Good Repaid for Evil by Grace

Jer 18:19-20   
19 Give heed to me, O Lord, And listen to the voice of those who contend with me! 20 Shall evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my life. Remember that I stood before You To speak good for them, To turn away Your wrath from them.

When others speak evil of me after I speak truth to them in love for their good and with compassion (not condemning), then I need to hand them over to God.  Unlike Jeremiah the prophet who prayed for God's harsh judgment on those against him, I must follow Jesus and the examples of the apostles to pray for them that God would give them a chance, and not simply smite them.  Nonetheless, it is God who judges and deals with those who oppose Him in His way.  I must forgive, beware, and follow my Lord and my God. 

In the Potter's Sovereign Hand

Jer 18:4-6, 12, 15  
4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.  6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!   12 And they said, “That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart.”   15 “Because My people have forgotten Me, They have burned incense to worthless idols. And they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, From the ancient paths, To walk in pathways and not on a highway,

God can do with us as He pleases, even remaking us when we mar His image in us.  Yet He first waits for us to choose His paths that were given from the beginning so that we stop giving up to our own evil heart desires.  Then he remakes us, from salvation in a new life to daily turning back when we stray afterwards.  It is never hopeless in the Potter's hands. 

Repaid by God's Work in Place of Ours

Jer 17:10.   I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.

1Co 3:11-15.   11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Sanctification results as God works through our obedience.  He tests us so we rely on Him and, in so pleasing, become more as Jesus, conformed to His image.  Our ways in obedience do not earn salvation nor earn grace - but God still wants our hearts in it.  We still reap what we sow, and what is not honoring to Him will burn up in the end.  What glorifies God will bring reward, pleasing as a good and faithful servant toward eternity. 

Mere Edges of His Ways!

Job 26:14
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”

Jer. 17:5-9   9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?  5 Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord.  7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord.

God knows what we think and feel - who we really are.  We deceive ourselves in our understanding, and must rely on God alone, not trusting our own feelings or reason.  His ways are so infinite that we only catch a glimpse of them, and His power to work in our hearts and the world go far beyond what we can grasp.  This should lead to awe, wonder, and worship from within. 

Words Found and Taken to Heart

Jer 15:16-17  
16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts. 17 I did not sit in the assembly of the mockers, Nor did I rejoice; 

Psa 1:1-2.  1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.

Good company aligns with those following God's word, not those who mock Him or live against how He tells us to do.  So our hunger for His word must consume us to joy for the calling out and so work out our salvation in fearful trembling.  His word must roll through both tongue and mind all through the day. 

Prophets of Idols

Jer 14:15, 22 
15 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, “Sword and famine shall not be in this land’—‘By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed!  22 Are there any among the idols of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are You not He, O Lord our God? Therefore we will wait for You, Since You have made all these.

Many listen to popular speakers and teachers who lead people to what they like to hear instead of the truth.  Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and others make many false prophecies that do not come true.  But those who God calls out and gives new life to know the idols such as the black meteorite in Mecca or supposed tablets from God in New York State cannot cause it even to rain, let alone change a life from the inside and then live within them.  Only the one God shown in Jesus Christ can. 

Humbly Hear and Give God Glory

Jer 13:15-17, 25  
15 Hear and give ear: Do not be proud, For the Lord has spoken. 16 Give glory to the Lord your God Before He causes darkness, And before your feet stumble On the dark mountains, And while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death And makes it dense darkness. 17 But if you will not hear it, My soul will weep in secret for your pride; My eyes will weep bitterly And run down with tears, Because the Lord's flock has been taken captive.  25 This is your lot, The portion of your measures from Me,” says the Lord, “Because you have forgotten Me And trusted in falsehood.

Much as the Jews trusted in lies told to themselves when they had God's word given to them as His chosen people, so His people now must avoid pride in their own or poplar teachers arrogance that ignores His clear word.  By allowing the lies that deny our Lord and the absolute inerrancy of His word, we open the church's doors to stumbling in the dark as we venture further from the light.  Jesus is God and man, there is one God, not many, and we are called to depart from evil if we are known by Him.  God weeps for those astray. 

