2 Thessalonians 1

The feast is only a benefit if you partake of it.

WEEK  17                                 2 Thessalonians 1

THURSDAY  Reflections

Second Thessalonians was written while Paul and his companions were in Corinth. This letter may have been written only a few months after the first. The need for the letter was that reports had come back to Paul saying the situation in Thessalonica had not gotten any better after Paul’s first letter.

In this first chapter, Paul says that he is praying that God would count them worthy of their calling. This isn't saying that they earn their salvation, or they in any way deserve it. It is like us saying that someone would be found living fully into the gift God has given them. There is a concern that though they are at the banquet table of spiritual blessings they are starving because they aren't partaking of the banquet. It would be a very, very sad thing to stand before God and realize we missed out on so much because we didn't use what God had given us.

2Th 1:1-12
(1)  Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
(2)  Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
(3)  We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
(4)  So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
(5)  Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
(6)  Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
(7)  And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
(8)  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
(9)  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
(10)  When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
(11)  Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
(12)  That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Psalm 58

WEEK   18                                              Psalm 58  

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

This psalm sounds very harsh to most. Wash your feet in the blood of the wicked? This doesn't sound very loving or good. Yet as we read we have to know the person is speaking metaphorically. However, can we rejoice when wicked people are destroyed? I think we can. I don't think anyone can argue the death of Hitler's Third Reich was a bad thing. Mankind rejoiced then and even now that the plans of the Third Reich were stopped. The righteous are glad when evil is stopped and bad people are punished.

 

This does not mean as Christians we want to see people killed or destroyed. I don't want to kill a dog, but if it's attacking my child, I will be glad when it is dead. We would rather people change their ways and do what is right. However, if they refuse I can be glad that God has removed them.

 

This is a tricky place, for it is easy to become completely passive or to become filled with anger and unforgiveness. This middle road can be walked in God. He can give us the ability to truly love people and hate sin.  

Psa 58:1-11
(1)  To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David. Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
(2)  Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.
(3)  The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
(4)  Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
(5)  Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
(6)  Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.
(7)  Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.
(8)  As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.
(9)  Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.
(10)  The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
(11)  So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

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Joshua 2

WEEK   17                                              Joshua 2

TUESDAY  Reflections

What catches my attention in chapter 2 of Joshua was the number of spies Joshua sends in. Moses sent in 12 spies one for each of the twelve tribes. Moses actions seem like a very democratic and fair way of doing things, the problem was the majority only saw the problems. Joshua, on the other hand, picks two people and sends them in. There is no committee of tribes picking their favorites, no democratically elected representatives, only Joshua saying, go look at the land.

I want to say that I appreciate democracy and what it brings but I understand that often the majority can’t see the possibilities for something better. In the real world, studies tell us it is when the innovators and early adopters reach a certain level that the majority take up the idea (want more info on this read Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell).  To say it another way, most people are followers or as God calls us sheep.

God was trying to teach Israel to live spiritually, I can’t help but think that we would do better not following the majority but the minority. A minority of one, Jesus Christ. This doesn’t mean we live the Christian life on our own. The Bible teaches us that we are part of the body of Christ, the church. However, Jesus clearly teaches that the minority will choose to follow him, remember the wide and narrow gates (Matthew 7:13-14).

Joshua had seen what had happened before. This time he wasn’t choosing 12 but chose 2, the same number which brought back a good report the first time. Joshua threw out the democratic method and choose the number which was faithful before. As we see in the book of Joshua, this time the outcome was far different.

I am not saying we should ignore the majority, we should see why they are doing what they are doing. They could be right as enough people have followed the minority into something right. However, often Jesus and his true followers are in the minority.

There is a second question I would like to consider: “Why did God have Joshua send the two spies?” I’m not asking the rationalization Joshua had but what was God’s reason. Could it be God’s ultimate plan wasn’t to give Joshua military intelligence but to find the one person in Jericho who had come to faith in God? Personally, I tend to lean to the idea that God’s purpose for the spies was to save Rahab, even if Joshua and the spies never realized it.


Jos 2:1-24
(1)  And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
(2)  And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.
(3)  And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.
(4)  And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were:
(5)  And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.
(6)  But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.
(7)  And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
(8)  And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;
(9)  And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
(10)  For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.
(11)  And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
(12)  Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token:
(13)  And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.
(14)  And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.
(15)  Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.
(16)  And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.
(17)  And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.
(18)  Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.
(19)  And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.
(20)  And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.
(21)  And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
(22)  And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.
(23)  So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them:
(24)  And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.

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Joshua 1

WEEK   17                                                Joshua 1

MONDAY  Reflections

We are skipping over Deuteronomy for now but will return to it later. For now, we join Joshua as they prepare to enter the promised land.

 

We are looking at a time of transition from the Law and the Torah to the books of History. From the beginning of the world and the deliverance from Egypt to the history of God’s people in relation to the Promised Land.

 

 Moses was dead. Death is a time of change and transition and is never easy. Change and transition are so difficult that most people will stay in a poor or even a dangerous situation rather than face it. However, life doesn’t stop just because we want to. Life or sometimes death forces us to change.

