And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

Mark 4:21-34

And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” Mark 4:24-25

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 4:21-34, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary - which offers three divisions for this text, including the first division (4:21-25). Excerpts from the commentary's introduction and first (of three) divisions of the text: 

• Main idea for vv21-34: "The kingdom of God is guaranteed to grow by the power of God until it encompasses people from every nation." 
• "Mark 4:1-34 consists of four parables. Verses 21-34 comprise the final three of these. The theme of all of them is how God’s kingdom emerges and grows with the appearance of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, who came to give His life as a ransom for many (10:45). Mark brings these parables together to reinforce the main parable of the soils (4:1-20). These stories drive home the need for the response of faith to God’s revealed Word." 
• Jesus is of course the lamp and the parables share how we are to respond to Jesus, the Light of the World.  See also John 12:46, 1:4, 1:9, and 8:12.
• God sent His Son Jesus Christ to bring Light to all corners of the world and redemptive history is the story of how his servants fulfilled the Great Commission.  
• "The light may be, for the most part, hidden at the moment. However, eventually the whole world will see the glory of this light. That which is hidden will be manifest. The resurrection of the crucified King assures this revelation. The second coming of the glorified King will establish it." 
• Hearing of the Word is key: "If your hearing is good, rich, and receptive to the Word, you will receive it back and even more."  
• In contrast, "[r]efuse Jesus and the Word, and you lose the little you may once have had. This is a critical spiritual principle. Our spiritual health, our spiritual eternity, is at stake. How we respond to Jesus day by day is of the utmost seriousness. Do not take for granted the relationship you have today. It could all be lost tomorrow." 

A review of the commentary draws me to James 1:22-25 where believers are urged to be "doers of the Word."  If we are not, perhaps we should examine how closely we are reading God's Word...John 15:1-10 also speaks of bearing fruit based on abiding in Him.  Our response to the Light should be to become doers of the Word and to bear fruit.  We are to "use the Word."    

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who gives me Your Word to know, love, obey and use the Word for Your glory.  Thank You Jesus!  I know I exist to bring You glory.  I am not deserving of how You saved me and give me Your Word to equip me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Often I fail to use the Light.  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 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 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 those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.

Mark 4:1-20

But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold. Mark 4:20

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 4:1-20, moving to vv13-20 which is the text for the third (of three) division per the commentary. Excerpts from the commentary's third division:  

• "[Jesus] starts with a mild chiding. His words note the essential and foundational nature of this parable. If they do not understand this one, they will struggle to understand the others."
• "The sower in this story is Jesus, or anyone who shares the gospel, and the seed is the Word of God. The path represents hard-hearted or tough-minded individuals. The Word comes to them, and “immediately,” as soon as they hear it, Satan snatches it away. They are resistant and thus unresponsive. They suffer from what might be called “gospel deafness.” Like skeptics, they dismiss the Word without giving it careful consideration."
• "The next soil is welcoming but not substantive enough to maintain the growth of the seed. The people represented by this soil hear the Word and receive it with joy. They endure for a while and even show signs of maturity, just as the plant sprouts quickly, grows well at first, and looks promising. However, these people are shallow and have no roots. Soon tribulation and persecution—seen in the “sun” of Jesus’ parable—come because of the presence of the Word. When (not if!) oppression comes, these people “immediately” fall away (4:6,17)."  
• For the next group, "they eventually get distracted by worry, wealth, and craving for other things. Theirs is a partial commitment, which is, in reality, no commitment at all. This present life is more important to them than the life to come, and stuff is more important than the Savior."  
• "The final soil is noticeably different from the first three. It represents those who hear the Word, accept it, and bear fruit. Tribulation and persecution do not deter them. Worries, wealth, personal desires, and sinful cravings do not distract them. Their hearing is active, not passive. They aggressively pursue the Word, allow it to take root, and then rejoice in its abundant growth."  
• To emphasize the promise is v20, we are referred to John 15:5 where Jesus shares how we will bear fruit of we abide and remain in Him as He is the True Vine.  The stark truth from the commentary is that if we are not producing fruit we are not connected to God's Word.   

We should develop a hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6) so we can claim the promise that we will be satisfied.  Of course at the same time we should time to time, perhaps with the help of a spouse, family, member or brother/sister in Christ, assess whether we are truly bearing fruit.  If not, this is a wake up call because we must avoid not being connected to the True Vine - Christ. We don't want to be tossed about during a storm of persecution, hardship, or suffering.  We seek a firm foundation - to build our house of faith on the Rock of Christ.   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God that provides Your Word and the Holy Spirit to enable us to read the Bible supernaturally - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation, Your Word, nor how You help me understand Your Word.  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. 

