OT: “A sound is heard on the barren heights: the children of Israel weeping and begging for mercy, for they have perverted their way; they have forgotten the Lord their God. Return, you faithless children. I will heal your unfaithfulness… If you return, Israel — this is the Lord’s declaration — you will return to me, if you remove your abhorrent idols from my presence and do not waver, then you can swear, “As the Lord lives,” in truth, justice, and righteousness, and then the nations will be blessed by him and will boast in him. For this is what the Lord says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: Break up the unplowed ground; do not sow among the thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord; remove the foreskin of your hearts, men of Judah and residents of Jerusalem. Otherwise, my wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it because of your evil deeds.” (‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭3:21-22‬a; ‭4:1-4‬ ‭CSB)

As the Lord used Jeremiah to charge Israel, Judah and Jerusalem of their sin, repentance and forgiveness was always an option. God is ever merciful, and it is never His desire to smite people with an outburst of wrath. He always offers repentance and forgiveness. To the long-unfaithful nation of Israel who had experienced the Lord’s discipline, God said, “If you return to me – repent from your sin and remove your idols – I will heal your unfaithfulness, restore you and bless the nations through you.” To the people of Judah and Jerusalem, God said, “If you sincerely repent and turn to me – not just through religious actions, but at a heart level – I will forgive you and will withhold My wrath. God is loving and merciful. He always offers the opportunity to repent and be forgiven. God is also righteous and just, and if His offer to repent and be forgiven is not accepted, He has no choice but to release His justice and wipe out unrighteousness. The way to forgiveness is through Jesus Christ. Repentance from sin and faith in Christ will open the door to forgiveness, redemption and restoration. The offer still stands, for now. The choice is yours to make.

NT: “In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.” (‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:14-17‬ ‭CSB)

During Jesus’ ministry here on earth, there were several times when He said to someone, “Your sins are forgiven – go and sin no more.” Upon hearing Jesus’ words, the Pharisees would always get outraged, saying, “Who are You to say that You can forgive sin. Only God has the power and authority to forgive sin.” Well… Paul cleared up any confusion about Who Jesus was in these verses.

Jesus is the image of the invisible God. That doesn’t mean that Jesus is just a copy of God… He is in all things equal to God and is the very expressed likeness of God. It is through the visible Jesus that we see the invisible God. Jesus said, “If you have seen Me, then you have seen the Father.” Jesus is the firstborn over all creation. This does not mean that Jesus was the first created thing. Jesus was not created. As God, He has always been. Firstborn is a position of status. It is the firstborn that inherits all. Jesus Christ is the inheritor and Lord of all creation. Everything (in heaven and earth, visible and invisible) was created by Him, through Him and for Him. Jesus Christ is the 2nd Person of the Godhead, therefore all things were created by Him as part of the Triune God. Jesus Christ is the Word of God, and it was through the Word of God that all things were created. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Inheritor of Creation, therefore all of creation was created for Him. Finally it is by Him, the very Word of God and the Fulfillment of the Law of God, that all things are held together and kept from spiraling into chaos. That is Who Jesus is, and that is how He has the authority and power to forgive sin. When we repent of our sin and place our faith in the life, death and resurrection of Christ, we are redeemed by His shed blood and are forgiven of our sin. And whom the Son forgives and sets free is free indeed!

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that You are indeed merciful, compassionate and always ready to forgive. It is Your kindness that leads me to repentance, for I know that as I repent, You will forgive… and if You forgive me, then I am truly forgiven. Therefore, I accept Your offer of forgiveness and present my circumcised heart to You. Forgive me completely and heal any unfaithfulness that remains in me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

NT: “To the saints in Christ at Colossae, who are faithful brothers and sisters. Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You have already heard about this hope in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. It is bearing fruit and growing all over the world, just as it has among you since the day you heard it and came to truly appreciate God’s grace… For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God,” (‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:2-6, 9-10‬ ‭CSB)

The Church in Colossae was not founded by Paul. It was actually founded by Epaphras, a convert of Paul’s from his ministry in Ephesus. Colossians is one of Paul’s prison epistles, likely written during his first Roman imprisonment. It is likely that Epaphras wrote to Paul asking for his help in addressing a false teaching that was threatening the church. The false teaching was apparently a blending of Greek philosophy, Jewish legalism, and mysticism. Among the heresies being taught was the belief that Jesus was not fully God nor fully man – He was one of the semi-divine beings that bridged the spiritual world of God and the physical world of humanity. Because Jesus was not fully God, He did not have the power or authority to fully save and fully empower His followers. However, believers could reach enlightenment through special teaching and self-discipline.

