Christian Living

The LORDS Name Is Wonderful

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

“And I gave them My statutes, and shewed them My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.  Moreover also I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness: they walked not in My statutes, and they despised My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and My Sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, ‘I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.’  But I wrought for My name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.  Yet also I lifted up My hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; because they despised My judgments, and walked not in My statutes, but polluted My Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.  Nevertheless Mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.”
Ezekiel 20:10-17

The LORDS name is wonderful for many reasons. Be sure to read the verses, and the chapter it is in; as well as the chapter before and after (chapters 19 and21.

Let us see what the LORD says;

  1.  He is speaking of His deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage; reminding the captives where they came from – it was by the LORDS hand;
  2.  He had given them judgments, statutes, and Sabbaths to do which made them a chosen, and different kind of people;
  3.  If they were to do them, they needed too live by those judgments, statutes, and remember the Sabbaths;
  4.  Israel rebelled against the LORD, and He could have destroyed them;
  5.  But He did not because of His name.

The Lord GOD’S name is a wonderful, marvelous, glorious name. He is trust worthy, and worthy of praise. That is why His name should never be used vainly or in anger.

GOD desires that the whole world know that He is the LORD. Egypt found that out when each of the plagues showed the powerlessness of the Egyptian gods. The LORD is telling us here that He did not destroy Israel, because it would look as if God failed to really deliver Israel from bondage.  He did that for His name’s sake, not for Israel’s sake, but for His own name. His name is holy, righteous, just, also loving, merciful, and gracious.

The most awesome and glorious of His name; if any of His names are better than another; that name is Jesus who is the Christ who is the Incarnation of God who came to earth.

God’s name means so much to Him that you and I can trust that whatever He has said will happen, it will happen. The Old Testament tells us many times about One who would come as their Messiah, even telling that He would die cruelly, horridly, a very ugly death. Read Isaiah 52 – 53. Jesus is that One. God also tells that He would rise from the dead, and be an Everlasting King reigning the world from Jerusalem,

His name is wonderful, His name is wonderful, His name is Jesus. I pray that you the reader of this is already a follower of Jesus Christ, that you are growing day by day in prayer and in the reading and study of the word of God, The Holy Bible.

The LORD will never allow anything He has spoken fail. His salvation is forever, and is found only through Jesus Christ. Call out to Jesus, and He will hear you, and save you.

HIS NAME IS WONDERFUL.

The LORD God’s Judgment Has Purpose

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

For thus saith the Lord GOD; “How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.  And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it,” saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 14:21-23

How can I say that? That is basically what the word of God says above. He does withhold judgment from His people. In Hebrews 12:8 it is written, “But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakes, then you are illegitimate and not sons.”

The LORD always has a purpose for all that He does, and all that He allows. It is only because of His love and grace that the human race; Adam’s race has not been destroyed. It is also by His mercy and grace that evil has been kept somewhat at a level of sanity for most of us.

What was God’s purpose for judging Israel and Judah, sending them back into captivity? Are you ready for the answer? It does not take too many words to say it. For a multitude of years God continued to love them, protect, enrich them; and they reached a level of self awareness, desiring to be god themselves, making their own way, doing their own thing. God sent prophets morning and evening to the spiritual leaders warning them to turn back to God, and they would not obey. Therefore they were destroyed by sword, famine, noisome beasts, and pestilence. He delivered those who obeyed. God saved their lives.

The greatest love, mercy, and grace God has shown to all of us is when He sent His Son to die in our place. You see, none of us can obey Gods commandments without help. We all want to go our own way, but that leads to death. God provided the way through the propitiation of Jesus Christ His only begotten Son. If Jesus Christ had not taken my place and your place on the cross we would have died and burned in Hell. Christ becoming sin for us bore all the wrath of God for all our sin, died, was buried carrying our sins away, the then He rose again. Now when we come to God through Christ Jesus we have eternal life now. Call on the name of Jesus and be saved to eternal life.

Captives Hear the LORD’S Word

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Captives may hear the good news of God’s word, but will they believe and do the will of God? That is the question for myself as well as you the reader. The following is a promise from GOD, of their return to Him, and they to their land of promise as well.

Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Get you far from the LORD: unto us is this land given in possession.’ Therefore say, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.’ Therefore say, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’  And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: that they may walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads,” saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 11:14-21

Note that the LORD says, “I will be to them a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.”

