Today I read Jeremiah 11:13-14:8 and 1 Timothy 6:13-2 Timothy 1:12. My favorite verses are:
Jeremiah 14:7-8 O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name’s sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. 8O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?
2 Timothy 1:9-10 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
When we confess our sins before God and His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, the Word promises that they are forgiven. Jeremiah speaks of the Savior as a wayfaring man who only abides with us for a short time. But Paul reminds Timothy that the Savior has brought life and immortality—life forever. The difference is the gospel! The good news from God is that He has given us salvation through Jesus Christ according to His grace. God planned this before he created the world or mankind. He knew that man would not be able to be faithful to Him on his own. He planned from forever to forever to send His Son to save us and His Holy Spirit to dwell within us so that we could have eternal life, not just a temporary fix from a wayfaring stranger. God loves us and wants to abide with us forever. We must choose to accept His holy calling if we want Him to come and live in us. When this Wayfaring Stranger knocks at your door, welcome Him and have a room prepared where he can stay—always abiding with you!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
God is in control
Today I read Jeremiah 9:1-11:12 and 1 Timothy 5:17-6:12. My favorite verses are:
Jeremiah 10:13 When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.
1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
These two verses have no relation to each other as far as I can see. The verse in Jeremiah just reminded me of the weather yesterday. We had thunder and lightning and rain—“a multitude of waters”—and wind! I am tired of the rain, and I have told God that I am. But I am so thankful that I serve the God who is in control of the rain. And I can be thankful that we have the rain as long as God thinks that is what is best for us. We can’t see the big picture like He can; so if he thinks we need more rain, I bow to His will. I like that the wind comes out of God’s treasures even though sometimes I don’t feel like it is a treasure. But I remember as a child sometimes when the wind would blow, especially on a warm summer day, we would go out and run with our arms spread wide and play in the wind. I can see that wind as being from God’s treasures. And there are lots of people in the world; thankfully, they are not all like me. Different people like different things. If God just did everything to please me, there would be a lot of unhappy people in His world. Thank You, Lord, for doing what is best for all of your creation in Your wisdom and love.
The verse from 1 Timothy reminds us of our duty as children of God. We are not playing a game; we are in a battle with evil powers. By faith, we can “fight the good fight”. We have laid hold on eternal life when we received salvation. Now we must live what we profess before those who are watching our lives—witnesses of what God has done for us. By being obedient to God’s calling, we may have a part in leading many others to lay hold on eternal life. Our God is a powerful God; our God is a good God. Let Him be God.
Jeremiah 10:13 When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.
1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
These two verses have no relation to each other as far as I can see. The verse in Jeremiah just reminded me of the weather yesterday. We had thunder and lightning and rain—“a multitude of waters”—and wind! I am tired of the rain, and I have told God that I am. But I am so thankful that I serve the God who is in control of the rain. And I can be thankful that we have the rain as long as God thinks that is what is best for us. We can’t see the big picture like He can; so if he thinks we need more rain, I bow to His will. I like that the wind comes out of God’s treasures even though sometimes I don’t feel like it is a treasure. But I remember as a child sometimes when the wind would blow, especially on a warm summer day, we would go out and run with our arms spread wide and play in the wind. I can see that wind as being from God’s treasures. And there are lots of people in the world; thankfully, they are not all like me. Different people like different things. If God just did everything to please me, there would be a lot of unhappy people in His world. Thank You, Lord, for doing what is best for all of your creation in Your wisdom and love.
The verse from 1 Timothy reminds us of our duty as children of God. We are not playing a game; we are in a battle with evil powers. By faith, we can “fight the good fight”. We have laid hold on eternal life when we received salvation. Now we must live what we profess before those who are watching our lives—witnesses of what God has done for us. By being obedient to God’s calling, we may have a part in leading many others to lay hold on eternal life. Our God is a powerful God; our God is a good God. Let Him be God.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Speak or be silent?
Today I read Jeremiah 6:24-8:22 and 1 Timothy 4:12-5:16. My favorite verses are:
Jeremiah 8:14-15 Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD. 15 We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!
1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Jeremiah speaks to God’s people who have sinned to such an extent that God has put them to silence. He evidently was tired of listening to their lies and excuses. He had patiently told them what He required as their God—they were to serve Him and Him alone; they were to listen to His words and obey His commands. But they were obstinate and disobedient and chose to serve other gods which had no power to help them. The result was that when they wanted to live quiet, peaceful lives, all they found was trouble. They sought health, but it was denied. I can’t help but make a comparison with what I see in our country today—has there ever been so much sickness and disease as we see around us now? There is a great deal of publicity right now about the H1N1 flu; as a blood donor, I am reminded frequently of the impact of AIDS on our society; and it seems that every week we add new cancer victims to our prayer list. We should learn from the past instead of going down the same road of disobedience and destruction. So what can we do? Just what Paul told Timothy! Pay attention, study God’s word, and be a witness. Paul told Timothy that he could save himself and those who hear him. They can’t hear us if we don’t speak up; we must be about God’s business and be vocal about it. Before the final judgment comes, we want to see as many saved as possible—there is much work to be done.
Jeremiah 8:14-15 Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD. 15 We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!
1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Jeremiah speaks to God’s people who have sinned to such an extent that God has put them to silence. He evidently was tired of listening to their lies and excuses. He had patiently told them what He required as their God—they were to serve Him and Him alone; they were to listen to His words and obey His commands. But they were obstinate and disobedient and chose to serve other gods which had no power to help them. The result was that when they wanted to live quiet, peaceful lives, all they found was trouble. They sought health, but it was denied. I can’t help but make a comparison with what I see in our country today—has there ever been so much sickness and disease as we see around us now? There is a great deal of publicity right now about the H1N1 flu; as a blood donor, I am reminded frequently of the impact of AIDS on our society; and it seems that every week we add new cancer victims to our prayer list. We should learn from the past instead of going down the same road of disobedience and destruction. So what can we do? Just what Paul told Timothy! Pay attention, study God’s word, and be a witness. Paul told Timothy that he could save himself and those who hear him. They can’t hear us if we don’t speak up; we must be about God’s business and be vocal about it. Before the final judgment comes, we want to see as many saved as possible—there is much work to be done.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Godliness is profitable
Today I read Jeremiah 4:23-6:23 and 1 Timothy 3:7-4:11. My favorite verses are:
Jeremiah 6:19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.
1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
First, the frivolous—I used to quote the beginning of this verse in Timothy because I hate to exercise, and I could justify my laziness because the Bible says “bodily exercise profiteth little”. Yes, I know that is not the point of the verse.
So on to the serious—it is important that we lead godly lives here and now. We are not saved just so that we can go to heaven when we die, although that is a really good reason to want salvation. The life we are living NOW is important in the eyes of God. God saves us to serve Him and have fellowship with Him NOW. He wants us to influence others so that as many as possible will be saved before it is too late. The words of the prophet Jeremiah were spoken to the people of Judah concerning their failure to obey God, but those same words are relevant today even here in the United States of America. When I read this verse, I couldn’t help remembering all the controversy in recent years over the displaying of the Ten Commandments in schools, court houses, and other “public” locations. We have rejected the law of God; many of our leaders do not want to be reminded of it. Instead of abiding by our constitutional mandate to have freedom of religion, there are many who want us to have freedom FROM Christian influence. God said, “I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts.” Do you know what the fruit of this kind of thinking is? Those who don’t want to be reminded of God’s presence will be denied God’s presence. Can you imagine our country and our world deprived of the presence of God and the influence of godly people? Godliness IS profitable; God’s people must live in obedience to His word. We must sound a warning to those who are lost because they have no hope in this life or in the life to come; they are ETERNALLY lost. We can make a difference—we MUST make a difference!
Jeremiah 6:19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.
