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 is one of the most powerful chapters of the Bible - and one of the saddest to really meditate upon.  Isaiah chapter 53 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.  Verse 5 tells us- "But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed!"  Do you believe that the words of Isaiah's in chapter 53 today are about Jesus?  Do you believe that Jesus was wounded and crushed for your sins?  Was he beaten that you might have peace?  Are you healed because Jesus was whipped and then murdered on a cross?

Verse 7: "He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth."

Verse 8: "From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins--that he was suffering their punishment?"

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Isaiah chapter 52 and 53 titled "The Triumph of the Suffering Servant" is at this link.

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 in our very short lives this side of heaven...  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?

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Ephesians titled "The Meaning of Christian Marriage" is at this link.

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 Jesus / God / the Bible / wisdom 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...

Comments from you - What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

Comments

[Anka]

28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh....
I don't know why today it just hit me....For most people,courtship and marriage are a really beautiful period.The guy leaves his house with excitement to pick his intended up for a date...Yet for Jesus,it was different.Like we sometimes go through a painful treatment to get rid of a disease...he gave his earthly body to be tortured.
14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him [d]—
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man
and his form marred beyond human likeness...
That was I guess the courtship for Jesus..preparing to pay the price so we be clean,so we could have the relationship we have today with him.
Yet many times we come to Jesus with the expectation that we'd never be sick,we'd never have any sorrows(cos he nailed them to the cross)we come because we realise we can't make it without him here.True.But our lives and choices will be paid for by us.Jesus died so we could have eternal life...our life here on earth will never be perfect.It sure is humbling for me today to remember,just how much the price was for my salvation...and I pray the hearts of the muslims,the jews,the "christians"who don't know Christ will be prepared to receive the gospel.I also pray today that the hearts of the missionaries that face persecution daily for the gospel be strengthened by He who knows what they're going through...cos He went that road Himself....
God bless you all

[Anka]

" 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"
Mike,I think this is a huge testimony....I'm sure so many people who joined the blog (like me)have been through this and from time to time still do.Yet studying together keeps us keeping on.
God bless you(so you can keep blessing us:)

[Ramona]

Mike your question regarding the New Testament reading, >>”Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do." I am wondering how often each of acts thoughtlessly?>> and, >> "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?>> are both one and the same in action. If we are not acting thoughtlessly and getting our instruction from God, then we will hear the cry of the needy.

Where we error is in thinking that because God is leading us to do something specific with a group of people that means God is leading everyone else to do that same thing and we get caught up in trying, through guilt and any other means of manipulation, to bring everyone else along. We forget that the Body of Christ is like our own body, as per Paul; each one has a purpose and a call and when we work as one part of the many and do what we have been called and purposed to do, even if it is not what the most vocal and persuasive of person is doing, than the job will get done. In fact, there would be no need to put a call out for help because the job would be done by everyone sticking to their purpose and call.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

[Ramona]

Isaiah 51:1-53:12

The verses that have spoken to me today are in the 51st chapter, “WOW”!

Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation. (Isaiah 51:7-8 KJV)

I have noticed for the first time that throughout Isaiah, God speaks in the present about things that had yet to come to past in the element of time. Of course God is eternal and to Him everything is in The Now, the Right Now. God calls thins that, “Be Not” in our human experience “As though they were,” (Romans 4:17) because in eternantiy they have already happened. [And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:8 KJV)]

God in verses 7 and 8 is still giving us the information to intelligently decide between choosing life or death; blessings or curses. This was the option given to the people by Moses (Deut. 30:19 & Joshua 24:15-22).
[I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
(Deuteronomy 30:19 KJVR)]

For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

Choose righteousness and not the righteousness of self-righteousness that comes with doing the works of the flesh, but the Righteousness that comes from God, God’s Right Way of Doing and Being.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

Isaiah 51 (NKJV)
1
“Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek the LORD: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the hole of the pit from which you were dug.
2
Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; for I called him alone, and blessed him and increased him.”
3
For the LORD will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness will be found in it, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.

NOTE:
“Look to Me” says the Lord.

This reminds me of the beautiful song, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”:

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the Light of His Glory and Grace.”

Colossians 3 (NKJV)
1
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
2
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
3
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4
When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
~~~

Isaiah 52 (NKJV)
9
Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem! For the LORD has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.
10
The LORD has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
11
Depart! Depart! Go out from there, touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her, be clean, you who bear the vessels of the LORD.
12
For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight; for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

NOTE:
“The LORD has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations”.

Christ is available for all to see. And where His Name is not heard, we are to pray and go so they may know that the Lord Jesus came, and died for them, and then raised and glorified as our substitute and representative.

Jesus has completed salvation. May we partake of His Word, His Presence, and His Mercy every day!

Romans 8 (Amplified Bible)
2
For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death.
3
For God has done what the Law could not do, [its power] being weakened by the flesh [the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit]. Sending His own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, [God] condemned sin in the flesh [subdued, overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that sacrifice],
4
So that the righteous and just requirement of the Law might be fully met in us who live and move not in the ways of the flesh but in the ways of the Spirit [our lives governed not by the standards and according to the dictates of the flesh, but controlled by the Holy Spirit].
~~~

As we persistently do this, seeking God by His grace cleansing us so we have pure hearts, we will be different from the world.

