The Drunkards of Ephraim!

Reading:  Isaiah 28
My Verse:  "Ah, the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim,
                      and the fading flower of its glorious beauty,
                      which is on the head of the rich valley of those overcome 
                         with wine!

                    Behold, the LORD has one who is mighty and strong;
                       like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest,
                       like a storm of mighty, overflowing waters,
                       he casts down to the earth with his hand.

                    The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim
                       will be trodden underfoot;
                       and the fading flower of its glorious beauty,
                       . . . he swallows . . . (Isaiah 28:1-4)

What a reminder this is of the almighty power and sovereignty of You, LORD God.  Your discipline is sure and complete.  You do not turn Your eye from any sin, we are all accountable to You.  You are holy and mighty to save us from the bondage of sin even the proud and stubborn "drunkards of Ephraim."

 All of Your Word, LORD God speaks to this.  To this fact of Your holiness.  To this fact of our sin.  To this fact of the need for cleansing and purging.  For You, LORD God will not abide forever the sinfulness of man.

Yes, You are patient. (2 Peter 3:9)  But as is said in Ecclesiastes 3 there is a time for all things, and there will come that time when we need to account for ourselves;   if we do not confess and beg Your forgiveness, LORD God, for our waywardness there can be only one result.  You cannot abide sin and so all who reject You have to be punished and go to that awful place created not for man but for satan and his angels.  Those most awful words will then be spoken to those who continue to reject You.

"Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41).

Just read this wonderful testimony (How God turns a French atheist into a Christian theologian - My conversion story) of a French atheist.  It is incredibly beautiful to see how You, LORD God bring people to you!  Even those most unexpected!

If we seek You - if we seek Truth, we will find it.  You will respond to all who call on You.

"I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears" (Psalm 34:4).

"The righteous cry, and the LORD hears, and delivers them from all their troubles" (Psalm 34:17).

"When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him" (Psalm 91:15.

"The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on Him in truth" (Psalm 145:18).

I love this next verse, it seems to indicate that You, LORD God read our very thoughts and start answering us even before we finish the asking!

"Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24).

We do not need to be as the "drunkards of Ephraims" hanging onto our pride and past to the very end and dying without repentance and Your forgiveness and cleansing.  Thank You for this LORD God!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Witless People

Reading:  Isaiah 27
My Verse:  "For this is a people without discernment;
                        therefore He who made them will not have compassion on them;
                        He who formed them will show them no favor" (Isaiah 27:11).

A reference note in the Amplified Bible said the dead sea scrolls used the term "witless people."  How incredibly sad this must make You, LORD God.  You created us to be these amazing beings.  And yet we have turned our backs on You and turned this beautiful world into a place of chaos, pain and confusion.  We live without understanding.

I heard a pastor speaking over a graveyard service.  He stated that the deceased was now in heaven, that place where we will all end up.  I remember hearing a mother speaking with such relief after her baby had been baptized, stating that now her child was "safe" and would go to heaven.  I remember at that time wondering where did she get that from?  What is the basis of this idea - this idea that everyone will go to heaven?

Your Word, the Bible LORD God is truth.

"The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever" (Psalm 119:160)

"The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times" (Psalm 12:6).

"For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).

In this Word, Your truth LORD God, You tell us there is only one way to heaven.

"I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me" (John 14:6).

It is only through Jesus that we can enter heaven.  Jesus made it possible. (John 3:16)  This is truth.

Francis Schaffer says "Today not only in philosophy but in politics, government, and individual morality, our generation sees solutions in terms of synthesis and not absolutes.  When this happens, truth, as people have always thought of truth, has died."

What a tragedy!  This is what You, Jesus say to those who try to "work" their way into heaven, those who deny You as the only Savior.

"Many will say to Me on that day, LORD, LORD, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?  And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'"  (MATTHEW 7:22-23)

Your Word, LORD God, is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean and true.
Your Word, LORD God, revives the soul, makes wise the simple, rejoices the heart, enlightens the eyes, endures forever.
Your Word, LORD God, is to be desired more than gold.
Your Word, LORD God, is sweeter than honey. (Psalm 19)

It is through Your Word that you speak to me, to all who will take it up and read it.  Your Word is alive and sharper than any double-edged sword! (Hebrews 4:12)

We do not have to be "witless."  We do not have to be without understanding.  We do not have to be "without discernment."

Thank you, LORD God. for this lesson, this reminder to look to You for truth and understanding.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Kept In Perfect Peace

Reading:  Isaiah 25,26
My Verse:  "You keep him in perfect peace 
                       whose mind is stayed on You,
                       because he trusts in You" (Isaiah 26:3).

Peace is that something we all strive for,  yet it always seems to be just out of our grasp.  Our world is not at peace.  Our country has much turmoil within.  Families are constantly in stress and breaking up.  The high rate of crime and suicide speaks to lack of inner peace for too many.  Yet here we are told that we can have this peace - "perfect peace."

The dictionary says "peace" is;
          freedom from warring with another nation,
          freedom from disharmony with another people group or culture,
          freedom from violence or disharmony within one's community,
          freedom from any kind of strife or dissension and finally,
          freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, and obsession.

Many self help books are out there to tell us how to be happy, at peace.  Many psychiatrists, counseling therapists try to lead us to a peaceful state of mind.  Many religions offer peace.  There are even drugs made for this very purpose - a calmer, peaceful state of mind.  But there is no true peace in any of this, in anything the world has to offer.

Because we so desperately want peace, often we are easily lead astray in our striving of it.  Jeremiah. some 2600 years ago condemned those who offer peace as a bandaid when there really is not peace.

"They heal the wounds of my people lightly,
     saying, 'Peace, peace'
     when there is no peace" (Jeremiah 6:14).

You, LORD God tell us to seek peace.

"If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all" (Romans 12:18)
"Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it" (1 Peter 3:11).
"Strive for peace with everyone . . ."(Hebrews 12:14).

But how do we get this perfect peace?  You say in this verse You keep those in peace
     "whose mind is stayed on You"  
     "because he trusts in You."

You say.  "For to set the mind on the flesh is death, 
                 but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace" (Romans 8:6).

You say:  "Great peace have those who love Your law . . ." (Psalm 119:165).

Oh, LORD God, to know that inner peace is possible is heartening, but how to get there is another thing.  You want us to give ourselves up totally to You. (Deuteronomy 6:5)  (Luke 10:27)

I need to to keep my mind on You.  You are to be ever before me in all that I do.  Please guide me in this today.  Help me to be devoted to You - allowing You to guide me in all my decisions, open up my understanding to Your Word, guard over my attitude and speech.

Your word is truth and if You say "perfect peace" is possible then it is.  This is hope.

"There is divinity that shapes our ends."  (Macbeth by Shakespeare as quoted by Oswald Chambers)

Thank You, for this lesson.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!