September 21, Reading 1 – 1 Kings 12:25-13:34

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Jereboam’s desire to control the worship of his kingdom led to syncretism and open idolatry. Jereboam was given the northern tribes to rule by God. God warned Jereboam about where idolatry would lead. (1 Kings 11:33) The incident with the prophet God sent to Bethel brought no lasting repentance in Jereboam.

SJA Notes

* Lord God, we give thanks to You, we call upon Your Name, we would make known Your deeds amongst the peoples!

“So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold.”

Here is the sin of Jeroboam, son of Nebat.

He led the people to idolatry, false gods, corrupting holy and true worship with that of man-made idols, rejecting the 3eternal sovereign Almighty God.

It is quite easy to see Jeroboam’s sin.

It can be harder to see our own.

Today’s passage is a good encouragement to make sure our lives, any area of our lives, is free from idols.

Bits and pieces of our hidden corners and sections that we might consciously shy away from spiritually.

Jeroboam “took counsel”.

Psalm 1 is the pattern for us,

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;”

Rehoboam and Jeroboam both listened and acted on bad counsel.

Let us not be like Jeroboam.

May we embrace God’s wisdom, His word, meeting with His people.

* Dear God,

Please help us to take counsel from You and Your word, which You have given to us.

Please help our own counsel to be filled with Your wisdom.

Please keep us from idols.

Amen.

September 21, Reading 2 – Jeremiah 23

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Religious and political leaders can never do what God alone can do. God promises to send a Righteous Descendant of David whose Name tells it all. While prophet and priest were equally at fault, great space is given to condemning the prophets. Why do you think this is so? Do these words apply to much popular prophecy today?

SJA Notes

* Dear Lord God, please plant and grow Your word in each of us today.

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.”

“… And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.'”

This passage has some beautiful bound-in-time foreshadowing of our King Jesus!

He is the RIGHTEOUS BRANCH, the WISE KING, and He is our righteousness!

This passage has much to say to false prophets and selfish priests – bad shepherds one and all – But as across scripture, we see that these examples answer WHY WE NEED JESUS.

Rescue from our sin is found only in Jesus.

True religion is found only in Jesus.

He is the only King who always deals wisely, who has the power and will to execute both justice and righteousness.

He is THE LORD. OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

* Gracious Father,

There is no secret place we can hide from You, no hidden nook that You cannot see.

You fill heaven and earth!

Your word is like fire, like a hammer that breaks a rock in pi9eces.

Please write Your word on our hearts, and please Lord God, grow us each day, Your Spirit working within us.

To will and to work for Your good pleasure.

Amen.

September 21, Reading 3 – Colossians 1:21-2:5

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

This word perfect in verse 1:28 has the sense of mature or come to ripeness or fulness, and not our modern meaning of completely without flaw. Overflowing with thankfulness (2:7) is both a wonderful and a exacting challenge.

SJA Notes

* Loving God, please teach us today and each day onwards, so that Your wisdom is what we look to, and not that of the world, of ourselves.

“I say this is order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.”

Plausible arguments can delude us!

This is an amazing truth to consider.

I mean, isn’t a plausible argument … Plausible?

Doesn’t that mean it has value?

Here Paul is warning us, preparing us, guiding us – Be careful!

The truth lies in understanding and knowledge of God’s mystery, which is our King Jesus, the Lord’s Christ!

In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

So when we look for wisdom – Look for it in Jesus.

When we have arguments made – Measure them against what Jesus says.

That argument just heard seems pretty plausible, but … What does Jesus have to say about those things?

Plausible arguments can delude us!

* Dear God,

Thank You for Your word, that contains within it all that we need for our life on this earth.

Thank You that Jesus is Your word become flesh, and that in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Please help us be wise today Lord God.

Amen.