Today Our Daily Bread Isaiah 58 ++

Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.

If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.

Isaiah 58:1-14
True and False Worship
1" Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Tell my people Israel F119 of their sins!
2Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to hear my laws. You would almost think this was a righteous nation that would never abandon its God. They love to make a show of coming to me and asking me to take action on their behalf.
3'We have fasted before you!' they say. 'Why aren't you impressed? We have done much penance, and you don't even notice it!'
"I will tell you why! It's because you are living for yourselves even while you are fasting. You keep right on oppressing your workers. 4What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. 5You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like a blade of grass in the wind. You dress in sackcloth and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the LORD?
6"No, the kind of fasting I want calls you to free those who are wrongly imprisoned and to stop oppressing those who work for you. Treat them fairly and give them what they earn. 7I want you to share your food with the hungry and to welcome poor wanderers into your homes. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.
8"If you do these things, your salvation will come like the dawn. Yes, your healing will come quickly. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind. 9Then when you call, the LORD will answer. 'Yes, I am here,' he will quickly reply. "Stop oppressing the helpless and stop making false accusations and spreading vicious rumors! 10Feed the hungry and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as day. 11The LORD will guide you continually, watering your life when you are dry and keeping you healthy, too. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. 12Your children will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as the people who rebuild their walls and cities.
13"Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don't pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the LORD's holy day. Honor the LORD in everything you do, and don't follow your own desires or talk idly. If you do this, 14the LORD will be your delight. I will give you great honor and give you your full share of the inheritance I promised to Jacob, your ancestor. I, the LORD, have spoken!"
FOOTNOTES:F119: Hebrew Jacob.
Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living TranslationCopyright © 1996 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
~ Lena’s Journailn’ Today~
WOW what a passage, huh?
I hear in here, Don’t be religious, looking like you’re good when you’re with people who you think you can impress with your religious look, making them think you’ve got it together with God, as though your life points the way. Live the ways the word has taught us to live - daily.
It is specifically saying let’s not point fingers. That means while you read this, don’t say, “I knew it, the church is full of a bunch of hypocrites, see I was right, they’re a bunch of phony no goods”! THAT is pointing the finger. Ever heard the saying that when we point one finger there are 3 or 4 pointing back at ourselves? It is true. When we hear the word we absolutely need to use it as a mirror and a measuring tool for our own souls.
Here are a few things to measure with today
Do I receive the words that tell me I’ve sinned, or do I resist them, saying I’m ok as I am?
Do I ever act like it is great to go to church and paint a picture to others of being a church goer who seeks God and then when it comes down to living as He’s asked , we do our own thing?
Do I do things for God with the expectation of reciprocation from Him? Like saying, “Lord, I’ve gone to church and tithed all of these years, now why am I need of money, doesn’t Your word work, I’ve obviously worked Your word”?
Do I ever say in my heart, “I’ve made lots of sacrifices for You, can’t you see that, now where is my reward?”
Do I live for myself, my own comfort, my own glory, my own way and not want anyone to tell me what to do?
Am I an independent spirit?
Do I ever oppress anyone, ever?
Do I fight and quarrel with those I could be a demonstration of the true love of God to?
Do I need to always make my own point & opinion known?
Do I bow my head in prayer, acting humble?
Do I need to show people I’m suffering to be more like the Lord, or do I need to show them I’m trying to do what He’s asked me to do, for Him? (so they can SEE how holy I am?)
Do I free people from the bondage that my unforgiveness has locked them in spiritual imprisonment to?
Will I stop pressing down the people under my “authority”, and rather encourage them and lift them up?
Will I share food with the hungry, spiritually and naturally speaking?
Do I/will I welcome people into my home?
Will I help cover people, who have been naked in many aspects of their life, or am I one who wants to expose (their sins) to others so everyone knows what they are really like?
Do I escape what is hard on me where people who are close to me are concerned, like shrinking into a turtle shell Or do I willingly, by my sincere trust of God come out and deal with whatever needs to be dealt with? Even ifI know it will be insult or injury to my own person? Even knowing they will be lashing out at me? Do I listen with receptivity or a closed off mind? Even when they are wrong?
Do I spread rumors, trying to prove to others how right I am and how wrong others are?
Do I help people who are in real trouble, putting their needs above my own?
How much (percentage wise) do I live my own life for me?
How much of my time is spent in pursuit of my own interests?
How much thought, effort, etc do I put into God’s desires for this earth? Spiritually speaking.
How many of my prayers are about God showing me what He’d like for me to do or be a part of, even if I know I won’t want to do it, right away?
How much of my talking is truly for the magnification of the Lord, His word and His plans for the earth’s salvation?
How much do others hear me speak of how great it is to go to God’s house, because I want to, not because I feel I have to do my weekly sacrifice before God, so He’ll love me and favor me?
If I never fast from eating physical food and I do these things, I will have gained a tremendous amount of favor with God and men.






Proverbs 27:17-19
17 You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another. 18 If you care for your orchard, you'll enjoy its fruit; if you honor your boss, you'll be honored.
19 Just as water mirrors your face, so your face mirrors your heart.
Psalm 122:1
1 When they said, "Let's go to the house of God," my heart leaped for joy.