GOD'S KINGDOM CANNOT BE SHAKEN!

"See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire." 
(Hebrews 12:25-29).


   Earthly, material things (i.e., things that can be "shaken") will not last forever. By contrast, God's kingdom is unshakable, and the author uses the contrast as an exhortation to right conduct. He has made it plain that God will not trifle with wrongdoing. The persistent sinner can count on severe judgment. God will bring all things present to an end. Accordingly, the readers should serve him faithfully.


27 The writer picks out the expression 'once more" to point out the decisive significance of the things of which he is writing. There is an air of finality about it all. "The removing" of which can be shaken will occur in the final day. This physical creation can be shaken, and it is set in contrast to what cannot be shaken-the things that really matter. The author does not go into detail about the precise nature of the ultimate rest. "So that" introduces a clause of purpose. It is God's will for this final differentiation to be made so that only what cannot be shaken will remain.


28 The "kingdom" is not a frequent subject in this letter. This is in contrast to the Synoptic Gospels where 'Kingdom" frequently occurs in the teaching of Jesus. But this passage shows that the author understood ultimate reality in terms of God's sovereignty, in contrast with earthly systems. They can be shaken and in due course will be shaken. Not so God's kingdom! The author does not simply say that it will not be shaken but that it cannot be shaken. The kingdom is something we "receive." It is not earned or created by believers; it is God's gift (Luke 12:32).
[NIV BIBLE COMMENTARY Volume 2: New Testament].
[twitter.com/SowersOfTheWord]. 
JESUS IS LORD.
    

RUN!

GOD'S KINGDOM CANNOT BE SHAKEN!

"See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire." 
(Hebrews 12:25-29).


   Earthly, material things (i.e., things that can be "shaken") will not last forever. By contrast, God's kingdom is unshakable, and the author uses the contrast as an exhortation to right conduct. He has made it plain that God will not trifle with wrongdoing. The persistent sinner can count on severe judgment. God will bring all things present to an end. Accordingly, the readers should serve him faithfully.


27 The writer picks out the expression 'once more" to point out the decisive significance of the things of which he is writing. There is an air of finality about it all. "The removing" of which can be shaken will occur in the final day. This physical creation can be shaken, and it is set in contrast to what cannot be shaken-the things that really matter. The author does not go into detail about the precise nature of the ultimate rest. "So that" introduces a clause of purpose. It is God's will for this final differentiation to be made so that only what cannot be shaken will remain.


28 The "kingdom" is not a frequent subject in this letter. This is in contrast to the Synoptic Gospels where 'Kingdom" frequently occurs in the teaching of Jesus. But this passage shows that the author understood ultimate reality in terms of God's sovereignty, in contrast with earthly systems. They can be shaken and in due course will be shaken. Not so God's kingdom! The author does not simply say that it will not be shaken but that it cannot be shaken. The kingdom is something we "receive." It is not earned or created by believers; it is God's gift (Luke 12:32).
[NIV BIBLE COMMENTARY Volume 2: New Testament].
[twitter.com/SowersOfTheWord]. 
JESUS IS LORD.
    

THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF SHAKING GOING ON!

‎"For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now." (Romans 8:22). JESUS IS LORD.

ARE YOU THE KIND OR THE QUARRELSOME?

 "Shun youthful lusts and flee from them, and aim at and pursue righteousness-all that is virtuous and good, right living, conformity to the will of God in thought, word and deed. [And aim at and pursue] faith, love [and] peace-which is harmony and concord with others-in fellowship with all [Christians], who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.
  But refuse-shut your mind against, have nothing to do with-trifling (ill-informed, unedifying, stupid) controversies over ignorant questionings, for you know that they foster strife and breed quarrels.
  And the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome-fighting and contending. Instead he must be kindly to every one and mild-tempered-preserving the bond of peace; he must be a skilled and suitable teacher, patient and forbearing and willing to suffer wrong.
 He must correct his opponents with courtesy and gentleness, in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and come to know the Truth-that is, they will perceive and recognize and become accurately acquainted with and acknowledge it, 
 And that they may come to their senses [and] escape out of the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him, [henceforth] to do His [God's] will." (2 Timothy 2:22-26).


  The last of the three "contrasts in the church" is that between kind people and quarrelsome people (vv.22-26). Unfortunately, both types are often in the visible, organized church.


22 Timothy was still a rather young man, probably in his early thirties, and so the aged apostle warns him: "Flee the evil desires of youth." The implication is that he must keep on fleeing youthful lusts and pursuing positive virtues instead. It is not enough to run away from wrong; we must run after what is good. This is the only way to escape temptations to evil (cf. Rom 12:21).


    Timothy must pursue four things: "righteousness, faith, love and peace" (see also 1 Tim 6:11). Although Timothy must purge the church of false teachers, he had to be careful to promote "love and peace" among the Christian believers committed to his care. "Faith" may also be translated "faithfulness", both ideas fit well here.


23 Paul goes on to instruct Timothy again to avoid and even refuse to get involved in senseless and ignorant "arguments". If such questions are brought before Timothy, he should refuse to discuss them. Sometimes the wise pastor has to do this, because they only produce fights. These tend to divide the church and so destroy it.


24 "The Lord's servant"-i.e., every Christian, but particularly the pastor of a church-must not "quarrel." Rather, they must be "kind" (1 Tim 3:2), and "not resentful." Christians must have this sort of attitude towards those who oppose them.


25-26 At the same time, a good minister must "gently instruct" such people, the hope that God will give them "repentance" (lit., "a change of heart"), leading to a full "knowledge" of the truth, and that "they will come to their senses" and be set free from the snare of the devil.


[NIV BIBLE COMMENTARY Volume 2: New Testament]. {http://twitter.com/SowersOfTheWord}.


JESUS IS LORD.

JESUS IS MY HELP

   I LIFT up my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.


3 He will not let your foot slip-he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.


5 The LORD watches over you-the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.


7 The LORD will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (Psalm 121).


1-2 The psalmist is looking with great anxiety or longing to the hills. Perhaps he expects robbers to be hiding there. Or he may have looked with great anticipation if he were on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem (125:2).
The "help" the psalmist is concerned with pertains to protection, guidance, and blessing, which can only come from the Lord. He comforts himself with the thought that the LORD is "the Maker of heaven and earth." The creedal statement originally signified an apologetic statement on the LORD's sovereignty over all realms, thereby excluding any claims by pagan deities.


3-6 The ground for the psalmist's confidence lies in the further development of the doctrine of God: the guardian ("he who watches") of Israel is the guardian of every believer. He protects, guides, and blesses his own. He will be their "shade" as he protects them day and night. The intensity of his care is further amplified as he never sleeps nor slumbers. The LORD is always there to help and to protect his people.


7-8 The LORD's care extends to all adversities, as he is sovereign over all affairs of life, especially the "life" (lit., "soul") of his own child. Whatever his children do-whether they arrive at Jerusalem, go on a far journey, or return home-the Lord will "watch" over their affairs, "now and forevermore."


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JESUS IS LORD.