Isaiah 40

Isaiah 40  

SATURDAY  Reflections

Much of this chapter is concerning the coming of John the Baptist and Jesus. However, the verse most people know this chapter for is the last verse. It says, “but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (NIV).

 

The King James Version says, “Those that wait upon the Lord,” but what is hope but waiting. If you have something you aren’t waiting for it. However, if you are hoping then you are waiting. The term hope carries a positive note which is what this scripture brings. If our hope is in God we can make it. If we are waiting on God we can do more than endure to the end, but rejoice while we wait. 

Isa 40:1-31

(1)  Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

(2)  Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.

(3)  The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

(4)  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

(5)  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

(6)  The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

(7)  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

(8)  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

(9)  O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

(10)  Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

(11)  He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

(12)  Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

(13)  Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

(14)  With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

(15)  Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

(16)  And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

(17)  All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

(18)  To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

(19)  The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.

(20)  He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.

(21)  Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

(22)  It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

(23)  That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.

(24)  Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.

(25)  To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

(26)  Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

(27)  Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?

(28)  Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

(29)  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

(30)  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

(31)  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Job 35

Job 35  

FRIDAY  Reflections

Elihu asks a question which I find interesting, does our sin or our righteousness really affect God?  Yes, I believe God is saddened when we choose to reject him and hurt others. Scripture speaks of God being angered, but ultimately what we do does not change Him. Yes, our actions do affect us and the world around us, but our actions do not make God more or less than what he is, a holy and righteous God.

This last statement in chapter 35 causes me to smile. How often have we as people talk like we knew something only to find out later we didn’t? Job spoke from his experience and his emotions but he didn’t understand everything as God will reveal to him in a few chapters.

We need to be willing to admit we may not see it all.   

 Job 35:1-16

(1)  Elihu spake moreover, and said,

(2)  Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?

(3)  For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?

(4)  I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.

(5)  Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.

(6)  If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?

(7)  If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?

(8)  Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.

(9)  By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.

(10)  But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;

(11)  Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?

(12)  There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.

(13)  Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

(14)  Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.

(15)  But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:

(16)  Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.

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Acts 15

Wesley's Quadrilateral is like a table.

Acts 15  

THURSDAY  Reflections

John Wesley was called a man of one book, the Bible. However, this does not mean Wesley didn’t study anything else or that he only used the Bible when it comes to living out his faith. He used what has been called the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. This has been compared to the four legs of a table. Though this is a good picture it isn’t accurate, as Wesley taught that Scripture was the ultimate authority. So everything else was run through the lens of scripture.

The Wesleyan Quadrilateral is scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. The reason I mention it is we see it action. The tradition said the gentiles needed to be circumcised and follow the entirety of the Jewish law. Experience showed God is saving gentiles and filling them with his Spirit. Reason said that if God was filling them then he must have saved them without the law. However, it is scripture that gave the final answer.

In our life, we need to examine everything through tradition, reason, experience, and most importantly, scripture. The Wesleyan Quadrilateral.

Act 15:1-41
(1)  And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
(2)  When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
(3)  And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
(4)  And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
(5)  But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
(6)  And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
(7)  And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
(8)  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
(9)  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
(10)  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
(11)  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
(12)  Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
(13)  And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
(14)  Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
(15)  And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
(16)  After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
(17)  That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
(18)  Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
(19)  Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
(20)  But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
(21)  For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
(22)  Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
(23)  And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
(24)  Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
(25)  It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
(26)  Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(27)  We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
(28)  For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
(29)  That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
(30)  So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
(31)  Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
(32)  And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
(33)  And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.
(34)  Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.
(35)  Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
(36)  And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.
(37)  And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.
(38)  But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
(39)  And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
(40)  And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
(41)  And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

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Psalm 32

Psalm 32  

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

Silence isn’t always golden. Yes, I would say that keeping quiet is something most of us would do good to learn, but not when it comes to sin. The beauty of the psalm sits on the cornerstone of confessing our sin. Confession isn’t always good for the soul, especially if it’s a confession that could hurt others. This being said most people want only to confess when it might get them sympathy or hurt someone else. This isn’t what the psalmist is talking about. The confession here is being honest with yourself and God. It is admitting to God, you have sinned and deserve punishment though you pray for mercy. When we confess, everything is better, because God forgives.  

 

On a side note: Though confession to others isn’t always required, it is wise and scriptural (James 5:16). I remember author Brant Hansen said, “If I don’t’ confess my sins, I’ll confess yours.”   

Psa 32:1-11
(1)  A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
(2)  Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
(3)  When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
(4)  For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
(5)  I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
(6)  For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
(7)  Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
(8)  I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
(9)  Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
(10)  Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
(11)  Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.


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