Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem?

Isaiah 2

Stop trusting in mere humans,
    who have but a breath in their nostrils.
    Why hold them in esteem? v22

I cling to many earthly matters - money, things, job, people, etc.  I place too much trust in these matters.

I have Jesus Christ, my Lord:

²⁶ Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Hebrews 7:26

My Prayer: Lord, You ARE holy, blameless, and pure...and SO much more.  You are the source of ALL blessings and I am a recipient of many of Your blessings.  Yet I am undeserved...I neglect You and I don't always turn to You as I should.  Please forgive me Lord Jesus and help me strengthen my faith.

When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts?

Isaiah 1

This morning I am warned to have a relationship with the Lord that is not empty but is instead based on fear and reverence of the Lord and faith in Him alone:

When you come to appear before me,
    who has asked this of you,
    this trampling of my courts?
¹³ Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
    Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—
    I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
¹⁴ Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals
    I hate with all my being.
They have become a burden to me;
    I am weary of bearing them.
¹⁵ When you spread out your hands in prayer,
    I hide my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
    I am not listening.

Your hands are full of blood!  v12-15

Instead:

Wash and make yourselves clean.
    Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
    stop doing wrong.
¹⁷ Learn to do right; seek justice.
    Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
    plead the case of the widow.

¹⁸ “Come now, let us settle the matter,”
    says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
    they shall be like wool.

 
¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient,
    you will eat the good things of the land;

 
²⁰ but if you resist and rebel,
    you will be devoured by the sword.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. v16-20

My Prayer: Lord, You are real and You are great.  Yet I am empty and my life is empty.  I am full of sin and laziness.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me for my sin and my empty life.  Help me love and follow You with all of my heart, mind, and soul.

For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

Ecclesiastes 12

For God will bring every deed into judgment,
    including every hidden thing,
    whether it is good or evil. v14

 We sin and we sin daily, big things and little things - and God of course knows about all of them.  We need to come to God daily for many reasons but one important one is for repentance. If we don't come to Him daily it is like saying I don't need repentance and I can hide my sin - NOT TRUE!

God knows everything - including everything about me - Psalm 139

My Prayer: Lord, You know everything about me - yet You love me anyway.  I am sinful in that every day I fail in some way to be the dad and husband you want me to be.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me.  Please help me be the dad and husband You want me to be.

Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.

Ecclesiastes 7

...the righteous perishing in their righteousness,
    and the wicked living long in their wickedness.
¹⁶ Do not be overrighteous,
    neither be overwise—
    why destroy yourself?
¹⁷ Do not be overwicked,
    and do not be a fool—
    why die before your time?
¹⁸ It is good to grasp the one
    and not let go of the other.
    Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.

Those who ARE righteous CAN perish by focusing on their righteousness or by being over-righteous - it is called pride.   In James 4:

“God opposes the proud
   but shows favor to the humble.” v6

At the same time, we are ALL wicked.  We are to be righteous and to avoid sin to walk that fine line - only through Christ can we do this.

My Prayer: Lord, You are Holy, Pure, and Blameless.  I am NOT!  I think badly and talk badly of others - how sinful!  I thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me Lord Jesus.  Help me be righteous and avoid sin.  Help me recognize that there is only one truth and one way and that is You.  Help me love You with all of my heart mind and soul.

As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them?

Ecclesiastes 5

As goods increase,
    so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
    except to feast their eyes on them? v11

As our church embarks on a capital campaign to build a new facility and to "seek and save the lost" of the RDU area, the subject of finances is front and center.  Today's reading is appropriate - our focus should not be on goods as pleasing to the eye.  

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

My Prayer:  Lord, you have blessed and provided beyond my imagination.  I am not worthy of such blessing.  I lack trust and faith in you - this is a sin as I am to love You with all of my heart mind and soul.  I am not to have any other idols - such as money or stuff.  Thank You that You love me anyway  but please forgive me.  Help me focus on how Your blessings are to be used for Your glory and not to feed my pride, nor to be hoarded.  Instead help me be a good steward.  Help me give generously.


 

“God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked,

Ecclesiastes 3 

¹⁵ Whatever is has already been,
    and what will be has been before;
    and God will call the past to account.

¹⁶ And I saw something else under the sun:

In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,
    in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

¹⁷ I said to myself,

“God will bring into judgment

    both the righteous and the wicked,

for there will be a time for every activity,

    a time to judge every deed.” (V15-17)

I neglect this important fact about my relationship with God and my life here on earth - that even if I believe I am being righteous (need to be careful with this assessment), I must live a life on earth that has the end in mind and in the end, I will be judged - my life in its entirety.

Our days are numbered - see entry here.  As well, our days are evil..

