October 18- Putting The Law In Your Mind

October 18, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Jeremiah 31:27-32:44; 1 Timothy 3:1-16;
Psalm 88:1-18; Proverbs 25:20-22

Jeremiah 31:27-32:44

My husband went to law school.  I am proud to say that he graduated 14^th in his class and had the distinction of being named to the Order of the Coif.  That is an elite group of honor students.  It would be nice if this honor came with great ease, but the truth of the matter is that although my husband is very smart, he had to work many hours to become proficient in the law.  Hours and hours of study resulted in the law being firmly planted in his brain.  Today, God promises the people of Israel that in that future day when they are reconciled to Him, He will put the laws of God in their minds and will write them on their hearts automatically.  They will not even have to teach their children about God, because everyone will know Him intimately.  

Today, Jeremiah has to trust God with the future. In chapter 32, Jeremiah is told by God to buy a field from his cousin, Hananmel.  At this time, Jeremiah is in prison having been jailed by King Zedekiah.  King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has breached the walls of Jerusalem and is prepared to conquer the city.  It is a dark time for Israel, and yet, the Lord is encouraging Jeremiah to purchase property.

This may seem like a strange thing for God to ask Jeremiah to do, but Jeremiah puts his trust in God and purchases the field.  The deed is put into a pottery jar for safe keeping and God declares that someday people will again own property in this land. 

Jeremiah cries out to God questioning the wisdom of buying property when God has declared that Babylon will conquer Jerusalem and take the people into captivity. We can all learn from Jeremiah’s faith and his honesty with God.  We can believe in God and yet cry out to Him with questions and concerns.

God responds that nothing is too hard for Him. Jerusalem will fall as a result of God’s punishment of the Israelites, but God will surely bring His people back to the land from all the countries where He scattered them. It is then that the law will be in their hearts and minds.  They will follow Him with one heart and one mind in the future.

Jeremiah is reassured by God that purchasing the field was no mistake.  Not only will a remnant of Israel be gathered back into the Promised Land in seventy years, they will one day be gathered back permanently to live with God in peace. What steps of faith have you taken based on God’s promises?

1 Timothy 3:16

Today we get more instruction from the Apostle Paul on how the Church should conduct itself.  Good leadership is the key to success in our endeavors here on this earth.  God inspires Paul to list the qualities that an elder of the Church must possess. This word is translated “bishop,” which means overseer.  This could also be called a shepherd, pastor, or minister.  This title was always meant as one who served the body of Christ, rather than one who was to rule over the church. 

Here are what qualifies someone to be a pastor/elder:

·        The husband of one wife. Polygamy was common in this day, but was not to be practiced by Christian leaders.

·        He must exhibit self-control, be serious about his position and have a good reputation in the community.

·        He is to be hospitable, able and willing to invite people into his home.

·        He must have the gift of being able to teach the Word of God to people.

·        He must not be a heavy drinker.  No need to explain this.

·        He must be gentle and oriented towards peace with others.

·        He must not love money and rely on it as an idol in his life.

·        He must be able to manage his own family well.  This shows wisdom and discernment. A man cannot serve the house of God if he cannot serve his own house well.

·        He should not be a new Christian.  Leadership would lead to pride in this case. 

Next, we have qualifications to be a deacon.  Deacon means servant or worker. These people deal with the practical and material concerns of the Church, but should also be spiritual in their qualifications. Here are the qualifications for a deacon:

·        A person who is respected and has integrity.  They must be honest in nature.

·        Should not be heavy drinkers.

·        Should not be greedy for money.

·        Should be committed to the truth of Christ and live lives of clear conscience.

·        Have proven their trustworthiness through other service to the Church.

·        Wives/families should not be gossips and speak evil of others.

·        They should be faithful to spouses and faithful in all things.

Paul reminds Timothy that everyone’s faith must rest on the mystery that Christ appeared in the flesh, was righteous by the Holy Spirit, was seen by angels and the nations, was believed and taken up into Heaven.  This is what leaders in the Church must believe.

Do you believe this?

Psalm 88:1-18

Read this as if you are hearing Christ in His death. These are the words of the God who died for our sins.

Proverbs 25:20-22

We are to care for our enemies according to the Bible.  This goes against human nature.

What did you notice as you read today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

October 17- The Beautiful Dream

October 17, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Jeremiah 30:1-31:26; 1 Timothy 2:1-15;
Psalm 87:1-7; Proverbs 25:18-19

I have a dream. 
~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jeremiah 30:1-31:26

In 1955 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the civil rights leaders who led the Montgomery bus boycott.  He was using a peaceful protest to try to change the condition of blacks in America. Trying to establish that people of every race were God's creations and worthy of equal rights in America, King fought.  His most famous speech was the "I Have A Dream" speech.  In it, King points to a future day when all of God's children will have equality and freedom. Jeremiah dreams of a day like this, also.  It occurs during Jesus' millennial reign on earth.  Today, we see Jeremiah's dream.

