GOD’S WORD FOR NOVEMBER 14

liveinthelightofourlord November 14, 2023 Leave a Comment

GOD’S WORD FOR NOVEMBER 14 ~ ~ II Timothy 3:16&17~ ~ “All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

From the book, “How to Read the Bible,” by Dr. Michael Youssef.

In the same way, God’s judgment against sin is a function of his loving kindness and mercy. The judgment and punishment of sin is a necessary part of a functioning society, whether in ancient Israel or in America today.

God’s judgment is always just. Throughout the Bible, we see an all-wise God who maintains these two attributes – divine wrath and divine love – in perfect balance. In the Old Testament, God demonstrates a fatherly patience and compassion toward humanity (see Isaiah 54:10, Jeremiah 31:3, and Hosea 11:4).

In the New Testament, Jesus warns of the judgement to come – and He says that those who reject His gift of grace will be held accountable (see Matthew 11:21 and revelation 20:11-15).

God’s unchanging nature enables us to trust Him. In His Word, God testifies that He is unchangeable in all of His attributes:

“I, the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.

Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from My decrees and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 3:6-7)

God’s plan for redemption also remains firm and unchanging. As God told Moses in Exodus 3:14, “I am who I am” and the New Testament tells us this in Hebrews 6:17:

“Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath.”

The apostle James tells us in James 1:17-18:

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coning down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all He created.”

A.W. Tozer aptly summed up God’s unchanging character in his book “The Attributes of God.”:

“God never changes. What God was, God is. What God is and was, God will be. There will never be any change in God. Don’t call me a heretic; check on me. Go to the Word and see if it’s right…

There has been a lot of careless teaching that implies that the Old Testament is a book of severity and law, and the New Testament is a book of tenderness and grace. But do you know that while the Old Testament and the New testament declare the mercy of God, the word “mercy” appears in the Old Testament over four times more often than in the New?…

The God of the Old Testament and the God of the New is one God. He did not change.”

What is the one major change between the Old Testament and the New? The unapproachable, holy God becomes approachable. In the Old Testament, God lives in unapproachable light. In the New Testament, God becomes a man, Jesus the Savior. Through the death of Jesus upon the cross, He brings peace with God to every man, woman, or child who calls on His name.

The Old Testament makes plain OUR NEED of salvation. The New Testament makes plain GOD’S PLAN for salvation. In this way the New Testament completes the Old Testament. We can depend on God to always be Himself. His plans never fail.

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Jeremiah 33:3

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and hidden things that you have not known

Isaiah 54:10,

For the mountains shall depart
And the hills be removed,
But My kindness shall not depart from you,
Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,”
Says the Lord, who has mercy on you.

Jeremiah 31:3

The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”

Hosea 11:4

I drew them with gentle cords,
With bands of love,
And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck.
I stooped and fed them.

Revelation 20:11-15

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone NOT found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

(There is only one way to get our name in the Book of Life – and, therefore, not end up in the lake of fire – that is to take on the Robe of Righteousness that Jesus offers us in exchange for our sins, which He took on Himself and took OUR punishment for them. Submitting our lives to Him in gratitude for that exchange is what puts our names in the Book of Life, and gives us eternal life with Jesus. No good works, including “being good” or prayers, or going to church, or anything else, will do us any good for salvation. Those things we do AFTER we’re saved, out of love, gratitude, and worship to Jesus for saving us, and shown by the following verse:)