LEARNING DAILY

 

Isaiah 49:11, “I will make each of My mountains a road, and My highways shall be elevated. Surely these shall come from afar; look! Those from the north and the west, and these from the land of Sinim.”  God

 

This is a verse that everyone reading it would not understand and keep reading.  That would have been me except I have begun using commentaries and study Bibles to help me get a better understanding of what I am reading.  A comment in the JSESB intrigued me so that I am passing it on to you today, hoping to give some understanding and encourage to each of you.  The comment was “Satan endeavors to make the Christian think that even though he might make it, still, its going to be a difficult journey that will not be worth the effort.”  I would never have gotten this from a quick reading of this verse.  I had to do further research to understand how this was gotten from the above verse.  Let me share what I found.

 

For the Israelites of Isaiah’s day, this refers to the difficulty of returning from their captivity in Babylon; there would be obstructions and difficulties during their return.  The Lord was telling the people that He created the mountain or the high places as well as the valleys or the low places. The Lord was telling them through His prophet that He would remove all obstacles or make the mountains a highway for His people to return to Jerusalem. 

 

It was very interesting how Bible scholars all pointed to the difficulties you and I have walking on the narrow way.  Some of you gave your life to Christ at an early age.  Some, like me, it took longer.  And, some of you may have taken even longer.  Satan was there trying to misdirect you, getting you to live in worldly ways so you would not ever come to know Jesus Christ as your Savior.  He fought hard to keep you especially when you got close to making your decision to follow Jesus.  But when you decided to give your life to him, the warfare for your soul began in earnest.  Satan never stops trying to pull you away from the narrow way that leads to heaven.  He hates you and does everything he can to deceive you and get you to step off the narrow way.  You could refer to the verse from Isaiah and say there are many mountains (obstructions and difficulties) that you are looking at in your walk with Jesus.  Satan is not the only challenge.  There are people all around you that laugh and scoff at you when they find out you are a Christian.  Perhaps they just put up with you as long as you do not bring up anything Jesus has done for you.  Yes, the hearts of too many people are hardened due to the deception in their lives.

 

Jesus, Himself, gave warning that in the last days, there would be many who would come to deceive even Christians.  I tell you that there are many deceivers in the world today preaching and teaching false doctrine and lies.  Be careful!  Be aware of those who would tell you there is more than one way to get on the narrow way that leads to eternal life.  In this life, you and I will be faced with opposition, persecutions, unbelief, Satan’s lies, and immoral temptations, losses, and all sorts of deceptions.  But, through them all, our Lord Jesus Christ makes a way – a narrow way.  “My highways shall be elevated (exalted)”.  His highway is a way of righteousness and holiness.  Stop with those thoughts of not being worthy.  Of course you aren’t.  No one is!  It is Christ’s righteousness in us that makes us righteous.  Our walk on the His highway – the narrow way - is due to our faith in who Jesus Christ is and that He loved us enough to take our rightful place on a cross of shame that we might live eternally with Him. 

 

I wonder if we will ever know the number of obstacles He has removed for us as we walk with Him!  I am lifted up and encouraged by the short study on a verse I would have just read without any thought.  My prayer is that you have been as well!

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB

 

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Isaiah 48:16c-18, And now the Sovereign Lord and His Spirit have sent me with this message: “The Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says: I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good and leads you along the paths you should follow.  Oh, that you had listened to my commands!  Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling like waves.”

 

Chapter 48 of Isaiah is quite interesting as it tells us important information about God.  He is about to lead Israel out of captivity but before He does, He reminds them of the sin that got them there.  In the last page of the blog, we discussed how they worshipped God with their mouth but not with the way they lived their lives. God does not want them to return to their sinful ways.  However, they do not listen to Him.  God is patient with them and tells them He will not destroy them.  In the verses above, He tells His people through Isaiah that He only wanted the best for them and is disappointed that they were stubborn in their disobedience.  If they had only listened and been obedient, they would have enjoyed great peace and prosperity because of His protection and His provision. (Thoughts taken from Bridgeway Bible Commentary)

 

I have said before that this blog is written to be an encouragement to walk on the narrow way to eternal life; it is probably written for me more than anyone else.  Writing this keeps me focused (at least for a while).  Accepting the Lord’s offer of salvation through the cross redeems all from the “captivity of sin”.  As with Israel, God does not want us to return to the sinful life we led before we were saved.  I speak only for my personal walk – I am so thankful that He is patient with me even when I have been disobedient.  As I look back over the forty-five years since I gave my life to Him, I have spent a lot of time asking for His forgiveness for failing Him.   

