by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Whether you are a pastor, as my husband and I are, a parent, or a leader of any kind, there are times when those in your charge need more than the usual amount of time and attention from you. I have been going through that lately.
Someone who is very dear to me is needing assistance above the norm – and I am doing the best I can to provide it. As a result, I haven’t been able to continue my daily blog posts for the Bible reading.
I hope that you are continuing to read daily and allowing the Lord to minister to you – as He is to me. I will add posts as often as I can, and I plan to get back on track as soon as possible.
I hope you understand.
May God continue to bless you abundantly.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Isaiah 3-4
Whether it’s a nation, a church, or a family, groups of people need leadership. Of course, Jesus is ultimately everyone’s leader, but God’s design is for there to be “under leaders” representing Him and causing groups to work together in an orderly way to achieve His vision.
When leaders stop representing Him and begin to represent themselves, we have a problem. They turn their positions into self-serving roles. When leaders reject God, they reject wisdom, and become like spoiled children trying to lead. Their rebellion displays foolishness.
Rebellion and selfishness go hand in hand. When God’s people turn from him, they inevitably turn to self-centered lifestyles. In fact they begin putting themselves on a pedestal.
That’s what we see in these chapters of Isaiah. And God responds to their wicked ways. He is going to remove Himself from the scene – and believe me, that doesn’t make for a pretty sight.
Yet when our God has a rebuke for errant ways, He always has a promise of restoration to go along with it. In the 4th chapter of Isaiah we have promises of glorious days ahead – when the people turn back to God – and he will turn back to Him.
Our society in these times is in need of soul-searching. There are many who have not only turned away, they have mocked their Creator. Those of us who pray, should be praying for a turn-around.
We need God today – just as they did in the days of Isaiah! Today, just as in those days, there are self-centered, foolish leaders trying to lead – for their own gain.
Let’s pray for them – and check out our own leadership in our homes and on the job. Christ-centered leadership is the only kind that works.
Ephesians 2-3
God’s great mysteries are being revealed by God to Paul – and he in turn reveals them to us. “God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by His spirit He has revealed it to His holy apostles and prophets.”(3:5)
There are two major revelations – which if we can receive, our lives will be transformed.
The first is that we are saved by grace and not by works. (2:8-10) That’s a concept that many repeat, without really knowing what it means. It means that salvation is not about being a “good” person, but about receiving the forgiveness provided by Jesus through the cross. It’s a free gift for us to receive – and honor.
None of us should feel that we have been good enough to earn God’s gift. We can’t earn it; it’s too big. What we can do is receive the gift and allow our Father to work within us, creating the masterpiece He had in mind when He designed us.
The second key revelation is that salvation is provided for all people who receive it. No longer are the Jews the only ones who are God’s people. All of us have a chance to be.
Now don’t get me wrong. Salvation is offered to all people of every nation, but not all will receive it. It’s a two-way deal and we have to buy in on it to have the gift in our lives.
I think of it a little like a contract for a purchase. A contract may be presented to you for the purchase of your home, but until you accept it and sign it, the offer doesn’t go forward. It’s the same with your salvation. An offer has been presented to you, but you have to accept it to receive the benefits.
I want to receive every detail of my Father’s offer. And I want to make sure that I receive every benefit available!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Isaiah 1-2
The Holy Spirit will “disclose to us what is to come.” (John 16:13)
In the Chronicles we saw the history of Israel – how it split into two kingdoms. We also saw the kings as they would rise and fall, based on their faithfulness to God. The northern kingdom, Israel, never turned back to God. They went through some imitations of worship, but their hearts were always filled with admiration for the idols of their neighbors.
The southern kingdom, Judah, however, had some faithfulness from time to time. Good kings would arise, and then bad kings would follow. The temptation was always there to substitute idols for the true God of Israel
As we come to the books of the prophets, we see a foreshadowing of what we read in John. And there is no greater foreshadowing of God’s prophetic gift than the book of Isaiah. He lived and prophesied during the last days of Israel – just before they were taken into captivity by Assyria, and during the days before Judah was captured by Babylon.
Babylon hadn’t been established yet, but Isaiah prophesied that Judah would fall to them. He saw the same errors occurring in the southern kingdom that he had seen in the northern, and his observations were dire.
All of Israel at one time had been such a holy people. God had created them as a nation and nurtured them as His own. He dramatically led them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. He gave them a degree of prosperity which no nation had ever known before.
As we begin the prophecies of Isaiah, we see that things have changed. God’s people are not acting like they are His. They have turned to the idols around them and they have diluted their worship of Him.
There are warnings and there are promises which we will see throughout Isaiah’s book. If the people continue to desert God, He will no longer be faithful to them. Yet if they return, they will be blessed as before. The choice is theirs.
The good news is that “in the last days, the mountain of the Lord will be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall stream to it.”(2:2).
Today is that day – the day in which the Lord Jesus has paid the price for us, and brought redemption to the world – to all who call upon His name. People from every nation are streaming to the One True God.
The Word hasn’t reached all, but it’s reached many. And there are many around the world who are continuing to stream to His Mountain. And there will be many more.
Ephesians 1
It’s time for us to realize what Christ has done for us, rise up, and live in His best. If we can just get this, our lives will be forever different.
There are some prayers in Ephesians which, if prayed daily, will change our lives. One of these in this first chapter.
Paul says that he is thankful for the Ephesians and their faithfulness to the Lord.
He prays that God will give them a “spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.”(V.17) and that the “eyes of their understanding will be opened so that they may know the great things of God.”(V. 18). These include His riches, His glory, and “the exceeding greatness of His power toward those who believe.” (V. 19).
When you read verses 18- 21, you will get an ear full! In fact you will have to read it several times even to understand what he is saying. But it is powerful, and the more you understand it, the more powerful it becomes.
So I would like to suggest that you read this prayer and pray it for yourself everyday for a while.
If our eyes are ever opened to see what our Lord has done for us, we won’t have trouble having faith. We will know from the depths of our beings that our God is working on our behalf – while we are praying.
It’s an exciting life we have before us. Let’s choose to live it with gusto!