All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

Ecclesiastes 1

All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. Ecclesiastes 1:8

I continue my study today of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Ecclesiastes 1:3-11, which per the commentary, is the first division of the first chapter of the commentary. The commentary shares the following in its introduction to commentary that unpacks Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 and 12:8-14: "[w]e are stuck in a monotonous prison where nothing we do really changes anything, and the only way to live a meaningful life in this meaningless existence is to find satisfaction and contentment in what God has given us."  The book of 1 Kings captures the story of Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, as he asks God for wisdom, is then granted wisdom, as well as great wealth and power.  Ultimately, this evolved into a life of sin and ungodly pursuits.  The commentary shares how Solomon's words in Ecclesiastes are just as relevant today as when first written: "[p]eople think to themselves all the time, If I could just have more money, more pleasure, or more success, then I would really be happy. Solomon had everything and tried everything, and in Ecclesiastes, perhaps at the end of his life, he tells us, 'No! All of that is meaningless.'" See also my post yesterday, where I am encouraged to read Ecclesiastes in the context of the Fall and with understanding and knowledge of the Gospel where believers know that we exist to glorify God and this purpose should drive all that we do. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of how You bless me - my cup overflows...again I am not deserving.  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 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.

All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

Ecclesiastes 1

All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. Ecclesiastes 1:8

I start a new study today of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my focus is an unassisted review of Ecclesiastes 1:3-11, which per the commentary, is the first division of the first chapter of the commentary.  Solomon, referred to as the son of King David, authors this chapter of Ecclesiastes, where he writes about the emptiness of life, and how humanity, left to its own natural inclinations, falls prone to sin and sinful pursuits - separated from God.  This is certainly true since the Fall in Genesis 3 where sin entered the world and has followed ever since.  John 15 comes to mind where Jesus shares how He is the Vine and we are the branches.  In v5, Jesus shares how "apart from me you can do nothing."  We are encouraged to abide in Him.  We must remember that we exist to glorify God, and this broadly directs our lives as we seek to more specifically identify and develop our spiritual gifts and use them for His glory.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me...giving Your children spiritual gifts to develop and use for Your glory.  These gifts are then distributed among the church such that we can work in unity...again for Your glory.  Thank You for Your church and the community it provides, including prayer, encouragement, teaching, spiritual growth, etc.  What incredible blessings...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 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.

[T]his is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

2 John 1

[T]his is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 2 John 1:6

I continue my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books.  Today, I continue exploring, with commentary assistance, 2 John 1:1-13, specifically focusing on a review of the entirety of the text, and the main idea, introduction, and second division per the commentary: We Must Live the Truth (4-6). "[John] was convinced that unless truth reaches and affects the heart, the inner man, it is of no real value, regardless of what it may do in the head. Truth should grab hold of head, heart, and hands....There are basically four options when it comes to the source of the authority to which we will submit. We will either submit to reason (what we think), tradition (what we’ve always done), experience (what we feel), or revelation (what God says). For John, God had revealed Himself in Jesus Christ His Son and in His Word. The matter was settled. We don’t debate Him or the Word. We proclaim both." We are urged to avoid succumbing and responding to anything other than revelation - God's Word.  John has repeatedly encouraged believers to pursue truth and love and if we do, we should expect fruit from such a pursuit - righteous living.  Such a response is a supernatural response to God working in and through our hearts and lives as we pursue Him and we abide and Him and Him in us.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves us and who is full of grace, mercy and peace for those who believe...and You enter our hearts and lives and transform us into more of Your image...thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You work.  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.

By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

1 John 3

By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. 1 John 3:10

I continue my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books.  This morning, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of 1 John 3:4-10. 

Per the commentary for this text:

Main idea: "Jesus Christ came to redeem and renew sinners by paying the penalty of sin and defeating the Devil."

Excerpts from the commentary introduction:

• The text includes two core elements of doctrine, that (1) Jesus came to take away our sins (v3:5), and (2) destroy the works of the devil (v3:8). Both are captured by scripture elsewhere (1 Corinthians 15:54, Isaiah 25:8, Hebrews 2:14-15) that shares how these victories are already won through Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection.
  
•  The practice of sin is inconsistent with being a child of God. 
• John seeks to address "falsely assured non-Christians" by "shock[ing] and wak[ing] them up to their true spiritual status."
  

