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September 27

Scripture for today: Isaiah 51:1-53:12; Ephesians 5:1-33; Psalm 69:19-36; Proverbs 24:7

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“Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18 NLT).

From: September 27, 2019

ARE YOU DEPENDING ON THE SPIRIT TO LIVE?

Two commands are given here, with the first being illustrative to help understand and emphasize the second. They are: 1) Don’t allow your mind and senses to be dulled and dissipated under the influence of alcohol. 2) Instead, be continuously filled with the Spirit, so that your mind and body are always being submitted to the Spirit’s influence. This “filling” is not a one and done command, but a continuous, moment by moment one. Not because the Spirit leaves us, for He never leaves those He has sealed. But because we must continually drink from the Spirit as from a fountain that abides within us. Remember that Christ told the woman at the well that those who asked from Him would receive “living water” that would become in them a “fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).
 
Wine has the effect of dulling our senses and inhibitions, so that we are more exposed to temptation and apt to sin. This degraded state of mind leads to “ruin.” However, being under the Spirit’s control, our conscience is renewed and our discernment enlarged, so that we have increasing power to resist sin.
 
When we drink wine to get drunk, we develop a dependency on alcohol. We tell ourselves that we need it; that we must have it to cope with life. Yet, the secret of living the abundant life is continuously drawing on and living according to the Spirit’s filling, so that our dependency is on the Spirit to live.
 
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for giving us Your Holy Spirit on the day of our salvation. We put off dependency on anything that isn’t of the Spirit. We want to depend “wholly” on the “Holy” Spirit. Fill us afresh today. We would drink deeply until every aspect of our lives come under His divine influence and power. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” (Ephesians 5:33 NKJV).

From: September 27, 2017

This is the summary of Paul’s instruction to husbands and wives. Husbands are to “love” their wives. This is the sacrificial love (Greek: “agape”) of Christ, which He expressed by laying down His life for us. Husbands are to be servant-leaders. Wives are to “respect” their husbands. A surprising command in light of the husband’s command to “love.” Shouldn’t the wife also love her husband? Yet, “respect” is the way most men receive love. So, respecting her husband is the best way to show her love. When the husband loves his wife with sacrificial love and the wife loves her husband with respectful love, then their house becomes a lighthouse, showing forth the “mystery” of Christ’s love for the church.

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isaiah 53:3 ESV)

From: September 27, 2016

Isaiah prophesied 700 years before the Messiah’s coming of the rejection and hatred that the He would endure. Isaiah described in incredible detail the circumstances surrounding Christ’s crucifixion and even His burial (“with a rich man” v.9), yet as his prophecy predicted, He was “rejected by men.” Christ Jesus took on our sin and our sorrow. He suffered great physical pain at our hands, but perhaps His greatest pain was that of our rejection and disdain. As the gospel of John declared, “He came to his own and they did not receive him. Yet, as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11-12).

“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18 NKJV)

From: September 27, 2015

Not living under the influence of alcohol, but under the Spirit’s control. Two commands are given here, with the first being illustrative to help understand and emphasize the second. They are: 1) Don’t allow your mind and senses to be dulled and dissipated under the influence of alcohol by getting drunk. 2) Instead, be continuously filled with the Spirit, so that your mind and body are always being submitted to the Spirit’s influence. This “filling” is not a once in a lifetime command or need, but a continuous, moment by moment one. Not because the Spirit leaves us, for He never leaves those He has sealed. But because we must continually drink from the Spirit as from a fountain that lives within us. Remember that Christ told the woman at the well that those who asked from Him would receive “living water” that would become in them a “fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). The secret of living the abundant life is continuously living according to the Spirit’s filling, rather than by our own strength.

“He was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5)

From: September 27, 2013

This Messianic prophecy was written 700 years before Christ. Chapter 53 describes in chilling detail the crucifixion of Jesus. There are two threads of prophecy in the Old Testament concerning the Messiah. One, describes him as the Suffering Servant who will take on our sin, and the second, which describes him as the coming king that will put everything right in the world. Jesus has already fulfilled the first. The second is coming soon.

“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all” (Isaiah 53:6)

From: September 27, 2012

Isaiah’s Messianic prophecy found in ch.53 never ceases to astound. God gave him such a specific preview of Christ as the Suffering Servant that takes away the sins of the world. Reading it afresh today, I would believe again were I not already believing. I would be saved again, were I not already saved. Thank you Lord Jesus for your fulfillment of Scripture and for suffering in our place!