Isaiah 54:1-57:14 ~ Ephesians 6:1-24 ~ Psalm 70:1-5 ~ Proverbs 24:8
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Old Testament - Today we read Isaiah chapter 55, which is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible! I went to a wedding several years ago in Napa, California and God led me to a church in that town on a Sunday morning where the pastor preached an incredible sermon from Isaiah 55. It is a beautiful chapter for all of us who are Thirsty. Let us drink deeply of God’s Word today! Verse 1 tells us - "Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink--even if you have no money!" Are you drinking freely of the Bible this year? Even if you have no money, do you believe that God is inviting you to drink deeply of his True and Holy Water, His Word? Are you thirsty?

Verse 6 is fantastic... Will you seek? Will you call?
In verses 10-12 we read:
“10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.”
How do these above verses resonate with you, based on our One Year Bible readings? Particularly verse 11 above – is God’s Word accomplishing something in you this year through reading the Bible each day? Is the Bible “watering” you? Are you Thirsty? Do you feel that you are going out in joy and being led forth in peace? Have the mountains and hills burst into song before you? Are the trees of the field clapping their hands in your life today?

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Isaiah chapter 55 titled "God's Exhortation to Receive His Grace" is at this link.
New Testament - We wrap up Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus today! His letter to the church in Philippi begins tomorrow! Ephesians chapter 6 verse 7 stood out to me today - "Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." I realize the context of this verse is that Paul was writing it to slaves. However, I think this verse works very well today for any of us that work a full time job. I'm sure you've probably seen movies or TV shows that make fun of working and basically encourage folks to work as little as possible when they are on the job. I think this is a horrible idea! I had a friend tell me once that if you are acting like a slacker at one job - perhaps a job you really don't like and are trying to get out of - you'll end up acting like a slacker at your next job, even if your next job is your dream job. You'll goof up that dream job because it will be hard to break habit the habit of being a slacker... So - I think each of us would do well to take to heart Paul's words here in verse 7. Are you working at your job with enthusiasm? Are you working each and every day as though you are working for the Lord? As such, are you not "stealing time" from your employer by surfing the net, socializing excessively, doing errands, arriving late, and this list could go on... If Jesus was your boss, would you act the same way at work that you do now? Well, is Jesus perhaps really your "boss" even if he isn't the one signing your pay checks per se...?

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Ephesians titled "Spiritual Warfare" is at this link.






Psalms - Psalm 70 verse 4 is awesome - "But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, "God is great!"" Indeed, I think as Christians we should be filled with joy & gladness. Yes, there will be tough times. And suffering. But overall, I pray we are filled with joy and gladness. And then the second sentence in this verse reminds me of an older Relient K song with lyrics that go something like this - "Your voice has broken my defense. Let me embrace salvation!" I like that thought. Let us embrace salvation. Let us love salvation. Let us literally cling to salvation...

Proverbs - Proverbs 24 verse 8 today is a great reminder that we should not get in the habit of planning evil.... :) - "A person who plans evil will get a reputation as a troublemaker." Okay, so I put a smiley face there, because probably none of us consciously decide we're going to plan something evil. However, I wonder if any of us maybe do get in the habit of planning things that really are outside of God's will for our life? This isn't evil on the surface. And we may not get a reputation as a troublemaker. But, if we are planning things and doing things that are outside of God's will for our life and how He wants us to spend our time, then we are essentially going against God's will. God's perfect will. I will confess that I all too often plan and do things that I know are outside of God's will for my life. And maybe I do these things so I get a good "reputation" among people... Well, perhaps my good reputation among people is actually a bad reputation to God because I'm doing things outside of his will... And I guess I've been thinking about this lately and thinking about how often I'm wasting God's time that he has blessed me with. And so maybe I'm getting the reputation of being a troublemaker in heaven... How about you? What's your reputation in heaven? Forget about your reputation here on earth... that really does not matter at all. What's your reputation with God? Let us pray that our reputation with God is not:

