With the Holy Spirit’s help (Ezekiel 36:27), we can stop that cycle and align our actions with our repentant hearts. Like the Israelites, many of us sin like crazy, and then supposedly come clean before God every Sunday. Specifically, we can lend a hand to the poor, defend orphans, or champion the rights of widows. Getting clean involves “ to do good” (Isaiah 1:17). Once we discontinue specific sinful actions, it’s important to replace them with activities that please God. Paul asked, “Should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of His wonderful grace? Of course not!” (Romans 6:1-2). As believers in Jesus, we have the same responsibility to knock off the sin that separates us from God. He began by saying, “Give up your evil ways” (Isaiah 1:16). God didn’t want an outward show of confession without an inner commitment to act differently.įortunately, God outlined a couple of steps to help the nation get right with Him. He said, “I am sick of your burnt offerings” (Isaiah 1:11), and “When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look” (Isaiah 1:15). They’d been living as a nation of spiritual renegades (Isaiah 1:4) even as they continued to observe their religious ceremonies. God called the people of Israel to “sanitize” themselves. I didn’t stop until the phone was spotless. Horrified, I set to work spraying, scrubbing, and disinfecting. It slid straight to the bottom, and when I pulled it out, it was covered with some kind of disgusting mystery goo. I accidentally dropped my cell phone into the garbage can. Wash yourselves and be clean! (Isa 1:16). Live so that others know whom you belong to I am Yours, Lord, yet teach me all it means, Take a lesson from the animals and remember your Owner and Provider. They had been bought with a price and were to honor God in all they said and did (1Cor 6:19-20). ![]() Hundreds of years after Isaiah, the apostle Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians that they were not their own. God’s people, however, often aren’t smart enough to remember their Owner. These animals know who takes care of them. He noted that an ox knows its owner, and a donkey knows where its food comes from (Isaiah 1:3). And in Japan, 20 small quakes within a few months were accurately forecast because observers noted that catfish swam frantically, as if chased by sharks.įrom the prophet Isaiah we learn that observing animals can even teach us how to prevent a ruined life (Isa 1:2-9). They were alerted to the disaster by cattle that mooed more than usual and chickens that refused to roost. In northeastern China, officials were able to warn and evacuate people from high-risk areas hours before a killer earthquake struck. ![]() Because of their alertness to natural phenomena, they have at times helped us to avoid disaster. Isaiah 1:3Īnimals sometimes seem to have more sense than people. The ox knows its owner … but Israel does not know, My people do not consider. Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI.These devotionals make excellent sermon illustrations. Devotionals from Moody Bible Institute's Today in the Word - Isaiah 45-66īelow is a compilation of more than 300 "Our Daily Bread" Devotionals arranged by chapter.Devotionals from Moody Bible Institute's Today in the Word - Isaiah 1 - 44.“Give us today our daily bread.” In Jesus’ name, Amen. Lord, we are hungry-in body and soul-for what only you can provide. Do we trust God to provide, or do we try to take things into our own hands? And can we see that the many passages about bread in the Bible somehow point to the nurturing gift of Jesus, the bread of life, who is given for us? Our response to God’s gift of daily bread is often an indicator of where we stand in relationship with God. The Bible is filled with marvelous stories of how God feeds and cares for his people, showing in particular that bread is a rich symbol of God’s provision and presence. Our daily bread is something we need, and we are encouraged to ask for it every single day. And we can trust that God does provide, though not always in a way we might expect. ![]() ![]() We can boldly ask God to provide for our daily needs. Jesus taught his disciples to pray by saying “Give us today our daily bread.” And this reveals a few things. How does your experience of eating influence your appreciation for the nourishment of God’s Word? Maybe you also read these devotions in connection with a meal. It’s no wonder that, for me, reading and reflecting on Scripture is strongly associated with eating bread. One of us four kids would read the Bible passage, and another would read the meditation. As I was growing up, my parents led our family in reading Today devotions after supper each day.
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