The LORD God is our shelter, our comfort, our strength; a very present help in our time of need; no matter what situation we are in in life.

There is only hope for salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ who died on the cross, was buried, and He rose again. He is returning soon. Be ready by calling on His name.

Called To Know God Is The LORD

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them, and say, ‘Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD;’ Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places.   And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols. And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars.  In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished. And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries. And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from Me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them.”
Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, ‘Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.’  He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them. Then shall ye know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols.  So will I stretch out My hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 6:1-14

These are possibly the people of Israel who were first taken captive to Babylon. Ezekiel, a priest, is called by God, the LORD to be His prophet to those captives. He tells them what the LORD is saying. It is grim, but there is light for them as well.

Why does the LORD God have such wrath against those whom He often calls His people? They had fallen into a life of luxury, ease, and full of  themselves, and loved their things and worshiped foreign idols. They had turned their backs on God, rejecting His continued warnings. In there sin they are not a vibrant witness for Him. He is holy, righteous and just; and He sees the greater harm that sin is doing to His people.

I believe it was Charles H. Spurgeon said, “God never allows His children to sin successfully.” That is certainly so of all Israel. It is also true of the follower, disciple of Jesus Christ. There is great chastisement for the child of God who turns their back on God.

There is a phrase all through the Bible. It seems that Ezekiel uses it far more than all the other books combined. That phrase is “You (or They) shall know that I am the LORD.” It is used four times in these fourteen verses. Why does He use this phrase so many times? I have one answer to that question, and that is because the LORD God wants the world to know that He is the LORD God.

He has made that possible by sending His Son Jesus Christ to pay the blood sacrifice on the cross, His burial, and resurrection. When you receive Him through faith you will know that He is the LORD, and you will desire to sin no more, because you have received the Spirit of Christ Jesus, and now your hearts desires have changed.

God is calling you to receive Him today by grace through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.

 

New Every Morning

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

It is a wonderful thing to know that the LORD God’s mercies are new every morning. That is when you know that He is your portion, the One who is the major part of your life.

Hear the word of the LORD.

It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him.  The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.  It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

Lamentations 3:22-27

Just a short read for today. God bless you and may you have a godly day, and always remember that God showed His love for us through the death of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, His burial, and resurrection. Receive Him and believe Him.

The Place You Desire To Go

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Do we listen to the word of the LORD? Do we hear the word of the LORD? Do I really want to know the will of God? Do you? When we know the will of God, do I do it?

Are we like the people in the following verses of Scripture in Jeremiah? They came to the prophet asking him to pray for them concerning staying in Judea, and whatever God told them through the prophet they would do.

Hear the word of the LORD.

Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near, and said unto Jeremiah the prophet, “Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:) that the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.” Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, “I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.” Then they said to Jeremiah, “The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us.  Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.”  And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah.
Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, and said unto them, “Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before Him; if ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent Me of the evil that I have done unto you.  Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him,” saith the LORD: “for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.  And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land. but if ye say, ‘We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God, saying,’ No;’ ‘but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:’ and now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there; then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die. So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.”
For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; “As Mine anger and My fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall My fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.” The LORD hath said concerning you, “O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt:” know certainly that I have admonished you this day.  For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.’  And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, nor any thing for the which He hath sent me unto you. Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.”
Jeremiah 42:1-22

 

He Thought He Had Destroyed It

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and there were added besides unto them many like words.
Jeremiah 36:32

In chapter 36 of the prophecy of Jeremiah, the LORD God had commanded Jeremiah to write in a scroll all the words that He had said to him. He called Baruch to be his writer, and Jeremiah spoke to Baruch all that the LORD had said.

When the scroll was finished Jeremiah sent Baruch to read it to the nobles of Jerusalem; because he himself was imprisoned. Baruch took the words as Jeremiah had said, he read it to the people he was told to. They heard, and said they would take it to the king Jehoiakim. They did, and he did not like what he heard. It was the word of God to a vile and wicked king, who evidently thought that if he burned it then he would need to be concerned about it. He cut it into pieces and threw it in the fire, and thought he had rid himself of these annoying prophecies of war, capture, captivity, and destruction to the  city.