1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
First, the frivolous—I used to quote the beginning of this verse in Timothy because I hate to exercise, and I could justify my laziness because the Bible says “bodily exercise profiteth little”. Yes, I know that is not the point of the verse.
So on to the serious—it is important that we lead godly lives here and now. We are not saved just so that we can go to heaven when we die, although that is a really good reason to want salvation. The life we are living NOW is important in the eyes of God. God saves us to serve Him and have fellowship with Him NOW. He wants us to influence others so that as many as possible will be saved before it is too late. The words of the prophet Jeremiah were spoken to the people of Judah concerning their failure to obey God, but those same words are relevant today even here in the United States of America. When I read this verse, I couldn’t help remembering all the controversy in recent years over the displaying of the Ten Commandments in schools, court houses, and other “public” locations. We have rejected the law of God; many of our leaders do not want to be reminded of it. Instead of abiding by our constitutional mandate to have freedom of religion, there are many who want us to have freedom FROM Christian influence. God said, “I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts.” Do you know what the fruit of this kind of thinking is? Those who don’t want to be reminded of God’s presence will be denied God’s presence. Can you imagine our country and our world deprived of the presence of God and the influence of godly people? Godliness IS profitable; God’s people must live in obedience to His word. We must sound a warning to those who are lost because they have no hope in this life or in the life to come; they are ETERNALLY lost. We can make a difference—we MUST make a difference!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Pastor Appreciation
Today I read Jeremiah 2:22-4:22 and 1 Timothy 2:1-3:6. My favorite verses are:
Jeremiah 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Have you prayed for your pastor today? God said in Jeremiah that he gives us pastors according to His heart, and there is no greater love than the love that God has for us in His heart. Think about your pastor right now, and say to yourself, “From God’s heart to me.” How incredible is that?! Fremont Hills Baptist Church is blessed with Pastor Art Hicklin, a man of God who preaches the Word of God in truth and love! I pray for him daily; I hope you do the same for your pastor. These men carry out God’s plan for all of us to gain the knowledge of the truth. That is how people come to be saved—they hear the word and respond to God because of it. And Paul told Timothy “this is good and acceptable”. Now those of us who have been saved and gained knowledge are responsible for sharing the Word of God with others; and sometimes we can begin sharing with the phrase, “Last Sunday our Pastor said . . .” October has a special designation as “Pastor Appreciation Month”, but it is appropriate (good and acceptable) to give your pastor a word of appreciation and encouragement on any day of any month. God bless them!
Jeremiah 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Have you prayed for your pastor today? God said in Jeremiah that he gives us pastors according to His heart, and there is no greater love than the love that God has for us in His heart. Think about your pastor right now, and say to yourself, “From God’s heart to me.” How incredible is that?! Fremont Hills Baptist Church is blessed with Pastor Art Hicklin, a man of God who preaches the Word of God in truth and love! I pray for him daily; I hope you do the same for your pastor. These men carry out God’s plan for all of us to gain the knowledge of the truth. That is how people come to be saved—they hear the word and respond to God because of it. And Paul told Timothy “this is good and acceptable”. Now those of us who have been saved and gained knowledge are responsible for sharing the Word of God with others; and sometimes we can begin sharing with the phrase, “Last Sunday our Pastor said . . .” October has a special designation as “Pastor Appreciation Month”, but it is appropriate (good and acceptable) to give your pastor a word of appreciation and encouragement on any day of any month. God bless them!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Glorify God!
Today I read Isaiah 66, Jeremiah 1:1-2:21, and 1 Timothy 1. My favorite verses are:
Jeremiah 2:12-13 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD. 13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
1 Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
What a contrast between the Old Testament and New Testament verses today! Jeremiah is known as the “Weeping Prophet” because it broke his heart to preach the message of judgment to his own people. He wept over the sins they had committed which brought about the judgment from God. The message in the verses I chose for today is very clear: When we sin against God and know that we will be judged by Him, we should “be horribly afraid”. To turn away from the only true, living God to worthless idols, whatever they may be, is insanity. We may think that we are not guilty of such a thing just because we do not have statues or carved images that we bow down to. But be aware that ANYTHING separating you from God is an idol. It may be physical, mental, or emotional—if there is anything that draws you away from serving God or comes between you and God, it is a “broken cistern”. It is a useless thing and a very dangerous thing. If you don’t heed the warning and turn back to God, the judgment and punishment may be much more than you could have imagined—“be horribly afraid”! Turn now to Paul’s advice to Timothy, his “child in the faith”: Give glory to God. Recognize Him as your now and forever King—the ONLY God. We cannot see Him with our eyes or touch Him with our hands, but He is more real than anything else around us. If you do not know Him, seek His salvation today; ask Jesus to forgive you of your sin and save you from judgment. Let God fill you and surround you with His glorious, immortal presence; choose life and peace rather than horrible fear.
Jeremiah 2:12-13 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD. 13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
1 Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
What a contrast between the Old Testament and New Testament verses today! Jeremiah is known as the “Weeping Prophet” because it broke his heart to preach the message of judgment to his own people. He wept over the sins they had committed which brought about the judgment from God. The message in the verses I chose for today is very clear: When we sin against God and know that we will be judged by Him, we should “be horribly afraid”. To turn away from the only true, living God to worthless idols, whatever they may be, is insanity. We may think that we are not guilty of such a thing just because we do not have statues or carved images that we bow down to. But be aware that ANYTHING separating you from God is an idol. It may be physical, mental, or emotional—if there is anything that draws you away from serving God or comes between you and God, it is a “broken cistern”. It is a useless thing and a very dangerous thing. If you don’t heed the warning and turn back to God, the judgment and punishment may be much more than you could have imagined—“be horribly afraid”! Turn now to Paul’s advice to Timothy, his “child in the faith”: Give glory to God. Recognize Him as your now and forever King—the ONLY God. We cannot see Him with our eyes or touch Him with our hands, but He is more real than anything else around us. If you do not know Him, seek His salvation today; ask Jesus to forgive you of your sin and save you from judgment. Let God fill you and surround you with His glorious, immortal presence; choose life and peace rather than horrible fear.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
We are the clay
Today I read Isaiah 62:7-65:25 and 2 Thessalonians 2:14-3:18. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, 17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
God made us; God loved us; God gave us consolation, hope, grace, and comfort; God established us when our words and work were good. All that we are, all that we have, and all that we do comes from God our Father. He makes us what He wants us to be and blesses us when we fulfill His plan for our lives. If we choose to go our own way rather than His, there are consequences. It isn’t always something He does to us, but rather what he withholds from us. Life without consolation, hope, grace, and comfort is miserable—I know from experience. Being out of the will of God is the most unhappy existence possible. There may be times of happiness, but they are fleeting; there is no depth of joy as there is when we are in God’s will. Consider your life right now—are you mostly happy or mostly miserable? If the balance is not what you want it to be, seek God’s will for your life and let him restore the joy of your salvation. He is waiting to bless you.
Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, 17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
God made us; God loved us; God gave us consolation, hope, grace, and comfort; God established us when our words and work were good. All that we are, all that we have, and all that we do comes from God our Father. He makes us what He wants us to be and blesses us when we fulfill His plan for our lives. If we choose to go our own way rather than His, there are consequences. It isn’t always something He does to us, but rather what he withholds from us. Life without consolation, hope, grace, and comfort is miserable—I know from experience. Being out of the will of God is the most unhappy existence possible. There may be times of happiness, but they are fleeting; there is no depth of joy as there is when we are in God’s will. Consider your life right now—are you mostly happy or mostly miserable? If the balance is not what you want it to be, seek God’s will for your life and let him restore the joy of your salvation. He is waiting to bless you.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Here Comes the Bride
Today I read Isaiah 58:12-62:6 and 2 Thessalonians 1:5-2:13. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
2 Thessalonians 1:12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
What a glorious picture of the wedding and marriage of Christ and His church! The bride must first be clothed with the garments of salvation—a gift from the Bridegroom. Then she is covered with the robe of righteousness—His righteousness making her beautiful. The ornaments and jewels are added as we grow in service to one another. The Bridegroom making us holy—set apart to belong only to Him. The bride keeping herself pure, separated from former sinful behavior, dedicated to the Bridegroom, doing only those things which are pleasing to Him. He is glorified in us and we are glorified in Him as we fulfill vows to love and honor each other within the marriage. And all of this is made possible by the grace of God and his Son Jesus. The bride does not pay for the wedding because the Bridegroom has already paid the price in full by giving Himself to die for us so that we can live forever with Him in glory. If you long to be part of this wedding picture, ask the Bridegroom to give you the gift of salvation so that you can be clothed in the wedding garment!
Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
2 Thessalonians 1:12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
What a glorious picture of the wedding and marriage of Christ and His church! The bride must first be clothed with the garments of salvation—a gift from the Bridegroom. Then she is covered with the robe of righteousness—His righteousness making her beautiful. The ornaments and jewels are added as we grow in service to one another. The Bridegroom making us holy—set apart to belong only to Him. The bride keeping herself pure, separated from former sinful behavior, dedicated to the Bridegroom, doing only those things which are pleasing to Him. He is glorified in us and we are glorified in Him as we fulfill vows to love and honor each other within the marriage. And all of this is made possible by the grace of God and his Son Jesus. The bride does not pay for the wedding because the Bridegroom has already paid the price in full by giving Himself to die for us so that we can live forever with Him in glory. If you long to be part of this wedding picture, ask the Bridegroom to give you the gift of salvation so that you can be clothed in the wedding garment!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Pray without ceasing
Today I read Isaiah 54:12-58:11 and 1 Thessalonians 5:12-2 Thessalonians 1:4. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19 Quench not the Spirit.
God’s Word is powerful. As we read the Bible and share with others what we have read, God works in us and in them. Reading the Word of God makes it possible for us to rejoice, pray, give thanks, and be anointed by the Spirit. Sometimes in this world, we experience things that take away our joy and thankfulness. We fail to pray, and we quench God’s Spirit. We may be angry with God and stop reading the Bible because we do not want Him to speak to us. But His heart’s desire is to bless his children. When we are tested by circumstances, it is much easier to cope if we stay close to God rather than drawing away from Him. He will restore our joy and hear our prayers. If we truly pray without ceasing—talk to God about everything, big and small—we can be thankful in everything. He will show us, by the power of the Spirit who dwells within us—Who will not be quenched if we are constantly talking to Him—the reason for the trials we face. Some lessons are hard to learn; but I know from experience, they are easier to learn with God than without Him! Let Him speak to your heart today.
Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19 Quench not the Spirit.
God’s Word is powerful. As we read the Bible and share with others what we have read, God works in us and in them. Reading the Word of God makes it possible for us to rejoice, pray, give thanks, and be anointed by the Spirit. Sometimes in this world, we experience things that take away our joy and thankfulness. We fail to pray, and we quench God’s Spirit. We may be angry with God and stop reading the Bible because we do not want Him to speak to us. But His heart’s desire is to bless his children. When we are tested by circumstances, it is much easier to cope if we stay close to God rather than drawing away from Him. He will restore our joy and hear our prayers. If we truly pray without ceasing—talk to God about everything, big and small—we can be thankful in everything. He will show us, by the power of the Spirit who dwells within us—Who will not be quenched if we are constantly talking to Him—the reason for the trials we face. Some lessons are hard to learn; but I know from experience, they are easier to learn with God than without Him! Let Him speak to your heart today.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
God's bare arm
Today I read Isaiah 50:10-54:11 and 1 Thessalonians 4:9-5:11. I find that I want to share several verses from Isaiah. One is very personal to me; it has been nearly a year since my husband died, and this verse spoke to my heart today: Isaiah 54:5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
What a promise that I am never alone!
Then, considering my name which I used for the title of my Blog site, I can’t fail to include verses about the sheep, Isaiah 53:6-7 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
But the verses I really want to comment on as my favorite verses today are:
Isaiah 52:10 The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
When I read this verse from Isaiah, I always picture a man rolling up his sleeves to begin working. When God rolls up his sleeves, all the nations will be watching and see the work that God is doing. He is busy saving souls and saving His people from their enemies. As His children, we are of the light, not of the night. We are to be watching for God to roll up His sleeves, and we are to be ready to go to work with Him. He warns us not to sleep; we must not get complacent doing worldly things and fail to be ready when God calls us to His work. Be awake, be watching, be ready to work.
What a promise that I am never alone!
Then, considering my name which I used for the title of my Blog site, I can’t fail to include verses about the sheep, Isaiah 53:6-7 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
But the verses I really want to comment on as my favorite verses today are:
Isaiah 52:10 The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
When I read this verse from Isaiah, I always picture a man rolling up his sleeves to begin working. When God rolls up his sleeves, all the nations will be watching and see the work that God is doing. He is busy saving souls and saving His people from their enemies. As His children, we are of the light, not of the night. We are to be watching for God to roll up His sleeves, and we are to be ready to go to work with Him. He warns us not to sleep; we must not get complacent doing worldly things and fail to be ready when God calls us to His work. Be awake, be watching, be ready to work.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Joy!
Today I read Isaiah 47:10-50:9 and 1 Thessalonians 3:1-4:8. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 49:13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
1 Thessalonians 3:8-9 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God.
I love these verses because they are full of joy. We can sing and give thanks to God because of the joy in our lives. But look more closely . . . the joy came after affliction. God had shown mercy and given comfort to his people, and then they were joyful. Even in 1 Thessalonians, it implies that there had been problems by the phrase “if ye stand fast in the Lord”. To stand fast means that you will not be moved or swayed. When problems come, we must cling to the Lord so that we will not be moved away from his presence. If we do so, then we will again have joy. God does not promise that everything will always be good for His children; but he does promise that if we remain faithful, the joy will return. Personally, I have faced a year with trials and heartache; but I have done my best to be faithful to God through it all. And I can testify to His goodness in my life. Today I have the great joy that is spoken of in these verses. God is Good!
Isaiah 49:13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
1 Thessalonians 3:8-9 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God.
I love these verses because they are full of joy. We can sing and give thanks to God because of the joy in our lives. But look more closely . . . the joy came after affliction. God had shown mercy and given comfort to his people, and then they were joyful. Even in 1 Thessalonians, it implies that there had been problems by the phrase “if ye stand fast in the Lord”. To stand fast means that you will not be moved or swayed. When problems come, we must cling to the Lord so that we will not be moved away from his presence. If we do so, then we will again have joy. God does not promise that everything will always be good for His children; but he does promise that if we remain faithful, the joy will return. Personally, I have faced a year with trials and heartache; but I have done my best to be faithful to God through it all. And I can testify to His goodness in my life. Today I have the great joy that is spoken of in these verses. God is Good!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Word of God
Today I read Isaiah 44:13-47:9 and 1 Thessalonians 2. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 45:22-23 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. 23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
The Word of God is clear in Isaiah: There is one and only one God and every knee will bow to Him and acknowledge that He is God. Believers tell others about God; we know Him as the one true God and Savior of mankind. We know because we have believed the Word that He spoke, “Look unto me, and be ye saved”. God Himself, who came in the flesh as Jesus Christ, lived among men for 33 years, and died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins—the sins of the whole world—IS the only way of salvation. We hear the Word from God, we speak the Word of God, we know it is truly His Word which works in us, and we give thanks to Him for His Word.
