This chapter will have been written after Sennacherib's fall and introduces the Babylon and it's interest in Judah, which sets the scene for the rest of the book of Isaiah.
When Hezekiah entertains these guests from Babylon, he is most likely looking out to find some new allies. But Isaiah knows that this visit is not just a good will gesture.
Isaiah carefully questions Hezekiah and then tells him about the LORD's judgement, It is interesting that Isaiah notes both the perplexing answer from Hezekiah and his inner feelings. Hezekiah is revealed to be not only short-sighted but also very self-centred. We would have expected something better from someone who was well-grounded in Scripture and had the advice of godly assistants and mentors. In Chronicles, Hezekiah last days are recorded more favourably, but here Isaiah wants us to learn from what was going on inside Hezekiah.
Self-absobtion will lead someone into spiritual danger. What does my life tel me about my allegiances? What am I most motivated by? Am I always loking out for myself or am I motivated by Christ? Can I say, "For me to live is Christ, to die is gain." like Paul?
Lord God, you know what I am like on the inside. Help me to live my life for you and not for my own selfish gain. In Jesus'Name. Amen.
Imagine being in Hezekiah's situation, where a prophet of reknowned for predicting the future accurately comes to you and tells you that God had revealed to him that God was going to take away your life fairly soon. Hezekiah is shocked and prays. In his prayers he justifies himself by what he has done for God.
Next we are told that God has heard his prayer and is going to extend his life. At first glance it would seem that the extension of life is given because of his good works but looking at verse 5, it seems to me that the extension is based more on God wishing to honour the covenant with David and his line and because of Hezekiah's penitent tears.
Unlike us today, we have a much surer hope in the fact of life after death because of waht Jesus did when he came back from the dead. Hezekiah did not have so much assurance of such a life. God had mercy on Hezekiah and even gave him a miraculous sign. I don't know how God did it, but we seem to have a sudden time shift and we go back in time for the equivalent of whatever ten steps on the stairway of Ahaz comes to.
2 Chronicles 32:25-26 shows that Hezekiah had been proud and trusted in Egypt instead of God, but then he repented. In verses 10-20, I get a sense of the feelings that Hezekiah was going through at the time. He seems terrified at the thought of death coming so soon, but then delighted that God has reprieved him and given fifteen more years to his life. In verse 15 we see a determination to walk with God for these years that He has given him.
Lord God, I so rarely think about how fleeting my life is and so rarely about the joys of heaven, though I look forward to them. Help me to meditate on eternity more often to help me live my life today. Amen.
"Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord!" - Philippians 3:1
In this chapter, Paul is dealing once again with the Jewish Christians that were insisting on all Christian men being circumcised in order to be authentic Christians. He basically tells these people not to be so self-righteous and to stop boasting in their religious achievements, but rather rejoice that they are saved.
Paul tells them in no uncertain terms that if any of them could boast it was he. He gave a long list of his religious achievements but then said that he counted all of these loss. Why? Because he had found something so much better, the joy of knowing Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour.
Rejoicing always is obviously not going around everyday saying "Praise the Lord!" It is far deeper than that. It is a deep inward feeling of joy that God is there for us all the time and a gratitude for all He has done for us. So even in our dark moments we can be joyful, because of our relationship with God, through Christ.
Whatever it is in my life that I want to brag about needs to be forgotten in the light of my relationship with Christ. Jeremiah said, "Let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth." (Jeremiah 9:24).
Lord God, help me not to boast about the things that I have achieved, but only what you have done and of the great joy it is to have a relationship with you. Help me rather to boast about what You have done, can do and will do, in Your precious name I ask. Amen.
"Stop passing judgment on one another." - Romans 14:13
What day of the week should we rest? Should Christians drink wine? Should we play cards or mahjong? I guess we all have strong feelings about the 'spiritual'preferences that we all adhere to. It was the same in Paul's day too. Jews who had become Christians were wondering what to do about the holy days prescribed in the Old Testament and the keeping of certain strict Sabbath rules. With their newfound freedom in Jesus, they were also wondering about the ceremonial laws, especially those to do with “unclean” meat. Connected to this was also the question of the meat offered to idols in the pagan temples.
Paul recognised that diffferent people would have different viewpoints on certain issues and though he had his own viewpoint on matters, in things that were not important for salvation, then he was very flexible. Like Paul we need to stop passing judgment on others. I have my preferences in certain matters, and obviously I like it when others have the same preferences, but it is not essential.
Paul tells us, “make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way” (Rom. 14:13). When we know that something we feel is okay might bring distress to another believer, then we should consider our actions. It is up to the stronger believer to give up our personal preferences for the sake of their well-being.
And that's the most important thing - love. It is what stops us from falling apart when we face “disputable matters.”
Lord God, help me to have a right view of the preferences of other believers and know how to accommodate differences in a loving way. In Jesus'Name. Amen
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship." - Romans 12:1
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary says of this verse, each of us is to be "a living sacrifice - in glorious contrast to the legal sacrifices, which, save as they were slain, were no sacrifices at all. The death of the one "Lamb of God, taking away the sin of the world," has swept all dead victims from off the altar of God, to make room for the redeemed themselves as "living sacrifices" to Him who made "Him to be sin for us"; while every outgoing of their grateful hearts in praise, and every act prompted by the love of Christ, is itself a sacrifice to God of a sweet-smelling savour (Heb 13:15, 16)."