Freedom's Dependence Day

FREEDOM:  Ezk 18:30-32.  
30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”

Freedom from the tyranny of sin and its just consequence of punishment can only find independence on the day the red coat of sin is washed whiter than snow by the blood of Jesus Christ.  Turning from your sin to Him who died in your place brings a new life - a new spirit and new heart.  God does not want to see you die in your sin; He takes no pleasure in that.  He wants so much for our independence from sin, death, and Hell that He gave up His life in exchange for life for us.  This is true freedom!  Romans 6:18-23 

Sheep for Slaughter

Jer 12:1-3  
1 Righteous are You, O Lord, when I plead with You; Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? 2 You have planted them, yes, they have taken root; They grow, yes, they bear fruit. You are near in their mouth But far from their mind. 3 But You, O Lord, know me; You have seen me, And You have tested my heart toward You. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, And prepare them for the day of slaughter.

Why does evil in the world seem to go unchecked?  Why do bad people seem to get ahead?  They even talk about God - but He is not in their thoughts at all; it is just for show.  God will allow them to choose that path and face judgment, but His desire is not for them to suffer forever, but be forgiven in Christ.  All have gone astray and none seeks Him unless He calls and they listen to their Master's voice.  Ezekiel 18:23 

Knowledge is Revealed by God

Jer 11:18.  
Now the Lord gave me knowledge of it, and I know it; for You showed me their doings.

Just as God showed Jeremiah that men were trying to kill him for doing God's work, and just as He also warned others such as Paul, so God shows circumstances to keep us safe or to guide us to the truth of things in His word.  The "mystery" of God living in a believer, giving the mind of Christ to understand the mind of Christ - this is what makes walking with God unique to the Christian.  No mere religion provides this.

1Co 2:12,16  12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 

Man's Way is Not in Himself

Jer 10:21-24  
21 For the shepherds have become dull-hearted, And have not sought the Lord; Therefore they shall not prosper, And all their flocks shall be scattered.  23 O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. 24 O Lord, correct me, but with justice; Not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.

When God's shepherds of the church stop seeking and pursuing knowing and walking with Him, their ministry and congregations suffer (or are broken up).  We each must remember that God in Christ by the Spirit leads and guides us, that we dare not take that navigation upon ourselves.  A spirit of broken humility that acknowledges He is just and only mercy and grace sustain us - this brings fruitfulness and is well pleasing to the Father. 

Wisdom of God's Design

Jer 10:12-13  
12 He has made the earth by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom, And has stretched out the heavens at His discretion. 13 When He utters His voice, There is a multitude of waters in the heavens: “And He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, He brings the wind out of His treasuries.”

How awestruck I am when considering all God created!  His wisdom in the design of DNA to create sustained life, how atoms and solar systems hold together, the cycles of rain and power in lightning, and the intricate details and beauty of nature - these all bear witness to His greatness.  God spoke, and it was.  When He speaks now, do we listen in awe, wonder, and trembling? 

There is None Like Our God!

Jer 10:6-7
6 Inasmuch as there is none like You, O Lord (You are great, and Your name is great in might), 7 Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, And in all their kingdoms, There is none like You.

Jer 10:10-11  10 But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, And the nations will not be able to endure His indignation. 11 Thus you shall say to them: “The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”

People worship false gods and think all are equal, but forget this: there is only one God who made everything and who has the right to judge and rule over us all.  He is due all honor, fear, obedience, love, and thanks.  All others will bow to him at he final judgment, and then acknowledge He is Lord of them - even as they tremble for not believing and following Him in this life.  Oh, that God loved us enough when we did not love Him to send His Son to pay our price to bring us reconciliation! 

To Glory in God Alone

Jer 9:23-26
23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; 24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord.  25 “...For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.”

If we are circumcised in our hearts, then what is cut away are those things that cause spiritual infection.  To be circumcised in our heart means we glory in God, knowing Him and understanding His character, finding joy in Him - not in our own wisdom, strength, or wealth.  He then finds joy in us as we give Him glory in our words and actions, lifting up His mercy, judgment, and righteousness.

