13 Nov (Rom 11-12)

Romans 11

(v.5) God has NEVER gone back on His promise to Israel. That covenant was unconditional...meaning it didn't depend upon the obedience of Israel. God will once again nurture and protect Israel in the last days...He will remove His Church first in the Rapture.

(v.11) As a Christian, and a student of the Word of God, I understand (still learning) and see how Christ is in the Old Testament. The Jews (as a whole, but not individually) do not. When I see how Christ fulfilled the Spring Feasts of Israel in His first coming, and will fulfill the Fall Feasts in His second coming, I have an awe and joy for God that only the Jews had before Christ. Until Christ, only the Jews knew God personally, but after Christ, all can know Him! This is what Paul means by provoking them to jealousy...when they see Christians worshiping YHWH!!!

(v.17) Paul uses imagery here that the people of that time would understand. Israel is the tree, God is the root, and the Church are the branches grafted in. Because Israel (for the most part) didn't accept Christ, the Church is grafted into the promise to Abraham.

One thing to point out...the Church NEVER...I repeat NEVER...replaces Israel in God's promises. We are only able to partake of the same promise of salvation that God revealed to the Jews. If your church teaches that God is done with Israel, and the Church has replaced Israel, then go to another church...that makes God out to be a liar!!!

(v.23) Because God is merciful and loving, He will graft back in those Jews who realize that Jesus is the Messiah.

(v.25) Remember, there are two phrases in the Bible that are often confused:

The Fullness of the Gentiles ~ This is the gathering of the Church. One glorious day, the Father will have the amount of people He deems to be complete, and He will send His Son to gather them in the Rapture.

The Times of the Gentiles ~ This started with Babylon and King Nebuchednezzar, and continues until the Return of Christ. God's focus on Israel was put on hold from the time of Babylon until He raptures His church, and starts the clock again with Israel.

(v.32) God didn't create robots that obey Him without feeling or love. He allowed sin to enter the world, so that the world would realize what love is, and see His mercy and grace! Only then, can someone make the choice to love God and follow Him.

Romans 12

(v.1) Here is a great contrast between Islam and Christianity...Muslims are taught that the only way to assure their salvation (like they could actually earn it) is to die for allah. This entails killing the unbelievers in the process.

Christianity, on the other hand, teaches us to live for Christ, and love and serve others because we are saved by what He did for us on the cross.

Which one is the REAL peaceful faith?

(v.6) The Body of Christ is the Church...it is made up of the people who believe. Like the human body, every part is designed with importance, and a crucial function for the whole body to live. Not all of us can be teachers, pastors, missionaries, administrators, etc, but with the gifts that God has given us, we need to use them for His Church.

One of the most important things we all need to realize, is what God has gifted us with. We may not find that gift the one we would desire, but it's the one that God wants us to use for His glory. Who are we to tell God that He gave us the wrong gifts?

(v.9) There is such a thing as righteous anger. After all, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees with harsh words and turned the tables violently at the Temple. John 2:15

So many people recite the words from Jesus, where He says to turn the other cheek. This is valid up to a point. We are to be loving and kind, where we wouldn't draw violence to us by our actions. If we are combative and harsh with others, we will get hit back with insults and even physical violence.

But if we love and serve others, and we still get hatred, then Jesus says to let Him take care of it, and keep loving and serving.

With that said, we are not to be the pushovers and doormats of the world. We are strong in Christ, and we can protect ourselves and loved ones from harm.

It all comes down to this...if we are His, then we will love what He loves, and we will hate what He hates. God hates evil, for He is good. We are to stand up for the defenseless and for what is good. That is Scriptural.

(v.16) There are scores of Proverbs that repeat this over and over...we are not to believe that we are wise on our own...we are only wise if we use and have God's wisdom. That would be evident if we act in humility, and in a loving and meek manner.

(v.21) We overcome evil by God's power...use prayer and reliance upon Him, and we will prevail in the end!

