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timewithgod.blog-city.com — October 2008
Ezra 7-8 Effective Prayer
Probably no better compliment could have been paid to Ezra than what is said in verse 10: "Ezra had worked hard to know and obey the Teachings of the Lord and to teach His rules and commands to the Israelites."My commentary also noted
Probably no better compliment could have been paid to Ezra than what is said in verse 10: "Ezra had worked hard to know and obey the Teachings of the Lord and to teach His rules and commands to the Israelites."
My commentary also noted, "Because he meditated on the Law of the Lord day and night, he prospered in what he sought to do for God."
He'd constantly studied and meditated on God's word. God had directed the king to even give him anything he asked for. Yet one thing was beyond his ability to ask of the king -- protection on their trip. Thousands of pounds of gold and silver and other valuables would be making the 4-month long caravan ride to Jerusalem. Doubtless there would be marauders along the way, intent on making a living from highway robbery. But Ezra TRUSTED God.
So before leaving, he and all of his large entourage fasted, humbled themselves before God, and prayed for safety during their trip. It simply wouldn't do, in Ezra's mind, for his faith to include everything but divine protection, and asking the king for a military escort would imply that Ezra didn't trust God.
I know that nothing worth having in this life comes without hard work, and similarly we should know that "working at prayer" shows God our need for His help and our desire for it as well. Heartfelt prayer, backed up by a willingness to forego what our bodies crave, has moved God's heart in Scripture, and I'm relearning that fact even now.
Father, hear my prayers. I'm not trying to show the world that I'm praying. I just want You to see that I need Your and what You can do that I can't.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Ezra 9&10 -- WOW! What a way to pray!
Ezra's cry to God confessing the sins of his people was heart-wrenching. He'd tried to learn all about God through His word, to apply it in his own life, and to teach it to his people, yet now he was heartbroken and shocked to learn tha
Ezra's cry to God confessing the sins of his people was heart-wrenching. He'd tried to learn all about God through His word, to apply it in his own life, and to teach it to his people, yet now he was heartbroken and shocked to learn that so many of the men of the remnant had broken God's commands, marrying foreign women and thus undoing the "separateness" that God had ordained for His people so that they could be holy.
My commentary sets the stage for his prayer:
"With robe torn and patches of hair missing from his head and beard, he sat in silence while others who feared the Lord gathered around him. As the blood of the evening sacrifice was being poured out before Jehovah for the iniquities of the people, Ezra feel to his knees and lifted his voice in confession. Making the people's sin his own, he was humiliated that they had responded so wickedly to the grace had preserved them as a remnant through past judgments..."
His prayer from chapter 9 includes:
“My God, I am too ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, because our sins are so many. They are higher than our heads. Our guilt even reaches up to the sky. From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we ...have been punished by the sword and captivity....But now, for a short time, the Lord our God has been kind to us. He has let some of us come back from captivity and has let us live in safety in His holy place. And so our God gives us hope and a little relief from our slavery. Even though we are slaves, our God has not LEFT us. .... But now, our God, what can we say after You have done all this? We have disobeyed your commands that You gave through Your servants the prophets. ...What has happened to us is our own fault. We have done evil things, and our guilt is great. But You, our God, have punished us less than we deserve; You have left a few of us alive. We should not again break Your commands ..... If we did, You would get angry enough to destroy us, and none of us would be left alive. Lord, God of Israel, by Your goodness a few of us are left alive today. We admit that we are guilty and none of us should be allowed to stand before You.”
That last sentence says it all -- "We admit that we are guilty and none of us should be allowed to stand before You."
I'd noticed back in verse 4 an almost hidden ray of hope: "Everyone who trembled in fear at the word of the God of Israel gathered around me..."
Would I have been there with him? How often do I find myself trembling in fear at the word of God? Not nearly often enough. I fear that we can too often get a little too comfortable with grace, as many of these had done.
