Bible League: Living His Word "Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and I love you, I give people in return for you and nations in exchange for your life."— Isaiah 43:4 NIV When God called the prophet Ezekiel, He told him that He was sending him to a rebellious people, but that Ezekiel was to deliver God's mandate for these obstinate folk whether or not they listened. Interestingly, God schooled Ezekiel with a side-bar lesson: "Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself (Ezekiel 3:10 NLT)." God commissioned Ezekiel in his calling, yet He knew that if Ezekiel didn't receive God's words and apply them to himself first, the pushy prophet would be striving to minister FOR God without initially letting God minister TO him. In order to understand the joy of Jesus this Christmas season, you must first receive God's personal, "I love you," to you and for you. Our verse today, Isaiah 43:4, boasts one of the most beautiful "I love you's" written in first-person in all of Scripture. The context is that Israel was chosen in great love to be covenanted with God. In their sinful disbelief of God's goodness, He allowed Israel to go into exile through the Babylonians; yet God also ultimately used Cyrus of Persia to free the Israelites after 70 years of exile. So, in God's anger and wrath, He allowed Babylon to overtake Israel; but in His covenant love, God eventually turned around to then punish Babylon and the Chaldeans for keeping HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE hostage! That's why Scripture says He, "gave nations in exchange for your life." Covenant love can't be negated, no matter what. When God sends a covenant "I love you," He's the Covenant-Keeper, upholding His end of the bargain no matter what you do. The Covenant Keeper will always turn on the enemy in the end, choosing to shower grace on you, compelling you to believe in His earth-shattering love. "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 4:10 NIV). Hear God say, in a very personal way today, "I love you." The Apostle John declares that, "If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them." That verse is followed by this one: "... we know and rely on the love God has for us" (1 John 4:15-16). Did you catch that? Yes, God is love, and so the joy of salvation finds you when you "know and rely on the love God has for you." Hear God say, "I love you!" Merry Christmas! By Jenny Laux, Bible League International contributor, Wisconsin U.S. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingMicah 6, 7 Micah 6 -- God's Punishment against Ingratitude, Ignorance, Injustice and Idolatry NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Micah 7 -- Israel's Misery and Resurrection; I wait for the God of my salvation NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Revelation 12 Revelation 12 -- The Woman, The Dragon, The Male Child, The Angel NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. Insight We may suffer for many reasons. Some suffering is the direct result of our own sin, some happens because of our foolishness, and some is the result of living in a fallen world. Peter is writing about suffering that comes as a result of doing good. Christ never sinned, and yet he suffered so that we could be set free. Challenge When we follow Christ's example and live for others, we too may suffer. Our goal should be to face suffering as he did—with patience, calmness, and confidence that God is in control of the future. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon 2 Samuel 23:5 Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant.This covenant is divine in its origin. "He hath made with me an everlasting covenant." Oh that great word He ! Stop, my soul. God, the everlasting Father, has positively made a covenant with thee; yes, that God who spake the world into existence by a word; he, stooping from his majesty, takes hold of thy hand and makes a covenant with thee. Is it not a deed, the stupendous condescension of which might ravish our hearts forever if we could really understand it? "HE hath made with me a covenant." A king has not made a covenant with me--that were somewhat; but the Prince of the kings of the earth, Shaddai, the Lord All-sufficient, the Jehovah of ages, the everlasting Elohim, "He hath made with me an everlasting covenant." But notice, it is particular in its application. "Yet hath he made with me an everlasting covenant." Here lies the sweetness of it to each believer. It is nought for me that he made peace for the world; I want to know whether he made peace for me! It is little that he hath made a covenant, I want to know whether he has made a covenant with me. Blessed is the assurance that he hath made a covenant with me! If God the Holy Ghost gives me assurance of this, then his salvation is mine, his heart is mine, he himself is mine--he is my God. This covenant is everlasting in its duration. An everlasting covenant means a covenant which had no beginning, and which shall never, never end. How sweet amidst all the uncertainties of life, to know that "the foundation of the Lord standeth sure," and to have God's own promise, "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips." Like dying David, I will sing of this, even though my house be not so with God as my heart desireth. Daily Light on the Daily Path Isaiah 60:20 "Your sun will no longer set, Nor will your moon wane; For you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, And the days of your mourning will be over.John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." Romans 8:22,23 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. • And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 2 Corinthians 5:4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Revelation 7:14-17 I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. • "For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. • "They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; • for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes." 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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