Sun.’s Devo - The New Era

Read: Isaiah 60:1-62:5; Philippians 1:27-2:18; Psalm 72:1-20; Proverbs 24:11-12
Isaiah gives us so much hope of restoration and redemption. I especially like verse 10 of Chapter 60 that says, “foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you.” To us this is saying that Satan’s kingdom will one day serve us. God is doing this very thing right now on the earth as the kingdoms of the world are becoming the kingdoms of our God. Every thing is flipping and we are becoming the head and not the tail. Instead of shame, we are going to receive a double portion and rejoice in our inheritance. The Lord will take delight in us and our God will rejoice over us.
Paul speaks of a day when the Church will stand as one and put the enemy to flight. He encourages us not to give us in doing good especially to others and to esteem others higher than ourselves.
Our Psalms has to do with the dispensation we just entered into. It is like we crossed over from David’s reign to Solomon’s reign.
Lord, thank you for all the good and precious promises you have given us. May we know how to walk in this new era.

Sat.’s Devo - Bring Justice Back to the Earth

Read: Isaiah 57:14:59-21; Philippians 1:1-26; Psalm 71:1-24; Proverbs 24:9-10
God promised that he would not always contend and find fault with man even though his ways were bent on evil. He promised to heal, restore and comfort him and give him a reason to praise and be happy.
The wicked wanted to know what God said and went through the religious rituals for the wrong reasons. They fasted only to get God to do what they wanted him to do and when he didn’t answer their prayer, God told them why.
Fasting is not about getting our prayers answered, it is about humbling ourselves before God and helping others get free from their bondages. It is about seeing the needs of others and helping them. When we do that then our prayers will get answered quickly. We have to stop pointing our finger and judging the sins of others. We are to rebuild what has been torn down in people’s lives and help them restore their faith. This life is not about getting what we want or what we think is due us but helping God bring his kingdom down to earth so this earth looks more like heaven than it looks like hell. God wants to bring his justice to the earth.
God saw, in Israel, that there was no justice, so he wrapped himself in humanity and came down to show them what justice was suppose to look like. He did this in the face of Jesus Christ.
Paul encouraged the Christians in Philippi that our goal is to be able to discern what is best so that our decisions will be pure and blameless. He realized that the reason he was in prison was to have a platform to preach the gospel. He was an example to them of the Christian life. It didn’t matter the state of his circumstances - God can use everything we go through for his glory. God chooses how he can best be shown to the world. We are the clay in his hands. In the middle of his imprisonment, Paul found joy. In the middle of our trials we can find joy too.
Lord, help us to see through your eyes and help you bring your kingdom down to earth. Help us to work with you to bring justice to the earth.

Fri.’s Devo - Hope

Read: Isaiah 54:1-57:13; Ephesians 6:1-24; Psalm 70:1-5; Proverbs 24:8
Today is a day of hope for us. This is what God is saying right now to the Body of Christ. He is calling out to all who have felt unfruitful in their efforts or insignificant and he says to expand your vision and your dreams because he is about to change everything. God is about to build his body up with so much strength and provision that they are going to see that the enemy can’t make a weapon that can hurt us. All his lies are going to fall to the ground and God’s plans and God’s thoughts are going to be put on the earth. Everything the Lord has promised would happen will happen. Everyone who feels there is no hope for them or it is too late, God is going to give them a memorial and a name and they will be filled with joy. It is a good day for the Body of Christ!
To the enemies of God who trust in sorcery and their own way, they will not succeed and their secret deeds of darkness will be judged. They will be exposed and brought down. It will be the righteous that will possess the land.
In Ephesians, God gives us ways to prosper. One of them is by obeying our parents. Our parents are not just our natural parents but the ones God has given us as spiritual and ancestral parents. Abraham, Moses, Daniel, David just to name a few are all our spiritual fathers. Our pastors and teachers are also spiritual parents. If we honor them then God will give us prosperous and many days on the earth to be affective for him.
Paul also tells us that if we are leaders or spiritual parents or physical parents then we need to be examples to them of godliness and honor. We are the picture of God to them and that is a big responsibility.
We can be everything Jesus was on earth but we need to be clothed with the armor of God. Our struggle is never with people, but with spiritual powers that are in the heavenly realms. Our weapons are truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God and spirit-led prayer.
We join in Paul in praying that when we open our mouths our words would make known the mystery of the gospel.

Thurs.’s Devo -The Covenant

Read: Isaiah 51:1-53:12; Ephesians 5:1-33; Psalm 69:19-36; Proverbs 24:7
Isaiah spoke to the remnant of Israel and told them to pursue righteousness and seek the Lord. He reminded them of their roots in Abraham who started as one person and grew into a mighty nation because God said he would. He told them that salvation and help was on the way. They were not to fear the insults and opinions of men who would try to terrorize and intimidate them. He called them to wake up and be strong. One day they would come with joy and singing back to Jerusalem and the Lord would redeem his people.
Isaiah gave a description of their savior. He would be disfigured beyond that of any man, be dispised and rejected by men. But, he would take the infirmities and sorrow and sin of man and through his suffering we would be healed. Through his death we would live.
Paul, then tells us to imitate Jesus and his sacrifice to God. Our suffering is not on a wooden cross on Calvary, but on the cross our affections. He told his people that they shouldn’t have a hint of sexual immorality or any kind of impurity or greed. All of these things require a dying to our old nature that is bent toward sin. Instead, we are to live like children of the light which will produce the fruit of goodness, righteousness and truth. We are to be submissive to everyone, honoring them above ourselves. Jesus came to be a servant to man and we are to imitate him.
Marriage is a covenant that is to represent the way we relate to God and he relates to us. The man is a picture of God so we are to submit to our husband as a picture of the way we submit to God. The woman is the picture of the church and God loves the church. So the husband is to love us like God loves the church. We have to leave our old life when we become saved just as Jesus told the man to leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh. This is the way Christ wants to unite with us - until we are one with him and we know what Jesus is thinking and how he would react to every situation. That is an easy concept to say, a harder one to live out. The Holy Spirit is the one who gives us power to act it out in the flesh.
Lord, help us to submit our thoughts and will to yours and see your plan play out in our lives and our nation.

