Isaiah 39 - Compromise For Temporary Peace?

Shall we compromise for temporary peace? Hezekiah does in today's reading. He has revealed all that he has to the enemy bearing gifts and in the end they will most likely pay dearly for this.

I do believe that Merodach Baladan has not acted with integrity and Hezekiah has fallen for it  with hopes they can be friends at peace with one another. How often do our governments play this same game so that they can say "Peace, peace, when there is no peace."? How about our churches? How about us? Have we been playing games, compromising, what we believe, who and whose we are for the sake of a friend or ally?

I'm thinking maybe we have. Where else would our children have learned it? Who could have taught them to use one another and to be used (bullied) by others for the sake of a feigned friendship and no.entry peace?

Truth is: it feels good to be liked or to be popular. But, it is good to be able to live as a child of God, according to His will. Compromising His will may give you a sense of momentary peace, but the only real peace comes from being Hid friend, living in His presence.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. In the woods, blogging from a SMART phone so please forgive errors and typos.

Isaiah 38 - Hezekiah Humbles Himself And Is Restored

The sun went back ten steps as a testimony to Hezekiah from God that he would recover and live for fifteen more years.  Hezekiah was at the point of death. Yet, he recovered at the hand of the LORD by means of a poultice of figs as was directed by Isaiah.

As Hezekiah faced his death, he humbled himself before the LORD and was healed. After he was healed, he gave thanks to the LORD for through the illness he has learned to walk humbly before God all the days of his life.

Good sometimes comes out of bad things or things that we sometimes perceive as bad. God can and does turn bad thing into good for those who love Him.

That is really what all this journeying in the Kingdom of God is all about - walking with God - in His Kingdom - even as we pray on earth as is in heaven. It is about our relationship with God and a good start is to know that He is God - a God that loves us and wants us in relationship with Him. It is about relationship with one another and that relationship works best when we are first in relationship with God. He is with you always and hears your prayers and answers according to His will.

A little side tracked this morning - it is only 4 a.m.. I don't want you to miss out on that little scientific miracle in today's chapter either: the sun going back ten steps....  How did that happen? Simple explanation: God is God, creator of the sun and moon and all that is.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 37 - The Kingdom Thrives

Hezekiah finally figures out that he needs to turn to the LORD. He humbles himself and prays for help. The LORD answers. He will deliver Israel from the hands of Sennacherib and within three years their land will once again be fruitful. 

The LORD blesses the people. He blesses the land. The promise of the LORD through the prophet Isaiah is this:

"“This will be the sign for you, Hezekiah:

“This year you will eat what grows by itself,
and the second year what springs from that.
But in the third year sow and reap,
plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
Once more a remnant of the kingdom of Judah
will take root below and bear fruit above.
For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant,
and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this."  (Isa 37:30-32 NIV)

 

Have you ever had to learn the same lessons twice or thrice or even more times? Over and over again, God's people turn to other gods; things start going really bad and a portion will have enough sense to humble themselves and repent. They are blessed. And, then... they start worshipping themselves or the work of their hands, again. Since, they are doing so well they leave off from trusting in God for all things, above all things. And, once again they are brought to their knees in humility and repentance.

 

It is awful that we should desert our God who loves us so quickly. But, He does not desert us. Over and over again, He provides a way back on the Way for each and all of us. 

 

I think of it this way: Adam walked with God in the garden. How awesome is that! But, Adam chose another way. He chose to do what God asked him not to do. He lost the opportunity and privilege of walking with God. We often do what we ought not. But, through Jesus Christ, we are delivered from sin. All of humankind is invited to walk with with God, to talk with (not just to, but with) God. That is the greatest blessing of all. In fact, it is the good news. You are invited to live in His presence, to walk in His way, in His Kingdom for all eternity (beginning even now). We have been reconciled to God and with one another, in His Kingdom, through Jesus Christ, our LORD. 

 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Isaiah 36 - Let The People Hear The Truth

Again, Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem are warned that because they falsely trust Egypt to save them, they will be overthrown by Assyria. The commander of Assyria provides this warning and threat. He reminds them that it is their own God, who is turning them over to them because of their infidelity. The commander tells them, boldly and in front of all the people, "Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the Lord? The Lord himself told me to march against this country and destroy it." (Isa 35:10 NIV)

Now the leaders of Israel would really prefer that this commander were speaking in another language, in Aramaic rather than Hebrew, so that the ordinary people would not hear and understand the dire straights that they were in. But, the commander refuses. The people are going to hear. If they are going to suffer the same judgment as their leaders than they really should have a heads up on what is going on and what is coming!

That goes not only for that day, but for ours as well. I believe that we have a right to know what our government is planning. I believe we have a need to know about potential threats and what our government plans to do about it. Listening to the news, as I cleaned house last night, I could not help but think that we have a few too many government agencies who are doing top secret things that maybe we (the people) should know more about before they even begin these activities. Top Secret is beginning to sound more akin to doing something that the people may not approve of or maybe God does not approve of, so lets keep it a secret so the ordinary people don't know what trouble we are leading them into.

