God Speaks
Rely on the LORD; Dwell in the Kingdom of Righteousness; Call on the LORD in Distress or Face Terrible Judgment
Verse of the Day: For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us. (Isaiah 33:22 NIV 2011)
Read or listen on BibleGateway.com
Watch TBR Day 204
We Respond
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding Isaiah 31-34
1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Isaiah 31
1. In His time and in His way, the LORD God will take action against His enemies.
2. O people of God, come to your senses and return to the LORD God against whom you have so greatly revolted.
Isaiah 32
1. God is the one who defines right living, truth, and justice, and He is the one who will discipline those who speak foolishness, make evil plans, practice ungodliness, and spread false teachings about the LORD.
2. People who fear the LORD will live righteously, rule honestly, take refuge in the LORD, live peacefully, exercise good sense and understanding, are generous, and live in quietness and safety.
Isaiah 33
1. God will be merciful and pour out justice and righteousness, salvation, wisdom, and knowledge on those who live in the fear of the LORD.
2. People who do not fear the LORD will weep and cry out in bitter disappointment and shame.
Isaiah 34
1. When His anger against the nations who have mistreated His people is complete, God will stand up and show His power and might over His enemies unless they repent.
2. People who fight against God and His people will eventually be destroyed, but those who seek refuge in Him will be protected (on earth or in Heaven for eternity).
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Isaiah 31-34?
O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, You are the Creator and Sustainer of the universe and everything in it. You are to be feared (held in highest honor and obeyed above anyone or anything else). In Your time and in Your way, You will take action against Your enemies–those who resist and deliberately disobey You or just ignore You and do their own thing in their own way. I have called myself a person of faith, but I have drifted away and not feared You. I am coming to my senses and turning back to You because You are the only source of joy, peace, satisfaction, and love in its truest sense. That truest love was expressed in all that Jesus has done for me on the cross. Holy Spirit, after You debited the cost of my sin from Jesus, You credited me with His righteousness. You now dwell in me so that I can live righteously, speak and act honestly, take refuge in the LORD, live peacefully, exercise good sense and understanding, be generous, and live in quietness and safety. Please step in and prevent me or forgive me when I speak foolishness, make evil plans, practice ungodliness, or spread false teachings about the LORD. I desire to live in holy fear and receive Your mercy, justice, righteousness, salvation, wisdom, and knowledge by grace through faith. I don’t want to be counted among those who mistreat Your people or fight against You, Your people, or Your principles. From now on I want to live to bring You glory, LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Isaiah 31-34? With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will study books like Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby and The Awe of God by John Bevere to learn what “the fear of the LORD” really means.
- I will by faith take refuge (trust and obey) in the LORD in a specific situation.
- I will ask God to deal with people in my life who are speaking foolishness, making evil plans, practicing ungodliness, and spreading false teachings about the LORD and His principles.
- I will confess to the LORD, and to other people as appropriate, where I have spoken foolishness, made evil plans, practiced ungodliness, and spread false teachings about the LORD.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.