 

What is God’s command?

Be strong and courageous

Obey God’s Commands

Don’t be afraid

Take the land (do what God has called you to do)

 

God’s promise was I will be with you like I was with Moses. Why did God make sure and add this? Joshua was a new type of leader, different than Moses. Moses carries a staff and was noted as being the meekest man on earth. Joshua carried a sword and shield. Yet God’s promise was to work with him though he was different.

 

There are times when we need a new type of leader in lives and often in the church. God sometimes forces these changes because of changes in life and undeniably when we face the death of an important leader.

 

If you are called in to replace another leader it can be scary, especially if that leader was well liked.

 

But if you are where God wants you then I believe God’s words to Joshua are the same for you.

Jos 1:1-18

(1)  Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,

(2)  Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.

(3)  Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

(4)  From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.

(5)  There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

(6)  Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

(7)  Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

(8)  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

(9)  Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

(10)  Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,

(11)  Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.

(12)  And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying,

(13)  Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.

(14)  Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them;

(15)  Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD'S servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.

(16)  And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.

(17)  According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses.

(18)  Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.

Jeremiah 1

Young men shall see visions...

WEEK  16                                               Jeremiah 1    

SATURDAY  Reflections

Wisdom comes with age and experience unless that wisdom comes from God. When Jeremiah was a young man he was called into prophetic ministry. He understood his youth (a possible mark of humility) but God was ready for him to begin his ministry.

God not only prepared him for this role but touched his mouth indicating divine gifting to speak. God also gave him divine visions. This was not a person to be ignored, yet people did.

This calling is a reminder that though God does use age and experience to guide us (refer to much of Proverbs), He also uses the young. It is unwise to ignore advice just because of the lack of age or experience. Remember God did say that in the latter days' young men will see visions (Joel 2:28, Acts 2:17). We should be open to them. 


Jer 1:1-19(1)  The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
(2)  To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
(3)  It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
(4)  Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
(5)  Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
(6)  Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
(7)  But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
(8)  Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
(9)  Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
(10)  See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
(11)  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.
(12)  Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.
(13)  And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north.
(14)  Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.
(15)  For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.
(16)  And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.
(17)  Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.
(18)  For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.
(19)  And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.

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Numbers 36

God is just.

WEEK  16                                           Numbers 36

Friday  Reflections

God gave women the right to inherit the land of their fathers, but God also wanted the lands to stay in the tribes they were given. This chapter deals with the fact that marriage between tribes was going to happen. The concern was if a woman with land married outside of her tribe the husband of the other tribe might try and claim the land for his tribe.

To balance the tribes' rights and the women's rights, God gave the guidelines that women who did inherit were to marry inside of their tribe anyone they wanted. This didn't mean she couldn't marry outside of her tribe, but she couldn't marry and keep the inheritance. This balanced the rights of the women to marry who she wanted with the rights of the tribe to keep their land. This is another example of God being just.  

Num 36:1-13
(1)  And the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spake before Moses, and before the princes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel:
(2)  And they said, The LORD commanded my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters.
(3)  And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then shall their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and shall be put to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall it be taken from the lot of our inheritance.
(4)  And when the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be, then shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.
(5)  And Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the LORD, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well.
(6)  This is the thing which the LORD doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry.
(7)  So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.
(8)  And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers.
(9)  Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance.
(10)  Even as the LORD commanded Moses, so did the daughters of Zelophehad:
(11)  For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their father's brothers' sons:
(12)  And they were married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father.
(13)  These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

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Mark 16

WEEK   16                                               Mark 16

THURSDAY  Reflections

Look A Mistake!?

This is the claim some have made when it comes to the last part of Mark chapter 16. There is a statement in most modern Bibles that this section is not found in most of the older Manuscripts. This makes some question if it may have been added later.

This has given some the excuse that the entire Bible can be thrown out as just a collection of man-made sayings. The problem with this is that it takes one doubt over one area and uses it to paint the entire Bible. It is similar to saying my dad was good so all dads are good or this businesswoman is a crook so all women in business are crooks.

Volumes have been written to explain and I won't go into detail but let me give a few thoughts explain it if this was a later addition.

1. This admission of possible doubt demonstrates the attempt of Christians to remain connected with the historical reality of their faith.

2. This section could have been added later by Mark or by his request after concern that his method of trying to draw the reader into making their own conclusion left too many doubts. (Authors have updated new additions at other times, why not here? No, this doesn't discount the inspiration of Scripture but I won't go into that now.)

3. The claims made in the later parts of Mark do not contradict any other scriptures. Yes, some have taken the claim to play with snakes as literal but a few misusing this doesn't negate the truth it contains.

There is a host more but these three I hope will give you some comfort in the truth of scriptures.


Mar 16:1-20
(1)  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
(2)  And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
(3)  And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
(4)  And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
(5)  And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
(6)  And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
(7)  But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
(8)  And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
(9)  Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
(10)  And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
(11)  And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
(12)  After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
(13)  And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
(14)  Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
(15)  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
(16)  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
(17)  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
(18)  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
(19)  So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

(20)  And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.