Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
What a beautiful exhortation! What a perfect verse to take with us today and allow the Spirit to work it into our hearts and lives as we surrender to His leading.
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Isaiah 48:50
As I read through Isaiah 48-50 this morning, I felt like I was walking on Holy ground. God is speaking through Isaiah to the people of Israel, but also to me and to each of us. It is always amazing to me how the word of God can do what no other book that I have read can do. On the surface the message is clearly for someone else but as we read it , we can often hear our God speak to our own hearts to instruct, encourage and comfort. Today, His word through Isaiah did all three.
For example in Isaiah Chapter 49, Jesus speaks and declares His mission. In 49:3 He tells Israel that she is His servant in whom He will be glorified.
And in verse 4 hear the heart of Jesus...
Then I said, 'I have labored in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain;
Yet surely my just reward is with the LORD,
And my work with my God.' "
Don’t you feel like that at times...like you have labored in vain and have spent your strength for nothing? You are not alone, Jesus suffered the same things and His footsteps are our pathway. How did He handle discouragement as a Man? The same way we need to...by placing our confidence in God. “Surely, my just reward is with The Lord and my work with my God.” ❤️
God has a purpose for each and every moment of the life we live in this fallen world. He has chosen us in Him since before the foundation of the world. He heard Jesus’ prayer and He will hear ours because we are accepted in the Beloved.
Thus says the LORD:
"In an acceptable time I have heard You,
And in the day of salvation I have helped You;
I will preserve You and give You
As a covenant to the people,
To restore the earth,
To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages;—Isaiah 49:8
We can trust Him...we can sing for the Lord has comforted His people and will have mercy on His afflicted. He will not forget us, we are inscribed on the palms of His hands and our “walls” are continually before Him.
For example in Isaiah Chapter 49, Jesus speaks and declares His mission. In 49:3 He tells Israel that she is His servant in whom He will be glorified.
And in verse 4 hear the heart of Jesus...
Then I said, 'I have labored in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain;
Yet surely my just reward is with the LORD,
And my work with my God.' "
Don’t you feel like that at times...like you have labored in vain and have spent your strength for nothing? You are not alone, Jesus suffered the same things and His footsteps are our pathway. How did He handle discouragement as a Man? The same way we need to...by placing our confidence in God. “Surely, my just reward is with The Lord and my work with my God.” ❤️
God has a purpose for each and every moment of the life we live in this fallen world. He has chosen us in Him since before the foundation of the world. He heard Jesus’ prayer and He will hear ours because we are accepted in the Beloved.
Thus says the LORD:
"In an acceptable time I have heard You,
And in the day of salvation I have helped You;
I will preserve You and give You
As a covenant to the people,
To restore the earth,
To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages;—Isaiah 49:8
We can trust Him...we can sing for the Lord has comforted His people and will have mercy on His afflicted. He will not forget us, we are inscribed on the palms of His hands and our “walls” are continually before Him.
Filled with all the Fulness of God...
Eph 3:14-19; Eph 4:13
until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,—Eph 4:13
Do this work in Your people, Father! Give us hearts that seek Your will and follow hard after You. Bring each of us to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Your Son. This verse brought yesterday’s reading to mind.
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.—Eph 3:14-19
until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,—Eph 4:13
Do this work in Your people, Father! Give us hearts that seek Your will and follow hard after You. Bring each of us to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Your Son. This verse brought yesterday’s reading to mind.
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.—Eph 3:14-19
"Filled with all the fullness of God." THAT is what I want for me...THAT is what I want for all those that my God has given me to love. To be so strong spiritually as to be filled with His divine love. Totally and utterly governed and ruled not by the things of the world but by the things of God. Focused not on the earthly but on what is eternal in the heavens. So totally dominated by Him that there is nothing left of SELF! Filled with Christ...filled with the Spirit and filled with God! I want to see Your greatness in my life and in the lives of those that I love, Father...Your majesty and glory...Your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.--Ephesians 3:20-21
I Will Go Before You...
'I will go before you
And make the crooked places straight;
I will break in pieces the gates of bronze
And cut the bars of iron.
