Quick Note – Isaiah 11:2 – The Spirit of the LORD

Isaiah 11:2 – And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Isaiah 11 describes the branch that will shoot forth from the stump of Jesse.  It is a prophecy about the Messiah, a prophecy about Jesus Christ.  It tells of His future coming and how He will bring righteousness, justice, and peace to this earth.  And it also describes the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the LORD, that rested on Him when He first came to this earth, continues to be with Him in His Father’s presence, and will rest on Him again when He returns.  But it would be remiss of us to think that these characteristics of the Spirit were only given to Jesus Christ, for when He left this earth, He left the Holy Spirit to live in us.  The Holy Spirit is the same Spirit of the LORD described here in Isaiah 11:2.  It is that Spirit that resides in the hearts of every Christian today.  So let’s just take a quick look at what the Holy Spirit brings us. 

First, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of wisdom and understanding.  This means that the Holy Spirit can provide wisdom and understanding of how and why things work the way they do.  It explains to use the principles of life and the spiritual truths that we cannot understand without His teaching.  By being filled with the Holy Spirit, we can be filled with wisdom and understanding about how to live. 

Second, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of counsel and might.  This means that the Holy Spirit can guide and direct every Christian in the way they should go.  It shows us the will of God for each of our lives and leads us in the right direction.  But not only does it tell us where to go, but it provides us the strength to follow.  God does not simply point to us the direction we should walk in and then leave us to our own devices.  He equips each person to fulfill His will and that strength and power and might come from the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit counsels us in the ways of God and gives us the strength to do it.    

Third, the Holy Spirit is the Spirt of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.  This means that the Holy Spirit helps us to know who God is and how to truly honor and fear Him.  1 Corinthians 2:11-12 clearly explains to us the importance of this fact – “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him?  So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.”  It is only by having the Holy Spirit in your life that you can truly know who God is.  And it is only by truly knowing Him that you can honor Him with your life.  The Holy Spirit – the Spirit of the LORD – is what provides us that knowledge. 

As Christians, we have been given the Holy Spirit as a Comforter and constant presence of God in our life.  Let us allow Him to provide us wisdom and understanding, to give us counsel and might, and to teach us more about our wonderful God. 

Quick Note – Song of Solomon 2:2-3 – Beauty Greater than All Others

Song of Solomon 2:2-3 –

2 As a lily among brambles, so is my love among the young women. 

3 As an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the young men. 

Song of Solomon can be one of the most confusing books in the Bible.  It is basically a love poem describing the relationship between one man (the beloved) and one woman (the love).  It goes back and forth with either the man or the woman addressing the other, describing the beauty found in the other party.  Interspersed throughout are comments made by outsiders as they observe this love.  Most people believe that Song of Solomon is written as a representation of Christ (the beloved) and His church (the love), because the church is considered the bride of Christ.  If we take that perspective, then verses 2 and 3 of Song of Solomon chapter 2 are quite profound for us to think about. 

Verse 2 is believed to be spoken by the beloved (or the man) in this relationship.  The man describes his love as a lily among brambles or a beautiful flower among thorns.  If we think about this as something Christ said, then we can consider ourselves as treasured and loved by God among all the wickedness and sin in this world.  He finds something beautiful in His church, in His people, in His children, in you.  Something worth treasuring and caring for.  Something that stands out in the midst of the crowd.  Something worth loving.  This accurately represents God’s love for us, for while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  God saw us in this world and loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us.  He loved us so much that He went to the cross for us.  He loved us so much that He plucked us out of the weeds and corruption and placed us in a new garden with Him.  Oh! The magnitude of God’s love!  Oh!  How special we are in His sight! 

