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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Wednesday, 7 June 2023:
Isaiah 32:8 — But he who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands.
Noble things require planning. You may care, but do you care enough to plan? Planning reveals both faith and genuine commitment.
Isaiah 32:10-14 – In little more than a year you will shudder, you complacent women; for the grape harvest fails, the fruit harvest will not come. Tremble, you women who are at ease, shudder, you complacent ones; strip, and make yourselves bare, and tie sackcloth around your waist. Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine, for the soil of my people growing up in thorns and briers, yes, for all the joyous houses in the exultant city. For the palace is forsaken, the populous city deserted; the hill and the watchtower will become dens forever, a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks….
God judges complacency.
Isaiah 32:14, 15 – For the palace is forsaken…. until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high.
There is no hope apart from the Spirit.
Isaiah 32:17, 18 – And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation.
Peace comes through righteousness, and righteousness comes from Jesus alone and abiding in, or living in, Him and His word every second of the day. Walking with Jesus brings genuine peace. Jesus’ first word to His disciples after He appeared to them after His resurrection was, “Peace.” Do you have peace in Jesus?
2 Corinthians 9:6 – The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
“You are called to be intentional about your Christianity. You must be determined to experience the fullness of God in every area of your Christian life and never to settle for a shallow, lackadaisical relationship with almighty God. God will bless you according to how you respond to His invitations. If He finds in you a generous heart that willingly and freely gives what it has to others, then God responds toward you in like manner.
When the apostle Paul encouraged the believers in Corinth to help the Christians in Jerusalem, he promised them that if they would sow generously, they would reap a generous return from God.
This truth holds life-changing potential for us. If we invest everything we have in our relationship with God, we will experience the full dimensions of being children of God. If our desire is to know God more intimately, and if we spend ample time studying His word, God will generously enrich our relationship with Him. If we discipline ourselves to remain in prayer even when praying is difficult, He will reward us with a deeper, more powerful prayer life. If we reconcile any broken relationships and prepare our hearts before worship, and if we participate fully and reverently in every part of worship, God promises that we will meet Him and our lives will be changed.
Why is it that some Christians grow rapidly in their Christian faith and others remain unchanged year after year? Our Christian maturity is deeply affected by what we sow. Let us choose to sow generously in everything we do in our Christian lives. The harvest we reap will be Christlikeness.” (Henry T. Blackaby)
The daily disciplines of discipleship will produce an abundant harvest. If you sow sparingly, you will also reap sparingly. Specifically, this verse applies to giving. Those who give to others position themselves to receive abundantly from the Lord. However, these verses also apply to spiritual development, relationships, and personal growth – long term, consistent investment is required.
2 Corinthians 9:7 — Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
People are motivated to do “good deeds” for many reasons — guilt, fear, pride, duty, etc. Many do the right things for the wrong reasons, and the Bible calls these deeds “filthy rags,” straw that will burnt in the fire. Charitable deeds that are not motivated by genuine love are valued by people but not by God. Seek a heart that gives out of love.
How you view God’s gift of grace to you, the life of His Son Jesus Christ, determines how much of a heart you have for giving to others. Are you truly amazed by God’s grace? Then, are you an amazing giver and forgiver, known for your unreasonable hospitality, generosity, forgiveness, compassion, peace, and joy? How you give and forgive reflect the genuineness of your relationship with God. There are givers, and then there are truly cheerful givers.
“God loves a cheerful giver.” Any questions?
2 Corinthians 9:8 – And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
“When you relate to God you always deal with abundance, for God does nothing in half measures! This is true regarding His grace. The Lord is not miserly when it comes to providing grace to His servants. When you seek to perform a good work that God has asked you to do, you will always find an ample supply of God’s grace to sustain you. If you begin to lose heart in the work you are doing, God’s grace upholds you and gives you the love for God and His people you require in order to continue. When you face criticism and are misunderstood, God’s grace enables you to forgive your accusers and to sense God’s pleasure even when others do not understand what you are doing. When you make mistakes in the work God has appointed you to do, God’s grace forgives you, sets you back on your feet, and gives you strength to continue the work. When you complete the task God gave you and no one expresses thanks for what you have done, the Father’s grace surrounds you, and He reminds you that you have a heavenly reward where everything you have done in the Lord’s service will be remembered.
God does not promise to provide all you need for your dreams and projects. He does assure you that, for every good work you attempt, you will never face a shortfall of His grace in order to successfully complete the task God has given you.” (Henry T. Blackaby)
Do you have an abundance mentality? God is abundant in His grace. How much grace is God able to make abound to you? “All grace”! The grace God gives you is sufficient under what circumstances? “In all things at all times”! Why does God provide you all grace? So you may abound in every good work. Not that you can abound in everything, just in what He intends for you – good works. If God called you to do it, nothing can stop you.
2 Corinthians 9:13 – …they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ.
The quality of our lives will be measured by how much we spread the gospel and how much we cared for the needs of others in the Name of Jesus.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 7 June 2023: Pray that God will make you a more cheerful giver. Give to others today as an act of gratitude for what God has given you; give to others the way you want God to give to you. (2 Corinthians 9:6, 7)
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 