YEAR 2, WEEK 23, Day 4, Thursday, 8 June 2023

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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Thursday, 8 June 2023:

Isaiah 33:1 – Ah, you destroyer, who yourself have not been destroyed, you traitor, whom none has betrayed! When you have ceased to destroy, you will be destroyed; and when you have finished betraying, they will betray you.

This verse reveals, once again, the Biblical principle that God will treat us the way we treat others.

Isaiah 33:2 – O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble.

In times of trouble, sometimes it is hard to wait on the Lord, but just like being lost in the woods, when you don’t know where you are going, traveling aimlessly faster just makes the problem worse. In life, the world will tell you, “Don’t just stand there, do something!” The assumption is your fate is in your control, and your inactivity is indecisiveness and weakness. God often says, ‘Be still! Wait for my lead in this matter.’ Waiting takes faith. When you don’t know what God wants you to do next, be faithful to the word God has already given you, pray, and wait for God to show you the way. Trust Him. If you absolutely must make a decision, ensure it is consistent with God’s word, remain in prayer, seek the counsel of other faithful Christians, and trust Him with what you don’t know and understand.

• Genesis 8:10, 12 — He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark…. Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore.
• Genesis 49:18 — I wait for your salvation, O Lord.
• Numbers 9:8 — And Moses said to them, “Wait, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.
• Psalm 25:3 — Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
• Psalm 25:5 — Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
• Psalm 25:21 — May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.
• Psalm 27:14 — Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
• Psalm 31:24 — Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!
• Psalm 33:20 — Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
• Psalm 37:7 — Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
• Psalm 37:9 — For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
• Psalm 37:34 — Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
• Psalm 38:15 — But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
• Psalm 39:7 — And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.
• Psalm 40:1 — To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
• Psalm 62:1 — To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
• Psalm 62:5 — For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
• Psalm 106:13 — But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.
• Proverbs 8:34 — Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
• Proverbs 20:22 — Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
• Isaiah 8:17 — I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.
• Isaiah 25:9 — It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
• Isaiah 26:8 — In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul.
• Isaiah 30:18 — Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.
• Isaiah 33:2 — O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble.
• Isaiah 40:31 — but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
• Isaiah 42:4 — He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.
• Isaiah 49:23 — Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.
• Isaiah 51:5 — My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait.
• Isaiah 64:4 — From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.
• Lamentations 3:26 — It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
• Micah 7:7 — But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.
• Habakkuk 2:3 — For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.
• Luke 12:36 — and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.
• Acts 1:4 — And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me;
• Romans 8:25 — But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
• 1 Corinthians 1:7 — so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
• Hebrews 6:15 — And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.
• Jude 1:21 — keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.
• Psalm 37:7 — Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
• Psalm 46:10 — “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Isaiah 33:5, 6 – The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness, and he will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is Zion’s treasure.

God is the source of all wisdom, justice, righteousness, security, and prosperity.

Isaiah 33:11 – You conceive chaff; you give birth to stubble; your breath is a fire that will consume you.

The efforts of the ungodly are ultimately worthless and futile, regardless of how ‘religious’ they are.

Isaiah 33:13 – Hear, you who are far off, what I have done; and you who are near, acknowledge my might.

Nearness and farness from God aren’t determined by physical proximity (which is meaningless in the spiritual realm), but rather by obedience. If God is “far” from you, it is not that He has moved but rather that you did in your disobedience.

God blesses His people so the world can see, bringing glory to Himself through the lives of His people.

Isaiah 33:14-22 – But there the LORD in majesty will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams, where no galley with oars can go, nor majestic ship can pass. For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us.

God intends for you to make Him your KING, to work for Him in His Kingdom on earth, to stay focused on Him and His purposes in your life and not to get entangled in the pursuits of some earthly “king” or kingdoms. God will be your KING or some human will be your king.

God’s Kingdom brings wholeness to His people.

2 Corinthians 10:1 — I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.

Do you challenge others with meekness, gentleness, and humility?

2 Corinthians 10:2-4 – I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

Your enemy is not the offensive sinner but rather the evil powers controlling that captive sinner – never forget that.

