Isaiah 6 Do you long for a vision like Isaiah's? Isaiah, Ezekiel, and John - saw Heaven's glory! When I come to this chapter, I feel a sense of awe. It takes my breath.. everything else fades into the background. " I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted.... " Imagine writing those words after experiencing this !
Isaiah describes the Seraphim as having 6 wings. Two covered their faces. Two covered their feet. Two were used to fly. They spoke to each other, proclaiming " Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory." Their voices caused the temple to tremble. It filled with smoke.
Immediately, Isaiah recognized his unholiness in the presence of the Holy One. In response to his confession the Lord immediately provided the gift of forgiveness.
The Lord asks a question, " Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" He gives Isaiah and opportunity to serve. He offers him a job. He provides him with a choice.
Isaiah responds " Here am I. Send me."
Before he knows what the job will entail. Before he knows the challenges that will come with it. Isaiah is willing.
In the presence of the Holy One... Isaiah, forgiven of all his sins, lays down his life for his Savior.
The job will not be easy. 40-50 years of speaking to those who would not listen. To those whose hearts were hard, whose eyes were blinded, whose ears were deaf, and who would not heed the warnings that were given. Isaiah faithfully preached the Word, knowing that devastation to the land that he loved was coming. Yet, he also knew that a remnant would remain.. that some would be saved... so he kept on preaching!
We have the same opportunity as Isaiah. Our King calls us to go. We have a choice to say " Here I am, send me." We know the challenges . The hard hearted ones. The ones that don't want to see or hear, or believe. We know the devastation ahead.. to lives, to families, to nations.. that will not repent of their sins. Will we be faithful to keep on speaking the Word, with hope that some will be saved?
May the answer be " Yes!"
Father in heaven, Holy, Holy Holy are You. May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on this earth as it is in heaven. Lord, the King of creation, You open eyes to see and ears to hear. You can crack open the hardest hearts. Bring understanding and repentance to our families, to our land.. Take us by the hand and lead us into Your love and into the steadfastness of Jesus, our Lord. Revive us. Save us. Heal us. Thank You that Your Grace is infinite and Your mercy is without end. Amen.
Monday, August 14, 2017
Friday, August 11, 2017
Isaiah 4-5
Chapter 4 gives a brief pause from the judgement - a ray of hope - for there will be a remnant who will dwell in Zion! " In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel."
The Lord will wash away " the filth of the daughters of Zion."
And, He will purge " the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst".
One day "the Lord will create over the whole area of Mount Zion and her her assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, and the brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory will be a canopy."
In Chapter 5 Isaiah tells a parable about a vineyard. The "beloved" prepared the vineyard on a hill. He dug out the stones, He planted a choice vine, and He built a tower. He expected a good crop. It had everything it needed to be fruitful. But, all it produced were worthless grapes. So, He did what any reasonable man would do. He removed the wall and allowed it to be grown over. No more pruning, weeding, or watering. This is Israel/Judah - they produced only worthless fruit and the Lord gave it over to destruction. He looked for "justice" and "righteousness" - the good fruit. But, all He found was "bloodshed" and "distress".
The Lord issues 5 "woes" :
Verses 8-10 - Woe to the greedy. These men built great houses and seized all the land, leaving no room for anyone but themselves. But, they would leave empty their great houses and their vineyards and fields would not yield a decent harvest.
Verses 11-17 Woe to the revelers. They woke up to drink and kept drinking until late at night. They partied and indulged themselves while "honorable men" were famished. Their subjects were parched.
They did not pay attention the the Lord's deeds, works, or Word. "Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge." Judgement would render the rich and privileged lower than even the common man. All of their precious wealth would be devoured by strangers.
Verses 18-19 Woe to the sinners. They lied and they tried to order God around to do their bidding.
Verse 20 "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter."
Verse 21 "Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and clever in their own sight. "
Verses 22-23 Woe to those who are great at drinking and mixing drinks, taking bribes, and oppressing the righteous.
All these, Isaiah writes, ".. have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel." Therefore - judgement comes: The Lord "has stretched out His hand against them." The Lord whistles and calls the force of destruction against His wayward people. It comes swiftly, like a roaring lioness. It comes and attacks Israel.
We need to take heed and listen to the Word of the Lord, for what angered Him in Israel, will anger Him in America, or in our own lives. God wants justice and righteousness in us, like He wanted in Judah. Does He find it here?
