Ezekiel 2 “Ezekiel’s Commission”

“Now you, son of man, listen to what I am speaking to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.” Then I looked, and behold, a hand was extended to me; and lo, a scroll was in it. When He spread it out before me, it was written on the front and back, and written on it were lamentations, mourning and woe. Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” (Ch.2:8-10, Ch.3:1)

Ezekiel’s eating of a scroll was meant to illustrate a spiritual exercise that all of us should engage in. If we are to declare God’s truth with meaning and power, we must take time to let it fill our hearts. We need to feed on it, not just read and repeat it. Before we can serve the Bread of Life to others, we must feast on it ourselves, and let God's Word fill our minds, rule our hearts, and guide our tongues, so we can speak to others in need.

The Truth: “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

Ezekiel 1 “Ezekiel’s Vision of God”

“As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.” (v.28)

Ezekiel was a priest among the Jewish exiles in Babylon and had visions of the Lord (see Ezekiel 1,8,10-11). He described God’s presence as, “the appearance of fire with brightness all around,” “the color of amber,” and like “a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day.” Ezekiel’s reaction was to fall on his face before Him and to listen to His instructions (vv.27-28). For God was about to call him to go to the children of Israel and be God's voice unto them.

The apostle John also saw a vision of God’s presence. He may have been Jesus’ closest friend here on earth. At the Last Supper, prior to the crucifixion, we read that John was “leaning on Jesus’ bosom” (John 13:23). Yet when John saw a vision of the Son of God in all His glory and power, he had the same reaction Ezekiel had, and “fell at His feet as dead” (Revelation 1:10-17).

We cannot comprehend how brilliant and awesome the Lord’s glory is, so we can’t be sure of how we’ll respond when one day we’re in His presence. Will we dance or be still? Will we stand in awe or fall to our knees? Will we sing or not be able to speak at all? Bart Millard got it right when in 2001 he wrote the song, “I Can Only Imagine.”

The Truth: "And He who sat on the throne was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald." (Revelation 4:3)

2 Corinthians 13 "Examine Yourself"

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.” (v.5)

Paul spent the chapters leading up to today’s passage vigorously defending his own position as an apostle. Now here in our text, he turned the tables and asked the Corinthians to examine themselves, whether they were who they claimed to be, true Christians. If they truly looked inward, and found themselves to be in the faith, then there would be the proof of his being a true apostle, as it was by his ministry that they became such.

Our pride can make it so easy for us to think we have all the answers, to see the faults of others or put them on the defensive to proof themselves to us.  As Christians, we need to continually look inward, examine ourselves, remove the plank from our own eye, then fall on our knees and ask God for His grace and forgiveness in our lives, that we might better serve others.

May we all take the Apostle’s advice and “examine ourselves”, before we point the finger at others.

The Truth:
“Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.” (Romans 2:1)

2 Corinthians 12 "Paul's Unconditional Love"

“And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” (v.15)

Here in chapter 12 we see Paul’s unconditional love for the church in Corinth. Just as a father cheerfully does for his children, Paul is willing to spend any expense, which may be necessary to promote their salvation. All this despite the fact, the more he gave of himself, the less he was loved by them.

Paul’s motivation was never to gain their gratitude, or extract some compensation form them, but to simply obey the will of God in his ministry. Whether others are grateful or not; whether they loved him or not; whether he could promote his popularity with them or not, he just kept showing his love to them in the name of Jesus.

We would do well to remember, the highest form of giving is when we give and receive nothing in return. Therefore, do not be surprised, or discouraged when you spend yourself in love for others who in turn, love less. This will provide an opportunity to display the true agape love of Jesus to others and your reward will be great.

The Truth
“But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.” (Luke 6:35)

2 Corinthians 11 "Fatherly Protection"

“But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” (v.3)

To demonstrate his deep love for the Corinthians, Paul likened his relationship with them to a father and daughter relationship (v.2). In the Jewish culture, it was the father's responsibility to protect his daughter's honor and to secure a proper husband for her. There by protecting her from the seduction of false suiters.