Verse 3, on the other hand, is believed to be spoken by the love (or the woman) in this relationship.  In this case, she describes her beloved as “an apple tree among the trees of the forest.”  In the same manner that she was considered unique and special, she considers her beloved set apart from all the other men around her.  He is something worth taking delight in, something worth eating its fruits, something worth loving, something different than all the other things that she may have desired instead.  Again, this is an accurate picture of how the church should treat Christ.  Our Lord and Savior should be set apart from all the things in this world.  He should be treasured and chased after as if nothing else mattered.  He must be lifted up as unique and different compared to anything else that might distract our attention from Him.  We must treasure Him, for He is most lovely, most magnificent, and most glorious.  Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God, cannot be compared to anything else in this world.  We must love and treat Him as so, only looking for our joy in Him. 

Song of Solomon is truly a beautiful depiction of Christ’s love for His church and the love that His church should show in response to Him.  Do you value Christ as much as He values you? 

Quick Thoughts from the book of Proverbs

Proverbs 16:4 – The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.

When bad things happen, it is easy for us to ask the question, “Why, God, did you allow this to happen?”  It is easy for us to assume that there was no purpose in the trouble and difficulty outside of it just causing you pain.  But this proverb is a reminder that God does and allows everything for a reason.  If God has a plan for the wicked, surely He has a plan for the difficulties that come into your life.  God has made and done everything for a purpose.  Trust that He will do what is best for those who love Him. 

Proverbs 16:6 – By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.

Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death.  This means that all of us who have sinned (which is everyone in this world) deserve death.  However, God is steadfast love (mercy) and faithfulness sent His Son Jesus Christ to pay the penalty (atone) for our sins (iniquity).  If we turn to Christ, we will be forgiven and restored into a right relationship with Him.  We no longer need to fear death but can rejoice in His grace, mercy, and love.  But after receiving Him as our Lord and Savior, we must not abuse that grace and continue sinning.  Rather, we should fear and respect Him and turn away from evil.  God’s love and faithfulness saved us.  It is only right that we now obey Him with all our hearts. 

Proverbs 16:25 – There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

Many in this world believe that they can earn their salvation – that they can earn their way into the good graces of God.  This is why many religions are founded upon doing more good than evil.  However, they are wrong.  This is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end will lead to spiritual death and destruction.  God tells us in His Word that the only way to a right relationship with Him, the only way to salvation, is through placing your faith and trust in His Son Jesus Christ.  Stop trying your own way and instead follow God’s path for your life. 

Proverbs 18:9 – Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.

There is a tendency for me to procrastinate.  Unless someone is pushing me to get things done earlier by setting pre-deadline deadlines, I will usually wait until the last minute to do something.  That is why this verse really hits home with me today.  It is a reminder to me that procrastinate, slacking in my work, is related to destruction.  The longer you procrastinate the more likely something will fail.  So stop wasting time.  Stop procrastinating and do what God wants you to do today. 

Quick Note – Psalm 118:8-9 – Our Steadfast Refuge

Psalm 118:8-9 – It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.  It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.

Life has been hard recently – not necessarily for my life, but for most people in general.  The world is still dealing with the problems that come with a pandemic and the aftermath of world-wide lockdowns.  Families are struggling with rising inflation and the cost of filling up a tank of gas.  People have noticed the increase in perversion, crimes, and violence happening all over the world.  In times like these, the world seems to be falling apart.  Hope seems to be lost.  It is during times like these that people seek a refuge, a place of safety, a person to trust in.  They look to the government for relief, to others for support, and even to false religions for help.  However, they cannot find what they are looking for in any of these things, because true peace and safety can only be found in the LORD. 

Our passage from Psalm 118 reminds us to not put our trust in man or in the government, because the solution to our problems is not in or from this world.  Rather, our true strength and refuge can only be found in our one and only powerful and gracious God.  Only He can solve these problems and give us peace.  Only He can be ever-present help in trouble.  Only He can save this world from its fallen state.  So let us not look to the world or the things of this world for relief but to our God alone.  If you have never trusted God as your Lord and Savior, you should do so today.

