Category Archives: Serving God or Using God?

A Price Never Too High??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #321

06 Thursday Feb 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, Ears that hear not, Elijah, Elijah's Run, Encouragement, No Price Too High???, Preach Christ and HIM crucified!, Preaching Jesus, Preaching truth about SIN, Service, Serving God or Using God?

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Price Never Too High???    A Word from THE WORD!!! #321

“And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah;

and he girded up his loins,

and ran before Ahab

to the entrance of Jezreel.”  I Kings 18:46

My close friends know I am not prone to be an athletic person and while I do try to walk every day, I have never been prone to run, jump, or do great feats of athletic prowess, and I often tell people I don’t even run to the mailbox on a good day! And that is about my limit; Elijah isn’t noted for his speed, but he is remembered for his commitment to God, and after the encounter with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, he literally outruns King Ahab to the city.  Yet the challenge came close on the heels of the victory over the enemies of God; how often we fail to understand the nature of the spiritual warfare that comes with victory –especially great victories!  Satan doesn’t take spiritual success of God’s servants “lying down” (for he would rather “lie up” in defiance of truth and those who love the truth—See John 8:44!).  We must press on dear ones—press on (See Philippians 3:13-15!)

Many people struggle with Elijah’s response, but I find great comfort in this episode in Elijah’s life and God’s response to it.  We don’t have to always be the bold, confident flag waver; sometimes we find ourselves being the one running the “other” way!  Let’s see what God does in, for and to Elijah.  Often God’s ways just amaze me and bring me to rejoice that He loves us and doesn’t condemn our humanity—after all, HE created us humans, as humans, but He won’t leave us in the wallows of defeat for Jesus has won the victory—and in HIM we always have victory, even taking a nap!!!

“And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done,

and withal how he had slain all the prophets

with the sword.

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying,

So let the gods do to me,

and more also,

if I make not thy life

as the life of one of them

by to morrow about this time.

3 And when he saw that,

he arose,

and went for his life,

and came to Beersheba,

which belongeth to Judah,

and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day’s journey

into the wilderness,

and came and sat down under a juniper tree:

and he requested for himself that he might die;

and said,

It is enough; now, O LORD,

take away my life;

for I am not better than my fathers.

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree,

behold,

then an angel touched him, and said unto him,

Arise and eat.

6 And he looked, and, behold,

there was a cake baken on the coals,

and a cruse of water at his head.

And he did eat and drink,

and laid him down again.

7 And the angel of the LORD

came again the second time, and touched him,

and said, Arise and eat;

because the journey is too great

for thee.

8 And he arose,

and did eat and drink,

and went in the strength of that meat

forty days and forty nights

unto Horeb

the mount of God.”  I Kings 19:1-8

God knows our journey, even those where we know we have been faithful to do God’s will, and the enemy comes with a vengeance, and we are overcome with weariness!  It’s OK!  Rest, it’s alright to sleep when you need it!  It’s more than alright to be human—we are human!  God knew what Elijah needed, and He even sent the angel to meet his need, not once but twice!  God gave him the food that he needed, some good rest, and then the message to travel on, and he went for forty days and nights in that strength.  God may not call us to go forty days (I do good to go one day at a time), but whatever the call is He will supply our need of sleep, food, fellowship and relationships that make our way more doable!  But the story doesn’t stop there, and what God did for Elijah He will do for us, maybe not in fire and storms, but He will always lead us to that “still small voice” to guide us, and for us who belong to Jesus, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit to direct our every step when we will be stop—look—listen for His voice and promptings.  If you’ve never heard that voice you may want to check and see what you think saved you.

“And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there;

and, behold,

the word of the LORD came to him,

and he said unto him,

What doest thou here, Elijah?

10 And he said,

I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts:                       for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant,                thrown down thine altars,                                                                     and slain thy prophets with the sword;

and I, even I only, am left;

and they seek my life, to take it away.

11 And he said,

Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD.