Folks, you can ignore it. You can hate it. You can even work to try and destroy it; but the word of the LORD endures forever.

After the king destroyed the scroll of the word of the LORD, the LORD commanded Jeremiah to write it again. He did, and many more words were added as the LORD commanded.

Psalm 119:89 says, “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in Heaven.” Jesus said, “Heaven and Earth will pass away; but My words will not pass away (Matthew 24:35). So if you choose to go ahead, and not believe in and trust the Lord Jesus Christ you do so at your own peril. His word, all of it shall come to pass just as He has said.

The LORD has a Son whom He sent to be our sin-bearer, and take the wrath and judgment of our sin for us. The word of the LORD tells us this.  A sinless, innocent, Man died for the sinful, evil,  guilty, of the whole world. That includes you and me. Call on Him today and be delivered from sin, death, and Hell.

 

In A Foreign Land

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.  And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.   For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; “Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.  For they prophesy falsely unto you in My name: I have not sent them,” saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 29:5-9

As a follower of Jesus Christ, a student of His word, and always praying to be faithful to Him and His word, I am a foreigner in  a foreign land. I  mean by that that I am a citizen of the Land of Beulah also  called Heaven or Glory, and I am a citizen of the country of which I was born into – the United States of America. I was born into this Nation  and into a family where several generations of people of my lineage had been born as well.

Yet, I see myself as a foreigner. Why? Because this world is not my home. My desire is to be in the place where my Lord lives. Do I love the Nation in which I live, and reside? Most certainly I do. I also love my family, and I am praying that they have that same desire to be nearer our Lord and Savior that I do; or even greater than I.

You may be wondering what does that have to do with the Bible text? Many, if not all the people of Judah who were taken captive to Babylon were probably ones who had heard the word of the LORD through the prophet Jeremiah when Babylon was there at or near Jerusalem; “To save your lives you need to go out and give yourselves up to Babylon.” Jeremiah was accused of treason, and no one would hear the word of the LORD. Some did, but were taken to a foreign land.

The prophet Jeremiah sent a letter from which our text comes from giving them good advice for surviving in a foreign land, and it is purposeful advice for any follower of Jesus Christ in any day.

When you are bound in a foreign land, by captivity or other reasons then live your life in light of God’s word.

  1. Build houses and live in them;
  2. Plant gardens, and eat the fruits of it;
  3. Get married and have children;
  4. Take wives for your sons, and husbands for your daughters;
  5. Do these things so that you will not wilt away;
  6. Seek for the peace of the city where you are, for in their peace you will have peace;
  7. Do not listen to or heed the words of false prophets who have dreams to lead you away from the truth.

As Christians, followers of Jesus Christ, we are to live according to the direction the LORD leads us, and to build, and plant, and wed of the opposite sex, have children – lest we be diminished. We ought always seek peace with God, and our neighbor, our city, rural area, or where ever we might live.

There is much warning in the Prophets of listening to the prophets who tell people they are speaking the word  of the LORD, when they actually telling lies to develop a following for themselves. Do not hear them. Do not be deceived.

Jesus said, “Occupy till I come.” (Luke 19:13). That simply means keep doing what you are supposed to be doing, until I come again. As Believers, followers of the crucified,  buried, and risen Lord Jesus Christ we ought to see the great need for repentance in many coming back to faith who have been unfaithful; and calling others to receive the Lord Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.

Do you know Him? He died in your place, taking the wrath of God that should have been you receiving it. Call on His name, and ask Him to save you.

The Potter and The Clay

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
“O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in Mine hand, O house of Israel.  At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.  And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in My sight, that it obey not My voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.”
Jeremiah 18:5-10

A potter is one who makes pottery from clay. Sometimes by shaping in their hands alone into the image they desire it to be. Sometimes the potter uses a flat surfaced wheel that required, in Jeremiah’s day, the potters fee to keep the wheel spinning around, and the potter would use his hands to form the pottery into bowls, vases, platters; you get the idea. I know very little about it myself. I have watched potters doing their work, and were quite good at it.

The LORD has spoken to the prophet and commanded him to go down to the potter. The  LORD uses this as a matter for teaching Jeremiah, and us of GOD’S sovereignty and authority to do with His people as He pleases, for His name’s sake, and for His honor and glory.

