Word of the Day

This song blesses me. I hope it does the same for you. rlkeller

"Forgiven"

by Sanctus Real

Well, the past is playing with my head

And failure knocks me down again

I’m reminded of the wrong

That I have said and done

And that devil just won't let me forget

In this life

I know what I’ve been

But here in your arms

I know what I am

I’m forgiven

I’m forgiven

And I don’t have to carry

The weight of who I’ve been

'Cause I’m forgiven

My mistakes are running through my mind

And I’ll relive my days in the middle of the night

When I struggle with my pain, wrestle with my pride.

Sometimes I feel alone and I cry.

And in this life

I know what I’ve been

But here in your arms

I know what I am

Well, I’m forgiven

I’m forgiven

And I don’t have to carry

The weight of who I’ve been

'Cause I’m forgiven

When I don't fit in and I don’t feel like I belong anywhere

When I don’t measure up to much in this life

Oh, I’m a treasure in the arms of Christ

'Cause I’m forgiven

Well, I’m forgiven

And I don’t have to carry

The weight of who I’ve been

'Cause I’m forgiven. 

Word for the Day

Hope

What does hope look like? It looks like pristine lake, free from agitation. It looks like a cloudless blue sky. It looks like a newborn child. Hope is what we all are looking for and desperately need. Hope comes in a person, the only one who can freely provide forgiveness. Freedom from sin provides for a person hope for a better tomorrow. Hope introduces that person to peace. Peace when fully realized can provide long lasting contentment and satisfaction. A sense of serenity fills our soul. Hope, peace, serenity all allow us to be at rest in our body and in our mind. Hope. We all need it. rlkeller

Looking at Isaiah

Isaiah 48:12-22 -“This is what the Lord says – your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.’”

            These verses reveal how God used Cyrus the Great of the Persian Empire to bring about the end of the Jewish exile in Babylon. The Lord used a pagan king to defeat Babylon in battle, where he then made the decree that the Jews taken there could return to their homeland.  It also shows that the Lord had remained constant towards the Jews in spite of their defiance and insubordination towards their God. It’s very interesting that in verse 11 God states exactly why he is setting Israel free. “I will rescue you for my sake – yes, for my own sake! I will not let my reputation be tarnished, and I will not share my glory with idols!” This follows along with the thought that God does all things for a purpose that only he knows. He does as he pleases for his good pleasure and our best interest.

            It boggles the mind that after all Almighty God had done for Israel they didn’t seem to remember after a short time.  God rescued them even though they didn’t deserve it, just because he promised he would. Is that not the same salvation itself? None of us deserve a pardon from sin, but God forgives us because he promised he would. Only he can eradicate sin from a soul and set it free.

            It’s interesting to me that so many people literally cry out for comfort, security and relief, yet haven’t taken the first steps to turn away from sin. If they received what they sought, then continued on their way with no intention of changing their lifestyle, that would be walking all over God’s grace and mercy.  A person can do that, but consequences will follow, you can count on it.  

            If you want true, lasting peace, seek God and follow only him. Then he will give you what scripture refers to as “peace that passes all understanding”. (Philippians 4:7)  Next we’ll take a look at Isaiah 49 where it talks about ‘the Future Redeemer”. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing.  rlkeller

Resources: The Life Application Study Bible; https://www.practicaprophetica.com/isaiah-important-chapters-to-study/#Isaiah_48.

Looking at Isaiah

Isaiah 45:21c-23 – “For there is no other God but me, a righteous God and Savior. There is none but me. Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other. I have sworn by my own name; I have spoken the truth, and I will never go back on my word: Every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to me.”

            This portion of chapter 45 in Isaiah may come across as one who is nothing more than a dictator who would have a problem with all who defy him. That’s not true. While it is certainly true that those who reject God will end up feeling his wrath in the end and spend an eternity separated from him, it doesn’t have to be that way. It has been well documented thru the ages that man pretty much wants his own way. If things are going well they don’t need God and if things are going poorly they want to know how God could do that to them. Their appreciation for God is sporadic and conditional. The value they’ve placed on knowing God fluctuates almost daily. 

