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Coffee House Chapel #5

Discussion in '2005 Archive' started by Dan Todd, Jul 29, 2004.

  1. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Thursday, November 11, 2004

    Overcomers and the Second Death

    Revelation 2:10-11

    "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried: and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death."

    There is one thing that the devil promises!! Death!! He will do his best to "deliver the goods" when its time!! He wants nothing more than to rob the beliver of life!! See? Jesus says that he(the devil) is a thief that comes to steal, kill, and destroy!!

    Here was a church in the Book of Revelation that found itself "camping at the gates of hell"---And the devil was seeing to it that its members be sent to jail!! And you can rest assured---that once they were in jail---the devil wasn't gonna come and "plead their case"---rather---while they were in jail----the devil would see to it that he would "antagonize" and "accuse" them of awefull atrosities!!! Then death would come---probably on a daily basis!! So for some of these church members----death was the only door out of prison!! See???

    So here was a church---jailed---in prison!! Their crime??? Doing everything right!! Doing nothing wrong!!! Sometimes I wonder about our modern day church----do us some good to do some "jail time" simply for doing what it is that Jesus told us to do!!! Jail time simply for obeying the gospel!! Plus---having the "warden" accusing us---day in and day out---I've got this funny feeling that for this church in Revelation---what was happening to them---while in jail---would make North Vietnam's "Hanoi Hilton" look like Day Camp!!!

    Folks!!! I see a day coming---and if you have you "Spiritual Radar" engaged--you do too---there is a day coming where we will see again--even in our nations of freedom---the lack of freedom to obey the word from the Word!! When that day moves upon our nations of freedom---will we be able to stand???

    Some live in areas of the world--where on a daily basis--their basic freedoms are taken away!! No longer free to do as God pleases!! We will lift you in prayer!! The devil will come to torment and to tempt---but rest assured---the Lord Jesus comes to please and to do His Father's will through us!!

    So to all who are free!!! What will be our response when the freedoms are taken away??

    God is not asking here that we remain free---He's asking that we remain faithful!! Wherever you are today---in lands of freedom---or in the middle of persecution---Semper Fi!! Semper Fi!! Semper Fi!! To Jesus--remain Semper Fi!! Always faithful---even unto death!!
     
  2. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    November 12

    Romans 11:33, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

    The decrees of God ultimately end with a discussion of election and reprobation. These doctrines war against the thinking of man, because man wants to be self-sufficient, wanting to gain heaven on his own. Salvation is such a marvelous thing, because it depends entirely on God and what He has done for us in His Son, Jesus Christ. If salvation depended upon us, in even the slightest degree, we would all fall short of God’s standards. In fact, we wouldn’t even be close, for I believe we would have nothing positive added to our account, only the negative.

    Paragraphs five and six of the Westminster Confession, the chapter on “God’s Eternal Decree” is as follows:

    “Those of mankind that are predestined unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, hath chosen, in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of His mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving Him thereunto: and all to the praise of His glorious grace.

    “As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath He, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto. Wherefore, they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by His power, through faith unto salvation. Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.”

    Boice writes, “The final paragraph encourages us to handle the truth of predestination with care, knowing nevertheless that it affords ‘matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God; and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel’ (par. viii).”

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
  3. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    Thank you Dan for the devotional. I (as you know) strongly disagree, but thanks.
     
  4. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Amen, Dan. Keep preaching the Word.
     
  5. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Saturday, November 13, 2004

    "Feasting in His Presence"

    Revelation 2:17, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna."

    Verse 17 is a difficult passage to understand until you look into the context of the letter itself.

    In the city of Pergamos, the church had stumbled across what I call "Hell's Headquarters!"---Look at v.13, "I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is." One commentator I read thought that this city had given itself over to intentional idolarty as an insult to the living God that the church there in the city was worshipping. It was almost like these idolators were going to make sure there wasn't a place in town left "holy" unto God!!

    They were going to make sure--that as much defilement was spread around as possibly could be---including their infiltration of the church(notice vs. 14-15, "But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitains, which thing I hate."

    It would appear as if there were no place "HOLY" enough for God and these saved people to meet!! No place to go to get away from the spiritual corruption taking place.

    Where could they go--to get away from this defilement??

    What could they consume--that hasn't been offered to idols or had already become corrupted! Seemingly, there was not a place the church could go that hasn't been "untouched" by the world!!

    But God was saying to this church(and to ours)---

    "There IS a place you can go--that remains undefiled & seperated!!!"

