Category Archives: Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Heaven and Hell, Prophecy, Seeking God, Through Prophets

In My Favor I Have Compassion on You

There are a few key points I want to highlight about Isaiah 60.

  • For the glory of the LORD to rise upon you, embrace Him with all your life and not just words. Through believers, He will draw many others to Him. We must live out a life set apart from the world which honors God.
  • Ultimately those who serve Him will receive abundance and grace. Those who reject Him will be utterly ruined.
  • Starting in verse 15, we see a view of the future. Christ returns and is our redeemer. There is no violence. The LORD is our everlasting light. All are righteous. What a glorious hope to look forward to.

Isaiah 60

A Glorified Zion

1“Arise, shine; for your light has come,
And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

      2“For behold, darkness will cover the earth
And deep darkness the peoples;
But the LORD will rise upon you
And His glory will appear upon you.

      3“Nations will come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.

      4“Lift up your eyes round about and see;
They all gather together, they come to you.
Your sons will come from afar,
And your daughters will be carried in the arms.

      5“Then you will see and be radiant,
And your heart will thrill and rejoice;
Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you,
The wealth of the nations will come to you.

      6“A multitude of camels will cover you,
The young camels of Midian and Ephah;
All those from Sheba will come;
They will bring gold and frankincense,
And will bear good news of the praises of the LORD.

      7“All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you,
The rams of Nebaioth will minister to you;
They will go up with acceptance on My altar,
And I shall glorify My glorious house.

      8“Who are these who fly like a cloud
And like the doves to their lattices?

      9“Surely the coastlands will wait for Me;
And the ships of Tarshish will come first,
To bring your sons from afar,
Their silver and their gold with them,
For the name of the LORD your God,
And for the Holy One of Israel because He has glorified you.

      10“Foreigners will build up your walls,
And their kings will minister to you;
For in My wrath I struck you,
And in My favor I have had compassion on you.

      11“Your gates will be open continually;
They will not be closed day or night,
So that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations,
With their kings led in procession.

      12“For the nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish,
And the nations will be utterly ruined.

      13“The glory of Lebanon will come to you,
The juniper, the box tree and the cypress together,
To beautify the place of My sanctuary;
And I shall make the place of My feet glorious.

      14“The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you,
And all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet;
And they will call you the city of the LORD,
The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

      15“Whereas you have been forsaken and hated
With no one passing through,
I will make you an everlasting pride,
A joy from generation to generation.

      16“You will also suck the milk of nations
And suck the breast of kings;
Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior
And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

      17“Instead of bronze I will bring gold,
And instead of iron I will bring silver,
And instead of wood, bronze,
And instead of stones, iron.
And I will make peace your administrators
And righteousness your overseers.

      18“Violence will not be heard again in your land,
Nor devastation or destruction within your borders;
But you will call your walls salvation, and your gates praise.

      19“No longer will you have the sun for light by day,
Nor for brightness will the moon give you light;
But you will have the LORD for an everlasting light,
And your God for your glory.

      20“Your sun will no longer set,
Nor will your moon wane;
For you will have the LORD for an everlasting light,
And the days of your mourning will be over.

      21“Then all your people will be righteous;
They will possess the land forever,
The branch of My planting,
The work of My hands,
That I may be glorified.

      22“The smallest one will become a clan,
And the least one a mighty nation.
I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time.”

Turn wholeheartedly to the LORD even today. His doors of mercy and grace are always ready to receive you.

Take a few minutes in prayer and reflect on the key themes in today’s scripture. Ask God to show you how you should apply it to your life.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Lying / Deceiving, Wickedness / Evil

Sin Separates Us from God; We Are Reconciled through Jesus

When we feel separated from God, it is not because He can not hear us or because He can not reach us. It is because we have allowed our sins to create separation between us and God. Be thankful that Yeshua came as our Redeemer so we could be reconciled with God and receive justice and righteousness.

Isaiah 59

Separation from God

1Behold, the LORD’S hand is not so short
That it cannot save;
Nor is His ear so dull
That it cannot hear.

      2But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God,
And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

      3For your hands are defiled with blood
And your fingers with iniquity;
Your lips have spoken falsehood,
Your tongue mutters wickedness.

