Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

 John 20:24-29

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 20:24-29, where, after the resurrection, Jesus appears to the disciples again - this time with Thomas, who did not believe that Jesus had rose from the dead.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God does not mind that we doubt - see also Jude 22-23 where we are encouraged to have mercy on those who doubt.  In this case, Jesus overcomes locked doors (not a difficult feat for God) to bring Thomas to faith.  Jesus uses this as a teaching moment to encourage belief in Jesus without full evidence - this is faith.  
• What do we learn from the text about people?: All of us, like Thomas, have sufficient evidence to know that God exists - without excuse (general revelation) - see Romans 1:20. Yet many continue to doubt - if this is you, I would encourage you to lean into God because if You seek Him with all of your heart, you will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13) (special revelation).
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid testing God - see the latter remarks of this post. Claim the promise that Jesus is who He says He is - King of Kings, the Good Shepherd, and your personal Lord and Savior who has already defeated sin and death and rose again giving believers life now to the full and for eternity.  Follow the example of those who have not seen everything but believe - have faith.  Trust God's promises (2 Corinthians 1:20).   

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My Prayer: Father God, You are my personal Lord and Savior and I know I can never be separated from Your love.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.

 John 4:46-54

Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. John 4:50

I continue my study of John, and today, I unpack John 4:46-54 using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: In response to the official who requested that Jesus "come down and heal his son who was ill," Jesus shares that "[u]nless you see signs and wonders you will not believe" (v48).  The order of events is key here as Jesus challenges the official to believe before he sees his son's healing.  God seeks faith in Him that He will deliver upon His promises as He is faithful (see 2 Corinthians 1:20).  In response, the official once again pleads with Jesus to come heal his son (v49).  Jesus then shares that "[g]o; your son will live."  The text then shares that the official then believed (v50) before he sees his son healed (vv51-53) - see a similar story in scripture where Jesus heals a centurion's servant (Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10).  The text also shares that this the second sign from Jesus after he came from Judea to Galilee (v54). 
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: People often want evidence or results before they believe - this is the nature of how the human mind works.  When Jesus makes claims that He saves or offers eternal life, for many this is a "bridge too far."  This is a hardened heart.  At the same time, many reach a point in their life where they are so desperate for what Jesus offers that they are prepared to believe Him and have faith - see also Psalm 42:1.  In the text, vv51-53 describes how the official returns home to learn that his son has been healed and the healing corresponds with the hour when Jesus told him that his son would be healed.  The official's faith started in v50 with faith in the "word" Jesus shared that his "son will live." In v53, faith in Jesus as His Lord and Savior then followed when he witnessed (at least heard of it) the miracle of his son's healing.  The official's faith and witness/testimony then became the basis for the faith of "all his household" (v53).
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Do not demand evidence of Jesus or put God to the test (Deuteronomy 6:16).  Claim the promise that God is faithful.  Follow the example of the official and the centurion to have faith. Abide in Him to grow in your faith and to bear fruit - what He seeks from us.        

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My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God who loves, saves, and who is faithful!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it....And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.

Mark 16:9-13

But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it....And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. Mark 16:11, 13

I continue my study of Mark, focusing on Mark 16:9-13 as we read about the disciples unbelief in Jesus' resurrection.

Observations of the text based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: After His resurrection, Jesus appears first to Mary Magdalene, who had been healed by Jesus as He had cast out from her seven demons - v9.  While the motive to appear to Mary first vs others may be difficult to discern from this text, we do know that Jesus recognizes the great generosity of Mary and other women "healed of evil spirits and infirmities" as they provided for Jesus and His ministry "out of their [great] means" (see Luke 8:2 and this Bible encyclopedia entry for Mary Magdalene).  Jesus then appears "in another form" to two of the disciples on the road to Emmaus- v12.  We know from Luke 24:18 that one of these is Cleopas.
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: Mary M goes to tell the disciples of Jesus' resurrection as they had been in mourning over His death - v10 - but they would not belief Mary M - v11. Cleopas and his traveling companion also share with the disciples that they saw the resurrected Jesus, but, again, even though the disciples had then been told this news now twice, they still did not believe the it- v13.  The disciples' unbelief reveals an incomplete understanding of and lack of faith in what Jesus had shared with them that He will rise after death (see John 2:19-21).    
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Belief in the resurrection is core to the gospel - without it we are not saved.  We must claim the promise that the victory over sin and death is already won and that our faith and salvation provides eternal life with Jesus in Heaven. We must trust in God that He is faithful - that all the promises of God find their yes in Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20).  