Father, please remind me as I read Your hold word that every sentence was given by You for my good. Your word adapts itself to my particular circumstances each day in order to remain fresh and alive -- as if having just left Your lips. Help me, too, to tremble at that thought -- that the Creator of the Universe is speaking to ME every day.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Joel 1-3 Is Your Dashboard Warning Light On?
Joel was calling the nation of Judah to realize where the self-centeredness of the people had led them, then to humble themselves, to fast, pray, and come back to God. They had wasted so much because of their rebellion against His commands.I sa
Joel was calling the nation of Judah to realize where the self-centeredness of the people had led them, then to humble themselves, to fast, pray, and come back to God. They had wasted so much because of their rebellion against His commands.
I saw in this a personal call, with God's voice ringing out from the pages:
"Even NOW, come back to Me with all your heart. Go without food, and cry and be sad. Tearing your clothes is NOT enough to show you are sad; let your heart be broken. Come back to the Lord your God, because He is kind and shows mercy. He doesn't become angry quickly, and He has great love. He can change His mind about doing harm."
God's love for us is so great that, if we do all of this, He won't simply be satisfied that we are obeying Him again. In 2:25-26, I hear Him saying, "I will not just forgive you and forget your sins. I will also give you back the years that you WASTED. You will also never again be shamed!"
It's not enough for Him just to have us back. No, He also wants to bless us for returning by making up to us above and beyond what we might EVER deserve!
My Bible's sidebar compared Joel's warnings here to the "Check Engine" light on a car. Ignoring that light could leave you stranded, all alone in the worst place at the worst time in the worst weather. Some of the "dashboard warning lights" in His repertoire include guilt, depression, rationalization, and even the confrontation of a friend. It's a good bet that if we are feeling or experiencing any of these in our lives, then God is trying to get our attention, and we may be choosing to ignore him.
One sentence reminded me so much of myself years ago: "We have just enough of the rascal in us to BELIEVE that we are the proverbial exception to the rule." I guess that's one of Satan's biggest and best lies.
Father, help me to examine my dashboard. Show me if You've been trying hard to get my attention about something that You want changed, then help me not to ignore that warning, but to act decisively to remove whatever offends You from my life. You not only promise me forgiveness, but also forgetfulness on Your part, full acceptance of me, and most unbelievably, the incredible blessing of full restoration of everything I've missed by turning away from You. There is no downside to that!
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Obadiah -- The Consequences Of Saying 'No'
My commentary says that "Obadiah ... is a book of unmitigated condemnation, unrelieved by any suggestion of compassion or hope."The people God is speaking to are the descendants of Jacob's twin "older" brother, Esau. Alt
My commentary says that "Obadiah ... is a book of unmitigated condemnation, unrelieved by any suggestion of compassion or hope."
The people God is speaking to are the descendants of Jacob's twin "older" brother, Esau. Although Esau reconciled with Jacob centuries before, animosity remained between the two families because of the cheated birthright and the blessing lost.
Edom had never let go and let God deal with their anger. Instead, they'd allowed it to take them totally out of God's blessing. All it would have taken was a simply three-word phrase: "I forgive you."
There's a lot to take note of in here, even for us today. When verse 11 says, "You stood aside without helping," it reminds us of the danger of sins of omission -- those things we fail to do that we should have done. I have had a phrase that reminds me of this on my desk for many years: "Evil thrives when good men do nothing."
We learn in that same verse that sins of omission are just as bad as sins we commit. Obadiah describes how the people of Edom watched as invaders destroyed Jerusalem, and through him God tells them, "You were like one of them." They might as well have been the invaders.
Edom's end? There are none of them left. Not a man, just as God promised in verse 18. The assurance of this in verse 18: "This will happen because the Lord has said it."
God has the last word: "And the kingdom will belong to the Lord."
My commentary was right. There is no message of hope here for those who turn their backs on God permanently and so remove themselves from His will that He causes them to be afflicted with judicial blindness. It should serve as a dire warning today to anyone who becomes so sure of their own lack of any need for God that they spurn Him. Obadiah says, "You say to yourself, 'No one can bring me down to the ground.' Even if you fly high like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, I will bring you down from there,' says the Lord. "You will really lose everything." Is it really worth taking that chance?
