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Tuesday, September 6, 2016
The trees growing along Donegal Creek have maintained their green splendor through the entire summer.
"Is Not My Word Like Fire?"
The trees growing along Donegal Creek have maintained their green splendor through the entire summer.
"Is Not My Word Like Fire?"
Message Summary: The prophet Jeremiah is quoting the Lord here. Notice carefully, "'Is not My word like fire?' declares the Lord." Thank God for His Word, which is like fire!
Listen to this
message on your
audio player."'Is not My word like fire?' declares the Lord, 'and like a hammer which shatters a rock?'" (Jeremiah 23:29).
We had a beautiful Labor Day in our parts
and yesterday did a lot of labor around our house. Although Autumn
doesn't officially begin for over two more weeks (September 22 at 10:21
A.M. to be precise), Labor Day tends to be the time we start thinking
more toward fall.So I got our fall decorations down from the barn loft. Brooksyne enjoys decorating seasonally and we work together such as wrapping the lamp posts along our driveway with foraged corn stalks from the field across from our house. She'll want me to get some straw bales, pumpkins and gourds as well, which we'll probably find at roadside stands.
Throughout the day I had several small projects using one of the first tools I ever noticed as a child, the hammer. I have a hammer assortment so I can pick one suitable for the job such as a claw hammer (the main type), sledge and rubber. But there are other types of hammers as well such as a shingler's hammer which roofers use.
Biblical illustrations are generally cross cultural and multi-generational. Such is the case with today's thought-provoking verse: "'Is not My word like fire?' declares the Lord, 'and like a hammer which shatters a rock?'" Regardless of where you live most all are familiar with fire and a hammer.
Fire
is something that is used for good like heating a home, cooking a meal,
or extensively used in manufacturing. We see a very controlled fire
when we visit a shop that uses laser machines. It's amazing that the
same fire that will cut through inches of steel can also be used in eye
surgery! Of course fire can also be devastating such as the damage or total destruction of a house or raging forest fire.
Last night we used our fire pit for enjoyment as well as disposing of some old boards from our deck we're replacing which prompted me to consider our daily text today.
"Is not My word like fire?'" (Several years ago we shared a message focusing on the hammer, see link below). The prophet Jeremiah is quoting the Lord here. Notice carefully, "'Is not My word like fire?' declares the Lord."
However neither the text nor context disclose just how God's Word is like fire, so God must want us to consider this. Pastor David Guzik of Enduring Word ministries suggest the following main points, with my observation following each point.
God’s Word is like a fire that can warm and comfort:
We have all experienced the warmth and comfort of a fire. This weekend
I will be joining a group of men for a campout in the mountains. One of
the great sources of warmth is getting up on a chilly morning and
stoking the embers from the previous evening's campfire, creating a
renewed fire to remove that morning chill. I even enjoy the smell of campfire smoke on my clothes. Likewise God's Word can
bring warmth and comfort to our cold and broken lives. "No one can warm
your heart like Jesus can. Come in from the cold." - Jana AllardGod’s Word is like a fire that can burn and cause pain: We've all, in varying degrees, experienced this. Physical burns are painful, debilitating, and deadly. But the double edged pain (conviction) of God's Word is a good thing as it judges the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12).
God’s Word is like a fire that can melt the hardest materials: Many years ago I toured a steel mill in Sand Springs Oklahoma and recall the molten, hot liquefied metal. God's Word can melt the hardest heart thickened by anger, jealousy, hatred and other hardening qualities.
God’s Word is like a fire that refines and consumes impurity: We visit a company that uses fire to refine. In Christopher Idle's excellent but rarely sung hymn "How Sure The Scriptures Are" he writes in the second verse:
They test each human thought, refining like a fire;
they measure what we ought to do and to desire:
For God knows all; exposed it lies
before His eyes to whom we call.
they measure what we ought to do and to desire:
For God knows all; exposed it lies
before His eyes to whom we call.
Thank God for His Word, which is like fire!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father,
we thank You for Your Word which is like a fire that refines like a
hammer that shatters a rock. For Your Word is living and active,
sharper than any double edged sword, since it penetrates even to
dividing our soul and spirit, our joints and marrow. It judges the
thoughts and attitudes of our heart so that nothing in all creation is
hidden from Your sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before
Your eyes as we will one day give You full account of our thoughts,
attitudes and actions. May we be pleasing in Your sight and be
justified in our actions through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus
Christ in whose name we pray. Amen.Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Like A Hammer" Daily Encouragement about the daily verse but focusing on the hammer
Enduring Word Ministries Outstanding collection of online commentary by David Guzik, the pastor of a local church in California.
"How Sure The Scriptures Are" Video Evangel Baptist Church Worship Team
How sure the Scriptures are! God's vital, urgent word,
as true as steel, and far more sharp than any sword:
So deep and fine, at his control
they pierce where soul and spirit join.
They test each human thought, refining like a fire;
they measure what we ought to do and to desire:
For God knows all exposed it lies
before his eyes to whom we call.
Let those who hear his voice confronting them today,
reject the tempting choice of doubting or delay:
For God speaks still his word is clear,
so let us hear and do his will!
as true as steel, and far more sharp than any sword:
So deep and fine, at his control
they pierce where soul and spirit join.
They test each human thought, refining like a fire;
they measure what we ought to do and to desire:
For God knows all exposed it lies
before his eyes to whom we call.
Let those who hear his voice confronting them today,
reject the tempting choice of doubting or delay:
For God speaks still his word is clear,
so let us hear and do his will!
Finally today:
"Did I Really Do That?!"
This morning I went out and emptied the ashes from last night's fire into our wheelbarrow. Guess what happened. See here and here for answers (photos) Thankfully I had already gotten a lot of use out of the wheelbarrow (about 15 years' worth) and had been patching it up to keep it functional.
Brooksyne's note: So...finally Stephen tells a story on himself - I guess he just wasn't fully thinking. He has fun telling stories on me so I'm glad this time he was the one to be laughed at and he was willing to tell it himself, though I would have if hadn't done it first:)
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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