Don’t Cut Yourself Off From God

Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth! For the lord has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted.

Isaiah 1: 2-5

Commentary:

The people of Judah, just like us today, were sinning greatly and refused to know and understand God. God brought charges against them through Isaiah because they, just like us, had rebelled and forsaken the Lord. By these acts, they had broken their moral and spiritual covenant with God. As long as the people of Judah and us, continue to sin, we are cutting our selves off from God’s help and are isolating ourselves. When you feel lonely and separated from God, remember that God does not abandon you. Our sins cut us off from him. The only sure cure for this kind of loneliness is to restore a meaningful relationship with God by confessing your sins, obeying his instructions, and communicating regularly with him. When was the last time you talked to God? God’s line of communication is open 24-7-365, all the time.

You Are a Branch in Need of a Vine

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

John 15: 1-4

Commentary:

Are you dried up, or are you moist with the Holy sap of God’s word in you? Are you going about spreading the nourishing Word of our Lord? You must be purged.The old life must fall away so the new self can bring forth fresh fruit? We must put our self in God’s hands so He can reshape us, to place us in fertile soil so we can be fruitful.

Cut away the old self , if not, then you will not bear anything that will be acceptable to God. If you are a follower of Christ, then you are a fruitful branch, and a true believer. Who by our living unions with Him will produce much fruit.Those who are unproductive, those who turn their back from following Christ after making superficial commitments, will get cut off from the vine and cast in the fire. Are you receiving the nourishment and life offered by Christ, the vine? If not, you are missing a gift He has for you.

Apply Your Heart To Wisdom

Scripture: Psalms 90: 10-12

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Scripture Commentary: Life is too short not to use your time wisely

What are you doing with the time God gives you? We exist as humans only a certain number of days; how do you apply your time? Every day he gives you a glimpse at his creations, but you cannot understand the perfection of his creations. God knows our future, but if we walk with him, we will know where we are going.

Realizing that life is short helps us use the little time we have more wisely. Take time to number your days by asking, “what am I doing for my Lord Jesus Christ? What steps can I take to spread his Word?” We want God’s work to count, to be effective and productive.

God is Omni-temporal. We are not. Don’t be discouraged if your troubles seem prolonged. God knows what you are doing, and that the seeds you are planting take time to grow.

Moses reminds us that a thousand years are like a day to the Lord. Because he is eternal, we can depend on him. God wants us to view what we have with the right perspective. Use your God-given gifts before it is too late.

Ask yourself this question, “What do I want to see in my life before I die?” Is your answer, “Jesus Christ.”

Read the Entire Chapter:
Psalms Chapter 90

Follow the Truth

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became goals and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Romans 1: 18-22

Commentary:

Why is God angry at sinful people? They substituted the truth about him with a fantasy of their own imagination. They have stifled the truth God naturally reveals to all people in order to believe anything that supports their own self centered lifestyle.

God cannot tolerate sin because his nature is morally perfect. He cannot ignore or condone such willful rebellion. God wants to remove the sin and restore the sinner to his kingdom. He is able to, as long as the sinner does not stubbornly distort or reject the truth.

The Lord’s anger erupts against those who persist in sinning. Repent. Make sure you are not pursuing a fantasy rather than the true God. Don’t suppress the truth about him merely to protect your own life style.

You are given the choice of either accepting or rejecting God. Don’t be fooled. No excuses will be accepted when God judges your response to him. Begin today to give your devotion and worship to him.

Trust in the Lord

Scripture: Proverbs 3: 5-7, 12

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Scripture Commentary: ‘Lean not unto thine own understanding’ means that you trust in the Lord for all things

For three years a man did something that he felt was a good investment for himself and his family. He waited and waited and no return on the investment came.

From the beginning he put it in God’s hands, but God had to show him something. Even though he put it in God’s hands, he thought it would produce immediately. The lesson he learned was that God’s time is different from his own.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding.” The man did not follow this.

God answered the man in his own time. God knows what is best for us and when is best for us. He is a better judge of what we want than even we are. We must trust him completely in every choice we make, and not be wise in our own eyes. He will make your path straight and protect you.