Paul uses this cultural backdrop to stress in verse 3, how deeply he feared the Corinthians were being seduced by false teachers, those who would replace the simplicity of Christ. Therefore, just as a father would protect his daughter’s honor form an unsuitable character, so Paul sought to protect his flock from, “false teachers, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ” (vv.13-14).

In the church today, we must be just as vigilant. We should be like the Bereans, testing the truthfulness of every sermon against God’s Holy Word, so as to not embrace a lie or a different Jesus.

The Truth
“These (Bereans) were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11)

2 Corinthians 10 "The Destruction of a Fortress"

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.” (vv.3-4)

In our text, Paul is talking about waging war, using weapons, and demolishing enemy strongholds. He goes on to explain although they live in human bodies, they don't wage war according to human standards. Their weapons are those of the Spirit, which are the only weapons great enough to bring down fortresses or strongholds of Satan.

Moody Press author Jim Logan, in his book Reclaiming Surrendered Ground describes a satanic stronghold in this way. “Strongholds are the fortresses Satan builds in our lives when we give him a foothold, a piece of ground on which to build. And once they are in place, they give the enemy a "headquarters" from which to carry on his (demonic) activities.”

Ephesians 6:12 reads: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Thus, those who oppose the gospel aren't the real enemy. The real enemy, is the one who has them blinded, held captive, and opposes God's work in every way - Satan. This is why worldly weapons won’t work. Only divine power will defeat satanic power.

Therefore, give no ground, no secrete place in your mind for him to build, fight against the evil one, put on the whole armor of God, and become a Jedi for Jesus.

The Truth:
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11)

2 Corinthians 9 "Give According to Your Heart"

“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” (vv.7-8)

Here in chapter 9 Paul again takes on the delicate subject of giving to the work of the LORD. Over a year ago, Corinth had promised to contribute to the Lord’s work in Jerusalem, but, as of yet they had failed to follow through with their pledge. Paul was concerned about negative consequences if other churches, especially the Macedonians, discovered the Corinthians' lack of integrity. These churches had given sacrificially partly because Paul had shared with them about the Corinthians' enthusiasm for the Jerusalem collection. So Paul takes it upon himself to send Titus (and an unnamed brother) to receive (collect) their gift, which they had previously promised, and encourages them to “let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

I love the way Paul does not condemn, nor places a guilt trip on them. He lovingly reminds them of their promise to give but places no amount, no percentage, no goals on them, even though they were financially much better off than most churches at that time. Giving comes from love, from our hearts to those in need, and for the furtherance of the Gospel. Our motive should never be what we may get in return. For God’s incredible gift to us of His Son, and our salvation, will forever be enough.

“God loves a cheerful giver” because that's exactly what He is! God gives freely and beyond all we can imagine. This is true first and foremost in the gift of His Son, but it's also true every day we live and breathe. God gives to us first so we can be generous to others. The order here is key though. We don't give first so that we can receive a blessing, giving is not an investment plan. We are already blessed, therefore we give out of love and gratitude for His sacrifice.

Knowing then that we are in so great a debt, how should we give? There’s no formula or percentage when it comes to giving, God cares only about the state of our hearts. Therefore, give as the Lord leads, as you are able to give, without reservation or out of obligation. In so doing, you will become a blessing to others.

The Truth
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

2 Corinthians 8 "Giving to The Ministry"

“For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they (churches of Macedonia) gave of their own accord.” (v. 3)

Here Paul is speaking about the poor churches in Macedonia who were contributing to the work of the ministry according to their ability and in some cases beyond. Their generosity is even more remarkable when we realize that the entire Macedonia region had suffered economically from political turmoil and decreased trade. In stark contrast, the wealthy Corinthians here in chapter 8 had made an initial commitment toward the Jerusalem collection, but had failed to follow through. So Paul relates to them the record of the Macedonian churches and entrusts Titus with the responsibility of exhorting them in this regard (vv.6-7).