And, behold, the LORD passed by,

and a great and strong wind rent the mountains,

and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD;

but the LORD was not in the wind:

and after the wind an earthquake;

but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

12 And after the earthquake a fire;

but the LORD was not in the fire:

and after the fire a still small voice.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it,

that he wrapped his face in his mantle,

and went out,

and stood in the entering in of the cave.

And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said,

What doest thou here, Elijah?

14 And he said, I have been very jealous

for the LORD God of hosts:

because the children of Israel

have forsaken thy covenant,

thrown down thine altars,

and slain thy prophets with the sword;

and I, even I only, am left;

and they seek my life, to take it away.

15 And the LORD said unto him,

Go,

return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus:

and when thou comest,

anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi

shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel:

and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah

shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.”  I Kings 19:9-16

God has a plan, a man (or woman or child) and total provision, direction and success!  Don’t give up!  Don’t give in!  Don’t think you are alone—the only one—remember that God even told Elijah who would be his successor!  Someone is learning from you—be that rested, satisfied and obedient servant—in the victories and in those “the devil-is-chasing-me times”.  He is a defected foe.  Remember, we win!

“Humble yourselves therefore

under the mighty hand of God,

that he may exalt you in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him;

for he careth for you.

8 Be sober,

be vigilant;

because your adversary the devil,

as a roaring lion,

walketh about,

seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith,

knowing that the same afflictions

are accomplished in your brethren

that are in the world.

10 But the God of all grace,

who hath called us unto his eternal glory

by Christ Jesus,

after that ye have suffered a while,

make you perfect,

stablish,

strengthen,

settle you.

11 To him be glory and dominion

for ever and ever. Amen.”  1 Peter 5:6-11

 May we take Peter’s words as our marching orders!!!  Please, please, don’t let the “father of lies” discourage you!  Resist him and remember, he is a defeated foe—a toothless lion—a loud noise-maker–yet We Win in Jesus!!!  Jesus arose!!!  He’s coming soon!!!  Press on with, for and in Jesus’ resurrection power my friends, Jesus never fails!!!

Amen and Amen!!!

As White As Snow??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #316

22 Wednesday Jan 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, Self-sufficient or Dependent on Jesus?, Serving God or Using God?, Sharing the blessings, SIN, Sin IS the issue, Though your sins be as scarlet-they shall be white as snow., Thy Kingdom Come, Time Is Grace!, TODAY, Today is the day of Salvation, Who Am I?, Who are YOU following?, Who are you listening to?, Who will you believe and follow?, Who's Listening Anyway?, Whom are you trusting?, Whose Side Are You On?

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

As White As Snow???      A Word from THE WORD!!! #316

“And when ye spread forth your hands,

I will hide mine eyes from you:

yea, when ye make many prayers,

I will not hear:

your hands are full of blood.

16 Wash you,

make you clean;

put away the evil of your doings

from before mine eyes;

cease to do evil;

17 Learn to do well;

seek judgment,

relieve the oppressed,

judge the fatherless,

plead for the widow.

18 Come now,

and let us reason together,

saith the LORD:

though your sins be as scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

though they be red like crimson,

they shall be as wool.”  Isaiah 1:15-18

God’s call to Israel through the prophet Isaiah, was a difficult word to hear, and just as in our day, most didn’t want to hear it.  God was calling the people to see their own sin, and to turn to Him, not in vain words, empty sacrifices, or feigned worship, but in hearts of repentance, seeking God’s forgiveness, grace and restoration.  So we, in our country—in our world—are blind to the truth in favor of Satan’s lies which sound so much more palatable to our proud and arrogant self-sufficiency and self-righteousness.

But God’s message through Isaiah reminds us that only His grace can cleanse and forgive our sin.  Paul shared a similar message, and I want to call us to consider God’s call.  Where are you?  Has your sin been forgiven.  Do you have any sin?  Until we see our own sin and need for salvation, we will never come to Jesus.  In Paul’s message to the believers at Rome, he makes the case for sin—all sin.  In chapter one, he describes and calls the blatant sinners to repent; in chapter two he calls the self-righteous to repent; and in chapter three he plainly and clearly calls the “none righteous…no not one” to come to Jesus!  We can never be good enough to eradicate our own sin.

