Faithful Heritage

Isaiah 51-53

The first year that I attended National Berean Youth Camp (aka RYOT, aka FUEL) way back in the late 1980’s, I was overwhelmed by the number of familial relations. Everyone seemed to be related to everyone else! I was the odd man out because I didn’t have twenty cousins also in attendance at camp. As I have grown up and continued to be involved with the Church of God General Conference, I am still discovering others’ family connections. But I am excited that my family of origin now has a third generation participating in COG events! 

The rich history of the Church of God is like a beautiful family tree that has incredibly deep roots that go back for more than a century! As a Conference we are dedicated to nurturing the next generation, helping the young ones to know where they come from and what earlier generations have done on their behalf. At the same time, we continue to graft new fellow believers into this family tree giving them a secure foundation on which to build their faith and grow their own family branches.

In today’s Scripture reading, God, through the prophet Isaiah, is reminding the people of Israel, that they have a rich heritage that extends back to Abraham and Sarah. From one couple, an entire nation was born! And what’s exciting is that you and I get to be part of that heritage as well! 

Isaiah 51:1b-2a remind me of what the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:14-15: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

We can be sure in what we believe because we have had trustworthy teachers, preachers, mentors, and leaders that have remained by our side as we grow deeper in our understanding of the Word of God about who God is, what has been accomplished on our behalf, and the abundant life that we are invited to participate in. My personal experience of those within the General Conference who have invested in my life are too many to count. I am so blessed and thankful, for it is their involvement in my life that has shaped who I am today. You and I have a similar opportunity to pay it forward with the same love and generosity by investing in others.

If you are reading this on the publish date, July 19, 2025, we have over two hundred FUEL participants (students and staff) that have just returned from FUEL, a week-long event designed to bring high school and college aged students closer to God, his Son, Jesus, and each other. If you know anyone who attended, be sure to reach out to them and ask them about their experience. Nurture the relationships that make the General Conference so incredible and encourage the next generation in their faith so that we can continue to grow the Family of God family tree.  

Reflection Questions

Who are the “Abrahams and Sarahs” in your life – people whose example reminds you of God’s faithfulness?

How does remembering your spiritual roots or faith heritage strengthen your trust in God today?

-Bethany Ligon

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Made to be a Light

Isaiah 49-50; Psalm 135

Isaiah 49:6b (NIV84) – “I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Some readers love poetry; they love the figurative language, the allusions, the complex ideas that are simmered down into short phrases. Poetry forces the reader to slow down and use critical thinking to comprehend what’s being communicated. Sometimes it also requires the reader to know a little bit about the author and his or her life at the time the piece was composed. 

I am not one of those readers. I prefer the author to be straightforward with me. Just tell me what you want me to know without all of the fancy language and references that I may or may not have prior knowledge of. 

Reading the book of Isaiah is similar to reading poetry for me. I have to really study it. I have to use additional resources and commentaries to get a clue what is being said. And while I don’t prefer to have to spend an hour just to understand one chapter, the mental exercise is good for me. So here is what I’ve learned about Isaiah 49, specifically verses one through six.

It is the second out of four Servant Songs in the book of Isaiah. A Servant Song is a passage of verses that refer to the Messiah, Jesus. Not only does this chapter reference Jesus well before he was born, but it also mentions Gentiles (those not of the Israelite community). It’s not the first and only time that Gentiles are mentioned, but because Jesus is also alluded to it’s interesting to have two New Testament concepts written about together in the Old Testament.

As we know, in his ministry, Jesus often suffered opposition and what looked like failure in his mission to restore all people to God in order to have an eternal relationship with Him in the coming Kingdom. Isaiah 49:4 talks about this. But as we also know, Jesus’s death was not the end of the story.  

While this knowledge is important to understand, what’s the application to our modern day lives? My answer to this question took me a while to formulate, but here’s what I’ve come up with. I’m sure that there are other applications, but we’ll not delve into those right now. 

While Jesus is the Servant, we are servants of Jesus. John 12:26 says, “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” This means that we have the same ministry and mission that Jesus did: “to bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” (Is. 49:6b).

Second Corinthians 5:18-20 says it this way: “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

We are the hands and feet of Jesus, continuing to share the Gospel message with those who do not know it yet. 

