God's will be done!

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post, dated November 12, 2008, in the archives.

Thursday and Friday, June 18 & 19, 2009
Devotions: Ps 34, 85, 86, 88, 91, 92; 1 Sam 2:27-3:21; Acts 2:22-47; Lk 20:41-21:19

I have to praise my God! Why don’t you join me? Let us exalt His name together. I have sought God, and He has delivered me; just taste and see: YHWH is indescribably delicious. Those who seek Him lack no good thing! Abandon evil; pursue peace; God will keep you from harm, despite the many afflictions we must encounter. God is the great Caretaker! Lord, show Your people and our land the fruits of Your steadfast love. Revive us, Lord God. Let me hear Your voice; let Your glory dwell among us! Gladden my soul, great Lord. Teach me Your way, that I may walk in Your truth; unify my heart to fear and serve only You. I will glorify Your name forever, merciful and majestic Ruler of all. Put my enemies to shame with a sign of Your favor and comfort. You have let me struggle and suffer, but You have never abandoned me; I spread out my hands to You in supplication and in praise! I am sheltered from death and pestilence by the Holy One’s power and love. No scourge can touch me, because I inhabit God; YHWH is my Refuge. God says, ‘Because he cleaves to Me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows My Name.’ Amen, Lord. Rescue and honor me, and establish me in eternal life. It is good to thank God and praise the Most High. I will be fruitful in my old age, because my Rock is righteous and good.

God sent a prophet to confront Eli: ‘YHWH has said, “I revealed Myself to your father’s house, even in Egypt. I chose him and your line to serve as My priests; I gave your household all My offerings. So why do you spurn Me and lust after what I have not given?” YHWH says, “I made provision for your family forever; but far be it from Me to bless those who despise Me! I will cut off your strength and that of your father’s house; there will be no more old men in the line of Levi! Pay special attention to what happens to your two sinful sons: they’ll die on the same day, and I will raise up a faithful priest and build him a sure house.”’ The boy Samuel was ministering before the Lord; it was a time when God’s word was rare, and visions were uncommon. One evening, Eli, aged and nearly blind, had gone to his bed; God’s lamp was still burning in the temple, where Samuel was lying. YHWH called ‘ Samuel! Samuel!’ Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Eli replied, ‘I didn’t call you, my son; lie down again.’ So Samuel went back and lay down. This recurred three times. Finally, Eli realized that God was speaking to the boy, and told him: ‘Go lie down again; if He calls, reply to Him, “Speak, YHWH, for Your servant hears.”’ Again God called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!,’ and the boy replied, ‘Speak, for Your servant hears!’ And YHWH spoke to Samuel: ‘Behold, I Am about to do something that will set every ear in Israel atingle. I Am about to punish the house of Eli for their sins—the sons’ blasphemy, and the father’s failure to restrain them. The iniquity of Eli’s house will never be expiated, by any sacrifice or offering.’ Samuel lay in the temple through the night, and opened the temple doors in the morning. The boy was afraid to report, but Eli called him and asked, ‘What did He tell you? Don’t hide it from me!’ So Samuel related what YHWH had said, and Eli answered, ‘He is YHWH; let Him do what seems good to Him.’ Samuel continued to grow in the knowledge and admonition of YHWH; all Israel knew Samuel was established as YHWH’s priest at Shiloh.

Peter’s Pentecost sermon continued: ‘Men of Israel, listen: Jesus of Nazareth was attested to you by God with mighty works, wonders and signs God performed among you through Him. This Jesus, delivered up by God’s sovereign plan, you crucified and killed by the hands of men outside the Law. But God resurrected Him; death could not hold Him. David wrote about Jesus: “I saw the Lord always before me; He is at my right hand, and I am not shaken; my heart is glad, my tongue rejoices, and my flesh lives in hope. You will not abandon Your Holy One to Hades or let Him see corruption! You have revealed the way of live and filled me with gladness with Your presence.” Now, brothers, we know that David died; we’ve all seen his gravesite here. So David was writing about Jesus, not about himself. He knew that YHWH had sworn to put a descendant of David on the throne; he foresaw the Messiah’s resurrection, and noted that God did not abandon Him to corruption or to Hades. This same Jesus, our God has raised up; of that, all of us here are witnesses. And He is exalted to God’s right hand, and has poured out the Holy Spirit, resulting in all you see and hear today. Let all Israel know that God has made Lord and Messiah this Jesus Whom you crucified.’ Peter’s listeners were cut to the heart, and implored him and the other apostles: ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ And Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, each of you, into the Name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins; and then you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ Peter amplified his testimony and exhorted them. About three thousand were baptized that day and devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to Christian table fellowship, and to prayer. Awe came upon every soul; many signs and wonders were done through the apostles; and the believers remained together, holding all their possessions in common. Those with property and goods sold them and distributed to all as any had need. Daily they attended the temple, broke bread together, and praised God with glad hearts. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Jesus addressed the Torah scribes: ‘How can they say the Messiah is David’s son? For David himself called Him David’s Lord—if his lord, how can Messiah also be David’s son?’ Before all the people, Jesus addressed Himself to His own disciples: ‘Beware the scribes! They go around in long robes, love to be greeted with respect in public, take the choicest seats in the synagogues and at feasts, devour the substance of widows, and make long showy prayers. For these things, they will receive the greater condemnation.’ Jesus watched as rich people put their gifts into the Temple treasury; and then a poor widow put in two tiny copper lepta. Jesus commented: ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow contributed more than all the others. They gave part of their abundance; she has given everything she had, all her living.’ Some of Jesus’ companions spoke with reverence of the temple and its adornments. But Jesus said, ‘Days will come when not one of these great stones will be left on another.’ They asked about what signs would signal these catastrophes, and Jesus answered, ‘Don’t be led astray. Many will come claiming to be the Messiah. Don’t be shaken by wars or rumors of wars—all this must come, but the end is not imminent. Nations will rise against one another, kingdom against kingdom; there will be tumults in earth and heaven. Before all this, the human authorities will lay hands on you, persecute and prosecute you. You will be brought before civil and religious tribunals, and testify before kings and governors for My name’s sake. Resolve now not to worry or plan about how to respond. I will give you voice and wisdom, and no adversary will be able to stand against or contradict you. Your closest relatives and friends may turn you in; and some of you will be put to death, and many will be hated because of Me. Yet not a hair of your heads will perish! By your endurance, you will gain your lives.’