Hell, A Reality God wants us to Escape

 

 

Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word:

 

Isa 9:17 Therefore the Lord will have no joy in their young men, Nor have mercy on their fatherless and widows; For everyone is a hypocrite and an evildoer, And every mouth speaks folly. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still. 18 For wickedness burns as the fire; It shall devour the briers and thorns, And kindle in the thickets of the forest; They shall mount up like rising smoke. 19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts The land is burned up, And the people shall be as fuel for the fire; No man shall spare his brother. 20 And he shall snatch on the right hand And be hungry; He shall devour on the left hand And not be satisfied; Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm. 21 Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; Together they shall be against Judah. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.

 

Merry Christmas! Whatever happened to “peace on earth and good will to men?” This is the same chapter in Isaiah that gave us, “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isa 9:6)

 

Can’t we just ignore this portion and go on with the business of a merry Christmas? Sorry, can’t do that. God’s wrath against sin is not turned away from the hypocrite, the evil doer, and those whose mouths are full of lies and folly, by putting up a Christmas tree and sticking some presents under it. It is only turned away by grace through faith in that little babe in the manger.

 

His wrath spilled out on His people in the days of Isaiah in very real pain and agony because they had turned away from God. It didn’t matter who turned away, the young men, the widows, the fatherless, all who turned away from God experienced His judgment.

And this occurrence of God’s wrath was meant to be an example for us! 1Co 10:11 says, “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.”

 

I beg you, don’t let this example pass you by in vain. These judgments were meant to be a picture of hell, a place where the wrath of God is poured out forever upon the souls who rejected the gift of the Christ. Note the references to fire and smoke in verses 18 and 19!

In verse 20 a picture of souls forever hungry and never satisfied, this hunger so painful that a man would be willing to chew off his own arm to satisfy it, but no satisfaction shall come…..forever.

 

There will be no relief in hell, where “His hand is stretched out still. What will it be for you this Christmas? Will you receive Jesus Christ, the prince of Peace,  as your Lord and Savior or will you continue the life of the lying, evil doing hypocrite, who thinks he or she can make do with the eternal wrath of God!

 

Here is the promise for you, if you turn to Jesus! But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: (Jn 1:12)

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word.

Don't Tolerate False Teaching

 

Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word:

 

Isa 9:14 Therefore the LORD will cut off head and tail from Israel, Palm branch and bulrush in one day.  15 The elder and honorable, he is the head; The prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail. 16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed.

 

“Therefore!” By now, you should know the drill, when you see the word “therefore” in Scripture, you need to go back a few verses and see what the “therefore” is “there for.”

 

This “therefore”  is here because the people refused to turn back to God. In spite of all the calamities that rained down on them, they kept saying, “We can fix it ourselves, without God.”  Sound familiar?

And guess who is getting the blame? The elders and honorable men of the church who should know better, and the false prophets who lie through their teeth twisting, turning God’s Word to avoid the necessity of repentance. “We’re good, we’re secure,” they say, not knowing that they are leading the people to destruction!

 

These people are likened to snakes or scorpions and God says He will cut them, and those who follow them, off from His people of promise. (Israel) Lopping off the head, (the leaders and honorable men,) and the tail, (where the deadly sting of the lying prophets is found)

 

This is a warning for the ages for church leaders and pastors. Always be on guard against false teaching. Don’t take your position of teacher lightly. You will be held accountable! Jas 3:1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

And a word for the flock as well. Flee from those who sidestep the truth. Flee those churches where repentance is ignored and easy believism is the Word of choice. Without repentance you are in err and on the way to destruction.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s today’s living word.

God's Warning Shots

 

Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word:

 

Isa 9:8 The Lord sent a word against Jacob, And it has fallen on Israel. 9 All the people will know-Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria-Who say in pride and arrogance of heart: 10 "The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, But we will replace them with cedars." 11 Therefore the LORD shall set up The adversaries of Rezin against him, And spur his enemies on, 12 The Syrians before and the Philistines behind; And they shall devour Israel with an open mouth. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still. 13 For the people do not turn to Him who strikes them, Nor do they seek the LORD of hosts.