We have a country full of greedy people who want bigger houses, more land, more business, bigger bank accounts. We have seen many examples of what happens when all that is taken away. We have a saying, " The bigger they are the harder they fall." Hmm.
We have a whole culture of people who want to do nothing but party all day and night; not caring about what the Lord's will is or what happens to others. Again, the Lord warns that they will be brought down, abased.
We have a world where lies and sin are paraded through the streets.
Where evil is considered good and good evil.
Where darkness is honored, ( just look at the movies or tv, or video games.)
Where light is snuffed out..
where many think they are wise and clever;
where success is measured by how well a man can hold his liquor; where bribes are expected, and the right lose their rights.
The Lord's anger is righteous and He will stretch out His hand once again.. this time against the nations that reject and despise His Word.
Oh Lord, how great is Your patience, that You have not wiped out this nation yet. How great is Your kindness that You are still bringing many to repentance in Christ Jesus. We rejoice in you. We pray continually for those we know, who need to seek You and find You, repent and trust in Jesus. We give thanks that You are infinite in mercy and grace. May we live as You have called us to be, branches that bear much fruit, good fruit, in Christ, the True Vine. amen.
Chapter 4 gives a brief pause from the judgement - a ray of hope - for there will be a remnant who will dwell in Zion! " In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel."
The Lord will wash away " the filth of the daughters of Zion."
And, He will purge " the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst".
One day "the Lord will create over the whole area of Mount Zion and her her assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, and the brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory will be a canopy."
In Chapter 5 Isaiah tells a parable about a vineyard. The "beloved" prepared the vineyard on a hill. He dug out the stones, He planted a choice vine, and He built a tower. He expected a good crop. It had everything it needed to be fruitful. But, all it produced were worthless grapes. So, He did what any reasonable man would do. He removed the wall and allowed it to be grown over. No more pruning, weeding, or watering. This is Israel/Judah - they produced only worthless fruit and the Lord gave it over to destruction. He looked for "justice" and "righteousness" - the good fruit. But, all He found was "bloodshed" and "distress".
The Lord issues 5 "woes" :
Verses 8-10 - Woe to the greedy. These men built great houses and seized all the land, leaving no room for anyone but themselves. But, they would leave empty their great houses and their vineyards and fields would not yield a decent harvest.
Verses 11-17 Woe to the revelers. They woke up to drink and kept drinking until late at night. They partied and indulged themselves while "honorable men" were famished. Their subjects were parched.
They did not pay attention the the Lord's deeds, works, or Word. "Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge." Judgement would render the rich and privileged lower than even the common man. All of their precious wealth would be devoured by strangers.
Verses 18-19 Woe to the sinners. They lied and they tried to order God around to do their bidding.
Verse 20 "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter."
Verse 21 "Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and clever in their own sight. "
Verses 22-23 Woe to those who are great at drinking and mixing drinks, taking bribes, and oppressing the righteous.
All these, Isaiah writes, ".. have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel." Therefore - judgement comes: The Lord "has stretched out His hand against them." The Lord whistles and calls the force of destruction against His wayward people. It comes swiftly, like a roaring lioness. It comes and attacks Israel.
We need to take heed and listen to the Word of the Lord, for what angered Him in Israel, will anger Him in America, or in our own lives. God wants justice and righteousness in us, like He wanted in Judah. Does He find it here?
We have a country full of greedy people who want bigger houses, more land, more business, bigger bank accounts. We have seen many examples of what happens when all that is taken away. We have a saying, " The bigger they are the harder they fall." Hmm.
We have a whole culture of people who want to do nothing but party all day and night; not caring about what the Lord's will is or what happens to others. Again, the Lord warns that they will be brought down, abased.
We have a world where lies and sin are paraded through the streets.
Where evil is considered good and good evil.
Where darkness is honored, ( just look at the movies or tv, or video games.)
Where light is snuffed out..
where many think they are wise and clever;
where success is measured by how well a man can hold his liquor; where bribes are expected, and the right lose their rights.
The Lord's anger is righteous and He will stretch out His hand once again.. this time against the nations that reject and despise His Word.
Oh Lord, how great is Your patience, that You have not wiped out this nation yet. How great is Your kindness that You are still bringing many to repentance in Christ Jesus. We rejoice in you. We pray continually for those we know, who need to seek You and find You, repent and trust in Jesus. We give thanks that You are infinite in mercy and grace. May we live as You have called us to be, branches that bear much fruit, good fruit, in Christ, the True Vine. amen.