Matthew Henry says that Paul, the apostle having closed the part of his epistle wherein he argues and proves various doctrines which are practically applied, here urges important duties from gospel principles. He entreated the Romans, as his brethren in Christ, by the mercies of God, to present their bodies as a living sacrifice to Him.
This is a powerful appeal. We receive from the Lord every day the fruits of his mercy. Let us render ourselves; all we are, all we have, all we can do: and after all, what return is it for such very rich receivings? It is acceptable to God: a reasonable service, which we are able and ready to give a reason for, and which we understand.
Conversion and sanctification are the renewing of the mind; a change, not of the substance, but of the qualities of the soul. The progress of sanctification, dying to sin more and more, and living to righteousness more and more, is the carrying on this renewing work, till it is perfected in glory. The great enemy to this renewal is, conformity to this world.
Take heed of forming plans for happiness, as though it lay in the things of this world, which soon pass away. Do not fall in with the customs of those who walk in the lusts of the flesh, and mind earthly things. The work of the Holy Spirit first begins in the understanding, and is carried on to the will, affections, and conversation, till there is a change of the whole man into the likeness of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness. Thus, to be godly, is to give up ourselves to God.
So how well am I at giving my whole self to God. I think I can be in danger sometimes of forming plans for happiness rather than thinking of sacrificing for God.
Lord God, You have done so much for me. It should be as nothing to me therefore to give you my life, as you have given me doth life and now eternal life through Jesus Christ. Help me to keep this in mind everyday, so that I might serve you well in the future. Amen.
"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you." - Luke 6:27
So many people in life are intent on revenge whenever they are hurt. "Revenge is sweet" goes the saying and many people will testify to that feeling when they revenge themselves, but how long does the sweetness last? It only leads to a cycle of revenge and the person revenged is after counter-revenge. No wonder there are so many tv programmes and films that have revenge or vendettas as their main topic.
I think that even though we know that Jesus told us that we should do something very radical, most of us find it hard to do this. How do I love my enemies? It is at times like this that I need to remember tha love is not just an emotion, it is an action and can therefore be controlled and implemeted. I can choose to love even though my natural impulse is not to.
Some people might feel that Jesus teaching on this is a bit extreme, but it is not so difficult to take when we realise that Jesus did just what he tells us to do. Jesus had so many opportunities to hate and His enemies and get revenge, but He loved them instead. This is no more clear than when He was cruelly crucified for something He didn't do. Even while he was being crucified, He prayed for others and even prayed for the people who were crucifying Him, even while they were doing it! He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
Jesus did not want a whole lot of his followers running around getting even with the bad people in society. His approach was not a "Magnificent Seven" approach, were you kill off your enemies, but to actually do the opposite without encouraging wrongdoing. But just as I could ask, "Who is my neighbour?" I could also ask, "Who is my 'enemy'?” Enemies can just as easily be our bosses, parents, spouses, or even our own children, rather than someone who perhaps attacks you physically in the street. Sometimes the people closest to us are the hardest to love.
Jesus calls us to be radical and give grace in return for hurt and mercy and kindness in return for cruelty. The only way I can do this is trusting God's promise in Romans 12:19: “For it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
Lord God, You know how well I have done at loving my enemies. You know how well I am doing right now. Give me the grace and love and kindness and faith to love all people, no matter how they treat me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth." - Psalm 100:1
Why is it that violins made by Stradivarius are so different from others? They can sell for amounts of well over half million pounds, because they sound so good.
The reason for this apparently is that Stradivarius lived in a small Italian village in the 1700s and was too poor to buy fine wood for his violins, so he drew his wood out from the polluted harbour of his village. At that time the harbour would be much like a rubbish dump; smelly, and full of all kinds of waste.
When experts analyzed the wood from these violins, they discover that microbes in the contaminated water had eaten away the inside of the cells in the wood leaving only the superstructure. So, when a violinist plays a Stradivarius violin, it’s like an organ with thousands of sound chambers, each reverberating the sound of the bow moving across the strings.
This is is a picture of what Jesus has done for us! We were woprth nothing, and rotting in our sin, but Jesus came and pulled us from the mire. He loved us while we were yet sinners. Then he cleansed us and made us into an instrument that would bring him glory. That's why David tells us to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. That is what we are made for. Our lives should be filled with spiritual songs and psalms and hymns.
Lord, God, make me an instrument that is always bringing praise to you. Not just when I sing hymns on Sunday or at other Christian meetings, but may my life be one of praise to you. Amen.
Isaiah now tells Hezekaih that the LORD has answered his prayer. Their military tactics of 36:9 were of no use, their envoys were of no use, but this prayer moved God to act on behalf of His name and save Judah.