 

This particular judgment pronounced by Isaiah is aimed at the Northern Kingdom, the ten tribes of Israel, but if the shoe fits, we would do well to wear it….to take heed.

 

The Lord sent this word to the people through His prophets, and He does the same thing today. He speaks to us through those who proclaim the full counsel of His Word….Law and Gospel!

 

Few people are willing to admit that God still sends judgment to the nations in the form of economic blight or plagues, or the warring strategies of other nations. He can use any and all of these negative circumstances to get our attention.  But how do the nations respond?

 

Our buildings are in shambles? No problem, we’ll build new and better ones. Forests laid bare, no worry, we’ll replant. A plague among us? We’ll create a cure. Economic hardship? No problem, we’ll print more money.  No need to turn to God, we’ll fix it ourselves.

 

And hell is filled with people who try to fix it themselves apart from God! Eph 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. You and I cannot fix our sin problem, we can’t turn God’s wrath against sin away by what we do. It’s His grace alone that spares us!  Repent and believe the Gospel!

It’s an age old problem spelled out for us here in Isaiah. God uses hard times to get our attention, but for the most part we refuse to turn to Him or seek His face. We blow off the words of  Isa 45:22 "Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word.

God Is In Control

Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word:

 

Isa 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

 

Those of us who grew up in the Lutheran church know these words well from the annual Sunday School Christmas program. Year after year, we would memorize our parts and Isa 9:6 was always included.

 

As little children none of us quite understood that part about the government being on His shoulder, we were more caught up in the fact that a child was born, and all these cool names He would be called: “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace!

 

Little did we know then and understand the importance of this Child growing up and governing our individual lives! Of course, the truth is this Child would live, die, and rise again to be seated on the right hand of God the Father, from whence He will govern the universe into eternity!

 

Heb 1:3 reminds us that it is the risen Christ who holds this world together, “who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

All of God’s creation is subject to Him, even the devil and his demons!

1Pe 3:22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

Yes, the government of the universe is on His shoulders, and though this truth may escape the child performing during a Christmas pageant, let it not be lost on us! God is in control and knowing this….believing this, should be a source of great peace in this life!

 

Isa 46:9,10 says, “Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,'

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word.

In Search of Truth?

 

Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word:

 

I find myself thinking about truth today. It seems to me that we in the church have a golden opportunity set before us. People are tired of being bombarded with all the versions of truth being tossed out by the national news outlets and social media. Many find themselves musing with Pontius Pilate, “What is truth.”

Well, Pilate truth is not “what.” It is not defined by “what” you want it to be, it is wrapped up in the God-man Jesus Christ, who said in  Joh 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

 

The truth is there is an afterlife. There IS a heaven and there IS a hell, and you don’t want to spend eternity in the latter where there will be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth forever and ever and ever.

 

Here’s the thing, there is no way I can convince you of that truth, or any of the other truths of Scripture, that is the work of God and the Holy Spirit alone. All I can do is proclaim the Scriptures to you, and seek to live those truths out before you. I can only repeat the words that God has preserved in the Holy Bible and pray that the faith that comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God will come to you!

I seek to speak the truth in love, praying the Holy Spirit will help you grasp it because when you do, you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free!

This entire devotion today was prompted by the hymn I sang in my morning devotion today. The hymn is entitled “Our God To Whom We Turn,” and the second verse really stood out to me. It goes like this:

 

 Thou art thyself the truth;
Though we, who fain would find thee,
Have tried, with thoughts uncouth,
In feeble words to bind thee,
It is because thou art
We're drive to the quest;
Till truth from falsehood part
Our souls can find no rest.

 

May these words bring faith to your heart, that your soul may find rest!

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word.

I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day

 

Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word:

 

Isa 9:5 For every warrior's sandal from the noisy battle, And garments rolled in blood, Will be used for burning and fuel of fire. 6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

 

We sing the song “I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day” often, well it comes to us from these inspired words penned by Isaiah. The carol came from a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He wrote it during the civil war after his son had been critically wounded in battle. I thought it would be fitting in light of today’s reading from Isaiah:

 

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
    And wild and sweet
    The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
    Had rolled along
    The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
    A voice, a chime,
    A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
    And with the sound
    The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
    And made forlorn
    The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
    "For hate is strong,
    And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
    The Wrong shall fail,
    The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."

