Vision for the New Year! - December 31st, 2011

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Proverbs 28:19

And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Habakkuk 2:2-3

History and Context:

Proverbs: King Solomon, son of King David, often considered the wisest man who ever lived, wrote the majority of the proverbs in order to share his wisdom. Many of his proverbs have become common sayings in today's society and people don't even realize that they are from the Bible. Proverbs are one line nuggets of wisdom, therefore there is not really any context to consider as this line stands by itself. At the beginning of the book of Proverbs Solomon addresses his 'son' which have led many to believe that he wrote this book for his biological son, but it could also simply be a term for any younger man that happens to read the sayings.

Habakkuk: Habbakuk was a contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah. The book was written either right before or right after the fall of the Assyrian empire and the rise of Babylon. Either way Babylon is rising at the time of Habakkuk but Judah hadn't yet been taken. However it was only a few years later that Babylon destroyed the city of Jerusalem. Habakkuk deals with the very difficult question of why do the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer.

The Text:

Proverbs 28:19 tells us the importance of having a vision, a plan or a direction in which we are going. Solomon tells us that without vision the people 'perish'. this word actually means that they 'run wild without moral restraint'. In other words, when there is no one who stands up with a vision there is chaos amongst the people. He then shows us in the second half of the proverb that our vision needs to line up with the law of God and to help protect and preserve God's laws.

Then in Habakkuk, the prophet shares with us the importance of not only having a vision, but of writing it down and making it clear for ourselves and for all who are striving with us after that vision. It doesn't do any good to have a vision if we haven't made it clear, but haven't it clearly written down gives people the ability to run with the vision when they read it.

The Challenge:

Tomorrow is the beginning of the new year and the common practice is to make New Year's resolutions. Of course it is rare that people actually follow through with these resolutions and they end up making the same ones over every year. Instead of making New Year's resolutions, let's pray and seek God for a vision for the new year. What does God want you to do in this new year? If you do it with God then you will be successful. Maybe God will give you several things or maybe He will give you one major vision, but I promise you that if you seek Him He will speak and He will share with you His vision for the new year!

The Prayer:

Lord, I want to follow your plan for 2012. I know that your plans are always bigger than I can imagine so I will trust you and follow you. What do you have for me in this year? What do you want me to do? Lead me and direct me! In Jesus' name, Amen!

Will you lead? - December 28th, 2011

⁶ When a man takes hold of his brother
In the house of his father, saying, 

“ You have clothing; 

You be our ruler,
And let these ruins be under your power,”
⁷ In that day he will protest, saying,
“ I cannot cure your ills,
For in my house is neither food nor clothing;
Do not make me a ruler of the people.” 

Isaiah 3:6-7

History and Context:

Isaiah is the prophet most quoted by Jesus and by the New Testament authors. There are many Messianic prophecies throughout Isaiah, but the real purpose of the book was to admonish the kings of Judah to rely on the protection of God. Isaiah's ministry focused on the reign of two different kings, Ahaz and Hezekiah. Ahaz did not listen to Isaiah and relied on the protection of Assyria rather than God's protection. Hezekiah also didn't listen at first but as things went bad he turned to God for protection and God rescued the kingdom of Judah. Isaiah continually refers to God as "The Holy One of Israel". This phrase is repeated 26 times in the book of Isaiah and only 6 times in the rest of the Old Testament. Isaiah is also known for having the most messianic prophecies out of any of the prophets.

The Text:

Isaiah is prophesying judgement over Israel in which all the leaders and officials will be taken out. Here he is saying that it will get to the point that if someone has clothing he will be considered a leader and asked to be the ruler of the people just because of what he has. What struck me was the response of the person asked to take leadership. Isaiah prophesies that they will say that they can not help and will tell them not to make them ruler. Out of fear they will not want to step up and take that position. 

The Challenge:

We are in a time where leaders are desperately needed. Who will step up to be a leader in this generation? Who will be willing to be a ruler? It is a sacrifice to make this step but it is something that our society needs. Will you be afraid to take that stand? Will you say, like the man in the prophecy,  "I can not cure your ills"? Or will you step up, full of the Holy Spirit and power, and say I will lead these people. I will speak the Word of God to this generation. If no one else will than I will!

The Prayer:

Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit. Fill me with boldness and power to take up the mantel of leadership in my generation. Lead me and guide me as I live in this era and in this society. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Become Children of God! - December 26th, 2011

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. ¹¹ He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: ¹³ who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:10-13

History and Context:

The book of John is the fourth Gospel and it is believed to be the last written. John was one of the inner three of Jesus' disciples and referred to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved". John seemed to have written his Gospel for those who had already known the story of Jesus. He focuses on the meaning of the events rather than the events themselves. There is also a strong focus on the words and teachings of Jesus, specifically on Jesus' claims about Himself. These claims are best known as the seven "I am" statements. John probably wrote this Gospel in Ephesus somewhere around 70 AD.

 

The Text:

This may not be a popular verse read at Christmas time but really it is relevant to Christmas. Jesus Christ came to the world which He Himself made, but that very same world did not receive Him. The very people who He calls His own rejected Him. Even so He gave us this opportunity, that if we do accept Him, we have the right to become children of God. That is an amazing opportunity! We can be children of the Most High Creator of the universe! All we have to do is accept Jesus Christ, yet so many do not.

 

The Challenge:

You may be one who has rejected Him. The great thing about this offer is that no matter how much you reject Him, as long as you are alive, the offer is still open. He is still there with His arms open to you and all you have to do is accept Him. The Christmas season is the perfect time to make this decision because we are celebrating Jesus coming to this earth as a baby, but also as a Savior. Join the celebration! Accept Him for who He is. His promise is that when you accept Him you will be born again of the Spirit into His family. You will be a son or a daughter of God!

 

The Prayer:

Lord, I accept you as my Savior! Come into my life and allow me to be born in your Spirit. Start showing me how to live and give me the power to follow. In Jesus' name, Amen!