    "There IS a place holy!"

    "There IS food stored away that hasn't been offered to idols!"

    "There IS a place that's hidden away--that sinners don't know about!!"

    The Lord God was informing the church---that there was a place and a food they could consume spiritually!!

    That's where the "hidden Manna" comes in!! The "Hidden Manna" speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ---who remains seperated---undefiled---untouched by the world's sin!!

    If you want to find a place of uncorruption--Go to Jesus!

    If you want to find a place undefiled--go to Jesus!

    Today--by faith--you can feast on the Hidden Manna of Jesus---HOW?? By consuming the Bread of His word!! In our world---the question is still raised---where can a Christian go---to get away from sin?? Where can he/she go---that hasn't been corrupted by sin?? What can he/she consume--spiritually---that hasn't been offered to the world?? The answer is Jesus---the Hidden Manna of Heaven!!!
     
  6. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    November 14

    Romans 11:33, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

    Paul handled the doctrine of God’s decrees in humility, stating that God’s ways are unsearchable and past finding out. Paul will end Romans 9-11 with praise, reverence, and admiration for such a marvelous salvation. I echo the nineteenth-century hymnwriter Ray Palmer’s (1858) inability to understand the infinitely wise decrees of God:

    “Lord, my weak thought in vain would climb
    To search the starry vault profound;
    In vain would wing her flight sublime
    To find creation’s utmost bound.

    “But weaker yet that thought must prove
    To search thy great eternal plan,
    Thy sovereign counsels, born of love,
    Long ages ere the world began.”

    But in the midst of my inability, I rejoice in God’s decrees, as did Mr. Palmer:

    “Be this my joy, that evermore
    Thou rulest all things at thy will;
    Thy sovereign wisdom I adore,
    And calmly, sweetly, trust thee still.”

    Thou my mind cannot understand the ways of God - my heart rejoices that my understanding of His ways is not necessary for my salvation.

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
  7. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Amen. Luxiuriating in the decrees of God is great joy.
     
  8. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Monday, November 15

    Overcomers and the Power of God

    Revelation 2:26-28, "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations; And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father. And I will give him the morning star."

    These two verses are linked to a future event called the Millenial Reign of Jesus Christ. Psalm 2 gives a prophetic viewpoint of the coming event. The Lord Jesus will share His power(exousia) with Born again believers as they participate with Him in a literal reign upon this Earth.

    But does this verse speak to us right now?? In today's world?? Yes indeed, I believe it does! By faith---by faith---by faith---we can realize this power in our daily lives!! Acts 1:8 records, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

    This "power" isn't some sort of Star War's "Force" stuff---where you can go around making people "think like you think"---or the ability to move chairs and tables around at the thought of a thought!!

    But this "power" is simply the ability to obey what He tells us to obey in His word. The ability to obey the word and to act upon that word from the Word. For instance---Jesus commanded Peter to "come forth" to Him upon the water----and Jesus shared His power with Peter---the power that enabled Peter to obey!!

    When God asks you to do something for Him today----rest assured---He will give you power to enable you to obey that command!!

    I don't believe that Jesus gives us this power for "personal gain!"---but for the advancement of the Kingdom upon Earth!! Remember Simon the Sorcerer?? How he wanted to "buy" the power that Peter had!! Peter told him that the power was not for sale---neither for personal use---but so the Lord Jesus would be magnified and glorified through us!

    So---spiritually---this portion of the verse is for us----today!! Physically---there is coming a day on God's calendar where we will share in the power of Jesus in that "Millenial Moment!"

    Get in on God's power today! Like little Samuel of Bible history---let your prayer today be--"Speak, Lord! For your servant heareth!"
     
  9. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    November 16

    Romans 11:33, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

    I’ve written of God’s decrees for several devotionals. But I must confess that the more I study God and His decrees, the more I realize I do not know. Many of the things I’ve written about I must take by faith - because I cannot rationalize them in my head. But would I really want God and His decrees to be any different than they are? “Would prefer that [my] salvation depended on something did or decided, rather than on God’s decree and choice?” (Boice)

    B. B. Warfield writes: “Do we really wish it to be true that no man in the eternal counsel of God is particularly predestined unto eternal life? That no man who is predestined unto life is unchangeably predestinated unto eternal life? Do we really wish it were dependent on our own strength whether we ourselves enter into life, or having entered, abide in life? Do we really wish that it were only a vague and uncertain number – it may be many, it may be few; experience only can decide – who are predestinated unto eternal life? Do we really care little or nothing whether it be the everlasting arms or merely our own weak arms that we rest on in our Christian life? Do we really care nothing whether we can make our own that noble paean which the apostle sings at the close of the eighth chapter of Romans, the keynote of which is the great declaration that if God is for us nothing can be against us?...Or do we really fancy that we can believe all these things are really ours, if we hold it false or doubtful that God’s people are particularly and unchangeably designed to glory and their number is certain and definite and cannot be diminished – in accordance with our Savior’s words that they shall never perish, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hands – that they have been given Him of the Father, and He will lose none of them, but raise them up at the last day?”

