Think out Laud
Chris Kelly's journal---a blog for to publish his feeble attempts to praise Jesus Christ, bare his soul, and think out loud about these Interesting Times.
Daily Bread on Ezra 4:1-24
Ezra 4 records the opposition that the Jew met while trying to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. It was intense. First the enemies tried to infiltrate them by volunteering to help them with the work. When they told the enemies they didn't want their help, they tried to discourage them by lodging false accusations against them with the king. The accusations had to be investigated. So during the investigation, the work was ordered to be stopped, which it was.
What intrigues me is that the Jews didn't want the help of the other peoples around them. They were not building a Unitarian temple for all faiths. They did not want contributions from non-Jews, nor help from them. They preferred to go slower. Their motive, then, was pure.
In our times no one has such pure motives in building churches. They accept any donations. They go for big and beautiful, at all costs. It is because they think the church building is the important thing. It is a house, more precisely, "A house of prayer for all nations". But they build a palace for their enjoyment and glory.
Father, I have come to Virginia to build you a church. I don't know what I'm doing. I have enemies who would stop me that I don't even know, and plenty of discouragement from within and without. Please, purify my motive and help me to go forward according to your will and for your glory. Thank you for the work of God in PSU. Please bless their new meetinghouse to be used for your glory. IJNA
Daily Bread on Jeremiah 8:1-22
How can you say, "We are wise, for we have the law of the LORD," when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?
Like the Jews who had the law but did not obey it, Christians have the gospel but do not obey it. They know it, but do not put it into practice. Jesus said those who hear but do not obey are like a man who builds his house on sand. That house will crash and fall when the storm comes.
Such is the state of the church today. We know Jesus made friends, but we ignore people all around us, even within the church, in order to associate with our cliques, ignoring the outcasts and despising the poor. We know Jesus spent his time studying and teaching the word of God, and praying, but we do none of these, rather spend our time in games, financial seminars, parties and socials, and self-help stuff. I am as guilty as anyone, since I haven't been out to the campus in weeks, and have spent less and less time in message preparation, personal devotions and prayer.
Lord, why do I backslide so easily? Why do I forget so quickly? Lord, let me not be put to shame, for I trust in you. Forgive us for trusting in riches and strength and government. Give us deep prayer, shame for our sins, hope for your eternal reward, and faith in your promises, through Jesus Christ. Amen
Daily Bread on Jeremiah 9:1-26
This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD.
Boasting is a theme of Paul's letters. It was rampant in Jeremiah's time too. And I think today boasting is making a huge come-back. Let's try to get out of the habit as Christians.
But what do we boast of? We need to know and think about this if we would kick the boasting habit. The wise boast of their wisdom, the strong boast strength, and the rich boast of riches. I'd like to say I have a problem with boasting. I am certainly one to show off. If I had a nice physique I'm am very sure I would be an exhibitionist. If I had money to burn, I'm sure I would drive a flashy car and live in a house with intense curb appeal. If I were wise, I'm sure I would out talk and dominate the conversation 100% of the time. I do all these to a measure.
I don't I'm very boastful, as I am somewhat solitary and quiet by nature. I do not weep for my people as Jeremiah did. --Lord give me tears for my people, a heart to weep for them and pray for them and reach out to them, here at UVA and everywhere. IJNA
Daily Bread on Jeremiah 7:1-34
I know why Jeremiah was called the weeping prophet. He wrote in Ch.7,
"If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever. But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless."
When people trust in deceptive words, it breaks my heart. They willingly follow the Serpent into temptation. They deceive even themselves, no one has to talk to them. There are so many examples: people who smoke know that it is unhealthy. People who reject their unborn children know they are taking a life that is not their own, but God's. People who side with the majority, even when they know the majority is in the wrong, or commit violence, or run away from home, or pull a gun and open fire on people who have not threatened them---they are allowing themselves to be deceived.
And so many Christians obsess about their money or health or appearance, when the country and its people are going like lemmings over a cliff. Instead of proclaiming God's grace to kids in school, they just blend in an go along with the deception of children.
But there are reasons why we should be different. What can we do? We must take our cues from the Lord and from His word, not the world's worthless words, not from radio pundits or politicians or newsmen, not from office talkers or neighborhood gossips, not from blogs and people's superficial thoughts, but from God's word.