            Let’s get a few things straight about Almighty God. He has no beginning and no end, he just IS. He has repeatedly stated, “There is no other God but me”. If the truth be told man has concocted many, many gods, all of whom are powerless and therefore useless. Man seems to want something or someone they can experience with their senses to place their faith in instead of someone that cannot be seen. Facts will not prove nor disprove God’s existence. Facts also negate the need for faith. Christianity is a faith-based set of beliefs.

            Is God nothing more than a dictator who would demand that you follow him or pay a severe penalty, likely incarceration or death. God wants people to follow him because they want to, not because they feel they have to. Allegiance to God is completely voluntary.

            While the Jews were chosen by God to make covenant with, it is the 3^rd sentence above that seems to allude to salvation being made available to the Gentiles. We must remember that a Gentile is ANYONE who is not a Jew. So essentially the sentence I am referring to could read, “Let all the GENTILES look to me for salvation!”  It was God’s plan all along to include the non-Jew in his redemptive work. 

            Look at all we find reinforced in these couple verses about God.  1) The Lord is the ONLY God; 2) He is a righteous savior; 3) Salvation comes only thru him; 4) He speaks the truth & 5) He does not go back on his word. No matter what man may think or say or believe in their mind, one day every knee WILL bend to God & every tongue WILL declare allegiance to him. You can look at that as tyrannical or as a benevolent, loving Heavenly Father who knows what’s best for his children. Anyone who pledges allegiance to Christ will never die, but will reign with him for all eternity. It’s all how you choose to see it. Next we will look at Chapter 48 as Israel’s stubbornness tests God’s patience again. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing!  rlkeller

Resources:  The Life Application Study Bible; https://www.practicaprophetica.com/isaiah-important-chapters-to-study/.

Looking at Isaiah

Isaiah 45:11-12 -‘This is what the Lord says — the Holy One of Israel and your Creator: “Do you question what I do for my children? Do you give me orders about the work of my hands? I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command.”’

Back Story: “Cyrus II of Persia (c. 600 – 530 BC), commonly known as Cyrus the Great was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, the first Persian Empire. Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Western Asia and much of Central Asia. From the Mediterranean Sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, Cyrus the Great created the largest empire the world had yet seen. His reign lasted 30 years. 

                  Cyrus the Great respected the customs and religions of the lands he conquered. What is sometimes referred to as the Edict of Restoration (actually two edicts) described in the Bible as being made by Cyrus the Great left a lasting legacy on the Jewish religion. According to Isaiah 45:1 of the Hebrew Bible, God anointed Cyrus for this task, even referring to him as messiah (lit. "His anointed one") and he is the only non-Jewish figure in the Bible to be called so.”     

Commentary: Cyrus, King of Persia, was a great friend to Israel in that God anointed him for a specific purpose: to allow God’s city, Jerusalem to be rebuilt and to have the Israeli exiles to be set free without expecting payment. Frankly, it would appear that a non-Jewish king had done more for God’s people than many of the kings of Israel or Judah had done thru the years.

            Isaiah 45:1-13 is very clear that God is the supreme ruler of light and darkness, in very good and bad times.  Our lives as believers have been and always will be sprinkled with both types of experiences. We are to praise God during the good and bad times just the same. We mustn’t resent the bad times for without bad times we will not learn new lessons and grow spiritually. These happen to be universal truths. They were true back in Isaiah’s day and they are true now. Once a person becomes a Christian they mustn’t assume life will suddenly become a cakewalk. That is foolish thinking, for nowhere in scripture does it say or even imply that believers in God will have no opposition. Live for God and watch his hand move on your behalf.  