And that is the message from Isaiah 9:5-7

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word.

 

Joy To the World!

 

Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word:

 

Isa 9:3 You have multiplied the nation And increased its joy; They rejoice before You According to the joy of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 4 For You have broken the yoke of his burden And the staff of his shoulder, The rod of his oppressor, As in the day of Midian.

Tis the season of joy! We sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord has come!”The Light of the world, Jesus Christ, brings joy! If the gospel were a speedboat on a lake, joy would be in its wake. That wake keeps reaching out to the shoreline washing over all who are in its path, and the spiritual nation of Israel (believers) are multiplied.

This multiplication of souls brings with it increased joy, if nothing else by the sheer numbers! This joy is like the joy of a farmer after a bountiful harvest, or like a den of thieves spilling out their loot and rejoicing over their take. (I don’t recommend trying this last one, but it is a great example of joy isn’t it?)

 

If true revival comes, joy will follow. Revel in it, it is your strength! (Neh 8:10) Let it be your calling card, especially now, our world needs it!

 

When Phillip brought the healing balm of the Gospel to Samaria, we are told “And there was  great joy in the city” (Ac 8:8)

When he brought the healing balm of the gospel to the Ethiopian eunuch, joy followed!  Ac 8:39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.

 

Why all this rejoicing? Because the yoke has been lifted. You are no longer a slave to sin. Sin does not wag your tail or have any more power over you! Ro 6:18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

 

Therefore break out the songs! Ps 67:4 says, “Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy!”

 

Yes, Join heaven and nature and sing the song of joy!

Joy to the world, the Lord has come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

No more let sins and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found
Far as, far as the curse is found

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love, and wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders of His love

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word.

The Light of the World

 

Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word:

 

Isa 8:22 Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness. 9:1 Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles. 2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.

Let’s start out by reminded ourselves that chapters and verses were a late addition to the Bibles we have today. The Word of God flows through the Bible with no need to specify chapters and verses. They were only added to help us novices find our way around the Scriptures. They are a tool of navigation and that’s all.

(Hint for Pastors and Bible teachers. If you are going to have people look up Scriptures while preaching and teaching, it is expedient to pre-print a handout with said verses written out in advance. Many of your students aren’t as handy at finding Book, chapter, and verse as you are, and teachable moments turn into delays and frustration as your listeners and students struggle to find the Scriptures you are teaching on.)

 

At any rate, we begin chapter nine on the heels of chapter 8 which speaks of a gloomy time where people are experiencing great anguish and driven deeper and deeper into darkness. The deeper one goes into darkness, the more hopeless the situation seems. This period of judgment from God will not be pleasant.

But catch the first word of chapter 9….”NEVERTHELESS!”  This one word ought to give birth to hope for those groping in darkness and reeling from anguish. “Nevertheless!” In spite of this terrible situation, it will get better! Light and relief are on the way! Eventually the Babylonian captivity would end and the people would return to the land.

And to this land, not just any light but a GREAT LIGHT would be coming. This prophecy was fulfilled in Mt 4:13 And leaving Nazareth, He (Jesus) came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 15 "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned."

 This Great Light, (Jesus) came then to shatter darkness and lift the gloom of anguish, and He’s still at it today. No need for your soul to languish in anguish, no need to stumble around in darkness, the Light of the world has come. Will you receive Him as Your Lord and Savior this Christmas season? Go ahead, light up your tree, light up your yard, but let Jesus light up your soul!

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word.

The Two reactions To Tribulation - Those who repent and those who curse God

 

The Two Reactions To Tribulation

 

Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word:

 

Before we were so rudely interrupted by my technical deficiencies, we were going through the Book of Isaiah verse by verse. We pick it up where we left off in the end of chapter 8:

Isa 8:21 They will pass through it hard pressed and hungry; and it shall happen, when they are hungry, that they will be enraged and curse their king and their God, and look upward. 22 Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness.