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that is faithful - we can trust in You.  Thank You for my salvation and for the rest You provide based on Your faithfulness.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Romans 8

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32

I resume my study looking at the life of Paul using John Piper's 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul.  Today, I move to chapter thirty - The Pursuit of Pure Doctrine and Passion for the Poor - wrapping use this book.  Here, John Piper points to Romans 8:32 as "the most important promise of his life.*"  Piper first starts by describing how Romans 8:32a and 8:32b construct an a fortiori argument. Thus, God gives us all things (the easier part) because He already gave up His One and Only Son Jesus (the harder part).  Piper then describes how God gave up His Son, sharing that this was the greatest obstacle between us and eternal happiness.  This was clearly the hardest for God to do vs "giving us all things" as Piper describes God's precious love for His Son.  Piper writes: "[n]othing greater or harder has ever happened. Or ever will.*" Piper then emphasizes how giving us all things does not guarantee a trouble free life - au contraire!  We are referred to Romans 8:36 and we can also refer to John 16:33. Piper shares how when God gives us all things He is giving us "all things we need to do his will. All things we need to glorify him. All things we need to move from predestined to called to justified to glorified— that is, to everlasting happiness (Romans 8: 30).*"  Piper then provides us examples from Romans 8 of what God gives us:

•  all things will work together for our good (v28)
• we will be conformed to the image of his Son (v29)
  
• we will be glorified (v30)
  
• no one can successfully be against us (v31)
  
• no charge shall stick against us (v33)
  
• nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (v35)
• in tribulation and distress and persecution and famine and nakedness and danger and sword, we are more than conquerors (vv35–37)
  
• neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (vv38– 39)

 Piper wraps the chapter by pointing us to 2 Corinthians 1:20a where Paul share that "all the promises of God find their Yes in him." Amen!  Praise God! 

*John Piper. 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are SO good - providing the hardest thing so You can give us everything!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of these blessings.  My sin is great and it continue...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouse to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

Romans 4

No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Romans 4:20-21

I continue to lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at how believers honor and glorify God by remaining humble, battling unbelief, and trusting in God's future grace for our lives. John Piper uses Paul's words from Romans 4 where Paul describes Abraham's faith in God's promises for Abraham's heir to be his own son and for his descendants to be many - to be a great nation (see also Genesis 15). God of course makes many promises - that He provides, that He is faithful, that prayer is effective and He hears our prayers, etc.  For me, my unbelief can often be tied to my worry and anxiety about my children on various topics. I seek to battle unbelief in the same way that Abraham did.  I am greatly encouraged today, not just by the example of Abraham, but also by this post from DesiringGod.com on anxiety and unbelief where many examples of scripture are provided to aid me in my battle.  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are good...You provide, You never leave or forsake me, and Your promises can be trusted as You are faithful.  Thank You Jesus for these blessings - I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him.