Because of this false teaching in Colossae, Paul’s letter to the Colossian Church contains one of the strongest defenses for the universal Lordship of Christ. This epistle established Jesus Christ as the Son of God, Heir to the Kingdom, Supreme Lord of All and sufficient in every way. As Paul began this letter to a group of believers he didn’t know, he commended their faith in the truth – that truth being the gospel of the kingdom, the good news of the complete work of Jesus Christ that not only brought about transformation in them, but was bearing fruit and growing all over the world. Paul also wrote that he was praying for them. His prayer wasn’t that they would achieve enlightenment from discovering special hidden teachings – but that they would be filled (by grace through faith in Christ) with the knowledge of God’s will, the wisdom of God, and the spiritual understanding that comes only through the Holy Spirit. It is not through the knowledge of some esoteric philosophy that you find wisdom and understanding. True wisdom and understanding – the kind that bears good and lasting fruit – only comes by grace through faith in the Son of God who is the Lord Jesus Christ. As we continue in our faith in Him, our knowledge of God will grow and our lives will produce good fruit from the good works we do by grace in the all-sufficient Christ. Christ is all in all. Everything that we need to live a holy, righteous, and fruitful life is found through faith in Him.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that by placing my faith in You, I am not placing my faith in a sub-standard spiritual being – I am placing my faith in the second person of the Triune God, Who together is the Creator of the Universe and Lord and Sustainer of all. You are not lacking in anyway. Therefore, I do not search for wisdom in the latest philosophy or for enlightenment and understanding from the mysticism of the world. Fill me, as I place my faith fully in You, with all the wisdom and understanding that I need. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: “The word of the Lord came to me: “Go and announce directly to Jerusalem that this is what the Lord says: I remember the loyalty of your youth, your love as a bride — how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. Israel was holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his harvest. All who ate of it found themselves guilty; disaster came on them.” This is the Lord’s declaration. Hear the word of the Lord, house of Jacob and all families of the house of Israel. This is what the Lord says: What fault did your ancestors find in me that they went so far from me, followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves? They stopped asking, “Where is the Lord who brought us from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, through a land of drought and darkness, a land no one traveled through and where no one lived?” I brought you to a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but after you entered, you defiled my land; you made my inheritance detestable. The priests quit asking, “Where is the Lord?” The experts in the law no longer knew me, and the rulers rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols. Therefore, I will bring a case against you again. This is the Lord’s declaration… I will bring a case against your children’s children. For my people have committed a double evil: They have abandoned me, the fountain of living water, and dug cisterns for themselves —  cracked cisterns that cannot hold water… Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Recognize how evil and bitter it is for you to abandon the Lord your God and to have no fear of me. This is the declaration of the Lord God of Armies… Even if you wash with lye and use a great amount of bleach, the stain of your iniquity is still in front of me. This is the Lord God’s declaration.” (‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭2:1-9, 13, 19, 22‬ ‭CSB)

As we consider God with His complete and perfect omniscience and omnipresence, it is difficult to consider that we could do anything that would cause Him sadness and grief. How could God be saddened and grieved by our behavior if He knows all and sees all even before it happens… wouldn’t He be emotionally prepared and have the ability to rise above pain and grief? Of course, we don’t have any problems seeing God as angry with our choices, but sad and grieved can be a bit of a stretch.

As I read these words that God spoke to the nation of Judah through the prophet Jeremiah, what I saw in God’s declaration – more than anger – was deep sadness, grief and disappointment. God had cut covenant with the nation of Israel, just as a husband cuts covenant with his wife. Despite all the goodness that God had shown His “bride,” Israel rejected Him and became unfaithful. Sure – unfaithfulness causes anger… but more than anything, the rejection of unfaithfulness causes hurt and grief.

God had redeemed Israel from bondage in Egypt. He miraculously rescued them from the hand of the Egyptian army. He sustained them for through forty years of wandering in the desert – despite their groaning and complaining. He delivered them from all their enemies and empowered them to victoriously conquer and dwell in the land of promise. Not once did God wane from His faithfulness to His “bride.” Yet, when circumstances began to look challenging, instead of relying on the covenant-keeping, one hundred percent faithful God, the set-apart people of God ran after the carved wooden images of the land to save them. Instead of seeking God for His wisdom and leadership, they started relying on their own limited understanding. Instead of trusting God to provide for them, as He had always done, they turned their backs on His provision to meagerly attempt to provide for themselves. Because they rejected God and removed themselves from His provision and protection, God informed them that they would be disciplined by their own evil and reprimanded by their own apostasy.

If God was grieved that much by an unregenerate nation that had not experienced the salvation of the cross, how much more can we, who have been declared righteous through faith and reborn with a new nature in Christ, sadden and grieve the Holy Spirit within us by choosing to reject God’s ways and forge our own path? God, in His great love for us, sent His Son to give His life to redeem us from the ravages of sin and reconstitute our lives to live righteously in Him. God, through Christ, by the Holy Spirit has given us everything that we need to live a holy, impactful, and purposeful life. Instead of rejecting God and going our own way, let us fully embrace everything that God has done for us in Christ and place our faith fully in Him. Oh, how that would please the heart of God!