 

Isaiah is talking about the impending judgment of those who have no faith or have cast their faith aside for other things. They look for their help from anything except the Lord.

 

The reaction of the believer to hard times and famine is to repent and seek relief from the Lord. The reaction of those without faith is to curse the very God who can save them! One of the commentaries I read put it this way:

 

“Affliction has not in itself any sanctifying power.  When not accompanied by the subduing influence of the Holy Ghost, it only stirs up in men's hearts the spirit of rebellion, and leads them to blaspheme the author of their sufferings.”

 

This is the lot of the hard-hearted who refuse to repent and surrender to the Lordship of Christ. The end result being that they are driven deeper and deeper into darkness, blaspheming the very God who can save them!

 

This prophecy from Isaiah should warn us of the end times as well where the reaction of unbelievers to God’s judgment is the same: Re 16:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.

Re 16:11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.

 Re 16:21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.

 When tribulation comes to this world, ….and it will, don’t curse God, rather run to the cross, run to Jesus for he has assured us that He has overcome the world.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word.

A.C.T.S. Part 2

 

 

Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word:

 

Last night at our men’s Bible Study we talked about the devil’s tool of distraction, and wouldn’t you know it, this morning, the hymn that showed up in my devotion was, “Look Upon Us , Blessed Lord,” and the first line goes like this: Look upon us blessed Lord, take our wandering thoughts and guide us.”

 

“You trying to tell me something Lord?

Devotional distractions! They can be a problem, right? But you know what, they don’t have to be! The Holy Spirit is at work, even in your distractions. The moment you become aware of your drifting away, just, stop and thank the Holy Spirit for calling it to your attention and get back to the business at hand.

 

Last time we talked about the A.C.T.S. method of praying where A stands for adoration, C stands for confession, T for thanksgiving, and S for supplication. (requests) We’re really good at that last one, (making requests?) often skipping the other three.

 

Jesus invites us to make requests of Him in our prayer life, Php 4:6 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

 

“Let your requests be made known to God!” Give voice to them, but don’t omit that thanksgiving part. Try this as you work out the A.C.T.S. method of praying, when you get to the thanksgiving part, write down those things you are thankful for from the day before, or just look around at your present surroundings! That in itself should give you plenty to be thankful for.

 

As I look around my surroundings today, I am quick to thank God for the white snow outside my window, the warm house, Jesus, and my cup of coffee, and there’s so much more!

 

I hope this short study on the A.C.T.S. method of praying will jump start your time with the Lord every day! Thanks for joining me.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s today’s living word.

A.C.T.S. Part 1

I really don’t know who started it, or when it all began, but the A.C.T.S. method of prayer is a useful tool given to Christians as an aid to prayer. The acronym is simple and easy to remember and while not the catch all of all prayer, it certainly is a good place to start.

A is for adoration. C is for confession. T is for thanksgiving, and S is for supplication. We are all usually quick to supplicate, (make requests) but not so quick to do the other three.  How quickly we forget that thanksgiving part mentioned in Php 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”

 

Just recently, I have dusted off this method of praying in my own devotional life, and it’s been eye opening and refreshing to me. I start out with singing a praise hymn or chorus and then move on to confessing my sins of the past day. There are days when my preceding days sins hit my like a ton of bricks with my name stenciled on them, but other times the specifics escape me, and I begin to think more highly of myself than I ought! It’s times like this that I reach for the Lutheran hymnal and use the general confession as a guideline.

  

Almighty God, my Maker and Redeemer. I a poor sinner confess unto you that I am by nature sinful and unclean, and that I have sinned against You in my thoughts, my words, and my deeds, and by what I have done and left undone. Therefore I flee for refuge to Your infinite mercy and ask You for Christ’s sake to grant me forgiveness of all my sins, and by Your Holy Spirit increase in me, true knowledge of You  and of Your will, and true obedience to Your word, to the end that by Your grace I may come to eternal life, through Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen.