Thursday, August 10, 2017
Isaiah 3
Because of the sinfulness of the people of Israel, God brings judgement. His judgement will not be reserved just for Israel, but for every nation that does not worship and obey Him. We need to take notice!
Verses 1 -3 The Lord's judgement affects everyone and everything:
All bread and all water;
Those mighty and those that are warriors;
Those who are judges and those who are prophets;
The diviners and the elders;
The captains and those in places of honor;
The counselor and the artisan;
And the enchanters.
No matter how high or low, how famous or infamous; no matter how rich or poor - when God pronounces judgement ALL will be affected. No one is exempt from God's sovereign rule.
The results of His judgement are spelled out for us:
v4 Their rulers will be like children - capricious; immature;
v5 People will oppress one another; " the youth will storm against the elder,"
and "the inferior against the honorable".
v6-7 No one will want to take responsibility for leading; everything will fall apart.
v12 children and women take the place of leadership, but will lead all astray, confusion will replace wisdom.
V16-24 Because of the arrogance and the sensuality of the women, the Lord will bring severe judgement upon them ;
Their hair will fall out.
Their ornaments, jewelry, perfume, clothing - everything that they valued and loved will be taken away.
The young men and the mighty ones will be wiped out in war.
Nothing will be left.
Verses 8-15 tell why Judah was judged:
"Because their speech and their actions are against the Lord, to rebel against His glorious presence."
They "display their sin like Sodom; they do not even conceal it. "
They "devoured the vineyard;"
They plundered the poor.
They crushed God's people.
God is righteous and just. He is always fair.
"Say to the righteous the that it will go well with them, for thy will eat the fruit of their actions."
"Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him, for what he deserves will be done to him,"
I look at our own country and relate our current state of affairs to ancient Judah-
We have a government full of "capricious children"; all wanting their own way; all wanting to plunder the poor; all failing to take responsibility for real leadership.
We have neighbors that oppress one another.
We have youth who attack the elderly.
We have lowlifes who attack honorable people.
We have arrogant and seductive women who try to rule over everyone else.
We have many whose speech and actions are against the Lord.
We have many who "display their sin like Sodom."
God is judging America and His verdict will stand. Those that belong to Him, the righteous, need not fear. But those who are wicked will receive what their actions deserve.
May they fall on their knees before the Almighty One and repent!
Father in Heaven, You are Infinite and Mighty, and You do not change! Your Word does not fail. What was true of Judah is true of America and we need to take heed. Bring revival to Your people Lord, and let repentance come to our leaders.. to our neighbors.. to our families. Save us! We desperately need You. Thank You for providing the righteousness of Jesus Christ to us who believe.
Praise to You, O God, patient with us, not wanting any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.
amen.
Because of the sinfulness of the people of Israel, God brings judgement. His judgement will not be reserved just for Israel, but for every nation that does not worship and obey Him. We need to take notice!
Verses 1 -3 The Lord's judgement affects everyone and everything:
All bread and all water;
Those mighty and those that are warriors;
Those who are judges and those who are prophets;
The diviners and the elders;
The captains and those in places of honor;
The counselor and the artisan;
And the enchanters.
No matter how high or low, how famous or infamous; no matter how rich or poor - when God pronounces judgement ALL will be affected. No one is exempt from God's sovereign rule.
The results of His judgement are spelled out for us:
v4 Their rulers will be like children - capricious; immature;
v5 People will oppress one another; " the youth will storm against the elder,"
and "the inferior against the honorable".
v6-7 No one will want to take responsibility for leading; everything will fall apart.
v12 children and women take the place of leadership, but will lead all astray, confusion will replace wisdom.
V16-24 Because of the arrogance and the sensuality of the women, the Lord will bring severe judgement upon them ;
Their hair will fall out.
Their ornaments, jewelry, perfume, clothing - everything that they valued and loved will be taken away.
The young men and the mighty ones will be wiped out in war.
Nothing will be left.
Verses 8-15 tell why Judah was judged:
"Because their speech and their actions are against the Lord, to rebel against His glorious presence."
They "display their sin like Sodom; they do not even conceal it. "
They "devoured the vineyard;"
They plundered the poor.
They crushed God's people.
God is righteous and just. He is always fair.
"Say to the righteous the that it will go well with them, for thy will eat the fruit of their actions."
"Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him, for what he deserves will be done to him,"
I look at our own country and relate our current state of affairs to ancient Judah-
We have a government full of "capricious children"; all wanting their own way; all wanting to plunder the poor; all failing to take responsibility for real leadership.
