Wells of salvation

Wells of salvation

Scripture:- Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:3

Observation: Isaiah 12 is a very short chapter, that focuses mainly on the salvation of God and the great praise and joy that the redeemed people give unto their merciful God.

But what does salvation really mean? Traditionally we have a picture of a man doomed to die who is suddenly set free, pardoned, saved from the grim fate that had awaited him. What would be his natural response? Great joy, unparalleled sudden happiness, it would be hard to imagine the depths of his feelings in such a situation. Many of us, when we first realize we were saved from the consequences of our sins experienced that sudden great joy, like a prisoner set free, or a man under judgment suddenly pardoned. However, over the years, after many a church service and Bible Study and Prayer Meeting, suddenly, the joy level is no lo longer there. Quiet time is a chore, and prayer is mechanical. What happened to the joy?

Theologians often say that salvation is a process. We are “being” saved. As long as we are on earth, we are not perfect yet, we have not yet arrived at the promised land. We continue to sin, we need to repent and confess our sins every now and then. We struggle on to become more like Christ each day, and as we depend on the Holy Spirit, we do find ourselves being transformed. We are forgiven once and for all, yes, washed clean by the precious blood of Jesus Christ the one all-sufficient sacrifice. However, to be real, the truth that we know has to be applied and believed for it to be effective and we need the work of the Holy Spirit in us for that.

The picture given to us in Isaiah is that salvation is like water in the well. We are to draw water out of the wells of salvation. In the Book of Revelation, it is written that the Lamb will bring His people to springs of living water. When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, He told her of living water and that whosoever drinks the water He gives will never thirst, but will become a well of water springing up to eternal life. Later Jesus told His disciples – the words I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. When we receive Jesus Christ into our hearts, we receive the Holy Spirit, the Counselor He has sent to help us. The Holy Spirit is the living water given to us that gives us spiritual life.    

Application:- To draw water out of the wells of salvation is to draw from the Holy Spirit as we live our lives. As Paul exhorts us, live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. As we learn to live and grow by the Spirit, we see His fruit become more and more evident in us, and the second characteristic of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit is Joy.

Prayer: Lord, pour forth Your Holy Spirit abundantly upon us that we might overflow with love, joy, peace, wisdom and every good thing. We ask You, Lord, for more and more of Your Holy Spirit, Your Spirit of life and salvation. Refresh us and fill us always with Your joy. In Jesus name, Amen.

The Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel and might

The Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel and might

Scripture:- And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; Isaiah 11:2

Observation:- Isaiah 11 is a powerful prophetic chapter which gives us a marvelous picture of the coming reign of Jesus Christ on earth. Imagine a wolf and a lamb, a calf and a lion, a cow and a bear, lying together side by side, and a little child leads them. The picture gives us the impression of surreal peace, a going back to the time of Eden when animals dwelt together in harmony with each other and with men. There were no predators, no animals posing any danger to man or to each other.

In verse 2, we are shown 6 characteristics of the spirit of the Lord which was upon our Lord Jesus Christ, and He has availed this same spirit to us. Of course, the Holy Spirit has many, many more precious aspects and characteristics but we want to focus on just these 6 here.

Four of these characteristics, wisdom, understanding, counsel and knowledge are similar. Knowledge is more in respect of information. Jesus knew the Samaritan woman had 7 husbands. Jesus knew what the Pharisees were thinking in their hearts. The Spirit also is able to give us knowledge which might help us in a particular situation. I have heard a testimony of a brother involved in house cleansing who was given a word of knowledge by the Holy Spirit to help him identify a particular object which had to be destroyed for the home to be at peace. The Spirit of knowledge is able to give us the knowledge that we need in any particular situation of ministry or even in daily life.

Counsel is relating to decision-making, what is the best path to take when a choice is needed. Paul was led by the Spirit to go to Macedonia instead of Asia. Philip was led to walk beside the Ethiopian eunuch. The Spirit of counsel also works in our daily lives, warning us against certain wrong decisions or leading us towards right decisions. We need to be sensitive to that.

