Listening to the Word

Isaiah 63,64; Psalms 107; John 2   “Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim…They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine…This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.” John 2:7-9, 11 Did Jesus and his disciples drink the wine at the center of the miracle? Of course they did! The glory of God is not meant to be reported at a distance, but rather, it must be experienced for oneself. “Taste and see that the Lord is good…” (Psalm 34:8). Our faith is not just in propositional truths, but in the reality of Christ’s peace and living presence within our lives. We can repeat other people’s miracles of faith, or we can experience God’s glory and testify of it ourselves. In what new ways is God inviting us to taste his goodness? What are our current needs that only Jesus can fill? Will we, too, put our fa

Isaiah 60-62; John 1 “Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, ‘What do you want?’ They said, ‘Rabbi!’ (which means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ ‘Come,’ he replied, ‘and you will see.’ So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.” John 1:38, 39 Andrew and his friend were following John the Baptist who now pointed them to Jesus. In their first conversation with Jesus they asked him a personal and costly question, “Where are you staying?” How would we respond? Given the late hour, this question meant they wanted to stay with Jesus on their first meeting with him. Are we that approachable as leaders that we invite strangers or new friends to our residence? Jesus made time available for people who were seeking him. He still has time for those who seek him. As we serve and lead in the way of Jesus, do we make time available for others who are new to our acquaintance? Do we lead with information, expertise, and influenc

  Isaiah 57-59; Psalms 103; 2 Peter 3   “Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:1-5 God’s mission is to bring life and renewal to all who respond to his offer of forgiveness and a new life. God offers us forgiveness, healing, redemption, satisfaction, and renewal in exchange for our repentance and the full surrender of our will to God. This is a holistic Gospel which speaks to all of life and every area of our lives. The Psalmist praises the Lord for all his benefits, but they are only found in a relationship with him, not in an “a la carte” menu. The Gospel is the good news that Jesus transforms and redeems and has all authority. There is so much joy, love, and

  Isaiah 53-56; 2 Peter 2 “’See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc; no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the Lord.” Isaiah 54:16, 17 Those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ as servants of the Lord are promised protection from the destroyer. This is the same destroyer who functions within the boundaries God has set for him. Ultimately, even Satan and his forces must obey God’s command. We do not fear the accusing tongue of the enemy or his weapons forged against us because we have been given the Sword of the Lord, which is the Word of God. We have been given the name of the Lord, which is above every other name. We have been given God’s glory, which is his very presence. Yes, we have an enemy, but we are ov

Isaiah 50-52; Psalms 92; 2 Peter 1 “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’...When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes…The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.” Isaiah 52:7, 8, 10 God’s salvation plan for Israel was, and is, more than the physical restoration of Jerusalem and physical return of Jews to Israel. God’s salvation plan for Israel is focused on the Lord Jesus Christ who has come and has promised to return again. Jesus alone offers forgiveness of sins and peace with God. Jesus, his life, death, resurrection, and promised second coming, is the Good News, or Gospel, we shout from every mountain top and in every corner of the earth. The Lord Jesus reigns! He alone saves, comforts, and redeems our rebellion and attempts to sav

  Isaiah 46-49; 1 Peter 5 “Go down, sit in the dust, Virgin Daughter of Babylon…Now then, listen, you wanton creature, lounging in your security and saying to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me. I will never be a widow or suffer the loss of children! Both of these will overtake you in a moment…in spite of your many sorceries…” Isaiah 47:1, 8, 9 “…Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…” 1 Peter 5:8, 9 God’s judgments against Babylon extend beyond the fall of the physical city which occurred thousands of years ago. The spirit of Babylon is described as a wanton creature, an alluring harlot who seduces the powerful with her luxuries and indulgences. In John’s revelation, she is thrown down by sudden judgment. This is an end-time confrontation between the end-time political alliance of the Beast and the spirit of Babylon. While the full meaning of this revelation remains a mystery, God’s peopl