Father, thank You for pulling me back from that brink so long ago, when I was so sure that I was flying high and didn't need or trust You. You loved me despite all that and saved me from myself. Thank You for that love. Thank You for the cross, my Friend!
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Nahum -- God Has A Word For Bullies
Jonah had preached to them, reluctantly: "Repent or be destroyed!" They'd listened .... for awhile at least. The big military bully had found God. The world had probably shaken with the news.But it didn't las
Jonah had preached to them, reluctantly: "Repent or be destroyed!" They'd listened .... for awhile at least. The big military bully had found God. The world had probably shaken with the news.
But it didn't last. They came off of the "mountaintop" and fell right back into their old bullying ways. They trusted in their horses and chariots instead of God. Once again, they began to attack their neighbors. Nineveh was on the rise again.
God had made a promise, and now He was going to fulfill it. The first two verses tell us three times that God punishes, and that He stays angry with His enemies. Verse 9 says, "The Lord will completely destroy ANYONE making plans against Him."
Does that sound harsh? I think it should. It would be the height of arrogance to blame God, the Creator of the Universe, for getting angry with someone He created who is perpetually ungrateful and unloving toward Him. Who would dare say, "You have no right to get mad at anyone, God!" It reminds me of a line from the movie Top Gun where Tom Cruise's commanding officer tell him that his ego is writing checks that his body can't cash.
Nahum is a warning to anyone who would think to take on God. Verse 5 says, "The mountains shake in front of Him and the hills melt." Which puny human would dare to believe that he could stand in defiance of God?
Father, I'm glad that I am loved and protected by a jealous God with great power. I rest in the knowledge that nothing of this world can stop You from doing exactly what You want to do. That's why I so love verse 7 in chapter 1: "The Lord is good, giving protection in times of trouble. He KNOWS who trusts in Him."
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Zechariah 1&2 -- Beautiful Words Spoken Directly To You 2500 Years Ago
Zechariah's visions were foretelling events from his own near future (the return of the exiles from Babylon) to the distant future (Christ's Millennial Reign). Although it sounds wonderful hearing God tell everything He will do for Isra
Zechariah's visions were foretelling events from his own near future (the return of the exiles from Babylon) to the distant future (Christ's Millennial Reign). Although it sounds wonderful hearing God tell everything He will do for Israel, this morning God seemed to direct me to use Israel as a metaphor for us. What incredible meaning the following verses then convey:
"This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: 'Return to Me, and I will return to you .... I have a strong love for [you] ... I will return to [you] with mercy. My Temple will be rebuilt [He'll purify us -- our bodies are His Temples.] ... I will be a wall of fire around [you] ... And I will be the glory WITHIN [you].... Whoever touches you HURTS what is PRECIOUS to ME! I am coming, and I will live among you.' "
WOW, Father! These two chapters are incredible! I don't know how I could ever exist without Your strong love for me. Thank You for calling me back to you. Thank You for the mercy You showed me when I was so undeserving. Thank You for Your continual work of purifying me, rebuilding me to be a man after Your own heart. Thank You for being a wall of fire around me to protect me from Satan's attacks. Help me to never impede Your glory as it shines out from me to others. Thank You for Your promise, already fulfilled, to live with me, through Your Holy Spirit, and how I look forward to the day when You personally come back to take my boys and me home!
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Zechariah 3-5 Dreaming BIGGER Dreams
Zechariah was given visions of the priesthood being cleansed and restored, the rebuilding of the Temple by the Spirit of God, and the removal of idol worship from Israel. Those must have been, at the time, visions no one was expecting to see fu
Zechariah was given visions of the priesthood being cleansed and restored, the rebuilding of the Temple by the Spirit of God, and the removal of idol worship from Israel. Those must have been, at the time, visions no one was expecting to see fulfilled in their own lifetimes; and indeed, much of it awaits Christ's return.
