Scripture:
1 Thessalonians 2:14-16a; Matthew 23:29-33; Genesis 12:1-3
Fri, 25 March 2022

The Darkened, Hardened Human Heart

Observation:

How can it be that the Jews had a long history of opposing God (vv.14-16a; Matt 23:29-33) when God had chosen Israel to be a channel of His redemptive blessings to the world (Gen 12:1-3)?

Deeper Reflection
IN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES, THE CHURCHES OF GOD IN Judea suffered persecution from their fellow-Jews, who “killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets”, and opposed the proclamation of the Gospel (vv.14-15). These Jewish opponents pursued Paul from Thessalonica to Berea (Acts 17:5-10), and from Berea to Athens (Acts 17:10, 13-15). At this point of salvation history, only a minority of the Jews became followers of Jesus the Messiah. And even today, “secularism is becoming the unifying factor in Jewish identity…today the majority of the Jews worldwide identify themselves as secular rather than religious”32.God had “come down” to “meet” Israel to reveal Himself personally to them (Exo 19:9-10, 16-20), having chosen them to be His channel of redemptive blessings to the world (Gen 12:1-3; 26:3-5; 28:13-14). But sadly, Israel had a long history of covenant unfaithfulness and “shedding the blood of the prophets” (Matt 23:29-33). Can one really reject God blatantly in the face of divine personal revelation, which is unmistakably true and real? God’s faithful miraculous daily provision of “bread from heaven” can end up with “We loathe this worthless food!” (Neh 9:15; Num 21:5). The problem lies in the darkened, hardened human heart. Sometimes, we think that pre-believers received Christ because of our acts of love and unwittingly we take the credit. And note that “genuine coming to faith is never finally a matter of autonomous human decision”33. Ultimately, it is “No one can come to Me unless it is granted by the Father” (Jn 6:64-65). This is the only hope for the darkened, hardened human heart.
32 Salim J. Munayer & Lisa Loden, Through My Enemy’s Eyes: Envisioning Reconciliation in Israel-Palestine (Paternoster, 2013), 80 33 D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, (IVP, 1991), 302-303
Application:

How can I keep myself from thinking and believing that I am standing on the side with God, when in reality it is on the side against God?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for SGI leaders: To be spiritually sensitive to the condition of their hearts
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 5:22-31
Sat, 3 June 2023

Walking Humbly in God’s Hand

Observation:

What significant observations can you make about God in this passage?

Deeper Reflection
Daniel’s words to Belshazzar, “You have not humbled your heart… but you have exalted yourself ” (vv.22-23a), point to a reality: We are either humble or proud. We cannot be not humble and not proud at the same time. Pride is not just self-exaltation, but self-exaltation “against the Lord of heaven”, which also means we “have not glorified God” (v.23). God is always in the picture of humility and pride. Central in true humility is God being glorified. Three theological realities give us the impetus to walk humbly before God.We cannot escape from God: “the God in whose hand are your lifebreath and all your ways” (v.23). We can commit our lives into God’s hand and be secure that “My times are in Your hand” (Psa 31:5, 15a). But even when we choose not to entrust our lives into God’s hand, we are in His hand regardless, for better or for worse before God. God examines our hearts: “you have been weighed and found deficient” (v.27). We are not to be proud or boastful, because God is “a God of knowledge, and with Him actions are weighed” (1 Sam 2:3). We need to come to a point where we can meekly say as Jeremiah, “You know me, O Lord; You see me; and You examine my heart toward You” (Jer 12:3). God can end anything anytime: “God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it” (v.26). It is foolish to withhold anything from God, as if we can. God is God enough to take away anything from us as He pleases.
Application:

What aspects of God do I need to align my life with?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for Church Board: To know God’s heart and align their hearts to it
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self
 

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