From: August 7, 2024
“And the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished their building by decree of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia” (Ezra 6:14 ESV).
When the Jewish exiles first returned to Jerusalem they began to rebuild the Temple, but Samaritan settlers opposed the project, causing it to sit unfinished for 17 years. Then under the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah, the Jewish elders felt emboldened to begin building again. When representatives of the Persian government inquired who authorized them to rebuild, the Jewish elders told them that King Cyrus of Persia had decreed it. After reporting this back to Darius, who was in his second year as king of Persia, it was confirmed that Cyrus had indeed made the decree. Therefore, Darius not only reiterated the decree but strengthened it by ordering the work to be supported from the royal treasury. So the Jews prospered and rebuilt the Temple under Persian support.
Yet as the Word makes clear, it was God who actually decreed that the Temple be rebuilt. It was God who moved the Persian kings, Cyrus and Darius to support the work. It was God who moved the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to encourage His people to get back to work. And it was God who enabled the people to “be strong, do the work, and not to fear” (Haggai 2:4-5).
Today, the land of ancient Persia is known as Iran. And the Jews have once again returned to the land of Israel after centuries of scattered exile. Instead of support, there is great enmity between them today.
Yet they do agree on one thing. For neither modern Israel nor Iran (Persia) have recognized the One who came to the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. He is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. But one day they will recognize Him. And when that day comes, redeemed people from Persia and every nation in the world will come to Jerusalem to worship King Jesus. Persia will one day support Jerusalem again.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we pray for Your kingdom to come, Your will to be done. For You are Sovereign over all things. While the nations rage and the world trembles in fear, we will not be moved. For You are our God and we trust in You. Strengthen us to declare Your gospel to all nations until the return of Your Son. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: August 7, 2023
“After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow” (1 Corinthians 3:5-6 NLT).
Paul wrote to correct the Corinthian church for its disunity and favoritism. For some were claiming to be followers of Paul and others followers of a preacher named Apollos. Paul told them that neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
Paul used this metaphor to illustrate that both he and Apollos were like farm hands that tended God’s garden, which is the church. Without stretching the metaphor too far, the seed might be seen as the gospel and the resulting plant as the salvation and growing faith of the believers in the church.
Understanding this illustration is encouraging to our witness. For often we are called to plant the gospel seed without seeing any response. And at other times we are called to water the young and tender plant of faith by encouraging a new believer. Yet at all times, we can bear witness knowing that we are coworkers with God and that He alone gives the increase. In this way, we can joyfully tend the Father’s field and trust the harvest to Him. Our part in witnessing is to share the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and leave the results up to God.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for saving us and calling us to be witnesses of Your Son, Jesus. Strengthen us this day to join You in Your work. Whether planting or watering, empower us by Your Spirit to go and make disciples. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: August 7, 2022
WHO GETS THE CREDIT?
Paul was concerned with the church at Corinth because of reports that there were divisions among them concerning which teacher they followed. Some were claiming to be followers of Paul and others, followers of Apollos. This was heartbreaking news to Paul, for he knew the foundation he had laid when he planted the church in Corinth. And that foundation was Christ Jesus. He had not led them to follow him, but to follow Christ.
Someone has once said that wherever you hear the name of the preacher lifted up more than the name of Christ, one should listen for the sound of the serpent’s hiss in the background. For Satan is pleased when he has tempted man to take the glory belonging to Jesus.
It’s good to honor and to submit to the spiritual leaders that God has given. Yet, the glory belongs to Christ. We are not called to make a man, a doctrine, nor a church famous. We are called to make Christ Jesus famous, and if need be, ourselves a fool. The credit belongs to Jesus.
PRAYER: Dear Father, forgive us when we have given Your glory and the glory of Your Son to another. For all praise and glory belong to You. Help us today to make much of Jesus in all that we say and do. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: August 7, 2016
The word “ascribe” means to “give credit” or “recognize.” The Lord’s name is worthy of our recognition. We are to ascribe appropriate glory to Him. This call from David’s psalm is similar to the Lord’s Prayer which teaches us to pray, “Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be Thy name.” The first movement of prayer is the upward movement, we lift our eyes to the Lord, seeking His face. This moves us to consider the attributes of God. When we ascribe the glory due his name, we list His character traits and call on His many names as revealed in Scripture. When our view of God is thus enlarged, it moves us to worship and it reduces the size of our troubles in view of Him.
From: August 7, 2015
Paul compared witnessing with planting. The one who sows and waters is the witness and the seed is the gospel. Yet, the seed comes from God and only He can make it grow. This removes both the pressure of success and the temptation to take credit. As the late Bill Bright used to say, “Success in witnessing is simply taking the initiative to share the message of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results up to God.”
From: August 7, 2014
The Church is the people, not the steeple. And the One who holds them together and makes them one is the Holy Spirit of God. Remembering this, we work to build up people rather than places or programs. God’s strategy for the Kingdom is making disciples.
From:
Paul uses a farming analogy to compare witnessing with planting. The one who sows and waters is the witness and the seed is the gospel. Yet, the seed comes from God and only He can make it grow. This removes both the pressure of success and the temptation to take credit. As the late Bill Bright used to say, “Success in witnessing is simply taking the initiative to share Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God.”