      4No one sues righteously and no one pleads honestly.
They trust in confusion and speak lies;
They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity.

      5They hatch adders’ eggs and weave the spider’s web;
He who eats of their eggs dies,
And from that which is crushed a snake breaks forth.

      6Their webs will not become clothing,
Nor will they cover themselves with their works;
Their works are works of iniquity,
And an act of violence is in their hands.

      7Their feet run to evil,
And they hasten to shed innocent blood;
Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity,
Devastation and destruction are in their highways.

      8They do not know the way of peace,
And there is no justice in their tracks;
They have made their paths crooked,
Whoever treads on them does not know peace.

A Confession of Wickedness

9Therefore justice is far from us,
And righteousness does not overtake us;
We hope for light, but behold, darkness,
For brightness, but we walk in gloom.

      10We grope along the wall like blind men,
We grope like those who have no eyes;
We stumble at midday as in the twilight,
Among those who are vigorous we are like dead men.

      11All of us growl like bears,
And moan sadly like doves;
We hope for justice, but there is none,
For salvation, but it is far from us.

      12For our transgressions are multiplied before You,
And our sins testify against us;
For our transgressions are with us,
And we know our iniquities:

      13Transgressing and denying the LORD,
And turning away from our God,
Speaking oppression and revolt,
Conceiving in and uttering from the heart lying words.

      14Justice is turned back,
And righteousness stands far away;
For truth has stumbled in the street,
And uprightness cannot enter.

      15Yes, truth is lacking;
And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey.
Now the LORD saw,
And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice.

      16And He saw that there was no man,
And was astonished that there was no one to intercede;
Then His own arm brought salvation to Him,
And His righteousness upheld Him.

      17He put on righteousness like a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing
And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle.

      18According to their deeds, so He will repay,
Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies;
To the coastlands He will make recompense.

      19So they will fear the name of the LORD from the west
And His glory from the rising of the sun,
For He will come like a rushing stream
Which the wind of the LORD drives.

      20“A Redeemer will come to Zion,
And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” declares the LORD.

      21“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from now and forever.”

We are all sinners. If you have not given your life to Yeshua (Hebrew name of Jesus), do so now. Admit you are a sinner in need of salvation. Believe Yeshua is your redeemer,  God Himself, who died for your sins. Confess Yeshua is LORD and follow Him. Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, Obeying God, Protector / Deliverer, Submitted / Servant

Will You Choose God’s Way, or Your Own Way?

The LORD welcomes those who come to Him and honor His ways, no matter where they started. However, even those who were His chosen shall be left out if they choose to go their own way rather than in relationship to Him.

Isaiah 56

Rewards for Obedience to God

1Thus says the LORD,
“Preserve justice and do righteousness,
For My salvation is about to come
And My righteousness to be revealed.

      2“How blessed is the man who does this,
And the son of man who takes hold of it;
Who keeps from profaning the sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

      3Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say,
“The LORD will surely separate me from His people.”
Nor let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”

4For thus says the LORD,
“To the eunuchs who keep My sabbaths,
And choose what pleases Me,
And hold fast My covenant,

      5To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial,
And a name better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off.

      6“Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
To minister to Him, and to love the name of the LORD,
To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath
And holds fast My covenant;

      7Even those I will bring to My holy mountain
And make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar;
For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”

      8The Lord GOD, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares,
“Yet others I will gather to them, to those already gathered.”

      9All you beasts of the field,
All you beasts in the forest,
Come to eat.

      10His watchmen are blind,
All of them know nothing.
All of them are mute dogs unable to bark,
Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;

      11And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied.
And they are shepherds who have no understanding;
They have all turned to their own way,
Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one.

      12“Come,” they say, “let us get wine, and let us drink heavily of strong drink;
And tomorrow will be like today, only more so.”

Take a few minutes in prayer right now. Ask God to show you in what areas of your life you are going your own way. Ask for His help to change. Do not miss out on all God has for you by living your own way. Pursue relationship with Him in all areas of your life. Pursue His ways!