Isaiah 45:22-23 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. 23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
The Word of God is clear in Isaiah: There is one and only one God and every knee will bow to Him and acknowledge that He is God. Believers tell others about God; we know Him as the one true God and Savior of mankind. We know because we have believed the Word that He spoke, “Look unto me, and be ye saved”. God Himself, who came in the flesh as Jesus Christ, lived among men for 33 years, and died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins—the sins of the whole world—IS the only way of salvation. We hear the Word from God, we speak the Word of God, we know it is truly His Word which works in us, and we give thanks to Him for His Word.
Monday, October 19, 2009
One God, One Savior
Today I read Isaiah 42:1-44:12. I finished Colossians 4 and read 1 Thessalonians 1. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 43:10-11 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.
God’s command: “Ye are my witnesses”. There is one God and one Savior; there is no other way by which mankind can attain eternal life in heaven. Because this is true, we who know Him must labor without ceasing to spread the word so that others may know and be saved. Isaiah spoke to the nation of Israel; God wanted them to tell the world about Him—the one and only God from beginning to end. But Israel failed in the task; they wanted to keep God for themselves and be His only people. God had different plans; He offered salvation to all mankind by sending His Son Jesus to die as a sacrifice for our sins. Our hope rests in Him and the sacrifice He made for us. We must not fail. We MUST be witnesses to the world concerning the one and only HOPE of eternal life!
Isaiah 43:10-11 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.
God’s command: “Ye are my witnesses”. There is one God and one Savior; there is no other way by which mankind can attain eternal life in heaven. Because this is true, we who know Him must labor without ceasing to spread the word so that others may know and be saved. Isaiah spoke to the nation of Israel; God wanted them to tell the world about Him—the one and only God from beginning to end. But Israel failed in the task; they wanted to keep God for themselves and be His only people. God had different plans; He offered salvation to all mankind by sending His Son Jesus to die as a sacrifice for our sins. Our hope rests in Him and the sacrifice He made for us. We must not fail. We MUST be witnesses to the world concerning the one and only HOPE of eternal life!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Wait upon the Lord
Today I read Isaiah 40 and 41 and Colossians 3:8-4:4. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
The entire 40th Chapter of Isaiah has long been a favorite of mine; I have found it to be very encouraging when I have been discouraged by circumstances surrounding me. Verse 31 was once explained to me in a way that I thought made perfect sense. When we “wait upon the Lord” we do not sit around doing nothing. The reference is to the work done by a waiter or waitress in a restaurant. As they “wait on” tables, they watch to see when the customer needs something and they take care of that need. They listen to hear the customer if he asks for something, and they respond to the request. They seldom sit down because they “stand ready” to serve the customer. The more they DO, the better waiter or waitress they are thought to be; and, generally, the greater reward they receive. I have been told that “waiting” is very demanding and tiring work when it is done right. That is why those who wait on the Lord need renewed strength. God gives them strength so that they can continue to rise up, walk, and run for Him without getting worn out. And the verse in Colossians gives an added dimension to our service for the Lord—we are to do everything in the name of Jesus with thanksgiving. There are some jobs God asks us to do that it is hard to be thankful for. But He knows best! As we learn to thank God for all that we are allowed to say and do in His service, we grow into the mature Christians that He wants us to be.
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
The entire 40th Chapter of Isaiah has long been a favorite of mine; I have found it to be very encouraging when I have been discouraged by circumstances surrounding me. Verse 31 was once explained to me in a way that I thought made perfect sense. When we “wait upon the Lord” we do not sit around doing nothing. The reference is to the work done by a waiter or waitress in a restaurant. As they “wait on” tables, they watch to see when the customer needs something and they take care of that need. They listen to hear the customer if he asks for something, and they respond to the request. They seldom sit down because they “stand ready” to serve the customer. The more they DO, the better waiter or waitress they are thought to be; and, generally, the greater reward they receive. I have been told that “waiting” is very demanding and tiring work when it is done right. That is why those who wait on the Lord need renewed strength. God gives them strength so that they can continue to rise up, walk, and run for Him without getting worn out. And the verse in Colossians gives an added dimension to our service for the Lord—we are to do everything in the name of Jesus with thanksgiving. There are some jobs God asks us to do that it is hard to be thankful for. But He knows best! As we learn to thank God for all that we are allowed to say and do in His service, we grow into the mature Christians that He wants us to be.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Nailed!
Today I read Isaiah 37:5-39:8 and Colossians 2:9-3:7. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 37:36 Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
Colossians 2:13-15 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
In the letters of John we read that God is Love. This verse from Isaiah doesn’t sound very loving, does it? Stop and think for a moment—what could the Assyrians have done that would make a loving God send an angel to destroy 185,000 of them? They threatened His chosen people. They said that they would destroy the city of Jerusalem and that God couldn’t stop them! Be very careful about making arrogant statements saying what you will do—or what God can or cannot do. He just might SHOW YOU His power. If someone poses a threat to God’s people, he has the power to protect His own. In Colossians He reminds us that without Him we were dead; He chose to forgive us of our sins—nail them to His cross—and make us alive with Him. The “principalities and powers” in verse 15 are more than nations on earth; they refer also to the powers of Satan. Jesus Christ, by His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, triumphed over Satan and all his cohorts. We can share in this victory if we confess our sins and accept Jesus as our Savior. Satan will continue to fight against us, and he will win some battles; but the ultimate victory belongs to the Son of God who gave His life so that we can have life in Him. Make a commitment today to live that life in a way that brings glory to Him!
Isaiah 37:36 Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
Colossians 2:13-15 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
In the letters of John we read that God is Love. This verse from Isaiah doesn’t sound very loving, does it? Stop and think for a moment—what could the Assyrians have done that would make a loving God send an angel to destroy 185,000 of them? They threatened His chosen people. They said that they would destroy the city of Jerusalem and that God couldn’t stop them! Be very careful about making arrogant statements saying what you will do—or what God can or cannot do. He just might SHOW YOU His power. If someone poses a threat to God’s people, he has the power to protect His own. In Colossians He reminds us that without Him we were dead; He chose to forgive us of our sins—nail them to His cross—and make us alive with Him. The “principalities and powers” in verse 15 are more than nations on earth; they refer also to the powers of Satan. Jesus Christ, by His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, triumphed over Satan and all his cohorts. We can share in this victory if we confess our sins and accept Jesus as our Savior. Satan will continue to fight against us, and he will win some battles; but the ultimate victory belongs to the Son of God who gave His life so that we can have life in Him. Make a commitment today to live that life in a way that brings glory to Him!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Peace and Joy
Today I read Isaiah 33:15-37:4 and Colossians 1:16-2:8. My favorite verses are:
Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Isaiah 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
I put the verse from Colossians first because it is a prerequisite to the verse in Isaiah. We must be reconciled (made right) to God by the blood Christ shed on the cross before we can be part of the group returning to Zion with joy. Not only did the earth need to be made right in God’s sight, but heaven also must be cleansed. Remember in Job that Satan stood before God in heaven accusing Job. Before the redeemed enter heaven for eternity, there will be a new heaven where Satan has never entered. There will be nothing to diminish our joy and gladness—not even a sigh of nostalgia for what has been or might have been. Everything will be perfect, and God’s people will be perfectly happy. God gives us a taste of that here on earth as we associate with other Christians; we experience joy as we serve God together and see fruit borne in lives we touch. But it is like comparing an atom with the universe; we cannot even imagine the fullness of joy that will come to us when we enter heaven with the ransomed of the Lord!
Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Isaiah 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
I put the verse from Colossians first because it is a prerequisite to the verse in Isaiah. We must be reconciled (made right) to God by the blood Christ shed on the cross before we can be part of the group returning to Zion with joy. Not only did the earth need to be made right in God’s sight, but heaven also must be cleansed. Remember in Job that Satan stood before God in heaven accusing Job. Before the redeemed enter heaven for eternity, there will be a new heaven where Satan has never entered. There will be nothing to diminish our joy and gladness—not even a sigh of nostalgia for what has been or might have been. Everything will be perfect, and God’s people will be perfectly happy. God gives us a taste of that here on earth as we associate with other Christians; we experience joy as we serve God together and see fruit borne in lives we touch. But it is like comparing an atom with the universe; we cannot even imagine the fullness of joy that will come to us when we enter heaven with the ransomed of the Lord!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Choose Peace
Today I read Isaiah 30:14-33:14 and Philippians 4:17-Colossians 1:15. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 30:15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
Isaiah 32:17-18 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. 18And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
Colossians 1:9-10 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.