Wed.’s Devo - Hope -

Read: Isaiah 48:12-50:11; Ephesians 4:17-32; Psalm 69:1-18; Proverbs 24:5-6
God chose Cyrus as his friend to do his purpose against Babylon. He said that he would cause Cyrus to succeed in his mission.
God mourns over the response of the people. He knows what is best for them because he made them. God had wanted to give them peace and righteousness and bless them with many descendants so that their name would never be cut off. But, Israel refused to trust in the Lord. God warned them to flee Babylon and reminded them of how he had provided for his people who fled Egypt.
Isaiah gave them the testimony of his own life. God had called him to bring Israel and Jacob back to him. God would even use Isaiah to bring the Gentiles to the Lord. When God poured out his favor on the earth he was going to make his people come out of their darkness and see God. He knew that this would not happen for a time and the people would feel forgotten so he addressed that too. God said that he could never forget them because they were graven on the palm of his hand. Even though all hope will seem to be gone, God was going to come to their rescue at just the right time. He promised that those who hope in him will not be disappointed.
In Ephesians, Paul speaks of the Gentiles as a picture of the unsaved people who had given themselves over to sin. I find this funny since most of his congregation were saved Gentiles. He considers them Jews since they have now been grafted in to God’s family making everything we just read in Isaiah pertain to us, not just the Jewish people. They had been been made new creatures like God who had true righteousness and holiness. He admonished them not to sin any more giving the devil any foothold in them. Instead of negative talk, they needed to say things that were helpful for building each other up and encouraging one another.
The Holy Spirit is kind and compassionate and forgives and he is in us to do all these things through us.
Lord, help us to allow the Holy Spirit to live through us and walk in love. Thank you for your great plan for your people.

Tues.’s Devo - The Turn Around

Read: Isaiah 45:11-48:11; Ephesians 4:1-16; Psalm 68:19-35; Proverbs 24:3-4
God asks a very great question which has to do with the day we are living in. He asks us why we question him about the future and who he chooses to use. He told them that he was going to raise up a man named Cyrus and make his ways straight (meaning that his ways were crooked before). He would use this man to rebuild his city and set the exiles free. He will not do this for his own personal gain. Many of today’s prophets have likened President Trump to Cyrus.
He goes on to say that the wealth of enemy nations would come to them because they see that God is with them. Many nations who trusted in idols will come to the truth and turn to God and be saved. Every knew will bow and every tongue will witness that in the Lord alone is righteousness and strength.
God has written the end from the beginning of time and it is all hidden in the Bible.
To the heathen who refuse to bow, they will be the ones in captivity and chains. They will no longer be the leaders and the ones people idolize. In all their witchcraft and powers, they will be powerless before the Lord.
To his people, God says that he will tell us of the new and hidden things that we have not seen before. We will understand things we did not understand before.
We are living in that day!
In Ephesians, we see God’s ultimate desire is that we come together as one unit, honoring the gifts and offices each one has.
No one is more important than the other, we are all servants to one another, here to help each other come to maturity. Love is our motivation and Jesus is our head. When we have this right, the body will function as a healthy body.
Lord, help us to walk in love as servants to one another. Thank you for this new era we are living in where we bring your kingdom down to earth.

Mon.’s Devo - Revelation

Read: Isaiah 43:-45:10; Ephesians 3:1-21; Psalm 68:1-18; Proverbs 24:1-2
Isaiah is set up like the sum total of the whole Bible so the first 39 chapters of Isaiah represent the Old Testament and the next 27 represent the New. You can tell the shift of prophesy in Chapters 40-66. They give hope and promise of good things to come. Today we read things like, “forget the former things; do not dwell in the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” That sounds just like Paul teaching that in Christ you are a new creature. Old things are past away, behold all things have become new.
Isaiah proclaimed that God gives us water in the desert so we can proclaim his praise. God does give us his Spirit in times of our greatest need.
In 43:26, God told Israel to examine themselves and their fathers. God had to punish them because they forsook the Lord, but to the sons, God was promising to pour out his Spirit on them and bless them. But, the ones who caused Israel to fall into idolatry would be judged and brought down.
Isaiah told Israel to remember that it was God that formed them and He would blot out all their transgressions if they turned to Him.
When they did that, God promised them the secret things that he had hidden away. Verse 7 of Chapter 45 says that God forms the light and creates darkness. He makes peace, and creates evil. That word “creates” in both places means “to cut down”. So what he is really saying is that God molds the light and peace as a potter, but his cuts down the evil and darkness like a woodsman cuts wood. In the next verse, God calls the heavens to come to earth and pour down righteousness so that salvation can shoot up from the earth. But, he gives a woe to the one who resists what God is doing on the earth.
In Ephesians, Paul is bringing forth a totally new concept that has never been taught or thought of and that is that the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel. They are all one in God’s eyes. God sent Paul to the Gentiles to welcome them in. It was written in the Old Testament, but their eyes had been blinded to its meaning until now. There is so much revelation in the Bible that God opens up when it is time. Revelation is one of those books that continues to open up to the body of Christ as it is time for us to understand it.
Lord, your wisdom is unfathomable. Thank you for your revelation and your truth. Open up to us the mysteries hidden in darkness and show us who you are and what the kingdom is doing on the earth today.