Understanding is relating to knowing the why of things. Jesus understood that men’s heart was deceitful beyond cure and did not entrust Himself to them. Jesus understood what His Father wanted, and was always seeking to reveal the Father’s heart to the people. He understood that we need simple faith like little children to enter the kingdom of God. The apostle John  understood that the whole world was held sway under the evil one and we are not to love the world. Perhaps the greatest understanding the Spirit can give us is to understand ourselves. When we understand areas where we are weak, we will take care and be careful not to put ourselves in such situations.

Wisdom is often said as knowing how to apply knowledge. We may have knowledge, but use it wrongly. In the Corinthian church, those who were more mature understood that food sacrificed to idols was still food essentially, not making a person better or worse. However, Paul exhorted them to use their wisdom not to eat anyway if it would cause a fellow brother to stumble. Jesus said not to give pearls to pigs. Wisdom is tied in closely with discernment, knowing when the time is suitable and what knowledge to use.

And then there is Might. The Spirit of God has great power, enabling David to slay the giant Goliath, enabling Samson to defeat many men and perform great feats of strength. The Spirit of God raised Jesus from the dead, helped the apostles perform signs and wonders, even created the whole world. The Spirit of God is mighty within us, and is something we would do well to remember and believe.

Finally, there is the fear of the Lord. In Timothy, it is written that God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. That spirit was a fear of other things, but the fear of the Lord is a profound reverence that we must always have for God who is almighty, powerful, and worthy to be praised. The fear of the Lord keeps us from sin and rebellion. He is a mighty King who invites us to fellowship with Him, yet we must always respect and revere Him.

Application:- As we seek to deepen our relationship with the Holy Spirit who is with us, we can focus on these 6 characteristics and ask Him to show it real in our lives – wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel, might and fear of the Lord.

Prayer:- Holy Spirit, you are precious and perfect in every way. Grant us Your wisdom, Your knowledge, Your understanding, Your counsel, Your might, and fill us with the fear of the Lord that we might always glorify Jesus. In Jesus name, Amen.  

To eat or not to eat

To eat or not to eat

This Sunday, we were privileged at CDC to listen to a message from Elder Steven based on 1 Corinthians 8. In the Corinthian church, one important issue had come up regarding the eating of food sacrificed to idols. Now it was common practice in those days for food to be offered to idols and then eaten by the worshipper. What the worshipper could not finish could be sold in the market, and quite often such worshippers would invite friends to come and eat together of this food. In a Malaysian Chinese context, this is a very similar situation, where many Christians have parents or relatives or friends who worship idols or ancestors and sacrifice food to them.

Now in reality, Paul explains that an idol is nothing at all in all the world, and food is food, neither making a person better or worse in a spiritual sense. However, to some, whose consciences are weak, to partake of food sacrificed to idols is to become part of the worship of the idol, and they should not take. Hence, if a more mature Christian takes freely in front of them, it may mislead them or cause them to sin and because of that in such circumstances, Paul says not to eat, not because eating is wrong, but because eating will damage the conscience of the other brother or sister. The principle is that whatever we do should be in consideration of others, especially in the family of God.

In the day of the Pharisees, those who considered themselves religious would distance themselves from the common people, and completely abhor the prostitutes, the tax collectors, the beggars. However, when Jesus came, He reached out to all, even the very lowest of society. Whether to the Samaritan woman or to Nicodemus, Jesus met them at their level and brought God’s truth to them. In a famous phrase, Jesus exclaimed “It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick, I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners”. Those who know they need God are near to salvation, but those who think they are alright on their own are ever so far away. Elder Steven spoke of an incident where one was failed for plagiarism in a Bible School. Immediately, many of the other students avoided the offender, looking down on him. Only a few continued to stand by and accept the fallen student. This was a Bible School, yet there was no grace, but condemnation by her students.

In John 1, it is written that the law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Only truth without grace leaves no room for the sinner. Only grace without truth, gives rise to a license to sin. Grace and truth saves the sinner and sets him on the path of truth, to do what is right. Once we accept Christ, we are free, but at the same time we are slaves to righteousness. In following the Holy Spirit, who will lead us to love God and to love others, we will inherently always do what is righteous.