When God gives us clear direction in our lives and tells us the rewards of following His direction as He does in these verses, isn’t it sad that our response is often the same as Israel’s was to the prophecy of Isaiah—“and ye would not”! I am amazed and ashamed that I can be so willful and stubborn as to choose my own path instead of following God’s direction. We rob ourselves of God’s blessings when we choose to live that way. God has offered us peace and quietness and safe homes to live in, yet we rebel and refuse to obey Him. Look around you and see the results; we live in a society plagued by terrorism, violence, perversion, abuse; we are surrounded by people filled with fear. Wouldn’t we all rather be filled with the knowledge of God’s will and be fruitful in every good work?!! Isaiah tells us God’s three R’s for obtaining peace—Return, Rest, and work Righteousness. Thank God there are Christians who “do not cease to pray”. Make every effort today to walk worthy of the Lord. Let’s turn our country and our world around by increasing in the knowledge of God and living according to His will.
Isaiah 30:15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
Isaiah 32:17-18 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. 18And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
Colossians 1:9-10 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.
When God gives us clear direction in our lives and tells us the rewards of following His direction as He does in these verses, isn’t it sad that our response is often the same as Israel’s was to the prophecy of Isaiah—“and ye would not”! I am amazed and ashamed that I can be so willful and stubborn as to choose my own path instead of following God’s direction. We rob ourselves of God’s blessings when we choose to live that way. God has offered us peace and quietness and safe homes to live in, yet we rebel and refuse to obey Him. Look around you and see the results; we live in a society plagued by terrorism, violence, perversion, abuse; we are surrounded by people filled with fear. Wouldn’t we all rather be filled with the knowledge of God’s will and be fruitful in every good work?!! Isaiah tells us God’s three R’s for obtaining peace—Return, Rest, and work Righteousness. Thank God there are Christians who “do not cease to pray”. Make every effort today to walk worthy of the Lord. Let’s turn our country and our world around by increasing in the knowledge of God and living according to His will.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Our Foundation
Today I read Isaiah 28:4-30:13 and Philippians 3:16-4:16. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 28: 16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
God’s prophet spoke of the coming of Jesus—a foundation stone, tried and precious and sure. Because of who and what He is, we have peace. In a world filled with turmoil and suffering, we can still have peace in our hearts. It doesn’t make sense, but it happens—“the peace of God, which passeth all understanding”. God’s children don’t have to be stressed out. When we begin to feel that way, we need to come back to Him and rest in His promises. The phrase “he that believeth shall not make haste” is rather open-ended; I think it could mean different things to different people. Do you feel like you have to hurry all the time just to keep up? Slow down and let God take control. Do you make decisions quickly without spending time thinking and praying about God’s will in the matter? Believers need to take time to seek God and be sure decisions we make are pleasing to Him. When you have a job to complete, do you rush to get it done so that you can do something fun? Believers should do a good job even if it takes more time, especially if it is for someone else. The example we set of being dependable—or NOT—reflects on all Christians. Don’t “make haste” and be sloppy in your work. Remember Who you belong to, and make Him proud of the things you build on the foundation He has set.
Isaiah 28: 16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
God’s prophet spoke of the coming of Jesus—a foundation stone, tried and precious and sure. Because of who and what He is, we have peace. In a world filled with turmoil and suffering, we can still have peace in our hearts. It doesn’t make sense, but it happens—“the peace of God, which passeth all understanding”. God’s children don’t have to be stressed out. When we begin to feel that way, we need to come back to Him and rest in His promises. The phrase “he that believeth shall not make haste” is rather open-ended; I think it could mean different things to different people. Do you feel like you have to hurry all the time just to keep up? Slow down and let God take control. Do you make decisions quickly without spending time thinking and praying about God’s will in the matter? Believers need to take time to seek God and be sure decisions we make are pleasing to Him. When you have a job to complete, do you rush to get it done so that you can do something fun? Believers should do a good job even if it takes more time, especially if it is for someone else. The example we set of being dependable—or NOT—reflects on all Christians. Don’t “make haste” and be sloppy in your work. Remember Who you belong to, and make Him proud of the things you build on the foundation He has set.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Victory in Jesus
Today I read Isaiah 24:10-28:3 and Philippians 2:24-3:15. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 25:8-9 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. 9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
There is a gospel song that says, “I’ve read the back of the book, and we win!” That is what today’s verses remind me of. If we had stopped reading yesterday or the day before in Isaiah, thoughts of the future would have been very depressing. But today, we see VICTORY! God did not leave His chosen people captive in a foreign land; he brought them back to the Promised Land. When that day came, they rejoiced. In the same way, we can believe that God will not leave us lost and dying. “He will save us.” Jesus died on the cross so that we could have life; we must accept Him as our Savior in order to lay hold of eternal life. As Paul said in Philippians, we must forget what is behind us and reach out to Jesus. He is there waiting to receive us and then to reward us for our service to Him. God is Good; take hold of His blessings today. Don’t be defeated—be VICTORIOUS by the power of Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 25:8-9 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. 9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
There is a gospel song that says, “I’ve read the back of the book, and we win!” That is what today’s verses remind me of. If we had stopped reading yesterday or the day before in Isaiah, thoughts of the future would have been very depressing. But today, we see VICTORY! God did not leave His chosen people captive in a foreign land; he brought them back to the Promised Land. When that day came, they rejoiced. In the same way, we can believe that God will not leave us lost and dying. “He will save us.” Jesus died on the cross so that we could have life; we must accept Him as our Savior in order to lay hold of eternal life. As Paul said in Philippians, we must forget what is behind us and reach out to Jesus. He is there waiting to receive us and then to reward us for our service to Him. God is Good; take hold of His blessings today. Don’t be defeated—be VICTORIOUS by the power of Christ Jesus.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Judgment, but when?
Today I read Isaiah 21:7-24:9 and Philippians 2:1-23. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 24:3-4 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. 4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
Philippians 2:14-15 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.
It was hard to choose “favorite” verses from Isaiah today because the entire passage spoke of judgment and punishment of the nations. They had refused to acknowledge God and His power—they were haughty, unrepentant. Isaiah prophesied that they would be wiped out; the land would be emptied. There was no word of hope in these verses. Then I went to the New Testament and found that missing hope—Christians are to “shine as lights in the world”. Even though we may live “in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation”, we can still serve God. And we are to do so without whining and complaining. If we allow God to use us in His service, we CAN make a difference. Judgment will still come, but some will have been saved from judgment because of our witness. God, in His mercy, is giving us more time to spread the Gospel; He doesn’t delight in bringing judgment—He wants people to be saved. But he is a just God and must punish the sin of those who refuse to repent. And no one knows when He will say, “It is enough!” We must witness NOW, before it is too late.
Isaiah 24:3-4 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. 4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
Philippians 2:14-15 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.
It was hard to choose “favorite” verses from Isaiah today because the entire passage spoke of judgment and punishment of the nations. They had refused to acknowledge God and His power—they were haughty, unrepentant. Isaiah prophesied that they would be wiped out; the land would be emptied. There was no word of hope in these verses. Then I went to the New Testament and found that missing hope—Christians are to “shine as lights in the world”. Even though we may live “in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation”, we can still serve God. And we are to do so without whining and complaining. If we allow God to use us in His service, we CAN make a difference. Judgment will still come, but some will have been saved from judgment because of our witness. God, in His mercy, is giving us more time to spread the Gospel; He doesn’t delight in bringing judgment—He wants people to be saved. But he is a just God and must punish the sin of those who refuse to repent. And no one knows when He will say, “It is enough!” We must witness NOW, before it is too late.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Watch and Declare
Today I read Isaiah 16:10-21:6 and finished Philippians 1. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 21:6 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.