Col 2:11. In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 

Need to be Valiant for Truth

Jer 9:3-6 
3 “And like their bow they have bent their tongues for lies. They are not valiant for the truth on the earth. For they proceed from evil to evil, And they do not know Me,” says the Lord.  5 Everyone will deceive his neighbor, And will not speak the truth; They have taught their tongue to speak lies; They weary themselves to commit iniquity. 6 Your dwelling place is in the midst of deceit; Through deceit they refuse to know Me,” says the Lord.

When people choose lies over truth, when they do not valiantly seek it out, speaking and living it - they live for sin and so refuse to draw near to God to know Him intimately.  Just as with Judah, so His people now will suffer from their sin when turning from Jesus Christ to sin and deceit.  This is another reason to know what God says and to correct errors by speaking truth in love.  But speak we must, or we agree with the lies... Romans 1:32  “who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them." 

Know Judgement or No Peace

Jer 8:6-11 
6 I listened and heard, But they do not speak aright. No man repented of his wickedness, Saying, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone turned to his own course, As the horse rushes into the battle. 7 “Even the stork in the heavens Knows her appointed times; And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow Observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of the Lord. 8 “How can you say, ‘We are wise, And the law of the Lord is with us’? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.  11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace.

When we go our own way, doing wrong and ignoring what God says about accountability and judgment, claiming wisdom and piling up teachers who deny the truth to make ourselves feel better - we ignore truth and cannot say we follow Christ.  When we say there will be peace and work toward making the world heaven, we miss the heaven to come after the worst has come first.  God will have His way by His word, for He is Sovereign of all. 

Truth is Not Relative but Absolutely from God

Jer 7:28  
“So you shall say to them, ‘This is a nation that does not obey the voice of the Lord their God nor receive correction. Truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouth.’”

Slowly lies creep into the church as in every generation; there is nothing new under the sun.  Today those identifying themselves as Christians do not all want to do what He says, do not want to be corrected when they so sin.  Truth seems to be gone, while new age, gnostic, self-proclaimed prophets, psychology, and other lies are not only accepted, but fill the books and teaching seminars and churches around us.  God's word is truth; let Him be true and every man not in agreement a liar.  Jesus Christ is God come as a man, and the Bible is absolutely true.  

His People Obey in His Way

Jer 7:22-23   
22 For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. 23 But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’

To obey is better than sacrifice; we can try to earn God's favor by doing good - feeding the poor, building hospitals, etc. - but He wants our hearts.  He desires that we listen and live out His will in both heart and actions.  This is not forced obedience, but a burning desire to please God in response to and with thanksgiving for the grace that delivered us from death and Hell that we rightly deserve.  Walk with Him with your whole heart, mind, life, and strength. 

Den of Thieves or Place of Worship?

Jer 7:9-11  
9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, 10 and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, “We are delivered to do all these abominations’? 11 Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the Lord.

Jesus used this passage to show the religious people that God's house was for Him, not their own profit while worshipping other things and justifying all the evil in God's name, as some believers now say that they are saved and so sin to get more grace.  We are saved from sin, not to sin. God is to be prayed to and worshipped, not as a means of gain.  His church is not to be a place of sin and injustice, but His house of worship (1 Peter 2:5).  

Mat 21:12-13  12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ” 

Hear, Believe with Repentance, and Live

Jn 5:24 
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."

Hearing His word includes "repent, for the kingdom of God is near."  It is not enough to just "believe in Him" from this verse to have eternal life and to escape judgement; hearing all Jesus said gives the full picture as Paul brings out in the Epistles many times.

1. Repentance implies confessing sin.

2. Confessing means agreeing with God that all are sinners and fall short (effort not enough).

3. Hearing the gospel, His word, brings faith as God gives ( Jn.6:44 ).

4. Believing in Jesus as the Christ and all He did in our place to die that we by faith might live is then the turning point to salvation, with the previous not undone.

5. Life that does not end and forgiveness from just punishment for sin are the results, ones which nobody can take away - not even us.

24 ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ὁ τὸν λόγον μου ἀκούων καὶ πιστεύων τῷ πέμψαντί με ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον, καὶ εἰς κρίσιν οὐκ ἔρχεται, ἀλλὰ μεταβέβηκεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴν ζωήν. 

