The Final Restoration ~ Raul Ries

“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.”

Jeremiah 31:31

God does keep His promises. He promised to never forsake Israel, and in the Millennial Kingdom we will see a prominent restoration of the people and nation.

The above scripture shows that God is not done with His people. There are many churches today who believe that God is through dealing with the Jews. In fact, these same churches believe that prophetic Scriptures such as the one above are referring to believers and not the Jewish people. However, God has promised that He will once again turn towards His people (the Jews) and bring them into a relationship with Himself. As Christians, we need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and love our Jewish brothers and sisters.

Thought for the Day:

In the end of age, the Jewish people will believe in Jesus Christ and will have His word in
their hearts.

The More Excellent Way of Love ~ WOW Bible in 7 minutes a day

The More Excellent Way of Love

1Corinthians 12-13; Psalm 119:137-138,144; Proverbs 22:6

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free-and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.

If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does notbehave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 12-13

WORSHIP

Righteous are You, O LORD,
And upright are Your judgments.
Your testimonies, which You have commanded,
Are righteous and very faithful.
The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting;
Give me understanding, and I shall live.
Psalm 119:137-138, 144

WISDOM

Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6

The deception of flattery ~ Mike MacIntosh

Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me? - Mark 12:13-15

We all need to be cautious of people who use flattery. We are called to be encouraging; we are to build each other up in the faith and be a source of encouragement to others--after all, it's a spiritual gift. Flattery, however, is something entirely different, even though, to the undiscerning, it sounds the same.

Flattery is all about abusing and manipulating your relationship with someone to get your own way. Initially it sounds good to hear flattering words, but after it's all said and done, those words of flattery are like a knife in the back. They're chock-full of pride, deceit, and selfishness. True encouragement is all about serving and lifting up someone else for their benefit, not yours.

The Pharisees and Herodians here are trying to get on Jesus' good side in hopes of finding a fatal flaw in His response. They try to "butter Him up" to make Him feel good about Himself in hopes that they will deceive Him into saying something He'd regret. Jesus sees their sinful plots and flattery and He cuts them to the quick with His response, "Why do you test Me?" In essence He's saying, "Don't you know that I can see through your deception and pride; you cannot use flattering words to get your way."

So take these words to heart in your own life. Don't use flattering words to get your way, or to manipulate a circumstance to your favor, or to align people to your ways or beliefs. Be a person of true, Godly encouragement towards others, not seeking glory or honor from anyone. Gladly, from a sincere and selfless heart, offer encouragement to everyone. And secondly, beware of those who try to use flattery on you. Be discerning and careful not to cave into the deception of others' flattery to wield their ways onto you. Be a person led by the Holy Spirit in all things, and treat others with the kindness respect that is due them.

Are you applying your leadership skills at home? (95-3) ~ Barry Werner

Are you applying your leadership skills at home? (95-3)

November 11th, 2009 in 2 Samuel, Authority, Old Testament, Power and Influence | leave a response

Every human being has leadership responsibility. Sometimes the sphere of influence is as small as our personal life or our family but the same principles apply for successful leadership at every level. Read 2 Samuel 16:1-18; 18.

It is hard to find a more tragic case study in the Bible of leadership-gone-bad than the story of David’s son Absalom. For all of David’s strengths as a leader, he failed as a leader in his own home. We see no indication from what is written in the Bible, that as a father, David helped Absalom acquire a heart for God.

Absalom grew up as a child of privilege in the palace. He was charismatic, attractive, and had great natural leadership gifts. Because David did not use his leadership gifts with his family the same way he did for the nation, Absalom’s inner circle of friends became his advisors and influenced his treachery by giving him bad counsel. When godly leaders do not use their influence to shape the thinking of those closest to them, it should not surprise them when people with different values shape their thinking.

Absalom’s abuse of positional power, won through great natural talent, inflicted a lot of pain on many Israelites. His lack of respect for authority, combined with a lack of respect for God, led to chaos in the kingdom. We can only wonder what might have happened had David applied his leadership skills in his own family and shed his tears before God seeking His help to shape Absalom’s values as a boy while under his roof rather than shedding those tears at his funeral (2 Samuel 18:33).

Are you applying your positive leadership influence in your family, with your friends, in your church or just at your workplace? Wise godly leaders use their influence in every area of their life not just their work life.

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Tags: Responsibility

« Is your effectiveness as a leader growing? (95-2)

Turn dial for a clear frequency ~ Jon Courson

Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
James 4:8-10

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. When? When you’re serious about seeking Him. The idea is to be serious about it, to turn off the TV, to take some time and make an effort. Why? Not because God is saying, ‘Only when you mourn and are afflicted will I speak to you.’ That’s not it at all. The purpose of mourning and cleansing is not so that God will speak — but to get me tuned into the right frequency so I can hear Him already speaking. Think of it this way ...

Right now, Channel 10 is broadcasting all sorts of words and images. But we aren’t tuned into the frequency. To get the picture, we’d have to take some time, bring in a TV, and put up the antenna. Would we do that to impress Channel 10 to send pictures our way? No. They’re already doing that constantly. We’d have to bring in a TV and put up an antenna simply to get us in the position to receive what’s already being broadcast from Channel 10 continually.

If people don’t read this passage right, they begin to say, ‘If we afflict ourselves like the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, if we slash our bodies and dance in a frenzy, God will speak,’ (I Kings 18). That’s not the heart of the Father. That’s the heart of a false god.

The purpose of washing your hands and humbling your heart implies quitting your normal activities and taking some time to get tuned into the proper frequency. Go to the park. Get away. Do whatever it takes to change your setting and say, ‘Lord, I’ve been tuned into work. I’ve been dialed into parenting. I’ve been positioned to pursue my hobbies. But now I’m taking time to hear from You because I know You’re broadcasting 24 hours a day, and I want to hear what You say.’

In Christ Alone ~ Jack Graham

For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.

-- James 2:10

People have all kinds of answers when they’re asked the question, “How do you know you are going to heaven when you die?”

They’ll say things like “I’ll go to heaven because I’ve been a good person,” or “I’ll go to heaven because I’ve always tried to do what’s right.”

