Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 10:27 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put the song in mind, “He Reached Down.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah 1 (NIV).
Persisting In Rebellion
The children of God have rebelled against him. They lack understanding. They are a sinful lot. They are given to corruption. They have forsaken their Lord, and have turned their backs on him. Although God knows the answer to this question, he is asking “Why?” “Why do you persist in rebellion?” He wants his children to examine their hearts. He wants them to look deep inside and to ask themselves the question, “Why?” Most probably already know the answer. Many are self-deceived, though, and they believe their own lies.
God is not interested in what WE are willing to do for him, i.e. in what we have self-determined is what is required of us, or what seems to be reasonable or customary religious activity in order to demonstrate our service to the Lord. If we go to a worship service, sing or play in the praise team, serve on a committee, organize a bazaar, teach VBS, give our tithe, go on a mission trip, lead a small group, host social gatherings, serve in the nursery, and/or volunteer at a shelter, etc., but we hold on to our own lives, and we pick and choose what we will give to the Lord and what we won’t; and we follow a sinful course, even though we know it is wrong, and even though God has spoken to us about it time and time again, God is not pleased! Our sacrifices are meaningless! He doesn’t want our sacrifices apart from repentance, obedience and surrender to Him and to His will for our lives.
Willing and Obedient
He is calling out to his rebellious children to repent of (turn away from) their sins of rebellion. He is asking that they remove their evil deeds from his sight, i.e. that they not just play church, pray insincerely, go through the motions of a relationship with him, and/or give lip service only to him, but then willingly keep doing what they know is wrong, and with no sense of conscience at all. He is asking that they repent of their sins and stop doing wrong and to learn to do what is right by following him and his word in obedience. He is asking that they come to him and settle this matter of their rebellion and their sinful deeds.
Although, as God’s true children, we have been cleansed from our sins, and we have been made righteous through the blood of Christ shed for us on the cross for our sins, the Bible speaks much on the subject of our Christian walks as a process of sanctification whereby we continually confess our sins to God and we are daily cleansed and purified (See 2 Co. 7:1; 1 Jn. 3:3; 1 Pet. 1:22; Heb. 12:1; Eph. 4:31; Jas. 1:21; & Ro. 8:12-13, etc.). It is essential to our walks of faith that we consistently resist Satan, flee temptation and draw near to God. We can’t drink from the cup of demons and the cup of the Lord, too. We need to continue to be willing and obedient in doing what our Lord requires of us in thought, word and deed and in following him wherever he leads us, instead of going our own way and us just giving him our leftovers. He doesn’t want our sacrifices, i.e. of our own choosing. He wants US as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to him, set apart from the world of sin, and set apart to him and to his service (See Ro. 12:1-2). With this he is pleased.
Afterward
We read both in the prophets of old and in the New Testament that God will judge his adulterous church in the last days before the return of Christ. I believe that time is not far away from the church here in America. So much of today’s church has adopted the ways of humans over the ways of God; the teachings of mankind over the teachings of Christ; the sinful practices of the world over the holiness of God. It is hardly distinguishable between the church and the world anymore. We are supposed to come out from the world of sin and be different, not become one with the world, and not adopt the world’s philosophies, culture, values and practices. We are supposed to be lights for the gospel to the world around us, not enter into their darkness with them in order to “reach” them.
So, a time is coming when God will purge his church of her impurities, and afterward she will be called the Faithful City of God. Those who are repentant will be delivered from their sinful rebellion against God, will be restored and renewed in the Spirit of God, and the church will be revived! Hallelujah! Those who persist in rebellion against God will be broken, and those who forsake the Lord will perish, the word says. So, if you have been playing church, willfully sinning against God, just going through the motions of a relationship with Jesus Christ, but you have not surrendered your all to him, I pray you will do so today.
He Reached Down / An Original Work / February 3, 2014
Based off Psalm 18
How I love You, Lord,
My Rock and my strength.
My God is my fortress;
I hide in Him.
He is my shield and the horn of
My salvation, whom I praise.
I have found my refuge in Him.
He reached down from heaven
And rescued me;
Drew me out of waters
So deep, I’d sink.
He delivered me from Satan
And my slavery to sin;
Gave me hope of heaven with Him.
My God turned my darkness
Into His light;
Opened up my blinded eyes;
Gave me sight.
As for God, his way is perfect.
He gives strength to stand secure.
I have found my vict’ry in Him.
My Lord lives!
Praise be to my Savior God,
Jesus Christ, who died
On a cruel cross.
He is my Rock and the source
Of my salvation, whom I trust.
I will give praise always to Him.
http://originalworks.info/he-reached-down/
Persisting In Rebellion
The children of God have rebelled against him. They lack understanding. They are a sinful lot. They are given to corruption. They have forsaken their Lord, and have turned their backs on him. Although God knows the answer to this question, he is asking “Why?” “Why do you persist in rebellion?” He wants his children to examine their hearts. He wants them to look deep inside and to ask themselves the question, “Why?” Most probably already know the answer. Many are self-deceived, though, and they believe their own lies.
