Isaiah 1:1-2:22 + 2 Corinthians 10:1-18 + Psalm 52:1-9 + Proverbs 22:26-27
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Old Testament – Today we begin the book of the prophet Isaiah! A powerful quote from Bible.org at this link about this book is: “The Book of Isaiah is one of the most important books of the Old Testament. While little is known of the personal life of the prophet, he is considered to be one of the greatest of them all. The book is a collection of oracles, prophecies, and reports; but the common theme is the message of salvation. There was, according to these writings, no hope in anything that was made by people… There would be a purging of the nation because God is holy. Before the nation could inherit the promises made to the fathers, it would have to be made holy.”
~ Isaiah ~
Author: Isaiah
Date: Eighth century B.C.
Content: Isaiah’s long ministry lasted almost sixty years and covered the reigns of four kings, the last one being Hezekiah, the reformer. Isaiah was sent primarily to Judah, although his message concerns the northern kingdom of Israel as well. He lived through the awful days of the civil war between Israel and Judah in 734-732 B.C. and saw the destruction of Israel by Assyria in 722 B.C. the grim lesson taught by Israel’s fall was not lost on Isaiah, and he used it to encourage Hezekiah to trust in the Lord. The Lord delivered Judah from the mighty Assyrian army by sending a plague to destroy the camp. Isaiah also looked beyond his own time to the coming exile of Judah and the deliverance that God would provide.
Theme: Isaiah was one of Jesus’ favorite books and he quoted it frequently, because the central them is salvation. God is seen as the Savior of his people, who redeemed them from Egypt, who will redeem them from their coming captivity, and who will send his beloved Servant to bear the sins of us all (Isaiah 53:6). God freely offers to pardon all who will turn to him in repentance and faith. The future kingdom of God on earth is also described in exquisite detail as a time when men will lay down their swords and, in peace, sing praises to God their King. (Above commentary is from Tyndale Publishers “The One Year Bible Companion” p. 11) More great commentary on the book of Isaiah is at this link. Below is a portrait of the prophet Isaiah by artist Guy Rowe:
Today in Isaiah chapter 1 verses 2 and 3 we read these words of the prophet Isaiah: “Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” These words were spoken to the Israelites in the 8th century B.C., but do you suppose they can apply to our modern world today as well? Do we know God? Do we truly understand God? I do think that sometimes we can forget that God is our Father. We are his children. He has brought us up. And we have rebelled. Is an ox at times smarter than us in terms of knowing who its master is? Do we truly know who our master is? I’m afraid sometimes I live my life as if I am my own master. I am “master of my own destiny!” Well. . . am I really? What about you. Who is your master day in and day out? Do you know your Master? Do you understand?
Bible Project: Here is a great video overview of the book of Isaiah!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0A6Uchb1F8
New Testament – Wow… I love Paul’s words to the church in Second Corinthians chapter 10 verses 3 through 5: “We are human, but we don’t wage war with human plans and methods. We use God’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ.” This is incredibly powerful for us to realize. We are human. God is God. We are not God. But, good news is that we have access to God’s “weapons” through our relationship with his son Jesus. And trust me. In this fallen world, we need God’s weapons. We need his strength. We need his grace. We need his forgiveness. We need his miracles. We need his Son. These are the only ways that we will knock down the Devil’s strongholds in our lives and in others lives. How do we access God’s mighty weapons? My personal opinion is that prayer is one of the best things we can do in this regards. I don’t know about you, but I do not pray enough. However, just lately I’ve been praying a bit more, and I’ll tell you, God has moved! Prayer is such a beautiful mystery. We need it like the air we breathe. Please pray. Other ways to access God’s mighty weapons are certainly reading and studying God’s Word daily, investing in a church community at least weekly (even more is better via small groups, etc.), and confessing and repenting and fleeing from sin. Then, with God’s weapons we are called to introduce others to who God is and teach them to obey Christ. How are you accessing God’s mighty weapons these days? Are you praying? Are you reading and studying the Bible daily? Are you investing in a church community weekly? Are you confessing and repenting and fleeing from sin? Or are you relying on your human plans and methods to make it through the day? Are you relying on worldly weapons? Will you seek instead God’s mighty weapons?
