"Why aren't you impressed?"
Isaiah 58:3
Isaiah 58:3
My Take Aways
Something Old:
God sees taking care of the needs of others as a way to worship Him. Worship is more than just raising your hands to Spirit stirring music.
Something New:
I want to do more than go through the motions. (Isaiah 58:5)
I can't imagine asking God the question in today's key verse. I don't think I have ever asked it but I am sure I thought it. Thinking it is just as bad.
Change my heart oh, God!
Something to Do:
Worship the way God describes... Worship in Spirit and in Truth
Had to include this awesome song by Matthew West
25 Comments:
Wendy, thanks for the post and the song. I sent the song link to my (grown) daughters as I am following the advice of John Piper's son and filling up their in-boxes with inspiration and spiritual posts. Little by little, bit by bit, I hope it has the impact of turning them back to God.
I also don't want to go through the motions. Morgen commented on this a bit yesterday. When you(we) only go through the motions, you(we) open a space in (y)our thoughts that allows the enemy, or even our own selfish desires to distract you(us), make you(us) dissatisfied, turn you(us) away. It is easy to do.
And when you (we) give everything, then (y)our light will "shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be bright as noon. The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength." (Is. 58: 10b-11)
Grace and Peace, thank you so much for your post yesterday! I has often thought the reason the followers of Jesus did not recognize him was because he had a new body; transfigured through death and resurrection. But the explanation you gave also make sense. Lots to ponder there.
I noted in today's reading a call to prayer for our nation(s) and our leaders. Isaiah 62:1-2
"1 Because I love Zion (America, Switzerland, Australia, other),
I will not keep still.
Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem (peace, the returned Kingdom, fellowship with Christ and the believers),
I cannot remain silent.
I will not stop praying for her
until her righteousness shines like the dawn,
and her salvation blazes like a burning torch.
2 The nations will see your righteousness.
World leaders will be blinded by your glory.
And you will be given a new name
by the Lord’s own mouth."
Ceaseless prayer for our nations and our leaders until they turn back to God and are restored.
"For the Lord will be your everlasting light.." Isaiah 60:19, 20.
Have a great day everyone!
Karen, Basel
Lord, we pray for the She Speaks Conference about to take off here. May You cover it with Your blessing; may You use each participant for Your glory; may You keep the evil one back from interferring in Your work. May those who attend be raised up on eagle's wings, filled to the brim with Your Spirit, and ready to share Your knowledge with the world. Amen.
Something New: The whole fasting section felt new to me. I know I read it last year, but it felt all new today. May my fasting be done in love and not works.
Something Old: Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day. I know this...why don't I do this?
Nugget: Isaiah 61:1...one of my all time favorites! "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has annointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed".
I once was a prisoner; a captive; brokenhearted and poor. But then Jesus found me! I am now free, rich, comforted and released!
He sends me to share the Good News with the world!
Here i am Lord! Send me!
Morgen
Boy, I missed a lot today! I need to reread! Last night at Bible study we talked a lot about which parts of our readings are future prophecy and which concerned Babylon, and I couldn't get that out of my head this morning. To me this part all seems so relevant to us right now!
"World leaders will be blinded by Your glory." That caught my attention. I can't wait until that happens! I want to see that! I want to see 2 Chron 7:14 come true in a big way.
The new names for Jerusalem also surprised me. Will that happen? Is it supposed to be renamed or is that not literal? What do those names mean in Hebrew? Anybody know where I can go to find out?
Grace and Peace, thanks so much for your post yesterday! It was awesome!
I found out last night that our pastor thinks that my husband participated much more in VBS this year than last. He seems to think that he's grown lots. A happy observation! He also went to visit friends this weekend while I was away and went to church and to VBS with them. I love seeing what God is doing here! :-)
Good morning, GIG's,
Oh, Wendy, what would I do without His living and active word in my life, and you illuminating it all. I am so convicted by today's reading, like it was written just for me.
(Isaiah 58:7)"Do not hide from relatives who need your help." My husband and I spent the day yesterday driving over an hour to take his frail 96-year-old mother, who still INSISTS on living alone, to the doctor. She has a bad salt imbalance and is close to needing hospitalization. Anyway, I confess I went on this trip more to get some time with my workaholic husband than to help my mother-in-law. And I complained on the entire drive home, resentful of how preoccupied my husband gets when his mother is ailing. Usually I am much more understanding about this situation, but I have been so looking forward to my summer of freedom after a challenging year that I loathe the thought of a family medical crisis ruining the summer, and our upcoming vacation in North Carolina. So, convicted I am. I could be one of those in today's reading who say to the Lord, "don't You see I am already helping my father and Denise. Why do You have to add mother-in-law problems to my plate?" So, sisters, today I must get my head and my heart right and obey. I have already apologized to my husband and asked him how I can help, and he asked me to research getting his mother more help in the home, which I will do today.