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faithful, Idols / False Gods, Loving / Kind, Obeying God, Prophecy, Prophecy, Purposeful / Intentional, Repenting from Sin, Salvation, Submitted / Servant, Through Prophets, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Do Not Fear, for I Have Redeemed You

Isaiah 43 contains several important themes that still resonate with us today if we take the time to listen and consider them.

  • Verses 1-7: God’s favor and goodwill are for His people. This should be a great comfort and encouragement. There is no need to fear.
  • Verses 8-13: God calls out those who believe in false gods or idols. He and He alone is God and savior.
  • Verses 14-21: The deliverance from Babylon is foretold, but there is a reference to greater events. The redemption of sinners by Christ, the conversion of the Gentiles, and the recall of the Jews, are described. All that is to be done to rescue sinners, and to bring the believer to glory, is little, compared with that wondrous work of love, the redemption of man.
  • Verses 22-28: God is troubled that His people turn away from Him and His offer of forgiveness of sins. They choose to overlook Him and go their own way. He pleads with the people that they would be justified through Him.

For more detailed thoughts expanding on these, consider Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary for Isaiah 43.

Isaiah 43

Israel Redeemed

1But now, this is what the LORD says, He who is your Creator, Jacob,

And He who formed you, Israel:

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name; you are Mine!

2“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,

Nor will the flame burn you.

3“For I am the LORD your God,

The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

I have given Egypt as your ransom,

Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

4“Since you are precious in My sight,

Since you are honored and I love you,

I will give other people in your place and other nations in exchange for your life.

5“Do not fear, for I am with you;

I will bring your offspring from the east,

And gather you from the west.

6“I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’

And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’

Bring My sons from afar

And My daughters from the ends of the earth,

7Everyone who is called by My name,

And whom I have created for My glory,

Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”

Israel Is God’s Witness

8Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes,

And those who are deaf, even though they have ears.

9All the nations have gathered together

So that the peoples may be assembled.

Who among them can declare this

And proclaim to us the former things?

Let them present their witnesses so that they may be justified,

Or let them hear and say, “It is true.”

10“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD,

“And My servant whom I have chosen,

So that you may know and believe Me

And understand that I am He.

Before Me there was no God formed,

And there will be none after Me.

11“I, only I, am the LORD,

And there is no savior besides Me.

12“It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed,

And there was no strange god among you;

So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD,

“And I am God.

13“Even from eternity I am He,

And there is no one who can rescue from My hand;

I act, and who can reverse it?”

Babylon to Be Destroyed

14This is what the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says:

“For your sake I have sent to Babylon,

And will bring them all down as fugitives,

Even the Chaldeans, into the ships over which they rejoice.

15“I am the LORD, your Holy One,

The Creator of Israel, your King.” 16This is what the LORD says,

He who makes a way through the sea

And a path through the mighty waters,

17Who brings out the chariot and the horse,

The army and the mighty man

(They will lie down together and not rise again;

They have been extinguished, and have gone out like a wick):

18“Do not call to mind the former things,

Or consider things of the past.

19“Behold, I am going to do something new,

Now it will spring up;

Will you not be aware of it?

I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,

Rivers in the desert.

20“The animals of the field will glorify Me,

The jackals and the ostriches,

Because I have given waters in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert,

To give drink to My chosen people.

21“The people whom I formed for Myself

Will declare My praise.

The Shortcomings of Israel

22“Yet you have not called on Me, Jacob;

But you have become weary of Me, Israel.

23“You have not brought to Me the sheep of your burnt offerings,

Nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices.

I have not burdened you with offerings,

Nor wearied you with incense.

24“You have not bought Me sweet cane with money,

Nor have you satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices;

Rather, you have burdened Me with your sins,

You have wearied Me with your wrongdoings.

25“I, I alone, am the one who wipes out your wrongdoings for My own sake,

And I will not remember your sins.

26“Meet Me in court, let’s argue our case together;

State your cause, so that you may be proved right.

27“Your first forefather sinned,

And your spokesmen have rebelled against Me.

28“So I will profane the officials of the sanctuary,

And I will turn Jacob over to destruction and Israel to abuse. 

Do not overlook God’s favor toward us as believers and followers of Yeshua, our Messiah. Let us put our faith in God and God alone. There are no other gods, no one else in whom we should put our trust. We are called to redemption and justification through Yeshua. Let us not reject such a wonderful offer!

