The Davidic Throne ~ Raul Ries

“He shall build a house for My name,
and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever.”
2 Samuel 7:13

At the second coming of Christ, David will rise from the dead and reign with Christ as a prince over the house of Israel, serving His people like a shepherd caring for its sheep.

Psalm 89 links the second coming of Christ and His reign with the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant. The psalm states that in spite of the sins of Israel, David’s posterity will be established on the throne forever. This should give us hope. David failed tremendously before God, committing vile sins, yet the Lord forgave his repentant confession and promised him a glorious future. The same holds true for us. Though we may fail miserably, God will hear our repentant confession and give us a great future as well.

Thought for the Day:

“I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn to my servant David: ‘Your seed I will establish forever, and build up you throne to all generations.’”

--Psalm 89:3-4

Last Call Difficulties

Last Call and all associated sites are experiencing JavaScript issues which may or may not involve

Google.

If you are experiencing difficulties this week Viewing the site, We apologize and are working on temporary

solutions to rectify the current tech issues.

God Bless and God keep you as you discover who Jesus is and how real He can be in your life as you grow closer to Him, daily.

Michael James Stone

Principles of Giving and Warnings of False Prophets ~ WOW the Bible in 7 minutes a day

Principles of Giving and Warnings of False Prophets

2Corinthians 8:10-15; 9:6-11:4,12-15; Psalm 120:5-7; Proverbs 22:29

And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack-that there may be equality. As it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack."

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written:

"He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever."

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ-who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ's, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ's, even so we are Christ's. For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed-lest I seem to terrify you by letters. "For his letters," they say, "are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible." Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present.

For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us-a sphere which especially includes you. For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ; not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men's labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's sphere of accomplishment.

But "he who glories, let him glory in the LORD." For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly-and indeed you do bear with me. For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted-you may well put up with it!

But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

2 Corinthians 8:10-15; 9:6-11:4, 12-15

WORSHIP

Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech,
That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
My soul has dwelt too long
With one who hates peace.
I am for peace;
But when I speak, they are for war.
Psalm 120:5-7

WISDOM

Do you see a man who excels in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before unknown men.
Proverbs 22:29

Living stones ~ Jon Courson

Ye also, as lively stones are built up a spiritual house …
1 Peter 2:5

That we are living stones who are being built up, or fit together, as a spiritual house brings to mind a most interesting Scripture ...

And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building (1 Kings 6:7).

When Solomon’s Temple was being constructed, all of the chiseling, hammering, cutting, and chipping was done underneath the old city of Jerusalem so that when the stones were taken to the Temple Mount, they could be fit together in silence.

We’re living stones being fit together for an eternal temple in heaven. This life is the quarry — which explains why we always feel like we’re being chipped and chiseled. ‘Why am I next to this blockhead?’ you ask or ‘Why are they part of the family?’

Because as living stones, we constantly rub against each other, knocking rough edges off each other in the process. You see, God puts us right next to the very people He knows will smooth us down so He can build us up into a temple for His glory.

The problem is I try to get away from the blockhead I’m rubbing up against. But because God puts us in fixes to fix us, He puts us with people and in situations He knows will shape us most effectively. So if I try to fix the fix God put me in, He will be faithful to put me in another fix to fix the fix He wanted to fix in the first place!

If we don’t learn this, we’ll go from fix to fix until finally we say, ‘OK, Lord. I’m not going to try to fix this or wiggle out of that, but I’m going to embrace and accept where You have me because I know You’re doing a work on me, shaping me for eternity.’

Love Rules ~ Mike MacIntosh

Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?" Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But after that no one dared question Him. - Mark 12:28-34

God loves you so much, and He made it really easy to live for Him. All you need to do is love Him. This is the first, and greatest, commandment. Christianity isn't about laws, rules, regulations, and religious activities. It's all about our love for Him. It's all about our heart-felt desire to please Him. And when we fall in love with Him, then we start falling in love with the Bible (His written word to you), and with prayer (His verbal communication with you), and for the world around us that so desperately needs His love.

It's one thing to say those words, though; it's another thing to believe them and to live them out. In this passage we see religious scribes who believed what Jesus said was accurate, but they didn't take it to heart or live it out in their lives. You see, it's easy to simply state that something is true, but it takes faith to truly believe it and to change the way you live your life. The scribes weren't ready for that kind of commitment--isn't that sad? They weren't really ready to love God and to love people. What's left? Loving yourself, and loving your own desires and plans. But who would want to be around such prideful, selfish people who only loved themselves and thought that they were the cat's meow? Jesus said that we are honored and blessed when we put God first and others ahead of ourselves. That's right; serving and loving go hand in hand. God loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son. We should love God so much that we're willing to die to self and live for Him. We should love our Lord so much that we're willing to serve and minister to one another.

The greatest gift God has given you is His love. You don't need money, or good looks, or "potential," or any other trait. You have the ability, by faith, to love Him and love each other. And what better way to live your life than to have assurance that the God of the universe loves you unconditionally. Start living your life to the fullest and love Him with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Prize in hand - see Jesus cheering at the finish! ~ Jack Graham

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

-- 1 Corinthians 9:24

The book of Hebrews tells us that as Christ-followers, you and I are running a great race. And I want to tell you something about this race. It is not a sprint. No, the race called the Christian life is a marathon… combined with an obstacle course!


Now, that will surprise you if you think that the Christian life should be easy. But easy things don’t build our character or build endurance. God wants you to be strong and healthy so you can love and serve him.


So he has you in a race… but you are in control of how you run!


Some people limp along, starting and stopping, trying to decide whether the race is worthwhile. Others run strong for a while only to get distracted or to stumble out of the race all together.


So what kind of race are you running? Are you running like you don’t care if you finish? Or are you running, like Paul said, “To receive the prize”?


I urge you, make your race count. Hold nothing back. Don’t wimp out. Run with joy and for his approval alone all the way to the finish line so that you might hear him say, “Well done!”

ARE YOU JUST LIMPING ALONG THE RACE OF LIFE? OR ARE YOU RUNNING TO WIN?

It's all about Jesus ~ David McGee

John 3:30

He must increase, but I must decrease.
NKJV

Life Lesson

It's all about Jesus.

This saying was true for John the Baptist when speaking of Jesus and it is true for us today. As Christians, we should be learning about the Lord. What does the Lord want? What does He desire and how can I serve Him? Instead we often think: 'What can God do for me?' We ask, 'What can the church do for me?' or 'Why don't they understand it's all about me?' This church is focused on the Lord. We worship the Lord and we learn about the Lord. We serve the Lord. As we focus on the Lord, He blesses us and draws us closer to Him.

