“One of the best safeguards against heresy is to read through the whole Bible often.” – Mike Fabarez
Tag Archives: Bible
The Art of Deception
What’s with the Church today? Why is there so much strife and envy between God’s people? Why is Satan so good at causing divisions and confusion? Oh, that’s right, he has had 6,000 years to practice and perfect the art of deception. The smaller and less noticeable the twist, the more who will stumble and fall.
“Where Your Heart is Drawn” by Alyssa Cuccia
“for my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” – Jeremiah 2:13
This is such a great analogy when looking at the foolishness of idolatry! This is a constant theme throughout the Bible because God knows that our hearts are so easily drawn away from Him by the things of this world. What will we choose today? A “fountain of living waters” that never runs dry or “broken cisterns that can hold no water” but only deceive us into thinking that they will. The choice is obvious! We should consistently, without hesitation, choose the fountain! Every day we wake up with a choice: to serve and worship Jesus or something else. This verse declares the seriousness of idolatry by reminding us that idol worship is not ever just one evil, but “two evils” because in order to worship something else we must first forsake the Lord. When we look at idol worship in this way, it becomes so much more serious and heinous. How could we possibly forsake the one who has “brought [us] into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things” (Jeremiah 2:7)? The Lord has done so many good things for me. Not only did He look upon my broken, sinful life and CHOOSE me, but He continues to pour out grace upon grace each and every day. I have no choice but to serve Christ and Christ alone and to find my satisfaction in Him alone. What an amazing God we serve! Let us lay aside our broken cisterns and run to the FOUNTAIN today! Our God is an all satisfying, all sufficient fountain.
DBR Thought ~ I am Really Good at Being Really Bad
Isn’t it interesting that as we move forward in time we often hear people say “In my day, kids were not as bad as they are today.” or “Back when I was growing up you NEVER heard of people doing the things they are doing today.” We are getting really good and being really bad. Pastor Mike Fabarez spoke about this at Compass Night last week where he talked about how God shortened the lives of men in Noah’s day. It was interesting because he said the reason God’s Spirit would no longer “contend with Man” for as long as it had (upwards of 1000 years) is that men got really good at being bad. They perfected the art of doing evil, or as Jeremiah puts it, “They are ‘wise’ in doing evil!” It is surprising that God cut the lifespan down to under 10% of what it had been. First to 120 years, then onward to in the Psalms 80 is a good old age. I know some people who are fantastic at the art of evil and do it exceedingly well. Interesting thought by Pastor Mike for sure!
They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! – Jeremiah 4:22
Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (Eph. 6:24)
Maranatha! (Come, Lord Jesus!)
~ Jen O’Sullivan
www.HolyJustLove.com
DBR Thought ~ Hold Your Head High Like a Whore
“yet you have the forehead of a whore; you refuse to be ashamed.” – Jeremiah 3:3
How utterly proud these people were to hold their heads high as if they were not sinners. Hmm. Sounds a bit like the people today. That is hardest thing I face when trying to evangelize. People just do not see that they are sinners. Holy Spirit, convict me of sin, righteousness, and judgement. Convict my friends and family of the same so that I may be used by you as a witness to them.
Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (Eph. 6:24)
Maranatha! (Come, Lord Jesus!)
~ Jen O’Sullivan
www.HolyJustLove.com
Daily Bible Reading ~ Isaiah 65-66 and 2 Thessalonians 1
DAILY BIBLE READING LINK FOR OCTOBER 18, 2013
Pastor’s Note:
Today we wrap up this year’s read through the great book of Isaiah. I trust that this view to a “new heaven and new earth” brings much of the theology of Isaiah into sharp focus. May the memorable words in Isaiah 66:1-2 lead us to resolve to be people—“humble and contrite in spirit.” Today we also begin reading the second letter of Paul to the Thessalonians which, in the very first chapter, reminds us that God is a just God and will vindicate his people. What an important reminder in a world where good is often disdained as evil.
– Pastor Mike Fabarez of Compass Bible Church and Focal Point Ministries
Isaiah 65-66
Judgment and Salvation
65:1 I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me;
I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me.
