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“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. “Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip. Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come. Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord”(Isaiah 60:1-6 NIV)
Ephesians 5:8-10 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (9) (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) (10) and find out what pleases the Lord.
Ephesians 5:13-17 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. (14) For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you." (15) Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, (16) making the most of your time, because the days are evil. (17) So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
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Isaiah 6:1-8 NIV - Isaiah had this wonderful experience of God,
“I SAW”: Deeper Comprehension and Contemplation
“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.” (Isaiah 6:1 NIV)
“I CRIED”: Deeper Confession and Compassion
““Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”” (Isaiah 6:5 NIV)
“I HEARD”: Deeper Challenge and Call
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”” (Isaiah 6:8 NIV)
In order to hear God speak, we need to tune our ears (and heart) to Him.
“The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.” (Isaiah 50:4 NIV)
“I SAID”: Deeper Commitment and Consecration
Behold who you are worshipping;
In the light of his glory, what do you see about yourself; and
The more we recognise our bankruptcy, our frailty and our sinfulness, the more we will lean upon God.
I want to see you, Lord.
I want to hear you, Lord.
I want to commit to you, Lord.
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Big Idea: We cling to our faith and God’s faithfulness during trials because our God delivers!
Because our God delivers, there are 2 spiritual anchors to cling on during trials:
1) OUR FAITH IN TIMES OF TRIAL (vv.1-18)
“Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”” (Daniel 6:4-5 ESV)
“When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.” (Daniel 6:10 ESV)
“Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his Lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.” (Daniel 6:16-17 ESV)
2) HIS FAITHFULNESS THROUGH TIMES OF TRIAL (vv.19-28)
“Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.” (Daniel 6:19-23 ESV)
“He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.”” (Daniel 6:27 ESV)
God does not deliver us FROM the trials.
God delivers us THROUGH the trials where our faith deepens and our trust in Him is elevated.
The ultimate purpose of the deliverance is for God himself to be glorified.
Reflection Questions
1. As you look at the trials in your life, how have you been responding to them?
2. In times of trial, what makes it difficult for you to cling on to your faith in God?
3. How has God been faithful in your past trials?
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Who is the Holy Spirit?
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17 ESV)
“But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit ..You have not lied to man but to God.”” (Acts 5:3-4 ESV)
Why is the Holy Spirit given?
The Holy Spirit is the presence of God and the power of God in our midst; in our lives. God with us.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”” (Acts 1:8 ESV) - speak God’s truth to your situation.
How can we receive the Holy Spirit?
Baptism of the Holy Spirit: To be completely submerged and filled with the Holy Spirit.
“for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”” (Acts 1:5 ESV)
“but be filled with the Spirit,” (Ephesians 5:18 ESV) - to be continuously filled afresh with the Holy Spirit.
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10 ESV)
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“There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead.” (Psalms 86:8-13 NIV)
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.” (Daniel 3:16-23 ESV)
Let us be tested, tried and true in our faith in God:
God is still in control (v19-23)
God rewards those who are faithful (v24-30)
Stand firm in your trials because God is still in control. Sometimes, God chooses not to deliver us because He wants to reveal the idols of our heart, deepen our prayer life, and purity our faith.
“Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.” (Daniel 3:24-30 ESV)
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12 ESV)
Today, you’re grateful for Jesus standing beside you in the fire, in the waters holding back the sea. You’re grateful for all the trials, pain, the challenges that God has sovereignly allowed in your life, because they are molding you, refining you; allowing your faith to be more precious than gold, tested in the fire. - Reverend Sharon Fong
Thank God for the trials that have come your (my) way, to make you (me) stronger.. Thank you Jesus. 🙌🏻
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For Luther, vocation—the Latinate word for “calling”—means far more than a job or profession. Vocation is Luther’s doctrine of the Christian life. More than that, vocation is the way God works through human beings to govern His creation and to bestow His gifts. - Gene Edward Veith
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“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” (Romans 12:11 ESV)
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24 ESV)
Richard John Neuhaus defines contemporary sloth as “evenings without number obliterated by television, evenings neither of entertainment nor of education, but a narcotic defense against time and duty.”
“I saw more clearly than ever, that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day, to have my soul happy in the Lord. The first thing to be concerned about was not, how much I might serve the Lord, how I might glorify the Lord; but how I might get my soul into a happy state, and how my inner man might be nourished.. Now what is the food for the inner man: not prayer, but the Word of God: and here again not the simple reading of the Word of God, so that it only passes through our minds, just as water runs through a pipe, but considering what we read, pondering over it, and applying it to our hearts.. that thus my heart may be comforted, encouraged, warned, reproved, instructed; and that thus, whilst meditating, my heart might be brought into experimental communion with the Lord.” - George Mueller
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Consider: Who is on the throne of your life?
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Where are you tempted to strive for perfection instead of celebrating progress? Today, rest in the truth that God delights in your every step forward.
- Alli Worthington, The Year of Living Happy.
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Today, ask yourself, how can you align your desires to those of God? Spend time and ask God you help you delight in Him.
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalms 37:4)
- Alli Worthington, The Year of Living Happy.
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ENVY: Starve it or be swallowed by it
Korah and his followers failed to see that God has distinct roles and responsibilities for everyone. “They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”” (Numbers 16:3 ESV)
Everyone should know his or her role in God’s sovereign plan.
God’s sovereign plans and purposes must take precedence over our own personal ambitions and desires. Are we able to see beyond our own ambitions?
Envy swallows our souls and incurs God’s anger and judgment.. “So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.” (Numbers 16:33 ESV)
Let us be careful not to let envy consume us and swallow us whole. “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” (James 3:16 ESV)
We need God’s help. Repent from Envy.
1. Cultivate a heart of gratitude.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. (Philippians 4:4-10 ESV)
““Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV)
2. Stop comparing, Start trusting.
3. Align our motivation to God’s will. We work hard not for ourselves, but for God’s glory and God’s approval. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24 ESV)
We were never called to be more successful or superior than others. Rather, we are called to be humble and faithful; we are called to seve and not to be served; and to deny ourselves, carry our cross and follow Jesus.
“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11-13 ESV)
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““You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16 NIV)
AWAKEN TO GLORIFY
As we meditate on Matthew 5:13-16:
Are there current situations in your life where you have not glorified the Lord in your speech or conduct?
Are you giving glory to God at your workplace and home by living distinctly as His disciple and bearing a godly testimony before your non-Christian friends and family members?
Turn your meditation into prayer:
Ask God to forgive you for occasions this week when you have not glorified Him in your speech or conduct.
Ask God to empower you to glorify Him at your workplace and home by living distinctly as His disciple and bearing a godly testimony before your non-Christian friends and family members.
In what ways can you give credit and allegiance to God in your life?
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