David calls upon the Lord. A characteristic of David is his prayer life as illustrated in the Psalms. This was his habit and David never minced words or emotions. In verse 6 David states, “I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God. “He boldly asks for God’s protection and does so confidently.
He asks God to protect him from his enemies. Now David has an army and many capable men surrounding him yet he cries out to God for protection. He accurately portrays the wicked as proud opponents yet his trust is in God. Just because you are a believer does not mean people will not oppose you. It means opposition will be certain because of those who hate God. Know that the Lord is your protector in the midst of our daily battles with the flesh and Satan which at times are personified in people.
God’s expectation for His people and their leaders is conformity to His revealed word and Law. As Isaiah continues to communicate God’s woes upon Israel it gets viler.
Woe to those who indulge in iniquity and yet claim to want the purpose of the Holy one draw near. The woe in verse 20 perfectly characterizes our society today. Good turned to evil and evil hailed as good. They substitute darkness for light. God will judge such evil. Woe to the proud and the drunkard and to those who pervert justice for the sake of money. The result in 24-30 is the prophecy concerning the certain judgement of God on Israel through Babylon.
How is this encouraging? Well truth is encouraging and that God will bring justice to unjust situations is encouraging. For OT believers this was encouraging because it proved God saw what they saw. That the ridicule and persecution they endured because of faithfulness to truth was not unnoticed by God. The same applies to Christians today.
God bless you.
We have here another of the Messianic Psalms. David opens with “Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You, I said to the Lord, You are my Lord; I have no good besides You.” As David continues to extol the Lord he states “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Neither will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.” As the inspired David states this He thinks he is referring only to himself but instead it is in reference to Jesus. We see for the second time Sheol mentioned in the passage as in Isaiah. The place of the dead loomed large for those in ancient Israel, indeed in the ancient world. We all will die unless the Lord returns for His church in our individual lifetimes. But this Psalm reassures us of God’s love for us in the midst of our struggles and sufferings in this present life. God bless you all
Here Isaiah continues to speak to Israel’s unfaithfulness to God by stating several “WOE’S” God is specific when He points to our sins. The first in verses 8-10 concerns greed. All this effort adding house to house and field to field will not result in wealth but only desolation. In Matthew 23:37-39 Jesus quotes this verse in reference Jerusalem’s propensity to kill the prophets God sends to her. A correlation that is appropriate because of the leaders focus on wealth rather than on justice and righteousness.
The next “woe” is in verses 11-17 this is also addressed to the leaders who focus on partying all day and into the night and as a result pay no attention to the Lord. The result is that they and Jerusalem will descend into Sheol (vs14). These prophecies came to fruition when Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD. There is an intimate relationship between the Old and New Testaments. God, through Christ, shows us that connection, one in reference to salvation, and the other in reference toward judgment.
Israel’s leaders were to take the blessing and use it to promote justice and
righteousness but that is not what God found in Isaiah’s time. Our status as God’s
child will be retained but discipline will come if we do not use our gift the right
way.
Devotion from Pastor Mike
Good Friday
Finally, we go to Jeremiah 31:27-40 where what is called the “New Covenant” in 31:31 is made with Israel. This was partially fulfilled in Christ’s first coming but its full impact was postponed because the nation of Israel rejected Jesus as Messiah. It will be different than the Palestinian covenant which was conditional. This covenant will be fulfilled at the outset of the Millennial reign where all of Israel will be redeemed and God will put His law within them (verse 33). So the
culmination of God’s work among His people Israel and all mankind will come as certainly as His first coming provided spiritual salvation for all who would come to Christ.
As the world around us abandons reason, science, and truth we can take heart. In the end Christ will prevail and “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ as Lord. God bless you this Holy Week.
In recognition of Holy Week, I will share some Old Testament passages related to the coming of Christ.
Devotion from Pastor Mike
In Genesis 3:15 the promise of the future redemption of man is given in the midst of God cursing man for sinning against God by disobeying His one command. This was in God’s curse upon the serpent the animal Satan used to deceive Adam and Eve. God was going to put enmity between the serpent (Satan) and the woman. In the midst of Satan’s apparent victory in the garden God provides the means for Satan’s downfall and the redemption of man. The seed of the woman is Jesus who would bruise the serpent’s head. A fatal wound. Yes, the serpent would bruise Christ’s heel but although the cross looked fatal for God’s plan it was instead the culmination of His plan for the redemption of those who embraced that salvific work.
This should encourage us in the efficacy of the cross and our confession of faith in Christ. He rose from the dead to prove His superiority over Satan and death. “As in Adam all die but in Christ shall all be made alive.”