I said, “Here am I, here am I,”
to a nation that was not called by [1] my name.
2 I spread out my hands all the day
to a rebellious people,
who walk in a way that is not good,
following their own devices;
3 a people who provoke me
to my face continually,
sacrificing in gardens
and making offerings on bricks;
4 who sit in tombs,
and spend the night in secret places;
who eat pig’s flesh,
and broth of tainted meat is in their vessels;
5 who say, “Keep to yourself,
do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.”
These are a smoke in my nostrils,
a fire that burns all the day.
6 Behold, it is written before me:
“I will not keep silent, but I will repay;
I will indeed repay into their bosom
7 both your iniquities and your fathers’ iniquities together,
says the Lord;
because they made offerings on the mountains
and insulted me on the hills,
I will measure into their bosom
payment for their former deeds.” [2]
8 Thus says the Lord:
“As the new wine is found in the cluster,
and they say, ‘Do not destroy it,
for there is a blessing in it,’
so I will do for my servants’ sake,
and not destroy them all.
9 I will bring forth offspring from Jacob,
and from Judah possessors of my mountains;
my chosen shall possess it,
and my servants shall dwell there.
10 Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks,
and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down,
for my people who have sought me.
11 But you who forsake the Lord,
who forget my holy mountain,
who set a table for Fortune
and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny,
12 I will destine you to the sword,
and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter,
because, when I called, you did not answer;
when I spoke, you did not listen,
but you did what was evil in my eyes
and chose what I did not delight in.”
13 Therefore thus says the Lord God:
“Behold, my servants shall eat,
but you shall be hungry;
behold, my servants shall drink,
but you shall be thirsty;
behold, my servants shall rejoice,
but you shall be put to shame;
14 behold, my servants shall sing for gladness of heart,
but you shall cry out for pain of heart
and shall wail for breaking of spirit.
15 You shall leave your name to my chosen for a curse,
and the Lord God will put you to death,
but his servants he will call by another name.
16 So that he who blesses himself in the land
shall bless himself by the God of truth,
and he who takes an oath in the land
shall swear by the God of truth;
because the former troubles are forgotten
and are hidden from my eyes.
New Heavens and a New Earth
17 “For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth,
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever
in that which I create;
for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy,
and her people to be a gladness.
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem
and be glad in my people;
no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping
and the cry of distress.
20 No more shall there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not fill out his days,
for the young man shall die a hundred years old,
and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit;
they shall not plant and another eat;
for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
and my chosen shall long enjoy [3] the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labor in vain
or bear children for calamity, [4]
for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord,
and their descendants with them.
24 Before they call I will answer;
while they are yet speaking I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall graze together;
the lion shall eat straw like the ox,
and dust shall be the serpent’s food.
They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord.
The Humble and Contrite in Spirit
66:1 Thus says the Lord:
“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house that you would build for me,
and what is the place of my rest?
2 All these things my hand has made,
and so all these things came to be,
declares the Lord.
But this is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit
and trembles at my word.
3 “He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man;
he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig’s blood;
he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol.
These have chosen their own ways,
and their soul delights in their abominations;
4 I also will choose harsh treatment for them
and bring their fears upon them,
because when I called, no one answered,
when I spoke, they did not listen;
but they did what was evil in my eyes
and chose that in which I did not delight.”
5 Hear the word of the Lord,
you who tremble at his word:
“Your brothers who hate you
and cast you out for my name’s sake
have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified,
that we may see your joy’;
but it is they who shall be put to shame.
6 “The sound of an uproar from the city!
A sound from the temple!
The sound of the Lord,
rendering recompense to his enemies!
Rejoice with Jerusalem
7 “Before she was in labor
she gave birth;
before her pain came upon her
she delivered a son.
8 Who has heard such a thing?
Who has seen such things?
Shall a land be born in one day?
Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment?
For as soon as Zion was in labor
she brought forth her children.
9 Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?”
says the Lord;
“shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?”
says your God.
