Isaiah 48:12-50:11 ~ Ephesians 4:17-32 ~ Psalm 69:1-18 ~ Proverbs 24:5-6
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Old Testament - Isaiah chapter 49 verse 6 is sometimes referred to as "the great commission of the Old Testament"! Here it is: "You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth." Paul and Barnabas quote this verse in part in Acts 13:47. The preceding 5 verses (1-5) in chapter 49 are considered the second servant song in Isaiah and are thought to refer to Jesus, the coming Messiah. Isaiah chapter 50 verses 4 through 9 in today's readings are considered the third servant song (out of a total of four) in Isaiah. It's interesting, when I initially read these verses in chapter 50 I really thought they were solely about the prophet Isaiah. But, as we all know by now from our readings in Isaiah - and we'll see this again in big ways in our coming day's readings - Isaiah often had the coming Savior of the world, Jesus, on his mind when he was writing this incredible book of the Old Testament in the eighth century B.C.! I love this painting below of Isaiah writing about Jesus...
Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Isaiah chapter 50 titled "The Lord Can and Will Help Those Who Trust Him" is at this link. Below is a nice image for Isaiah chapter 48 verse 17 from today's readings:
New Testament - Wow. It is rare that I will copy & paste 8 verses in a row here on this blog - because you can simply read the verses by clicking on the link above. However - I think these 8 verses of Paul's in Ephesians chapter 4 verses 17 through 24 bear repeating here and warrant our re-reading and really meditating on these verses. Please take a few minutes to really reflect and pray on these verses - "With the Lord's authority let me say this: Live no longer as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They don't care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed. But that isn't what you were taught when you learned about Christ. Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness--righteous, holy, and true."
Powerful verses above, eh? I love this teaching - there must be a spiritual renewal of our thoughts and attitudes! Has there been a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes? Is there currently a daily spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes? Or are you maybe on "cruise control" these days? A great teaching I heard once is that "you are either moving forward or you are sliding backwards. There is no stable middle ground." I believe this to be true in our spiritual life. We are either moving forward - continually renewing our thoughts and attitudes and displaying our new nature - or we are sliding backwards. Backsliding as some may say. I pray that each of us today will really take to heart these teachings of Paul's in Ephesians. Let us throw off our old evil nature and our former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception! Let us each and every day spiritually renew our thoughts and attitudes through Christ Jesus our Lord!
Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Ephesians titled "Leaving Our Old Ways Behind" is at this link. Below is a great image for Ephesians 4:25 from today's readings -
Psalms - Psalm 69 verse 16 today is such a true statement that maybe we need to be reminded of today - "Answer my prayers, O LORD, for your unfailing love is wonderful. Turn and take care of me, for your mercy is so plentiful." God does answer our prayers - perhaps not in the way we "want" Him to, but always in the way that is ultimately best for us and the Kingdom. His unfailing love is wonderful. His mercy is so plentiful. But, yet, somehow I think I sometimes forget all of this. Why? I think I forget about God's love & mercy when I am not praying to him. How about you? Are you needing a reminder today about God's unfailing love and his mercy? Are you praying to God for these very things? Will you allow God to demonstrate both his love and mercy to you today? Will you offer up prayers and allow God to answer in his perfect way?
I love this image below for Psalm 69 verses 17 and 18 from today's readings!
Proverbs - Proverbs 24 verse 5 seems to go against some of our modern world's teachings about strength being the key to success - "A wise man is mightier than a strong man, and a man of knowledge is more powerful than a strong man." Which do you believe to be true? The world that says strength is mightier? Or the Bible that says wisdom is mightier? Let us seek ever-increasing godly wisdom in our lives each day!
Worship God: Psalm 69:16's call to prayer reminded me of Bebo Norman's wonderful song that he wrote as a prayer to God called "Beautiful You." I'm not sure if you've ever had a chance to see Bebo perform live? If he ever rolls through your town try to see him! It is a great worship experience!
Do you know our eternal "Beautiful You"? Click here to know Him!
