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I came to Isaiah 58 in my reading this morning. And like it does every time I read those beginning verses they gripped me and I stopped to consider myself.
“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and show my people … their sins… they seek ME daily, and delight to know MY ways, as if they did right, and forsook not the ways of their GOD: they ask of ME how to do justice; they take delight in approaching to GOD (Isaiah 58:1-2).
From there on are words of correction and promise. I want to talk about just one of the verses for it speaks of something too easy to fall into while it explains why some of our prayers go unanswered.
The verse I want to mention contains that little word IF. That word IF shows that the promise to answer prayer has conditions connected to it. Conditions that must be met before GOD will hear prayer. Isaiah 59:2, puts it this way: “But your iniquities have separated you from your GOD, and your sins have hidden HIS face from you, that HE will not hear.”
Isaiah 58 is talking about people who gathered to worship GOD, they daily sought to hear and understand GOD’s word and they prayed. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that the things mentioned in this chapter are things they don’t consider sin, but things GOD hates.
“Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you shalt cry, and HE shall say, ‘Here I am.’ IF you take away … the yoke (nonbiblical rules and expectations), the pointing of the finger (she did thus and so) and speaking vanity (I’d never do anything like that!)” (Isaiah 58:9).
That verse makes me stop and examine myself by asking some questions.
1-Are the standards I demand of others really found in the Bible or are they just my person preferences?
2-Do I have a right to point the finger of blame to others? Am I making judgments without all the facts? Even if it is obvious, public sin, do I have the right to speak of it to ones who cannot help them do right?
3-By focusing on another’s sin, do I say/ or think I am guiltless?
GOD says, “You are inexcusable o man, whoever you are who judges another, for when you judge another you condemn yourself for you who judges do the same things yourselves (Romans 2:1).
Since I learned Romans 2:1, when I find myself judging another’s actions, I ask GOD to forgive me and show me where even a speck of the problem is within me.
That is just one verse, but doesn’t it says a lot? Since I want my prayers answered I am going to reread the whole chapter and see if there is something I have overlooked.
Hugs
Sharon
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“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and show my people … their sins… they seek ME daily, and delight to know MY ways, as if they did right, and forsook not the ways of their GOD: they ask of ME how to do justice; they take delight in approaching to GOD (Isaiah 58:1-2).
From there on are words of correction and promise. I want to talk about just one of the verses for it speaks of something too easy to fall into while it explains why some of our prayers go unanswered.
The verse I want to mention contains that little word IF. That word IF shows that the promise to answer prayer has conditions connected to it. Conditions that must be met before GOD will hear prayer. Isaiah 59:2, puts it this way: “But your iniquities have separated you from your GOD, and your sins have hidden HIS face from you, that HE will not hear.”
Isaiah 58 is talking about people who gathered to worship GOD, they daily sought to hear and understand GOD’s word and they prayed. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that the things mentioned in this chapter are things they don’t consider sin, but things GOD hates.
“Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you shalt cry, and HE shall say, ‘Here I am.’ IF you take away … the yoke (nonbiblical rules and expectations), the pointing of the finger (she did thus and so) and speaking vanity (I’d never do anything like that!)” (Isaiah 58:9).
That verse makes me stop and examine myself by asking some questions.
1-Are the standards I demand of others really found in the Bible or are they just my person preferences?
2-Do I have a right to point the finger of blame to others? Am I making judgments without all the facts? Even if it is obvious, public sin, do I have the right to speak of it to ones who cannot help them do right?
3-By focusing on another’s sin, do I say/ or think I am guiltless?
GOD says, “You are inexcusable o man, whoever you are who judges another, for when you judge another you condemn yourself for you who judges do the same things yourselves (Romans 2:1).
Since I learned Romans 2:1, when I find myself judging another’s actions, I ask GOD to forgive me and show me where even a speck of the problem is within me.
That is just one verse, but doesn’t it says a lot? Since I want my prayers answered I am going to reread the whole chapter and see if there is something I have overlooked.
Hugs
Sharon
ReplyForward
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