The answer to the prayer starts off by contrasting the Holy One of Israel with the baseless boasting of Sennacherib. Sennacherib thinks he is great and boasts of his great achievements in Lebanon; reaching its highest peaks and cutting down it finest cedars. But he does not realise that all theses are the Lord's and he can deal with them as he wishes.
But God is not just the Holy one. He is the Lord of Hosts. As such he involves himself intimately with his people protecting them and providing for them. God gives them a sign, since they have been besieged, they could not plant od reap, but God will give them two harvests of food that has grown and seeded itself (30). In the third year they are to plant and harvest as normal. In a similar way, God has given them a new lease of life, so they too take root and the remnant of Judah grows and matures.
Sennacherib fails to come to faith in God and he comes to a tragic end; killed by his own sons.
God has given us so much, but how much do we appreciate it? It is easy enough to get proud and forget just how much we have from the Lord, perhaps thinking we obtained what we have through our own talent and ingenuity.
Lord God, thank you that you protect and provide for your people. Help us to put our trust in you at all times, in good and bad times, not relying on our own strength and ideas, but on you and your promises to us in Christ. Amen
Hezekiah is distraught and does what all of us should do when we are at our wits end, in fact, what we should all do anyway, but now in his distress King Hezekaih goes to the temple and prays. WHile he made his way to the temple, his administrators call for Isaiah to come and pray with him. He recognises that Isaiah is a godly man and therefore maybe God will listen to him over and above anyone else. Hezekiah has a limited view of the power of God. He says it may be that the LORD your God, has heard the insults against Him. Again a hint that Hezekiah did not know God as well as he should since he says your God and not our God. But at last He comes to his senses and makes a step to trusting God and not his intellect and other powers like Egypt around him. Surely it was Hezekiah that had done so much in bringing reforms to Judah, but he realises that these reforms are not enough to guarantee that he would escape God's judgement through destruction at the hands of Sennacherib.
In our world today, there are still many threats to both our personal and national freedom and well-being. We face many challenges: crime in cities, rapid climate change, unstable nations, radicalism and others. How can we learn from Hezekiah in our situation? He prayed and the heat seemed to be turned up. The Cushite king comes out against Sennacherib and with no response from Hezekaih a letter is sent to him. So once again Hezekiah goes to pray and spreads the letter out before the LORD.
I think that what we can learn is that whatever the situation, we claim the LORD's control in and over the situation. Whether it be a personal problem or a matter at national or international level. Then we ask God to make His control clear to all.
Like Hezekiah, I need to remember what kind of God we have. He is not impotent like the gods of wood and stone and bronze. He is the living creator of the universe, and He has brought me into a relationship with Him, which makes all the difference.
Lord God, in all situations, help me to rely on you, to call out to you and to trust you even when everything seems so bleak. You are a Heavenly Father who cares for all of us and I thank You for that. Amen.
"I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." - Philippians 3:8
For Paul, walking with Jesus wasn't about scoring points toward receiving heavenly promises, nor was it about the accumulation of possessions or the pursuit of pleasure. It was about Jesus, and Him alone. That is why Paul was able to write this verse to the Philippians. Do I have the same view of Christ and my relationship to him? What is my allegiance to Jesus?
Would I still love and serve God, even if He hadn't made promises to bless and reward me? Is my love and loyalty to Him based on what He does for me? Would I still love God if He never did anything for me, like Job, when he was no longer receiving God's blessings? God is worthy of our love, simply for who He is!
If God required my most prized possessions, would I place them on the altar for Him? What's more important to me, the gifts that God has given me, or the Giver of the gifts? Abraham proved himself on top of a mountain with his son, Isaac, ready to offer up what was most precious to him, am I able to give up what is most precious to me?
If God required me to give up what brings me pleasure, would I give it up for Him? This could mean illicit pleasures that are outside the boundaries of God's righteous rules or legitimate pleasures like peace, affluence, and significant friendships. Paul was ready to do that and counted the best things in his life as rubbish compared to the joy of Jesus in his life? Can I say the same?
These things are all worth thinking about. Knowing Christ is better than anything else.
Lord Jesus, You know what motivates me to obey you, whether it is your character and gratitiude for Your grace, or whether it is a desire to receive blessing (or a mixture of both). Help me to be ready to give up any possession or pleasure if necessary to know You, my Lord. Amen.
"If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness. The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." - Isaiah 58:10-11
If we just look at these two verses alone it might make you think that God wants us to work to get His blessing and perhaps our salvation. BUt when we look at these verses in the light of what has just been said, then we begin to understand what is going on here. Look at Isaiah 58:1-11
The people of Israel were asking God, "Why have we fasted and you have not listened to us?" But God replies that their fasting has not been to avail because firstly they often end up with quarrels and fights afterwards and they are not really humbling themselves as they say. God does not want the outward signs of fasting without the inward humility and dedication. The fasting that God wants to see brings results in those fasting. It leads to people seeking justice and practising it. It leads to people caring and changning the lives of the impoverished. True humility and reverence of GOd shows itself in changed lives that love others.
