Listening to the Word

Job 19; Mark 1-2   “I know that my Redeemer lives; and that in the end he will stand on the earth. After my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:25-27 Job’s tribulations heightened his anticipation of heaven. He longed to see God and he believed in the bodily resurrection of the dead. He believed that his Redeemer lived and that God would redeem his life from the grave. Is this living hope at work in us? Do these truths give us hope in the midst of our tribulations, sickness, tests, and trials? When life is good, we become distracted and maybe even forget that we need a Redeemer. If this earth becomes our home, our hope of heaven can fade. However, when sickness, disease, plague, or economic crisis comes, we remember this life is short. Are we yearning for God, for heaven, and for our eternal home? Are we anticipating the return of Jesus? Do we know that our Redee...

Zechariah 7-9; Luke 13   “I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.” Zechariah 9:10, 11 The Lord Jesus Christ will proclaim peace to the nations. What message of peace did Jesus bring? He offered his life as a covenant-sacrifice for our sin. Jesus offers us peace with God through his blood of the covenant. This offer of peace with God is now made through the Church to all nations. The word used for peace here is ‘Shalom’, which means safety, wholeness, well-being, and contentment. This is a much broader reality than just the absence of conflict. It is Shalom with God, ourselves, with our neighbour, and with creation. Jesus came to reconcile all things to God through his blood shed on th...

Zechariah 4-6; Luke 12   “’For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.’” Luke 12:30-32 What we pursue in life, defines our life.   If someone were to examine our lives today, what would they say we are pursuing? What has captured our attention and become our focus? Jesus said the pagan world runs after clothes, food, and material possessions. Their focus is clear. But, what about the disciples of Jesus? Jesus’ call to us is to seek his kingdom which is righteousness (in Christ), peace (in Christ), and joy (in Christ). To seek first the kingdom is to first seek Jesus the King. He will give us what we need to live. Fear will rob us of our focus on Jesus, while faith in Jesus will strengthen us. The Father has given us the kingdom. We have an eternal inheritance. Let’s seek Jesus...

Zechariah 1-3; Luke 11 “…’Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come…yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you…how much more will you Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’” Luke 11:1, 2, 8, 9, 13 When Jesus’ disciples asked him to pray like John’s disciples, Jesus gave them the disciples’ prayer. However, he went beyond merely a prayer outline; he gave them the key to authority in prayer. Jesus taught his disciples to ask, seek, and knock on the throne room of heaven for the person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the key to bold, sustained and Word-centered praying. 120 disciples remembered this invitation from Jesus and they prayed ten days in an Upper Room for the Holy Spirit.   We receive/have the Holy Spirit at conversion, but does the Holy Spirit have us? A...

Haggai 1-2; Psalms 129; Luke 10   “’…the desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” Haggai 2:7-9 Our attention is often on the silver and gold, while the Lord’s attention is on Doxa, his glory or presence. With silver and gold we can build beautiful structures; but with Doxa they are filled with the presence of the Lord. The desired of all nations has come; his name is Jesus, the Messiah. He calls our bodies the new temple of his Spirit. We are now the temples to be filled with his Doxa, or glory. Those filled with God’s Doxa go from glory to glory as they invite Christ’s presence to daily fill them. To be filled with God’s Doxa is to know his peace at the core of our being. Are we ...

Ezra 4; Psalms 113, 127; Luke 9   “The Lord is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens…He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people.” Psalm 113:4, 7, 8 “Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the least among you all - he is the greatest.’” Luke 9:47, 48 The most powerful and exalted being in the universe is also the most humble and he loves humility in the lives of his disciples. Justice requires humility because we must see the intrinsic value of people, regardless their station in life. The Lord God loves to break the cycle of poverty and elevate the poor and needy. He loves to give honor to the least, the last, and the lost. His disciples argued about greatness and competed (they still do), w...

Ezra 2-3; Luke 8   “’For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.’…He replied, ‘My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s Word and put it into practice.’” Luke 8:17, 18, 21 Listening to the Word is not enough. We must put the Word into practice in our lives each day. Jesus, the living Word, knows our heart and nothing is concealed from him. He knows how much or little of what we hear we are applying. Jesus’ family isn’t composed of people who have prayed a prayer to avoid the consequences for their sin. This is a family that chooses to stop sinning through the power of the Holy Spirit as they hear God’s Word and put it into practice. They actively join Jesus in his daily mission-assignments in their homes, community, and place of work. As we c...

Ezra 1; Psalms 84-85; Luke 7   “…’Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.’…’I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.’” Luke 7:6-9 Without faith we find it hard to submit to authority. We must believe in the one we are submitting to or our submission will only be lip service. The centurion was a Gentile and unclean by Jewish standards. Yet, he invited Jesus to his home in faith that Jesus’ word would heal his servant. Many use the word ‘faith’ today to describe a religious system. e.g. ‘he is a man of faith’, or ‘she has faith’. Yet a biblical definition of faith requires obedience to God’s Word and active submission to his authority in our lives. If we believe that Jesus has “all authority in heaven and on earth” we will trust his Word and plac...

