2 Kings Chapter 10 + 30 And Yahweh said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. ‘…a… Read More Angels influencing and presenting cooperation with divine intentions
The three chapters in 2 Corinthians today total 55 verses and are quite a challenge to grasp all the points Paul is making. He is concerned about “those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart” (5:12). He tells them, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation… Read More Today’s thought (September 05): “Bringing holiness to completion”
Our readings in 2 Corinthians are thought provoking. There is a danger for all those who are busy earning a living in an environment which has no time for God or Christ. This attitude can start to soak into our way of thinking and doing. In view of this the words of Paul about his… Read More Today’s thought (September 04): “Being renewed day by day”
In 2 Corinthians Paul writes of his experiences of afflictions and the comfort God gives him to cope with them. Paul’s comfort is also founded on the comfort believers give to each other. “The father of mercies”, writes Paul, “comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who… Read More Today’s thought (September 03): “That was to make us rely … on God”
Today we read one of the most important chapters in the Bible – 1 Corinthians 15. Many verses jump out inviting our meditation. The one we have chosen to concentrate on is verse 10. Paul laments on his unworthiness, but then says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his… Read More Today’s Thought (September 01): His grace toward me was not in vain
1 Corinthians 14 completes the Apostle’s message about Spirit Gifts. Paul is exhorting them to use the spirit gifts they were privileged to possess properly. The first verse stresses, “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy”. Prophecy does not mean to predict the future but to speak to and… Read More Today’s Thought (August 31): In your thinking be mature
Today’s thought “The manifestation of the spirit for …” (August 30) We have come to that part of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians which is about the gifts of the Spirit which were possessed among the believers there. The Gospels were not yet in circulation, probably they had just been written. Now what was the… Read More Today’s thought “The manifestation of the spirit for …” (August 30)
Today’s thought Good and bad traditions (August 29) The word “tradition” can arouse a negative attitude in our minds because of the way Jesus condemns the religious leaders in the Gospels for their traditions; he told them “you leave the commandment of God and hold the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8). The word “tradition” is… Read More Today’s thought Good and bad traditions (August 29)
Our reading in 2 Kings 2 records the transfer of responsibility from Elijah to Elisha. Elisha requests, “Let a double portion of your spirit be upon me” (verse 9) and it is significant that Elisha ultimately performs twice as many miracles as Elijah. However, in doing God’s most important work and conveying God’s messages it… Read More Today’s thought “Elijah went up by a whirlwind” (August 28)
Today we read of Ahab and how he wanted Micaiah to prophesy good things for him. He wasn’t really concerned about the truth, just what he wanted to hear. We have the Truth, do we read what we want it to say or do we try to understand faithfully what God is telling us? Let… Read More Today’s thought “Nothing but the truth” (August 27)
“Have you found me, Oh my enemy?” This saying was spoken by Israel’s evil king Ahab when Elijah challenged him over Naboth’s vineyard. Ahab’s evil wife Jezebel had organised the death of Naboth. Elijah had only found Ahab because God had directed him, he was acting for God. Let us always be aware, as Ahab… Read More Today’s thought “Have you found me, Oh my enemy?” (August 26)
Four times this phrase is used by Paul in 1 Corinthians 6. The Corinthians were becoming spiritually blind to the follies that they had slipped back into. It happened then and it happens today. It appears to be worse among those who proclaim that once you are saved you are always saved, regardless of the… Read More Today’s thought “Do you not know that …” (August 25)
Today’s readings (August 24th).. (1 Kings 19), (Jeremiah 45,46), (1 Corinthians 4,5) Elijah showed he was a man of great faith when he challenged the wicked king Ahab on Mount Carmel, fire miraculously burnt up his offering and 450 prophets of Baal were killed. Then three and a half years of drought came dramatically to… Read More Today’s thought After the Challenge on Mount Carmel (August 24)
Today we start reading Paul’s letters to the Corinthians. The believers there had been converted from the foolish philosophies of the Greeks who believed in a spirit afterlife and in many gods of their imagination. Paul says, “The Jews demand signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to… Read More Today’s thought “It is not a wisdom of this age” (August 22)
Today we finished reading the Gospel of Mark. One needs to compare all the Gospels to appreciate the events after Christ rose from the dead. Such was the sight of Christ’s death at the stake that his followers could not begin to imagine he could rise again, like Lazarus: the one who had the power… Read More Today’s thought “They would not believe it” (August 21)
One characteristic of human nature is the capacity to be jealous, to envy others; many advertising tactics exploit this. The gospels repeatedly show that those in positions of authority were envious of the popularity Jesus enjoyed. In Mark 15 we see that it was easy for Pilate to “perceive that it was out of envy… Read More Today’s thought “It was out of envy” (August 20)
In Mark 14 we read a moving account of events in the Garden of Gethsemane. That evening the disciples had been together in the upper room where the last supper took place. As the bread and the cup were passed around (verses 22-25) the disciples could not appreciate what it was all about. Imagine the… Read More Today’s Thought (August 19): “Watch and pray”
Today we read what is known as ‘The Olivet Prophecy’. This was given by Jesus specifically to his disciples as they sat on the Mount of Olives looking down on the temple. He had shocked them by saying the temple was soon going to be destroyed. Much of Mark 13 is about the coming destruction… Read More Today’s Thought (August 18): “You do not know when the time will come”
(An excerpt from Samson Revisited by Michael Storey, page 35) Both Samson and the Lord Jesus had been separated for the Lord’s work and were blessed by Him. So too were Israel as God’s chosen people (Exodus 19:5,6; Deuteronomy 7:6-8). Under the law every man child born was to be holy to the Lord. But… Read More ‘Samson Revisited’ – The principle of separation
Although atheism is rife in many countries, but worshipping God in a way He does not care for is also a problem. We must not be judgmental, which is God’s prerogative, but we cannot help seeing some of the differences between first century Christianity and that which exists today. Our first aim must be to… Read More Today’s thought “In vain do they worship” (August 12)
Belgian Ecclesia Brussel - Leuven 