            Next time we will look at the rest of chapter 45, which speaks of the future conversion of the Gentiles. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing. rlkeller

Resources:  The Life Application Study Bible; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_the_Great

Word for the Day

Word for the Day

Word for the Day

     It's that time of year again ... the time of year when my work hours expand and I have less time to write my devotional. Have no fear, I will post something encouraging and inspiring on my normal Mon-Sat days. The reason for this is that I never want to simply slap something together just so I post a devotional. Only if I have the time to devote to writing a meaningful post will I endeavor to do so. Please pray for me that I can negotiate my time well so as not to cheat the Lord. He uses me to do what I do and I never want to take that for granted. I love y'all and ask the Lord to bless each and every one of you and your families with whatever he determines you need the most. rlkeller

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Word for the Day

Looking at Isaiah

Isaiah 42:1 -“Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations.”

            We saw John the Baptist’s entrance into scripture prophesied in Isaiah 40:3 & Malachi 3:1. Jesus the Messiah is first prophesied about in Genesis is spoken of numerous other times and is spoken of here in verse 1 of chapter 42 in the Book of Isaiah. This chapter is often referred to as “The Servant’s Song”. Jesus was God’s chosen servant to institute his plan for man’s salvation.

            “The nation (of Israel) was given a mission to serve God, to be custodian of his word and to be a light (to) the Gentile nations. Because of sin & rebellion, they failed. God sent his Son, Christ, the Messiah to fulfill that mission on earth.” [Note in the Life Application Study Bible.]   

                  In this chapter the Lord distinguishes himself from all others as he specifies that which he will do for and against all who serve him and all who turn from him. In verse 3b the Lord states “He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.” In verse 5 he says that he “created the earth and everything in it.” In verse 6 the Lord says he has called him (Christ) to demonstrate his righteousness and will give the Messiah to his people Israel as a symbol of his covenant to them and a light to guide the nations.

            The Lord makes it clear in verse 8 that he will NOT share his glory with anyone nor share praise with carved idols. There are purported to be many, many gods, but none of them can seem to prove themselves to be alive and able to do what their title implies. Perhaps men create their own gods, because in the deepest recesses of their own heart they realize they cannot live up to the standard God promotes. They don’t look at the big picture, but rather seek an immediate, more palatable solution. They want to find their own way, not realizing that no one can find the way to go without assistance from their Creator. Israel was forgiven and given another chance to get it right. This should be encouraging to those following Christ today. While I don’t believe God’s patience to be endless, based on his patience with Israel, I think it’s safe to say that perfection is not expected. We must allow ourselves to grow daily by whatever means God lays before us. We will next turn our attention to Chapter 45. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

Looking at Isaiah

Isaiah 41:9b-10 -“For I have chosen you and will not throw you away. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

            If there was ever a question regarding the level of patience God has, you need to look no further than the Israelites. God chose them to represent him in this world. Let the record show that they have failed him time and time again. Judgment followed, then repentance, and then a right relationship returned. Since the Israelites relied on God to sustain and help them, it was a frightful prospect to be abandoned by their God. So when the Lord says thru Isaiah “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you”, this provides relieve.  All the surrounding nations had their own gods who supposedly had special powers like helping crops grow or providing victory in war, but when they failed to produce the desired results it became apparent that the God of the Jews was the only true God.

            One day all of God’s followers will come together. We will not ever need to fear God because his word declares that “I am with you”; “I am your God” and his existence matched with our belief by faith provides to us assurance that what he has said in scripture is absolutely true and will come to pass. “He who has chosen Christ has joined himself to a power that no array of human wisdom or strength can overthrow.”*

            Although skirmishes are at times lost, the battle has already been won. The devil wants you to not only doubt God, but yourself as well. His desire is that you question what you believe to the point that you step away from serving God thinking it is keeping you from something better. Never lose sight of just how great God is. The devil has been defeated. It is out of desperation that he rips and claws at the fabric of our faith in the attempt to spiritually neuter us. Only we can allow that to happen. Let God’s word “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you” resonate within your heart, mind and spirit as you continue to live for him. Next time we'll take a look at Chapter 42 in Isaiah. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resources: The Life Application Study Bible; www.biblegateway.com.