When we get to the place where we know and understand, trusting the LORD God is in our own best interests, then we will have  the desires of God’s own heart. The Bible says in Psalm 37:4, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” We will be the better for it, be in the will of God, and be at peace with Him. With our neighbor’s, friends, and enemies as well.

In our text for the day we see that God is sovereign over all the affairs of Adam kind; even all the governments, and kingdoms of creation. He sets up kings and kingdoms; and He pulls them down. It is the same in each individual. When we get to a place that we think we are in control, then, He will overrule to show us the truth of the matter.

As God sent His Son for a visit to earth through the normal means for a man to come into the world; except He was born of a virgin; He came to intervene by dying to save us from our sins. Jesus Christ willingly left the glory of Heaven, and the throne of Glory to become a flesh and blood man, so that He might become our sin, and take the wrath of God for us. That is how much God loves us.

God loves you. He desires that you trust in Him, know Him, and live for Him. Repent of your sins, turn to Christ Jesus and be saved today. Then trust Him through your everyday life.

Horses and Floods

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.
Jeremiah 12:5-6

The prophet had a talk with the LORD. He was asking the LORD God questions similar to questions people ask in this day and age. Why do the wicked prosperous and happy? Why do the righteous suffer? Why don’t God just deal with such wickedness in the world?

The LORD’S answer was probably not what Jeremiah wanted to hear.  The LORD knows the prophet’s heart and soul and mind. The prophet whom God called to be a prophet, out of the priesthood, was not comfortable being a prophet confronting his family, friends, and others of the priesthood who had departed from the LORD. He did not understand.

The LORD’S words to Jeremiah was “If running with the footmen or soldiers wearies you then how are you going to do with men on horses?” God is telling him that if he cannot handle matters of men only, then how will he be able to handle men on the tougher things of life. Also God ask him, “If in your land of peace, which you trust, they have wearied you, then how will you stand in the swelling of the Jordan? The  LORD is telling Jeremiah, “If you cannot handle dealing with your own family then how will you deal with the arrogance and pride of the royalties of the lands?”

God had big plans for Jeremiah, and He has big plans for the lives of every Christian today. Let us not walk in fear, but in faith. Trusting the Lord our God with the questions and problems of life. The Him handle the problems and situations we do not understand.

When we are walking with God, that is, in the power of His Spirit, being filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18ff), then we will be able to deal with men on horses, and the pride and arrogance of those who have forsaken the LORD, and those who hate God’s messengers.

You can have the Holy Spirit only from trusting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior who died for your sins, was buried and He rose again. After He ascended into heaven, having revealed  Himself to a multitude of people, He sent His Spirit to dwell in all who believed. Those who have the Holy Spirit are His. He is the One who draws us to Jesus Christ for Salvation. He is the One who reveals things in the Scriptures to our hearts and minds. He is the one who convicts us when we sin, comforts us when we grieve over our sin, and counsels us and gives us the wisdom of God.

Do you know Jesus? If you do not, would you join us  in this great salvation by calling on  the name of  Jesus the Christ of God?

The High and Lofty One

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.  For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.  For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid Me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.  I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
Isaiah 57:15-18

The LORD God Almighty is giving Isaiah these words. Let me show you what we can know and learn about God, who calls Himself the High and Lofty One.

First of all He is higher than His creation. He inhabits eternity, and that means eternity of our past, present, and future. Also note that He has a certain kind of people who dwell with Him;

Second, God dwells in a high and holy place with them that is of a contrite and humble spirit. They are His for the purpose of reviving the spirit of those who are humble and reviving the heart of the contrite ones (broken, crushed).

Third, God says, “I will not contend forever.” Since Israel had been contentious toward the LORD many times God had a controversy with them. These words have both a negative and positive lesson for us to see, and know;

  1. Negatively – it could be  that God is warning His people that I am through with you;
  2. Positively – it is saying My discipline, My judgment is complete, and I will now give you a new life in Me.

Fourth, God is telling Isaiah that He will not be full of wrath always because He knows that too much will break their spirit, and weaken them spiritually. The spirit of the nation and individuals is what pulls us along, and when the spirit of a man or nation is crushed they need a healer, and though God has shown wrath against our evil; He also displays, and gives us mercy and grace.