When we gaze at our wounds, our pains and our needs, we delay and may even prevent our healing. The spiritual things of life - Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness self-control and the practical things of life... If we will take the time to really focus on the Lord, then all these things will be added unto us. We will receive our healing, our forgiveness, the joy unspeakable and the peace that passes all understanding. It's all about Jesus.

Dear Father,
Thank You for loving me so much You sent Jesus to die on the cross for my sins. Forgive me for times when I've lost focus and become self absorbed. Empower me to let go of my own and seek Yours. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Finding a Refuge ~ Chuck Swindoll

Joshua 20

The law of supply-and-demand is something we face every day. Because there are those who need, there must also be those who provide. There are employers and employees. There are counselors and counselees. There are teachers and teachees (I couldn't resist).

But it breaks down when it comes to refugees. There aren't enough "refugers" to meet the demand.

Back in the days when the Hebrews settled in Canaan, they set up cities of refuge. People who were in danger—even those guilty of wrongdoing—could escape to one of these six cities and find personal relief and refreshment.

Don't misunderstand. These weren't sleazy dumping grounds for hardened criminals. These were territories dedicated to the restoration of those who had made mistakes. People who had blown it could flee to one of these places of refuge and not have those inside throw rocks at them.

Today, we have lots of places to meet and sing. To pray. To hear talks from big wooden pulpits. To watch fine things happen. Yes, even to participate occasionally in the action. But where is the place of refuge for those whose lives have gotten soiled in the streets?

More often than we want to admit, we're bad Samaritans. We're notorious for not knowing what to do with our wounded. Getting in there and cleaning up those ugly wounds and changing bloody bandages and taking the time to listen and encourage, well . . . let's be practical, we're not running a hospital around here.

That makes good sense until you or I need emergency care. Like when you discover your husband is a practicing homosexual. Or your unmarried daughter is pregnant and isn't listening to you. Or your parent is an alcoholic. Or you get dumped in jail for shoplifting. Or you blew it financially. Or you lost your job and it's your own fault. Or your wife is having an affair. Or your dad or mom or mate or child is dying of cancer.

Thankfully, in the church today, there are a few lights to help the hurting find their way back. There are dozens and dozens of small groups in churches across our land comprised of caring, authentic, but very human Christians who are committed to growing friendships and deepening relationships. Good Samaritans who have compassion. May their tribe increase!

These are our modern-day cities of refuge.

Genuine, New Testament Christianity doesn't hang out at headquarters;
it gets into the trenches with the wounded and weary.

Relying Upon the Holy Spirit ~ Charles Stanley

John 16:5-15

Imagine how Peter must have felt when Jesus announced He was going away. The impulsive disciple had a tough time following when the Lord was standing ten feet away; how much more difficult would obedience and loyalty be if Christ wasn’t around to offer encouragement? We can certainly understand the disciples’ fear and frustration. No one can follow Jesus in his or her own strength. But thankfully, we’re not left to figure life out by ourselves. We have a Helper.

For many years I had the idea that, though my salvation was by faith, God’s approval had to be earned. So I did my best but never felt it was good enough. I struggled, failed, tried again, and failed once more. I am grateful the Lord directed me to His better way.

Because God wants His children to experience victory, He equipped them with the Holy Spirit. When we yield to Him, He empowers us, guides us, and expresses the ways of Jesus Christ through our character, conversation, and conduct. On paper, this looks like a passive sort of existence, but in fact, we are constantly confronted with the responsibility to make a choice: we can either follow the Spirit’s promptings or act in our own strength. The latter frequently ends in despair, disaster, or both.

Think about those days when you are “too busy to pray”—or the times you think, Why bother God when there isn’t much going on? The truth is, you’re then relying on yourself. But even when life is routine and boring, the Father wants us depending upon His Spirit to guide us on paths of righteousness.

Reflecting on the Extensive Consequences of Walking by Faith ~ Bob Hoekstra

By faith Noah…By faith Abraham…By faith Sarah…By faith Moses…By faith the harlot Rahab…David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith…And others…Still others…all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith. (Hebrews 11:7, 8, 11, 24, 31, 32-33, 35, 36, 39)

God wants us to live by His grace. "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). Therefore, we must walk by faith, since faith accesses grace. "Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand" (Romans 5:2). In a series of meditations, we have been considering the extensive consequences of walking by faith (and thereby drawing upon the effective grace of God). Reflecting upon the broad and diverse dimensions of these consequences brings encouragement and edification.

"By faith Noah" undertook an amazing task (building an ark) to prepare for an event never before experienced (a worldwide flood). "By faith Abraham" obediently left his familiar homeland for an uncertain destination. He also counted on God to do all the great things He had promised (including, blessing all nations through him). "By faith Sarah," miraculously (in her old age) bore a son for the fulfillment of God's plan. Later, by faith, Abraham laid the promised son upon the altar of God. All along the way, he lived as a pilgrim journeying toward an eternal, heavenly home.

"By faith Moses" forsook the privileges and pleasures of the world to lead God's people out of bondage. "By faith the harlot Rahab" helped the Israelites, identified with the true and living God, and was rescued from judgment. "David and Samuel and the prophets" (and others like them) "through faith" conquered nations, grew in godliness, experienced God's fulfilled promises, survived the den of lions, withstood the fiery furnace, were spared death by the sword, experienced God's strength in weakness, found courage on the battlefield, caused enemy armies to flee, and received resurrected loved ones.

"And others" (also by faith) endured tortures. "Still others" experienced mockings, beatings, bonds, prisons, stonings, severings, painful enticements, deprivations, impoverishments, general tribulations, and cruel torments. "All these…obtained a good testimony through faith."

Through these testimonies, God is showing us the limitless extent that His grace can work in our lives. Through these examples the Lord is encouraging us to trust Him to work comprehensively for us, as He has faithfully done for others.

Lord God of all Grace, my heart is stirred as I consider the great extent to which Your grace can work in lives that humbly trust in You. Father, I ask You to make of my life a growing testimony of Your abounding grace, through Jesus Christ, my Lord, Amen.