2 Corinthians 10:4 — For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

We are fighting a spiritual battle with Holy Spirit power, not through human abilities. We are fighting an insurgency to conquer the kingdoms around us, one heart at a time. At the commencement of his earthly ministry, Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom was at hand, and the Bible calls us a “kingdom of priests” or “priestly kingdom.” Daniel told king Nebuchadnezzar, “In the time of those kings, the God of Heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” (Daniel 22:45) Daniel would later proclaim, “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations, and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed…. Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High.” (Daniel 7:13, 14, 27) Note that when Jesus gave the Great Commission, he started with this proclamation: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me,” and he ends with this: “and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20) King Jesus called his subjects to spread throughout the world as Ambassadors of his Kingdom and to advance the Kingdom of God from within the worldly kingdoms. As Micah prophesied, “The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or linger for mankind. The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which mauls and mangles as it goes, and no one can rescue. Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed.” (Micah 5:7-9) The physical Kingdom will not be fully established on earth until the return of Jesus Christ, but the spiritual kingdom is established, Jesus Chris is King, and you, Christian, are his Ambassador, and priest on earth, preparing others for his return. Is that our focus today? Is your allegiance to the Kingdom of God? Are you fulfilling your role in the Kingdom? Are you focused on advancing the Kingdom? Are you united with fellow subjects on the Kingdom? Do you have unity of effort with the other subjects around you? Will you live intentionally today? Are you preparing yourself to be worthy to reign with the Lord when he returns? How should the reality of who you are in Christ change your outlook today and your approach the world? Jonathans, get your armor bearers and advance boldly! Armor-bearers: find your Jonathans and join in the fight boldly with all of your heart and soul! “’The time has come,’” he said. ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!’” (Mark 1:15)

- 1 Samuel 14:6 – Jonathan said, to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows.  Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf.  Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.” “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”

2 Corinthians 10:5 – We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ….

Are your thoughts captive to Christ?

2 Corinthians 10:7-10 – Look at what is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we. For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed. I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters. For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.”

We are not empowered by the strength of our personalities or human abilities but rather by the power and authority of Jesus Christ. This is power far beyond anyone’s perceptions or imaginations.

2 Corinthians 10:12 — But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

How foolish is it for us to judge our own “goodness” based on what we see in others, by comparing ourselves to the “goodness” of other sinners? This is like one mass murderer who has ruthlessly killed ninety-nine people feeling more righteous than the one who has killed one hundred people. This is like two infants arguing over who is the most grown up. We are all sinners, equally unworthy. Our example with which to compare ourselves is Jesus Christ. Fortunately, our salvation does not depend on our righteousness but rather the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. But God calls us to, under grace, pursue righteousness and holiness. It makes no difference what we think of ourselves or what others think of us. All that matters is how God sees us. For those who have been born again, God sees us cloaked in the righteousness of His One and Only Son. Boast in the Lord!

2 Corinthians 10:17, 18 — “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

It is a shameful, idolatrous, and sinful thing for a Christian to pridefully boast of their own abilities rather than giving all glory to God. God shares credit with no one, and we are nothing of ourselves. All glory goes to God. It’s not about you. Do not draw attention to yourself, only to Jesus. Do not praise yourself, only Jesus. Examine yourself every time you say “I” or “me” to be sure you are not boasting. Every time you are tempted to boast, replace those personal pronouns with “Jesus Christ.” When you proclaim only Jesus, you might be viewed by others as fanatical and might lose friends and opportunities. However, you will be on a new, much greater path.

From Henry T. Blackaby: “It is common for us all to seek approval for our actions…. Paul said that he was not striving to obtain the approval of people. Some of his critics thought their criticisms could determine what he did. Yet these same people were praising themselves for their own opinions and behavior. They were seeking the approval of others, and they were receiving it. Jesus said that those who seek to gain the approval of others ‘have their own reward’ (Matt. 6:2–5). Paul, too, realized that achieving the praise of others is not difficult, but earning God’s approval is a far greater accomplishment. The affirmation ‘Well done!’ that Jesus received from the Father became Paul’s goal as well (2 Tim. 2:3–5). Paul knew that self-approval is not hard to attain. Paul himself had once been pleased with his own life, until he came to realize that the righteousness he was so proud of was mere rubbish in the kingdom of God (Phil. 3:8). After his conversion, Paul understood that God’s evaluation of his actions was what mattered, not his own opinion of himself. Whose opinion matters most to you? Have you become complacent, enjoying the approval of those around you? Have you become satisfied with your estimation of the way you are living? The commendation that matters most is the one that comes from God. The pleasure that your life gives to God should be your motivation to live righteously.”

“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 8 June 2023: See if you can avoid talking about yourself or taking credit for anything today. Watch your use of the words “I” or “me” in conversation and catch yourself boasting or making yourself the center of attention rather than Jesus and others. Instead of talking about yourself, talk about Jesus. (2 Corinthians 10:17, 18) Also, focus on being a reconciler today. Remember, God has given you the message of reconciliation. (2 Cor 5:16-31) Don’t look at others from a human perspective but rather from a spiritual point of view, understanding that their attitude problems are spiritual problems. Remember, you are engaged in a spiritual battle. The person who offends you is not the enemy but rather the objective, someone who is trapped in sin and suffering. Work through the Spirit to lead that person towards Jesus, regardless of how they treat you. Be a reconciler. (2 Cor 10:4)