Let's Walk With God And Enjoy His Blessing.

Genesis 5:1-17
From the story of Cain - taking God for granted (the opposite of grace), approaching God proudly (the opposite of faith), rebelling against God (the opposite of obedience) - , we come to a list of names and numbers. In this first part of the chapter, there is nothing of any note. Perhaps, this is the significant feature of this long list of names. There is nothing considered to be worthy of special note, except the length of their lives. What a sad reflection on the value of a life when all that can be said is this: He lived, and he died! What we must remember is this: the quantity of our years is less important than the quality of our living. How long we live is less important than how well we live. We have been ‘created...in the likeness of God’(1), yet so often we miss out on this spiritual dimension. We have been ‘blessed’ by God (2) - ‘Count your blessings’.

Genesis 5:18-32
In this second part of the list, two names get a special mention - Enoch and Noah (22,24,29). The reference to Enoch is the more memorable of the two. Enoch's life was characterized by grace, faith and obedience. The life-story of so many others could be told without reference to God. Enoch's story was the story of God at work in his life. So many life-stories end with the words, ‘he died’. Enoch's life on earth points beyond itself (24). Enoch had ‘walked with God’(22, 24 ). Building his life upon the God of grace, Enoch had, by faith, stepped out of this present world and into ‘what we hope for’, ‘what we do not see’(Hebrews 11:5,1). What a testimony Enoch left behind him! Not much is said about him, but what power of the Spirit of God there is in these few words! The reference to ‘the Lord’ in Noah's life (29) prepares us for what is to come (chapters 6-9).

Don't Lose Hope!

“‘Alas, sword of the Lord, how long till you rest? Return to your sheath;  cease and be still.’ But how can it rest when the Lord has commanded it, when he has ordered it to attack Ashkelon and the coast?” (Jeremiah 47:6-7). It is all very well to complain about desolation and judgment in the land - but it is God who brings these things, and only He can turn our captivity around. Think how little men, even Christian men, heed God's dealings, then you will see how impossible it is for His sword to be quiet. It has more work to do yet, before blessing comes." 

(Rev James Philip, Notes on Jeremiah 47:1-7, Gardenstown Church, Saturday 1st September 1956)

Are You Under A Cloud Today?...

"Jeremiah's horizon stretches to the heathen nations - here it is Egypt, and the outlook is dark, as it is for every God-forgetting nation. But in verses 27-28, there are promises full of comfort to God's people - ²⁷ “Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant; do not be dismayed, Israel. I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their exile. Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid. ²⁸ Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant, for I am with you,” declares the Lord. “Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you but only in due measure; I will not let you go entirely unpunished.” Are you under a cloud today? Then this is your word from God. Grasp it with both hands and rejoice!"

(Rev James Philip, Notes on Jeremiah 46:1-27, Gardenstown Church, Friday 31st August 1956)

I just know...

I just know. This is what I think. This is how I feel.

These are the kind of things some people say when they speak about having faith. 

Often, their idea of faith is very vague - and says more about themselves than it says about God.

We read these statements, I just know, this is what I think,  this is how I feel, we see a lot of I in them, and we wonder, what about God, where is he in all of this?

When our faith is real - firmly grounded in the Lord, we do not think so much about ourselves - what we believe and how we feel. We think more about the Lord and what he has done for us. Rather than giving out our own thoughts and feelings, we concern ourselves with something much more important and much more valuable - sharing the Word of the Lord.

Our thoughts and feelings come and go. Sometimes, we have positive thoughts and optimistic feelings. At other times, our thoughts are more negative and pessimistic. The Word of the Lord is very different: "the Word of the Lord endures forever" (1 Peter 1:25).

It's one thing to have a 'faith' that is a dormant thing. It's quite another thing to have a faith that's grounded in the Lord's Word. 

Some people say, "I'm a believer", but they don't really have much idea exactly what it is they believe in. Often, they are "blown here and there y every wind of teaching" (Ephesians 4:14). 

What about the wind of the Spirit? What happens when the Spirit of the living God is working mightily? Go back to Acts 2. What do we find there? When the Spirit of God comes like "rushing mighty wind" (Acts 2:2), there is the teaching of God's Word and the preaching of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour - and people are brought to faith, but it's much more than, 'I've got my own faith. You've got your faith, and I've got my faith. I keep my faith to myself.' Faith that is grounded in God's Word, centred on God's Son - Jesus, and inspired by God's Spirit, is a life-changing faith. It changes people. They can't just go on as they always have done, making vague statements about 'faith' without really be changed by the Lord. On the day of Pentecost, the people who responded to the teaching of God's Word, the preaching of Christ and the moving of God's Spirit became new men and women: "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42). When people were transformed like this, the world listened to what they had to say. They knew that this was no empty faith - a faith that didn't really make much difference. This was faith that was less about my faith, and more about the love of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Their faith was so much more than just their faith. It was faith that had come to them from outside of themselves - from the teaching of God's Word, the preaching of Christ crucified and risen, and the powerful working of the Spirit of God. If we, in our generation, are to be men and women of faith, we must learn from those who responded to the preaching of the gospel on the day of Pentecost - learning to listen to God's Word, learning to rejoice in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, and learning to move in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Saved by grace, saved through faith, saved for good works

Ephesians 2:1-10 
What we were without Christ (Ephesians 2:1-3); What God has done for us in Christ (Ephesians 2:4-10)
Ephesians 2:8-10 - saved by grace, saved through faith, saved for good works
By grace - but not without faith and good works
Faith and good works - the fruit of grace
Faith and good works - Grace has done this.
The grace has come from God. The glory goes to God.

Help us, Lord, to rise above the sarcasm of those who have no time for Your Word.

Jeremiah 40:1-16

‘The Lord your God pronounced this evil against this place; the Lord has brought it about, and has done as He said. Because you sinned against the Lord, and did not obey His voice, this thing has come upon you’ (Jeremiah 40:3). Lord, we hear a great deal today about ‘the feel good factor.’People need to get a good feeling: ‘Give them a pat on the back. Make them feel good about themselves.’There’s not much of a ‘feel good factor’ in Jeremiah’s preaching! The people must have been wondering, ‘Where did they dig him up from? He has nothing good to say about anyone or anything.’ Help us, Lord, to rise above the sarcasm of those who have no time for Your Word. May we ask, ‘Where did Jeremiah’s message really come from?’ - and may we hear Your answer: ‘The Word came to Jeremiah from the Lord’ (Jeremiah 40:1).

Satan’s power is very frightening. Satan’s power will be broken.

In Daniel 8, we have a ‘vision’ concerning ‘the distant future’, ‘the time of the end’ (Daniel 8:26,17). Here, we catch a glimpse of Satan, the very powerful enemy of God’s people. Satan’s power is very frightening - ‘His power shall be great, and he shall cause fearful destruction...’. It was the power of Satan which lay behind the ‘stern-faced king’: ‘He will become very strong, but not by his own power’ (Daniel 8:23-24). Satan’s power will be broken. Satan faces certain defeat - ‘He will be defeated’. How will he be defeated? We will not defeat him - ‘He will not be destroyed by human power’. There is only one Power able to destroy the power of Satan: ‘He shall be broken by the hand of God’. ‘Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Corinthians 15:57).