Peace Found Only in God's Way

Jer 6:13-16  
13 “Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, Everyone deals falsely. 14 They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace. 15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; Nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time I punish them, They shall be cast down,” says the Lord. 16 Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Just as Israel, today some of God's people live for the things of the world, wanting things, cheating to get ahead, and then telling others there is peace as the times get worse - as if their works can change the path the world is on by their effort over God's decrees.  Things such as immorality and homosexuality no longer shame their speech.  We need to walk in the ways He laid out from the beginning.  Peace is only found in God's way, which is in Jesus Christ.  That is rest and peace in the soul.  

Do You Not Fear God?

Jer 5:22-25 
22 Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord. “Will you not tremble at My presence, Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, Yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it. 23 But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart; They have revolted and departed. 24 They do not say in their heart, “Let us now fear the Lord our God, Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.” 25 Your iniquities have turned these things away, And your sins have withheld good from you.

Do we fear God?  For the unborn, until the conscience awakens to their sin and its just reward, they do not.  For the reborn, we do not fear eternal consequences of punishment anymore, but should fear the one who bought us at such a price and seek to obey out of love (not fear).  But fear of the holy and almighty creator God of the universe should remain, beyond mere awe.  

God's People Know to Do Good

Jer 4:22 
“For My people are foolish, They have not known Me. They are silly children, And they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, But to do good they have no knowledge.”

Do you know God in Christ, or do you struggle to understand and so do what is good in God's eyes, by His standards?  Jeremiah shows God telling the people that they are silly and foolish because these things prove they did not know Him.  Knowing God changes us to know and seek out what is good by His standards, and be simple concerning evil.  God's people know to do good because of His goodness to them and by His work in them. 

Rom 16:19   For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. 

Circumcised Hearts

Jeremiah 4:2-4, 14, 18  
And you shall swear, ‘The Lord lives, ’In truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; The nations shall bless themselves in Him, And in Him they shall glory.”  4 Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, And take away the foreskins of your hearts,...  14 O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, That you may be saved.  How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?  18 “Your ways and your doings Have procured these things for you.  This is your wickedness, Because it is bitter, Because it reaches to your heart.”

Acknowledging God as truth, just, and righteous - this glorifies Him.  Cutting back the evil in our hearts, washing clean in repentance as John came doing, this is the gospel told even in Jeremiah's time.  God does not change; He wants to deliver us from sin, from within the heart and not just in outward religious show.  We earned our sin's punishment (justice), but God's grace in Christ is freely given, not earned.  It all begins with turning from sin to Him.  

Heartfelt Confession of Sin for Mercy

Jeremiah 3:10-15, 25   
And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense,” says the Lord.  12...For I am merciful, ’ says the Lord; ‘I will not remain angry forever.  13 Only acknowledge your iniquity, That you have transgressed against the Lord your God,...  25 We lie down in our shame, And our reproach covers us.  For we have sinned against the Lord our God, We and our fathers, From our youth even to this day, And have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.”   15 And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Just as Israel and Judah turned away and not towards God, so do we now.  He desires the whole heart and not half-hearted rituals of religious outward showing.  He requires that we admit and not excuse our sin, turning from it to Him by doing all He says.  He even gives us shepherds to teach and guide us from His word so we can know, understand, and obey from the heart out of love and thankfulness for the grace and mercy shown at the cross and resurrection.  We are reconciled and bought at a price, yet set free. 

Work as God Works in Us to Desire and Do

Philippians 2:12-13  
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Obeying God is how we do our part to work out our salvation; God's working in us is how His will is accomplished in and through us.  We can do nothing apart from Christ, yet in Him as we follow in doing the things He taught us in His word, so we work it out - our sanctification (the continuing change of salvation in us).  The salvation itself is all by the grace and mercy of God in Christ; the out working day to day afterwards is the conforming to His image (sanctification).  So we do not work FOR salvation, but WORK OUT that which we have been given. 

Examples to Learn Admonition From

1 Corinthians 10:11-13

Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Continuing from yesterday with Jeremiah 2:11-19 on examples to learn from, these show how we need to watch out because we can fall as easily as Israel in the OT.  Pride says we are better, and sets us up - so we must carefully watch to avoid by learning from the past examples.  But we have Christ to bear us up and go to for help; He promises a way out of temptation, a way to bear it when it seems we cannot.  So we have examples and God's presence to get us through now. 