My Prayer: Lord, You are HOLY, perfect, and blameless.  I am not.  I sin...alot.  I sinned last night when I spoke of our President and insulted him - that is a sin.  I do that to others.  Thank You that You love me anyway Lord Jesus, but please forgive me.  Rid me of this sin and help me be more pure of heart, mind and soul.  Help me love You with all of my heart mind and soul.  Help me fulfill Your purpose for me here on earth.  Help me reach my mom. 

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.

Ecclesiastes 3

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens[.] v1

God's timing is perfect.  He orchestrates all activities under the heavens, and of course this includes my life.

This morning I also found:

This is what the Lord says:

“In the time of my favor I will answer you,
    and in the day of salvation I will help you[.] Isaiah 49:8

My Prayer: Lord, Your works and Your timing is perfect - there is no question that You are God!  Lord, I come to You because I need You.  I have sinned and continue to sin.  I speak badly of others still and this is sinful.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me.  Rid me of this sin and purify me.  Transform my heart and help me be more like You every day.

Thank You and Praise Jesus for answered prayer that Bryan's daughter's Crohn's disease is in remission.

Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

Proverbs 30

5 Every word of God is flawless;
    he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
⁶ Do not add to his words,
    or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

God's word is truth and there is only one truth and one authority.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Matthew 28:18

My Prayer: Lord, You ARE truth and I need not go anywhere else for counsel or wisdom or direction.  Yet I do go elsewhere.  Proof of that is my own sin.  I speak ill of others and I should not.  I thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me Lord Jesus.  Rid me of this sin and also of all sin!  Transform my heart and my life and please make me more like You.  Please also help me reach my mom and bring her to You Lord Jesus.

Please also heal Bryan's daughter who has been diagnosed with Crohn's disease.

Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them.

Proverbs 28

Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
    There is more hope for a fool than for them. v20

I often speak in haste and I often don't heed James' instruction:

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.  James 1:19-20

My Prayer: Lord, You are available to listen to me anytime and all the time.  You are patient and as well slow to anger...You are perfect.  Of course I am not.  I speak too quickly and too often I think and say things about people that are not right-sinful.  Thank You for loving me anyway but please forgive me Lord Jesus and please purify and refine my heart and help me be more like You.

Those who work their land will have abundant food

Proverbs 28

Those who work their land will have abundant food,

    but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty. v19

It is not only good for us to work it is God's plan and he purposely gives us work so that we can honor Him and fulfill our purpose for him.  This is true from the very beginning.

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:15

In the same way, we are to work with a good attitude:

⁷ Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, ⁸ because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. Ephesians 6:7-9

My Prayer: Lord, You have blessed me not only with A job, but a job where I am paid well and with a job where I get to work at home and not travel alot.  What an amazing blessing.  I am not worthy of such love an blessing.  I say I don't need You and that is a sin.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me.  Help me resist any temptation that I can do this alone - I cannot.

It is not good for the man to be alone

Genesis 3

It is not good for the man to be alone Genesis 2:18

God knows that we are in a battle with the flesh - that our desire to sin can be more powerful than our desire for Him.  For this reason, God gives us a helper - a wife.  

And He also gives us "one anothers" in our lives for us to support and encourage each other in our growth in Christ.  Our social context and our relationships are important. 

It is important to look out for Satan and to use our helpers and the "one anothers" in our lives.

Who we associate with is important, as I have read here.  In The Good and Beautiful God, we are reminded that social context is important (see page 21).

And in Acts 2:44, I am reminded once again of the importance of the "one anothers".

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God in that You have not only provided a helper in Lisa but also "one anothers" in my life.  I am not worthy of such love and blessings.  I sin - and I sin daily.  I think and speak badly of people and this is wrong.  I am am thankful that You love me anyway yet I ask that You forgive me Jesus.  Help me strengthen my faith and help me lead in my household and in my community.

Those who trust in themselves are fools

Proverbs 28

Those who trust in themselves are fools v26

When I don't go to the Lord daily...I am implying many things, including:

• I don't need the Lord
• I don't trust the Lord 

 Of course both are deeply sinful!

But I know I need the Lord...for many reasons.  He IS trustworthy because He has blessed me beyond imagination and I need to be more mindful of how He has blessed me.

I also know that taking things into my own hands, with my own plans, does not work.  There are countless examples also in the Bible where this is the case, including the story of Jacob and Esau.

My Prayer: Lord, You are a blessing and You have blessed me...in many, many ways.  I am not worthy of such blessing, particularly when I neglect You.  I don't want to disappoint You but I do....I am thankful that You love me anyway but please forgive me Lord Jesus for my neglect of You.  I DO desire to love You with all of my heart, mind and soul.  Please help me build my faith in You and help me draw near to You and stay near to You.