Isaiah 43-45; 1 Peter 4 “This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him…I summon you by name…Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God and there is no other,…Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear.” Isaiah 45:1, 4, 22, 23 God’s call on Cyrus’ life to be instrumental in the return of Judah from captivity and in the rebuilding of the temple is astounding, even for us today who understand that God’s salvation plan has always been for all nations. We easily label other cultures and leaders as either “good” or “bad” thus limiting how we perceive God can use them. God’s sovereign plans go beyond our understanding and require humility on our part. Will we bow on our knees before the Lord now, and turn our lives to his ways and our words to his glory? God is reaching out to all nations and offering salvation, healing, and a future, if they/we will turn to him. As we pray for leaders

Isaiah 40-42; 1 Peter 3 “A voice of one calling: ‘In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 40:3-5 The second coming of Jesus will be welcomed by the Church living on mission with the same calling as John the Baptist. The Church on mission is called to make straight the way for the Lord, raise up every valley and every mountain make low, and level the rough ground and rugged places, both in our own lives and in the communities in which we live and serve. The mountains of pride are made low through humility, and the valleys of fear and depression lifted up in new faith, hope, and love. Instead of focusing our lives on our glory, we place our full attention on the glory of the

2 Kings 20; Isaiah 38,39; Psalms 75; 1 Peter 2   “We give thanks to you, O God,…You say, ‘I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly. When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’…” Psalm 75:1-4 When violence, political unrest, economic uncertainty, or crises shake our world, how do God’s people respond? We give thanks to God, for who he is, remembering that it is God alone who holds the pillars of the earth. It is God who restrains evil. It is also God who opposes the proud and makes them drink his cup of judgment. When God allows shaking in our lives or in our society, we must humble ourselves in worship and acknowledge that he holds our lives in his hand. The arrogance and violence of our day will only increase the shaking we are experiencing. God will judge and is judging uprightly. Will we respond in worship, or with outstretched necks? “Lord God, I humble myself before you and repent for pride, fo

Isaiah 36,37; Psalms 76; 1 Peter 1   “In Judah God is known; his name is great in Israel. His tent is in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion…Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them; let all the neighboring lands bring gifts to the One to be feared. He breaks the spirit of rulers; he is feared by the kings of the earth.” Psalm 76:1, 2, 11, 12 Do we know God as his son or daughter, or rather, as a distant king who must be feared? God’s revelation of his many names through history reveals aspects of his personality. His covenant relationship with Israel and with the Church through Jesus Christ reveals his ways. The kings of the earth might know about God, but the people of God know him personally. We know the presence of the most powerful being in the universe! Kings bring gifts to the Lord Almighty. We bring him our lives as living sacrifices and pledge all we are and have to him. The mercy of God in Christ is available to all who seek him; the wrath of God is known by those who re

2 Kings 18,19; 2 Chronicles 32; James 5 “’…Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.’ And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.” 2 Chronicles 32:7, 8 What do we do when we face an enemy that is too strong for us, like cancer, family conflict, loss of a job, or any other significantly painful event? The mocking words of the enemy can taunt us much like Sennacherib’s officers did to Hezekiah and the people of Judah at the wall of Jerusalem. Hezekiah declared by faith that God’s presence was enough. He reminded his people that God had promised to fight their battles if they would uphold their covenant with him. What promises and Scripture do we need to remind ourselves today as we face the tests before us? Our confidence comes from God’s Word and his liv

2 Chronicles 29-31; James 4   “The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great rejoicing,…so for another seven days they celebrated joyfully…There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.” 2 Chronicles 30:21, 23, 26 The release of spontaneous joy throughout Jerusalem after the cleansing of the temple and the restoration of worship and sin-sacrifices was an unexpected by-product of getting right with God. When we pursue joy through pleasure and self-indulgence, we frequently don’t experience it. However, when we choose repentance for our sins, worship of the Living God, and we consecrate our lives to him, joy fills our lives. Maybe we’ve experienced that same joy at the communion service or after a time of personal retreat with God. Joy is one of the evidences that the Holy Spirit is freely flowing through our lives. The joy of God’