Forsaken without Fear

Jeremiah 2:11-19 
Has a nation changed its gods, Which are not gods?  But My people have changed their Glory For what does not profit.  17 Have you not brought this on yourself, In that you have forsaken the Lord your God When He led you in the way?  19 Your own wickedness will correct you, And your backslidings will rebuke you.  Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing That you have forsaken the Lord your God, And the fear of Me is not in you,” Says the Lord God of hosts.

Glory, honor, profit - these things rightly found in God should never be given up for cheap substitutes that become objects of worship.  When we walk away from God, we bring only problems on ourselves; following God as a content (with godliness) servant leads to fearing and loving Him.  Fear of what was going to happen, love for the mercy and grace that is in Jesus Christ.  These things were written for us to learn from, examples not to follow... 1 Corinthians 10:11-13. 

God is With Us to Deliver

Jeremiah 1:19

They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you.  For I am with you,” says the Lord, “to deliver you.”

When we live and speak faithfully for God, there will be those both within and from outside the church who will resist or even fight against the truth of God.  But if He is with us, who can be against us?  God is greater and surely can deliver from any raging lion.  So if we are about our Lord's work, we need to press forward and be faithful in return. 

Known From Eternity

Jeremiah 1:5   
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

Romans 8:29.   For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

God knows me from before I was created or born.  He set me aside to be His child, to be reborn in Christ, that I may become like Him as I daily grow in sanctification.  Whether a call to ministry like Jeremiah or another gift or service, I can rest fully in His purpose for this life of His in me. 

He Knows Our Thoughts and Worship

Isaiah 66:16-18, 23-24  
For by fire and by His sword The Lord will judge all flesh; And the slain of the Lord shall be many.  Shall be consumed together,” says the Lord.  18 “For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory.  23 And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.  24 “And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me.  For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

God is love, but do not forget His holiness and wrath against sinners who do not turn from it.  They will (as in Mark chapter 9) suffer forever where "worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched."  How much better in contrast the repentant sinner who finds in Christ the right to worship in God's presence forever, seeing His glory!  He knows the thoughts of our hearts toward Him and our obedient sincerity of worship.  

We are Where God Dwells - Tremble in Humility

Isaiah 66:1, 2, 5. 
1 Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool.  Where is the house that you will build Me?  And where is the place of My rest?  2 For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.  5 Hear the word of the Lord, You who tremble at His word: “Your brethren who hated you, Who cast you out for My name's sake, said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, That we may see your joy. ’But they shall be ashamed.”

God is above all He made, so our buildings we meet in are not for Him, but merely a place to meet together - what He wants is to live within us so we worship from out of our hearts, our lives.  That is why He looks for humility and total reliance on Him and His word to us to guide us.  And if we so transparently live and avoid empty ritual and tradition, there will be those who say they are His, yet will speak evil of us.  They will be ashamed as we see God truly glorified in sincerity and truth. 

God Blesses All Things New in Truth

Isaiah 65:16-17, 24 
So that he who blesses himself in the earth Shall bless himself in the God of truth; And he who swears in the earth Shall swear by the God of truth; Because the former troubles are forgotten, And because they are hidden from My eyes. 17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. ... 24 “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.

The God of truth is who blesses, and who takes away the old man to create anew, even to remaking the universe when it is time.  Then the problems and sin of these days will be forgotten.  So now we have the assurance that, as with salvation, He hears even before we cry out to Him, answering prayers that align with His will even before we ask.  This grace is His blessing for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ and no other. 

Seen and Heard by Grace

Isaiah 64:4-8 
For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.  5 You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways.  You are indeed angry, for we have sinned — In these ways we continue; And we need to be saved.  6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.   8 But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.

Having the mind of Christ opens our understanding to all God said as recorded in the Bible (1 Corinthians 2:7-16).  He tells us to wait for Him, to thinks of Him in all we do, to admit our sin and need for saving from it.  He is our heavenly Father, shaping us as His handiwork - so we should be thankful and joyful to be delivered and given such understanding as He does to all who are made new in Christ Jesus!  He is seen and heard by us in His grace. 