I will give you the treasures of darkness
And hidden riches of secret places,
That you may know that I, the LORD,
Who call you by your name,
Am the God of Israel.—Isaiah 45:2-3
This was said to Cyrus, but it is also there for you and for me...
For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.—Romans 15:4
Let us press on then in faith and by faith knowing who our God is...He WILL go before us..He WILL make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The crooked places WILL be made straight and He WILL remove obstacles before us. We will go forward in the strength of our God. As Spurgeon says “no battering ram needed!” He will do the impossible...the gates of bronze will be broken in pieces and the iron bars which fastened them cut. When Cyrus and His armies conquered Babylon they took all its precious treasures. As we walk through our trials allowing God to go before us, we rejoice because we know that God’s purpose in allowing trouble is to test the reality of our faith. When we come through the wilderness leaning on our Beloved, we are given something more precious than what Cyrus received...tried and proven...precious faith.
This He will do so that we may know that He is a God and beside Him there is no other.
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--
19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.Ephesians 3:16-21
And make the crooked places straight;
I will break in pieces the gates of bronze
And cut the bars of iron.
I will give you the treasures of darkness
And hidden riches of secret places,
That you may know that I, the LORD,
Who call you by your name,
Am the God of Israel.—Isaiah 45:2-3
This was said to Cyrus, but it is also there for you and for me...
For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.—Romans 15:4
Let us press on then in faith and by faith knowing who our God is...He WILL go before us..He WILL make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The crooked places WILL be made straight and He WILL remove obstacles before us. We will go forward in the strength of our God. As Spurgeon says “no battering ram needed!” He will do the impossible...the gates of bronze will be broken in pieces and the iron bars which fastened them cut. When Cyrus and His armies conquered Babylon they took all its precious treasures. As we walk through our trials allowing God to go before us, we rejoice because we know that God’s purpose in allowing trouble is to test the reality of our faith. When we come through the wilderness leaning on our Beloved, we are given something more precious than what Cyrus received...tried and proven...precious faith.
This He will do so that we may know that He is a God and beside Him there is no other.
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--
19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.Ephesians 3:16-21
The Everlasting God...
Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.—Isaiah 40:28-31
I read these verses last night and they so helped my heart. God is so faithful to always meet us at our point of need. Sometimes I forget Who dwells inside me. Have you not known, Isaiah begins....Have you not heard??? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
God has got me and my problems covered...He doesn't get tired and His understanding is unsearchable. He knows what I am going through and He knows the state of my heart. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
Isaiah goes on to remind us (me) that He gives power to the weak and to those who have no might he increases their strength. I am without strength and weak....BUT that is a good thing because His strength is made perfect in weakness. He will uphold me. He will hedge me behind and before. Colossians 1:11 says, "He will strengthen me with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy."
At my weakest I can cry out to Him with gladness knowing He has enough for both of us. And as I cry out, my eyes fill with His goodness and mercy and love toward me. I am poor and needy and yet the Lord thinks on me!
My strength will be renewed as I wait on the Lord. I like to see the phrase "wait on the Lord" as Jon Courson explains it. I am the Lord's waiter. I am serving Him here on earth and doing those things that He has prepared beforehand for me to do. My job is to please Him and honor Him here as I journey through this vale of tears. I am to spend time with Him in worship, in thanksgiving, in prayer and in the study and meditation of His word. I am to look for ways to love those He has placed in my path with the love that He Himself has shed abroad in my heart. I am here for Him...my life is about Him...not me.
Whatever He sends me is good and is for my good and His glory. And as I go through this life there will be times like tonight when my strength is spent and my heart is weak. Here is what I know: He will be gracious to me...He will incline His ear to me and hear my cry...He will strengthen my heart...He will be good to me...He will renew my strength...He will not leave me nor forsake me and in Him I have everything I need.
Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.--Psalm 84:5-7
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.—Isaiah 40:28-31
I read these verses last night and they so helped my heart. God is so faithful to always meet us at our point of need. Sometimes I forget Who dwells inside me. Have you not known, Isaiah begins....Have you not heard??? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
God has got me and my problems covered...He doesn't get tired and His understanding is unsearchable. He knows what I am going through and He knows the state of my heart. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
Isaiah goes on to remind us (me) that He gives power to the weak and to those who have no might he increases their strength. I am without strength and weak....BUT that is a good thing because His strength is made perfect in weakness. He will uphold me. He will hedge me behind and before. Colossians 1:11 says, "He will strengthen me with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy."