NT: “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy — dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you… I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content — whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me. Still, you did well by partnering with me in my hardship… And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:8-9, 12-14, 19-20‬ ‭CSB)

Juxtapose Paul’s attitude against the behavior of the people in Jeremiah’s day. Paul stated that he had learned the secret of being content in any and all circumstances. His contentment didn’t come from relying on himself or figuring out a way to make everything work out for Him. Paul learned that the secret to being content was remaining faithful to the Lord God in everything. No matter what came his way – and he was faced with a lot of hardships… hardships that we wouldn’t even want to imagine – he kept his mind stayed on all that God had done for him and would continue to do for him. Instead of allowing his mind to become consumed with worry and what-ifs, he dwelt on the truth of who God was… the truth of who he was in Christ… and the truth of his ultimate destiny. Through faith in Christ, he knew that God’s grace through the Holy Spirit would always be sufficient for any situation he faced. As long as he remained in Christ, he could do all things. Just as God was faithful to supply Paul’s needs, he knew that God would supply the needs of anyone who would remain faithful to God by grace through faith in Christ. Instead of grieving the heart of God, we can please the heart of God by dwelling on all that we have in Him, and doing all that He has called us to do and endure through the strength that we have in Him.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that You are always faithful to Your word and to Your covenant. I never have to worry if You are going to honor Your promises to me that are “Yes” and “Amen” in Christ. Lord, I don’t ever want to grieve Your heart by rejecting any of what You have lovingly provided. Help me to ever dwell in and on You by grace through faith, no matter what comes my way. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: “The word of the Lord came to me: I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations. But I protested, “Oh no, Lord God! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a youth.” Then the Lord said to me: Do not say, “I am only a youth,” for you will go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I tell you. Do not be afraid of anyone, for I will be with you to rescue you. This is the Lord’s declaration. Then the Lord reached out his hand, touched my mouth, and told me: “I have now filled your mouth with my words… Now, get ready. Stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not be intimidated by them or I will cause you to cower before them. Today, I am the one who has made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land — against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the population. They will fight against you but never prevail over you, since I am with you to rescue you.” This is the Lord” (‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭1:4-9, 17-19‬ ‭CSB)

Isaiah prophesied from the reign of Uzziah through the reign of Hezekiah. Though Hezekiah was a good king who honored the Lord, His son Manasseh and his grandson Amon were not. Manasseh completely rejected the Lord and brought all sorts of idol worship into Judah. Tradition even speculates that Isaiah was brutally martyred during Manasseh’s reign. For several decades, Manasseh and Amon led the nation into a time of great darkness and depravity – until Amon was assassinated and Josiah assumed the throne. It was into this environment that Jeremiah was born.

Because of Judah’s rejection of God and descent into paganism under the rule of Manasseh, God was going to honor His word and bring judgement to the nation. Because of Josiah’s reforms and faithfulness to God, God would hold off judgement for a while – but judgement was still coming. Though Josiah reformed the practices of the nation, he could not reform the hearts of the people. During the time of Josiah’s reign, God called Jeremiah when he was just a youth to prophecy to the nation – to warn them to repent or face destruction.

Jeremiah’s message was not a popular message. Most, if not all, of the rulers, priests and false prophets of the day got caught up in the popular political propaganda of a promised peace and prosperity. They led the people away from God with the positive message that everything was going to be ok – that Judah would be prosperous again. Jeremiah was the lone voice proclaiming the words of God. Though the task that God called Jeremiah to was a challenging one… though all the rulers would reject God’s message and Jeremiah, God’s messenger; God promised Jeremiah, that He would would fortify him and preserve his life. Jeremiah, filled with the words of the Lord, was able to stand firm in the Lord and ultimately prevail. Jeremiah was a man born with a purpose for the time that he was born into. Just as God set Jeremiah apart, from the womb, for a call and purpose; we too have been crafted by God for the times that we live in. That purpose can only be fulfilled in Christ as we stand firm in the Lord.

NT: “So then, my dearly loved and longed for brothers and sisters, my joy and crown, in this manner stand firm in the Lord, dear friends… Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:1, 4-7‬ ‭CSB)

Paul concluded chapter 3 of Philippians by encouraging the Philippian believers to reach forward to claim the prize of their call in Christ, and to not allow themselves to get pulled off course by pursuing earthly things. Paul then began the next paragraph (the beginning of Chapter 4) by explaining how to stand firm in the Lord. The manner in which we stand firm in the Lord is by rejoicing in the Lord always. How do we rejoice in the Lord? We don’t allow ourselves to become overwhelmed by worry by taking everything to God in prayer.

Interestingly, the root word for the word translated here as ‘worry’ means to be pulled in different directions. Instead of being focused on finishing the race, worry causes us to take our eyes off the prize and begin looking at all the things that could happen… all the things that could go wrong… all the things that could wreck God’s purposes in our lives. Instead of fulfilling the call of God on our lives, worry pulls us off course to prevent all the roadblocks that could occur. We overcome worry through prayer.

