Bible League: Living His Word "Come now and let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."— Isaiah 1:18 NKJV In the age of devices and technology used to save us from effort and labor, suffering and pain, we have unfortunately become dependent on such technologies and have created a culture of "me," oozing with sentiment and good works, and a religion embracing grace but lacking any sacrifice. There is a religious culture that honors, praises, and even forces faith from politicians, world leaders, liberal scholars, and rock stars. But the Christianity of the culture and internet influencers is often taken cafeteria style—one can chose or reject items to fit a lifestyle wrought with fleshly desires and sin. However, the God of the Bible views sin and its treatment in a very clear and direct way. There is one way of cleansing and redeeming, and our passage today states it as an invitation. To the Old Testament saints, sin was never an abstract thought. Sin was considered a great burden that needed lifting. It was recognized as walking the crooked path that needed to be straightened (Isaiah 59:8, Proverbs 15:21). And sin was likened to a red stain that needed cleansing. In the Prophet Isaiah's day, a scarlet stain was impossible to remove from fabric. Just as impossible to remove was sin within one's soul. But God, but grace, but true reasoning, as declared by the prophet is the way of true cleansing. It is the only way to cleanse and redeem the believer to resemble God's intended holy, white, and pure fabric of wool. "Let us reason together" is the invitation to all sinners to accept the reasonable solution of the Gospel of redemption through Jesus Christ. It is not an invitation to cheap cafÉ grace. It is not up for discussion, debate, or round table forums. It is not for theological and seminary posturing. It is the reasonable and only solution for you and I as we stand guilty before a righteous judge. We must have Jesus Christ as our advocate and redeemer. It is divine reasoning which we accept by faith. By Pastor David Massie, Bible League International staff, California U.S. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingGenesis 12, 13, 14 Genesis 12 -- God Sends Abram to Egypt NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Genesis 13 -- Abram and Lot Part Ways; Abram Promised Many Descendants NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Genesis 14 -- Abram Rescues Lot and Receives a Blessing from Melchizedek NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Matthew 5:1-26 Matthew 5 -- The Sermon on the Mount; Beatitudes; Salt; Law; Murder; Adultery; Divorce; Oaths; Enemies NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.Insight Saying that Noah was “righteous” and “blameless” does not mean that he never sinned. Rather, it means that Noah wholeheartedly loved and obeyed God. For a lifetime he walked step by step in faith as a living example to his generation. Challenge Like Noah, we live in a world filled with evil. Are we influencing others or being influenced by them? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Genesis 1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.Light might well be good since it sprang from that fiat of goodness, "Let there be light." We who enjoy it, should be more grateful for it than we are, and see more of God in it and by it. Light physical is said by Solomon to be sweet, but gospel light is infinitely more precious, for it reveals eternal things, and ministers to our immortal natures. When the Holy Spirit gives us spiritual light, and opens our eyes to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, we behold sin in its true colors, and ourselves in our real position; we see the Most Holy God as He reveals Himself, the plan of mercy as He propounds it, and the world to come as the Word describes it. Spiritual light has many beams and prismatic colors, but whether they be knowledge, joy, holiness, or life, all are divinely good. If the light received be thus good, what must the essential light be, and how glorious must be the place where He reveals Himself. O Lord, since light is so good, give us more of it, and more of thyself, the true light. No sooner is there a good thing in the world, than a division is necessary. Light and darkness have no communion; God has divided them, let us not confound them. Sons of light must not have fellowship with deeds, doctrines, or deceits of darkness. The children of the day must be sober, honest, and bold in their Lord's work, leaving the works of darkness to those who shall dwell in it forever. Our Churches should by discipline divide the light from the darkness, and we should by our distinct separation from the world do the same. In judgment, in action, in hearing, in teaching, in association, we must discern between the precious and the vile, and maintain the great distinction which the Lord made upon the world's first day. O Lord Jesus, be thou our light throughout the whole of this day, for thy light is the light of men. Daily Light on the Daily Path Hebrews 4:3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, "AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.Jeremiah 9:5 "Everyone deceives his neighbor And does not speak the truth, They have taught their tongue to speak lies; They weary themselves committing iniquity. Romans 7:23,24 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. • Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Matthew 11:28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Romans 5:1,2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, • through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. Hebrews 4:10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Philippians 3:9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, Isaiah 28:12 He who said to them, "Here is rest, give rest to the weary," And, "Here is repose," but they would not listen. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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