Listening to the Word

Ezekiel 12-14; Revelation 5   “The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the Lord!’ ...Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, ‘The Lord declares…because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash...’” Ezekiel 13:1, 2, 6, 10 It is a significant responsibility to declare the Word of the Lord! To speak words in God’s name that he has not sanctioned is to misrepresent God. Ezekiel was called by God to confront the false prophets who were using God’s word like “whitewash” to cover the idolatry and sin of the Israelites. They proclaimed peace when God had pronounced judgment on Israel for their rebellion. The prophet Isaiah predicted a suffering servant would atone for the sins of God’s people (Isaiah 53). He would be the “lamb who was slain” and with his blood “purchased men [people] for God from every trib...

Ezekiel 8-11; Revelation 4   “He said to me, ‘Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a trivial matter for the house of Judah to do the detestable things they are doing here? Must they also fill the land with violence and continually provoke me to anger?’ ...He answered me, ‘The sin of the people of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice…’” Ezekiel 8:17; 9:9 Ezekiel was grieved by the things that grieved God’s heart. As he prayed for his people, God took him back to Jerusalem in a vision and showed him the idolatry, violence, and injustice which had polluted the land.   While we can have strong feelings about polluting the physical environment, how do we feel about the polluting influence of sin in our land? Much entertainment today glorifies violence. This generation is being shaped by the casual taking of human life. In North America, multiple casual shootings are being experienced daily. The injustice of wealth d...

Ezekiel 4-7; Revelation 3 “’I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.’” Revelation 3:18 When getting advice from an investment counselor, we might be asked if we want short term or long term returns on our investment. Jesus counsels us to invest in eternal returns.   If we are to buy gold, white clothes, and salve from Jesus, what currency do we use? All of these eternal qualities require the humble surrender of our will to Jesus. Our faith is of greater worth than gold, and like gold is refined, tested, and strengthened. Without faith, we cannot please God. By listening to the Word like Abraham, and obeying, we, too, will become rich in faith. It is Jesus who offers us his white clothing of righteousness and right-standing with God. Our self-righteousness, including religious posturing, is like filthy rags. It is hardest to unders...

Ezekiel 1-3; Revelation 2   “’But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.’” Ezekiel 2:8 “’He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.’” Revelation 2:7, 12 How do we listen to the Word in such a way that it transforms us? God’s Word to Ezekiel was to open his mouth and eat the word the Lord gave him as symbolized by a scroll. Are our mouths open in anticipation that God’s Word will feed us? To eat the Word is to chew it, swallow it, and digest it. We find nutrients in God’s Word that strengthen us and build us up in our faith. God speaks to individuals and to churches. His Word is not only food, but also symbolized a sword which comes out of the mouth of the Lord. This sword cuts to our lives dividing soul and spirit, judging the thoughts and intents of our heart. Will we invite the Lord’s discipline, rebuk...

Jeremiah 52; Revelation 1; Psalms 143, 144   “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you…” Psalm 143:8 “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the Island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus…and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword…” Revelation 1:9, 16 Jesus’ word is a sharp, double-edged sword which came out of his mouth. David put his trust in that sword and submitted his life to the authority of God’s Word. John trusted in that Word and boldly gave witness to the power and resurrection-life found in Jesus. By submitting to that double-edged sword, John was exiled to the Island of Patmos. It is an incredible privilege to listen to the Word, obey it, and share it with others. However, this Word is a sword and it will pierce and cut our lives, even as we call others to know and follow Jesus, the Living Word of God. Have we s...

Jeremiah 50-51; 3 John   “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.” 3 John 9, 10 For many years, John the apostle was Bishop of the churches in the Ephesus region. However, even this loving apostle could not prevent leaders like Diotrephes from causing division and confusion within the church. Diotrephes loved to be first. He could have chaired the church council or elder’s team. But Diotrephes’ pride and divisiveness, along with selfish ambition, meant that John was a threat to him and his leadership. Neither John nor visiting church leaders were welcomed under Diotrephes’ leadership in Ephesus. His leadership was marked by control, fear, competition, and ambition. John pointed this out to Gaius, a wealthy le...

Jeremiah 37-39; Psalms 79; 2 John “Neither he nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet. King Zedekiah, however, sent…this message: ‘Please pray to the Lord our God for us.’” Jeremiah 37:2, 3 Why do we feel we can talk to God without listening to him? King Zedekiah paid no attention to the words the Lord spoke through Jeremiah because they weren’t the words he wanted to hear. However, he wanted Jeremiah to pray to God for the deliverance of Jerusalem. Any healthy relationship requires two way communication and walking with God is no different. If we think we can spiritually manipulate God, we are fools. King Zedekiah refused to humble himself before the Lord, obey his word, and surrender to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Obeying the Lord requires that we listen to his Word, even when it hurts. “Lord God, you are faithful and I will listen and obey your Word, for your glory.”

