September 15

Isaiah 19:1-21:17, Galatians 2:1-16, Psalm 59:1-17, Proverbs 23:13-14

Pray: Paul says it so nonchalantly that we will be sure to miss it if we’re not careful. In fact, the manner in which he states it implies that it’s so natural for him that it’s just in his character to do such a thing without even thinking about it. “I went there because God revealed to me that I should go” (Galatians 2:2a). There it is! He went because, quite simply, God wanted him to go. My prayer is that I would be so obedient that my obedience is more of a character trait than a choice, so that it would simply happen without really even thinking. When God asks me to do something, I just do that thing without hesitation. Will you join me in that prayer?

Read: The watchman in Isaiah 20 reminds me of different seasons of my life. I’ve stood on walls for long periods seemingly just so that I can stand on a wall some more. Have you ever felt like you were waiting on something to happen (maybe for God to move/speak, career to take off, life to get better, etc.)? Take heart, the watchman of God waited patiently and then proclaims, “Now at last - look!” Keep watch. The Lord will show up if we are looking for Him.

Edify: We continue our reading of various nations, their rebellion against the Lord, and the destruction that comes as a result of that rebellion. Yet, in the midst of such hard reading, we find not just a glimmer of hope, but a beacon. “When the people cry to the Lord for help against those who oppress them, he will send them a savior who will rescue them. The Lord will make himself known to [them]” (Isaiah 19:20b-21a). When we turn from our rebellion, when we cry out to the Lord, He hears us, sends us a Savior, and makes Himself known to us! Great news in the middle of such brokenness…ah, the Gospel!

Practice I’ve always found it fascinating that people as a whole want to dictate how others act and live their lives…mostly it should be how they themselves live their lives. Perhaps it stems from our sin nature, maybe it’s from a selfish or prideful point of view. Nevertheless, it shows up even in the local church, both then and now. Paul asks in Galatians 2:14 “…why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?” We cannot hold non-Christians accountable to Christian standards. Perhaps we would do better focusing on the log in our own eye…

September 14

Isaiah 15:1-18:7, Galatians 1:1-24, Psalm 58:1-11, Proverbs 23:12

Pray: We make judgment calls every day. It’s called discernment in more spiritual circles. How pure are our motives when we make those calls? David, the writer of Psalm 58 reminds us of what happens when we judge unfairly…read it, it’s not good. Ask the Lord to prepare your heart and make your motives pure. Get your heart in line with His.

Read: Proverbs 23:12 is simplistic in its structure, but profound in its challenge! Here these words: “Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge.” Few people, save for the above-average student, can say this sounds like them. One of the wisest men to ever live wrote those words, so we should pay a bit more attention. As you read the Scriptures, what instructions are there? Commit yourself to those instructions and words of knowledge. You can’t go wrong.

Edify: Much of Isaiah’s prophecy in the reading today is bleak. It’s about destruction and ruin. It’s not an encouraging read, but instead it serves more as a warning to us. In 17:7, we read, “Then at last the people will look to their Creator and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.” This happens after the people have lost absolutely everything. Many have pontificated the reason behind why we don’t really appreciate something/someone until they’re taken from us. I think the better option would be to not wait until our lives are in complete disarray and we live in the destruction that came as a result of our sin, brokenness, rebellion, etc. Let’s stop now and look to our Creator, turning our eyes to the Holy One of Israel. Hear Isaiah’s warning!

Practice: Pleasing people and serving Christ are incompatible practices. That is precisely what the Apostle Paul says to us in Galatians 1:10. Does it bother you when people don’t like you? When someone is upset with you, do you obsess over it (even when many more people aren’t upset with you)? Maybe you’re a people-pleaser. Most of us are people-pleasers to a degree. The big question that we have to answer is, “Who do we want to please most, Christ or others?” Many days, it cannot be both. Where are you today?

September 13

Isaiah 12:1-14:32, 2 Corinthians 13:1-14, Psalm 57:1-11, Proverbs 23:9-11

Pray: Our Proverbs passage speaks to honesty and integrity, which seem to be rare commodities. When we see it in a person, we almost instantly want to befriend them. We’d like to hire them or work for them. What about in your own life? Are those traits evident? Are they existent? If not, there’s good news: repentance is possible and forgiveness is available! Ask the Lord to search your heart and any places where these traits may not be as strong as they should be. Then, seek His help.