Yet in the end, they will be saved.  Today’s prophecy from Jeremiah is a word from God that Israel will not always be punished by God for her rebellion.  It is a message of hope and grace.  It is a message of fulfilled promises.  Because God is faithful and true, He will do what He said He would do for Abraham.  In that future day, foreigners will no longer be masters over the Jews. They will serve a son of David who will be raised up to rule the earth.  This is a strong description of Jesus, who was raised from the dead and will be Israel’s earthly king during the millennial reign.

Chapter 30 describes the Israelites being brought back from distant lands.  This is not fulfilled in our day, as most Jews are not back in the Promised Land.  There is also a promise of peace and quiet.  That also does not describe the present situation in Israel.

God describes Israel’s punishment as necessary because of their many sins and great guilt.  But God also promises to destroy Israel’s enemies in the future and heal Israel’s wounds.  God’s plans are graciously spelled out for His chosen ones.

Chapter 31 is a song of salvation.  Some call this chapter the “I will” chapter.  God describes what He will do.  These are His accomplishments born out of His mercy and love.  Here is a list of the “I will’s”:

·        I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people. Vs. 1

·        I will care for the survivors as they travel through the wilderness. Vs. 2

·        I will give rest to the people of Israel. Vs. 2

·        I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel. Vs. 4

·        I will bring them from the north and from the distant corners of the earth. Vs. 8

·        I will not forget the blind and lame, the expectant mothers and women about to give birth. 8

·        I will lead them home with great care. Vs. 9

·        I will gather them together and watch over them like a shepherd does his flock. Vs. 10

·        I will turn their mourning into joy. Vs. 13

·        I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing. Vs. 13

·        I will supply the priests with an abundance of offerings. Vs. 14

·        I will satisfy my people with my bounty.  I, the Lord, have spoken. Vs. 15

·        I will reward you. Vs. 16

This is a song of hope for a wayward daughter.  The future represents a life of reconciliation with God. For Israel, something new and different will occur.  Israel will embrace her God!

God intends to have a reign of peace, rest, and prosperity on the earth.  He intends to right all of the wrongs.  He will bring justice and righteousness to the earth.  And He will begin this process with the people through whom He chose to bring the message of God to the earth, the Jews.

Jeremiah wakes up at the end of this dream and looks around.  His sleep has been sweet. 

Do you dream of a day when there is no sorrow on the earth?  Do you hope and yearn for righteousness for all?  God promises this to all who believe in Jesus Christ and are trusting in Him.  May you sleep sweetly knowing that God is in control.

1 Timothy 2:1-15

Paul is teaching Timothy how to shepherd the Church. 

Prayer for the Church

One of the most important aspects of leading people is having a heart of prayer for those you lead. What is one to pray?

·        Pray for God to have mercy upon them. Vs. 1

·        Thank God for them. Vs. 1

·        Pray for those who have governmental authority over the land. This will promote the ability to be able to spread the truth about Christ. Vs. 2

Paul explains to Timothy that Jesus is the only person who can reconcile us to God the Father because He is the Mediator.  Jesus gave his life in order to purchase freedom for mankind.  Paul has been chosen by God to give this Good News to the Gentiles.

Conduct in the Church

Men

The Church should be a place where men lift their hands in prayer free from anger and controversy. Please note that the greatest point in this passage is not whether a person has their hands lifted while they pray, but that they have a proper attitude as they approach God.  They are not to be filled with sinful anger and bitterness.  Remember that Christ taught the Lord’s Prayer, where the believer is to ask for sins to be forgiven, just as the person praying has forgiven those who have sinned against them.  Paul is harkening back to this concept.

Women

Women should be modest in their dress. They should draw attention to themselves by their good works, not their good looks. I need to take a moment to explain, based on my research, what Paul is trying to emphasize with regard to women and the Church.  We need context for what Paul was dealing with in the Roman and Greek religions of his day.

In the Roman world of Paul’s day, women were a principle part of pagan worship.  They were the leaders of the heathen religions and held prominent positions.  In the city of Corinth, the temple of Aphrodite was a place of religious prostitution. There were thousands of vestal virgins, who were housed in the temple at the top of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. They were characterized by their flowing and disheveled hair.  This is why the Apostle Paul encourages women to cover their heads.  He is trying to separate Christianity from the pagan religions of his day. In Ephesus, where Timothy is pastoring, women held prominent positions in the temple of Diana. As priestesses, sex was part of the mystery religions.

Paul is trying to set a context for Christianity to be a light among dark practices. Women’s roles in worship needed to be addressed. Paul wants women in the Christian churches to distinguish themselves as having different roles than the women in pagan religions.

