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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Saturday, 11 November 2023:
Joel 3:2 — I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land….
Where is the hope for faithful followers of Christ when they see the judgment of God looming over the nation in which they live, knowing they are and they will experience the painful consequences along with everyone else? This was undoubtedly the question among faithful Jews during a time when the northern kingdom of Israel had already lost their land (2 Kings 17:7–23), and the prophets were predicting Judah’s imminent fall to Babylon (Hab. 1:5–11). All the prophets point to a final day when all the nations shall be judged, and God’s people shall be vindicated in Christ – Though certainly not without sin, “the Lord protects us from His final wrath by clothing us in the perfect righteousness of Christ, which means He can pass over us in His eternal wrath and provide us the greatest restoration of all in the new heaven and earth. This is the only safety from His eternal judgment that God provides. Our strong tower is the perfect righteousness of Christ.” (Ligonier Ministries). Christians will not escape the impact of sin upon their environment and will suffer from the sins of the world around them, but we can still walk in love, joy, and peace, as we abide in His presence and trust in His perfect provision, and we can have hope in the knowledge that our eventual reward will make all suffering in this present time seem insignificant in the end – “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)
Joel 3:17 — So you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again pass through it.
God’s plan is to glorify Himself and to purify His people to worship Him wholeheartedly. The key to holiness, purity, fulfillment, and success is truly knowing, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God is God, sovereign, holy, perfect, righteous, omnipresent, omniscient, faithful, loving, and forgiving. When you know He can be trusted, and His ways are perfect though we don’t fully understand them, you will love Him and obey Him wholeheartedly. You won’t be deceived into doubting His perfect provision and believing you need to sin to be safe.
Psalm 130:5, 6 – I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.
“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13) Faith is trusting God in the moment, and hope is trusting God with the future – faith projected forward. Faith and hope are acts of love for God. Today, the psalmist describes one of the most important acts of faith and hope, which is waiting confidently and enthusiastically without discouragement, doubt, or wavering. Waiting reveals love – love waits – “Love is patient…. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
Love is tested and revealed in the waiting, which most of us have experienced firsthand in some way. For example, many have experienced the test of waiting in long distance relationships. The test of waiting has also been the storyline of countless romance stories. When teaching teenagers about the importance of chastity and virginity before marriage, how many parents have said, “If (s)he really loves you, (s)he will wait”? In a similar fashion, the Bible tells us that if we love God, we will wait faithfully for the return of Jesus, keeping ourselves pure as we excitedly prepare for the great wedding day when Jesus (the Bridegroom) will return to receive us (His church, His bride) to become one with Him forever.
Waiting isn’t doing nothing. Waiting is faithfulness now while we await the future promise. “Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.” (Psalm 85:10) “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22) Waiting for the Lord is not just business either, it is all consuming, loving the Lord “with all your heart and with all your soul… and with all your mind….” as well. (Luke 10:27)
Love is often tested by the requirement to wait, and waiting is often tested by the fear of not doing what seems most expedient now from our own incredibly limited perspective. Again, waiting requires faith and hope driven by love – “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) Do you have the faith, hope, and love for Jesus needed to wait faithfully for Him, actively, joyfully, excitedly obeying Him, regardless the apparent circumstances, trusting Him with the results and the fulfilment of His promises? If not, pray that God will strengthen your faith, hope, and love while stepping how in the strength you already have. Below are some more verses for your consideration on waiting:
– James 5:7 — Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.
– Romans 8:25 — But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
– Proverbs 8:34 — Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
– Psalm 62:1, 5 — For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation…. For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
– Psalm 27:14 — Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
– Psalm 33:20 — Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
– Hosea 12:6 — So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.
– Psalm 37:7 — Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
– Psalm 37:9 — For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
– Psalm 37:34 — Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
– Isaiah 40:31 — But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
– Psalm 52:9 — I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.
– Psalm 69:3 — I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.
– Proverbs 20:22 — Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.
– Lamentations 3:25 — The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
– Lamentations 3:26 — It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
– Hosea 12:6 — “So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.”
– Habakkuk 2:3 — For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay
– Zephaniah 3:8 — “Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.
– Romans 8:23 — And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
– Titus 2:11-15 — For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
– 2 Peter 3:13, 14 — But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.
– Jude 1:21 — keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.
– Luke 12:35-48 — Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
Proverbs 11:3 – The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
A set of rules won’t help the person who doesn’t have the character to follow them.
Proverbs 11:4 – Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
When God judges, the economy (whether national or personal) totally fails, and all that a person will have is who they are.
Proverbs 11:15 – He who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
Avoid entanglements with ungodly people.
Proverbs 11:18b – …but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
From Henry T. Blackaby — There are many ways to invest our lives, but none offers greater reward than devoting ourselves to the pursuit of righteousness. Every area of our lives should reflect the holiness of God that is ours by salvation: our thoughts, so that nothing we think about would be inappropriate for a child of God; our actions, so that our lives demonstrate that we serve a holy God; our integrity, so that we are above reproach in all our relationships. Are you taking God’s righteousness in your life for granted? Righteousness is something you must allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life. Instead of sowing holy thoughts, are you allowing evil and sinful thoughts to grow in your mind? Are you allowing lust to grow unchecked within you? Does enmity, bitterness, jealousy, or unforgiveness remain in your life? Jesus said if we seek first God and His righteousness, everything else will follow (Matt. 6:33). There is great reward in sowing righteousness. What are you presently doing to plant holiness in your life? (1 Pet. 1:15). How are you putting righteousness in your mind so that your thoughts are holy? How are you cultivating righteousness in your relationships so that you maintain your integrity? Are you instilling righteousness in your activities so that your life is above reproach? If you want to harvest righteousness in your life tomorrow, you must plant seeds of righteousness today.
Proverbs 11:24, 25 – One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
God gives richly to those who give freely. “Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 11 November 2023: Wait on the Lord today by trusting and obeying Him now, committing to trusting and obeying Him in the future, and by demonstrating unconditional love for others that is willing to suffer unfairness for the sake of reconciliation. Have the faith to deny self, take up your cross, and follow Jesus. (Psalm 130:5, 6)
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 