Do you allow brokenness to make you better? (95-5) ~ Barry Werner

Do you allow brokenness to make you better? (95-5)

November 13th, 2009 in 2 Samuel, Isaiah, Job, Old Testament, Personal Development | leave a response

Every leader will experience some success and some failure. It seems God allows this both for our good and our development as the person needed to fulfill His plan. Some leaders will experience overpowering situations and great brokenness on their way to becoming the leader God wants them to be. Our reaction to being totally broken will determine how God uses us when we are restored to more normal situations. Read 2 Samuel 18:19-33.

In the Maxwell Leadership Bible, John Maxwell discusses this topic in his notes on Brokenness.

Maturity Comes When God Breaks a Leader.

The armies of Absalom and King David came to blows over who would lead Israel, and the old king reasserted his rule.

David’s troops not only routed his son’s armies; they also killed Absalom himself. Yet David couldn’t rejoice, even though his rebellious son’s death ended the war. Absalom was dead. Amnon was dead. Tamar had been raped. Many who remained had grown twisted and sick.

And David cried out in brokenness.

In his broken state, God began to restore David to the man he once was, the man after His own heart. David regained his resolve to lead his country and leave a worthwhile legacy. He crushed other revolts, killed other giants, restored Israel. In many ways, David matured to a new level as a leader through this awful season of brokenness. Broken boldness now characterized his leadership.

Job 17:9 Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger.

Isaiah 40:30-31 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

• 

Tags: Brokenness, Experience, Maturity

« Have you paid the price to develop healthy allies? (95-4)

Are you consistent and fair with all your team? (96-1) »

Pivot People ~ Mark Balmer

Based on “Get People to Jesus” by Pastor Mark Balmer; 11/14-15/09,

Message #MB396; Daily Devotional #1 - “Pivot People”

Preparing the Soil (Introduction): Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. (John 1:38-42a) Andrew was so excited about the prospect of following Jesus that he had to go and tell his brother. Throughout my life there have been, what I like to call “Pivot People,” those who help me turn from one direction to another. My favorite subject in middle school was math. I always had great grades and thrived in the subject. When I was a freshman in high school, I took a class that was conceived by the most demented of people – Algebra! Really, who decided to combine math with the alphabet? It is twisted. Needless to say, I nearly failed. My report cards went C, D, D, and F. I hated math. I struggled over the next two years with math. My grades suffered because of it. Enter a Pivot Person: Mr. Roy Dye, a slow speaking, Texas A & M alumni, who taught Algebra Two. I dreaded the thought of going back into the darkness that is Algebra, but it was a required class. Something happened during that class. He took time to instruct and work with me whenever I struggled. He singlehandedly changed me and my direction in school. He was a ‘Pivot Person.”

Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1) Paul was a Pivot Person. He lived his life in such a way as to cause people to follow him. If he had been a self-centered, religious person, then he could have made himself very rich. Instead, his goal was to bring people to Christ. When I was 23, I was anything but walking with Christ. I was consumed by selfish thoughts and actions. Lust, greed, you name it and I was focused on it. Enter a Pivot Person. Pastor Jorge Acevedo was a young pastor of my brother’s church. I hadn’t been to church in six or seven years, so the thought of going really wasn’t high on my list of things to do. Fortunately, it was high on God’s list for me. I met this young pastor – I had never met anyone young and committed to Christ! Over the next three years of spending time with him my life changed. He made me jealous. Not jealous in a bad way. I was spiritually jealous. He had this power and presence that I had never known, and I wanted that. Jorge spent hour upon hour with me, teaching the Scriptures, answering questions, and being my friend. He changed the way I wanted to live. Pivot Person.

Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. (2 Timothy 2:7-10) Paul was willing to do anything if it meant that one person would come to know the Savior. I have to ask myself, “What am I doing to be a Pivot Person?” There are many people I touch every day, and I fear that they will not even change direction in the least way because of their experiences with me. How about you? Are you doing anything that will eternally affect the people around you? You may be someone’s Mr. Dye, or Pastor Jorge! That’s what I want to be. I will, by the power of the Holy Spirit, change people and aim them to the throne of grace! Enter me, a Pivot Person.

Cultivating (Additional Reading): 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

A Turned Page ~ Bob Coy

So He said to him, "What is your name?" Genesis 32:27 (NKJV)

In order to understand the importance of this question, you need to understand the person to whom it is addressed. It's Jacob-son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and heir to the covenant promises God gave to his grandfather (Genesis 12:1-3).

Jacob's character emerges as his story unfolds in Scripture. From the moment he was born, up through his adulthood, Jacob demonstrates the drive and desire to put himself ahead of others by any means necessary. Even his name (which means "heel catcher") is a testimony to his "me-first" mindset.

Then, one night, the Lord appears and engages him in a wrestling match. All night long, Jacob struggles and strains to come out on top. But he can't. Then, after hours of expending his own effort and energy, God knocks his hip out of joint. For a self-made man like Jacob, this was a huge blow. His life would never be the same. He would never have the ability to run or even run things as he had in the past. He was put in a place of profound weakness and inability.

It's then that the Lord asks him, "What is your name?" and it's a way of getting Jacob to acknowledge what he was all about up to that point...himself. But God goes on to tell him that from now on, in his new-found place of weakness, his name would be Israel, which means "ruled by God."

The Lord used this question to turn a page in Jacob's life story. Jacob, the one whose default was to rely on his own resourcefulness, would now be forced to depend on God to guide and govern his life.

What's your name? Who are you? Are you constantly set on charting your own course in life, or are you dependently living under the authority of the One who is better and wiser?

Discuss with your group the meaning of your name. Why were you given this name? In what ways have you “lived up” to your name?

Dig into Genesis 32:24–32. What do you find interesting about this encounter? Who is this angel who prevails? Why do you think Jacob was wounded in the hip? What’s the lesson to learn here?

Decide as a group to prayer for Israel. Lift up God’s chosen people and pray that they would recognize and embrace their Messiah!

What to Do When Trouble Comes ~ Joyce Meyer

Fight the good fight of the faith.
— 1 Timothy 6:12

Sooner or later we all have some trouble in life. We all have some trials and some tribulations. Everybody goes through times of testing. And not every storm shows up in the forecast. Some days we can wake up and think everything is going to be great. Before that day is over, we may be tested by all kinds of trouble that we were not expecting.

Trouble is part of life, so we simply have to be ready for it. We need to have a planned response to trouble, because it is more difficult to get strong after trouble comes. It is better to be prepared by staying strong.

The first thing you need to do when trouble comes is pray, "God, help me stay emotionally stable." Do not let your emotions overwhelm you. The next thing you need to do is trust God. The instant that fear rises up, pray.