Coming back to the issue of eating or not eating, the important thing is to realize is that whatever we do should be done for the glory of the Lord. If eating causes a brother to sin, we should not eat, likewise wearing certain clothes, doing certain practices, drinking liquor for instance.

Elder Steven shared how he once attended a reunion and was offered alcohol. Now to him, there is nothing wrong with alcohol within control, but not getting drunk. However, a Baptist pastor who was there with him advised him to abstain as there could be younger brothers in their midst. For their sake, Elder Steven abstained, and he believed it was the right thing to do in that instance.

In his church, there are some who see buffets as sinful. The Elder sees it as nothing wrong yet will not mention it in the presence of these brothers and sisters out of respect for them. If anything will cause a brother or sister to stumble, it is best to abstain. Amazingly, there was even a brother who came up to Elder Steven during a fundraising and told him upfront that he would not contribute a single sen because he looked very prosperous, as he had a big belly. In this instance, even a person’s size could stumble a fellow believer, what more our actions. In a similar instance, there is nothing inherently wrong with a pastor driving a BMW, but if a poor church member may think, my offering is being used to help pastor sustain this lifestyle, then it is better for the pastor to drive a normal, average car. The principle is always to be sensitive not to stumble others.

The apostle Paul later wrote how he became all things to all men, so that by God’s grace, some might be saved. To a Jew he became a Jew, to a Greek he became a Greek. Always, always, his priority was to honor Christ in everything he did.

In conclusion, that too should be our aim in life – to be full of grace and truth, considerate of others in love in whatever we do.

God bless,

Jason

 

Stillness and Vision

Stillness and Vision 
Scripture:- And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. Isaiah 8:17

Observation:- In the midst of his prophecy, we see a glimpse of Isaiah’s relationship with the Lord and the way the blessed prophet sought God. In this verse, we see two very important concepts. The first is waiting. This gives the picture of the prophet sitting patiently expecting to meet the Lord.

God said “Be still and know that I am God”. Throughout the centuries, great men and women of God have learned the value of being still and waiting upon the Lord. The whole term “quiet time” is based on this principle, a time for us to be quiet, be still, and spend time with the Lord.

No matter how busy we are in today’s world of hustle and bustle, we need to find a place and time where we can be still and seek the Lord. Sometimes, it could be even while driving to work. Switch off the radio and be still, seeking the Lord’s presence in a traffic jam. It could mean for many, waking up earlier in the morning, before the children get up. For some, it is journaling on the PC in a quiet time of the day, perhaps the lunch hour. That stillness and waiting is an important part of our Christian experience, learning to know God and spend time with Him and with Jesus.

The second principle in the verse is vision. One part of our quiet time is in hearing, but there is also an active part where we look. What do we look for? Pastor Mark Virkler, who was called to a special ministry to teach Christians how to commune with God, teaches us to look for a picture in our mind of Jesus, typically in a New Testament setting. Imagine Jesus by the well where He met the Samaritan woman, or Jesus and the boy with 5 loaves and 2 fish, or Jesus with Jairus’ daughter. Having that picture in our minds, we should go on to focus on Jesus in stillness and then write down what He says to us, and we can respond and have a conversation in our journal. It takes a leap of faith to do this, but I have and continue to find it very useful and precious in my relationship with the Lord.

Application:- Find a time and place where we can be still and wait upon the Lord. Imagine Jesus in our mind’s vision and hear Him speak to us through random spontaneous thoughts. Write it down in notebook or PC. Jesus always encourages, always blesses, always gives us peace. Over time, we will be much blessed in our communion with Him and with God.

Prayer:- Lord, let me find a time and place to seek You often and spend time with You. Let me see You, and commune with You. Speak to me, Lord, I want to know You more and more. In Jesus name, Amen.

Take heed and be quiet

Take heed and be quiet

Scripture:- And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying, Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. Isaiah 7:4-7

Observation:- In was a dangerous time in Judah, for Syria and Ephraim plotted to overthrow King Ahaz, and place their own king over the land. Against this backdrop, we see the ministry of the prophet Isaiah who came to King Ahaz and prophesied that the evil plan of the wicked men would not stand and would not succeed.