Before saying, “Don’t worry about anything,” Paul reminded the Philippians that the Lord is near. Because He is near in Christ, we can bring everything to Him through prayer, petition and thanksgiving. Prayer is the general word for bringing things to the Lord. It is through prayer that we express our adoration, devotion and trust in the Lord. We begin by coming before the Lord in an attitude of worshipful prayer. Petition (or supplication) is about sharing our needs and problems. After humbly coming before the Lord in prayer, we lay our cares and concerns honestly before Him. Thanksgiving has to do with thanking the Lord for the times in the past when He was faithful. Thanksgiving reminds us of God’s pattern of faithfulness and builds our faith to continue trusting in His faithfulness. As we humbly come before the Lord in prayer, honestly lay our cares and concerns before Him, and thank Him for His past faithfulness, our hearts and minds will be overwhelmed with peace that surpasses all understanding. As God’s peace settles in our lives, worry is replaced with steadfast faith, hope and joy… and by not being pulled in multiple directions by worry, we are able to stand firm in the Lord and fulfill His calling by grace.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that I am not merely a man that is just taking up space in time. I was born (and in You have been reborn) for the times that I live in. I am Your workmanship created specifically for Your call and purposes. Help me to not get sidetracked by fear or worry, but to stand firm by grace through faith as I bring all of my cares and concerns to You in prayer. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

NT: “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you. In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained. Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us. For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame; and they are focused on earthly things. Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of his glorious body, by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself.” (‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:13-21‬ ‭CSB)

In just a few weeks, the summer Games of the XXXII Olympiad will commence in Tokyo, Japan. Athletes from around the world will gather for one primary purpose: to pursue the gold medal. Among the games in the summer olympics are the track events. If you watch the track events, you will see runners in the last few feet of the race, stretch their bodies forward to try and be the first to cross the line. Some runners stretch forward so much, that they end up falling across the line. They risk everything to win the gold. When Paul wrote, “forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead,” that was the picture he was painting: a runner reaching forward to cross the line and win the prize. Paul, however, was not running and reaching forward to receive a gold medal. He was in a race to claim the prize promised by God through the upward call he received in Christ. Paul’s prize was future glory, eternity with God, a shared inheritance with Christ, resurrection from the dead and a new and glorified body.

The athletes that appear in the games, have gotten there through years and years of focused and dedicated work, often times suffering through many setbacks and challenges along the way. They don’t devote their lives to many different things. They have a singular focus: to become the best athlete possible at their one sport. Paul was also similarly focused and dedicated. He said, “One thing I do.” His focus, determination and dedication was to fulfill the call that Christ had given him… and after fulfilling the call, winning the prize. Paul did not allow his past failures to dictate his future. He forgot those things that were in the past, and continued moving forward by grace through faith with focused determination. Paul went on to say, that anyone who is a mature disciple of  Jesus Christ should have a similar focus, dedication, and determination to fulfill Christ’s call on their life – living fully in the truth they have received through the gospel.

In recent days, one American Olympic athlete has made the headlines – not for her achievements necessarily, but for her mistake. She is one of the United States’ fastest women runners, but has recently failed a drug test, disqualifying her from competition for 30 days. Because of that, she will not be able to compete in her primary race. Somehow, she lost sight of her priorities, gave into her fleshly desires, and disqualified herself from winning the prize. The same can happen to us as we run our spiritual race. That is why Paul told the Philippians to pay careful attention to their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ – because some lose their way and begin living as enemies of Christ instead of disciples of Christ. Instead of keeping their eyes on Christ and pursuing His call, they begin pursuing their own desires, their own purposes, and their own glory. They get their eyes off of the heavenly call and focus on the immediate things of earth. As we remain in Christ, we are not of this world and should not pursue worldly things. As we remain in Christ, our citizenship is in heaven. We are not competing for ourselves, but for the kingdom of God. Just as Olympic athletes wear the uniform of their nation, we clothe ourselves in Christ. Just as Olympic athletes stand under the flag of their nation, we stand under The Lord our Banner. Let us remain singularly focused, not allowing the things of this world to distract us, that we may run the race Christ has called us to and win our eternal prize in Him.

Prayer: Lord, not only have You saved me and set me free from the debt and penalty of sin, You have also called me to run a race here on earth as a representative of Your kingdom. If I fulfill the call and finish my race, You will stand ready to crown my head with a crown of glory and reward me for being a faithful steward and servant. Help me, as I place my faith in You, to not get distracted by worldly things – but run with singular focus and dedication as I pursue my prize in You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: “This is what the Lord says: Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. Where could you possibly build a house for me? And where would my resting place be? My hand made all these things, and so they all came into being. This is the Lord’s declaration. I will look favorably on this kind of person: one who is humble, submissive in spirit, and trembles at my word.” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭66:1-2‬ ‭CSB)

Part of Jerusalem’s pride and confidence was that their city walls held the temple of the Living God – that God had chosen the city to be a resting place for His glory. Surely, God would not allow the city that held His name to be conquered and destroyed by godless foes. Jews were prescribed by law to make pilgrimage to Jerusalem at least once a year to worship. Over the years, the Jewish leaders created a worship industry around the temple. Worship became a means of making money and maintaining influence instead of truly humbling oneself before the Lord and receiving His atonement. Through the pen of Isaiah, God rebuked the people of Jerusalem for their misplaced pride and insincere worship. God doesn’t dwell in houses of brick and stone – no matter how glorious that house may be. God desires to dwell in the hearts of people who humble themselves in true worship before Him and fear His name.