Philippians 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.
Are you watching? Do you believe? Are you suffering for HIS sake? There is way too much suffering in this world, but how many of us suffer because we are devoted to serving God in the name of Jesus? We should count it a privilege if we suffer for Jesus and with Jesus—remember what He suffered for us! We need to be watchful concerning temptations and troubles coming from Satan, but we also need to be watchful for opportunities to serve the Lord. How far are we willing to go in serving Him? Sitting in a cushioned pew on Sunday morning listening to a feel-good message about the blessings of God is referred to as a worship service. I pray that it is worship, but it is not service. What we do after we leave the building is service—if in fact we do something for the cause of Christ after we leave the building?! What are you doing for Jesus outside the church building? Is He pleased, or is He grieved because of our lack of commitment? You do talk to Him on a regular basis, right?! Ask Him if you are where He wants you to be and doing what He wants you to do. Then LISTEN for His answer if you dare.
Isaiah 21:6 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.
Philippians 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.
Are you watching? Do you believe? Are you suffering for HIS sake? There is way too much suffering in this world, but how many of us suffer because we are devoted to serving God in the name of Jesus? We should count it a privilege if we suffer for Jesus and with Jesus—remember what He suffered for us! We need to be watchful concerning temptations and troubles coming from Satan, but we also need to be watchful for opportunities to serve the Lord. How far are we willing to go in serving Him? Sitting in a cushioned pew on Sunday morning listening to a feel-good message about the blessings of God is referred to as a worship service. I pray that it is worship, but it is not service. What we do after we leave the building is service—if in fact we do something for the cause of Christ after we leave the building?! What are you doing for Jesus outside the church building? Is He pleased, or is He grieved because of our lack of commitment? You do talk to Him on a regular basis, right?! Ask Him if you are where He wants you to be and doing what He wants you to do. Then LISTEN for His answer if you dare.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Put on the Armor
Today I finished Isaiah 13 and read 14-16. I finished Ephesians 6 and read nine verses in Philippians. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 14:24 and 27 24 The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: 27 For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Today’s verses speak of judgment. It is not a message we want to hear, but it is a true and necessary response of God to the wickedness in the world. When God stretches out His hand to punish the evil ones, He provides protection for His children. We can be covered with the armour of God if we choose to. That is the only way we can be safe in the evil day. God is very patient; He withholds judgment to give the wicked a chance to repent and be saved. But He will not wait forever—He will judge and punish the wicked who refuse to repent. And that punishment will be eternal; once the hand of God is stretched out, it will not turn back. He has complete control, and Satan will be defeated. As long as we Christians are in this world, God gives us the help we need to fight Satan on a daily basis. If we faithfully put on the armor described in the sixth chapter of Ephesians, we can withstand the attacks of the enemy and serve God day by day until the time that He says, “It is enough!” Then He will stretch out His hand and defeat the devil so that he will never rise up again.
Later this morning I am going to another rehearsal of The Christmas House at Stained Glass Theatre. It is my prayer that we will withstand the attacks of Satan as we prepare to present this play as a witness to the goodness of God in our lives.
Isaiah 14:24 and 27 24 The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: 27 For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Today’s verses speak of judgment. It is not a message we want to hear, but it is a true and necessary response of God to the wickedness in the world. When God stretches out His hand to punish the evil ones, He provides protection for His children. We can be covered with the armour of God if we choose to. That is the only way we can be safe in the evil day. God is very patient; He withholds judgment to give the wicked a chance to repent and be saved. But He will not wait forever—He will judge and punish the wicked who refuse to repent. And that punishment will be eternal; once the hand of God is stretched out, it will not turn back. He has complete control, and Satan will be defeated. As long as we Christians are in this world, God gives us the help we need to fight Satan on a daily basis. If we faithfully put on the armor described in the sixth chapter of Ephesians, we can withstand the attacks of the enemy and serve God day by day until the time that He says, “It is enough!” Then He will stretch out His hand and defeat the devil so that he will never rise up again.
Later this morning I am going to another rehearsal of The Christmas House at Stained Glass Theatre. It is my prayer that we will withstand the attacks of Satan as we prepare to present this play as a witness to the goodness of God in our lives.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Strong in the Lord
Today I read Isaiah 10, 11, 12, and 13:1-9 as well as Ephesians 5:23-6:. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 12:2-3 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Ephesians 6:10-11 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
All of these verses are so encouraging when we feel weak or downhearted. We can draw strength from the Lord. He provides armor to protect us from the devil and his cruel attacks. He gives us joy in our salvation! Christians should be the happiest people on earth—because we know this earth is not our home, and it’s problems are only temporary. I rejoice in the presence of the Lord, but the last verse I read in Isaiah today was not one of joy:
Isaiah 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
Those who are not Christians have no hope; they will face the fierce anger of the Lord. They will be destroyed out of the earth and face an eternity of torment. They may seem to be happy in the lives they live on this earth, but for them it is only temporary. What a contrast! If you are not a Christian—if you have never asked Jesus to forgive your sins and save your soul, consider your end. Would you rather have temporary problems followed by eternal happiness, or do you want the temporary happiness followed by eternal torment? Seems like a no-brainer, but you must make a conscious choice to seek and follow Jesus. If you do not, you are condemned as Isaiah 13:9 clearly describes.
Isaiah 12:2-3 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Ephesians 6:10-11 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
All of these verses are so encouraging when we feel weak or downhearted. We can draw strength from the Lord. He provides armor to protect us from the devil and his cruel attacks. He gives us joy in our salvation! Christians should be the happiest people on earth—because we know this earth is not our home, and it’s problems are only temporary. I rejoice in the presence of the Lord, but the last verse I read in Isaiah today was not one of joy:
Isaiah 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
Those who are not Christians have no hope; they will face the fierce anger of the Lord. They will be destroyed out of the earth and face an eternity of torment. They may seem to be happy in the lives they live on this earth, but for them it is only temporary. What a contrast! If you are not a Christian—if you have never asked Jesus to forgive your sins and save your soul, consider your end. Would you rather have temporary problems followed by eternal happiness, or do you want the temporary happiness followed by eternal torment? Seems like a no-brainer, but you must make a conscious choice to seek and follow Jesus. If you do not, you are condemned as Isaiah 13:9 clearly describes.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Christmas Is Coming
Today I read Isaiah 7, 8, 9 and Ephesians 5:1-22. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Ephesians 5:19-20 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
With my new role in the Christmas production at Stained Glass Theatre, it is no wonder these Christmas verses jumped out at me as I read them. It is wonderful that thoughts turn more to our Lord at Christmas time, but it would be better if we were more mindful of him the year round. The verse in Ephesians reminds us to give thanks ALWAYS, not just during the “holiday season”. The Child born in Bethlehem is Immanuel—God with us; but He is also The mighty God and The everlasting Father. He is not limited to one place or time, he is always everywhere and should be worshiped always everywhere in our lives.
Ephesians 5:19 spoke to me in another way as well. I have told my church family that music is my therapy. When I grieved for my loss at the death of my husband last year, I played the piano and sang songs to God. When I rejoiced over victories during the Evangelism Conference and in Vacation Bible School and our Revival, I sang songs to God. In the past two weeks as God has richly blessed me, I continue to sing songs to God. Whether you sing as I do or worship in other ways, draw close to God today and give thanks for all things in the name of Jesus!
