|
 |
April
26
|
|
|
|
|
Reading
1 - Deuteronomy 12
Click
here to Listen
|
v.2,3
- Do we do this? Do we remove from our lives completely those things which
are designed to take us away from God? Do we actively choose not to watch
that program on the television that is so obviously and blatantly appealing
to the baser aspects of our nature? or do we join in with the worship of
the world? ch.7:5,25-26,
Exo.23:24, 34:12-17, Hos.4:13.
Peter Cresswell |
|
v.5-7
- Here is the beginning of the idea of God's dwelling with man through the
place which He has decided to place His name there. This place is later
stated as being Zion (Psa.132:13,14)
and clearly is personified in Christ as he manifests God to the world. We
abide in Christ, who is himself the abiding place of God - the spiritual
Zion. The verses we are considering from Deuteronomy 12 then take on a new
meaning for us.
Peter Cresswell
|
|
v.30
The admonition not to enquire how did the nations serve their Gods is a
powerful warning to us. There is a vast difference between investigating
the beliefs of others in order to combat their error and hopefully enlighten
them and going to other religions with the thought that they might have
something to offer us in terms of teaching or practice. Of course we cannot
be so arrogant as to say that we do know all the truth but we can confidently
assert that what we do know is truth - and if we wish to learn more it is
'to the law and the testimony ...' Isaiah
8:20
Peter
Forbes |
|
12:3
When Gideon threw down the altar of Baal (Jud
7:2) he is fulfilling the command given here in Deuteronomy. It is interesting
that Elijah's prayer was because Israel were worshipping Baal.
Peter
Forbes
|
|
12:10
The injunction that a 'place' where worship should be conducted when the
enemies have been subdued was the trigger which caused David actually to
want to build the temple - see 2
Samuel 7:1.
Peter
Forbes
|
|
When
Moses preached to the people about Gods judgments and statutes and what
he required from them he preceded this by telling them that the land was
a gift in fulfilment of the promises made to the fathers. The principle
being the gift preceded the demand, moreover the preaching had to be heard
and acted upon. They must be careful to do what the Lord required from them
(Deut
12:32). In other words their obedience was to be their obligatory response
to Gods love and generosity. Moses in this chapter tells the people that
their obedience to God is required through their corporate worship.
Roger
and Ruth Sharpe |
|
Reading
2 - Ecclesiastes 5
Click
here to Listen
|
v.
1 - A bit of a shot in the dark here, but is this possibly connected
with Jacob at Bethel? Bethel means 'the house of God', and in Gen
28:16,17 Jacob,
on awaking from his sleep with a vision of a ladder (Keep thy foot?), says
'this is the gate of heaven'. Surely (the ladder idea aside), we are being
exhorted to 'keep our foot' on that path which leads to God. The way to
do that - according to this verse - 'be more ready to hear'
Peter Cresswell |
|
v.2
seems to be telling us something about the nature of our prayers. It warns,
I suggest, against taking an attitude of overfamiliarity with God in our
speaking to Him, recognising His supremacy at all times, taking to Him aspects
of our lives which are appropriate to our walk towards His kingdom.
Peter Cresswell
|
|
v.20
remembering
Ecclesiastes
1:11 2:16 5:20 9:15 11:8 12:1
is a recurring theme in Ecclesiastes. Israel, and ourselves, need to remember
the way that God works in our lives. Israel fell in the wilderness because
they soon forgot [Psalm
106:13] God's
work in their lives.
Peter
Forbes |
|
5:2-4
Wise counsel is given here. It is so easy, in the heat of the moment, to
make a rash promise which we are unable or unwilling to keep. We are better,
says the wise man, not to vow than to make such rash promises.
Peter
Forbes
|
|
:1
The association of ideas - keeping our feet when we approach God and listening
rather than offering a fool's sacrifice - shows that the way we speak and
the promises we make are not divorced from our worship. Actually our praise
to God is seen in the way we speak and act.
Peter
Forbes |
|
Contentment
is the idea behind Solomons words in vs.
19; the point he is making is, it matters not whether we are poor or
wealthy, humble or distinguished if we always accept that our portion is
a gift from God then we will enjoy our lot with contentment. It is the apostle
Paul who considers this principle in his letter to 1Timothy
6:6; But godliness with contentment is great gain for we brought
nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And
having food and raiment let us be therewith content. It is therefore
vain and foolish to rebel against our appointed portion and to challenge
the wisdom of Gods providential hand at work in our lives. If we believe
that our lives are being directed and organised by God then this divine
principle will become the very nucleus of our contentment.
Roger
and Ruth Sharpe |
|
On
Eccl.
