Tag Archives: Isaiah 62:6-65:25

October 1, 2015 Bible Study — Are We Putting God’s Interests Ahead Of Our Own?

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 24:13-14

    Just as honey is sweet on the tongue and has other benefits, so wisdom is sweet to our souls and brings benefits beyond the obvious. Seek wisdom because it will make your life better in more ways than you can imagine.

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Psalm 73

    When we allow ourselves to envy the proud and wicked we risk losing our faith. It may seem that the wicked prosper without a care. It may seem that their wealth just continues to increase while they sin against God and man. However, God’s day of judgment against them is coming. We must not let ourselves become bitter because others, no matter how wicked those others may be, prosper. Let us, instead, focus on the good which comes from obeying God. Instead of envying the “good things” which the wicked possess let us pity them because they do not know God’s love.

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Philippians 2:19-3:3

    Paul commends Timothy and Epaphroditus in this passage, holding them both up as models for us to follow. We do not know very much about Epaphroditus, but we do know tha Timothy went on to become one of the leaders of the Church, post the Apostles. Timothy genuinely cared about the welfare of his fellow believers. He did not look out only for his own interests, rather he strove to accomplish those things which furthered the interests of Jesus Christ and His Body. As I said, we do not know much about Epaphroditus. However, Paul tells us that he served as a messenger from the Philippian believers to Paul and that he served as an assistant and co-worker with Paul. The key thing we are told is that he risked his health in order to provide aid to Paul in preaching the Gospel. The context implies to me that Epaphroditus knowingly risked his health in order to be of service to Paul and the Gospel. In both cases the men put serving God’s interest ahead of their personal interest. I will strive to do the same.

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Isaiah 62:6-65:25

    There are several different messages which struck me as I read this. I do not see them as linked together, although I am sure with a little thought I could create a link between them. The first is in the very first verse where God declares that He has appointed watchmen on the walls to pray to the Lord. I believe that we are those watchmen who are to pray to the Lord. We are to take no rest in our prayers until God establishes the New Jerusalem. Oh how I struggle with this. I do not pray as I should. I should pray more and harder for the Church, for the Assembly of God’s people. I should pray more and harder for the souls of my friends. I should pray more and harder for the oppressed and downtrodden in this world. I should pray more and harder.
    Then in chapter 63:5 God declares that He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. That reads to me like a calling for us to look around us for those who are oppressed and to lend our support. We should be asking ourselves each day, “What can I do to help the oppressed?” When we see someone oppressing others, the very least we can do is raise our voices and cry, “Stop! What you are doing is wrong!” We may not be able to stop the oppression, but we can make sure that those who can are unable to claim, “I did not know.”
    Then in the beginning of chapter 65, God tells us that He is ready to respond, if we but ask for His help. He is waiting to be found, if only we will look for Him. When we look at what is wrong in the world around us, are we asking for God’s help in fixing it? Or are we trying to do it ourselves? As we look at the world around us, are we looking for God and His actions? Or are we too busy looking for Satan and his actions?

October 1, 2014 Bible Study — We Are the Clay, God Is the Potter

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 24:13-14

    Honey is good for us to eat, not least because we find its flavour pleasant. In the same way, wisdom gives us pleasure, but is good for us in ways we do not normally perceive.

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Psalm 73:1-28

    It is a mistake to envy the proud and wicked. If we focus our attention on them we will wonder whether it is worth our effort to do God’s will and remain pure. Focusing on the wicked will leave us bitter and tear us up emotionally. However, if instead of focusing on the wicked and their lives we focus on God and His will for us He will give us life and joy. When we focus on God we realize how empty and meaningless the life of the wicked is. With our attention on God, we will be unwilling to trade what He gives us for what the wicked have.

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Philippians 2:19-3:3

    Paul commends two men to the believers in Philippi, Timothy and Epaphroditus. We should strive to emulate these two men and to not be like those Paul contrasts them with. Timothy genuinely cared about the Christians in Philippi. Paul contrasts that with others who only cared for themselves. All too many people put their own interests ahead of those of Christ. Epaphroditus was more concerned that those who cared about were distressed to hear that he was ill than by the fact that he was ill. Epaphroditus was willing to risk his life in order to the Lord’s will. In this case by apparently risking his health to do what needed to be done. He is an important reminder that the suffering we experience as a result of serving the Lord will not necessarily be the result of persecution.

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Isaiah 62:6-65:25

    Despite all of our sins, God is still our Father and loves us. Let us pray and throw ourselves before Him, begging His forgiveness. We are as clay formed into the shape which God determined for us. Our separation from God is not because God turned away from us. God has always been ready to be found. He is there to be found by any who will look for Him. Not only is He there to be found, He is crying out to us, “Here I am. Look and see.” But so few of us are willing to turn from our sins and look.
    Isaiah reminds us that the righteous deeds we hold out to demonstrate our wonderfulness are mere filthy rags. All of us are infected with sin. Yet all too many hold themselves up as paragons of virtue. I cannot tell others to stay away from me because their sin might contaminate my perfection because the truth of the matter is that my sin is more likely to contaminate them than theirs me. Let us turn to God with humility, recognizing our sin. We have no place to hold ourselves up as better than others.

