Saturday, December 13, 2014

Saturday, December 13, 2014

JOEL:

Joel was a prophet and wrote during the days of king Joash (835-796 B.C).  The book focuses on an invasion locusts that has devastated the land.  Everything has been decimated to the point that he states "Surely the joy of mankind is withered away."(1:12) He advises the people of God to repent or there will be another army, led by God "The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command.  The day of the Lord is great and dreadful. Who can endure it?(2:11) God however gives them a way out...
"Even now," declares the Lord, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.' Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing..."
Joel goes on to say that God will then destroy the army he has used to discipline his people. He ends the book..."The Lord dwells in Zion"(3:21)

REVELATION 3:

John addresses the last 3 churches in Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicean. To Sardis he tells them to "wake up".  To Philadelphia he commends them and tells them to "hold on".  To Laodicea he takes to task"    

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.(3:14-17)
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. (3:19-20) 
John concludes the chapter "He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches."(3:22)

JOURNAL:

Of all the verses one stands out to me from Joel, "Rend your hearts and not your garments".  It is never about 'activity'.  It is always about the heart. In our culture it is so hard not to get caught up in how things 'appear'.  For appearance many times is far more important than truth. I would say many times from a cultural perspective, appearance is truth.  In both of these books, the people are taken to task for their hearts not being in line with their actions.  It is not enough to just 'do the right thing', if your heart is not in it.  It is not enough just to be in the Kingdom of Israel, or be one of the churches.  It is not enough to repent and follow all the rules...it means nothing if it is not from your heart. 

A haunting verse is "...because you are lukewarm...I am about to spit you out of my mouth".  Again I relate to my own children when they say "I'm sorry", yet I know they aren't.  They are just verbally saying what I want them to say, but it's not true.  In essence they are lying.  I would rather them flat out say "I'm not sorry". At least I could get to the bottom of it, but giving half-hearted responses just to dismiss me is manipulation.  

Wow.  This takes me to task, so often I have just gone through the motions.  Made sure I appeared to be something that in my heart I was not. Yet all I have to do is realize that as soon as I am honest, and my heart truly turns back home, I will find God running down the road to embrace me.  

"God loves you! So do I! Make it a great day!"

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