Take some time in prayer to reflect on this powerful message. What is God telling you today about what you need to do in your life? Are you putting your trust in Him and Him alone? Are you fearful when you can instead find His peace? Are you putting your focus on living according to His ways rather than your own?

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Adultery / Sex Outside Marriage, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Holy / Set Apart, Homosexual Behavior, Self Control, Worldliness

Flee Sexual Immorality; Our Body Is for the LORD

Today we reflect on a simple, but profound principle in God’s word. Do not read this quickly. Dwell on it. It is more than just taking good care of our body physically. Our bodies belong to the Lord. They are not made for immorality. The body is for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. Let us not abuse what God has given us with immorality and sin.

1 Corinthians 6:9-20

9Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, 10nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

The Body Is the Lord’s

      12All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 13Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. 14Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. 15Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! 16Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.” 17But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. 19Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

Do not think immorality is constrained to prostitutes as highlighted in the passage above. Immorality involves sexual activity other than between two people who are married in accordance with God’s word. This can take place between two who are not married (fornication), between one who is married with someone other than their spouse (adultery), between two people of the same gender (homosexuality), between close family members (incest), or involving animals (bestiality).  There are scriptures throughout the Bible to back up each of these as immoral and against God’s word.

Our bodies serve as temples for the Holy Spirit who is in us. We are not our own but have been bought with a price. Flee sin and glorify God in your body. Do not give up the kingdom of God for such sin.

9Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Fear / Reverence for God, Grace / Forgiveness, Heaven and Hell, Holy / Set Apart, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Self Control, Wickedness / Evil, Worldliness

Rejecting God Has Serious Consequences

We can not simply claim to follow Christ and continue in sin, in direct rebellion against Him. Those who genuinely turn their lives to Christ will show it through their actions and attitudes. We will not be perfect. Certainly not. However, we will strive to turn away from sin rather than embrace and accept it. Our Father could not be more clear… those who continue in sin and rebellion against the Father will not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

      9Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Take caution not to rationalize your sin. The world would have you believe that everyone will inherit the kingdom of God, regardless of sin and rebellion against the Father. God’s word could not be more clear. There are serious consequences for those who choose to remain in sin rather than repent and submit to Jesus as Lord.

Be encouraged. Our sins can be forgiven through Jesus. God has made a way for us to be reconciled to Him through Jesus.

Take a few minutes right now. Pray for God to help you overcome sin and rebellion against God through the Holy Spirit and submit to Him in obedience. Give thanks for Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross for our sins to be forgiven.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua (Hebrew for Jesus), be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, Mockers, Protector / Deliverer, Strong in Our Weakness, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

The World Will Tell Us That God Cannot Help

We will all face struggles in our life. We will face obstacles and enemies and challenges that are beyond our ability to manage on our own.  As we focus to put our faith in God, the world around us will tell us we are foolish and that God will not help us or does not exist. Stand strong. It is in God and God alone that we should trust in these circumstances.

Isaiah 36

Sennacherib Invades Judah

      1Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and seized them. 2And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah with a large army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway of the fuller’s field. 3Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came out to him.

      4Then Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, “What is this confidence that you have? 5“I say, ‘Your counsel and strength for the war are only empty words.’ Now on whom do you rely, that you have rebelled against me? 6“Behold, you rely on the staff of this crushed reed, even on Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him. 7“But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’ is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar’? 8“Now therefore, come make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. 9“How then can you repulse one official of the least of my master’s servants and rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 10“Have I now come up without the LORD’S approval against this land to destroy it? The LORD said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”’”

      11Then Eliakim and Shebna and Joah said to Rabshakeh, “Speak now to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; and do not speak with us in Judean in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” 12But Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, doomed to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?”

      13Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in Judean and said, “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria. 14“Thus says the king, ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you; 15nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, “The LORD will surely deliver us, this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 16‘Do not listen to Hezekiah,’ for thus says the king of Assyria, ‘Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern, 17until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 18‘Beware that Hezekiah does not mislead you, saying, “The LORD will deliver us.” Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 19‘Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? And when have they delivered Samaria from my hand? 20‘Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their land from my hand, that the LORD would deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’”

      21But they were silent and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, “Do not answer him.” 22Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

Take heart and be encouraged. God is our rock eternal. God is our shield and protector. Do not be dismayed by the words of the world spoken against God. Instead, put your faith in God and lean not on your own understanding.