* https://www.practicaprophetica.com/isaiah-important-chapters-to-study/#Isaiah_41

Word for the Day

Word of the Day

Word for the Day

LOOKING AT ISAIAH

Isaiah 40:25 -“To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.

            In this portion of chapter 40 Isaiah is describing God’s attributes. It is very difficult to wrap our minds around all that is said about our Heavenly Father. We live in a material world where we feel the need to experience things with all our senses. Heck, Missouri’s state slogan is “The Show Me” state. Apparently people from there need to see it before they’ll believe it. We simply will NOT see Almighty God this side of heaven, but we can see those things that he has created. Even when Jesus walked the earth many people who saw him still didn’t believe. Sadly, a lot of those were the religious leaders of the day. There are still people today who say “Let Jesus show himself to me and then I’ll believe”. Ah yes, but that isn’t believing by faith. And even if Jesus did come back to earth, millions would still ignore him. 

            The interesting part of this portion of scripture lies in how man is described compared to God. Verse 15 states: “… for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales.” What incredible mental images that produces. I’ve often said that we are like a single grain of sand on the beaches of the world. I was speaking of individuals; Isaiah is speaking of WHOLE nations being nothing more than a single drop in a bucket. That’s tinier than tiny, comparatively speaking. 

            Verses 23-24 tell how God judges the great people of this world, whose accomplishments define who they are, as if they were nothing. Their accomplishments, though great in our eyes, are nothing compared to who God is and what he has accomplished. It should be very humbling to us.  Without God we are absolutely nothing. The things we do amount to nothing. The money we accumulate amounts to nothing. As Solomon says in Ecclesiastes, “Vanity, vanity, all is vanity. A chasing after the wind.” Now we cannot corral the wind and everything this world has to offer is vain and useless in God’s economy. Read this chapter slowly and let God’s attributes sink in to the deeper recesses of your mind. This is whom we serve. There is nothing impossible for him … absolutely nothing he cannot do. Next time we’ll take a look at chapter 41. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

LOOKING AT ISAIAH

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

            In this portion of scripture we find the Lord comparing the people of Israel to both grass and flowers (v.6). Our lives are finite, but the word of God is infinite. God himself is infinite in that he has no beginning and no end. He simply “IS”. That’s something one must accept by faith, because let’s face it, that’s some pretty cosmic thinking right there. Fortunately, we are not asked to understand, only accept by faith and press on. Like the grass, foliage and flowers, man has a distinct beginning and end. 

            Ephesians 4:12 tells us that “… the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” The Lord, thru Isaiah, declares that scripture stands forever. There is no variance in it. One must dig into God’s word to find the true meaning of things. Just as you would dig into the rich soil with a little hand shovel, so do we dig into God’s infinite truth to get to the deep, richness beneath.

            Our mortal status dictates that we will fade away eventually. God’s word never shall … its eternal and unwavering in its truth and accuracy and completely unfailing. Public opinion is constantly changing and therefore is unreliable, but God’s word is constant. As a matter of fact, God’s word is the only constant in a sea of inconsistency. Next time, we will dissect chapter 40 a bit. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

LOOKING AT ISAIAH

Isaiah 40:1-2a – ““Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned. Yes, the Lord has punished her twice over for all her sins.”

            Chapter 40 begins “Words of Comfort” by God to his children. They had paid the harsh consequences of disobeying the Lord. Judah still had 100 years of trouble before Jerusalem would fall … then 70 years in exile in Babylon. This testifies to us today that although God’s promises absolutely will come to pass, it will be when he ordains it to take place. It should be understood that “when your life seems to be falling apart, you would need to ask God to comfort you. You may not escape adversity, but you may find God’s comfort as you face said adversity.” * There will be times when knowing you will be with the Lord someday is the only comfort you may have to hold onto.