 

The Bible gives us the direction we need to walk in obedience or to walk on the narrow way.  The devil does his best to keep each of us from reading and studying and understanding it.  He does not want us to know what is in it because he would have an easier time destroying us if we had no knowledge of God’s way.  God, on the other hand wants the very best for each of us just like the verses of Isaiah state.  You and I must know how the Bible instructs us to live and live obediently!  Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us “To run the race God has set before us with endurance.  The only way to do that is to keep our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish” (paraphrased from the NLT).  Our race of faith must be run with our eyes on Jesus alone as our example of trusting God and being committed to do His will.  That is the only way we will be able to overcome temptation, possible suffering, and to remain loyal to God.   It is our source of strength, love, grace, mercy and help in time of need.  By keeping our eyes on Jesus, we can enjoy the peace Isaiah speaks of.

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB.

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Isaiah 48:1, ”Hear this, house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah; who swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth or in righteousness;”

 

 There was a story being passed around a while back about several men going into a church with automatic weapons.  They shouted out that they were going to kill the Christians that had gathered there.  Many fled to the get out of the church before shots were fired.  But there were people who did not leave.  It was at that time the gunmen put down their weapons and stated, “Now we can have church!”  This probably did not happen but the idea leads into the meaning of the verse in Isaiah 48:1. 

 

The JSESB defines the name “Judah” as the nation’s surname and the name “Israel” as the nation’s spiritual name.  It also states that “to swear by the name of the Lord” is an idiom expression of worship.  It is good to know the meaning of words and phrases of scripture.  Chapter 48 of Isaiah reveals that Judah was a people who professed to follow the God and called upon His name.  That would translate for us today as those who are in church on Sunday, give money to the church, may clap to the music and even raise their hands from time to time.  There are people who claim to know the Lord and know enough about the Bible to converse about it.  They would claim that the Lord helps those who help themselves; please show me where that statement is in the Bible!  Like the people of Judah, people today like to give the appearance outwardly that they are Christians.  The rest of the week does not always show what they appear to be on Sunday.  Through Isaiah, the Lord said the people rejected the truth of His Word and were living unrighteous lives before Him; that was the reality of these people. 

 

I want you to read two verses in the New Testament that indicate this theme and show we are in the end of times.  2 Timothy 3:5,”they will act as if they are religious (a form of godliness), but they will reject the power that could make them godly.  You must stay away from people like that.” (NLT).  Paul, the writer of this letter to Timothy, was speaking about the same thing Isaiah was saying – people would have a “form of godliness, appears to be a religious person but do not manifest the power that can save them from sin, selfishness, and immorality.  They practice and tell others they can practice sins mentioned in 2 Timothy 3:2-4 and still inherit eternal life” (LSSB).  That is a far different teaching from what the Bible teaches!

 

In 2 Timothy 4:3-4, Paul writes  “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to right teaching.  They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will teach them whatever they want to hear. They will reject the truth and follow strange myths.” (NLT).  Bible doctrine is not something people usually like to study; Paul states in the end times people will refuse to love sound doctrine.  Instead, they will turn away from the truth.  Anyone want to shout out an AMEN!? People today do not want to hear anything about turning away from sinful behavior, repentance, the judgments of God, or the need to live on the narrow way that leads to eternal life in God’s kingdom.  So, they will turn to teachers who “tickle their ears or who teach them what they want to hear.” 

 

God’s Word tells those who desire to follow the truth found in it, to submit and remain faithful to it - even in the face of persecution.  God’s Word must be our ultimate guide to truth and righteous living that is acceptable to God.  There is no new truth that we are to follow.  Every thing we believe and do is based solely on what is found in God’s Holy Word.  Read it! Study it! Do what it says!  By doing so, you will be equipped to know false teaching when it comes and run from it!