And instead of merely changing our talk or our position, we must change our ways. Instead of hoarding up wealth, we must share and give. Instead of wars, we must suffer injustice with grace. Instead of selfish living, we must learn to live for others. Help me, O God, to live for others. Forgive me and my people, who willingly follow the lies, the Mammon and other idols of our age, and the lusts of our eyes. Change our ways and our actions to be pleasing to you. Give us godly men to lead us, and send workers out to your harvest fields. IJNA
Rev. 9/25/07
Daily Bread on Jeremiah 6:1-30
"They dress the wound of my people
as though it were not serious.
'Peace, peace,' they say,
when there is no peace."
It's not surprising that Jeremiah was know as a sorrowful man. He saw the sickness of his nation in the full light of God's truth. So he was not deluded about the seriousness of the problems.
We have so many people who think the real problems in America are economic, or environmental, or political. They campaign for this or that candidate as if he or she will save the human race, and any other will bring swift destruction. I'm also tempted to campaign heavily for a candidate that I like, namely Ron Paul. But I know, at the end of the day, he and all others can do very, very little. They are like Band-Aids which cannot heal the serious wounds of sin upon this world.
Jesus is the one who can heal the sick, open the eyes of the blind, cure a woman's life-long bleeding, raise dead Lazarus, cure lepers 10-at-a-time. HE is the hope of America, not Hillary, Obama, Ron Paul, or any of the Republicans. Any one of them might do a little good in one way or another. But the real wounds will continue to fester and get worse until people turn to Jesus, till they are truly ashamed of their loathsome conduct [15]. Their sins will sicken and kill them until they return to the ancient paths and walk in the good way [16].
And if they do not? Most people are pretty apathetic nowadays. They don't care what happens. The future, to them, is already hosed, and they can't change it. Others care, but don't realize it's their hearts and their ways that need to be changed. So they sing a song or donate some money or spend some time in doing good works---more Band-Aids, really.
But God is not apathetic. He is doing something. He is sending us a "shot across the bow" and other warnings to help us repent. Vv.20,21 read,
"What do I care about incense from Sheba
or sweet calamus from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;
your sacrifices do not please me."
Therefore this is what the Lord says:
"I will put obstacles before this people.
Fathers and sons alike will stumble over them;
neighbors and friends will perish."
If people will not repent because they fear God nor obey because they love him, they cannot miss the thorns and the terrible meaninglessness of survival, the sweat of the brow, until they die. [Gen 3:17] Such obstacles to human happiness are the sign of God's love!
Lord, thank you for obstacles to our national happiness. Help us not to miss them, but fall on them, until we come back to you. Give us your best love, the punishment that can turn our hearts back to you. Only help us Christians to continue to pray, weep, preach and serve the Gospel to this nation, until they hear it and repent, or reject it and perish. AMEN
Daily Bread on Jeremiah 5:1-31
"Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city." [1]
Here is the inspiration for Diogenes (412-323 BC), who found not one honest man in Athens after searching in full daylight with lit lantern. Jeremiah lived 3 centuries before, but had the same mission. In a time when the majority was godless, it may have seemed there was not even one honest man. Sometimes we feel this way today, but soon we meet an American or Chinese or Korean or African who restores our hope for America.
Thankfully, God doesn't deal in majority rule. He will spare a city even for one. He promised to spare the vile cities of Sodom and Gomorrah if only 10 righteous men could be found. Too bad there was only Lot, and even his righteousness was questionable after the events of Ch.19.
Vv.22a and 23 read, "Should you not fear me?" declares the LORD. "Should you not tremble in my presence? ... But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away." He warns that it is their wickedness which has caused God to withhold the spring rains. Even the prophets in the land were telling lies.
When preachers of God are full of lies and false teachings, things are really bad. Yet lies are big sellers. And as Hitler said, "The great masses of the people will more easily fall victims to a big lie than to a small one." Oh that God would give us the heart of Jeremiah to rebuke the liars and warn the people listening to them. But more than this, I must proclaim the good news that Jesus forgives sinners, and restores hearts made black by lies.