At my weakest I can cry out to Him with gladness knowing He has enough for both of us. And as I cry out, my eyes fill with His goodness and mercy and love toward me. I am poor and needy and yet the Lord thinks on me!
My strength will be renewed as I wait on the Lord. I like to see the phrase "wait on the Lord" as Jon Courson explains it. I am the Lord's waiter. I am serving Him here on earth and doing those things that He has prepared beforehand for me to do. My job is to please Him and honor Him here as I journey through this vale of tears. I am to spend time with Him in worship, in thanksgiving, in prayer and in the study and meditation of His word. I am to look for ways to love those He has placed in my path with the love that He Himself has shed abroad in my heart. I am here for Him...my life is about Him...not me.
Whatever He sends me is good and is for my good and His glory. And as I go through this life there will be times like tonight when my strength is spent and my heart is weak. Here is what I know: He will be gracious to me...He will incline His ear to me and hear my cry...He will strengthen my heart...He will be good to me...He will renew my strength...He will not leave me nor forsake me and in Him I have everything I need.
Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.--Psalm 84:5-7
Bear One Another’s Burdens...
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.—Galatians 6:2
I knew what bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ meant, but I never thought about why Paul would be saying it in the context of the book of Galatians. The Judaizers (legalists) were distorting the true Gospel of Christ by adding to it the requirements of the law as prerequisites for salvation. They were destroying grace and burdening the people with that which Christ died to set them free. Paul is saying, in effect, if you want to fulfill the law, then love the people God has placed in your life by helping them then bear their burdens...this fulfills the law because this is love and love (Christ) embodies and fulfills the whole law.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."—John 13:34-35
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.—Philippians 2:3-4
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.—1 Thessalonians 5:14-15
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.—Galatians 6:9-10
I knew what bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ meant, but I never thought about why Paul would be saying it in the context of the book of Galatians. The Judaizers (legalists) were distorting the true Gospel of Christ by adding to it the requirements of the law as prerequisites for salvation. They were destroying grace and burdening the people with that which Christ died to set them free. Paul is saying, in effect, if you want to fulfill the law, then love the people God has placed in your life by helping them then bear their burdens...this fulfills the law because this is love and love (Christ) embodies and fulfills the whole law.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."—John 13:34-35
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.—Philippians 2:3-4
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.—1 Thessalonians 5:14-15
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.—Galatians 6:9-10
Fruits of the Spirit...
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16, ESV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV)
We have, living inside us as believers, the power to live to please God. God’s precious Holy Spirit dwells in us and as we submit to the Spirit’s control (obey His word) our spirit grows stronger and we begin to look more and more like Jesus. I looked up the word walk here and it is translated as a continuous action or a habitual lifestyle. Walking also implies progress...hence as we submit to the Spirit’s power our flesh shrinks and our spirit is strengthened. The fruit of the Spirit in our lives becomes evident. John MacArthur defines the fruit of the Spirit this way. They are
“Godly attitudes that characterize the lives of only those who belong to God by faith in Christ and possess the Spirit of God.”
It is the Spirit that produces the fruit as we abide and cling to the Vine. I love how John MacArthur defines them...
Love - One of several Greek words for love, agape is the love of choice, referring not to an emotional affection, physical attraction, or a familial bond, but to respect, devotion, and affection that leads to willing, self-sacrificial service. (John 15:13, Romans 5:8, 1 John 3:16-17)
Joy - A happiness based on unchanging divine promises and eternal spiritual realities. It is the sense of well-being experienced by one who knows all is well between himself and the Lord. (1 Peter 1:8). Joy is not the result of favorable circumstances, and even occurs when those circumstances are the most painful and severe (John 16:20-22). Joy is a gift from God, and as such, believers are not to manufacture it but to delight in the blessing they already possess. (Romans 14:17,Phil 4:4)
Peace - The inner calm that results from confidence in one’s saving relationship with Christ. The verb form denotes binding together and is reflected in the expression “having it all together.” Like joy, peace is not related to one’s circumstances (John 14:27, Romans 8:28, Phil 4:6-7; 9).