Speaking on the subject of money and exhorting others to give to the work of the ministry is easier for some than it is for others. Some have made this their life's calling from the pulpit, making the flock feel guilty for not giving more to the LORD. While others only mention it when they happen to come across it in scripture. Paul’s encouragement here to the wealthy of Corinth was to simply, follow through with their word, their commitment, as the other churches had done. No dollar amount, no percentage, nor financial goal - just encouragement to give of their own accord.

Jesus is our best example here when it comes to giving. He said in Matthew 10, “Freely you have received, freely give” (v.8). And again in Luke’s gospel when He saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins into the temple treasury He said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (Luke 21:1-4).

Giving comes from the heart, not from the head. The poor widow and the Macedonians showed that poverty doesn't preclude generosity. Giving, according to our ability, enables us to participate in something greater than ourselves. Through our financial gifts, we're able to participate in supporting ministries around the world, our own local churches, missionaries, pastors, widows, orphans, military families, the homeless, and the list goes on. Our giving is not just limited to financial gifts either. It can also include, our time, our presence, talents, service and prayers.

Therefore, give what you can from a cheerful heart and the LORD will multiply it one hundred times over, for you can never out give God.

The Truth: “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

2 Corinthians 7 "Godly Sorrow"

“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” (v.10)

Two kinds of repentance are possible in human experience: 1) the sorrow of the world, a feeling induced by the fear of getting caught. This results in a superficial sorrow that may lead to a temporary change of heart, but not to a genuine turning to Christ for forgiveness and; 2) Godly sorrow, which is accompanied by conviction of sin, through the work of the Holy Spirit. This stems from the realization of offending a holy God and leads to genuine repentance by piercing the heart (Acts 2:37).

Here in chapter 7, Paul references his former “letter” (v. 8), which many believe to be 1 Corinthians, an epistle where Paul pulled no punches on divisions, immorality—even turning the Lord’s Supper into a drunken feast. From our reading today we see that Paul did not relish his prophetic role. He genuinely cared about this church, and Paul makes clear that he did not rebuke them merely because he was angry or disappointed in them, Paul made them “sorry” in the hopes that it might produce godly repentance (vv.8-9)

God’s heart towards sin is that none should perish but all should come to repentance (2 Peter 2:9). He seeks to move us beyond the worldly sorrow that leads us toward spiritual death. He desires to show mercy, for us to be reborn, and to have the hope of eternal life through His Son, Jesus. Therefore, repent and be saved.

The Truth: But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Matthew 9:13)

2 Corinthians 6 "Give No Cause For Offense"

“Giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited..” (v.3)

Fault-finding is a popular pastime, and unfortunately a lot of us find it’s easy to, "see the speck in our brothers eye, but ignore the beam in our own." Concentrating on the faults of others is a great way to feel better about ourselves. And that’s just the problem. Avoiding the faults that need to be fixed in our own lives not only stunts our spiritual growth, but also obstructs God’s work through us. God’s effectiveness through our lives is enhanced or hindered by the way we live.

It’s no wonder, then, that Paul made a concerted effort to “put no obstacle in anyone’s way.” For him there was nothing more important than his usefulness for Christ in the lives of others. Anything that got in the way of that was dispensable. Paul wanted to be authentic, genuine, Christ-like, especially during the trials of his life. For he once was the "chief" of all sinners, persecuting God's people, and did not want to do anything that would give cause for anyone to doubt his witness, his life, his conversion, and certainly not his ministry.  

If you want to be authentic and useful for God, take an obstacle inventory. Replace your fault by giving it to Jesus, thereby giving no cause for offense to others.

The Truth: “Let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.” (Romans 14:13)

2 Corinthians 5 "Standing Perfect In Christ"

“For He hath made Him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (v.21)

Wow! So much in this chapter; Assurance of the Resurrection, The Judgment Seat of Christ, Being reconciled to God. But, what jumped out at me this time around was our text, "God made Him." Think about that. When Christ was born an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21).