Sun.’s Devo - God’s Witnesses

Read: Isaiah 41:17-43:13; Ephesians 2:1-22; Psalm 67:1-7; Proverbs 23:29-35
Isaiah gives hope to those who are thirsty for God. God promises to pour out his spirit like water in all the places that are barren and dry. To his enemies, God challenges them to bring in their idols and tell everyone the future. They can’t do it, so God calls them worthless.
Since they have no one who speaks the truth, God is going to send his righteous servant, Jesus, who will be filled with God’s spirit. He will bring justice to the nations. He will be the promise to the Jews and a light for the Gentiles. He will open blind eyes and set captives free. He will lead them along a path they have never gone before and turn their darkness into light.
Israel fell into darkness when they followed other gods, but God was calling them out of that darkness into light. He was offering to ransom them out of their own prisons. They were now going to be his witnesses.
This is exactly what the Lord is saying about us. We have been called out of darkness and death and given salvation through Jesus name. We are now God’s witnesses on the earth to bring others to his light.
Ephesians tells the same story. We are not only saved, but seated with Christ in heavenly places. From this position, we do great works on the earth through Christ. We have the same access to the Father that Jesus had when he walked the earth. God abolished the law that would keep us out and made a way through the blood of Christ that we might boldly come into his throne of grace and receive mercy. We are part of the structure of the temple of God on the earth.
Lord, may we be faithful witnesses on the earth of your love and power.

Sat.’s Devo - Who We Are

Read: Isaiah 39:1-41:16; Ephesians 1:1-23; Psalm 66:1-20; Proverbs 23:25-28
The king of Babylon sent a gift to Hezekiah to congratulate him on his healing and it was a test for Hezekiah to see if he had truly humbled himself before the Lord. He failed. His pride won and he showed off all his wealth and his kingdom to the enemy. When they left, God sent Isaiah to tell him that because he did this, everything he showed them would one day be taken away. It would not happen in his day but to his sons who would be made eunuchs in Babylon. Hezekiah’s response was something like, “Phew! At least its not happening to me!” That revealed his heart and maybe that was why he had a son during his 15 year add on that would hate God and everything about him.
The rest of the reading is Isaiah’s prophecy for Israel. He foretold of John the Baptist who would be the voice to prepare the way for the Lord, Jesus. He told of how Jesus would be the Shepherd that would tenderly love his sheep. He told of the majesty of God’s hand in creation and in the affairs of men. God gives strength to the weary and causes them to run tirelessly and soar like eagles. He decides which nations will rise and which will fall. One day, Israel and Judah will return and rejoice in the Lord.
Ephesians is one of the most powerful books on our identity. We have been chosen before the creation of the earth to walk with the Lord and be his child. We have been sealed with the Holy Spirit and no one can undo that seal. We have the spirit of revelation and wisdom that we might know God and what he has called us to. That is our inheritance!
Lord, help us to walk in the revelation of who we are and why we are here for this time. May we rise up and walk in everything that is written in our book to accomplish for your kingdom.

Fri.’s Devo - God’s Deliverance

Read: Isaiah 37:1-38:22; Galatians 6:1-18; Psalm 65:1-13; Proverbs 23:24
Hezekiah was overwhelmed with his circumstances. The Assyrian commander had blasphemed God saying that God could not stand up against him. Isaiah told Hezekiah not to be afraid because he was going to send the king of Assyria home where he will be killed with the sword.
The king did hear news that drew him back home but he sent a messenger to tell Hezekiah that his men would do to him and his people what they had done to a list of other nations. When Hezekiah heard his threats he went himself to the temple to pray. God sent Isaiah back to Hezekiah to tell him that God planned long ago to defeat the Assyrians. He was going to put a hook in Senacherub’s nose and a bit in his mouth and make him go where he wanted him to go. God gave Hezekiah a sign that he would do everything he said he would do. The sign would be that they would eat what grows by itself which was a miracle in itself since they had been under siege. The next year the same thing would happen and the third year, they would sow and reap their own crops and plant vineyards and eat the fruit of it. What happened to the plants would be a picture of what was happening to the remnant of people left in the land.
That night, the angel of the Lord went out and killed 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp so the king of Assyria left and returned to Nineveh where he was killed by his own sons, just as Isaiah had prophesied.
After this, Hezekiah became deathly sick and God was sent to tell Hezekiah to put his house in order because he was going to die. Hezekiah pleaded with the Lord for his life and God heard his cry and sent Isaiah to tell him he had 15 more years to live. As a sign, God made the shadow on the sun dial go back ten steps.
In Galatia, Paul had to deal with a Christian being caught in a sin. They are to be restored gently and not with judgement because we all have our own weaknesses. The only glory we have is in the cross and the only thing that avails much in the kingdom is a new creature.
Lord help us to be strong in the power of your might and may you be made known through our new creature.

Thurs.’s Devo - The New Creation

Read: Isaiah 33:13-36:22; Galatians 5:13-26; Psalm 64:1-10; Proverbs 23:23
In the midst of judgment the sinners are afraid but the righteous are bold as lions. Their lack of fear will surprise the hypocrites who claimed to be godly but will fall in the time of trials. God will always take care of his children in war and famine. The righteous will see the Lord in his glory and see the promise even before it manifests. Instead of seeing the enemy and being afraid, they shall live in the rest of the Lord and they will inhabit the tabernacle of the Holy Spirit. They will realize that God is their judge, their lawgiver and their king and he will save them. The lame will take the prey which means that in our weakness, God is very strong in us and through God we will defeat the enemy.
In Chapter 34, God judges the nations that opposed the Lord. All the kingdoms of the antichrist will be judged at the end of time just like these were then. It is all written in God’s book. At that time the glory of the Lord will fill the earth like at the time of the Garden of Eden. Creation will be restored along with mankind and the redeemed of the Lord will come to Zion with praise and joy. All sorrow and sadness will flee. This is the day we are living for.
In Galatians we learn that if we walk in the spirit we will operate in love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance and the works of the flesh will not be manifest in us. Without trying, we will be fulfilling the law just as Jesus did.