In 2 Samuel 7:1-17 we have the Davidic covenant. This is an addition to the Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 12:1-3. Here God promises David a perpetual dynasty which was dependent upon God and not David who would obviously soon pass from the earth. After God communicated to Nathan the prophet that God would not allow David to build a temple for Him, but instead God would cause Messiah to come from David’s line. In verses 12&13 this is explicitly promised. The eternal aspect of this kingdom can only be fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Solomon was merely a man and his kingdom was divided shortly after his death.
Just like God’s promise to David our salvation is based on our belief in the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Romans 10:9&10 tell us that if we believe in our heart and confess with our mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord then we are saved. I cannot earn this salvation Ephesians 2:8-10 but I can accept the free offer of the priceless gift of God’s mercy. Again, this prophecy was fulfilled at Christ’s first advent along with the one to Adam and Eve.
Paul’s introduction in this epistle to the churches of Galatia hints at some of the themes he will emphasize in this book. It points out that his apostleship is not man made but directly from Christ. This is in response to some of the attacks on his reputation. His emphasis on Christ’s sacrifice for them is in reaction to those who are trying to get the Galatians to follow a gospel of works and circumcision which is not the gospel. Paul is reminding us of the origin of our salvation. It is easy to add conditions or make exceptions to fit the trends of the day but the core of the gospel does not change.
This familiar Psalm. It speaks of the fool who claims there is no God and God’s assessment is that there are no righteous people as reiterated in Romans 3:23. God rebukes the enemies of His people and emphasizes His care for “the righteous generation.” The one’s who deny God want to put His people to shame but the Lord is their refuge. The final verse speaks of the work of Messiah.
This is God’s promise to us that even though men reject God’s existence it does not thwart God’s will. We can take hope in that promise even though we are surrounded by foolish God deniers, whom we can give counsel to even if they reject it.
Here we have in verse 1 an example of the sometimes-arbitrary division of the chapters of the bible. Verse one obviously fits better with chapter three than the beginning of chapter four which talks of the hope of the millennium.
Verse 1 indicates that after the destruction of Jerusalem in judgement that men will be in short supply. If a woman has any hope of having a child, they will have to share a man and support themselves in order to bear children. The shame is childlessness.
Verses 2-6 give us one of many pictures of the Millennial reign of Christ and the future blessing for Zion. Key words branch, called holy. We even see the return of the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night that accompanied Israel in the wilderness.
Isaiah 3:13-15
Here God addresses the people and specifically the elders. He points our how they are the ones who devoured the vineyards and plundered the houses of the poor. God asks what do they mean by doing that, by “crushing My people and grinding the face of the poor?’
We have many in leadership of our nation that are doing this very thing in the name of climate change and social justice. They have no concept of justice but only of their own power and self-righteousness. Let us not succumb to that sentiment or imitate their tactics.
Isaiah 3:10-12
There is a brief reminder of the righteous in the midst of this fallen society and that they will eat the fruit of their own actions. That will be the eternal fruit of a relationship with God. Notice their “actions” are emphasized. And what happens to the wicked is things go badly and they get what they deserve. The descriptions of the oppressors being children and women highlights the worst of their nature in being led by emotions and not a relationship with God.
There are those who want to lead you astray today dear friend. They sow confusion and not truth and we should be wary of them and stay away from them.
Isaiah 3:6-9
The time of destruction will cause people to grasp anyone to put them in leadership and they will object because all they can be a leader of is a ruin. The cause is listed as shamelessness in speech and actions against the Lord. They “display their sin like Sodom; they do not even conceal it.” We certainly live in a similar time here in the world today.
Our response is to follow the gospel of Christ and put people’s focus on Christ when we get into conversations with them. To live lives that are a contrast because we seek to pleas Jesus and not ourselves.
Isaiah 3:1-5
In these verses we see the consequences of abandoning God, abandoning proper worship and embracing selfish desires. Israel is under the Palestinian covenant from Deuteronomy 28 & 29. So, when God speaks of removing “supply and support” and the “whole supply of bread and water”, that is the way He would visibly show Israel His assessment of their behavior. That is not necessarily how God approaches the church since our promises are heavenly not earthly and we are the body of Christ.
The result of the abandonment of standards is the replacement of qualified leaders with unqualified ones. Their character is that of “capricious children.” If we let our flesh dominate our Christian life it is like letting a capricious child make decisions for me and that will eventually lead to oppression.
