God Sends Warnings

Scripture: Malachi 4:5

“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.

Insights: In today’s verses we see God’s involvement to help parents stay focused on their first purpose of instructing their child(ren).  God sends warnings through other people.  In the specifics of this verse it is a prophetic pointing to John the Baptist who would be the forerunner to Jesus.  The point being made in this blog, however, is that God is sending us warnings.  There is a day of judgment coming.  We will either be judged at the Bema seat of Christ or the Great White Throne Judgment.  The reference in this verse is the Great White Throne Judgment.  In other words, God’s hearts desire is for parents to be godly parents who instruct their child(ren) in the ways of the Lord.  The Lord also knows the only way this is possible is if the parents are in a healthy, vital and growing relationship with Him as well.  As a result, the Lord sends prophets, preachers and other godly people in our lives to point us back to the Father.  The Lord, through these individuals, is warning us about God’s future judgment.  These individuals are doing all they can to get us to return to a right relationship with the Lord.  Beloved, don’t forsake these warnings.  Do not just say they are the rantings of a religious fanatic.  They are straight from the Father above because of His immense love for you.  Respond to Him and let His grace wash over your life.  Allow Him to transform you into the person and the parent you ought to be because of His Spirit dwelling in You.  May your life bring Him glory and praise!

Questions:

1.  Who has the Lord placed in your path to bring you back to a closer walk with the Lord?

2.  Is your time getting short before the Lord unleashes His great and terrible day?

Prayer: Father, every day we are one day closer to Your great and terrible day.  I am so grateful you put people in our paths to preach and proclaim the truth.  To give each of us warnings to return to You and to train our child(ren) up in the way they ought to go.    Amen.

You are to Instruct Your Children

Scripture: Malachi 4:4

“Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel.

Insights: This week we conclude the Old Testament part of our journey through God’s redemptive history.  The final book in the Old Testament is Malachi and it is a sad story of a people who have again left their first love.  The distinction between the peoples rebellion before the exile to Babylon and their rebellion in the short time after the temples restoration was this: before the exile they worshipped other false gods.  After the exile they did not worship those gods, but did not worship the One True God with all of their heart.  So, the book of Malachi is a series of rebukes telling the people to return to the Lord.  In this final chapter, specifically the first three verses, Malachi warns the people of God’s great and terrible day of judgment that is going to fall on the world if they don’t turn their hearts over to Him.  In verse four, however, Malachi turns his focus to the last words God is going to say before He becomes silent for four hundred years (the time period we call the inner-testimonal period of time).  These verses are an instruction to parents regarding two of their primary purposes as parents and two ways in which the Lord involves Himself to insure those purposes are being met.  The first purpose is the one we will look at today, and that is, to instruct your child(ren).  In other words, as a parent it is your job to tell your child(ren) about God.  In the shema the Israelites were told to teach their children diligently when they sit in their house and when they walk by the way and when they lie down and when they rise up (Deuteronomy 6:7).  We are to look for opportunities throughout our day to point our child(ren) to the Lord.  Obviously, these lessons need to be age appropriate, but even to a toddler, one can begin teaching them about God and His amazing grace.  One of the primary truths in which we need to instruct our child(ren) is in their sinfulness.  They need to understand why they need a Savior to rescue them from their sin.  Again, this is communicated in an age appropriate manner, but the sooner the instruction begins the sooner they recognize their sinfulness.  Beloved, let me encourage you to not to just go through the motions, but to truly look for ways to instruct your children in the ways of God.

Questions:

1.  In what ways are you instructing your child(ren)?

2.  Do you actively look for opportunities in which you can instruct your child(ren) in the ways of the Lord?

Prayer: Father, I understand that one of my primary purposes as a parent is to raise my child(ren) up in such a fashion that they will be introduced to You; and hopefully, by grace they will receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.    Amen.

How Do You Handle the Difficult Situations of Life, Part 4

Scripture: Esther 4:15-17

Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.” So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.