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice with her in joy,
all you who mourn over her;
11 that you may nurse and be satisfied
from her consoling breast;
that you may drink deeply with delight
from her glorious abundance.” [5]
12 For thus says the Lord:
“Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;
and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip,
and bounced upon her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts,
so I will comfort you;
you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
14 You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;
your bones shall flourish like the grass;
and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants,
and he shall show his indignation against his enemies.
Final Judgment and Glory of the Lord
15 “For behold, the Lord will come in fire,
and his chariots like the whirlwind,
to render his anger in fury,
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire will the Lord enter into judgment,
and by his sword, with all flesh;
and those slain by the Lord shall be many.
17 “Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating pig’s flesh and the abomination and mice, shall come to an end together, declares the Lord.
18 “For I know [6] their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming [7] to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory, 19 and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations. 20 And they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses and in chariots and in litters and on mules and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the Israelites bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. 21 And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the Lord.
22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth
that I make
shall remain before me, says the Lord,
so shall your offspring and your name remain.
23 From new moon to new moon,
and from Sabbath to Sabbath,
all flesh shall come to worship before me,
declares the Lord.
24 “And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
2 Thessalonians 1
Greeting
1:1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving
3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, [8] as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.
The Judgment at Christ’s Coming
5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from [9] the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)
Footnotes
[1] 65:1 Or that did not call upon
[2] 65:7 Or I will first measure their payment into their bosom
[3] 65:22 Hebrew shall wear out
[4] 65:23 Or for sudden terror
[5] 66:11 Or breast
[6] 66:18 Septuagint, Syriac; Hebrew lacks know
[7] 66:18 Hebrew and it is coming
[8] 1:3 Or brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings (brothers and sisters) in God’s family, the church
[9] 1:9 Or destruction that comes from
Thursday Theology ~ The Holy Spirit, a systematic study of Pneumatology by Dr. Mike Fabarez
Pastor Mike Fabarez of Compass Bible Church is doing a phenomenal series on the Holy Spirit. If you live close by (Orange County, California Area) I highly recommend you come join us. If not, watch it live each Thursday night on Live Stream.
Compass Night 2013
Our Creator has revealed himself to us in the Bible as a triune being—one Essence eternally existing in three Persons. While it is perhaps easier for us to grasp the inherent distinctions between the roles of the Father and Son, we often fail to comprehend and appreciate the unique role and ministry of the Holy Spirit. In this important twelve-part lecture series Pastor Mike will help us broaden our understanding and deepen our gratitude for the daily operations of the Holy Spirit. Join us this fall on Thursday nights for Compass Night as we engage in a systematic study of Pneumatology.
– September 12 – The Personhood & Deity of the Holy Spirit (See below for notes)
– September 19 – The Titles & Emblems of the Holy Spirit
– September 26 – The Holy Spirit in Creation, Revelation & Inspiration
– October 3 – The Old Testament Ministry of the Holy Spirit
– October 10 – The Holy Spirit & Christ’s Ministry – Dinner: Beach Pit BBQ
– October 17 – Common Grace and the Holy Spirit
– October 24 – Special Guest: Pastor Mike Elliott
– October 31 – OFF for Fall Fest!
– November 7 – Special Guest: Pastor Pete
– November 14 – The Regenerative Work & Baptism of the Holy Spirit
– November 21 – The Indwelling & Sealing of the Holy Spirit
– November 28 – OFF for Thanksgiving
– December 5 – The Holy Spirit & Spiritual Gifts
– December 12 – The Filling of the Holy Spirit
Compass Night starts with a family-style dinner at 6:00p. AWANA and Thursday night KIDS Club are available for those attending Compass Night or Thrive. Parents or guardians MUST remain on campus when children are in KIDS Club.
Click here for details and registration for AWANA & KIDS Club.
