The Vision of Heaven and of God

Thank you, Lord, for my husband.

Thank you for the many blessings You have given me.

Thank you for good friends.

Read Isaiah 6

God, sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, His train filling the temple.

vs. 3 "...Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory."

A Holy God.

A people who were given everything and every opportunity to produce good fruit. They took those good things and became proud and twisted God's laws for their own use.

vs. 24b "...because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel." 

God does not tolerate forever sin. There are consequences. There is judgment.

They rejected God and His laws.

They mocked and were filled with unbelief.

"Woe unto them...that say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: draw nigh and come that we may know it! Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;..." Isaiah 5:18-20

This is a hard thing.

What is the motivation?

"...them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity,..." Isaiah 5:18

PRIDE.

Rejecting God's Word.

Wanting to justify their deeds by calling evil good and good evil (Oh Lord, even I have done this?).

Seeking God only in pretense, only under their conditions--not God's.

"Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!" Isaiah 5:21

A whole list of wrong thinking and wrong motives contrasted with God's holiness and righteousness and sovereignty. God, the Creator of all--thus the owner of all--has every right to judge and wield out punishment and destroy. He has every right to send one nation against another, to withdraw His mercy.

"...lest they see with their

EYES,

and hear with their

EARS,

and understand with their 

HEART,

and convert and be healed." 6:10

Isaiah 6:13, a remnant kept for the holy seed--Christ. 

Oh LORD, please, I do not want to hear and not understand, see and not perceive. I want to be counted among the faithful. Forgive me for my pride. Forgive me for seeking You at times only for my profit, not for Your Glory. 

Thank you for Your holiness.

Thank you for Your Word.

Thank you for showing and telling of the consequences of our sin, and for Your grace and mercy and salvation.

Stepping Out and Trusting God

 

"By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." Hebrews 11:17-19
 

Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness.

Thank you for always being there when I have fallen, but never utterly casting me down.

Thank you for being more than trustworthy.

Read Hebrews 11

Faith is:

• stepping out and trusting God will lead.
• not being afraid to do what seems contrary to the steps of 'success' in order to obey God.
• trusting in God's provision.
• not fearing failure, because you know God always has a plan, and His will be done.
• Obeying God, even when there seems to be no sense in it, because you believe in God's perfect will and that He will fulfill it despite your failures or mistakes or what appears to be your failures or mistakes.

"By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible." Hebrews 11:23-27

We need to live beyond this earthly life. Our focus needs to be beyond 'the now' and the pain and suffering we might experience, and keep our eyes on the future hope, even if we do not see the results of our faith in this earthly life. 

One of the most common questions Christians have when they graduate from high school or college, or are about to graduate, is 'what is God's will for my life?' okay...Christians who desire to follow Christ ask this as well.

We hear stories about people being called to do this or that, may even have friends that say this, or have said this ourselves at some time. There is one thing we are created to do: Glorify God. There are three things every Christian is called to do:

1. Believe
2. Love
3. Abide

When faced with a decision, these things must be a part of the decision-making process, with the ultimate question: How will God be glorified? 

To be a Christ-follower is more than the things we do; it is the heart of who we are. It isn't a bunch of rules or 'do's and don'ts'. Being a Christ-follower begins with faith, follows with love, and results in more closely abiding in Christ.

Do what is right. Do what is before you to the best of your ability. Do by grace, with humility, and in love.

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Galatians 5:13-14

Lord, thank you for keeping things simple (and forgive me for complicating them).
Lord, thank you for the many blessings You have given me.
Thank you for the opportunities to believe, love, and abide.

God's Desire

 

hank you, Lord, for keeping us safe. 
Thank you, for my children and my husband. 
Thank you, for the grass growing and the calves gaining weight. 

Read Isaiah 1-5 

Isaiah 1 gives us some attributes of God. Take time to ponder each one of these; how they affect your perspective of God; how they might change how you interact with him: 

• God is a jealous god. 
• God desires a relationship with us. 
• God desires truth. 
• God is forgiving. 
• God is vengeful. 
• God is righteous. 

Isaiah 2 tells us what God desires and more about Him: 

• God will be exalted. 
• God desires to teach us. 
• God judges. 
• God wants peace. 
• God wants us to walk in His path, His light. 
• God is superior. 
• God can do whatever He wants. 
• God is to be feared, glorified, and exalted. 
• God's will, will be done. 

Isaiah 3 teaches us that God has the power to give and take away, and that He hates pride. It also teaches us God has both compassion and justice. Even when we sin--even deep in our sin--God pleads with us, doing all He can to draw us to Him short of making us a robot. 

Oh LORD, please have mercy on me. Draw me to You. Help me make right judgments. Help me to love perfectly, as You do.

Isaiah 4: 

• God desires to protect. 
• He desires to bless. 
• He desires to provide a place of refuge. 

Isaiah 5: 

• God desires judgment. 
• God desires righteousness. 
• God gives us everything we need to succeed (v. 2 --building and caring for His vineyard). 

Oh LORD, please help me not be weak or slow to do all that You desire of me. Please help me to use judgment and live in righteousness. LORD, help me to better handle people's comments and 'advice' giving. 
 
Thank you for Your compassion. 
Thank you for Your desire for us to succeed. 
Thank you for caring for me.