    I certainly do not want God and His decrees to be any different than they are! Rather than question the clear Words of God on the matter, I will praise His name – that He chose me, because the one thing that I am sure of – if He hadn’t chosen me, I would surely have never chosen Him.

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
  10. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    Blackbird, good post. How can anyone rule the nations, or the Apostles judge the twelve tribes of Israel if there is no millenium?

    Thanks Dan. Yes, we are secure in Him.
     
  11. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Wednesday, November 17, 2004

    "The Morning Star"

    Revelation 2:28, "And I will give him the Morning Star."

    I was out early this morning--before the sun rise--and here's what I saw in the still black sky!!

    The twinkle of the strobe lights as a jet plane was making its way across the sky--landing strobe--probably making its way to Jackson 50 miles away!

    A Satellite suspended in space! Some sort of stationary stuff that NASA has--because its in the same place in the nite sky day in and day out--never in any sort of different sky location! The Sun's light was reflecting off of it--giving an impression that it has its own lighting system!

    A lone star! The Sun was creeping up enough to crowd its light--dwarfing all other nite lights except this last little lone star!!

    Look at this verse in Revelation 2:8!!

    Overcomers are given the Morning Star!!

    I wonder what John must have been thinking as the Holy Spirit was giving him infallable, inerrant instructions on what to pen down on that Patmos paper with that Patmos pen!!?? Maybe as he receives this verse from the Holy Spirit---he gazes up into an early morning sky--right before the Sun started dawning---and maybe, just maybe(we don't know)---he "spots" the Morning star--giving its last rays of light right before the Sun rose to dwarf it out!!

    Overcomers will be given the "Morning Star!" How about that?? God is going to give His Believers a Star!!

    You know?? Peter calls Jesus "The Day Star" over in 2Peter 1:19--"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, unti the day dawn, and the Day Star arise in your hearts.

    Jesus identifies Himself as "The Morning Star" in Revelation 22:16, "I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."

    But Jesus says that Overcomers will be given "the Morning Star"

    The Morning Star(literal-spiritually speaking) is the Lord Jesus Himself!! Jesus is saying to us--"Overcome and I will give you----ME!"

    Can you say that your are an Overcomer?? I can! On July 27, 1977--I repented of my sins and I received Jesus as Lord and Savior of my life! I became an overcomer at that moment---and Jesus gave me---Himself!!

    But I am still an Overcomer!! Right at this very moment---I am continueing to receive Jesus!! He is still giving me---Himself!!

    And I will be an Overcomer!! When I close my eyes in death---I will awake in the presence of the Morning Star!! I will receive the Morning Star sometime off in the future--at the end of my life here on Earth! One day Jesus will give me---Himself!! I will receive the Morning Star!!

    I have received---I am receiving---I will receive the Morning Star!!
     
  12. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    November 18

    Romans 11:33, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

    We have been talking about God’s unchangeableness and His decrees. God has ordained a path for each of us! We often have trouble with that concept because: (1) we are not always convinced that our path is ordained; (2) we have no idea where our path is leading us; and (3) our path does not always work out as we think it should.

    Today, I am going to quote a story that Dr. Boice relates in his commentary:

    “Let me tell you about Elisabeth Elliot, who as a young woman went to the jungles of Ecuador to be a missionary. After studying Spanish for a year, she was invited to work with two other lady missionaries who were trying to reduce the language of the Colorado Indians to writing so they could translate the Bible into it. Elisabeth Howard – for that was her name then – prayed for an informant, someone who knew the Colorado language and would help her learn it, and the Lord supplied what seemed to be a perfect individual. His name was Macario. He was bilingual in both Spanish and Colorado, and he was delighted to have the interpreter’s job. One day, shortly after they had begun the work, Macario was murdered. It was a pointless, terrible setback to what was apparently a sacrificial and spiritual endeavor. But there it was! No explanation. It was simply something that God, for whatever reason, had allowed to happen.