“As it is written,

There is none righteous,

no, not one:

11 There is none that understandeth,

there is none that seeketh after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way,

they are together become unprofitable;

there is none that doeth good,

no, not one.”  Romans 3:10-12

Paul goes on to declare:

“For all have sinned,

and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely

by his grace

through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth

to be a propitiation

through faith in his blood,

to declare his righteousness

for the remission of sins that are past,

through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say,

at this time

his righteousness:

that he might be just,

and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”  Romans 3:23-26

We can then proceed on to chapter 6:

“What fruit had ye then in those things

whereof ye are now ashamed?

for the end of those things

is death.

22 But now

being made free from sin,

and become servants to God,

ye have your fruit unto holiness,

and the end everlasting life.

23 For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:21-23

Yet how do we go from sinful, self-righteous, none-righteous to a child of The King?  Paul shares the answer to that question, and I pray that no matter your station or situation in life you will look to Jesus and receive the free gift of His salvation by repentance of your sin, and trusting in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for payment of our sin!  I know this is a lengthy passage but one that we need to hear and heed.

“But what saith it?

The word is nigh thee,

even in thy mouth,

and in thy heart:

that is, the word of faith,

which we preach;

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth

the Lord Jesus,

and shalt believe in thine heart

that God hath raised him from the dead,

thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart

man believeth unto righteousness;

and with the mouth confession is made

unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith,

Whosoever believeth on him

shall not be ashamed.

12 For there is no difference

between the Jew and the Greek:

for the same Lord over all

is rich unto all that call upon him.

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord

shall be saved.

14 How then shall they call on him

in whom they have not believed?

and how shall they believe in him

of whom they have not heard?

and how shall they hear

without a preacher?

15 And how shall they preach,

except they be sent?

as it is written,

How beautiful are the feet of them

that preach the gospel of peace,

and bring glad tidings of good things!

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel.

For Esaias saith,

Lord, who hath believed our report?

17 So then faith cometh by hearing,

and hearing by the word of God.”  Romans 10:8-17

I plead with you to hear The Word?  Don’t miss the master’s gift of salvation.  He’s coming soon, will you be ready?  I pray that if you are not ready—if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior–you will call upon HIM today, for then:

“though your sins be as scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

though they be red like crimson,

they shall be as wool”!!!

Amen and Amen!!!

I Love Jesus, But…??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #236

05 Friday Jul 2024

Posted by in A Witness--Good or Bad???, Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Almost But Lost, Amazing Grace, Believe God?, Believe IN Jesus, Biblical Boundaries Matter!, Blessed by God, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Fixing Our Eyes On Jesus, Flesh-vs-Spirit, Following Jesus or the World?, Fruit of the Spirit, Full Of what?, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Salvation, Serving God or Using God?, Sowing and Reaping, Speaking The Truth In Love, Spiritual Hacking???, The Word, Who's Listening?, Who's Your Father?, Whose Sheep are You?, Whose Side Are You On?, Wisdom, Wise As Serpents, Wolves in sheep's clothing!

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I Love Jesus, But…??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #236

Sometimes what we say, doesn’t’ match what we live; so today I’d like to challenge us to examine our lives and consider what God’s Word says.  Then decide if we really love Jesus, or someone or something else more than Him?  Are we His child?  His sheep?  Or are we dressed up to look like a sheep?  It’s your call, and I pray we will each hear from Jesus!

“Jesus saith unto them,

Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.

11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land

full of great fishes,

an hundred and fifty and three:

and for all there were so many,

yet was not the net broken.

12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.

And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou?

knowing that it was the Lord.

13 Jesus then cometh,

and taketh bread,

and giveth them,

and fish likewise.

14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself

to his disciples,

after that he was risen from the dead.

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter,

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me

more than these?       

He saith unto him,

Yea, Lord; thou knowest

 that I love thee.

He saith unto him,

Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time,

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

He saith unto him,

Yea, Lord; thou knowest

that I love thee.