Many people make the mistake of thinking that eternal life is based on who they are and what they do. And such was the case with the rich young lawyer in Luke 10. He boasted that he had kept all of the law from his youth… that he had never broken a commandment. But when Jesus challenged him with the greatest commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” suddenly his failure became evident.

You see, according to today’s verse, by breaking just one of God’s commandments he was guilty of breaking them all! Think about it this way. Imagine that you are dangling at the end of a chain over a great chasm. And each link in that chain represents a commandment of God. How many links have to break before you to fall to your death? Just one!

The Scripture teaches that every person is guilty of breaking all of the commandments of God. We are in desperate need of a Savior.

You cannot save yourself, but Jesus died so that you could have eternal life. If you never have, turn from your sin and receive the precious gift of salvation found only in him.

EVEN IF YOU BREAK JUST ONE LAW, YOU ARE GUILTY OF BREAKING ALL OF THEM.

Freed! to follow. ~ David McGee

2 Kings 22:1-2

"Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left." NKJV

Life Lesson

Christianity offers you the power to make a free choice.

Josiah's grandfather, Manasseh, and his father, Amon, were two of the worst kings of Judah. They killed prophets, sacrificed their children, and rebuilt places of idol worship - even placing them in the house of the Lord. Josiah chose to do differently. He chose to walk in the ways of the Lord. That is just it, friend. We get to choose. People will say that you are doomed to follow in the sins of your father. Josiah proves that is not the case. You may be predisposed to those sins, but you get to make the choice. Maybe you watched your father get drunk every day of his life - that does not mean you have to. Even when you choose not to walk in the sins of your mother or father, you will still have to deal with it just as Josiah did. You will have to make the decision of whether you follow or choose something better.

1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." NKJV

Maybe your father followed Jesus and lived his life for the Lord. If so, what an awesome privilege; those are great footsteps to follow. For others, their childhood was full of parental failures and disappointments. The trail blazed was bleak. Be encouraged. You may face the temptation my friend, but God has provided the means by which you can overcome and choose a better way. It would have been easier for Josiah to continue in the way that was paved by his father and grandfather; instead, he chose a better path. What path will you choose?

Dear Father,
Thank You for loving me even in my failures. Thank You for forgiving me. Help me to make wise decisions by looking to Your Word to receive Your counsel and instruction. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Surprise Attacks ~ Chuck Swindoll

1 Peter 5

As an ex-marine I am often the brunt of jokes told by ex-dogfaces and ex-swabbies. Since my outfit is viewed as the guys with more muscles than brains, the jokes usually portray leathernecks as disciplined yet dull, brawny oxen with IQs about six points above a plant. I heard another hilarious one last weekend at a men's conference I attended.

In America they say, "It's 10:00. Do you know where your children are?"

In France they say, "It's 10:00. Do you know where your wife is?"

In Italy they say, "It's 10:00. Do you know where your car is?"

In the marines they say, "It's 10:00. Do you know what time it is?"

Marines aren't the only ones notorious for being thick and tired of life. Evangelical Christians run a close second!

We get our theological ducks in a row, we make sure our eternal destination is sealed in a fireproof safe, we surround ourselves with a predictable schedule that protects us from contamination with the lost world, and then, like a 600-pound grizzly, we settle down for a long winter's snooze.

Only one problem. The battle continues to rage, no matter what the season. Whether we choose to believe it or not.

It is so easy to forget that our adversary, like our Advocate, neither slumbers nor sleeps. With relentless, unslacking energy . . . as sure as this morning's dawn, he's on the prowl, "seeking someone to devour" (1 Pet. 5:8).

He's been at it for centuries. By means of a brilliant strategy, an insidious scheme, he takes advantage of our mental dullness. Surprise attacks are his specialty.

Small wonder Jesus kept urging His followers to "be on the alert," to "watch," to "resist," to keep a clean crop, free of stuff that "chokes the word, making it unfruitful."

Why? Because you never know when you are in the crosshairs of the enemy's high-powered rifle. It could be today that you will be the target. When you least expect it . . . in the lazy days of summer, in the cool days of autumn, in the fog of false security, under the frost of a laid-back lifestyle.

He's looking for you. He's primed and ready to fire. And he doesn't wait for hunting season. In fact, as far as Satan is concerned, it's always open season on Christians.

Are you alert to the danger?

If you're going to stand firm in the faith, you can't be lying down.

The Power of Persistence ~ Charles Stanley

Philippians 3:10-14

Everyone desires success. Simply wanting it, however, won’t guarantee achievement. That’s why many people fail to reach their goal; they encounter hardship and give up. Let’s discuss one characteristic needed to accomplish what you set out to do.

Persistence is the combination of strong desire and willpower—it is the capacity to stay on course in the face of difficulty and refuse to quit. Paul exemplified this quality. He was passionate about sharing the gospel with both Jews and Gentiles across the known world. Acts 20:24 records his purpose, “ . . . that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.” Though he encountered tremendous obstacles like shipwreck, prison, physical punishment, and constant danger, the apostle never quit (2 Cor. 11:23-28).

What motivated Paul to persevere amidst struggles? First, he had a clear God-given goal and trusted that the Lord would enable him to achieve it. Second, the apostle felt indebted to share the life-changing truth of salvation. Third, he knew the devastation awaiting those who do not know Jesus.

Paul had his eyes fixed on his purpose, which he so valued that no circumstance could deter him. Ultimately, he achieved what almighty God had ordained.

The Father has great goals for our lives. Striving for anything less will neither fulfill us nor achieve what God has planned in our life. Once His direction is clear, we should passionately pursue God’s purposes with the Holy Spirit’s strength and guidance—especially when obstacles arise. Don’t give up!

Another Consequence of Accessing Grace through Faith ~ Bob Hoekstra

Who through faith…obtained promises. (Hebrews 11:33b)

In our current section of Scripture, we have begun to consider a summarized testimony of God's servants who experienced various consequences of accessing grace through faith. Two of these benefits were, they "subdued kingdoms" and "worked righteousness." These are wonderful realities, but these accounts show that relying upon the Lord can produce more consequences than these.