The sidebar in my Bible says, though, that "there is great power in dreaming big. Such vision implies a long-term approach to ministry. Many leaders suffer from having to constantly rethink their vision because it was so small that they accomplished it too quickly, or so insignificant it barely seemed worth the effort. God's vision for your life, though, is grand. His vision is not one you are likely to accomplish in a year or two .... Once you catch His vision, it will outlive you.... Your responsibility is not to see it come to a conclusion. Work toward that end, but do not feel incomplete if it is not fully accomplished in your lifetime. Along the way, simply being part of making that vision become reality will seem like sufficient reward .... The magnitude of the task is dwarfed by the realization that He wants to do it, and He intends to make it happen through you."
I just made an overnight trip to Oklahoma and back, and along the way, I listened to an audio version of Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris -- twin teenage boys. And something I heard from it dovetails nicely with what I ready today. It said that we are often able to quite easily do things that would be difficult for others. Because of that, we can become satisfied with doing what to us is easy and to others seems hard, thinking that we've arrived.
Just as the sidebar said, we have to dream bigger. God wants us challenged, for that is how He builds our faith.
Father, I don't want to be coasting. If it's easy, then it's time to spiritually stretch. Help me to dream bigger than what I've already dreamed.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Zechariah 6-8 You Mean I've Been MISSING Something ALL This Time, God??
A delegation of men from Bethel arrived to ask a pretty significant question: "For seventy years we've been mourning the fall of Jerusalem by fasting. Should we keep doing this?" God's answer probably hit them full
A delegation of men from Bethel arrived to ask a pretty significant question: "For seventy years we've been mourning the fall of Jerusalem by fasting. Should we keep doing this?" God's answer probably hit them full in the face: "For seventy years ... that was not really for Me... it was really for yourselves."
The same old tired, meaningless worship that sapped their souls of any joy had been going on for what seemed like forever, and nobody had ever dared to ask, "Is this what You want, God?"
God had gotten nothing out of it, and really, neither had they, but they'd dutifully kept doing it because it was what they'd always done.
God really laid in to them for having this attitude: "You refused to pay attention; you were stubborn and did not want to listen anymore. You made your hearts as hard as rock and would NOT listen to the teachings of the Lord All-Powerful. And you would not HEAR the words He sent by His Spirit..."
What effect did their worship have on God? "The Lord All-Powerful became very angry. 'When I called to them, they would not listen. So when they called to Me, I would not listen.' "
The sidebar in my Bible backed this up: "Worship is a function of the spiritual health of a congregation. A church may have a beautiful choir singing uplifting songs with theologically correct words, a tremendous organ, and a beautiful sanctuary. But if the people's HEARTS are far from God AND there is no foundation of PRAYER, WORSHIP DOES NOT TAKE PLACE... Our experience of God in worship depends on our commitment and attitude toward God. Developing an attitude of worship is a matter of an awareness of the presence of God's Spirit.... worship takes place because God is PLEASED to be there.... Our personal receptivity also affects our worship experience.... we are not open to receiving God's Spirit if we are not ready to listen and worship. It doesn't matter how wonderful the service is."
Father, how very much this rings true! It happened to me, and once I understood by watching how others worshipped that I was not really worshiping, but just going through the motions, I was appalled at what I'd been doing for years without knowing! Thank You for giving me an awareness of Your presence and an expectation that You would show up. Help others who are missing this, as I was, to discover what real worship is truly all about.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Zechariah 9-10 God's Personal Message This Morning For YOU
I sat up and took notice when the chapter started out with, "This message is the word of the Lord:", almost like we don't dare shrug this off as just another Old Testament prophecy. Now I see why.It was followed by a message about
I sat up and took notice when the chapter started out with, "This message is the word of the Lord:", almost like we don't dare shrug this off as just another Old Testament prophecy. Now I see why.
It was followed by a message about us: "The tribes of Israel and all people belong to the Lord." Skipping down to verse 8: "No one will hurt My people again, because now I am watching them." I'm sure glad I'm one of His people!