patience. The ability to endure injuries inflicted by others and the willingness to accept irritating or painful situations (Eph 4:2, Col 3:12, 1 Tim 1:15-16).
kindness. Tender concern for others, reflected in a desire to treat others gently, just as the Lord treats all believers (Matt 11:28-29; 19:13-14, 2 Tim 2:24)
goodness. Moral and spiritual excellence manifested in active kindness (Romans 5:7). Believers are commanded to exemplify goodness (Gal 6:10; 2 Thess 1:11)
faithfulness. Loyalty and trustworthiness (Lam 3:22; Phil 2:7-9; 1 Thess 5:24; Rev 2:10)
gentleness. Better translated “meekness.” It is a humble and gentle attitude that is patiently submissive in every offense, while having no desire for revenge or retribution. In the NT, it is used to describe three attitudes: submission to the will of God (Col 3:12), teachability (James 1:12), and consideration of others (Ephes 4:2).
self-control - This refers to restraining passions and appetites (1 Cor 9:25; 2 Peter 1:5-6)
When a Christian walks by the Spirit and manifests his fruit, he needs no external law to produce the attitudes and behavior that please God (Romans 8:4).
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Romans 13:14, ESV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV)
We have, living inside us as believers, the power to live to please God. God’s precious Holy Spirit dwells in us and as we submit to the Spirit’s control (obey His word) our spirit grows stronger and we begin to look more and more like Jesus. I looked up the word walk here and it is translated as a continuous action or a habitual lifestyle. Walking also implies progress...hence as we submit to the Spirit’s power our flesh shrinks and our spirit is strengthened. The fruit of the Spirit in our lives becomes evident. John MacArthur defines the fruit of the Spirit this way. They are
“Godly attitudes that characterize the lives of only those who belong to God by faith in Christ and possess the Spirit of God.”
It is the Spirit that produces the fruit as we abide and cling to the Vine. I love how John MacArthur defines them...
Love - One of several Greek words for love, agape is the love of choice, referring not to an emotional affection, physical attraction, or a familial bond, but to respect, devotion, and affection that leads to willing, self-sacrificial service. (John 15:13, Romans 5:8, 1 John 3:16-17)
Joy - A happiness based on unchanging divine promises and eternal spiritual realities. It is the sense of well-being experienced by one who knows all is well between himself and the Lord. (1 Peter 1:8). Joy is not the result of favorable circumstances, and even occurs when those circumstances are the most painful and severe (John 16:20-22). Joy is a gift from God, and as such, believers are not to manufacture it but to delight in the blessing they already possess. (Romans 14:17,Phil 4:4)
Peace - The inner calm that results from confidence in one’s saving relationship with Christ. The verb form denotes binding together and is reflected in the expression “having it all together.” Like joy, peace is not related to one’s circumstances (John 14:27, Romans 8:28, Phil 4:6-7; 9).
patience. The ability to endure injuries inflicted by others and the willingness to accept irritating or painful situations (Eph 4:2, Col 3:12, 1 Tim 1:15-16).
kindness. Tender concern for others, reflected in a desire to treat others gently, just as the Lord treats all believers (Matt 11:28-29; 19:13-14, 2 Tim 2:24)
goodness. Moral and spiritual excellence manifested in active kindness (Romans 5:7). Believers are commanded to exemplify goodness (Gal 6:10; 2 Thess 1:11)
faithfulness. Loyalty and trustworthiness (Lam 3:22; Phil 2:7-9; 1 Thess 5:24; Rev 2:10)
gentleness. Better translated “meekness.” It is a humble and gentle attitude that is patiently submissive in every offense, while having no desire for revenge or retribution. In the NT, it is used to describe three attitudes: submission to the will of God (Col 3:12), teachability (James 1:12), and consideration of others (Ephes 4:2).
self-control - This refers to restraining passions and appetites (1 Cor 9:25; 2 Peter 1:5-6)
When a Christian walks by the Spirit and manifests his fruit, he needs no external law to produce the attitudes and behavior that please God (Romans 8:4).
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Romans 13:14, ESV)
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