Take a few minutes in prayer to reflect and thank God for specific things He has done and is doing in your life to deliver you from difficulty. In what areas of your life are you now facing a difficulty for which you need to put your full trust in God? Ask Him to help in Jesus’ name.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Blessed, Curse, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Obeying God, Slow to Anger, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

God’s Wrath or God’s Blessing?

Isaiah 34 highlights God’s wrath against nations that choose not to submit to Him and live according to His ways. Those who choose their own ways, the ways of sin, are not pleasing to the LORD. There will be judgment. In fact, we can also remember that sin by itself, even without God’s wrath, separates us from God and transforms our personal lives, marriages, families, communities, or nation from what God desires to a mess.

Isaiah 34

God’s Wrath against Nations

1Draw near, O nations, to hear; and listen, O peoples!
Let the earth and all it contains hear, and the world and all that springs from it.

2For the LORD’S indignation is against all the nations,
And His wrath against all their armies;
He has utterly destroyed them,
He has given them over to slaughter.

3So their slain will be thrown out,
And their corpses will give off their stench,
And the mountains will be drenched with their blood.

4And all the host of heaven will wear away,
And the sky will be rolled up like a scroll;
All their hosts will also wither away
As a leaf withers from the vine,
Or as one withers from the fig tree.

5For My sword is satiated in heaven,
Behold it shall descend for judgment upon Edom
And upon the people whom I have devoted to destruction.

6The sword of the LORD is filled with blood,
It is sated with fat, with the blood of lambs and goats,
With the fat of the kidneys of rams.
For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah
And a great slaughter in the land of Edom.

7Wild oxen will also fall with them
And young bulls with strong ones;
Thus their land will be soaked with blood,
And their dust become greasy with fat.

8For the LORD has a day of vengeance,
A year of recompense for the cause of Zion.

9Its streams will be turned into pitch,
And its loose earth into brimstone,
And its land will become burning pitch.

10It will not be quenched night or day;
Its smoke will go up forever.
From generation to generation it will be desolate;
None will pass through it forever and ever.

11But pelican and hedgehog will possess it,
And owl and raven will dwell in it;
And He will stretch over it the line of desolation
And the plumb line of emptiness.

12Its nobles—there is no one there
Whom they may proclaim king—
And all its princes will be nothing.

13Thorns will come up in its fortified towers,
Nettles and thistles in its fortified cities;
It will also be a haunt of jackals
And an abode of ostriches.

14The desert creatures will meet with the wolves,
The hairy goat also will cry to its kind;
Yes, the night monster will settle there
And will find herself a resting place.

15The tree snake will make its nest and lay eggs there,
And it will hatch and gather them under its protection.
Yes, the hawks will be gathered there,
Every one with its kind.

16Seek from the book of the LORD, and read:
Not one of these will be missing;
None will lack its mate.
For His mouth has commanded,
And His Spirit has gathered them.

17He has cast the lot for them,
And His hand has divided it to them by line.
They shall possess it forever;
From generation to generation they will dwell in it.

Seek to live according to God’s ways. Do not sin. Seek forgiveness. Submit to the LORD. The very nature of living according to His instructions is to live in a way that loves God and loves others. On top of that, we want to seek and receive His blessing for obedience rather than His wrath for disobedience.

For those that want to focus on the forgiveness we get through Yeshua, that is true. We can be very grateful! However, He also tells us to go and sin no more, which is to repent and change our ways to God’s ways.

Take a few minutes to pray. Ask God to show you any areas in your life in which you have not fully submitted to Him. It may be a job or marriage. It could be a hobby or friends that you know are not a good influence. Once He shows you where you are not fully submitted, ask forgiveness and take action to bring that part of your life into submission before Him. No excuses.