Insights: Today’s verses conclude our thoughts for this week.  These verses are probably the second most quoted from this little book.  It is in today’s verses that Esther has come to the place of complete sacrifice.  She is willing to give her very life for the service of her people and for the glory of her Lord.  She tells Mordecai and the rest of the Jewish people to fast and pray for the Lord’s favor to be on her as she has surrendered to the reality that she must go before the king.  She is going before the king to ask him to pardon her people, but to go before the king is a very risky proposition.  As she had already laid out in her time of excuse making, the king could have her put to death just for approaching his thrown without a summons having been issued.  Esther has committed to going before the king and says, the second most quoted line, “and if I perish, I perish.”  What a resolve she had.  She knew she had to stand for her people.  She understood that she had won the beauty pageant not just to be queen, but to be a vital instrument in the saving of her people from destruction.  She has resolved her fate to be in the hands of the Most High.  If she is to die, it will be in a pursuit after Him.  Beloved, this needs to be our attitude and heart beat.  We must say yes to the Lord no matter what the consequences of that decision are.  We must seek His glory and put our wills and personal desires to death.  May your life reflect such a heart commitment and pursuit.  To His great name be praise!

Questions:

1.  Are you ready to sacrifice of yourself in order for the Lord’s will to be accomplished?

2.  What is holding you back from total surrender to the Lord’s commands?

Prayer: Father, I really do want my heart to be ready for total sacrifice to You.  All too often I fall and sin with what we would call little sins in my daily life.  In moments like these I wonder how I would be able to sacrifice of my very being for Your glory.  So, I ask You to strengthen my heart and let me desire You and Your love more than anything this world has to offer.  All for Your glory, Lord!  Amen.

How Do You Handle the Difficult Situations of Life, Part 3

Scripture: Esther 4:13-14

Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

Insights: In our verses yesterday we observed Esther making excuses as to why she was incapable of helping her cousin Mordechai and the rest of the Jewish people.  Esther sent her response back to Mordechai through Hathach.  In today’s verses we see Mordechai’s response to Esther’s objections.  He did not throw his hands in the air and say, “Oh, well, I guess it was too hard of a request.  We all ought to just lay down and let them kill us now.  This situation sure is bad, but I guess that is what I get for being born a Jew.”  Mordecai sends back a subtle, yet direct, rebuke to his cousin Esther.  He informs her that God is going to save the people of Israel, but she ought not to think that she will be spared just because she is the queen.  Many Jews will loose their lives in this attack and she, living in the palace, would be one of the first once her identity was made known.  Mordechai then states, what is probably the most famous quote from this little book, “And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this (italics mine).”  It is for no accident that you have been born in this particular time in history.  God has brought you into this world for many different tasks and He desires you to full fill them.  Some of those tasks are going to be risky and you need to be willing to still follow through in obedience because you are alive right now for such a time as this.  Beloved, I want you to know that Mordechai was not just going to roll over and die.  He had heard from the Lord in his crying out for deliverance.  The Lord instructed him to speak to Esther through Hathach and now Mordechai was remaining faithful and persistent to the task in front of him  Beloved, let us remain faithful and steadfast to what the Lord has commissioned us to be about for His glory!

Questions:

1.  As one in the trial, are you persistent to what the Lord has revealed to you?

2.  Would others classify you as a finisher or a quitter when life situations get too hard?

Prayer: Father, I desire to be known as one who finishes well and runs hard after You.  Let me respond like Mordechai and fight through the obstacles of life and pursue You with all of my heart.  As I run faithfully to You, may it bring You glory.  Amen.

How Do You Handle the Difficult Situations of Life, Part 2

Scripture: Esther 4:6-12

So Hathach went out to Mordecai to the city square in front of the king’s gate. Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and to plead with him for her people.  Hathach came back and related Mordecai’s words to Esther. Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.” They related Esther’s words to Mordecai.

Insights: In today’s verses we see Mordechai receiving Hathach as an answer to his prayers.  In other words, Mordechai saw Hathach as the Lord working in the midst of his trial.  When the Lord is clearly working in your midst you need to respond in such a fashion.  Often times we begin to doubt or we let fear grip our hearts and render us paralyzed from action.  We must learn to respond like Mordechai and obediently follow after the Lord’s involvement in our lives.  He told Hathach to tell Esther everything that had transpired and even given her a commission of activity to do in order to help the Jewish people.  There is a second thing we observe in these verses today and that comes from the standpoint of Esther.  She began to make excuses as to why she was incapable of assisting in this particular crisis.  Beloved, we all, too often, respond like Esther.  This kind of hesitant response is not because we don't care or that we don’t want to get involved.  The real issue is fear.  We become struck by fear and begin to pull away from the individual in crisis.  We make excuses and then talk about the sad state of the individual in our safe little communities.  God forgive us for such a response.  We have all made those kind of excuses, but let me encourage you to keep returning this week to my blog and see what the final outcome of this scene really is, because it can be life changing.