Many times throughout the history of Israel and Judah, we see the miracles of God in defending the weak against overwhelming odds:- Moses and the runaway slaves against the might of the armies of Egypt, David against Goliath, Gideon, Samson, Elijah, Samuel and Asa, to name but a few.

As the Psalmist says “God is my refuge and my strength, and ever present help in times of trouble”. Again God was true to His Word. History records that Rezin was unsuccessful and Judah continued to stand during the time of King Ahaz.

Application:- Sometimes we too may be assailed by trouble, which we feel is too much for us to bear. It is in such times we are called to “take heed and be quiet, to fear not and not to be fainthearted,” When in trouble, stop and quietly turn to God and lean on His strength and protection. He will pull us through. Against whatever terrible plans and works the enemy throws at us, we must have faith that God will not let it stand, that its threats will not come to pass.

Prayer: - We thank You, Lord, that You are always our refuge and our strength. Even in a dark place, Your presence is with us, and You fill our hearts with joy. Bless and protect each one of our team O Lord. Help us grow closer to You. Give us hope and wisdom in all things. In Jesus name, Amen.

Calling evil good and good evil

Calling evil good and good evil

Scripture: Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!  Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Isaiah 5:20-21

Observation: This scripture from Isaiah gives us firstly a picture of a deceiver. What does the deceiver do? He calls evil good and good evil, he deems darkness as light and light as darkness, and casts bitterness as sweet, and sweet as bitterness. In the garden of Eden, God had specifically told Adam and Eve not to eat from the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden of Eden, warning them that they would surely die. The fruit was very bad for Adam and Eve, but the serpent called it good, and convinced them that it was good for them when in fact it wasn’t.

This deception continues today in very large scale. What is good in the eyes of the world – obsession with wealth, material things, physical beauty, entertainment. These are the things that the world says will fulfill us and satisfy us. In the West, God, Christian values and prayer are increasingly painted as politically incorrect, intolerant. What is evil is called good, and what is good is called evil. Embracing other religions is called a good thing, upholding God’s purity and holiness is laughed at.

In an increasingly warped world, many think they find meaning in darkness, the occult, witchcraft, pain. Strange rituals of secret societies entail their members to be buried in coffins. What is darkness is deemed light, and what is light is deemed darkness. Likewise, bitter is called sweet, and sweet is called bitter.

Those who advocate and practice these are wise in their own eyes, prudent in their own sight. They think they know it all, and have the world at their mercy. However, their wisdom is their folly, and it will lead them to woe and death.

But we who follow Christ are called to follow His Word and His teachings. We are called to abide in the Vine, for we are the branches. To abide in Him means to constantly be aware of His Holy Spirit which He gives us, who is our guide and friend. We are called to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding, to consider the Lord in all His ways, and He will make our paths straight.

What is true wisdom? It is to be humble and follow Christ each day in dependence on His Holy Spirit.

Application: Lean on the Holy Spirit to help us discern what is right and wrong, what is good and evil. Be humble and depend on the Lord for wisdom in our daily decision making. He watches over those who seek Him

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are ever my Rock and my Refuge, my Helper and Guide in time of need. Send forth your Holy Spirit to lead me that I may please you in all my ways. In Jesus name, Amen.

Let us walk in the light

Let us walk in the light

Scripture: O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. Isaiah 2:5

Observation: In this Scripture, we see a call to the house of Jacob, come, and let us walk in the light of the Lord. What does it mean to walk in the light of the Lord?

When we think of light, we straight away think of the sun and the moon. The sun, the greater light was placed to govern the day and the moon, the lesser light was placed to govern the night. When we understand science a little better, we realize that the light of the moon is actually a reflection of the sun, and the moon has no light source on its own.

In a very real sense, walking the light of the Lord causes us to be like that. We begin to reflect the light that is emanated from the Lord. He is our light source, and we become little lights amidst a dark world when we walk in the Lord.

In John Chapter 1, we see a beautiful illustration of Jesus as the Word that became flesh. In Him was life and that life was the light of man. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. Jesus described Himself as the Light of the World and also His disciples the same way. We who follow Jesus also reflect His light.