A missionary friend of mine works in a local community. Her mission field is the youth of this neighboring community. She recently shared in an update that during a midweek youth gathering she shared the Gospel message, something she does quite regularly, but this time the response from the teens was more than usual. Praise God! But after that, one teen girl approached her and told my friend that this was the first time that she had ever heard about Jesus. My immediate thought was, “How is this possible? In our modern society where access to anything a person could ever want to know about is first a few finger clicks away, that a young person has never heard the name of Jesus?” But it’s true, there are people in our neighborhoods that don’t know about Jesus and the gift of salvation that comes through him. 

My friends, the work is not yet done. As servants and followers of the Servant, Jesus, we have the task to continue to reconcile our friends and neighbors to God by sharing the Gospel message. We will have opposition and think that we are failing at our mission, but take heart, you have been chosen to bring the message of salvation to the end of the earth (or to your neighbor).

Reflection Questions

What does it mean to you that God knows you, calls you, and has a purpose for you even before you were born? How does that shape your identity?

When have you felt like your efforts for God were in vain? How can you learn to rest in God’s timing, even when results aren’t visible?

What might “the ends of the earth” look like in your own life right now? Who is God calling you to reach or encourage with His message of hope?

-Bethany Ligon

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Restore Us, O God

2 Kings 18:9-19:37
Psalm 46, 80

Have you ever noticed that when you’re in familiar surroundings, you don’t require all of your senses to function? For example, if you wake up in the middle of the night, can you make your way into the bathroom without turning on a light? Or have you ever found yourself “watching” something on the television while simultaneously scrolling on your phone. You look up to watch the television when you hear the music swell because you know something important is about to happen? 

But in unfamiliar environments, you require most of your senses, even if it doesn’t make sense? Am I the only one who turns down the volume of the radio while I’m driving when I am looking for a specific street sign? It’s like the brainpower used to listen to music needs to be redirected towards my sense of sight. Or when I am about to enjoy the first taste of something delicious, I don’t want any distractions; all I want is to savor the flavors in my mouth. Don’t talk to me, don’t have me look or study something, just let me appreciate what’s happening with my tastebuds. 

In today’s Psalm, the author is appealing to God in a time of national territorial struggle. Outside enemy forces are making their presence known and the nation of Israel is seeking God’s protection and restoration.

Three of the nineteen verses are identical. Verses three, seven, and nineteen all say, “Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.” Let’s break this repeated appeal down.

Restore us, O God – make us right, heal us, put us back to where we were. Because of the disobedience of the people, their relationship with God has been broken or gotten off track. The petition to God for restoration acknowledges this. 

Make your face shine upon us – this phrase calls back to the Priestly blessing that is recorded in Numbers 6:24-26. When God’s face is shining upon His people, His blessings, His approval, His favor makes life more peaceful. But this can only be experienced when we are in right standing with God. When we are not in right standing with God, it’s like His face is hidden from us. It’s like the lights in the room are on, but we still cannot see; the volume on the television is turned up high, but we still cannot hear; we can add all the seasoning to food, but we still cannot taste it. We walk through our daily lives like it’s unfamiliar territory. We’re seeking for something to make sense and may even turn to external (and ungodly) sources for relief. But nothing can substitute the experience of God’s face shining upon those He loves and who are in right standing with Him.

That we may be saved – When God’s people have been restored and are in right standing with Him, and His favor is among the people, salvation from threats of the enemy is at hand.

The next time you find yourself in an especially challenging trial, mimic King Hezekiah who literally laid his problem out before God and made his appeal that God take action against the enemy. Ask God if there is anything that needs restoration in your life. Request God to make His face shine upon you. And then believe with all of your heart that God will act on your behalf. The course of action that God may take may not make sense and His timing could be very different than what you would like, but know that God sees those who love him and are committed to remain in right standing with Him. And even in the midst of the hard times, you can find peace to enjoy with all your senses the life God has planned out for you.

Reflection Questions

Describe a time when you felt God’s favor, peace, or presence in a tangible way. What was happening in your heart and life during that season?

What distractions – mental, emotional, digital, or physical – are keeping me from noticing or experiencing God’s presence fully?

How might I align myself with God today so that I am in ‘right standing’ with Him?

-Bethany Ligon

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Imposters

Isaiah 44-48

Each morning as I open and check my email inbox, I am compelled to clean out and delete all of the spam messages that are delivered as well. Every time, I “block sender” and yet those pesky messages still show up! Have you ever noticed how similar some of the spam messages are to a legitimate vendor or service? Most are easily identified as junk, but every once in a while, I need to look a bit more closely to see if it’s the real deal or not. According to a CBS report in April 2025 over $16.6 BILLION was lost due to fraudulent emails, text messages, and phone calls in the previous year. Imposters are very persistent and clever in disguising themselves as valid and trustworthy sources.