 

This confession is typically used on Sunday’s, but I’m finding I need it a lot more than once a week. How about you? I’m Duane Matz and that’s today’s Living Word

Dabbling In the Occult

 

Isa 8:19 And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter," should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Impending doom surrounding them, the temptation is strong to turn somewhere, (other than the Word of God) for answers. And there has never been a shortage of people who delight in steering people to the occult for answers.

 

Often well meaning people in your own life will suggest that you find answers in horoscopes, tea leaves, phases of the moon, enchantments, psychics, mediums, even seances. (Calling up the dead for answers) They will give you instances when these sources have given them the answers and guidance they sought. “What harm can an innocent look at a horoscope do anyway?

 

Beware my friend! The Bible warns us of these deceptions that will come upon us in these last days! 2Th 2:9,10 says, “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

If that warning is not enough for you, here’s another from Le 20:6 'And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.

Stop playing those silly little Facebook games, that tell you all the nice things that you want to hear about yourself. Truthfully, they are really nothing but gateways to dabbling in horoscopes and other tools of the occult.

 

Do you want answers? Isaiah says, “Seek God!” Do you want to know the truth about yourself? “To the Law and the testimony!” (The Bible!)

 

The truth is you and I are sinners in need of Jesus Christ. Ro 3:23 reminds us: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and the very next verse points us to the answer for our dilemma….Jesus Christ!  24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

 

So the next time you are tempted to dabble in the occult, spiritism outside of the work of the Holy Spirit) remember these stark warnings from Scripture and flee to Jesus.

Ashamed

 

Ps 25:1 <<A Psalm of David.>> To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul 2 O my God, I trust in You; Let me not be ashamed; Let not my enemies triumph over me. 3 Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.

 Ps 25:20 Keep my soul, and deliver me; Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.

When reading Scripture, it’s a good idea to look for words that are repeated. Repetition is a way of driving a point home. In this Psalm, the word, “ashamed,” is repeated four times!

Believe it or not, I used the word yesterday when bowling. One of my teammates rolled what is called a “sloppy strike,” and I jokingly blurted out, “you ought to be ashamed!” What was I trying to convey with that statement?

I was saying, “you ought to be embarrassed for even counting that as a strike!”But in the sport of bowling….it all looks good on paper!

 

Then, this morning during my devotional time, as I prayed, I asked the Holy Spirit to convict me of my sins and He immediately reminded me that I have been slow to have Jesus on my lips, almost like I am embarrassed to bring Him up in my daily conversations.

All right, “I agree with that Lord,” and so I spent time confessing that sin and receiving God’s promised forgiveness? Then I opened my Bible to my Psalm of the day…..the 25^th Psalm and look what spilled out.  “Ashamed!” Four times!

 

Wow! It’s one thing to repeat four times on paper (It looks good on paper as a bowler might say) but to bring it up two more times in my daily activity….well, it seems I may have a problem that needs to be dealt with.

 

In light of what Jesus has done for me, why am I so slow to release Him from my heart and my lips in my day to day living? Thankfully God decided to interrupt that tendency in my life as He brought the matter of being ashamed of Jesus to light: How did Jesus put it?

 

Lu 9:26 "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels.

For Signs and Wonders

 

Isa 8:17 And I will wait on the LORD, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in Him. 18 Here am I and the children whom the LORD has given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel From the LORD of hosts, Who dwells in Mount Zion.

Is there anything more difficult than waiting on the Lord in any given situation when He appears to have turned His face away? You know what I’m talking about. Those times when your soul cries out, “Where are You Lord?”

Isaiah has come to the point where he realizes God is judging His children. They have turned their backs on Him, and he, after giving them plenty of warning, is now turning His back on them.

But unlike the others Isaiah is holding onto hope. He is going to wait on the Lord, confident that the Lord will return. Assured that His face will once again shine on His people with grace and mercy.

His assurance came to him, through God’s gift of his offspring. The names of these two children, a prophecy in itself, given to Isaiah as a sign and wonder. The first son named Shearjashub, which means “the remnant shall return,” and the second, named Maher-shalal-hash-baz, which means “hasten to the spoil”.