5:2, the word used here for foot is 7272,
but the primary root is 7270 which means:
to walk along, but only in specific applications, to reconnoitre, to be
a tale-bearer (i.e., slander); also (as demom. from 7272)
to lead about:-backbite, search, slander, (e-)spy (out), teach to go, view.
KJV marg. ref: Isaiah 1:12, backing up for context: (10) Hear the word of
the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people
of Gomorrah. (11) To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto
me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat
of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs,
or of he goats. (12) When ye come to appear
before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? (13)
Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new
moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is
iniquity (marg: grief) even the solemn meeting. You new moons and your appointed
feasts my soul fateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
(15) And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you:
yea, when ye make many prayers (marg. multiply prayer), I will not hear:
your hands are full of blood. Perhaps it could mean to be very careful in
the way we approach YHWH, i.e., come into His presence, the method we use
to honor Him must be the way He has laid out for us. The churches of today,
as well as the Jews then and of the time of Christ, were teaching the "traditions
of men" instead of the commandments of God. We, of course, are no longer
bound by the Laws of Moses, but the principle of them are taught by Christ
in the NT, and of course, Christ is the only mortal who was ever able to
keep the Law. The rest you know.
Susan
Brown |
|
|
Reading
3 - Acts 2
Click
here to Listen
|
v.
2 - In this case, unlike that of Elijah (1Kings
19:11) God was
in the rushing mighty wind. Compare Eze.3:12,13
and 37:9,10, also John
3:8 and Acts 4:31.
Peter Cresswell |
|
v.23
As Jesus was 'delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of
God ...' demonstrates that the death of Jesus was not an accident.
Nor was it something that the Father was not in control of. That it
was orchestrated by God shows His mercy. 'God was in Christ
reconciling the world unto himself' 2
Corinthians 5:19.
If He was willing to do this for us and His son was willing to submit his
will to that of His Father then the command 'Offer your bodies a living
sacrifice ...' Romans
12:1 is so much
more pertinent to us.
Peter Forbes |
|
We
will realise that unity is an issue which forms a major part of the letters
in the New Testament. Acts provides a theme advertising the unity between
the believers
| 2:1 |
one accord |
| 2:46 |
singleness
of heart |
| 4:24 |
with
one accord |
| 8:6 |
with
one accord |
| 15:25 |
with
one accord |
Peter Forbes
|
|
The
giving of the Holy Spirit echoes an aspect of Luke's gospel record. The
opening of Luke has a powerful outpouring of inspired words with the words
of Zacharias, Mary, Simeon and Anna. This is matched with the giving of
the Holy Spirit to the apostles.
Peter Forbes |
|
|
DEVOTED
LIVES
Three thousand new believers, determined to start a new life in Christ,
were baptized. The decision to make a change in your way of life is easy
- it is carrying it through that can be difficult. So these new believers
devoted themselves to four things to help them concentrate on living the
new life.
- They
devoted themselves to the apostles teaching. This meant a new set of
beliefs, new principles to be guided by, to teach, discuss and to think
about. It was a positive base for their new life.
- They
devoted themselves to the fellowship. They realized that to be successful
they needed the support of like minded believers to encourage them and
help them in the way.
- They
devoted themselves to the breaking of bread. This was the way Jesus
said he wanted to be remembered. "Do this in remembrance of me,"
he said. Regular meeting for breaking bread keeps our focus on Christ.
- And
they devoted themselves to prayer. Without the help of God we will flounder.
Prayer also keeps us focused and gives us strength.
If we,
like the early believers, devote ourselves to these four things, it will
greatly help us in our life in Christ.
Robert
Prins
|
|
The
apostle Peter in this ch quotes Psa 16; in vs.
27, 31, as a consequence of Jesus being raised from the dead. David
had looked through the eye of faith to this time when the fruit of his loins
would be raised up. But Peter adds that David also looked forward to the
time when Christ would sit upon his throne. Does this mean that Jesus is
now sitting upon Davids throne, well no because Peter goes on to say
that Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of his father, in harmony
with Revelation
4:21; "Jesus is now set down on his fathers throne". Why then
hasnt God fulfilled that which he promised David? The answer to this
question is found in another Psalm of David which Peter goes on to quote
in vs.
34, For David is not ascended into the heavens but he saith himself,
"The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, untill I make
thy foes thy footstool"(Psa
110:1). David himself knew there would be an unknown period of time
before Jesus returned to bring Gods judgments upon mans rebellious and wicked
lifestyle and then eventually would put all his enemies under his
feet. This verse of the same Psa is quoted by Paul in 1 Corinthians
15: also focusing upon the resurrection of Jesus, and those who will be
raised including David at his return, "For as in Adam all die, even
so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ
the first fruits; afterward they that are Christs at his coming.----------1000
years approx----------- "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered
up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all
rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all
enemies under his feet (Psa
110:1;) The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Roger
and Ruth Sharpe |
|