In 1 John 1:6, the apostle John warns,  If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. If we really know Jesus and have fellowship with Him, we will walk in the light, we will walk in truth.

When Jesus left the earth to ascend to Heaven, He promised His disciples that they would receive power from on high, and at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon them like tongues of fire. Again, the tongues of fire is the light of the Holy Spirit given from the Father of light! Practically, each day as we walk our Christian lives, we are called to live by the Spirit. Every decision, every moment, we need to be aware of the Holy Spirit who is with us. He is the light that guides us. He will lead us in the right paths, and those who are led by the Spirit are no longer under sin.

Application: Praise God for the great light that He gave us, His Son Jesus Christ. We walk in the light by growing our relationship with Jesus and seeking to walk in the guidance of His Holy Spirit

Prayer: Oh Lord, You are my light and my guide. Help my eyes ever look up to thee, and my heart and hands follow Thy Holy Spirit who guides me along the right paths. In Jesus name, Amen.

Learn to do well

Learn to do well

Scripture:- Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: Isaiah 1:17-19

Observation:- Moving into the 1^st chapter of Isaiah, we see the state of the people of Israel which is desolate, in turmoil, and overthrown by strangers. And the Lord declares through Isaiah that this is because they have become a sinful nation and laden with iniquity, forsaking the Lord and doing evil all the time. In the face of this, the Lord asks His people to repent and instead “learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless and plead for the widow”.

To do well means to do good things that pleases the Lord. It also means having a spirit of excellence to do the best we can in everything good thing we are called to do. To seek judgment is to seek justice and righteousness. The ways of evil exploits others for one’s own benefit. From these verses we see that God’s heart is always concerned about the oppressed, the orphans, the widows, those who have no other recourse of help. In the parable of the sheep and the goats, we see how the Lord was so pleased with His servants who fed and clothed the poor, helped the sick, encouraged those in prison.  Good works are of course by no means the path or way to salvation, yet those of us who are saved are called to good works. If we claim to have fellowship with Jesus, we need to do the things He does and be concerned with the things He is concerned about. The Lord came to set the captives free, to heal the broken hearted. He always had compassion on the outcast, the poor, the sick.

In the next sentence, the Lord speaks of how the sins of Israel, though red as scarlet can be as white as snow. They just needed to be willing and obedient, and they would eat the good of the land, that is, enjoy God’s good blessing.

When God forgives, our past is removed, we are made righteous, as if we had never sinned. All it takes for us is to be willing. That willingness is a very important thing. It is a heart, an attitude that is set on being willing to be obedient and do what God wants. Helping the poor and needy is always in God’s heart. Hence, we too should do the same for we must reflect our Lord and Father.

Application: Seek the Lord, and ask Him how you may become involved in helping those who need help.

Prayer: Lord, give me a willing heart, to see others as you see them, and give me the opportunity and grace to serve you by helping those in need. In Jesus name, Amen.

Set me as your seal

Set me as your seal

Scripture:- Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.

Song of Songs 8:6

Observation: The bride calls to her lover to set her as a seal upon his heart, as a seal upon his arm. In olden days, as is now, the seal upon a scroll or letter protected it so that it would not be opened except by the intended receiver. In essence, what she is saying is that: let me be the only one that you love. The arm is the symbol of strength of a man, and a wife looks to her husband’s arm to hold her, provide for her and protect her. By asking to be the seal on his arm, the bride is asking her lover to let her be the only one beside him that he will protect and provide for.

The love she has for him is so strong and so zealous, it is like the most fiery fire. That strong, passionate love is the love that our Lord Jesus feels for His church which is His bride, His beloved that He will provide for and protect. And we must learn to reciprocate that intense, passionate love that He feels for us. We love because He first loved us.

We should also note, that not only does Jesus set us as the seal upon His heart. He has also given us His seal which is His Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13-14 says . “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” The earnest, or the deposit of the Holy Spirit is given us in our hearts as a promise of our future inheritance and eternal life to come. The gift of the Holy Spirit shows us how God so dearly loves us, and as we walk in the spirit, we will show His fruit, and the first fruit always is love.

