May 20

Numbers 29; Psalm 73; Isaiah 21; 2 Peter 2

Romans 7:21-23 tomorrow!

Tomorrow night at 6:30pm I will be preaching from Romans 7 at Crossroad Church in Tustin.  Come join us if you like.  2472 Walnut cross of Tustin Ranch Road.
 

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 98: HOW DO BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER BECOME EFFECTIVE MEANS OF SALVATION?
Answer: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper become effective means of salvation, not from any virtue in them or in him that administers them, but only by the blessing of Christ, and the working of his Spirit in those who by faith receive them.
Scripture: 1 Peter 3:21; 1 Corinthians 3:6, 7; 12:13.

Numbers 29

This chapter is devoted to the specific offerings to be made for the feast of trumpets, the day of atonement, and the feast of booths.  Various quantities of animals to be sacrificed and various grain and drink offerings and fasting and no work on certain days.  Passover was in the first month so here we are six months later entering into another series of feasts to observe.  The Feast of Booths is a seven day event whereas the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement were only single day affair.  About 10-11 days out of the seventh month were devoted to these ceremonial observances.

Psalm 73

This Psalm is a confession by Asaph whereby he lays forth his repentant heart and describes the thoughts he was having as he watched the wicked being blessed and fat and happy even in their folly.  He was bitter of heart and was questioning God's goodness and provision (implied).  He was certainly envious.  He was looking horizontally and allowing himself to have a sinful attitude where he thought it was in vain that he had kept his heart clean and had innocent hands…ironically, he no longer was doing this due to this heart attitude.  He felt like God was striking him and rebuking him and he couldn't tell anyone he was having this struggle.  In verse 16 he turns to God and seeks him and in verse 17 he receives an answer and he begins to understand his heart and the fate of the foolish.  He realized how sinful he was when he was in the former state and he acknowledges how the Lord brought him through and restored his heart.  He then exults and extols the Lord in praise and in reliance in the ever glorious words of verse 25-26.  He has nothing but God and that is more than enough because God is his strength and God is his portion so he need not be concerned with anyone who has lesser things for he has everything!  He rejoices in being near that Lord because God is his refuge so that he can tell of His works rather than rely on his own story.  Thank you for the Psalm of Asaph in Psalm 73 Lord and for his heart turn to you after being envious of evil doers.  He demonstrates that repentance can be sweet and that our heart attitudes matter greatly and that you will rescue us from such attitudes when we come to you broken and contrite and acknowledging our sin.  And it is not so much about resolving against the sin as it is seeking you in your sanctuary O God (Rom 6:13).  May you put his restored heart in me as well Lord that I might see you as all my portion and that you alone would be the strength of my heart because anything else will fail me and leave me bitter and disappointed or disillusioned. 

2 Peter 2

I grab one point specifically from this reading in chapter 2.  Peter calls out false teachers who would teach believers to embrace sensual passions.  He says that these teachers are deceived and have eyes full of adultery and they are insatiable for sin.  They are slaves of corruption teaching slavery as freedom!  May we never let our ears be tickled by teachers who would abandon the clear teaching of the Bible against sensuality outside the bond of marriage, as defined by God.  Let us rejoice that although we live in a depraved culture that celebrates sin, we know that our God knows how to deliver us from under this influence (2 Pet 2:9)!

Soli Deo Gloria!