Stay emotionally stable, trust God, and pray. Then while you are waiting for God to answer, simply keep doing good. Keep your commitments. Do not stop serving the Lord just because you have a problem. The greatest time in the world to keep your commitments to God is in the midst of difficulty and adversity. When the devil sees that trials and tribulations won't stop you, he will stop troubling you for a while.

To be prepared for the next time you find yourself in a difficult situation, practice saying, "I am going to be faithful to God, and God is going to give me double for my trouble. Satan, you thought you were going to hurt me, but I am going to get a double blessing, because I am one who diligently seeks the Lord."

In It to Win It ~ Greg Laurie

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

— Acts 20:24

The analogy of running was one the apostle Paul favored in his writings. He often compared the believer to a runner in a race. For example, he wrote that we need to run in the race of life to win: "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it" (1 Corinthians 9:24).

When I participate in a competitive sport, I always try to win. That doesn't mean I do. In fact, it seems like I lose most of the time. But at least I try, and I enjoy the competition. And when we are in the race of life, we need to run to win. When we watch athletes compete in the Olympics, we primarily celebrate those who win the gold. In the same way, we need to run the race to win—not to get second or third or fourth place or an honorable mention.

But in running to win, we also need to understand who our competitors are. I am not competing with you. I am not trying to beat you in the race of life. You are not trying to beat me. Our real enemies—our competitors, if you will—are the world, the flesh, and the devil (see 1 John 2:16). That is what we are trying to overcome.

I have my lane that I'm running in, which is the life that I have to live and the challenges that I have to face. And my job is to complete my race. You have your lane as well, with your unique challenges and goals.

But ultimately we all have the same goal of running for God and honoring and glorifying Him. And we must run to win.

Becoming Like Jesus is a Slow Process ~ Rick Warren

“This will continue until we are . . . mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him” (Ephesians 4:13 CEV).

Becoming like Christ is a long, slow process of growth. Spiritual maturity is neither instant nor automatic; it is a gradual, progressive development that will take the rest of your life.

You are a work in progress. Your spiritual transformation in developing the character of Jesus will take the rest of your life, and even then it won’t be completed here on earth. It will only be finished when you get to heaven or when Jesus returns.

At that point, whatever unfinished work on your character is left will be wrapped up. The Bible says that when we are finally able to see Jesus perfectly, we will become perfectly like him: “We can’t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is” (1 John 3:2 NLT).

Much confusion in the Christian life comes from ignoring the simple truth that God is far more interested in building your character than he is anything else. We worry when God seems silent on specific issues such as “What career should I choose?”

The truth is, there are many different careers that could be in God’s will for your life. What God cares about most is that whatever you do, you do in a Christlike manner (1 Corinthians 10:31; 1 Corinthians 16:14; Colossians 3:17,23).

God is far more interested in who you are than in what you do. We are human beings, not human doings. God is much more concerned about your character than your career, because you will take your character, not your career, into eternity.

The Bible warns, “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. . . . Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you” (Romans 12:2 MSG).

You must make a counterculture decision to focus on becoming more like Jesus. Otherwise, other forces like peers, parents, co-workers, and culture will try to mold you into their image.

Sadly, a quick review of many popular Christian books reveals that many believers have abandoned living for God’s great purposes and settled for personal fulfillment and emotional stability. That is narcissism, not discipleship.

Jesus did not die on the cross just so we could live comfortable, well-adjusted lives. His purpose is far deeper: he wants to make us like himself before he takes us to heaven. This is our greatest privilege, our immediate responsibility, and our ultimate destiny.

Good And Bad Shepherds, Part 1 ~ Kay Arthur

Jeremiah, Part 1 (Return To Me)

Program 41 – Good And Bad Shepherds, Part 1

How important are rulers, and how important are those that speak for God? I will tell you this, Beloved, that if the people do not know the Word of God for themselves and embrace it as the Word of God, a ruler, a prophet can destroy a nation. So you better listen carefully to the lessons God has for us this week in Jeremiah.

I’m sure that you have heard the statement that everything rises and falls on leadership. Well this week we’re going to look at Jeremiah chapter 23 and Jeremiah chapter 24. Just two chapters, and the 24th chapter is really slim pickings so to speak. It’s got a good message in it, but it is a very short chapter. And yet chapter 23 is so important. It’s important in the history of Israel. It’s a message that Israel needs to listen to today.

But it is also important in your life and in my life because we’re going to see principles. We’re going to see precepts for life. And what we’re going to see is it is very important that we have godly rulers, rulers who truly fear God and who are not on the throne, so to speak, not at the head of that country to propagate their own ideals and their own precepts, so to speak. But rather, that there are men on that throne of that particular nation that fear God. And if they don’t fear God what do you need? You need a people who really know God, who know God’s Word, and who are willing to stand for truth no matter what it costs them, to be willing to lay down their lives.

One of the heroes of modern day faith during the time of Hitler’s rise to power was Dietrich Bonhoeffer. And many young people have been captivated by the life of this young man, a life of a man that would not capitulate to Hitler, a life of a man that ended up in prison, the life of a man when he was destined to get out and Hitler died, was put to death.

It’s hard to understand when you know that God is sovereign until you understand that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. (See 2 Corinthians 5:8) And that, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of [the] saints.” (Psalms 116:15, KJV)

We have come to a time in history when I believe that we not only need to teach our children how to live according to the precepts of God, but we need to teach our children that those precepts of God are worth dying for. And how do you die?

We’re living in a time when our whole culture in the United States of America is crumbling before us or has crumbled before us and is lying in the dust because of the leaders that we have chosen. So this is a very, very important lesson.

Now what God’s going to do is He’s going to open Jeremiah chapter 23 with this statement, “„Woe to the shepherds….‟” (Jeremiah 23:1) And when He’s talking about shepherds, He’s talking about rulers. Then He’s going to give a word to the prophets. And the prophets are really those that speak for God. And so I want to begin by reading a few verses in Jeremiah chapter 23, verse 1, “„Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!‟ declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:1) Now you want to mark “shepherds”.

I don’t know if you went to our website, which is “preceptsforlife.com.” And if you go there you can get a free study guide, and you can study along with us. And you know what? I love hearing from you. I pile up in bed and I like to read before I go to sleep. And I read this list of your comments that you send to us telling us what the ministry is meaning in your life and what the Bible studies are doing and what you are learning. And that just absolutely, absolutely thrills my heart because I want you to be able to “…be steadfast, [and] immovable, [and] always abounding in the work of the Lord….” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

So over “shepherd” you’re gonna put like a shepherd’s crook, okay. It says, “„Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!‟ declares the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning the shepherds [which] are tending My people: „You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and [you] have not attended to them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds….‟” (Jeremiah 23:1-2)

He says “Here you are as a shepherd. Here’s your shepherd’s crook. And you are not tending to My sheep. You are not taking care of My sheep.” And He says, “They’re the sheep of My pasture.” And He says “I am going to attend to you, and you’re going to experience evil.”