Another rich blessing that came from trusting in God was that they "obtained promises." Jeremiah, a mighty prophet of God, certainly experienced the benefit of fulfilled promises from the Lord. He was given a challenging call to root out and destroy entrenched ungodliness so that a fresh work of God might begin. "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant" (Jeremiah 1:9-10). The religious establishment would come strongly against him, but God promised to sustain and protect him. "'They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,' says the LORD, 'to deliver you'" (Jeremiah 1:19). The promised opposition surely came. "Therefore the princes said to the king, 'Please, let this man be put to death'…So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon…which was in the court of the prison" (Jeremiah 38:4, 6). More importantly, the promised rescue came as well. "So they pulled Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the dungeon. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison…then they sent someone to take Jeremiah from the court of the prison, and committed him to Gedaliah…that he should take him home. So he dwelt among the people" (Jeremiah 38:13; 39:14). Even more importantly, the Lord continued to speak to and through His servant in the midst of it all. "Now the word of the LORD had come to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the prison" (Jeremiah 39:15).

We may not have a prophetic calling exactly like Jeremiah. However, we are all called "to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude v. 3). If we faithfully respond, many will oppose us as well. We, too, will need to "obtain promises." We will need to rely upon God's promised protection. "He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'…So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:5-6).

Lord God of promises, I need to obtain Your promises. I need to entrust myself to Your promised work in my life. So, I look to You again, not only to protect me as I serve You daily, but also to sustain the ministry You have given to me, in Jesus' name, Amen.

Revealing Our Wrong ~ Bob Coy

Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?" John 18:23 (NKJV)

Christ's last night on earth was spent enduring a series of mock trials. The Jewish rulers of the day had made up their mind a long time before that they were going to execute Jesus. It wasn't a matter of if but of when. They were waiting for just the right opportunity to pounce...which they eventually did.

The rulers had Him arrested and brought before them so they could interrogate Him about His teachings. When Jesus drew their attention to the fact that His teachings were public and common knowledge, an officer walked up to Him and struck Him in the face. It was at this point that the Lord asked this searching question: "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?"

In this question, Jesus revealed a much deeper issue, an issue that pertains to all mankind. He was showing that there is something very wrong and irrational when it comes to the hateful reaction the world has toward Him.

Why do so many respond negatively towards Jesus? What has He done to deserve it? Who has advanced the cause of love, charity, and forgiveness more than Jesus? Who has had a more positive impact on this world than Him? It didn't make sense to strike Jesus that night so long ago, and it doesn't make sense when people do it today. His question is just as searching now as it was then, and it reveals that there's something wrong with us...not Him.

"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. (John 3:19-20 NKJV)

Discuss and share with your group a time recently when you witnessed a deep disdain for Jesus. What do you think caused that behavior? How did you react?

Dig into John 3:19–20. What does this verse communicate to you about the world in which you live? Why is it so essential that we understand this tension? How have you experienced the truth of this verse?

Decide to pray for those in your community who are rejecting the name of Jesus. As a group, intercede on their behalf, asking that the love of God be made manifest to them.

Grounded in Truth ~ Mark Balmer

Based on “What Satan Doesn’t Want You to Know” by Pastor Mark Balmer;

11/7-8/09, Message #MB395; Daily Devotional #2 - “Grounded in Truth”

Preparing the Soil (Introduction): An old and beautiful hibiscus bush was growing and flourishing in a yard about a block from the ocean. The owner died. The new owner wanted it gone, so he had someone dig it up to be discarded. The man who worked for the owner didn’t want to destroy something so beautiful, so he dug it up, wrapped the root ball in a plastic bag and took it home. It sat there for a few days until he was able to plant it. It appeared as if it would not survive. All the leaves were gone and it had gone into shock. The man watered it when he first planted it, but then he said to himself, “God and the rain will take care of the rest.” He watered it no more as he was too busy with other things. Someone else took notice of the new planting and began to water it everyday. This person watched over it and when the buds opened, the person was glad but cautious. There were no new leaves at first, and it looked as though it might not survive. Then one day, new green shoots appeared, and it was certain that the old transplanted bush had found a good home. Its roots were taking hold, the sun was shining, and the water was being supplied. While it had been uprooted and cut off from all life giving sources, it had been quickly dying. Satan’s goal is to separate the believer from the “life giving” Word of God. He wants us to believe we’re fine. Just as cut flowers with buds will still bloom, when in reality they are dead, cut off from all source of life giving nutrients, so Satan wants us to believe we don’t need to feast on the Word daily, and he certainly doesn’t want us to know that we can’t survive spiritually without it. But the truth is that the sun, soil, and water are to the hibiscus bush as the Word is to man. “…It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): Those who have accepted God’s Word as truth have been transplanted from certain death in the enemy’s realm to eternal life in God’s Kingdom. God has given us His Word to lovingly nourish us. His Word is our light, our good soil, our gentle rains, and our future. He guides our growth and stays close by to encourage us. He watches over His Word, and it does not return to Him without prospering (Isaiah 55:11). The enemy would love to dig us up and see us devoid of truth, and he can do that if he can get us out of God’s Word. He would set us by the side of the road and turn his back. Our roots would be exposed, and the sun would scorch instead of nourishing, the rain would wash away any clinging soil, the wind would blow away any remaining moisture, and certain death would come because the roots would no longer be planted in the soil. So it is when we are not planted in God’s Word on a daily basis. We must know the Word, so that we can hide it in our hearts (Psalms 119:11).

Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): It is so easy to set the Bible aside for a day or two, or three or four. Then, though we may still have a few buds that will bloom, but since we are cut off from our spiritual life source, one day there will be no more flowers blooming, and we discover ourselves uprooted and left along the roadside. Though we are parched and seemingly dead, God will rescue us if we call out to Him, and He will care for us with His very own hand. He will once again plant us firmly in His Word and give us grace and even greater mercy. It is not His will that any of us should perish (2 Peter 3:9). Jesus said that He would not lose even one person that God has entrusted to Him. We have choices, and God loves us with a greater love. Hope abounds, as does the truth of God’s Word. Get grounded in truth, and let Satan be the one left at the roadside. Know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:31-33)!

