While He May Be Found

Isaiah 55:6-9 ESV


What are the ways of God? They are the ways of holiness, righteousness, purity, faithfulness, truthfulness, morality and godliness, etc. They are not the ways of man (of humans). For, God doesn’t think like we do. His ways are much higher than our ways, so we must be so careful that we don’t try to bring God down to our level and to assume that he thinks like we do.

So, this gospel which is permeating the church, at least here in America, but that is teaching that belief in Jesus is a mere confession of faith, but that it doesn’t have to alter our lifestyles, is not from God. It is conceived in the wicked hearts of men in their deceitful scheming to pull us away from God, not to lead us to God – not to the God of the Bible, anyway.

Whether Old Testament or New Testament, it is still God’s ways that we turn away from our wicked ways and that we turn to the Lord, not just for forgiveness of sins, though. For, this turning away from wickedness, and this turning to the Lord has to do with us now living according to his ways, but in his power and strength at work within our hearts and lives (Eph. 4:17-24).

So, if you have confessed faith in Jesus Christ, and you are assuming that heaven is your eternal destiny, but you have not turned away from your wicked ways, and you are not walking now according to the Spirit of God in holiness and righteousness, then please know that you are believing a lie, not the truth of the gospel, and heaven is not your eternal destiny.

If we want God’s pardon for our sins we must, as the scriptures teach, turn away from wickedness. We must forsake our former lives of living for sin and self. And, we must turn our hearts to the Lord to follow him in obedience to his ways (Rom. 6:1-23; Rom. 8:1-17; 1 Jn. 1:5-9).

Isaiah 55:10-11 ESV


It can be both an encouragement and a warning to know that God is a person of his word, and that he will do all that he said he would do. For, not only has he promised to pardon those who turn from their wicked ways to follow after him in his ways of holiness and righteousness, but he has promised that those who refuse him and his ways will not spend eternity with him in glory, but that they will spend eternity in the fires of hell.

But, before that time of the end comes when we will be judged by God and we will receive our eternal rewards, either of heaven, or of hell, our Lord has also promised that he will discipline those he loves and that he will judge on this earth in our lifetimes those who have turned away from him to follow wicked ways. And, usually the purpose of those judgments or those divine disciplines is to bring us to repentance and to draw us near to God.

I believe in our lifetime now that we can see the hand of God in all this craziness that is happening on the earth. We can see how God is allowing conquerors to conquer people and mad men to rule kingdoms in order to bring people to their knees in repentance and in true faith in Jesus Christ before the end comes and their chances for pardon are now gone.

For, God’s words will not return empty, but they will accomplish the purpose for which he sent them. And, the purpose, I believe, is to save the hearts and lives of many people on this earth before the day when we will all be judged and will go to our eternal destinies. And, that is why the New Testament is filled, not only with promises, but with many warnings, even many warnings to those who profess faith in Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 55:12-13 ESV


This is God’s objective that we would all be led forth in peace and would rejoice in our eternal salvation and in our fellowship with our Lord. But, not everyone is going to turn from his wicked ways. And, not everyone is going to turn to the Lord to follow him in obedience to his ways. Even not everyone who confesses Jesus as Lord is going to inherit eternal salvation.

But, it is God’s will that none should perish but that all should be brought to repentance. And, that is why he allows us to go through times of hardship and heartbreak and suffering so that we do come to him, and so that we do bow the knee to God in humility and in surrender to his will and purposes for our lives. For, many are living in open rebellion against God all the while they are professing faith in him, and this should not be!

For, God’s purposes and his ways have not changed to conform to the ways of man, as many would have you to believe. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His purposes for us have not changed. He still demands that we leave our former lives of sin to follow him in obedience to his ways if we want to be in relationship with him and if we want to have eternal life with him (Rom. 8:1-17; 1 Jn. 1:5-9; Lu. 9:23-26; 1 Jn. 2:3-6; Gal. 6:7-8).

So, if you want your sins to be pardoned, and for you to be in fellowship with God, and to have heaven as your eternal destiny, then you must seek the Lord while he may be found, and call on him while he is near, and forsake your sinful and wicked ways, and turn to the Lord in true repentance and in genuine faith, which is accompanied by walks of obedience to Christ.

But, this is not some one-time event that takes place in one’s life. This is a choice to choose God to be our Lord and Master for the rest of our lives. This is a choice to follow him in obedience and in surrender to his ways day after day after day for eternity. This is a choice to leave our old lifestyles behind us and to be transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God to new lives in Christ Jesus, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Rom. 6:1-23; Rom. 8:1-17; Eph. 4:17-24; Lu. 9:23-26; 1 Jn. 1:5-9).

So, if you haven’t done this yet; if you haven’t surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, making him your Lord, I pray you will do so today.

My Jesus, I Love Thee

Hymn lyrics by William R. Featherstone, 1864
Music by Adoniram J. Gordon, 1876

My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine;
For thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art thou;
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

I love thee because thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;
I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow;
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say, when the death-dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight;
I'll ever adore thee in heaven so bright;
I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

*Copyright status is public domain

At Your Footstool said:

He is a covenant keeping God. Amen

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Yes! He is completely faithful in all that he does. Amen!