Month: July 2023

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Be a Witness!

Isaiah 44 Witness

Today I was struck by this statement in Isaiah 44: 8 “you are my witnesses!” Jesus told us to go into all the world and be His witnesses and Isaiah said that centuries ago! This morning I received another note from our dear friend Ravi who is facing an uncertain future and will have a series of tests in a few days to determine the extent of his discomfort. I gave him that verse and challenged him to be God’s witness to the Dr’s, nurses, etc. and he agreed. How beautifully God has given us such a simple challenge. What is even more important is the fruit that may come from being His witness.

Will I be His witness as well as I go through all of these physical challenges I have been facing. Today the Dr. gave me a head’s up that I am doing so much better. I give God praise!

Where are you being His witness?

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There is no God like Jehovah

Is 40 There is no God like Jehovah is repeated over and over in a praise song and may have been chosen from this passage in Isaiah. Truly God is unlike Buddhism, Islam, or any other idol gods. Isaiah asks the Israelites as they sin by worshiping idols: “To whom can you compare God? To what image can you liken him?” [Is 40:18]

The enemy of our souls has blinded our minds lest we see the glorious image of Jesus Christ. [2 Cor 4:4] Even today, we see churchgoers blinded by looking at Christ on a cross. Precious readers, Jesus is not on that cross, He is risen from the dead. Many say it helps me pray, and the question is how? How does looking at the crucified Christ help you to pray? Isaiah is asking that same question. How does looking and bowing to an idol help you believe more, pray more and honor God more? Malachi told the people: “you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction;” [Mal 2:8]

Where have I turned aside? Where has the enemy blinded me? I need to sing that praise song over and over to remind me there is no God like Jehovah!

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The Wishy Washy King

Isaiah 37-39, Ps 76 How often do we respond like King Hezekiah? When all is going well, we celebrate and decide using our own wisdom, but when the chips are down, we seek the counsel of God. That is King H. to a “t.” When Sennacherib sent his right-hand man to taunt the Jerusalemites, Hezekiah told them not to answer him a word, and they did. He then took the letter to the Temple and laid it before the Lord. God was pleased and responded that the evil King Sennacherib would never set foot in Jerusalem. It was not too long after that God tested Hezekiah again. This time the prophet Isaiah came and told him that he better put his affairs in order because he was about to die. Hezekiah mourned and told God he was a good and faithful king, and God responded with healing and fifteen extra years. So far, so good. But, when the Babylonians sent get-well gifts, how did Hezekiah respond? He showed them all his treasures instead of seeking the counsel of God.

Just like Hezekiah, too often, we only seek the face of God when trouble is on the horizon, but when all is well, we don’t stop to ask His counsel. Our faith is wishy-washy, and  is revealed in our decision-making. Where are you today?

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Which coach are you following?

Is 34-37 In Football, sometimes a player fumbles the ball, and the touchdown is given to the opposing team. When Sennacherib tried to get Hezekiah to fumble the ball, he had no idea of the outcome! In Psalm 2, we see how God handles fumbles! “the one enthroned in heaven laughs in disgust; the Lord taunts them,” Then he sends in another team and scores a victory just like he did with Sennacherib! God sent an angel and took the lives of 185,000 of Sennacherib’s soldiers and sent him packing back to Assyria, where he was killed by his own sons. 

“Don’t mess with God!” was the message, and unbelievers should take note. But, as Paul noted, the adversary blinds the minds of the unbeliever lest they see the holy God. [2Cor 4:4]

We tend to make light of this story, but if truth be known, God uses things like this to get our attention. While Sennacherib was busy planning to score, Hezekiah took it to God and let God take care of the problem. We should do the same, but we often try to solve the problem using human methods. Take a lesson from Hezekiah and learn that God can better handle our adversaries than we can. 

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“Hezekiah’s heart.”

2 Kings 20 God has placed this story of King Hezekiah to teach us wisdom. The backdrop began in the life of Hezekiah when he heard the news of his impending death from Isaiah, the prophet. When we hear devastating news, do we go to God? How we respond reveals our heart. Hezekiah pleaded with God, and graciously God chose to heal him and in addition, He gave him two gifts: (1) a sign and (2) fifteen more years.

Not long after, some Babylonian visitors came ‘supposedly‘ to encourage Hezekiah. Why did he not take them to see the House of the Lord? Instead, he gave them a tour of all the treasures of Israel. Isaiah told Hezekiah, Because of what you did; the Babylonians will carry off your sons and deplete your riches. [2 Kings 20:18 paraphrase] Unfortunately, when he heard that news, Hezekiah did not mourn but said: at least there will be peace in my lifetime.” [2 Kings 20:19]  How we respond reveals our heart. 

The lesson we can glean from Hezekiah is to remain humble when God blesses us and seek His protection from being prideful. Will we finish well when God calls us home?

