Pastor Bob DuPar
September 27, 2008

Journal Entry



Scripture

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

Observation

“So His appearance was marred more than any man And His form more than the sons of men. …He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.”
Is 52:14; 53:2-6

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. …Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partners with them. …walk as children of Light …trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them. …Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Ephesians 5:1-17 (Selections)

Application

I need to imitate God a whole lot more than I do. I need to walk like a child of the light – seeking to please God in all that I do. I could also grow more in the area of exposing darkness and evil.

Prayer

“Lord, please help me to use my time more wisely. I ask that You would help me redeem each moment of my day for Your glory and not mine.”

Pastor Bob DuPar
September 26, 2008

Journal Entry



Scripture

Isaiah 48:12-50:11; Ephesians 4:17-32; Psalm 69:1-18; Proverbs 24:5-6

Observation

“Listen to Me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am He; I am the first and I am the last. …This is what the Lord says – your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” Isaiah 48:12, 17

“…You must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.” Ephesians 4:17-19

“In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Ephesians 4:26-27

Application

God teaches me what is best for me and directs me in the way in which I should go, but how consistently do I trust that He knows what is best for me? I display my trust in God as I obey His Word. My disobedience is blatant distrust in God; it is evidence that I think I know better than God.

Sin separates me from the life God offers. It hardens my heart, makes me insensitive to moral and spiritual boundaries; and ultimately creates within me an insatiable appetite and lust for more.

I have let the sun go down upon my anger too many times. I don’t want to give Satan a foothold anymore!

Prayer

“Lord, please kill my appetite for sin. Help me to trust Your will and Your kind intentions for me. Help me to demonstrate this trust by how I live.”

Pastor Bob DuPar
September 25, 2008

Journal Entry



Scripture

Isaiah 45:11-48:11; Ephesians 4:1-16; Psalm 68:19-35; Proverbs 24:3-4

Observation

“This is what the Lord says – the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: Concerning things to come, do you question Me about My children, or give Me orders about the work of My hands? It is I who made the earth and created mankind upon it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts.” Isaiah 45:11-12

“Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:3-4

“Now then, listen, you wanton creature, lounging in your security and saying to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.” Isaiah 47:8

“I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:1-3

“…Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the head, that is, Christ.” Ephesians 4:15

Application

I am guilty of questioning God at times about how He deals with His children. I have need to trust more in God’s sovereignty and truly believe that He does all things well.

The passage in Isaiah 46 about God creating us, sustaining us and carrying us really spoke to me. So often I act like it’s all me and I neglect to acknowledge God’s sustaining power which under girds and empowers everything I do.

I need to live a life worthy of my calling – not just some of the time, but all of the time. I will try to do this by surrounding myself with others that have this goal as well.

Prayer

“Lord, help me to grow up in all aspects unto You. Help me to never be satisfied with my present spiritual state, but to hunger for deeper closeness with You.”

Pastor Bob DuPar
September 23, 2008

Journal Entry



Scripture

Isaiah 41:17-43:13; Ephesians 2:1-22; Psalm 67:1-7; Proverbs 23:29-35

Observation

“In faithfulness He will bring forth justice; He will not falter or be discouraged til He establishes justice on earth. …This is what God the Lord says – He who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: ‘I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open the eyes of the blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord; that is My name! I will not give My glory to another or My praise to idols.” Isaiah 42:3-8

“But now, this is what the Lord says – He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, Your Savior.” Isaiah 43:1-3

“You are My witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, nor will there be one after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from Me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed – I, and not some foreign god among you. You are My witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘That I am God. …When I act, who can reverse it?” Isaiah 43:10-13
“Because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in sins – it is by grace you have been saved. …In order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. …You who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:4, 7, 13


Application

God has called me in righteousness to be a light to unbelievers, to open the eyes of the blind (physically & spiritually), to free the captives, and to release those who sit in darkness. Doesn’t sound like my typical day or schedule! But, it should if I’m really busy doing what I’ve been called to do.
Once again, this passage teaches that I have been redeemed and called to be a blessing, not merely to kick-back and soak-up God’s blessing for myself.

Prayer

“Lord, open my eyes to things eternal. Help me to live for Your purposes – for visions greater than the routine agendas that often fill my day. Please use me for something powerful – something much bigger than me.”

Pastor Bob DuPar
September 22, 2008

Journal Entry



Scripture

Isaiah 39:1-41:16; Ephesians 1:1-23; Psalm 66:1-20; Proverbs 23:26-28

Observation

Where do I begin with today’s reading? Today was definitely my favorite selection yet – every passage was incredible.

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8

“He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young.”
Isaiah 40:11

“To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare Him to? …Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. …He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. …To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal? Says the Holy One. …Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Isaiah 40:18-31

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. …For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 41:10, 13

Application

God’s Word is eternal. When I spend time reading and memorizing His Word, I am making an eternal investment.

2,000 years before Columbus declared that the earth was round Isaiah wrote that God “sits enthroned above the circle of the earth.” (Isaiah 40:22) The Bible continually proves itself to be scientifically accurate as well as spiritually enlightening.

As I write this journal from middle school outdoor education in the high sierras I need to draw from God’s strength so that He will renew me each day and keep me strong.

Prayer

“Lord, please help me to have a ‘Spirit of wisdom and revelation’ in the knowledge of You that I might know You better. Enlighten the eyes of my heart that I might know the hope of my calling and the incomparably great power available to me.”

Pastor Bob DuPar
September 21, 2008

Journal Entry



Scripture

Isaiah 37:1-38:22; Galatians 6:1-18; Psalm 65:1-13; Proverbs 23:24-25

Observation

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:9-10

“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
Galatians 6:14

“…Where morning dawns and evening fades you call forth songs of joy.”
Psalm 65:8

Application

Many times I become weary of doing good. What an encouraging reminder to not give up. God sees our efforts and will reward us. I need to take advantage of every opportunity to do good to others. Each one of us wants to be blessed and yet God has called us to be a blessing to others. I need to trust God with my needs and know that He will take care of me. My focus needs to be blessing others.

Prayer

“Lord, help me to look beyond my own personal interests (Philippians 2) in order that I might truly have a heart for others. Help me to be a blessing to others in the same way that I would want to be blessed.”