            Verses 3–5 are prophetic in that they reveal future events that will transpire when the time is right. The voice being spoken of here is, of course, John the Baptist.  The wasteland represents life’s trials and sufferings. Just because we serve the Lord, it doesn’t mean we are immune to said events. The key in all this for believers is that whatever happens in your life God is with you and is IN you in the form of the Holy Spirit. Because he is all places at one time (Omnipresent) he is standing with you and also at the end of your trial waiting for you. A freaky concept to be sure, but one that should give us immense comfort.

            Making the highway straight for the Lord is to remove all obstacles that stand in the way to prepare for his coming.  It is smoothing out rough patches of the terrain to expedite travel. The one that is coming is the Messiah. We shall continue looking into chapter 40 next time. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resources: The Life Application Study Bible; NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible

*  Part of the Bible Footnote for Isaiah 40:1-2.

Word for the Day

Looking at Isaiah 37

Isaiah 37:6-7a - “This is what the Lord says: Do not be disturbed by this blasphemous speech against me from the Assyrian king’s messengers. Listen! I myself will move against him … .”

Back Story: The Assyrian Empire existed for quite some time with various kings thru the years. The King at this time is Sennacherib (pronounced sen-knack’-a-rib). He was an evil king who sought to plunder surrounding nations. 

            King Hezekiah, son of the evil king Ahaz, was king of Judah for 29 years (715 to 686 BC). This is what scripture says about Hezekiah the man: “King Hezekiah … (did) … what was pleasing & good in the sight of the Lord his God. He sought his God wholeheartedly in all he did in the service of the Temple of God & in his efforts to follow God’s laws & commands. As a result, he was very successful.” (2 Chronicles 31:20-21)

Commentary: King Sennacherib was in the business of plundering the nations that were around him as a means of controlling them. He sent messengers to Judah’s King Hezekiah with a message to demoralize the King & his people. Hezekiah tore his robes*, which was a demonstrative way of expressing grief. He then had his court secretary & the leading priests go see the Prophet Isaiah. It’s interesting that while his grief & perhaps even fear of King Sennacherib were very real, the second thing he did after he tore his clothes was to seek out Isaiah. The Lord spoke thru the prophet these words: “This is what the Lord says: Do not be disturbed by this blasphemous speech against me from the Assyrian king’s messengers. Listen! I myself will move against him & the king will receive a message that he is needed at home. So he will return to his land, where I will have him killed with a sword.” This is a very real way of validating Romans 12:19, which says: “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, ‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back,’ says the LORD.” When the Creator of all things tells you to relax, that he has things all under control, it then becomes a mental game of ‘what do I believe?’ Do I believe God only when things are going well or do I believe in God for all things at all times, regardless of the circumstances.

            King Hezekiah trusted God & wished to give him glory by his actions. In return for the King’s actions, Isaiah predicted Judah’s deliverance from the hands of the Assyrians. As for King Sennacherib, God’s word is yea and amen. We find out Sennacherib’s fate in vv. 36-38. An angel of the Lord went out to the Assyrian camp on a certain night and killed 185,000 soldiers. When the King and his soldiers woke up the next morning and saw all the corpses lying about they packed up and went back to Assyria. One day while Sennacherib was worshiping in the temple of his god, Nisroch, his own sons came and killed him with their swords. These were the consequences of standing up against one who cannot be defeated.  Next we will look at Isaiah 40, which speaks prophetically about the coming of John the Baptist. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible; https://www.practicaprophetica.com/isaiah-important-chapters-to-study/#Isaiah_37.

* A traditional Jewish way of expressing extreme grief.

PRAYER FOR PROTECTION by James Dillet Freeman

The Light of God surrounds us.

The Love of God enfolds us.
The Power of God protects us.
The Presence of God watches over us.

The Mind of God guides us.

The Life of God flows through us.
The Power of God abides in us.
The Joy of God uplifts us.
The Strength of God renews us.
The Beauty of God inspires us.

Wherever we are, God Is!  *

* Written by Brother Freeman during WWII (1941) 

Looking at Isaiah 35

Isaiah 35:4  -  “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong & do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.’”