Read: David writes Psalm 57 recalling the time he spent in a cave in hiding from his enemies. We go into caves all the time. We go to the cave of social media, hiding from real relationships. We go to the cave of addiction, hiding from the pain that’s inside us. There are caves everywhere. David’s cave turned out to be a place of refuge and protection where he would praise and thank the Living God. It was a cave of refuge, not escape…there’s a huge difference. Examine the cave(s) to which you go. Which category are they? If they’re places of escape where you avoid the reality around you, leave them. If they’re places of refuge and protection that God has given you, give thanks.

Edify: Being faithful is not a choice, at least not according to the Apostle Paul. He writes in 2 Corinthians 12:8, “For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth.” He didn’t say they shouldn’t oppose the truth. It was an absolute kind of statement. We don’t much care for absolutes today. We like the gray areas of life and faith, even though it’s in the gray areas where much of the dysfunction and hurts of life are born. Be as Paul, be absolute. Refuse to oppose the Truth of the Gospel. Always stand for the Truth of the Gospel. 

Practice: They’ve been delivered! God’s mercy has been shown. They will now “make known His praise around the world” (Isaiah 12:5b). What gratitude! When gratitude drives us to praise…and not just any praise, but praise abroad, praise so that everyone knows and hears…that’s real gratitude. What has the Lord God done in your life? Does He deserve praise? Do you have gratitude for His divine actions? Let His praise be known!

September 12

Isaiah 10:1-11:16, Corinthians 12:11-21, Psalm 56:1-13, Proverbs 23:6-8 

Pray: “This I know: God is on my side!” (Psalm 56:9). What a great and comforting thought. The psalmist penned these words even as he considered that his enemies were coming after him. Are you dealing with some tough decisions, difficult people, or even outright persecution from enemies who are trying to tear you down? Know this: God is on your side!!! In your prayer time, share with the Lord your concerns, but also (and perhaps more importantly) give praise to the God who never leaves you nor forsakes you and is always on your side.

Read: We recently had some trees removed from our yard and we were certain we didn’t want stumps left, so we had them ground up. After all, nobody wants a yard full of stumps, right? It’s a reminder of what used to be, it looks incomplete, it’s out of place. Yet, we find that something incredible can come from even a stump. “Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot - yes, a new brand bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him…” (Isaiah 11:1-2a). What is God trying to cut out of your life so that He can grow something new, something far better?

Edify: How do you get ahead or even manage day-to-day life? Isaiah 10 asks important questions: “But can the ax boast greater power than the person who uses it? Is the saw greater than the person who saws? Can a rod strike unless a hand moves it? Can a wooden cane walk by itself?” (v 15). It’s important to remember the real source of strength. These questions, though rhetorical, remind us that the ax, saw, rod, or cane are powerless unless they’re in the hands of one who can use them. We are gifted and skilled in a variety of ways. Yet, it makes all the difference in the world (and for the world) when we remember the source of our strength is the Lord God. We are the ax, the saw, the rod, the wooden cane. It is only when we place ourselves in the hands of God that we can do anything useful.

Practice: The lesson from Proverbs today, and many days, is one to which we should pay careful attention. It’s all about the types of people we allow into our lives. Study upon study, and our own common sense, tells us that we become like the people we surround ourselves with. We lecture young persons about choosing friends wisely, but somehow we forget that applies to us as well. With whom do you spend your time? Is he/she a positive influence and adding value to your life? If not, maybe it’s time for a change.

September 11

Isaiah 8:1-9:21, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, Psalm 55:1-23, Proverbs 23:4-5 

Pray: “But shouldn’t people ask God for guidance?” (Isaiah 8:19). It’s a novel idea, isn’t it? We search all over for answers. We go to Google, Wikipedia, and YouTube to figure out things. Have we consulted God? Seek Him today. Ask for His guidance and direction. Other sources give information, but only God gives transformation.

Read: Is it Christmas? Isaiah 9 is a familiar passage read in most churches around Christmastime. Did you know that the word “Christmas” literally means Christ’s mission? During the celebratory season of Christmas, we sing, preach, and worship…all centered around the fact that “a child is born to us, a son is given to us…” (Isaiah 9:6). Yet, His mission was so much bigger than His birth. It’s extremely important, to be sure, but there is more. Is it Christmas? Is it time for the mission of Christ? For the follower of Christ, every day should be Christmas…every day should be the day we participate in the redemptive mission of our Lord!

