<p><span class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold">For Reading and Meditation:</span><br><span class="italic">     <span class="scriptRef" ref="isa+11:1-9">Isaiah 11:1-9</span></span></p><p>Yesterday we said that envy is born out of two things: ignorance and making wrong comparisons. Having seen how a wrong comparison can produce envy, we focus now on ignorance. How can ignorance give rise to envy? Far too often our judgments of people are based only on what we see, and we fail to take into account other things that may be going on in their lives. Years ago, A.C. Gardiner wrote a little essay on Lord Simon and spoke at length of his many successes. In one place he described him as "prancing down a rose-strewn path to a shining goal". Gardiner thought that success, in the measure Lord Simon had experienced it, was free of all sorrow. Then he remembered some of the bitter disappointments that Lord Simon had faced and so he added in parenthesis: "I speak here only of his public career." Many of us forget the parenthesis. We see simply the surface of our neighbours' lives and know nothing of their secret sorrows. If we saw beneath the surface of those lives we tend to envy - the hidden hurts, the emptiness, the heartaches, the guilt and the fears - then I doubt whether the emotion of envy would ever rise within us. But even if there were no secret sorrows we would still have no reason to envy others. God is the rightful Lord of all life: "It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves"  (<span class="scriptRef" ref="ps+100:3">Psalm 100:3</span>, NKJ). Let us keep our eyes fixed only on Christ and resist all other attempts at comparison. Practise comparing yourself with Him, and only good will come out of it. </p><p class="center-it italic bold mlr40 mtb20">Blessed Lord Jesus, I see how easily the spirit of envy can filch away my peace and happiness. Uproot this rank weed in my heart and teach me to compare myself with none other but You. For Your own dear Name's sake. Amen.</p><div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="2co+10:1-18">2 Corinthians 10:1-18</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="1co+2:13">1 Corinthians 2:13</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="ps+89:6">Psalm 89:6</span></li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>What is it not wise to do?</li><li>What is the right way to make comparisons?</li></ul></div></div>

Let a little light into your soul every day with this wonderful devotional from English pastor Selwyn Hughes.

Every Day Light with Selwyn Hughes

"He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes " (v. 3) 

<p><span class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold">For Reading and Meditation:</span><br><span class="italic">     <span class="scriptRef" ref="lu+24:28-35">Luke 24:28-35</span></span></p><p>Another thing that brings about a changed perspective when we make our way to the house of God is the reading and exposition of the Scriptures. I make this statement on the assumption that the Scriptures are expounded in your church, for, sadly, in some congregations this is not so. In the days of the psalmist, of course, they did not have the Bible as we know it today, but the portions of the Word of God that they did have they recited and meditated upon. How many times have you gone to church feeling confused about God's dealing with you, only to find that as the Scriptures are opened your view of God and life changes, causing you to leave refreshed and reinvigorated? Calvin put it like this: "As the elderly, or those with poor sight can hardly make out the words in a book, but with the help of glasses can read clearly, so Scripture crystallises ideas about God which had been very confused, scatters the darkness and shows us the true God clearly." You could, and should, read the Scriptures at home, but there is something special about hearing the Word of God expounded in church. Merely to hear a well-known text spoken by someone who emphasises a word which we might not emphasise, can strike us in a way that adds new meaning to it. Do you have a jaundiced view of God and life at this very moment? Go to church on Sunday, to a Bible-believing church, and expect God to speak to you from His Word. I have it on the highest authority that He will. </p><p class="center-it italic bold mlr40 mtb20">Father, forgive me for taking for granted the revelation that flows from Your Word - whether it comes privately or in church. From now on, whenever I am "talked to" by the Scriptures, help me to recognise it and to receive it with gratitude. Amen.</p><div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="lu+4:16-31">Luke 4:16-31</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="isa+11:2">Isaiah 11:2</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="isa+61:1">Isaiah 61:1</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="mt+3:16">Matthew 3:16</span></li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>What did Jesus do in the synagogue?</li><li>What rested upon Him?</li></ul></div></div>

"Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" (v. 32) 

<p>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 of the fear of the Lord. His delight is in the fear of the Lord.<br><br>Does not wisdom cry out, and understanding lift up her voice? “To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. O you simple ones, understand prudence, and you fools, be of an understanding heart. Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, and from the opening of my lips will come right things … Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength.”<br><br>The Lord of hosts … is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance. § If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. § Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.</p>

Daily Light on the Daily Path or Daily Light is a Christian daily devotional scripture reading published by Bagster & Sons about 1875. It has been reprinted continually since then. It consists of brief groupings of scripture passages which speak to prominent Biblical themes—two themes (morning and evening) for each day of the year. It appends no commentary, but simply allows scripture to speak for itself.

Evening Daily Light

 His name will be called . . . Counselor. 

<p><span class="bible-text "> <sup class="verse-num poetry-line">2 </sup><poetry>The Spirit   of the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap> will rest on him—<br/><indent>the Spirit of wisdom   and of understanding,</indent><br/><indent>the Spirit of counsel and of might,  </indent><br/><indent>the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>—</indent><br/></poetry> </span></p>

The Spirit<cr>1</cr>  of the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap> will rest on him—<br/><indent>the Spirit of wisdom<cr>2</cr>  and of understanding,</indent><br/><indent>the Spirit of counsel and of might,<cr>3</cr> </indent><br/><indent>the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>—</indent><br/>

Isaiah 11:2

 2 The Spirit   of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom   and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might,   the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— 

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

New International Version

 The Spirit  of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom  and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might,  the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— 

<p><span class="bible-text "><poetry>The Spirit   of the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap> will rest on him—<br/><indent>the Spirit of wisdom   and of understanding,</indent><br/><indent>the Spirit of counsel and of might,  </indent><br/><indent>the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>—</indent><br/></poetry> </span></p>

 The Spirit   of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom   and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might,   the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— 

Bible Verse of the Day

February 14, 2020

Isaiah 11:2 NIV

Verse by Verse Bible Study

More on the web

Group of Brands