NOTES FOR THE FIRST STUDY
THE HOLY SPIRIT #1
a systematic study of pneumatology
1. THE WORD “PNEUMATOLOGY”
Components: Pneumato / logy
Hebrew & Greek: Ruach or Pneuma / logos
Occurrences: OT 375 times. NT 379 times /. 339 times
Definitions & Imagery: Wind, breath, spirit. / word, speech, study
2. Or study of Pneumatology
A. What we will cover
1. Who the Holy Spirit is
2. What the Holy Spirit does
3. How we interface with the Holy Spirit
B. Why this is so important today
1. Lots of unbiblical teaching regarding the Holy Spirit
2. Lots of dangerous practices regarding the Holy Spirit
3. Lots of misunderstanding regarding the Holy Spirit’s role
C. The importance of “Roles” in the Trinity
1. School Yard Illustration
Small town. Only 3 adults in the school. You have been taught to respect them each as the authority. They all and different roles. You need to function under their authority.
~ The Father is the Principal
Admin, planning, oversight
~ The Son is the Teacher
Instructs, leads, directs students
~ The Holy Spirit is the Custodian
Facilitate, repair, protects, sets up
4. The Holy Spirit is a Person
A. Personhood
Personhood The Holy Spirit
Intellect, reason, logic. Isaiah 11:2
Isaiah 11:2 (ESV)
And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
Emotion, feelings, passion. Ephesians 4:30
Ephesians 4:30 (ESV)
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Will, volition, purpose. 1 Corinthians 12:11
1 Corinthians 12:11 (ESV)
All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
B. He takes personal action.
HE GUIDES
John 16:13
HE HEARS
John 16:13
HE SPEAKS
John 16:13
HE DECLARES
John 16:13
HE CONVICTS
John 16:8
HE CARRIES
Acts 8:39-40
HE HELPS
Romans 8:26
HE INTERCEDES
Romans 8:26
HE DECIDES
Acts 15:28
HE TEACHES
1 Corinthians 2:13
C. He is described as a person
~. HE IS OUTRAGED
Hebrew 10:29
~. HE IS LIED TO
Acts 5:3
~. HE IS BLASPHEMED
Matthew 12:31
~. HE IS OBEYED
Acts 10:19-21
~. HE IS A HE
John 16:13-14
5. The Holy Spirit is God
A. The Holy Spirit is ascribed divine attributes
~ HE IS OMNISCIENT
Isaiah 40:13
~ HE IS OMNIPRESENT
Psalm 139:7
~ HE IS ETERNAL
Hebrews 9:14
~ HE IS CREATOR
Genesis 1:2 and Job 33:4
B. The Holy Spirit is engaging in divine actions
~ WORKED MIRACLES
Hebrews 2:4
~ AGENT OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH
Luke 1:35
~ DIVINE CAUSE OF SCRIPTURE
2 Peter 1:21 and Revelation 2 & 3 “hear what the Spirit says to the Churches”
C. The Holy Spirit is described as “Another”
John 14:16
He is not a modalists. Meaning he does not wear various hats.
D. Associated with the Father and Son
~ WITH THE FATHER
1 Corinthians 6:11
~ WITH THE SON
Acts16:7
~ WITH BOTH
Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14
E. Bears Divine Titles
1. GOD
Acts 5:3-4
2. LORD
1 Corinthians 12:4-6
Daily Bible Reading ~ Isaiah 62-64 and 1 Thessalonians 5
DAILY BIBLE READING LINK FOR OCTOBER 17, 2013
Pastor’s Note:
More today on the restoration of God’s people, the Lord’s just response to sin, and the hope for the remnant of contrite people who turn to God in honest confession—clinging to his grace. In our New Testament reading we should be encouraged and challenged by this short letter from Paul, which is filled with hope and practical instruction.
– Pastor Mike Fabarez of Compass Bible Church and Focal Point Ministries
Isaiah 62-64
Zion’s Coming Salvation
62:1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
and her salvation as a burning torch.
2 The nations shall see your righteousness,
and all the kings your glory,
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will give.
3 You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 You shall no more be termed Forsaken, [1]
and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, [2]
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, [3]
and your land Married; [4]
for the Lord delights in you,
and your land shall be married.
5 For as a young man marries a young woman,
so shall your sons marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
so shall your God rejoice over you.
