Listening to the Word

Daniel 5-6; Psalms 130; Luke 3   “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.” Psalm 130:5 “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar – when Pontius Pilot was governor of Judea…the word of God came to John, son of Zechariah in the desert. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism for the forgiveness of sins” Luke 3:1-3 John the Baptist was in the desert when the Word of the Lord came to him. He didn’t engage in public ministry till he had a word from the Lord. How long did John wait in the desert for the Lord to speak to him? John put his hope in God’s Word because that Word would transform lives. Our words might be educated, echoing the wisdom of past scholars, writers, and thinkers, but they lack the anointing of God unless the Spirit of God births them. God’s words are worth waiting for and are worthy of our hope and trust. God’s words don’t always come through the expected, accepted channels of leadership. John was a ...

Ezekiel 47-48; Luke 2 “…Then he led me back to the bank of the river. When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river…When it empties in the Sea, the water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows…Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail…Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.” Ezekiel 47:6-9, 12 Wherever this river of life flows from the presence of God, it will bring life. Salty water that mingles with this river of life will become fresh again. Many living creatures will be nurtured by this living water. Fruit trees with leaves that never wither will grow and offer food and healing because of the life drawn from this river. The word ‘fresh’ used to describe the quality of water is the word ‘healed’. Just as the salty water will be healed, so will the nations who are living next to the living water. They will benef...

Ezekiel 45-46; Luke 1 “’For nothing is impossible with God.’ ‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.” Luke 1:37, 38 God’s Word to his people, his servants, will never fail. However, we must respond to that word with humility and faith. Some doubt God’s word to them, while others sit back in fatalism waiting for God to do what he has planned. Mary did neither. She cooperated with God in faith and obedience to see his word accomplished in her life. What words have we received from the Lord? Are we responding to them with faith, or with doubt and fear? Sometimes the timelines for fulfillment of God’s Word are different from our expectations. Are we willing to wait in active faith like Abraham who for decades waited for the son of promise? Are we willing to look foolish in the eyes of the world while we wait, even while we participate in the fulfillment, like Noah? When Jesus comes again, will he find faith on the earth? Will h...

Ezekiel 42-44; Revelation 22   “They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.” Ezekiel 44:23 “’Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.’” Revelation 22:14, 15 Maturity in Christ’s kingdom is measured by the ‘food’ we consume and by our capacity to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:14). Just as priests were to teach the Israelites the difference between the holy and the common, the clean and the unclean, so also the indwelling Holy Spirit teaches us to avoid evil, temptation, and spiritual bondage of any kind. In an age when the love and practice of falsehood is accepted, Christ-followers embrace the truth. The truth is that sin leads us into b...

Ezekiel 40-41; Psalms 128; Revelation 21 “The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long.” Revelation 21:15, 16 Why did the angel who showed John the Holy City of Jerusalem, measure it? God’s kingdom is not a metaphor; it is concrete and real. Just because we cannot see the kingdom of God now, does not mean it doesn’t exist. Paul spoke of the kingdom of God as “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit”. These qualities define the lives of those who live in the kingdom of God. However, this kingdom will one day be our only reality. No longer will we be living in both the physical and spiritual realm at the same time. Those who by faith seek first the kingdom of God now, will one day live within its walls as sons and daughters of the King. “Lord Jesus, I...

Ezekiel 38-39; Psalms 145; Revelation 20 “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books…If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:12, 15 It’s a sobering thought that our lives are being recorded in books, and all our deeds are known by God. There will be no ambiguity in what we deserve as we stand before the throne of God. However, there is another book, the book of life, in which are recorded the names of those who have trusted Christ with their lives and by faith have received his sacrifice for their sin. This book supersedes all other books and is one in which we want our names to be listed. It doesn’t matter whether we are ‘great’ or ‘small’, wealthy or poor, educated or not. What matters is whether we received the gift of eternal life through ...