Curious that We Never Learn

Scripture: The word of the Lord came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah. It also came throughout the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile. Jeremiah 1:2-3

Observation: The prophesies of Jeremiah begin by introducing him (based on his home town, he is a Levite that lives just north of Jerusalem), and dating his prophesies. With the years given - the 13th year of Josiah until the 11th year of Zedekiah - Jeremiah's prophesies were given over a period of 42 years, beginning before Babylon even appeared on the horizon and continuing through two conflicts that eventually took all the people into exile.

The people were given plenty of warnings and signs, plenty of instructions for improvement. These were given by a prophet clearly called by the Lord, and with a good "pedigree" for a prophet (not like some of the others whom Israel and Judah had already rejected). And they would stand against Jeremiah anyway, even eventually imprisoning him, while everything he said early on came to pass during his later times, and all while they never changed.

Application: We are now about 2,000 years after the passing of Jesus, and in all my reading of the bible ... the letters of Paul, the proverbs of Solomon, the teaching of Jesus, the laws revealed to Moses ... I see this over and over again: The Lord has given us wise instruction, and our behavior still pursues whatever we feel is right for ourselves, by our own judgment.

I know this is why we need Jesus, but it seems curious that we never learn, and I am no better than everyone else for sure. In some ways I obey the Lord well, and in others I at least am familiar with right teaching to pause and reconsider my actions. However, I still do things every day that are, at best, foolish, and sometimes just plain sinful.

With Rosh Hashanah this week, I am filled with desire for Jesus to return. I am tired of the struggles of this mortal life, and those include both the struggles within myself to overcome my sinful nature and properly pursue the Lord as I truly do desire, and the struggles of living is a society that is all-in on "baal" worship and the open embracing and celebration of every evil ever imagined. Forgoing all this - even the wonderful blessings around me - and joining Jesus for eternity has become something I am truly hoping for more than ever. However, if that does not happen soon, may I still heed the words of the prophets and make more and more effort to correct my life, my behavior, my thoughts, my attitudes, and my work, for the honor of the Lord God almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

Prayer: Lord I pray, come Lord Jesus. Amen.

Gather All Nations, Says the Lord

Scripture: "Knowing their works and their thoughts, I have come to gather all nations and languages; they will come and see my glory. I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, Lud (who are archers), Tubal, Javan, and the coasts and islands far away—who have not heard about me or seen my glory. And they will proclaim my glory among the nations. They will bring all your brothers from all the nations as a gift to the Lord on horses and chariots, in litters, and on mules and camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem," says the Lord, "just as the Israelites bring an offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. I will also take some of them as priests and Levites," says the Lord. Isaiah 66:18-21

Observation: The word of the Lord as revealed to the prophet Isaiah ends with this message ... while some will remain faithful, people will choose to rebel against the Lord in their practices, and so the Lord will expand his people by gathering the entire world to him. He will give a sign, and send faithful Jews out into the world to proclaim the glory of the Lord, and those people will respond. They will come to the Lord, and the Lord will embrace them into his family, even making them inner-circle priests and Levites. In this way, the entire world will worship the Lord.

And this has unfolded exactly as the Lord declared. He gave the great sign - the coming of Messiah - and beginning with believing Jews, the entire world knows of this sign, and of the love offered by the Lord. Of course, everyone still makes their own choice, and just like Israel many choose a different path and celebrate their choices. However, many others (like myself) have chosen the Lord, and become part of his redeemed family.

Application: I cannot believe the amazing love of the Lord, so great that he would choose to offer his love to every single person on earth across all time. He never planned to just save one people, but to redeem everyone to himself. I am just one small person in that great plan, and I am so very, very grateful for the Lord's love.

By the work of those first believing Jews, my soul has been brought to the Lord's holy mountain. I have been gathered to the Lord. I wish to be a clean vessel, cleansed by the power of the Holy Spirit, so I may be a worthy offering, pleasing to the Lord.

Prayer: Lord, may I be that clean vessel brought before you. Again today I say yes to the Holy Spirit, I am willing, even desirous, to have your spirit stay and live within me. May I be worthy of your spirit, and made all the more worthy by your spirit's work within me. I cannot be good on my own, as a sinful human, and therefore truly need and desire the assistance and strength of the Holy Spirit to manage my body, mind, and soul. I submit to you. Thank you for your plan to redeem me, a person born and raised so far away from Israel. By your Holy Spirit, may I be a gift to you, my Lord and my God. Amen.