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The Gospel Message

Isaiah 28 Isaiah is challenging his readers to see the true source of God’s way. He exposes the folly of the leaders of the false teacher. Therefore God would allow them to fail but save a remnant to lead His faithful people. God would become “a beautiful crown and a splendid diadem for the remnant of his people.” [Is 28:5]

Why does God allow us to fail? He does it so we may recognize that we are only hearing meaningless gibberish, much like our sing-song childhood of “ring around the rosies.” We need the meat of the Word, but our hearts are hard, and we often refuse to listen.  They told Isaiah not to “relate messages of what is right but tell us nice things.” [Is 30:10] They wanted to hear you are ok, or as many say, there is god in every religion! The enemy knows we are sinners in need of salvation, so he blinds us to the truth. [2Cor 4:4] He knows that if we see it and our hearts are open, we will see Jesus, the only way, the only truth, the only life. [Jn 14:6]. Isaiah’s words seemed too simple, and like many today, they fail to see and hear the simple message of the gospel that brings us to the foot of the cross, where we see our need for cleansing our sin.

Come and hear the simple message of the gospel:  you are cleansed not by works but by faith. [Eph 2:8]

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Do Not Judge???

Hosea 8-10 Be careful repeating this saying: “do not judge.”  We don’t know the motives behind a person’s heart. God is saying I am the ultimate judge, and I alone can judge the heart. Remember Jeremiah’s words: the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked; who can know it? God alone knows the heart. [Jer 17:9-10]

When God looked at the northern tribes, he saw sin and judged it while the people were harping on that same refrain. But God says I judge by the evidence, not just a repeated chorus. I found you and raised you only to see that your eyes drifted to man-made idols. This should not be! What you have sown, you will also reap. I spelled out my law for you in great detail, but you regarded it as nothing. I sent you wise prophets, but you called them fools. My prophet was sent as a watchman to remind you where you have fallen. But, just like the Ephesians, they had lost their first love. [Rev 2:4] God reminds them to seek Him early while He may be found, repent, and return to the Lord.

This is a wake-up call to us as well. Where have we judged others before judging ourselves? Have we lost our first love?   

Photo Credit: https://growing4life.net/do-not-judge/

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Redemption

Hosea 1-4 Hosea is an example of what an obedient child of the living God does— even when he does not understand. God told Hosea to find a prostitute and marry her, but where does a godly man find such a girl? From the garbage dump, Hosea redeemed her and married her lavishing upon her riches untold, just as God did for us. Yet, even with all those precious gifts, Gomer walked away from Hosea and returned to the dump where the “pimp”/Satan found her and promised what he could not deliver. Gomer/Israel saw with her eyes but not her heart. She heard with her ears but failed to recall:  “I chose you out of many peoples and redeemed you for one reason: I loved you.

The Living God has a message for us in this story. Just as God promised to redeem us, so He redeemed Gomer/Israel. God wants a people to be a sweet aroma of Christ to the lost and dying world.  As Hosea paid the price for her redemption, Christ paid our redemption price willingly out of love. 

Are you more like Hosea or Gomer? Are you redeemed?

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God’s Invitation Deserves a Response

2 Kings 18, 2 Chron 29-31, Ps 48 When you hear the word consecration, what comes to mind? It means to dedicate oneself to the work of the Lord, and that is what Hezekiah chose to do. As a result of this obedience to God, he was a righteous king, and the nation was also blessed. All the years Hezekiah was king, the nation was at peace.

One of the acts of Hezekiah was to reinstitute the Passover and invite all of the nation to attend.
He sent messengers with invitations as far north as Zebulun. But much like the people in Jesus’ parable in Luke 14:15-24, the people responded, ” Sorry, but I have work to do that cannot wait, ” followed by, “Please excuse me.” In addition, many mocked and ridiculed the messengers. Those who chose to come were blessed beyond measure, and those who scoffed missed that richest time of blessing.

God is pleased when we consecrate ourselves to His way and His work, and the contrast is also true. Will you consecrate yourself to the Lord and His work? Will you accept His invitation?

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Perfect Peace

Is 23-27 The world is in turmoil; families and governments are vacillating from every side. But, in this time, there is one group that can remain steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [1Cor 15:58] because their minds are stayed, that is securely focused on one thing: the God who rules over all.

Man’s peace comes from choosing God’s way, not man’s. He can have that perfect peace (that shalom shalom) because his mind is perfectly trusting in God. Trust in the Lord, lean not on your own understanding, and He will direct your paths, were the words of the Proverbs writer. [Prov 3:5-6] Later, Paul would remind us that the mind set on flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. [Rom 8:6]

Where is your mind today? Is it focused on God and His Word or the problems of the world? How can we pray for you?

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