According to Paul, women were to pray, but Paul is emphasizing that they should not present themselves like the heathens who emphasized the physical over the spiritual.  Women were not to be sex objects in worship.  The Gentiles needed this instruction, since their culture promoted women as religious prostitutes.

With regard to women being silent and not teaching in the church, some of the commentary I have read indicate that Paul did not want women to teach by making an appeal for people to follow Christ based on sex, as was done in the pagan religions. This is what he is talking about, rather than never having a woman teach anything, ever. He did not want invitations to follow Christ to be made to look like propositions to have sex in God’s name.  Christianity had to distinguish itself from pagan mystery religions. 

God has used women throughout history for ministry and His work.  Deborah, Esther, Ruth, Lydia, Joanna, Priscilla, and Phoebe are Biblical examples of women who God used for His purposes.  In modern times, the likes of Gladys Aylward, Amy Carmichael, Elisabeth Elliot, Anne Graham Lotz, Kay Arthur, and Beth Moore are evidence that God uses women to draw people to Christ. With this being said, I think it is important to maintain balance in the roles between men and women in the church.  Women should promote males being in leadership in the Church.  It is easy for women to overwhelm and dominate situations.  Women tend to be more verbal and willing to be involved. This passage of Scripture encourages women to allow men to take the leadership roles in the local church.  This does not mean that women are to never teach.

The next section deals with Adam being made first and then, Eve.  Sin comes into the world through women because women bear all children and all people are sinners.  Therefore, women are the vessels through which sin comes into the world.  The flip side of this is that a woman is also the vessel through which the problem of sin is solved by the Child that she bears.  Paul’s phrase “women will be saved by childbearing” can also be interpreted to mean “women will be saved by the birth of the Child.”  Everyone is saved by the fact that the virgin Mary bore a child who would redeem the world. That child was Jesus Christ. This is the child that was promised to the world in the Garden of Eden.  Mankind has always been aware that Eve was given this promise. Rather than being a section of Scripture that relegates women to a silent cast of baby producers, Paul is actually elevating women as the creatures who brought salvation to the world.  He does use this as a means to say that women are valuable, even in the case of men being in the leadership roles in the church.

Paul wants women to be cherished, rather than reduced to religious prostitutes.  Goddess worship was a distortion of the promise that the Redeemer Child would enter the world through a woman.  Paul is attempting to squelch the misinformation propagated by goddess worship (Asherah, Diana/Artemis, Aphrodite). Christians should not take this teaching to mean that women cannot be productive members of the modern church.  God has gifted both men and women with the ability to teach, evangelize, and spread His Good News. God always has and always will use both genders for His purposes.

Psalm 87:1-7

Here is a psalm describing what Jerusalem will be like when Christ is reigning on earth.  Notice that people from all over the world will be considered citizens of Jerusalem.  The millennial reign is for all people groups on the earth.

Proverbs 25:18-19

Lies wound people.

What did you learn today?  Please share.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

October 16- For I Know The Plans I Have For You

October 16, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Jeremiah 28:1-29:32; 1 Timothy 1:1-20;
Psalm 86:1-17; Proverbs 25:17

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good 
and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." 
~Jeremiah 29:11

Jeremiah 28:1-29:32

Do you ever wonder what in the world the future holds for you?  I remember when I graduated from college the economy was bad.  Jobs were scarce.  I got a job offer from ABC television in Dallas, Texas for a management training position, but the details of the contract were oppressive.  I did not feel that the Lord was leading me to take that job.  There were many question marks in my life.  I wanted answers from God on what direction I should take.  What was God's will for me? Looking back, I see that life is a journey of faith.  As we trust God, the details unfold before us.  Today, Jeremiah has the privilege of unfolding the details of God's will for the people of Judah.  His prophecies include comforting words from our detail-oriented God.

Before the comforting words, Jeremiah has uncomfortable words for a man named Hannaniah.  Hannaniah is a false prophet who was well respected in Jerusalem.  Both he and Jeremiah are left in Jerusalem when the majority of the people have been exiled to Babylon.  Hannaniah prophesies that the people will return from Babylon in just two years.  Hannaniah boldly takes the wooden yoke that Jeremiah was told by God to wear and he breaks it in two.  God tells Jeremiah to go to Hannaniah and say that he has broken a wooden yoke, but that the Lord is going to put an iron yoke on him, the yoke of death.  Hannaniah dies within two months.