Isaiah 2:17-22
Verse seventeen repeats verse 11 emphasizing that the Lord alone will be exalted in the day of judgement, (the second coming, the millennium and the end of the age and new heavens and earth) Again we get a picture of Revelation 6 when the people of the earth want to hide from the wrath of the Lamb. They will throw out the idols that encumber them and drive out the bats and moles so they can hide from the terror of the Lord and the splendor
of His majesty. The last verse reminds us of Galatians 1:10 “Stop regarding man, whose breath of life is in his nostrils; For why should he be esteemed?” Let’s hold up Jesus as our “hero” and not any celebrity.
Isaiah 2:12-16
Here we see God gives a thorough run down of who and what will be brought low in the day of “reckoning.” This will be partially true during the Tribulation but completed at the second advent.Nine times the prophet lists the things God is against. They consist of all the things men trust in.
Their own self-importance which we see everywhere today. Against all the materials that they use and worship and the material things in which they trust. We must be careful as believers to not put our trust in anything other than the grace of God.
Isaiah 2:10 & 11
This passage along with others in Isaiah reminds us of the cry of the “people of the earth in Revelation 6:14-17 when the kings of the earth call on the mountains to fall on them to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. They want to hide from “the terror of the Lord and the splendor of His majesty.” God will remove all their reasons to be prideful because the opportunity for forgiveness has passed and the time of judgement has come. We as believers can instead look forward to this coming day when the “Lord alone will be exalted in that day.”
Isaiah 2:5-9
Quickly the Lord turns back to the present time of apostacy in Israel. He graciously invites the leaders to walk in the light of the Lord. They have abandoned their people spiritually and allowed pagan influences from the east and soothsayers, anyone other than the Lord or the word of God. This has brought temporal riches but at the price of being “filled with idols.” And this has caused harm to the common man those important to be abased. Then the Lord states “Do not forgive them.” This shows the hardness of their hearts but the not forgiving is based on the fact that they do not desire at the expense of holiness.
Isaiah 2:1-4
God continues to encourage Isaiah and Israel that they will be restored on His terms. “In the last days,” indicates the millennial reign. The raising of the “mountain of the Lord,” could be in prominence and not literal height. But since in other prophecies God says the earth will be completely changed there is no reason to dismiss the possibility that Jerusalem will literally the highest point on earth. The motive of the peoples is to learn about the Lord and His ways and there will not be war anymore among the peoples of the millennial earth.
Isaiah 1:24-31
God promises that there will be restoration after judgment. Here in the midst of national condemnation is also the recognition of individual obedience. Verses 27 and 28 tell us “Zion will be redeemed with justice and her repentant ones with righteousness. But transgressors and sinners will be crushed together, and those who forsake the Lord will come to an end.” Even though the nation will be destroyed God will bring to heaven the repentant ones and He will restore Jerusalem to her former glory.
A hint at the character of judgment is given in verse 31. “The strong man will become tinder, His work also a spark. Thus, they shall both burn together and there will be none to quench them.” If you have not believed in Jesus as the one and only savior from your sin, I encourage you to do so now. Do not wait to see how literal verse 31 is until it is too late.
Friday: 2/24/23 – Devotion from Pastor Mike Gormican
Isaiah 1:16-23
God gives a corrective here before he again laments Jerusalem’s depraved condition. He counsels them to wash themselves by removing their evil deeds from His sight. Verse 18 is used by many to encourage cooperation but this reasoning with the Lord is them repenting of their evil deeds and then receiving the blessings promised. Vs 18 “Come now, and let us reason together, Says the Lord, though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool,” The next verse is key to understanding verse 18. Verse 19 “If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land.” Rebellion will lead to ruin “Truly the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
God always gives a road to repentance in this life, but it is better to take that road sooner rather than later.
Thursday: 2/23/23
Devotion from Pastor Mike Gormican
Isaiah 1:10-15
God begins to list their offences. Here we see that although they are going through the motions of worship God can see their hearts and compares them to Sodom and Gomorrah again. He hates their sacrifices and festivals because they are only a show of obedience. He sees their hearts. He concludes with verse 15.
“So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered in blood.” God is not fooled by false piety. You may convince others around you that you are a spiritual person but not God. Your prayers will not be heard. Let’s be careful to pray Christ centered prayers and not selfish ones. Ask God to see yourself in His perspective and then to use you for His glory.
Wednesday: 2/22/23
Devotion from Pastor Mike Gormican
Isaiah 1:4-9 Judah is characterized in a very desperate condition; sinful nation, weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, acting corruptly. They have abandoned the Lord, and despised the Holy One of Israel. There is no part that is not wounded by sin and the scourging of the nations that will attack her. The conclusion that unless God leaves a few survivors they would be like Sodom and Gomorrah. So here we see Isaiah predicting the eventual destruction and exile of the southern kingdom about a century before its fulfillment. As believers God disciplines us as His children and so our condition is not as desperate as Judah’s but observe how far they have fallen away from the Lord and how unresponsive to His discipline they are.
