This morning's reading found me in Isaiah 55, and just two verses in I had to pause. God, through this prophet, says:
“Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And delight yourself in abundance."
Then He goes on again to tell the reader to listen to Him, to seek Him.
The point I see God making is this: we spend lots on stuff that will never satisfy, that has no meaning or impact beyond instantaneous gratification. And by "spend", God does not mean just money. Let's think about the time, energy, and resources we put into our interests, and then compare that to the time, energy, and resources we put into listening to God, inclining our ear to Him, as Isaiah puts it in verse 3.
Christians more and more look to the pacification that this world has to offer, and systematically ignore the true satisfaction that is found in a close walk with the Lord.
God says to "eat" what is good; we are to seek our abundance in Him. In Mark 10:18 and Luke 18:19, Jesus mentions that only God is good. I take it that God means that true abundance, true delight, true satisfaction is found in the good stuff. They are found in God, and nowhere else.
Let's find someone to tell today.
Holding fast to the Name of our Creator
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
Sources of Advice
I often joke that if I ever have to come up with a devotional or brief ministry message on short notice, my "go-to" is Hezekiah. Given 15 extra years to live, and he pretty much wastes it, or at least he lives it for himself and not for the Lord. Easy passage in Isaiah from which to draw a teaching lesson.
But prior to that, King Hezekiah is faced with a real dilemma. I was in Isaiah 36 this morning. Assyria has been on the march throughout Israel and Judah, and now has it's mark set on Jerusalem. There is seemingly no escape from the juggernaut of King Sennacherib. Hezekiah was a Godly king, for the most part, he heard from the prophets, namely Isaiah, and he had gotten rid of most of the idolatrous worship in his land, certainly pleasing to the Lord. But now he faced a dire situation. He could not fight Assyria and hope to win. His army just did not have the resources. He needed help, and he was smart enough to know it.
Problem is, he forgot where to turn for that help. The King James Version basically says, 'Where have you put your confidence?" Sennacherib even chides him sarcastically for looking to Egypt for help. What is ironically funny is that earlier, Isaiah scolds Hezekiah for just the same thing, and he does so speaking directly for the Lord. The rest of this account is fascinating, as Hezekiah does finally petition the Lord earnestly and sincerely, and God takes care of the 185,000 Assyrian soldiers overnight, sending their king back home defeated, to be killed by his sons.
So where do we seek advice? Is Isaiah were to visit us, and get to know us, would he approve of our sources of strength and security? I can only speak for me, and I know Isaiah would have some stern reprimands if we were to chat.
What do you say we let God be as mighty as He really is? He'll never disappoint!
Holding fast to the Name of our Creator
But prior to that, King Hezekiah is faced with a real dilemma. I was in Isaiah 36 this morning. Assyria has been on the march throughout Israel and Judah, and now has it's mark set on Jerusalem. There is seemingly no escape from the juggernaut of King Sennacherib. Hezekiah was a Godly king, for the most part, he heard from the prophets, namely Isaiah, and he had gotten rid of most of the idolatrous worship in his land, certainly pleasing to the Lord. But now he faced a dire situation. He could not fight Assyria and hope to win. His army just did not have the resources. He needed help, and he was smart enough to know it.
Problem is, he forgot where to turn for that help. The King James Version basically says, 'Where have you put your confidence?" Sennacherib even chides him sarcastically for looking to Egypt for help. What is ironically funny is that earlier, Isaiah scolds Hezekiah for just the same thing, and he does so speaking directly for the Lord. The rest of this account is fascinating, as Hezekiah does finally petition the Lord earnestly and sincerely, and God takes care of the 185,000 Assyrian soldiers overnight, sending their king back home defeated, to be killed by his sons.
So where do we seek advice? Is Isaiah were to visit us, and get to know us, would he approve of our sources of strength and security? I can only speak for me, and I know Isaiah would have some stern reprimands if we were to chat.
What do you say we let God be as mighty as He really is? He'll never disappoint!
Holding fast to the Name of our Creator
Monday, June 3, 2013
I'll Pray for You
A seemingly innocuous statement, with good intention, "I'll pray for you." It sort of dawned on me last night just how awesome and powerful this can be in the lives of believers.
