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Episodes
Friday Oct 06, 2023
Friday Oct 06, 2023
Partakers Bible Thought
13 To which of the angels did God ever say,
‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet’?
14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:13-14)
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering
thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.
They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.
12 In a loud voice they were saying:
‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honour and glory and praise!’
(Revelation 5:11-12)
Bookshops are filled with books on Angels! But we must beware, for not all angels are good! We know from the Bible that there are good angels and bad angels. As we explore in this Podcast about angels, we discover the answer to question such as: What are angels? What is their purpose or function? How can we tell the difference between good angels and bad angels?"
Come and explore what the Bible has to say about the topic of Angels by downloading and listening to the podcast!
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Thursday Oct 05, 2023
Thursday Oct 05, 2023
Psalm 75
For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Psalm by Asaph. A song.
75:1 We give thanks to you, God.
We give thanks, for your Name is near.
Men tell about your wondrous works.
75:2 When I choose the appointed time, I will judge blamelessly.
75:3 The earth and all its inhabitants quake. I firmly hold its pillars.
Selah.
75:4 I said to the arrogant, “Don’t boast!”
I said to the wicked, “Don’t lift up the horn.
75:5 Don’t lift up your horn on high. Don’t speak with a stiff neck.”
75:6 For neither from the east, nor from the west,
nor yet from the south, comes exaltation.
75:7 But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another.
75:8 For in the hand of Yahweh there is a cup,
full of foaming wine mixed with spices.
He pours it out.
Indeed the wicked of the earth drink and drink it to its very dregs.
75:9 But I will declare this forever:
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
75:10 I will cut off all the horns of the wicked,
but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.
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Thursday Oct 05, 2023
Thursday Oct 05, 2023
Studies of Ruth
Study 5 - Ruth's Worship through Obedience.
The book of Ruth is a cameo story of love, devotion and redemption set in the black days of the Judges. It tells the story of a pagan woman giving up everything to cling to the people of Israel and to God Himself. Shows her faithfulness when the nation was faithless. Download the mp3 audio using the link below to start discovering more about this great lady of faith.
In our previous episode, we looked at Ruth's wholeness of obedience. In this episode, we look at Ruth’s worship through obedience.
Now, finally, Ruth's obedience was also worship. How is this? The result of Ruth's obedience was Obed, the child fathered by Boaz as kinsman-redeemer, the one would inherit the family land and name in place of Naomi's dead husband and sons. Obed in Hebrew means "worship". Is not obedience really the outward action that derives from the inner response of faith love, and trust practised in regard to individuals and God? Jesus said "If you love me, you will obey what I command!" (John 14:15). Ruth's acts of obedience throughout this her story, are also practical acts of worship of the God she had made her own by faith.
So Ruth's obedience has four factors to it: the wow factor, the witness factor, the wholeness factor and finally the worship factor!
Conclusion
Let us ask God to work in us, changing our weak attempts at obedience into acts of divine worship. We find delight in serving the Lord, instead of indulging in resentment over sinful leaders. The result will be inner freedom and release from bitterness, and also a powerful story to those in authority and to onlookers as well. Just as too Ruth's obedience of Naomi, moved Boaz and all Bethlehem, the Holy Spirit will enable us move others (Colossians 3:23-24). While we obey others, we can joyfully remember that it is God alone who is worthy of complete obedience. When our confidence in Him is reflected in our submission to others we become living stories to our trust in God's perfect plan. If we follow the example of Ruth, perhaps someone will notice our stories and find the witness, the wholeness, and the worship in our lives of obedience and praise God because of us.
Remember this from 1 Samuel 15:22 "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”
So go from here and be obedient to our awesome and holy God! Through obedience to Him as revealed in Scripture, you will be growing and changing into the very likeness of Jesus Christ whom you follow. Through obedience, you will be able to enduring and be persistent in your Christian lifestyle and evangelism. So much so, that people will ask you for the reason for the hope you have and portray.
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Wednesday Oct 04, 2023
Wednesday Oct 04, 2023
Studies of Ruth
Study 4 - Ruth's Wholeness of Obedience.
The book of Ruth is a cameo story of love, devotion and redemption set in the black days of the Judges. It tells the story of a pagan woman giving up everything to cling to the people of Israel and to God Himself. Shows her faithfulness when the nation was faithless. Download the mp3 audio using the link below to start discovering more about this great lady of faith.
In our previous episode, we looked at Ruth's witness in her obedience. In this episode, we look at Ruth’s wholeness of obedience.
But just how did Ruth's obedience come to have such a tremendous impact on those around her? It all started with a personal commitment, a permanent decision that brought her peace and provided her with direction for all that followed. On the border of Moab, Ruth had told Naomi of her commitment (Ruth 1:16-17) as we read earlier. Ruth's commitment was absolute.