Please join me in memorizing 2 verses of Scripture today:
"In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." Ephesians 4:26-27 NIV (Below is an image related to our memorization verses today - a bit of a scary image, so I'm not sure if this image will assist or detract in your memorization?? :)
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike
Isaiah 48:12-50:11
Today’s passage includes the third and final verse that spoke to me mightily when I first read through the Bible. Verses 14 through 16 spoke to me through the pain of abandonment. Although a lot of years had past since my childhood the feelings that being abandon caused still lay beneath the surface and caused me to create very superficial relationships. As suicidal thoughts raced through my head and all the destructive behaviors stemming from the mindset of those desperate thoughts,I came upon this passage and collapsed in a torrent of tears knowing that God loved me even when I didn’t love myself, even though I doubted my family loved me or even wanted me.
I love the way these three verses read in the Amplified or the King James Version:
But Zion [Jerusalem, her people as seen in captivity] said, The Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me. [And the Lord answered] Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands; [O Zion] your walls are continually before Me. (Isaiah 49:14-16 AMP)
I can’t say that rational thought took over when I read this but there was a warm burning deep within my very core that let me know that God was speaking these words directly to me.
This passage, Psalm 27:4 and Galatians 3:28 began a process of setting me free and renewing my mind but also propelled me to read God’s Word for myself. I now know from my experiences with these three passages that God will send His Holy Spirit to not only speak to me through His Word but bring understanding in due season.
Ephesians 4:17-32
We must be active in putting away our sin and worldy behavior. Yes we pray for strength and empowerment through the Holy Spirit but essentially we must put away the behavior that is of the world.
A lot of times we try to lay there charges that Paul writes about on unbelievers. We demand in subtle ways that they clean up their act, but they can’t because they are sinners and are only doing what sinners do. Paul’s letters, this letter was written to Christians. It is Christians that Paul is telling to stop stealing; it is believers Paul is telling to stop cursing and using coarse language. Believers are being admonished to put away bitterness, rage, anger harsh words, slander and malicious behavior.
Paul tells us to put these things away, which must mean we have to ability to do what he is asking. We cannot use the excuse, “I just can’t help myself,” or pass the buck and thus the responsibility and consequence of bad behavior by saying, “He/She/They made me do it.”
Psalm 69:1-18
When I read this Psalm, I could not help but think about all the people caught in the floodwaters caused by Hurricane Katrina or the Tsunami. Although many died in South East Asia and some died in the Gulf Coast, many had their cries attended to by God and found themselves plucked from the mire and the floodwaters up to their neck.
Proverbs 24:5-6
5 wise man is mightier than a strong man, and a man of knowledge is more powerful than a strong man. 6 So don't go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many counselors.
Nothing is every secured by brute force. The history of Israel fighting against her enemies attests to that. To be wise one must have wisdom, and perfect wisdom is the Wisdom of God. Nothing can defeat God’s Wisdom and that Wisdom is Jesus Christ.
Posted by: R | September 25, 2007 at 07:17 PM
I just wanted to leave these thoughts with you today. I received an excellent challenge small group on Friday night.
“We are in a spiritual battle. Our battle is with the principalities and powers (Ephesians 6:10). Yet, because the devil and demons have been disarmed of their power (Colossians 2), they have no power over us unless we allow sin or old sinful habits to have a place.”
“Do not allow a stronghold of sin for the enemy to gain control. After we came to Christ, we are new creations in our spirits. Our minds and souls need to be redeemed.”
“Be like the eagle. Fly high like the eagle, where the arrows and guns cannot reach the eagle. Jesus said that he hates lukewarm Christians. Give yourself totally to the Lord and seek the spiritual heights where the enemy cannot reach you!”
The verses that came to me this morning to support these thoughts are:
Colossians 3:1 - 5 (Amplified)
1
IF THEN you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2
And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth.
3
For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God.
4
When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in [the splendor of His] glory.
