Thursday, June 25, 2009, 8:13 a.m. – I woke to this song this morning:
All My Praise / Selah
I will follow You through green pastures
And sing hallelujah to Your Name
I will follow You through dark disaster
And sing hallelujah through the pain
You are seated on your throne in heaven
And You see all of us down here
And You have promised You will not abandon
So I shall not fear
You made every star
And You taught it how to shine
You knew my name before there was time
And all this was just part of Your glorious design
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
And even in the shadow of death
I will praise You
And even in the valley I will say
Holy, My God
You are worthy of all my praise
Holy, My God
You are worthy of all my praise
10:25 a.m. – This song is still going through my head. I believe the Lord has given me this song this morning to encourage my heart. I thank you, Jesus!!
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Isaiah 30 this morning:
My Thoughts: The first thought that came into my mind was in the form of a question. I wondered, “What, or who are our Egypts?” All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable… so there is something we can learn from every passage of scripture in the Bible. So, do we have Egypts? Do we turn to other people or things or activities instead of to the Lord for help? What do we do when we feel sad or discouraged or lonely or depressed or frustrated? Who or what do we turn to?
Are we in the U.S.A. an “obstinate nation”? Or, are we, as a people of God, “obstinate children”? Are we a stubborn, determined, pigheaded, tenacious and a headstrong people? Do we tend to go our own way and give God the leftovers? Do we try everything else first and when that doesn’t work, then we pray, as though prayer is a last resort? I’ve heard some people say, “I’ve tried everything else. All I have left is prayer,” as though prayer is something we pull out at the last minute when all else fails.
Do we make our own plans and not even consult God to see if these are his plans? Or, do we make our plans and then pray, hoping for God’s approval? Or, do we make plans that we think would make God happy with us yet not ever ask him what he thinks? Are we more interested in doing things FOR God, because in that way we have control over what we do or don’t do, instead of inquiring of him as to what he wants us to do? Are we afraid that if we ask him what he wants from us that he might ask us to do something we don’t want to do? – Perhaps something that might cost us friends, home, family, comfort, time, resources, etc?
What “alliances” do we form that would not be pleasing to the Lord? Do we inquire of the Lord before we take a job, go into a relationship or marriage, make friends, etc.? Do we even consider what the scriptures teach on being unequally yoked together with unbelievers and/or even what they teach concerning fellowship with professing Christians who are living in open rebellion against God or in a sinful lifestyle? Do we spend more time talking with, consulting with, and making agreement with our friends than we do with God? Are we more interested or concerned about what other people think about us than what God thinks about us? Do we put much more effort into pleasing man than into pleasing God?
What this passage of scripture teaches us is that none of these people or things or activities will ever be able to bring us the hope and peace and assurance of eternal life that only God alone can provide. Man and the things of this world are destined to perish. Man will always disappoint us because we are a flawed people. Yet, even though we are a flawed people, the Lord still longs to be gracious to us; “he rises to show you compassion.” He will be gracious to you when you cry to him for help.
This passage of scripture is another that promises divine correction (judgment) from Almighty God in order for God to turn the hearts of his people back to him. The scriptures teach us that those whom the Lord loves he rebukes and he disciplines. And, this is also another passage that teaches us that the result of that divine correction will be that God’s people will turn back to him. They will cry out to him in their distress when all else that they had relied upon is gone or no longer provides benefit to them – then they will look to God to be their salvation.
Although the Lord gives us the “bread of adversity” and the “water of affliction” – dark disasters, pain, the “shadows of death,” the valleys of life – in order to correct us, we will see much revival and changed lives and people defiling their “idols”, i.e. their “Egypts” that they had relied upon instead of relying upon Almighty God. They will throw them away like a discarded rag and will say “Away with you!” Wow!! What victory there is in that statement!! This is true revival when we lay down our idols and we surrender all to Jesus; to our heavenly Father; to the Holy Spirit within us.