Cultivate (Additional Reading): John 6:32; Psalm 18:16 (MSG)

The Blessing of Conviction ~ Joyce Meyer

And when He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgment.
— John 16:8

Jesus told the disciples that when the Holy Spirit came, He would have an intimate, personal ministry to them. One of the things the Holy Spirit is responsible for is guiding believers into all truth, and He is the agent in the process of sanctification in believers' lives. This is partially accomplished by His convicting powers. In other words, every time we are getting off track or going in a wrong direction the Holy Spirit convicts us that our behavior or decision is wrong.

This is accomplished by a "knowing" in our spirit that what we are doing is not right. When you and I feel convicted, we should repent and change our direction. If we know how to and are willing to cooperate with the Holy Spirit, we can move on to spiritual maturity and release all the planned blessings of God in our lives. If, however, we ignore this conviction and go our own way, we will find the way very hard and difficult.

Satan does not want us to receive conviction, nor does he even want us to understand it. He always has a counterfeit for all the good things that God offers—something somewhat like what God offers, but which, if received, will bring destruction instead of blessing. I believe Satan's counterfeit for true godly conviction is condemnation. Condemnation always produces feelings of guilt. It makes us feel "down" in everyway. We feel "under" something heavy, which is where Satan wants us.

God, on the other hand, sent Jesus to set us free, to give us righteousness, peace, and joy (See Romans 14:17). Our spirits should be light and carefree, not oppressed and heavy with burdens that we are unable to bear. We cannot bear our sins; Jesus came to bear them. He alone is able to do so, and we must receive His ministry.

Lord of All ~ Greg Laurie

"A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
— Matthew 7:18–20


There are people today who say, "I am a Christian," but they are out getting drunk. They say, "I am a Christian," but they are having premarital sex or being unfaithful to their husband or wife. They say, "I am a Christian," but in their business, they lie to people every single day. They distort things. They take money that is not really theirs. There are a lot of people today who think they are Christians but are not, because they have not really changed. They are not living according to what the Bible teaches.

I am not saying that a Christian cannot sin. I am not saying that a Christian won't slip up. But I am saying that there is a big difference between a person who slips up, sins, is sorry for it, and wants to change and a person who lives in continual, willful, habitual sin.

The Bible says that if you live that way, you don't know God. Maybe the reason that some people have never really known the joy of the Lord is that they have never met the basic requirements of salvation. They think being a Christian is just having Jesus along for the ride. They don't realize that He wants to be their Lord and wants to lead and guide them. They don't realize that He has a distinct and unique plan and purpose for their lives.

Jesus Christ wants to be the Lord of every aspect of your life. He wants to be the Lord of your business, your free time, your relationships—the Lord of all. And if He is not Lord of all, then He is not Lord at all.

Twitter Proverbs from Rick Warren

• "Contradictions,sickness & all inner&outward torments r the chisel with which God carves His statues 4 paradise" St Ligouriabout 11 hours ago from web

• Love isnt letting people do whatever they want. That's often cowardice or apathy. Love cares enough to tell the truth.about 11 hours ago from web

• 1st task of leadership:Say thank you. 2.Ask great questions&listen! 3.Anticipate the UNINTENDED consequences of decisions.about 20 hours ago from web

• If the only people you think are brilliant are those you agree with, you still have a lot to learn.9:58 PM Nov 9th from web

• You have just enough time to do God's will.If u cant get it all done, you're doing the wrong thing or doing it the wrong way7:33 AM Nov 9th from web

• "How can you expect a man who's warm to understand one who's cold?" - Solzhenitsyn7:27 AM Nov 9th from web

• Today you can watch the International Civil Forum on the Peresecuted Church at Saddleback.http://bit.ly/jmE0z7:54 AM Nov 8th from web

• @joshinthe818 Hey Pastor Rick, I'm a church planter in Burbank! THANKS 4 LETTING ME KNOW JOSH! RW Who else out there?10:44 PM Nov 7th from web in reply to joshinthe818

• Today:The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Last yr 176,000 Christians were murdered 4 their faith.10:42 PM Nov 7th from web

• If you are a church planter, please let me know!10:24 PM Nov 7th from web

• Size doesnt attract.Love does.People shun cold churches & flock to where they're loved. Our 4,500 home groups give love!12:05 PM Nov 6th from web

• The greatest churches in history are yet to be built.Are u prepared to be used by God? Willing to pay the price? To be hated?12:00 PM Nov 6th from web

• It’s a myth that megachurches are going away.They’ll be LARGER & MORE of them in Next Gen due to multi-site & technology.11:52 AM Nov 6th from web

• We’ve planted over 40 churches but still needed multi sites as one answer for our own space needs.11:49 AM Nov 6th from web

• Multisites arent a substitute 4 planting churches but a cheaper strategy than building bigger to handle your growth.Do BOTH11:48 AM Nov 6th from web

• Other churches are family, not competition. We’ve helped 6 denominations plant in the Saddleback Valley. We love them all.7:11 AM Nov 6th from web

• In a democracy nobody gets their way all the time. Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose.7:02 AM Nov 6th from web

• Redefining marriage has lost in EVERY state(31)when PEOPLE got to VOTE on it -still media calls the majority view extreme?6:58 AM Nov 6th from web

• 280 of our young Hispanic pastors at Saddleback 4mentoring.We'll all speak Spanish in Heaven so u better start learning it!10:32 AM Nov 5th from web

• Never confuse prominence with significance.Your ministry has eternal significance, despite who knows about it now. 2Cor4:189:42 AM Nov 5th from web

Judgment And Restoration ~ Kay Arthur

Jeremiah, Part 1 (Return To Me)

Program 35 – Judgment And Restoration

Do you realize, Beloved, that a righteous holy God has to judge sin, and yet He doesn’t want to? He doesn’t want to bring that judgment. He doesn’t want to put you between a rock and a hard place. But whatever it takes to get you to turn around and not show Him your back, but show Him your face, then He will do it. He will do it for your good. He will also do it for His glory because He’s God.

There’s a Scripture that says [all day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient people]. (PARAPHRASE Isaiah 65:2) And if you look at the end of Jeremiah chapter 17 and you look at the beginning of Jeremiah chapter 18 what you see,Beloved, is God stretching out His hands, God trying to reach these people, God saying “If you will just do this.”

