For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have been convicted over the last few weeks to seek to develop a disciplined prayer life. It is still a work in progress. Please pray for me, that the Holy Spirit may show me how to pray in a disciplined manner.
Singing cheerfully and otherwise expressing your own joy in the presence of someone grieving and/or sad is like rubbing salt in an open wound. This is something to remember when attempting to cheer someone who is feeling down.
The proverb writer reminds us that the best revenge upon those who do us wrong is to do right by them in every way that we can think of. If our enemy is hungry feed them, if they are thirsty, give them a drink. If we do so, we show everyone else that any enmity between us is on the part of the other person. Do not do wrong because the other person did so first. If we do what is right to and for those who have done wrong to us, we need not fear being misunderstood by those who matter.
The psalmist declares that he faces many troubles and feels overwhelmed by them all. He feels that he has been abandoned by all and cut off from God. Yet even in this pit of despair he calls out to God, praying for God to come to his deliverance. He acknowledges that God is his salvation and prays to Him day and night, despite being justly punished by God for his sins. Will we do the same? Will we throw ourselves on God’s mercy when we know that we deserve whatever terrible things may happen to us? Will we trust Him to deliver us?
Those who aspire to be an elder or a deacon desire a noble task. There are standards they must meet. Whether we desire such a role or not, we should all seek to fulfill most of the requirements of the role (Paul mentions that those who aspire to the role of elder should be able to teach, and not all have that gift). The literal translation says that those considered for these roles must be the husband of one wife. Church leaders should be selected from those who demonstrate self-control, are respectable and hospitable. I will not go into the whole list, but it is worth going over to see how we each measure up. One important point Paul makes is that we should not tap new believers for leadership positions. Give them time to grow and mature in the Lord before giving them authority in the Church. Whether or not I am ever called to a leadership position in the Church, I will strive to measure up to the standard laid out here.
As I noted yesterday, Jeremiah prophesied death and destruction. Unlike Isaiah, Jeremiah spends very little time calling people to repent. He tells them that he knows that they will not do so (although he also tells them that if they would, God would still turn aside the coming judgement). In today’s passage he tells the people that God is going to institute a new covenant. God will introduce this new covenant because, despite His love and faithfulness, the people broke the original covenant.
I like the way the NIV describes this new covenant,
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”
If we are willing to be God’s people, we do not need to be taught to know God because He will live within us. God will write His law in our minds and in our hearts. We are no longer dependent on others to teach us God’s will. His Spirit will dwell within us.
Jeremiah goes on and gives a prophecy which I believe is spiritually fulfilled in the Church, but which I also believe will be literally fulfilled to the Jewish people. The day is coming, perhaps modern Israel represents that day, when Jerusalem will be rebuilt and the people of Israel will dwell there once more. When that day comes, Jerusalem will never be captured or destroyed again. I know there are those who believe this refers to the heavenly Jerusalem, but I believe it applies to Jerusalem on this earth.