September 27th readings

~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Isaiah 51:1-53:12 ~ Ephesians 5:1-33
Psalm 69:19-36 ~ Proverbs 24:7

Old Testament - Isaiah chapter 53 in today's readings is all about Jesus!  Powerful powerful chapter to read...  I'm sure you likely caught that this chapter was about Jesus when you first read it, but if not, please re-read the chapter again and do you see how Isaiah is prophesying Jesus' passion and death?  It is astounding to realize these words of Isaiah's were written in 8th century B.C.  You may recall that Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ" opened up with these words on the screen from Isaiah chapter 53 verse 5 - "He was wounded for our trangressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."  Do you believe that the words of Isaiah's in chapter 53 today are about Jesus?  Do you believe that Jesus was wounded for your transgressions?  Was he bruised for your iniquities?  Are you healed by his stripes?  (whip marks)

Today in Isaiah chapter 52 we read about deliverance for Jerusalem.  Verses 7 through 10 in this chapter tell us - "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the LORD bringing his people home to Jerusalem. Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the LORD has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD will demonstrate his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. The ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God."

New Testament - Hmmm... for some reason Ephesians chapter 5 verse 17 really stood out to me today - "Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do."  I am wondering how often each of acts thoughtlessly?  I am afraid in my case it is far too often.  I can sometimes sleep-walk through my day - or even days - or even weeks...  and miss the point of life completely when doing so!  Paul teaches us here to try to understand what the Lord wants us to do.  Why would we want to try to understand this?  I think in large part so we no longer act thoughtlessly!  I'm afraid we are far too often a thoughtless people in how we live our lives & how we waste so much time...  How about you?  Are you acting thoughtlessly at all these days?  Will you seek to understand what God wants you to do?   And then will you go do it and leave your thoughtless ways behind?

Psalms - I love Psalm 69 verse 33 today - "For the LORD hears the cries of his needy ones; he does not despise his people who are oppressed."  God hears the cries of his needy ones.  Perhaps the question is then, do we hear the cries of God's needy ones?  Do we hear the cries of those starving today? Sick from lack of clean water?  Suffering from HIV / AIDS?  Spiritually poor?  Needing a friend?  How is the soil of our hearts if we are not hearing these cries?  Should we be hearing these cries?  And if we do hear them, what then should we do?   Remember Jesus' words in Matthew chapter 25 verses 34-36  "‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’" 

Proverbs - Proverbs 24 verse 7 is actually a bit convicting for me - "Wisdom is too much for a fool."  I'm not sure if you've ever experienced this, but there have been times when I honestly have not been able to read or digest the Bible.  I mean, there are times when I can kind of work my way through reading the Bible, but nothing is sticking.  And obviously the Bible is wisdom...  I then wonder if at times I am a fool?  I don't think I'm a chronic fool...  :)  But, truly, sometimes I do dumb stuff or live in a dumb season and in retrospect I was acting like a fool in those seasons. And in those foolish seasons wisdom was too much for me...  I do ultimately think wisdom / the Bible / God / Jesus brought me out of those foolish seasons.  But let us pray that we don't enter into seasons of life where we are acting a fool, and where wisdom is too much for us.  Being a fool is no way to live this beautiful life God has called us to...

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

Grace,
Mike

Comments

[Vance Brown]

ISAIAH 51
1
"Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance--all who seek the LORD! Consider the quarry from which you were mined, the rock from which you were cut!
2
Yes, think about your ancestors Abraham and Sarah, from whom you came. Abraham was alone when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation."

NOTE:
Abraham was called to be “a separate one”, “a called out one”. This is very clear in the Torah. This is verified by how God later called Abram (later Abraham) to leave his land to go do where God was leading him.

Galatians 3 is true, and we are called to follow our spiritual father, Abraham’s, example:
29
And if you belong to Christ [are in Him Who is Abraham's Seed], then you are Abraham's offspring and [spiritual] heirs according to promise.

See note below on meditation of the word “Hebrew”:

The original name for the people we now call Jews was Hebrews. The word "Hebrew" (in Hebrew, "Ivri") is first used in the Torah to describe Abraham (Gen. 14:13).

One tradition teaches that the word comes from the word "eyver," which means "the other side," referring to the fact that Abraham came from the other side of the Euphrates, OR REFERRING TO THE FACT ABRAHAM WAS SEPARATED FROM THE OTHER NATIONS MORALLY AND SPIRITUALLY.

***

We are called to make choices. No one else can make these choices for us. Not our mother, father, husband, or wife.

“….Abraham was alone when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation."

Jesus wants to demonstrate His Full Glory in the Body, as He prayed that we may be one even as He and the Father are one:

John 17 (Amplified)
21
That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me.
22
I HAVE GIVEN TO THEM THE GLORY AND HONOR WHICH YOU HAVE GIVEN ME, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE [EVEN] AS WE ARE ONE

Yet… it all starts with an individual surrender and relationship with the Lord! Never underestimate the power of “the choice of one—surrendered to the One”.

Vance