    “Elisabeth went on with the work, and at the end of a year she had accumulated thousands of vocabulary cards and done a preliminary analysis of the Colorado language. She had reduced it to a phonemic alphabet and was teaching the other two missionaries to use it. One day when she was away, all her materials were stolen. The women prayed about it, of course, but the materials were never recovered. The year’s work was lost, gone. It had been for nothing.

    “The next stage in this story is better know to us. Elisabeth Howard married Jim Elliot, who in a similar manner had been trying to rebuild a missionary outpost called Shandia station but who had a year’s work washed down the river one night by a surprise flood. The couple worked with the Quichua Indians. After only twenty-seven months of marriage, Jim Elliot was speared to death by Auca Indians, whom he and four missionary companions had been trying to reach with the gospel. Again, it was all so pointless and painful. It was ‘unsearchable... beyond tracing out.’

    “And that was not all. After some years Elisabeth married Addison Leitch, a former president of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. But not long after, he died slowly and painfully from cancer.

    “What is Elisabeth Elliot’s testimony? She says, ‘The experiences of my life are not such that I could infer from them that God is good, gracious and merciful necessarily. To have one husband murdered and another one disintegrate body, soul and spirit, through cancer, is not what you would call a proof of the love of God. In fact, there are many times when it looks like just the opposite. But my belief in the love of God is not by inference or instinct. It is by faith. To apprehend God’s sovereignty working in that love is – we must say it – the last and highest victory of the faith that overcomes the world.’”

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
  13. robycop3

    robycop3 Well-Known Member
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  14. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    Thanks Dan.
    Trusting God no matter what, what a testimony!
     
  15. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Friday, November 19, 2004

    The Overcomer and His Wardrobe

    Revelation 3:5, "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment"

    What is this "white raiment?"

    I believe that this white raiment speaks of the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Listen to the following verses of scripture

    Revelation 3:4, "And the shall walk with Me in white; for they are worthy."

    Rev.4:4, "I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment."

    Rev 6:11,"And white robes were given unto every one of them."

    Rev 7:13-14, "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence come they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said unto me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

    You see? The word from the Word teaches that because of Adam's fall---all humanity is birthed into unrighteousness. All of our righteousness is as "filthy rags"---and we need to be washed in the Blood of the Lamb!! We sing that song:

    Are you washed---in the blood
    In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb
    Are your garments spotless--are they white as snow
    Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb

    What are we to do with our unrighteouness??

    Cast it aside for the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ!! 1John 2:1 identifies Jesus as "the righteous" Friend, if you want to get to God---you need to put on Jesus!!

    How do we do this??

    By faith! By faith---repent of your self-righteousness---by faith--receive the righteousness that comes only from the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Then you can sing with the rest of the Redeemed--

    Dressed in His righteousness alone
    Faultless to stand before the Throne!
    On Christ the solid rock I stand
    All other ground is sinking sand
    All other ground is sinking sand
     
  16. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    November 20

    Romans 11:33, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

    God has both graciously hid some things from us and revealed other things to us. What a wondrous verse we have been looking at for some time! It has instructed us in God’s wisdom and knowledge, which are perfect, and of His decrees and paths that flow from His perfect wisdom and knowledge. Yet Paul states that “his ways [are] past finding out!”

    The last phrase of the verse is the truth we have a difficult time coming to grips with. We humans want to think that we have the ability to understand all, and we often become frustrated when we finally realize that we cannot understand all. The correct result of our limited understanding of God’s decrees should be (1) “humility at our inability to comprehend God’s decrees, and (2) awe of them, coupled with praise of God for His greatness.” (Boice) This attitude should carry over to our limited understanding of God’s paths (ways).

    “Judgments” refer to God’s decrees which flow from His wisdom and knowledge. “Paths” (ways) refer to the course these decrees take in human history. “Yet these two terms are closely parallel, and what Paul says of them is exactly parallel.” (Boice) He says that God’s judgments are “unsearchable” and His ways are “past finding out.”

    Paul is not telling us that we can never know anything of God’s judgments and ways, because he has been explaining some of them to us. The truth we need to understand is that we cannot figure out God’s ways apart from His revelation (the Bible) to us.

    God has revealed some things to us. We know He has a plan, and the things that take place in our lives are not accidental. “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1 Cor. 2:9-10) But God does not reveal everything to us, particularly the detailed events that take place in our lives. He expects us to walk by faith, and trust Him to do what is good and right in His eyes, that our lives may bring glory to His name. God has a sovereign and loving purpose for everything that takes place in our lives. Will we ever totally understand that purpose? Perhaps not, but take comfort in Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever.”