There is Love Again

Scripture: Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. Ephesians 5:1-2

Observation: Paul's letter to Ephesus is full of generic instruction, addressing broad topics of proper behavior instead of discussing a specific, known issue. As he begins to wrap things up, his summary begins this way ... walk in love, as Christ did, imitating the Lord. Because the Lord loves us all, so much so that he offered Jesus as a sacrificial and fragrant offering, we are to exude love toward others.

Application: I know this to be hard, cold fact ... my lack of love for others - the overall way I act toward others with little or no love at all - is the great failing I will be held accountable for before the Lord. Yes, I commit sins and violate the Lord's instructions and precepts in my life, but the way I act with cold indifference and even occasional malice toward others will be the primary accusation that Jesus will have to shield me from. If it is true that we receive rewards for our works, this is the attitude that will minimize my reward the most. Every day, I am given opportunities to act toward others with love and kindness and gentleness, and I generally choose the opposite.

The most difficult part of this knowledge is that I am not really sure where my un-love toward others comes from. Sure, I've been betrayed and hurt by others, but so has everyone. I was once kind and meek and gentle. I once cared about people I barely knew with my heart breaking for their losses and challenges. However, I cast that mindset aside along the way, and instead adopted a hardness that sees strangers as problems, associates as inconveniences, and broken people as jerks. It is a mindset that harms me much more than it harms anyone else.

I fail to walk in love. That hurts me - not others - every day, and it will hurt me even worse in the long run.

Prayer: Lord, please soften my heart. I would life to show your love, the love of Jesus, toward others more and more, every hour of every day. I would like to operate from a position of kindness and gentleness, rather than hard and focused toughness. I do think I am better than I was a few years ago, but I am nowhere near the proper attitude and aspect of a disciple of Jesus. Jesus, I am your disciple, so please teach me in this matter. Amen.

Acquire the Lord's Teaching

Scripture:
Buy—and do not sell—truth,
wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
Proverbs 23:23

Observation: Among the wise sayings of Proverbs is this ... we are to use our resources to acquire the very things that are contained in the word of the Lord. These four words - truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding - are the ones most associated with scriptures themselves, and it is this that we are to desire and acquire. It is a good and sound use of money to purchase an understanding of the very word of God.

Application: Just yesterday, I reengaged in watching a series about money and giving. It is all something I know, and which I already try to put into practices. However, the preacher has made all his points in the context of 'here is how you should spend the money the Lord has given you.' Well, this verse fits well into that model ... Here is how you should spend the money the Lord has given you: Acquire a sound understanding of the Lord's word and teaching.

While access to the word is almost free, this is a reminder of how truly valuable it really is. Access to - and deep understanding of - the Lord's truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding is the key thing to pursue, and is the most important thing we could purchase with the resources we have. The Lord's word is gold for my heart and mind and soul ... may I value it as such.

Prayer: Again I say, Lord, may I be reminded this day to value your word, your truth, your wisdom, and your instruction. Please give me understanding so that I may continue to observe your ways in my daily life. Amen.

The Right Heart in Disciplines

Scripture:
Isn’t this the fast I choose:
To break the chains of wickedness,
to untie the ropes of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free,
and to tear off every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
to bring the poor and homeless into your house,
to clothe the naked when you see him,
and not to ignore your own flesh and blood?
Isaiah 58:6-7

Observation: The Lord clarifies what he expects of faithfulness. For many, the act of fasting is considered to be a great demonstration of faith ... denying one's own body of sustenance in a disciplined manner in order to be obedient to the Lord. However, the Lord doesn't like the way it is often done because of the attitudes and behaviors of those fasting. They either make a 'show' of it by dressing poorly to make it clear they are fasting, or they adopt a bad attitude out of their discomfort and take it out on others such as family and servants.

Instead, the Lord desires that fasting also produce a right heart, that then acts in accordance with the faith and the love of the Lord. Someone fasting should ... be righteous and good as they are reminded of God's teaching, assist others in kindness and generosity, take the very resources they are forgoing and pass them to others, spend the day caring for those less fortunate, and even caring for themselves as they remain the Lord's great and beloved workmanship. This is the fast the Lord wishes to see and chooses to favor.