As most of you know, the media can drive me nuts at times. They seem to do a lot of surmising without a lot of facts. However, it is beginning to be revealed that this surmising sometimes brings out truth that would otherwise be hidden from the ordinary people, the average voter. It reminds me of the commander of the Assyrian Army speaking to the leaders of Israel in full hearing of the people on the wall and telling them that the people need to know so that they can understand the consequences of the leaders' decisions. Some of the decisions being made today appear to have some possible far reaching possibilities for negating the constitutional freedoms and rights of the people. There may be many consequences for us all that we have not even begun to imagine by trusting in a government before trusting in God.

This morning, as detestable as some of the things I hear on the news is (and some of it sadly is mere gossip), I am thanking God that there are whistle-blowers out there who report on not so constitutional activities of the government and a media that is not afraid to report it.

May we all be so truthful so that we can all be prepared for whatever may befall us in our tomorrows.

God's Peace - Pr. J

BTW - did you notice how in the face of internal problems with our own government, we don't hear so much about North Korea? Why is that, I wonder?

Sorry if I offend anyone this morning. As a reminder, this blog, is to remind you to read the chapter for the day and I will comment as it stirs up thoughts in my own heart and mind. These are my thoughts this morning....

2 Chronicles 32 - Water of Life

Hezekiah's strategy includes cutting of the Assyrians from an element that is essential to life:  water.  Lots to be said regarding today's chapter, but thought, instead, to share some scripture regarding the water of life that Jesus gives to us.

"...but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  John 4:14 NIV

"He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life."  Rev 21:6

"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb." Rev 22:1

"The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life."  Rev 22:17

Water is essential to life and Jesus offers to you the water that will refresh you for all eternity.  Drink of this spring of living water, that you might live life refreshed in the knowledge and presence of God for all eternity (beginning even today!)...

A note on Hezekiah...  He was faithful, yet, even his ego got a grip on him for a time.  What did he do when this happened?  He repented and God forgave him.  He rested with the descendents of David who followed in the ways of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 31 - Good and Right and Faithful Steward

"This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered." (31:20-21 NIV) 

This chapter is a wonderful example of good stewardship - stewardship in many areas.  I probably think about stewardship - taking care of all that God has given us (including: His grace, forgiveness, eternal life) - at least once a day.  Lately, I've been trying to figure out what we should do for our annual stewardship program or lack of it.  I hate programs, but we do focus on stewardship during October.  I've been trying to talk one of the most faithful men that I know into doing a table talk on stewardship.  I'm not sure if he will.  I am sure he is reading this and the chapter for today; though, because he is also faithful in the stewardship of God's word.  He is faithful in many things.  (Matt 25)

I often hear people complain about how little they have.  They don't have enough money to help others.  They don't have enough time to worship.  They don't have.  The reality, I often see, is that they often have a great deal.  The harder reality is that they just manage things poorly.  They are very poor stewards of God's gifts to them.  God is the last person they take the time to think about or thank when it comes time to using up the gifts of God and consequently they lose a lot - they throw it away - instead of investing or reinvesting for the glory of God.  

Remembering that all that we have actually belongs to God and that we are simply caretakers of it helps me to keep things in perspective. 

May God help us to do what is good and right and faithful before Him.

2 Chronicles 30 - You Have Been Pardoned

“May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” (30:18-19 NIV)

The people had been lax for some time in observing the rules of the sanctuary.  They had not worshipped God as they should have, so Hezekiah prays that God would have mercy and pardon everyone who set their on seeking the LORD.  As the people worshipped God, celebrating the feast of the unleavened bread at the temple, they rejoiced.  They celebrated!  So much joy filled their hearts as they celebrated at the temple, that it could be compared to nothing since the time of David.

By the blood of Jesus Christ, you have been forgiven your sins.  Even though we have been lax in following in His way, we have been pardoned.  Rejoice!  Receive the joy that comes from being in communion with the LORD, our God.  Receive the peace that comes from worshipping the one true God.

P.S.  Sorry so late today.  Still on vacation and spent the night at the hunting camp with bats flying around...  So, didn't fall asleep easily and slept later than normal.  No wi-fi at the camp.  God's Peace - Pr. Judy

2 Chronicles 29 - Consecrated Temple

Hmmm.... I'm wondering what it would take to consecrate the temple...

In fact, we can't.  The temple of God, which is the Body of Christ has already been consecrated.  It was consecrated with the very blood of Christ.  What is more, all who believe, that is the members of the Body of Christ, have been consecrated, as well.  We are the temple of God and we have been consecrated, we have been made holy, by the blood of Christ and are now able to come into His presence to worship and serve Him.

As Hezekiah, was faithful, to the LORD, may we, with the help of God Himself, be faithful to Him, as well.