2 Corinthians 1

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. 2 Corinthians 1:20

I continue to lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at how believers should trust in Jesus in the present and to simultaneously "believe that his promises will come true." John Piper describes these as not two separate faiths as "[t]rusting Jesus — believing in Jesus for salvation — means believing that he keeps his word."  Piper goes on to share that "[b]eing satisfied in the crucified and risen Jesus includes the belief that at every future moment, to all eternity, nothing will separate us from his love, or keep him from working all things together for our good. And that “good” is ultimately seeing and savoring the beauty and worth of God in Christ as our supreme Treasure."  Piper refers us to Romans 8:32 to reinforce his claim. Piper wraps today's devotion by stating that "[i]f our present enjoyment of Christ now — our present faith — does not have in it the Yes to all God’s promises, it will not embrace the power for radical service in the strength that God (in every future moment) will supply (1 Peter 4:11)." 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are faithful and I can hold firm to Your promises - that they will come true.  You were faithful to the cross and You have never left or forsaken me - I can look forward to Your promises for the future with both hope and confidence!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You are faithful.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

...so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Hebrews 6

...so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. Hebrews 6:18

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. This morning, I maintain my focus on Hebrews 6:9-20, as I lean on my commentary, and how it unpacks the second division "The Oath-Giving, Promise-Keeping God," which refers to Hebrews 6:13-18. The commentary describes how the author looks at the Abrahamic Covenant, where God, when He promised Abraham to bless him and to make his descendants into a great nation, God did so by swearing an oath by Himself (see Genesis 22:16-17). It then describes how Abraham faithfully believed in God's promise and He persevered and waited patiently for the fulfillment of the promise.  The commentary then examines how the text for today includes "two unchangeable things" from v18 and the commentary defines these as "the irrevocable nature of God’s purpose and word, and the oath that he declared publicly." The commentary then wraps for the text by highlighting how believers should stand on these unchangeable things as an encouragement to "hold firmly" to faith.  It shares: "The church is the refugee who must flee to God for rescue and who needs strong encouragement to seize the hope set before her. Because God’s Word is true and it is impossible for him to lie, we have all the confidence in the world to take heart and trust God’s promises just as Abraham did. The faithfulness of God and the certainty of his promises are not theoretical propositions. They are unchangeable realities. Like Abraham, we can stake our lives on God’s promises because God is the One who has promised them. Our God is a promise-keeping God." 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for providing refuge and hope for me and my brothers and sisters in Christ.  Thank You also for all of Your promises and the faithfulness of these promises.  I am not deserving of how You bless me in these ways.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.”

Hebrews 6

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” Hebrews 6:13-14

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which highlights Hebrews 6:13-14, where the author of Hebrews uses the Abrahamic Covenant (see Genesis 12) to establish the certainty of God's promise(s). In today's Solid Joys daily devotion, John Piper unpacks the language used by the author of Hebrews to not only underscore the certainty of God's promise(s), but more importantly (as a foundation), to establish God as "the greatest value in the universe."  Piper states: "when God takes an oath, he swears by himself. If he could have gone higher, he would have gone higher. Why? To give you strong encouragement in your hope. What God is saying in swearing by himself is that it is as impossible that he will break his word of promise to bless us as it is that he will ever despise himself. God is the greatest value in the universe. There is nothing more valuable or wonderful than God. So, God swears by God. And in doing that he says, “I mean for you to have as much confidence in me as it is possible to have.” For if more were possible, Hebrews 6:13 says, he would have given us that. “Since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself.” Now this is our God, the God who is reaching as high as he can reach to inspire your unshakable hope in him."  Believers - be encouraged!  Non-believers - place your hope in Jesus!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God in whose promises we can rest as You are faithful!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a God.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Romans 8

And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Romans 8:30

I paused again my studies of both Isaiah and Proverbs to listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which focuses on how for those who are believers, God first predestined us as one of His elect, then He called us, then He justified us (through death on the cross), and then He glorified us (including perfectly when we meet Him face to face upon entry to heaven).  In a supplemental DesiringGod.com post used this morning, John Piper unpacks not just Romans 8:30, but also v28-29 that lay a foundation for the promises made (and kept) in v30. BTW, see also this post which provides a definition of glorification. This foundation is described as very solid and deep so that all things - including sin - work together for good. From the supplemental post, Piper describes how we should gain massive security and assurance from how this works - and God of course, most importantly is exalted.  Once again, we should be encouraged to not worry, and live boldly for Christ as we rest in the security of God's promises.