Application: I do not regularly fast. The most regular discipline I have is my devotions, and for the most part I do not have regular routines that are otherwise designed to remind me of the Lord and his direction in my life. I should have such routines, as they would help me. That said, this passage is a reminder that routines and disciplines are not good if they don't produce the right heart and the right results in my life.

Do my devotions produce improved results in my life. I think 'yes', as without them I would fail to know the Lord's word as I do. Even though I do not perfectly remember and apply all its lessons at all times, I have more than I would without the practice. And I do believe the Lord "chooses" my devotions, as there are times I feel true revelation ... times where the insights that come to my mind are absolutely beyond my own mind and my limited understanding.

As we approach to Jewish holy days of Rosh Hashanah, I would like to consider additional disciplines like fasting. I believe it will help me focus on the Lord. In this, I will keep in mind this lesson of the Lord, which is that such times of fasting need to result in the Lord's own outcomes - kindness toward others, care for the downtrodden, passing along blessing - and not become a show or even a hardship that I pass on to others.

Prayer: Lord, the words I have heard these past 24 hours are in my heart, and I am considering them closely. May I look to you more and more, even minute-by-minute, in the coming days. Amen.

Not Saved by, but for, Works

Scripture: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

Observation: As Paul presents the conversation to the church in Ephesus on the difference between Jews and Gentiles - and that in Christ there is no longer a difference - he gives his famous statement that we are all saved by grace through faith, and not by works (verses 8-9). And this is very true! Moreover, this is a great comfort to all, because it removed all concern about what actions it requires to ensure salvation. Salvation by grace and not works changes everything, making it possible to retain salvation despite mistakes, and to have confidence in salvation through our own faith. This is a cornerstone of salvation through Jesus.

However, the very next verse is important, yet often forgotten. It is (or at least part of) the 'why'. The Lord offers us salvation through faith because ... we are his created beings, his workmanship that he loves, and we have a purpose in being created, which is to do good works. God wants us to do his good work, and first created us and now saves us in order to do so.

Application: There are several verses in the Bible that many people cling to for hope. They are good verses, and the word of the Lord certainly exists as a source of hope. However, they are often held onto out of context. It is a great comfort to know we are saved by grace, not works ... that our daily activities and resulting failures aren't the ultimate judge in our lives, because if they were we would all fail. That said, we overlook the very next instruction from God, which is that we are to do his good works.

And what are those good works? Well, sin is not one of them for sure. We should start with alignment to the Lord's precepts and laws, which I fail at daily. Second should be love of others, and perform activities that demonstrate that love and extend peace to all. Again, I fail at this daily, too. Lastly, there is the work of the church, which is to tell others the good news of Jesus and lead them to discover the same path toward salvation by faith. I may not fail at this, but I don't do it often enough or well enough.

I have been saved for works, and I am not doing them. I am very, very certain that could be said by most Christians, but I need to pay attention to this for myself. My daily works need to be the Lord's work, which he prepared in advance for me to do. That work includes compliance with his prescribed practices in life, and loving others ... in other words, loving the Lord my God with all my heart and soul and mind and strength, and loving my neighbors as myself.

If I started there, I would be going a long way toward feeling better about my salvation by grace.

Prayer: Lord, I have prayed over and over the last week with thanks for all the blessings you have given me. Now, I return to the place where I need to be doing your work, and I have so quickly failed. Please forgive my sins and my wayward thoughts. May I renew my focus on two key works, which are obeying your instructions out of my love and gratitude toward you, and loving others out of the overflow of your love for me. Amen.

Pray I do Nothing Wrong

Scripture: But we pray to God that you do nothing wrong—not that we may appear to pass the test, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear to fail. For we can’t do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 2 Corinthians 13:7-8

Observation: As Paul will be visiting Corinth soon, he has a warning for ... someone. It seems someone is saying that the Lord does not really speak through Paul, and his warning is simple. They had better be prepared for he is confident they will be unable to present valid evidence, and thus making such an accusation would constitute sin. However, the better alternative is for them to realize this fact on their own, and thus "do nothing wrong" and to cease their slander against him.

In this, Paul makes an interesting distinction. He does not wish for the individual to change their behavior because he fears the test. Rather, he simply wants them to do what is right and not sin. That could even mean that, without a test, some may believe the original stories, and that in their eyes he "may appear to fail". Paul is fine with that. All he can do is live according to the Lord, "for the truth" as he puts it, and that truth is that he wishes their to be peace and kindness and communion and joy within the church. That kind of fellowship, and a fellow believer who rejects pursuit of a sinful confrontation, would be the God-honoring scenario.