6 On your walls, O Jerusalem,
I have set watchmen;
all the day and all the night
they shall never be silent.
You who put the Lord in remembrance,
take no rest,
7 and give him no rest
until he establishes Jerusalem
and makes it a praise in the earth.
8 The Lord has sworn by his right hand
and by his mighty arm:
“I will not again give your grain
to be food for your enemies,
and foreigners shall not drink your wine
for which you have labored;
9 but those who garner it shall eat it
and praise the Lord,
and those who gather it shall drink it
in the courts of my sanctuary.” [5]
10 Go through, go through the gates;
prepare the way for the people;
build up, build up the highway;
clear it of stones;
lift up a signal over the peoples.
11 Behold, the Lord has proclaimed
to the end of the earth:
Say to the daughter of Zion,
“Behold, your salvation comes;
behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.”
12 And they shall be called The Holy People,
The Redeemed of the Lord;
and you shall be called Sought Out,
A City Not Forsaken.
The Lord’s Day of Vengeance
63:1 Who is this who comes from Edom,
in crimsoned garments from Bozrah,
he who is splendid in his apparel,
marching in the greatness of his strength?
“It is I, speaking in righteousness,
mighty to save.”
2 Why is your apparel red,
and your garments like his who treads in the winepress?
3 “I have trodden the winepress alone,
and from the peoples no one was with me;
I trod them in my anger
and trampled them in my wrath;
their lifeblood [6] spattered on my garments,
and stained all my apparel.
4 For the day of vengeance was in my heart,
and my year of redemption [7] had come.
5 I looked, but there was no one to help;
I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold;
so my own arm brought me salvation,
and my wrath upheld me.
6 I trampled down the peoples in my anger;
I made them drunk in my wrath,
and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”
The Lord’s Mercy Remembered
7 I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord,
the praises of the Lord,
according to all that the Lord has granted us,
and the great goodness to the house of Israel
that he has granted them according to his compassion,
according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
8 For he said, “Surely they are my people,
children who will not deal falsely.”
And he became their Savior.
9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, [8]
and the angel of his presence saved them;
in his love and in his pity he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
10 But they rebelled
and grieved his Holy Spirit;
therefore he turned to be their enemy,
and himself fought against them.
11 Then he remembered the days of old,
of Moses and his people. [9]
Where is he who brought them up out of the sea
with the shepherds of his flock?
Where is he who put in the midst of them
his Holy Spirit,
12 who caused his glorious arm
to go at the right hand of Moses,
who divided the waters before them
to make for himself an everlasting name,
13 who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in the desert,
they did not stumble.
14 Like livestock that go down into the valley,
the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest.
So you led your people,
to make for yourself a glorious name.
Prayer for Mercy
15 Look down from heaven and see,
from your holy and beautiful [10] habitation.
Where are your zeal and your might?
The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion
are held back from me.
16 For you are our Father,
though Abraham does not know us,
and Israel does not acknowledge us;
you, O Lord, are our Father,
our Redeemer from of old is your name.
17 O Lord, why do you make us wander from your ways
and harden our heart, so that we fear you not?
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your heritage.
18 Your holy people held possession for a little while; [11]
our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary.
19 We have become like those over whom you have never ruled,
like those who are not called by your name.
64:1 Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence—
2 [12] as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3 When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
4 From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
5 You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved? [13]
6 We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
7 There is no one who calls upon your name,
who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have made us melt in [14] the hand of our iniquities.
8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
and remember not iniquity forever.
Behold, please look, we are all your people.
10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness;
Zion has become a wilderness,
Jerusalem a desolation.
11 Our holy and beautiful [15] house,
where our fathers praised you,
has been burned by fire,
and all our pleasant places have become ruins.
12 Will you restrain yourself at these things, O Lord?
Will you keep silent, and afflict us so terribly?