God wants us to practise the outward signs of reverence, like going to church, praying, fasting, attending Bible study and reading His word, but if it is only an outward show, then it is worthless. None of these things are able to save us. God wants to see a changed heart and a warm relationship with Him, which is seen in action.
Rituals do not save, whether it be getting baptised or taking Holy Communion, or attending services regularly. All of these are worthless if they are not accompanied by a changed heart in relationship with God. We need to examine ourselves to see if we are not only doing all outward religious things but are also being changed inside which leads to the service of others for God's glory.
Lord God, show me where you want to use me to bring your love and good news to others around me. May my worship to you on Sunday and in small groups not just be empty ritual but part of a life that is serving you and others throughout the week. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
"Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.'" - Leviticus 19:2
God calls us to be holy because we are his followers and so should reflect his attributes in our lives. We should want to be holy because it pleases God, but sometimes we want to argue with God as to what makes us holy. We may ask why we can't indulge our favourite weakness because we do not see why it is wrong and how it makes us unholy, except that God tells us this is so. Often we see some kind of logic behind God's laws, but don't understand fully, so we want to argue with God, or at leat question Him on the reasons for saying don't do this or that, or do do this or that.
Sometimes like parents to children say, "Do this because I say so." We know they can't understand yet why we say "Do this!" or "Don't do that!" But we know why we said it. Similarly when we get to heaven all will be clear to us. At the present we need simply to trust the wisdom of God, even if we find it hard.
In the Old Testament times, God's holiness and presence was revealed to the people principally by his presence being available at the Holy Temple. In the New Testament, God does something even more radical and made his presence known through Jesus becoming a man. He showed that he wa available to all people, even humble shepherds and fishermen and even tax collectors, not to a select few who were very well versed in the Scriptures and tradition of the Jewish people. In New testament times they had God showing his people what it meant to be holy. Now in these post pentecost times, we have the Holy Spirit available at all times for believers to help them know God's presence and to be with us to enable us to live Holy lives.
To live a holy life, means that I have to live differently; to make daily choices that are in line with God’s holiness; to stand up for right in a culture that looks at things differently from God's way. It means that I need to be honesty, just, and show integrity in all things. It means I need to be more generous, and forgiving, because that is what God is like. It means I need to serve others instead of myself, and to use my power to bless others instead of using it to advance my own agendas. If I can do that, and I can with the Holy Spirit's help, then I will make a difference in this world in the way that our holy God call me to.
God spoke through Moses to tell the people to live in and enjoy the land He had promised to them. But they were to live differently from the pagans around them. They were to reflect the Holiness of the true and living God.
Help me Father, to live a holy life that honours You. There is so much that I can improve on. Fill me today with Your Spirit, so that I will live to honour you in this difficult world. Amen.
"He upholds the cause of the oppressed." - Psalm 146:7
Praise God that He upholds the cause of the oppressed, but what about us? We are called to become like our Saviour Jesus, and that means that we too should be ready to stand up for the cause of the oppressed. Sadly for most of our lives are so comfortable that we do not cry out in protest at it injustice often enough. We don't like to rock the boat in case we too get wet.
When we look back over our Christian history. In the early days of the Roman Empire, Christians were tortured and killed for entertainment. Later in our European history we see generations of Africans forced into slavery and kept in it until the latter part of the 19th Century.
God hates injustice so much which is why he sent Jesus to be a model for us. Most people know the story of when Jesus went into the Temple to cleanse it from the injustice that was going on there. Merchants and moneychangers were working together to get as much money from the pilgrims as they could. First of all they required people to use temple currency to buy their animals for sacrifice, and they set the exchange rate exhorbitantly high, then people were forced to buy the cattle or lambs or doves at several times the market price. Jesus overturned their tables and threw them out.
Sometimes we just find it easier to be a bystander and let things pass, when we ought to do something about it. There is still a lot of injustice in the world, and perhaps in this world of mass media when we are informed about so many thigns we get overloaded with good causes so that we become imune to people's needs. But that is only an excuse, we can at least choose some of the causes against injustivce and work on those.
Jesus, You demonstrated that you were willing to stand up against injustice. Help us too to do the same and be people who are seen to stand up for what we believe. In Jesus Name. Amen.
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." - 1 John 2:15
We know from Scripture that God's love toward us is faithful, everlasting, and unchanging (Lamentations 3:22-23). But, what about your our love for Him. Isn't it sometimes a bit erratic. One day it seems like we are really 'on fire'for Him and ready to praise and serve Him all day long, but a few days later it, people might wonder if we are really trusting in Christ and love Him. How inconsistent our love for God can be.
John talks about our love for God in tangible and practical ways. Regardless of how we feel, John tells us that God feels loved by us when we surrender to Him and obey (1 John 5:3). He also tells us that loving God is seen when we love our brothers and sisters in Christ (1 John 4:21). And in this verse we see that our love for God is shown when we choose to love God more than the world!
1 John 2:15 tells us that if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. So how are we doing with our love of the world? How much do we let the cares of this world override the love we have for God and his way of doing things?