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Second Corinthians titled “Contrasting Christian Leaders With the Cultists” is at this link.
Psalms – Verse 9 in Psalm 52 stood out to me today – “”I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will wait for your mercies in the presence of your people.” Are you looking forward to praising God forever? Are you willing to wait for God? If things don’t seem to be moving as quickly as you would like them to in your spiritual life, will you still wait for God? And will you do so in the presence of God’s people? Do you believe that being part of a church community can help you during a time of waiting for the Lord? And do you believe that you can help others in your church to wait as well? Then, together you can look forward to praising God forever for what he has done and will do!
Proverbs – We read an interesting Proverb today in chapter 22 verses 26 & 27: “Do not co-sign another person’s note or put up a guarantee for someone else’s loan. If you can’t pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under you.” I’ve always been intrigued by these types of Proverbs / verses in the Bible. Verses that basically say don’t co-sign or guarantee anybody else’s debt – unless of course we’re talking about your kid! 🙂 I do see the wisdom in this. If you co-sign / guarantee for somebody else, then be prepared to have to pay back that debt in full… Wow. This is pretty heavy to think about. We hear so much about staying out of debt – and typically think about our own personal debt. That’s obviously wise. And well, this Proverb today is saying don’t take on other people’s debt! That is very wise! Stay out of debt! Your own and particularly your friends’!
Worship Video: Psalm 52:9 in today’s readings reminded me of Michael W. Smith’s great song “A New Hallelujah!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBxOkruKpqI
Do you want to sing a new Hallelujah? Click here and Sing!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: ‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the LORD. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'” Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)
Prayer Point: Pray that your sins have been made white as snow and wool, through a saving faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up in the “Comments” section below!
God bless,
Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )
======= Ramona:
Isaiah 1:1-2:22
Ahh, this book contains some of my favorite passages. There is a verse in the 49th chapter that utterly floored me when I did my first read through the bible seventeen years ago. It was one of three verses that literally spoke to me in such a way that my life immediately changed.
Come, let’s consider your options,” says the Lord. “Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool. If you have a willing attitude and obey, then you will again eat the good crops of the land. (Isaiah 1:18-19 NET.)
When I first came upon these verses I realized that God wanted me to dialogue with Him. I could not only bring my problems, but I could debate with Him, I could bring to Him those things that I didn’t see as “sin” and God would talk to me about it. I took God up on his offer almost twenty years ago and I haven’t stopped talking to him sense. There are many people who are afraid to challenge God about the things they see, the unfairness the wickedness and the things they read in God’s Word, I’m not. I have gone to God often about the things I thought were unfair and have had my eyes opened every time by the great Master.
The last verse in today’s reading, 2:22, is so deep in its depth of understanding.
22 Stop putting your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. How can they be of help to anyone?
To often we put our trust in men and they fail us and then we get all bent out of joint. Man is not God. If we can just get this Wisdom down in our spirits, if we can just grasp the understanding of this verse, then we will learn how to manage our disappointments.
We are not disappointed by what we find, we are disappointed by what we expected to find. If we keep putting our trust in men, government, relatives and ideologies, we will always be disappointed.
II Corinthians 10:1-18
One of the reasons we, God’s folks, have such a hard time with taking up God’s weapons and putting down ours is because we want to be in charge and we are rebellious. That rebellious nature can even be seen in a two-year old child who insist on putting on his shoes by himself, even when he is trying to put them on the “wrong” foot. Rejecting all help and suggestions the child stubbornly resists the help and walks around for a very long time with the right shoes on the wrong foot. How much like that child are we? We pick up vengeance, manipulation, violence and all the other human tools to try to get people to do things the right way or at least the way we want.
