Isaiah 17-20 As the Lord reveals the future of nations to Isaiah there is a wonderful truth that brings us hope - God has a purpose in all that happens. Nations that conquer and nations that fall, He is intimately involved in the history and future of every single one! There is a day coming the Lord tells Isaiah, when ".... man will have regard for his Maker, and his eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel."
In this passage there are specific actions that the Lord takes in the life of nations:
17:13 "The nations rumble on like the rumblings of waters, But He will rebuke them and they will flee away."
18:4 " For thus the Lord has told me, I will look from My dwelling place quietly like dazzling heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest."
18:5 " ... Then He will cut off the sprigs with pruning knives and remove and cut away the spreading branches."
19:20 " ... and He will send them a Savior and a Champion and He will deliver them."
19:21 " Thus the Lord will make Himself known to Egypt and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day. "
19: 22 "and the Lord will strike Egypt, striking but healing, so they will return to the Lord, and He will respond to them and will heal them. "
We wonder sometimes ( at least I do) what God is up to in our world today. So many nations that do not worship Him. Some that talk only of war and trouble. Yet, it is all according to His purposes..
Only a word and the Lord can rebuke the mightiest nation. He is watching and nothing escapes His notice. Some nations will wisely turn back to God and find salvation and healing. Some will not and will be cut off. It has been true throughout history and it will be once again, according to His word.
So, what do we need to learn, to think about, to believe, and to obey?
The rumblings of nations, even our own, are nothing to God, Who only has to speak a word of rebuke and it is over. Therefore, we do not need to worry or fret about politicians, or missiles, or global warming.... He is watching and His purposes are being fulfilled.
Sometimes when the Lord strikes, it is for healing!
The Lord desires to make Himself known to every nation. They belong to Him. We need to continue the work of sending the Light, the blessed Gospel Light from shore to shore!
He will rebuke... the sinner.
He will look...upon our hearts.
He will cut off.... those who refuse to believe.
He will send a Savior.... that whosoever believes on Him will not perish!
He will deliver...all who call upon His name.
He will make Himself known....for the heavens declare His glory.
He will heal.... for His mercies are new every morning!
Father in Heaven, our Holy God who never changes and is always Sovereign and Wise, may Your Name be lifted up and praised in all the nations of the earth! May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in every nation as it is in Heaven. Make Yourself known to us, O Lord.. that we will know You and worship You.. that Your glory will resound over all the earth. Father, thank You for sending us a Savior, a Champion! Thank You for delivering us from the dominion of darkness and bringing us into the Kingdom of Your beloved Son. Let Your light shine through me.. through us today, Amen.
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Isaiah 15-16 This prophecy is about the judgement that would come upon Moab. Moab is condemned because of its " excessive pride". Arrogant and boasting, Moab ridiculed and taunted Israel. They worshiped Chemosh, whose name means "subdue". But, Moab was subdued by Assyria.. carried off, and its cities destroyed.
Isaiah expresses sorrow for the destruction of Moab.. 15:5 " My heart cries out for Moab;" and again in 16:11 " Therefore my heart intones like a harp for Moab.. " There were times when Moab and Israel were allies. At the time of Ruth, when David sent his parents there for safety, and when Solomon married a woman of Moab. But there were also times that they fought against one another.
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, and Zephaniah all spoke of the judgement against Moab for its pride and arrogance. And now, Moab no longer exists.
Pride.. arrogance, boasting, and fury. This sin, John writes, " is not from the Father, but is from the world" ( I John 2:16) James wrote, " But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil." ( 4:16) Paul rebuked the Corinthian church for its arrogance and boasting, calling it leaven that needed to be cleaned out.. like the "leaven of wickedness". ( I Corinthians 5:6-8) He tells them to have the " unleavened bread of sincerity and truth". Jesus said that " out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts ..." and pride is one of those.
This sinful pride is haughty, exaggerated, false, and foolish. It is not the kind of pride that we speak about when we take pride in our work or when we are proud of our accomplishments or our children etc. It is the arrogance of one who aims to take the throne of God, boasting of his own will and not submitting to One and only Holy God.
Which is why it is good to pray as Jesus did, " .. not my will by Thine be done."
