Day 361
Pray (ACts) Read - Acts 10v30-48 Message - Scott Woodburn The barriers have been removed and now Peter stands in the house of a Gentile named Cornelius. The centurion thanks Peter for coming (v33) but wishes now to hear everything that the Lord has commanded Peter to say (v33b). Peter wasted no time, beginning with his new found understanding that "God shows no partiality" (v34) The Gospel is for all who will believe in every nation upon the earth (v35). And what is the Gospel? It is the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus came to Israel preaching good news of peace (v36). At Christ's baptism the Father declared "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3v17) and God the Holy Spirit descended upon Christ like a dove (v38a). Jesus ministered by doing good, by healing and by destroying the works of the devil (v38b). Yet this same Jesus was put to death by being hung upon a tree (v39). Thankfully Christ did not stay long in the grave for God raised him on the third day (v40) and he appeared to a multitude of witnesses, not least His Apostles with whom He ate and drank after His resurrection (v41). Jesus is the One pointed to by the prophets (v43) and preached by the Apostles (v42). He is the One who will return to judge the living and the dead (v42b) and everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will have forgiveness of sins through His name (v43b). Amazingly Peter hadn't even finished his sermon when the Holy Spirit fell upon those gathered (v44). We have witnessed the day of Pentecost. We have seen the Spirit coming upon the Samaritans and now the Spirit comes to the Gentile world. The event was amazing for those who had come from a Jewish background (v45). The saved Gentiles were praising God and speaking in foreign languages (v46) and so Peter urged them to be baptized (v48). In these current days much is said about the blight of racism. Last week many were in uproar over Megan Markle's claims that she experienced racism at the hands of the Royal family and the British media. There is no unity around her claims. Many have rushed to support her and many have rushed to denounce her. I have no interest in the Royal family but if it is true that the skin color of Harry and Megan's son was seen as a problem...then shame on those involved. What every single family on earth needs is the Gospel. It doesn't matter if you're from a Jewish background or a Gentile one. It is unimportant if you are Japanese or have arthritic knees. It is irrelevant if you are a famous Windsor or a little known whinger. Every family on earth needs Jesus and, thanks be to God, the free offer of the Gospel is open to all who will believe. Jesus was a Jew who came to the Jews, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God (John 1v11-12). "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." (Isaiah 1v18) Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q15 What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created? The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit.
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Day 360
Pray (ACts) Read - Exodus 6:13-27 Message - Alan Burke Today were still on the genealogy, we could spend many weeks thinking of each name and what we learn but we’re going to draw one further thing out of these verse. But before we do that remember what we thought about on Wednesday as the genealogy focused on the family of Levi and therefore on Aaron. We thought about how this genealogy was here to teach us more of how salvation is God’s work, the choosing of choosing of Moses and Aaron were all part of the work of God to bring salvation to the ends of the earth. It wasn’t because they deserved it but reminding us that God plan of salvation that begin in the past God would indeed be fulfilled. This genealogy grounds the saving work of God in the past and looks forward to the future. God had been at work, he had covenanted himself to Abraham, promised him an offspring that all the earth would be blessed though, he was promising him the coming saviour Jesus Christ. Even in the days of Moses and Aaron, God was working out his plan to send a saviour to deliver his people from their sins. For God saves sinners by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, it is his work from beginning to end. Those who are listed among it were ordinary people, the Israelites as a people were ordinary people, even if we didn’t know anything else about them, we would know that they were very much like us. They were men and women created in the image of God. They were fallen sinners in desperate need of God’s grace. And like us through faith, they were included in God’s saving plan. Whether we know who they are is not nearly as important as whether God knows who they are. “the Lord knows those who are his” (2 Tim. 2:19). It is clear from the opening verse of Exodus (1:1) God knew them his people are a people that are chosen by Him, they are known by name and individually numbered, God knew and knows each one of his people. You may not be a of great renown by the worlds standards, you may feel forgotten sitting in the house the day, longing for things to go back to normal, you may be looking back at the last eighty years and wonder what did you achieve, you may be looking forward to what you could achieve, but what matters is now who you are but whose you are. So who are you? I ask that as we close who are you? You may have researched your family tree, you may know that you are the son of David, the son of Cunningham, the son of William, you may know your family tree back hundreds of years and already see it expanding in the future with children and grandchildren but who are you? Are you counted among the people of God though faith, think of this family, your spiritual family, think about the membership list not of this church but the membership list in heaven, the Lambs book of life, is your name written there? For if you know Christ then you have been saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8) and know that nothing can change this, you are secure for Salvation is the work of God. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 14 What is sin? Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God. (1 John 3:4) Day 359