October 1, 2013 Bible Study — Put No Confidence In Human Effort

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

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Isaiah 62:6-65:25

     Today’s passage starts with Isaiah saying that God has placed watchman on Jerusalem’s walls who will pray day and night for the city and its people (this could also be read as saying that Isaiah has placed them there). He says that those who pray to the Lord should take no rest. Are we praying for our country day and night? Are we praying for the Spirit to move and bring revival? Let us prepare a highway for people to return to God, making it as easy as possible for people to come to Him. I will tell of God’s unfailing love and praise Him for all He has done. Then perhaps people will cry out to God for deliverance and turn to following His ways.
     The prophet begs for God to once more burst forth upon the earth so that people may see His Spirit at work. Am I crying out for God to do that? Or am I afraid that He will do so? God is ready to respond when we ask for His help. He is ready to be found, if we but look for Him. Let us not be like those who the prophet wrote about in this passage who were defiled with their own sin, yet kept their distance so as not to be defiled by others sins. Let us turn to the Lord and call our neighbors to do the same. Let us give up our sins and spend our energies to serve the Lord.

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     Yet another passage that challenges me on my prayer life. I do not pray enough, and when I do pray, I do not pray intensely enough. God, fill me with your Spirit so that it is my desire to pray to you continually. This is the path that will keep me from sinning.

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Philippians 2:19-3:3

     Paul wrote that he would soon send Timothy to see the church at Philippi because he knew that Timothy genuinely cared about them. Others only cared about their own interests. Timothy had proved himself willing to look out for the interests of Christ ahead of his own interests. In the same way, I need to strive to put the interests of the Church and Christ ahead of my personal interests. I wish to be one who is known for putting the God’s desires ahead of my desires. No, that is stated wrong. I wish to be one who puts God’s desires ahead of my own desires, whether others know me for that or not.
     While Paul is delaying in sending Timothy until he knows how his own situation will be resolved, he is now sending back to them Epaphroditus, who had been sent by the Philippian Church to Paul. Epaphroditus had gotten very sick while with Paul and almost died, risking his life to help Paul. He was willing to risk his life to serve Christ. The final point Paul makes in this passage is that we should not get caught up in specific rituals. We cannot rely on what can be accomplished by human effort. We do not gain salvation by following rituals, but rather through our faith in Christ.

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Psalm 73:1-28

     The psalmist tells us how easy it is to envy the wicked. They seem to have it all, health, wealth, everything their hearts desire. However, the psalmist reminds us that they are on a slippery path to destruction. Their lives are empty. If we let ourselves be envious of them our hearts will be bitter and we will suffer. It is better to remember the good things God has given us and focus on serving Him. God will hold us by the hand and guide us into His glory. I make this my vow:

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever.

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Proverbs 24:13-14

     The proverb writer tells us that in the same way that honey is sweet to the tongue wisdom is sweet to the soul. If we find wisdom it will give us hope for our future.

October 1, 2012 Bible Study

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

Isaiah 62:6-65:25

     The day will come when God will no longer tolerate people oppressing each other and will intervene to put a stop to it. God stands ready to help, if we but call on Him. Too many of us spend our time worshiping that which is not God and then avoid others because they are not “holy” enough to associate with us. We are afraid of being defiled by the sins of others when our own sins are as bad or worse than theirs. None of us are holy through our own actions. Our righteous deeds are nothing but filthy rags. Christians today need to stop looking for political solutions to what is wrong in this country and the world and call on the Lord in prayer. God is creating new heavens and a new earth, we should pray to Him that all people come to see their need for transformation.

Philippians 2:19-3:3

     Paul writes to the Philippians that he hopes to send Timothy to them soon. He is just waiting to see what is going to happen to himself in his current circumstances. He commends Timothy to them as one who genuinely cares about them and contrasts him with the majority who put their own interests ahead of the interests of serving Jesus. Meanwhile he is sending back Epaphroditus, who was their messenger to Paul. He tells them that Epaphroditus had been sick almost to the point of death, risking his own life to serve the cause of Jesus is helping Paul. Let us rejoice in the Lord. We should not fall into the trap of those who believe that we can find salvation through our own actions. We serve God through His Spirit and put no confidence in human effort.

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Psalm 73:1-28

     The psalmist echoes a common refrain. He knows that God is good, but is often tempted to envy the prosperity of evildoers. It often appears that those who ignore God and strive after their own aggrandizement prosper and live lives of ease. Yet, when the psalmist turned to worshiping God with his fellow believers he saw how empty those lives were. He praises God for keeping him safe and preventing him from surrendering to the bitterness in his own spirit. Let me not develop a bitter envy of those who have more than I.

Proverbs 24:13-14

     Just as honey brings pleasure to the mouth when we eat it, so does wisdom bring pleasure to our souls.