Isaiah 1

I read this chapter today and was thinking on it...just wanted to share!

Isaiah 1 (New King James Version)

1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
The Wickedness of Judah
2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!
For the LORD has spoken:

“ I have nourished and brought up children,
And they have rebelled against Me;
3 The ox knows its owner
And the donkey its master’s crib;
But Israel does not know,
My people do not consider.”
4 Alas, sinful nation,
A people laden with iniquity,
A brood of evildoers,
Children who are corrupters!
They have forsaken the LORD,
They have provoked to anger
The Holy One of Israel,
They have turned away backward.
5 Why should you be stricken again?
You will revolt more and more.
The whole head is sick,
And the whole heart faints.
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head,
There is no soundness in it,
But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores;
They have not been closed or bound up,
Or soothed with ointment.
7 Your country is desolate,
Your cities are burned with fire;
Strangers devour your land in your presence;
And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
8 So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard,
As a hut in a garden of cucumbers,
As a besieged city.
9 Unless the LORD of hosts
Had left to us a very small remnant,
We would have become like Sodom,
We would have been made like Gomorrah.
10 Hear the word of the LORD,
You rulers of Sodom;
Give ear to the law of our God,
You people of Gomorrah:
11 “ To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?”
Says the LORD.

“ I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle.
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
Or of lambs or goats.
12 “ When you come to appear before Me,
Who has required this from your hand,
To trample My courts?
13 Bring no more futile sacrifices;
Incense is an abomination to Me.
The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies—
I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.
14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts
My soul hates;
They are a trouble to Me,
I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands,
I will hide My eyes from you;
Even though you make many prayers,
I will not hear.
Your hands are full of blood.
16 “ Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
Cease to do evil,
17 Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor;[a]
Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.
18 “ Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the LORD,

“ Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
You shall be devoured by the sword”;
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
The Degenerate City
21 How the faithful city has become a harlot!
It was full of justice;
Righteousness lodged in it,
But now murderers.
22 Your silver has become dross,
Your wine mixed with water.
23 Your princes are rebellious,
And companions of thieves;
Everyone loves bribes,
And follows after rewards.
They do not defend the fatherless,
Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.
24 Therefore the Lord says,
The LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel,

“ Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries,
And take vengeance on My enemies.
25 I will turn My hand against you,
And thoroughly purge away your dross,
And take away all your alloy.
26 I will restore your judges as at the first,
And your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.”
27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice,
And her penitents with righteousness.
28 The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together,
And those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
29 For they[b] shall be ashamed of the terebinth trees
Which you have desired;
And you shall be embarrassed because of the gardens
Which you have chosen.
30 For you shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fades,
And as a garden that has no water.
31 The strong shall be as tinder,
And the work of it as a spark;
Both will burn together,
And no one shall quench them.

New Reading Plan

Okay, so the previous reading plan I was doing has not worked out so well. Mainly, because I can't seem to get on the right day and it drives me crazy if I miss one and have to work double time to catch up. So, I have decided on another one. This is actually from a professor at the Masters Seminary (John Macarthur's) in California. It is set up to where you read 10 chapters a day. There are 10 lists. Each list has a group of books. Basically on day 1 you read chapter 1 of the first book on each list. Then, day 2, you read chapter 2 of the same book on each list. As you go you will start new books along the way and end up reading some books (acts, for example) repeatedly! The idea is to become very familiar with God's word! Here is a link to the group on facebook which has a better explanation of the process:

Prof. Horner's Bible-Reading System

Let me know what you think! I started it today and loved it! I was amazed at how well I stayed focused and I truly felt fed by God's word by the time I was over...in fact, I wanted to read more! It didn't take as long as you would think either. It took me about 35-45 minutes. That's it. I recommend this plan :)

Evangelism

I had an amazing morning at evangelism! We actually knocked on a Jehovah Witness' door!! Imagine that, they're usually the ones knocking on our doors! Anyway, she was at first kind of hard as we were showing her in scripture that Jesus is God. Then we gently told her she was in a cult. To our surprise, she invited us in, instead of shutting the door. We went through scripture after scripture and she finally said, "you put a doubt in my mind." Praise the Lord! She was doubting what she had believed that Jesus was an angel and not God. It was so awesome to see how God had orchestrated the whole thing. I just pray she truly will study the word (fortunately she didn't actually have a New World Translation bible) and ask God for the truth to be revealed! I just wanted to share. If you want to pray for her, her name is Alicia.