Application: Praise our Lord Jesus that He loves us so much, setting us like a seal on His heart and a seal on His arm. He will surely protect us and keep us safe as His chosen beloved people. Thank God for His precious Holy Spirit that He has given us, that helps us walk in His ways, and seek His love and glory.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your great love and compassion to us. Seal us up in Your love and blessing, and let us never fall away. Give us ever more of Your Holy Spirit, and never let Your Spirit depart from us. Praise You, Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, precious Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen.

Unconditional love from a broken heart

Unconditional love from a broken heart

Recently, I was privileged to hear a sermon by Reverend Lim Kar Yong who spoke on the Minor Prophet Hosea Chapters 1-3. Studying further into these chapters, we find a wonderful picture of a loving God loving an unfaithful people even when it breaks His heart.

Now Hosea served God across the reigns of four kings of Judah and King Jeroboam the son of Joash of Israel. In those days just as before, the Israelites began to follow the detestable practices of the Canaanites that were driven out before them. They worshiped the pagan god of fertility Baal, they built high places that were abominable to God and even sacrificed their children in the fire. They would still worship God but also other gods for they wanted the best of everything. All that they did was akin to spiritual prostitution, breaking the covenant they had with the Lord God who had been so faithful to them.

It is against this backdrop that God commanded Hosea to take a prostitute as a wife to himself who would be symbolic of the nation of Israel. And so Hosea took Gomer. And as Gomer bore Hosea three children, the name of each child became a message from God. The firstborn was named Jezreel, a beautiful place that became associated with great violence because of the killing of Queen Jezebel and the royal family. And his son was named Jezreel to prophetically declare that the kingdom of the house of Israel would cease and this became true with the coming of the Assyrians who took the people away into captivity.

Hosea’s second child, a daughter, was called Lo-Ruhamah which means “no mercy” and her sister later was called Lo-Ammi which means “not my people”. Their names painted for us a sad picture of God forsaking His people Israel because of their prostitution and adultery saying “I will no longer have mercy on you. You will no longer be my people, and I will no longer be your god.”

Still, in spite of this, at the end of the chapter, there is a prophecy that the Israelites would number like the sand of the sea, and, “in the place where it was said to them, you are not my people, they will be called the sons of the living God”. And in a direct reference to the Messiah, there was the prophecy of the children of Israel and Judah coming out in glory under one Head, which can only be Jesus Christ. Basically, the promise is that God will once again bring them back and accept them in latter days

In Hosea 2, the illustration continues of a harlot behaving shamefully chasing her lovers to give the picture of Israel shamefully chasing after other gods. There is also the powerful mention of the hedge of thorns that stops her from pursuing her sinful ways. And as she is left all alone, she realizes that she should go back to her first husband. Just as God raises up obstacles and troubles to turn Israel back to Him before they are utterly destroyed, so too God sometimes creates obstacles or difficulties for us so that we will return to the correct paths.

Even in calling the shameful wife back to repentance, we see the heart of the husband that speaks to her tenderly and gives her blessings and hope in spite of all the betrayal she has done. This is exactly the situation with God and His people whom He will later call and receive back in loving kindness. At the end of this chapter, there is also a prophetic reference to God also including us, the Gentiles in His great plan of salvation:- “I will say to them which were not my people, Thou are my people, and they shall say “Thou art my God”.

Finally, in Hosea 3, we see a touching scene where Hosea goes and buys back Gomer for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer of barley which is a sizeable sum. We do not know how Gomer became a slave but the act of Hosea buying her back gives us the picture of a faithful and forgiving husband redeeming a adulterous and unfaithful wife.

Throughout these imagery and examples, we see a loving God hurt and betrayed by a people He chose for His own who had turned away and chased false gods. Yet in spite of all they had done, God still loved them, and provided a way out for them to return again to Him and be with them forever.

Hence, in all this, we see the depths of God’s undeserved mercy and kindness upon us who are unworthy and wretched, having turned away from God in our sin. For us, our false gods may be work, interests, hobbies, anything at all that takes the place of our passion for God. The apostle John declared “We love because He first loved us”. As we begin to understand and feel the love He has for us, we too will begin to learn to really love others.

