Month: September 2018

September 28, Reading 1 – 1 Kings 20

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Ahab shows he is a Saul, and not a David. He would spare BenHadad, as Saul spared Agag. (1 Samuel 15) A great victory won by the Word of the Lord comes to nothing because of Ahab’s pride and conceit. The Lord is shown to be God of gods and Lord of lords. The hills and the valleys are both His!

SJA Notes

* God in Heaven, we Your servants praise Your Name! Blessed be Your Name, from this time forth and forevermore!

“Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The LORD is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give them all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.'”

The Almighty God does not enjoy idolatry. The running after false gods, believing and trusting in them.

God does not tolerate it from His people.

Here we see that it angers Him as well when it is unbelievers (people created by Him).

How said it is that all around us are people who think that their unbelief and resistance are a thick and powerful armor that will withstand the roaring of eternity.

What kind of heart for the lost do we have?

If God’s wrath is coming, if He is angry about idolatry, if the world around us is full of all the different ways to say “get lost” to God – Are our hearts longing to see those around us saved?

What is our prayer as we wrestle with this?

Real, hard-won, hard-fought, hard-wrestled prayer.

Casting our cares on our loving Heavenly Father – Our cares being in part the saving of our dear ones, our family and friends, our neighbours and work-makes, and outwards.

As Paul witnessed to King Agrippa, the driver in our prayers for the lost,

“… To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

* God Above,

Please save those around us!

Please change their hearts, breathe life into dry bones, open their eyes to see You.

Please grow us all Lord, toward You – Your word in us, deeply and powerfully at work.

Amen.

September 28, Reading 2 – Jeremiah 31

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

We hear in this chapter resurrection joy – the Israel of God will live again. Matthew quotes verse 15 in regard to the slaughter of the babies in Bethlehem by Herod. Our future hope in Christ does make a difference with life’s tragedies. Read out loud to yourself the wonderful promise of the new covenant in verses 31-34.

SJA Notes

* Dear Lord God, please in Your grace and mercy show us Jesus today.

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

Here is the process of sanctification called out by our God.

He puts His law within us.

He writes it on our hearts.

We are born again once.

We continue to be refined every day.

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is once-for-all. Once and never again.

Jesus’ sending of the Spirit to us is a daily, moment-by-moment work.

This is why we pray that God would write His word on our hearts, over and over – New every day.

So that we might be His people. So that we are a people of true heart religion, not false worship.

So that He might be glorified.

Is God’s law on our heart today?

* Father In Heaven,

Thank You for the covenant You have enacted with us.

Thank You for keeping Your side of the covenant, Your love steadfast and true.

Thank You for sending Jesus, who kept our side of the covenant, and so made it possible for us to be found in Him!

Your faithfulness is without end.

Amen.

September 28, Reading 3 – Hebrews 3

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Verse 1 is good sound advice for you and me today. The writer gives several good reasons for fixing your thoughts on Jesus. The advice in 3:12&13 always challenges me.

SJA Notes

* God of Light, please shine Your word into our hearts and minds today, refresh us in Your Spirit please Lord God.

“So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.”

Here the writer lays out hard truths.

Belief matters.

Romans 10:8-10 says,

“… Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

There are those who believe in their hearts that Jesus is King – And there are those who wallow in unbelief.

There are those who believe in their hearts that they are sinners, in need of a Saviour – And there are those who remain stuck in their unbelief.

There are those who believe in their hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead (Hallelujah!) – And there are those whose unbelief shows the truth of their dead hearts and stubborn wills.

Belief is shown through active obedience.

Unbelief is shown in rebellious hearts, action and words that betray a rejection of God.

Belief is shown in humble obedience, actions and words that show reliance on and trust in a wonderful Saviour.

* Dear Lord God,

Please mark us as a humble and obedient people.

Please save those around us who wallow in unbelief.

But Lord, please remind us all of our need for You, that we might honestly cry as the man did to Jesus, “I believe, help my unbelief!”

Amen.