Remember in our last lesson we looked at the end of Jeremiah chapter 17 and you think, “Wait a minute, He’s talking about calamity and now He’s talking about the Sabbath and He’s telling them if you will honor the Sabbath then I’m not going to bring the enemy through the gates. The enemy’s not gonna be at your gate. Your own men from the tribe of Judah, from the house of David are gonna come riding through the gates. (See Jeremiah 17:24-27) I’m going to make you succeed if you will just keep My Sabbath.” It’s kind of strange, isn’t it?

Because all of a sudden God is talking about the Sabbath. Let’s go back to Jeremiah chapter 17, because I want you to see what He says here, I will read it to you. We talked about it. But He says in verse 21, “…Take heed for yourselves…do not carry any load on the sabbath day or [do not] bring anything…through the gates of Jerusalem.” (Jeremiah 17:21)

Now I mark every reference to the “sabbath” with a big “7”, and put a line through it like they do in Europe. But He’s telling them, He says “…it will come about…,” verse 24, “„…if you will listen attententively to Me‟ declares the LORD, „to bring no load…through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but to keep the sabbath day holy by doing no work on it, then there will come…through the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David….‟” (Jeremiah 17:24-25) Verse 26, “They will come from the cities of Judah and …the environs…,” the outlying regions, “…of Jerusalem…,” (Jeremiah 17:26) and then He tells all these places to bring “…sacrifices of thanksgiving to the house of [the LORD].” (Jeremiah 17:26)

Do you know what He’s saying? He’s saying this, and I want us to go full circle because we started this week with a timeline. We looked at the chart and we saw that God is saying that they are to obey Him, that there is “A…throne on high from the beginning [and it] is…our sanctuary.” (Jeremiah 17:12)

But they’re not listening. They won’t believe God. And what they end up saying, and you’re gonna see it, is: “It’s hopeless, it’s hopeless. We’ll just always be this way.” So He is trying to get their attention. So He reminds them of the Sabbath. Now when you study the Sabbath you’ve got to go back to Genesis chapter 2, verses 1 to 4. So let’s go there: Genesis chapter 2, verses 1-4. And it says, “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts.” (Genesis 2:1) Everything that needed to be done God had done in six days of creation. “By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done and…,” what did He do? “…He rested [on the Sabbath day] from all His work which He had done. (Genesis 2:2) Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which [He] had [done]....” (Genesis 2:3) All the work that He had created and made, it was done. It was finished and God rested.

So I want you to go back before Abraham, Isaac and Jacob on that chart. You say, “I don’t have that chart. I missed those days.” Go download it at “preceptsforlife.com” “preceptsforlife.com”. And before Abraham, Isaac and Jacob I want you to write “Genesis chapter 2, verses 1-4” and then put a big “7” with a line across it that represents the Sabbath. And what I want you to see is this Sabbath, this resting is the same thing that you’re doing when you come to God and make God your refuge. It’s the same thing when you make God and His throne your sanctuary. It means that you are acknowledging God. It means that you are trusting God. It means that you are depending on God. It means that you realize that God will keep His word.

Now when you go through the Scriptures on the Sabbath and you might want to write these down next to Jeremiah chapter 17 you might want to write down Exodus 20, verses 8-11, which is part of the Ten Commandments that you are to keep holy; the Sabbath.

And then in Exodus 31 in verses 12, this is what He says, then “The LORD spoke to Moses saying, „But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, „You shall surely observe My sabbaths…this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know…I am the LORD who sanctifies you.‟” (Exodus 31:12-13) “I’m the one that sets you apart. I’m the one that consecrates you.” He says, “Therefore you are to observe the sabbath…it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does…work on it, that person shall be cut off from…his people.” (Exodus 31:14) And He tells how “…The sons of Israel…,” verse 16, are to “…observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath [through] their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and…Israel forever….” (Exodus 31:16-17) Then you write down Leviticus 23, verses 1-3 and Numbers 15, verse 32.

And what you see is in every one of those books He is telling them about the importance of the— you are to keep the Sabbath. It is part of God’s commandments. Now in Hebrews chapter 3 in verse 4, chapter 3 and chapter 4, it shows that God has granted to us rest and that we are to honor that rest. There remains a “Sabbath rest.” (See Hebrews 4:9) And that rest is when we rest from our works, when we say: “God, I am trusting You.” Now what does that have to do with this week’s lesson?

Well God put it in Jeremiah chapter 17, and God is using that to direct our eyes towards His sovereign throne so that we can obey Him. God wants us to make sure that we understand that He is God. And that’s why in Jeremiah chapter 18: “The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD saying, „Arise…go down to the potter‟s house, and [then] I will announce My words to you.” (Jeremiah 18:1-2) So get up and go to the potter’s house. And it says, “Then I went…to the potter‟s house,and there was something on the wheel. But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter….” (Jeremiah 18:3-4)

Now he would work that wheel and he would have it there, but it’s marred in the hands of the potter. So what is the potter going to do? Well listen to what he says, “…So he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.” (Jeremiah 18:4) He’s sovereign. His sovereignty rules over all. And when it says he remade it into another vessel. The word is “shuv” “shuv”; we’ve looked at that. The word means “repent”. It means that there was a change.

“Then the word of the LORD came to me [Jeremiah] saying, „Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does…?‟” (Jeremiah 18:5-6) “Can I not do that?” He says in verse 6, “…Behold, like the clay in the potter‟s hand, so you are in My hand, O…Israel.” (Jeremiah 18:6) I’m the potter. You’re the clay. I’m the one that formed you. He says, “At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot…pull [it] down, or…destroy it.” (Jeremiah 18:7)

Now listen carefully America. God says I’m the Potter. I’m the Sovereign. I can do anything I want with the clay. Now He’s a loving Sovereign. And He is fair and He is just in all of His ways. But He is the Potter and He says, if I look at a nation and I decide, “Hey, I’m going to uproot that nation or I’m gonna pull down that nation, or I’m going to destroy that nation I can do what I want because I’m a Potter.”