He saith unto him,

Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time,

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

Peter was grieved because he said unto him

the third time,

Lovest thou me?

And he said unto him,

Lord, thou knowest all things;

thou knowest that I love thee.

Jesus saith unto him,

Feed my sheep.”  John 21:10-17

While many Bible scholars, teachers, and preachers comment on what “more than these” might mean, for our purposes we’re going to try to apply it to our lives!  Now, for Peter, Jesus could have been talking about the ‘going fishing’, or the ‘other disciples’, or the ‘weakness’ that he displayed when he denied his master, Lord and Messiah’!  But the important thing is that we let Jesus’ words sink into our hearts and ask God to search us and be sure that we really do belong to Jesus.  Are we one of HIS sheep or are we just wearing a sheep costume and going around saying the right ‘Bah…Bah…Bah”.  Truthfully, I was one of the fake sheep until Jesus came and spoke right to my heart, “You are not mine!”  And after much wrestling and arguing with Jesus, I fell on my face, repented of the sin in my heart and life (even though I had tried so hard to hide my sin and imitate a genuine believer—but Jesus knew, and that day so did I, finally) and asked Jesus to forgive my sin and save me!  And He did—gloriously He did!

The question that we each must hear from God is, are you mine?  And no matter who else we may fool, God knows, and He will save us if we will but face our sin, repent and trust in Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice to save!  Yet even when we do that, we may stumble like Peter did, but Jesus will never leave His own in failure, rebellion and self-will for long.  He will discipline His own.  What do you love more than Jesus?  Do you know the pleasure of His sweet presence or are you running as fast as you can to not hear His voice.  Has the hand of discipline fallen into your life?  Stop running and receive the restoration into the sweet fellowship of our Lord; even as Peter was forgiven, restored and in a few weeks, would be filled with The Holy Spirit to preach with a bold power that he had never known.  We can know and walk in that same power—not in the same way as Peter, but in the way that God wants to use us—to HIS glory not our own!

“For whom the Lord loveth

he chasteneth,

and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening,

God dealeth with you as with sons;

for what son is he whom the father

chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement,

whereof all are partakers,

then are ye bastards,

and not sons.”  Hebrews 12:6-8

Are you a true son?  Are you walking in the power of Jesus’ precious gift of The Holy Spirit?  Or are you loving something else more?  Are you a fake sheep trying to fool God and man? Have you lived your own way, and never known the discipline of Jesus? You can fool man, for a while, but Jesus proclaimed that the tree would bring forth the fruit of its nature in Matthew 7 (check it out, read all of Matthew 7, it may surprise you!). Jesus promised that The Holy Spirit is the evidence that we belong to Him, and His fruit (no ‘s’) will show to one degree or another. Are you hearing His voice?  What’s He saying?  Will you heed and obey?  It’s your choice, but choose wisely there is a test, with eternal consequences.

“So then they that are in the flesh

cannot please God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh,

but in the Spirit,

if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ,

he is none of his.

10 And if Christ be in you,

the body is dead because of sin;

but the Spirit is life

because of righteousness.”  Romans 8:8-10

How can this be?  Paul makes it clear for us; have you come to Jesus and received His gift of salvation and the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Whose Spirit does your life reflect; Jesus or the world (Satan’s)?

“Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God,

who hath reconciled us to himself

by Jesus Christ,

and hath given to us

the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ,

reconciling the world unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses unto them;

and hath committed unto us

the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,

as though God did beseech you by us:

we pray you in Christ’s stead,

be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him

to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made

the righteousness of God

in him.”  2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Are you that “new creature”?  Have you been born again by the power of the cross?  Only you can answer that question; so, rather than making a long list for you to compare your life to, I’ll simply let Paul do that, and ask that each of us will lay our hearts open before God to do the restorative work in us that He did in Peter; or if you’ve never come to Jesus, that He will convict your heart and bring you to the cross.