         The first 34 chapters of Isaiah deal with the judgment of all nations for rejecting God. This included Israel & Judah. The general tone was one of wrath, fury, judgment & destruction. It is at this point that the 35^th chapter breaks forth with a much needed prophetic vision of godly beauty & encouragement. God’s mercy is just as morally complete as his distain for all sin. All sin must be judged & although we’d like to be the one calling all the shots, God is the only one who can effectively & unemotionally judge those who have been disobedient. 

         Now in chapter 35 we see hope for restoration represented. God took everything from the people of Israel, but is more than able to replace all that had been taken. It must be understood that the Lord purposely doesn’t allow man to take over the controls, for when he does he crashes & burns. The picture revealed to us is when our life with be peaceful & all wrongs will be made right.

         The loveliness of Mount Carmel & the Plain of Sharon (v.2) represent symbols of productivity & plenty for the people of Israel & is indicative of what we can expect once in heaven. Once made desolate, the former wasteland begins to grow again. Verse 8 tells us the way the people will travel to Jerusalem for their religious holidays will be thru the desert on what shall be called the “Highway of Holiness”. We too shall walk on the “Highway of Holiness”, for only the righteous shall travel upon it. We already know that God is with & in us in the form of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God doesn’t simply point in the direction we should go, but accompanies us every step of the way. 

         Up next is a look at Chapter 37 where King Hezekiah seeks the Lord’s assistance against Assyria. Until then, walk with the King today and be a blessing!

Resources: The Life Application Study Bible; https://www.practicaprophetica.com/isaiah-important-chapters-to-study/#Isaiah_35.

Looking at Isaiah 6

Isaiah 6:10a -“Harden the hearts of these people. Plug their ears & shut their eyes. “

            Even though Almighty God knows the people of Israel will not repent as a whole, some individuals will and for that they will receive God’s mercy. God is revealing to Isaiah that the majority of his listeners will hear what God has to say, but not learn from the message. This is because they’ve allowed their hearts to become hardened beyond repentance. According to these verses in Isaiah it is clear that God’s patience can become exhausted and when that happens he will withhold his mercy and mete out his punishment.  Yet even in his punishment he will show a level of mercy.

            Is it not exactly the same today? Of course it is. Sin hasn’t changed, nor has man’s propensity  for disobedience. Too many people today want to do as they please. All that will get you is a whole lot of nothing. Temporal will never be better than permanent. Man’s chronic rebellious spirit eventually causes God’s patience to wear thin.  

            There is a saying that ‘a man can get so low the only way is up’. This is essentially what God is doing to Israel here. He will decimate their properties and make the entire country a veritable wasteland. Only then, when everything had been taken from them would they begin to seek the face of God once again. First they must suffer the consequences of their disobedience. It’s the same today. Once you exercise your faith in the Lord the ship, so to speak, can be righted. Israel needed to listen to God’s word and do what it said. We also need to listen and do what we are told. We live in perilous times and need to cling to what we know in our heart to be true or we will end up travelling a very rocky road. Next time we will take a look at Chapter 35. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible; https://www.practicaprophetica.com/isaiah-important-chapters-to-study/#Isaiah_6.

LOOKING AT ISAIAH 6

Isaiah 6:1 NLT – “It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord.”

Back story: King Uzziah died around 740 B.C. Because he tried to take over the duties of the High Priest (2 Chronicles 26:18-21) he became leprous and remained so till his death. This shines a light on the seriousness of his actions. He was generally thought of as a good king with a long, prosperous reign, however, during that reign many people turned away from God. Isaiah was commissioned for the difficult task of telling the Jewish people that while they thought they were blessed by God, in fact, God was going to destroy them because of their disobedience. 