Thank You Lord for Your loving kindness and mercies that are truly new every morning. Help us always remain in Your love and be loyal and faithful to You as our Savior and Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

There is no spot in thee

There is no spot in thee

Scripture: Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. Song of Songs 4:4

Observation: In this Scripture, we see how the bridegroom regards his bride, all fair, without spot or blemish. This brings to mind precisely how God sees us who are in Christ Jesus, holy, without spot or blemish.

When Jesus died on the cross, a very important exchange took place. He became sin in our sinfulness that we might be made righteous in His righteousness. In the Old Testament, we saw how God established the pattern of sacrifice for the Israelite who had their sins imputed upon an animal that was without blemish so that they would be forgiven. This pattern was to foreshadow the coming sacrifice of God’s own son that those who believeth in Him would be forgiven forever.

The Word says “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will purify us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. When we are purified by the blood of the lamb, we are completely forgiven, our sins completely washed away. We become just as if we had never sinned. That is the marvelous grace of God to us. There was nothing we did or could do that would make us worthy of this forgiveness, but it was purely God in His mercy who provided a way for us to become pure and holy like Him.

It is important for us to believe that we are forgiven. Faith in simply believing. When we come to Holy Communion, it is common for a man to examine himself, trying to rack up the sins he has committed in the week, and after trying to be sorrowful and repentant, decide whether or not to partake. Many abstain for fear of becoming weak and sick or even falling asleep as Paul warns. However, when we take Holy Communion, we are called to remember the Lord and what He has done for us. Before we take, we should remember our Lord’s sacrifice, thank Him that what He did has forgiven us completely of our sins, and believe it. Faith is not based on how we feel, but based on believing that God’s Word is true, that when we confess, God forgives. Then we should visualize ourselves wearing robes of righteousness for that is what God has given us when we are in Christ.

We do not have try to comprehend or understand how our sinfulness can really be forgiven. God calls us to look at Him and not at our ugly shells. It is the Lord who transforms us and makes us new each day.

Application: Thank God daily for forgiving us of our sins completely in Jesus Christ, removing it as far as the East is from the West. Picture ourselves wearing robes of righteousness given by Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that I am forgiven in Christ Jesus, all because of Your great grace and mercy. Help me see myself wearing your robes of righteousness, pure and without blemish. In Jesus name, Amen.

I will seek Him

I will seek Him

Scripture: I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not Song of Songs 3:2

Observation: This Scripture gives us a picture of the bride looking for her betrothed, in the streets, in the broadways, earnestly seeking the one her soul loves. It is in this earnestness, this deep desire that we too would learn to seek God, like David, who was called a man after God’s own heart.

Again, we learn much from looking at the Psalms. “My soul yearns even faints for the courts of the Lord. My flesh and my heart cry out for the living God” David cries out in Psalm 84:2. In another place, we read “The Lord looks down from Heaven upon the sons of man, to see if there are any who understand, any who seek Him” This is the type of relationship that God wants us to have with Him. Always seeking Him, always looking for His presence.

David cried “Oh God, you are my God. Earnestly I seek you. My body longs for you, my soul thirsts for you in a dry and weary land, where there is no water” and “As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs for you.” It is this deep longing for God that set David apart from anyone throughout history. He was indeed God’s most beloved king, the shepherd boy who really, really loved God.

God has promised us “If you seek Me with all your heart, I will be found of you”. As we grow to know God and love Him more and more, we will find greater and greater treasure in the time that we spend with Him.

But how do we start to seek the Lord? Jesus woke up early to go to the mountainside to pray. This time alone with God was precious to Him. It will take some effort, some sacrifice at first to really go to a place to be still and seek God, but there is great reward for those who will go there.

As Pastor Rick Warren said, our first purpose is to bring pleasure to God, to fellowship with Him.

Application: Resolve in your heart to seek God really earnestly. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you a place where you may seek Him and commune with Him and enjoy His presence.

Prayer: Lord, You are so precious to Me. Help me, like David, really learn to seek You and be found of You. Draw me closer, and let me know You like never before. In Jesus name, Amen.