We need to stop every now and then, today would be a good time, and evaluate our love for God. Is it based on our feelings or is it expressed in the ways that God has indicated we should show it. Love is a verb; an action; more than it is an emotion. Our love needs to be seen in action.
Lord God, thank you that you love me regardless. I don't want love for the world to get in the way of my relationship with You. This world and all in it will pass away, but You and Your kingdom wil never pass away, so help me to keep this in perspective and show my love for You each and every day. Amen.
This chapter and the next three help us to understand more of the historical background of Isaiah's prophecies. This chapter brings out the arrogance of Assyria. The Assyrian commander even claims that the LORD is the one that is on Assyria's side and even sent them to destroy Judah. At the same time we see Hezekiah's foolishness in not trusting solely in God to help him out in time of trouble.
The field commander is quite cunning in the way he speaks to Hezekiah's representatives. He speaks of the Egyptian army as a mere splintered reed, then uses sarcasm in verse 9 and lies in verse 10.
In verses 16 and 18 the commander tells them not to listen to Hezekiah when he says, "The LORd will deliver us." In verse 18 he talks as though the God of Israel was just like any other of the gods that the nations around them had graven out of stone or cast in bronze. In a few chapters time, Sennacherib will know that their God is not like the other gods and He can save them from their enemies should He choose to do so.
The administrators return to Hezekiah distressed and probably discouraged. But soon they would be rejoicing.
Lord God, we praise you that you can save us from our enemies. Thank you that you have already defeated death and Satan on the cross through Jesus Christ. Please help us me to daily to draw my strength on you and to rely on you and not on my own wisdom to solve the problems in my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.
The people complain to God as they feel humiliated by the nations around them. Jerusalem has been destroyed and the temple too. They complain to God that not only are they being derided but that it is as though God himself is being scorned too and his reputation is tarnished in front of unbelievers.
Even today, God and those who believe in Him are derided but for different reasons. Richard Dawkins wrote a book a year or two ago called 'The God Delusion.' So this psalm in a different way is still relevant. God is being marginalised by our society and treated as a minority interest. So how should we who believe in God, react in such situations?
Well, if this psalm is a good example, we should lament that the situation is as it is. We should feel for God, as the very people He wants to save insult Him. Where we have contributed to the crisis, either directly or indirectly we need to confess that we have failed to stand up for our God. We need to reflect on the fact that more important than the survival of the church is God's glory and plead with God to intervene for his servants. Finally we need to put our hope and trust in GOd that He will demonstrate His power and answer our prayers.
Lord God, you are wonderful and mighty and all wise, even if the world does not recognise you. Whatever the world may think, I know you are a wonderful and loving God, so help me glorify you in word and action today and every day. Amen.
"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." - Ephesians 4:3
There are so many things that seem to stop us from keeping the unity of the Spirit; differences like gender, color, gifts, temperaments, roles, perspectives, preferences, and denominations all hava at some time caused a measure of disunity among the believers in God's church. The psalmist would agree with Paul's encouragement to us when he wrote, "How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1).
Paul is reflecting what Jesus prayed for in John 17. He prayed that His followers would be set apart by the truth of God's word (16, 17) and applied it not just to the disciples in His time, but to all believers (20, 21). It is truth that sets us apart from the world and it should be truth that unites believers together. There are key truths that should unite us in all situations, truths such as the deity ofg Christ; that salvation that comes by grace through faith in Christ alone; that the Scriptures are the sole authority for faith and practice, and that they are without error and completely trustworthy.
With these things that we have in common, it should help us to do what Paul says and keep the unity of the Spirit. So even if we come from different backgrounds and cultures and ways of doing things, then being a follower of Jesus brings us together. If we are all following Jesus then we can walk together.
Thank You Jesus, that you have drawn me to be one with other believers, so I have a family who will help me bear my burdens and me theirs. We can pray for one another and encourage one another, especially when the going gets tough. Help me always to let the big things we have in common override any small differences we may have with others; in Jesus'Name, Amen.
"We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" - Romans 6:2
Paul had been talking about our struggle with sin and temptation and how God gives grace. No doubt as he preached this in various places he would hear people's response to this. It seems that some people in Paul's time were saying, and I guess still say it today in some circles, "If our sins are an opportunity for God to show His grace to us, then shouldn't we sin even more, so God has the chance to show masses of grace?"
Paul immediately responds, "Definitely not!" He argues that if we died to sin, then how can we live in it any longer. The follows some verses that explain the symbolism in our Christian baptism. He explains that our old self was crucified with Christ, so that we should no longer be slaves of sin. If our old self is dead, then the old thoughts, attitudes and actions that marked our sinful life before need to be done away with. Paul tell sus in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that 'If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, the new has come!'
Later in the chapter (verse 11) Paul tells us ot count ourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. We need to examine our lives and check that we are not just putting on a Christian lifestyle for our friends at church to see, or whether we have really put to death those things that are not pleasing to God and Christ.
Dear Lord, today I choose to live my life Your Way; to put to death all those things that belong to my old way of life that displease you and to replace them with Your way of living. Thank You that You are the friend of all those who obey your commands. Help me to live my life to Your standards. In Jesus'Name; amen.