Led to Enter His Rest

Isaiah 63:14  
As a beast goes down into the valley, And the Spirit of the Lord causes him to rest, So You lead Your people, To make Yourself a glorious name.

Hebrews 4:1, 9-11   1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.  9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.  11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

God gives animals rest when they are tired; how much more does He lead us in rest from our efforts to earn deliverance from our sin?  His grace paid the debt we owed the righteous Judge once and for all.  So if we do not choose to enter that rest, doing God's work as He guides and tells us to do, then we come short (the definition do sin) again.  So we need to obey by entering the rest in Christ and His work for us, not attempting to earn what we cannot. 

Proclaim Salvation of the Redeemed!

Isaiah 62:11-12   
Indeed the Lord has proclaimed To the end of the world: “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Surely your salvation is coming; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.’”  12 And they shall call them The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord; And you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.

Salvation did come in Jesus Christ as God had promised; He brought the reward of forgiveness for sin and reconciliation with our Creator.  His work led to death on a cross and life from that into forever.  So we are redeemed because He sought us out and will never leave or forsake us.  Ever.   We were sought out and bought at such a price to proclaim the salvation as His redeemed and holy people, the saints never forsaken.  

The Spirit of God Anoints to Preach

Isaiah 61:1, 6, 8, 10,   
1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;  6 But you shall be named the priests of the Lord, They shall call you the servants of our God...  8... I will direct their work in truth, And will make with them an everlasting covenant.  10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,..  11...So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

God in Christ brings good news - healing of the heart and soul, freedom from the bondage of sin, no longer its prisoner!  Then He makes us as priests to minister to each other, serving Him and others.  So we receive joy beyond words, made right and righteous in God's eyes that cause us and those who see to give praise to God and all He does... We are called as Christ to preach the good news by His Spirit in us.  

Arise, God's Glory Has Arisen on Us!

Isaiah 60:1-2, 18-19.  
1 Arise, shine; For your light has come!  And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.  2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.  18 Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, Neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; But you shall call your walls Salvation, And your gates Praise.  19 “The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory.

God gave light in His Son Jesus the Christ in the midst of deep darkness of sin and pending judgment to show His glory.  So salvation is offered to go into for security through the door or praise to give thanks to Him who will ultimately be the only light we see at time's end in the new heaven and earth.  Forever He will be our light and glory as we glory in His presence!  Arise, His glory has risen as the Son upon us. 

His Righteousness and Power Bring Salvation

Isaiah 59:16-17, 21 
He saw that there was no man, And wondered that there was no intercessor; Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.  17 For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, And was clad with zeal as a cloak.  21 “As for Me,” says the Lord, “this is My covenant with them:My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the Lord, “from this time and forevermore.”

Since no man could be perfect enough to stand between men and God, He Himself chose to do so, offering to rescue us from our hopeless sin-filled state if we would turn to Him and trust that He did as He said.  With righteousness and zeal He came to deliver and offer His Spirit and words in our hearts, making us new creations, reborn.  So we use those words with Him who lives within us now to tell others.  Only by His righteousness and power do are we saved; it is not our doing or choosing rightly to accept, we only receive what is given by grace alone! 

Sin Separated us from God's Hearing

Isaiah 59:2, 6, 12  
But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.  6 Their webs will not become garments, Nor will they cover themselves with their works; Their works are works of iniquity, And the act of violence is in their hands.  12 For our transgressions are multiplied before You, And our sins testify against us; For our transgressions are with us, And as for our iniquities, we know them:

Sin separates everyone from God, and the webs we weave with self justification or the good works we do to appease God - these do no good to bring us any closer to Him.  We deny our sin, but inside we know we are all sinners by God's perfect and unattainable standards.  The only hope then is Jesus Christ in our place to take away our sin.  

Enter the True Rest in Christ Alone

Isaiah 58:13 
“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the Lord honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words,

Hebrews 4:9-10  There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

Mark 2:27-28  And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

What is the Sabbath rest?  It is honoring God by doing what pleases Him, not continuing to live for the things we want to do - we are bought at a price that cost us only who we live for.  This is the rest from our good works that attempt to earn His favor, instead resting in The Lord of rest who by mercy and great grace  has worked the works for us up to and out of the cross.  We now enter that rest, not seeking more works of "do not" on the Sabbath or Lord's Day, but resting in the finished work of Jesus Christ.  Let us enter that true rest in Christ alone.  