Now listen, nowhere is America mentioned in prophecy, nowhere. Could this be the beginning of the end for America as we move into the last of the last days? Could it be that this great power, this great nation that all the nations looked up to, that all the nations in a sense determine their currency value by, could it be that this great nation is going to disintegrate? Because God has said to America, “You,” Ezekiel 14, (See Ezekiel 14:13) “have been unfaithful to Me. I’ve had you at the crossroads. I’ve had you at the crossroads. You’ve made your choice. You chose to elect a government that is for gay rights and for abortion. You’ve chosen. You’re in trouble.” Could that be what God wants America to know? We’ll talk about it more in just a minute.

Welcome back, Precious One. You know on the break I said to the crew, “Well that should bring some hate mail”. But I want to tell you something. I don’t say that because I hate you. I don’t say that because I am just being a self-righteous prude. I don’t say it because I’m homophobic. I say it because that’s what God says. And what I can say to you if you’re an adulteress, which is just as bad as homosexuality, if you are a homosexual, if you are a lesbian, you’re marred. But you know what? God’s in the business of remaking you. God’s in the business of reshaping you. And all you have to do is come to the Potter and say, “You’re the Potter. I’m the clay. I want to be a vessel to honor,” as Romans says when He talks about the clay. (See Romans 9:21) There are vessels “…to honour and [there are vessels]to dishonour.” (Romans 9:21, KJV) He says it again in 2 Timothy in chapter 2, [vessels to honor and vessels to dishonor]. (PARAPHRASE, 2 Timothy 2:20)

Listen, you were born a sinner, but you were not born a homosexual. You were not born an adulteress. You were born a sinner and you so gravitate to those things. You might gravitate to the same sex. You might gravitate to the opposite sex. Either one is sin in God’s eyes. And God wants to save you from your sin. The Bible says [whosoever commits sin is a slave of sin], (PARAPHRASE John 8:34) [but if the Son shall set you free you shall be free indeed]. (PARAPHRASE John 8:36)

So what He’s showing him now is, “Listen, keep the Sabbath. I’m the Potter. I can stop the judgment or I can bring it on.” He says “If that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil….” (Jeremiah 18:8) There is hope for America, if America will repent, if America will turn from its evil. “…I will relent…,” “nacham” “…concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it.” (Jeremiah 18:8) “N-a-h-u-m” what does that remind you of? Nahum the prophet who prophesies to Nineveh.

It reminds us of an earlier prophet by the name of Jonah that prophesies to Nineveh. When Jonah prophesies to Nineveh, there’s repentance. When Nahum prophesies to Nineveh, there’s not. He says “Or at another moment I might speak concerning a nation or…a kingdom to build [it] up or…plant it; [but] if it does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will think better of the good….” (Jeremiah 18:9-10) “Think better” is: “I will repent „…of the good with which I had promised to bless it.

So now then, speak to the men of Judah and against the inhabitants of Jerusalem saying, “Thus says the LORD, „Behold, I [God] am fashioning calamity….‟”‟ (Jeremiah 18:10-11) Remember Isaiah 45. [I’m the LORD. I create good, I create darkness. I create light; I create darkness; I create good; I create calamity.] (PARAPHRASE Isaiah 45:7) He says “…I am fashioning calamity against you and devising a plan [to] you….” (Jeremiah 18:11) And yet, what does He say? “…Oh turn back [turn back], each of you from his evil way….” (Jeremiah 18:11)

It doesn’t have to be the whole nation. It’s each of you, individually “…reform your ways and your deeds.” (Jeremiah 18:11) You see your deeds show what you are about. He says, “But they will say, „It‟s hopeless...!” (Jeremiah 18:12) “No, it’s hopeless.” “…We are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of [our] evil heart.‟” (Jeremiah 18:12) “I’m not coming back. It’s hopeless.” “„Therefore thus says the LORD, “Ask now among the nations, who ever heard [of a thing] like…this? The virgin of Israel has done a…appalling thing. Does the snow of Lebanon forsake the rock of the open country…?” No. “…Is the cold flowing water from a foreign land ever snatched away?” (Jeremiah 18:13-14) No. “„For My people have forgotten Me, they burn incense to worthless gods…they have stumbled from their ways, from the ancient paths, to walk in bypaths….‟” (Jeremiah 18:15)

Remember He’s talked about “Take the ancient ways, take the ancient paths.” America, go back to your days of morality. America, go back to your laws that punish crime and go back to your morality where you stop Hollywood from showing all these awful things. He says, “To make their land a desolation, an object of perpetual hissing….” (Jeremiah 18:16) “Ssssss”, listen to them. “…Everyone who passes it by will be astonished and shake his head. Like [the] east wind I will scatter them before the enemy; I will show them My back and not My face….” (Jeremiah 18:16-17)

It’s just the opposite of the blessing in Numbers 6, where He is saying: “Make Your face to shine upon us.” (See Numbers 6:25) “…„I will show them My back…in the day of...calamity.‟ Then they said, „Come on let[’s] devise [a] plan against Jeremiah….” (Jeremiah 18:17-18) And see this is what people are doing. The homosexuals, the abortionists are devising plans against those that are speaking the Word of God and speaking the truth of God. Things haven’t changed have they? They say, “…Surely the law is not going to be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the sage [to the wise], nor the divine word to the prophet! Come…and let us strike at him with our tongue, and let us give no heed to any of his words.” (Jeremiah 18:18)

And then he says, “Do give heed to me, O LORD…listen to what my opponents are saying! Should good be repaid with evil? …Remember how I stood before You to speak good on their behalf, so as to turn away Your wrath [on] them.” (Jeremiah 18:19-20) “I tried to stop.” “Therefore—” they didn’t listen. It doesn’t say they didn’t listen. But He says, “Therefore, give their children over to famine and deliver them up to the power of the sword…let their wives become childless and widowed. Let their men be smitten to death, their young men struck down by the sword in battle. May an outcry be heard from their houses, when You suddenly bring raiders upon them….” (Jeremiah 18:21-22) Ah! They’re crying. He says “…for they have dug a pit to capture me [they have] hidden snares for my feet.” (Jeremiah 18:22)

Do you feel like that, Beloved? Because you’ve stood for righteousness. Jeremiah understands. He says, “Yet You…LORD, know all their deadly designs against me; do not forgive their iniquity or blot out their sin from Your sight. But may they be overthrown before You; [and] deal with them in the time of Your anger!” (Jeremiah 18:23)

“This is what I’m asking You to do, Lord. You stretched out Your hands. You’ve bid them to come and they have not come. They’ve refused. They’ve dug in their heels. They have said it’s hopeless. It won’t do any good. So Lord, bring Your judgment on them. Let them scream when the raiders overtake their house. Let them mourn their children because they would not accept You. They, O God, would not come to Your majestic throne high. The one that’s been there from the beginning. They would not bow the knee. They would not repent. They would not relent of their evil deeds. And so God, Your righteousness, Your holiness, demand Your judgment on them.