In Isaiah chapters 44-48, God emphasises that He alone is God, there is no other and none are like Him. In fact, there are nine times within this section that a variation of this phrase is stated. 

  • Isaiah 44:6
  • Isaiah 45:5, 6, 14, 18, 21, 22
  • Isaiah 46:9
  • Isaiah 48:12 (variation) 

As God’s people had been captured by Babylon, they were surrounded by false, fake gods. Through the prophet Isaiah, God makes it crystal clear who the REAL God is. 

The false, fake gods are man made. The one, true God made man and the entire universe.

The false, fake gods are unable to speak and fulfill promises. The one, true God not only claims things to come, but works to see those claims come to fruition.

The false, fake gods have no power, authority, or sovereignty. The one, true God orchestrates unlikely foreign leaders to rescue His people.

The false, fake gods cannot provide salvation. The one, true God is salvation for His people.

As a reader of this passage of Scripture, it’s tempting to think, “How could someone be duped by a false, fake god?”. But when you never seek and study the one, true God, it becomes a challenge to distinguish between the imposter and the authentic. When you are familiar with the characteristics, the qualities, the patterns, the motivations, and the promises of the one, true God, it becomes easier to discriminate against the attempts of the false, fake gods. 

So spend a little extra time today in the presence of the one, true God so your heart and mind can confidently claim, “There is no other; there is none like You”. 

Reflection Questions

  1. What are some “false, fake gods” or imposters in your life that compete for your attention, trust, or hope?
  1. How can you become more familiar with God so you’re not fooled by spiritual imposters?
  1. Finish this prayer: “God, there is no other; there is none like You because…”

-Bethany Ligon

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Just and Tender Father

Isaiah 40-43

Many, many years ago, as a novice classroom junior high teacher, I was learning what it meant to “be firm, be fair, be consistent”; which now as a veteran educator is my favorite word of advice to pass along to the next generation of teachers. 

One of my nicest, most reliable, hard-working students entered the classroom tardy one day. Any other week of the school year, I would have not given it a second thought and have her sit down and get to work – something she would have done naturally. However, the previous day, I had just had a stern conversation with the class about the importance of showing up on time and the consequences if anyone chose to be late to my class in the future. I had already taken attendance and wondered out loud if anyone knew where this particular student was. No one knew. A few minutes later, she walks in – without a pass. She paused as she entered the room. The rest of the class looked at her and then looked at me – was I really going to hold this ‘good kid’ accountable for what I just had said the day before? As much as I hated to do it, I reminded her that she would be eating lunch with me that day and the rest of the class knew if I meant business with this kid, I was absolutely serious about my message for the rest of them. 

Later on as I was holding this student during lunch, we talked about where she had been, why she didn’t have a pass, and how the entire incident was so out-of-character for her. Her explanations made sense and she understood why I had to do what I did. She was never late again.

In leadership, this style of management is often referred to as a “velvet hammer”. In other words, “be firm, be fair, and be consistent” with everyone, every time. 

As I read the opening verse of Isaiah 40 and the next couple of chapters of today’s Bible reading, I am reminded of the velvet hammer and my educator mantra. 

Through the prophet Isaiah, God had just completed pronouncing judgement on the Israelistes in the previous chapters, aka the “hammer”. Now, in what is sometimes referred to as the “Second Isaiah”, God is now offering comfort and encouragement to His people, aka “the velvet”. 

“Comfort, comfort”. With the repetition, you can almost hear the tenderness of a parent reassuring a child, “There, there, now. It’ll all be alright.” Discipline is never pleasant when the relationship is loving. The authority figure in the relationship knows that the pain and discomfort associated with accountability is necessary in order to provide guidance and direction for the child, follower, or subordinate. For the child, it’s a difficult reminder of the offense and the actions required to make things right again. However, with the reassurance that things can indeed be made right, the discipline is easier to accept. 

“My people”. Even though the Israelites have continued to make disappointing choices, God still claims them as His. Any other sovereign probably would have given up on such an obstinate group, but not the Almighty. His covenant with the Israelites is reaffirmed with these two words. God is not going anywhere, He is not giving up. 

“Says Your God”. And just as resolute as God is in holding up His side of the covenant relationship, He wants to remind the people that He longs for them to do the same. He still desires to be known as the God of Israel. There is nothing that can be said or done to make Him want anything less. Additionally, God is reminding them that amid all the other false idol gods that have been manufactured, He alone is their God. He is the one who is worthy of all glory, honor and praise. He alone is “the LORD, the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth” (v.40:28).