Sorry to be so rambling here. I will end this and come back later with a calmer post.
Peace and Gratitude,
Michelle in New England
Hi again,
I've been pondering Wendy's vlog from yesterday about The Wait, and this morning as I prayed for several of you with urgent needs right now, I thought of an acrostic poem for WAIT which I'd like to offer as a short prayer for Dixie waiting on a treatment plan for her breast cancer, Linda (jewelry) waiting on results of her breast biopsy, Teeny waiting on plans for her future home and unspecified needs, Teeny's daughter Sarah waiting for her August 4 breast cancer surgery, Jennifer Renee waiting on a new apartment closer to her support system, Jacque, Susie and Franny waiting for breakthroughs with their sons, Stephanie waiting for the birth of Kailyn, Amber waiting for the birth of Baby Boy Matthews, Loice waiting for a friend for Wangui, Elizabeth waiting for a job, Jodie awaiting a proper diagnosis and direction for her writing, Karen's husband Bob waiting for a job, many of you waiting for husbands to be saved, and all other requests, stated and unstated, that involve waiting.
With the Lord at our side
All our fears are calmed
In His holy embrace
Trust His plan for us completely.
Have a blessed, 4:8 day, friends!
Peace and Gratitude,
Michelle in New England
Boy, this has hit home. I want to do more than just go through the motions. And, I never really thought that doing things for others as worship. Lots to pray over.
I love "your gates will stay open around the clock" 60:11.. bounced for me right to the fact that Heaven's gates are never closed, there is never a "No Vacancy" sign hung out. How wonderful is that!!
Praying for SheSpeaks and all the needs. Love each of you and your comments, your sharing mean so much.
Today I am pressing forth to outer limits (Thanks Dixie) to do more than just going through the motions.
Gaylene
Michelle, that wait is beautiful. I will share it with others. Thank you for sharing it.
Gaylene
Wendy...Praying for She Speaks...That God's mighty glory will be reveled in all...
Michelle...Thank you so much for "The Wait" acrostic..I am having issues with my Dad..and waiting for certain things to happen...knowing it is God's timing...and just trusting Him that He has it under control...
I am fairly new to the concept of fasting and am taking in all this...never felt God leading me to do that but lately it keeps coming up in what I am reading and hearing...
So much in today's reading..I remembered reading something about listening for God to speak to us...when he does not seem to be speaking...when we can't hear him...it may be because of our unrepented sins...59:1 - 2. "Listen, The Lord's arm is not too weak to save you nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It's your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away from you.
Have a wonderful bless day. Praying for you all, Sue
Wendy, today's message was just what I underlined. Praying for my motives that they are directed by the Lord. I frequently take food to the sick/lonely, and to widowers and several times they beg to pay me for the foods. I always reply, "please don't take this blessing from me". It is such a blessing to me to see the smile and joy on their faces for home-cooked food.
G&P thank you for your post yesterday on why Jesus wasn't recognized. I never thought of that and it gave me food for thought.
Karen, you're such a blessing with your posts. Praying for your daughter and husband a job.
Michelle, I prayed your prayer right along as I read it today. So happy for Lauren's job.
Dixie, praying for you. Linda, have you heard anything yet? Praying for you.
Jen Ren, you sound as if you are on the right path. May you have a wonderful day in the Lord's presence.
Pray She Speaks ladies complete everything today and the conference ministers to those attending to the glory of almighty God.
Morgen, I love you and thank you for sharing.
Have a great day, everyone! Teeny
Michelle,
That was beautiful, thanks! Maybe you are in the group (of haven't I already...) because you have so much on your plate! Don't forget, He also give us rest and renews us... Take the time, then give your best.
Love,
Karen
Wendy, praying for She Speaks and all the women who are coordinating and attending. May God reveal Himself to each and everyone of you. Good thing we serve an omnipresent God, He can be revealing truth over there and here, too.
Michelle, love the acrostic!
I recently read a great book re fasting. It's called "God's Chosen Fast" by Arthur Wallis. Here's an excerpt:
"In Isaiah 58, the classic Scripture on the subject of fasting, God reminds His people that the acceptable fast is the one which HE has chosen. Fasting, like prayer, must be God-initiated and God-ordained if it is to be effective. Prevailing prayer begins with God; He places upon us a burden by the Spirit and we respond to that burden. Prayer that originates with God always returns to God. So it is with fasting. When God chooses our fast He will not have to ask us, as He asked His people long ago. "When ye fasted...did ye at all fast even unto me, even to me?:" Zech. 7:5
"All this does not of course relieve us of our responsibility. On our part there must be the recognition of the rightness and need of fasting, the willingness for the self-discipline involved, and the exercise of heart before God; but in the final analysis the initiative is His.