1 Thessalonians 5
The Day of the Lord
5:1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, [16] you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children [17] of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Final Instructions and Benediction
12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, [18] encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
25 Brothers, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (ESV)
Footnotes
[1] 62:4 Hebrew Azubah
[2] 62:4 Hebrew Shemamah
[3] 62:4 Hebrew Hephzibah
[4] 62:4 Hebrew Beulah
[5] 62:9 Or in my holy courts
[6] 63:3 Or their juice; also verse 6
[7] 63:4 Or the year of my redeemed
[8] 63:9 Or he did not afflict
[9] 63:11 Or Then his people remembered the days of old, of Moses
[10] 63:15 Or holy and glorious
[11] 63:18 Or They have dispossessed your holy people for a little while
[12] 64:2 Ch 64:1 in Hebrew
[13] 64:5 Or in your ways is continuance, that we might be saved
[14] 64:7 Masoretic Text; Septuagint, Syriac, Targum have delivered us into
[15] 64:11 Or holy and glorious
[16] 5:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 4, 12, 14, 25, 26, 27
[17] 5:5 Or sons; twice in this verse
[18] 5:14 Or disorderly, or undisciplined
DBR Thought of the Day ~ Those who are Heavenly Minded are no Earthly Good by Jen O’Sullivan
I am one of those people who really cannot wait to see Heaven. I think about it all the time. It is said that people who are heavenly minded are of no earthly good, however the more heavenly minded a person is, the more good on Earth they want to do. The Bible tells us that those who read Revelation out loud will be blessed. Stop reading this right now and go read, out loud the book of Revelation.Do it as often as you can. You will get excited to do more for the Kingdom of God than you ever thought possible. I pray that the fire of Jesus gets ignited in you today!
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Daily Bible Reading ~ Isaiah 59-61 and 1 Thessalonians 4
DAILY BIBLE READING LINK FOR OCTOBER 16, 2013
Pastor’s Note:
As we near the closing chapters of Isaiah we see again with clarity the problem of sin, which caused our need for redemption and deliverance. The ultimate redemptive work of God seen in today’s reading clearly stretches beyond the restoration of Israel after the Babylonian captivity. May we be encouraged by these sweeping and far-reaching promises. In 1 Thessalonians 4 we see the call to engage in the work of Christian sanctification in light of Christ’s forthcoming return.
– Pastor Mike Fabarez of Compass Bible Church and Focal Point Ministries
Isaiah 59-61
Evil and Oppression
59:1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
2 but your iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you
so that he does not hear.
3 For your hands are defiled with blood
and your fingers with iniquity;
your lips have spoken lies;
your tongue mutters wickedness.
4 No one enters suit justly;
no one goes to law honestly;
they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies,
they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.
5 They hatch adders’ eggs;
they weave the spider’s web;
he who eats their eggs dies,
and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched.
6 Their webs will not serve as clothing;
men will not cover themselves with what they make.
Their works are works of iniquity,
and deeds of violence are in their hands.
7 Their feet run to evil,
and they are swift to shed innocent blood;
their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;
desolation and destruction are in their highways.
8 The way of peace they do not know,
and there is no justice in their paths;
they have made their roads crooked;
no one who treads on them knows peace.
9 Therefore justice is far from us,
and righteousness does not overtake us;
we hope for light, and behold, darkness,
and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
10 We grope for the wall like the blind;
we grope like those who have no eyes;
we stumble at noon as in the twilight,
among those in full vigor we are like dead men.
11 We all growl like bears;
we moan and moan like doves;
we hope for justice, but there is none;
for salvation, but it is far from us.
12 For our transgressions are multiplied before you,
and our sins testify against us;
for our transgressions are with us,
and we know our iniquities:
13 transgressing, and denying the Lord,
and turning back from following our God,
speaking oppression and revolt,
conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words.
14 Justice is turned back,
and righteousness stands far away;
for truth has stumbled in the public squares,
and uprightness cannot enter.
15 Truth is lacking,
and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.
Judgment and Redemption
The Lord saw it, and it displeased him [1]
that there was no justice.
16 He saw that there was no man,
and wondered that there was no one to intercede;
then his own arm brought him salvation,
and his righteousness upheld him.