Fifth, God says, “I have seen his ways” and yet God shows mercy, and says, “I will heal him.” Who will He heal? Those with a humble spirit, and those with a contrite (broken or crushed) heart.

God wants you today if you have a broken heart, you feel that no one cares for you, you feel beat down; then, call on the name of Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God, God the Son. He came to dwell among us, gave His life on the cross for us was buried: carrying away our sin and shame; and He rose from the grave in which His body was laid.

Call on Him today.

The LORD God Is Speaking; Hear Him

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by Myself, the word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.  Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to Him shall men come; and all that are incensed against Him shall be ashamed.  In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
Isaiah 45:22-25

Have We Not…?

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Have ye not known? Have ye not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning? Have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?  It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: that bringeth the princes to nothing; He maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
Isaiah 40:21-23

While other nations were making themselves gods to their own liking, the prophet Isaiah was calling of Israel to get back to the worship of Jehovah, the Living and only God who made all things.

Four questions are asked: Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? and Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

Have you not known? It is He who sits on the circle of the earth. This One is sovereign over all the earth,  He sends the rain, and the drought. He sends the winds of the earth. He sets up kings and kingdoms, and he pulls them down.

There is much vanity in making your own god. It is really the worship of self, and the worship of demons.

Have you not heard? It is He who sees the people of earth are as small as a grasshopper, and He can end your life with a whisper. It is He also that loves the people of the planet He populated with billions of us. He loved us so much, even in our fallen estate, that He sent His only begotten Son to die in our place.

There is no hope for you or all of Adam’s race except through God’s Son Jesus Christ.

Has it not been told you from the beginning? It is He who stretches out the heavens like a curtain. He is the One who created the heavens, and the earth and all that is in it; and He started with nothing, but His word.

The LORD God is still working for our good and His glory. He made us in His image, and we disobeyed Him, and lost that being “made in His image.” That “image” is restored through the cross of Jesus and His death, His burial, and His resurrection. Some of you who are reading this have probably heard the story of Jesus since you were small children, and yet you do not believe Him. Why not do so today?

Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He who laid the foundations of the earth. It is He who knows the end from the beginning. It is He who holds this creation together, and keeps it from flying to pieces. It is He who says, “I am the first and the last, the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega” (Revelation 1:8; 21:6; 22;13).

It is He and He alone in whom you need to trust. Call on His name, and He will hear. His name is Jesus, and He is Christ.

 

Abiding In Devouring Fire

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; he shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
Isaiah 33:14-16

Here are some of my thoughts on the above verses.

First of all, sinners in all places around the world should be afraid of the fire of God, and especially religious hypocrites who say one thing, and live another.

Second, the question is asked, “Who shall dwell [abide] with everlasting burnings? This reminded me of the question asked in Psalm 15.  Verse one asks the question, “LORD, Who shall abide in Your tabernacle? Who shall dwell in Your holy hill?” Verses 2 – 5 gives us the answer. (You will need to look that up for you.) The answer there is similar to the one given here. So what is this fire that we can dwell with?

The fire that sinners fear, as do the hypocrites, is the great love of God. In His fire of love, fire cleanses, it makes us holy, it consumes, it purifies. In  the first Epistle of the Apostle John God tells us, “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16). Alexander MacLaren said, ”

“The fire of God is the fire of love as well as the fire of purity; a fire that blesses and quickens, as well as a fire that destroys and consumes.”

Third, in short those who are righteous in Christ Jesus, who hate all evil, does not enjoy hearing news of bloodshed, or of seeing any kind of evil. These can endure the fire, abide in the fire of God. Are you in the fire today.

May we abide in the fire of God by the grace of our God, and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Respect To The Holy One Of Israel

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.

Isaiah 17:7-8

This morning for my daily reading of the Scriptures I read Isaiah 13 through 20. These chapters are God’s word to surrounding nations of Israel who have been cruel to the people of God, His word to His people as well.

The verses I share today is fitting for any time, and any where.

“At that day…” A phrase used quite frequently in Isaiah’s prophecy is speaking of a day appointed by God Himself. It is a time, a day, which He knows, and the prophet has an knowledge that it could be soon. It is a day that will surly come. Every thing that God says; and every thing that He does has purpose.