Then, there will be much cause for rejoicing!
All My Praise / Selah
I will follow You through green pastures
And sing hallelujah to Your Name
I will follow You through dark disaster
And sing hallelujah through the pain
You are seated on your throne in heaven
And You see all of us down here
And You have promised You will not abandon
So I shall not fear
You made every star
And You taught it how to shine
You knew my name before there was time
And all this was just part of Your glorious design
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
And even in the shadow of death
I will praise You
And even in the valley I will say
Holy, My God
You are worthy of all my praise
Holy, My God
You are worthy of all my praise
10:25 a.m. – This song is still going through my head. I believe the Lord has given me this song this morning to encourage my heart. I thank you, Jesus!!
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Isaiah 30 this morning:
My Thoughts: The first thought that came into my mind was in the form of a question. I wondered, “What, or who are our Egypts?” All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable… so there is something we can learn from every passage of scripture in the Bible. So, do we have Egypts? Do we turn to other people or things or activities instead of to the Lord for help? What do we do when we feel sad or discouraged or lonely or depressed or frustrated? Who or what do we turn to?
Are we in the U.S.A. an “obstinate nation”? Or, are we, as a people of God, “obstinate children”? Are we a stubborn, determined, pigheaded, tenacious and a headstrong people? Do we tend to go our own way and give God the leftovers? Do we try everything else first and when that doesn’t work, then we pray, as though prayer is a last resort? I’ve heard some people say, “I’ve tried everything else. All I have left is prayer,” as though prayer is something we pull out at the last minute when all else fails.
Do we make our own plans and not even consult God to see if these are his plans? Or, do we make our plans and then pray, hoping for God’s approval? Or, do we make plans that we think would make God happy with us yet not ever ask him what he thinks? Are we more interested in doing things FOR God, because in that way we have control over what we do or don’t do, instead of inquiring of him as to what he wants us to do? Are we afraid that if we ask him what he wants from us that he might ask us to do something we don’t want to do? – Perhaps something that might cost us friends, home, family, comfort, time, resources, etc?
What “alliances” do we form that would not be pleasing to the Lord? Do we inquire of the Lord before we take a job, go into a relationship or marriage, make friends, etc.? Do we even consider what the scriptures teach on being unequally yoked together with unbelievers and/or even what they teach concerning fellowship with professing Christians who are living in open rebellion against God or in a sinful lifestyle? Do we spend more time talking with, consulting with, and making agreement with our friends than we do with God? Are we more interested or concerned about what other people think about us than what God thinks about us? Do we put much more effort into pleasing man than into pleasing God?
What this passage of scripture teaches us is that none of these people or things or activities will ever be able to bring us the hope and peace and assurance of eternal life that only God alone can provide. Man and the things of this world are destined to perish. Man will always disappoint us because we are a flawed people. Yet, even though we are a flawed people, the Lord still longs to be gracious to us; “he rises to show you compassion.” He will be gracious to you when you cry to him for help.
This passage of scripture is another that promises divine correction (judgment) from Almighty God in order for God to turn the hearts of his people back to him. The scriptures teach us that those whom the Lord loves he rebukes and he disciplines. And, this is also another passage that teaches us that the result of that divine correction will be that God’s people will turn back to him. They will cry out to him in their distress when all else that they had relied upon is gone or no longer provides benefit to them – then they will look to God to be their salvation.
Although the Lord gives us the “bread of adversity” and the “water of affliction” – dark disasters, pain, the “shadows of death,” the valleys of life – in order to correct us, we will see much revival and changed lives and people defiling their “idols”, i.e. their “Egypts” that they had relied upon instead of relying upon Almighty God. They will throw them away like a discarded rag and will say “Away with you!” Wow!! What victory there is in that statement!! This is true revival when we lay down our idols and we surrender all to Jesus; to our heavenly Father; to the Holy Spirit within us.
Then, there will be much cause for rejoicing!