Weds.’s Devo - One Day

Read: Isaiah 30:12-33:12; Galatians 5:1-12; Psalm 63:1-11; Proverbs 23:22
God brings down a curse of those who rebelled against the message he gave to his prophets. God offered them salvation through repentance, and rest but they chose to run from their enemies and do it their way. God begs them to cry out for help because he is poised to come and rescue them. He knows that one day many of them will cry out to him and he will send them teachers to teach them and he will send rain for their seed. Their cattle will prosper and the church of the Lord will shine like the sun and God will shine in all his glory. People’s wounds will be healed and they will sing and rejoice. God’s voice will be heard by his people.
To the people that go to Egypt for help and rely on the world’s way will evoke God’s wrath. They will become his enemies. God explains that Assyria will fall by God’s sword, not man’s and their men will be made slaves.
Chapter 12 tells of the day when Jesus comes and opens the spiritual eyes of his people and they understand the ways of God. But, the fools will believe a lie and speak lies and foolishness. He will have no compassion on the poor. Isaiah speaks to the women to rise up and hear what God is saying. Their security in their opulent lifestyle is about to change. He calls them to repent and intercede for the nation. Jerusalem will be deserted till the time God has set to pour out his spirit once again.
To the destroyer, his weapons will be turned back on him. God will repay him for everything he has done.
God will be exalted in that day and a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge. The fear of the Lord is the key to gaining these things.
You gotta love Paul. He is so angry with the men who are poisoning the church with their teaching on circumcision he tells them that he wishes they would emasculate themselves. He didn’t want to see the people who had come into the wonderful liberty of Jesus to be enchained again in the yoke of rules and law.
Lord, help us to walk in freedom to love you.

Tues.’s Devo - Our Sure and Tested Cornerstone

Read: Isaiah 28:14-30:11; Galatians 3:23-4:31; Psalm 62:1-12; Proverbs 23:19-21
Isaiah addressed the leaders of Israel and the capital of Samaria. They made an agreement with the Assyrian armies and it would be to their downfall. Jesus is the tested stone, the sure foundation, the precious cornerstone who would alone bring justice and righteousness. Even though they had made a covenant with the enemy, God said that this covenant would not stand in the end. He would get them back but first they would have to suffer the consequences of their poor decisions. Then the Lord would do his “strange work”, his “alien task”. He would do something so marvelous, no one would believe it. God knows just how to make their hearts fertile again and he would do that.
To Jerusalem (Ariel), God said they would be besieged and brought down. But in his timing, God would come and fight for Jerusalem and get her back also.
God knew that the people would not understand these words because they did not have the spiritual hearts to see or hear God’s words. His words were sealed from them. They had God in a box and thought he was like them. But, one day, the ears of the deaf would hear God and the eyes of the blind would see God. The ones who refused to hear or see would go to the world to understand and find no help. They would beg for a good prophecy from their false prophets and beg the real prophets not to tell what they saw. They would scorn repentance and go after pleasure and anything that offered an escape.
Paul speaks to us and the Galatians and tells us that we are no longer in bondage to the rules and the job of making ourselves presentable to God. We are sons, not slaves, so we join Jesus in his inheritance.
Lord, may we live with the mindset of being your son and daughter, heiress of your kingdom, not mere slaves of sin.

Mon.’s Devo - Choose Grace

Read: Isaiah 25:1-28:13; Galatians 3:10-22; Psalm 61:1-8; Proverbs 23:17-18
Isaiah speaks of the deliverance the people out of captivity but is also a picture of the person who comes out of spiritual captivity and finds salvation in Jesus. If we are of the chosen of God, then we have a book in heaven of our destiny which was written before creation. God will preserve us and take care of us until death is forever swallowed up in victory. God’s hand will rest on us and protect us, but the enemies of the Lord will be punished.
God will enlarge the nations of righteousness and wipe out those that rebel against him. Isaiah speaks of a day when the righteous will need to hide while God punishes the wicked. I think this is speaking of the rapture. At that time, God will deal with Satan - Leviathan.
God never speaks of judgement that he doesn’t give hope of restoration and new life. He ends with the great revival of the Jewish nation. God will be their crown of glory and begin to teach them the truth and they will have eyes to see and a heart to understand. The key is that the Word of God is a precept on top of a precept and a line on top of a line. In other words the Word is layered and has truths within truths. One verse might mean several things. To those who understand they are given more understanding. To those who are stubborn the truth works against them.
In Galatians, Paul teaches that the law was given after the promise God gave to Abraham. If you live by the law, you will be judged by the law, but if you live by the promise then you live by grace. The law brought the curse if you broke it but the promise brought life if you believed it. The law is good if it is taken for its spiritual principles and not a means of salvation. Only Jesus Christ can give that.
Lord, help us to understand the grace of your Word and live by it.

Sun.’s Devo - The Valley of Vision

Read: Isaiah 22:1-24:23; Galatians 2:17-3:9; Psalm 60:1-12; Proverbs 23:15-16
Israel was at a time of making a decision who they would trust in. Would it be the Lord who made heaven and earth and held their future in his hand, or would it be in their own resources and their own ideas. Shebna was King Hezekiah’s governor over the treasuries in his palace. It was his opinion that Israel make an alliance with Egypt against Assyria. He lost his office because of pride and Eliakim was promoted to take his place. They were both pictures of the end times. Shebna was a picture of Satan in all his pride and Eliakim was a picture of Jesus who would come in and usurped his power to call the people back to the Lord and back to a future where they would prosper and win. Isaiah said that Eliakim would be clothed with a robe and strengthened with a girdle. He was speaking of the robe of righteousness and the girdle of truth that Jesus would wear. God’s government would be in his hand and he would be a father to the people of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. He would give Jesus the key of the house of David upon his shoulder and he would be able to open the door to heaven to whoever he wanted and shut it to whoever he wanted. He opened the ears of those who were humble and hungry, but he shut the understanding of those who were proud and filled. He was the nail fastened to a sure place and that place was Calvary.
Isaiah told the people of the earth to look at Tyre and learn the lesson. Tyre had been the port for all imports and exports and was a wealthy city with every new product or thought that came to the earth. It was now lying in ruins. It would be a sign of God’s judgment for seventy years but then it will once again be a city of commerce even though it will not repent even then.
Chapter 24 describes the years of God’s judgments on the earth. It will be like it had been turned upside down and the people landed wherever they fell. No person was exempt from this shaking God was doing on the earth. It was all because they transgressed God’s laws and became a curse to the land. Not only the inhabitants of the earth will be judged and punished but also the host of heaven that were leaders in leading the people of the earth into idolatry and sin.
Paul makes it very clear that our righteousness gets us nothing, but our faith in the Righteous One allows the spirit of Jesus to live through us and do great and mighty things.
Lord, we trust in You to do great and mighty things through your Church.

