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.This morning we noticed the goodness of the light, and the Lord's dividing it from the darkness, we now note the special eye which the Lord had for the light. "God saw the light"--he looked at it with complacency, gazed upon it with pleasure, saw that it "was good." If the Lord has given you light, dear reader, he looks on that light with peculiar interest; for not only is it dear to him as his own handiwork, but because it is like himself, for "He is light." Pleasant it is to the believer to know that God's eye is thus tenderly observant of that work of grace which he has begun. He never loses sight of the treasure which he has placed in our earthen vessels. Sometimes we cannot see the light, but God always sees the light, and that is much better than our seeing it. Better for the judge to see my innocence than for me to think I see it. It is very comfortable for me to know that I am one of God's people--but whether I know it or not, if the Lord knows it, I am still safe. This is the foundation, "The Lord knoweth them that are his." You may be sighing and groaning because of inbred sin, and mourning over your darkness, yet the Lord sees "light" in your heart, for he has put it there, and all the cloudiness and gloom of your soul cannot conceal your light from his gracious eye. You may have sunk low in despondency, and even despair; but if your soul has any longing towards Christ, and if you are seeking to rest in his finished work, God sees the "light." He not only sees it, but he also preserves it in you. "I, the Lord, do keep it." This is a precious thought to those who, after anxious watching and guarding of themselves, feel their own powerlessness to do so. The light thus preserved by his grace, he will one day develop into the splendour of noonday, and the fulness of glory. The light within is the dawn of the eternal day. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 141:3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.Psalm 130:3 If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? Psalm 106:33 Because they were rebellious against His Spirit, He spoke rashly with his lips. Matthew 15:11 "It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man." Proverbs 16:28 A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends. Proverbs 12:18,19 There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing. • Truthful lips will be established forever, But a lying tongue is only for a moment. James 3:8,10 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. • from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Colossians 3:8,9 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. • Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; Revelation 14:5 And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless. 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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