Month: April 2018

April 30, Reading 1 – Numbers 10:11-11:3

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Moses’ words re the Ark (v.35,36) centred Israel’s attention on God’s manifold grace in salvation and to a present hope of His interest and leading. The phrase countless thousands of Israel is a reminder that God did keep His promises to Abraham. We too should be encouraged to hope in Him!

SJA Notes

* Dear God, our shield, we will sing of Your strength – I will sing aloud of Your steadfast love in the morning!

“And the people complained …”

We can sometimes thinking of complaining as pretty far down the list of “bad things I could do”. We all do it. There are whole business models built around the management of complaints.

In complaining here Israel were treating God Almighty with contempt, bringing Him and His Name down, into disrepute – They were unhappy with His will for them, the direction He was taking them, the commands He gave them.

Kind of like Jonah the prophet, who did not like that God saved an entire city from their sin.

Kind of like us. We can be this way.

This passage points us to Jesus.

We _should_ be consumed by God’s wrath, as some of Israel were here. There is absolutely no reason we can make that would balance the scales in a cosmic argument of why God should not consume us all in our disobedience (which includes complaining as Israel did).

But. However. Even though this is true.

Jesus took on this wrath. He bore the punishment we deserve. He intercedes right now. While Moses prayed and the fire died down, God in the Person of the Son, Jesus, is continually making intercession to the Person of the Father for His people (Romans 8:34), every moment of every day.

God’s word tells us to be thankful! To praise His Name!

This is the best protection against complaining as Israel did. To work at a thankful heart.

Let us be encouraged and exhorted today to be thankful for all that God has done for us.

* Father God,

You are the God from whom all blessings flow, we praise You!

Your Name is above all other names, blessed be Your Name!

Thank You Lord!

Amen.

April 30, Reading 2 – Proverbs 8

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

In today’s reading what verses stand out to you? The last three verses summarise the stance of this book. They are reminiscent of Jesus’ words in John 6:35-40, and Revelation 3:20.

SJA Notes

* Mighty God, You brought forth wisdom before the beginning of the earth – Please teach us today.

“The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.”

Solomon goes deeper into the origins and importance of wisdom.

God had already added wisdom into existence before He (one God, three Persons) created all things.

This is a strange truth to think about.

When we create something, us frail and fallen humanity, we follow processes and work over patterns.

You create with rules that make sense within the framework of creation.

This is true _because_ God spun wisdom through all of creation. He made the rules and they make sense in a creative sense.

But wisdom is more than this too.

“I wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.”

We can reflect God’s creative majesty.

Wisdom is deeper and bigger than knowing what works in creation and following those rules.

The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.

It is not enough to understand the world around us. It is not enough to do things that make sense within the framework of the world around us.

We need to come before the One who MADE the world. Fear Him. Because that is the beginning of real wisdom.

* Mighty God,

Thank You for today, and for Your word today.

Please teach us more of You, more of what You want for us.

For Your glory, for Your Name’s sake.

Amen.

April 30, Reading 3 – 1 Peter 2:11-3:7

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Isn’t it wonderful that a day is coming when God will visit us? Pray that He will visit us in revival, as well as looking for That Day when Jesus returns. There is much thought for husbands and wives here too.

SJA Notes

* Mighty God, Your word to us is mighty. Please write it on our hearts today.

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

It can be a strange thought that the Holy God would (and could) suffer.

Here was the true man, the sinless lamb, God in the Person of the Son.

And He SUFFERED.

We remember that He was both fully God and fully man.

The idea that the perfect God would suffer can boggle the mind.

The idea that the all-powerful without-equal God would suffer for His enemies is a great philosophical canyon of much depth.

God’s word tells us the truth. Absolute.

Jesus did suffer.

Jesus was mistreated and laughed at by His creation. As He went to the cross He experienced the most painful suffering in history (physical, mental, spiritual).

Our King was punished by His Father, the full cup of His wrath poured out on the sinless Son of Man.

For us!

God’s people.

“By his wounds you have been healed.”

We were like sheep gone astray, but now have been returned to the Good Shepherd, the Overseer of our souls.

* Father God,

Thank You for Jesus’ work, calling us back, we who were once Your enemies now counted as Your people.

Hallelujah, what a Saviour You are!

Amen.