If we use God’s weapons then God will get the Glory, which is rightly His. However, if we use our puny weapons and win the battle, although we will latter find out we lost the war, we stand and take credit for everything thus feeding our egos. The seventh verse tells us why this will not work:
7 The trouble with you is that you make your decisions on the basis of appearance.
The type of weapon used in a war is always based on information about the enemy, wrong information means wrong weapons will be used. Since God knows everything, He is the one we need to trust to supply the right weapon at the right time.
Psalm 52:1-9
This Psalm is an example of a man who was defeated by God’s weapons. (1 Sam. 21-22),
Psalms 52:3-5 AMP
(3) You love evil more than good, and lying rather than to speak righteousness, justice, and right. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
(4) You love all destroying and devouring words, O deceitful tongue.
(5) God will likewise break you down and destroy you forever; He will lay hold of you and pluck you out of your tent and uproot you from the land of the living. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
Proverbs 22:26-27
I know the words in these two verse speak about co-signing someone’s loan or note and we immediately think of paying back money on a debt that we didn’t make. I think this concept of taking on monetary debt is part of it but a very small part. What we are vouching for is the person’s character and integrity. Our integrity is manifested by our deeds, our behavior. Either we have it or we don’t. If someone needs a loaned co-signed then it means the lender doesn’t trust the person. As a co-signer we are vouch safe the person by connecting our integrity with his or hers. There is a 50/50 chance that the person can pull the co-signer down to his or her level if they don’t pay back the loan; or they will come up to the level of the co-signer. Either way the co-signer has placed his/her reputation into someone else’s hands. The more I think about this the more I believe that these two verses need to be looked at in the light of the reading from yesterday because they share the same principal.
Yesterdays reading:
Make no friendships with a man given to anger, and with a wrathful man do not associate, Lest you learn his ways and get yourself into a snare. (Proverbs 22:24-25 AMP)
And today’s reading:
Be not one of those who strike hands and pledge themselves, or of those who become security for another’s debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should he take your bed from under you? (Proverbs 22:26-27 AMP)
Both passages have the common theme of not allowing someone else to define, damage or make our integrity and reputation.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
======= Luch:
Isaiah 1:2 “Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth! This is what the LORD says, “The children I raised and cared for have turned against me.” What a helpful, reassuring word for parents who are in pain because their own children have gone away from God or the values they may have been brought up with. In a child centered community as cultural Christians have produced, this verse reminds us that even perfect parents (such as God our FAther) can do a perfect job of raising their kids in an idyllic environment and THEY STILL REBEL. Parents try to control their kids environments by sending them religiously to church, to private schools, keeping them ‘sheltered’ from the bad old world, and yet they still rebel. Go figure. It seems to me that righteousness in our children cannot be legislated or imposed. Righteousness must be chosen. see Hebrews 5:12-14. People mature as they learn to distinguish good from evil.
I have raised 3 sons all ranging from ages 27 to 20. Although I am relieved to say that each of them is walking with God today, at different times they have lived far from God DUE TO THEIR OWN CHOICES, not because I was a lousy parent, although I have failed many times as a parent.
I just want to say to parents who have rebellious kids, take heart. God understands how you feel. REad Isaiah 1:2 again in this light, and then go read Jeremiah 31:16 “But now the LORD says ,”Do not weep any longer, for I will reward you. Your children will come back to you from the distant land of the enemy. There is hope for your future,” says the LORD. Your children will come again to their own land…”
I love what Billy Graham’s wife Ruth said, “It’s my job to love Billy. It’s God’s job to change him.’ I think that applies to raising our kids too. The story of their son Franklin Graham’s rebellion and return to God is very encouraging to those of us who have had prodigals.
Many times the prodigals make the strongest followers of Jesus.
Luch
======= Steve:
Hey Mike,
I just discovered your blog this morning, and I am VERY impressed! Today is the day! I have been putting off my daily time with the LORD for some time now. But today when I woke up a voice in my head said, “come and spend some time with me.” I got up, made coffee and started to read the newspaper (ignoring the voice). The voice in my head kept saying, “seek me first…” and, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer. 29:13
I put down my coffee and newspaper and Googled “daily bible reading plan,” which led me here.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Steve
======= Jan:
Steve, welcome to our family at OYBB – you have a precious last name & I love the movie Schindler’s List; what a privilege to do what he did for the Jews.
Isn’t God amazing how He continually prompts us to spend time with Him.
Also, Mike – I think it is interesting the picture from Rowe with the eagle in the background – seems the prophetic is always portrayed symbolically by the eagle.
Jan
======= Sue:
I also want to extend my welcome to you Steve.
Praise God you heard and answered His call. Grow and learn with us; this place is truly a treasure!
Sue
====== Laura:
Welcome Steve
Now that we are in the welcoming mode, I just had one comment: Isn’t God an Awesome God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He reached out into the spans of the world wide net and speaks His words to the masses. It brings me joy to know that God has gone high tech……. Pretty cool
Laura
====== Steve:
Jan & SissySue (What a GREAT name!) Thanks for such a warm welcome and encouragement! I can tell already that God led me here for a reason!
Jan, that was a great movie, huh? Overwhelming. I visited the Concentration Camp at Dachau on a trip to Europe years ago. My heart was in my throat! How God keeps putting up with us is beyond my understanding.
Yes Laura!!! What an awesome God we serve. Thank you for the welcome also. My oldest daughter’s name is Laura. I love that name.
Steve
====== Pat:
Welcome Steve! I’m the granny in this wonderful Christian group. So nice to have you as a member of our family.
God Bless!
Pat
======= Ramona:
Hi Steve,
I have participated in the OYB Blog going on two years and I just love it. For me it is a place for me to journal my thoughts and comments without worrying about am I fitting into the denomination or church setting. This is a place where I can wrestle with God and learn from others who are doing the same thing.
And a big Thanks for giving us your Testimony on how you got here. It helps us to remember that God still speaks to us even when we don’t want to listen He continues to call us and direct us.
May God’s mercy, grace and wisdom be imparted to you as you journey with us.
Isaiah 1:1-2:22
It is said of the Prophet Isaiah that, “He cried loud and spared not.” John the Baptist herald the coming of Jesus and he cried loud and didn’t spare anyone the blunt message he was told to deliver. In the second verse of the first chapter, Isaiah gets down to business. No how are you, no you are blessed like the Apostle Paul gave in the introduction of his letters. Bam—Isaiah tells Judah, you guys are in trouble.
The ritual’s don’t have any meaning to God, the clothes don’t mean anything and the number of sheep, lambs, goats and bulls sacrificed on the alter doesn’t mean anything without the right heart.
Isa 1:12 When you enter my presence,
do you actually think I want this —
animals trampling on my courtyards?
Isa 1:13 Do not bring any more meaningless offerings;
I consider your incense detestable!
You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations,
but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations!
Isa 1:14 I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies;
they are a burden
that I am tired of carrying.
John the Baptist cried out, … “You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance, and don’t begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones! (Luke 3:7-8 NET.)
If Isaiah cried out in the Old and John cried out in the New before the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, who is crying out today? And most important, whose listening?
Grace and peace,
Ramona
====== Steve:
WOW! What a great group! I am overwhelmed by your welcome. Thank You. You all have made me feel like I belong here. All God’s Blessings. Steve
======= Jan:
Believe me Ramona, I live the prophet’s scorn; but the Word of God says that if we receive the prophet, we also receive their reward & not many do either!!! 🙂
Steve, isn’t it wonderful when you find home… 🙂
Jan
======= Luch:
Isaiah 1:2 reminds us that we cannot produce ‘perfectly obedient christian kids’. Even our heavenly Father’s kids rebelled against him in a perfect environment. Who are we to think we can do better.
thank God for the grace in our children’s lives that allows them to be found by Him, in spite of good or bad parenting.
Luch
====== Langat:
thanks a lot for your sacrificial work
Langat
======= Miriam:
The verse that stood our form me is Psalm 52:9 “I will wait for your mercies in the presence of your people.”
Yes, I will wait for God’s mercies in spiritual and other aspects of my life. I will wait and not be impatient. I will wait in the presence of His people and look for solutions from the Word and not from the world.
Miriam
======= Beth:
Just a quick opinion. I don’t think it’s wise to even co-sign loans for our children. We need to teach them to live within their means. There are no addendum to that verse!
Beth
======= Charles:
Hi
Enjoy reading your blog and the comments, it helps me to consistently read God’s Word!
The readings from 2nd Corinthians made me think of the recent movie “War Room”.
Charles
======= Imja:
I love how tangible our Good Father is! He loves to communicate with us. He desires us to come and see what is on His heart for us.
Is. 1:18
18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
2 Cor. 10:17
But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
Ps.52:8+9
8 But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
for ever and ever.
9 For what you have done I will always praise you
in the presence of your faithful people.
And I will hope in your name,
for your name is good.
Shalom to all 🙂
Imja
======= Dee:
I have to say in all the years I have went back and forth with studying..17 years it took me to mature and stay the course and get to the beginnings of Isaiah. I love and this is new to me: that Isaiah is a small version of the bible. There are 66 chapters in Isaiah like there are 66 books in Bible. 39 chapters of the sins of the world just like in our OT..and 27 chapters of the Hope of the gospel. Just like NT. How neat.
2nd Corinthians boldness must be mixed with meekness..resetting our mindset with the love of Christ! And mindset of christ.
When the Edomite was coming to Saul to humble or call him out: he told him that he loveth evil more than good; and lying rather to speak righteousness. Ouch!! It is better to love mercy and trust in the Lord rather than Riches. Amen
Proverbs 22: 26-27
Why are you putting up securities for unfaithful people and you are suffering. If you fail to pay..it gets bad and your bed could be taken..yikes.
Dee
======= Vance:
2 CORINTHIANS 10
4
We use God’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds.
I like this comment:
“But, good news is that we have access to God’s “weapons” through our relationship with his son Jesus.”
One day while I was meditating on this, this thought occurred to me: God has given me His weapons. That might sound obvious… but did you get it? Do I get it?
I Samuel 17:47: “…for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
Yes, without faith it is impossible to be aware of God, know He is real, come to Him, and receive from Him. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:6 (Amplified) reads:
But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].
Though my faith and your faith is very important (as Jesus said many times—“Your faith has saved you” “Your faith has made you whole”), there is no such thing as faith by itself.
All people—even atheists—have faith in someone or something. It is not possible to have faith WITHOUT a point of reference—a person, a thing, or a belief—that faith rests on. Example: I am sitting in a chair at this moment. The fact that I am sitting in the chair demonstrates that I have faith that the chair will hold me up. Otherwise, I would never be sitting in it.
All of us—no matter who we are—trust the government in some degree, the grocery store, the bank, etc.
GOD IS FAITHFUL… and KNOWING WHO GOD IS enables our faith to be rooted IN HIM, and enables our faith to RISE UP within us so we can “be strong in the Lord, and in the Power of HIS might.” (Ephesians 6)
The point is this: God has given me and given you HIS WEAPONS… and HIS WEAPONS NEVER FAIL!
So… we can always trust His Word, as long as we yield our mind, thoughts, way, and will to His mind, thoughts, way, and will.
PSALM 89
33
Nevertheless, My loving-kindness will I not break off from him, nor allow My faithfulness to fail [to lie and be false to him].
34
My covenant will I not break or profane, nor alter the thing that is gone out of My lips.
35
Once [for all] have I sworn by My holiness, which cannot be violated; I will not lie to David:
36
His Offspring shall endure forever, and his throne [shall continue] as the sun before Me.
But this necessarily means that we must seek the Lord, in truth and sincerity, from our hearts, in loving surrender and submission. The Holy Spirit through Isaiah makes this VERY CLEAR:
ISAIAH 1
14
I hate all your festivals and sacrifices. I cannot stand the sight of them!
15
From now on, when you lift up your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look. Even though you offer many prayers, I will not listen. For your hands are covered with the blood of your innocent victims.
16
Wash yourselves and be clean! Let me no longer see your evil deeds. Give up your wicked ways.
17
Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the orphan. Fight for the rights of widows.
18
“Come now, let us argue this out,” says the LORD. “No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool.
19
If you will only obey me and let me help you, then you will have plenty to eat.
20
But if you keep turning away and refusing to listen, you will be destroyed by your enemies. I, the LORD, have spoken!”
** NO MATTER HOW GOOD OR HOW RELIGIOUS we look to others, God knows our hearts. And, eventually our hearts will manifest in our words and lives that others can see.
ISAIAH 2
3
Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the Temple of the God of Israel. There he will teach us his ways, so that we may obey him.” For in those days the LORD’s teaching and his word will go out from Jerusalem.
6
The LORD has rejected the people of Israel because they have made alliances with foreigners from the East who practice magic and divination, just like the Philistines.
10
Crawl into caves in the rocks. Hide from the terror of the LORD and the glory of his majesty.
19
When the LORD rises to shake the earth, his enemies will crawl with fear into holes in the ground. They will hide in caves in the rocks from the terror of the LORD and the glory of his majesty.
20
They will abandon their gold and silver idols to the moles and bats.
21
They will crawl into caverns and hide among the jagged rocks at the tops of cliffs. In this way, they will try to escape the terror of the LORD and the glory of his majesty as he rises to shake the earth.
Notice that last phrase:
“…In this way, they will try to escape the terror of the LORD and the glory of his majesty as he rises to shake the earth.”
IT WILL BE TOO LATE AT THAT TIME. I am once again asking the Lord to help me get a clear handle on the difference between the fear of the Lord and the kind of terror described above.
Yes… we are to really fear God. In our “I am OK – You are OK” mentality of today’s culture and in the desire to honor another person’s “sincerely held religious beliefs”—it is easy to forget this.
Note these verses on the FEAR OF THE LORD (Amplified Bible)
PSALM 85
9
Surely His salvation is near to those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, [and is ready to be appropriated] that [the manifest presence of God, His] glory may tabernacle and abide in our land.
10
Mercy and loving-kindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
MATTHEW 10
26
So have no fear of them; for nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, or kept secret that will not become known.
28
And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna).
I JOHN 4
18
There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection].
19
We love Him, because He first loved us.
** MAY WE SEEK THE LORD, TRULY BE ESTABLISHED IN THE LORD AND HIS WORD, SO WE WILL BE ESTABLISHED. Then, let the “chips” fall where they may. Others can come with us or not. Are we willing to make that choice? Am I?
Read Psalm 85:9 above again. May we be that generation.
MATTHEW 10
37
He who loves [and takes more pleasure in] father or mother more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me;
38
And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me.
Vance
======== Vance:
Isaiah 1 (NKJV)
11
“ To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” says the LORD. “ I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs or goats.
12
“ When you come to appear before Me, who has required this from your hand, to trample My courts?
13
Bring no more futile sacrifices; incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.
14
Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; they are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them.
15
When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.
18
“ Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD, “ Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19
If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land
21
How the faithful city has become a harlot! it was full of justice; righteousness lodged in it, but now murderers.
22
Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water.
2 Corinthians 10 (NKJV)
17
But “he who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”[Jeremiah 9:24]
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For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
NOTE:
How many of us are really the same way. We want to look good to others, but inside we are full of intense desires that do not please God. And certainly if these desires were known by men, they would appreciate them either!
Mark 7 (NKJV)
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And He [Jesus] said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.
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For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
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thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
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All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
~~~
When “silver has become dross, wine [is] mixed with water”, I pray the Lord will reveal this to us. Purity of heart and motive is key. As Andrew Murray says in “With Christ In The School Of Prayer”:
“It is in prayer that we hold up our desires to the light of God’s Holy Will, that our motives are tested, and proof given whether we ask indeed in the name of Jesus, and only for the glory of God. It is in prayer that we wait for the leading of the Spirit to show us whether we are asking the right thing in the right spirit.”
To actively and willingly humble myself before the Lord on a daily basis is key. Only God has the right to commend and praise who I am or what I do. “I am what I am by the grace of God”.
Thank God that we can genuinely find forgiveness. Our sins—though obvious with deep stains on our being—can be washed away.
The moment we come to Christ we receive complete forgiveness. The barrier between us and God has been removed. Paul says, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Jesus took all our sins—past, present, and future. God takes all our sins and buries them in the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19).
As the Dutch author Corrie Ten Boom used to say, “He puts up a sign saying ‘No fishing’ ”
~~~
Isaiah 2 (NKJV)
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The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
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Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it.
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Many people shall come and say, “ Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
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The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,
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But the idols He shall utterly abolish.
NOTE:
Even in the midst of the sin of the people of Israel and even in the midst of our sins—God sees the completed end.
Right in the middle of the Holy Spirit confronting the people of God with their sins, the Holy Spirit brings with clarity to Isaiah the vision of the people of Israel following after God—such that they become a light and magnet for the nations of God’s Word and glory:
“in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it.”
On this mountain, the Holy Spirit sees the Messiah—the Anointed One—the Lord Jesus as the One who is teaching His people and drawing all from every nation to learn from Him.
Truly, the “loftiness of man shall be bowed down” and all idols will be destroyed!
2 Corinthians 10 (NKJV)
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For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
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For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
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casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
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and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
NOTE:
I watch the news of what people are doing to others—killing, stealing, etc.—and it grieves me. It is easy for me to see people who do wrong things or believe wrong things as “the enemy”.
Yet, people are the real enemy. The devil is, and therefore the battle is spiritual and can only be won through fasting, prayer, and intercession.
Even when people have so given themselves over to misbeliefs and to Satan’s ways that they choose to be my sworn enemy—of course I have to be wise and see that they have chosen to become my enemy.
Regarding people who chose to become my enemy, we must all lawful means to stop them so they face justice.
Yet, the battle there, too, is spiritual. Only through loving our enemies and deeply praying for them can there be wisdom to experience the victory that Jesus paid for.
Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for them” (Matthew 5).
I like what Andrew Murray says in “With Christ In The School Of Prayer”:
“Lord Jesus! my Blessed Teacher! Teach me to forgive and to love. Let the power of Your blood make the pardon of my sins such a reality, that forgiveness, as shown by You to me, and by me to others, be the very joy of heaven.”
“Show me whatever in my intercourse [interactions] with fellowmen [that] might hinder my fellowship with God, so that my daily life in my own home and in society may be the school in which strength and confidence are gathered for the prayer of faith. Amen.”
Psalm 52 (NKJV)
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But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.
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I will praise You forever, because You have done it; and in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good.
NOTE:
Again, we can only flourish as we feed on God, and in prayer and surrender.
Actively waiting on and receiving from God is a high privilege for us who love Jesus.
Proverbs 22 (NKJV)
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Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, one of those who is surety for debts;
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If you have nothing with which to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?
NOTE:
What an indictment of American society! May we truly live by what God’s Word says and owe nothing to anyone except to love them.
Romans 13 (NKJV)
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Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
We are not to owe any debt of love by withholding love, and we are not to owe anybody any money either.
Then we are free to really give our time, money, and love to others without being in bondage to the businesses we owe money to.
Vance
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