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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Saturday, 1 July 2023:
Isaiah 57:1 – The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity.
A corrupt nation turns its back on religious persecution.
Isaiah 57:5 — You who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
The unrighteous nation that uses abortion as birth control will be judged by God in a terrible way.
Isaiah 57:15 — I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
Relationship with God starts with a contrite heart.
Isaiah 57:21 – “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
God said it; that settles it. Peace only comes from God, period.
Isaiah 58:2-4 – Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. “Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?” Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.
God does not bless or draw near to willful disobedience. Why is the church so powerless today? Disobedience. Why does revival tarry? Disobedience. God will not be mocked by those who claim to seek Him but don’t obey Him. Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure.
God knows what self-centered religion looks like – He is not fooled.
“Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.” How you treat others reveals the truth about how much you love and honor God. Following Jesus requires denying self and taking up your “cross” in relationships.
“True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” (John 4:23) “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27) “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
There is an appearance of godliness that has no power – among those who claim to seek the Lord daily but, in reality, are only pursuing blessings from God for their own prideful purposes. These are they who pain themselves in pursuit of religious activities with the wrong heart and wrong motives, believing that their self-glorifying piety will earn them favor from God (not to mention the respect and praise of men). Self-righteous acts of self-denial (like fasting with the wrong heart) are presented as holiness. However, God sees beyond the deeds into the heart. And eventually a person’s deeds will expose the truth of their hearts even to men. “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7, 8) Those who proudly proclaim the name of Christ, actively participate in their church activities and yet fail to keep themselves “unstained from the world” are “double-minded… unstable in all [their] ways… [and] must not suppose that [they] will receive anything from the Lord.” (James 1:7) Jesus gave us the steps to discipleship: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23) This is an all or nothing proposition.
- Matthew 6:24 — No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
- Luke 11:23 — Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
- Revelation 3:16 — So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
- Mark 10:21 — “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
- Luke 9:62 — Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Isaiah 58:4 — Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day
will not make your voice to be heard on high.
- James 1:26 – “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.”
Isaiah 58 today, along with many other places in the Bible, warns against being deceived by a form of religion which seeks ‘justice’ (too often we want grace when we sin and justice for everyone else) at the expense of God’s command to love unconditionally and to forgive others as God has forgiven us – “…as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (Colossians 3:13) Take a moment and read Matthew 5:43-48 and Luke 6:27-42. Consider committing these verses to memory.
James 1:26 points out that how you speak to others reveals what is really in your heart. Perhaps only Jesus offers a more powerful statement about careless words than this one – “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36, 37)
What do your words, particularly when you are offended, reveal to others about the love of Christ and its power to transform a person’s heart? God so loved sinners that while they were still sinning he sent His Son to pay for their (your) sins, that they would not perish but have eternal life and be called children of God (John 3:16; 1 John 3:1; 1 John 4:9). Do your words reveal the same kind of love for sinners? The next time you are mistreated, will you use the opportunity to take up your cross, follow Jesus’ example, and proclaim the Gospel rather than trying to defend yourself?
Isaiah 58:5, 7 – Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself?… Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house…?
Once again, the first step to following Jesus is denying self. The next step is sacrificing for others daily, sometimes tangibly and sometimes emotionally. We demonstrate our love for God by how we love others, particularly those who can’t or won’t reciprocate. We received unmerited grace from God as the supreme act of His love. When we give unmerited grace to others out of love, we are living out the Gospel.
- Matthew 25:40 — And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
- Matthew 25:45 — Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’
- 1 John 2:10 — Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.
- 1 John 3:10 — By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
- 1 John 3:16 — By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
- 1 John 3:17 — But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?
- 1 John 4:20 — If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
- 1 John 4:21 — And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Isaiah 58:9 – “Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer.”
When you truly call to God from a humble, repentant heart, He will answer.
Psalm 74:1 — O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
It can often feel like God has forgotten you or abandoned you — He hasn’t. Wait on the Lord. He knows exactly what is happening to you, is in complete control of your situation, and can only respond to you in perfect love and faithfulness. You cannot possibly understand the good He has in store for you as He takes you through trials and tribulations. What seems bad to us, God is bringing together for good. (Romans 8:28) Be still and know that God is God.