Pray (ACts) Read - Acts 10v9-29 Message - Stott Woodburn The men sent by Cornelius have almost arrived at Joppa (v9). Peter however is unaware of their approach and so at lunchtime he takes himself to the rooftop to pray. It is there that he receives a vision from God (v10). A great sheet descends from heaven (v11) with all kinds of unclean animals contained within (v12). The Lord had given all sorts of dietary requirements to the church in the Old Testament and so Peter's response is no surprise. The Lord commands him to “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” (v13) but Peter, as a devout Jew, says that he cannot, for he has never eaten anything that is common or unclean (v14). Yet the Lord insists “What God has made clean, do not call common.” (v15) with the event happening three times (v16). If we're perplexed by the meaning of this we can be encouraged because Peter was too (v17). Yet he doesn't have too much time to ponder. Cornelius' men arrive (v17) and the Holy Spirit urges Peter to go with them to Caesarea (v19-20). When Peter arrives in Caesarea he is met by Cornelius who falls down before him in worship (v25) The Apostle rebukes him gently and says “Stand up; I too am a man.” (v26) before explaining to Cornelius (and indeed to us) what the rooftop vision was all about. Peter says that previously it was considered unlawful for him, a Jew, to associate or visit anyone like Cornelius, a Gentile (v28). We have already seen that Jews and Samaritans did not get along and they had much more in common than Jew and Gentile. Here was Peter a devout Jew, willingly associating himself with a Gentile dog (Matthew 15v26). This is a remarkable event in the history of the church for now Peter declares "God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean." (v28) We cannot stress Ephesians 2v11-16 enough when Paul writes "Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called 'the uncircumcision' by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility." The Gospel knows no barriers and fellowship should to offered to a brother in sister in Christ regardless of background. The wall of hostility has been destroyed by Christ and we should not seek to build replacements. Ireland's favorite son John Brogan, once preached in English to a Korean congregation. After the sermon a man approached John and thanked him for his message and told him "we believe the same things" Indeed. Color, class or race matter not one iota in the church. The Gospel gives us peace with our fellow believers and greater still, peace with God. In Christ the common are made holy and the unclean are made spotless. Thanks be to God! Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q13 Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created? Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sinning against God. Day 358
Pray (ACts) Read - Exodus 6:13-27 Message - Alan Burke Maybe you have taken the time to research your family tree, every now and then I get a request from someone somewhere looking for me to scour the Marriage and Baptism records of Lissara. These records may be uninteresting to me, but they are important to the person that has made enquires, with the last person whom asked delighted to find out a few skeletons hidden away. Maybe you have searched your family history, trying to discover where you come from, who you are, it may not be that interesting for other people but it matters to you because it helps you understand where you fit into the story of your family. As the passage before us continues, we are told how the Lord spoke to Moses, giving him a charge and then unexpectedly the narrative moves to give an account of the genealogy of Moses and Aaron, telling us more about who they are, where they had come from. Although what is it doing here when it would almost fit in better at the beginning of chapter 1, and also what do we learn from it? Were going to spend the next devotion on this as well, so today is about why it is here. It begins not in verse 14 as many of our translations have divided it, rather it begins at verse 13 with Moses and Aaron being charged by God to go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt. And it ends by telling us that they were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh and brought the Israelites out of Egypt in verse 27. These act as bookends, a frame for what comes in-between them. And what comes in-between Let’s look at these verses, it begins with three brothers Reuben, Simeon and Levi and work forward. These three brothers were three of twelve that are listed at the beginning of chapter one. What do we know about these three brothers? Well, it doesn’t paint