“Search me, O God,

and know my heart:

try me,

and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way

in me,

and lead me

in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139-23-24

Jesus is not only the great physician, He is also the great restorer of His own sheep, even if He has to discipline us to ‘get our attention’, so to speak.  Don’t waste time serving the enemy of not only your soul, but the souls of all those whom you/we love.  Who is watching you?  Will you lead them to Jesus or lead them to the enemies’ bus stop!  What fruit is your tree yielding? Remember that what you sow, you will reap; and as the old saying says, “You’ll reap more than you sowed, later than you sowed, costing you more than you wanted to pay!”  And often that cost in seen in the lives of those we love the most! (And if you don’t know the meaning of some of these words, look them up, you may be alarmed!)

“This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit,

and the Spirit against the flesh:

 and these are contrary the one to the other:

so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

18 But if ye be led of the Spirit,

ye are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest,

which are these;

Adultery,

fornication,

uncleanness,

lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry,

witchcraft,

hatred,

variance,

emulations,

wrath,

strife,

seditions,

heresies,      

21 Envyings,

murders,

drunkenness,

revellings,

and such like:

of the which I tell you before,

as I have also told you in time past,

that they which do such things

shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is

love,

joy,

peace,

longsuffering,

gentleness,

goodness,

faith,

23 Meekness,

temperance:

against such there is no law.”  Galatians 5:16-22

I pray that you find this post helpful, enlightening and life changing by the power of The Holy Spirit and The Word of God!  I’ll simply close with Jesus’ own words given to His disciples just before His death.  They are still true for us; and we never have to walk alone or in doubt if we will but listen to His voice—it’s all about Jesus, not me/you!

“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name,

that will I do,

that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name,

I will do it.

15 If ye love me,

keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father,

and he shall give you another Comforter,

that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth;

whom the world cannot receive,

because it seeth him not,

neither knoweth him:

but ye know him;

for he dwelleth with you,

and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless:

I will come to you.”  John 14:13-18

 Amen and Amen!!!

Faith In Spite Of Sight??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #227

03 Monday Jun 2024

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abraham's Test, Are you ready?, Faith, Faith or Entertainment?, Faithful, Faithful Follower, Faithful God--Faithful me!, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness, God's Righteousness Not mine, God's Wisdom, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Seeing Truth, Serving God or Using God?, Sin IS the issue, Speaking The Truth In Love, Still Will I Trust HIM, The Word

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Faith In Spite Of Sight??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #227

“Now faith is

the substance of things hoped for,

the evidence of things not seen.

2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

3 Through faith we understand

that the worlds were framed by the word of God,

so that things which are seen

were not made of things which do appear…

….6 But without faith

it is impossible to please him:

for he that cometh to God

must believe that he is,

and that he is a rewarder of them

 that diligently seek him.”  Hebrews 11:1-3, 6

We hear lots of talk about faith today—in this or that, even the faith regarding Jesus.  But what is your faith really in?  A myth?  A story? A legend? People? Promises?  The significant thing we must remember is that it is absolutely important what we believe about Jesus.  Many believe he was a good man, or even a good teacher or prophet, but Jesus claimed to be The Son of God—to be God (See John 10:30)!  Paul says that salvation only comes when we believe the Gospel and tells us exactly what that is!

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you

the gospel which I preached unto you,

which also ye have received,

and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved,

if ye keep in memory

what I preached unto you,

unless ye have believed

in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all

that which I also received,

how that Christ died for our sins

according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried,

and that he rose again the third day

according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas,

then of the twelve:” 1 Corinthians 15:1-5

Jesus also reminded us that we can only come to Him when we are willing to repent of our own sin and trust in His blood to save us; as Paul says, His death, burial and resurrection “for our sin”!

“I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish…

….5 I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish.”  Luke 13:3, 5

So the question comes, what do you believe or what have you placed your faith in?  Money, power, influence, family, politics, fame…the list could go on, but the question remains.  Have you trusted in Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice to pay for your sin?  If you have, are you also trusting to God’s faithful provision even when you can’t see the way?  I want to share a simple story with you this morning, and I ask that you ponder the amazing truth of it.

“By faith Abraham,

when he was called to go out into a place

which he should after receive for an inheritance,

obeyed;

and he went out,

not knowing whither he went.