  2 Kings 17; 2 Chronicles 28; Psalms 46; James 3   “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble…The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,…Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:1, 7-10 When we become still so we can know the presence of the Lord, who is it we discover? The same God, who is our refuge, strength, and fortress, is judging sin, confronting nations, and bringing desolations on the earth. He doesn’t plead with nations to stop fighting; he snaps their weapons and shatters their defenses. God calls us into stillness so we can get our eyes off of ourselves and our fear and refocus our attention on God’s presence and glory around us. Do we know that he is God, or only that he is ‘god’? Have we priv

  Isaiah 32-35; James 2   “The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” Isaiah 32:17, 18 Some homes we enter are marked by a peace that is almost tangible. It is not the absence of noise, but rather, the peace of God’s presence. That peace comes from righteousness which only comes from God in response to our faith in Christ. The angels of God encamp around those who fear him and belong to him. They are around us now, establishing and maintaining a peaceful perimeter as in the dwelling places of God’s people. The presence of the Lord in our lives, and his peace in our homes, is more valuable than a home renovation or makeover. God’s peace is more valuable than the latest furniture. When our homes are marked by peace and spiritual security, they become undisturbed places of rest where we can be restored. Our homes can become

Isaiah 29-31; James 1 “Therefore this is what the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, says to the house of Jacob: ‘No longer will Jacob be ashamed; no longer will their faces grow pale. When they see among them their children, the work of my hands, they will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.’” Isaiah 29:22, 23 The faithfulness of God to his promises in his words to Abraham brought him to the Promised Land and later returned Jacob’s descendants to that land. The Jewish return to Israel after the Babylonian captivity, and more recently following WW II, and later following the collapse of the Soviet Union, all remind us that God delivers on his promises. His name is being hallowed and honored as his promises are being fulfilled. All God’s promises will be fulfilled, including his final conquest over the powers of darkness. Even as God’s judgment against sin brings shame and fear, his offer of redemption and

  Isaiah 25-28; Hebrews 13   “The Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon - to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task.” Isaiah 28:21 At the Valley of Gibeon God hurled large hailstones against the Amorites so that more people died from the hailstones, than died at the hands of Israel. God also extended the length of that day as he fought for Israel. At Mount Perazim, God broke out against the attacking Philistines and established David’s leadership as the new king of Israel. Both Joshua and David resisted the enemy; God intervened to do what man could not do. God asked in Psalm 94:16, “Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?” God looks for his people to rise up and resist evil through our prayers, our words, and our actions, even as we recognize “our struggle is not against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12a). The battle is the Lord’s and he has already

Isaiah 22-24; Hebrews 12   “See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it;…From the ends of the earth we hear singing: ‘Glory to the Righteous One.’…The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is thoroughly shaken…” Isaiah 24:1, 16, 19 “…’Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’…Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:26, 28, 29 The promise of God is to thoroughly shake the heavens and the earth. However, rather than cower in fear like the kings of the earth, the people of God worship the Righteous One with reverence and awe. We have a kingdom that cannot be shaken; this world is not our home. Have we thoroughly turned our allegiance and hope to Christ’s kingdom, or will we, too, be disappointed when all we have is shaken on earth? Whose kingdom do we serve, and what values and vision

Isaiah 19-21; Hebrews 11   “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for…By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” Hebrews 11:1, 2, 7 Those who live with faith are confident about things they can’t see and things that are yet to happen, because they have heard from God’s Word. They live into the reality of these unseen and coming events and realities because they know the Lord God. They fear God more than the ridicule of the watching world. Does this kind of faith describe us? Hope without faith-filled confidence is not hope; rather, it is just wishful thinking.   As God warns us about the consequences of sin in our lives and in our world, are we responding in holy fear and with faith-filled obedience? Are we living distinctively different, hope-filled, fait