17 He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.
18 According to their deeds, so will he repay,
wrath to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies;
to the coastlands he will render repayment.
19 So they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west,
and his glory from the rising of the sun;
for he will come like a rushing stream, [2]
which the wind of the Lord drives.
20 “And a Redeemer will come to Zion,
to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord.
21 “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.”
The Future Glory of Israel
60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.
3 And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.
4 Lift up your eyes all around, and see;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from afar,
and your daughters shall be carried on the hip.
5 Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and exult, [3]
because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
6 A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.
7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you;
the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;
they shall come up with acceptance on my altar,
and I will beautify my beautiful house.
8 Who are these that fly like a cloud,
and like doves to their windows?
9 For the coastlands shall hope for me,
the ships of Tarshish first,
to bring your children from afar,
their silver and gold with them,
for the name of the Lord your God,
and for the Holy One of Israel,
because he has made you beautiful.
10 Foreigners shall build up your walls,
and their kings shall minister to you;
for in my wrath I struck you,
but in my favor I have had mercy on you.
11 Your gates shall be open continually;
day and night they shall not be shut,
that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations,
with their kings led in procession.
12 For the nation and kingdom
that will not serve you shall perish;
those nations shall be utterly laid waste.
13 The glory of Lebanon shall come to you,
the cypress, the plane, and the pine,
to beautify the place of my sanctuary,
and I will make the place of my feet glorious.
14 The sons of those who afflicted you
shall come bending low to you,
and all who despised you
shall bow down at your feet;
they shall call you the City of the Lord,
the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
15 Whereas you have been forsaken and hated,
with no one passing through,
I will make you majestic forever,
a joy from age to age.
16 You shall suck the milk of nations;
you shall nurse at the breast of kings;
and you shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior
and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
17 Instead of bronze I will bring gold,
and instead of iron I will bring silver;
instead of wood, bronze,
instead of stones, iron.
I will make your overseers peace
and your taskmasters righteousness.
18 Violence shall no more be heard in your land,
devastation or destruction within your borders;
you shall call your walls Salvation,
and your gates Praise.
19 The sun shall be no more
your light by day,
nor for brightness shall the moon
give you light; [4]
but the Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory. [5]
20 Your sun shall no more go down,
nor your moon withdraw itself;
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your days of mourning shall be ended.
21 Your people shall all be righteous;
they shall possess the land forever,
the branch of my planting, the work of my hands,
that I might be glorified. [6]
22 The least one shall become a clan,
and the smallest one a mighty nation;
I am the Lord;
in its time I will hasten it.
The Year of the Lord’s Favor
61:1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor; [7]
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; [8]
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. [9]
4 They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.
5 Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks;
foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;
6 but you shall be called the priests of the Lord;
they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God;
you shall eat the wealth of the nations,
and in their glory you shall boast.
7 Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion;
instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;
therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion;
they shall have everlasting joy.
8 For I the Lord love justice;
I hate robbery and wrong; [10]
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their offspring shall be known among the nations,
and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge them,
that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to sprout up before all the nations.
1 Thessalonians 4
A Life Pleasing to God
4:1 Finally, then, brothers, [11] we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: [12] that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body [13] in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
The Coming of the Lord
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, [14] that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. (ESV)
Footnotes
[1] 59:15 Hebrew and it was evil in his eyes
[2] 59:19 Hebrew a narrow river
[3] 60:5 Hebrew your heart shall tremble and grow wide
[4] 60:19 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Targum add by night
[5] 60:19 Or your beauty
[6] 60:21 Or that I might display my beauty
[7] 61:1 Or afflicted
[8] 61:1 Or the opening [of the eyes] to those who are blind; Septuagint and recovery of sight to the blind
[9] 61:3 Or that he may display his beauty
[10] 61:8 Or robbery with a burnt offering
[11] 4:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 10, 13
[12] 4:3 Or your holiness
[13] 4:4 Or how to take a wife for himself; Greek how to possess his own vessel
[14] 4:15 Or by the word of the Lord
Holy. Just. Love. 