Cry to God with Grace

Isaiah 58:9-11
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, “Here I am.'  ‘If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday.

11 The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

To cry out to God (in prayer) brings us near when we are not pointing out and condemning others, but when we reach out to help those in need around us.  As much as we do this to the least of these, we do to Him.  Then His light will guide us as we pray and live life - then we can be fruitful and find joy and fulfillment in our relationship with God in Christ as we please Him by loving others because He first loved us.

What is the most important truth of the Bible and why?  That while we were still sinners (thinking and doing all against God), Christ Jesus suffered and died and rose again for us to offer reconciliation with God.

Peace With God

Isaiah 57:19-21
“I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,” Says the Lord, “And I will heal him.”  20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.  21 “There is no peace,” Says my God, “for the wicked.”

Those who are known by God may wander off, but He heals and restores them, bringing peace.  Those who have not been made right before God in Christ are still wicked in their hearts (opposed to and not accepting God on His terms not in Jesus Christ) - and so find no peace, having troubled hearts and open wounds of the soul.  The good news is that Jesus Christ offers restoration and lasting peace. 

Humble and Contrite Heart of Repentance

Isaiah 57:15-16  
For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

“I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.  16 For I will not contend forever, Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would fail before Me, And the souls which I have made.

God dwells in Forever.  He is holy.  And He wants us to live with Him, having humility and brokenness over our sin in light of His eternity and holiness.  He looks for a contrite and humble heart of repentance, of turning from sin to Him.  Those who pursue these things from the heart will find life and forgiveness, mercy in place of His anger over our sin. Christ restores this relationship; we then follow with joy, peace, and humility.  John 3:16-21

God Preserves From Evil

Isaiah 57:1

The righteous perishes, And no man takes it to heart; Merciful men are taken away, While no one considers That the righteous is taken away from evil.

God preserves His own in ways and thoughts beyond our own; sometimes His mercy takes us home to be spared living among the evil men do, especially when living righteously enough to be grieved constantly by it all.  I thank God that He knows best. 

Seed and Bread of His Word

Isaiah 55:10-11
“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

God's word can be like snow that slowly melts as the heart and mind beneath thaw to its nourishment, or can be like rain that pours down and brings life nearly instantly.  The food that results is certain and effective to cause life and growth, because when God speaks through the written or read Bible, the effects are real and give life.  No manmade philosophy or wisdom can change the dead into living and growing.  The seed of His word provides the bread of life (John 1:1, 14). 

Listen, Hear, and Live

Isaiah 55:2-3, 6-7  
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 let your soul delight itself in abundance.  3 Incline your ear, and come to Me.  Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—The sure mercies of David.  6 Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.  7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

Why do people spend time, effort, and money trying to earn their way to God, when it is impossible?  Listen to what God said in the Bible through the prophets and His Son Jesus Christ - then you will find mercy, life, and peace with Him.  Seek Him out, turn from wrong to right thoughts and actions; Christ Jesus will forgive completely and freely give what you can never earn.    Remember those who have fought to set men free, and then the One who died to set all free! 

Our Righteousness is From God

Isaiah 54:17 
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn.  This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.

God looks over His people.  In the end, those who persecute us will face judgment, while we find Christ's righteousness in and over us as our heritage in Him.  Though He may not always protect our bodies, He preserves our souls.  Truly our only righteousness comes from Him, imputed to us as it is accounted to us as seen in Christ! 

Eternal Mercy of Kindness

Isaiah 54:8-10 
With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” Says the Lord, your Redeemer.  9 “For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; For as I have sworn That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, So have I sworn That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.  10 For the mountains shall depart And the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you, Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” Says the Lord, who has mercy on you.

Just as God promised never to flood the earth to destroy sinful man again, as with Noah He shows mercy forever in love.  The deliverance from sin's wages is His promise of forgiveness in a salvation that cannot be undone or taken away.  His covenant that brings peace in making us right with Him will never be taken away - and we cannot give it up either.  This is eternal grace's security. 