The original temple was destroyed when Babylon was allowed to conquer Jerusalem. A new temple was later constructed after the Jews were allowed to return from exile and inhabit the land once again. During Jesus’ day, the religious leaders had once again turned worship into an industry of profit and influence. Twice, Jesus drove out the money changers who were conducting business in the courts of the temple and preventing gentiles from seeking and finding the Lord. During Stephen’s defense before the Jewish leaders, Stephen quoted this passage of Isaiah as he rebuked them for always resisting the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:47-51). What was true in Isaiah’s day was true in the first century, and is true now. God doesn’t dwell in buildings or relics. God doesn’t inhabit empty religious ritual. God dwells in the hearts of those who have humbly surrendered their life to Him in faith, and God inhabits the sincere worship and praise of those whose hearts are completely devoted to His word, will and ways.

NT: “But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ  — the righteousness from God based on faith. My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.” (‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:7-12‬ ‭CSB)

Paul, in his letter to the Philippian church, had just warned them about placing confidence in their flesh –  their ability to adhere to the law and perform with perfection, all the religious rituals. Paul explained that if anyone could place confidence in ritualistic righteous behavior, he could. He had basically been the “poster boy” for self-righteousness… but all that he had accomplished through legalistic effort was worthless. The Greek word translated here as ‘loss’ means damage or detriment. All of Paul’s striving in the flesh to become righteous had not helped him one bit. If anything, it had damaged him and become a detriment to his life with God. In order to gain all that God had for him, Paul rid himself of all that he had gained in the flesh and considered it worthless rubbish and detestable dung.

Paul threw away all of his accomplishments – those things that had damaged him spiritually – so that he could gain Christ and be found in Him. By gaining Christ, no longer would Paul have to strive to become righteous – he received the righteousness of God in Christ by grace through faith. Paul was no longer attempting to climb the “corporate ladder” of organized religion. He was no longer striving to attain the pinnacle of Pharisaism. Paul’s goal… his ultimate desire… his primary pursuit was to know Christ. He desired to experience the power of Christ’s resurrection as he fellowshipped with Christ through sufferings. He was willing to die to everything the world could offer him so that one day, he could experience the resurrection from the dead to live with Christ for eternity. Paul gladly let go of the world so that he could fully take hold of Christ, for Christ had so lovingly and graciously taken hold of him.

We don’t have to “sing for our supper.” We don’t have to jump through ritualistic and legalistic hoops to try and win God’s approval. We don’t have to “try to do good and live a good life” in hopes of making it to heaven. In fact, that attitude and belief is actually destructive to our relationship with God. God doesn’t look favorably on the person who does and says all the right things outwardly. He looks favorably on the person who is humble, submissive in spirit, and honors His word. God looks favorably on those who will throw away their striving, let go of the world, and take hold of Christ by faith. Christ has taken hold of you through the cross. He now waits for you to take hold of Him.

Proverbs: “The wealth of the rich is his fortified city; in his imagination it is like a high wall. Before his downfall a person’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18:11-12‬ ‭CSB)

Just like a wealthy person puts trust in money and things to save them, we can easily fall into the trap of putting our trust and confidence in the things that we can do and accomplish. Our accomplishments become a high wall of protection that we hide behind, but that wall is imaginary. Trusting in what we can do… our understanding and cleverness… our accomplishments is (at the root) pride. In order to truly gain all that God has, you must let go of pride, choose humility, and grab hold of Christ.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You for the peace of mind that comes and the sure hope that is found by knowing that my salvation is not based on my ability to live righteously. Feeling like I have to earn my salvation is actually damaging to my relationship with You, so I dispose of my performance mentality and choose to grab hold of You by faith. I jettison my pride and self-reliance, come before you in humility and faith, and worship You sincerely. As I do that, help me to know and fully experience You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: “I was sought by those who did not ask; I was found by those who did not seek me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ to a nation that did not call on my name. I spread out my hands all day long to a rebellious people who walk in the path that is not good, following their own thoughts… The Lord says this: “As the new wine is found in a bunch of grapes, and one says, ‘Don’t destroy it, for there’s some good in it,’ so I will act because of my servants and not destroy them all. I will produce descendants from Jacob, and heirs to my mountains from Judah; my chosen ones will possess it, and my servants will dwell there. Sharon will be a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down, for my people who have sought me. But you who abandon the Lord, who forget my holy mountain, who prepare a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword, and all of you will kneel down to be slaughtered, because I called and you did not answer, I spoke and you did not hear; you did what was evil in my sight and chose what I did not delight in.” Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: “Look! My servants will eat, but you will be hungry. Look! My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. Look! My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame. Look! My servants will shout for joy from a glad heart, but you will cry out from an anguished heart, and you will lament out of a broken spirit… For I will create new heavens and a new earth; the past events will not be remembered or come to mind. Then be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I will create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight.”” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭65:1-2, 8-14, 17-18‬ ‭CSB)

In Isaiah 64, Israel’s cry to the Lord was, “You have hidden your face from us and made us melt because of our iniquity.” In response, the Lord told them, “I spread out my hands all day long to you…” God was not hiding. God was making Himself very obvious – so obvious that the gentiles (those who were not asking for Him nor seeking Him) found Him. That is what rejecting God’s way and seeking your own way does – it completely blinds you to the things of God and opens the door to deception.