Sat.’s Devo - God’s Kingdom

Read: Isaiah 19:1-21:17; Galatians 2:1-16; Psalm 59:1-17; Proverbs 23:13-14
In Chapter 19, God gives a prophecy for Egypt. He warned them of internal strife that would divide them and cause them to be paralyzed by fear. God was going to hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar of Persia. He was also going to send natural disasters against their land. The Nile would fail to rise to the height it needed to which would result in famine. The fishing industry would fail as a result. The rich would have no money to spend so all the other industries that Egypt was famous for would fail. In their hopelessness they would turn to the Lord and raise a monument to the Lord and cry out for deliverance. Assyria and Egypt would align together in worship to the Lord.
Chapter 20 is the fulfillment of that prophecy and Chapter 21 describes the fierce battle between the Babylonians and the Persians to take the land. Isaiah is a watchman on the tower giving us a birds-eye view of the battle. There were Jewish exiles in Babylon and Persia and in the end, there would be few left. In verse 10, it talks about the threshing of God’s people but a remnant would live to carry out God’s plan.
It doesn’t take long in reading Paul’s journeys to see the difficulty he faced in bringing in the new covenant of grace. Every time God does a major shift, there is opposition and misunderstanding. I feel that we are in one of those shifts right now as God is moving the church out to the world, to get involved in the dealings of the earth. We cannot sit in our churches and think this is our safe place. We have to get out in the world and bring God’s kingdom down to earth so that what goes on in the earth looks like what is going on in heaven. This takes a major shift in our thinking. We are not living to escape but living to make a change here on earth.
Lord, may we get involved in your kingdom here on earth. Teach us to live the kingdom.

Fri.’s Devo - Judgement and Grace

Read: Isaiah 15:1-18:7; Galatians 1:1-24; Psalm 58:1-11; Proverbs 23:12
Today we read of the oracle against Moab. Moab was the son of Lot who was born of incest. Moab had been a constant thorn in Israel’s side and God was ready to judge her for her pride and idolatry. Ar was a major area in Moab and Kir, its capital. Isaiah prophesied Moab’s destruction.
In Chapter 16, the Edomites, descendants from the other son of Lot, asked Judah to take in their refugees. They make a treaty with a lamb to symbolize the thousands of lambs that the king of Moab had to send the king of Israel 100,000 lambs back in the day when Jehoram was king of Israel (2 Kings 3:4). Judah agrees to take the Moabites in and they serve Israel once again. These refugees were the remnant of Moab that God saved out of his mercy.
I think this is a picture of what will happen when the church realizes her identity and starts ruling on the earth as a son of God. Then the devil will be serving us instead of us being afraid of him.
In Chapter 17 God decreed judgment against Damascus, the capital of Syria and against Ephraim. They will be destroyed utterly because they attacked Israel and Jerusalem. This happened in 732 B.C. when Assyria attacked Damascus and northern Israel and took captive most of the people. A remnant was left who would turn their hearts back to God.
In Chapter 18, God prophesied against Ethiopia which was of the descendent of Ham, Noah’s son who defiled him. Ethiopia was strong and had offered an alliance with Hezekiah against Assyria, but God had told them not to make any alliance with Ethiopia. God sent Assyria against them.
These will be the same players and the same scene in the end. The thing to remember is that God’s people are always the remnant that survives and ends up prospering in the end.
In Galatians, we see the same spirit of confusion and false teachings coming against their churches like in Corinth. Paul explains them a little further. They preach a man-made gospel apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ which was really no gospel at all. It taught legalism and personal steps to get more righteous. It was full of rules, regulations, rites and conditions to measure up to. It left grace far behind.
Lord, help us to walk in grace and extend grace to those around us. Thank you that we can do all things only through your grace that empowers us to overcome.

Thurs.’s Devo - Judgement and Reconciliation

Read: Isaiah 12:1-14:32; 2 Corinthians 13:1-14; Psalm 57:1-11; Proverbs 23:9-11
Isaiah 12 is a praise for those who have gone from death to life and finally found their salvation in the Lord. This is the song of the redeemed.
Isaiah 13 is just the opposite. It is the decree on the enemy. It is God’s judgment on the world that rejected his love. These horrible things actually happened at that time to the Medes and the Persians and they will happen again in the end of time. When God issues a decree of judgement on sin, he always issues a decree of reconciliation and restoration of those who repent during the hard times.
The next to be judged were the Babylonians. We are working down the statue that Nebuchadnezzar saw in Daniel 2.
In the New Testament, Paul had to deal with powerful opposition in Corinth. They were demanding that he prove that the things he said was from God. He told them that God establishes everything he says by two or three witnesses. In other words, they would get confirmation of the things he was telling them. He encouraged them that the spirit of God was inside them and they could hear him just like he could.
Paul gave them his final words and told them to aim for perfection and strive for unity and peace.
We join with Paul in praying that the grace and love of Jesus to be in us and that we would fellowship with Your Spirit.