We have neighbors that oppress one another.
We have youth who attack the elderly.
We have lowlifes who attack honorable people.
We have arrogant and seductive women who try to rule over everyone else.
We have many whose speech and actions are against the Lord.
We have many who "display their sin like Sodom."
God is judging America and His verdict will stand. Those that belong to Him, the righteous, need not fear. But those who are wicked will receive what their actions deserve.
May they fall on their knees before the Almighty One and repent!
Father in Heaven, You are Infinite and Mighty, and You do not change! Your Word does not fail. What was true of Judah is true of America and we need to take heed. Bring revival to Your people Lord, and let repentance come to our leaders.. to our neighbors.. to our families. Save us! We desperately need You. Thank You for providing the righteousness of Jesus Christ to us who believe.
Praise to You, O God, patient with us, not wanting any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.
amen.
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
Isaiah 2 What a powerful word that Isaiah "saw"! There will come a day, he tells us, when the "mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief mountain and will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it.."
On that day there will be several ways that people will react:
Some will be drawn to the mountain, to learn His ways so that, " we may walk in His paths." (v3)
Some will run in terror and try to hide in rocks and caves. (v10. 19, 21)
Those who come TO Him will find ;
Peace - " And never again will they learn war". v4
and Light - v5
Those who run from Him will:
be humbled and abased
will know only terror.
Everything that men put their trust in, besides the Lord, will be destroyed:
silver and gold (wealth)
horses and chariots (power)
idols, works of their hands (religion)
The cedars of Lebanon and the oaks of Bashan ( position)
lofty mountains and high hills
high towers and fortified walls ( shelter)
"all the ships of Tarshish" ( commerce)
all the "beautiful craft"
"But the idols will completely vanish" Everything that has taken the worship that only the Lord is worthy of!
The Lord, when seen in the "splendor of His majesty" will evoke terror!
"And the Lord alone will be exalted in that day." ( v11, 17)
He will arise and the earth will "tremble".
Therefore, Isaiah exhorts us, " Stop regarding man, whose breath of life is in his nostrils; for why should he be esteemed?" v22
There is no man, no nation, no thing, no place... that will be able to stand before the Lord on that day, except those who are in Christ Jesus. Those who have come to Him to be His disciple, to learn His ways and walk in His paths. What a powerful reminder that we need to know and to build our lives on, to raise our children in this truth, to share with those who have not yet believed.
Father in heaven, You alone are exalted and worthy of all worship! We need to be ready for that day when the whole earth will tremble, when nothing on earth will matter except knowing You. Oh, Lord, I pray for my family - that each one will hear Your voice and come to You for salvation today!
I ask this of You, in the Name of Jesus, Amen.
On that day there will be several ways that people will react:
Some will be drawn to the mountain, to learn His ways so that, " we may walk in His paths." (v3)
Some will run in terror and try to hide in rocks and caves. (v10. 19, 21)
Those who come TO Him will find ;
Peace - " And never again will they learn war". v4
and Light - v5
Those who run from Him will:
be humbled and abased
will know only terror.
Everything that men put their trust in, besides the Lord, will be destroyed:
silver and gold (wealth)
horses and chariots (power)
idols, works of their hands (religion)
The cedars of Lebanon and the oaks of Bashan ( position)
lofty mountains and high hills
high towers and fortified walls ( shelter)
"all the ships of Tarshish" ( commerce)
all the "beautiful craft"
"But the idols will completely vanish" Everything that has taken the worship that only the Lord is worthy of!
The Lord, when seen in the "splendor of His majesty" will evoke terror!
"And the Lord alone will be exalted in that day." ( v11, 17)
He will arise and the earth will "tremble".
Therefore, Isaiah exhorts us, " Stop regarding man, whose breath of life is in his nostrils; for why should he be esteemed?" v22
There is no man, no nation, no thing, no place... that will be able to stand before the Lord on that day, except those who are in Christ Jesus. Those who have come to Him to be His disciple, to learn His ways and walk in His paths. What a powerful reminder that we need to know and to build our lives on, to raise our children in this truth, to share with those who have not yet believed.
Father in heaven, You alone are exalted and worthy of all worship! We need to be ready for that day when the whole earth will tremble, when nothing on earth will matter except knowing You. Oh, Lord, I pray for my family - that each one will hear Your voice and come to You for salvation today!