"You are my friends if you do what I command." - John 15:14
I think we have all experienced some kind of one-way friendship at some time in our lives. These are people that you have helped several times maybe many times in the past, but somehow when you need some help they are not available. When they meet you it is often in order to get some kind of favour.
I wonder if you have ever monitored your conversations with God. How much of your conversation is taken up with asking and how much with other items of your daily life? I know God tells us to ask of him, like we can go to our fathers (well, ideally!) and ask them for things. But how much time do we spend asking our earthly fathers for things? Yes, I know he asks us to cast all our cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7), and the writer of Hebrews tells us to go to His throne of grace with confidence in our time of need,(Hebrews 4:16). But it is clear form this verse that we are meant to have a reciprocal relationship with God.
If anyone else said to us what is in these verses, we would think, "Who do you think you are; wanting to order me around to be friends!" But coming from Jesus it makes perfect sense. He is always giving ot us, in fact we could not exist without him, so as God he deserve our obedience to His commands. The amazing part is that God, through Jesus, wants to be our friends and not just our creator. In the Old Testament, only Abraham and Moses were called a 'friend' of God. This is a real privilege here.
Jesus proved his friendship to us when he laid down his life for us. Surely we can do the same for him. Our laying down our lives might be literally that for some, but for most of us it is a laying down our lives daily to do His will (his commands).
Lord Jesus, You have proved your friendship to me in so many ways, help me to meditate to day on allthe things you have done for me. I'm sorry if my friendship with you has been too one-way and I determine to live my life as a true friend of Yours from now on. Help me to change my priorities and habits so that I can live a life better conformed to the one you have planned for me, in Your precious Name I ask. Amen.
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." - John 1:14
I praise God that He sent Jesus to this world and praise Jesus that he was willing to come. Jesus (The Word) became flesh for us and lived among us. He did not come secretly; his arrival was announced by angels and by a star that led wise men to come searching for him, but he did have to live the first part of his life in obscurity and poverty and har work, so that he would really understand what it meant to live as a man in this world. He did not come to find out who were good and who were bad at heart. He already knew that!
Jesus came to bring love and grace to mankind. The love he brought was not sentimental and 'mushy', but the tough kind that was willing to sacrifice. Jesus was available when he first came to earth and he is now available to all of us still, by way of the Holy Spirit. Though we cannot have Jesus with us here on earth at the moment in the flesh, we have something better, a Jesus that can live in our hearts and change us from within to become better people.
The disciple John could say that he and many others had seen Jesus' glory. We who have put our tust in Him can say similar things. We have seen his glory in the things that He has done in our lives. It is wonderful how God cares for each of us and provides for us all.
Many people have found that the real Jesus is anything but elusive. In fact, they have found Him to be compellingly available, and, it is not just the feeble and weak who flee to Him for rest and comfort (though He gladly gives comfort and rest to all, wherever they may find themselves). Many highly intelligent, prosperous, and privileged people have found that Jesus answers their needs far better that the abundance of things and privileges gives them. Only in Jesus do we find true significance.
Lord Jesus, thank you that you are availble to me today, help me to tell others about you being there for them too. Thank you that you didnt come to this world in a hidden way so that it is difficult to find salvation, but that you made ýourself available to al people from all walks of life. You are wonderful, may my life show that today. Amen.
"Our citizenship is in heaven." - Philippians 3:20
As Christians we all know that this world is not our home, but for those of us at least who live in fairly pleasant circumstances, we can easily get too comfortable with our lives here and so not think so much about the future. Jesus came to this world and he knew that there was something much better awaiting us, because he had come from there.
When he left this world, he prepared a place for those who trust in Him to go to when they die. He has not only promised to prepare a place, he has also promised that He will come back to collect us. There are a lot of people seeking to get citizenship of other countries so they can have a better life. But there is a better citizenship to be seeking for, and that is citizenship of God's country.
There is only one way to become a citizen of God's country and that is through faith in Jesus Christ. What does it mean to put your faith in Christ? It means first acknowledging that you have sinned (sin is not following God's laws, so there is no-one who has not sinned). Secondly it is trusting Jesus to take the punishment for our sin thirdly asking Him by his Holy Spirit to live in you and change you from within, so that you can follow Jesus for the rest of your life.
Once we become citizens of heaven, then we need to live by the principles of our new citizenship. We become generous, forgiving, patient, kind, merciful and seek to help others. Though we are looking forward to a going to our new residence, we still enjoy what God has given us here on earth; friendshipa, nature, love, art and music and the material gifts God has given us. And even if we should lose everything here, we have far greater things to look forward to in the future.
Heavenly Father help me to remember that this world is not my home; I am just passing through, and as I wait to go to be with You, help me to live as a good representative of the country I really belong to. Amen.
It's worth reading through these verses again and meditate on the wonder and beauty that is described here. The desolation of Edom is now behind us and we are now looking at the wilds of the Judean landscape. What was once desert and parched land will now become as glorious as Lebanon.