“Depart! Depart! Go out from there, touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her, be clean, you who bear the vessels of the LORD.”

2 Timothy 2 (NKJV)
1
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
19
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ [the Lord] depart from iniquity.”
20
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.
21
Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
~~~

Isaiah 53 (NKJV)
5
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
6
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

NOTE:
The Lord Jesus was given as a loving gift from the Father to live, die, raise from death, and ascend at the right hand of the Father— as our substitute and our representative.

May we meditate on this and receive it into our beings by faith.

Ephesians 1 (Amplified Bible)
17
[For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him,
22
And He has put all things under His feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the church [a headship exercised throughout the church],
23
Which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all [for in that body lives the full measure of Him Who makes everything complete, and Who fills everything everywhere with Himself].
~~~

Ephesians 5 (NKJV)
1
Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
2
And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
18
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit

NOTE:
May we drink daily of the Holy Spirit of Grace and Love. We love as we allow the Spirit within to lead us into loving God with all our hearts. Then, and only then, can we truly walk in the Love of Jesus to those around us.

Ephesians 5 (NKJV)
21
submitting to one another in the fear of God. [Christ]

31
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” [Genesis 2:24]
32
This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

NOTE:
May we all seek to serve our wives, husbands, and families.

May I, by Grace, be the husband God calls me to be so I can help my wife be the woman God calls her to be. In Jesus’ Name.

Vance

["Humble Man With God"]

Often I think about terrorism and compare my day with reviewing the torture techniques from olden times. I see so many, and rightly so, joining armies, advocating political means, segregating politics, factioning and fractioning peoples I get wearied and assume I am wrong. I wonder, where have all the martyrs gone? Oh I don't mean we don't have missionaries in every corner of the world, because we do, I know, I used to run into them. But what I didn't grasp till I read Isaiah today was how needy we are to be reminded WHO God is...

I read " the God who parted the seas" and I recall Israel delivered.

I think too the army of Egypt was wiped out...

Where was our Stryker Brigade? Wasn't Moses Intelligence report faulty? What happened to the Sword of the Lord?

I am reminded of another expression, Poorly paraphrased by me: "It is necessary I go, it is not necessary I Live"

When God said he raised up Pharoah for a reason and frankly did let Israel suffer some while he set the stage to reveal "divine intervention", he TOLD ahead of time How Pharaoh would not let them go.

When I see the bin laden hype, the trial in Iraq, the in house fighting in America over who did and does what, I wonder...

Are we missing the boat? In some cases yacht?

Is our message and lifestyle about the kingdom of God or 'The American Ideal'?

When we start profiling Arabi for Islam sake, I know American History to well to not remember Jewish, Irish, Catholic, Black, Vietnamese, etc persecutions to not know how that deck of cards is played.

I only know in Isaiah 51 and eventually in 52, the great equalizer and changer of Man on the outside is the Son of Man on the inside, and the pattern I would like to say I see more of would be less John Wayne and more Jesus the Christ.

Sadly I don't think he wore a Uniform, Played football, voted conservative or liberal, or stayed current with events.

I think, and I may be wrong, I think he was pretty focused on only doing exactly, daily,what God His Father wanted Him to do.

That seemed to be his obsession and main profession.

I hope, as Ramona eloquently wrote about diversity with unity, we aren't following a crowd, but following Him as He leads us individually as well as corporeally.

[luciano Del Monte]

I love that we are part of the line of Abraham. Just as he was one and God blessed him and Sarah and made them many, we too can believe God to make us fruitful as we seek to enrich the lives of others with the beautiful gospel. "The Lord blessed Abraham and from that one man came many descendants." Isaiah 51:2
What is exciting is that Paul connects Gentiles together with Abraham in Galatians "And because of what Jesus Christ has done, the blessing that was promised to Abraham was taken to the Gentiles (you and me too)..." Gal 3:14 And then again in Galatians 4:29 that wonderful promise, "So if you belong to Christ, you are now part of Abraham's family, and you will be given what God has promised." Is that not exciting to be in the flow of history and connected to 'father Abraham', imperfect man that he was, but saved by the gospel (see Gal 3:6-9) He says, in Gal 3:8 'This means that everyone who has faith will share in the blessings that were given to Abraham because of his faith." Now if we are to imitate our forefather we are also called to be a 'blessing to all the families in the earth." What a great mission focus for us all!!!

[Rob Slagle]

These verses stood out and looked like they complimented one another.

Ephesians 5

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.

Psalm 69
30 I will praise God's name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the LORD more than an ox,
more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.
32 The poor will see and be glad—
you who seek God, may your hearts live!