Father in heaven, Holy One who sits on the throne and rules over all the earth as well as heaven above, Your Kingdom come and Your will be done! As I hear Your voice speaking the truth today, I bow before You, surrendering all of my self, my will, and my pride.. to You. Forgive me this debt, O Lord and let sincerity and truth fill my heart in Christ Jesus, my Lord. Show us today, the ways we are trying to usurp Your position as King in our individual lives, that we might repent and humble ourselves before You. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Isaiah expresses sorrow for the destruction of Moab.. 15:5 " My heart cries out for Moab;" and again in 16:11 " Therefore my heart intones like a harp for Moab.. " There were times when Moab and Israel were allies. At the time of Ruth, when David sent his parents there for safety, and when Solomon married a woman of Moab. But there were also times that they fought against one another.
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, and Zephaniah all spoke of the judgement against Moab for its pride and arrogance. And now, Moab no longer exists.
Pride.. arrogance, boasting, and fury. This sin, John writes, " is not from the Father, but is from the world" ( I John 2:16) James wrote, " But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil." ( 4:16) Paul rebuked the Corinthian church for its arrogance and boasting, calling it leaven that needed to be cleaned out.. like the "leaven of wickedness". ( I Corinthians 5:6-8) He tells them to have the " unleavened bread of sincerity and truth". Jesus said that " out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts ..." and pride is one of those.
This sinful pride is haughty, exaggerated, false, and foolish. It is not the kind of pride that we speak about when we take pride in our work or when we are proud of our accomplishments or our children etc. It is the arrogance of one who aims to take the throne of God, boasting of his own will and not submitting to One and only Holy God.
Which is why it is good to pray as Jesus did, " .. not my will by Thine be done."
Father in heaven, Holy One who sits on the throne and rules over all the earth as well as heaven above, Your Kingdom come and Your will be done! As I hear Your voice speaking the truth today, I bow before You, surrendering all of my self, my will, and my pride.. to You. Forgive me this debt, O Lord and let sincerity and truth fill my heart in Christ Jesus, my Lord. Show us today, the ways we are trying to usurp Your position as King in our individual lives, that we might repent and humble ourselves before You. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Monday, August 21, 2017
Isaiah 14 These prophecies are about Babylon, Assyria, and Philistia, all nations that rose and fell according to the Lord's plans. They were instruments of judgement by His hand, but they were held responsible for their actions against Israel and were judged because of them.
There are two thoughts that strike me in this passage.
Verses 12 -15 talk about the fall from heaven of the "star of the morning, son of the dawn". Some believe that this speaks of Lucifer's fall after he desired to be greater than God. In this context, it may also speak Babylon. Either way, it is a potent reminder of what happens to any who exalt themselves... verse 11 " Your pomp and the music of your harps have been brought down to Sheol; Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you, and worms are your covering."
Isaiah never holds back on the consequences of rebellion against the Lord!
Verses 24-27 teach us that all things are under the sovereign rule of the Lord of hosts: " The Lord of hosts has sworn saying, 'Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand.'" He goes on to say "who can frustrate" the Lord's plans. " And as for His stretched out hand, who can turn it back?"
In the day of final judgement, every single person will stand before the Lord. By His mercy, those who have believed on the Name of Jesus, will be saved, to live eternally with Him. But, those who have rebelled, those who have chosen to set their own selves above the Lord.. will be brought down to Sheol. Everlasting death.
As always, this leads me to pray..
Father in Heaven, You are Sovereign, the Ruler of everything. You have declared the truth to us. No one can enter Your presence in unholiness, but only through the atonement bought by the blood of Jesus Christ , who makes us holy and blameless before You. It is in Him that we can come to Your throne . We praise You, Lord, for You bid us to come and to bring our petitions to You. We come with thanksgiving for Your mercy and grace, for Your lovingkindness towards us. And, we come with our requests that others will also be saved. May there be a revival in our land and across the world. Will You bring about a great harvest of souls through Jesus Christ? Save our children, our grandchildren, our brothers and sisters. My heart breaks to see any of my loved ones left behind, sent away because they have not repented and come to Jesus. Open their eyes and penetrate their hard hearts I pray, in His Holy Name. Amen.
There are two thoughts that strike me in this passage.