On another note, I appologize for not updating. I've been sick and school has been pretty consuming recently. I haven't been reading as much, but have started getting back into the habit slowly. Hopefully you'll hear more from me this week....if that's a good thing :) Hope you're all doing well!

My Favorite Hymn, right now!

"In Christ Alone"
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

Sorry for the Delay!

Just wanted to say that I have been reading. Not as much as I should, but I haven't posted about it in a while. I've added a new venture to my reading list...and it's a big one! This was suggested to me for discipleship. It's called Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards. It's gonna take a long time! Anyway, it's been a long week and it's only Tuesday! I'll try to post more later tonight, but no guarantees! Hopefully you're doing better than I am in reading!

Tests of True Faith: 1st John

This is something I've received from a conference at my church with Susan Heck. It's the tests of saving faith from 1st John. It's good to test our faith and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. I am going through it again and just thought I'd share it with you all! Enjoy!

1. Test of having partnership or fellowship with Christ and the Father: 1:3. Do you?

2. Test of joy: 1:4. Are you joyful?

3. Test of confessing our sins: 1:9. When is the last time you confessed your sins?

4. Test of broken pattern of sinning: 2:1; 3:4-6; 3:8 9; 5:18. Are you practicing any known sin today?

5. Test of obedience: 2:3-5; 3:22-24; 5:2, 3. Are you obeying God’s commandments-all of them?

6. Test of walking as Christ walked: 2:6. Do you?

7. Test of loving the brethren: 2:9-11; 3:10-18; 3:23; 4:7-12; 4:20-5:2. Do you love ALL the brethren?

8. Test of overcoming the wicked one: 2:13, 14; 5:4, 18. Does Satan have any rule in your heart today?

9. Test of not loving the world: 2:15-17; 4:5. Are there any forms of worldliness in your life?

10. Test of preserving to the end: 2:19, 24. Is your life as zealous for the Lord today as last year?

11. Test of the indwelling Holy Spirit: 2:20, 27; 3:24; 4:13. Do you sense the Spirit’s leading, convicting, empowering in your life?

12. Test of belief: 2:23; 3:23; 4:2, 15; 5:1, 2, 5,10,13,20. Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ? Really?

13. Test of abiding in Him: 2:27, 28; 4:16. Are you abiding/remaining in the Father?

14. Test of holy living: 2:29; 3:3, 7. Are you striving to be perfect as He is perfect?

15. Test of hatred from the world: 3:13. When is the last time you received persecution from the world?

16. Test of answered prayer: 3:22; 5:14, 15. When is the last time God answered your prayer?

17. Test of overcoming false teachers: 4:4. Can you discern a false teacher?

18. Test of no fear in judgment: 2:28; 4:17, 18. Are you fearful of the rapture, the judgment to come?

19. Test of loving God: 4:19-5:2. Do you love God? Does it show itself in your actions and love to others?

20. Test of keeping ourselves from idols: 5:21. Do you have any idols in your life?

5:30 AM

My alarm clock went off at 5:30. Nope, not a mistake. I intentionally got up that early....what was I thinking?!?!?! Well, I've decided that my quiet time has got to be before school. I want to give God my first fruits of my time. In other words, God deserves my best and first....my first hour of the day. Let's just say that my quiet time this morning was the most amazing time I've had with God in a long time! I can't wait to get up and do it all over again tomorrow morning! I was focused even though I was completely exhausted and running on about 6 hours of sleep!

Just thought I'd share! It was amazing and I'm so thankful to have fellowship with God!