God is serious

Thursday’s Reading: Isaiah 30 & Jude 1

Father, as I heard You speak this morning through Your perfect Word I am reminded of the seriousness of sin. I saw the promise of Your judgment. I heard about salvation found only in Your Son. Your arm is fierce toward those who disregard You. Your grace is abundant toward those who trust in You.  God forgive me for looking to others for strength instead of looking to You. God forgive me for wanting to fill my belly and my garage instead of following You.  Father, I long to be useful for You. Father, I long to be used by You to strength the church and win the lost.  Show me how to live for Jesus. Show me how to trust You. Take my fear of man and exalt Yourself in my life. Exalt Christ. I trust You to give me exactly what I need.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen

Leviathan

Monday’s Reading: Isaiah 27 & 1st John 5

Isaiah 26 ends with these words

• Isaiah 26:21, For behold, the Lord is coming out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain.

Verse 19 of the same chapter gives a references to the hope of the resurrection. Clearly there has been a obvious apocaplyptic sense to what we have been reading since chapter 24.  We are getting some insight into the happenings at the end of time.

• Isaiah 27:1, In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea.

There is a great deal of speculation out there concerning what/who Leviathan is or represents.  The difficulty comes from the variaty of details that are attached to this creature throughout Scripture. So, that has left some to offer up several different explanations and some to try a composition of sorts. Leviathan has been explained as such things as a Nile crocidile to a late surviving dinosaur. Some have postulated a whale or shark.  From the book of Revelation (12:3-9; 16:13; 17; 20:10) it appears that the great dragon is Satan and the beast (possibly a Leviathan figure) are clear enemies of God.

When forced to a conclusion on who/what Leviathan is my stance is that he represents the enemies of God. As a representative figure it is possible for a particular person in history to take on his characteristics and give further explanation. Leviathan is not limited to the beast or dragon of Revelation only but those entities clearly fit the bill of fierce opposition to God, His ways, and His people. The beast and dragon are a type of Leviathan.

Father, I am so grateful that even your greatest enemy cannot stand against you and already is defeated. If the worst that opposes you cannot stand I know you can be trusted. Your power is great; it is the greatest. You raised Jesus the sin-bearer from the dead. You defeated Leviathan and all that opposes you. You bring peace and made me your child.  You defeated my sin. You overcame my opposition to you.  I am thankful that you did not defeated me like Leviathan but instead redeemed me.  My salvation and joy rely completely on you. My salvation and joy are gifts given through Christ. Thank you for being the slayer of your enemies and the redeemer of your children.

Thank you,

Amen

In Christ Alone

Friday’s Reading: Isaiah 24 & 1 John 2

What should we think about those who claim there is a “one god” religion? What about those who say the god of the Muslims is the same god of the Jews is the same God of the Christians?

• 1 John 2:22-25, Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.

To deny that Jesus Christ is fully God come in the flesh to die for our sins and one day rule over the world is to deny God the Father.  To reject Jesus as Messiah is to reject God.  Oh, but if we trust in Jesus, the God-man Messiah, then we will abide in the Son and in the Father.  There is no fellowship with God apart from Jesus Christ.  There is not eternal life apart from Jesus Christ.

Pray for the lost. Pray God gives you a heart of compassion. Pray you and I both would lose sleep over those who do not have eternal life. May the Spirit stir the church to win the lost.

Fellowship

Thursday’s Reading: Isaiah 23 & 1 John 1

• 1 John 1:3, that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
• 1 John 1:7, But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Fellowship is not based on a casserole or a homemade apple pie.  True fellowship that satisfies the soul, challenges us to grow, and strengthens us in weakness is fellowship born out of a love for the gospel.  If we are not walking with Christ then we will not be able to effectively walk together. It is the cleansing blood of Jesus that makes us a family. Without Him there is no us.

Father, infinite in power and glorious in grace, unite us Your church around the cleansing work of Jesus Christ. Give us a common unmistable hunger for the glory of Jesus Christ. Help us to walk in wisdom and use every means possible to grow closer to Your blessed Son.  I long to see this church united. I desire to see us grow together in Christ. You know what needs to change and what needs to be removed. You know how to bring us together in Christ. Do it Father. Show me how to do it. Do not let us flounder just getting by. We want to thrive together for Christ.  Help us God. Show us how to fellowship.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen

Slaves of Corruption

Tuesday’s Reading: Isaiah 21 & 2 Peter 2

Father, when I read passages like the one today, see the corruption all around me, and feel the temptation to run after that very same corruption it causes me to fear.  Do not let me be like those who are playing a game with the atoning work of Christ. Make me righteous eternally in Christ. Give me a strong grip on Him. Keep me in Your strong hand. Father, I know and trust You to keep me.  I will work hard to walk with Christ knowing it is Your working powerfully in me.  Do not let me toy with corruption. Stop my excuses from their conception.  Open my eyes to the destruction of sin.  In it’s place show me the glorious redemption that is mine in Jesus Christ.  Help me over come temptation with greater joy. Give me victory in Jesus. Give me what is sure. Give me what is mine in Him.

