September 19

September 19
One Year Bible Readings:
Isaiah 30:12-33:9
Galatians 5:1-12
Psalm 63:1-11
Proverbs 23:22
Supplemental Reading for The One Year Bible.
The following are excerpts from Mike’s One Year Bible Blog.

Isaiah:
Today in Isaiah chapter 30 we read about blessings for God's people! You'll notice in verses 12 and 15 the term "Holy One of Israel" is used for God. An interesting thing to note about this term "Holy One of Israel" is that it occurs a total of 26 times in the book of the prophet Isaiah - and only 6 times elsewhere in the rest of the Old Testament! (I think it is such a beautiful term - maybe in part because my church sings a wonderful song occasionally w/ these lyrics: "For I am the Lord your God. The Holy One of Israel. Your Savior. I am the Lord - do not fear - I am the Lord". Anyone else's church sing this song?) Some scholars over history have challenged whether the entire 66 chapters of the book of Isaiah were really all written by the same person, Isaiah. Well, the continuity of the use of the term "Holy One of Israel" throughout the book has been the strongest argument for the unity of the book of Isaiah.
Q: Who do you believe is the Holy One of Israel? Who is the Holy One in your life? What does Holiness mean to you?

Galatians:
Galatians chapter 5 is a great teaching on our freedom in Christ! Verse 1 is so very powerful: "So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law."
Q: Has Jesus set you free? Has He set you free from the slavery of sin? Has He set you free from the slavery of the law? If you are not yet free, today will you hand over the controls of your life to Jesus and let Him once and for all set you free!

I also love verses 5 & 6 - "But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive everything promised to us who are right with God through faith. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, it makes no difference to God whether we are circumcised or not circumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love." I like that thought of eagerly waiting to receive everything promised to us who are right with God through faith.
Q: How are you eagerly waiting for everything promised? How do you have the hope of glory? And then the last sentence of what is important is powerful - faith expressing itself in love! Not faith expressing itself in hate.... Faith expressing itself in love. How is your faith expressing itself in love?  This reminds me of the old song - "They will know we are Christians by our love. By our love. Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love." Amen!

Psalm:
Psalm 63 is beautiful! So many amazing verses... The imagery in verse 1 is fantastic - "O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water."
Q: Do you earnestly search for God in your life? Each and every day? Does your soul literally thirst for God? Does your whole body long for God in this dry and weary land....

Proverbs:
Proverbs chapter 23 verse 22 reminds me of the Ten Commandment to honor your father and mother! "Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don't despise your mother's experience when she is old." I do think that listening to our parents and not despising their experience when they are old is very honoring.  
Q: Are you listening to your parents these days? Are you not despising their experience?

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