More for us! "Rejoice greatly ... shout for joy! Your king is coming to you. He does what is right, and He SAVES. He is gentle and riding on a donkey, on the colt of a donkey." That sure describes my King!
Here comes more: "As for you, because of the blood of the agreement with you, I will set your prisoners [of sin] free ... You prisoners who have hope, RETURN to your place of safety."
God led me to remember Psalm 91:1-2: "Those who go to God Most High for safety will be protected by the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, "You are MY place of safety and protection. You are MY God and I trust You.' "
Zechariah continues bringing God's message: "Today I am telling you that I will give you back twice as much as before..." God reminded me then of His words to His people in Joel 2:25, which says: "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten."
I thought about the years of famine God brought about -- for His own people and for the Egyptians. Just imagining ALL those years of lost crops suddenly being repaid .... and then here to hear Him say that He would give them back TWICE THAT! How incredible!
He's not done yet, though: "Then the Lord will appear above them.... The Lord God will blow the trumpet.... The Lord All-Powerful will protect them .... On that day the Lord their God will save them ... They will shine in His land like jewels in a crown .... From Judah will come the Cornerstone ... 'I, the Lord All-Powerful care for My flock .... I will bring them BACK, BECAUSE I care about them. It will be as though I had never LEFT them.... I will make My people strong, and they will live as I say,' says the Lord."
Father, it wasn't enough for You that You saved me. You promise all this as well! Who am I, that You are mindful of me? I cannot thank You enough for what You've already done, and yet You promise even more! Thank You! I love You!
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Zechariah 11-14 Are We Letting You BE God Of This Nation, Lord?
Wow! It's pretty tough to envision everything happening that is given to us here, but most of it is still future prophecy!In 11:8, God tells us that He won't continue to be patient, and He says, "I will no longer take care of you l
Wow! It's pretty tough to envision everything happening that is given to us here, but most of it is still future prophecy!
In 11:8, God tells us that He won't continue to be patient, and He says, "I will no longer take care of you like a shepherd." (He's talking to Judah). All the more reason not to put off the decision to publicly proclaim that we have accepted Christ as Savior and Lord of our lives, I think.
God gives us full proof that He has always been in full control, describing the treatment of His only Son by His chosen people, the price Judas would be paid, and many other details of Christ's treatment hundreds of years before they occurred. He also tells us fascinating details of events in our future, written thousands of years prior to it occurring. 13:4 vividly shows God allowing His Son to be killed by mankind: "Sword, hit the shepherd. Attack the man who is My friend."
God details the attacks of Israel that will usher in Christ's reign on earth, with 14:9 giving the result: "Then the Lord will be KING over the WHOLE world. At that time, there will be ONLY ONE LORD, and His name will be the ONLY name."
There will no longer be a difference between "secular" and "sacred", my commentary explained, because everything will be Holy to the Lord -- even the common pots and pans in Jerusalem.
I feel led back to 14:9, about Christ being King over the whole world, and the song "God Of This City" keeps running through my mind, over and over. I feel that I'm being led to understand that we generally like the idea of God being King over our whole planet -- kind of insuring that it all stays together -- but the nearer He draws to us -- to God of our nation, our state, our city, our street, our house, our lives -- most of mankind will resist such a move.
It's an easy thing to say that we want God caring for our country, but the actions of Americans on Election Day will tell the tale. And bringing it all the way home, how many times do I have trouble letting God be God of even my eyes, or my mouth, or my hands?? I think it has to start WITHIN EACH of us. We have to be fully "bought-in" to the concept of God ruling us before we will allow Him to rule our house, or our neighborhood, or any other place. Yes, I want Him to be God of this city, but I must first give Him permission to rule all of ME. Otherwise, I can be part of the rebellion.
Father, taken from this perspective, it's not so easy to say that we are a Christian nation, or even a Christian city yet. Help me to let go and let You be God of all of me, then use me to work Your way up.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
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