9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise,

as in a strange country,

dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob,

the heirs with him

of the same promise:

10 For he looked for a city

which hath foundations,

whose builder and maker is God…

….13 These all died in faith,

not having received the promises,

but having seen them afar off,

and were persuaded of them,

and embraced them,

and confessed that they were strangers

and pilgrims on the earth…

…17 By faith Abraham,

when he was tried,

offered up Isaac:

and he that had received the promises

offered up his only begotten son,

18 Of whom it was said,

That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

19 Accounting that God was able

to raise him up,

even from the dead;

from whence also he received him

in a figure.”  Portions of Hebrews 11:8-19

Abraham believed God’s promises which He gave Him for a seed, a land and a nation when he was childless at 75 years of age!  That was a promise which Abraham clung to even when God asked him to offer Isaac on the altar.  This was faith over sight! And when you study this encounter, you will find that God took Abraham and Isaac to Mount Moriah (the place where Jesus was offered) and Abraham’s answer to Isaac’s question, “where is the sacrifice”, was, I believe, from a faith-vs-sight beyond his own wisdom as we see in Genesis 22; and I truly believe God let Abraham see that HE would provide “Himself” as The Lamb in His time.  Check it out.  John the Baptizer understood: “Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world…”. Have you looked to Jesus, The Lamb to take away your sin?  Are you looking with eyes of faith or being swayed by worldly distractions.

“And he believed in the LORD;

and he counted it to him for righteousness.

7 And he said unto him,

I am the LORD that brought thee out

of Ur of the Chaldees,

to give thee this land

to inherit it.”  Genesis 15:6-7

Don’t let the world distract your faith by leading your eyes in a different direction—for it will never lead you closer to your Lord. Jesus gave His all for me and you, what will we give for/to Him?

“I am the good shepherd,

and know my sheep,

and am known of mine.

15 As the Father knoweth me,

even so know I the Father:

and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have,

which are not of this fold:

them also I must bring,

and they shall hear my voice;

and there shall be one fold,

and one shepherd.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me,

because I lay down my life,

that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me,

but I lay it down of myself.

I have power to lay it down,

and I have power to take it again.

This commandment

have I received of my Father.”  John 10:14-18

He died for sin—but rose the victor over it!!

Amen and Amen!!!

Do You Not See? Not Hear??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #204

03 Wednesday Apr 2024

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, A Father's Love, A Witness--Good or Bad???, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Do you not hear?, Do you not see?, God Who Sees, God's Call, God's glory NOT mine!, God's Judgment, Hear ye HIM!, Hearing God, Independence, Iron Sharpens Iron, Isaiah, It's All About The Cross, It's Your Choice, Jesus Is Coming Again., Jesus Is Coming!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Renewing or Reviewing, Repentance, Responding Rightly, Resting Or Wrestling?, REvival, Revival or Recycle?, Righteousness exalts a nation, Seeing Truth, Servanthood, Serving God or Using God?, When Is True NOT?, Who are YOU following?, Who are you listening to?, Who's Listening Anyway?, Who's Listening?, Witness

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Do You Not See? Not Hear??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #204

I don’t know why this particular passage was laid upon my heart, but as it was, I want to share as simply and humbly as I know how the truth that God keeps bringing to my heart.  We are in a difficult place, and I don’t see a lot of people ready to truly come to God The Father, Jesus Christ The Son, through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, in true, honest, repentance and longing for the fire of revival to start in “me”!  May we truly come to the feet of Jesus for the touch of The Master’s hand to cleanse and make us usable, even as Isaiah did.  Lord please open our eyes to see you as YOU are, not as we have tried to conform you to.  When Isaiah saw you, he was humble and open to your will—may I be so!

“In the year that king Uzziah died

I saw also the Lord

sitting upon a throne,

high and lifted up,

and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims:

each one had six wings;

with twain he covered his face,

and with twain he covered his feet,

and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said,

Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts:

the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved

at the voice of him that cried,

and the house was filled with smoke.