After this incident, Jeremiah is compelled by God to write a letter to the exiles in Babylon, which include King Jehoiachin, the queen mother, the court officials, and the leaders of Judah. It also includes the craftsmen and skilled artisans. The letter encourages the Jews to settle in the land of Babylon.  They were to work, marry, and have children.  God even commands that they pray for Babylon and the cities in which they live. God warns them not to listen to false prophets and mediums. The truth is that they will live in the land for seventy years. God promises to bring them home again after that time. There is a look into the far distant future when Israel will seek God and find Him.  This is a reference to Christ's millennial reign. Here is where God promises that He knows the plans He has for His people.  They are plans for good and not for evil. Ultimately, they are plans to prosper those who love Him. God intends to gather the Jews from the many nations, where they are scattered, and bring them back to the Promised Land.

Now we have a prophecy about the mistreatment of Jews that we have seen in modern times, including the Holocaust.  In Jeremiah 25:18 it says,

"Yes, I will pursue them with war, famine, and disease, and I will scatter them around the world. In every nation where I send them, I will make them an object of damnation, horror, contempt, and mockery." 

This is also part of God's providential plan for Israel.  Sometimes, God's ways are hard to comprehend.  Jeremiah's prophesies are designed to show us that God is in control of His Story.  Can you accept this?

1 Timothy 1:1-20

Today, Paul asserts his apostleship in a letter to Timothy, his spiritual son.  As a matter of fact, Paul explains that he is an apostle by the command of Jesus.  This is a strong statement and confirms that Paul is the twelfth apostle upon whom the foundations of the Church are built.  This is appropriate because the next three epistles we will read are written by Paul and concern how one is to pastor the Church.  1 and 2 Timothy and the book of Titus are the pastoral letters of Paul.

We see that Paul has left Timothy at the church established in Ephesus.  In the early church, Christians did not build independent buildings for their churches.  They met in homes or in public buildings. Paul is encouraging Timothy to deal with the wrong doctrine that is cropping up in the assembly. Paul emphasizes that teaching should encourage people to be filled with love that develops from a pure heart, clear conscience, and sincere faith. 

There has always been a tendency for people to argue over points of doctrine and miss the larger goal of developing love for one another. Knit picking about points of the Law are not useful for instruction in faith.  Paul explains that the Law is really designed to convict the lawless.  It is to point us towards our need to be saved.

Paul uses himself as an example of a hopeless sinner who hunted down and harmed Christians.  By God's mercy, Paul was saved out of this ignorance and unbelief. Jesus came to save sinners of which he was the chief. Jesus is the eternal King and unseen God in the flesh.

Timothy will have to fight battles as a pastor. He must cling to his faith in Christ in order to do this. It is also important to have a clear conscience about his behavior.  Otherwise faith can be shipwrecked.  Apparently, two men named Hymenaeus and Alexander are examples of men whose behavior shipwrecked their faith and their public testimonies.

Do you have a similar testimony to Paul?  Has God saved you from a life of sin?

Psalm 86:1-17

This is a prayer for God to act in the psalmist's life.  Go back and circle the actions that this person is requesting of God. This person wants to know the plans that God has for them!

Proverbs 25:17

Good advice.  Don't visit your neighbors too often.  You will wear out your welcome!

What did you notice as you read today?  Did certain verses jump out at you?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

October 15- Submit To Babylon

October 15, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Jeremiah 26:1-27:22; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18;
Psalm 85:1-13; Proverbs 25:16

Jeremiah 26:1-27:22

A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country according to Jesus.  Well, that is the case for Jeremiah.  Today, we see that as Jeremiah continues to prophecy of the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, the king and his countrymen cry out for him to be killed.  Court is held at the new gate at the Temple and various witnesses come forth to either defend or witness against Jeremiah.  Discussion is raised that in the past, King Hezekiah got a similar prophecy from the prophet Micah.  He repented and averted disaster for Jerusalem.  Some people feel that Judah should repent.

We learn that Uriah is another prophet at this time and the Lord is giving him the same dire prophesies that Jeremiah is giving.  Uriah is threatened with death, flees to Egypt, is captured, brought back and killed by King Jehoiakim. 

Jeremiah wins his case in court and is not killed.

The Lord tells Jeremiah to make a yoke and put it on his own neck.  This is a picture/illustration for the people to see that Babylon will yoke many nations because the Lord is using this nation for His own purposes. Surrounding nations are encouraged to submit to Babylon, rather than being slaughtered by them. The Lord describes King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon as His servant.  God encourages nations to put themselves under Babylon's yoke. Jeremiah gives this message of surrender to the surrounding nations, King Zedekiah of Judah, and the priest and prophets of Jerusalem.

What do you think about God raising up nations to be conquerors on earth?  Are you comfortable with His participation in the history of this planet?  Do you see that God is in control of this universe for His own purposes?  Does it comfort you that God has a purpose for history that draws us towards Himself?

2 Thessalonians 3:1-18

The Apostle Paul asks his friend in Thessalonica to pray that the message of Jesus Christ would spread rapidly throughout the earth.  Paul prayer is still being answered 1900 years later. He also asks for prayer to be protected from evil people who would harm the messengers of God.  We see that Jeremiah had need to pray this same prayer.