Wed.’s Devo - God’s Justice

Read: Isaiah 10:1-11; 11:16; 2 Corinthians 12:11-21; Psalm 56:1-13; Proverbs 23:6-8
God is tired of the injustice of the judges and the idolatry done in Israel, so God is sending the Assyrians against them. They are going to be God’s rod of correction even though Assyria has no idea they are being used by God. Their motive is to destroy and kill. This is a picture of how God uses the devil as a rod to correct his children. Satan’s motive is to kill, steal and destroy. God’s intention is repentance and restoration.
When God finished using Assyria to punish his people he would turn and punish the king of Assyria for his pride of thinking he did this on his own strength.
In the same way, in the end, God will turn on Satan and punish him for his pride and haughtiness once and for all.
To the remnant which are the people who live in Zion, God tells them not to fear the Assyrians. The people who live in Zion are the ones who will repent and turn back to him. He lets them in on his secret that he will repay the Assyrians for all they are doing. One day their yoke would be lifted off. That is our hope!
After the Assyrians have done their damage throughout the land, God promised to cause a seed to sprout and a new tree to grow from the seed of God. He would have the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and power, and the Sprit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. We know that he is speaking of Jesus who would judge rightly and bring justice to the earth. He would be the banner that the people gather to worship. He would make a highway for his people to travel on.
This prophecy has definitely come to pass. Jesus is the banner that churches meet under all over the earth today. He is bringing justice and he is the path that we follow as we follow him.
Paul was fighting against he powers of the false apostles who came into the church and tried to bring division. He explains the mark of an apostle which is signs, wonders and miracles. All of these were found in Paul’s ministry. The false apostles used trickery to falsify God’s works. Paul was feeling what today’s Psalm speaks of.
Lord, may your justice be done on the earth.

Tues.’s Devo - Boast in the Lord

Read: Isaiah 8:1-9:21; 2 Corinthians 12:1-10; Psalm 55:1-23; Proverbs 23:4-5
Isaiah was told to take a scroll and write concerning Mahershalalhashbaz which means the spoiler is rapidly moving forward. God was saying that the prophecy of judgement on Israel was coming soon. Isaiah and his wife had a first son and named it Immanuel, then a second and called him Mah… These two sons were signs to the people that God was going to do what he said he would do. The flood of God’s wrath would not stop at Syria and Samaria but would enter Judah also. Isaiah’s son, Immanuel is a type of Jesus who would be God with us. God was telling his remnant that though he is judging the sin of their nation, he would still be with his faithful ones. He was pointing toward the day when the antichrist would be on earth and God would still be with his children.
Isaiah speaks of the stone of stumbling and the rock of offense to both houses of Israel. He is speaking ahead to Jesus who would be both of these to the unbelievers. To the believers, he is the Rock of our Salvation. Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 21:44.
When the war comes, the unbelievers would seek help in false diviners and counselors, but we can know the truth because it is foretold in the Bible. Jesus came to the very place that the enemy began his conquest in Isaiah. It was a dark place that Jesus brought light to. He came to be our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. There will be no end to his government and peace.
Paul, trying to defend the gospel he preached, said that he wasn’t boasting in his own flesh. He boasted in God’s grace through man’s weaknesses.
Lord, may we boast in you with our lives.

Mon.’s Devo - Choose Well

Read: Isaiah 6:2-7:25; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33; Psalm 54:1-7; Proverbs 23:1-3
I have heard many sermons on the first verse of Isaiah six and have yet to understand it completely. One of my commentators said that it could have been Uzziah’s actual death or just when his leprosy kept him from carrying out his office as king. Anyway it was a milestone for Isaiah since it was his only vision or encounter with the Lord.
Isaiah saw the Lord in his glory flanked with angels. He saw the heavenly temple and heard the worship of heaven. Though Isaiah had prophesied before, he got an instant upgrade as a prophet with this encounter. God was sending him to the lost house of Israel with a message they wouldn’t listen to but had to hear. They had to be responsible for turning their backs on God and have the opportunity to repent.
Isaiah predicted the unsuccessful attack of Syria against Israel.
God sent him to Ahaz to encourage him to trust God. He told him to ask for a sign but Ahaz refused to bother God with a sign. This exasperated the Lord so he gave him a sign anyway. He told him that a virgin would have a son and they would name him Emmanuel. Isaiah was speaking to his day and to a day in the future. Isaiah’s young bride would become pregnant and have a son. Before this child would be able to have a conscience, the two kings that Isaiah feared, Rezin and Aram would be brought down but it will be a terrible time for Israel and Judah. The land will go from fertile to thorns and briers and their men would have go to war.
In Corinth, Paul was chastising them for trusting in a group of people that enslaved them, exploited them and took advantage of them. He told them of the price he paid for their freedom asking them to make a wise choice.
Lord, help us not to be deceived by the deceptive delicacies of the enemy and choose the cross instead.

Sun.’s Devo - Supply and Support

Read: Isaiah 3:1-5:30; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15; Psalm 53:1-6; Proverbs 22:28-29
Isaiah saw what was going to happen to Judah because they had forsaken the Lord and become arrogant and proud. They had trusted in their wealth and thought they were invincible. Their lack of understanding about God and his word had led them into all kinds of perversion and sin. They were proud about their sin just like Sodom had been. Only, they were God’s people.
So God was going to take away their supply and their support. Their supply meant all their food and water. Their vineyards would dry up for lack of rain which would be a picture of them as God’s vineyard. They had spurned the rain of God’s presence so he was going to take away their natural rain also.
Their support had to do with people. Verse two of chapter three gives us a list of these people. The wise would be taken from the land and the young men would be left to make sense out of it. They would run from leading since they would have no answers and had never been taught responsibility.
God would purge Judah, but a remnant would survive and this would be his chosen overcomes. They would be cleansed by the judgement and fire of the Lord and God would pressure them and protect them.
In Corinth, the people have been split by another party that opposed Paul and was gaining strength. Paul was writing his second letter on his way there to help clean up the damage. By the time he wrote the eleventh chapter, he had received news that this party was losing its strength.
Paul gives his highest aim and that is to be able to present them to Christ as a virgin bride. He exposes the ones who were trying to divide the church as false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. They were imitating the acts of Satan who does the same thing but in the end they would all be judged rightly.
Lord, help us to honor you in everything we do and let us follow you with a humble heart and generous spirit.