5
So kill (deaden, deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members [those animal impulses and all that is earthly in you that is employed in sin]: sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, and all greed and covetousness, for that is idolatry (the deifying of self and other created things instead of God).
GALATIANS 2:20, 21 (NKJV)
20
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
21
I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
***
Thank you for the note you gave on Ephesians 4
I like Ephesians 4:17, 18 (NIV)
17
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
18
They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
**
We have the literal life of God within us because we have yielded to Chirst—the literal Presence of Jesus in earthen vessels!
We can, if we become spiritually lazy, become separate from the life of God within!
FLY HIGH!
“I surrender all. I surrender all. All to Jesus, I surrender. I surrender all.”
Vance
Posted by: Vance | September 25, 2007 at 07:17 PM
5 You know my folly, O God;
my guilt is not hidden from you.
6 May those who hope in you
not be disgraced because of me,
O Lord, the LORD Almighty;
may those who seek you
not be put to shame because of me,
O God of Israel
As christians we are called to be light to the world...yet sometimes we get it wrong.Maybe because we become over righteous,maybe due to lack of knowledge...immaturity etc.I pray we all learn to be tolerant and keep our eyes on God so he in turn can work with us to truly fulfil his purpose in us.
God bless you all
Posted by: Anka | September 25, 2007 at 07:18 PM
Isaiah 49 (NKJV)
6
Indeed He says, ‘ It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
NOTE:
May I – may we – really catch God’s vision of Who He is and how He can use us as we trust and obey Him.
One way to fulfill God’s promise in this verse is to pray for Muslims during Ramadan.
Day 3 - Pray for Muslims in Tashkent city, Uzbekistan
Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, lies in a great oasis along the Chirchik River in the foothills of the Tian Shan Mountains.
One of the oldest cities in Central Asia, Tashkent was once a significant rest stop and trading center where merchants and caravans could find refreshment after crossing the mountains and deserts between Samarkand / Bukhara and China on the Great Silk Road.
Although about 50% of the people in Tashkent are Uzbek, the city is also home to significant Russian (30%), Tatar, Tajik, Kazakh, and Korean ethnic minorities.
As a significant transportation hub, the largest city, and the biggest industrial concentration in Central Asia, Tashkent greatly influences its region.
Hospitality and Family Highly Valued
The Uzbek proverb, “a guest is more honorable than your father” reveals two things. First, hospitality is a high virtue. Uzbeks have been known to say, “What is a house for, if not for receiving guests? We must care for all those that God brings to our door.”
Second, the proverb tells us that family is highly valued. The authority of a father or mother is highly regarded, and children are expected to take care of their parents as long as they live.
~~~
Today, most Uzbeks are Sunni Muslims who also practice folk Islam, which includes various animistic practices. A significant minority also claims not to be religious, as a result of communist influence.
Few Christians with a Living Faith
In Tashkent most of the people from European ethnic minority groups call themselves Christians. However there are less than 10,000 (5,000 to 10,000 nationwide) who have a real living faith.
Evangelizing Muslims is prohibited. Persecution of practicing Christians from both the government and society is very real. Uzbek believers have received very harsh treatment, including beatings and torture.
Prayer guide for Tashkent, Uzbekistan:
* Tashkent is being prepared for a church-planting movement through good training of believers. Pray that each of the city’s 11 districts will be evangelised.
* Uzbek believers are learning to use their homes as a place to be hospitable to the body of Christ. Pray that the believers of Tashkent would be even more active, bold, intentional and Spirit-filled.
* Some believers are getting a vision to multiply and proclaim the good news throughout Central Asia. Pray that the Church would go forth from Tashkent and be a healing agent in this hurting land.
AMEN!
~~~
Isaiah 50 (NKJV)
4
“ The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned.
5
The Lord GOD has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away.
6
I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.
7
“ For the Lord GOD will help Me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.
NOTE:
WHAT a glorious opportunity—that God wants to wake us to teach us Himself through personal relationship with God in the Spirit by the Lord Jesus Christ!
Verses 6 and 7 prophecy the beating of our Lord Jesus before His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension.