Why is it so glorious? It's because God is there in his splendour. Who are they that will see this glory? It is those who had feeble hands and fearful hearts (probably trembling before the Assyrian army). They will be strengthened by God who will come to bring justice and save them (4).
The Lord will bring healing to them and also transform their land. We see here something of the New Testament mystery, because it is Jesus who will heal us, save us and reconcile all things in heaven and on earth. Emptiness was Edom's judgement, the greening of Judah's wilderness is the herald of the Lord's new thing for the future.
The Way of Holiness is for God's people. Only those who walk in God's Way can travel along it. We can travel along it because we have been made holy by Christ. We who have been ransomed, will be able to enter God's city.
Thank you Father, that you are so gracious to us. Even when we, like Judah, have strayed away so far from You, you draw us back in your love, you pay the price for us, and you make us holy. Your love is so great, Amen.
God is angry with all the nations because there is not one that is doing right. He is going to destroy all their armies in a bloody slaughter. We know the saying, "He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword." This is the judgement on the nations.
In particular we see Isaiah describing the desolation that will fall on Edom, whose capital city is Bozra. The once prosperous city, whose wealth came from its herds, will become like a slaughterhouse, or like on the day of a great sacrifice when many cattle, sheep and goats will be slaughtered.
Verses 13-15 describe tha aftermath of the slaughter; the city lies in ruins. The brambles and nettles start to greow over the ruins. The place is deserted except for wild creatures roaming around and birds nesting in the empty buildings. It is only in the last two verses that we see any hope for the future. Even in the desert place of Edom, God will bring sustenance and allot portions for people to dwell from generation to generation.
Lord God, I see that you have sometimes to bring us through desert experiences to finally be strengthened for our service to you. Should I have to go through any similar experience, help me to meditate on the example of Jesus, and learn from Him who, though he lived for days in the desert in desolate places, was strengthened and prepared by You for his great ministry of salvation. Amen.
"Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, 'I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.'" - John 13:21
Can you imagine what it must have been like for Jesus and his disciples in that Upper Room on that special evening? For Jesus to know that one of the people that he had chosen to be with him for so many years was about to betray him. For the disciples who must have been amazed that someone in their midst who had been with them through thisck and thin for the last three years would do anything so wicked.
Betrayal will often come from those we least suspect. It could be anyone. I guess that most of us would not think ourselves as candidates to betray anyone; it could be someone you least suspect! Some reading this will already have betrayed Jesus at some level or another. Perhaps you were at one time fully committed to serving Jesus, but now there are other things that are taking up more of your devotion.
Judas loved money and that was how he got drawn away from fully following Jesus. Perhaps too, there were things that he had hoped Jesus would do, but Jesus did not do them, because that was not His way. I believe that Judas was hoping that the kingdom would come quickly and he would have a postion of power in that kingdom, but Jesus made it clear that that was not his present mission. Perhaps you too were looking for things that Jesus never promised and so now other things are taking up your devotion to Jesus and sin (which is a betrayal of our devotion to Christ) has crept in to your life. Judas heart was already too hard to turn back, what about you? NOw is the time to repent and turn back to your devotion and service of Him.
Lod Jesus, though I cannot in these days be tempted to turn You over to the authorities to be murdered, help me to identify any areas in my life that might turn me away from my devotionm and commitment to You and Your cause. Strengthen me to be a true disciple of YOurs all the days opf my life, in Your precious name I ask, Amen.
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11
God has plans for all Christians and they are for our benefit, though some are long-term benefits while others are more short-term. For Christians there is no such thing as luck, though we sometimes use the word to describe some of the things that happen to us. What happens to us is part of God's plan. God is at work in each one of us directing our lives and the lives of others so that things which seem like they are co-incidences are in fact all directed by God's hand. Perhaps seeking to make as much money as posible has overtaken your heart and so your time, which was previously given to serving God, is now being used to gain as much material wealth as possible.
I believe that there is nothing that is beyond God's control. There are times when God allows people to go ahead with their plans, even though it is against God's revealed will. We do that every time we sin and God in His grace does not always punish us for every sin, otherwise our lives would be a misery!
Many unbelievers challenge our concept of God. They believe that all of life is governed by chance and so this leads them to live their lives trying to get as much pleasure and wealth as they can. It could be why quite a lot of people in UK like to go out and drink too much. Personally I cannot see the pleasure in this, but that is their view of life, but then I guess that if life has no ultimate meaning, then why not get drunk?
Then there are those who distort God's providence and believe that everything is determined by our "fate". This means that we are all victims of the circumstances around us and everything is entirely outside of our control. This puts us at the mercy of a fickle being who controls our lives for his own amusement.
The Bible however paints a different picture. God loves His creation and wants the best for it, even though it is a fallen world, because of our sin. God is moving history towards a finale, when Satan will be crushed and powerless and we will have a new heaven and earth. I think that most of us who have trusted Christ can look back over our lives and see the gracious hand of God upon us.
Heavenly Father, thank you that even when things are tough for us, you are there, working things out for our future. Thank you that you are not a fickle God who controls our lives in every way, but You have given us freedom of choice, and have good plans for all of us who trust in You, Amen.