6 Jul (Lamentations)

The Book of Lamentations was written by Jeremiah after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. In spite of God's warnings through Jeremiah the prophet, the people didn't listen, and God used Israel's enemies once again to bring them to repentance.

Jeremiah is called the Weeping Prophet, and for good reason...he went through hardship to warn the people, only to see them reject God's Word and be destroyed by Babylon.

Lamentations 1

(v.2) Sometimes when we go through hardships, we realize that we didn't have as many friends as we thought...we feel alone. Of course, that's probably not accurate, but nonetheless, we always have our Heavenly Father by our side!

(v.3) God brought destruction upon Judah, but He did get out a remnant to Babylon to be saved for His purposes.

(v.9) Israel didn't realize how God had provided for them, and they trusted in their own instead. If they had only trusted in their true King, they would've avoided all these troubles!

(v.15) In Jewish culture, the wine press is important. We will see this imagery many times in the Old and New Testament. Nowhere is it displayed more poignantly than in Rev 14:19 where Jesus has returned and His robe is soaked with blood, as if He mashed grapes in the wine press.

(v.16) The Comforter is the Holy Spirit. I remind my kids that in Gen 15:2 Abraham's servant and helper was Eliezer. In Hebrew, Eliezer means Comforter. In Gen 24 the unnamed servant, Eliezer, acts out as a type of the Holy Spirit and gathers a Bride for the Son at the command of the Father.

Lamentations 2

(v.3) The use of the term, right hand, is another type in the Bible...it refers to Jesus. Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father right now in heaven, and the Father's right hand carries out His will.

In this case in the book, God has removed or pulled back the work of His right hand...they are without protection.

(v.9) By this time, the Law of Moses had become just a meaningless ritual that the people did out of habit and tradition...it didn't bring them closer to God. The Feasts and the Sabbaths were meant to keep God on the minds of the people, and for them to be thankful for what God had done for them. We too can let life get in the way of our gratitude towards God, we must be careful with that.

(v.20) This is a gross verse, where it seems that there was such a famine in the land, that mothers ate their own children for food. Now, most likely the children had already died, so the parents ate the child for any nourishment to stay alive. Nonetheless, not a great image to ponder!

Lamentations 3

(v.9) This is the exact opposite of Prov 3:5-6 where if we walk with the LORD, He directs our paths straight.

(v.17) When we are far from God, we have no real peace...only with Him are we at peace! John 14:27

(v.32) God is just, but He is also compassionate. We see so many times in the Bible that He relents from His anger at the cries of His beloved. Even when we sin, and we cry out to Him, if we have a truly repentant heart, He will hear us and comfort us. 2 Chron 7:14

Lamentations 4

(v.10) Here again we see that out of desperation and survival mode, the women cooked their own children to live. This is a far cry from where they could've been had they listened to God. We Americans can learn from this, because we are on the same path. All our wealth can go in an instant, and we can be faced with tragic times like what is described here. The most important thing I have found, is to start with your family, and make sure our hearts are with God, then we can work on the community...then the county...then the state...then the country!

(v.17) So many nations rely on America to save them, but in the future, we may not be able to help them anymore...we may be looking for help as well. Our only true help is with God!

Lamentations 5

(v.2) Israel will be ruled by the Gentiles for centuries...the fall to Babylon began the Times of the Gentiles...meaning that Israel is ruled by others. One day, they will be dependent upon no one...only their King...Yeshua!

There are two terms that often get confused:

The Times of the Gentiles (TOG) ~ This started at Babylon, and will end when Jesus returns

The Fullness of the Gentiles (FOG) ~ This is the Church, which started at Pentecost and will end with the Rapture. I like to remember it with the FOG term, since during the time of the Church, Israel will not see God's Word correctly...like they're trying to see through a fog. Luke 19:42

(v.21) Repentance is defined as turning back to God...only then will we be walking with Him and enjoying His blessings.