Ephesians 4 (NKJV)
22
that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23
and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24
and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
32
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
NOTE:
We have been created new creatures in Christ “in true righteousness and holiness” – or in “truth, righteousness and holiness”.
May we wait on the Lord. May we enter into that personal relationship with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of our Lord Jesus. Jesus paid such a horrible price on the Cross to pay for us to have a real relationship with Him in this world.
May we really see, with the eyes of the spirit and the eyes of faith, how much Jesus loves us and may we really see the Price that Jesus paid for us. Then, having that reality burned into our souls, we will love and forgive others as Jesus Himself has loved and forgiven us.
Vance
Posted by: Vance | September 25, 2007 at 07:18 PM
Ephesians 4:17-32
Living as Children of Light
So how do we live as Children of the Light?
Eph 4:22-24
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
"When we believe in Jesus Christ and receive him as our Lord, our Savior, we are renewed in the spirit of our mind. Our basic, fundamental life is changed. In Verse 22, the RSV translation says, "put off your old nature." I reject that word, "your." It is not in the original. It is "put off the old nature." The point is, it is no longer yours. It is there, but it is no longer identified with you. Christ is your life now, a radical difference has come in. You are now identified with him. If you want to leave that word, your in the passage itself, pick it up and move it out of Verse 22 and put it down in Verse 24, "put on your new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." - Ray Stedman
http://www.pbc.org/library/files/html/0120.html
You are to yield to the Holy Spirit and let God change your life. We cannot do it. But God can. this is His work for His glory, but we must let him do it by admitting we cannot do the changes on our own and we MUST surrender our will to God's.
"That is a choice you are asked to make whenever you recognize the deceitful urges that come from within -- put off and put on. Reject the old and turn to the Lord within and say, "Thank you, Lord, for the fact that you in me are able to do through me and in me that which you have desired to do." Put off the old, refuse to let the old nature manifest itself or to have any place, and then the new will be right there to take its place." - ray Stedman
"Now right here we meet with some timeworn, familiar excuses. Someone says, "Well, I've tried this, but it doesn't work for me. It works for other people, I can see that. But I've tried it, and it doesn't work....That is a lie. The truth is, you never really wanted it, at least not badly enough to do what the apostle says, to put off the old. You still try to cling to the pleasure of manifesting this egocentric flesh. And as long as you cling to that, then of course you cannot put on God, you cannot put on the new life. - Ray Stedman
Sorry - I had to cut and paste - out tonight for ministry work, but Ray hits on exactly what I wanted to say.
Posted by: John | September 26, 2007 at 03:17 PM
Isaiah 50
A messianic prophecy.
Is 50:6
"I offered my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;
I did not hide my face
from mocking and spitting."
Chapter 50 is describing Jesus Christ. Here is the action surrounding the trial of Jesus. I believe the Roman soldiers plucked out Jesus' beard by hand. This may be why it was so difficult for people to recognize Jeesus when He arose from the tomb. Some may have seen Him bloodied on the cross without a beard, but when He arose and was restored - they might not have recognized Jesus. Ever had a friend with a beard??? If he shaved it off and you see him for the first time clean shaven - did you recognoze him? do a double take?????
======================================================
Is 50:10
Who among you fears the LORD
and obeys the word of his servant?
Let him who walks in the dark,
who has no light,
trust in the name of the LORD
and rely on his God.
Rebellious man walks in the dark. The solution?
Trust in the name of the Lord. Jesus = Jehova is Salvation, and rely on the Father to be saved through Christ.
The thread is maintained. Trust in, rely on, and depend on the Lord. In the Old Testament, for Salvation, and for your Christian walk.
This is God's work. It is about God, not about us.
Posted by: John | September 26, 2007 at 03:31 PM
The verses to memorize spoke to me. It was confirmed that the only way to live in this world is to have faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. The only way to survive is to trust God knowing He will provide everything we need to honor Him. Thank you for your diligence.
Posted by: Alice | September 26, 2008 at 08:41 AM