Verses 12 -15 talk about the fall from heaven of the "star of the morning, son of the dawn". Some believe that this speaks of Lucifer's fall after he desired to be greater than God. In this context, it may also speak Babylon. Either way, it is a potent reminder of what happens to any who exalt themselves... verse 11 " Your pomp and the music of your harps have been brought down to Sheol; Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you, and worms are your covering."
Isaiah never holds back on the consequences of rebellion against the Lord!
Verses 24-27 teach us that all things are under the sovereign rule of the Lord of hosts: " The Lord of hosts has sworn saying, 'Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand.'" He goes on to say "who can frustrate" the Lord's plans. " And as for His stretched out hand, who can turn it back?"
In the day of final judgement, every single person will stand before the Lord. By His mercy, those who have believed on the Name of Jesus, will be saved, to live eternally with Him. But, those who have rebelled, those who have chosen to set their own selves above the Lord.. will be brought down to Sheol. Everlasting death.
As always, this leads me to pray..
Father in Heaven, You are Sovereign, the Ruler of everything. You have declared the truth to us. No one can enter Your presence in unholiness, but only through the atonement bought by the blood of Jesus Christ , who makes us holy and blameless before You. It is in Him that we can come to Your throne . We praise You, Lord, for You bid us to come and to bring our petitions to You. We come with thanksgiving for Your mercy and grace, for Your lovingkindness towards us. And, we come with our requests that others will also be saved. May there be a revival in our land and across the world. Will You bring about a great harvest of souls through Jesus Christ? Save our children, our grandchildren, our brothers and sisters. My heart breaks to see any of my loved ones left behind, sent away because they have not repented and come to Jesus. Open their eyes and penetrate their hard hearts I pray, in His Holy Name. Amen.
Friday, August 18, 2017
Isaiah 13 This prophecy about Babylon gives us a view of the world from God's perspective. Babylon was a powerful nation that wiped out Judah. Yet God calls them "My mighty warriors" and the "instruments of indignation". The destruction that they brought upon the people of the Lord was from "the Almighty". God chose Babylon to carry out His fury agains those that rebelled against Him. These are Words that we need to heed:
Verse 9 " ... And He will exterminate its sinners.. "
Verse 11 " Thus I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud, and abase the haughtiness of the ruthless."
This is God's view of sinfulness in a nation and in an individual. He has let it be known to us that sin will be punished and that the sinner will experience His wrath. This is the very reason that we should fear Him. For as the Word says, we have all sinned.. and all deserve this.
But, thanks be to the Lord, Jesus Christ who took the cup of wrath and drank it Himself! By His grace we are saved from the fury of the Almighty. We are forgiven. We are made clean by His blood shed for us.
There is a day coming when God's anger will once again be poured out on the earth. All those who refuse to repent and come under the Lordship of Jesus, will face God's wrath.
Babylon was cruel and wicked... but they were used to exercise God's punishment on Israel. Likewise the Medes were used to punish Babylon. God was sovereign over it all. We do not know what God will use to punish the sinfulness of our nation or our world. But we do know that there is a day coming when it will happen. Our only hope is to belong to the Kingdom of God through the blood of the Lamb who saved us and made us righteous and whole.
Father in Heaven, You are the Almighty One, ruler of Heaven and Earth. We bow before You in holy fear, aware of the awesomeness of Your power and the depth of Your wrath against sin. Oh how we thank You for the power of the blood of Jesus that makes us as white as snow. We place our trust in You. Father, thank You that You have displayed Your mercy to us and have been patient. Our hearts lift up our unsaved loved ones to You, asking that they might have opened eyes to see and ears to hear, that they might turn from their sins and be saved. Call them by name, dear Lord. Rescue them from the grip of sin and deliver them from the dominion of darkness. We ask this in the Name of the Righteous One, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Verse 9 " ... And He will exterminate its sinners.. "
Verse 11 " Thus I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud, and abase the haughtiness of the ruthless."
This is God's view of sinfulness in a nation and in an individual. He has let it be known to us that sin will be punished and that the sinner will experience His wrath. This is the very reason that we should fear Him. For as the Word says, we have all sinned.. and all deserve this.
But, thanks be to the Lord, Jesus Christ who took the cup of wrath and drank it Himself! By His grace we are saved from the fury of the Almighty. We are forgiven. We are made clean by His blood shed for us.