Father, give me the courage to preach your gospel boldly here this fall. Open the door for us to move very near to the campus, just the right place at the right time, so your work may go forth. Bless our friends in Petersburg, GMU, Raleigh, DC, Lehigh, Penn State, Ship and Baltimore with the same grace and help each day. Make us the "Jeremiahs" and "Diogenes" of our times, going out to the campuses to find "but one" God-fearing person. Lord, you know our hearts. Turn us from useless things to do your business here, and serve your kingdom. IJNA
Daily Bread on Jeremiah 4:1-31
God will not share his people with other Gods. He is a jealous God. And he is right to be jealous of our love, for HE created us. "Return to me" is his hope for us.
Obviously this should also be our hope for others also, that they may return to God, who loves and gives himself for them. It is why we engage in evangelism, asking people to come study the Bible and believe it and teaching them to obey it. Evangelism is not brow-beating people to change their ways; those who do this are rightly unpopular. Evangelism is what Jeremiah was engaged in: helping God's people return to Him.
Now v.4 says, "Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts, you men of Judah and people of Jerusalem, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire because of the evil you have done---burn with no one to quench it." This is the kind of talk I just referred to as "brow beating". But the fact is, we need this. We need to REPENT. And God commands it. He would have us circumcise our hearts, that is, to cut off a small bit of the pleasure and excess that we might have naturally, not because it is beneficial or a "magic bullet" to make us holy, but simply as a symbol of our obedience to Him.
Then there is v.10, a pretty scary thought, that God would deceive people to think they will have peace when the sword is right at their throats. It's not that God is out there tricking and lying to people. But he makes us prosperous and protects us, as if nothing is wrong, until sudden disaster overtakes us. The need is that God's servants, who speak His word, will plainly warn people of God's judgment.
But no one likes judgment. They think we are unreasonable for mentioning it, for saying the word "evil" or "sin" or "repent". So they are really self-deceived, not deceived by God. They will not hear God's word, so they are totally deceived by the words they choose to listen to instead.
Jeremiah's message wasn't very hopeful. But we need the message of God, not merely a hopeful message. When sinners need to repent, may God give us the honesty to plainly teach it, to "speak the truth in love" and not withhold God's full message, be it ever so unpleasant. --Father, give me grace to give your message of judgment to this generation of Americans. IJNA
Daily Bread on Jeremiah 3:1-25
Jeremiah was concerned about the spiritual problems in Israel. But apparently, he was also concerned about the rampant immorality. The immorality in Israel became his metaphor for their spiritual unfaithfulness.
We understand, since America is in the same boat. He speaks of them "defiling the land" with their prostitution and wickedness. "Therefore the showers have been withheld, and no spring rains have fallen." The Jews seemed to be enjoying adultery "on every high hill and under every spreading tree." They were having fun in the sun, but it was less and less enjoyable. So they increased their adulteries and became more and more perverted, like the "Mr. Leather" show in Chicago, which is nothing but a fair for perverts to enjoy debauchery. The Palmer House hotel is defiled. Perhaps God will destroy it soon.
But what is worse than outward perversion is the inner perversion that makes us unfaithful to our God. This is what Jeremiah calls "committing adultery with wood and stone." Instead of worshiping and loving God, when we love the lifestyle of the rich and famous, or when we love our work or our money and investments, when we spend all our time in hobbies or recreation or exercise, when we revel in books or the newspaper and other intellectual stimulation, but do not spend time with our Lord, then we are ignoring Him. It is like a wife who ignores her husband, or spends time with some other man, or divorces and marries another.
God's call couldn't be more moving. He says, "Return, faithless people," declares the LORD, "for I am your husband. I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion. Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding." [14,15] We can't be the "Bride of Christ" and run after other lovers, any more than a man would permit his wife to fool around with other men or a wife her husband to be unfaithful. "Like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you have been unfaithful to me, O house of Israel," declares the LORD. [20]
The repentant words of vv.23-25 give hope that people in our times will repent. But we must go out, like Jeremiah, and give them God's word. May God move Christians to cry out in the barren hights, weeping and pleading for the Church, his Bride, to return to him.
Daily Bread on Jeremiah 2:1-37
In this beautiful passage, God laments that Israel, God's own bride, was beloved, but now has left her first Love and followed idols. "I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown. Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest " [1,2a]
The parallels between Israel and the Church here are just too obvious to miss. God calls Israel his bride. Matthew Henry everywhere used Israel to symbolize the Church (and vice versa. But most people today have willfully forgotten that anything which happened to Israel could very easily happen to Jesus' people.