Application: There are times I worry that I am violating this principle ... that I am an individual who, by questioning the motives of certain leaders in the church, am gravely sinning. I look at the way issues are handled - from liberal and unregulated use of money for certain projects, to a non-existent structure for discipleship - and I speak my mind here at home with my family.

However, I do not speak these thoughts publicly. I do not seek division, and I do not seek to in any way sidetrack the great work our church does in many areas. I don't and won't challenge anyone, and I do know that there are leaders who hear the word of the Lord, and if they sometimes get wrong the methods by which they pursue the Lord's will then that is normal human nature worthy of honor and grace.

I do pray I am doing nothing wrong in this matter. I do not desire to test anyone, nor see them tested. I trust that we are all pursuing the Lord's "truth" and his will.

Prayer: Lord, may your hand and guidance remain on our church as we head into the fall and winter. This is always a key time in the mission you have given us, as a light in the community. May you provide the necessary resources for everything you would have us do, and may your wisdom be upon all the pastors and leaders of our faithful body of Christ. Amen.

His Love Endures Forever

Scripture:
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 107:1

Observation: Though I cannot remember which, it seems like several psalms include this line, either as their introduction, or repeated multiple times. It is such a basic yet powerful proclamation of praise and thanksgiving. Specifically, within just 14 words, it declares that all mankind should be thankful because of SIX characteristics of Yahweh:

1) The Lord is ... he exists as the creator God.

2) The Lord is good, and thus the outpouring of his character is goodness.

3) The Lord is faithful and keeps his promises for our good.

4) The Lord is love, and this is the even stronger anchor point of his goodness.

5) The Lord endures, and therefore never tires of giving us his good love.

6) The Lord is forever, so this enduring, loving goodness is eternal and permanent.

Application: How many times did I sing this verse as a child in Sunday School? It is shocking to me how much I sang it with enthusiasm, and then when I entered my late teen years ... I didn't believe a word of it.

How much do I give thanks that I have learned the truth about the Lord, and discovered a blessed life in a way only he can provide.

Prayer: Lord, again I say it, thank you so very, very much for loving me, and for Jesus Christ who is my salvation and my Lord. I praise you and I thank you. You are good, and I know your faithful love endures forever. Amen.

Coming Back from Desolation

Scripture:
Did the Lord strike Israel
as he struck the one who struck Israel?
Was Israel killed like those killed by the Lord?
Isaiah 27:7

Observation: As Isaiah talks about the judgment of the Lord, he makes this important distinction ... there is a difference between how the Lord acts against Israel in the midst of their disobedience, and how the Lord acts toward other nations that truly perpetrate evil. Even when Israel and Judah have been sent into exile and defeated - when their land has been removed and their cities burned - there is always a way back to restoration. That is what correction looks like. However, when the nations that have fully rejected the Lord and spread evil, like Babylon and Assyria, are addressed by the Lord's wrath, they do not have a way back. They don't become ruins, they become wasteland.

Application: I have been watching a series on archeology of the bible, and have seen two videos about discoveries at Ninevah. The site of Ninevah actually exists within the suburbs of the modern city of Mosul, however it is a desolate and empty (albeit very large) field ... a barren site outlined by a partial ancient wall that was mostly avoided even as the new city was built ... a place where people don't often go because literally wild dogs roam.

In contrast, Jerusalem was absolutely and intentionally destroyed and fully depopulated as the Lord punished Judah for their disobedience - TWICE - yet it exists today as the center of Israel, the heart of the Jewish people. Its ancient sites still exist and are identifiable.

I know I have been disobedient to the Lord, and it is likely that certain issues in my life have been intended to correct me. At times it felt like my life was in ruins, however that has never, ever been the case ... not even close. I know of truly desolate lives, involving people who have so thoroughly rejected God that every element of their existence falls apart. I am not saying this is because the Lord has struck them or punished them, but I am saying that, without hope in the Lord, there are limited lifelines available to bring an individual back from the pit of desolation.

I do think much of our world is in the midst of being "struck" right now, and soon we will have to understand if this is a correction and our return to the Lord will bring about renewal, or if we are looking at real desolation in our future.