Among the majority of Israel who had abandoned the Lord, there was a faithful remnant that remained committed to the word, will, and ways of God. It was because of that faithful remnant that God didn’t completely wipe out the nation of Israel and start over. Israel wasn’t all bad – and for the sake of the faithful few, God would restore the nation and preserve the purposes He had for His chosen people. Those who remained faithful to the Lord would receive His blessing – those who abandoned the Lord for their own pursuits would not. Ultimately, at the end of the age, God will create a new heaven and a new earth. The new heaven and earth will be a delight for those who choose to delight themselves in Him.

Within the purposes of God, God isn’t as concerned with quantity as He is with quality. Even Jesus said that in the last day there will be many who will claim to have followed Jesus – but He will have to say, “Depart from me, for I never knew you… you were not faithful to My word, will and ways… you were not my disciples – you just dropped my name to say that you knew Me.” God is after people who come to Christ the Son in faith, are redeemed and made righteous by faith, and remain in Christ through faith-filled loving obedience by grace through faith. Those who put confidence in the flesh and go their own way outside of faith will not experience God’s blessing and will not enjoy the new heaven and earth to come.

NT: “In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you. Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh — ” (‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:1-3‬ ‭CSB)

Paul’s charge to the believers in Philippi: rejoice in the Lord. Paul, who was under house arrest in Rome was able to be full of joy. How was he able to do that? Faith in the Lord. No matter what challenges came before the Philippians, Paul wanted them, in all things, to rejoice by faith in the Lord. There would be many who would come along and say that faith is not enough… that the only way to have confidence in the future was to chain yourself to the righteous requirements of the law and earn righteousness through your own efforts. Paul’s hope and joy did not come from his adherence to the requirements of the law. His joy came by grace through the Holy Spirit as he placed his faith fully in the completed work of Christ. To fully rejoice in the Lord, we cannot put confidence in our flesh – for as we saw in Isaiah, that can lead to blindness and deception. Our confidence must be in Christ by faith… and through that faith, we will receive abundant joy from the Lord by grace.

Prayer: Lord, it is so tempting to place faith and confidence in what I can see, hear and touch… in what I can think in my mind and do with my hands. However, You call me to have faith and confidence in You and trust Your word, will and ways. In the end, I want to be among the remnant that found to be faithful and full of Your glory and grace. Therefore, I put no confidence in my flesh and endeavor to trust You in all things. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: “From ancient times no one has heard, no one has listened to, no eye has seen any God except you who acts on behalf of the one who waits for him. You welcome the one who joyfully does what is right; they remember you in your ways. But we have sinned, and you were angry. How can we be saved if we remain in our sins? All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind. No one calls on your name, striving to take hold of you. For you have hidden your face from us and made us melt because of our iniquity. Yet Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we all are the work of your hands.” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭64:4-8‬ ‭CSB)

In the 63rd chapter, Isaiah once again revisited Israel’s rebellion against God in spite of His repeated acts of love and compassion toward them. Then, beginning at the end of chapter 63 and continuing through the end of chapter 64, Isaiah responded on behalf of Israel. In the voice of the nation, Isaiah recounted the times when God did awesome exploits on behalf of His chosen people. Since time immemorial, there has never been a God like the Lord God of Israel, the Creator of the World. Only the Lord God is Creator of the universe. Only the Lord God has love for His creation. Only the Lord God is compassionate and responds with mercy. Only the Lord God listens to the voice of His people and responds on behalf of those who wait on Him in faith. Only the Lord God welcomes into His presence those who walk righteously according to His word, will and ways. Nowhere else will you find a God like the Lord God.

However good, compassionate, merciful and loving as God was to Israel, Israel willfully sinned and rejected the Lord God for the vastly inferior gods of the world. Through their sin, they became unclean and their unrighteous acts hung on them like pollution-soaked garments. In their sin, they became blind to righteousness and lost sight of God, making it seem like God had hidden His face from them.

Yet, all the while, God never stopped being their Father… He never disowned them and cast them away forever. God was still the potter and Israel was still His clay… and He stood ready to take the mess they had made of their lives and reform them into holy vessels once again. God has always been, and forever will be faithful to His promises – even when we are not. All He waits for is for us to humble ourselves, repent from our sins, and turn to Him in faith. Who is like the Lord our God?

Psalms: “When I became embittered and my innermost being was wounded, I was stupid and didn’t understand; I was an unthinking animal toward you. Yet I am always with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me up in glory. Who do I have in heaven but you? And I desire nothing on earth but you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever. Those far from you will certainly perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, God’s presence is my good. I have made the Lord God my refuge, so I can tell about all you do.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭73:21-28‬ ‭CSB)

Psalm 73 is recorded as being a psalm of Asaph. Asaph was a Levite who lived during the time of David and was one of the Levites who was charged with filling the tabernacle with singing and leading the nation in praise and worship. In the beginning of the psalm, Asaph wrote, “God is indeed good to Israel, to the pure in heart. But as for me, my feet almost slipped; my steps nearly went astray.” As Asaph looked around at the world and saw how evil people prospered and righteous people suffered, he had a crisis of faith. He asked himself the question, “Did I purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?” As much as he tried to make sense of everything, he couldn’t. It wasn’t until he entered God’s sanctuary and humbled himself before God in worship that everything became clear.