 

Both names were assurances from God that Judah had nothing to fear from those planning an attack against Jerusalem. In the first place, God would use the Assyrians to take care of them as they would “hasten to the spoil,”  (Maher-shalal-hash-baz) and in the second place, in a more distant prophecy, (Shearjashub) would indicate that even when the children were carried off to Babylon, a remnant would return!

 

Isaiah was hanging his hat on the gift of these two children that God gave him, and the meaning of their names that God also supplied.

 

This would not be the only time that God would use a child and the name of that child as a sign and wonder:  Lu 2:12 says, "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And this child of course was Jesus! Why named Jesus?  Mt 1:21 tells us: "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."

 

When you think about it, every child is a wonder! A miracle that God knits together in the mother’s womb. And maybe there’s a lot of truth to this quote from the poet Carl Sandburg, who said, “a baby is God’s opinion that the world should go on.”'

 

Bind It and Seal It!

 

Isa 8:16 Bind up the testimony, Seal the law among my disciples.

What is the Bible if not the testimony of God spoken to the prophets through the Holy Spirit? 2Pe 1:21 tells us: “for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

What is the Law if not the testimony of God concerning right living?

Ps 119:105 says: “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”

 

Bind these words! Seal these words. They are not to be added to or subtracted from!

De 4:2 says, "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.”

 And some of the last words of the Bible remind us: “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Rev 22:18,19)

 

The binding up and sealing of these, as a roll, among his disciples, has a two-fold significancy: that they were to be hid from the apprehension of the people at large,  and that they should be carefully treasured up and preserved among God's true worshippers.

 

The Holy Spirit wrote  ALL the words of Scripture and it is only the Holy Spirit who can reveal them to the redeemed, (born again)  man. 1Co 2:14 says: “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

How rich then are these few words found in Isaiah. “Bind and seal the word of God.” It’s all we have…..it’s all we need. Jesus said in Mt 4:4, “It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"

Gospel or Law?

 

Isa 8:14 He will be as a sanctuary, But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense To both the houses of Israel, As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many among them shall stumble; They shall fall and be broken, Be snared and taken."

 

Last time, we looked at Jesus as our sanctuary, a refuge of ultimate safety that cannot be breached. You and I are safe as long as we remain in the nail-scarred hands of Jesus. (neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand ) (John 10:28)

BUT! Woe to those who reject this Cornerstone! He will be a “stone of stumbling, a rock of offense, a trap, and a snare!” This is not some ordinary kind of a catch and release trap, it is deadly. It is final! And that is the lot of those who reject Jesus as the Messiah.

 

The New Testament is rife with repetitions of this prophetic warning! Jesus said this to the Jewish leaders of His day:, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD'S doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'? 43 "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 "And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." (Mt 21:42-44)

 

Good news for us Gentiles who have come to faith, bad news for those who continue to reject Him!

Simeon had this prophetic warning for those of Israel: "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against.” (Luke 2:34)

The writer of Romans reminds us: “What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; 31 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.

 33 As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." (Ro 9:30-33)

 

It’s the age old salvation battle of Gospel (righteousness by faith alone) versus Law (righteousness by works.) What will it be for you? Do you still believe that on Judgment Day, you will stand before God and convince Him that you have been “good enough” to earn heaven, or will you be relying on the righteousness of Christ through faith in His finished work on the cross?

 

Either, Or

 

Isa 8:14 He will be as a sanctuary, But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense To both the houses of Israel, As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many among them shall stumble; They shall fall and be broken, Be snared and taken."

 

It’s an either-or situation isn’t it. This passage is quoted several times in the New Testament as it concerns Jesus. He is either a sanctuary, or a deadly snare, there is no in-between.

 

Let us first examine the sanctuary. The word in the Hebrew language means asylum. Now I don’t know what kind of word picture you get with “asylum,” but let’s look at the dictionary definition and see where that leads.

 

Asylum is defined as “an inviolable place of refuge and protection to criminals and debtors.” First of all, let me remind you that you and I are criminals from birth! The Bible tells us that we are conceived in sin! “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.” (Ps 51:5)

Further, the wage of our sin is death! Ro 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

We need refuge and protection from our sin and it is found through God-granted faith in Jesus who knew no sin and became sin for us that we might be righteous (pardoned in the eyes of God!) 2Co 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

When Jesus died on the cross, he said, “It is finished.” The word “finished” here is a financial term and it means “the debt has been paid.”

