Today's Reading Isaiah 58-66
Have you ever built a bridge? (Probably not) Have you ever built a spiritual bridge? (Hopefully so.)
The priest in the Old Testament was instructed to do precisely that: build a bridge between holy God and sinful mankind. He did it through the offering of endless sacrifices, the blood of animals to cover the sins of a nation.
The nation of Israel was selected by God to be a bridge builder to surrounding nations, to show by her lifestyle of faith that God rewards those "that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).
And the same job description has been passed down to you! As a Christian, you are to be salt in a bland world, light in the midst of darkness, and a priest bringing people back to God (Matthew 5:13-14; 1 Peter 2:9).
Think of today as a unique opportunity to build a bridge between a lost sinner and his loving God. Perhaps you can't build an entire bridge in a single day, but you can begin that all-important process by your speech, conduct, and genuine concern in the life of another. Bridge-building. It's time-consuming, costly - and worth whatever it takes!
Tomorrow we will have a lesson that will bring us back to Vacation Bible School days or for some AWANAs.
We are going to get a lesson in how to memorize verses. I'm thinking of have a memory verse for each week. Don't worry no one is going to quiz you on it BUT it is a good idea to commit some verses to memory. That will be in the lesson.
Also we will be starting another book of the Bible, Romans
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
Suffering on Behalf of God's People
Today's Reading Isaiah 52-57
The passage you will read for today contains the single most important piece of good news you will ever hear! I can be summarized in just three words: incarnation, redemption, invitation.
INCARNATION: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came in the flesh (53:2-3), becoming all ofGod in a human body.
REDEMPTION: He came to suffer and to die, to "make his soul an offering for sin" (53:10), to bear "the sin of many" (53:12)
INVITATION: He stands ready to provide mercy and forgiveness for all who will respond. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters" (55:1)
What have you done with the invitation of the Suffering Servant? Have you ignored it, rejected it, or accepted it? If you have never done so, take Him at His word today. Say yes to the One who died that you might live eternally.
The passage you will read for today contains the single most important piece of good news you will ever hear! I can be summarized in just three words: incarnation, redemption, invitation.
INCARNATION: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came in the flesh (53:2-3), becoming all ofGod in a human body.
REDEMPTION: He came to suffer and to die, to "make his soul an offering for sin" (53:10), to bear "the sin of many" (53:12)
INVITATION: He stands ready to provide mercy and forgiveness for all who will respond. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters" (55:1)
What have you done with the invitation of the Suffering Servant? Have you ignored it, rejected it, or accepted it? If you have never done so, take Him at His word today. Say yes to the One who died that you might live eternally.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Suffering Servant
Today's Reading Isaiah 49-51
Take a sheet of paper and divide it in half. Now pretend for a moment that you can afford to hire a servant to do all the tasks you normally perform but find unpleasant. On the left side of your paper, list those tasks. (Think of it as writing your personal servant's job description.) On the right side, list the tasks you presently do that you would want to keep for yourself, even if you had a servant.
Chances are, the tasks you listed on the left side are menial and repetitive. They require fitting your schedule to someone else's; they demand time, money, and inconvenience.
The remarkable thing about Isaiah's depiction of the coming Messiah is this: Through Christ could have come with swords flashing and armies marching to impose His righteousness upon mankind, He chose instead to come as a Suffering Servant, allowing people to smite Him to a similar lifestyle of servanthood, demonstrating God's love in action.
It's easy to be served; it's difficult to serve. But with God's help, even the activities on the left side of your paper can become joy (rather than drudgery) in your life. Look around for creative ways to do those mundane tasks, and thank God for the opportunities He gives you each day to be a servant to others.
Take a sheet of paper and divide it in half. Now pretend for a moment that you can afford to hire a servant to do all the tasks you normally perform but find unpleasant. On the left side of your paper, list those tasks. (Think of it as writing your personal servant's job description.) On the right side, list the tasks you presently do that you would want to keep for yourself, even if you had a servant.
Chances are, the tasks you listed on the left side are menial and repetitive. They require fitting your schedule to someone else's; they demand time, money, and inconvenience.
The remarkable thing about Isaiah's depiction of the coming Messiah is this: Through Christ could have come with swords flashing and armies marching to impose His righteousness upon mankind, He chose instead to come as a Suffering Servant, allowing people to smite Him to a similar lifestyle of servanthood, demonstrating God's love in action.
It's easy to be served; it's difficult to serve. But with God's help, even the activities on the left side of your paper can become joy (rather than drudgery) in your life. Look around for creative ways to do those mundane tasks, and thank God for the opportunities He gives you each day to be a servant to others.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Impotent Idols and Omnipotent God
Today's Reading: Isaiah 44-48
Idolatry is such a harsh- sounding word. It's a good thing God's people today don't struggle with idolatry - or do they?