And you know what God?” Jeremiah’s saying, “I agree with You. I’m before Your throne. I know You. I trust You. You’ll do what’s right.”

The Poison of Death—Pride ~ Bob Caldwell

The Poison of Death—Pride OBADIAH 1:3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, 'Who will bring me down to the ground?' "Pride comes before the fall," we are told by Solomon in the book of Proverbs. When pride takes root in our hearts, it always has its intoxicating impact: self-inflicted deception about ourselves, those around us, and God Himself. We become in our own way like an eagle that foolishly thinks he's so great he can ascend to the stars to make his nest (v. 4). We think we will go beyond the prideful who have gone before us. They may have stumbled and fallen, but we will not, we say to ourselves. In this book, the Edomites basically put a bright bull's-eye on their foreheads the day they let their inflated view of themselves defy God Himself as they displayed their arrogance against Israel. When Edom saw the fall of the Jewish people, they gloated over it. When they saw the Jews taken as slaves to the land of the Babylonians, they rejoiced (v. 12). But Edom would one day learn the ageless truth that we all reap, in due season, what we have sown (v. 15). Those who mock the weak, who take pleasure in the failure of their enemies, and who condemn the sinful one day will know what that feels like. History has proven this to be true, not only in what befell Edom, but to this very hour in the countless souls who live in heartless arrogance. It's really not that complicated. God could not be clearer when He promises to resist the proud yet give grace to the humble. When He says He will lift up the humble, yet bring down the proud, He means it. There's a reason Jesus described Himself as One who was "meek and lowly." The poison of pride is what turned the most beautiful of angels into the Devil. It was the mesmerizing force of pride that drew Adam and Eve away from the abundance of the Garden of Eden into a land of sweat and thorns. Pride promised them they would become gods; instead, they became slaves to sin. Let wisdom call you each day to Jesus Christ. Receive the antidote for the poison of pride—a fresh supply of the life of our meek Savior, Jesus Christ. If not, pride will do its deceptive work and those of us who think we fly as an eagle among the stars, above even God Himself, will one day see just how far the mighty can fall.
Obadiah 1:1-21 The Coming Judgment on Edom 1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom (We have heard a report from the LORD, And a messenger has been sent among the nations, saying, "Arise, and let us rise up against her for battle"): 2 "Behold, I will make you small among the nations; You shall be greatly despised. 3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, 'Who will bring me down to the ground?' 4 Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down," says the LORD. 5 "If thieves had come to you, If robbers by night— Oh, how you will be cut off!— Would they not have stolen till they had enough? If grape-gatherers had come to you, Would they not have left some gleanings? 6 "Oh, how Esau shall be searched out! How his hidden treasures shall be sought after! 7 All the men in your confederacy Shall force you to the border; The men at peace with you Shall deceive you and prevail against you. Those who eat your bread shall lay a trap for you. No one is aware of it. 8 "Will I not in that day," says the LORD, "Even destroy the wise men from Edom, And understanding from the mountains of Esau? 9 Then your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, To the end that everyone from the mountains of Esau May be cut off by slaughter. Edom Mistreated His Brother 10 "For violence against your brother Jacob, Shame shall cover you, And you shall be cut off forever. 11 In the day that you stood on the other side— In the day that strangers carried captive his forces, When foreigners entered his gates And cast lots for Jerusalem— Even you were as one of them. 12 "But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother In the day of his captivity; Nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah In the day of their destruction; Nor should you have spoken proudly In the day of distress. 13 You should not have entered the gate of My people In the day of their calamity. Indeed, you should not have gazed on their affliction In the day of their calamity, Nor laid hands on their substance In the day of their calamity. 14 You should not have stood at the crossroads To cut off those among them who escaped; Nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained in the day of distress. 15 "For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head. 16 For as you drank on My holy mountain, So shall all the nations drink continually; Yes, they shall drink, and swallow, And they shall be as though they had never been. Israel's Final Triumph 17 "But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, And there shall be holiness; The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. 18 The house of Jacob shall be a fire, And the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau shall be stubble; They shall kindle them and devour them, And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau," For the LORD has spoken. 19 The South shall possess the mountains of Esau, And the Lowland shall possess Philistia. They shall possess the fields of Ephraim And the fields of Samaria. Benjamin shall possess Gilead. 20 And the captives of this host of the children of Israel Shall possess the land of the Canaanites As far as Zarephath. The captives of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad Shall possess the cities of the South. 21 Then saviors shall come to Mount Zion To judge the mountains of Esau, And the kingdom shall be the LORD's.
Obadiah 1:1-21 Obadiah – means "servant of God" v. 1 Vision – The prophets often use this term to indicate a revelation from God to the prophet in one form or another. Edom – The name used to refer to the descendants of Esau, who was the son of Isaac and twin brother of Jacob. As with Esau and Jacob there was great animosity between Edom and Israel. In the book of Amos, God singles Edom out in His judgments against the nation specifically for their violent tendencies toward Israel, their brother (Amos 1:11-12). v. 2 small – God promises to make Edom the least of all the nations because of their vile treatment of Israel and Judah (the Northern and Southern kingdoms). God made a covenant with Abraham, "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you" (Gen 12:3). Here we are witnessing God's faithfulness to His promises to His people. greatly despised – baza (Heb.) This word goes beyond an emotional disregard for someone, but there is a scorning, an assignment of shame and a great jeering/lack of respect for Edom from the surrounding nation (Jer. 49:17). This is the curse placed upon Edom for their deeds against Israel. v. 3 deceived by the pride of your heart – Edom was exceedingly confident in themselves and glorified their skills of war in the hills. In their minds they were unable to be defeated in the mountains, for it was their home