Jeremiah 33-34; Psalms 74; 1 John 5 This is what the Lord says: ‘If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time, then my covenant with David my servant – and my covenant with the Levites who are priests ministering before me – can be broken…’” Jeremiah 33:20, 21 “The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon…Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord, how foolish people have reviled your name…Have regard for your covenant…” Psalm 74:16, 18, 20 Jeremiah’s prophesy of God’s covenant-keeping nature as evidenced in creation, later became the basis for intercession by the Levites in exile. God’s Word is our best prayer book as we intercede for our lives and those we love. As we appeal to God’s nature, his promises, and his covenants, we remind ourselves that our responsibilities in those covenants are also important. We must grow in faithfulness even as our God is faithful...

Jeremiah 31-32; 1 John 4   “…God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:16-18 Are we afraid of the day of judgment? John’s word is to those who know Jesus. We don’t need to be afraid. Knowing Jesus means being filled with his love. If we don’t know the security of Jesus’ love, we have to honestly ask ourselves if we actually know Jesus or just know about him. John’s Revelation clearly outlines the day of judgment; yet, John just as clearly says those who know Jesus do not need to fear. Instead, we who know Jesus will have confidence on the day of judgment. Why? – Because we are in Christ. By faith, we have received the love and righteousness of Jesus. It is Jesus who is...

Jeremiah 28-30; 1 John 3   “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother…And this is how we know that he lives in us: we know it by the Spirit he gave us.” 1 John 3:9, 10, 24 How do we know we belong to God’s family? That is the question John is answering. Not, ‘am I saved and going to heaven’, which is the focus of some recent formulations of the gospel. John’s evidence that ‘God’s seed remains in us’ is that we no longer want to sin against God. Do we still sin? Yes, but we no longer indulge in patterns of sin because the Holy Spirit within us convicts us and draws us back into the love of God. We also know we belong to God’s family because we love our brother and sister (and our spouse) in Christ. Thi...

Jeremiah 21, 24, 27; Psalms 118; 1 John 2 “In my anguish I cried to the Lord and he answered by setting me free. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? ...I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done. The Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open for me the gates of righteousness. I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.” Psalm 118:5, 6, 17-19 In our life, the tests of the Lord are not meant to destroy us; but rather, to both refine and promote us. Those who pass the tests do so in complete surrender of their will. In humility they cry to the Lord and wait for his deliverance. We testify to God’s presence in our lives through how we respond to these tests. The world fights, defends self, promotes self, and manipulates. The sons and daughters of God respond to his chastening with grace and humility. To them the gates of righteousness will open as the Lord welcomes them into glory. How are we responding to...

Jeremiah 48-49; Psalms 67; 1 John 1   “But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 If we walk in the light as Jesus is in the light, do we have we have fellowship with Jesus or with one another? Why does John say ‘with one another’? Spiritually, our vertical freedom with God leads to horizontal freedom in our relationships with others. Living free from all known sin in the light of God’s presence will dramatically improve our marriage and our relationships at work, at home, and in every area of our life. If we harbour hatred toward another person we are in the darkness, unable to move forward and unable to discern right from wrong. Hatred and conflict blind us to the light. The good news is that the blood of Jesus which offers us forgiveness is also available in our relationships. We can choose to forgive and set others free as well as ourselves. Are we walking in the ...

Jeremiah 45-47; Psalms 105; John 21   “He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. He remembers his covenant forever, the word he commanded for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: ‘To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.’” Psalm 105:7-11 We serve and know a covenant-keeping God. If he can break his first covenant with Israel, then he can also break his new covenant with us. However, that is not God’s nature; while we are unfaithful, he is faithful. God’s covenants stand. He also disciplines us for our good. Just as Israel was disciplined, so also the Church is disciplined and we, too, experience God’s judgments. Our response must be to humble ourselves before the Lord and acknowledge our sin, seek his face, and give him glory by telling of his gospel and mercy to us in Christ. We trust in who God is because his...

Jeremiah 26, 35, 36; John 20 “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary’. She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said, ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’…” John 20:16-18 John recounted how he was the first to witness the empty tomb of Jesus. However, it was Mary Magdalene who was the first to see the resurrected Christ, to hear him, and to receive the command to ‘Go’. Why did Jesus choose to give Mary this honor, and not John or Peter? Why did Paul, overlook this important fact when he listed those who saw Jesus in his letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15:5-8)? Paul claimed it was Cephas who first saw Jesus; however, Paul wasn’t present during those first hours and days following the resurrection. Could it be that Mary’s status as a...

Jeremiah 23, 25; John 19   “’But which of them has stood in the council of the Lord to see or to hear his word? Who has listened and heard his word?’...’Therefore,’ declares the Lord, ‘I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me.’” Jeremiah 23:18, 30 Disciples of Jesus, filled with his Spirit, have the opportunity to discern the ‘mind of Christ’ in each situation. We have been given the “Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us (1 Corinthians 2:12).” Yet rather than spending time in the presence of the Lord, we would rather listen to podcasts of each other’s sermons and ‘steal from one another words’ which we can then use. This must grieve the Lord.   Will we receive our inheritance as sons and daughters of the King and seek his face? Will we choose to listen and obey, value purity and holiness, and honor the Word of the Lord? There is no shortcut to being genuine men and women of God. We must spend time i...

