Be True To God Alone – Wisdom Series IV
The verses you are about to read are words that God spoke to Isaiah for the destruction of Jerusalem. Jerusalem had become wicked and idolatrous before God and the people took on the practices, the fornication, and idols of the nations around them. They half-heartedly followed the Lord and are not following God at all.
— Jesus said unto him (a lawyer questioned Jesus that out of the 613 commandments they had was the greatest), Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, and all thy mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. Matt.22:37
This is all God has ever wanted to be fully loved by His Creation. We want the same. Nobody wants to be married to a spouse who goes off with someone else every other weekend. That is not love.
A Sinful Nation
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children( Israel), and they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken — the LORD, they have provoked — the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward Isaiah 1:2-4 (God has to punish His people before sin destroys them. Just like us, when everything goes well we forget about God. When times are tough we start going to church).
God warned them of their punishment through Isaiah the prophet, who proceeded to Jeremiah the prophet, and Jeremiah lived through Judah’s destruction. The King of Judah rebuked him for weakening the soldiers by his prophecies of Jerusalem’s destruction. He was labeled a traitor for his words, and as punishment, he was put in jail. Later, when the Babylonian army came, he was lowered into a muddy cistern until the Babylonian army found him and pulled him out. They knew of Jeremiah’s preaching to surrender to Babylon.
They offered to take him to Babylon and give him the best living places. He chose to stay with the people and continued to speak God’s words to them. Isaiah and Jeremiah loved Israel and couldn’t understand why God would use a much wicker nation to judge them.
Both prophets suffered rejection and rebuke from the people for obeying God and preaching His Word. Yet they both had their mandates from God and truly wanted Jerusalem to repent and come back to God so as to avoid punishment. The following verses are Jeremiah’s calling from God. He was considered the reluctant prophet, as are many of us, when it comes to sharing our faith.
Then the word of the LORD came unto me saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee (this is why we are against abortion), and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
A pregnancy may seem like a mistake from man’s perspective, but not from God’s. God is aware of every conception and is able to turn the circumstances around, provided He is given the chance.
But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and — whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. Jeremiah 1:2-4
Isaiah’s experience of being commissioned by God was very different. It started with a vision of God’s Temple.
And one cried unto another (the Angels), and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the Temple shook at his voice that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips (conscious of his sinfulness before a Holy God), and I dwell amid a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen — the King, the LORD of hosts (elsewhere God is called The Lord Almighty, and Holy is His name. How often do we forget this).
Then flew one of the seraphim (a super angel) unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged (this is what faith in Christ’s death and resurrection does for any sinner who is willing to confess his/ her sin).
Also, I heard — the voice of the Lord, saying, — Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. Isaiah 6:3-8 (read verses 1&2).
Isaiah was willing to answer the call even though the people’s hearts were far from God. They did their own thing, not needing to repent before a Holy God. Society has changed largely from those days, with all the conveniences we have, yet the heart of man remains unchanged. Most of us feel we are pretty good people, and if asked to repent, we would say why? It would be foreign to us, yet if we examine our lives in the light of God’s Word, we would find much need for repentance, but are we willing to do this to be right with God? How much do we value walking in harmony with the Lord versus doing our own thing? How strong is our pride? Will we not humble ourselves before the Lord Almighty, the Creator of Heaven and Earth? It cost Isaiah his life to proclaim God’s Words, and Jeremiah was considered a traitor for his words, contrary to the truth. They were obeying the Lord and seeking the very best for the people.
Though they were written down, Isaiah and Jeremiah’s prophecies were largely ignored. As an example, there are prophecies in Isaiah 53 that speak of the coming Messiah (The Lord Jesus), His virgin birth and His mission, and even how He would die, even before Crucifixion was a way of death. Much of this reading is forbidden for the Jews to read by their leaders because it is so accurate.
Here’s some proof of the Bible’s accuracy. In Isaiah’s time, Babylon hadn’t become a superpower; Assyria was. Assyria came to destroy Jerusalem, but God defended her and sent an Angel, and in one night, the angel killed 185,000 thousand soldiers.
Therefore, thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it. By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.
For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant (King) David’s sake. And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. So Sennacherib, king of Assyria, departed, went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. And it came to pass, as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his God, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon, his son, reigned in his stead.2 Kings 19:32-37 (all this historical detail can be searched out).
**The life of a prophet was tough. To speak God’s words, you offend people. Isaiah was sawn in two by King Manasseh for prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem. God told Jeremiah His plans to chasten His people, and he could not believe that God would use a more wicked nation to judge Israel( we categorize sin, mine is not as bad as his, but to a Holy God, sin is sin. As we say, a miss is as good as a mile). A few of Jeremiah’s comments are here, and more in earlier verses. God also promised He would leave for Himself a remnant of people who would forsake idol worship and be true to Him alone, which brought Jeremiah much joy.