Worship God: My comments in the Proverbs section above today reminded me of the great Aaron Shust song called "Give Me Words to Speak." His song includes this lyric: "Calloused and bruised. Dazed and confused. My Spirit is left wanting something more. Than my selfish hopes. And my selfish dreams. I’m lying with my face down to the floor. I’m crying out for more!" Awesome song! Here's a live version with Aaron on the keys!
Has God ever given you words to speak? Click here and speak to God!
Please join me in memorizing 3 verses of Scripture today:
"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near." Isaiah 55:6 NIV
"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:11-12 NIV
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
Ephesians chapter 6 verse 7 stood out to me today also- "Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people"
We have been having a lot of problems in our job place, and I hear so many say such negative things. This verse really struck home, because if we would remember who has given us the gift to do our job, and who we are really working for, we would have a changed attituide. I have found that even when things are tough, if I put on a smile, others will too. Thank you for the message today. Have a blessed day! Peggy
Posted by: Peggy | September 27, 2007 at 07:05 PM
I think the reminder about work is so appropriate. If we remember that even the littlest thing we do is a reflection of our love for Jesus, then we will do it with all of our energy. I am trying to view those tasks that I tend to let slide as opportunities to serve God and to humble myself, instead of as menial things that probably don't count anyway. It is not only when we are doing "spiritual" things or big jobs that we are supposed to give it all we have, but all the time. When we do the most overlooked task that is ignored by the world it is then that our motives are really being changed, I think. And God notices everything.
Posted by: MG | September 27, 2007 at 07:05 PM
Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations that do not know you will hasten to you,
because of the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor
A while ago a comment was made about christians who love to rant,sadly there are times this is so true.A preacher once said "preach the gospel at all times,if necessary,use words".I think as we read the bible daily we should also allow the words to cleanse us and transform us.There are christians I know that just have a "something"about them.That "something"must have come from spending time in with God(word,prayer,fellowship with saints) and applying it.God gave them the splendor to draw even people they don't know to them.Rather than having to rant about the dos and don'ts of christianity,these people show the way by being light.As I read,daily I pray that I let go and let God do His work in my life.I pray that we all let go of our personal opinions and let God whose thoughts are way higher than ours take over...and transform us into the salt of the earth.
God bless you all
Posted by: Anka | September 27, 2007 at 07:05 PM
Isaiah 54-57:14
Within theses chapters, God gives us a picture of His prosperity and not man’s. In chapter 54 we here God tell the “barren” woman to sing because she has more children/descendants then those who have children by natural birth. In chapter 56 we are told the eunuchs who are without natural descendents will have a memorial and a name far greater then those who have many sons and daughters. The Gentiles, a people not promised the blessings that come through the Mosaic Covenant, will be blessed.
All of this “Reversal of Fortune” is all conditional, all based on committing oneself to the Lord and serving Him (56:6). If those who are oppressed and persecuted because of their righteousness will be lifted up, then those who have lifted themselves up by way of their sin and stepped on the backs of others by way of abusive leadership, will find themselves abased or cast down.
We also learn in this text that what God has to offer cannot be bought with money. What we need to quench our thirst cannot be found in any fast running stream of water, or any refrigerated case in a store it can only be found in God.
"Hey, all who are thirsty come to the water! You who have no money, come! Buy and eat! Come! Buy wine and milk without money and without cost! Why pay money for something that will not nourish you? Why spend your hard-earned money on something that will not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is nourishing! Enjoy fine food! Pay attention and come to me! Listen, so you can live! Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to you, just like the reliable covenantal promises I made to David.
(Isa 55:1-3 NET.)
When we “purchase” what God has to offer then the promises He offers to us are certain and assured and never conditional.
Ephesians 6:1-24
The way of the cross was through submission, Christ submitted Himself to the will of His Father, God. He accepted the shame of the cross to pay the cost of my sin, your sin and the sin of those yet unborn. Here Paul lays down that idea and principal of submission. Minor children are to submit themselves to the godly authority of their parents. “Slaves” (employees) are to submit to the authority of there managers/bosses/employers and those who are the “masters” are to submit to the authority of Christ in order to deal with their workers in a godly righteous manner.
Then everyone must submit to God in order to take up the “armor” of God so that in the day of adversity, in the day of evil (that day when evil shows up) we all will be able to Stand.
Psalm 70:1-5
For those of us who have read through the Bible early enough to have read 1 and 2nd Samuel and 1 Chronicles, we remember that David was always being perused by enemies who shouldn’t have been his enemy: King Saul, his son, Absalom, his General and cousin, Joab, and the list goes on. Instead of taking his own vengeance, it seems that David prayed his feelings and thoughts back to God and allowed God to protect him. Seeing our own vengeance is dangerous because we are stealing from God.
Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, in the time when their foot shall slide; for the day of their disaster is at hand and their doom comes speedily.
(Deu 32:35 AMP)
Proverbs 24:8
Today’s Proverb seems like, “Duh, well YES!” However, if you “flip” it does it mean that all ‘troublemakers” or mischief makers plan evil? Hmmm.
A person who plans evil will get a reputation as a troublemaker.
Posted by: R | September 27, 2007 at 07:06 PM
ISAIAH 54 (Amplified)
1
SING, O barren one, you who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who did not travail with child! For the [spiritual] children of the desolate one will be more than the children of the married wife, says the Lord.
2
Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; spare not; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes,
3
For you will spread abroad to the right hand and to the left; and your offspring will possess the nations and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
7