Under the shade of the apple tree

Under the shade of the apple tree

Scripture: As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. Song of Songs 2:3

Observation: In this verse, the bride pictures her bridegroom like an apple tree among the trees of the wood. And the tree does two things, it gives shade to her, and also gives her sweet fruit to eat.

When one thinks of an apple tree, pleasant thoughts come to mind. It is a big, pleasant tree, bearing one of the choicest of all fruits, the apple. In the Psalms, David cried to God “Keep me as the apple of your eye, hide me in the shadow of your wings”. That’s how God sees us in His love, as the apples of His eye. We are highly favored, and as a loving father looks with great pleasure upon his sons or daughters, God looks with great pleasure upon us.

Likewise, as we grow closer to God and to Jesus, we begin to feel the same way, looking at God with great delight, like the apple of our eye. David understood this. He exclaimed “There is one thing I ask, this is what I seek, that I might dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, and gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and seek Him in His temple.”

Now focusing on the tree, the shelter it gives us is shady and comfortable. God led Abraham to pitch his tent under the great trees of Mamre. The shelter given him was just like what God gives those who come under Him. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty”. The Psalmist writes again! His Shelter protects us and keeps us from harm and trouble. “You are my hiding place, you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance” David says.

Like the apple tree provides beautiful sweet apples, God also provides His children with good, wonderful things. Again from the Psalms, it is written of the man God favors “He has granted him the desire of his heart, and has not withheld the request of his lips” and “You let them feast upon the abundance of your house, you let them drink from your river of delights”. Indeed, God blesses us with far, far more than we can hope for or imagine. We need only to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto us.

Application: Know that we are the apple of God’s eye. Start seeing our Lord Jesus as the apple of our eye. Trust in God as our Shelter and Protector. Thank God and enjoy the many good things He gives us.

Prayer: Oh Lord, I praise thee that You look upon us with great favor. Help me see you the same, learning to love You as You love me. Help me ever trust in You as my great Shelter. Thank You for the abundance of good and pleasant things you ever bless me with. In Jesus name, Amen.

Let us draw near

Let us draw near

Scripture: Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee. Song of Songs 1:4

Observation: The Song of Songs is a book of love, between a bride and a bridegroom, a husband and wife.  Yet, inside the Song of Songs there is also a spiritual picture of Christ and His radiant bride, the church. And as we study the songs, we may perhaps find glimpses of the deep love that Christ has for us as His church, that God Almighty has for His people.

This verse gives us a picture of the bride-to-be with her maidens asking of her betrothed, “Draw me, we will run after thee”. This brings to remembrance the verse in James, which says “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw night to you” James 4:8. The king’s chambers signify the most intimate place where a bride may know her husband. The Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle was that intimate place where God Almighty met mortal man and fellowshipped with him there.

In the book of Hebrews Chapter 10, the author speaks of how through the blood of Jesus, we now have access to the Holy of Holies, where God is. He exhorts us “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” vs.22 From the beginning, God has drawn men, and it is His will that we draw near to Him in faith. And He seeks to have a close, spiritual, intimate relationship with us, really knowing Him as He knows us.

The bride-to-be was glad and rejoiced in her betrothed. On a practical level, husband and wife need to learn to be glad and rejoice in each other, being thankful that God has led us to our destined partner. In Spiritual terms, we need to learn to be glad and rejoice in the Lord always. We can learn from David, who found such joy in the Lord that he danced and danced with great might before Him.

God’s love is precious, and always with us. And we need to remember and cherish that great love He has for us every day of our lives. And as we love God and Jesus more and more, we become upright like He is, loving what He loves, and hating what He hates.

Application: Always make it a point to remember God’s love to us each day. Pray daily “Thank you, Lord, that you love me”. In thanksgiving, we will learn to rejoice in the Lord. Draw near to God. He calls us. Spend time with the Lord, in His holiness. We have been given access through our Lord Jesus Christ. As we know Him more intimately, we will become more like Him, upright and good.

Prayer: Lord, I praise you for your great love for me. I rejoice in your love and kindness. I seek you. I seek to draw near to you. Let me be in your presence, that I may know you more and more. In Jesus name, Amen.