“…A man shall look to his Maker…” This is a great thing to think that the LORD is giving this nation, along with Israel a chance, a choice of blessing or judgment. Before one can look to his Maker he must realize that he has a Maker, and that Maker is GOD; and GOD can do things in a person’s life to get him or her to recognize his Maker. What good does it do to recognize your Maker?

“…His eyes shall have respect for the Holy One of Israel…” In the Proverbs God tells us much about the “fear of the LORD,”  and that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,” and that  “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil.” I do not know how many hunters, rifle men and women read this but here is an illustration I use to illustrate for the fear of the LORD:

I have a twelve gauge single shot, breech load, shotgun. I am not fearful of it as long as I am on the right end of that gun; but if someone else is holding it on me, pointed at me, then I am going to be fearful of what I might get. As long as I am on the right end, I am respectful of what that gun can do, and realize the danger of abuse or misuse of that shot gun.

If I am on the right side with God, I revere Him, and I am in awe of Him, because I know that He loves me, and I love Him. However, if I  get on the wrong side of God, then I am going to be very afraid of what lies down the road of my future. So by the grace of God I am trusting Him for His great salvation, and His power to keep me in His hands.

“…The work of his hands…” The man who recognizes the Holy One of Israel will no longer brag about what he has done; what he has built with his own hands. He will trust in the LORD, and be in awe of Him with great reverence, because of who He is.

Who is this Holy One of Israel? He is the Messiah. He is the Christ of God. He is Jesus. He died on the cross for our sins, was buried carrying our sins away, casting them as far away as the east is from the west; and to prove that all He said, and that the work of salvation was done, He rose from the tomb, and lives forever more.

 

Praising The Holy One Of Israel

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Isaiah reminding the people, in his hearing, of the power of God in their deliverance from Egypt hundreds of years prior to this day of which he is speaking.

The song is still good for the Christian and one that needs to be expressed and remembered continually. God is still Holy, Righteous, and Just. He is worthy of our worship and praise.

And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise Thee: though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, and Thou comfortedst me.
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, “Praise the LORD,” call upon His name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His name is exalted.
Sing unto the LORD; for He hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

Isaiah 12:1-6

Do we as Christians remember from where we came? Do we remember the way we were before we called on the name of Jesus, and was born again?

The way we often speak evil words, and sow evil thoughts, and treat other people it seems that we have. If we are honestly seeking to glorify the LORD with our lives let us make our lives a song of praise and worship. Being filled continually with the Holy Spirit we will sing songs, and make melody in our hearts to the Lord, submitting to Him in all things. Husbands will love their wives as Christ loved the Church and give Himself for her; and wife will submit to her husband. Children will be obedient to their parents. Fathers will not provoke their children to wrath. Employees will do their work as unto the Lord. Employers will pay their employees well, and bless them (Ephesians 5:18-6:24). These are evidences of one filled with the Spirit.

Words of praise and worship to the Lord, singing them to the Lord, with a heart for Him comes from the Spirit of God the Holy Spirit. Everyone who has been born again has the Holy Spirit living within them, but we are not always filled with the Spirit, and that is mostly because we have let sin enter our lives. Keeping short accounts with God is a necessity when it comes to our sin against Him.

God the LORD of hosts is the Holy One of Israel is calling you to trust in Him, by believing in His only Son Jesus Christ who died for our sins on the cross, He was buried carrying our sins away. and He arose and came out alive forever more.

 

God Gives Man’s Portion

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.  Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.  For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

Every good thing is a gift from God. Especially the gift of life, and life eternal through faith in His Son Jesus Christ who died for our sins. He was buried, and He rose again.

The Wisdom Of Truth

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.  For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.  Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

Proverbs 22:17-21

This book of Proverbs is a book of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. We also hear of the truth, and it is the truth. Pilate asked Jesus the question, “What is the truth?” (John 18:38). Jesus Christ told His disciples, “I am the…truth…and no one can come to the Father except by Me” (John 14:6).

Jesus also said in His prayer on the night of Passover, and the day He was to be crucified, “Sanctify them through Your truth: Your word is the truth” (John 17:17). Jesus is the living Word of God.

When it comes to speaking the truth that is something all God’s people, all who love the Lord Jesus Christ, ought to love doing. When we speak of Jesus according to the Scripture, we are speaking the truth.