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My Prayer: Heavenly Father, Jesus, You are an awesome God whose Word I can trust - You are faithful and all of Your promises comes to pass.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed: “I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name.

Isaiah 44-46

Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed: “I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. Isaiah 45:1-3

I resumed my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, I continue with Lesson 17, which examines Isaiah chapters 44-46.  My focus for today is Day 2(a), which looks at Isaiah 44:24-45 and the role of King Cyrus of Persia.  My study looked at the following scriptures to provide a more complete view of Cyrus:

• 2 Chronicles 36:11-23: "Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus"
  
• Jeremiah 25:12, 29:10-11: Prophecy that after 25 years, the Lord will punish the king of Babylon; God promising freedom of Jewish exiles in Babylon and return to Jerusalem
  
• Ezra 1:1-11, 5:11-6:15: Description of Cyrus' decree to free exiles for them to rebuild Jerusalem; leadership by tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levites, freewill offerings and return of temple treasures taken by Nebuchadnezzar; Darius reinforcing Cyrus' words to rebuild Jerusalem
  
• Daniel 1:21, 6:28: Daniel prospers during both reigns of Cyrus and Darius

The study also encouraged use of extra-Biblical sources to better understand Cyrus and this source describes Cyrus as conciliatory towards conquered peoples, allowing local customs, including worship.

Upon review of all sources, of course primarily from other OT sources, we see a fulfillment of Isaiah's (Isaiah 45) prophecy of Cyrus' conquest of Babylon and a return of the exiles to rebuild the sacked city of Jerusalem and the temple. God is faithful - we can trust in His promises. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are great and You are faithful - I can trust in You and You keep Your promises.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the blessings that You pour out from Your faithfulness.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

Isaiah 42-44

I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. Isaiah 42:6-7

I returned to my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, I continue with Lesson 16, Day 3b, where the focus remains on Isaiah 42, particularly v5-17. As the primary focus of the latter chapters (40-66) of Isaiah shifts to messianic prophecies and hope for the remnant of Israel, we see Isaiah 42 an example of such prophecies.  God is talking about Jesus and refers to Jesus as "as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness."  My study refers us to Matthew 26:26-28, John 1:1-9, 8:12, and 1:14.  In Matthew 26, we see Jesus instituting the Lord's Supper - representing the New Covenant based on Jesus' broken body and shed blood. In John 1 and 8 we see Jesus as light and as the Word dwelling among us - consistent with Isaiah 42 - so we have fulfillment of prophecy.  Once again, God keeps His promises. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who always keeps His promises - You are faithful and You never leave or forsake me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessing.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him.

2 Corinthians 1

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. 2 Corinthians 1:20

I paused both of my studies of Isaiah and of Proverbs to listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional.  Here, John Piper urges us to see how we should trust in all of God's promises. Trust in these promises can be "based on all the glorious grace of the past, especially the grace that God did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all (Romans 8:32)."  If our faith reflects trust in God's promises, we position ourselves to fully "embrace the power for radical service in the strength that God (in every future moment) will supply (1 Peter 4:11)."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and whose promises I can trust as You are faithful - faithful like no other. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessings that flow from Your promises.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myesle wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.

Isaiah 42-44

Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. Isaiah 44:21-22

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, I move on to Lesson 16, Day 1, which encourages us to read all of Isaiah 42-44 and to see general broad themes that strike us as we read. Much of Israel's history (including that of both parts of the divided kingdom - northern/Israel, and southern/Judah) is that of rebellion against God.  Throughout the Old Testament, God is seen punishing Israel, yet at the same time He is faithful to the promise and covenant He made to Abraham and his descendants, so God is full of grace and compassion - saving a remnant of the faithful to be a root for the nation God promises (see Genesis 12:1-3 for the Abrahamic Covenant). My initial reading of Isaiah 42-44 is consistent of this broad theme of God's grace in the face of Israel's rebellion.  I must remind myself (daily) that my rebellion and sin is no less than that of Israel in the Old Testament.  This makes God's gift of faith and salvation for me all the more stunning - amazing grace indeed!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your love and grace is amazing indeed!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessing and grace.  My sin IS great...and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

“Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.”

