How can we summarize Isaiah? Is the book a collection of 66 chapters about a man names Isaiah? Does the book only apply to the people of Israel in a time long past? Is the book of Isaiah a prophetic view of God working through humanity despite the inherent unfaithfulness exhibited? How does the way we look at the book of Isaiah impact our faith today over two thousand years after the death of Jesus Christ. Looking back upon the book of Isaiah the unfaithfulness and disobedience of people is consistently evidenced. Time after time Isaiah tells the people of Israel that they are straying from God. Is the book just a repetitive collection of warnings against idolatry? If you leave your view of Isaiah upon this door step of negativity, disappointment, and discipline you will miss the true joy contained in the text. Continue Reading…
True joy glimpsed in a Promise: Isaiah Summary
And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
A dialogue of compelling love
“Which commandment is the most important of all?”
“The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
“You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
“You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
Will you follow the servant leader’s steps: Isaiah 3 and 4
Do you work out consistently to keep your body healthy? If people look at your face will they notice a healthier look to you? What else does our face portray about us? Does our face reflect out faith in God? ”For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the LORD, defying his glorious presence. For the look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves.”Isaiah 3:8,9 What do you seek out do you choose to seek out evil or do you seek out righteousness? Continue Reading…
A question of legacy and posterity: Psalms Summary
The story that God has woven throughout creation, as evidenced in Scripture, speaks to the work of God in the lives of earthen vessels. Creation was perverted by the curse of sin but the grace of God purposed to restore that fellowship long before it was ever broken. God is at work in the lives of mankind and He has given us everything that we need to survive. God offered up Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins and then He tabernacles within us through the Holy Spirit. We are richly blessed beyond all measure and comprehension. Oh that the story ended at this moment with the war over but the truth is that sin still rages in its lost battle causing as much collateral damage as possible. Continue Reading…
How will you be counted when judgement is at hand: Psalm 96
What do you cherish as your most prized possession? Does your family, money, status or knowledge bring you feelings of pride, joy and contentment? All the possessions that we claim to cherish pale in comparison to the great treasure that is found in God alone. “For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him, strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.” Psalm 96:4-6 Do you sing of God’s great faithfulness? Tell others around you of how God has been faithful to you in your life. Do you ascribe all you have to God’s sufficiency? Tell people that all you have in life are from God.
We need to fix our eyes on God alone, take our passions off of the idols that we have been clinging to and renew our first love of God alone. “Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all it contains; let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord, for He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. For He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness.” Psalm 96:22-23 All creation is awaiting for the moment that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, returns to judge the world. Will you be counted as a child of wrath of a child of God?
Shine your light of hope to the world around you: Psalm 15
How do we cling to God? How does someone love the Lord with all of their heart, mind, soul and strength? Do you ever feel lost in your walk with God? There is no magical solution that will cause our faith in God to grow but we do have a roadmap in God’s Word. What are the character traits of a disciple of God? David gives a brief look at what an upright man in Psalm 15. We need to strive to walk in the truth, speak with wisdom and be above reproach. If we stand upon the foundation of God’s truth we will be unmoved no matter what happens.
What kind of impact will wholly devoted followers of Jesus Christ have on the world? We will bring healing to the people around us as we seek to imitate Jesus Christ. We will be a sign post pointing to the hope the world is craving. What a blessing we have been given to proclaim the wondrous glory of God as we are used by Him to help those around us. Rejoice and embrace the work God has for you to love Him and love those around you with the same love God has bestowed upon you.
True worship of God expressed in love: 1 Kings 7 and 8
Why did Solomon build such an amazing Temple? Why are we given such details about the actual Temple building and all of the fixtures within the Temple? Does God look at the physical building when people gather to worship him or does He look upon the motives of the people who are gathering to worship Him? What do you think God cares about? The question of how we worship God is nothing new because we are always trying to obtain a direct, tangible, and concrete definition of what faith in God truly looks like. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval.” Hebrews 11:1,2 In Hebrews we are told that the men of old gained approval by faith and a long list of noteworthy people of renown are listed. So why did Solomon build this temple for the Lord? What does worship look like? What is expressed in worship? Continue Reading…
Loving God, loving people, and The Story: Deuteronomy 15 and 16
I love how reading through Deuteronomy is not seeming as burdensome as I thought when I started working through the book. I initially thought that I would become bored because of all of the repeated information that I have already blogged about from Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. I have however found that the repeating of key details and commands within Deuteronomy were what Moses knew the people of Israel needed to remember and those facts are also necessary for me to remember. Every chapter as I remember that these are the final words from Moses to the people that he led for over forty years I become sad because I know that change is coming within the story. Continue Reading…
God’s blessing and curse set before Israel in Deuteronomy 11 and 12
See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today, and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known.
Deuteronomy 11:26-28 NASB
You were there when God worked through, for, and among His people. You saw God working in your midst! Do you remember? Moses continues to express God’s loving desire for the Israelites in Deuteronomy chapters 11 and 12. As the people are preparing to cross the Jordan and enter the promised land they need to be reminded of everything they knew. The people saw God’s wrath, His anger when they disobeyed, and His activity in their midst and they needed to remember those moments when they entered into the Promised Land. Continue Reading…