a pretty picture, there a few skeletons in this family tree. Reuben the first son of Jacob slept with his fathers concubine (Gen 35:22) then we have Simeon and Levi after their sister Dinah was raped, wiped out all the men in an entire city as revenge about 3000 men. We could go through many more of the names that are listed here, but the first three give a good indication of what follows, more scoundrels than saints. As the genealogy continues, it focuses on the line of Levi, we are given one generation of Reuben and Simeon's family and five of Levi. This genealogy is mainly about Aaron as it lists his sons and his grandson. Were not told about Moses’ wife and his children because we have already been introduced to them earlier. The reason for this genealogy in part, is telling us that this is God’s work, salvation is God’s work, the choosing of choosing of Moses and Aaron were all part of the work of God to bring salvation to the ends of the earth. It wasn’t because they deserved it but reminding us that God plan of salvation that begin in the past God would indeed be fulfilled. This genealogy grounds the saving work of God in the past and looks forward to the future. God had been at work, he had covenanted himself to Abraham, promised him an offspring that all the earth would be blessed though, he was promising him the coming saviour Jesus Christ. Even in the days of Moses and Aaron, God was working out his plan to send a saviour to deliver his people from their sins. For God saves sinners by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, it is his work from beginning to end. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 12 What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created? When God had created man, he entered into a (covenant of life) with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death. (Gal. 3:12, Gen. 2:17) Day 357
Pray (ACts) Read - Acts 10v1-8 Message - Scott Woodburn If the towns that bore witness to Peter's mighty acts had a mixed population, by the time we arrive at Caesarea (v1) the population is mostly Gentile. The clue is in the name of the town. Once it was called Strato's Tower but Herod had renamed it in honor of the first Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus, whose great uncle was the famous Julius Caesar. Caesarea may have been Gentile in name and in population but there were still those who knew and feared the Lord. One such man was called Cornelius, a Roman centurion. A centurion was a man in charge of one hundred other men in the Roman army and as such they were to be men of good morals and integrity. However we're told something even more important about this particular centurion - Cornelius feared the Lord. Perhaps Cornelius had some experience at the local synagogue or maybe news had reached him of the mighty works of Yahweh. Either way Cornelius had responded to the Lord favorably. He lead his whole household in the worship of God (v2)., he gave money generously (v2b) and he constantly called upon the Lord in prayer (v2c). One day at 3pm Cornelius was praying when an an angel came to speak to him (v3). Angels are not fluffy beings with giant wings who we can hang from our dashboard as good luck charms. Angels are ministering spirits sent out for the sake of God's elect. Cornelius responds with terror to the vision of one of God's host (v4). Yet he need not have feared. The angel has come in response to the prayers of Cornelius. They have risen to the Lord "as a memorial" (v4). It is as David prays "Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!" (Psalm 141v2) Cornelius is to send men to Joppa and bring Peter to Caesarea (v5). The Gospel will be preached to the Gentiles. It is said that Patrick was called to preach in Ireland by way of a dream in which the people of this island cried out "We beg you to come and walk among us once more." I cannot speak to the veracity of such an account but this chapter tells a similar story. News has reached Caesarea of the mighty acts of God. The Lord is already moving in the town. Cornelius fears the Lord and is used by God to bring Peter to his next preaching station. Nothing is left to chance with the Lord. There are no coincidences. No accidents. No mistakes. God even uses the imperfect prayers of the Saints to bring about His purposes. We have no clue on a minute by minute basis of what God is doing, but we can say confidently that He is at work. We often do not notice how His unseen hand moves and we often give up on prayer because we think that it doesn't do much good anyway. Brothers and sisters, be encouraged. The Lord is King even over towns that bear the name of men like Caesar. His mighty works capture the attention of foreigners like Cornelius long before Peter arrives. Nothing and no one will thwart the purposes of God! Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q11 What are God’s works of providence? God’s works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions. Day 356
