TODAY'S DAILY GUIDE BY SCRIPTURE UNION

Scripture Union Daily Guide 12 May 2024 – No More Exclusion

Scripture Union Daily Guide 12 May 2024 (Sunday) Devotional Message

TOPIC: No More Exclusion

OPENING PRAYER: Oh Lord, grant me divine guidance as I read and meditate on your word in Jesus name.

SCRIPTURE READING: ISAIAH 56:1-12

1 This is what the LORD says: “Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.

2 Blessed is the one who does this— the person who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”

3 Let no foreigner who is bound to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.” And let no eunuch complain, “I am only a dry tree.”

4 For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant—

5 to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever.

6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORDto minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant—

7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

8 The Sovereign LORD declares— he who gathers the exiles of Israel: “I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.”

9 Come, all you beasts of the field, come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!

10 Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep.

11 They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, they seek their own gain.

12 “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better.”

Question(s) for Reflection
* Q 1: What does the passage teach about God the Father, or God the Son or God the Holy Spirit?
* Q5: Is there any warning for me to heed?
* Q7: What truth is God revealing to me in this passage?

Scripture Union Daily Guide 12 May 2024 – MESSAGE

By the Abrahamic covenant, only Israel was called “the people of God.” Other nations and groups, like the eunuchs, were actively excluded from the Temple worship (Deuteronomy 13:1-3). In this passage, Isaiah declaring the mind of God says, there will be no more exclusion.

God is throwing the door to His house wide open to all (v.7). What is the basic requirement for anyone to be welcomed into God’s family (vs.3a, 4a, 6a)? The real standard is not birth but obedience to God both in religion and morality (vs.1-2).

Similarly, in Christ, there is no more discrimination or exclusion. When the Church was born on the day of Pentecost, all racial, social, economic and gender barriers were removed (Ephesians 3:6; Galatians 3:26-29)! Unfortunately, exclusion still exists in the body of Christ today. What examples of exclusion do you see in your context?

What can we learn in vs.9-12 about failure of leadership and the effect on the followers? Tragically, this is the story in many of our nations. The leaders are self-indulgent, greedy, and insensitive while the people suffer untold hardship.

Practice/Word Application
What next? Reflect and take a decision on things you will do to stop every form of exclusion that you have noticed in your context.

* Any new insight or reinforcement of what you already know?

HYMN – ALL PEOPLE THAT ON EARTH DO DWELL
1 All people that on earth do dwell,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.
Him serve with fear, His praise forth tell;
Come ye before Him and rejoice.

2 The Lord, ye know, is God indeed;
Without our aid He did us make;
We are His folk, He doth us feed,
And for His sheep He doth us take.

3 O enter then His gates with praise;
Approach with joy His courts unto;
Praise, laud, and bless His name always,
For it is seemly so to do.

4 For why? the Lord our God is good;
His mercy is for ever sure;
His truth at all times firmly stood,
And shall from age to age endure.

5 To Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
The God whom Heaven and earth adore,
From men and from the angel host
Be praise and glory evermore.

Closing Prayer
Father, deliver me from pride that breeds exclusion. Let me know that I am who I am only by your grace.

Offer a prayer of faith in line with Philippians 4:7

One Year Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading Plan: Day 133 – 2 Samuel 11-12; 1 Chronicles 20

NATIONAL PRAYER BULLETIN
Sun May 12, 2024

PRAYER FOCUS
PERSONAL QUIET TIME AND DEVOTION
‘Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path’
Psalms 119: 105.

THANK GOD FOR:
* The invaluable gift of his word to the brethren for direction.
* The opportunity to fellowship with Him.

PRAY FOR:
* The desire and hunger in the brethren to study God’s word and to have fellowship with him always.
* The daily transformation of our lives as we study his word and have fellowship with Him.

Scripture Union Daily Guide 12 May 2024 (Sunday) Devotional Message

Scripture Union Daily Guide 12 May 2024 – MESSAGE

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