Satan rages full of fury, Firm against him we must stand
Hold to our Lord’s testimony, And obey our God’s commands
In this battle, Of the ages
Dear Christian in Christ stand firm
To the tune of “Lo, He Comes With Clouds Descending”
Author: Brian
Follower of Jesus, Husband, Dad, Grandpa, and Pastor
Bigger and Better
When we worship God, we’re reminding ourselves that God is bigger and better than anything sin offers.
– Tim Chester in You Can Change
Reflections on Joel 3
Joel speaks of the final Day of the Lord when the nations will be judged, and God’s blessings will fall on his people.
- Judgment – God’s judgment will fall upon the nations because of their sins. Will his judgment fall on you? Or have you called upon the name of the Lord (2:32) so that you might be saved?
- God’s Blessings – God will bless his people with plenty – like the Garden of Eden. No more will people hurt us in word or deed. We shall know the Lord and he will dwell among us. Ponder your glorious hope!
Ministry Collection
Here are some good posts for those serving in a smaller church:
The Secret Small Churches Know Best -Stephen Witmer (DG)
Ministry in Small Towns: Worth a Lifetime Investment – Stephen Witmer (TGC)
The Dilemma of a Bi-vocational Pastor – Darryl Williamson (TGC)
Q&A#4: Questions & Project
Q/A#4
Q: What are some further attributes of God?
A: God is eternal, self-existent, self-sufficient, and unchanging, full of glory and beauty.
Memory Verses
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
– Psalm 90:2
Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
– Psalm 96:6
Further Supporting Verses
For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
– John 5:26
The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
– Acts 17:24-25
For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
– Malachi 3:6
I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.
– Isaiah 42:8
Reflection/Discussion Questions
How is God different than us? What would be some proper responses to these attributes and verses?
How has our self-sufficient God provided for your needs recently?
Think about God’s many attributes. Why is it a good thing that God doesn’t change?
Project
Look for reflections of God’s glory & beauty around you.
Asking the Right Question
Don’t ask, “How far can I go toward sin?” Ask instead, “How far can I run from sin?”
– Tim Chester in You Can Change
Reflections on Joel 1-2
Joel speaks five times of the Day of the Lord in his book – a day of judgment followed by blessing. The Day of the Lord is both past (locust invasion), coming soon (through a coming army), and future (at the end of time when Christ returns – II Peter 3:10).
- Return – The day of judgment was near, so God calls the people to return to him with all their hearts. Consider that God is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and full of love (2:12-13). Ponder those truths. Have you drifted? Do you need to return to him? Does he have all your heart?
- The Spirit Comes – Joel predicts the day when God will pour out his Spirit on mankind (2:28-32). Peter saw this fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. How have you seen the Spirit’s work in your life?
Joel 1-3: The Day of the Lord
(1) What kind of army has come upon Judah (v4), and what are the results?
How does Joel call them to respond in v3? How does Joel call them to respond in v5, 8, 11, & 13-14?
Why are these good responses to tragedy?
What keeps us from responding in this way? How else might we respond instead?
(2) How does Joel describe the Day of the Lord in v1-11?
How does he describe the army coming against them? What do you think is the identity of this army? Why?
God calls the people to return to Him in v12-17. Describe the return that God calls them to make.
What motivation is given for their return in v13? How would this encourage you to return when you have sinned?
(2) How will God restore Judah in v18-27? What will he pour down in v23?
What will he pour out in v28-29? When do we see this happen (see Acts 2)? What practical affects does this have in our lives?
How would you describe the Day of the Lord in v30-32?
What hope is given in v32? How does Paul apply this hope in Romans 10:12-13?
(3) How would you describe the Day of the Lord in v1-16a?
What hope is given in v16b-21?
When do you think chapter 3 will happen, and why?
How would you summarize what Joel is teaching about the Day of the Lord in this book?
Great Impediment
Digital technology is one of the greatest impediments to a life spent in communion with God…. God has inseparably and irrevocably joined quietness with knowledge of him.
– David Murray in Reset
Sermon Songs: Revelation 12
The woman the dragon pursues, She flees to the wilderness
Fed by Christ, His church, His Word true, God protects and nourishes
O weary souls, Come now and eat
Dear Christian in Christ stand firm
To the tune of “Lo He Comes With Clouds Descending”
Brian J. Mikul 