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
  17. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    Amen, Thanks Dan.
     
  18. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    November 22

    Romans 11:33, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

    The phrase in our text - “past finding out” comes from a Greek word which means “footprint.” Boice writes, “It suggests that although we do not know where God is coming from or where He is going, we nevertheless do see His footprints, and it is these that puzzle us.”

    We are going to look at several biblical characters and see some of God’s untraceable foot prints.

    1. Abraham. Abraham is the father of a special people - called out by God - through whom the Messiah would come. God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldeans - taking him to Canaan - promising him that he would be the father of a great nation. Genesis 12:2, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.” There was a problem in this situation, though Abraham had a wife - they had no children. Not only were they childless - they were old! This situation “was a source of continual embarrassment to them, particularly in view of God’s promise.” (Boice)

    Did you know that God has a sense of humor? Abraham’s original name was Abram, which means “father of many.” Can you imagine the consternation this childless man felt when by passers stopped at his tent and asked, “Father-of-many - how many children do you have?” God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, which means “Father of a multitude!” After the name change, and after Isaac’s birth, a similar question could be asked, and the answer was one (two if you count Ishmael) - which certainly is not a multitude. The truth is, Abraham did not see the fulfillment of God’s promise during his lifetime.

    Isaac was born when Abraham was one hundred years old and Sarah was ninety. We don’t see many ninety year old woman giving birth to children. But God intervened and cause Isaac to be born. Remember God’s sense of humor. Sarah laughed when she overheard that she was to have a child. God told Abraham to name the boy Isaac, which means laughter. So every time these people called their child, they were saying, “Laughter - do this or do that,” and they were constantly reminded of their lack of faith in God’s promises.

    Boice writes, “What was God thinking of? Why the long delay? Why didn’t the birth take place sooner and naturally? There is no easy answer. Al we can say is that the paths of God are beyond our tracing out.”

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
  19. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    November 23

    Romans 11:33, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

    Where is God leading you? Sometimes it is difficult to make sense of the path that God places in front of us! Abraham was an old man when God called him. He was an older man when God promised him a son. He was ancient man when that son was finally born. Humanly speaking, it would have made more sense for God to call Abraham as a young man, and give him a son when he was in his twenties or thirties, but God’s ways are past finding out!

    2. Moses. God’s hand was upon Moses as a child, and I believe that Moses understood that fact. God promised in Genesis 15:12-21 that He would lead Israel out of Egypt, “And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.”

    As a forty year old, Moses attempted to lead Israel in rebellion against Pharaoh’s oppression. But his killing of an Egyptian did not spur Israel towards that goal, rather Moses fled from Egypt, and spent forty years tending sheep. Moses, a highly educated and talented person lived on the backside of a desert, tending sheep. Can you imagine what must have been going through the mind of Moses. He must have believed that he was an utter failure!

    When Moses was eighty years old, God sent him back to Egypt with a message for Pharaoh, “Let my people go!” When Israel was finally set free - God, through Moses, led Israel through the desert for another forty years. Humanly speaking, two thirds of Moses’ life had been wasted. “In this case, too, God’s decrees were unsearchable, and His paths beyond tracing out!” (Boice)

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd

    PS - Brother Blackbird is taking a well-deserved vacation - so I will also be writing the odd days for the rest of this week!
     
  20. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    November 24

    Romans 11:33, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

    Have you ever wondered about the way God leads His people? Let’s take a look at:

    3. Israel. They wandered about the wilderness for forty years! Exodus 12:21, “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.” Now you might think that (as some of the prosperity gospel folks do) if God is leading - “everything will come up roses!” Ultimately, everything God does with His own is for His glory - so everything He does is good, but on the surface it often doesn’t seem that way!

    Israel wandered forty years - about a desert that should have been traversed in a few months. J. I. Packer writes, “God guided Israel by means of a fiery cloudy pillar that went before them; yet the way which He led them involved the nerve-shredding cliff-hanger of the Red Sea crossing, long days without water and meat in ‘that great and terrible wilderness,’ and bloody battles with Amalek, Sihon and Og, and we can understand, if not excuse, Israel’s constant grumbling.”

    Do you think that God could have led them on an easier path? Did there have to be as many battles, or a forty year delay, or deprivations? Boice writes, “If there was a purpose to this history, surely it is unsearchable to our limited understanding.”

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
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