Matthew 6:33

 33But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Drunkenness, Envy / Jealousy / Coveting, Justice / Judgment, Selfishness

Woe to Those Who Habitually Sin

In Isaiah 28, we get another demonstration where God speaks out against drunkenness. It is once again clear that drunkenness can distance you from God and wreck your personal life and relationships. If it becomes pervasive in a community or culture, it can wreck that as well. In this case, God Himself came against them because of their sin.

Isaiah 28:1-13

Ephraim’s Captivity Predicted

1Woe to the proud crown of the habitually drunk of Ephraim,

And to the fading flower of its glorious beauty,

Which is at the head of the [a]fertile valley

Of those who are [b]overcome with wine!

2Behold, the Lord has a strong and mighty agent;

As a storm of hail, a tempest of destruction,

Like a storm of mighty overflowing waters,

He has thrown it down to the earth with His hand.

3The splendid crown of the habitually drunk of Ephraim is trampled underfoot.

4And the fading flower of its glorious beauty,

Which is at the head of the [c]fertile valley,

Will be like the first-ripe fig prior to the summer,

Which [d]one sees,

And [e]as soon as it is in his [f]hand,

He swallows it.

5On that day the LORD of armies will become a beautiful crown

And a glorious wreath to the remnant of His people;

6A spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment,

A strength to those who repel the [g]onslaught at the gate.

7And these also reel with wine and stagger from intoxicating drink:

The priest and the prophet reel with intoxicating drink,

They are confused by wine, they stagger from intoxicating drink;

They reel while [h]having visions,

They stagger when rendering a verdict.

8For all the tables are full of filthy vomit, without a single clean place

9“To whom would He teach knowledge,

And to whom would He interpret the message?

Those just weaned from milk?

Those just taken from the breast?

10“For He says,

‘[i]Order on order, order on order,

Line on line, line on line,

A little here, a little there.’”

11Indeed, He will speak to this people

Through stammering lips and a foreign tongue,

12He who said to them, “This is the place of quiet, give rest to the weary,”

And, “This is the resting place,” but they would not listen.

13So the word of the LORD to them will be,

“[j]Order on order, order on order,

Line on line, line on line,

A little here, a little there,”

That they may go and stumble backward, be broken, snared, and taken captive.

If a whole nation embraces drunkenness, it wrecks them. We certainly have many living with habitual drunkenness in our culture today, though not as pervasive as I read in Isaiah 28. But there are other sins as well that can overtake a nation. I think selfishness and coveting have overtaken our nation. Selfishness is the root of many arguments and poor choices. Selfishness wrecks marriages and leads to broken families. Selfishness leads to abortion and many other problems. Coveting has practically become a national pastime. There is always someone with something cooler, newer, or better and too many of us are always coveting what others have even when it is beyond what we can afford.

Be encouraged. With God all things are possible. As individuals, communities, or even a nation, we can be restored to God. Repent and turn from sin. Turn toward God and His ways. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

James 4:8 

 8Come close to God and He will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you [i]double-minded. 9Be miserable, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom. 10Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You that You are filled with mercy and grace and provide forgiveness through Yeshua. Thank You that Your word shows us the way we should go. Help our nation repent from sin and return to You! Amen. 

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Discerning / Judging, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Fear / Reverence for God, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Unteachable / Foolish, Wise

The Wisdom of Yahweh or the Wisdom of Man?

Will you choose to follow the wisdom of man, or the wisdom of Yahweh? Today’s scripture passage could just as easily have been written today as it was thousands of years ago. It remains true to this day. Many fools think themselves wise and reject God in the name of “wisdom”. The word of the cross is truly foolishness to those who are perishing… but to those of us who are being saved, it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

The Wisdom of God

      18For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

19For it is written,
“I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE,
AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”

20Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

      26For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29so that no man may boast before God. 30But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”

This is a powerful and rather straightforward passage. Let us take heed. Do not listen to the “wisdom” the world claims to have in rejecting and mocking our Creator, but rather seek out the true wisdom of God.

25Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, you are above all things. Nothing is beyond your knowledge or understanding. Thank You for giving us Your word as a light unto our path. Please guide Your people in Your wisdom and grant us discernment and courage to choose Your wisdom over that presented by the world. In Yeshua’s name, I pray. Amen. 

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.