Christ, born of a virgin, sinless, and remained so His entire life, to fulfill one purpose, that He might be the sinless sacrifice to God for all who would believe in His name, to make a way for us (positionally) to enter into heaven through His righteousness. Therefore, when God looks at us, He sees only the righteousness of His Son, and we will stand perfected in Him before the throne of God. Halleluiah!  

The Truth: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

2 Corinthians 4 “Renew The Inner Man”

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” (v.16)

I find it very difficult to be around negative people who do nothing but complain about life. Their grumpiness, cynicism, doubt, and fear, create a depressing environment to be around. Positive people on the other hand, are a pleasure to be around. Their uplifting faith, hope and joy can be an inspiration when going through difficult times in life and inspire us to contentment.

The Apostle Paul knew all about difficult times. He was stoned, beaten, shipwrecked, thrown overboard, and cast into dungeons. If anyone earned the right to be negative about life, it would be him. Instead, he chose to encourage those around him to “not lose heart,” by focusing on “the outward man,” but to focus God’s Word and renew the "inward man” through His Spirit.

Difficulties in life are givens. We will all struggle in one way or another. And yes, life sometimes just isn't fair. But, projecting that 24/7 can do nothing for our inner man. When going through tough times, Paul encourages us to, "Look not at the things which are seen, but to the things which are not seen." Meaning not the temporal, but the eternal, and to focus on renewing our spirits through God's Word. Then, whether grieving or searching for: His voice, His guidance, His direction or His comfort, the Word will always lift you up.

The Truth: "Be anxious for nothing, but in all things by prayer and supplication, and with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

Luke 24 "He Is Risen"

 “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is Not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee.” (vv.5-6)

Chapter 24 is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, the heart and soul of the Christian doctrine. In it we find many eye witnesses to this miraculous event and His ascension into heaven. No other religion, Buddhism, Hinduism, Muslim, Islam, has their faith grounded in their leader: dying for their sins, being raised from the dead, seen alive by many witnesses and then ascending into heaven – only Christianity.

In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul records those who saw the risen Lord: “Christ was seen by Cephas (Peter), then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time” (vv.5-8).

Because Jesus’s disciples continued to testify of this, arrests, beatings and intimidation had become common to silence their message. Order was often maintained by the use of threats and torture. The early chapters of the book of Acts provide glimpses of the persecution of believers, even to the point of death, but the message remained. (see Foxes book of Martyrs)

Gamaliel, the rabbi who was Saul’s mentor wasn’t opposed to the persecution of believers, but nevertheless he cautioned his fellow members of the Sanhedrin against killing Christians. He understood the power of martyrdom. He said, “And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it – least you even be found to fight against God.” (Acts 5:38-39).

This tactic of toleration may have kept many believers in Jerusalem and thus slowed down the process of taking the gospel to the world. But, Stephen’s and later James’ deaths eventually changed all of that. The fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 severed to scatter the church to the winds and the message with it.

Later, all of Christ’s disciples died violent deaths but not one ever denied their faith, proving Gamaliel was correct. Many other Christians throughout history have done the same, dying for the truth of Gods Word, not some cunningly designed fable – for the work of God, not man.

Yes, He has Risen! Hallelujah!  

The Truth: “When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:9-10)

Remembering His Sacrifice On Good Friday

“So he (Pilate) delivered Him (Jesus) to them (the chief priests) to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led Him away.” (John 19:16)

After being betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, delivered to Pilate (who found no fault in Him at all but had Him scourged anyway). After being mocked by the roman soldiers, crowned with a crown of thorns and beaten while being blindfolded, Pilate had Jesus brought out from the Praetorium (where these actions had taken place), and said to the chief priests and officers, "You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him" (v.6).