 

 His death makes the way for the release of our debt of sin and wipes out the charges of sin against us. By faith in Him, He is our sanctuary….our asylum. This sanctuary is inviolable. The devil can’t touch us when we remain in the faith. Jesus put it this way: Joh 10:28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. 30 "I and My Father are one."

Oh, the devil will try, he’ll buzz you and harass you like a mama blackbird, but as long as you remain in Christ, (your sanctuary) you are safe.

 

It’s either, or. There is no middle ground in the matter of salvation. It’s the safety of the sanctuary or the eternally deadly, “stone of stumbling.” May God grant you the safety of His sanctuary….faith in Jesus Christ.

A Personal Prayer

 

De 33:27 The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, 'Destroy!'

 

Just received word yesterday that a dear friend and colleague of mine (Paul Nash)    has been hospitalized with Covid. (Not just him, but his son (Sam) has also been hospitalized with Covid.)

Paul is the former Home Missions director of the AFLC (Association of Free Lutheran Congregations) and currently serves as the director of a men’s ministry called Shamgar.

 

Though our Home Missions Church (Living Word Lutheran) closed its doors 12 years ago, Paul and I have remained in touch. I know he was one of many who prayed fervently for my own healing from Covid last November.

 

Paul is a prayer warrior and I still have his personally crafted and God-inspired format for a healing service taped inside my Ambassador Hymnal. At the bottom of this service, I have added the verse which you see above from Dt 33:27. The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, 'Destroy!'

 

 

This is my prayer for Paul and Sam. Would you join with me and pray it on their behalf and on behalf of others you may know right now struggling with this plague?

“Father, You are our refuge. Place your everlasting arms under your servants Paul and Sam. Thrust out the enemy we call Covid from before You. Say the word “destroy” and it will be done, for You alone are our healer. In Jesus name, Amen

The Lord of Armies

Isa 8:13 The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread.

The Lord of hosts! The Lord of heavenly armies. Let Him be your fear!

What does a heavenly army look like? We get a glimpse in 2Ki 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"

 

Did you pick up on the fear exhibited by Elisha’s servant? His morning was greeted by a view of a huge military army surrounding the city. Horses and chariots and all the weapons needed for conquering. “Alas! What shall we do?

 

What are you up against today? A health crisis. Financial? Relationship? Work related? Are you throwing up your hands and echoing the servants fearful cry, “Alas, what shall I do?” Listen to Elisha’s answer:

16 So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

 

Really Elisha? Easy for you to say, but all I see is impending disaster! Look what Elisha does next: He prayed! He prayed and God answered big time! And the servant saw that the Lord of hosts army, far surpassed the army that the city was facing.

 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

 

This is my prayer for you today. I pray that God would open your eyes to the truth that God, (the Lord of hosts) is able to trump anything the devil throws at you today.

Therefore fear Him! Hallow Him!

Maybe you could pray that prayer for someone you know today who needs that reassurance!

Conspiracy Theories

 

Isa 8:11 For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying: 12 "Do not say, 'A conspiracy,' Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. 13 The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread.

Who says the Word of God is not relevant today? Conspiracy theories abound in our world today. They have always been around, but they seem to flourish in the hotbed of social media. Who do you believe?

Conspiracy theories awaken fear in the souls of men and when fear is awakened, we often panic and forget who is ultimately in control.

In this text, Syria and the Northern Kingdom have conspired to conquer the Southern Kingdom, and King Ahaz and his subjects were all atwitter (pun intended) with fear! What to do? God gives us the answer that is good for all conspiracies for all time: “Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. 13 The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread.”

 

Conspiracy or not, bottom line always begins with the fear of the Lord. As Jesus said  in Mt 10:28 "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

There IS one conspiracy that we should be acutely aware of as we travel this sod.  The devil and his demons have conspired to separate you from the love of God. Know this and hold onto this truth:

Ro 8:38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.