For example, if we forget our 'first love', as the church of Ephesus is accused in Revelation 2:4, we cannot expect but to suffer loss. What loss? you ask. Jesus threatened the Ephesians saying, "If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place." This doesn't sound very different from the warnings in Jeremiah 2. E.g, "And I will bring charges against your children's children." God had divided Israel into two nations. He had decreed to bring Israel's enemies against them. And even if they repented now, it was too late. God would not save them, though any who survived would go into captivity.
And I am convinced God is dealing with his church today similarly. We are a church divided in so many ways. Those who are siding with the immoral, for example, will not repent or turn back, and the others have determined to break away from them. Worse even than this, many Christians are turning to other religions and mingling them in with Christianity, essentially bringing idols alongside Jesus. Many would say, "Oh that's not all so terrible, now is it? What's the big deal with a little hanky-panky in the vestry? What's the big deal if gays want to have a happy life? What's the big deal if a priest or two can't control their `natural' desires?"
But God says, "Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror." [12] There are things that we should be appalled by. And the immorality and idolatry of God's people, as described in Jeremiah Ch.2 and as we see around us in the Church today, are things that should make us shudder with great horror.
Dear God, help us to be appallable. Help us to pray with broken hearts for Americans who are in the very process of "exchanging their Glory for worthless idols." [11]
Daily Bread on Jeremiah 1:1-19
What a blessing it is to study Jeremiah for Daily Bread. I love Jeremiah, but have never studied it, even though had I been faithful in studying Daily Bread, I would have studied it through six times by now. --Thank you, Lord, for another chance, just when I need it, and for keeping me in Christ until now. Amen.
Jeremiah was just a lad when God called him. God said, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." [5] How beautiful it is to know the Lord as a child. I was called to serve God in my youth. Sometimes I regret that I did not have a sinful, "Tom Sawyer" childhood, full of godless adventures and carefree abandon. Not that I was anywhere near pure, but what I see in the movies often deceives me into thinking I missed something by not trying sex and drugs. Oh how I pray my children may be called by the Lord before ruining their lives. Yet, He has his own plan for them. Before they were formed in the womb, He knew them! What a hope it is! that they were set apart before they were born. --Lord, set them apart and call them for your Kingdom.
Jeremiah responded, though very young. It was the same with Samuel. Of course, God also calls old men, such as Abraham and Noah. Jeremiah felt his youth and wasn't deluded as so many are today; he felt his inexperience and was humble. But God said, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you."
What did God reveal to him? Vv.9-10 read, "Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, `Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.' " He was not only going to plant and build up, but ALSO to uproot and tear down, and the uprooting and tearing down was listed first.
Why would God want his servant to uproot and tear things down? For it is obviously PEOPLE that a prophet is sent to serve, not buildings or vegetable gardens. Did God appoint Jeremiah to BOTH tear down and build up His people? Yes. And from vv.15 and 16, it is both kings and his people, who were forsaking God and worshiping idols.
As then, there are many idols in America today. To God's servants, the message goes out, "Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land---against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you."
We Christians are not the majority any more. We are a few prophets of God, who will meet opposition if we give God's word to our people. But this is exactly what we are called and commanded to do. Jesus did exactly what is described here. He was a fortified city and a bronze wall, standing against the priests and people, and condemning their idolatry and spiritual infidelity.
Should we expect disaster in America? I think so. I can't say I have any prophetic insight as to what precisely might be coming upon us. But disasters happen, even in the best of times. How we respond to them is the important matter, and I don't mean how we sit around waiting for FEMA to bring us food and toilet paper. I mean how we pray, repent, and depend on God, and how we help one another. When disaster strikes, we must help people to put their hope in God.
May God have mercy on me to be a Jeremiah for our times. ---Lord, help me to get ready, and go out, esp. to go out to the UVA campus every week, and meet people everywhere, at work, among my neighbors, while jogging or driving or eating out, shopping or working in the yard. Lord, make me a messenger to everyone I meet, and to boldly make sure I meet many people. Amen
2 Chronicles 25:1-28
God is not mocked. Those who serve him must serve him wholeheartedly, not split their time between serving him and worshiping idols. So God gave Amaziah victroy at one poit, then took it away shortly thereafter. V.2 says that he "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly." It isn't surprising that, after his big success, he turned to idols.