Tuesday: 2/21/23 Devotion from Pastor Mike Gormican
Isaiah 1:1-3 Reading.
The approximate timeline of Isaiah is 740-680 B. C. In the introduction Isaiah describes his subsequent book as “The vision”. He mentions the kings of Judah from Uzziah through Hezekiah, this covers over sixty years of history. What is the initial message given to Isaiah by God? It is that Judah (Israel) has “revolted against God.” Now this is not a traditional revolution but one of neglect of the revealed word and of the temple worship. “The ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master’s manger, But Israel does not know, My people do not understand.”
How is this possible? They have the Law of Moses and many writings and the Psalms. It is through neglect of the truth and the apathy of the people. Just like them we have no excuse not to understand or cry ignorance since Christians have the entire bible and the Holy Spirit indwelling them. God is aware of where your heart is so ask Him to quicken it if you are tempted to rebel.
So many Christians seem to read this passage and not see with their eyes or hear with their ears. First of all, in verses 5&6 prayer is a private conversation between you and God. It is more likely that you will have an honest conversation with God if no one else is around. Public prayers can easily fall into preaching a sermon or praying for the benefit of oneself or the audience. Paul gives Timothy instructions about public prayer for leaders but not much else. Also, prayer is not more holy if it is long. In fact, the many words are not necessary because “the Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” That is good to know because we can forget sometimes.
The Lord’s prayer puts the emphasis on God and His knowledge of what I need and His willingness to do things “according to His will.” It emphasizes our need to forgive those who have offended us. Have you resentment toward someone based on your feelings alone and not on violation of scripture? Ask God to help you in your need to forgive others and move on in service of Jesus.
Thursday 2/9/23: Devotion from Pastor Mike Gormican
Read Psalm 102:1-28
Here the Psalmist calls out to God concerning his distress which seems to be anchored in a health crisis. He calls out, verses 1-7, he feels like his enemies are prevailing and that God has cast him aside, verses 8-11. Then he turns to praise God in verse 12 “But You, O lord, abide forever…” Prayer always depends on the immutable nature of God.
We can freely express our sorrow and distress without hesitancy. When we do so we then see God in all his unchangeable power. As we focus on our distress over health and enemies we eventually look into the face of God and concede that He knows all and will set free “those who were doomed to death,” vs 20. Our dependence on God for everything is recorded in this Psalm and the Psalmist ends with the observation, “But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end.”
Wednesday 2/8/23: Devotion from Pastor Mike Gormican
Genesis 18:16-33
In this interchange between Christ and Abraham we see that the basis for the prayer is God’s righteousness and mercy. Abraham does not defend Sodom’s actions, or contradict that there is an “outcry” against the cities of the plain. He points out that God would not treat the righteous and the wicked alike. He knows God/Jesus will act justly.
Abraham proposes sparing all the cities if there are even just 50 righteous people living in them. Let’s guess that there are 15,000 people living in the “cities on the plain: That would come out to .003% And what was Jesus’ response. For that small a percentage of righteous people He would spare all the residents of those cities. Unbelievable mercy. We know what the ultimate result was as Abraham rose the next morning to see the smoke rising from the Jordan valley blocking the rising Sun.
Our basis for approaching God is His holiness not our need. His mercy not our emotions. His grace not our unworthiness. Praise God first when you begin your prayer. Focus on others rather than yourself. See what the Judge of all the earth will do as a result.
Tuesday 2/7/23: Devotion from Pastor Mike Gormican
Prayer is demonstrated throughout the Bible. We see prayers of supplication of intercession, interposition (Act as a judge, moderator or umpire). Prayer is compared to incense and is put in the context of whispering a prayer.
One of the first prayers is a combination of Interposing and prophecy by Noah after Ham discovered his father’s nakedness and reported it to his two brothers outside the tent. Genesis 9: 18-27 records the incident and the prayer. The first word out of Noah’s mouth, (all other records only have Noah obeying God to the letter), is “Cursed be Canaan;” In a Psalm this would be imprecatory (wishing harm on God’s and your enemies). Then Noah blesses Shem and Japheth.
This is a prayer because there is nothing Noah can do to bring it about. It is wholly dependent on God. It is brief, focused and passionate.
