So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Personal Challenge
No matter where we are in our journey of life, this is good advice to follow. We should always focus more on listening to others than we do on speaking and judging from our limited, and often incorrect, information. It is beneficial to be slow to speak until we hear enough from the other. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!
So the Lord said, “These people draw near to Me and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and they worship Me in vain, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men.”
Personal Challenge
Those who study history know that those who do not end up repeating history. This is not new. This has been the case throughout the history of mankind. Those who spend time reading the Old Testament scriptures recognize that the nation of Israel continually, prepeated their history by not remembering it. In this verse, Isaiah is calling out his fellow country people for once again offering empty and heretical worship to God when their heartrs were far from God. As a people who proclaim to be Christians, so many today are repeating this historical activity. It is acceptible to wear crosses for the public to see and to participate in worship performance with lifted hands, all the while treating migrants with disdain, taking needed care away from those who cannot fend for themselves, and spewing words of hatred and contempt for others. Even mockery of religious and spiritual truths have returned. As God told the Jewish nation through Isaiah that all their “religious” actions were in vain because their hearts were far from Him, so too, does this accusation ring true today. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Encouraging Words
As followers of Christ, we acknowledge that every good and perfect gift comes from our Father in heaven. So, what constitutes a good and perfect gift? In reality, it is everything that we have and receive in our lives, even down to every breath that we take and every beat of our heart. We believe that God holds every aspect of our lives in His hands and because of His love for us. He pours out His blessings upon us. Glory be to God.
therefore, thus says the Lord: “Behold, I lay for the foundations of Zion a costly stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone for its foundations, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.
Encouraging Words
God promised that He would provide to us, His followers, a solution to death, which was the consequence of sin entering our world. Throughout the timeline of humanity, He gave us images and prophecies of this solution, which would not be in any institution, government, or regular human being. This solution would be the cornerstone to the foundation of an entirely new kingdom. This cornerstone is Jesus Christ, his Son, who was fully human and fully God. He defeated death and broke the bonds that it had on us giving us eternal life in the new kingdom. Thanks be to God!
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Personal Challenge
To continue the discussion on temptation, James takes us through the progression that ensues, leading us to sin. It is important for us to always remember that temptation is not sin. To the contrary, temptation is often a test to help us confirm where we are in our relationship with God. Temptations come in so many different forms and at many different times throughout our day. It is up to us to choose to reject or ignore the temptation and therefore kill it at that point. If we choose to submit to the draw of the temptation and let our passions and desires be enticed, then we are starting on that path to sin. We can still pull ourselves back to a place of purity. When our passions and desires are conceived, sin has been given birth within us. As followers of Christ we are blessed by His love and forgiveness of the ensuing sins that we commit. Our challenge in life is to catch these temptations before they take root and remain true to our Lord. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!
The way of the godly is straight; and the way of the godly is prepared.
Personal Challenge
We are living in a day where so many people proclaim to be godly, Christian people, and yet doing things, and specking in ways, that are so contrary to God’s straight and prepared ways. Just calling yourself a Christian and wearing a cross around your neck does not necessarily make you a follower of Christ. I am not to judge a person’s heart for only God can do that, but I am told to be aware of the fruit of one’s labor as well as my own fruit. God’s way is straight. God’s way is prepared… by Him, for His ways. My responsibility is to strive to live in a way that is godly in His eyes. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
Personal Challenge
There used to be a sitcom with Richard Pryor where one of his famous lines was, “The devil made me do it. “We are so accustomed to blaming someone else for our bad behavior. This is so apparent with our politicians today, especially our president, who spend all their time blaming other parties or prior administrations for the consequences of their own poor choices. We must understand that we are each responsible for our own choices and the resulting consequences. Most importantly, we cannot blame God for the temptations in our lives, or our choices. We must own our responsibility for the temptations that we set ourselves up for. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Open the gates; let the people enter who keep righteousness and guard the truth, and who lay hold of the truth and keep peace, because they hope forever in You, O Lord, the great and eternal God, who humbles and brings down those who dwell on high; the strong cities You will cast down; You will bring them down to the ground. The feet of the gentle and the humble shall tread them underfoot.
Personal Challenge
So many people believe that the Scriptures are no longer relevant. I disagree with that. The Scriptures are the living Word of God and always relevant. This is why we do not read all of it as literal. This passage in Isaiah was written around 2,700 years ago and its what we are seeing today. We need more Isaiahs to be doing God’s real work in this world, our country specifically, taking care of those in need and without resources. If we yield to, and follow God’s truth, we will be part of the gentle and humble treading upon those who are in power for the wrong reasons. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
O Lord, what is man, that You are made known to him, Or the son of man, that You consider him?
Encouraging Words
It always amazes me that God, the Creator of all, the Sustainer of all, still chooses mankind, men, women, and children to work His wonders and miracles in the world that we live in. He could do it so much better, and quicker, without us, but He uses us as His agents, His ambassadors, to those who do not know Him so that they can be brought home to Him. Glory be to God!
Verse of the Day 