Proverbs Chapter 3

Don’t Live Like the Gentiles

Scripture: Ephesians 4: 17-19

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

Scripture Commentary: Living the christian life is a process

“Futility of their thinking” refers to the tendency of humans to think in their way instead of God’s way. Intellectual pride, rationalizations, and excuses all keep people from God. People should be able to see a difference between Christians and non-Christians because of the way Christians live.

Living the Christian life is a process. Christians don’t automatically think all good thoughts and express all right attitudes. Continuous obedience to God means continuous change.

Do you see a process of change for the better in your thoughts, attitudes, and actions? Although change may be slow, it comes as you trust God to change you. Put yourself in God’s hands and leave the flesh out. See the true light of our Lord Jesus Christ in your life.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Ephesians Chapter 4

You Don’t Have to Be a Slave to Sin

Scripture: Ephesians 2: 1-5

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the craving of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.

Scripture Commentary:

The fact that all people, without exception, commit sin proves that without Christ we have a sinful nature. We are lost in sin and cannot save ourselves.

Does this mean only Christians do good? Of course not. Many people do good things and are kind to others. On a relative scale, many are moral, kind, and law-abiding. Comparing these people to criminals, we would say they are very good indeed.

But on God’s absolute scale, no one is good enough to earn salvation. Only through being united in Christ’s perfect life can we become good in God’s sight. God does not take us out of the world or make us robots. We will still feel like sinning, and sometimes we will sin.

The difference is that before we became Christians, we were dead in sin and were slaves to our sinful nature. Because of Christ’s resurrection, we know that our bodies will also be raised from the dead, and that we have been given the power to live as Christians. The penalty of sin and its power over us were miraculously destroyed by Christ on the cross. Through faith in Christ we stand acquitted, not guilty before God.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Ephesians Chapter 2

The Circumcision of Christ Cuts Your Sinful Nature

Scripture: Colossians 2: 10-12

And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

Scripture Commentary: Spiritual circumcision cuts you away from your old sinful nature

In Colossians 2: 10-12, God is talking about circumcision, but not of the flesh. The circumcision that he is referring to is of our old, sinful past life. This is the cutting off of the old self and the birth of the new. We are all sinners, but through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ we have been made anew.

When we bury the old flesh and have been risen with the new spirit in His baptism, we become His people. With our new found faith in Jesus we are reformed again. No longer are we to follow the old life that we had been living. This baptism parallels the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It also portrays the death and burial of our sinful old way of life, followed by our resurrection to a new life in Christ.

Remembering that our old sinful life is dead and buried with Christ gives us a powerful motive to resist sin.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Colossians Chapter 2

Judgment and Hope

Scripture: Isaiah 66: 1-4

Judgment and Hope

This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord.

These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word. But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person, and whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood, and whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations; so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.”

Scripture Commentary: God pronounces judgment and through Jesus offers hope

Even the beautiful temple in Jerusalem was woefully inadequate for a God who is present everywhere. God cannot be confined to any human structure.

God will lift up the humble, judge all people, destroy the wicked, bring all believers together and establish the new heavens and the new earth. Our society urges us to be assertive, and to affirm ourselves.

Don’t let your freedom to choose lead you away from God’s pathway to eternal life.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Isaiah Chapter 66

Wait Upon the Lord

Scripture: Zephaniah 3: 8-11

Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to service him with one consent.

From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.

In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.

Scripture Commentary: Is your life for God or for your own enjoyment?

God will judge all people according to what they have done. Wait upon the Lord. Justice will prevail. God will punish evil doers; he will bless the obedient.

God will remove the proud people and leave the meek and humble. God opposes to the proud and haughty of every generation. He will reward those who are meek and humble, both physically and spiritually, because they trust in him. Self-reliance and arrogance have no place among God’s people or in his kingdom.

Ask yourself, is my life for God or for my own enjoyment? Is my reform merely an outward show, or do I live and preach the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ? Do I lift his name up with praise and song?

Summarily, are you ready to gather together and pray, and walk humbly with God? Are you ready to do what is right, and to hear the message of forgiveness, love, and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ?

Read the Entire Chapter:
Zephaniah Chapter 3