Next, Paul deals with the problem of laziness that has infected the Thessalonian church.  Some of the members are waiting for Christ to return and have stopped working.  They are idle, which has led to freeloading, gossiping, and general trouble making.  Paul encourages the other Christians to rebuke these people, and if there is no repentance, do not associate with them.  This is not to be unloving, but it is a tough love tactic designed to bring them back into the fold with repentance. 

"If you do not work, you do not eat."  Christians would do well to remember this philosophy in our day of social justice.  Nobody said life was going to be easy.  Nobody claimed we would all have equal resources on this earth.  Nobody said that you should be given things without working.  Paul would not agree with a welfare state.  An able bodied person who can work, should work.  Help is to be offered to those who have earnestly tried to work and have been unable to find work.  Help should be offered to widows and orphans who have no means of support.  The Bible is very clear on this.

What have you learned from this book of 2 Thessalonians?


Psalm 85:1-13

Here is a psalm anticipating future salvation for the earth!

Proverbs 25:16

Too much of a good thing is not good. 

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

October 14- Two Baskets of Figs

October 14, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Jeremiah 23:21- 25:38; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17;
Psalm 84:1-12; Proverbs 25:15

Jeremiah 23:21-25:38

Apparently there have always been false prophets on the earth who claim to have a prophecy from the Lord.  Our readings in Jeremiah indicate that the Lord allows this to happen and yet He plans to punish the false prophets for leading the people astray.  How do you and I know if someone is a false prophet in our day?  It is relatively easy, if you know your Scriptures.  Any person claiming things that are not Biblical can be deemed a false prophet. The end of chapter 23 confirms that God intends to make false prophets objects of ridicule throughout the ages. 

In chapter 24 Jeremiah is given a vision that pertains to the Jews who have been exiled to Babylon.  In the vision, Jeremiah sees two baskets filled with figs.  One basket contains good figs.  The other is filled with rotten figs. God tells Jeremiah that the good figs represent the exiles sent to Babylon for their own good.  God intends to eventually send those people back to Jerusalem. He wants to eventually replant them in the land. The rotten figs represent King Zedekiah, who is acting as the Babylonian governor over Judah, his officials, all the people left in Jerusalem, and those who went down to Egypt to avoid the captivity. They will be punished.  This vision is a statement that although the captivity is a result of Israel's sin against God, God intends to use the captivity for a good purpose.  Chapter 25 will explain that purpose.

When God established the Mosaic law with regard to the land, He required that the land have a Sabbath rest every seven years.  For 490 years the Jews ignored God's law and did not honor the land's Sabbath rest.  For this reason, Jeremiah learns that the Jews will go into captivity for 70 years.  These represent the Sabbath rests that the land was denied in the peoples' rebellion against God.  God intended for the Sabbath to be a representation and illustration of Jesus Christ, who is our Sabbath rest. This picture was to be properly fulfilled in history.  The Babylonian Captivity meets God's requirements in that it punishes the people for their sins and allows the Promised Land to receive its rest from God.

After this Sabbath rest of the land is complete, the Babylonians will be punished for their harsh treatment of the Jews.  This prophecy really takes us into the future when God will judge the whole world for its sin. We see this illustrated with God's cup of wrath. The Lord will make every nation on earth drink from His cup of wrath over the sins of mankind at the Great Tribulation.  We see Jeremiah's progression of the nations who must drink from the cup.  It starts with Jerusalem and works outward to all people groups on earth. Remember that in the Bible God promises to save a remnant of people from every tribe, nation, and language on earth.  He will also punish people from every tribe, nation, and language on earth.  This prophecy from Jeremiah is about God's punishment of the peoples of the earth.

Verse 32 of chapter 25 indicates that disaster after disaster will befall nation upon nation.  If we fast forward to Chapter 14 of the book of Revelation, we get a glimpse of what Jeremiah was seeing.  There will be great slaughter and mayhem.  No one will wonder if they are part of the Great Tribulation.  There will be no doubt. We see that there will be evil shepherds on the earth who are misleading people in a false church system that has the trappings of religion, but no power from God. These leaders will be shattered like fragile pottery. Here is a picture of God as a fierce lion seeking His prey. This is the Lion of Judah. His anger will consume His enemies.

What do you think of God's spoiler alert about the future?  Do you realize that the Church has no need for this judgment and will not be present for the Great Tribulation?  What a comfort.  Those who love the Lord will be with Him during this mayhem. Do you love the Lord?  Will you be with Him?