Prayer: Lord, again today I say it, thy will be done. May I spend time today in meditation on these ideas, and on your word in general, as even this comforts me, knowing you are in control. Amen.

Modern Definition of Faithful Strength

Scripture: For you, being so wise, gladly put up with fools! In fact, you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone is arrogant toward you, if someone slaps you in the face. I say this to our shame: We have been too weak for that! 2 Corinthians 11:19-21a

Observation: Paul is in the midst of discussing the challenges of being Christian (for lack of a better definition). He describes both his great qualifications for being an evangelist and an apostle, and he describes the hardships he has endured mostly at the hands of violent people. He calls both of these 'foolish boasting'. Multiple times he calls himself a fool for even discussing these matters. At the same time, he calls the church at Corinth "wise" because they put up with so much. They have endured financial exploitation, work slavery, arrogant insults, the cheating of others, and even physical belittling. Their quiet and patient acceptance and endurance of such things is credited to them as strength.

Application: While it would be true, it would also be foolish boasting to discuss how I have endured these things. Instead, let's focus on Paul's teaching. What he describes - the things Paul points out that the church in Corinth has suffered through and by their strength endured - are exactly the things the faithful modern church is called to endure.

There are churches that don't endure this. They instead change their doctrine to avoid any type of conflict or potential insults by outsiders, and based on these pressure of modern society they compromise the teachings of Jesus.

There are other churches that don't put up this. They face such confrontation not with wise patience, but with returned aggression, ready to fight the issues publicly, declaring their righteous high ground.

Clearly, both of these models have been on my heart recently, and it has been with sadness and despair that I have seen both these types of responses to our modern society. Paul would seemingly describe these as weak responses.

I hope I am at a strong church. I have seen first-hand the attacks on our church, both pastors and members. I have witnessed exploitation, along with the understanding it is occurring and the choice to just allow it. I know of attacks on the lives and livelihoods of several, and the choice to just move forward from those circumstances without retribution. I have heard the arrogant insults, and watched as faithful believers respond with a smile and kindness.

And I agree with Paul, for I know the strength this takes. I know the level of wisdom - a wisdom that can only come from the Holy Spirit - needed to put up with every kind of fool. I also know that I (and others) don't always have that strength within us at every moment, and we make mistakes in how we respond from time to time. However, I hope we can all have more of this strength, for it is the best path for exhibiting Christ's love.

Prayer: Lord, I do ask for your strength today, for myself especially but also for every member of my church, and every member of the life-giving churches in our region. We all face these modern confrontations from time to time, and we can only be strong by your Holy Spirit. Please give us your strength and wisdom. Amen.

Lord of Precision and Clarity

Scripture: For the Lord said this to me: “Within one year, as a hired worker counts years, all the glory of Kedar will be gone. The remaining Kedarite archers will be few in number.” For the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken. Isaiah 21:16-17

Observation: As Isaiah pronounces the Lord's decisions about all the people of the region, he provides this specific phrasing about the timing, which is that the decree will occur within one year "as a hired worker counts years." This begs the question, how does a hired worker count years?

The answer is ... very accurately! I hired worker - someone who is truly paid based on the time they work, or (as often in ancient times) bound by a contract in almost a slave-like manner to a job - keeps exacting track of time. They work their day, but they don't start and end 'whenever' but begin and end at prescribed time, and they absolutely do not begin one minute early or end one minute late. Likewise, if employed for a year, they begin on a specific date and end on a specific date, not some vague time in the future. In modern context, if they work for 'a year', they would not begin on some date here in the late summer of 2024 and work until around the end of 2025 ... they would begin on September 9, 2024, and end September 8, 2025. At 5:00pm PDT!

Others may be more general in their measures. A day may mean any timeframe (like from the time we get up to the time we go to bed, whenever those may be). A year may be rounded up or down based on the needs of the work, or in ancient times may have been measured by harvest seasons which could naturally vary depending on weather. Without a doubt the Lord is capable of giving prophets such vague messages and timings, to the point that it can be unclear if something will happen immediately or centuries later. However, the Lord is also the Lord of precision and clarity when he chooses.

Application: So often we hear the word of the Lord, be it in a sermon or a modern prophet, and there arises an issue of timing. Some will declare a word of the Lord, then clarify that there is no timeframe to it and thus their words cannot be judged as to if they have or have not yet occurred. Others will declare a word of the Lord, with specific dates, then provide reasons when such events do not occur by the dates.