Pray (ACts) Read - Exodus 6:9-12 Message - Alan Burke Think back to where we left off last week, how the Lord had said, I will bring you out from under the burdens (6), I will deliver you from slavery (6), I will redeem you (6), I will take you to by my people (7), I will be your God (7), I will bring you into the land (8), I will give it to you. (8). And when the Israelites heard the "I will’s” of the Lord they said as a people “I won’t listen”. In spite of these wonderful promises of God, that were filled with such wonderful news of salvation, that they would be brought out of their burdens, delivered from slavery, redeemed, they would be God’s people, they would be brought into a new land and it would be theirs, because of their cruel bondage they were unmoved. Pharaoh had driven the wedge firmly between them and Moses and between them and their God. The people may have been defeated because of their discouragement and cruel bondage but God was not defeated, he was at work and would work, he was doing all of this to bring salvation to them, and once more the Lord (10-11) tells Moses to go to Pharaoh. He is to go, but how on earth could Moses persuade Pharaoh when the people of God has so firmly rejected the I wills of God. How could he convince pharaoh when he had failed so miserably to convince his fellow countrymen. God was telling Moses to go and once more he tries to wrangle himself out of it as he gives another excuse because he too had heard the I will’s of God but hands understood that none of this was dependant on him, or the people but it was dependant on the Lord himself (12). Moses still hadn’t quite got it, it wasn’t about who he was but whose he was. For it was the Lord who would bring salvation, Moses would be used by God to bring this salvation, he was a saviour but God was the saviour of his people. Here even though things had gone from bad to worse for the people of God it was all part of God’s plan to redeem his people and bring salvation to the ends of the earth. God had everything under control. Salvation was God’s work, not theirs, he would do it. For us we need to know this truth, Salvation is God’s work for us, he has done it though Jesus Christ. For God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, (Eph. 1:4) did enter into a (covenant of grace), to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer. (Rom. 3:20–22, Gal. 3:21–22) (WSC20). Salvation is God’s work, from beginning to end it is God’s work. For it is “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). Seriously would you want your eternal salvation to reliant on your own endeavours, on your own ability, on how good you were, on how many times you prayed today, on how many times you read his word, or how good a job at loving the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and might and your neighbour as yourself? Thankfully, just like Israel in Egypt, our salvation does not depend upon our own faithfulness, but upon HIS! Salvation is God’s work! Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 10 How did God create man? God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures. (Gen. 1:26–28, Col. 3:10, Eph. 4:24) Day 354
Pray (ACts) Read - Acts 9v32-43 Message - Scott Woodburn As chapter nine comes to a close the scene suddenly shifts away from the zealous new convert Saul and returns our gaze to the familiar figure of Peter. The Apostle finds himself heading north from Jerusalem to the mixed town (Jew & Gentile) of Lydda. There he meets a paralyzed man called Aeneas who has been confined to bed for eight years (v33). Peter has lost none of his God given power and tells Aeneas that Christ has healed him and he is to rise and make his bed (v34). The healing of Aeneas amazes the residents of Lydda and Sharon and many trust in Christ (v35). Quickly however the scene shifts once more to Joppa, a town further to the north and on the coast. Joppa was another mixed town with an even bigger Gentile population. In Joppa a Christian lady by the name of Tabitha (or Dorcas in Greek) had died (v37). Those in the church knew Peter was in the nearby town of Lydda and so sent for him to come without delay (v38). He arrived to find the body of Tabitha in the upper room with many weeping over her loss (v39). Putting the mourners outside, Peter knelt in prayer before commanding Tabitha to rise (v40). Her eyes opened and seeing Peter she sat up and he presented her alive and well to those who previously were weeping (v41). Once more the dramatic news spread around Joppa and many came to know Christ (v42). The raising of the dead should not be glossed over. In the New Testament Jesus raises three people from the dead, Paul one and Peter one. Many claim such power today and treat such an event as something common that should happen "if only we have enough faith.". I humbly disagree. Peter ministers in power but does not point to himself. Peter tells Aeneas "Jesus Christ heals you" (v34). Once more the Gospel of Christ is accompanied and confirmed by signs and wonders enabled by Christ Himself. Aeneas climbs from his sickbed and Tabitha climbs from her deathbed preparing the way for the Gospel to make its way into the Gentile world. Soon Peter will have his rooftop vision and sooner still, he will meet a Gentile by the name of Cornelius as the bringing in of the Gentiles begins. To prepare the way the Lord uses His servant to do miraculous acts. The Gospel is true and even the Gentiles will believe and the dividing wall of hostility will be removed (Ephesians 2v14). As if to prepare us for what is to come in Acts, Luke tells us that Peter stays with a man called Simon who was a tanner by trade (v43). Such a man would have dealt in the bodies of dead animals and as such tanning would have been considered an unclean profession by a devout Jew. It appears that Peter didn't mind, he rests in Simon's home for many days and soon will boldly take the Gospel to places it has never been before. The reality is, all are unclean before a Holy God. Our sins are many and yet just one of them deserves the wrath of God. Our only hope is the Gospel of Christ which came first to the Jew but now also to the Gentile. Sinners from various backgrounds are made clean by the blood of the Lamb! Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q9 What is the work of creation? The work of creation is, God’ s making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good. Day 353
