Isaiah 58 - 5.2.23
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 58:13,14 "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
OBSERVATION: The Sabbath day was instituted by God for the nation of Israel to commemorate His deliverance of them from Egypt. It was a special sign to the Israelites that they had been set apart as followers of the Most Hight God. Their keeping of the Sabbath would help distinguish them from the nations around them. (Got Questions. com).
Sunday was the day that Jesus rose from the dead, and since that time, believers have gathered on the first day of the week to celebrate His victory over sin and death. The day of the week is not the most important issue - but the heart motivation behind that choice is crucial.
APPLICATION: Years ago after reading these 2 verses in Isaiah, I made a vow to honor the Sabbath Day. I decided that I would obey by setting it apart from all the rest. That first word in Isaiah 58:1 says, "IF". If I keep my feet from breaking the Sabbath, and show proper respect to God Who also rested on the seventh day, THEN... I will find joy in the Lord.
Even though we are retired folks, my body knows when it's Sunday. I have trained myself to purposely set aside the Sabbath to physically rest from the extra duties, chores and regular activities that I do during the week, and when I do, I feel so much more refreshed and rested as I begin the next week. And besides feeling rested and refreshed, God has promised that if I obey His command to keep the Sabbath Day holy then I will find JOY in the Lord!
Throughout the years I have strived to obey these verses, and I can honestly say that God has kept His promise to fill me with His supernatural joy!
PRAYER: Lord, I am so grateful for the "aha" moment that I had many years ago while reading these verses! You have commanded us to keep the Sabbath holy, and You have taught us how to do it. And... the rewards that come from obeying Your commands regarding this area are priceless! Lord, I thank You that as I claim the Sabbath as Your own, and not pursue my ordinary plans of amusement and pleasures, but call the Sabbath a delight, and live as You have purposed, I will find my joy IN YOU!
- Robin Orefice
Philippians 4 - 5.1.23
Scripture
Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Observation
This is the apostle Paul’s final letter to the Philippians. In it, he encourages them to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, to remember to practice all the things that he has taught them, to settle any lingering disputes, to be joyful in the Lord, and to give ALL their worries and concerns to God in prayer. 🙏🏽
In this verse I chose today, Paul is reminding us as believers that we can speak directly to God. He is the maker of Heaven and Earth. He is the One who has all power and authority, and is in control of every situation. So why not take our concerns to God? He loves us, and yearns to have that relationship with us.
*Please note: God doesn’t always promise to change every situation to our liking. What He does promise is to give us peace during any situation.*
Application
Allow me to quote a rapper from the 90’s, “We need to pray just to make it today.” -MC Hammer 😎
I like the idea our church had for people who were trying to build a good prayer life. It’s called “First 5, Last 5.” The concept behind this is to spend our first 5 minutes in the morning in prayer, and the last 5 minutes of our day in prayer. It’s a great way to begin and end our day!
Then like any discipline we are trying to build, we can up the frequency. Maybe from 5 minutes, do 10 minutes. Then, slowly start implementing prayer throughout the day. We can pray and thank God before each meal. It’s a great way to build our prayer life and open up our communication with God.
But how should I pray? Well, may I recommend the acronym A-C-T-S.
A-Adoration: Start your prayer by adoring God for Who He is. (i.e. God you are holy and worthy to be praised. You are my rock my redeemer.)
C-Confession: Confess your sins to God. Ask for His forgiveness.
T-Thanksgiving: Give God your gratitude. Thank Him for all He has done in your life and has blessed you with. Even thank Him for some of the difficulties you may be facing. Acknowledge that You know He is good, and that He is always with you. Know that He has a purpose for everything, and He will work all things together for good for those who are called according to His purpose-(Romans 8:28).
S-Supplication: This is a fancy word for making requests. Make your requests known to God, just like the verse I chose today reminds us to! 😊
Prayer
Father God, I know that You are omniscient. You already know my requests before I even ask it. But, I know You desire a relationship with me. You want me to come to You and communicate with You through prayer. Forgive me for the times I’m too busy or too tired to talk with You. Thank You for always being there for me, waiting for me with open arms. I pray that I can continue to seek You each day in prayer. May I experience Your peace in my heart and mind because of my times spent with You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽
-Moses Gaddi
Philippians 3 - 4.28.23
Scripture - Pick one verse that stood out to you.
Philippians 3:19
Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
Observation - What about this verse stands out to you?
…,their glory is in their shame,...
It is so insidious to me, Lord, at how so quickly an idol I thought I had banished crept back into my life. And although I am doing much better now (thank God for the church elders and fellow believers in my life!) I don’t believe the battle is won just yet but it will be in the name of Jesus my Savior and King.
Sometimes I read things in Your Word, Father, and on my second or third read a person can nearly observe the gears turning in my head. It is that Holy Spirit “woosh” kicking in. I chose this verse because my battle has been with my own flesh for months (more like 33 years overall but yea this time around months) but then the third part of this verse just hit me like a ton of bricks.
To glorify what should be shameful, is only accomplished when you are absolutely blind. You are only able to see or perceive truth in your own skewed direction, while at the same time being completely oblivious to what is true. How completely and utterly sad that is Lord. I don’t wish to become like that if I can help it.
Application - How will you apply this to your life?
Lord, help me to stop becoming an expert in the wrong things in my life. If I know a little too much about an ungodly, shameful topic which I am proud of, bring it to light for me today.
Prayer - Write out a prayer.
For I wish to live for Your glory and not my shame.I choose to set my mind on You Lord instead of earthly things. I pray that I align with Your Cross today and forever, my Savior, my Lord, my King. In the name of Jesus do I pray, amen.
-kenneth lee