Tag: Psalms 28

Predestined to do Good Works

Posted on | by Dave Roussel

July 28 – Today’s Readings – Jeremiah 1-3 and Psalms 28

We find here a beautiful introduction to this prophetic penman, and the book named after him. Jeremiah was obviously a very young man when God called him and commissioned him – “Ah, Sovereign LORD’, I said, ‘I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” (Jeremiah1:6)

He was told – “do not be afraid of them, (the people) for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 1:8)

God told him that the message he was to share would “uproot and tear down, – destroy and overthrow, – build and plant.” Words – (especially inspired Words from the Lord), have the incredible power of doing just that. When listening to an anointed preacher, you may feel stripped bare before the Lord at times, only to be rebuilt and reaffirmed. Remember, this entire book was written as God’s message to a people who had been taken captive and were in exile because of their unfaithfulness. They were living in Babylon as a dispossessed, enslaved nation.

Out from the shambles of this moral and physical disaster, God affirmed a young man, Jeremiah – “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

Pause and think about what has just been spoken. You are not just a product of your biological mother and father. You are in fact a well thought out, created being with a purpose attached to your life before you were conceived! God even gave Jeremiah a life ministry before he was born. The only thing missing from the realization of this dream was for Jeremiah to say “yes” to God.

Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Here’s the kicker – the only thing missing from the realization of God’s dream for your life is for YOU to say yes to God. You were predestined and created to do good works for God. God already has those good works ready to go. We need to learn to listen to the voice of the Spirit so that when one of our assignments from God comes, we can be quick to accomplish it. Otherwise some of the works we were predestined to do for God may go undone!

Questions:

1. How does it make you feel to know you were predestined to good works since before you were even born?
2. Make a short list of “good works” you feel you are still supposed to be involved in. (Hint – What is Our Heavenly Father Busy Doing)
3. What “other activities” will have to be dropped from your schedule so that these good works can be accomplished?

A Parable

Posted on | by Dave Roussel

January 28 – Today’s Readings – Exodus 1-3 and Psalms 28

Welcome to Exodus!

Most scholars agree that the nation of Israel was in Egypt for generations. They had “evolved” from the status of favoured people under Joseph, to one of captivity and slavery after Joseph passed off the scene. Depending on who you read, scholars Say that by the time of their “deliverance” at the hands of Moses and Aaron, they had multiplied to as many as 4 million people. The description of their “Exodus” contains a lot of encouragement for readers of this book but it should also be understood as a “type” or “parable” of our salvation – of God calling us from the dominion of darkness and bringing us into the kingdom of His dear Son (Colossians 1:13). This account paints a clear picture of how Jesus confronted the Devil and, through mighty deeds, set us free from the slavery of sin. As you read this book, keep this allegory in mind and you will be blessed as you discover the parallels.

I find it fascinating that no matter what the Egyptians threw at God’s people, they multiplied and prospered – so much so that the Egyptians were in dread of Israel. On the one hand Israel was groaning under the load of hardship and slave labor and at the same time, the Egyptians could plainly see that God was with them. The tougher things got for Israel the more they began to cry out for deliverance.

The grand theme of this book is that God heard their cry, and in His sovereign timing, sent a deliverer to bring them out of slavery. The deliverer, Moses, had a vision from God (perhaps encouraged by his mother) at a young age that this Exodus was going to happen. He even tried to make it happen outside of the timing of God, but ended up in the desert for forty years – a direct result of his mistake.

Can we learn something from all of this? Well, for starters – it really doesn’t matter which “captivity” we find ourselves in, if God is with us we can prosper anywhere – but we have already learned this lesson this from Joseph’s life. I also think that the Lord is on the lookout for people who are “groaning” to be set free. We all need to come to a point in life where we are ready for a deliverance or a revival from God but we also should be on the lookout for others who groan in their sin, wanting deliverance and change so that we can join ourselves to them. Finally, we need to be patient when we feel that a certain issue needs to be resolved immediately. God seems to have His own deliverance schedule and His timing is always sovereign. To me, this means that God keeps some things secret or keeps His people on a “need to know” basis. Get used to it – there are some answers that can only be found on the other side of death’s door.

Questions:

1. What spiritual place did the Israelites come to before God sent deliverance?

2. What are some of the secrets God will reveal only when we get to heaven?