Pray (ACts) Read - Exodus 6:2-9 Message - Alan Burke Have you ever had to go back to basics, well here that’s what the Lord does with Moses, giving him a theology lesson, a doctrine lesson that is important for him and his people to hear. He begins by reminding Moses of the truth of who he is, he reiterates ‘I am the LORD’ (2), not only that, but also what he had done, what he was doing and what he would do, this was a back to basics lesson for Moses. And this was the turning point for the people of God, for although they knew him, they would now know him, and they see that he is the Lord God. They would know the Lord God almighty in how he would act with his might arm, how he would redeem them from Egypt in how pharaoh would kick them out (1). Moses when he greets the people is to remind the people who the Lord was that sent him. Look at the promises the Lord gives Moses to take to them; I will bring you out from under the burdens (6), I will deliver you from slavery (6), I will redeem you (6), I will take you to by my people (7), I will be your God (7), I will bring you into the land (8), I will give it to you. (8). I will, I will, I will, seven times, I will. The Lord was reminding them of what he would do. He wanted his people to understand that the answer to all their problems, was not to be found by running off to pharaoh as the foremen had done. Rather the answer to their problems was him. Their salvation depended on him, on who he was and is and ever more shall be. God had begun this work of salvation because of his abundant and amazing grace, he would end their slavery, it would all be his work, and they were being saved for his glory and to worship him. What ever they faced in the meantime, God was at work in the midst of it all, although they could not escape from their hardship they could take test in him, knowing that his Lordship was the answer in all they faced. But look to the response of the people (9) “they did not listen to Moses”. they were a defeated people, to God’s ‘I will’ they as a people said ‘I won’t’. As we close, Notice what the Lord said to Moses in verse 2, he said; “I am the Lord”. Look down to verse 6, when Moses is to go to the people of Israel and what does the Lord say once more that Moses is to say to the people: “I am the Lord”. Then look down to verse 8 and he finishes what he is saying to Moses and the people by saying; “I am the Lord”. “I am the Lord” To know this, that he indeed is the Lord is was what Moses needed in the midst of his anguish, to know this is what the people needed in the midst of their oppression, to know that it was the Lord the one who would bring salvation, that salvation belongs to the Lord, from beginning to the end it is the Lord’s work and to know him and his salvation is what we need more than anything else in this world. To Know that he is the Lord, to have him as Lord of our lives. It is through Jesus that we have salvation from our sin, Moses was a saviour of the people of God whereas Jesus was the saviour, the one who has freed us from our sins by his blood (rev 1:5). He came, suffered, died, rose and ascended so that we could know the glorious riches of this salvation that has been purchased on our behalf. At the end of all our days, Jesus is the one who will bring us to the land of glory. It is by his resurrection that we have “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven” for us (1 Pet. 1:4). Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 8 How doth God execute his decrees? God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence. Day 352
Pray (ACts) Read - Acts 9v31 Message - Scott Woodburn If Saul was quickly discovering the cost of following Jesus, the persecution he once headed was seeing a surprising result in the local church. We are told in today’s verse that the church had peace, growth, the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. This is a wonderful understated description of Christ’s bride and I pray that we will all live to see such days in our own fellowships. If the world hated these Christians, thankfully they loved one another. It is a good and pleasant thing when the church dwells in unity and the fellowship throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria had peace. The church on earth is made up of sinful men and women and so disputes will always exist, but when disunity rears its ugly head may we strive for peace with those for whom Christ died. May we forgive and forget quickly and may we be swift to repent in our own part of any dispute. The church in those days was being built up by the Apostles’ teaching and once more in Acts we are challenged by the fact that at the heart of the fellowship was the Word of God. These weren’t fellowships tired out by running endless organisations, instead they gathered to be taught and to hear God speak. The result was that they were built up in their faith. How does this building up occur? When we are committed to the ordinary means of grace. We may have the biggest BB in the district and our