Month: November 2018

November 29, Reading 1 – 2 Chronicles 29

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Hezekiah cleansed the Temple and restored public worship. This was a sudden revival that took everyone by surprise. (v.36) Verses 18-20 look to a greater and more powerful cleansing from sin than that of Temple sacrifice! The good Lord has provided atonement for us who look to Him – through Jesus!

SJA Notes

* Mighty God in Heaven, the fear of You is the beginning of knowledge.

“In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them.”

Right at the start of his reign as king, Hezekiah sets about to enact TRUE WORSHIP of the Lord.

This whole passage is dedicated to encouragement for readers – To be about the worship that our God has ordained through His word to us.

A good king seeks the benefit of God’s church.

How marvellous it is that in our High King of heaven, God the Son, Jesus – We have a king who is the head of the church, the bridegroom, the one who saves!

We are little tabernacles are bound up as the body, with our Lord Jesus as the head.

It is to Him that we come, this is our king!

He seeks our good.

And when people ask us, what else have we to do but point to His work on the cross – The true man bearing the just wrath of God in love, for His people.

Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

* Dear God,

Thank You for the witness of Hezekiah in this passage.

Please help us to approach You properly, in the order and form that You have set down. We want to worship You Lord, You are our God!

Thank You Lord, thank You.

Amen.

November 29, Reading 2 – Ezekiel 45

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Fairness and justice, honesty and trustworthiness are the backdrop of heaven. Consider what the prince offered when He came. The Book of Hebrews gives us good guidance of how to understand the fulfilment of this vision. Hebrews 7 & 8 have more.

SJA Notes

* Dear God, please open our hearts to Your word today.

“You shall have just balances, a just ephah, and a just bath.”

(ephah and bath were units of measurement)

God’s people then as now are called to act justly.

In Deuteronomy chapter 16 we read,

“Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent.”

In Leviticus chapter 19 we read,

“Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbour fairly.”

God shows no partiality (He is the definition, the prime example, the absolute of an incorruptible nature).

How can we be like God in this?

Paul gives us one helpful mechanic in Philippians chapter 2, where we read,

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.”

Other-centeredness is a big important thing! For us an individuals, and outwards in the various groupings we make up (all the way up to nations, where you see a strong correlation between corruption and selfish ambition and vain conceit).

How do we protect ourselves from perverting justice or showing partiality?

Let us look to the interests of others.

* God Above,

Thank You for Your word, that every part of it is worthy of our time, every piece has value for us throughout each day, for all our lives.

Thank You for Jesus, Your word become flesh!

Amen.

November 29, Reading 3 – John 21

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Peter needed a public reinstatement because of his public denial of Christ. Jesus asks His question of Peter three times to answer for Peter’s three denials. Jesus’ question is well worth putting to yourself!

SJA Notes

* Dear God, please teach us from Your word to us today.

“He said to him a third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. …'”

Three times Peter denied Jesus.

Three times on the night our King was betrayed by one of His closest friends, another of His closest friends denied even knowing Him.

Three times Peter decided to throw his faith in Jesus as the Lord’s true Christ under the bus of cowardice and worry of what the world thinks.

You and I have been there, done that.

How many times have we chosen to stay silent when a word would have marked us as Jesus’ followers?

How many times have we chosen to keep walking toward the broad road, stubbornly rejecting the guiding of the Spirit?

How many times have we chosen the admiration of man over the love of God?

We are sinful man, each of us.

And yet. As with Simon Peter, so with us.

Three times Jesus brings Peter back into the fold, mirroring his denials.

Three times Jesus asks Peter to take care of His people, an under-shepherd to the Good Shepherd.

Three times Jesus asks Peter to publicly profess his love for the King of kings.

These are for us to experience too.

Let us wrestle hard to be unashamed to own Jesus as our Lord and Saviour.

* Dear God,

Your word to us is life and health, please write it on our hearts today.

Thank You that You brought us back into the sheepfold, even though we were enemies.

Thank You that You continue to guide and shepherd us, even when we choose what the world thinks over You.

Please forgive us Lord God.

Amen.