For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion and mercy I will gather you [to Me] again.
10
For though the mountains should depart and the hills be shaken or removed, yet My love and kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace and completeness be removed, says the Lord, Who has compassion on you.
17
But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord.
NOTE:
There is SO much more that the Church of the Living God—the Lord Jesus—has available to her. We are SO blessed, and God has SO much to give us.
There is a story of a man—who I will call Jones— who went to heaven. St. Peter was giving him a tour. He was amazed: Golden streets, the Manifest Glory of Jesus as the light of heaven, and the beauty of all of the saints.
During the tour by St. Peter, Jones noticed that St. Peter was trying to pass by a large room with the name “Jones” marked on it. He asked to go inside, but St. Peter preferred that they pass on.
Finally, after several attempts to get Jones to ignore the room, the man insisted. St. Peter opened the room. Inside the huge room were shelves upon shelves.
Upon each shelf were boxes and boxes of blessings and wisdom that the Father had intended that Jones receive on earth so as to establish God’s kingdom in the hearts of men.
Yet, Jones had never received because he did not know about the blessings. Thus, he never asked. And, if he had asked, he still would not have received if he had only wanted to spend blessings on himself. (James 4:2-4)
Truly, we are IMMENSELY BLESSED because:
a) God immensely loves us!
b) in order to BE A
BLESSING!
Look at the blessings available to us in Isaiah 54:
1) Faith—believing and acting that what God says will happen before it is seen and felt in human experience. (The woman who has no child is to sing before children because God promises children).
2) Perseverance and focus—persevere in prayer: “For the [spiritual] children of the desolate one will be more than the children of the married wife, says the Lord.”
3) The Father’s everlasting covenant of love and peace:
a. “…My covenant of peace
and completeness…”
(verse 16)
b. “ This [peace,
righteousness,
security, triumph over
opposition] is the
heritage of the
servants of the Lord
[those in whom the
ideal Servant of the
Lord is reproduced] ”
(verse 17)
4) Victory over the devil—peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition.
5) Most of all, being formed in the Image of Jesus—“ This… is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced] ”
Vance
Posted by: Vance | September 27, 2007 at 07:06 PM
I had one of those 'God' moments when He hit me with the fact that Isaiah and Ephesians have more in common than obvious at first glance - somehow I'd totally missed God speaking about spiritual armour in Isaiah - only ever really connecting with it in Ephesians, yet through the entire reading tonight (I listen to it rather than read at first), I kept thinking I was listening to the NT reading and that it was Paul speaking as the content was so incredibly similar. And it just reminded me once more of that age-old saying about how the New is in the Old concealed, and the Old is in the New revealed. Just a further confirmation about the validity and truth of scripture.
Blessings to all
Romayne
Posted by: Romayne | September 27, 2007 at 07:07 PM
Ephesians 6
Slaves and Masters
Eph 6:6-7
"Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men,"
Although Paul is addressing slaves here - a part of the Christian body in those times - I believe it applies to people in their jobs. If you own your own business, then your bosses are really your customers (where your income is derived). The words of Paul ring true for all.
We are citizens of heaven. We do not work for man. We work for the Lord - kurios - Jesus. If we are walking in the Spirit, then we are humble, gentle, patient, and exhibit love - to Christians and non-Christians.
Peter says if you are treated unjustly - so what - did not Christ suffer the ultimate injustice on the cross. We are to be model employees and bosses. Why? So that when people take note of us they think - that guy/gal is different! I sure would like to have whatever it is that they "got"!
======================================================
The Armor of God
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
You can only be strong IN the Lord (kurios-Jesus) and IN His mighty power when you have yielded to the Father in the Father-Child role, submitted your will to His, and have access to the power given in the Holy spirit.
Devil has been mentioned many times in the bible. When surveys are taken most show that around 45% of christians do not believe satan exists - that it is some dark nebulous force. Paul here clearly states that not only the devil exists, but there are others (fallen angels) under his domain that are rulers and authorities.
"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes...so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, ...."
If you are not in the Spirit - you will not be able to put this armor on with full confidence. notice in the above excerpts from ephesians 6 that Paul asks us to stand - to stand firm.
We have protection, and one weapon - the sword which is the Word of God. We are not asked to defeat satan or his minions, just to stand firm. When we stand firm, and pray in the Spirit - God will handle the attack. If we go on the offensive without trusting in, relying on, and depending on the Father - we will lose. In spiritual warfare, God will sustain us, God will be victorious, God will be glorified - not us.
Why doesn't God just snap His fingers and eliminate satan, his minions and all evil? All it would take is a Word from God. Because something bigger here is playing out. Satan was put in charge of the World and given a chance to run it his way - with hate, evil, and discord.
Why? Why would God do this? I believe so that in the end - there will be no excuses. Satan had his chance, and like anyone that rejects God he will lose - and the sentence for rejection of God in the OT, in salvation, and in the future battles in Revelation is DEATH (eternal separation from God).
In the end, God will: eliminate evil, through salvation have eliminated death, have those that He wanted, and be glorified. It is like a grand slam in bridge (card game). God will win every hand. It may not look like it when the cards are dealt out, but God wins and God is glorified to the highest magnitude. ALL His attributes are magnified to the highest level.
So why hasn't God done this already? Because it is not yet the fullness of time. He told Abraham the amalekites would be destroyed, but not now. It happened four hundred years later. Jesus, Paul, and Peter talk about the fullness of time. I believe God is waiting to act against evil, because not all the preordained (from before Creation)Christians have been born yet and saved. When that number comes in and the last sheep is in the fold - God will proceed in His destruction of evil. Meanwhile we are to put on the armor of God, stand firm, trust in God, and pray always in the Spirit.
Posted by: John | September 28, 2007 at 05:14 AM