Tuesday

23-July

Isaiah 4; Ps 89:27-52; Ephesians 4

Isaiah 4: What (who) does the ‘branch of the Lord’ refer to?  Who will cleanse the women and Jerusalem from their sin?

Ephesians 4: How can you give the devil a foothold in your life? Is it a sin to be angry? Why or why not?

I had to read and re-read Ephesians 4.  I even read it in the Message paraphrase which really spoke to me this morning. I love the section headings in this version: “To Be Mature” and “The Old Way Has to Go”.  It’s tough to come up with a question or two, since this is such an intricately written chapter. 

Journal Prompt: Ephesians 4:1 tells us to walk according to the calling we have received.  What is your calling? How can you walk according to your calling?

Answers:

Isaiah 4:  The ‘branch of the Lord’ refers to the Messiah, to Jesus Christ – glorious and beautiful!

Ephesians 4:  Dictionary definition of a foothold: a secure position from which further progress can be made.  In this section, Paul uses the example of bitterness stemming from unforgiveness as a foothold that the devil uses.  To me, I envision trying to close the door, but the evil one manages to get is foot in and then once he’s established a foothold, he continues to push and push until the door opens wider and wider.  It can be a slow and undetectable process.  There are a lot of ways Satan can force himself and sin into our lives – envy, pride, jealousy, self-esteem, unwholesome talk, taking something that doesn’t belong to us, etc. It is not a sin to be angry, but you can be sure the evil one will use it to create a foothold in your life.  I wonder in this age of such hate towards our President, the kinds of footholds that the evil one is gaining.