The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
Isaiah 43-45, Psalm 80
Act 2: God’s Covenant People
Scene 7: Kings and Prophets: The southern kingdom as God’s people
Background Information: Isaiah 43-45, Psalm 80
God said that he would ransom his people from captivity and that the symbolic flood and fire of their enemy’s rage would not destroy them. Be careful of claiming these verses as promises that nothing bad will happen to you personally. These are not promises to protect every single person from harm, then or now. There is a promise here, but it’s about God’s covenant promises to his People, not individual claims of special protection from hard times for all persons. Many have become disillusioned by wrongly applying Scripture to their own lives out of its original context. God keeps his promises, but he is not obligated to do what he hasn’t said he would do. This is true no matter how much you want something to be true. We must hold to the actual promises of God; these are precious and powerful. We must not make up our own ideas of what God will or should do; this is foolish and harmful. Isaiah writes of the utter stupidity of self-made gods. A piece of wood becomes fuel for an oven to bake bread, and the remainder is used to craft an idol. The irony of this is evidently missed by these idol makers. It reveals the human need to control outcomes, which includes the making of gods we can control rather than submitting to the God who is in control. God is the maker of heaven and earth. He has made us; we are the clay pots, and he is the potter. We make no demands of him; we are his to do with as he chooses. The great promise of God for your life is not that no physical harm will come to you, but that Christ will be revealed in you, even in suffering and death.
“Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body.” 2 Cor. 4:7-10
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Praise God that after many years of treatment, Lisa Nettleton, a member of River, is cancer free. Please pray for continued healing from the lingering side effects from years of treatment.
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.