Rather than constraining her, this new commitment gave her new purpose and opportunity to develop her character. When they arrived in Bethlehem, Ruth volunteered to pick up the leftover grain (Ruth 2:2). When she returned to Naomi, Ruth shared her grain with Naomi and told her about her day.
Then it was Naomi who sensed God's direction and gave Ruth detailed instructions as to how to approach Boaz, which Ruth obeyed perfectly (Ruth 3:1-6). Ruth 4:17 indicates that after Ruth's future and family were secure, Naomi was included in the household redeemed by Boaz, for when the neighbours noticed how much she cared for Obed they said "Naomi has a son." Truly the deepest love, trust and respect were at the centre of Ruth's & Naomi's relationship, bringing both of them mutual fulfilment.
As Ruth obeyed Naomi, so she obeyed Boaz, both at their first meeting and later at the threshing floor. She won both the admiration of Naomi and Boaz as much by the quickness of her unquestioning responses as by her completeness in carrying out commands. Ruth won respect because she offered her respect in the form of obedience. Her obedience was total and complete. Not through coercion, but by love and adoration.
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Tuesday Oct 03, 2023
Tuesday Oct 03, 2023
Psalm 33
1 You are the LORD's people. Obey him and celebrate! He deserves your praise.
2 Praise the LORD with harps!
Use harps with ten strings to make music for him.
3 Sing a new song. Shout! Play beautiful music.
4 The LORD is truthful; he can be trusted.
5 He loves justice and fairness, and he is kind to everyone everywhere on earth.
6 The LORD made the heavens and everything in them by his word.
7 He scooped up the ocean and stored the water.
8 Everyone in this world should worship and honor the LORD!
9 As soon as he spoke the world was created; at his command, the earth was formed.
10 The LORD destroys the plans and spoils the schemes of the nations.
11 But what the LORD has planned will stand forever.
His thoughts never change.
12 The LORD blesses each nation that worships only him. He blesses his chosen ones.
13 The LORD looks at the world
14 from his throne in heaven, and he watches us all.
15 The LORD gave us each a mind, and nothing we do can be hidden from him.
16 Mighty armies alone cannot win wars for a king;
great strength by itself cannot keep a soldier safe.
17 In war the strength of a horse cannot be trusted to take you to safety.
18 But the LORD watches over all who honor him and trust his kindness.
19 He protects them from death and starvation.
20 We depend on you, LORD, to help and protect us.
21 You make our hearts glad because we trust you, the only God.
22 Be kind and bless us! We depend on you.
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Tuesday Oct 03, 2023
Tuesday Oct 03, 2023
Studies of Ruth
Study 3 - Ruth's Witness in Obedience.
The book of Ruth is a cameo story of love, devotion and redemption set in the black days of the Judges. It tells the story of a pagan woman giving up everything to cling to the people of Israel and to God Himself. Shows her faithfulness when the nation was faithless. Download the mp3 audio using the link below to start discovering more about this great lady of faith.
In our previous episode, we looked at Ruth's surprising obedience. In this episode, we look at Ruth’s witness in that obedience.
Ruth did more than merely remain with Naomi. Ruth was in fact Naomi's main support, both during their journey and after arriving in Israel, even though she was a stranger in Bethlehem. News of her faithfulness obviously spread quickly as it went before her into the fields of Boaz. When she asked why as a woman not from Israel was being treated so kindly, Boaz replied because of her support and friendship of Naomi You can see that in Ruth 2:11. Though directly attracted by her outward beauty and manner, Boaz was already -aware of her reputation for loyal love and service. We see this when Boaz tells her, "All my fellow townsman know that you are a woman of noble character" (Ruth 3:11).
Here we see the powerful testimony and witness of Ruth's relationship with Naomi. Her unselfish devotion to one person, characterized by her obedience, made her appealing to another person and to a whole community. However, Ruth did not abuse -or flaunt her obedience as long-suffering, but held it in her heart as love. She was not looking for praise or pity, and she seemed genuinely surprised that her service of Naomi had been seen and recognized. Not once did she complain about the leadership of Naomi or her own circumstances. Instead of bitterness there was beauty, in her attitude as well as on her face. Ruth found her obedience fulfilling. Her immediate and ultimate rewards far outweighed anything she could have anticipated. Her obedience was a wow surprise but it was also a testimonial witness that had gone out before her.
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~
Monday Oct 02, 2023
Monday Oct 02, 2023
Psalm 132
A Song of Ascents.
132:1 Yahweh, remember David and all his affliction,
132:2 how he swore to Yahweh, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
132:3 “Surely I will not come into the structure of my house, nor go up into my bed;
132:4 I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids;
132:5 until I find out a place for Yahweh, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
132:6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah. We found it in the field of Jaar:
132:7 “We will go into his dwelling place. We will worship at his footstool.