Sat.’s Devo - Fighting Through the Power of the Holy Spirit

Read: Isaiah 1:1-2:22; 2 Corinthians 10:1-18; Psalm 52:1-9; Proverbs 22:26-27
Isaiah means “Yaweh is Salvation”. Israel and Judah had been blessed and prospered. Their kingdoms had grown and spread. Through their great riches, they had turned to harlotry and paganism. They had taken up the worship of false gods and added it to their own worship of the only true God. He was sick of it; God was just another idol on their shelf. The Roman Empire was taking over the Greek Empire that had been in power. They were beginning to have the first olympic games. Persecution was about to move to a whole new level for the Jews.
Isaiah prophesied imminent destruction but afterwards a time when God’s kingdom would be restored on the earth.
Paul was living in a similar period of time, only persecution had already been in full swing. He reminded them that they don’t fight naturally but supernaturally. Their weapons weren’t swords and tangible weapons, but they had divine power to bring down strongholds. They could demolish arguments and every pretense or lie that stood up against the truth. Our confidence is not in ourselves or anything we have accomplished but in Christ who is in us.
David compares us to an olive tree that is flourishing in the house of God. I love that the tree was flourishing! He trusted in the Lord’s love for him and what he had done in the past. He wrote this Psalm after he was ratted on by Doeg who told Saul where he was. David had plenty of natural enemies but he fought them with praise.
Lord, help us to praise you in the midst of all of our circumstances.

Fri.’s Devo - The Mature Bride

Read: Song of Solomon 5:1-8:14; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15; Psalm 51:1-19; Proverbs 22:24-25
The Shulamite and the lover have an intimate union in the garden at a banquet and then she falls. That is the way it seems to be after a great spiritual victory. The devil comes in like a lion to try to steal our joy and our victory.
We have the woman’s third charge to the daughters of Jerusalem. She tells them if they find her beloved, to tell him that she is lovesick for him. She describes him in the most intimate way to her maidens. She knows that she can find him in the garden of spices. He is there pondering her and the things he loves about her. Her maidens beg her to return to him and she does. He sees her coming back and is overwhelmed by her beauty. She gives her fourth charge to her maidens: Do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases. She is now ready for mature love and they come out of the wilderness clinging equally to one another. For the first time, the Shulamite finds beauty in how God has made her. She sees her own vineyard and takes responsibility to the next generation to teach them how to love. She is now able to give all she has away.
Paul boasts of the Corinthians in the same way. They have been mature in their giving and sacrifice. He gives a very wise statement: “whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly.” The way we should give is cheerfully. That is how God gave his son.
The way we give is a pretty good indication of how mature we are becoming. Our stuff is many times what gets in the way of us totally surrendering to the Lord. I know it does in my life.
Lord, help us to give as you did. Thank you for your love and your sacrifice that we might come out of our wilderness leaning on you.

Thurs.’s Devo - Love

Read: Song of Solomon 1:1-4:16; 2 Corinthians 8:16-24; Psalm 50:1-23; Proverbs 22:22-23
Song of Solomon is one of Israel’s favorite books. It is a book about God’s perfect covenant love told in a parable of the love between a man and a woman.
Solomon’s kingdom was glorious and a picture of the restoration of the Garden of Eden. The temple and palace he built were to show the truths of the tabernacle and the Promised Land.
The lover in the book personifies Jesus and the beloved personifies the church. It shows how unworthy she feels to be loved, yet how much he wants her to know he loves her. She speaks of her mother’s sons being angry with her and making her take care of the vineyards only to neglect her own. Her lover continues to tell her how beautiful she is and calls her his bride. We read as the dark but lovely bride removes her marks of slavery and finds love in the footsteps of the flock. The lover tells his bride that she is the lily among the thorns. She is a tree that bears fruit. Isn’t this the same thing that God says about us? She describes her lover as a gazelle that leaps across the mountains, bounding over the hills. He is quick to respond and hear our prayers.
He admonishes her to rise up and come away with him. In this poem, there are four charges. The first one is found in 2:7 and it is not to awaken love before it so desires. The next charge is found in 3:5 and is exactly the same. I think that this has to do with Jesus patiently waiting for us to respond to him so he can leap to our side and be our bridegroom.
Paul is happy to send Titus and other men to the church in Corinth to encourage them and give them a gift to help with their needs. Paul is proud of these men who have volunteered to come and encourage the church.
Lord, help us feel the depth of your love for us as we read the Song of Solomon. Let us hear your love sung just to us.

Wed.’s Devo - Grace and Giving

Read: Ecclesiastes 10:1-12:14; 2 Corinthians 8:1-15; Psalm 49:1-20; Proverbs 22:20-21
Solomon saw that sometimes the most qualified people don’t get the promotions. He also observed that to every action there is a reaction. However, he saw the wisdom in not reacting to an angry boss. You can’t expect something to happen if you don’t work to make it happen. Solomon does remind the youth to remember God and not let their zeal for adventure cloud their thinking. He reminds the old man to turn back to God but he still concludes that everything in life is meaningless.
Solomon’s last few comments are some of his wisest in Ecclesiastes. He tells his people to fear God and keep his commandments because every deed will be judged by them and every secret will be made known.
Thank God for grace!
Paul reminds of of this grace. Paul commended the Corinthians on their excellent faith, speech, knowledge and love and told them to use that same zeal in their giving. Paul reminded them that Jesus chose to give up the riches of heaven to become poor that the church might be rich in faith. Paul taught them that if we give, we will never run out. God blesses some so they can help others that need it. Everything we have is a gift from God and is ours to give back.
Our Psalms reminds us that we can take none of our riches with us so it is not the most important thing about life. Understanding is much more important. Understanding means we know what to do with what God has given us.
Lord, help us to see that you are the main thing. May we honor you in the things you have blessed us with and give freely.

