Today in the Word for January 13-17 2020
Today in The Word
Monday Jan 13, 2020
Do you feel on the outside? Do you wish you belonged? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. God speaks through Isaiah in 44:3, 5:
“For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring…Some will say ‘I belong to the Lord; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will…take the name Israel.”
God is telling of a time after Isaiah when the Holy Spirit will be poured out in a greater way on believers, with the result that they would feel they belong to God. And this is exactly what happened after the coming of Jesus. We read Jesus’ announcement in John 14:16-18:
“…I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans…”
Jesus fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy by sending the Holy Spirit to live in us and witness to us that we are not orphans on this planet. Instead we belong to God. We are adopted into his family. We are never truly on the outside when we have God’s Spirit living on the inside.
And that’s The Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in The Word
Tuesday Jan 14, 2020
Can putting something ahead of God mess with your vision? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Isaiah 44:9, 16-18 reads:
“All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind…Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal…From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, “Save me! You are my god!”
They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see…”
The prophet is not just saying that an idol cannot see. He is saying that when we make an idol, we become unable to see. The act of treasuring something more than God plasters over our eyes.
And do not make the mistake of thinking all idols are statues of wood or gold. Idols can be a job promotion, an important relationship, a new truck, a number of ‘likes’ on line, or a 6-figure number in the bank. Anything that we treasure and pursue more than relationship with God is an idol.
Make idols and you’ll go blind. Don’t you see?
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Wednesday Jan 15, 2020
Do you possess an open or closed mind? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Isaiah 44: 9, 18, 20 reads:
“All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless…they are ignorant, to their own shame…They know nothing, they understand nothing…their minds are closed so they cannot understand…Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?””
Yesterday we learned an idol-maker has closed eyes. Today we see that he or she also develops a closed mind. They are unable to comprehend the lie of their own making.
When we believe that we can save ourselves, then we begin to form our own methods of salvation. We make idols.
“I’ll have arrived if I only get promoted, get the girl, win the game, or raise a talented child.”
But we delude ourselves with such methods of salvation. We must look to the only one who can save—God himself. We need to open our mind to follow the only one who provided for our salvation—Jesus Christ.
Otherwise, we are just close-minded.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly. Join our Wednesday adult Bible Study at 6:30 for more of the Word.
Today in the Word
Thursday Jan 16, 2020
Are you an open or closed book? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. God tells us about whether he is an open or closed book in Isaiah 43: 8, 11, 12:
“Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf…I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior I have revealed and saved…I, and not some foreign god among you…”
God is not a closed book to us. He is a God who reveals himself. His greatest way of revealing himself is through scripture. His Holy Book makes him quite literally an open book. He has been speaking to humankind and revealing his Nature to us for thousands of years. He also reveals his creative side through Creation itself. The awe-inspiring beauty and diversity of the world around us reveal God. And he further reveals himself personally. He may have spoken to you before.
He is a God who reveals himself. He is an open book. Is it about time we listened to his story?
And that is the Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Friday Jan 17, 2020
In a world filled with a dizzying number of religions and deities, how does the God of the Bible separate himself from the pack? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Isaiah 43:8-10 reads:
“Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of their gods foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right…Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me…”
The God of the Jewish and Christian scriptures refers to the many recorded instances of God giving prophecy. God foretells what is to come, and then we read later of its fulfillment. He challenges other gods to compare notes on being able to effect their will to come to pass.
Claims of prophecy are common in many religious beliefs. God challenges us to take an honest look at the biblical accounts and assess other’s others claims. Does another god back up his call for worship with greater fulfilled prophecy?
God is willing to challenge us. Are we willing to take a hard look at his claims?
And that’s the Word. You can enjoy more of the Word this Sunday at 10:45 at Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.