Questions:

1. When the Lord begins to move in the midst of your trail, what do you do?

2.  Do you offer excuses as to why you won’t help one in the midst of his/her trial?

Prayer: Father, make me pliable in Your hands and to recognize Your activity.  Don’t let me make excuses as to why we cannot help those in need.  Amen.

How Do You Handle the Difficult Situations of Life, Part 1

Scripture: Esther 4:1-5

When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly. He went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. In each and every province where the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing; and many lay on sackcloth and ashes.  Then Esther’s maidens and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai that he might remove his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept them. Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king’s eunuchs, whom the king had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was.

Insights: This week’s Thoughts by Scott will be a serious of questions dealing with difficult situations and trails in our lives as well as in the lives of those around us.  Let me quickly set the scene for this weeks verses.  Esther won a beauty pageant and became queen.  The vile Haman has outlined a plan to exterminate the Jews and the king has signed off on it.  Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, has heard of the decree and responds with the verses we read today.  Notice with me that Mordecai has turned to the Lord in this time of crisis.  He is weeping and wailing while fasting and sitting in ash with sackcloths on his body.  The fasting indicated that he has turned his attention to the Lord as the only One who can rescue him from his present predicament.  We also see in these verses that Esther, even though she was incapable of going personally to find out what had happened to Mordecai, has sent a messenger to bring her news.  She was deeply concerned about her cousin’s well being.  It is note worthy to mention that Mordecai had raised Esther since she was a little girl.  He was for all practical purposes, her father figure.  Beloved, in these verse we see two truths that ought to be applied to our lives as well.  Firstly, when we are in difficult situations, we ought to turn to the Lord for help.  Secondly, when we see others in difficult situations, we ought to inquire of them directly and see if there is any way we can help assist them in their time of crisis.  Let us honor the Lord with our faith and trust in Him and our compassion for those in distress.

Questions:

1.  To whom do you turn when trials come?

2.  How do you respond to the trials of others?

Prayer: Father, when trials come my way, grant me the grace to turn to You quickly and when I watch others going through a trial, let me be a blessing to them, not a hinderance.  Amen.

God Intends for Purpose to Result from the Rebuilding: Glory, Peace and Blessing

Scripture: Haggai 2:9 & 19c

‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the Lord of hosts….Yet from this day on I will bless you.’” 

Insights: Yesterday we learned that God intended for His rebuilding to have purpose that produced results.  Today we will look at three of those results.  First, the first part of verse nine tells us that this second temple would have greater glory than the first.  Now what is interesting is that when the second temple was completed those who had remembered the first wept because of how small it was in comparison to the first.  Yet the Lord is telling them that it was not about the size, but rather about what was done in the temple that mattered.  In this second temple the people would be more faithful and God’s glory would be reflected more.  Second, the second part of verse nine tells us that we would be given peace.  I tell people all of the time, “If you are questioning your salvation, ask the Lord if you have His peace and joy in your heart.  He will always answer this prayer.”  Third, the last part of verse nineteen tells us that he will bless us.  In the preceding verses God was telling the people the reason their crops were failing was because they had rejected God and had served themselves (you will remember that on Tuesday I mentioned that they had stolen all of the building materials to build their own homes rather than the temple).  God tells them, if they will humble themselves and repent, then He would indeed bless them.  This concept of blessing has come up the past two weeks.  Remember from last week that the blessing I am referencing is not the same as that propagated by Joel and Victoria Olsten or the rest of the Word of Faith personalities.  I am referencing biblical blessing which will take on the form of joy and peace.  It will be contentment in the things of God.  Is it true that sometimes the blessing is financial?  The answer is obviously, “yes.”  We, especially as Americans, focus more on the financial blessing than we do on the relational blessing found in being a child of the One True King.  Let the Lord’s rebuilding of your heart result in glory, peace and blessing!  May His name be praised.

Questions:

1.  In what ways are God’s glory, peace and blessings on your life being made evident to a watching world?

2.  Are you personally recognizing God’s glory, peace and blessing in your life?

Prayer: Father, thank You for your glory, peace and blessing.  Help me to truly be mindful of Your activity in my life.  I desire for others to see this transformation and wonder what makes my life different from theirs.  Let me then have the courage to tell them about Jesus.  Amen.