Today’s Reading: Isaiah 48:12‐50:11, Ephesians 4:17‐32, Psalm 69:1‐18, Proverbs 24:5‐6

Proverbs 24:6 for by wise guidance you can wage your war,
 and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

Observations:

• By wise guidance
• You can wage your war
• In abundance of counselors
• There is victory

Apply:   Rebecca and I are seeking clarity from the Lord as we make battle plans for our life.  We need to know where and how he wants us to fight for him.  During this time, it is important for us to gather wise counsel. 

What keeps you from seeking the counsel of others?

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 45:11‐ 48:11, Ephesians 4:1‐16, Psalm 68:19‐35, Proverbs 24:3‐4

Context: The fear (humble reverence) of the Lords is the beginning and the end of wisdom.  Proverbs  are principles and not promises.

Proverbs 24:3-4 – By wisdom a house is built,
 and by understanding it is established;

by knowledge the rooms are filled
 with all precious and pleasant riches.

Observations:

• Wisdom,  understanding and knowledge
  • Build, establish and fill a house

It is easy to be deceived by the world into thinking that we should focus on temporal things as we lead our families.  Rebecca and I wrote these verses on the slab of our home as we were building.  We have prayed them over our home multiple times.  A friend of ours framed these verses and we hung them in our guest room.  We pray that we will truly build our family on wisdom, understanding and knowledge.

Apply: I have been challenged to spend one hour a week, one day a month and one week a year in personal evaluation.  I must make adjustments when I am not building my home on wisdom.

What are you building your house on?

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 43:14‐45:10, Ephesians 3:1‐21, Psalm 68:1‐18, Proverbs 24:1‐2

Context: I couldn’t just pull one verse out of the reading today for my journal.  This is Paul’s prayer for Spiritual strength in the heart of his letter to the Ephesians.

Galatians 3:14-19 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Observations (I will record a few of many):

• Motive – for this reason – for Paul’s prayer is:
  • spiritual strength
    • Christ’s indwelling through faith
      •  Rooted and grounded in love
        • Ability to comprehend the bigness of God’s love
          • Filled with all the fullness of God
          • God is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think
          • God gets the Glory

Apply: I want to pray this way.  I am going to memorize this passage and pray it pushes my prayer life.

Paul says “for this reason I bow my knees before the Father…”  Is your motive for prayer the same?

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 41:17‐43:13, Ephesians 2:1‐22, Psalm 67:1‐7, Proverbs 23:29‐35

Context: Paul is clearly explaining that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ.

Ephesians 2:12 “…remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”

Observations:

• Remember
  • You were separated from Christ
  • You were not included in the covenants of promise
  • You had no hope
  • You were without God in the world

Christians, have you forgotten where you would be without grace?

Apply: I want to spend time over the next 24 hours remembering what life was like before I was saved by grace through faith in Christ.  I never want the incredible hope I have to be taken for granted.

When was the last time you considered life without the hope we have in Jesus?

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 39:1‐41:16, Ephesians 1:1‐23, Psalm 66:1‐20, Proverbs 23:25‐28

Context: David is inviting the listener to “Come and see what God has done:
 he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.”

Psalm 66:16 –  Come and hear, all you who fear God,
 and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

Observations:

• Come – accompany or walk with me
• Hear – (Sh’ma) responsive hearing
• All who fear God
• I will tell – to recount, relate
• What he has done – God’s work, not mine
• For my soul

Apply: I want to invite others in to hear the testimony of God in my life.  I want to look for opportunities to tell what he has done.

Do you remember the last time you shared with others what God has done for you?

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 37:1‐38:22, Galatians 6:1‐18, Psalm 65:1‐13, Proverbs 23:24

Context – Sennacherib has invaded Judah, insulted God and plans to take Jerusalem.  Hezekiah ends his prayer for deliverance with these words.

Isaiah 37:20 – “So now, O Lord our God, save us from (Sennacherib’s) hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord.”

Observations:

• What? Save us
• Why? That the kingdoms of the earth may know  that you alone are the Lord

Is this truly the motive behind most of my prayers?  Do I ask God to answer me so that his name and his renown will be made known through his response?

Apply: I need to consistently evaluate the why behind my prayers of petition.  I want to listen carefully to the heart motives in my prayers today.

What motivates the requests in your prayers?  Is it for your name’s sake or for God’s?

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 33:13‐36:22, Galatians 5:13‐26, Psalm 64:1‐10, Proverbs 23:23

Context: Paul is contrasting walking by the spirit with walking by the flesh.

Galatians 5:26 – Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Observations:

• Let us not
  • Become conceited  (boastful, desirous of vainglory)
    • Provoking (challenging) one another
    • Envying one another

One of the first signs of the flesh taking over in my life is conceit.  Conceit shows itself when I provoke and/or envy others.  I pray that the Holy Spirit will control my present and future and establish me in genuine humility.

Apply: “Lord, tear pride from my life and establish me in genuine humility.”

Do you have anyone in your life, formal discipleship or conflicting relationship, pointing out your pride?

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 30:12‐33:12, Galatians 5:1‐12, Psalm 63:1‐11, Proverbs 23:22

Context: David writes that his soul is experiencing a dry time and he is thirsting for God.

Psalm 63:3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,
 my lips will praise you.

Observation:

Even in tough times, God’s steadfast love (loving kindness, goodness) is:

1. Better than life
2. Motivates praise

Apply: I want to spend time reflecting on God’s love for me.   I need to praise God with my lips as an overflow of my recognition of God’s steadfast love.

When the last time you spent time thinking about how much God loves you?

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 28:14‐30:11, Galatians 3:23‐4:31, Psalm 62:1‐12, Proverbs 23:19‐21

Context: David is waiting for the Salvation of the Lord.

Psalm 63:8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
 pour out your heart before him;
 God is a refuge for us.

Observations:

• Trust in God at all times
• Pour out your heart before God
• God is a refuge for us

Apply: During a time of waiting in areas of my own life, I need to trust in God, pour out heart before him, and let him be my refuge.  Specifically, I want to confide in the Lord through prayer tonight.

How do you “pour out your heart before him?”

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 22:1‐24:23, Galatians 2:17‐3:9, Psalm 60:1‐12, Proverbs 23:15‐16

Paul is arguing that people are saved AND SANCTIFIED through faith and not works.

Galatians 3:3 – Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

Observations:

• If you think you are saved by works of the flesh, you are foolish
• Salvation begins with the Spirit
• You are perfected by the Spirit, not the flesh

Application: This is almost an anti-application passage.  I must live by faith and not by sight, knowing that works of the flesh will never save me.  Only what Jesus did and is doing for and in me will save and sanctify me.

In a culture that is works focused, how do you stay gospel driven?