Divisions per the commentary: 

1. He Came to Deliver Us from Sin (3:4-6): "Sin is the great enemy and problem of humanity, and only God can rescue us and solve our problem." Sin is rebellion against God and it is inescapable that it is habitual for all of us. Thus we all need to be saved from this "predicament." Jesus is the perfect sinless sacrifice that dies once and for all of humanity over the course of redemptive history.  It logically follows that if we truly abide in Him, we do not practice sin. "Sin no longer dominates us or enslaves us. Sin is no longer the character and conduct of my life. Because I now abide in Christ and in the power of His person and work in the gospel, I may fall into sin, but I will not walk in sin. Sin will not be my habit; it will not be my normal practice. I no longer love sin; I hate sin. I no longer delight in sin; I despise sin."
   
2. He Came to Destroy the Works of the Devil (3:7-8): Beware of false teachers who goad us into sin.  If we abide in Him we are armed (see Ephesians 6) with the ability to defend ourselves against sin and false teachers.  Christ lives in us - animating our obedience (Galatians 2:19-20).
   
3. He Came to Demarcate the Children of God (3:9-10): "By means of the new birth, sin’s power has been neutralized and dealt a death-blow. And, by virtue of His two appearings, sin’s presence will soon pass away forever....Regeneration does not produce invisible or rotten fruit. If anyone is in Christ, he or she is a new creation and all things become new (see also 2 Corinthians 5:17)." As children of God we have new birth; as children of God we do not practice sin; we love one another. "This is what our God does. This is what His children will do. You see, the child has the distinguishing marks of his parents. What he sees his Father do, that is what he will do. What he sees His Savior do, that is what he will do too."

Comment and discuss this post. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for willingly going to the cross so that I could have life - to the full now, and for eternity.  I am not deserving of Your sacrifice.  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.

No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.

1 John 3

No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 1 John 3:6

I continue my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books.  This morning, my focus is a unassisted review of 1 John 3:4-10. Here, John continues his discussion on being prepared for Christ's second coming (see yesterday's post), by focusing on how if we abide in Him, we become more like Him (sanctification), thus living lives in obedience to Him and free from the bondage of sin.  There is no implication here that believers will be perfected while living in their earthly bodies (vs our manifestation in Heaven after glorification) - as no earthly being will live a sinless live as Jesus did during His time as the Incarnate Son.  Yet, we will avoid conscious, deliberate, willful patterns of sin if we truly abide in Him.  V6 is core to this discussion - as John writes how a life of sin is a marker that we don't know Him.  If we DO know Him, we will become more like Him.  V5 is also core as John shares WHY Jesus came - to "take away sins" - this means not just forgiveness but also sanctification.  What encouragement - that God frees us from our sinful life!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are SO good - I have seen with my own eyes how You have freed me from the bondage of sin.  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.

Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

 1 John 2

Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 1 John 2:9

This morning, I continue my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books.  My study today focuses on an unassisted review of 1 John 2:3-11. 

V3: If we truly know him, we will follow Him and be obedient, not out of obligation but out of love for Him because as we more fully understand God and His attributes we know that He is Holy, good, true, just, loving, faithful, etc. It is also in response to what He has done for us and that we are all undeserving of the grace He pours out for us. See also 1 John 5:3.

V4: Similar to 1 John 1 where it is written how we cannot claim to be without sin and how if we do so, we make a liar out of Jesus, here it is written that if we truly know Him we cannot be seen to not follow Him or to be disobedient.  This would make us liars.  

V5: A healthy relationship with Jesus where we consistently (i.e. daily) study His word, pray, and seek Him, will result in sanctification where God's love is perfected in us and we become more like Him.  We will bear fruit.

V6: We are expected (ought) be obedient if we say we know Him; as we grow closer to Him more is expected of us as God makes us more like Him (see also Luke 12:48)

Vv7-11: We must not hate anyone - as this is murder.  We should instead love and seek to save all. If we hate we remain in darkness/sin.  See also 1 John 3:15.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are good, true, perfect, just, loving, etc. and You pour out grace and blessings for me every day that are overwhelming...I desire to be obedient - help me be who You intend for me Jesus! I need You to help me battle sin daily because I know my sin is great and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus for laziness, etc.  Help me overcome and turn from such 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. 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:2

I continue my pause on my study of 1 Corinthians as I participate in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Yesterday my focus was an unassisted (no commentary) study of 2 Thessalonians 1.  Today, I read this text once again, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary Series volume for 1-2 Thessalonians for assistance to unpack the text. The commentary broadly breaks down the text as:

1. Good News about God’s Church < 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5
   
2. When God Balances the Books < 2 Thessalonians 1:6-12

To align with the schedule below, where yesterday was Week 1/Day 1, today my focus will be Good News about God’s Church < 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5.