I ask this of You, in the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Isaiah 1 Four times in the first chapter Isaiah tells us that the Lord is speaking. ( v 2, 10, 20, 24)
He clearly establishes the problem :
Israel, His Son, has revolted against Him.
They do not know Him.
They don't understand the depth of their trouble.
They are weighed down with sin.
They have abandoned Him, despised Him, turned away from Him.
They are completely sick - from head to toe.
They have lost everything - land, cities, fields... everything!
A clear picture of "all who have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".
Their offerings and sacrifices are not only meaningless, but sickening to the Lord. They are hypocritical, worthless, and burdensome.
What is truly needed is repentance: " Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from my sight. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless; defend the orphan, plead for the widow."
They need redemption.
They need their scarlet, crimson sins made white.
They need what only God can provide as they come to Him, reasoning - deciding to agree with Him - consenting - willing to obey - hear, perceive , pay attention, and carefully obey Him.
Zion, the beautiful city of God had once been faithful, but was now corrupt.
She once was full of justice and righteousness, but was now full of murderers.
She once was like silver, but now like dross.
Her rulers are rebels.
They associate with thieves.
They take bribes.
They chase rewards.
They ignore the orphans and widows pleas.
Therefore God turned away from them and put them through a refiners fire.
But, there will be a day, the Lord promises, when Zion will be redeemed, restored, made righteous and faithful again... for those who repent.
Yet, the unrepentant will " come to an end".
What do we hear the Lord saying to us ?
Outward religious behavior is sickening to the Lord. Only in relationship with Him, consenting to do His will - to remove evil, do good, seek justice, reprove those in rebellion, defend the needy - only when we have been washed by the blood of Jesus, the only way our crimson sins can be made white as snow - can we enter Zion, the City of God!
Paul repeats this to his readers in Romans 12:1-2 " I urge you brethren by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
Father, once again I thank You for redemption through the Lord Jesus Christ, who has made a way for us to come to You. I lay down myself, my body, as a willing servant, redeemed and set free from sin, to dwell in the shelter of Your Presence forever. Bless Your Name forever! Keep my eyes on Your Majesty and Glory that I might know You more and have understanding and wisdom to walk in Your ways. I ask this in the Name of my Redeemer and Lord, amen.
He clearly establishes the problem :
Israel, His Son, has revolted against Him.
They do not know Him.
They don't understand the depth of their trouble.
They are weighed down with sin.
They have abandoned Him, despised Him, turned away from Him.
They are completely sick - from head to toe.
They have lost everything - land, cities, fields... everything!
A clear picture of "all who have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".
Their offerings and sacrifices are not only meaningless, but sickening to the Lord. They are hypocritical, worthless, and burdensome.
What is truly needed is repentance: " Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from my sight. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless; defend the orphan, plead for the widow."
They need redemption.
They need their scarlet, crimson sins made white.
They need what only God can provide as they come to Him, reasoning - deciding to agree with Him - consenting - willing to obey - hear, perceive , pay attention, and carefully obey Him.
Zion, the beautiful city of God had once been faithful, but was now corrupt.
She once was full of justice and righteousness, but was now full of murderers.
She once was like silver, but now like dross.
Her rulers are rebels.
They associate with thieves.
They take bribes.
They chase rewards.
They ignore the orphans and widows pleas.
Therefore God turned away from them and put them through a refiners fire.
But, there will be a day, the Lord promises, when Zion will be redeemed, restored, made righteous and faithful again... for those who repent.
Yet, the unrepentant will " come to an end".
What do we hear the Lord saying to us ?
Outward religious behavior is sickening to the Lord. Only in relationship with Him, consenting to do His will - to remove evil, do good, seek justice, reprove those in rebellion, defend the needy - only when we have been washed by the blood of Jesus, the only way our crimson sins can be made white as snow - can we enter Zion, the City of God!
Paul repeats this to his readers in Romans 12:1-2 " I urge you brethren by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
Father, once again I thank You for redemption through the Lord Jesus Christ, who has made a way for us to come to You. I lay down myself, my body, as a willing servant, redeemed and set free from sin, to dwell in the shelter of Your Presence forever. Bless Your Name forever! Keep my eyes on Your Majesty and Glory that I might know You more and have understanding and wisdom to walk in Your ways. I ask this in the Name of my Redeemer and Lord, amen.
Thursday, August 3, 2017
The Song of Solomon
I find that I need to read this book as a whole - not a chapter at a time. I imagine it as a song sang at the wedding of a man and woman, brought together by love and not by arrangement, either political or parental.