Death by Roman crucifixion was a result of the whole body weight being supported by the stretched arms of the victim. When nailed to the cross, there was a massive strain put on the wrists, arms and shoulders often resulting in a dislocation of the shoulder and elbow joints. The rib cage was constrained in a fixed position, which made it extremely difficult to exhale, and impossible to take a full breath. The victim would continually try to draw himself up by his feet to allow for inflation of the lungs enduring terrible pain in his feet and legs. The pain in the feet and legs would become so unbearable, that the victim was forced to trade breathing for pain and eventually die of suffocation. The length of time required to die from crucifixion could range from hours to a number of days.

So why is today called "Good Friday" instead of "Bad Friday" or something similar? Because the suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the dramatic culmination of God's plan to save His people from their sin. The Law required a blood sacrifice for sin, so God poured out His wrath against sin on Jesus, the perfect sacrificial substitute, in order that forgiveness and salvation would be possible for all nations. Jesus endure the cross on "Good Friday," knowing it would lead to our salvation, His resurrection, and the fulfillment of God's plan of redemption.

Good Friday marks the day when wrath and mercy met at the cross, but the best is yet to come, as Jesus would rise from the dead and conquer death for us all.

The Truth
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

2 Corinthians 3 "Under Construction"

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (v.18)

Today's passage says that, as believers, we all reflect the Lord's glory with unveiled faces, and are continually being transformed into His image. Meaning, for us the veil is torn, we may behold His glory, through His Word, by the help of His Spirit. This does not happen overnight, it’s a lifelong process of looking at Jesus through the Scriptures, learning about Him, worshipping Him, and applying His Word to our daily lives. And the more we do just that, the more we will reflect His image.

Therefore, let's put in the time and allow the Master to mold and shape us into the men and women He would have us to be, that we might reflect Him and not the world around us. As Paul would say, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). For we are not yet what we will be, but we are not now what we were. Hallelujah!

The Truth: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

2 Corinthians 2 "Forgiveness And Restoration"

"Sufficient for such a one (who had caused sorrow to the church), is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority. Now forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Therefore, I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.” (vv.5-8)

Church discipline can be controversial, but it's intended to bring about repentance and restoration. The Corinthians had responded to Paul's painful first letter requesting that a certain individual be disciplined (1 Cor. 5). Although the Corinthians had complied with Paul's request (2 Cor. 2:6), they were apparently having a hard time restoring the person who had been disciplined (v.7). So Paul urges them to reaffirm their love for him (v.8).

When dealing with any type of misconduct, discipline is only one half of the coin; the other half must include forgiveness and love. Paul’s example here is powerful. Although he had probably been the one wronged, he took the lead in forgiveness and stressed the necessity of the restoration toward this individual.

C. S. Lewis once said, “We all agree that forgiveness is a beautiful idea until we have to practice it.” May that not be the case with us as individuals or as a church body. May we always reflect the love of Christ in this area of forgiveness and restoration. For failure to do so leaves an open door for an all-too-ready adversary.

The Truth: "If we say we love God but hate our brother, we are liars and the truth is not in us."(1 John 4:20)

2 Corinthians 1 "Yes In Christ"

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God." (v.20)

No matter how strong you are, it hurts when someone attacks your ministry. And in Paul’s absence from Corinth, there arose a growing faction of false teachers who had attacked his. They accused him of being a cruel liar, a con man, and even questioned his qualifications as an apostle. So, here in his second letter we see Paul defending his character and ministry.

The heart of Paul’s answer to these accusations is found in out text, “We are not writing any other things to you other than what you read or understand.” In other words, what you see is what you get. There is no hidden agenda. We mean what we say. In Christ our “Yes” is “Yes.”

If we read through the Bible and count, we would find there are over three thousand promises God has made to us. Promises about; health, happiness, peace, prosperity, freedom, finances, family matters, and security. Many of these promises were given in the Old Testament based upon a formula most of us are familiar with: "If" we keep the commands of the Lord -- "then" He will solve our problems, do amazing things, and take complete care of us (see Deuteronomy 11:21-23). The problem is we know that we don't always walk in His ways, and we don't always hold fast to Him. With this kind of reciprocal relationship, (grounded in the law) based on the "ifs,” we can't expect the "thens.”