Now to whom was He speaking? Well, what I want us to do is I want us to review who Jeremiah was bringing the message to in the days of Jeremiah. Remember it’s [the word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah.] (PARAPHRASE Jeremiah 1:2)

Now we know that there was so to speak, a revival. There was a repentance, and a return to the Lord under the days of Josiah. Why? Because they found the Word of God, in his eighteenth year they found the Word of God which had been lost in the house of God. And he gathers all the people, and they make a covenant to follow God. (See 2 Chronicles 34:14-21, 33)

But then Josiah dies. The king of Egypt is going up to fight at Carchemish. And Josiah gets in his way, and he says, “Josiah, go home.” And Josiah won’t listen and he’s saying it’s God that’s telling you to go home and because Josiah won’t go home then God kills him. (See 2 Chronicles 35:20-24)

Now God told him that after he died that He was going to bring evil on the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and He was going to do that because of the sins of Manasseh. Manasseh was the grandfather of Josiah. Manasseh, his daddy’s name was Amon, and then Josiah. So then the next kings Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah, those kings are the shepherds of His people. And so He has a message for the shepherds of His people.

Now I want you to look for a minute at Jeremiah chapter 2, verse 8, Jeremiah chapter 2, verse 8. And this is what He’s talking about. He’s saying “My people have forgotten Me. They are not seeking Me.” Listen, it doesn’t matter who your ruler is. You, as a people are still responsible to God. But then He comes down and says in verse 8, “„The priests did not say, “Where is the LORD?” And those who handle the law….‟” (Jeremiah 2:8) These are the scribes that write it down. “„…Did not know Me; the rulers also transgressed against Me….‟” (Jeremiah 2:8)

The word literally, if you have a “New Inductive Study Bible”, and you look in the margin it’s literally “the shepherds.” I want to take you back, and I want you to see the importance of shepherds in the Word of God. And I would suggest that you simply get these notes down so that you can go back, and so that you can think about all of this, okay. So we’re going to look at shepherds.

And what I want to do is I want to start in Genesis chapter 46, verse 32, Genesis chapter 46. Now this is laying the groundwork for what we’re going to see in Jeremiah chapter 23. So Genesis 46, and it is verse 32. And this is what He’s talking about. He’s talking about the children of Israel. And Joseph is dealing with his brothers and his household because Joseph is living in Egypt and his brothers are living in Canaan. I mean they’ve been living in Canaan. Now they’ve come to Egypt.

And it says and “Joseph said to this brothers and to his father‟s household „I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and will say to him, “My brothers and my father‟s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me; and the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock; and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.”‟” (Genesis 46:31-32) So he’s saying they’re just shepherds.

Now when you look at this, it’s important for you to know that Israel understands what shepherds are, because they were literally keepers of sheep and keepers of flock. This was despised by Egypt. But when God says, “„Woe to the shepherds…,‟” (Jeremiah 23:1) and He’s talking to Israel, Israel understands what a shepherd is to be and what a shepherd is to do. The rulers of a nation are the shepherds. And God holds rulers accountable, especially rulers of His elect people, the nation of Israel. “„…the rulers also transgressed against Me….‟” Then He says “„…The prophets prophesied by Baal and [they] walked after things that did not prophet.‟” (Jeremiah 2:8) And what happened? We’ll talk about it in just a minute.

I am so excited, Beloved about this week’s lesson because it is so crucial. If the leadership is corrupt, if the prophets are prophesying by Baal, if we’re not getting the pure unadulterated word of God and we are following prophets that are prophesying dreams and visions in this day and that’s what we’re clinging to and that’s what we’re running after, then we’re in trouble.

Now I can’t do anything about the rulers. I can let my voice be heard to our senators and to our congressmen, and I believe that we should. And we can let our voice be heard to the President of the United States. But you and I can still stand firm and standing firm have a clear conscience.

So what we’re going to do in this segment we’re going to look at shepherds. Genesis chapter 48, verse 15, and it is a prophetic passage. Genesis chapter 48, verse 15, Jacob, who is the father of the nation of Israel. Remember we went from Abraham, then Abraham’s son Isaac, and then from Isaac we went to Jacob. Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau. But the covenant promise was through Jacob. And so Jacob’s name is later changed to Israel. And this is what He says to them.

Genesis chapter 48, verse 15, Jacob is blessing his son Joseph, and he said, “…„The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been [the] shepherd all my life to this day, the angel who has redeemed me from all evil….‟” (Genesis 48:15-16) Then he’s putting the blessing on it.

But what I want you to see is this was a people that knew what shepherds were. This was a people who knew that God is the ultimate Shepherd. Now we’re not gonna see it today, but we’re going to see an awesome prophetic passage that is going to take you right to the future. So I can’t wait until we get there.

But look at Genesis chapter 49, verse 22 to 24, and you see again what He is saying to Joseph. And then He says in verse 24, “„But his bow…,‟” speaking of Joseph, “„…remained firm…his [hands] were agile, from the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel).‟” (Genesis 49:24) From Jacob is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel.

Do you know what He’s doing? He is passing over millenniums, and He is taking us to the very second coming of Jesus Christ. So if we draw a timeline and right here we put the cross, and that’s the first coming of Jesus Christ. Now when Jesus Christ is born where do they lay Him? They lay in a manger, in a feeding trough where the animals that were shepherded, not just sheep would eat.

Okay, but He’s taking us all the way to the very end of time, and He’s taking us to the thousand year reign of Jesus Christ when Jesus Christ is going to be the Shepherd over the whole world. He is the Stone of Israel. Remember what Jesus said? In His first coming. And He talked about that He was a stone of stumbling, and Peter comes along and he affirms this, that Jesus is the stone of stumbling. (See 1 Peter 2:8) He is the Stone of Israel. And so He’s taking you right here to this time.

And we’re going to see that as we do our study this week. This is why I’m so excited. We are going from these days of Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah and what he’s saying at that time all the way past the first coming of Jesus Christ.

