:
Jeremiah 33:3 – Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
The Spirit reveals what is impossible for the mind to know. God who knows all will reveal to you so much more than you could ever learn or discover on your own. How important is it to receive God’s revelation in life? Are you hearing from God?
- John 10:27 — My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
“Too often we settle for much less than what God wants to do through us. We read in Jeremiah 32:27: ‘I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for Me?’ and we answer, ‘No Lord.’ Yet, when we face difficult situations we begin to qualify our belief in God and lower our expectations of what God will do. It is one thing to believe God could perform a miracle in the Bible, or a thousand years ago, or even in the life of a friend; it is quite another matter to wholeheartedly believe God can do anything He chooses to do in our lives!
When almighty God speaks to us, what we do next proves what we believe about Him, regardless of what we say. God revealed to Moses His plan to orchestrate the greatest exodus in human history, and He wanted to use Moses to accomplish it. Moses responded by arguing with God! Moses was overwhelmed by what he heard and began to make excuses for why he could not participate in God’s activity. Moses would have readily acknowledged his belief in God’s power, he simply did not believe God could do His miraculous work through his life. Moses’ argument with God limited his ministry for the rest of his life (Exod. 4:13-16).
Do you sense there may be far more that God wants to do through your life than what you have been experiencing? Ask God to show you what it is, then be prepared to respond in faith and obedience to what He tells you.” (Henry T. Blackaby)
Jeremiah 33:7, 8 – I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first. I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me.
God can fix what sin has broken. Turn your past over to God and serve Him today with all of your heart, and let Him give you a new future.
Jeremiah 33:5, 8, 9 – I shall strike down in my anger and my wrath, for I have hidden my face from this city because of all their evil…. I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me…. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it.
In love, God can’t tolerate evil. He will glorify Himself in either a negative way or positive way, revealing His sovereignty, holiness, justice, mercy, and grace. He will punish and cleanse so that He can bless. Does the reality of God’s sovereignty, holiness, justice, mercy, and grace cause you to tremble and drive you towards personal holiness, purity, and obedience?
Jeremiah 33:14-16 – “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’”
“The Righteous Branch” refers to Jesus. Interesting to compare with Matthew 2:23:23 — “He went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: ‘He will be called a Nazarene.’” The root of the word ‘Nazareth’ (in Greek the word is ‘Nazara’) relates to the Hebrew word for branch: “nazar.” The use of ‘nazar’ to mean BRANCH is found in at least a few important messianic passages such as Isaiah 11:1: “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch [nazar] shall grow out of his roots.” There are many passages earlier and later than Isaiah 11:1 which define the condition ‘nazarim’- the holy, set apart life, set apart and sanctified to God.
Luke 13:14-16 – But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?”
Without love, God’s word and commands will be misapplied. When Jesus fulfilled the will of the Father, religious people, using God’s word, called Him a sinner. Jesus called people who claimed to know Him but lacked love hypocrites (stage actors), people pridefully pretending to be something they weren’t for personal recognition and other self-serving, unloving reasons. The Pharisees diligently studied the Scriptures, but they didn’t know God and the power of His love – “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:5) “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)
Bible study is essential. You can’t love the God you don’t really know, and He reveals Himself to us through His word. The more you know God through prayerful, spirit-led study of His word, the better you can love Him and subsequently love others. The Bible says, “God is love.” (1 John 4:8) So, if your Bible study isn’t leading you to ever-increasing love, it isn’t leading you closer to Him. Don’t be one of those who read and acquire rules without relationship, who seek principles rather than the Person of Jesus Christ, who learn but never learn how to love, and who practice externalism – cleaning the outside of the dish. Diligently study God’s word, but study it to know God rather than simply know about God, and apply God’s word in love, guided by the Holy Spirit.
- Proverbs 26:9 -- Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
- 1 John 4:8 -- Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
- Matthew 7:15-20 -- “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
- 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 — If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
- Matthew 12:36 — I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak….
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 9 August 2023: Speak the truth in love, only with love.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 