There is a day coming when God's anger will once again be poured out on the earth. All those who refuse to repent and come under the Lordship of Jesus, will face God's wrath.
Babylon was cruel and wicked... but they were used to exercise God's punishment on Israel. Likewise the Medes were used to punish Babylon. God was sovereign over it all. We do not know what God will use to punish the sinfulness of our nation or our world. But we do know that there is a day coming when it will happen. Our only hope is to belong to the Kingdom of God through the blood of the Lamb who saved us and made us righteous and whole.
Father in Heaven, You are the Almighty One, ruler of Heaven and Earth. We bow before You in holy fear, aware of the awesomeness of Your power and the depth of Your wrath against sin. Oh how we thank You for the power of the blood of Jesus that makes us as white as snow. We place our trust in You. Father, thank You that You have displayed Your mercy to us and have been patient. Our hearts lift up our unsaved loved ones to You, asking that they might have opened eyes to see and ears to hear, that they might turn from their sins and be saved. Call them by name, dear Lord. Rescue them from the grip of sin and deliver them from the dominion of darkness. We ask this in the Name of the Righteous One, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Isaiah 10-12 God's Hand is stretched out against Israel. He takes His rod and His staff, verses 5-6 tell us, " Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hands is My indignation." The rod and staff that bring comfort to the ones who know the Lord as their Shepherd... used for the defense of the sheep.. proclaiming the authority of the Shepherd.. become instruments of judgement and punishment for the rebellious. His people have enacted "evil statutes". They make "unjust decisions". They "rob the poor of My people" . They oppress the widows and orphans. They have made God angry with their sin and rebellion. They have caused Him indignation- a fury and rage that will be poured out by the nation of Assyria.
Assyria will boast of its success in the destruction of Israel. But, God will cut it down for its arrogance and haughtiness. It is only an instrument in the Hand of the Almighty to accomplish His purposes. " Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it?" Lest we think that any nation is stronger, better, or greater than any other... we need to know that it is only what God has made it to be. In our day North Korea is strutting itself around like Assyria once did. The USA is just as guilty.
But, like the nations in the time of Isaiah... judgement comes from the rod and staff of the Lord Most High.. against those who make Him angry with their evil ways.
Israel was punished for enacting evil statutes. America will be judged for the laws that permit the killing of unborn children and the promotion of those things that are detestable to Him.
Israel was punished for making unjust decisions ; America's justice system is not any better.
Israel was punished for the oppression of God's people, especially widows and orphans. America is becoming more and more hostile towards those who believe and follow Jesus Christ.
Yet, God is not through with Israel, not is He through with us. He promises to preserve a remnant. Those who "will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel." The remnant that returned from exile, that survived the rod and staff of His anger... produced " a shoot.. from the stem of Jesse."
Jesus came, as promised. The "Spirit of the Lord.. " rested on Him. He was filled with wisdom, understanding, counsel, and strength ; with knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He acted with righteousness and faithfulness. King Jesus will rule forever and one day we will see the rest of the prophecy fulfilled.. "and the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the falling together; and a little boy will lead them. " There is coming a time when, " They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."
Chapter 12 is a song of thanksgiving the that we will gladly sing on that day! " I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord... Praise the Lord is song, for He has done excellent things;"
Imagine that day!
His anger is completely turned away.
We will draw water "from the springs of salvation".
And best of all, "We will cry aloud and shout for joy... for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. "
" One day the trumpet will sound for His coming, One day the skies with His glory will shine; wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing; Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!
Living, He loved me;
dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising He justified freely forever;
One day He's coming - oh, glorious day!"
Father, we long for that glorious day when we will see clearly the glory of Your majesty. Meanwhile, open our eyes to see You, to know You, and to walk in Your Spirit, in Christ, we pray, amen.
Assyria will boast of its success in the destruction of Israel. But, God will cut it down for its arrogance and haughtiness. It is only an instrument in the Hand of the Almighty to accomplish His purposes. " Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it?" Lest we think that any nation is stronger, better, or greater than any other... we need to know that it is only what God has made it to be. In our day North Korea is strutting itself around like Assyria once did. The USA is just as guilty.
But, like the nations in the time of Isaiah... judgement comes from the rod and staff of the Lord Most High.. against those who make Him angry with their evil ways.