Are your prayers focused? Be specific in prayer. Then you will recognize the answer sooner whether it is a “Yes, No or Wait.” Specificity helps you recognize God’s work and His answer. When you pray to God today, be very specific and then see what happens. We will look at other aspects of prayer throughout the week.
Monday 2/6/23 Devotion from Pastor Mike Gormican
Read Acts 1:18-26
Who is the 12th apostle? Argument for Matthias: Peter and the 120 were continually devoting themselves to prayer (14). The standard is met, i.e., the person was continually with them throughout Christ’s ministry. Two men chosen Justus and Matthias. They drew lots in the Old Testament way and Matthias was chosen. Argument against Matthias: The Holy Spirit had not yet permanently indwelt them; the church had not begun. We hear nothing more of Matthias in scripture but instead have Paul who calls himself an apostle (least of the apostles). Paul writes a great deal of the New Testament.
These truths are repeated many times throughout the New Testament, to cement them in our thinking for comfort, for rebuke and for service. How will you respond?
Thursday: 2/2/23 Devotion from Pastor Mike Gormican
Read Psalm 2.
Here in this famous and oft quoted Psalm we see the Psalmist warning the nations to give heed to God and His people. Mankind thinks a great deal of himself and as a result puts God off to the side. When it seems the plans that human leaders have to control others to their personal benefit and to the harm of others, we know God will eventually destroy all these human designs in favor of His plans and His people. Thus, we should not dwell obsessively on things over which we have no control. But instead on the promises of the Christ who saved us and has prepared good works for us to carry out for Him.
Wednesday 2/1/23: Devotion from Pastor Mike Gormican
Read Joshua
1:1-9
Moses is dead and buried by God. Joshua has been the commander of Israel’s armies for 40 years in the wilderness. He was with Moses at the tent of the meeting. He was Moses’s commander, companion and servant. But now he is on his own and no doubt feeling vulnerable. God speaks boldly to him and says “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.” “I will not fail or forsake you.” “Be strong and very courageous.” In the same way God watches over those who have believed in Jesus as their one and only savior. It was not easy to be the leader who followed Moses, but Joshua was prepared spiritually and experientially for the great conquest of the land.
Friday 1/27/23 – Devotion from Pastor Mike Gormican
Read Matthew 1:1-17
The opening of the New Testament immediately directs us back the Old Testament. Those who want to minimize the Old Testament in modern Christianity are discounting what God considers important. These people listed had their faults, failures and victories. Their stories are recorded for our edification according to Peter. Many of these Judean kings were considered wicked, yet they are still listed in the genealogy.
Our physical heritage is nothing compared to our spiritual heritage. And as we look at Christ’s physical heritage in fulfillment of Genesis 12:1-3 it is full of saints and sinners. No matter your physical heritage your spiritual heritage is all that matters. Christ cares not about any of your physical attributes, but only for your soul. Rejoice in that my friend.
As you read this psalm it gives a clear contrast between the “blessed man” verses 1-3 and the “wicked.” God warns the righteous man what to avoid, i.e., the counsel of the wicked, standing in the path of sinners or sitting in the seat of scoffers. The psalmist then immediately tells you the advantages of delighting in the Law of the Lord, this applies today as much as it did in David’s time. This directs our thinking toward the Lord and His perspective on our day. The wicked are not so. Notice the closing “The Lord knows the way of the righteous. That is all believers. (Ephesians 2:8-10) but the wicked will perish twice, physically and spiritually. So let us all walk in the path of the righteous.
This is called the second creation account by some theologians. I see it as God giving more details to the creation of man as man is the primary focus of His creation. What did God do for Adam? He put him in a perfect garden in a perfect world. He gave Adam two central trees. One the tree of life and the other tree a tree of death. Why? Because God loved man enough to give him a choice. Either trust God or not. God gave a clear command about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. “…you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.” God gives us clear instruction on the things vital to our spiritual and physical existence. Are you listening?
Tuesday 1/24/23 – Devotion from Pastor Mike Gormican
Read Genesis
1:1-31
I wanted you to read this entire passage because I wanted you to get the full sense of the creation account. The Bible is a literary, historical and where applicable scientifically accurate document. When looking at scripture there is a saying: “The plain sense makes the most sense.” So here in Genesis 1 God is not vague in describing the creation of the earth. He is very specific in a literary sense. “Evening and morning the first day….” There is no room for any other interpretation. Also, the order of the creation is exactly what is needed to sustain life. God is a God of specifics, when necessary. He is the author of creation and He alone is our God. Evolution and other theories remove God from the equation and as a result man is responsible only to his evolved nature and not the God of the universe.