"Run in such a way as to get the prize." - 1 Corinthians 9:24
The Bible often speaks of living the Christian life as if we were running a race. So it seems that following Jesus is more than just a stroll in the park and we don't really get to choose whether to be in the race or not. Once we chose to follow Jesus we are in the race and our aim is to keep up with Jesus. So how do we do that?
Well when we run any race we have to make sure that we get fit and train. In 1 Corinthians 9:4 Paul says, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." We need to want to win. That means exercise and good food. Our food is God's word - the Bible, exercise will be putting what we learn into practice.
To get the prize, we also have to run by the rules. Paul committed himself to obey Christ in all things. The other thing is that we need to run light. We do not want to carry too much weight or wear clothes that restrict us when we run. In Hebrews 12:1 we are told to, we are to "lay aside every hindering weight and the sin that so easily besets us." I need to think what is it that distracts me and are their any sins that slow me down?" For most of us this race is going to be a Marathon rather than a sprint. This is a race we are in all our lives, so we need to keep going whatever the weather and whatever the ground is like under our feet. Sometimes it will be hard and we will be brought to a walk, or even slip and fall, but we keep following Christ and we will make it in the end.
Help me Father not to run aimlessly, but run in order to gain the crown that will last forever. Help me to fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. so that I will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:2-3) Amen.
"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial." - James 1:12
There is a saying that has been going around for some time now: "When the going gets tough, the tough gets going." Which is a little like the verse here. When the going gets tough for a Christian, then he or she perseveres. Why persevere? It's because there is a crown of life awaiting the one who stands the test (which is the rest of the verse).
I am told that in the Greek language, the word 'perseverance' is made up of two words. One means “to remain.” The other word means “under.” That tells us that perseverance is the ability to stay determined under the pressure of a difficult situation. As Christians, we have a responsibility to bear the stresses that come our way until God accomplishes His purposes. This gives us the assurance that our suffering has meaning.
Verse 4 tells us that God wants to use trials to develop our perseverance which in turn, when it has finished its work will bring us to maturity; being complete and not lacking anything. ROmans 5 tell su too that perseverance develops character.
Non-Christian people often look at us to see what our lives are like. If they see that we are growing in character, that the less desirable traits in us are disappearing and that good traits are developing, then they are more likely to want to become Christians themselves. One of the most common reasons that people give for not becoming Christians is that they see people who claim to be Christians not living up to the Christ's standards.
When Christians persevere under pressure and difficulties and seek to please God even in very awkward circumstances, this speaks a lot about the Kind of God we trust in. It is attractive and draws others to Him.
Father God, make me yet more persevering, so that I can be an attractive advert for what it means to be a follower of You. I want to be matuire and complete, so give me wisdom to remain firm under pressure. In Jesus'name, Amen.
"The fire will test the quality of each man’s work." - 1 Corinthians 3:13
Being interested in architecture, I noted an illustration by one Joes Stowell on this verse. Talking baout the fires that raged in the Laguna Hills California not so long ago, he noted that the fire consumed everything in its path except one building. Most buildings had roofs of cedar shingles, but To BUi constructed his roof with concrete and tile, so the fire 'tested'the roof, found it inflammable and skipped over it to the next strucure.
That is how we need to live our lives, to build our lives out of things that will pass the testing of fire that 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 talks about. Am I building my life out of things like wood, stubble and hay, or out of things that will stand the test? I need to think less about temporary things and more about the things that last and build my life out of them. So I need to question myself as to how I am using my time and money and talents.
How can I build my life out of the right materials. I would say to answer that question I need to think about what Jesus' life said about what was valuable. He gave his life in investing in people, because each individual has the potential for having and making an eternal impact.There are so many people out there who need to know the Saviour.
Help me Father to examine my life to see if there is any worthless material that needs to be replaced by lasting material. Help me alos to look into how to build up, not only my life on Your principles, but also to build into others the inflammable qualities that you teach us in Your word; the Bible. In Jesus'Name, Amen.
The passage starts with a woe on Assyria for betraying Judah (2 Kings 18:13-17)
In verse 2, Isaiah turns in prayer to God. And is reassured in verses 5 & 6. We need a sure foundation for our times too. We need to pray for our nation to turn to God, and fear Him. It is hard for us to do the simpleat thing without inadvertently being part of the exploitation of others, whether it be food items, clothing or luxury items like electronics and jewelry. When big business is out to make as much money for themselves and share holders with little concern for those that make it possible for them to make the money, it is hard for us to discern who we can invest our money in. Isaiah's words are just a suitable to our context of gloabl greed.
In verses 10-14, God vows to rise up and burn up all who oppose Him with their evil ways, and that includes those within Zion as well as those without. Just because we claim we are Christ's does not mean anything, we have to live as Christ's people too. Those who walk uprightly will see the difference it makes; even the ecology seems to be changed (15-17). Ther est of the chapter shows that serving God and living His way leads to much blessing.
Dear Lord, give me wisdom to know how to live for you in this complicated and greedy world. Keep me from being negatively influenced by what I see around me and trust in you. Amen.