  Isaiah 15-18; Hebrews 10 “In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it – one from the house of David – one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness…All you people of the world, you who live on the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, you will see it, and when a trumpet sounds, you will hear it.” Isaiah 16:5; 18:3 The kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ to which he has called his followers to seek first and before all else, is founded on love, faithfulness, justice, and righteousness. These qualities define all interactions and priorities in Christ’s kingdom. Christ’s Gospel and name form the banner we raise in obedience to the Holy Spirit’s leading and empowerment; all peoples are now seeing it. When the banner of Christ is higher than our denominations, organizational identities, or personal agendas, people’s lives are transformed. It is Christ’s banner and Christ’s trumpet which rally and call out his followers from a

  Isaiah 11-14; Hebrews 9   “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him-…He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked…In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.” Isaiah 11:1, 2, 4, 10 The clear message in this prophetic Word describing the first and second coming of Jesus is that Jesus is leading. Is Jesus really our leader in a Church culture enamored with the under-shepherds ? Is Jesus personally leading our lives through his Word? Are we listening to him? Are we so focused on our best practices in ministry and emulating the models of others that Jesus has been reduced to a figure head?   Do we know the rod of his mouth and the breath of his lips? Are we rallying to his banner, or are we asking him to rally to our banners? Is Jesus practically lea

Isaiah 8-10; Hebrews 8 “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat you have shattered the yoke that burdens them…For to us a child is born…” Isaiah 9:2-4, 6   The Lord Jesus came as a Lamb to offer a new covenant with his blood. He is returning as a Lion to usher in the fullness of his kingdom. Like the day of Midian’s defeat through the obedience of Gideon and his little band of 300, Christ’s coming was, and is, welcomed by a faithful remnant whose eyes are on Jesus. Those “living in the land of the shadow of death” now have hope, because one who has defeated death has come and is coming again. The joy associated with Christ’s coming and coming again is the joy of harvest, the joy of an ever expanding kingdom. Are

  Micah 5-7; Hebrews 7 “My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey, from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.” Micah 6:5 At Shittim, the Israelites were seduced by both Moabite and Midianite women sent by their fathers to defile Israel’s warriors and anger God. To this day, Satan’s schemes continue to seduce people into sin which grieves and angers God. When a confrontation on the battle field wouldn’t work, Moab tried to use curses and seduction to defeat Israel. Is that same strategy being applied against us today? Let us remember what Israel experienced and learned in our own spiritual warfare and discipleship journey (1 Corinthians 10:11). Let us also remember that God parted the flooded Jordan River on the journey from Shittim to Gilgal. God can make a way when there is no way. At Gilgal, God rolled away the reproach of Egypt, the failures of Shittim, and the slave mentality of h

Micah 1-4; Hebrews 6   “I   will surely gather all of you, O Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel…One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their king will pass through before them; the Lord at their head.” Micah 2:12, 13 God’s restoration of the remnant of Jacob back to Jerusalem following their exile in Babylon has been repeated again in our day with the restoration of Israel as a nation. Similarly, God is restoring spiritually lost people and “exiles” back into relationship with himself through the One who “breaks open the way”. The Lord Jesus has set us free from the bondage of sin and death and opened the gates of salvation to all who believe in his Gospel and receive him into their lives. Have our neighbors received him? Jesus is going before us, both in salvation and in our daily lives as we choose to follow him. Where do we need a ‘breakthrough’? Are we willing to follow Jesus as king and Lord, trusting

  Hosea 13,14; Psalms 100,102; Hebrews 5   “Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him…Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:8, 9, 13, 14 If Jesus had to learn obedience to the will of the Father, so do we. The Father used suffering in the life of his son to disciple him. Are we open to that same path of discipleship as we grow in maturity? What is the purpose of maturity in our lives? We bring glory to God as we reflect his nature and character in this world. God is on a mission to restore relationship with all who receive his offer of salvation and give their lives to him. Joining God on his mission of reaching us and transforming us into his image is a life-long journey, one of listening an