My hope and prayer for you reading this today is that if you’ve ever experienced God’s discipline, you’ve also experienced His tenderness and mercy. God loves you more than you can possibly imagine and His discipline is evidence of this love. Cling tightly to our Father because He is always faithful, always present, always full of grace and mercy, always all-powerful, always right there where we need Him to be. May you be comforted by this covenant of love today. 

Reflection Questions

  1. When have you experienced God’s ‘velvet hammer’ – a moment of discipline wrapped in love and mercy?
  1. How does God calling the Israelites “my people” after their failures, influence your own identity and relationship with God, especially after you have missed the mark?
  1. How does knowing that God is both just and tender shape your trust in Him?

-Bethany Ligon

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Independence or Dependence?

Isaiah 37-39
Psalm 76

Isaiah 38:2 – “Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.”

My 21-month old nephew is already practicing his independence. Just the other day, my brother shared in our family chat a video of the little guy outside on their patio, in his diapers, figuring out how to make the sprayer on the lawn hose work. It was amazing to see him inspect the sprayer as he held it in his hands. He eventually discovered that if he applied enough pressure on the handle, water would come out. And then he went to town spraying everything on the patio, including the arcadia door where my brother was on the other side capturing the moment. 

As amazing as it is to watch a child grow and develop, they are still very much dependent on the adults in their lives for providing for all of their basic needs. And if those needs are not met in a timely manner…cries and tears are bound to surface.

As an adult, I’d like to think that I’m more mature than a child, but in all reality, I’m not. I am independent to a fault until something doesn’t go my way or I need help. And even then, I’m reluctant to admit as much. Life is great…until I’m criticized…until my supervisor decides to take an alternative course of action after I have spent hours preparing for something different…until money that I’ve saved up for a vacation has to be spent on expensive AC repairs…until I cut my foot by dropping a plate on it and the ability to walk or drive inhibits my mobility. It’s only then do I pout and admit that I can’t do everything on my own; I need assistance, from my family, from friends, from my heavenly Father. 

As I read through Isaiah chapters 37-38, I couldn’t help but notice that when King Hezekiah was in dire straits, he immediately turned to God and worshiped Him, and made his case for why God should show His mercy and grace. This is exactly what God desires from His children. He longs for us to depend on Him for all of our needs, from daily and minor inconveniences to the major and potentially life changing circumstances. 

However in Isaiah chapter 39, King Hezekiah’s attitude is much different. Life is good; in fact he gets a bonus of 15 more years to live! He’s so confident in his situation that he becomes arrogant and shows off all of the kingdom’s wealth and prosperity to mere strangers. Where has his dependence on Almighty God gone? And for the king’s actions, the prophet Isaiah gives him a heads up that trouble will indeed come. But does Hezekiah care? Nope. He’ll be dead by then and it will be someone else’s problem. Whaaaat??? How is this even the same guy?

But before I become too critical, I have to remember that my human tendencies can easily do the same thing. 

So how can we avoid the temptation to rely on our own wits and wisdom? Jesus gives us a clue in Luke 9. “Then he said to them all: If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” (v. 23-24)

It’s this daily submission that keeps us humble and dependent upon our heavenly Father for all of our needs. So whether it is a dire diagnosis, threats from an enemy, or even on the best of days when everything is running smoothly, we would do well to remember that it is God who is to be remembered, praised and given all the glory. 

Reflection Questions:

When faced with unexpected hardship or crisis, what is your first instinct – independence or dependence?

When life is going smoothly, what helps you stay grounded in humility and gratitude rather than slipping into self-reliance?

What does “taking up your cross daily” look like for you right now? What small act of surrender can you practice today that will remind you of your dependence on God?

-Bethany Ligon

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Desert Seasons

Isaiah 35-36

Isaiah 35:1 – “The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom…”

There is often a misconception about what defines a desert. The temperature is not what makes a desert ecosystem; it’s the amount of precipitation, or should I say the lack thereof. It’s not uncommon to go 100 days without any significant rainfall. And by significant, I’m talking about 0.01 inches. The second longest rainless streak the Phoenix area had was just this past winter. January 29, 2025 ended 159 days without rain. Another fun fact is that this past June 1, it rained for the first time on that date in 114 years. It was so wonderful that my family decided to eat lunch on the patio of Culver’s after church. The breeze and the coolness of the air was just too good to hide inside. 

So when I read the words from Isaiah 35 about the “desert and parched land will be glad”, it’s certainly relatable. 