So we’re going to go from this time all the way through the birth of Jesus Christ and the second coming of Jesus Christ. And so what I want to do is I want to put a cloud here just before the thousand year reign. Put an arrow down, and that’s the second coming of Jesus Christ. He is born of a woman, of a virgin, because He has to be without sin to die for your sins and my sins so that you and I might know God.

And listen to me very carefully. Our rulers may be ungodly. Our rulers may be leading us to destruction. America may never ever be the same. America may never recover. But Precious One, that doesn’t change your destiny and your future because you have a Shepherd, and that Shepherd is God Almighty. And He will lead you and He will guide you and He will put you in His hand and He will say “No man can pluck you out of My hand.”

I believe with all my being and our staff believes that there’s no more important thing for this hour than for God’s people to know truth for themselves. And so we are a people that are on a mission. This is not just a ministry; this is a movement to establish people in God’s Word as that which produces reverence for Him, a people that are strong and that know God and no matter what their shepherds do and when the prophets speak or those that speak for God, which is those in the pulpit, those that are on the television screen, those that are on the Internet and claim to be spokesmen for God, you and I need to know how to check them out.

And you’ve got to help others understand these truths. And I urge you to go online and find out how you can get involved in this ministry. We teach people all over the United States of America how to study the Word of God for themselves. You just go to “preceptsforlife.com”. And we want to take you and show you not only how to discover truth for yourself, but how to go deeper and how to disciple others. Because in these last critical days it’s going to be those that know their God that are able to stand firm and take action. (See Daniel 11:32)

That’s a verse from Daniel chapter 11, verse 32, and it’s the second part of the verse. And you’ve got to remember that you have Jeremiah, you have Daniel, and you have Ezekiel the three of them prophesying during this very important time. And what do they tell us?

You’ve got to know your God. You cannot forget Him. You need to remember Him day after day. And you need to say, “God, I’m going to feed on Your Word. I’m going to know You and whether by life or by death I will stand for You.”