Trusting in Christ alone

Amen

The Naked Prophet

Monday’s Reading: Isaiah 19, 20, & 2 Peter 1

Can you imagine God telling you to do what He told Isaiah to do? Then, can you imagine doing it for three years? For three years Isaiah lived as a naked testimony concerning what will happen to those who abandon God. Those who abandon God become ineffective, fruitless, blind, and forgetful. What then is the remedy?

• 2 Peter 1:5-7, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

Making your calling and election sure are not a matter of praying, sitting still, and listening for God to call your number. Making your calling and election sure are a matter of making every effort to grow in the faith. It is putting in the disciplined work of producing fruit, living an effective life, seeing Christ, and rejoicing in the forgiveness of sins.  What is God calling you to do today that is a little uncomfortable? What is God calling me to do today that is a little uncomfortable.  Get ready by making every effort to grow. God will use you let’s just hope it’s a different ministry than the ministry of Isaiah the naked prophet.

Father, I love and adore Your holy name.  There is nothing on earth that compares with You. Nothing I desire can satisfy like You. Forgive me for being lazy. Wash my sin of relying on my self away.  Give me a desire to make every effort to grow in the faith.  Give me the strength to make every effort to grow. I know you will answer my prayer of faith in Christ.  Raise up a church of people who hunger like this. Raise up a church of people who make every effort to be fruitful and effective through the atoning work of Jesus. Call me to serve. Give me the passion that continues to serve. Do not let me trust in my safety. I trust in you, the Majestic Glory, and in your beloved Son.

Amen

No Shame

Thursday’s Reading: Isaiah 14 & 1 Peter 2

• 2 Peter 2:6, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Every Christian is part of a spiritual house being built for God on Christ.  Christ is the rock on which we build. When the storms come and the winds of life blow against us we will stand firm. We will not be put to shame.  The faith that is our eternal hope will be our present strength. The sacrifices of praise and service will shine forth like the most beautiful of lawn ornaments. Those that were strong in this life but weak in faith will be brought low.  Those that were weak in this life but strong in faith will be exalted. Build on Christ you will not be put to shame.

Father, I praise You because You are trustworthy through the greatest of blessings and the most trying difficulties. Only You through Christ satisfy and sustain.  Stir my heart to love You.  Awaken my soul to the joy of faithfully engaging the hard things You bring my way. Make me a man who builds at an astonishing pace. Make me a man who builds only on Christ.  I want to know You and the power of the resurrection. I want to know the blessings of being a part of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for Your own possession.  Feel me with Your excellencies. Remind me of what it is to be called out of darkness into marvelous light. Open my mouth to sing Your praises. Give me the opportunity to tell others about Your greatness. In faith I pray, live, serve, and die for Christ.

Amen

When it just doesn’t happen

Wednesday’s Reading: Isaiah 13 & 1st Peter 1

Some days I wake up and feel a little sluggish. I sit down with my extra large cup of coffee ready to read the Bible and it just doesn’t happen.  The fog of not enough sleep makes my eyes heavy.  The bustle of life easily distracts me.  The Word is there.  The power and magnificence of Christ are there. The call to holiness is there. Everything is there except for me. What do I do? I pray for focus and the Spirit’s help to press on through the fog. Give me power, love, and self-control. Then I read it again intentionally applying my mind so that I am not easily distracted. Sometimes it works. Other times I say a simple prayer, go somewhere else, and try again. Here is my simple prayer before I go and try it again.

Father, my attention and affection are no where near a level that You deserve. Forgive me for not sleeping when I should and not taking care of my body like I should. My time with You is suffering because of poor decisions. Through faith in the powerful grace of Christ please awaken my soul from it’s slumber. Stir my soul I pray.

Amen 

God is My Salvation

Tuesday’s Reading: Isaiah 11, 12, & James 5

• Isaiah 12, You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me. 2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” 3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. 5 “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. 6 Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

Father, I rejoice in the fact that You are my salvation.  My salvation is not my desire or my works. My salvation is not a prayer or my baptism.  My salvation is Jesus Christ. He is my life. I will sing Your praises because You have done glorious things. I will make Christ known in all the earth. I will shout and sing for joy because You are great in the midst of Your people.  You are great and greatly to be praised.

Forgive me for using the riches You have given me for my own ends. Forgive me for the misuse of wealth. Give me quietness so I can hear the conviction of Your Spirit.  Give me power so I can follow You.  Give me love so that what I do will always benefit others. Give me self-control so that I will not run when the giving You call me to becomes unbearable. Through Christ I want to make a stand for You. Help me to live for You.

Amen

Why we do without

Monday’s Reading: Isaiah 10 & James 4

• James 4:2&3, You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Father, this day I pray You will change my desires. Do what only You can do.  You can do it.  You hung the stars and tell the water how far it can go.  You created the creatures in the deepest part of the ocean and set the rotation of the earth around the sun. You created the smallest organism and knit together every person. You have done and continue to do amazing things. Do the amazing work of changing me. Take away what is wrong-headed in me. Forgive the desires that are me-centered.  Open my eyes to bigger and greater things than just me and what I want.  Open my eyes to what life will be like when I follow hard after Christ. There is more to Christianity than what I am living now. Show me where to go.  Show me what to want.  Show me what to ask for.  Make me like Christ in all my desires and in all that I do.

Amen