One Year Bible - October 27

JEREMIAH 51:1-53                                                                                                              
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF JUDAH: They violated the "everlasting covenant". (Isa 24:5) They had "forgotten" God (Jer 3:21).   (Jer 3:13) They disobeyed God.   In fact, the people plotted to overthrow God's influence and to undermine God's Voice and God's Word! They had compromised with the heathen and blended in. They were idolaters, preferring their substitutes (Queen of Heaven) and counterfeits to the living God! (Jer 2:12-13) They satisfied themselves with "broken cisterns", having forsaken God, "the fountain of living waters".

REASONS FOR THE JUDGMENT OF BABYLON the dwelling place for dragons: Bab Killed the prophets, murdered God's elect gleefully, arrogantly strove against the Lord, were enamored with their idolatry, blasphemously assumed power not theirs.  God said, "I am against you, O proud one and your day has come." (Jer 50:31)  Babylon would sink and never rise again (Jer 51:64).  "Like lambs to the slaughter" (Jer 51:40). The destruction will be so complete that it will make the whole earth shudder!

RESPONSE:  What makes people "forget" God and prefer substitutes?  Even substitutes and counterfeits that don't give any satisfaction?  We have three basic needs that we must trust God to fill:security; power; and status (wanting to feel like a person and not just a number)  And so they made unholy alliances with the surrounding nations, worshipped their heathen gods, even compromised it all and married their women - - - looking to meet their basic needs with substitutes! 

Jesus reassured us in John 7:37-39 that we could come and drink - "living water" - FREELY.  If we draw near to Him, He promises to draw near to us so that we can drink in His Presence. (Jam 4:8)  He comes to us ("draws near") with intensity, like a gushing fountain, without holding back.  WHOOSH!!!  The "living waters" come.   As we turn from our substitutes and couterfeits, and turn toward God, this is repentance.   He washes us first thing.  We do this anytime, and as much as we want.   Jer 2:11-13 says that heaven is appalled when we don't!  When we DISbelieve the grace of God to satisfy our hunger and thirst, we end up empty and desperate to find something that will ease the pain of being empty - and end up filling ourselves with substitutes.   We can LIVE in a GUSHER of the Life of God. WHOOSH!!!  We don't have to live with emptiness, despair or loneliness.  Jer 17:13 - God is the "fountain of life".  He gushes on us with love, His power, His goodness, His kindness, His power, His wisdom, His beauty, His protection, His sufficiency, His holiness, His righteousness.   Remember, God told Jeremiah that He wears us like underwear! (Jer 13:11)  We'll be so close that our counterfeits with disgust us.  The more we satisfy ourselves with God, the more our unwanted behaviors will drop off. We don't spend our energy trying to stop unwanted behavior, but in "abiding" (connecting ) to God. Anything less and we are doomed to failure. Jeremiah 31:25, "For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul." 

TITUS 2:1-15 (Be sure to read yesterday's blog about Titus) LIVING GODLY             
THE ATTACK! (against the invasion of the church by UNGODLINESS)  Chapter 1 said first of all to set godly examples in front of people, who would demonstrate true godliness.  But, even with that, be sure to guard against "rebellious talkers and deceivers - false teachers", whose behavior is no different than that of "outsiders". They must be attacked with TRUTH.

Chapter 2: Show them how its done in the context of daily life and routine! Our behavior is a manifestation of what we really believe (our doctrine) (Prov 23:7), so it is important WHAT we believe.  "Godliness" can be defined as "behavior that adorns the Gospel (actual word used in the original language for "Gospel" is "doctrine") in all things" (Titus 2:10).  This word "adorn" means to prevent harm, to garnish in harmony with its purpose, to make a thing look desireable, to put in order.  What "adorns" the Gospel? V.7-8 say it is our "pattern of good works, showing integrity, honesty, sincerity, and speech that can't be condemned".  We must never say or do anything that makes the Gospel, the Church, or Jesus look bad! 

HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? Titus 2:11-14 tell us it is by "God's grace", which is His sufficiency, His might, and His power.  I like to define "Grace" as "God's willingness to use His power and ability on our behalf."   Grace brings us salvation, that is, we are no longer rooted in independence, but are grafted into Jesus Christ, who lives in us. Grace does more than bring us salvation from sin, it frees us from the POWER of sin.  As Christians, we only sin because we want to.  Grace, on the other hand,  teaches or trains us how to live godly.  We don't try harder; we train better.  Sanctification and purity are a series of new HABITS.  Habits are our "defaults" - what we do under pressure.  It is important to train new godly habits into us BEFORE we get pressured, BEFORE we are tempted to get angry, get afraid, wallow in self-pity, etc., etc.  Rom 12:21 says we don't simply overcome bad habits (evil); we overcome evil with good.  For example, to overcome a critical spirit, we express gratitude constantly (1Thess 5:18).  To do this, we must express our thankfulness and praise to God for His goodness and His greatness (1 Thess 5:16-18), especially when we don't feel like it.  We are forming a new habit of godliness and God will help us.  God has "redeemed us from iniquity" - "Iniquity" is when we know the truth, are warned by the Holy Spirit, and then sin anyway!  This is why it is so important that we "look for that blessed hope" - Christ's glorious appearing because it keeps us accountable for our behavior. 

RESPONSE:  When I worked in a secretarial position at a university, I made a little sign that I put on my computer that said, "Never make Jesus look like a jerk."  I knew that most of the people around me knew almost nothing about the Gospel except what I demonstrated. That meant that my life had to "adorn the Gospel".  We are supposed to manifest Jesus' compassion on people, Jesus' integrity, Jesus' transparency, patience, mercy, etc. etc.  The key to that lifestyle is to get out of the way, and let Jesus live His life in us.  We don't try harder, we train better - and our efforts go into learning to connect quickly with God, our source of power, might, and sufficiency.   And I connect thru praise, prayer and thanksgiving (say it, whisper it, sing it, shout it, get excited bout it). (1 Thess 5:16-18) Anyone who knows me, knows that I can't produce any kind of Christian life. I must draw from Jesus Who is in me.

PSALM 99:1-9                                                                                                                      
IMPORTANT:  Please refer back to the background information of Psalm 90-106: the "Numbers" Psalms - "Labouring" to enter in to God's Rest."   HOW do we achieve "GOD'S REST" (Heb 3 and 4)? We give thanks and praise to God for His goodness, greatness and glory.  We must not "oppose God" when He rescues us from temptation. We submit, obey, and thank Him and praise Him out loud, and experience being lifted up.

Psalm 99: "Holy, holy, holy". (v. 3, 5, 9)  We exalt the Lord: give Him preeminence in our hearts because He is absolutely HOLY, and even tho He judges unbelief, He also forgives without losing any of His holiness. "Holiness" refers to "distinction and separation".  God Himself defined it in Exodus 13:2 by saying "It is Mine".  "Holiness" implies consecration - something set-apart for a specific purpose, in this case, to give God pleasure.  God's throne, God's Kingdom, God's masterplan are all founded upon and administered in HOLINESS.  He is worthy of praise; God is absolutely faithful and He has absolute integrity.  Everything about God is separate and distinct.  And His saints belong to Him - are set-apart to give Him pleasure. 

PROVERBS 26:17                                                                                                              
Interfering in someone else's disagreement when not invited can be dangerous.  Stay out of things that don't concern you.  MYOB .

RESPONSE:  On the other hand, don't be afraid to get involved in other people's troubles when you are asked and the Holy Spirit says "go". Jesus DID say, "blessed are the peacemakers." (Mat 5:9)  Just remember that even if you are asked for help, they might not really want it when you give it, and you may still get bitten.