Fall From Grace ~ Bob Caldwell

Fall From Grace Nahum 1:2-3 God is jealous, and the LORD avenges; The LORD avenges and is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet. This prophecy of Nineveh's destruction is a powerful warning to us all. This warning graphically declares that yesterday's grace does not give someone a license to sin today without future consequences. Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria, the greatest military and political power in what has been called the cradle of civilization. Their greatness had given rise to oppressive cruelty, injustice, and sinful excess. Nearly a hundred years before Nahum issued his warning, Nineveh had been on the verge of complete annihilation. Jonah brought Nineveh an earlier warning of judgment, which was averted when the entire population sincerely and deeply repented. This earlier repentance cut across all social and economic levels, from the king down to the common man on the street. In addition to that, they acknowledged the futility of their idols and put faith in the true and living God. Yet within a couple generations, this was all forgotten and forsaken. This return to sin had removed God's protection from Nineveh. They could no longer take confidence in being protected in the stronghold of God in the day of trouble (1:7). And there was no plan or action they could take to avert their doom; that is, except sincere and deep repentance (1:9-11). Nineveh's fall from grace is often repeated in our own lives. We often think we are immune to God's judgment because He has previously passed over our sins and promised to remember them no more. It is, however, one of sin's great delusions. Yesterday's grace and prosperity does not give us a "blank check" to turn our backs on God while avoiding His chastening hand. Whom God loves, He disciplines. We will reap what we sow. Do not take God's grace to be what it is not. Yesterday's repentance and faith is not something you can live upon today. Abide in God, today. There is only enough manna for one day, just as there is enough trouble for one day. Life lived one day at a time in obedient faith and daily repentance will surely keep you from a false hope like Nineveh.
Nahum 1:1-3:19 1 The burden against Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. God's Wrath on His Enemies 2 God is jealous, and the LORD avenges; The LORD avenges and is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; 3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet. 4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, And the flower of Lebanon wilts. 5 The mountains quake before Him, The hills melt, And the earth heaves at His presence, Yes, the world and all who dwell in it. 6 Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him. 7 The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. 8 But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, And darkness will pursue His enemies. 9 What do you conspire against the LORD? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time. 10 For while tangled like thorns, And while drunken like drunkards, They shall be devoured like stubble fully dried. 11 From you comes forth one Who plots evil against the LORD, A wicked counselor. 12 Thus says the LORD: "Though they are safe, and likewise many, Yet in this manner they will be cut down When he passes through. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more; 13 For now I will break off his yoke from you, And burst your bonds apart." 14 The LORD has given a command concerning you: "Your name shall be perpetuated no longer. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the molded image. I will dig your grave, For you are vile." 15 Behold, on the mountains The feet of him who brings good tidings, Who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, Perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; He is utterly cut off. Nahum 2The Destruction of Nineveh 1 He who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the road! Strengthen your flanks! Fortify your power mightily. 2 For the LORD will restore the excellence of Jacob Like the excellence of Israel, For the emptiers have emptied them out And ruined their vine branches. 3 The shields of his mighty men are made red, The valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots come with flaming torches In the day of his preparation, And the spears are brandished. 4 The chariots rage in the streets, They jostle one another in the broad roads; They seem like torches, They run like lightning. 5 He remembers his nobles; They stumble in their walk; They make haste to her walls, And the defense is prepared. 6 The gates of the rivers are opened, And the palace is dissolved. 7 It is decreed: She shall be led away captive, She shall be brought up; And her maidservants shall lead her as with the voice of doves, Beating their breasts. 8 Though Nineveh of old was like a pool of water, Now they flee away. "Halt! Halt!" they cry; But no one turns back. 9 Take spoil of silver! Take spoil of gold! There is no end of treasure, Or wealth of every desirable prize. 10 She is empty, desolate, and waste! The heart melts, and the knees shake; Much pain is in every side, And all their faces are drained of color. 11 Where is the dwelling of the lions, And the feeding place of the young lions, Where the lion walked, the lioness and lion's cub, And no one made them afraid? 12 The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, Killed for his lionesses, Filled his caves with prey, And his dens with flesh. 13 "Behold, I am against you," says the LORD of hosts, "I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall be heard no more." Nahum 3The Woe of Nineveh 1 Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies and robbery. Its victim never departs. 2 The noise of a whip And the noise of rattling wheels, Of galloping horses, Of clattering chariots! 3 Horsemen charge with bright sword and glittering spear. There is a multitude of slain, A great number of bodies, Countless corpses— They stumble over the corpses— 4 Because of the multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot, The mistress of sorceries, Who sells nations through her harlotries, And families through her sorceries. 5 "Behold, I am against you," says the LORD of hosts; "I will lift your skirts over your face, I will show the nations your nakedness, And the kingdoms your shame. 6 I will cast abominable filth upon you, Make you vile, And make you a spectacle. 7 It shall come to pass that all who look upon you Will flee from you, and say, 'Nineveh is laid waste! Who will bemoan her?' Where shall I seek comforters for you?" 8 Are you better than No Amon That was situated by the River, That had the waters around her, Whose rampart was the sea, Whose wall was the sea? 9 Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, And it was boundless; Put and Lubim were your helpers. 10 Yet she was carried away, She went into captivity; Her young children also were dashed to pieces At the head of every street; They cast lots for her honorable men, And all her great men were bound in chains. 11 You also will be drunk; You will be hidden; You also will seek refuge from the enemy. 12 All your strongholds are fig trees with ripened figs: If they are shaken, They fall into the mouth of the eater. 13 Surely, your people in your midst are women! The gates of your land are wide open for your enemies; Fire shall devour the bars of your gates. 14 Draw your water for the siege! Fortify your strongholds! Go into the clay and tread the mortar! Make strong the brick kiln! 15 There the fire will devour you, The sword will cut you off; It will eat you up like a locust. Make yourself many—like the locust! Make yourself many— like the swarming locusts! 16 You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of heaven. The locust plunders and flies away. 17 Your commanders are like swarming locusts, And your generals like great grasshoppers, Which camp in the hedges on a cold day; When the sun rises they flee away, And the place where they are is not known. 18 Your shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria; Your nobles rest in the dust. Your people are scattered on the mountains, And no one gathers them. 19 Your injury has no healing, Your wound is severe. All who hear news of you Will clap their hands over you, For upon whom has not your wickedness passed continually?
Nahum 1:1-3:19 v. 1 Nahum – Not much is known about Nahum. He was an Elkoshite according to the scriptures but we are uncertain of the location of the city of Elkosh. It may have been east of Jerusalem, just north of the Dead Sea. the vision of Nahum – This is the second book explaining the judgment of the great Assyrian city of Nineveh. It is believed to have been written in the 7th century BC, during Israelite revival under King Josiah which is approximately 100 years after the Assyrians invaded and took over Samaria. Unlike the book of Jonah, there is no talk of mercy from God toward the Assyrians. against Nineveh – This prophecy is a proclamation of destruction to the Assyrian enemies of Israel. Although the Assyrians were used to judge Israel's rebellion against God, they are not excused from their wicked cruelty towards God's people (Gen. 12:3). Regarding Nineveh, God said, "I am against you" (Nahum 2:13, 3:5). v. 2 avenges and is furious – In Hebrew writings the repetitions and use of parallel terms is an attempt to bring forth the severity or heaviness of the message. reserves wrath for His enemies – God is reserving (storing up) His wrath for His enemies to be brought out in due time. The enemies of God are those who oppose His will and continue in their trespasses against Him (Ps. 68:1, 21). v. 3 slow to anger – This expression refers to God's patience in dealing with the sins of men; God reserves wrath (Nahum 1:2). He is not easily or quickly provoked to wrath against the unrighteous (Jonah 4:2, Ex. 34:6-7). In the whirlwind and the storm – This is a reference to God's power over all things. Many of the ancient Middle Eastern people worshipped gods of nature: gods of storms, clouds, rain, etc. In Canaan this pagan ideology was centered on idols such as Baal, Anat, and Asherah. Nahum is given a different word from God: "The Lord has His way in the whirlwind." The God of the scriptures is the God over nature and all that exists (v. 4-5). v. 4 He rebukes – The seas, the rivers, the mountains, the rocks, and the elements of the earth are all subject to the voice and presence of God. God parted the Red Sea and Israel walked through it on dry ground (Ex. 14:21-22). He stopped the Jordan River and