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17

The Thessalonians are worried that they are stuck in the Great Tribulation.  This is because they are experiencing trials and tribulation due to persecution for their faith in Christ.  Today the Apostle Paul explains to them what the Great Tribulation/the Day of the Lord will be like and what must happen before this occurs.  Here is what Paul teaches:

• The Church (true believers) will be gathered together to meet Jesus. Vs. 1 (This was explained in Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians chapter 4).
• The Day of the Lord (which starts with the Great Tribulation) has not come as of the writing of this second letter to the Thessalonians. Paul is reassuring them of this. Vs. 2
• First, there will be a great rebellion against God.  The Greek word for this is apostasia.  This means departure or removal from.  This would indicate that the Rapture must occur before the man of lawlessness is revealed.  Vs. 3
• After the Rapture and an apostasy, which occurs in the remaining false church on earth, a man of lawlessness will be revealed.  This man will bring destruction.  We know him as the Antichrist. Vs. 3
• This man will exalt himself and defy God by tearing down all worship of any kind, other than worship of himself. Vs. 4
• He will position himself in the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem and declare himself God. Vs. 4
• He will be revealed when his time comes on earth. Vs. 6
• Lawlessness that will culminate in the Antichrist is already at work in the world system.  Vs. 7
• There is someone who holds back the rebellion of man and the Antichrist on earth.  It is the Holy Spirit, who is removed from the earth when the True Church of Jesus Christ is removed at the Rapture, prior to the Day of the Lord/Great Tribulation. Vs. 7
• The Holy Spirit will step out of the way (at the Rapture) so that the man of lawlessness can be revealed. Vs. 7
• When Jesus comes to earth at His Second Coming, He will consume the Antichrist with the breath of His mouth/the Word of God the sword that comes from His mouth to defeat His enemies (see Revelation). Vs. 8
• The Antichrist does the work of Satan on earth through false miracles, signs, and power. Vs. 9
• He uses wicked deception to fool the people on the earth, who were already doomed for destruction anyway because of the unbelief. Vs. 10
• God sends the deception upon rebellious mankind through this lawless man. Vs. 11
• God then condemns them for their unbelief. Vs. 12

Paul thanks God that the Thessalonians will not experience this because they are first in salvation.  Part of being saved by Christ is avoiding this judgment that comes upon the earth. 

Are you thanking God because you will avoid this judgment?  Grace is a powerful gift.  God's grace saves us from certain destruction.

This is a dramatic story.  We are all part of His story.  Where do you fit in the story?

Psalm 84:1-12

How happy are those who live in your courts. A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else!  Can I get an "Amen!" ?

Proverbs 25:15

Patience is a powerful tool.  Use it!

What did you notice as you read, today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

October 13- Judging The Leaders

October 13, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Jeremiah 22:1-23:20; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12;
Psalm 83:1-18; Proverbs 25;11-14


Jeremiah 22:1-23:20

The Bible indicates that God raises up leaders of nations and then holds them accountable for how they rule their nations.  As we have read through the Bible thus far, you have probably picked up on the fact that God is concerned about the poor, the widowed, and the orphaned.  Over and over again God speaks about His concern for those who are in need.  God calls each person of faith to find a way to help others.  God is aware that this world system is tilted towards helping the rich and slanted towards forgetting the extremely poor within society.  Have you noticed that multimillionaires often get away with hardly paying any taxes?  They give large contributions to the politicians and manage to have policies enacted that protect their wealth. These inequities do not go unnoticed by God.  Today, Jeremiah is given specific judgments against the kings in Judah who have been corrupt. 

Because they have violated their covenant with God, the Lord is telling the royal house of David that He intends to destroy the palace and city of Jerusalem.  The first king prophesied against is Jehoakim.  His father was good King Josiah, who found the Book of the Law as a boy king and rid the land of idols.  Unfortunately, his son did not follow his example.  Jehoakim is rebuked by the Lord for building his wealth on the backs of his people. "A beautiful palace does not make a great king."  Jehoakim is called greedy, selfish, and dishonest. In judgment, this king will be killed and buried like a dead donkey. He will be dragged out of the city in disgrace and dumped outside the gate.  No one will even care that he is dead.


The next king prophesied against is Jehoachin, also called Jeconiah.  The Lord simply calls him Coniah because "Je" indicates God and God wants nothing to do with this evil man. God plans to abandon Jehoachin and through Jeremiah, God tells Jehoachin that his life will amount to nothing.  No child of his will ever sit on the throne of David.  It should be noted that Jesus is a son of David through the line of Nathan.  Mary was a descendant of Nathan, not Solomon. Jehoachin is a descendant of King Solomon. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon is going to expel this king and his mother from the land.  They will die in the foreign country of Babylon.

