JESUS!!!!

Isaiah 11

Isaiah starts talking about a branch or shoot coming from the stump of Jesse. Genealogically speaking, this person will come from the line of King David.  And this person will have the Spirit of Lord. He will be righteousness and because of Him, there will be peace on the whole planet, even among animals!  Then it goes on to say that all of the nations will stop fighting and He will rule the world.

This is pretty amazing stuff. As a Christian, I can see that this is Jesus we're talking about. But if we stop and think, kids still don't generally play with snakes, and wolves don't generally hang out with sheep, unless they're planning on eating them. There are definitely still wars and pain and suffering going on.  If Jesus is this person, why all of this?

The answer is that this part has not been accomplished yet.  Something similar happens in Isaiah 61. The person in the passage is there to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of God's vengeance. In Luke chapter 4, Jesus is in a synagogue, and He reads the first part of this, declaring that He is here to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Then he stops and says "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." He hadn't come to proclaim vengeance yet, but the Lord's favor. Similarly, back to Isaiah 11, this time of peace has not come yet.  These things will happen when Jesus comes back.  The prophets saw both comings, but since it wasn't clear, they saw it as one.  This drawing explains it a bit.

So what I'm taking away today is that even from before the time of Jesus, we know that Jesus will end all fighting and pain and suffering and bring peace. And now we know that He will do that when He comes back.

JUDGEMENT!

Isaiah 9:8-10:19

In this passage, Isaiah is describing the judgement that is falling on Israel and Syria for being arrogant and trying to work together to invade Israel.  God says he will use Assyria to punish them.  And Assyria does come to conquer.  However, Assyria's leader is also arrogant.  He thinks he took over because of his own greatness.  So God will put him in his place too.

Judgement is a word that made me nervous.  Sometimes it still does.  Someday God is going to judge me! But just before panic sets in, I remember that Jesus has made me innocent.  Because of Jesus, I don't have to be afraid of Judgement. He justified me so that I could start to become like Him.  Thank you Jesus.

Paul's take-aways in 1 Thes

Rejoice always!
Pray constantly.
Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Don't stifle the Spirit.
Don't despise prophecies,
but test all things.  Hold on to what is good
Stay away from every form of evil...

...May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

-1 Thessalonians 5:16-22, 28

Our Calling

7 For God has not called us to impurity but to sanctification. 8 Therefore, the person who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who also gives you His Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 4:7-8

Another thing...

Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.

-Colossians 4:2

Seeking what is above.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

-Col 3:1-3


As you have guessed, I'm going through Colossians right now.  These are verses that stand out to me.  However,  this whole chapter spoke to me!  " If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above..."

Lately, I've been living on things below, like chapter 2 said.  Why do we choose to live in such an earthly way when we are no longer earthly?  I believe it's because I don't love Jesus enough.
John 14:24: "Whoever does not love me does not keep my words..."

So.  I know I need to love Jesus more.  How can I love Him more?  Chapter 3.

"...seek the things that are above, not on things that are on earth...  Put to death therefore what is earthly in you... On account of these the wrath of God is coming... now you must put them all away...

...Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony...

...let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful... Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly... And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus..."

Loving Jesus more means "putting off the old self and putting on the new," and this passage describes that.  But it starts with seeking what is above, and doing everything in the name of our Lord.

Pray for me as I apply this to my life.
And if you feel you're not where you're supposed to be, apply this to your life.
Let's seek what is above.

...then why?

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world?

-Col 2:20

If this is what He has done for us...

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

-Col 1:21-23