The commentary's main idea for the text: "[w]hen a church is grounded in its faith it will be fruitful in its work." The commentary's introduction for the text further develops on this thought by sharing, in light of Paul's first letter where he acknowledged the Thessalonians for welcoming the gospel as an infant church, Paul is now boasting (v4) about them in this second letter as he is encouraged and thankful (v3) for their growth and steadfast faithfulness (in the face of persecution and affliction - v4) - again this is a church he, Silas, and Timothy started.  The commentary then unpacks today's text (2 Thessalonians 1:1-5) in four divisions:

1. A Faith That Is Real (1:1-3a): The commentary highlights the growth of the Thessalonian church and how this led to attacks from Satan in the form of persecution, etc. Paul commends the church for their steadfast faith in the faces of these attacks.  He focuses on how the foundation of faith is based on believers acknowledging the amazing grace Christ gives us through salvation.  This grace gives us peace to persevere. "A church must never tire of speaking about and resting in the grace and peace of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. No challenge is too great for any church that remains anchored to these wonderful truths." Paul also commends the Thessalonians for their growth in Christ.  He seeks for them to be encouraged to keep growing.  "Based on the enthusiastic way in which Paul applauds their growth in the first four verses, one can imagine that His words of encouragement must have brought much relief to this weary church."       
   
2. A Love That Grows Strong (1:3b): The commentary refers to James 2:14-18 and how the text their highlights how faith produces fruit or good works. In the text for today Paul commends the Thessalonians for their love for one another.  The commentary then describes how "[f]aith and love work together," and we are referred to John 13:34-35 where John highlights how love is evidence of Christ.
   
3. A Hope That Goes Deep (1:4): The commentary describes hope as the view of "affliction and suffering through the lens of an enduring hope— not the kind of endurance that waits to thank God when the trial passes, but the kind of endurance that thanks God even if the trial does not pass." This certainly is the view of the Thessalonians. 
   
4. A Future That Is Secure (1:5): God's righteous judgement (v5) gives us hope that whatever suffering we endure now is only temporary as He is saving a place for us in Heaven where there will be no more suffering or tears (Revelation 21:4).  With such guaranteed security, we should not be grumbling about "miscarriage of justice" as Satan was almost certainly tempting the Thessalonians. "As strange as this may sound to our ears, their suffering was evidence that God loved them, not a sign that He had abandoned them. Paul is reassuring them that their suffering has an eternal purpose." 
   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - thank You Jesus!  I need You desperately in my life for all things and for Your protection against Satan's attacks.  I know You give me everything I need to defeat sin in my life and You will never leave or forsake me.  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.  

And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.

Isaiah 26-27

And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem. Isaiah 27:13

I continue with my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, on Lesson 10, Day 5, I wrap the lesson for the week and end with a review of Isaiah 27, where the study looks closely at Leviathan (Satan) as referenced in Isaiah 27:1 and other scriptures, including Job 3:8, Psalm 74 and Psalm 104. The study also contrasts the vineyard portrayed in Isaiah 5 with that described in Isaiah 27. In Isaiah 5, God laments how He tends to a vineyard (His people), yet it produces no fruit. In contrast Isaiah 27 describes a "pleasant vineyard." My post yesterday describes how God's people do suffer, yet are purified (sanctified). Finally, Isaiah describes a gleaning that occurs during end times where only the faithful and righteous are saved and they gather for worship the One True God during end times. My commentary describes the following applications for Isaiah 27:

• "We should seek to bear fruit for the glory of God through abiding in Jesus 
• The fruit of our lives should extend to the ends of the earth, especially in our zealous efforts to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ to unreached people groups. 
• We should also be zealous to crush the idolatry in our lives—worldliness, sexual immorality, greed, etc. 
• Finally, we should be part of God’s clear “trumpet blast” to the nations, calling the elect from every tribe to faith in Christ, for that great day of assembly, for the worship of God and of the Lamb in the new Jerusalem."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who tends to my heart, protects me from harm and never leaves or forsakes me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such loving care.  My sin 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.

Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.