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Ephesians 5:19-20 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
With my new role in the Christmas production at Stained Glass Theatre, it is no wonder these Christmas verses jumped out at me as I read them. It is wonderful that thoughts turn more to our Lord at Christmas time, but it would be better if we were more mindful of him the year round. The verse in Ephesians reminds us to give thanks ALWAYS, not just during the “holiday season”. The Child born in Bethlehem is Immanuel—God with us; but He is also The mighty God and The everlasting Father. He is not limited to one place or time, he is always everywhere and should be worshiped always everywhere in our lives.
Ephesians 5:19 spoke to me in another way as well. I have told my church family that music is my therapy. When I grieved for my loss at the death of my husband last year, I played the piano and sang songs to God. When I rejoiced over victories during the Evangelism Conference and in Vacation Bible School and our Revival, I sang songs to God. In the past two weeks as God has richly blessed me, I continue to sing songs to God. Whether you sing as I do or worship in other ways, draw close to God today and give thanks for all things in the name of Jesus!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Send Me
Today I read Isaiah 4, 5, and 6, and I read Ephesians 4:11-32. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
When we accept Jesus Christ into our lives and experience salvation, we become a new creation. God, like a potter, does not throw the old clay away; but He shapes it into a new vessel that will be useful and bring honor to Him. We are most useful when we yield ourselves completely to God and allow Him to send us where He wants us to be. What a different world this would be if every Christian responded to God as Isaiah did, “Here am I; send me.” If we remained busy in God’s work, it would be much more difficult for Satan to slip into our lives and spoil our witness. God will hold us as close to Himself as we allow Him to. We are the ones who pull away and try to do things on our own. God allows us to make choices, even bad ones; but it grieves His heart when He sees us suffering for it. He wants to hold us in His arms and protect us from evil. When He sends us, He is our postage stamp—unless He remains stuck to us, we cannot reach our destination.
How blessed I am to be entering into a new work with Christian brothers and sisters. In our prayer time Monday night at Stained Glass Theater, we agreed in a covenant prayer to ask God to deliver us from every attack of the enemy. We know He will be faithful to do so.
Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
When we accept Jesus Christ into our lives and experience salvation, we become a new creation. God, like a potter, does not throw the old clay away; but He shapes it into a new vessel that will be useful and bring honor to Him. We are most useful when we yield ourselves completely to God and allow Him to send us where He wants us to be. What a different world this would be if every Christian responded to God as Isaiah did, “Here am I; send me.” If we remained busy in God’s work, it would be much more difficult for Satan to slip into our lives and spoil our witness. God will hold us as close to Himself as we allow Him to. We are the ones who pull away and try to do things on our own. God allows us to make choices, even bad ones; but it grieves His heart when He sees us suffering for it. He wants to hold us in His arms and protect us from evil. When He sends us, He is our postage stamp—unless He remains stuck to us, we cannot reach our destination.
How blessed I am to be entering into a new work with Christian brothers and sisters. In our prayer time Monday night at Stained Glass Theater, we agreed in a covenant prayer to ask God to deliver us from every attack of the enemy. We know He will be faithful to do so.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Clean up
Today I read the first three chapters of Isaiah and Ephesians 3:10-4:10. My favorite verses are:
Isaiah 1:16-18 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Ephesians 3:20-21 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
When the prophet Isaiah told the people of Israel to clean themselves up and stop doing evil things, it is important that we realize it wasn’t enough! We can never make ourselves clean enough to be right with God. When the Lord called them to come to Him and reason together, he promised that their sins would be completely cleansed leaving them white. He would do the cleansing! The verses in Ephesians expand on that thought—God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. His power and glory are eternal; when He cleans us up, He has the power to keep us clean by the blood of Jesus Christ who gave His life for us. When we come before God without Jesus as our Savior, he sees the filthiness of our sins and turns away. But when we come to him through Jesus after we have been saved, he sees the clean slate of forgiven sins and welcomes us into His presence.
I have to share that before rehearsal at Stained Glass Theatre last night we had an hour-long prayer meeting. It was amazing; God’s Spirit filled the auditorium as we sang and prayed and glorified His name. I told some of the other participants that it was better than a revival meeting! I am humbled that God has allowed me to become a part of the SGT family in addition to my church family and my physical family. I am so blessed, I can’t thank Him enough—it really is “exceeding abundantly” more than I ever imagined. I pray that I will bring honor and glory to God in all that I do with this gift that He has given me.
Isaiah 1:16-18 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Ephesians 3:20-21 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
When the prophet Isaiah told the people of Israel to clean themselves up and stop doing evil things, it is important that we realize it wasn’t enough! We can never make ourselves clean enough to be right with God. When the Lord called them to come to Him and reason together, he promised that their sins would be completely cleansed leaving them white. He would do the cleansing! The verses in Ephesians expand on that thought—God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. His power and glory are eternal; when He cleans us up, He has the power to keep us clean by the blood of Jesus Christ who gave His life for us. When we come before God without Jesus as our Savior, he sees the filthiness of our sins and turns away. But when we come to him through Jesus after we have been saved, he sees the clean slate of forgiven sins and welcomes us into His presence.
I have to share that before rehearsal at Stained Glass Theatre last night we had an hour-long prayer meeting. It was amazing; God’s Spirit filled the auditorium as we sang and prayed and glorified His name. I told some of the other participants that it was better than a revival meeting! I am humbled that God has allowed me to become a part of the SGT family in addition to my church family and my physical family. I am so blessed, I can’t thank Him enough—it really is “exceeding abundantly” more than I ever imagined. I pray that I will bring honor and glory to God in all that I do with this gift that He has given me.
Monday, October 5, 2009
SPLASH!
Today I read Ephesians 2:10-3:9 and finished Song of Solomon. My favorite verses are:
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Song of Solomon 8:7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.
I said yesterday that there was much growing to do after we are saved. Ephesians 2:10 was the verse I had in mind. We cannot work to be saved, but we should work for the Lord continually after we are saved. We grow as we serve! And we bear fruit as Christians. One of the verses in Friday’s scripture was Galatians 5:22 which lists the fruit of the Spirit—first on the list is LOVE. And doesn’t Solomon describe true love beautifully? You can’t buy it, and you can’t quench it; it comes from God who is Perfect Love. As His children, we should be showing that love to others. Our church has had a central theme for most of this year; we call it SPLASH. It stands for the phrase “Show People Love, And Share Him”. As Christians, we need to be splashing everyone around us every day everywhere we go. If I see you somewhere today, I pray that I will SPLASH you!
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Song of Solomon 8:7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.
I said yesterday that there was much growing to do after we are saved. Ephesians 2:10 was the verse I had in mind. We cannot work to be saved, but we should work for the Lord continually after we are saved. We grow as we serve! And we bear fruit as Christians. One of the verses in Friday’s scripture was Galatians 5:22 which lists the fruit of the Spirit—first on the list is LOVE. And doesn’t Solomon describe true love beautifully? You can’t buy it, and you can’t quench it; it comes from God who is Perfect Love. As His children, we should be showing that love to others. Our church has had a central theme for most of this year; we call it SPLASH. It stands for the phrase “Show People Love, And Share Him”. As Christians, we need to be splashing everyone around us every day everywhere we go. If I see you somewhere today, I pray that I will SPLASH you!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
New Life
Today I read the first four chapters in Song of Solomon and Ephesians 1:11-2:9. My favorite verses are:
Song of Solomon 2:11-12 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; 12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
I realize that we are at exactly the opposite end of the season spectrum to that described here, but the verses in Song of Solomon reminded me that God controls the seasons—they come and go because he established the order of creation. Some people think springtime is the best time of the year because it is a time of awakening of plants and animals after the long sleep of winter. Do you see how that is reflected in a spiritual context with the verses from Ephesians? Salvation is new life—a spiritual awakening from being, not just asleep, but dead in sin. We see just such physical/spiritual comparisons all through the Bible. The physical is but an image of the spiritual. We are made in the image of God and drawn to him by the great love that He has for us as His creation. But He wants much more; He desires a spiritual relationship with us. He wants us to be part of His family forever. We cannot accomplish salvation by works any more than a flower can grow itself from nothing. A seed must be planted—God’s Spirit convicting us of the sin in our lives. The soil must be right; there must be water and sunshine and proper care for the flower to grow. God must supply us with faith and grace before we can be saved.