However, a lack of rainfall isn’t what the prophet Isaiah was talking about. The Assyrian army was knocking on Judah’s door and it was going to get bad for God’s people. Judgment was coming. Those who survived the enemy’s attack would feel like they had been stranded in the desert, with no provisions, no shelter, no rain. And they would often wonder, “Will it ever get better? Will relief ever come? Where is God in all of this?”

This chapter was written as a message of hope. God will rescue. God will redeem. God will restore. And not only will God show up, He will provide a highway for those who stand blameless. This Way of Holiness will be reserved for all who stood firm in their faith even when circumstances were the most difficult. This path will be protected against any threat and will lead directly to a place of plenty, of refreshing, of beauty and splendor. Gladness and rejoicing will be the response of those who enter Zion. 

This chapter of hope was not only written for the people of the day, but for us in modern times as well. If you are experiencing a season of stressful relationships, or of financial instability, or of illness, or of grief for a loved one, or of doubt and uncertainty of faith, let Isaiah’s words encourage you. This is not all that there is. It will get better; relief is on its way; God sees you and will rescue, redeem, and restore you. 

So take heart my friend. “Gladness and joy will overtake you, and sorrow and sighing will flee away” (Is 35:10).

Reflection Questions

Are you currently going through a “desert” season? In what areas of your life do you feel dry, weary, or without hope?

How have you experienced God’s rescue or refreshment in the past?

What might it look like for you to “walk in the Way of Holiness” in your present circumstances?

What gives you hope for today?

-Bethany Ligon

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Looking for Solutions in All the Wrong Places?

Isaiah 31-34

Life is full of challenges and problems, and people are always looking for a quick fix to get them by. But a quick fix that the world promises often turns out to be no fix at all, just another problem on top of all of our existing problems. When we leave off trusting in God, and put our trust in ourselves or the quick fixes that the world has to offer, we set ourselves up for disappointment.

In Isaiah 31-32 we see how the Israelites were afraid of the impending Assyrian army and were looking at Egypt as a solution for the protection they needed. But God said, “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek Yahweh!” (Isaiah 31:1, REV) At the time this was written, chariots were a big deal, the latest and greatest military technology. Placing their hopes and trust in these, the Israelites were essentially telling God, “Don’t worry God; we can take care of this; we don’t need you.” And, of course, this is all wrong. God is concerned and invested in his people, he wants to participate in their salvation, and they really do need Him.

The reality is, sometimes we are a lot like the Israelites of Isaiah’s time, we are looking for solutions in all the wrong places instead of trusting in God.  We are not threatened by the threat of an invading army, but we have plenty of challenges and problems that we need solutions for. We don’t look to chariots anymore, but we do depend on modern technology, like cars and cell phones to carry us through. But we should ask ourselves if we are putting our trust in God or in ourselves and the solutions of the world. It is a question about our hearts. Is your cell phone your tool for distraction, connection, and maybe a false sense of safety? Are you running away from something? Have you prayed to God about whatever it is that you are feeling, facing, or going through? Just like Egypt couldn’t provide the security the Israelites were searching for, neither can our devices or distractions fix what’s going on inside us.

God deals with the real problem, not just the symptom. “The Assyrian will fall, but not by the sword of people; and the sword that is not of humankind will devour him. He will flee from the sword, and his young men will become subject to forced labor.” (Isaiah 31:8) With Yahweh our massive problems are no problem at all. It’s not the situation itself, but where we place our trust that makes all the difference.

“The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.” (Isaiah 32:17, REV) Quietness and confidence really stand out to me in this verse. Regarding quietness, I think of how, when a city is quiet, generally nothing bad is going on. And regarding confidence, that’s a kind of safety you feel when you’re not afraid of an impending disaster.

I used to have an old Jeep Cherokee that routinely broke down and on more than one occasion left me stranded on the side of the road, waiting for a tow truck or laboring to fix it under the hot summer sun. Of course, after multiple episodes of this, the Jeep lost my trust and I eventually sold it and purchased a newer Toyota. Since then, I’ve had more confidence that I’ll actually make it to my appointments without breaking down. When I placed my trust in that old, unreliable Jeep, the result was disappointment.

When we choose to follow and obey God, we can experience the quietness and confidence that only he can give. It is fundamentally a heart issue. God wants us, and he is persistent again and again, calling His people back to Him for peace and safety. Just like his promise to the Israelites, when we look to God for salvation, he will be faithful to deliver us.

