2/19 Isaiah 58:13-14
13 “Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the LORD’s holy day. Honor the LORD in everything you do, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly. If you do this, 14 the LORD will be your delight. I will give you great honor and give you your full share of the inheritance I promised to Jacob, your ancestor. I, the LORD, have spoken!”
DISCIPLINE
It takes personal discipline to set aside our own desires. We must discipline our self to listen to the Lord and so what He says. God comes first. When we make God first in our life everything else will be in the right place.
Author - Clay Corvin
2/18 Isaiah 58:8-12
8 “If you do these things, your salvation will come like the dawn. Yes, your healing will come quickly. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind. 9 Then when you call, the LORD will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply. “Stop oppressing the helpless and stop making false accusations and spreading vicious rumors! 10 Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as day. 11 The LORD will guide you continually, watering your life when you are dry and keeping you healthy, too. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. 12 Your children will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as the people who rebuild their walls and cities.
ACTIONS
Our actions speak louder than words. When we do the right thing the end result is that the right things happen to us. See those around you as valuable as the Lord sees them. Valuing others increases our own value.
2/17 Isaiah 58:4-7
4 What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. 5 You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like a blade of grass in the wind. You dress in sackcloth and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the LORD? 6 “No, the kind of fasting I want calls you to free those who are wrongly imprisoned and to stop oppressing those who work for you. Treat them fairly and give them what they earn. 7 I want you to share your food with the hungry and to welcome poor wanderers into your homes. Give clothes to
those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.
RELIGION
Religion is man’s attempt to control God. Christianity is God’s effort to save man. Quit playing church and trying to fool the Lord. Bend your knee to Jesus and let Him save you. Give you heart to Christ and He will give you life and light for living. You will know you belong to Jesus when you take up your cross and follow Him.
2/16 Isaiah 58:1-3
1 “Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Tell my people Israel of their sins! 2 Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to hear my laws. You would almost think this was a righteous nation that would never abandon its God. They love to make a show of coming to me and asking me to take action on their behalf. 3 ‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have done much penance, and you don’t even notice it!'”I will tell you why! It’s because you are living for yourselves even while you are fasting. You keep right on oppressing your workers.
FACADE
The facade we display will not change the way the Lord sees us. HE sees our heart. He is not swayed by how we want Him to think or even what we plead with Him to see. The Lord sees our heart and knows our deepest thoughts. Do not think you can fool the Lord. He knows the real you.
2/15 1 Samuel 16:18-23
18 One of the servants said to Saul, “The son of Jesse is a talented harp player. Not only that; he is brave and strong and has good judgment. He is also a fine-looking young man, and the LORD is with him.” 19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, “Send me your son David, the shepherd.” 20 Jesse responded by sending David to Saul, along with a young goat and a donkey loaded down with food and wine. 21 So David went to Saul and served him. Saul liked David very much, and David became one of Saul’s armor bearers. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse asking, “Please let David join my staff, for I am very pleased with him.” 23 And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away.
SERVICE
What has the Lord called you to do? Will you do it? We do not know the end from the beginning as the Lord does but we know the ONE who does know the end from the beginning and that is Jesus. Talk to Jesus about everything in your life.
2/14 1 Samuel 16:14-17
14 Now the Spirit of the LORD had left Saul, and the LORD sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear. 15 Some of Saul’s servants suggested a remedy. “It is clear that a spirit from God is tormenting you,” they said. 16 “Let us find a good musician to play the harp for you whenever the tormenting spirit is bothering you. The harp music will quiet you, and you will soon be well again.” 17 “All right,” Saul said. “Find me someone who plays well and bring him here.”
SOLUTION
The solution to our problems is found in the Lord. We need to spend the time necessary with the Lord to find the solution. He will not hide it from us. The Lord will stand with us as we deal with the great difficulties in our life.
2/13 1 Samuel 16:11-13
Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?””There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep.” “Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.” 12 So Jesse sent for him. He was ruddy and handsome, with pleasant eyes. And the LORD said, “This is the one; anoint him.” 13 So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the olive oil he had brought and poured it on David’s head. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.
SIGHT
Our eyes do not see spiritual reality. The Holy Spirit acting in us as the counselor equips and enables us to see Holy Truth. Let the Lord guide you today. Give Him your consent. Do what He says.
2/12 1 Samuel 16:6-10
When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the LORD’s anointed!” 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at a person’s thoughts and intentions.” 8 Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “This is not the one the LORD has chosen.” 9 Next Jesse summoned Shammah, but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the LORD has chosen.” 10 In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen any of these.”
CHOICE
God in Christ has chosen us. He saw our great need and came into our world to save us. Jesus saves us from ignominy, evil, failure, worthlessness, uselessness and a wasted life. Christ has a plan for our life. Surrender you life to Jesus and He will make a difference in you.
2/11 1 Samuel 16:2-5
2 But Samuel asked, “How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” “Take a heifer with you,” the LORD replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the LORD. 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.” 4 So Samuel did as the LORD instructed him. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the leaders of the town became afraid. “What’s wrong?” they asked. “Do you come in peace?” 5 “Yes,” Samuel replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them, too.
OBEDIENCE
The Lord is seeking our obedience. He wants us to do what He says. I am not able to see the future nor do I understand what is going on in the spiritual realm. What I do know is that the Lord wants me to care for others and forgive them-treat others as I want to be treated.
2/10 1 Samuel 16:1
Finally, the LORD said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel. Now fill your horn with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my new king.”
CONTROL
God is in control. Ignoring God does not defeat Him. We cannot confound the wisdom of God nor can we stop Him from accomplishing what He desires. Rejoice for the Lord is in control.