When it comes to telling the truth in a conversation with others, we need to be wise to being truthful. It is wise to tell the truth to those who deserve the truth. For instance, if you tell the truth you never have to remember what you said. If you tell a lie, then you always need to keep track of what you said before, if you do not want to be found to be a liar.

The greatest wisdom, knowledge, and understanding comes from the LORD who is the Truth, and there is no lie in Him. The LORD never lies, neither does He deceive anyone. It is not in His character to do so.

Through Jesus Christ we have the means to answer others who ask us about our faith; the Bible says, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Colossians 4:6). The wisest words ever spoken by any man were these, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and  you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Be wise, and hear the truth, Jesus died on a cross for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again.

The Fountain of Life

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

Proverbs 14:26-27

To fear the LORD is the act of great reverence, respect, and love for our God and Savior. In the fear of the LORD there is great confidence in Him. The Apostle John in his first epistle mentions confidence three times.

And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at his coming. 1 John 2:28
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.  1 John 3:21

And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us  1 John 5:14

It is a marvelous thing to have confidence in the word, work, and Person of God through His Son, who is the only begotten Son of God. In the LORD is our place of refuge – our place of safety.

The fear of the LORD is also a fountain of life. Jesus Himself  told the Samaritan woman at the well, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, ‘Give me to drink;’ thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water.”  John 4:10. The conversation goes on and Jesus said, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:  but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. “  John 4:13-14.

It is a wonderful thing to have confidence in God, and to know that He is the fountain of Life. God says through the Apostle John that we have confidence that he will answer our prayers when we pray according to His will.  We will have confidence in God when we might condemn ourselves. We will also have confidence that He is coming again, and we will not be ashamed when we abide in Him.

The LORD Gives Wisdom

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of His saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

Proverbs 2:1-9

The Pleasure Of The LORD

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: He taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.  The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy.

Psalms 147:10-11

There is no animal as beautiful in its running, and in its strength than a good horse. I have always enjoyed watching horses run across an open field, and a few years ago I got to stand by the race track at Churchill Downs, in Louisville, Kentucky, and watched two year old horses race. Believe it or not I do not bet and besides that the day we were there was in June of the year, and there was no betting going on; as far as I know.

Even though the horse is beautiful and graceful in running, God does not have delight in the strength of the horse; whether it be a battle horse, or a race horse.

There are also men, and women who have great strength in their legs. Some are fast at running marathons, and others at sprints. In the days David wrote this Psalm he was probably thinking of the strength of the soldiers legs; and there is probably much that could be said of those men.

The strength of man is weak compared to the LORD’S strength. The LORD has no pleasure in the legs of a man.

The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him. He takes pleasure in those who hope in His mercy.

In the psalmist day their hope in His mercy was looking forward to the coming of the Messiah. They were looking forward to the coming of Jesus who is the Messiah.

Now, in our day He has come and did all that was prophesied for Him to do in His first coming. He told His disciples, when He was here, “I will come again, and receive  you unto Myself…” (John 14:3). So He is returning, and maybe sooner than we might think.

We who know Him are resting in His mercy, looking for Him to come at any moment to take us away to be with Him forever.

God’s judgment is certain. Is your hope in Him and His mercy. He gives us mercy everyday of our lives. With every breath you breathe, that came from Him. Every beat of  your heart that too, came from Him. The next step you take comes from Him. He is merciful.

By His grace, through the gift of His Son Jesus Christ you can give God great pleasure by trusting in Him, turning from your sins to the perfect sacrifice of God for sin. Jesus Christ died on a cross for all our sins, that all who believe might give God  pleasure.

Being Thankful

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

I will praise Thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto Thee. I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and for Thy truth: for Thou hast magnified Thy word above all Thy name. In the day when I cried Thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.  All the kings of the earth shall praise Thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of Thy mouth.  Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.
Though the LORD be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly: but the proud He knoweth afar off.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy right hand shall save me.  The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of Thine own hands.

Psalm 138:1-8

I will point out three different things here in this Psalm

First, notice how the Psalmist, who is David, is saying that he will praise the LORD even in the midst of kings, and their supposed gods (verses 1-5).

That tells me that no matter where we are as followers of Jesus Christ we ought to praise the Lord God. “For great is the glory of the LORD.”