Beginning at verse 21, Asaph explained what he learned as he brought his doubts and confusion to the place of worship and laid them before the feet of the Lord God. What matters most is not how other people behave – but that we remain with the Lord. Asaph knew that his flesh and his heart were capable of failing him and causing him to become full of depression and doubts. But if he remained with the Lord, God would strengthen his heart and fill him full of hope. God was the only one who could lift him out of his funk and set him back on a firm foundation and on the path to righteousness. In his crisis of faith, Asaph had no one else but the Lord because there is no one like the Lord in His understanding, patience, love and mercy. Therefore, instead of trying to make sense of the madness in the world, Asaph declared that he would set his desire on the Lord and pursue Him.

It is easy for us to have a crisis of faith like Asaph. As we look around the world and see how evil people succeed while bad things happen to good people, it can cause us to doubt the very goodness of God. We have to remember that right now, the world is under the sway and influence of the evil one. God is indeed good. Instead of trying to make sense of the world in our own understanding, we need to take all our cares before the Lord in worship and submit them to Him. As we submit everything to Him, He will strengthen our hearts, give us hope and help everything make sense in the light of His wisdom and grace.

Prayer: Lord, it is true: no one is like You. I thank You that You are always good, always faithful, always compassionate, always patient, always merciful, and always loving. Instead of pursuing the things of this world, which will eventually fade; or leaning on my own understanding, which is extremely limited at best, I will set my desire on You and pursue Your word, will and ways. Jesus, You are the author and finisher of my faith. Strengthen my heart by Your grace as I remain in You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: “The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who mourn in Zion; to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair. And they will be called righteous trees, planted by the Lord to glorify him. They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore the former devastations; they will renew the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61:1-4‬ ‭CSB)

The word Messiah (mashiach in Hebrew) means anointed one. This proclamation from Isaiah was written in the voice of the Servant of God, the promised Messiah and Anointed One. In Luke 4:16-21, Luke recorded the account of Jesus standing up, finding this passage in the scroll of Isaiah, reading it out loud, and then claiming that He was the fulfillment of this scripture. One interesting thing about Jesus’ reading of this passage is that He purposefully did not read the full proclamation. The Isaiah passage says, “the Lord has anointed Me to… proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance.” When Jesus read the passage, He said that He was anointed to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor… and then He stopped and put away the scroll. Basically, what Jesus was alluding to by not completing the proclamation was that in His first coming, He was anointed to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. He was not there to bring God’s vengeance. The day of our God’s vengeance will come and Christ’s 2nd coming, at the end of this age. Currently, we are in the “year of the Lord’s favor.” This time of the Lord’s favor will last until the Great Commission is fully completed, then the end will come.

What is the year of the Lord’s favor? As legislated in Leviticus 25, at the end of seven cycles of seven years (49 years in total), the ram’s horn would be sounded announcing the year of Jubilee. At the beginning of Jubilee, the year of the Lord’s favor, all prisoners and captives were set free, all slaves were released, all debts were forgiven, and all property was returned to its original owners. It was a year of universal redemption. According to Isaiah’s prophecy, the Messiah, through the filling and empowering of God’s Holy Spirit, would be anointed to proclaim the Year of Jubilee, a time of universal redemption, freedom, forgiveness and restoration. When Jesus said, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled,” He was saying that He was the anointed Messiah and that He had come to proclaim Jubilee. His jubilee, however, was a spiritual jubilee that we are still living in today.

Those who come to Christ in faith and abide in Him by faith are filled and empowered by the same Holy Spirit of God, and share in the same Messianic anointing. As we remain in Christ by faith and obedience, all that was true of Christ is available for us to walk in. We, too are anointed to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. How do we do that? By proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom. In Christ, we are anointed and empowered to bring good news to the poor, heal the broken-hearted, proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners. Those who respond in faith to the message of the gospel that we preach will be declared righteous by God, and their old sinful nature will be replaced by a new life in Christ.

NT: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow  — in heaven and on earth and under the earth  — and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.” (‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:3-13‬ ‭CSB)

In this passage, Paul charges the Philippian believers (and us as well) to adopt the same attitude and spirit as Christ. Jesus did nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit (empty pride and vanity), but always humbly considered the needs of others before His own. Interestingly, the Greek word that is translated here as “selfish-ambition” actually means a contentious or partisan spirit. Oh how the church in our day has devolved into contentious partisanship. Christ, before His immaculate conception and birth, was in all things equal with God. He was omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. But out of His love for us and His desire to obey the Father, He did not consider that limitless nature something to be held onto for His own exploits. Instead, He emptied Himself of His divine transcendence, put on limited mortality, and subjected Himself completely to the will of God the Father to the point of death on the cross. That is the kind of life that disciples of Christ are called to live – not the contentious, partisan, self-promoting lives that so many have rightfully accused Christians as having.