sung praise is the right balance of old and new and each year we send a team of volunteers to the deepest reaches of Eastern Europe but if our gatherings to sit under the Word of God are empty, what’s everything else for? I suspect the difference between the church then and the church now is that back then they walked in the fear of the Lord. What does Luke mean by that? I’ve written much about the fear of the Lord in these devotions and I know you’ll forgive me as I do so again. We do not fear the Lord as a servant fears their master, we fear the Lord as a child fears their father. We love Him, we know that He is holy in all His ways, we do not wish to offend Him, we love His Word, we love His church, simply put we fear the Lord. May the fear of the Lord increase in our fellowships and may we tremble as we remember that we do not play games with a “god” of wood or stone, but we gather before the great “I AM”. As we fear the Lord we enjoy the Spirit’s comfort. He draws near to help us when we are weak. He guides us as we seek to understand the Word. He constantly directs our gaze to Jesus. He prays for us when we do not know how to pray. No wonder Jesus called the Holy Spirit the comforter. We have not been left alone to face this world. We have the fellowship of the saints and the Holy Spirit who dwells with each Christian. As the Spirit brought comfort to existing Christians, so too did He call new Christians as the church multiplied across the region. We know that often our churches do not look like this wonderful verse, but today we turn to prayer and not despair. Father, these are troubled days for the church of Jesus Christ but today we pray your word. Make our fellowships places of peace where Christians grow, sinners are converted, the fear of the Lord abounds and the Spirit’s comfort is received. Build your church we pray. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q7 What are the decrees of God? The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass. Day 351
Pray (ACts) Read - Exodus 6:1 Message - Alan Burke “How dare you”, “you’ve ruined everything”, “that is totally unacceptable”, “I hope I never see you again”, “it’s all your fault”. Have you ever said anything like that or had it said to you? When you are on the end of a tongue lashing sometimes the best thing to do is just smile and say nothing but most of the time we want to give as good as we get. Moses had mouthed off at God, he had given him a tongue lashing, he had accused God of causing evil to fall upon the Israelites (5:23). Even though the Lord had made it clear that it would be this way, that he would “harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he would not let the people go” (4:23). This Moses still had a lot to learn about who the Lord God was and is and ever more shall be. Here the Lord answers, what is striking is that the Lord simply ignores the accusations, the guff he had been spouting and takes Moses back to basics by reminding him that he would indeed do what he said he would. For the future lay in God’s mighty hand not Moses big mouth, and Moses was the one that God was going to use to speak and lead his people out. God had called him and no matter how dejected Moses now was, that calling was there still on his life. Paul reminds us that “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom 11:29) God never revokes his saving promises, his calling, his salvation are dependant not on the one he calls and saves, it is dependant on his saving grace (Rom. 9:16–18) Moses would indeed see what God would do, he has revealed to Moses his intentions and he would carry them out, so that Pharaoh and Egypt may know that the LORD alone is the Lord God, over all the earth (5:5, 17; 8:10, 22 [6, 18]; 9:14, 29; 11:7; 14:4, 18). In that process the Lord’s people Israel would know her Lord in a deeper way (6:7, 10:2). All by the mighty hand of God. How God would do that Moses and the people would have to wait to see. It may not have been the answer that Moses was hoping for but it was the answer he needed, the Lord who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, ignored his complaint and instead reminded him of the great truth of what he the LORD would indeed do. Even though things had gone from bad to worse for the people of God it was all part of God’s plan to redeem his people and bring salvation to the ends of the earth. God had everything under control. You may have cried out to God, you may be sitting here wondering why he hasn’t answered the way you want, you may be struggling with what you face, or just dismayed at what is going on around us in this world, or how our society seems to be going daft but yet God is working in the midst of it all, he by his providence at work, as the Westminster Confession of Faith helps us summaries the scriptural teaching; “God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass” God is sovereignly at work, you can be assured of that, he is in control whether we can see that or not, whether it seems that he hasn’t answered our prayers in the way we want, in our struggles, in wall that goes in he is in control, when our expectations lie in ruin, when things are far from how we would want them or desire them to be he is at work. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 6 How many persons are there in the Godhead? There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. (1 John 5:7, Matt. 28:19) |
Alan
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