Jeremiah is told to speak about the fact that the sheep of Israel have been led astray by bad shepherds, but one day a Good Shepherd will be raised up to lead His people. This shepherd will be a Righteous Branch from the root of King David, who will rule on David's throne in Jerusalem.  He will do what is right and just throughout the land.  His name will be: The Lord is Our Righteousness.  In this future kingdom, the Israelites will no longer remember their rescue from Egypt through the Passover.  They will now focus on the rescue they have experienced from all over the earth to be brought back to the Promised Land of Israel.  This will occur in the end times.  Israel will be gathered back to the land and will endure the Great Tribulation prior to Christ's millennial reign on earth.  Please note that this prophecy of Jeremiah indicates that the Shepherd will gather back a remnant that He leads into the new millennial reign (Jer. 23:3).  This is a Biblical principle.  Remember, the gate is narrow that leads to life and only a few find it (Matt. 7:13-14).

Jeremiah staggers like a drunk man under the vision of the destruction of the priests and the false prophets. Their abuse of power will be judged by God.  Do you feel that our modern day pastors or televangelists who are living in luxury off of the gifts of poor believers will be judged by God?  They will.  And these false religious leaders were judged as well.

Here is the final statement, "The anger of the Lord will not diminish until it has finished all his plans. In the days to come, you will understand all this very clearly."  (Jeremiah 23:20)

You and I live in the day of grace when the offer to all of mankind is to come to Jesus Christ and receive forgiveness for sin.  One day the day of grace will end and the day of judgment will begin.  God is watching.  He is measuring each life.  His mercy, justice, holiness, and sovereignty are constant.  In the end His love dictates that justice must prevail.  The wicked will be punished.  This story in the Old Testament teaches us this truth.

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

The second letter to the Thessalonians is designed to address questions that this church had as to whether or not they had missed being included in the Rapture of the Church. The Thessalonians were worried that they were actually stuck being part of the Great Tribulation.  This is because they were enduring great persecution as a church.  Many Christians have felt throughout the ages that they were experiencing the Great Tribulation because of war, famine, persecution, and hardships.  Paul lays out in this letter the teaching that there will be two signs before the start of the Great Tribulation.  The Day of Christ is the day of grace.  We are in the Day of Christ/Day of Grace on earth at this time. Included in the Day of Christ is the Rapture or catching up of the saints to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).  This event precedes the end of the Day of Christ and begins signs for the Day of the Lord.  The Day of Lord is a day that like the Jewish day in Scripture beginning with the Creation in Genesis, is a day that begins with evening.  Remember, the book of Genesis says "there was evening and morning...the first day." The great Day of the Lord begins with the "evening" of the Lord's judgment of the earth during the Great Tribulation, and the Day of the Lord ends with the "morning" of Christ's millennial reign on earth. Darkness precedes the light.  This is what the Apostle Paul will explain to the Thessalonians in this second letter.

At the beginning of this letter Paul acknowledges that the Thessalonians are enduring great persecution. They are being faithful in the hardships they are suffering. Paul states that they are being made worthy to be part of Jesus' upcoming Kingdom through this suffering and that God will judge their persecutors. The evil will receive everlasting destruction and eternal separation from God.

Paul prays that the Lord will be honored by the behavior of the Thessalonians, even in their suffering. This is only possible through God.

Do you realize that God uses your suffering for a variety of purposes, including making you worthy of His future Kingdom on earth?  Remember the Sermon on the Mount and consider Christ's words.

Psalm 83:1-18

The psalmist lists enemies that are plaguing Israel.  As we look back in history we see that God conquered this list of enemies.  He will conquer our foes, too!

Proverbs 25:11-14

"Timely advice is as lovely as golden apples in a silver basket."  Love that!!

What did you learn today?  Please share.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton 

October 12- A Household Joke

October 12, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Jeremiah 19:1-21:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-28;
Psalm 82:1-8; Proverbs 25:9-10

Jeremiah 19:1-21:14

One way to discredit a political opponent is to make them a household joke.  This has been a tactic that has worked well in modern American politics.  In the 2008 elections the media attempted to discredit Sarah Palin who was running as the Vice Presidential candidate for the Republican Party.  Saturday Night Live did skits with Tina Fey playing Sarah Palin and many people in popular culture thought that Sarah Palin actually said many of the things that were said in the skits.  The comedy spoofs marginalized the candidate.  She became a household joke.  Recently at the White House Press Club dinner, a comedian ripped into Donald Trump, who at that time was considering running for president of the United States.  It was a test of whether of not Trump could handle the fire of ridicule. Ridicule is one of the sharpest weapons in the arsenal of people who want to diminish those in power.  We see in today's reading that Jeremiah is miserable because he has become a household joke in Judah.