The writer of Hebrews 4:16 invites us to boldly approach the throne of grace, God's throne, to petition Him directly. We see this as a tremendous privilege, to be able to go to Him one-on-one with our needs, cares, and concerns. Hopefully we remember to bring our praise, thanksgiving, and worshipful respect as well. Yet I believe we may sometimes give much of this prayer privilege a bit of lip service, not fully aware of what we are saying we will do, or what we are even asking people to do when we ask them to pray for us.
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth," a basic theological truth from Genesis 1:1, and this creation theme is one that carries through Scripture. The prophets remind Israel of God being Creator many times, the Psalms echo the truth as well. Jesus is named that same Creator in Colossians, as well as in John's gospel. It is is an Almighty God who can create from nothing. I was reminded of this last evening, watching a beautiful sunset, beholding the beauty of God's creation, even fallen as it is now.
And there have been many instances lately where I have told people I will pray for them, and where people have reciprocated the sentiment. So without hyperbole, and without being dramatic, I have literally told someone that I will personally and spiritually approach God's throne, and ask Him to personally intervene on someone's behalf, whether that someone is me or another. Further, I have asked someone else to do the same, to boldly approach the throne of the Creator of the universe, and ask Him to help me out, to care for a need I have.
My challenge to me, and hopefully to you as well, is to be aware of what God expects of us, if we desire to be so bold as to pray to Him. A believer in His Son as Savior is the start, followed by the ongoing desire and demonstration of living for Him. When you ask me to pray, you ask a great deal, rightly so. And when I ask a believer to do the same, I expect much of him or her. It's the way God wants it. And when we are at the end of our human abilities, God reminds us that there He sits, waiting for us to come to Him, no matter the situation we face.
Let't go to the Creator often, boldly, on His terms, and ask Him to be so very active in our lives. Psalm 91:1 says "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty."
What a great place to be.
Pray for me, will you? I'll do the same for you. What a powerful tool we have at the ready.
Holding fast to the Name of our Creator
The writer of Hebrews 4:16 invites us to boldly approach the throne of grace, God's throne, to petition Him directly. We see this as a tremendous privilege, to be able to go to Him one-on-one with our needs, cares, and concerns. Hopefully we remember to bring our praise, thanksgiving, and worshipful respect as well. Yet I believe we may sometimes give much of this prayer privilege a bit of lip service, not fully aware of what we are saying we will do, or what we are even asking people to do when we ask them to pray for us.
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth," a basic theological truth from Genesis 1:1, and this creation theme is one that carries through Scripture. The prophets remind Israel of God being Creator many times, the Psalms echo the truth as well. Jesus is named that same Creator in Colossians, as well as in John's gospel. It is is an Almighty God who can create from nothing. I was reminded of this last evening, watching a beautiful sunset, beholding the beauty of God's creation, even fallen as it is now.
And there have been many instances lately where I have told people I will pray for them, and where people have reciprocated the sentiment. So without hyperbole, and without being dramatic, I have literally told someone that I will personally and spiritually approach God's throne, and ask Him to personally intervene on someone's behalf, whether that someone is me or another. Further, I have asked someone else to do the same, to boldly approach the throne of the Creator of the universe, and ask Him to help me out, to care for a need I have.
My challenge to me, and hopefully to you as well, is to be aware of what God expects of us, if we desire to be so bold as to pray to Him. A believer in His Son as Savior is the start, followed by the ongoing desire and demonstration of living for Him. When you ask me to pray, you ask a great deal, rightly so. And when I ask a believer to do the same, I expect much of him or her. It's the way God wants it. And when we are at the end of our human abilities, God reminds us that there He sits, waiting for us to come to Him, no matter the situation we face.
Let't go to the Creator often, boldly, on His terms, and ask Him to be so very active in our lives. Psalm 91:1 says "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty."
What a great place to be.
Pray for me, will you? I'll do the same for you. What a powerful tool we have at the ready.
Holding fast to the Name of our Creator
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