Repentance and Hope
I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He hath led — me and brought me into darkness, but not into light. Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day. Lamentations 3:1-3
And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgot prosperity. And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD: Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in me, but I recall this to my mind, and therefore, I have hope( the purpose of memorizing God’s promises when times are tough). It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail (even in chastisement, God’s mercy is seen). They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him(who is our portion, where does our self-esteem come from? Is it our relationship to The Lord or something else?).
The LORD is good unto them that wait (or trust in Him) to the soul seeking him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. (it is so amazing that for every trial, heartache, or joy, you can find scripture to lift you and address your concerns).
I am completely through my surgeries, an experience I do not want to relive. The second surgery, screws put into my vertebrae to secure the titanium rods used to keep my new disc in place and help with keeping my spine straight, was by far the most painful experience I’ve gone through. I underestimated it. If you are ever faced with this, get it done. Scoliosis is nothing to play with. Yet through it, I see the faithfulness of the Lord. Because I was injured 6 months before surgery, I had to learn to keep working, run the crews, and deal with the pain, etc.; though this pain was more intense, the attitude of Okay, Lord, we can do this together was cemented into my soul. Now, it’s just in me to push forward with Him. I would not have had this fortitude in me if it had not been for the prior months.
Now, I must learn my limitations, like going up and down steps or a big lesson of having to figure out the pain meds. How little can I take and still function with the pain? Also, I want to help Lisa run the business to the best of my ability and help her with the billing. As for myself, I must do what I can because Lisa’s plate is so full. This way of thinking started with my first injury, and even my icing routine of 2x a day came into play. So, The Lord knew that having this surgery “cold turkey” would have been too much for me. So thank you, Lord, for the months of preparation that gave me the mental and emotional toughness.
Lastly, we all have our crises and our challenges. It’s not that we have them, but how do we respond to them? Do we take it upon ourselves and muscle through it? Do we call a close friend or a spouse? All this has merit, but the better and best decision is to bring it to the Lord. Ask for prayer. I have several friends praying for Lisa and me, which is comforting, but mainly, my time of writing Vida comforts and strengthens me. Hearing His Words in my head is a privilege I will never get used to. I want to make sure that I hear Him speak to me through this and that I represent courage and faith through it.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for the good times, and thank you, Lord, for the hard times. Thank you for the medication, which is a measured amount of help, and thank you for the desire and fortitude to press forward. I pray that these devotionals during this period of my life touch and encourage people in their struggles and that they find a God who is all-sufficient, kind, and loving.
Let us be 100% true to You alone,
Amen, your son, by great grace,
Arthur
The Path of Holiness (final reading)
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose (our lives).
It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with a vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you. Amen. Isaiah 35: 1-3
The Price of Righteousness (are we willing to pay it) Part III
Philippians 2:1-5
“Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind, let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,”
If you have been a believer for any time, you know this verse is nearly impossible. This is when we are nearing our purity as God’s gold. Most of the trash (the impurities, the me-first complex, and conceit) has risen to the surface and been scoped out. The saying goes that the Refinner knows the gold is almost purified when He can see His reflection in it. Can our Lord see His reflection in us? If so, it’s a time of rejoicing, where the flesh has taken a back seat, and when it decides to jump forward, it’s not difficult to make it sit down again. It’s so nice to meet others with this kind of maturity; you both know that all the credit goes to Jesus. The Word via The Holy Spirit moves mountains of resistance and pride in us. Without reading the scriptures, the Holy Spirit cannot produce change. The scriptures are that powerful. A garden grows because it is tended to; our spirit man (or woman) grows because it is tended to. As Paul said, “One sows and one water, but the growth is of the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 3:6-8
“I planted (Paul), Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then, neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but God who gives the increase. Now, he who plants and waters is one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor (and what they are planting and watering are God’s truths).”
Another challenging scripture, like the first one, is…
Colossians 3:12-15 Character of the New Man( how close do we come to it?)
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”
Who can do this, be kind, humble, forgive, no complaining, no self-interest, etc? It is impossible to do apart from the Holy Spirit. Often, instead of surrendering to the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to do the work through us, we seek to do the work in our own strength and confidence. We seek to prove to God and ourselves that we are good people worthy of Heaven. We tell ourselves to be positive, send out good “vibes,” and work hard, and God will see us and reward us accordingly. This path is too burnt out, and many have fallen prey. When do you know you’ve done enough “good works” to procure your salvation? And then what happens when we mess up? Does the bad erase the good? Works-based salvation is a hard road to take.