When Moses said Israel would wander for 40 years, he didn't mince about with timing. When Elijah said there would be no rain from that very second for three years, he didn't mince about with timing. When Jeremiah said the exile would last 70 years, he didn't mince about with timing. When Isaiah said Kedar would fall precisely within one year, he didn't mince about with timing. When Jesus said he would resurrect on the third day, he didn't mince about with timing.

And lest you say that Jesus was vague in the timing of the end times and his return ... he wasn't! He actually said the timing was a certainty, but only the father knew the timing. He wasn't vague, but rather he was truthful in the fact it was secret.

I believe our Lord is precise and clear. I believe his timing is known and in his control. Therefore, I believe we have many false prophets today, using social media to pronounce "ideas" they call a word from the Lord, but they are at best ideas informed by the Holy Spirit ... and at worst, they are false prophets fed by satan for deception and division. With the U.S. elections right around the corner, I expect many of them to be vocal and in full force again, as they were four years ago, and I pray we will be able to discern the truth properly.

Prayer: Lord, you know my thoughts about politics, that I abhor our current situation, and see how the evil one has truly used our human process against us as a means of deception. However, I also believe in your true word, that you are in full control of the issues on earth, that you manage the rise and fall of leaders and nations, and that we are to pray for leaders regardless of our opinions of them. May our prayers to you, and our understanding of your authority, be at the forefront of your Church throughout our nation, and not the words of false prophets. They will appear, and may we be wise in our disregard of them. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Begin with a Hallelujah

Scripture:
All this happened
so that they might keep his statutes
and obey his instructions.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 105:45

Observation: The psalmist has been recapping all the great things the Lord did for Israel in order to bring them out of Egypt. List among the blessings are ... he gave them riches to take with them, he fed them with quail and manna daily, he made water come out of barren rocks for them, he guided them with a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, and he gave them the lands of multiple entire nations to live in. In summary, the Lord gave them a wonderful home, massive land holdings, all the sustenance they could want, earthly wealth, and the comfort of knowing that the very creator of the universe was actually directing their very path every day.

And what does such a Lord expect in return? Only obedience to his loving guidance. Praise the Lord!

Application: The Lord blesses me so that I will obey him. This isn't a manipulative test ... this isn't about some give-and-take deal where God is saying "if I do this favor for you, you will do these things for me". This is about the Lord loving me so greatly that my logical response would be to know he has my best interest at heart, and to therefore do what he asks of me because I trust him.

And yet I don't. None of us do. Just like Israel, I am obedient in the short term, then fall to temptation, do things opposed to the Lord's directions, and think some ritualistic act will fulfill the basic instructions.

I know I'm a flawed human. I know satan is out to get me. I know I'll make mistakes. But I'm so tired of failing. I receive so very, very much from the Lord - blessings literally innumerable and unquantifiable by any measure! - and yet I fail to just obey his instructions.

So let's begin here ... Hallelujah! More and more, may I actively praise the Lord!! May I sing a song to his glory and honor, declaring his wonder, and aligning my heart to his splendor. My actions can be better, though they will fall short from time to time, but I can always praise the Lord. With my heart and my soul, I will raise him up.

Prayer: Lord, I do this now. Hallelujah to you, my Lord and my God. Amen.

I can do Nothing Successfully

Scripture: But when the Lord finishes all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for his arrogant acts and the proud look in his eyes.” For he said:
I have done this by my own strength
and wisdom, for I am clever.
I abolished the borders of nations
and plundered their treasures;
like a mighty warrior, I subjugated the inhabitants.
Isaiah 10:12-13

Observation: The Lord, after declaring and knowing that Assyria will wipe out the northern kingdom, declares judgment upon Assyria. That judgment is NOT because Assyria destroyed Israel, but because their king proudly declares his own strength and wisdom as the source of victory. God has given over Israel to punishment and chosen Assyria as the instrument of that punishment. Therefore, they should honor the Lord in their victory, and absolutely must not declare they succeed by their own merits.

Application: We watched the conclusion of The Bachelorette last night. It ended poorly with sorrow and heartbreak, as it almost always does. I was particularly drawn toward the conversations that were occurring. As people are supposed to be falling in love with each other, almost all of their statements were about ... themselves. They declared how strong they were, how much they deserved love and a good life, what they wanted, why they wanted it, how hurt they were, how they would endure, in what way they failed. It was all about what they were doing to manifest what they wanted in the manner they wanted it.