-Bridger Grable

Reflection Questions

  1. “But we should ask ourselves if we are putting our trust in God or in ourselves and the solutions of the world. It is a question about our hearts. Is your cell phone your tool for distraction, connection, and maybe a false sense of safety? Are you running away from something? Have you prayed to God about whatever it is that you are feeling, facing, or going through?”
  2. What, or who, have you put your trust in, and then were disappointed?
  3. What does it look like to put our trust in God?
  4. What do you think of Bridger’s statement, “God deals with the real problem, not just the symptom”? Where have you seen this to be true?
  5. If you desire to transfer your trust from self, others, things to God what steps could be helpful? What should you avoid? How can you work at this heart change?
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Hearts Far from God

Isaiah 28-30

July 11, 2025

              Within the contents of Isaiah 28-30, there are a few verses that stick out to me that I think are worth dwelling on. The first of those is Isaiah 29:13 which reads:

 [13] And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, – Isaiah 29:13 (ESV)

I think this verse describes what is happening a lot in the Church today. Many of us, me included, are guilty of claiming with our mouth that we are living holy and righteous while not giving up the areas we need to improve. I don’t want to be someone always ready to give a good answer, something that sounds intelligent, ready to glorify God, but do not live out what my mouth claims. I don’t want to be someone who is ready to sing a worship song but not ready to forgive the person who has wronged me.

The next verse I wish for us to dwell on is Isaiah 29:19.

 [19] The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the LORD, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. – Isaiah 29:19 (ESV)

              This verse can act as an encouragement for some and a warning to others. Whether you are rich or poor, strong or weak, short or tall, educated or uneducated, I think this verse tells us to adopt a mindset of being humble. Throughout the Bible, over and over, God helps those in need and sympathizes with the struggling. Especially in America, it is so easy to live in comfort and the mindset of self-reliance. We blind ourselves with the things we possess or the abilities we have and try to forget how much we depend on God. Let us remember that God will make great the meek and lift up the lowly.

The last verse that I want to cover is Isaiah 30:18.

 [18] Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him. – Isaiah 30:18 (ESV)

When we receive God’s grace it is freeing to know that despite all that we have done that is evil, God still chooses us and extends forgiveness toward us. Sometimes it is hard to see that God is gracious with us. We constantly need to be reminded of the fact that God will be gracious with us if only we would turn to him and allow his grace to change us.

Application Questions:

If you have received grace from God, how does your life reflect that?

Who is someone who needs to hear about God’s grace today?

Will you be a talker or a doer of following God?

-Jeremiah Grable

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When Blessings Lead to Spiritual Adultery

Hosea 10-14

Chapter 10 of the book of Hosea, implements an analogy of Israel as a thriving vine. The more fruit it bore, the more Israel used its prosperity to betray Yahweh, turning blessings into the means of idolatry. God gave them the Promised Land, and they used the blessing that he gave them to make other gods. Instead of gratitude, they responded with spiritual adultery.

The Israelites’ hearts were divided, pulled in different directions by possessions and self-interest. “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13, REV). Israel never gave God their whole heart. And so they couldn’t find Him. God was ruled out of the life of Israel and now the same thing is happening here in our own nation. We see our country’s leaders supporting and encouraging sinful actions.

“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within me; my compassion is aroused.” (Hosea 11:8, REV). Yahweh doesn’t want to destroy His people. He didn’t want to then, and he doesn’t now. But again and again, Israel turns elsewhere. In chapter 12, they make a covenant with Assyria looking for safety in the arms of another nation, not in God. Maybe that is the way we should treat some of the things in our lives. We tend to distance ourselves from the thought that we are creating an alliance with things daily like our phones instead of God. 

“I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.” (Hosea 13:5, REV). The idea from Hosea 13:5 is that when we have an abundance of conveniences it’s hard to see the things we need. In the States most of our problems are “first world problems” which is a polite way of saying they’re not problems at all, just inconveniences. Our abundance and ease of living is one of the many reasons that America is struggling morally in our present time. With too many conveniences, too many options, or too much time -it’s easy to forget what you need.

“According to their pasture, so were they filled. They were filled, and their heart was exalted, so they forgot me.” (Hosea 13:6, REV). Let us not forget our God and turn foolishly toward the things of this world. 

Application Questions:

Do you prioritize things like work, school, social media, TV, over your family, time reading God’s word, or time helping other people?

What are some distractions that are pulling you away from God?

Who are a couple people in your life who can keep you accountable in spending less time on the things of this world and more time on things of God?

-Bridger Grable

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