Israel was punished for enacting evil statutes. America will be judged for the laws that permit the killing of unborn children and the promotion of those things that are detestable to Him.
Israel was punished for making unjust decisions ; America's justice system is not any better.
Israel was punished for the oppression of God's people, especially widows and orphans. America is becoming more and more hostile towards those who believe and follow Jesus Christ.
Yet, God is not through with Israel, not is He through with us. He promises to preserve a remnant. Those who "will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel." The remnant that returned from exile, that survived the rod and staff of His anger... produced " a shoot.. from the stem of Jesse."
Jesus came, as promised. The "Spirit of the Lord.. " rested on Him. He was filled with wisdom, understanding, counsel, and strength ; with knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He acted with righteousness and faithfulness. King Jesus will rule forever and one day we will see the rest of the prophecy fulfilled.. "and the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the falling together; and a little boy will lead them. " There is coming a time when, " They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."
Chapter 12 is a song of thanksgiving the that we will gladly sing on that day! " I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord... Praise the Lord is song, for He has done excellent things;"
Imagine that day!
His anger is completely turned away.
We will draw water "from the springs of salvation".
And best of all, "We will cry aloud and shout for joy... for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. "
" One day the trumpet will sound for His coming, One day the skies with His glory will shine; wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing; Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!
Living, He loved me;
dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising He justified freely forever;
One day He's coming - oh, glorious day!"
Father, we long for that glorious day when we will see clearly the glory of Your majesty. Meanwhile, open our eyes to see You, to know You, and to walk in Your Spirit, in Christ, we pray, amen.
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Isaiah 9 :1-7 This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus. There was great darkness in Israel.. there is great darkness in the world today; but "a great light" came! " In the beginning," John wrote, "was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... In Him was life and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness..." ( John 1:1,4) Jesus, Himself, said, " I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
The child was born.
The Son was given.
The Light has shone.
Jesus - Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace!
There is no end to His reign. .
He upholds justice and righteousness.
And we rejoice in Him !
King Jesus, come and fill this land with Your Light again!
Verses 8-21 give a message to Israel. The Lord's Hand is stretched out ...because of their arrogance and pride; because they won't turn back to the Lord; because they won't seek Him; because they are godless evildoers...
Verse 14 " So the Lord cuts off head and tail from Israel.." The head - the highest position, the one with the most power.. and the tail - the lowest sort of fellow - a liar; a false prophet; a deceiver;
From the foremost to the last.. all who will not repent are judged.. " and the people are like fuel for the fire."
They turn on each other, "No man spares his brother."
They turn on themselves, "Each of them eats the flesh of his own arm."
Darkness. Devastation. Death. That is what surrounds us when we do not have the Light.
No wonder that depression is rampant. That drugs are used to escape the pain. That horror is considered "entertainment". That killing another human being is becoming epidemic..
We have hidden the Light here in America. We hear daily of those who want to snuff it out totally..
Yet, There is no end to His reign, for King Jesus rules forever!
Come to the Light! Come to Jesus! This is my prayer for those who "walk in darkness" and "live in a dark land. "
Lord, You are the One who has said, "... The light will shine on them." Shine, Jesus, Shine! We need You now! Come and shine Your light into our lives, into our families, and into our land. Deliver us from the dominion of darkness and into the Kingdom of the Beloved One ! amen and amen!
The child was born.
The Son was given.
The Light has shone.
Jesus - Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace!
There is no end to His reign. .
He upholds justice and righteousness.
And we rejoice in Him !
King Jesus, come and fill this land with Your Light again!
Verses 8-21 give a message to Israel. The Lord's Hand is stretched out ...because of their arrogance and pride; because they won't turn back to the Lord; because they won't seek Him; because they are godless evildoers...
Verse 14 " So the Lord cuts off head and tail from Israel.." The head - the highest position, the one with the most power.. and the tail - the lowest sort of fellow - a liar; a false prophet; a deceiver;
From the foremost to the last.. all who will not repent are judged.. " and the people are like fuel for the fire."
They turn on each other, "No man spares his brother."
They turn on themselves, "Each of them eats the flesh of his own arm."
Darkness. Devastation. Death. That is what surrounds us when we do not have the Light.
