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ACAD – New Self: Isaiah 57

Israel’s Futile Idolatry

The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands.
For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness. But you, draw near, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman. Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, the offspring of deceit, you who burn with lust among the oaks,[a] under every green tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a grain offering. Shall I relent for these things? On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifice. Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your memorial; for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed, you have gone up to it, you have made it wide; and you have made a covenant for yourself with them, you have loved their bed, you have looked on nakedness.[b] You journeyed to the king with oil and multiplied your perfumes; you sent your envoys far off, and sent down even to Sheol. You were wearied with the length of your way, but you did not say, “It is hopeless”; you found new life for your strength, and so you were not faint.[c]

Whom did you dread and fear, so that you lied, and did not remember me, did not lay it to heart? Have I not held my peace, even for a long time, and you do not fear me? I will declare your righteousness and your deeds, but they will not profit you. When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you! The wind will carry them all off, a breath will take them away. But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land and shall inherit my holy mountain.

Comfort for the Contrite

And it shall be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people’s way.” For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made. Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him. But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

Footnotes:

  1. Isaiah 57:5 Or among the terebinths
  2. Isaiah 57:8 Or on a monument (see 56:5); Hebrew on a hand
  3. Isaiah 57:10 Hebrew and so you were not sick

English Standard Version (ESV)The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

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ACAD – Blessings: Genesis 49

Jacob Blesses His Sons

Then Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall happen to you in days to come.

Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob,
    listen to Israel your father.

“Reuben, you are my firstborn,
    my might, and the firstfruits of my strength,
    preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence,
    because you went up to your father’s bed;
    then you defiled it—he went up to my couch!

“Simeon and Levi are brothers;
    weapons of violence are their swords.
Let my soul come not into their council;
    O my glory, be not joined to their company.
For in their anger they killed men,
    and in their willfulness they hamstrung oxen.
Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce,
    and their wrath, for it is cruel!
I will divide them in Jacob
    and scatter them in Israel.

“Judah, your brothers shall praise you;
    your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
    your father’s sons shall bow down before you.
Judah is a lion’s cub;
    from the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He stooped down; he crouched as a lion
    and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?
The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
    nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until tribute comes to him;[a]
    and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
Binding his foal to the vine
    and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,
he has washed his garments in wine
    and his vesture in the blood of grapes.
His eyes are darker than wine,
    and his teeth whiter than milk.

“Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea;
    he shall become a haven for ships,
    and his border shall be at Sidon.

“Issachar is a strong donkey,
    crouching between the sheepfolds.[b]
He saw that a resting place was good,
    and that the land was pleasant,
so he bowed his shoulder to bear,
    and became a servant at forced labor.

“Dan shall judge his people
    as one of the tribes of Israel.
Dan shall be a serpent in the way,
    a viper by the path,
that bites the horse’s heels
    so that his rider falls backward.
I wait for your salvation, O Lord.

“Raiders shall raid Gad,[c]
    but he shall raid at their heels.

“Asher’s food shall be rich,
    and he shall yield royal delicacies.

“Naphtali is a doe let loose
    that bears beautiful fawns.[d]

“Joseph is a fruitful bough,
    a fruitful bough by a spring;
    his branches run over the wall.[e]
The archers bitterly attacked him,
    shot at him, and harassed him severely,
yet his bow remained unmoved;
    his arms[f] were made agile
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob
    (from there is the Shepherd,[g] the Stone of Israel),
by the God of your father who will help you,
    by the Almighty[h] who will bless you
    with blessings of heaven above,
blessings of the deep that crouches beneath,
    blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
The blessings of your father
    are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents,
    up to the bounties of the everlasting hills.[i]
May they be on the head of Joseph,
    and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.

“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf,
    in the morning devouring the prey
    and at evening dividing the spoil.”