Hosea 10-12; Psalms 73; Hebrews 4   “But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;…For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterword you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the Strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:2, 3, 23-26 What is it that is worthy of our life’s energy and focus? Asaph almost slipped in his walk with God as he considered the wealth, comfort, and self-indulgence of arrogant, wicked men who had no time for God. Asaph’s contemplation of the cost of discipleship versus the benefit of living for one’s self changed when he factored in eternity. More than that, Asaph remembered the value of God’s peace, presence, counsel, and comfort in his life. What value can we place on inner peace with God? Is it worth more than our next business dea

  Hosea 6-9; Hebrews 3   “Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us…that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord;…he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. What can I do with you, Ephraim…Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears.’” Hosea 6:1-4 Is our love for God expressed like a morning mist which quickly burns away, or like regular rain that waters the earth? Do we live in God’s presence, regularly acknowledging him through the day, or do we occasionally visit God’s presence in corporate worship? God’s judgment against Ephraim and Judah was because of their spiritual prostitution with other gods of pleasure, self-indulgence, and pride which only left the occasional feast or ritual sacrifice for Yahweh. Ephraim and Judah repeatedly broke their covenant with God, yet he called out to them through his prophets to return back to the Lord. God’s discipline

  Isaiah 46-49; 1 Peter 5 “Go down, sit in the dust, Virgin Daughter of Babylon…Now then, listen, you wanton creature, lounging in your security and saying to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me. I will never be a widow or suffer the loss of children! Both of these will overtake you in a moment…in spite of your many sorceries…” Isaiah 47:1, 8, 9 “…Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…” 1 Peter 5:8, 9 God’s judgments against Babylon extend beyond the fall of the physical city which occurred thousands of years ago. The spirit of Babylon is described as a wanton creature, an alluring harlot who seduces the powerful with her luxuries and indulgences. In John’s revelation, she is thrown down by sudden judgment. This is an end-time confrontation between the end-time political alliance of the Beast and the spirit of Babylon. While the full meaning of this revelation remains a mystery, God’s peopl

Hosea 2-5; Hebrews 2   “…they have deserted the Lord to give themselves to prostitution, to old wine and new, which take away the understanding of my people…A spirit of prostitution leads them astray; they are unfaithful to their God.” Hosea 4:10-12 We have an enemy of our souls who is intent on seducing us away from our first love for God. Hosea called it a “spirit of prostitution” and God used Hosea’s marriage as a graphic illustration.   Alcoholism made Israel vulnerable to this spiritual prostitution, because their wine-induced stupor took away their understanding and alertness to God’s word, counsel, and ways. Are we susceptible to the same patterns? Do we also have a spiritual battle for our hearts affections and our first love for God? Hosea’s words are a warning to us and an invitation for us to renew our vows of first love and devotion to the Lord God. Will we be faithful to our covenant with God and our spouse and in doing so glorify God? The Holy Spirit has been given to emp

  2 Kings 15,16; Hosea 1; 1 Hebrews 1   “King Ahaz then gave these orders to Uriah the priest: ‘On the large new altar, offer the morning burnt offering and the evening grain offering…Sprinkle on the altar all the blood of the burnt offerings and sacrifices. But I will use the bronze altar for seeking guidance. And Uriah the priest did just as King Ahaz had ordered.’” 2 Kings 16:15, 16 King Ahaz replaced the altar God had instructed David/Solomon to build, for a copy of one he had seen in Damascus. An altar to a pagan god replaced the altar to the Living God for Judah’s repentance and worship. Is it possible to copy the world’s methods and tools in our worship of the Lord today? King Ahaz retained the bronze altar built by Solomon when he wanted to seek God’s guidance, but for all other daily worship he used the pagan altar. Why not also use the pagan altar for guidance? King Ahaz recognized that God alone could be trusted with the big questions of the kingdom. Uriah the priest carried