The Lord says, “The multitude of your sacrifices – what are they to me? I have more than enough… I have no pleasure in” (them). “When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me… I cannot bear your worthless assemblies… They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening.” ~ Is. 1:11-15
God is not interested in what WE are willing to do for him, i.e. in what we have self-determined is what is required of us, or what seems to be reasonable or customary religious activity in order to demonstrate our service to the Lord. If we go to a worship service, sing or play in the praise team, serve on a committee, organize a bazaar, teach VBS, give our tithe, go on a mission trip, lead a small group, host social gatherings, serve in the nursery, and/or volunteer at a shelter, etc., but we hold on to our own lives, and we pick and choose what we will give to the Lord and what we won’t; and we follow a sinful course, even though we know it is wrong, and even though God has spoken to us about it time and time again, God is not pleased! Our sacrifices are meaningless! He doesn’t want our sacrifices apart from repentance, obedience and surrender to Him and to His will for our lives.
Willing and Obedient
Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.
Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.
“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good things of the land;
but if you resist and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. ~ Is. 1:16-20
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.
Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.
“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good things of the land;
but if you resist and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. ~ Is. 1:16-20
He is calling out to his rebellious children to repent of (turn away from) their sins of rebellion. He is asking that they remove their evil deeds from his sight, i.e. that they not just play church, pray insincerely, go through the motions of a relationship with him, and/or give lip service only to him, but then willingly keep doing what they know is wrong, and with no sense of conscience at all. He is asking that they repent of their sins and stop doing wrong and to learn to do what is right by following him and his word in obedience. He is asking that they come to him and settle this matter of their rebellion and their sinful deeds.
Although, as God’s true children, we have been cleansed from our sins, and we have been made righteous through the blood of Christ shed for us on the cross for our sins, the Bible speaks much on the subject of our Christian walks as a process of sanctification whereby we continually confess our sins to God and we are daily cleansed and purified (See 2 Co. 7:1; 1 Jn. 3:3; 1 Pet. 1:22; Heb. 12:1; Eph. 4:31; Jas. 1:21; & Ro. 8:12-13, etc.). It is essential to our walks of faith that we consistently resist Satan, flee temptation and draw near to God. We can’t drink from the cup of demons and the cup of the Lord, too. We need to continue to be willing and obedient in doing what our Lord requires of us in thought, word and deed and in following him wherever he leads us, instead of going our own way and us just giving him our leftovers. He doesn’t want our sacrifices, i.e. of our own choosing. He wants US as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to him, set apart from the world of sin, and set apart to him and to his service (See Ro. 12:1-2). With this he is pleased.
Afterward
I will turn my hand against you;
I will thoroughly purge away your dross
and remove all your impurities.
I will restore your leaders as in days of old,
your rulers as at the beginning.
Afterward you will be called
the City of Righteousness,
the Faithful City.”
Zion will be delivered with justice,
her penitent ones with righteousness.
But rebels and sinners will both be broken,
and those who forsake the Lord will perish. ~ Is. 1:25-28
I will thoroughly purge away your dross
and remove all your impurities.
I will restore your leaders as in days of old,
your rulers as at the beginning.
Afterward you will be called
the City of Righteousness,
the Faithful City.”
Zion will be delivered with justice,
her penitent ones with righteousness.
But rebels and sinners will both be broken,
and those who forsake the Lord will perish. ~ Is. 1:25-28
We read both in the prophets of old and in the New Testament that God will judge his adulterous church in the last days before the return of Christ. I believe that time is not far away from the church here in America. So much of today’s church has adopted the ways of humans over the ways of God; the teachings of mankind over the teachings of Christ; the sinful practices of the world over the holiness of God. It is hardly distinguishable between the church and the world anymore. We are supposed to come out from the world of sin and be different, not become one with the world, and not adopt the world’s philosophies, culture, values and practices. We are supposed to be lights for the gospel to the world around us, not enter into their darkness with them in order to “reach” them.
So, a time is coming when God will purge his church of her impurities, and afterward she will be called the Faithful City of God. Those who are repentant will be delivered from their sinful rebellion against God, will be restored and renewed in the Spirit of God, and the church will be revived! Hallelujah! Those who persist in rebellion against God will be broken, and those who forsake the Lord will perish, the word says. So, if you have been playing church, willfully sinning against God, just going through the motions of a relationship with Jesus Christ, but you have not surrendered your all to him, I pray you will do so today.
He Reached Down / An Original Work / February 3, 2014
Based off Psalm 18
How I love You, Lord,
My Rock and my strength.
My God is my fortress;
I hide in Him.
He is my shield and the horn of
My salvation, whom I praise.
I have found my refuge in Him.
He reached down from heaven
And rescued me;
Drew me out of waters
So deep, I’d sink.
He delivered me from Satan
And my slavery to sin;
Gave me hope of heaven with Him.
My God turned my darkness
Into His light;
Opened up my blinded eyes;
Gave me sight.
As for God, his way is perfect.
He gives strength to stand secure.
I have found my vict’ry in Him.
My Lord lives!
Praise be to my Savior God,
Jesus Christ, who died
On a cruel cross.
He is my Rock and the source
Of my salvation, whom I trust.
I will give praise always to Him.
http://originalworks.info/he-reached-down/