However, in our passage today Paul tells us God already has done the "if" part through His Son, Jesus, who has given us the Holy Spirit so we can be absolutely certain of His guarantee. Jesus has done all the work. His blood was spilled and His life was given for ours. Therefore, we are now living in the "then" part of God's promises, and they are all Yes in Christ.

The Truth: “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:3-4).

The Coming King - Palm Sunday

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey." (Zechariah 9:9)

Here the prophet Zechariah describes the 1st coming of Jesus over 500 years before it occurred. He correctly refers to Him as, "having salvation." Therefore, when Jesus did enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey, as prophesied, the people cried, "Hosanna!" or, literally, "Save now!" (Matthew 21:9). They were hoping Jesus had come to save them from the Roman government and establish His kingdom on earth now.

As Jesus drew near to the city Luke's gospel tells us "He wept," because the people did not know the scriptures well enough to understand the reason for His first coming (v.41-44), and those who did (scribes, chief priests Pharisees) were scheming to kill Him out of fear and jealousy. As news of His arrest and interrogation became public, and His expected kingship here on earth began to fade, many of those same people who cried "Hosanna" were now crying, "Crucify Hm."

While the Jews were looking for a savior to liberate them from Roman rule, the purpose for Jesus' first coming was to die for the sins of the world, to be the perfect sacrifice for you and for me. Though many are still looking for Messiah, may we not miss the fact and purpose of His first coming, because His second coming will be much different.

The Truth
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up." (2 Peter 3:10)

Lamentations 5 “An Appeal for Restoration”

“Restore us to You, O Lord, that we may be restored; Renew our days as of old.” (v.21)

Today’s chapter speaks of the sins of one generation falling upon the next. The “generational” aspect of sin is difficult for many Christians to understand. Although we may think that our actions affect only us, it’s sobering to recognize that sin sets in motion unknown consequences far beyond us.

Chapter 5 also describes daily life for the meager few left in Jerusalem after the exile. The mere fact that this chapter opens with an appeal to the Lord (v.1) highlights the important change in the people’s perspective--they now sought the Lord.

Many people today, not unlike the Israelites, have a tendency not to see the error of their ways, until they experience extreme irreversible negative consequences of their own actions. And like the people of Jerusalem and Judah, their appeal for mercy often comes as a result of losing something of value. In this case, “their inheritance” (which was promised to Abraham and secured by Joshua’s conquest of the Promised Land).

But Israel’s inheritance went far beyond the physical land--it was an outward sign of God’s favor. To lose the land, in some measure, was to lose the Lord. That fear of being forsaken led to an amazing prayer for restoration (v.21). Unfortunately it all to often takes the loss of something to bring us back to God, when just a simple prayer of repentance is all that is required.

The Truth: “Repent, then, return to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the LORD.” (Acts 3:19)

Lamentations 4 “From Pure Gold to Clay”

“How dark the gold has become, how the pure gold has changed! The sacred stones are poured out at the corner of every street. The precious sons of Zion, weighed against fine gold, how they are regarded as earthen jars, the work of a potter’s hands!” (vv.1-2)

Oscar Wilde once said, “To suffer for one’s own faults--ah!--there is the sting of life!”

Jerusalem was suffering for its’ many years of sinful indulgence, its steadfast refusal to surrender to Babylon (as God had urged through Jeremiah), persistent sin, even cruel to their own offspring. Their actions, along with a refusal to repent, had brought destruction upon themselves. How sinful Jerusalem had become!

Sodom, proverbial for wickedness, had been destroyed instantly (Lam 4:6), but Jerusalem’s punishment was long and harsh. Jerusalem’s sin was not worse, but because Judah had forsaken its covenant responsibilities, its level of accountability was higher. They had fallen from “Pure gold” to “jars of clay,” the work of mans hands.

May the LORD continue to refine us brothers and sisters, that we may remain gold in His eyes, and not be left to suffer from our own faults by refusing to repent.

The Truth: “But He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)