As our reading begins the Lord has Jeremiah buy a clay pot and then has him take the leaders and priests of Jerusalem out to the Potsherd Gate.  This is the gate where broken pottery was discarded. You may not be surprised to learn that Jeremiah has a negative message for this group of important people.  Here is some of what the Lord has to say through him,

"They have filled this place with the blood of innocent children. They have built pagan shrines to Baal, and there they burn their sons as sacrifices to Baal. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing!"  Jeremiah 19:4-5

We have talked a lot about Baal and Asherah worship.  Baal was the pagan god who supposedly brought rain to the crops.  This agricultural society needed rain in order for the crops to grow and for food to feed the people.  The One True God is angry that the people are turning to false gods in their time of need.  He is even more angry that they would sacrifice their children in the fires of idols.  May I say that in our day and age many people are sacrificing their children on the altar of abortion for economic reasons.  This is equivalent to what is going on here.  Their children were being sacrificed for economic reasons.  This is abhorrent to God.  God is about to judge this behavior from the people of Judah.  God will also judge the nations in our day who sacrifice their children in abortion. 

Jeremiah smashes the clay jar that the Lord has told him to buy and declares that God is going to smash the people of Judah and Jerusalem beyond all hope of repair.  Judgment. God mentions that people go on their flat-roofed homes and burn incense to their star gods.  Do you consult horoscopes to determine your future?  That is similar to what these people were doing.

We learn that the priest in the Temple has Jeremiah arrested for publicly telling people that they are going to be judged with disaster from God. Jeremiah is whipped and put in the stocks.  Public humiliation is part of his lifestyle as a prophet.  Jeremiah is very depressed after he is released.  He is angry and depressed.  What Jeremiah describes almost sounds like what we would call Turrets Syndrome.  He says that he has become a household joke because his words burst forth violently with phrases like "Violence and Destruction!!!" He says that he shouts this. This has caused people to mock him. But Jeremiah admits that he cannot stop the behavior.  God's words burn in his heart like a fire until he spews them out of his mouth.  Lies and rumors about Jeremiah's demise are swirling around Jerusalem.

Jeremiah finds comfort in the fact that the Lord is like a great warrior next to him.  God is protecting Jeremiah.  God is delivering Jeremiah from his oppressors, but this does not stop Jeremiah from wishing he was never born.  Very similar to Job's misery and depression, Jeremiah moans for the scenario of dying in his mother's womb. He feels that his entire life has been filled with trouble, sorrow, and shame.  Here we have another picture of God allowing someone to be in a wilderness situation.  Jeremiah is in the desert emotionally.  He is weak, but God is strong.  He is poor in spirit.  Jesus promises in his Sermon on the Mount that the poor in spirit will inherit eternal life.

Jeremiah plainly tells King Zedekiah that Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon is going to invade Jerusalem and cart away all of the riches collected by King David and King Solomon.  Remember that years ago King Hezekiah showed the delegation from Babylon all of Judah's storehouses of treasure when they came to see him after his recovery from a life threatening illness.  God had the prophet Isaiah prophesy at that time that Babylon would come and take the kingdom into captivity in the future.  Now God is fulfilling that prophecy.  Jeremiah gives the royal family one last chance to repent of their dishonesty and lack of faith.

Is God calling you to repent?  Are you experiencing a wilderness in your life?  God is strong when we are weak.  Do you feel that our nation has corporate sins like abortion that God will judge one day?

1 Thessalonians 5:-28

Paul calls the Thessalonians to be alert and sober.  Drunkenness and partying were part of the Greek culture in which the Thessalonians lived.  Paul is encouraging them to live differently.  Keeping in mind that the next phase of God's program for mankind would include Christ returning to earth to receive his Church, Paul wants the Thessalonians to live like people of the light.

Paul uses a military analogy, encouraging the Thessalonians to wear the body armor of faith and love and the helmet of salvation. This protects both our hearts and our minds. Our hearts must be covered in faith and love, and our minds are protected by the knowledge that we are saved from our sins. These truths make us able to fight against temptation and evil. We see this same illustration in Ephesians 6.

With this in mind, the believers in the church are to encourage one another.  We are to honor those who have become leaders in the church and live in peace with one another. The leaders are there to warn people who were lazy, encourage those who are timid in the faith, take care of the weak, and practice patience with everyone.

Wow.  That is a great list.  Are you able to work on these behaviors and attitudes? Do you encourage lazy people in the church to work, rather than take hand outs from people?  Do you help those who are truly weak through illness that has come upon them?  How about those who are weak emotionally?

We will be able to be used by the Lord if we do not stifle the Holy Spirit in our lives by evil behavior. God is the one who can keep us blameless until the day of the Lord's coming occurs.


Remember behavior matters.  Also, faith is seen in your obedience.

Psalm 82:1-8

God presides over heaven's courts.  Do you realize this?  One day justice will prevail.  We want God to rise up and judge because He rules the nations.

Proverbs 25:9-10

Be discreet when you have a disagreement with your neighbor.  Do not gossip about your problems with them. It could ruin your reputation, if you do gossip.

What are you learning as you read?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton