October 2nd readings

~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Isaiah 66:1-24 ~ Philippians 3:4-21
Psalm 74:1-23 ~ Proverbs 24:15-16

Old Testament - Today we finish up the book of the prophet Isaiah!  What a great read this book has been for me this year.  I hope it has been a blessing for you as well.  Tomorrow we begin the book of the prophet Jeremiah!

Powerful words from God in Isaiah chapter 66 verses 2 & 3 today - "I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word. But those who choose their own ways, delighting in their sins, are cursed. Their offerings will not be accepted."  Have you ever literally trembled at God's Word, the Bible?  I am not 100% sure if I have.  I hope so.  I have certainly read portions of God's Word where I have felt very convicted.  Where I have realized I must change my ways.  So, I suppose in this regard I have trembled at God's Word.  Do you have a humble and contrite heart?  Again, I hope I do.  I know I do sometimes.  But do we have a humble and contrite heart all of the time?  I pray that we do.  Let us not choose our own ways.  Let us not delight in our sins.  Let us instead tremble at God's Word.

God's words in the last 3 verses of the book of Isaiah are apocalyptic (which is not a bad thing - just the Truth of what is to come) and seems to be a precursor to John's Book of Revelation that we will read later this year - ""As surely as my new heavens and earth will remain, so will you always be my people, with a name that will never disappear," says the LORD. "All humanity will come to worship me from week to week and from month to month. And as they go out, they will see the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against me. For the worms that devour them will never die, and the fire that burns them will never go out. All who pass by will view them with utter horror.""

New Testament - Great teachings from Paul today in Philippians chapter 3!  Verses 7 through 9 are so very true - "I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with him."   How do these words of Paul's speak to you?  Have you ever valued & loved "things" in your life more than your relationship with Jesus?  Can you now look back and realize that those things - love of power, money, prestige, or material goods, etc. - are worthless because of what Jesus Christ has done for you on the cross?  Can you now see that love of those things is garbage - garbage that can prevent you from growing closer to Jesus if you do not throw it out?  Is there any garbage in your life today that you should be throwing out...?

Today we also read Paul's amazing teachings in verses 12 through 14 - "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven."  How about you?  Are you all that you should be?  Are you focusing all of your energies on reaching the end of the race and receiving the prize for which God is calling you?  Are you forgetting the past?  Are you looking forward to what lies ahead?  Are you looking forward to heaven?  In this race called life, is your focus on heaven as your prize?

Psalms - Psalm 74 dates from the time of the exile when the Promised Land was in shambles and the temple destroyed by neighboring nations.  This is very evident by the verses we read in this Psalm.  In light of this, I absolutely love the plea in verse 22 - "Arise, O God, and defend your cause.  Remember how these fools insult you all day long."  And as we will read later in the Bible this year, God indeed will arise to defend his cause...

Proverbs - Proverbs 24 verses 15 & 16 I think is an interesting look at God's grace and judgment all at once - "Do not lie in wait like an outlaw at the home of the godly. And don't raid the house where the godly live. They may trip seven times, but each time they will rise again. But one calamity is enough to lay the wicked low." This Proverb says that the godly may trip 7 times - but each time they will rise again.  This is a great example I think of God's grace.  He will pick us back up over and over and over again.  However....  this Proverb tells us that one calamity is enough to lay the wicked low.  Here I think we see God's judgment.  God indeed will lay the wicked low.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I do think God extends his grace to all - in hopes of winning all into his Kingdom.  But unfortunately in this fallen world, some will reject God's grace over and over and over again.  And eventually comes judgment.  Let us pray for God's continuing grace in our lives and in the lives of those around us.  And let us also realize that God's judgment is just as real as God's grace.

What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up in the Comments section below!

Grace,
Mike

Comments

[Ramona]

Isaiah 66:1-24

My eyes have been opened to whom God is speaking to through his prophet Isaiah. The rebuke and warning is not for the enemies of God but to God’s own people. This is the first time I’m seeing this from the hundreds of times I’ve read this book.

THUS SAYS the Lord: Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house would you build for Me? And what kind can be My resting-place? [Acts 17:24.] For all these things My hand has made, and so all these things have come into being [by and for Me], says the Lord. But this is the man to whom I will look and have regard: he who is humble and of a broken or wounded spirit, and who trembles at My word and reveres My commands. [John 4:24.] [The acts of the hypocrite's worship are as abominable to God as if they were offered to idols.] He who kills an ox [then] will be as guilty as if he slew and sacrificed a man; he who sacrifices a lamb or a kid, as if he broke a dog's neck and sacrificed him; he who offers a cereal offering, as if he offered swine's blood; he who burns incense [to God], as if he blessed an idol. [Such people] have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations;
(Isa 66:1-3 AMP)

This could not have been written to any other people but Israel/Judah because they are the only ones who would understand the reference to God’s resting place or house, that He really didn’t need. The “nations” would not have to be admonished and warned about idolatry and offering up things that would be reckoned as dogs’ and pigs’ blood on God’s alter because they never knew God’s alter unless they were converts. If this was a warning to Israel back then, than this is a warning for the Church and those in the church and clam their Christian status, today.

Flipping over the negative, we go to the positive. For those clinging to God, upholding the scriptures and being persecuted by others who are part of the Church body, then this is cause to rejoice and encouragement to remain steadfast.

Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn over her, That you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breasts, that you may drink deeply and be delighted with the abundance and brightness of her glory.
(Isa 66:10-11 AMP)

And Mike I believe having a humble and contrite heart is not so much as one being convicted of ones sin but understanding that EVERYTHING that is done in the Christian walk must be directed by God through His Holy Spirit. In short, submitting to the Will of God and not our will. We can be repented however, repentance without change (Change is not change until it’s changed) is deadly, one is just sorry that they got caught or must serve the consequences of their actions. A humble and contrite heart leads to changed behavior.

Philippians 3:4-21

Paul, in this section of Philippians, speaks of relying on our own righteousness, which is like filthy rags, no matter how we define our so-called righteousness: either by birth, class and or skin, hair texture or geographic location Paul calls it all “dung.” (KJV). Anything outside of relying on Christ is nothing, zip, zero, nada.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
(Phi 3:8-10 KJVR)

Psalm 74:1-23

I read this and chuckle. No, I’m not chuckling at God or making light of this Psalm but I’m humored over how God tells us to put Him in remembrance of His promises to us. God doesn’t forget unless He chooses to. Here the writer is reminding God of the bad things that have happened to Israel, the promise of the mercy of God and God’s grace. God does not need to remember the things He has given us, but we need to be reminded of who we are and what we have in God, through Christ. What better way of having His people remember their responsibilities to God, others and ourselves by having us remind God of what He promised. It brings a smile to my face.

Proverbs 24:15-16

The interesting thing about these two verses is that we really don’t know who the godly or wicked are when they fall. Maybe we think we know but we really don’t. Since both godly and wicked may be sprawled on the ground, so judgment is reserved for those in the know, the spiritual know. I believe this Proverb is written specifically for the Believer who has fallen and can get up. The guilt and fear that comes with falling down can be paralyzing and wrought with terror, having the fallen Believer think that he/she has committed the “unpardonable” sin thus nullifying any positive effect they we’re created to have on the Kingdom of God.
God is saying, “Yes, you can get up and stop counting how many times you have fallen, just get up!”

Grace and peace,
Ramona