Do not fear the troubles happening around you, instead remember that God is in control and steadfastly hold onto Him.  Psalm 112 talks about the characteristics and the blessings that come upon a person who righteous and fears the Lord.  One of those characteristics is that “he is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.  His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.” (Psalm 112:7-8) A righteous person trusts God even in the midst of trouble.  During hard times, he isn’t afraid but firmly holds onto God, knowing that God will eventually deliver him.  So today, if you are experiencing troubles and hardships, if you are fearful of the current state of the world, fear not; instead, place your trust in the God who loves and cares for you.  There is nothing to be afraid of when your God is in control.  There is nothing to fear when He is your refuge and strength. 

Quick Note – Psalms 99-101

These are a few short thoughts from various verses in the book of Psalms that I wanted to share with you today. 

Psalm 99:6-8 – Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.  They called to the LORD, and he answered them.  In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them; they kept his testimonies and the statues that he gave them.  O LORD our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings.

Our God is a loving, merciful, and gracious Heavenly Father.  He most certainly does not want anyone to perish and go to hell.  However, He is also just, righteous, and holy.  He cannot allow sin into His presence and must punish sin.  We must always remember that God is not only loving but also holy.  In Psalm 99, we are given three examples of God’s grace and mercy but also His righteousness.  The three examples were Moses, Aaron, and Samuel.  Each of these men of God called upon and served God for the majority of their lives.  Moses and Aaron were priests, while Samuel was a prophet.  Whenever they called to the LORD, He answered them.  He showered His grace and love in their lives.  However, these men of God also stumbled into sin at times.  Moses and Aaron disobeyed God and hit the rock instead of speaking to it as God commanded.  Samuel failed to raise his children in the ways of the Lord, and they led the people of Israel to seek a king.  For these sins, they were punished.  Moses and Aaron were not allowed to enter the Promised Land, while Samuel’s influence did not last much more than a few generations.  God showed grace in their lives, yet still punished their sin.  Fortunately for us, the punishment for our sins was laid on Jesus Christ.  Jesus paid that penalty for us.  God was able to be just and still show His love and forgiveness, because Christ died for us.  We should be grateful for this wonderful gift.  But we must also remember that even though we have been forgiven and will not go to hell, if we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we may still need to deal with the consequences of our sins.  God is forgiving, but He is also an avenger of wrongdoing.  David paid for his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba.  The people of Israel still paid for their idolatry.  Although they were forgiven, the consequences still occurred.  Let us remember that our God is not only merciful and gracious but also just and holy. 

Psalm 100 – Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!  Serve the LORD with gladness!  Come into his presence with singing!  Know that the LORD, he is God!  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!  Give thanks to him; bless his name!  For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. 

Do you need a reason to praise God?  Do you need to be reminded of why you should?  Then read Psalm 100.  It gives us several reasons why we should praise His name.  First, He is God.  We should praise and rejoice in God, simply because of who He is.  He is God and because of who He is, He deserves our praise.  Second, God made us.  God is our Creator.  He formed us from the dust of the ground.  He breathed into us the breath of life.  He made us, doesn’t that warrant our praise?  Third, we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  If you have given your life to Him, then you belong to Him.  He is your Master, Lord, and Shepherd.  Kings are praised and served by their people, and we should do the same for our good King.  Fourth, His love and His faithfulness endure forever.  God has constantly shown His love to us.  He continues to show His love to each and every generation.  He is kind and showers His grace on us.  Is that not worthy of praise and worship? 

Psalm 101:1-8 – I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will make music.  I will ponder the way that is blameless.  Oh when will you come to me?  I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.  I hat the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.  A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.  Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy.  Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.  I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me.  No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes.  Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD.

What type of people do you surround yourself with?  David made sure to surround himself with people who were righteous, blameless, and full of integrity.  At the same time, he kept himself away from those who had a perverse heart, worked evil, were haughty, arrogant, prideful, and deceitful.  David stayed close to those who followed God but kept away from those who were wicked.  That may be one of the reasons why his kingdom was so successful.  We must be careful who we allow into our lives, because their influence can lift us up or corrupt us.  How we do is dependent on who we stay around?  As Paul said, “Bad company ruins good morals.” (1 Corinthians 15:33).