Isaiah 5

Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. Isaiah 4:2

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  On day 9 of my study, I start with Isaiah 5. While in the coming days, I will explore Isaiah 5 in more detail, this chapter starts with a portrait of a loving God who cares for and provides for His creation.  It ends on a sorrowful note where despite God's loving care for His creation (Israel specifically) - the yield of His creation is not what He desires.  Contrast the wild grapes discussed here in Isaiah 5 with the "fruits of the Spirit" Paul discusses in Galatians 5:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Once again, we exist to make much of God's name and to produce fruit.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who cares for me in all ways - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You care for me - including my salvation.  My sin is great and it is daily.  Please forgive me for my worry and other sins.  Help me turn from my sin and 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.

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

Romans 7

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. Romans 7:4

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I moved on to chapter nine Wretched Man, Wonderful Messiah, which covers Romans 7.  My focus today is Romans 7:1-6.  In these six verses, Paul builds on chapter 6 (see post yesterday and previous posts) he writes how believers are no longer slaves or dead to sin but are reborn and alive in Christ. He helps unpack this by helping us see how through an earthly death, you may experience freedom from the law (see v1-3).  Now, Paul wants us to better understand both the benefit of dying to sin and being alive in Christ but also the purpose - we escape condemnation and we "bear fruit for God" (v4). 

We exist to bear fruit for God - to glorify Him...and why would not desire to for all that He has done for us!

My commentary reminds me that for Jews in Rome reading Paul's letter, that Paul seeks to confirm with them that all scripture matters, and that Christ is the fulfillment of the law.  He does not want Jews to not believe as he "weeps over Jewish unbelief." The commentary goes on to encourage us to see the application as believers are no longer "wed" to the (Mosaic) law as our old selves died when Christ died on the cross for us and we accepted Him as our Lord and Savior.  We are wed to Christ and in union with Christ (see this post).  We are also to see the consequences or benefit of this union as fruit of the Spirit. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who rescued me from my sin and gave me new life!  Thank You Jesus! The greatest gift of all time - I am undeserving of such a gift and of all the blessings You pour out for me.  I have anger and other sins that continue every day.  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.

Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

James 1-5

Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. James 2:21-24

Day 353 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as I move further into the New Testament - this morning I read James. My commentary* bundles both the letters of James and Jude into a single day but given I feel there is already enough in James I broke this into two days and I will read Jude tomorrow. Both my commentary* and the MacArthur Bible Study Commentary (for purchase) write that James - the half brother of Christ - is the author of the letter from James in the NT.  My commentary also offers up the following: "[i]n the Gospel accounts there is an indication that Jesus’ brothers initially rejected his deity and lordship, but the historical record later includes his brothers as being among the disciples in Jerusalem following Christ’s ascension....If the traditional date of James’ death is accurate, then his letter must have been written prior to A.D. 62. It may have been as early as A.D. 50–60, but the exact date is not certain. Addressed to “the twelve tribes scattered among the nations” (a designation for the post-exilic Jews and, by extension, all Christians everywhere), the letter probably is intended for general distribution among the scattered churches of Christ. Unlike Paul, James does not struggle with deep issues of doctrine or comment upon any specific problems which a particular local church might be facing. Rather, he addresses himself to the crisis of persecution facing all the churches during this time."

"After discussing the nature of temptation, James writes at length concerning the need for consistency between faith and conduct. In context, James appears to be saying that only those who demonstrate true faith can endure the sufferings of the times, and that faith can be measured by conduct. It is also possible that James is urging consistency between belief and action as a source of strength against temptation. James closes his letter with various exhortations for saints having to endure suffering. Despite its immediate relevance to times of widespread persecution, James’ writing contains words of practical advice for every Christian’s daily walk."

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

While James covers several topics in his letter, my focus this morning is how our lives - if we are to have true faith as James indicates - must bear fruit. Faith and acts work together.  See also my post from a couple of days ago upon reading Titus.

Although I highlight James 2:21-24, other verses on this topic from James' letter include: 

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:22-25

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? James 2:14

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:17

James letter provides us with a litmus test for our faith...as does Paul's letter Galatians where in 5:22-23 of the letter we have another litmus test.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, I KNOW You have grown in my heart and worked in my life to make me more like You and produced fruit - thank You Jesus!  I also know that I am not done!  There is more work by You in me to be done.  Thank You Jesus for what You have done to sanctify and refine me but please forgive me for my sins that continue...worry, harshness, etc.  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.

May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

Mark 11

May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. v14

Jesus spots a fig tree with healthy leaves yet fails to see any fruit.  According to this commentary, this is a warning for believers to avoid the appearance of bearing spiritual fruit while like the fig tree, failing in fact to bear any fruit at all.  

