Month: December 2018

December 30, Reading 1 – Esther 7, 8

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

An Iranian king could not rescind a law that he had pronounced. It makes you glad you live in Australia today! Mordecai is a good bureaucrat. He knows how to word a new proclamation so that, while it does not rescind the previous proclamation, it makes it inoperable.

SJA Notes

* God in heaven, we live by every word that comes from Your mouth (not by bread alone). Please remind us of this today.

“And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for fear of the Jews had fallen on them.”

How the fortunes of God’s people have turned, even while in exile, in a foreign land!

Haman’s plot is revealed to the king by Esther. Haman is hanged. Mordecai writes with the king’s seal a decree that allows God’s people to defend themselves against their enemies.

God’s promise to Abraham is here, people declaring themselves Jews – All nations of the earth being blessed.

As we think of God’s people today, we are able to take hold of our great hope – The beautiful city at the end of Revelation, Holy Jerusalem – Where God Almighty will tabernacle in full truth with His people.

This is the thrill of hope we have – Hallelujah! Come Lord Jesus, come.

* God of Light and Truth,

Thank You for working through Esther and Mordecai to bring about salvation for Your people in a foreign land.

Lord please rescue us from those around us today, for we are aliens in a world that lives foreign to You.

Fix within us a clear and present hope of glory, where You will dwell with us.

Amen.

December 30, Reading 2 – Malachi 2:10-3:18

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

2:13-16 are words on adultery that search out our hearts. They were necessary then and are still so today. 3:1 is the prophecy of John the Baptist. The essence of true religion is not feeling good, but in wanting to please God.

SJA Notes

* God Above, please show us today Your word, what You want for us from it.

“Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.”

This can be a hard word for us today, as the world prompts us to be spending time on ourselves, to be self-serving first and other-serving second, to be free to move with the winds of the heart.

First. Marriage is a three-fold cord. God considers this covenant so important that a portion of His Spirit makes up the union of believing husband and wife.

Second. God wants us to produce godly offspring. If we cannot, then we cannot. But if we are able, then that is a call on us if we are married.

Third. Faithfulness is to be the prime marker of our marriages. Reflecting God’s faithfulness to us His people, husband and wife maintaining covenant in thought, word and deed.

Remember the truth of our broken hearts! From Jeremiah chapter 17,

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

Don’t trust in our own ability to defend against temptation.

Don’t trust in our own righteousness to ward off evil.

Don’t trust in our own goodness to resist the worldly allure.

We need Jesus!

* Father God,

Please help us Lord God to show Your faithfulness to those around us, in all of our relationships.

Please mark us as a faithful people, holding to Your covenant with us.

Thank You for Jesus, through whom both sides of the covenant with You are kept.

Amen.


December 30, Reading 3 – Revelation 21:9-22:5

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Shameful, deceitful and impure are adjectives of hell, not heaven. I have a responsibility to turn away from such today. When Christ returns, the Garden of Eden will become the Garden in the midst of the Holy City!

SJA Notes

* God of steadfast love and faithfulness, please humble us today with Your word to us.

“And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.”

Here is a wonderful thing to look forward to.

The full revelation of our God of light. That this new creation itself will have fundamental changes from the old.

No longer will there be a burning sun by day and a glowing moon by night.

Instead the glory of God will radiate, the Lamb as a lamp.

Our King Jesus is the Lamb.

It is His book of life we read of here and elsewhere.

The Lamb is the one slain from before the foundation of the world.

He is the sacrifice once for all.

Jesus. The Lamb.

And He is our lamp, God’s word become flesh – A lamp for our feet and a light for our path.

* Faithful God,

Thank You for Your promise of eternal life that is described a little more here – That You will be our light.

Thank You that You are the God of light!

Thank You for writing our names in the Lamb’s book of life.

Amen.