Edify: What are your weaknesses? Can you state your character flaws/defects? In Celebrate Recovery, that’s a huge part of the process of growth. We can’t improve upon what we refuse to admit exists. The Apostle Paul writes that he has a “thorn” in his “flesh” in 2 Corinthians 12. There is much speculation about what that might be, but specificity aside, it’s refreshing to hear a man admit he’s not perfect. How does Paul deal with his thorn? He goes to God, he takes comfort in the grace of God, and he boasts about being weak! He allows his weakness to be used to glorify God’s strength. How is God's strength showing up in your weaknesses?

Practice: At 19 years old, my friend Jim decided to try day-trading in the stock market. He quickly took a few hundred bucks and amassed a little over a quarter of a million dollars. That sounds like a success story, but it’s not. His obsession with wealth turned into something he could no longer control. His $250,000+ began to drop. Before long, he lost all his earnings and even lost the few hundred with which he started. Solomon warns us about the pursuit of wealth: “In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle” (Proverbs 23:5). Wealth is not evil, it’s not a bad thing. Solomon is warning us, though, not to be consumed by it, nor to allow it to become our aim/goal in life. 

September 10

Isaiah 6:1-7:25, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33, Psalm 54:1-7, Proverbs 23:1-3

Pray: Lord, thank You for Your greatness. Thank You that when I am weak, You are strong. Lord, the Devil is scheming and I know he desires to keep me from spending time with You. Don’t let him win! Give me a measure of Your strength so that I might not give into discouragement, deception and doubt! Help me honor You in all my ways. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Read: In yet another attempt to keep the people of Corinth focused on their mission, he lists his credentials to more fully express his authority and that it came from God and not himself. Paul wanted to keep the people committed to the work of the church and the sharing of the Good News and not fall victim to the false teachings that were floating around Corinth at the time. Our culture is spouting many false teachings as well. It is critical to the vitality of the church for us to stay ever vigilant and focused on the work that must be done, in Jesus' name, so that we don’t fall victim to the false teachings today. 

Edify: Satan is working overtime to keep you and I so busy that we can’t possibly find time to love one another. Satan gives us the illusion that people don’t want to be complimented, or have someone say thank you, or have someone hold the door for them. We have created a world where we think we can live in our own little bubbles and have minimal contact with others and live a fulfilled life. This, my friends, is a lie straight from the pits of Hell. We NEED one another. We can’t do this life without them. Take a minute to let someone else know how important they are to you!

Practice: How are you going to do something today to further the work of the Kingdom of God here on Earth?  Take a few minutes today and go and love your neighbor. Do something that will make a difference in the life of someone else. It doesn’t have to cost anything or take a long time to do, but choose to make a difference in the life of another of God’s children today!

September 9

Isaiah 3:1-5:30, 2 Corinthians 11:1-15, Psalm 53:1-6, Proverbs 22:28-29 

Pray: Lord, help me not to lean on my own understanding but in everything acknowledge You so that You can direct my words, thoughts and actions. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Read: Paul confronts the false teaching that was going on in and around Corinth because it put the work and the ministry of the church in jeopardy. Paul didn’t want the Corinthians to lose their single-minded love for Christ. The same is true for us today… keeping Christ first in our lives can be difficult when we have so many distractions threatening to sidetrack our faith. It can be easy to lose focus. when we lose focus, we lose momentum. When we lose momentum, we stop taking ground for Christ. Paul was worried about the potential loss of momentum and decided to address it head on.  

Edify: Have you ever heard someone say something that made you ask yourself, “Is that really true?” It is this very kind of thing that Paul is talking about. There is a saying that is heard throughout pastoral gatherings and along the halls of seminaries that goes, “Within every heresy is a seed of the truth.” That is the difficult thing about discerning truth from untruth… sometimes there is a little bit of truth within the lie. Our culture is teaching some of these things every day. The media is plastering it across our television and computer screens. It is our job to make sure that we are vigilant with all that we hear and when necessary filter information through the lens of Scripture to determine its validity. Be cautious out there with what you take at face value!

Practice: Pray for discernment when it comes to the things of this world. We are inundated with more information than we can manage and it is within this information dump that we may get ourselves in trouble by making choices without the proper information. Don’t rush to a decision, rather, take time in prayer and discernment before committing to anything.