"Busyness" is one way to appear to be bearing fruit - yet this commentary posits that busyness is moral failure and that we have just "just enough time" to do what God wants us to do.  The commentary points us to Hebrews 12:1 and encourages us to avoid the entanglements of busyness:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Hebrews 12:1

Hebrews 12:2 goes on to "fix our eyes on Jesus", implying we need to focus on what matters.  Jesus helps us of course: 

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:34-40

How we do this of course matters, but first things first - we must love Jesus and love others.  If we love Jesus, we must be willing to spend time with Him daily, pray, worship, and serve others, etc.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who as blessed me beyond what I deserve - thank You Jesus!  Yet I often fail to produce fruit and fall prey to "busyness".  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.

But it was uprooted in fury and thrown to the ground. The east wind made it shrivel, it was stripped of its fruit; its strong branches withered and fire consumed them.

Ezekiel 19

But it was uprooted in fury and thrown to the ground. The east wind made it shrivel, it was stripped of its fruit; its strong branches withered and fire consumed them. v12

Once again (see Ezekiel 15), we see Israel referred to as a vine that bears no fruit.  Jesus (John 15) referred to Himself and His followers as "the true vine" and the "branches".  For our own good and of course His glory, God wants us to be healthy vines the produce fruit.  But to do so, we must remain in Him.  We must cultivate a relationship with Him and tend to this relationship so that it grows.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has helped me grow in my faith - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and tender care.  I worry.  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.  

 

Although they have come out of the fire, the fire will yet consume them.

Ezekiel 15

Although they have come out of the fire, the fire will yet consume them. v7

Here in Ezekiel God refers to Israel and Judah as useless vine.  In John 15, God wants us to produce fruit from and FOR the vine (Jesus) - we are to be useful FOR God's purpose. For us to produce fruit, we must accept that Jesus is our Savior, and be "connected" to Him by remaining close to and in relationship with Jesus...otherwise we ARE useless BECAUSE our purpose is to glorify God and without this we have no other purpose.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who helps us grow and produce fruit - in my life and in the life of others.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love as I often miss the mark.  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 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.

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. v7-8

God contrasts the fate of those in Judah who turned from Him with those who stood firm in their faith.

Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. v5-6

All of us from time to time have trusted in ourselves or others more than we have trusted in God - we all sin (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8) - indicating the need for all of us to have a Savior.  Of course Jesus is that Savior.

What an amazing promise by God (and God keeps His promises) here for those who remain faithful.

Our confidence must rest in God.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me - I have seen the fruit in my life - that is from You alone.  Thank You Jesus for the many, many blessings.  I am not worth such love and blessing.  I miss the mark and too often trust in myself or others.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  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.  Please 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 has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners[.]

Isaiah 61

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners[.] v1

As a follow up to yesterday, we once again see how God comes to provide freedom from the sting of sin and death and how God's children are a "planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor" (v3).  This chapter further continues to express great hope and "everlasting joy" (v7) and God will help us grow and bear fruit (v11).  See also John 15.

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5

 
My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an amazing God You are that You love us even though we are broken and sinful.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love as I worry and I have other sin.  Please forgive me 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 do.  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 help us 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 my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. v8-9

As I posted yesterday, God offers us an invitation to be in relationship with Him and we should treat this invitation with urgency.  As well, we are offered this invitation in the context of great promises.

He will have mercy on us (v7).

God will make us flourish (for His glory) (v10-11, 13).

God will give us joy and peace (see also fruits of the Spirit) (v12).

One additional promise that I picked up this morning is how God will lead us.  We often want to go our own ways and we foolishly call this freedom.  Yet we have freedom in Christ.  

I am thankful that I (most of the time) allow God to direct my steps.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who promises so much more than what we can get from the world - which is full of lies.  Thank You God for Your promises which I know are ALWAYS true as You are faithful.  I am not worth such love.  I am too easily distracted by the world.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do. 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 the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel.

Isaiah 4

In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. v2

Isaiah 3 and 5 speak of how God brings judgement on Israel and Judah and how many will suffer. Yet in chapter 4 we see a glimpse of hope for those who have remained faithful.  The reference to
the vine and the branch calls to mind John 15.


Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:4

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has cleansed me, tended to me, encouraged me, healed me, disciplined me, molded me, and so much more - You are a great God and apart from You I can do no good things.  Thank You Jesus for being a lamp unto my feet.  I am not worth such love.  I worry.  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 do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.   Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  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.