5 Then said I,

Woe is me! for I am undone;

because I am a man of unclean lips,

and I dwell in the midst of a people

of unclean lips:

for mine eyes have seen the King,

the LORD of hosts.

6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me,

having a live coal in his hand,

which he had taken with the tongs

from off the altar:

7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said,

Lo, this hath touched thy lips;

and thine iniquity is taken away,

and thy sin purged.

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying,

Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?

Then said I,

Here am I; send me.

9 And he said,

Go, and tell this people,

Hear ye indeed,

but understand not;

and see ye indeed,

but perceive not.”  Isaiah 6:1-9

Isaiah was brought to see his sin and the sin of his people, he realized that he was unsuitable to serve God, “but God”—oh, that is one of my favorite phrases in all of scripture, “but God”!  I am so glad that God has a plan, and if we will but humble ourselves and turn from our own way, He will send the fire of salvation to our soul.  While the “but God” isn’t specifically in this passage the principle is—as Isaiah saw his own condition before God and then the “but God” principle changed him; and God will change us if and when we let go of our own pride, self-will, and independence and fall on our faces before His holy presence and the convicting power of The Holy Spirit!  We are transformed into the “sent” to share His glory with a lost and dying world—but notice the message isn’t one that most want to hear; and it’s not the only time that Isaiah was compelled by God to speak this message.  Paul’s challenge to us reminds me that we are called today to share the same message of the finished work of Jesus Christ our Lord—the Risen LORD!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect, will of God.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me,

to every man that is among you,

not to think of himself more highly

than he ought to think;

but to think soberly,

according as God hath dealt

to every man the measure of faith.”  Romans 12:1-3

And as we ask God to touch our own hearts, may we hear another of Isaiah’s messages, and lay ourselves open before God, truly seeking conviction to the revival of the saved, conviction of sin, unto repentance for the lost, yielding a great harvest from God not our own hands!  Unlike many preach and teach today, it’s not about being “happy”—God is calling us to holiness; and I think God is often offended by what we have tried to make holy for our own convenience; have we become those who hear with our hears but don’t understand, and see with our eyes yet don’t perceive what God is asking from us or even doing around us?  And while Isaiah’s message is a lengthy one, I think it valuable for our consideration.

“To whom then will ye liken God?

or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

19 The workman melteth a graven image,

and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold,

and casteth silver chains.

20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation

chooseth a tree that will not rot;

he seeketh unto him a cunning workman

to prepare a graven image,

that shall not be moved.

21 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?

22 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:

23 That bringeth the princes to nothing;

he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.

24 Yea, they shall not be planted;

yea, they shall not be sown: yea,

their stock shall not take root in the earth:

and he shall also blow upon them,

and they shall wither,

and the whirlwind shall take them away

as stubble.

25 To whom then will ye liken me,

or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

26 Lift up your eyes on high,

and behold who hath created these things,

that bringeth out their host by number:

he calleth them all by names

by the greatness of his might,

for that he is strong in power;

not one faileth.

27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob,

and speakest, O Israel,

My way is hid from the LORD,

and my judgment is passed over from my God?

28 Hast thou not known?

hast thou not heard,

that the everlasting God,

the LORD,

the Creator of the ends of the earth,

fainteth not,

neither is weary?

there is no searching of his understanding.

29 He giveth power

to the faint;

and to them that have no might

he increaseth strength.

30 Even the youths

shall faint and be weary,

and the young men

shall utterly fall:

31 But they that wait upon the LORD

shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings as eagles;

they shall run, and not be weary;

and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:18-31

Oh, to be one that waits “upon the LORD”, that is the desire of my heart; and there have been times that I have waited patiently, other times that I waited but not very patiently, but oh my friends, the victory that God will bring is so much more than “worth it”!  Jesus is coming again—hold fast, my friends—our redemption “draweth nigh”; so don’t put off what God is calling you to do!  Will you hear?  Will you see?  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test!

“And then shall they see the Son of man coming

in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 And when these things begin to come to pass,

then look up,

 and lift up your heads;

for your redemption draweth nigh.”   Luke 21:27-28.

Amen and Amen!!!