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| This weekend - a tour of our area farms - ASAP - Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project - near Mt. Celo Church |
My
Lessons and Applications from Today’s Readings
(Ellipses are mine and are used for contemplation)
WOE to the Rebellious Children: RETURN TO GOD -
Isaiah 30, 31, 32 (What It Says - Summarized) - These prophecies are for the
Chosen Nation and People who have turned to idols, to other nations, to self
rather than to God. "The rebellious children...who take
counsel but not of Me...who devise plans but not of My Spirit...add
sin to sin...trust in horses...in Egypt...in Pharaoh...but...have not asked
My advice...THEREFORE, Egypt...Pharaoh...shall be your shame...your humiliation."
These rebellious children were "lying children...would not hear
the law of the LORD...told seers to not see....prophets to not prophesy the
right things but prophesy deceit...to get out of the way... to cause the Holy
One of Israel to cease from us." These rebellious children now
"despise the word...trust in and rely on oppression... and
perversity." God calls them to "return...rest...be
saved...that in quietness...in confidence...shall be their strength. But
they would not." Destruction will come, BUT "the
LORD will wait that He may be gracious to you...that He might be exalted...that
He may have mercy on you...for...the LORD is a God of justice...blessed are
those...who wait for Him...He will be very gracious to you at the sound
of your cry...When He hears it He will answer you...and though...the LORD gives
you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction...yet...your
teachers will not be removed...your eyes shall see your teachers...your ears
hear shall hear a word behind you saying, 'This is the way...walk in
it...whenever you turn to the left of to the right." In
obedience, the humbled children will turn away from, rid themselves of idols.
Then God will, bless...bind up...heal...destroy their enemies...and they will
glorify God. As for the wicked, "both he who helps and he who is helped
will fall and perish together" The foolish, the schemers, the liars
will be seen for what they are. The last admonition is for the women:
"Rise up, you women, who are at ease...you complacent
daughters...hear...give ear"...trouble and destruction are
coming..."until the Spirit is poured on us from on high."
Then justice and righteousness will prevail among God's people, though
destruction continues. "The work of righteousness...will be
peace...the effect of righteousness...will be quietness...and assurance forever."
When All Else Fails / When God Has Allowed or
Caused Destruction - Psalm 107:7-13 (What It Says - Summarized) -
"Who will bring me...who will lead me? Is it not You, O God, who
cast us off...did not go out with our armies? Give us help from
trouble, for the help of man is useless. Through God...we will
do valiantly. For it is He...who will tread down our enemies."
Faithfulness in Spite of Circumstances - 2
Corinthians 11:16-33 (What It Says - Summarized) Paul is boasting - not in himself
- but in his infirmities, in his trials and tribulations...for the gospel...in
the Spirit...compelled by Jesus Christ...to the glory of God. From his own people, the Jews..from his own countrymen...from Gentiles...from false
brethren...he received: whippings, beatings with rods, stonings, shipwreck,
journeys, was in perils of water, in perils of robbers, in weariness, in toil, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in thirst, in fastings, in cold, in nakedness...yet...he remained faithful to God and to the churches he had established.
Here he admonishes the Corinthians for "putting up with one who brings you into bondage...one who devours you...one who takes from you...one
who exalts himself...one who strikes you on the face" yet not
accepting the apostolic authority and suffering that Paul has endured for their
sakes and the gospel's sake.
My Lessons and Applications: Where is
my trust placed? As Dr. Stanley asks in his commentary, "Where is my
"Egypt?" What are my "horses?" What were the
results of my going to ungodly people for help in time of need or trouble?
Of listening to counsel outside of the wisdom of God's Word? Is my
reliance on my material possessions? Do I remember that all of this can
be taken away suddenly? Have I learned that "the help of man is
useless", that I need God? That husband, wife, children, parent, family, friend, other
"professing" believers may desert me but that God never will? We have
learned from the lives of Abraham, Noah, Joseph, Ruth, Job and above all, Jesus
Christ, that the walk of faith will take us through some dark Providences as
God does His kingdom work through us. God calls us to "rise up...to
hear the voice of his prophets, His Word...to not be complacent
in Isaiah 32. This was not cautionary here to avoid trials and horror but
to be faithful in the midst of the coming destruction through the power of His
Spirit..."then...justice will dwell in the wilderness...righteousness
will remain in the fruitful field...the work of righteousness will be
peace...the effect of righteousness will be quietness and assurance
forever...My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation...in secure
dwellings...in quiet resting places...THOUGH hail comes down on the forest, and
the city is brought low in humiliation."
Paul became a sacramental personality; wherever he went, Jesus
Christ helped Himself to his life. Many of us are after our own ends, and
Jesus Christ cannot help Himself to our lives. If we are abandoned to
Jesus, we have no ends of our own to serve...We have no right in Christian work
to be guided by our affinities; this is one of the biggest tests of our
relationship to Jesus Christ. The delight of sacrifice is that I lay down
my life for my Friend, not fling it away, but deliberately lay my life out for Him
and His interest in other people, not for a cause.
Oswald Chambers, My
Utmost for His Highest
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