So of course it failed.

Trusting in oneself instead of in the Lord - and giving oneself credit for any success instead of thanking the Lord - is an ancient failure. It defines so much human behavior, and we all fall into this trap. And it is a trap for sure, a double-edged sword, for if one declares they are responsible for their own success, then their only options when failure comes is either to blame themself, or to blame others and likely create conflict.

I have fallen into this trap ... both sides of it. I still do sometimes, though I am at least aware of it. Furthermore, when my heart is right, I am keenly aware of the foundational truth of life. The Lord is my strength and my provider. All good things in my life come from him. When I surrender to the Lord and seek his will and wisdom, every outcome is better than it would have been with the alternative. I should never make my own decision about what to do in life.

I can do nothing successfully. The Lord can provide any success in my life he chooses. May I remember this every moment of every day.

Prayer: Lord, you are my provider. You are Yahweh Yireh. May I seek only your direction, instructions, wisdom, and purposes every day, and in every matter of my life. Amen.

Thorns have Grown Up

Scripture:
Now I will tell you
what I am about to do to my vineyard:
I will remove its hedge,
and it will be consumed;
I will tear down its wall,
and it will be trampled.
I will make it a wasteland.
It will not be pruned or weeded;
thorns and briers will grow up.
I will also give orders to the clouds
that rain should not fall on it.
Isaiah 5:5-6

Observation: Isaiah is in the midst of his prophesies on the downfall of Judah and Jerusalem. The Lord uses the metaphor of a vineyard - a vineyard that he has planted, watered, trimmed, and guarded, and yet now yields no fruit - and which now he will abandon. He will do so by first removing its protection, then by ignoring it. From there, the world will take over. Its fruit that does grow will be consumed by animals, the plants will be crushed down by animals, people, and natural forces, and weeds and thorns will overgrow it. In the end, it will not be a vineyard, but it will just be a bunch of wild plants, mostly dead, and of no value.

This is what a people-group will be like when the Lord removes himself from them, whether it be Judah in circa 600 B.C., or Jerusalem in 55 A.D., or here and now, today. An observer can see they are a people, but what was once orderly rows, green leafy plants, controlled growth structure, and valuable fruit, will now look like a chaotic cluster of dead-looking plants, some wood-like but many worthless grass and thorns, without any value unless someone wishes to rip it all out and start over.

Application: I have actually seen an abandon vineyard, one that had gone untended for just a couple years. The vines grow big and wild, but also with a mostly brown dead-like appearance. Partially due to how they grow and the nature of the soil that makes for good wine grapes, wild plants and grasses grow well in its midst. You can still tell it should be a vineyard, but it is very clearly abandon and whatever grapes might grow there will be of poor quality and mostly inaccessible anyway.

A good vineyard is a place people like to go visit and tour, being shown how it is organized and managed by an expert. An abandon vineyard is actively avoided, looked upon with both remorse and derision, with comments made about the owner who let it laps, wondering why they would allow such an outcome.

I am writing about this too much, but that is the way I feel when I look upon Seattle now, and by this I truly mean Seattle (not the region, but the downtown heart of the city). It was a place I loved to walk around, to interact with people and places. We would enjoy special places during the holidays, relax by visiting markets and shops on the waterfront during the weekend, and just partake in interesting food on random days for lunch. Now, the news talks about everything from (literally) uncontrolled crime, to homeless camps, to drug epidemics, to failing infrastructure. I shake my head, seek to avoid rather than visit the city, and wonder aloud how leaders allowed this.

And Isaiah answers ... they turned away from the Lord, and the Lord has given it over. The hedge is removed, and it is being trampled. It is not pruned nor weeded, and thorns have grown up.

All this said ... I have seen that same abandon vineyard that had gone untended, after it was purchased and restored. It was as wonderful as the neighboring fields, with great production, and no sign of ever having grown fallow. So today, instead of lamenting in sadness, I will declare hope. It is time for the field we call Seattle to be reacquired and restored. There is hope that it can be weeded and replanted, and once again produce wonderful fruit.

Prayer: Yes, Lord Jesus, come. If not by your second coming, then come as the restorer of this place, as a new master, owner, and vine dresser, to recover this field and this vineyard, for your honor and glory. Amen.