"God's chosen fast, then, is that which He has appointed; that which is set apart for Him, to minister to Him, to honor and glorify Him; that which is designed to accomplish His sovereign will. Then we shall find, as though it were heaven's afterthought that the fast unto God rebounds in blessing on our heads, and the God who sees in secret is graciously pleased to reward us openly. In this way, we are preserved from ever permitting the blessings to mean more to us than the Blesser, "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen." (Rom 11:36)."
Have a blessed day, everyone.
Wendy, my toes are sore from you/God's word stepping on them. Thank you for your words.
Problem, as we get older ( whenever that is) we become proud that we no longer sin by the "pride of the flesh". No glory to me, that those temptation are no longer there. But that gives us a false pride, and causes us to say "aren't you impressed". No, there are just a new set of sins we commit. Wasting our time causes us to not feed the hungry, helping the homeless, clothing those in need ( well this one may be easy because we have old clothes we have outgrown), and taking care of our relatives. Notice it does not say, the relatives we love, it most likely will always be the relatives we don't love and would never have chosen to be in our family. We probably don't have a clue on how to free the oppressed or remove the chains that bind people. That might be to hard to even find those people. I will leave that to someone younger that has more energy, even though I have more time. God, I pray that all of us aged ones, will finish rightously to the very end. That we don't just sit and spoil. Thank you for your Word, that is current in all ways to every age.
Grace and Peace, you have a great gift of writting, and remembering what you have read. You know the Word, so write it to inspire all the rest of us. I am going to get the book God's Chosen Fast. Thanks for the tip.
May we all be aware of God's special blessings in our lives today.
Hi everyone,
Just a quick up date. I received my bad news on Friday and was a mess this weekend. But now I calmed down and am ready to fight this. I have appointment with two different clinics. I pray that God will direct me to the right doctor and care team. I am clinging tightly to God’s Word. How do people cope with out it? I know I could not.
Dixie, I wish I could give you a big hug. I know just how you are feeling.
Linda
Dearest Linda and Dixie,
I am praying for you both.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
Linda: prayers for you. Never will you be closer to Jesus than thru this journey you are embarking on. Let Him lead you; let Him show you His will; lean on Him and absorb all the love He is about to pour out on you.
Blessings,
Sister Believer
Morgen
Linda,
Prayers and (((((HUGS)))) to you. Hold on to God, do not let go. He has not left your side at all. He is still there.
Dixie,
I pray that you have heard back from the clinic as to the treatment plan.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Wendy, Interesting that your devo didn't show up in my box until today - guess I was suppossed to "wait"!! Anyway this AM I was thinking about some steps God's been leading me to take and it seems I keep "waiting" for confirmation, well today I realize He's confirmed it time and time again and thoughts shifted from me waiting on God (a very powerful and purposeful stage) to Him waiting on me...something that shouldn't happen. Anyway just wanted to share that contrast with you!! Praying for you and She Speaks!!
Friends, if anyone is out there right now, I would covet a prayer for Ryan, my friend's nephew with Down Syndrome who has testicular cancer who lost his mom a year ago. I just got word he is in surgery, in Nebraska, right now. Thank you, Sisters.
Peace and GRATITIDE,
Michelle in New England
Praying for Ryan - Father, please guide the doctor's hand and give him wisdom and the presence of mind to know how to proceed. Please fill that operating room with your presence. Please be with Ryan right now and we thank you that the healing in his body is now beginning.
We ask, pray, and thank You in the name of our precious Jesus. Amen.
Hi FIGS!
Linda and Dixie - both of you are in my daily prayers. It is God's will for all of us to have good health and live long lives. Our pastor preached on that not too long ago and I believe with all my heart that that truly is the will of our Loving Father. I have had several cancer scares myself and know the fear associated with that terrible disease. I pray for your complete healing and peace for you as you wait for its manifestation.
Wendy - my prayers are with you and the Proverbs 31 team for a successful She Speaks 2010. You are on a winning team!!!!!
Thank all of you again for your OUTSTANDING posts on our readings. I have learned sooooo much from you all. If you could see how much I've changed in 2010 (which has been a pretty rough year for me so far) you'd be amazed. God of course deserves the glory, but you all have been a big part of it. In continue to grow closer to God daily and absolutely look forward to seeing Wendy face to face each day and then reading all of the wonderful, information-packed postings.
Thank you again
Kelly
Linda, praying for you and know God will direct you to the ones who will know what needs to be done. Hold tight to our Father God. He knows all about you and nothing is a surprise to Him.
Michelle, SAP for Ryan. Pray he will rest peacefully tonight. Keep us posted on his condition.
G&P, your postings really bless me. Thank you for researching for me.
Good night, GIGs, Sweet dreams.
Teeny
Sweet friends,
I have a prayer request. My son just called and asked me to pray for his 11 year old son Dylan. (that he could sleep tonight). For some time he has been fearful and unable to sleep through the night. Thank you for your prayers.
Love and prayers for all, Lyn
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