Second, we are told in verse 6 that, even though God is in His high position; that is Ruler and Sovereign over all things; He respects those who are lowly – humble, meek, brokenhearted, contrite, and poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3).

We can see also that those who are full of pride for themselves are only known from a distance, meaning they do not know God.

It is better to be of an humble, meek, contrite heart, than being full of pride and headed for a hard fall (Proverbs 16:18).

Third, though he walked in the midst of trouble; maybe the wars he fought, and the enemies he had; he trusted the LORD for giving him life, “You LORD will revive me. The LORD will give me strength, and victory over my enemies with His powerful hand, and He will save me.”

He has faith that God will perfect the things concerning himself. He praises the LORD for His enduring mercy, ask Him to not forsake the work of His hands; that is the LORD’S work on himself (verses 7-8).

In times of trouble when you have the world on your shoulders, and you feel as though no one seems to care; you can know for certain that the LORD God who created all that is (Most High God); He loves you.

He has demonstrated His love for us all by sending His own Son Jesus Christ to die on a cross for the sins of the world. You may think, “Well I am not a sinner. Why would I need a savior?” All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, none of us are without sin. You need a savior, and the only Savior from sin is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Turn from your sin to Jesus Christ. That is repentance. By grace through faith.

Christian, lift up your head. Your redemption draws near. God’s word is magnified even above His name (v. 2). It shall come to pass. He does not allow His word to return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11).

The Cornerstone.

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:22-24

I have learned through the study of Scripture, and other men of God who have studied the Scriptures that the cornerstone was the stone that determined the size and the shape of a building. The bigger the cornerstone the bigger the building; and if the stone was rectangular  then the building would be rectangular. That means the cornerstone is the most important part of beginning a building.

How important is the Psalms in prophecy, especially concerning the Messiah? Well to ease our minds about this question let’s see what Jesus said,

“These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me.”  Luke 24:44

So Jesus said that the Psalms, along with the books of the Law, and the prophets were prophetic and must be fulfilled.

Concerning the text for this study it is quoted by Jesus in Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10, and Luke 20:17. It is quoted by Peter in Acts 4:11, and the First Epistle of Peter in chapter 2 verse 7.

There is much to learn from the study of Jesus Christ as the Cornerstone, and I believe that the most important thing to know is that He is only one who can save us from our sins. We cannot just lay Him aside and forget about Him. He presented Himself to His own people, and they rejected Him, thus He was convicted of the crime of blasphemy, and other false accusations, found guilty and crucified on a Roman cross,

Remember, if the cornerstone sets the size and the shape of the building, then Jesus Christ as the Cornerstone, determines the size, shape, and completion of the Church He is building.

There is coming a day when a final soul will call on the name of the Lord for salvation, they will be saved; and there will be no more. That day has not come – Thank You Lord. So today is the day of salvation. Your last chance for salvation might be today.

As the rejected cornerstone He was killed on a cruel Roman cross, He was buried, and He arose and came out of that tomb, alive forever more. When we put faith and trust in Him, turning from our sin, He saves us.

Fall on Him. Hear what Jesus said,

“What is this then that is written, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?’  Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.’     Luke 20:17

 

All People Ought To Thank The LORD

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!

Psalm 107:8, 15, 21, and 31

You will notice if you have your Bible looking at it that this verse is used four times in this Psalm. You will also notice that the King James Bible uses the word “Praise,” rather than the word “Thanks.”

According to the Strong’s Hebrew word “yadah,” and is used for the word praise here, and can mean, praise, thanksgiving, or making confession; as well as reverence for God, and so forth.

That is something every Christian should be doing is giving thanks, praise, to God and making confession to everyone how thankful we all are that God is so good, loving and kind. Also that He is holy, righteous, and just, and be awed by the truth that He loves us so much that He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to die for us.

Thank Him. Praise Him. Confess always His goodness and His wonderful works to the children of men.

Exalting The Holy, Righteous, and Just GOD

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

I leave no comments only to say, the following is a song of worshiping the One who created all things so He is worthy of our worship, honor, and praise.

The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Clouds and darkness are round about Him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of His throne.
A fire goeth before Him, and burneth up His enemies round about. His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the people see His glory. Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship Him, all ye gods.
Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of Thy judgments, O LORD. For Thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: Thou art exalted far above all gods.
Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of His saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.

Psalm 97:1-12