and the terrain was to their advantage. They are so blinded by their own arrogance that they didn't believe it was possible for them to be defeated. v. 4 "I will bring you down," says the Lord – Although the war may be carried out by men from the surrounding nations, Edom's fight will not be against flesh and blood. According to Obadiah's statement in verse four, their fight is against Almighty God, who promises to defeat them. v. 5 Thieves and gleaners – When raiders would attack villages and loot homes, they would take their fill and only leave what they could not carry away. Likewise harvesters in ancient Israel would leave sections of the crops unharvested for the poor, who were called gleaners. These gleaners would then come and have their fill of what they could find left over from the harvest. cut off! – This phrase is referring to Edom's utter annihilation. There would be nothing left over after their enemies come to destroy them. Notice the comparison between thieves and harvesters in Edom and their imminent destroyers. Thieves and harvesters leave some of what is valuable that others might glean from what was left over. Edom's enemies will leave nothing. v. 7 Confederacy – "Those who eat your bread…" It was international etiquette for nations at peace to share meals together. Edom had several allies with whom these sorts of treaties were shared. It appears that it is this relationship with the surrounding nations that causes Obadiah to infer an Edomite "confederacy." v. 8 Wise men – Edom had a reputation for having wise men dwell in its mountains. Jeremiah in his pronouncement of God's judgment on Edom addresses their foolish actions by inquiring of Edom's wisdom. "Is wisdom no more in Teman?" (Jer. 49:7) v. 9 Teman – Teman was one of Esau's grandsons and was the actual name of a city in Edom's southern region. Teman's father was Eliphaz, the firstborn of Esau (Gen. 36:9-11). Here it is used synonymously with Edom. v. 10 Your brother Jacob – This expression doesn't merely speak of a people who share a common territory. It is a literal reference to the blood ties of the children of Esau and Jacob. Isaac, son of Abraham, and Rebekah had a set of twins who we know to be Esau and Jacob. As brothers their descendants would be blood tied as Edom and Judah. v. 11 on the other side – This verse is referring to Judah's days of distress as their neighbors would attack and pillage them. It gives us insight to the unthinkable act of Edom joining forces with Judah's hostile neighbors to plunder their brothers (Ps. 83:5-8). cast lots – Used as a way of dividing up Jerusalem's plunder. v. 12 gazed on the day – ra'ah (Heb.), meaning "enjoyable observation." Edom not only laughed aloud at Judah's destruction but joyfully took an active role in their brother's demise. spoken proudly – literally, "You should not have made big your mouth." v. 13 The day of their calamity – This refers to God's judgment upon Judah for their rebellions against Him. Babylon, by the rule of Nebuchadnezzar, carried out this destruction. laid hands on their substance – It was common that a raid on a city would involve looting. This is proof that Edom had full part in Babylon's oppression against Jerusalem. v. 14 stood at the crossroads – This suggests Edom's deliberate attempt to stand in the way of their brother's escape from destruction. delivered them up – Edom didn't just stand in the way of their brother's escape. They pursued them, collected the escapees, and handed them over to their oppressors. v. 15 day of the LORD – This is synonymous with "day of calamity" in v. 13. It refers to the day of God's judgment. In v. 13, this judgment is poured out on Judah by the Babylonian raiders. Here in v. 15, this prophecy refers to the impending judgment upon all the nations that mishandled God's people in Judah and Israel. Your reprisal shall return – God promises that Edom's vengeful acts shall come back upon them. Here the prophet give us a practical example of what Jesus taught, "and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you" (Matt 7:2). v. 16 as you drank – This phrase was a common word picture to describe the pouring out of God's wrath (Jer. 25:15-16). Jesus uses this phrase in the garden just before He goes to the cross (Matt. 14:36). v. 17 Mount Zion (My Holy Mountain) – These are both phrases for the city Jerusalem. This is the prophetical location that God will reestablish his presence on the earth (Zech. 1:16-17). v. 18 The house of Jacob and the house of Joseph – These two houses are mentioned together by Obadiah in a time where the kingdom of Israel was split into two. The largest tribe of Israel was Judah, which resided in the southern portion of the kingdom. Then there was the tribe of Ephraim (the son of Joseph), which resided in the northern portion of the kingdom (Israel). Obadiah is referring to the totality of Israel in this verse. Esau shall be stubble – God has spoken His judgment upon Edom. It appears that Judah and Israel will have their chance to devour Edom once and for all. v. 19 The South…Lowland…Benjamin – What is pictured here is the reclamation of Israel's traditional territories. The "South" here is the Southern Kingdom of Judah. They shall possess the land of Edom. The Lowland is the lower hills in Judah. In gaining Philistia, the fields of Ephraim and Samaria, they would win back what the Assyrians had taken form them. Lastly the tribe of Benjamin would take back the territory between Bethel and Jerusalem called Gilead. v. 20 captives of this host – Refers to the exiled people of Israel who were carried away captive by the Babylonians. "Captives of Jerusalem" signifies the same. They shall return to inhabit their land again. v. 21 saviors – suggests deliverers, heroes, or those who will bring salvation from their enemies (Neh. 9:27)
"The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, 'Who will bring me down to the ground?'" –Obadiah 1:3 We pray to remember that You, Jesus, the One who created all of creation, the One who gives us salvation and the One whom we serve and seek to be like, did not live pridefully while here on Earth. You came to serve the poor, sick, injured, and hurting. You did not display pride, and You condemned it in those who pretended to serve You. Give us hearts like Yours, Jesus. Erase the pride in our hearts, Lord.
Outreach Ministry Having a pastor that travels and takes time away from our home can seem strange, but to be able to send him out as an extension of one family to another is a joy that we all share in. After his recent trip to a leadership conference in Montreal, we received the following email, "Everything went beautifully. God has been so faithful to us as He used your pastor and his beautiful wifeto be a true encouragement to our fellowship. They are wonderful, loving people. Thank you for all your help. God bless you." Prayer Points for Pastor Bob and his family as they travel to share the love of Jesus with others in our nation and our world for health, provision, and refreshment for Pastor Bob as he oversees efforts in India in November for the Lord to continue to speak to his heart, for the Lord to keep him from pride, and for him to daily surrender his will and his plans to the Lord