Jacob’s Death and Burial

All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him. Then he commanded them and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah— the field and the cave that is in it were bought from the Hittites.” When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

Footnotes:

  1. Genesis 49:10 By a slight revocalization; a slight emendation yields (compare Septuagint, Syriac, Targum) until he comes to whom it belongs; Hebrew until Shiloh comes, or until he comes to Shiloh
  2. Genesis 49:14 Or between its saddlebags
  3. Genesis 49:19 Gad sounds like the Hebrew for raiders and raid
  4. Genesis 49:21 Or he gives beautiful words, or that bears fawns of the fold
  5. Genesis 49:22 Or Joseph is a wild donkey, a wild donkey beside a spring, his wild colts beside the wall
  6. Genesis 49:24 Hebrew the arms of his hands
  7. Genesis 49:24 Or by the name of the Shepherd
  8. Genesis 49:25 Hebrew Shaddai
  9. Genesis 49:26 A slight emendation yields (compare Septuagint) the blessings of the eternal mountains, the bounties of the everlasting hills

English Standard Version (ESV)The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

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ACAD – Praise: Matthew 21

The Triumphal Entry

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
    humble, and mounted on a donkey,
    on a colt,[a] the foal of a beast of burden.’”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

And Jesus entered the temple[b] and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,

“‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies
    you have prepared praise’?”

And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.

When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John,from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

The Parable of the Tenants

“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a wine press in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants[c] to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;[d]
this was the Lord’s doing,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”[e]

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.

Footnotes:

  1. Matthew 21:5 Or donkey, and on a colt,
  2. Matthew 21:12 Some manuscripts add of God
  3. Matthew 21:34 Greek bondservants; also verses 35, 36
  4. Matthew 21:42 Greek the head of the corner
  5. Matthew 21:44 Some manuscripts omit verse 44
English Standard Version (ESV)The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

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A Foolish Woman vs. A Wise Woman

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer. ~ Proverbs 9:10-12 NIV

Foolish Woman

foolish: lacking or exhibiting a lack of good sense or judgment; silly; resulting from stupidity or misinformation; unwise

A foolish woman is a destroyer – she tears her home down with her own hands.

Her destruction reaches forward from her heart to the generations of her children’s children. She contaminates every good thing in her environment and under her control. She is lazy and self-pleasing. She is insincere and manipulates through a show of care and concern. She advertises pleasure and provides entertainment, both of which are momentary. In her presence is the illusion of life, but her ways lead to death for herself and those under her influence. The foolish woman doesn’t give respect, for she has no experiential knowledge of God. She trusts only herself and her means. She operates in the flesh only, neglecting and starving the spirits and souls entrusted to her care. Her husband is ashamed and disgraced, though he may not be aware. He is hungry for her support, but receives her abuse instead. She shares only her disregard, disrespect and her haughty, dismissive attitude with him. He asks for guidance and she leads him astray. He seeks comfort and she turns her back on him. He longs for companionship, but she’s busy enjoying others. Her treatment of her husband and children, prepares them for spiritual death.     

What good is a foolish woman?

She brings no spiritual good to her household. She is a drain to her husband’s soul and brings rot to his bones. Her wickedness derives from her lack of true knowledge of God and lack of respect for His divine order.

The woman named Folly is brash. She is ignorant and doesn’t know it. She sits in her doorway on the heights overlooking the city. She calls out to men going by who are minding their own business. “Come in with me,” she urges the simple. To those who lack good judgment, she says, “Stolen water is refreshing; food eaten in secret tastes the best!” But little do they know that the dead are there. Her guests are in the depths of the grave. ~ Proverbs 9:13-18 NLT

Wise Woman

wise: having the power of discerning and judging properly as to what is true or right; possessing discernment, judgment, or discretion; having knowledge or information as to facts, circumstances

A wise woman is a builder – she builds her home and she builds up her family.

