Latest Thoughts of the Day

Malachi 4:6

9/30/2016

"He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."

Jesus uses an illustration of the spiritual darkness of the leaders that they make provision by their traditions for a child to show dishonor to his parents. Malachi predicts that John the Baptist will begin to heal the breach, as he points men and women, boys and girls to Christ. But Malachi predicts the disaster that will come finally for the Jews of Jesus’ day. God did come to strike the land with a curse when Titus surrounded Jerusalem with a Roman army that would lay her waste. Thank You, LordJesus, that through all this You brought the message of salvation not just to believing Jews, but to the Gentiles. We can embrace the God of Israel and know Him personally through His Son.

Zechariah 14:21

9/29/2016

Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD Almighty

Zechariah envisions a Gospel time, when whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, it will be worship to the Lord our God. The special place of priests and the special importance of ritual and ceremony will be gone, as common people share in genuine and sincere worship. And there will no longer be any who are accursed, and any insincere, and any set apart with a distinction that sets them closer to God. Thank You, Lord, that, by Your grace, those days have come. We offer our everyday life as worship to You, through Jesus Christ our gracious Lord.

Haggai 2:23

9/28/2016

"On that day," declares the LORD Almighty, "I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shieltiel," declares the LORD, "and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you." declares the LORD Almighty"

Zerubbabel will be lke the most important person in the world! The God of heaven and earth, the Lord of all, the Covenant God of His people, the lord Almighty, the Astonishing one, will treat Zerubbabel as if he is the most important person in the world! And so will He do with us! Salvation, Redemption, Adoption, Acceptance, Fellowship , reigning with him in Power—all these are ours in Jesus! And we shall feel like Zerubbabel. So specific! So ours!
Praise You, King Jesus, that You have done all this for us! Help us live like one destined for such things, as we live this day. All Hail King Jesus.

Zephaniah 3:20

9/27/2016

"At that time I will gather you; at that time I wll bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before yur very eyss," says the LORD

God has purposed honor and blessing and praise for His people, and He will bring it about in His time. It will be to the amazement of lookers-on, because they will not be accustomed to praising the people of God. The devil does all he can to make the people of God look foolish. He brings bad report and sarcastic remarks to the minds of the enemies of God, so they can justify themselves in not coming to Christ. But there is coming a time when they will have to admit that the Christians, for all their faults, were right with God. Lord Jesus, haste that day!

Habakkuk 3:19

9/25/2016

The sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

Habakukkuk goes through difficult inner turmoil during the book, but finds wonderful resolution in the Sovereign God and Savior of us all. Whatever happens in the mysterious outworking of God’s eternal purposes, this God will enable Habakkuk and us to “go on the heights”. We may rejoice in him, though the nations crumble. In the midst of the shaking city, there is a River whose streams make glad the city of God. Thank You, Lord, for the certain peace You give to Your people in the midst of chaos. Thank You that it is something we can make our song. Thank You for the comfort of singing, even in the night, the praises of Jesus.

Nahum 3:19

9/24/2016

Nothing can heal your wound; your injury is fatal. Everyone who hears the news about you claps his hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty?

Sometimes a human regime is so bad that it is like Satan himself. Nineveh had become this bad, through terrible cruelty and violence, robbing all they did not slaughter. Everyone longed for their overthrow, which God had surely promised. They had been given 150 years as a result of the preaching of Jonah and their immediate response. But they had reverted to wickedness, and the time of judgment had come. Nahum announces this judgment with finality and with joy. Even as we will shout with triumph when Satan and his hosts are cast into the lake of fire! God’s judgment is certain, and it will be glorious. We can say, “Amen! Come Lord Jesus!” Jesus be praised!

Micah 7:20

9/23/2016

You will be true to Jacob and show mercy to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our fathers in days long ago.

Micah lived in the days of Isaiah, the prophet to royalty, but his message was to the common man. The whole nation was corrupt, and all needed to repent and seek the Lord. There are many rebukes and much yearning for righteousness permeating the work of Micah, but he resolves his book in hope. God will continue to be the God of Jacob—Israel at its worst. He will continue faithful to Abraham, their progenitor. It will be mercy to Abraham and faithfulness to Jacob. It will come to pass because God has covenanted Himself to be their God, and God will not abandon His promises. Thank You, Lord, for Your promises to us in Jesus Christ, Your Son. Our hope is in Him today.