Daniel 11-12; Luke 6   “’Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.’” Luke 6:37, 38 We could call this teaching by Jesus, the principle of reciprocity, taken to a new level. The way we treat others is the way God and others treat us. Judging, condemning, and critical attitudes don’t resemble the character of our Father. Rather, we are to forgive, give generously when asked, and live a life of bold love. When we give liberally and without the expectation of a return, God pours into our lives a “good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over”. Everything that our Father gives us, including forgiveness, grace, mercy, and love, is to be freely shared and poured out to others. This includes our enemies and tho...

Daniel 9-10; Psalms 123; Luke 5   “”…no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’” Luke 5:37, 38 What’s the focus of this parable? The focus is on making great wine! Too often this parable is interpreted as a teaching on church structures as containers or wineskins. Wineskins, by definition, are useless without wine in them. Have we forgotten the most important thing? Where is the wine, both new wine and mature wine of God’s Spirit and presence in our lives and ministries? The Lord is always doing ‘a new thing’. For those who respond with faith, God’s new thing will be incubated in prayer like new wine in new wineskins (Isaiah 42:9). Wine is not meant to be preserved forever; but rather, it is meant to be consumed. Inviting the new wine of God’s presence...

Daniel 7-8; Psalms 137; Luke 4   “’…Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened…But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’” Daniel 7:10, 26, 27 Ultimately, authority rests with the Most High. All rulers will worship and obey him. Satan is focused on usurping this worship and God’s authority in any way he can. Jesus’ resistance to Satan’s temptations in the wilderness shows us how to stand firm in the truth and authority of God’s Word in resisting these same temptations in our lives (Luke 4). Choosing to submit to Jesus Christ and live accountable to his Word and Spirit is the most important choice we can make in lif...

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 ...

Ezekiel 36-37; Psalms 110; Revelation 19   “Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath; prophesy son of man, say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breath into these slain, that they may live.’ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood on their feet – a vast army.’” Ezekiel 37:9, 10 “The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white, and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations…” Revelation 19:14, 15 It is the breath of God, his ‘ruah’, which gives life. Ezekiel prophesied to the breath and the Spirit of God entered the dry bones with life so they became a vast army. In the spiritual battle for the lives of multitudes and destiny of nations, the Lord Jesus is leading his army, filled with his Spirit, the sword of his Spirit, and his Word in their mouths. Many in the Church are seemingly asleep to t...

Ezekiel 33-35, Revelation 18   “My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.” Ezekiel 33:31, 32 This is probably how many pastors feel each week. Measuring how many people come to listen to our sermons is quite different than measuring whether our listeners put into practice what they are hearing. Listening to the Word is not enough. We must “obey all that Christ has commanded us” (Matthew 28:20). For those who regularly speak and preach the Word of God, these are humbling words God spoke to Ezekiel. We acknowledge that man looks at the outward appearance; but, the Lord looks at the heart. Just because people flatter us and give compliments does...

Daniel 3- 4; Psalms 81; Revelation 17   “’Hear, O my people, and I will warn you – if you would only listen to me, O Israel!...I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it…But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you. Psalm 81:8, 10, 16 “’…none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the Spirit of the holy gods is in you.’” Daniel 4:18 Nebuchadnezzar recognized that the Spirit of God was in Daniel enabling him to be filled with wisdom and revelation. Daniel lived in daily communion with God. He taught his friends to do the same. Daily, Daniel opened his mouth and God fed him with his Word. Because Daniels’ mouth was open to eat God’s Word, it strengthened and fortified him and his friends for the opposition and testing they faced. “Honey from the rock” satisfied Daniel as God revealed to him mysteries and revelation hidden to others. How much more s...

Daniel 1-2; Revelation 16   “…’Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.’ …’In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself endure forever.’” Daniel 2:20, 21, 44 Do we believe these words? Do we believe that Jesus Christ has all authority in heaven and on earth? Do we believe that God changes the times and seasons of earthly kingdoms and leaders? Do we believe it was the kingdom of God which crushed the Roman Empire? Do we believe any of our modern empires will suffer any other fate? When we embrace nationalism and exceptionalism, we set ourselves against the kingdom of God. Those who know God and submit to Jesus Christ as Lord understand the ultimate reality is the...

Lamentations 3-5; Revelation 15   “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Lamentations 3:22-26 Jeremiah understood that only God could deliver him. He could not save himself. There is great freedom when we come to that place of full surrender. Because we know the compassion, mercy, and love of the Lord, we, too, can declare that the Lord is our portion; therefore, we, too, will wait for him and on him. Waiting on the Lord is not passive, resigned faith; but rather, an attitude of humility which seeks the Lord and places our hope fully in him. Jeremiah waited patiently for the salvation of the Lord from the intense persecution he was experiencing from the Jewish community. Ironi...

Lamentations 1- 2; Obadiah; Revelation 14 “I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one ‘like a son of man’, with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand…So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.” Revelation 14:14, 16 The Lord Jesus is one “like a son of man” whom Daniel saw was given all authority (Daniel 7:13). He was seen by John, seated on a cloud. No one sits on a cloud unless they are lighter than a cloud or are living in a realm where gravity is not relevant. The Lord of the harvest, holding the sharp sickle, was seated while harvesting. Who sits while harvesting?   …One who has completed his work. The work of eternal salvation has been completed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to finish, or complete, the Father’s work (John 4:34). Our work is to sow gospel seeds and give testimony to God’s goodness in our lives. It is the respons...