Sunday Inspiration
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Sunday, November 16th, 2008When Work Seems Useless
READ Isaiah 49:1-4
I replied, “But my work seems so useless!
I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose.
Yet I leave it all in the LORD’s hand;
I will trust God for my reward.”
Isaiah 49:4
In Isaiah 49, the Lord speaks to his Servant, sometimes pictured as Israel, and at other times […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, November 9th, 2008The Arguing Clay
READ Isaiah 45:9-13
“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator.
Does a clay pot argue with its maker?
Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying,
‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’
Does the pot exclaim,
‘How clumsy can you be?’ ”
Isaiah 45:9
Through Isaiah, the Lord made known his plans to use Cyrus, king […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, November 2nd, 2008Freedom that Comes from the Servant
READ Isaiah 42:5-12
“You will open the eyes of the blind.
You will free the captives from prison,
releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.”
Isaiah 42:7
In Isaiah, the Servant of God will open blind eyes, free the captives, and release the prisoners. These tasks were part of his work of bringing God’s […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, October 26th, 2008God’s Comfort
READ Isaiah 40:1-2
“Comfort, comfort my people,”
says your God.
“Speak tenderly to Jerusalem.
Tell her that her sad days are gone
and her sins are pardoned.
Yes, the LORD has punished her twice over
for all her sins.”
Isaiah 40:1-2
With occasional oases of hope, the first thirty-nine chapters of Isaiah are a desert of divine judgment. But then, beginning […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, October 19th, 2008Learning from God’s Vengeance, Part 2
READ Isaiah 34:1-17
For it is the day of the LORD’s revenge,
the year when Edom will be paid back for all it did to Israel.
Isaiah 34:8
I want to spend another day reflecting upon Isaiah 34. This chapter can be troubling because it seems to celebrate God’s vengeance. God seems to […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, October 12th, 2008Charging Ahead of God
READ Isaiah 30:1-18
This is what the Sovereign LORD,
the Holy One of Israel, says:
“Only in returning to me
and resting in me will you be saved.
In quietness and confidence is your strength.
But you would have none of it.”
Isaiah 30:15
The people of Israel were understandably frightened as the nation of Assyria threatened. Yet God […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, October 5th, 2008Is Pride Always Wrong?
READ Isaiah 23:1-18
The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has done it
to destroy your pride
and bring low all earth’s nobility.
Isaiah 23:9
Once again, Isaiah condemns human pride. In Isaiah 22, the pride of a leader was indicted by the Lord. This time it’s the pride of a whole nation.
Years ago when I was a […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, September 28th, 2008Eager to Do What Is Right
READ Isaiah 16:1-14
[T]hen God will establish one of David’s descendants as king.
He will rule with mercy and truth.
He will always do what is just
and be eager to do what is right.
Isaiah 16:5
In the middle of a prophecy of doom upon Moab, we find unexpected words of hope. After the […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, September 21st, 2008A Reminder of Justice
READ Isaiah 10:1-14
“What sorrow awaits the unjust judges
and those who issue unfair laws.
They deprive the poor of justice
and deny the rights of the needy among my people.
They prey on widows
and take advantage of orphans.”
Isaiah 10:1-2
Throughout the Scriptures, God cares profoundly about justice. As it says in Psalm 99:4, he is the […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, September 14th, 2008A Holy People
READ Isaiah 4:3
All who remain in Zion
will be a holy people—
those who survive the destruction of Jerusalem
and are recorded among the living.
Isaiah 4:1-6
In the opening chapters of Isaiah, God condemns Israel for its immorality and godlessness, predicting a day of painful judgment. But God also looks forward to a time of restoration, […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, September 7th, 2008All Authority
READ Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.”
Matthew 28:18
All authority! The Heavenly Father gave Jesus all authority in the universe. This does not mean, however, that everything in creation has been renewed. Full restoration has yet to come. But Jesus is Lord […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, August 31st, 2008 Who Was Responsible for the Death of Jesus?
READ Matthew 27:1-26
Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”
Matthew 27:24
For centuries, many Christians […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, August 24th, 2008Faithfulness in Small Things
READ Matthew 25:14-30
“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’”
Matthew 25:21
In this familiar parable, the master praises his servant for being “faithful in handling this […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, August 17th, 2008Who Is My Audience?
READ Matthew 23:1-12
“Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.”
Matthew 23:5
Jewish men in the time of Jesus wore teffilin when they prayed: boxes that were attached to one’s left hand and […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, August 10th, 2008Hiding in the Den of Thieves
READ Matthew 21:12-13
He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”
Matthew 21:13
As Jesus entered Jerusalem to cries of “Hosanna,” the crowd had high hopes for him. Surely, if he were […]
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