Today’s Reading: Isaiah 6:1‐7:25, 2 Corinthians 11:16‐33, Psalm 54:1‐7, Proverbs 23:1‐3

Context: Isaiah’s vision and call in chapter 6 is one of the most familiar and powerful passages in the prophetic texts.  After seeing the Lord on his throne Isaiah responds with “woe is me…” 

Isaiah 6:6-7 – Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.  And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

Observations:

• The seraphim came to Isaiah and touched him – Grace
• The coal touched his lips
• Your guilt (blame or punishment) is taken away
• Your sin atoned for (covered over or forgiven)

After the symbolic cleansing through the coal in these verses, Isaiah responds to God completely differently with “Here am I!  Send me.”

Apply:  I want to remember and speak of the saving work he has done in my life by grace through faith in Christ.  I want to respond with readiness – “Here am I!  Send me.”

If you have placed your faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord, do you remember a clear “woe is me” before and a “here am I; send me,” experience after?  If you aren’t fully aware of what Christ has done for you and are not sure that your sin is atoned for, please email me or visit this link.

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 3:1‐5:30, 2 Corinthians 11:1‐15, Psalm 53:1‐6, Proverbs 22:28‐29

Context: David is talking about the fool who says in his heart there is no God.  He elaborates and states that God looks down from heaven and sees that there is no one who does good (Paul quotes this Psalm in Romans 3).

Psalm 53:4 Have those who work evil no knowledge,
 who eat up my people as they eat bread,
 and do not call upon God?

Observations:

• Those who work evil eat up people – use others and instead of serving them
• Those who work evil do not call upon God – independent of God instead of dependent on God

Application:  I don’t want anyone to be able to accuse me of these two traits.  As I ran this morning, I talked with God about my desire to see prayer and sacrificial service define my life.

What do you need to do to prioritize prayer and service?

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 1:1‐2:22, 2 Corinthians 10:1‐18, Psalm 52:1‐9, Proverbs 22:26‐27

2 Corinthians 10:4 – For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

Context: Paul is defending his ministry.  He wants the church in Corinth to understand that he is doing the work of God and is not working for selfish gain.

Observations:

• The weapons of our warfare – the tools we use in our fight
• Are not of the flesh – carnal or material
• But have divine power –mighty strength from God
• To destroy strongholds – tear down fortresses

Apply: I must minister with confidence in the weapons God has given me to destroy strongholds.

How should an awareness of the supernatural tools you have affect your walk?

Today’s Reading: Song of Solomon 5:1‐8:14, 2 Corinthians 9:1‐15, Psalm 51:1‐19, Proverbs 22:24‐25

Psalms 51:17 – The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
 a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Context: David’s psalm of confession after Bathsheba.  He pleads for mercy, forgiveness, cleansing and restoration of joy.

Observations:

• The sacrifices of God are:
  • A broken (shabar – to break to pieces) spirit
  • A broken and contrite (dakah – crushed) heart
  • God will not despise – distain, or look with contempt on

David exemplifies what a broken spirit and a contrite heart look like in Psalms 51. 

Apply: I want to spend today (and my life) broken and contrite before God.  Specifically, I will get on my knees and pray the words of David in Psalm 51 over my life.

How does the gospel encourage true brokenness?

Today’s Reading: Song of Solomon 1:1‐4:16, 2 Corinthians 8:16‐24, Psalm 50:1‐23, Proverbs 22:22‐23

Song of Solomon 4:9 You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride;
 you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes,
 with one jewel of your necklace.

Context: Solomon is admiring his bride’s beauty.  Several years ago someone shared this picture with me:

What Solomon's wife looked like...

Observations:

• You have captivated my heart (2x)
  • My sister, my bride
    • With one glance of your eyes
    • With one jewel of your necklace

I find my wife beautiful.  Song of Solomon reminds me that I am a Rebecca man – NOT a short, dark haired, brunette, big smile, etc man.  I like her attributes because she has captivated my heart, not the other way around.  The discipline of romantic love is declaring to her and myself that she has captivated my heart.

Apply:  I need to regularly tell Rebecca that she has captivated my heart.

How can you effectively communicate to your spouse that he or she has your heart?

Today’s Reading: Ecclesiastes 10:1‐12:14, 2 Corinthians 8:1‐15, Psalm 49:1‐20, Proverbs 22:20‐21

2 Corinthians 8:4 – …begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints

Context: Paul is sharing how the church in Macedonia overflowed with generosity and gave financially beyond their means to the ministry of the gospel.

Observations:

• They were begging earnestly for the opportunity to give
• For the favor (charis – grace or thanks) of taking part in the relief of the saints

I have had times in my life where giving was an overflow of worship and thanks to God.  Yet, I don’t remember ever begging someone earnestly to let me give to the gospel ministry through them.

Apply:  I want to pray for this kind of heart.  Not just willingly, but earnestly pursuing opportunities to give financially to the spread of the gospel. 

What motivates this kind of generosity?

Today’s Reading: Ecclesiastes 7:1‐9:18, 2 Corinthians 7:8‐16, Psalm 48:1‐14, Proverbs 22:17‐19

2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Context: Paul is urging the church in Corinth to live apart from sin.  He brings up his first letter and says that he was glad that they were grieved into repenting (v8).

Observations:

• Godly grief (remorse from having lost God’s approval) leads to repentance
• A repentance that leads to salvation (sanctification) without regret
• Worldly grief (remorse from having lost the world’s approval) produces death

If anyone struggles with true repentance, they have not experience Godly grief.

Apply:  I need to grieve my sin now and in the future.  I want Godly sorrow to motivate true repentance.

What would encourage true Godly grief in your life?

Today’s Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:1‐6:12, 2 Corinthians 6:14‐7:7, Psalm 47:1‐9, Proverbs 22:16

2 Corinthians 7:1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

Context: Paul is explaining that the Corinthian church is to be set apart for God.

Observations:

• Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves…
  • Notice the gospel here:
    • Religion – I obey and therefor God shows me favor
    • The Gospel – God shows me favor and therefore I obey
• Cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit,
• Bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

Apply: I asked a man today if he was “cleaning himself” in response to the promises of God.  I must be asking myself the same question to allow the Spirit to have his way in my life.

How do the promises of God motivate you to clean yourself?

Today’s Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:1‐3:22, 2 Corinthians 6:1‐13, Psalm 46:1‐11, Proverbs 22:15

Ecclesiastes 3:22-23 What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.

Context: Solomon is making it clear that everything under the sun is meaningless.  Meaning is only found in fearing and obeying God (12:13)

Observation:

• What do you have to show for hard work?
• Even when you work hard you experience sorrow.
• Even in the night you heart does not rest.
• Hard work is vanity – meaningless.

Apply: I am type A.  I must live in the constant realization that working harder will not give me more meaning.  Only through responding to the gospel by fearing and obeying God will I find satisfaction.

How do you break away from the world’s view of work?

Today’s Reading: Job 40:1‐ 42:17, 2 Corinthians 5:11‐21, Psalm 45:1‐17, Proverbs 22:14

Job 42:2 I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

Context: God has appears to Job in a cloud and challenges him.  “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty?… Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.”  Job 42:2 is how Job begins his response.

Observations:

• I know
  • God can do all things
  • No purpose of God’s can be thwarted

What a powerful statement knowing what Job has gone through.  Job is still a man of faith in God’s power and God’s purpose.

Apply: “Father, increase my faith.  Help me to walk like Job; knowing your purpose will be accomplished.”

What response would it prompt in our lives if we truly believed that no purpose of God’s can be thwarted?