She is a crown of glory to her husband’s head and he knows well the honor she brings him. A child of God, she seeks counsel first from her Heavenly Father through their shared Holy Spirit. Her discernment and good judgment is a blessing to her husband and children as she exerts her influence with knowledge, patience, love, respect and concern. She is trust-worthy and reliable; hard-working and well-respected. She points her husband towards God always, even as she stands and walks beside him; guiding him even as she is lead by him. A wise woman is aware of the power and influence she has, but she does not abuse it. Her strength is exhibited in her gentleness. Her love is expressed in her discipline. Her patience is seen in her teaching. She communicates her hopes and gives the best of herself always (even when quality of her best varies). She is a meticulous steward of her family’s possessions. She is generous with her family’s harvest. A wise woman cultivates every seed her husband plants in her. She answers his needs with an open heart, eager to be all she is called to be as his wife. She nurtures her husband and everyone in her household. Her hospitality is abundant and gracious. Her husband is at peace in her presence as are others. Her treatment of those entrusted to her glorifies God and lead them to the light of everlasting life.

What good is a wise woman?

Her value is beyond measure. Her contributions have no scale. Though she improves the physical lives of those in her household and community, she is a greater blessing to their spiritual lives. She deposits the Love of God, the Hope of Christ, the Faith of her husband and her own spirit into everyone who crosses her path. Her husband, children and the Kingdom of Heaven are the primary ground and the primary beneficiaries of her wisdom. A wise woman raises a child but nurtures a community. She provides for her home, but feeds a nation. She may have a modest planting ground, but she will have an abundant spiritual harvest.

Wisdom has built her house; she has carved its seven columns. She has prepared a great banquet, mixed the wines, and set the table. She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come. She calls out from the heights overlooking the city. “Come in with me,” she urges the simple. To those who lack good judgment, she says, “Come, eat my food, and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live; learn to use good judgment.” ~ Proverbs 9:1-6 NLT

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A Faithless Man vs. A Faithful Man

What good is a faithless man?

faithless: unworthy of faith or trust; unreliable.

A faithless man is a destroyer.

He has no worth. No value. He offers no true contribution to life. His leadership is false – a distraction. He escorts those who follow him into darkness – sadness – madness. A faithless man has no honor. No integrity. He is without loyalty and has no comprehension of commitment. He is not worth his word and his word has no worth. He is full of deceit because he knows not honesty or truth. He causes pain because he is not a conduit of love. He takes but doesn’t know how to receive. He expects but doesn’t know how to give. He does wrong and demands forgiveness, but is too proud to humble himself and ask for it. Ahh, pride… all sin rolls up or comes down to pride. The faithless man thinks only of himself in the present moment. He does not foresee consequences for his behavior or fallout from his choices. By his actions he hates and humiliates his wife, teaches his children to mimic him and destroys his family for generations to come.  

What can you do with a faithless man?

You can only be led astray – repeatedly; you will never be led right.

But the man who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys himself. He will be wounded and disgraced. His shame will never be erased. ~ Proverbs 6:32-33 NIV

 

What good is a faithful man?

faithful: worthy of trust or belief; reliable; adhering firmly and devotedly; loyal.

A faithful man is a builder.

His value is inestimable. He will give his life for you and ask for nothing in return. He is honor-bond to love, to cleanse, to heal and to keep holy the wife given to him. He is honest in his weakness and speaks truth to God’s glory. He recognizes his wife as a blessing made for the purpose of building him up so he can better hold her up. Because he loves first, he and his household are blessed by the fruit of love he plants in his wife. A faithful man communicates his intentions and his goals. He is humble and not self-seeking. He knows life is not about him. It has never been about him. Life is about Christ and he wants to know Christ better each and every day. To this end, he teaches his children to walk in the ways of God… as he does. He sets his family up for good success – as individuals and as a unit. The family relationships operate on honor, integrity, respect, love, loyalty and faithfulness because he exhibits these characteristics in his relationship with his wife. By his actions he honors and glorifies God and his family is blessed for generations to come

What can you do with a faithful man?

Respect and follow him all the days of your life, for his righteousness will cover you.

Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man? The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him.  ~ Proverbs 20:6-7 NKJV