132:8 Arise, Yahweh, into your resting place; you, and the ark of your strength.
132:9 Let your priest be clothed with righteousness. Let your saints shout for joy!”
132:10 For your servant David’s sake, don’t turn away the face of your anointed one.
132:11 Yahweh has sworn to David in truth. He will not turn from it: “I will set the fruit of your body on your throne.
132:12 If your children will keep my covenant, my testimony that I will teach them, their children also will sit on your throne forevermore.”
132:13 For Yahweh has chosen Zion. He has desired it for his habitation.
132:14 “This is my resting place forever. Here I will live, for I have desired it.
132:15 I will abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with bread.
132:16 Her priests I will also clothe with salvation. Her saints will shout aloud for joy.
132:17 There I will make the horn of David to bud. I have ordained a lamp for my anointed. 132:18 I will clothe his enemies with shame, but on himself, his crown will be resplendent.”
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Monday Oct 02, 2023
Monday Oct 02, 2023
Studies of Ruth
Study 2 - WOW! obedience.
The book of Ruth is a cameo story of love, devotion and redemption set in the black days of the Judges. It tells the story of a pagan woman giving up everything to cling to the people of Israel and to God Himself. Shows her faithfulness when the nation was faithless. Download the mp3 audio using the link below to start discovering more about this great lady of faith.
Today we look at Ruth's obedience. Firstly, her obedience is surprising - it has a wow factor to it! The harmony between Ruth and her mother-in-law is even more appealing when we consider the two unusual facets that could have driven them apart.
Firstly, Mahlon, the natural connecting link between Ruth and Naomi was dead (Ruth 1 :3-5). Nothing specific is mentioned about the way the two women got along with each other while he was alive during those years in Moab. Instead, the story begins with the development of their relationship after Mahlon's death and at the time of the women's departure for Judah.
The second part of this wow, is that could have driven them apart was that Ruth was from Moab. A brief review of the history of this neighbouring nation proves that its land and people were clearly off limits for the Jews. The founding father Moab was the result of Lot's incestuous union with his older daughter (Genesis 19:37). Though Moab was not on the list of nations to be entirely destroyed by the Israelites under Joshua, its worship of false gods were offensive and troublesome (Numbers 25). Judges 3 relates that Eglon the king of Moab, received power from the Lord to punish Israel for eighteen years. When the people of Israel again cried out to God, the Lord raised up the judge Ehud, to kill Eglon and defeat Moab, to bring peace for eighty years.
The story of Ruth as we have heard already, is placed at the time of the Judges. Elimelech's decision to take his family into Moab to escape the famine in Israel probably occurred at a time when Moab was subdued, or at least not hostile towards Israel. However, God, had told the Israelites not to marry into the surrounding nations or join in their worship of false gods. The fact that Naomi's sons chose Moabite women shows that they ignored this instruction. It also indicates the attraction of foreign influences to the Israelites, which God wanted them to stay away from. But we also see mercy in grafting into his line of blessing one Moabite because of her faith and obedience to Him.
Naomi had two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah. In view of their position as Moabite widows, it may seem that Orpah's decision to return to her own mother's house was more natural than Ruth's when Naomi announced her determination to go back to Bethlehem in Judah. We could even argue that Orpah, after politely offering to accompany Naomi, was acting in accord with her mother-in-law's wishes by remaining in Moab with her own people. Ruth, however, clung to Naomi and refused to leave her. But Orpah's obedience was shallow, as her offer to go with Naomi was done out of duty not of love, and Naomi probably saw this and declined Orpah's offer. Ruth however, remained to finish her story and claim a place in the genealogy of David and also of Jesus (Matthew 1 5).
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Sunday Oct 01, 2023
Sunday Oct 01, 2023
Psalm 131
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.
Lord, my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty.
I don't concern myself with matters too great
or too awesome for me to grasp.
Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself,
like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother's milk.
Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, put your hope in the Lord
- now and always.
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Sunday Oct 01, 2023
Sunday Oct 01, 2023
Studies of Ruth
Today we start a short series looking at one of the Bible’s most enduring and endearing people – Ruth.
There are perhaps two reasons why we study about people in the Bible - to learn how not to do some things like being deceitful, and how to do the right things. We will see how and in what way, Ruth was obedient to God in doing the right things.
The book of Ruth is a cameo story of love, devotion and redemption set in the black days of the Judges. It tells the story of a pagan woman giving up everything to cling to the people of Israel and to God Himself. Shows her faithfulness when the nation was faithless.
Download the mp3 audio using the link below to start discovering more about this great lady of faith.
Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file