Commentary: 

            Isaiah’s view of God gives the reader a sense of God’s awesome power, authority and mystery. The seraphim were referred to as “mighty”, giving us the impression that they may have been warrior like creatures. This vision caused Isaiah to no doubt kneel before God and acknowledge that he is a sinful man, not worthy to be in His presence. When one of the seraphim flew to Isaiah with a burning coal from the altar, he touched Isaiah’s lips, thus removing all sin and guilt from the prophet. 

            What can we learned from this? The presence of Almighty God is to be taken very seriously. He sees and he knows all things, therefore, it is foolhardy to think we can live as we choose and not pay a serious price if we do not abide by the statutes laid out by our Creator. He knows what we cannot know and this fact should lead us to repent without hesitation, yet many doubt his majestic power and continue without realizing the condition of their soul. O that the Lord would allow us all to see the same vision Isaiah saw. Then perhaps we would take our walk with God as seriously as we ought. Perfection is not the goal, for it is unattainable, but a serious, daily attempt at perfection should never be avoided. Understand who our Lord truly is and think, speak and act accordingly. 

            We will continue in Chapter 6 of Isaiah next time. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible. 

WORD FOR THE DAY

WORD FOR THE DAY

THE PROPHESIES OF ISAIAH

An Introduction to the Book of Isaiah

            It was suggested to me that I highlight some key portions of scripture from the Book of Isaiah & briefly expound on them. I accept that suggestion & shall begin with the following introduction: The author of this all-important book was the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz. His name in Hebrew is Yesha’yahu, which means “God Is Salvation”. Isaiah lived in the 8^th Century BC in Jerusalem & was a significant contributor to both Jewish & Christian traditions. His call to prophesy was in about 742 BC.

            The Book itself is a total of 66 chapters. The first 39 chapters (Isaiah 1:1 – 39:8) were words of judgment against Israel & Judah. In these chapters God also foretells the destruction of Assyria & all the other evil nations that surrounded Israel & Judah. Isaiah was used by God to present a message of divine judgment to all godless peoples.

            The final 26 chapters (Isaiah 40:1 – 66:24) spoke words of comfort during the time after the Babylonian Captivity. In these chapters we read of the Suffering Servant, who is Jesus Christ, describing his life & death in great detail. Next time, we will touch on Chapter 6, The Cleansing & Call of Isaiah. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resources: The Life Application Study Bible; https://www.britannica.com/biography/Isaiah

LIVING THE WORD OF GOD

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”- James 1:22 New Living Translation
            What does God have to do to get our attention?  He’s revealed Himself to us … left His word as a road map to find our way through this life … provided for and sustained us in all types of situations; yet we can be so casual, so indifferent about our relationship with Him. I maintain that it is much easier to be influenced by that we experience with our senses, then not. Not being able to see God or hear His voice audibly is a challenge that requires FAITH. Jesus tells those in the room with “doubting” Thomas … “you have seen me and believe, but how much more blessed are those who have never seen and yet still believe.” ^{(John 20:29 NLT)}
            Sin is fun, if it weren’t no one would be tempted to do such things. But the fun is usually short lived and consequences always follow close behind. The consequences should show us that doing wrong in the eyes of God simply isn’t worth it. In spite of knowing that, we end up pursuing sin all the more. Each subsequent time we think we will avert the reaping part of the sowing/reaping process. We never do. God has offered us meat to eat and we are still sucking on a bottle.  God patiently waits for us to get our rebellion and curiosity out of our system, but he won’t wait forever. 
            God is trying to communicate with us, yet so many times we have the volume turned up on our surroundings. We are easily duped into thinking that our lives for God are “just fine” because we go to church each Sunday and play the part of a Christian. What’s in your heart? What motivates you? Has salvation brought about any significant changes? If it hasn’t it may be time to seek some changes.
            How do we crowd out the cacophony of sounds that infiltrate our world each day? How do we attain our spiritual equilibrium? James tells us to DO the Word of God. Don’t just read a few verses each day, forgetting what you read 5 minutes later. If you put your nose in THE book and yet come out unchanged, what have you really accomplished? Not one single thing.  We ought to take a spiritual assessment of our life in Christ regularly. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.