Sheep Gone Astray Called Back

Isaiah 53:6, 11-12 
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.  11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.  By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.  12 ...Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

Again I am in awe of God's plan to bring us back to Himself from our disobedience and unworthiness - in Christ who was to come Isaiah gave the message how the Christ would see our wandering in sin, take on our sin as if He should take our punishment instead, let Himself be murdered with criminals, and do all to be able to stand between us and God's just punishment to deliver us.  He set us free who believe. 

The Messiah Bore Our Grief and Sorrow

Isaiah 53:4-5
Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.  5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Jesus Christ took our pain of sin and sadness as if it were His own, to the point where He seemed afflicted by God.  These were our sins on the sinless one.  He then was beaten to suffer in our place for our due punishment, bringing peace in reconciling us to God.  He healed us by being beaten, then died to cover our sin's justice, but also rose again to offer hope in a rebirth, a way to finally be able to do as He says out of love and with Him living inside us! 

Beautiful Feet of Messengers of Salvation

Isaiah 52:6-7 
Therefore My people shall know My name; Therefore they shall know in that day That I am He who speaks: ‘ Behold, it is I. ’  7 How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

God spoke as Jesus Christ to us, showing He and the Father are one.  So now we should be telling others that good news, that God has done what offers us a way to be reconciled with Him - finding peace in deliverance from our hopeless separation from Him by our sin.  He truly is Lord of all.  He reigns over each person and the entire universe.  These feet of ours are to be beautiful messengers of salvation. 

His Law in Our Hearts

Isaiah 51:7-8  
“Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, You people in whose heart is My law: Do not fear the reproach of men, Nor be afraid of their insults.  8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment, And the worm will eat them like wool; But My righteousness will be forever, And My salvation from generation to generation.”

Why fear men when God has put His heart into ours, writing His words and intent as Law into us who are reborn?  Those opposed to God will pass away, but His righteousness and salvation in us is forever.  Eternity outlasts evil intent. 

God Pleased by Our Repentance, Not Damnation

Ezekiel 18:23  
Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “ and not that he should turn from his ways and live?

Ezekiel 18:31-32   Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”

Mark 1:14-15   14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “ The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

God has always called us to turn from sin to Him (repentance).  It is not His intention that we die in our sin and have to be separated from Him (hell) after we die - so Jesus not only began by telling us to repent, but also to believe the good news, the gospel.  God was in Himself reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, and we must turn and believe, accepting all He said and did for us. 

See Christ and Worship Him!

Matthew 28:17-20  
When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “ All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

God in Christ has all authority and power, so why do some doubt and not worship Him?  Those of us who know Him and that He is absolute in authority (Lord of all), why do we then not make disciples and teach them all Jesus taught us?  He is with us until the end of this world and into forever.  Let us walk with Him eternally now...

... teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matthew 28:20) 

Heaven and Earth Will Pass Away...

Isaiah 51:6  
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, And look on the earth beneath.  For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, The earth will grow old like a garment, And those who dwell in it will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not be abolished.

In the end, God will remake the universe (heaven and earth).  He will then make all things new.  Though this is all temporary, the salvation offered to us will never end or be taken away, and He will remain righteous.  So we must live to please Him - not out of fear to lose our deliverance from sin and death and hell, but out of reverent love and thanksgiving.

2 Peter 3:11-13

Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 

Motives of a Loyal Heart and Willing Mind

1 Chronicles 28:9 
“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.

1 Corinthians 4:5   Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God.

God searches through our hearts to see what our motives are; He alone knows the deep things that others (and even ourselves) do not always readily grasp.  God is not looking for us to earn His love and acceptance for salvation, yet wants our loyal hearts driven by love to please Him behind all we think, do, and say.  When we stand before Him, we will see clearly in this dim mirror. 

Trust and Obey in the Light

Isaiah 50:10
“Who among you fears the Lord?  Who obeys the voice of His Servant?  Who walks in darkness And has no light?  Let him trust in the name of the Lord And rely upon his God.

Trust God, fear Him, and do as He says.  Christ gave us commands to follow so we would find light in this present darkness around us.  So we can rely on Him fully and walk with Him.   We are to trust and obey as we walk in His light.