After we are saved, there is much more growing to do, but that is in tomorrow’s scripture. I was blessed today by the messages in our worship services. Our Youth Minister Tony Young challenged us to be faithful in prayer as we seek the will of the Lord in our lives. He asked us to commit ourselves to live the next thirty days as if they were the last days of our lives. Would you do things differently if you only had a month to live? I hope you will think about that as you go about your daily routine; and maybe, just maybe, it won’t be so routine!
Song of Solomon 2:11-12 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; 12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
I realize that we are at exactly the opposite end of the season spectrum to that described here, but the verses in Song of Solomon reminded me that God controls the seasons—they come and go because he established the order of creation. Some people think springtime is the best time of the year because it is a time of awakening of plants and animals after the long sleep of winter. Do you see how that is reflected in a spiritual context with the verses from Ephesians? Salvation is new life—a spiritual awakening from being, not just asleep, but dead in sin. We see just such physical/spiritual comparisons all through the Bible. The physical is but an image of the spiritual. We are made in the image of God and drawn to him by the great love that He has for us as His creation. But He wants much more; He desires a spiritual relationship with us. He wants us to be part of His family forever. We cannot accomplish salvation by works any more than a flower can grow itself from nothing. A seed must be planted—God’s Spirit convicting us of the sin in our lives. The soil must be right; there must be water and sunshine and proper care for the flower to grow. God must supply us with faith and grace before we can be saved.
After we are saved, there is much more growing to do, but that is in tomorrow’s scripture. I was blessed today by the messages in our worship services. Our Youth Minister Tony Young challenged us to be faithful in prayer as we seek the will of the Lord in our lives. He asked us to commit ourselves to live the next thirty days as if they were the last days of our lives. Would you do things differently if you only had a month to live? I hope you will think about that as you go about your daily routine; and maybe, just maybe, it won’t be so routine!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Do well
Today I finished Ecclesiastes 9-12 and read Galatians 6 and half of the first chapter of Ephesians. My favorite verses are:
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
In a nutshell, obey God and don’t ever get tired of it—there is a reward. I often said when I was teaching school, “There are some days that I think will never end, but the years are gone before you know it.” I think it will seem even more like that when we are at home with the Lord—our life here is only a vapor and will be gone in a moment, and then we will have eternity to spend in the presence of God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit reaping the reward of doing well in this life. This is only true, of course, for those who are saved by faith in Jesus. The lost will have an eternity reaping the punishment of rejecting Christ as Savior. Even the good things they have done in their own power will have burned up as worthless debris.
Galatians 6:9 is a favorite verse of mine for another reason. It was the theme that we chose for the Baptist Church in Cape Fair, MO, when we started the mission work there in 1965. At the first service there were eleven people—six were in my family, four were in the preacher’s family, and one man walked over from his home next door to see what we were doing. Now there is a thriving church serving the Lord in Cape Fair. They continue to reap the harvest of well doing as they fear God and keep His commandments.
I am excited today to begin rehearsals for the Stained Glass Theatre’s production of “The Christmas House”. I continue to pray that God will use me to witness for Him through this.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
In a nutshell, obey God and don’t ever get tired of it—there is a reward. I often said when I was teaching school, “There are some days that I think will never end, but the years are gone before you know it.” I think it will seem even more like that when we are at home with the Lord—our life here is only a vapor and will be gone in a moment, and then we will have eternity to spend in the presence of God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit reaping the reward of doing well in this life. This is only true, of course, for those who are saved by faith in Jesus. The lost will have an eternity reaping the punishment of rejecting Christ as Savior. Even the good things they have done in their own power will have burned up as worthless debris.
Galatians 6:9 is a favorite verse of mine for another reason. It was the theme that we chose for the Baptist Church in Cape Fair, MO, when we started the mission work there in 1965. At the first service there were eleven people—six were in my family, four were in the preacher’s family, and one man walked over from his home next door to see what we were doing. Now there is a thriving church serving the Lord in Cape Fair. They continue to reap the harvest of well doing as they fear God and keep His commandments.
I am excited today to begin rehearsals for the Stained Glass Theatre’s production of “The Christmas House”. I continue to pray that God will use me to witness for Him through this.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Saint or Sinner; Something or Nothing
Today I read the rest of Ecclesiastes 5 and all of 6, 7, and 8. I also read Galatians 5:11-6:6. My favorite verses are:
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Galatians 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Talk about being put in your place! We have nothing to boast about within ourselves apart from God dwelling in us. He has blessed me so much lately; I hope that I haven’t made it sound like I was boasting about my accomplishments. I owe everything to Him; I truly believe He opened the doors of opportunity and gave me the push to walk through them. Reading these verses can be very encouraging when we find ourselves caught up in a sinful situation. EVERYONE does it; we are not worse than other Christians when we sin, and they have no right to look down on us. We have all sinned; what we do afterwards is the test of our walk with God—do we confess our sins and ask Him to forgive us, or do we try to hide them and pretend we didn’t really do anything wrong? God wants to forgive us and restore fellowship with us; but we have to ask! Failure to repent and seek forgiveness is worse than whatever sin we need to be forgiven for. Don’t deceive yourself—Humble yourself, and God will lift you up. Thank God for his mercy and grace.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Galatians 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Talk about being put in your place! We have nothing to boast about within ourselves apart from God dwelling in us. He has blessed me so much lately; I hope that I haven’t made it sound like I was boasting about my accomplishments. I owe everything to Him; I truly believe He opened the doors of opportunity and gave me the push to walk through them. Reading these verses can be very encouraging when we find ourselves caught up in a sinful situation. EVERYONE does it; we are not worse than other Christians when we sin, and they have no right to look down on us. We have all sinned; what we do afterwards is the test of our walk with God—do we confess our sins and ask Him to forgive us, or do we try to hide them and pretend we didn’t really do anything wrong? God wants to forgive us and restore fellowship with us; but we have to ask! Failure to repent and seek forgiveness is worse than whatever sin we need to be forgiven for. Don’t deceive yourself—Humble yourself, and God will lift you up. Thank God for his mercy and grace.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Liberty in Christ
Today I read Ecclesiastes 2:16-5:14 and Galatians 4:20-5:10. My favorite verses are:
Ecclesiastes 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Both of these verses remind me of my own insignificance when I am compared with God and Christ. They are in heaven; I am on earth. They have all knowledge; I have limited learning. They have given me liberty to choose what I will say and do. The bad news is that when I make choices without seeking God’s will, I often end up in trouble—entangled with the yoke of the bondage of sin. Our liberty in Christ is the freedom to live in His image obeying His will. As Christians, we are free to do as we please. The very name, Christian, says we are involved with or belonging to Christ. THAT should please us—following Him, obeying Him. We have liberty IN Christ, not liberty FROM Christ. He gave His life so that we could have liberty to live ours in His image.
Ecclesiastes 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Both of these verses remind me of my own insignificance when I am compared with God and Christ. They are in heaven; I am on earth. They have all knowledge; I have limited learning. They have given me liberty to choose what I will say and do. The bad news is that when I make choices without seeking God’s will, I often end up in trouble—entangled with the yoke of the bondage of sin. Our liberty in Christ is the freedom to live in His image obeying His will. As Christians, we are free to do as we please. The very name, Christian, says we are involved with or belonging to Christ. THAT should please us—following Him, obeying Him. We have liberty IN Christ, not liberty FROM Christ. He gave His life so that we could have liberty to live ours in His image.
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