Isaiah 33-36:10

“Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” Genesis 25:23

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, I move to Lesson 13, Day 4, which focuses on Isaiah 34:5-17.  These verses look at God's judgement of Edom, including how this judgement is the subject of prophecies in other books of the Bible, including Genesis 25, Obadiah 1, Jeremiah 49, and Psalms 137. Edom is of course, a nation from Esau's descendants.  Isaiah's prophecies of Edom's destruction and punishment are consistent with how God said to Rebekah in Genesis 25 that Esau (the older) shall serve Jacob (the younger).  God's words do come to pass - He is faithful.

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My Prayer: Heavenly Father - what an awesome God You are - You never leave or forsake me and Your promises are my anchor - I can trust in You.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You are faithful, and how You love me.  My sin is great and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and otehrs. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But there the Lord in majesty will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams, where no galley with oars can go, nor majestic ship can pass. For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king; he will save us.

Isaiah 33-36:10

But there the Lord in majesty will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams, where no galley with oars can go, nor majestic ship can pass. For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king; he will save us. Isaiah 33:21-22 

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, I resume Lesson 13, moving to Day 2, which focuses on Isaiah 33.  My commentary describes three main divisions for this chapter, including:

1. You will see the destruction of the treacherous (v1-6): God addresses Assyria (or any other warring power against God's people) issuing them a warning that they will be destroyed.  Judah had sent peace envoys and tributes to Assyria (see 2 Kings 16-18) and yet Assyria still sacked Judah - betraying a peace agreement. 
   
2. You will see the King arise in power (v7-16): Here God is angry at not just Assyria, but also sinners in Judah such as those who relied on self-salvation vs God.  God's anger is directed near and far - v13 - who are warned to acknowledge God's might and how it stretches over the entire universe. Sinners in Zion are called out specifically - v14. God's power and His reign must be acknowledged v14-16
3. You will see the beauty of the King and His kingdom (v17-24): pointing to a coming Messiah, Isaiah delivers a message of comfort for the faithful; at the same time, the unrepentant and insolent (v18-19) will see the King but will be damned for eternity. 

This morning, I hang on the promise of how God will be a place of "broad rivers and streams," and how He "is our judge...lawgiver, king, [and how] he will save us."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and Your promises are where I gain my peace and security - thank You for my salvation and for the comfort and confidence it provides.  I am not deserving of such a gift.  I often fail to go to You first - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border. It will be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to the Lord because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and deliver them. And the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day and worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to the Lord and perform them. And the Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them.

Isaiah 19-23

 In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border. It will be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to the Lord because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and deliver them. And the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day and worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to the Lord and perform them. And the Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them. Isaiah 19:19-22

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, on Lesson 8, Day 1, the focus is on Isaiah 19-20, we see a humbling of Egypt as God uses His judgement of this nation to bring Egypt to Him as Isaiah commentary (from the Christ-Centered Exposition Series) indicates a prophecy of the rise of the Coptic Christian church in Egypt (see Isaiah 19:19). While I posted about the fleeting nature of earthly kingdom's in God's eyes (and His plans), today I reflect on how God fulfilled on His promise to bring about the Coptic Christian church - He is faithful indeed!  