Their marriage is not without obstacles. Their union is not perfect. But, their vows to love one another and their declarations of love for one another seem genuine and deeply romantic. To me the most precious verse is " I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine... " (6:3)
Perhaps we can gain some wisdom from these verses that will deepen our own marriages:
Both husband and wife freely communicate their love for one another, appreciating the others attributes, and professing their desire for one another.
They long to be together and find it difficult to be separated.
They are united in love and also in their work and family.
Father, You have instituted marriage and have set the boundaries for it. I am thankful to have met the one who loves me, the one You have given to me to love - for 29 years now. I am grateful for every day that we are together, for each one is a gift from You. Bless our marriage once again by Your Mighty Hand. Be glorified in our home always. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
I find that I need to read this book as a whole - not a chapter at a time. I imagine it as a song sang at the wedding of a man and woman, brought together by love and not by arrangement, either political or parental.
Their marriage is not without obstacles. Their union is not perfect. But, their vows to love one another and their declarations of love for one another seem genuine and deeply romantic. To me the most precious verse is " I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine... " (6:3)
Perhaps we can gain some wisdom from these verses that will deepen our own marriages:
Both husband and wife freely communicate their love for one another, appreciating the others attributes, and professing their desire for one another.
They long to be together and find it difficult to be separated.
They are united in love and also in their work and family.
Father, You have instituted marriage and have set the boundaries for it. I am thankful to have met the one who loves me, the one You have given to me to love - for 29 years now. I am grateful for every day that we are together, for each one is a gift from You. Bless our marriage once again by Your Mighty Hand. Be glorified in our home always. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Mark 14-16 Mark compresses the next events into an abbreviated account of the Passover supper, the trial, the crucifixion, and the resurrection of Jesus. He hits all the main points:
The betrayal of Judas
The denial of Peter
The prayer in Gethsemane
The trial before Pilate
The burial by Joseph
And the ascension into Heaven.
He also adds a few things that the other gospels do not:
The "certain young man" who wore only a linen sheet and who ran away naked.
The name of Simon of Cyrene's children, Alexander and Rufus.
The presence of Mary, the mother of Joses, along with Mary, the mother of James and Salome at the crucifixion and at the tomb.
And the granting of "signs" ( v17-18) to "accompany those who have believed" -
Verse 14 of chapter 16 stands out to me: " And afterward He appears to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He was risen."
Perhaps they thought that if Jesus was truly alive, that He would have come to them first. Whatever the reason, Jesus knew their need to see Him for themselves. Imagine what that would have been like! To see Jesus in the flesh... in His resurrected and glorified body! One day, we will have that privilege .. and oh what a day that will be.
Father in heaven, let Your kingdom come! We look with longing to see Christ return and reign forevermore! Yet, we thank You for Your patience, knowing that You do not want to see any perish, but all to come into Your kingdom. I pray for my loved ones who have unbelieving and hardened hearts and ask You to call them to Your salvation by faith in Jesus Christ! Nothing is impossible for You, Almighty God. Open eyes and hearts I pray, in the Name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, amen.
The betrayal of Judas
The denial of Peter
The prayer in Gethsemane
The trial before Pilate
The burial by Joseph
And the ascension into Heaven.
He also adds a few things that the other gospels do not:
The "certain young man" who wore only a linen sheet and who ran away naked.
The name of Simon of Cyrene's children, Alexander and Rufus.
The presence of Mary, the mother of Joses, along with Mary, the mother of James and Salome at the crucifixion and at the tomb.
And the granting of "signs" ( v17-18) to "accompany those who have believed" -
Verse 14 of chapter 16 stands out to me: " And afterward He appears to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He was risen."
Perhaps they thought that if Jesus was truly alive, that He would have come to them first. Whatever the reason, Jesus knew their need to see Him for themselves. Imagine what that would have been like! To see Jesus in the flesh... in His resurrected and glorified body! One day, we will have that privilege .. and oh what a day that will be.
Father in heaven, let Your kingdom come! We look with longing to see Christ return and reign forevermore! Yet, we thank You for Your patience, knowing that You do not want to see any perish, but all to come into Your kingdom. I pray for my loved ones who have unbelieving and hardened hearts and ask You to call them to Your salvation by faith in Jesus Christ! Nothing is impossible for You, Almighty God. Open eyes and hearts I pray, in the Name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, amen.
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