2 Kings 24; Jeremiah 22; Psalms 112; John 18   “Jesus commanded Peter, ‘Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?’…Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.’” John 18:11, 36 During the arrest of Jesus, Peter’s violent act of defense against Malchus, the high priest’s servant, sparked an immediate response from Jesus. Peter’s sword was interfering with the cup of deliverance and redemption Jesus was about to drink as he fulfilled the sacrifice of the Passover lamb. Jesus had just offered that Passover cup to Peter at the last supper they had together as disciples, but now Jesus would fulfill that Feast’s purpose for all time. Peter didn’t understand why Jesus would allow himself to be arrested because he didn’t understand yet that Christ’s kingdom was not of this world. Many disciples still don’t understand this reality and like Peter, def...

Jeremiah 18-20; Psalms 93; John 17   “…’Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son that your Son may glorify you…I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.’” John 17:1, 22, 23 Do we know the time in which we are living in God’s salvation history? Jesus knew that the time had come for him to give his life for the sin of the world. His obedience to the will of the Father released the glory of God (i.e. God’s presence), into the lives of his disciples. It is God’s presence which brings us into unity with one another, not in negotiating our confessional and doctrinal statements down to the least common denominator. Jesus and the Father, indwelling his disciples through the Holy Spirit, fill us with the Father’s love, so that unity becomes our reality. This is the time for the Church to open wide to G...

Jeremiah 16-17; Psalms 96; John 16   “’I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.’” John 16:20, 21 There are different kinds of pain in our lives as disciples of Christ. Often pain is caused by sin in this world and in our lives. We reap what we sow and it hurts However, there is another pain: the pain of birthing a work of God in and through our lives. This pain, like a woman in labour, leads to a new beginning. We might not understand why God is releasing us from a ministry, an assignment, or a location, but the pain of letting go, surrendering, and dying leads to new life. When the new life that God is birthing is being formed, we must cover it in prayer and wait on the Lord’s timing. We cannot rush a birth no matter how painful. ...

Jeremiah 13-15; John 15 “’You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.’” John 15:16 Many respond to a presentation of the gospel which focuses on how they can get to heaven. With this perspective, salvation becomes a solution to their sin-problem. However, Jesus’ last words to his disciples reminded them it was he who called them, not to solve their sin-problem, but to bring glory to his Father. We were called by Jesus into a loving relationship of listening to and obeying him so that we, too, would bear much spiritual fruit. It’s not about our eternal security; it’s about knowing Jesus and evidencing the reality of his presence in our lives through much fruit - fruit like the Spirit produces in the lives of those who are filled with love, joy, peace, patience, etc. - fruit like that attracts spiritually hungry people who also desire life. If this doesn’t describe our exp...

Jeremiah 10-12; John 14 “’All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’” John 14:25-27alone, we are known and loved by our Father God. “Father God, The peace that Jesus promised his disciples is not the peace the world gives. The world’s peace is at best the absence or minimizing of conflict. The peace of Christ is the presence of the Holy Spirit who reminds us of the promises and principles of Jesus. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace… (Galatians 5:22). Fear and a troubled heart can steal our peace by attempting to separate us from our awareness of the Holy Spirit’s presence. If we call on the Lord, rebuke fear, and invite Jesus to fill us with his peace, we will find the wonderful pr...

Jeremiah 7-9; John 13   “He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus replied, ‘You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ ‘No,’ said Peter, ‘You shall never wash my feet.’” John 13:6-8 What didn’t Peter understand about why Jesus was washing his and the other disciples’ feet? Luke’s gospel records that at the Passover supper the disciples were arguing among themselves “as to which of them was considered to be greatest (Luke 22:24).” The disciples understood and debated positional authority, but they did not yet understand spiritual authority. After receiving a seminary degree or many years of faithful church attendance, would we understand spiritual authority in the way of Jesus? Jesus had all authority yet he washed his disciples’ feet. Soon after this, he died for them and all who would choose his offer of salvation. Spiritual authority is given to those who humble themselves, deny themselves, take up their cr...

Jeremiah 5-6; John 12 “’To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the Lord is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.’” Jeremiah 6:10 “’There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.’” John 12:48 There are few more important disciplines for disciples of Christ than listening to and obeying Jesus, the living Word. ‘Are our ears open to the voice of our Shepherd? Do we know his voice? Are we quick to repent when convicted by the Holy Spirit? Is the Word of the Lord offensive to us when we are rebuked, or do we still find pleasure in knowing the Lord loves us enough to discipline us? When listening, obeying, communing, and worshiping become our most life-giving practices, we live out of that sacred inner space in a world that is externally conditioned and focused on the approval of others; we live for the approval of the...

Jeremiah 3-4; John 11 “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ she told him. ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.’” John 11:25-27 When a pandemic sweeps the globe, people look for a vaccine that will protect them through developing immunity.   But, what will protect us from the consequence of our sin? The consequence of sin is death. Jesus came into the world to save us from our sin and to bring us into the life-relationship we were created to enjoy with our Creator. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Do you believe this? Martha said yes! At the command of Jesus, her brother Lazarus walked out of the tomb despite being dead for four days. There is no other salvation from sin and death except the name of Jesus Christ.   If we know this life-saving answer, will we share it...