The warning he was given before his battle was, "Do not fight together with the mercenaries. God has the power to help or to overthrow." He wanted to depend on the mercenaries he'd hired. But God wants us to glorify Him. Amaziah listened and sent the Israelites home, but after God helped him, he put the idols of the nations they had just conquered on his altar.
People who just want God to help them, but don't really love the Lord, have a hard time dealing with success. They just can't give God the glory. This, acc. to Romans 1 is the reason God "hands them over to the sinful nature." Success is when we must glorify God, just as we prayed for help in the time of difficulty. And if we truly believe that God alone is the one who has power to help or overthrow, if we truly believe our lives are in his hands, to glorify Him is the greatest joy of our life.
2 Chronicles 24:1-27
Billy Graham has been in the news lately because of a book about him and a correlated TV show entitiled "Preacher and Presidents" (or something like that). This man of God served presidents Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Bush Sr., Clinton and George Jr. by visiting them, counseling and praying for them. Presidents Truman, Kennedy and Carter also met him, but basically ignored him for various reasons.
Now I could not help but wonder if these men, whose presidencies were not altogether blessed and prosperous, were basically held together by Billy Graham, and if he did not, in the end, really, REALLY influence America by praying for these men. Billy Graham did not get involved in their politics. But he really enjoyed knowing and serving them, and wept deeply with them when they got into trouble or met any kind of personal trial.
So what would have happened had he not been there? Perhaps, now that he is too old and feeble to serve them, they will suffer unbearably, and our nation plunge into really dark days. His wife, Ruth Graham, just passed away, and he is also failing.
We need such men in the public eye, who like Jehoiada, are servants of the King. Jehoiada didn't rule over the king or meddle in political or military matters. Most of the preachers in our times are all too eager to do that. None of them could possibly be trusted to counsel the president on spiritual matters, because they would invariably want to influence his veto and use him for a mouthpiece. This cannot be. But as a friend and someone who will pray for the president, it should be clear that there needs to be and ought to be someone like this for each and every president.
May God raise up a new "Billy Graham" in our times, someone truly committed to God and His kingdom above America or himself or the Church or a political party. May God help me to be a shepherd for America and its leaders as well.
Lord, I will be a Jehoiada, if that is your will. Only show me and lead me to counsel and pray wisely, and effectively for our leaders, in Virginia and in Washington. Amen
2 Chronicles 23:1-21
In this chapter of Israel's long history, a boy of seven ascends the throne of Israel. It was not because he was determined or gifted or even interested in deposing the wicked Athaliah and her puppet-son. Joash was David's descendant, and now God was fulfilling his promise to David.
But there was also a man of courage involved, namely Jehoiada, who took great risks to depose Athaliah and establish Joash. When I think of the risks he took to get rid of a godless tyrant and raise up a godly king, I naturally compare it to the work of Christ, which is to challenge the reign of Satan over our nation here and now, and gain followers who will support the rule of Jesus. We have a peaceful Shepherd King, who isn't interested in impeaching presidents or disrupting governments. But he is most assuredly in a war, for which we need brave fighters, ready to lay down our lives and do battle with the hated enemy Satan.
Yet most Christians, I among them, are content to serve Athaliah, who reminds me of Madame Gasket in the movie _Robots_. We have a terrible enemy who wants us to be destroyed, to burn in Hell, and who wants to replace the hand-made people of God with gorgeous looking factory units which will serve God's enemy. I may sound a little dramatic because I'm comparing the real spiritual world to a movie.
Our fight, however, is not with flesh and blood as was true for Jehoiada (or Rodney Copperbottom). We have to proclaim Jesus is King in a world where dozens of evil people want to be king, and all of whom will align themselves against Jesus if we prevail.
What I must do is meet people and impress upon them the need for holiness and devotion to Jesus Christ and his kingdom, not only that THEY need his sovereignty in their lives, but the whole world needs his sovereignty. These people need to be raised into servants of Jesus. -- Father, show me your ways, and give me your Spirit to do this difficult work in my times. Amen