Just as Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient, Paul wrote that we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. While salvation is freely received by grace through faith, there is an obedience aspect to faith. Faith that does not express itself into works is dead. There is a quality of walk that all disciples of Christ are called to walk in out of faith-filled love and obedience. Christ isn’t going to do the walking for us. We have to do the walking ourselves. Thankfully, as Paul wrote, God actually works in us both to will and do the things that He has called us to do which bring Him pleasure. When we abide in Christ, not only do we come under His anointing – we are also filled with His Spirit. The same Spirit that led Christ to humble Himself completely for the sake of others will reside in us and give us that same passionate motivation as well. We just need to put on Christ by faith and allow God, by His Spirit, to grace us for obedience. Then, just like Christ, God will lift us up and glorify us before men.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that You have shared Your anointing and Your Spirit with me. I know by faith, that as long as I remain in You, I will be full of Your Spirit and covered in Your anointing. My responsibility is to humbly walk out the things that You have anointed and empowered me to do. Therefore, I submit to You and open my life to the Father’s work in me to will and do His good pleasure. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord shines over you. For look, darkness will cover the earth, and total darkness the peoples; but the Lord will shine over you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to your shining brightness… Instead of your being deserted and hated, with no one passing through, I will make you an object of eternal pride, a joy from age to age… I will bring gold instead of bronze; I will bring silver instead of iron, bronze instead of wood, and iron instead of stones. I will appoint peace as your government and righteousness as your overseers. Violence will never again be heard of in your land; devastation and destruction will be gone from your borders. You will call your walls Salvation and your city gates Praise. The sun will no longer be your light by day, and the brightness of the moon will not shine on you. The Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor. Your sun will no longer set, and your moon will not fade; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and the days of your sorrow will be over. All your people will be righteous; they will possess the land forever; they are the branch I planted, the work of my hands, so that I may be glorified. The least will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; I will accomplish it quickly in its time.” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭60:1-3, 15, 17-22‬ ‭CSB)

In chapter 59, Isaiah wrote about how the people’s iniquity had separated them from God and how their sins had hidden His face from them. Because of that, though the people hoped for light, there was darkness… though they hoped for brightness, they lived in the night… though God’s light was available to them, their eyes were blind to Him and they stumbled around in the dark. But that was not the end of the story. Because there was no one to save them, God brought His own salvation… which leads to chapter 60.

God’s word through Isaiah was that light would come and God’s glory would shine over them once again. Though the world would be covered in darkness, the Lord would shine on His people and His glory would appear over them, drawing the peoples and nations of the world to God through them. All the people needed to do was wake up and respond to God’s mercy and grace.

As with all of Isaiah’s prophecies, there was an initial fulfillment, subsequent fulfillments, and a yet-to-come ultimate fulfillment. God did eventually “shine” on His people once again and call them out of exile to re-inhabit the land of promise. Then He sent the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, to live among them and bring His salvation to the world. However, Isaiah saw far beyond Israel’s return to the land and the arrival of the Messiah on earth. Through the Spirit, he saw a time when the kingdom of God would be fully established on the earth – a time that has not happened yet. These verses from Isaiah 60 closely parallel the vision of the Apostle John in Revelation 21 and 22. There will come a time when all things will be made new… when God will establish His kingdom physically on earth… when all evil and injustice will be destroyed forever… when God’s righteous and redeemed people, those who responded to the Light and placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, will live as citizens of the new heaven on earth, and will rule and reign with Christ for eternity.

Jesus Christ has come! Light has come! God’s glory has been revealed! Though darkness may cover the earth, we can shine as lights to the world. We just need to arise… we need to wake up and respond to the Light, place our faith in the resurrected Christ, and allow His glory to shine over us. Then we will be able to live as citizens of heaven forever.

NT: “Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the gospel, not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction for them, but of your salvation  — and this is from God. For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are engaged in the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I have. If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.” (‭‭Philippians 1:27-‭2:2‬ ‭CSB)

Right now, in this life – for those who have responded to the light of the gospel of Christ and have placed saving faith in the resurrected Lord, we live between the already and the not yet. We are able, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, to live in the victory that Christ accomplished through the cross and His resurrection, while still living in the midst of a dark and sin-stained world. Though our physical residence is on this earth, which is slowly passing away and falling more and more into depravity, our citizenship is in heaven. Because we live on this yet-to-be-redeemed earth, suffering and hardship is inevitable, yet even through the toughest trials we are called to (and are able to by grace) live lives that are worthy of the gospel of Christ. As we live lives that are worthy of the gospel of Christ, when we are squeezed by the trials of this world, we will emit the glory of heaven instead of the stuff of earth. We don’t have to be frightened in any way by those who oppose us, for we are well able to overcome any opposition through the light that fills us by grace. As we remain steadfast in faith, in fellowship with the Spirit, united with the body of Christ, and committed to the purposes of God; our enemies will have no point of leverage in our lives and we will be able to bring the reality of the not-yet kingdom to bear on our presence circumstances.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that by faith (the reality of what is hoped for and the proof of what is not seen) I can live in the reality that I am a citizen of heaven. By grace through faith, I can live a life worthy of the gospel of Christ and can bring the kingdom of God into every circumstance and situation that I face here on earth. Help me to arise and shine with the light of God’s glory as I remain in faith, in unity with the body of Christ, and committed to God’s purposes. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.