Tues.’s Devo - Choose Joy

Read: Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18; 2 Corinthians 7:8-16; Psalm 48:1-14; Proverbs 22:17-19
Paul summed up Solomon’s state of mind when he said, “Worldly sorrow brings death.” Solomon was in a state of hopelessness that breathed out death. Solomon speaks as if God is not in the equation and does not meet out judgement or help. He hates life and longs for death, then he sees no future in death. If you want to be cheered up, don’t read Ecclesiastes. LOL! He paints a morbid life for the sinner and the saint and an even worse end. He doesn’t seem to have a very high opinion about women either. He does think that it is better to be righteous than wicked. Yay for Solomon!
Paul commended his followers for their joy in the midst of their trial. Apparently there was a wrong done and their response was pleasing to God.
Lord, may our responses to injustice or repentance be pleasing in your sight. Help us to have your outlook on life and death.

Mon.’s Devo - Have Hope

Read: Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14-77; Psalm 47:1-9: Proverbs 22:16
When you look for oppression, you become depressed. Solomon said of the oppressed twice that they have no comforter. Paul, today, said that God comforts the downcast. He spoke of joy in the midst of harassment and fear.
Solomon said that all labor and all achievement springs from man’s envy of his neighbor. In Proverbs 31:31 he said, “Give her the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” God praises and rewards hard work.
He did say some very wise things also, like: “Two are better than one” and “a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Solomon also talked about a wise youth and an old foolish king. I can’t help but think he is referring to David and King Saul. But he says that the people liked David until he became king. You can taste the bitterness in his soul.
Solomon also said, “Whoever loves money never has money enough: whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.” I have to say that this was an accurate observation. It is only when we realize that none of it is ours that it doesn’t matter what we have or don’t have.
Solomon ends with, “all of man’s efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied. What advantage has a wise man over a fool?” So, his conclusion is that being good or wise has no reward so why have wisdom in the first place. Reading Ecclesiastes is depressing if you don’t understand the condition of Solomon’s heart; then it is just revelation of how the world without God thinks.
Paul, on the other hand tells us not to be yoked with unbelievers. There is no fellowship or agreement with them. He urges them to cleanse themselves from everything that contaminates their body and spirit. We become holy out of our reverence to God.
Lord, we make room for You in our hearts. Purify our cynicism and lack of faith and fill it with hope and your power. With you nothing is impossible.

Sun.’s Devo - The Best is Yet to Come

Read: Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22; 2 Corinithians 6:1-13; Psalm 46:1-11; Proverbs 22:15
Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon after he had fallen into a cynical state of mind. He had married wives who turned his heart away from the Lord so instead of believing that the fear of the Lord was the beginning of knowledge like he stated in Proverbs; he now saw life as meaningless. Ecclesiastes was put in the Bible to show the difference between Proverbs when Solomon was walking with the Lord and filled with God’s wisdom and Ecclesiastes when he was using a method of observation and inductive reasoning to figure out life. They show God’s wisdom compared to man’s wisdom.
In Ecclesiastes, Solomon is bored with life. He doesn’t think God will do anything new. Isaiah 42:9 says that, “Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.” Solomon had lost hope in God bringing change which is God’s specialty. But, even in man’s wisdom there are some truths that can be seen. After Solomon tried every pleasure under the sun he came to the conclusion that wisdom was better than pleasure and that light was better than darkness. Hooray for Solomon!
Then he fell into depression when he realized that he could take none of his accomplishments with him when he died and they would all be left to the next generation who would forget him. How sad since the greatest thing we can do is leave an inheritance to the next generation. Jesus died for the next generation and everyone to follow.
Solomon talked about fate, God talks about destiny. Fate is determined but destiny is ours for the taking.
Paul definitly didn’t live his life in vain. He believed that every trial, trouble, hardship, distress, beating, imprisonment, riot, hard work, sleepless night, hunger, glory or dishonor, bad report or good, misunderstanding, popular or unpopular - it was all worth it for the sake of the gospel. He urged them not to close their hearts like Solomon had but to open their hearts to love freely as they had been freely loved.
Lord, help us not to get cynical but to keep pressing on with hope and vision. The best is always yet to come.

Sat.’s Devo - Job’s Answer

Read: Job 40:1-42:17; 2 Corinthians 5:11-21; Psalm 45:1-17; Proverbs 22:14
God spoke and asked Job one question and Job melted like wax and repented of thinking he knew anything. God continued to ask Job where he was when God created the heavens and the earth. He took Job through some of the intricate stages of creation blowing Job’s mind with details of his power. When he was finished, Job said that surely he spoke of things he did not understand because the things of God cannot be explained they are so wonderful. Job repented again and God humbled his friends and exalted Job in front of them. He had Job pray for them after they had offered sacrifices and apologized to Job.
Then God turned all of Job’s misfortune to fortune and blessed him doubly for everything he had lost. His three daughters were the most beautiful of the land and their names were mentioned. Job lived to see his grandchildren to the fourth generation. What a blessing!
Paul teaches the Corinthians that Christ died for everyone the same. It doesn’t matter who they are in the world’s eye because in God’s eye, they are all the same. We are Christ’s ambassadors inviting everyone to come to God’s table and receive salvation.
Lord, help us walk in humility and purpose. It is all for your glory!