Israel crossed it on dry ground (Josh. 3:14-17). God opened the earth and then closed it again over the rebellious men with Korah (Num. 16:31-35). All of nature is subject to the voice of God. v. 6 The Lord is good – Those that trust in God are safe because He is their refuge. Nothing can stand against His fierce anger, but all who trust in Him can rest safely in His mercy. v. 8 with an overflowing flood – Greek history tells us that the Khosr River (or possibly the Tigris) overflowed and flooded a part of the city and overturned a large portion of the walls of Nineveh, leaving large portions of the city open for easy siege. Chapter 3, verse 13 says, "The gates of your land are wide open for your enemies." Whatever may have happened during the conquest of Nineveh, we know that the city was taken swiftly. v. 9 a second time – God is so fierce in his judgment of the Ninevites that there will not be another chance for them. In 2:13 God says, "the voice of your messengers shall be heard no more." Again in 3:7, "Nineveh is laid waste!" Finally, in 3:19 He says, "Your injury has no healing, your wound is severe." v. 10 while tangled like thorns – The Assyrians were like a thorn to Israel, but according to this prophecy they will find themselves to be useless against God's power. In this era useless thorns were good for nothing but to be thrown into the fire and burned (Heb. 6:7-8). Jesus uses this same kind of analogy regarding useless branches in John 15:5-7. v 11 wicked counselor – Sennecherib, the king of Assyria plotted to overtake Jerusalem during the reign of Judah's King Hezikiah. Sennecherib sent a messenger, the captain of his army, Rabshakeh, to blaspheme God at the gate of Jerusalem and advise the people to doubt Hezekiah's command to seek and trust the Lord for their deliverance (2 Chron. 32) Hezekiah's trust in God gives him victory in the end. v. 12 though they are safe – Or, they have no losses as of yet but have their completeness as an army and a people. It will not always be that way for them. This wholeness will soon be torn to pieces. When he passes through – God once went ahead of Israel and passed through the Assyrian camp during Hezekiah's reign. He cut down "every Assyrian mighty man of valor," over 180,000 Assyrian men (2 Chron. 32:20-21). Their king, Sennacherib, "returned shamefaced" back to Nineveh and would be assassinated by his own two sons (2 Chron. 32:21). I will afflict you no more – This is God's promise of deliverance to His people. The Assyrians were the judgment on Israel for their rebellion against God. Manassah, Amon, and several other kings did evil in the sight of God and the people followed. The zealous prayers of King Hezekiah and the revival under King Josiah were key in Israel's repentance and the Lord's delivery of Israel from the Assyrians. v. 13 I will break off his yoke – The yoke was a chain of bondage under Ashurbanipal, the last great Assyrian Emperor. It was during his reign that this prophecy came forth from Nahum. After the death of Ashurbanipal, the Assyrian Empire did not last much longer. v. 14 Out of the house of your gods – Ancient civilization often made its battles a test of the gods. It was assumed that the victor of the war had the greater god or gods. This verse poses a direct threat toward the annihilation of the Assyrians and their idols. v. 15 behold on the mountain the feet of him – Nahum brings forth an image of a messenger of peace for the region of Judah. It is the same picture of hope brought forth by Isaiah (Is. 52:7). Hope is on the horizon. Nahum 2 v. 1 He who scatters – This is a warning to Nineveh. He is referring to the Lord God as "He who scatters." He is the God who overcame in every battle as the Israelites moved into the land of Canaan (Josh. 5:1). Man the fort! – Nahum is facetiously telling the Assyrians to prepare for battle against God. Their destruction is soon coming that Israel might be free (v. 2). v. 2 the LORD will restore – There is an evident pattern of repentance and restoration throughout the scriptures. This is one of the leading verses that would indicate some sort of national repentance among God's people in the time of this prophecy. The nearest candidate is the revival that took place under king Josiah in approx. 622 BC. the emptiers – This refers to the oppressors God gave them over to because of their rebellion against Him. In this case, it is the 117-year reign of the Assyrians over Israel. v. 3 shields…made red – Some report the Assyrian shields to have been dressed with a coat of copper, others suggest that it is the blood from previous battles and still others claim the color was painted on the shields. v. 5 they stumble in their walk – This verse indicates a form of confusion and haste to defend Nineveh's walls. The mightiest warriors are hurriedly sent to defend the broken walls. v. 6 gates of the rivers – It is believed that a nearby river overflowed its banks and had a hand in causing great portions of Nineveh's walls to come down (1:8). Her enemies are now easily let into the city to overthrow it. v. 8 they flee away – Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, is laid waste and pillaged from top to bottom as the Babylonians lay siege to every part of the city. v. 11 where is the dwelling of the lions – The warriors of Assyria are described as ferocious lions, yet the city and people of Assyria will be reduced and scattered. Even their existence will be destroyed and buried until the ruins are uncovered far into the modern future. v. 13 I am against you – The great Ninevite warriors, chariots, and messengers will all fall silent in its utter destruction. It is no man that defeats the Assyrians, but God. He makes known His plan to destroy them as He says, "I am against you." Nahum 3 v. 1 the bloody city – Literally "city of bloods." This is the description of a city built and founded on bloodshed. Nineveh's reputation was of a city full of bloodthirsty, violent men who were experienced in torture and all kinds of hostilities towards its enemies. v. 2 rattling wheels…countless corpses – These verses give a vivid description of Nineveh's army in battle arrayed in great armor, swift chariots, and mighty numbers. v. 4 seductive harlot – This refers to the city of Nineveh and her ways. Engulfed in superstitions and pagan practices she seduced many to follow in her ways. Idolatry, sorcery, and the like earned her the name, "The mistress of sorceries." v. 5 I am against you – The Lord makes it clear through his prophet that He has declared the Assyrian city Nineveh to be His enemy. Verses 5-7 speak of her as a shamed and scorned woman who none will miss when she is destroyed. God says He is going to publicly humiliate Nineveh and make it detestable to all. v. 8 No Amon – This was the Hebrew name for the city of Thebes. Thebes was destroyed just a few years before Nahum's prophecy. History tells us that it was rebuilt, only to be destroyed again by the Roman Empire. Are you better – The Lord makes a comparison between Nineveh and Thebes. Thebes would have been a great city, similar to Nineveh. Both had large bodies of water protecting its borders but Thebes would have been more secure because it had the sea protecting it on its sides. Nineveh merely had rivers on three sides. Thebes had great allies such as Ethiopia and Egypt, Lubim, and Put (which is translated "Libya" in Jer. 46:9, Eze. 30:5). Thebes was nearly unstoppable and limitless in its army and it still fell. v. 10 she was carried away – This is another reference to Thebes. Although Thebes had great allies and mighty borders, its defeat was still a recent reality witnessed by the Assyrians in Nineveh. In like manner the Assyrians will not be able to run or hide from God. v. 12 your strongholds are fig trees – Nahum speaks a satirical metaphor comparing their strongholds, which are the places of ready defense and refuge from attacking armies, to a ripened fig tree that gives up its fruit with the mere shake of a light wind. This verse gives us indication of the ease by which the Lord will consume Nineveh (Nahum 1:6). v. 13 your people…are women – Nahum taunts them by taking a stab at their brawn and might by calling their warriors women. This is not in the sense of tenderness and compassion, but in weakness and fear. v. 14 draw water for the siege – The prophet speaks to the Assyrians with such faith and certainty of their coming destruction. He is telling them to prepare to put out the fires and get ready to rebuild the city. v. 15 the fire will devour you – Here through verse 18 Nahum speaks of the utter ruin of Nineveh and the severity of her overthrow. Fire and locust are two elements known for their ability to devour large portions of territory in little time. This shall be done to Nineveh by the sword of the Medes (Babylon). v. 16 the locust plunders and flies away – Nineveh was a key route for any merchants crossing the Tigris and a great city for commerce. These verses compare them to nocturnal locusts who come to plunder and when the sun rises are nowhere to be found. History tells us that the Assyrians who could not flee the city in time were captured and massacred or deported. v. 18 Your nobles rest in the dust – Nineveh would be brought down to nothing. There would be such destruction that it would be a forgotten city until the 19th century when the French Consul at Mosul would discover its remains. v. 19 clap their hands over you – The head of the giant Assyrian empire would be cut off and all who experienced its cruelty would rejoice at its fall. Its utter destruction was finally accomplished at the hands of the Babylonians in 612 BC and the city would never rise again.
"God is jealous, and the LORD avenges; The LORD avenges and is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet." –Nahum 1:2-3 Help us to remember, Lord, that those who don't know You will be faced with Your righteous anger and judgment in the end. We enjoy Your love and blessing and thank You for that, Jesus. But remind us that our just punishment is death, and it is only Your salvation that keeps us from that second death. We pray for hearts to speak the truth to those we meet each day.
Food Pantry The food pantry is now getting donations from a local Albertsons! God is so faithful in providing for the needy families in our area. We are thankful for our faithful volunteers who not only show up each week, but truly have a heart for these families and get such joy out of being awesome servants of God. Prayer Points that the Lord continues to provide for all who come through our doors that these families are not only filled with food, but with the Lord