No wonder that depression is rampant. That drugs are used to escape the pain. That horror is considered "entertainment". That killing another human being is becoming epidemic..
We have hidden the Light here in America. We hear daily of those who want to snuff it out totally..
Yet, There is no end to His reign, for King Jesus rules forever!
Come to the Light! Come to Jesus! This is my prayer for those who "walk in darkness" and "live in a dark land. "
Lord, You are the One who has said, "... The light will shine on them." Shine, Jesus, Shine! We need You now! Come and shine Your light into our lives, into our families, and into our land. Deliver us from the dominion of darkness and into the Kingdom of the Beloved One ! amen and amen!
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Isaiah 7-8 Ahaz, king of Judah, is given an opportunity to believe... to trust the Lord in the face of the threatening armies of Israel and Aram. He was given the choice of any sign he wanted to assure him of God's willingness to help. But, instead Ahaz refused. He ignored the prophecies of Isaiah. He reached out to Assyria and to Assyria's gods. He desecrated the temple and brought about the destruction of his own country. ( I Kings 16)
" If you will not believe, you surely shall not last." ( Isaiah 7:9b)
Tozer writes about man's free will, the ability to choose... in his book The Knowledge of the Holy. God, in His sovereignty, "decreed that man should be free to exercise moral choice, and man from the beginning has fulfilled that decree by making his choice between good and evil." Tozer also goes on to remind us that God also has decreed that along with those choices are the consequences : " God has decreed that all who willingly commit themselves to His Son Jesus Christ in the obedience of faith shall receive life and become sons of God. He has also decreed that all who love darkness and continue in rebellion against the high authority of heaven shall remain in a state of spiritual alienation and suffer eternal death at last. "
Tozer conclues, " We must all choose whether we will obey the gospel or turn away in unbelief and reject its authority. Our choice is our own, but the consequences of the choice have already been determined by the sovereign will of God, and from this there is no appeal. "
Ahaz had every opportunity to make the right choice, but he refused. He brought judgement upon himself and his country.
Father in Heaven, Sovereign over Heaven and earth, You have offered us life, eternal life through Jesus Christ, Your Son. You have given us a choice and the ability to make a choice. I am so thankful that You have given us eyes to see and ears to hear, hearts to receive Your Light, so that we might choose to willingly follow Jesus, laying our very lives down at Your feet. Lord, nothing is impossible for You, and so I pray for those who have rebelled, those who have made the wrong choice... those whom I love dearly.. and I ask that You would open their eyes and ears, and that You would give them new hearts that will believe and follow Christ. Oh Lord, may they choose right!
I ask this in the precious and powerful Name of Jesus. Amen.
" If you will not believe, you surely shall not last." ( Isaiah 7:9b)
Tozer writes about man's free will, the ability to choose... in his book The Knowledge of the Holy. God, in His sovereignty, "decreed that man should be free to exercise moral choice, and man from the beginning has fulfilled that decree by making his choice between good and evil." Tozer also goes on to remind us that God also has decreed that along with those choices are the consequences : " God has decreed that all who willingly commit themselves to His Son Jesus Christ in the obedience of faith shall receive life and become sons of God. He has also decreed that all who love darkness and continue in rebellion against the high authority of heaven shall remain in a state of spiritual alienation and suffer eternal death at last. "
Tozer conclues, " We must all choose whether we will obey the gospel or turn away in unbelief and reject its authority. Our choice is our own, but the consequences of the choice have already been determined by the sovereign will of God, and from this there is no appeal. "
Ahaz had every opportunity to make the right choice, but he refused. He brought judgement upon himself and his country.
Father in Heaven, Sovereign over Heaven and earth, You have offered us life, eternal life through Jesus Christ, Your Son. You have given us a choice and the ability to make a choice. I am so thankful that You have given us eyes to see and ears to hear, hearts to receive Your Light, so that we might choose to willingly follow Jesus, laying our very lives down at Your feet. Lord, nothing is impossible for You, and so I pray for those who have rebelled, those who have made the wrong choice... those whom I love dearly.. and I ask that You would open their eyes and ears, and that You would give them new hearts that will believe and follow Christ. Oh Lord, may they choose right!
I ask this in the precious and powerful Name of Jesus. Amen.
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