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My Prayer: Heavenly Father, Jesus, You are great indeed and You are faithful!  I have seen Your hand in my life to fulfill many of the promises You make and today I see how You fulfilled prophecy in the Bible to establish Your church in Egypt - amazing.  You are amazing and You pour out SO MANY blessings on me - I am undeserving...I do worry and I have other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

2 Corinthians 1

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 2 Corinthians 1:20

Tonight, I continue a pause on both of my studies in Isaiah and Revelation to listen to John Piper's daily devotion for today - Solid Joys.  Here Piper emphasizes how the word "amen" serves to confirm God's faithfulness when we end our prayers with this word. We pray confidently, knowing that God is faithful as we know He is as all of God's promises come to pass.  Piper writes: "[w]hen we pray, we say Amen to God through Christ, because God has said a decisive Amen to all his promises in Christ. Prayer is the confident plea for God to make good on his promises of future grace — for Christ’s sake. Prayer links our faith in future grace with the foundation of it all, Jesus Christ....Amen means, 'Yes, Lord, you can do it.” It means, “Yes, Lord, you are powerful. Yes, Lord, you are wise. Yes, Lord, you are merciful. Yes, Lord, all future grace comes from you and has been confirmed in Christ.'"

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are faithful indeed and I have seen Your faithfulness every day in my life - thank You Jesus!  Your mercies ARE new every morning and I am grateful not just for Your mercies but also for Your faithfulness.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of these blessings.  My sin of anger, worry, etc. continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Romans 15

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4

This morning, I focus on John Piper's Solid Joys devotional, where Piper seeks for us to experience an "outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our church and ourselves that fills us with indomitable joy and frees us, and empowers us, to love those around us in ways so authentic that they are won to Christ[.]" Piper writes how God's Word (authored by the Holy Spirit) and the promises contained in them are to be claimed and captured in our hearts as the basis for this joy and hope. We know that God is with us...until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).  We also know that although in this life we will experience challenges, we can take heart because God overcame the world (John 16:33), and our experience in this life is not the end because God give us eternal life (John 3:16).  These are, of course, just a few of the many, many promises God gives in Scriptures so "we might have hope." One more that I have claimed and keep in my heart is how believers are "filled" through a "hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matthew 5:6).

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me and who has filled me with hope, joy, and encouragement.   I am blessed indeed with how You have given me Scriptures that are the basis for my hope - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin of worry and other sins are great - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them....I will rejoice in doing them good[.]

Jeremiah 32

I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them....I will rejoice in doing them good[.] Jeremiah 32:40-41

This morning, I focus on John Piper's Solid Joys devotional, where Piper seeks for us to claim a great promise God communicates through Jeremiah to the exiles in Babylon.  Those in exile, the remnant, will return to the promised land and God "will not turn away from doing good to them."  This is of course a promise just as much for us as it was for those in exile.  Piper not only wants us to see how this is a promise for us but also how this promise works, even during periods of difficulty.  He refers us to Romans 4:18, where Abraham is said to "[i]n hope he believed against hope", and Piper writes that "[i]n other words, you look your hopeless situation in the face and say, “You are not as strong as God! He can do the impossible. And I know he loves to do it for those who trust him. So, hopelessness, you will not have the last say. I trust God!" A great promise indeed!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and Your promises are great and You are faithful - I know that all of Your promises come to pass!  I can rest and have hope in You and Your promises.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Matthew 5

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8

This morning, I focus on John Piper's Solid Joys devotional, where Piper seeks for us to defeat the temptation of sin by focusing not on the gain from sin (from the Great Deceiver), but on a better promise from the Word of God - referencing Ephesians 6:17 where the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, is used as a weapon to kill sin.  Piper writes: "[s]o, when the body is about to be led into a sinful action by some fear or craving, we are to take the sword of the Spirit and kill that fear and that craving. In my experience, that means mainly severing the root of sin’s promise by the power of a superior promise."  Piper then goes on to provide several general examples of God's promises and we are encouraged to satiate ourselves with the Word to draw upon the many of God's promises and how God is faithful in keeping every single one of these promises.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are great and Your promises are great - greater than what anything Satan can attempt to offer and lure us into sin.  Your Word is great and it is powerful!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation, Your Word or the Holy Spirit - all of which You freely provide out of Your amazing grace.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.