April 23, 2008

• Pay Attention to Scripture!

  I was reading in the book of Isaiah a little bit today and came across a passage that hit me with some things that I needed to pay attention to.  Whenever a word or a phrase is repeated in the Scriptures, it means that there is something that we need to pay attention to and grow from.  It just seems that I should share it with the Xanga community so that you can benefit from it just like it benefitted me.

  "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD!  Awake as in the ancient days, in the generations of old.  Are You not the arm that cut Rahab apart, and wounded the serpent?  Are You not the One who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; that made the depths of the sea a road for the redeemed to cross over?  So the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads.  They shall obtain joy and gladness; sorrow and sighing shall flee away." (Isaiah 51:9-11 NKJV)

  "Awake, awake!  Stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of His fury; you have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling, and drained it out.  There is no one to guide her among all the sons she has brought forth; nor is there any who takes her by the hand among all the sons she has brought up.  These two things have come to you; who will be sorry for you?--desolation and destruction, famine and sword-- by whom I will comfort you?  Your sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, like an antelope in a net; they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of your God." (Isaiah 51:17-20 NKJV)

  "Awake, awake!  Put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city!  For the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come to you.  Shake yourself from the dust, arise; sit down, O Jerusalem!  Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck; O captive daughter of Zion!  For thus says the LORD:  'You have sold yourselves for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money.'" (Isaiah 52:1-3 NKJV)

  "Depart, depart!  Go out from there, touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her, be clean, you who bear the vessels of the LORD.  For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight; for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard." (Isaiah 52:11, 12 NKJV)

  The biggest thing about these passages is the contrast between the times that God is with the children of Israel and the times that Israel has rebelled against God.  The times that Israel has rebelled and disobeyed God are the times where they are suffering under the wrath of God.  In the second passage, it says that the Israelites have drunk the cup of trembling that is filled with the fury and wrath of God.  They are fully drunk with the wrath and judgement of God.  A place where nobody wants to be with God; it is terribly frightening and is a time where everybody should take stock in what we have done to offend God and seek His forgiveness and grace to pour out on us.  The times that God is with the Israelites are filled with grace and protection from harm.  It says in the other three passages that God is there for the Israelites.  The first passage talks about how God was with them in the crossing of the Red Sea in the past and in the future God is there to protect and to bring them into Zion with joy and gladness.  The third passage talks about how Israel has sold themselves into bondage for nothing and God will redeem them back to Himself for no money .  Finally, the fourth passage talks about how God will be surrounding the Israelites with special protection; I see the tremendous grace of God flowing from His throne to the hearts and lives of His people Israel.

  What an amazing truth to realize in our hearts!  If Israel is protected by God when they walk with Him and judged when they don't, how true is it for our lives here in America in 2008?  The applications of these passages should be directly applied to Israel; but indirectly applied to us because it is written for our life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).  When we sin, it brings separation in our relationship with God.  We won't experience spiritual death as a punishment for our sin; but if we don't repent of sin we will suffer consequences that will be severe.  It may be loss of health or job; it could be any number of things including physical death.  I do believe that there is sin that leads to physical death when it is left unrepented.  When we do reject and repent of all sin in our lives, it brings healing and protection by our holy God.  God is always with us and continually pours His grace on His children.  When we feel like God isn't with us, maybe we should think that we have turned our backs against God.  All we need to do is to turn around and run into the arms of our Beloved Savior.  Let us do that today; if you have sinned and offended God please turn around and run into His arms.  He will accept you and grace you with all kinds of spiritual blessings.  Rejoice in the God we serve; He is both a Just and Gracious God!  Worship Him with reverence!

  • 10:27 am
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