Tuesday, September 13th

Tuesday, September 13th

Isaiah 4:2-6
2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. 5 Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.

There is one thing we are to take “pride and glory” in, and that is God.

Glory (noun):

1. Great honor, praise, or distinction accorded by common consent; renown.


2. Something conferring honor or renown.


3. A highly praiseworthy asset.


4. Adoration, praise, and thanksgiving offered in worship.


5. Majestic beauty and splendor; resplendence.


6. The splendor and bliss of heaven; perfect happiness.


7. A height of achievement, enjoyment, or prosperity.


8. A halo, nimbus, or aureole.

Refuge (noun):

1. Protection or shelter, as from danger or hardship.


2. A place providing protection or shelter.


3. A source of help, relief, or comfort in times of trouble.

Holy (adj.):

1. Belonging to, derived from, or associated with a divine power; sacred.


2. Regarded with or worthy of worship or veneration; revered.


3. Living according to a strict or highly moral religious or spiritual system; saintly.


4. Specified or set apart for a religious purpose.


5. Solemnly undertaken; sacrosanct.


6. Regarded as deserving special respect or reverence.

2 Samuel 22:3; 31
3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior – from violent men you save me. 31 "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

The Psalm of Refuge: Psalm 31:1-24

1 In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. 2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. 3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. 4 Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth. 6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the LORD. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. 8 You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place. 9 Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. 10 My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. 11 Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; I am a dread to my friends - those who see me on the street flee from me. 12 I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. 13 For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life. 14 But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." 15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me. 16 Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. 17 Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave. 18 Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous. 19 How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you. 20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues. 21 Praise be to the LORD, for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city. 22 In my alarm I said, "I am cut off from your sight!" Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help. 23 Love the LORD, all his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full. 24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

So, back to the first scripture in Isaiah about pride: Pride is only good when it is brought on by God and that can be tough because pride, on the big picture, is not a good thing. I think of it this way: Pride is so bad when used the wrong way and so simple to use the right way. Many times, though, I find myself being confused. It really is simple. Glorify God, take refuge in him, and do not glorify man and take refuge in empty idols. Anyway, I think that sometimes, even though it is OK to lift others up, I can get caught up in it. I can get caught up in a person and loose sight of God. I give glory to others and not to God, when in it spite of it all, it was God who gifted the person in the first place. I do apologize for the lateness of this. I have been caught up with my son today, my family, and my bills and ended up loosing sight of the one who blesses us with the money to pay the bills, the one who gave me my son, the one who allows me to see my family. I try not to be “religious” around them, but things come up. It is a part of me, and I don’t think that part should be “lightened” up or I put up a front of someone I am not. I love them for them and I know they love me for me. Johnny Out.