We do not understand the Holiness of God, nor have we received His forgiveness (“even as Christ forgave you,” once His forgiveness has touched you for you, you’ve changed, and it is not difficult to forgive others). Jesus asked the Father for another way to procure our salvation besides the Cross. Do you not think that the Father would allow the Son if there were another way? There was no other way. Hence, the Cross was necessary, and now, through our good works, are we really trying to find another way for our salvation? We are acting just like the Pharisees in Jesus’ day.
Galatians 2:16
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified (it could not be more clear).”
Galatians 3:1-4 Justification by Faith
“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched( put you under a spell) that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?”
Through the centuries of Christendom, people have struggled with this, seeking to prove their worth before a Holy God when He has already established our worth: the Life of His Son. Anything outside of this is so far inferior that it simplymakes no sense. Getting this right is critical; it makes life so much easier to deal with. Life’s problems do not fit into a tiny, predictable mold. Life can be messy, and being unclear about your salvation makes it that much more challenging. Like having a hard drive laden with spyware, it makes everything work so much slower.
Even our expectations can make life hard. We expect a good marriage, a faithful spouse, good health, good kids, a rewarding career, being treated fairly, etc., but as we know, that does not always happen. Sometimes, people “luck out,” but most of us don’t. Everyday life for the majority of us is challenging. We have car accidents, we get sick, we have struggles with our spouse and our kids, some being serious. We have issues at work, and overall, life can be a grind. Yet despite all this, Paul says, “We can be more than conquers.”
Romans 8:37
“Yet in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
How does this verse help us? I don’t know if you heard of RFT tires. I didn’t until we traded in our car and bought a newer one. It had RFT tires, meaning run-flat tires. Apparently, these tires can get flat, but the sidewalls are such that even without air, they support the car’s weight until you can get it repaired. I thought that was pretty cool. When we reallyconsider that God truly loves us, I take it to heart; that truth is like the supportive sidewalls on the RFTs. It’s what gets us through a crisis. Knowing that God loves me, I mean truly loves me, the Devil can’t work me over with his lies, especially his most destructive one; if God is a God of love, why does He allow this to happen to you? Maybe God wants me to grow up, turn to Him, actually read His Bible, maybe even prioritize Him in my life, and trust Him more. These are five good reasons right off the cuff; this next promise follows them.
Romans 8:28
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (this is His promise to us, do YOU believe it?).”
Sometimes, I feel like we are spoiled. All of our other brothers and sisters around the world suffer hardship, but if we do, then God doesn’t love us. The Christian walk and confidence in it is founded on how well we know the Father. Phillip said to Jesus, “Show us the Father, and it will suffice us.” Do you remember Jesus’ answer?
John 14 :8-9
“Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”
Intimately knowing Jesus means we know the Father and the Holy Spirit, and in that knowing is our confidence and peace. If we know Him marginally, then our peace will be marginal, and our struggles and temptations will be greater. If we know Him as a best friend, then life will definitely get better, but even best friends can falter. However, if we know Him as our Father, then even fear flees, and temptation and or trials, be they what they may, worry, family, the lust of the flesh, low self-esteem, insecurity, etc., are subdued. Instead of being controlled by them, we control and conquer them. Isn’t it worth the sacrifice to become this free from our flesh? I think so!
Ephesians 2:8-10
“For by grace, you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship( He does the work in us, we give Him the tools He needs by being daily in the scriptures) created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Please allow this verse to sink in. Many faiths teach that you have to earn your salvation, which is in direct conflict with this verse and many others. Salvation is a gift that cannot be earned. Even if it is taught correctly, our normal human psychic says that if I do good, God will like me more, and that is simply not true.
Romans 5:8-10
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood ( Because of faith in His work) we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
This verse, like the one before, is a treasure that, if taken to heart, will produce a radical change in us. Instead of being on the hamster wheel of good works, these verses actually allow us to enjoy the Lord, feeling secure in His love, which we will ever be growing in.
Dear Father,
Thank you for the freedom You offer to us. Forgive us for the cages we put ourselves into or were put into at a young age, which still entrap us today. There is no need to remain trapped, but we will continue to be trapped if we ignore Your Word and spend time with You. Help us to understand that freedom is found in only one direction, and that is towards You. It’s just You, not in more money, a better job, more activities, or being more attractive. You complete us, for You made us to know You and define Life by being connected to You. Help us to listen and keep it simple.
In Christ’s name,
Your son by Grace,
Arthur