Psalm 74 is identified as “A Maskil of Asaph” or song of Asaph. Who was Asaph, and to what event does this Psalm refer? When was “everything in the sanctuary” destroyed by “enemies”? Asaph was David’s music director and is believed to have written twelve Psalms which collectively make up a larger portion of the entire Bible than several other books in the Bible. Asaph lived from David’s reign, through Solomon’s to Rehoboam’s. So, he offers a VERY unique and important perspective, having basically witnessed the nation of Israel rise to its “Golden Age” under David and then fall to destruction after Solomon turned to idolatry. Asaph watched as the kingdom was torn in two, and he witnessed the Egyptians invade Jerusalem and strip the Temple. Though Asaph appears to have remained faithful in his service to God, he nonetheless personally suffered greatly due to the sins of the leaders and the sins of the nation. No doubt, many of Asaph’s family and friends were killed in the foreign invasions about which he writes. Psalm 74 likely reflects Asaph’s distress at the invasion of Shishak the king of Egypt. What can we learn today from Asaph’s Psalm? First, Asaph clearly recognizes that Israel’s national problems are in fact due to God’s anger in response to the nation’s sins. It wasn’t simply because Egypt had grown strong or because Israel’s leaders had not been competent enough – it was because Israel had turned from God, the true source of their strength. How will God judge the sins of our nation? Second, Asaph, though faithful to God, also suffers the consequences of the nation’s sins. When a nation turns from God, everyone suffers the consequences. It is important for Christians understand that reality as they prepare for the future. Finally, Asaph, though undoubtedly disillusioned by his government, never lost his faith in God or his perspective that “God [is] King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.” (Psalm 74:12) In a time of national despair, Asaph understood that a stronger military, a better economy, or more capable elected officials would not save the nation, only the power of God. On what does the future of America depend?
Psalm 74:2 – Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!
God’s congregation is those whose sin debt He has paid through the blood of Jesus Christ and who know follow Him as His disciple.
Psalm 74:7 – They set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground.
God’s enemies will profane His name and seek to destroy the work of His people on earth.
Psalm 74:8 – They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them;” they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
God’s enemies will not be satisfied while there are still those who worship God.
Psalm 74:9, 12 – We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long…. Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
A lack of prophecy is evidence of a weak, dying church. Despite the weak and dying churches, God will still work His plan for salvation across the earth for those He intends to save.
Psalm 74:16 – Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.
God is still in control.
Psalm 74:22 – Arise, O God, defend your cause; remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!
Just like sick people vomit, the fools will scoff. Remain true to the LORD in the midst of an epidemic of sin.
Proverbs 1:3 – …to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity….
The wise always deal with others in righteousness, justice, and equity.
Proverbs 1:4 – …to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth….
God’s word is not hard to understand. You don’t need a seminary degree to be the priest God has called you to be. The simplest faithful person is protected by God’s word.
Proverbs 1:5 – Let the wise hear and increase in learning.
Developing wisdom is a life-long endeavor involving daily study of God’s word.
Proverbs 1:7 — The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Wisdom is naturally unifying, while foolishness is naturally divisive. There can be no unity between the wise and the unwise. Jesus said, He came not to unit but to divide. If you are pleasing everyone, you are by definition compromising somewhere, not for the sake of uniting in truth but in a self-centered effort to avoid the pain of confrontation.
Proverbs 1:8 – Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
Parents are the teachers in the home which is the schoolhouse for character development.
Proverbs 1:20-23 – Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice;at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.
The truth is self-evident, it reveals itself. Wisdom is revealed every day for those who have the eyes to see it. Look in the streets and see the consequences of both wisdom and foolishness. How long will people so obviously destroy themselves. Repentance opens the door for the Spirit of Truth to change a life.
Proverbs 1:24-32 – Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
There is a point of no return, a point where consequences are inevitable, when it is too late to expect mercy rather than justice.
Proverbs 1:28, 29 – Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD.
There is a point of no return where change is no longer possible.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 1 July 2023: Let your temperament and your words reflect the grace of God.
- 1 John 3:16 — By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
- 1 John 4:20 — If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
- 1 John 4:21 — And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 