What really is idolatry? One commentator defines it this way:
Television
Clothes
Your job
Your car
Your sweetheart
Your spouse
Your child
Your ambition
Eating
Golfing
Skiing
______ing ( You fill in the blank)
Pick one item from the above list, and ask yourself the question: "Is this thing drawing me toward God or away from Him?" Then do what Isaiah 46:8-9, 12 suggests!
Idolatry is such a harsh- sounding word. It's a good thing God's people today don't struggle with idolatry - or do they?
What really is idolatry? One commentator defines it this way:
"Idolatry is anything that comes between you and God."Using that definition, an uncomfortably long list of things could potentially fall into the category of becoming idols:
Television
Clothes
Your job
Your car
Your sweetheart
Your spouse
Your child
Your ambition
Eating
Golfing
Skiing
______ing ( You fill in the blank)
Pick one item from the above list, and ask yourself the question: "Is this thing drawing me toward God or away from Him?" Then do what Isaiah 46:8-9, 12 suggests!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Finding Comfort in an Uncomfortable World
Today's Reading: Isaiah 40-43
What would need to happen for you to feel totally comfortable? Would you need to change some things concerning your finances? What about your job? Relationships with other people? Your Health? Your appearance? Or perhaps your academic performance? What would you need to change before you were able to be at total ease and peace and not have a worry in the world?
"I'd have to have all my bills paid!" I can hear all the Dave Ramsey fans shouting "AMEN!!" and "I'm debt freeee!!!"
But then reality sets in and you know that you'll have bills tomorrow.
"I'd have to have a fortune in the bank!"
But what if the bank went bankrupt and you lost it all?
"I'd have to enjoy perfect health!"
But what if you were in an accident and lost your ability to work?
Some of us might have in place measures to absorb some of these life's blows but most have not. Suppose you are going through a tough time right now. And chances are if you are reading this you are going through some sort of life's discomforts. How do you find comfort?
The measure of your comfort will always be the measure of your confidence in God. For Isaiah to declare "Comfort ye" after 39 chapters of judgement would seem ludicrous! Unless you recall who is providing the comfort! Write out the first five verses of chapter 40 on a notecard, and put it under your pillow, by your bedside, on top of your glasses, or somewhere you first look in the morning when you wake up. Let it be the first thing you look at and thought for thte day!
God will go before you all day -- so relax and enjoy His presence!
What would need to happen for you to feel totally comfortable? Would you need to change some things concerning your finances? What about your job? Relationships with other people? Your Health? Your appearance? Or perhaps your academic performance? What would you need to change before you were able to be at total ease and peace and not have a worry in the world?
"I'd have to have all my bills paid!" I can hear all the Dave Ramsey fans shouting "AMEN!!" and "I'm debt freeee!!!"
But then reality sets in and you know that you'll have bills tomorrow.
"I'd have to have a fortune in the bank!"
But what if the bank went bankrupt and you lost it all?
"I'd have to enjoy perfect health!"
But what if you were in an accident and lost your ability to work?
Some of us might have in place measures to absorb some of these life's blows but most have not. Suppose you are going through a tough time right now. And chances are if you are reading this you are going through some sort of life's discomforts. How do you find comfort?
The measure of your comfort will always be the measure of your confidence in God. For Isaiah to declare "Comfort ye" after 39 chapters of judgement would seem ludicrous! Unless you recall who is providing the comfort! Write out the first five verses of chapter 40 on a notecard, and put it under your pillow, by your bedside, on top of your glasses, or somewhere you first look in the morning when you wake up. Let it be the first thing you look at and thought for thte day!
God will go before you all day -- so relax and enjoy His presence!
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Standing Up, Isaiah 36-39
Isaiah 36-39
Everyone who likes to be ridiculed, please stand up.
That is one invitation that you would probably just
as soon ignore! After all, no one likes to be mocked or ridiculed for taking a
stand. But as Paul warned young Timothy, “All that will live godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). As a Christian called upon to
stand for God in a godless world, you may find yourself asked to swallow the bitter
pill of ridicule – and swallow it regularly.
Dan Cathy has taken this pill for his stand
against gay marriage. This was probably not the first time that he faced
ridicule for his beliefs and probably will not be the last. He is not afraid of these people that are calling him a "hater" and "homophobe". He is simply more afraid of God.
It happened to Hezekiah and his countrymen. Taunted at
by the Assyrian hordes and belittled for their faith in God, the people of
Judah had the last laugh. Through it all they learned that ridicule means
little when you know the great God of heaven!
Has the thought of ridicule or verbal abuse stopped
you from taking a stand for God? Have you avoided suggesting an office Bible
study or evangelistic opportunity because of the fear of
what others might say? Take a tip from Hezekiah: You are on the winning team!
Prayer today is for boldness in the face of ridicule. God promises that He will give us words to say when we are to speak out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)