 

By the way, in the introductory story, would you have fled or stayed?

 

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Isaiah 45:22-23, “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth!  For I am God, and there is no other.  I have sworn by Myself; the Word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and it shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, and every tongue take an oath.”  God

 

Matthew 28:18-20, And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth.  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, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the age.” Amen.

 

Every so often I need to remind myself and you of 2 Timothy 3:16-17.  “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  Why do we need to be reminded of this in this blog page?  The answer is centered on whether you and I believe this to be true or not.  Isaiah and all of the New Testament tell us that there is no other god but God which means only through Him is one saved and able to walk on the narrow way.  Every person on earth is invited to “look to Him and be saved” from an eternity in hell.  2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God does not want this for any person!  God’s offer  through Isaiah is still available to all individuals – repent and be saved!  Jesus Christ gives the same invitation.

 

Jesus’ words above are known as the Great Commission.  God’s people are promised to have authority and power to declare to what Jesus has done for us throughout the world – this would be our area of influence.  That power comes through power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  The Great Commission was not just given to the people of Biblical days; it was given to you and me.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is centered on repentance and the forgiveness of sins, the promise of receiving the Holy Spirit, and to live lives separate from this corrupt and evil world – walking on the narrow way.  We do this while continually being ready for the return of Jesus for His Church.

 

Let me draw your attention to a key phrase of the Great Commission, “Go therefore and make disciples”.  You and I are not just intended to make converts; we are to make disciples, ones who will follow God’s Word (Go back and read 2 Timothy 3:16-17).  Evangelism is important.  It is just as important to follow up with those who accept the salvation invitation to be sure they are being helped with their new life in Christ.  Discipleship is a responsibility that is to often ignored.  To ignore it is to allow the new convert to allow the concerns of the world or trials that come cause him to stumble because the Word has not taken root. Read the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13.  The Great Commission is not about increasing the numbers of a church membership roll.  It is about “making disciples who separate themselves from the world, observe the commands of Christ, and follow Him with all their hearts, minds, and wills (John 8:31) (LSSB).  That is walking on the narrow way!

 

Here is the promise: “I am with you!”  Jesus promised that His presence and authority would be with all believers who walk on the narrow way and help others to walk there as well.  Let this thought from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible encourage you to stay on this narrow way and to reach out to others to get on it through Jesus Christ’s offer of salvation.  “No matter what your condition is – weak, poor, humble, apparently unimportant – He cares for you, watches with concern every detail of life’s trials and struggles, and give both the grace that is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9) and His presence to lead you home (Matthew 18:20; Acts 18:10).  This is the Christian’s answer to every fear, every doubt, every trouble, every heartache, and every discouragement.”

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB

 

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Isaiah 44:3, “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring;”  God

 

In this blog, we have been considering some of the prophetic writing that God gave through the prophet Isaiah.  It is evident in the book of Isiah that God was not happy with His people for their continued worship of idols.  His discipline was going to happen if they did not repent.  There were plenty of opportunities for repentance; they did not do so.  Discipline occurred.  The forty-fourth chapter of Isaiah is about God’s blessing on Israel.  It is important for us to know that even when God disciplines His people it is only for a time (DJSB).

 

When was the last sermon you heard on God’s discipline?  It is not a very popular subject nor one that would make you feel really good, giving those goosebump things we like to get.  No, this subject is neglected.  But consider this verse in Hebrews 12, “My child, don’t ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don’t be discouraged when He corrects you, for the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes those He accepts as His children.” (NLT). The next verses in Hebrews 12 compares God’s discipline with an earthly father who disciplines his children so they will understand that doing the right thing will help them become better people.  God’s discipline is never out of anger, never inflicts pain (The hurt we feel is from disappointing Him to the point He has to discipline us.), and is never unfair; it comes from His love for us.  Always remember that His discipline is for the purpose of making us holy and to keep us on the narrow way to His kingdom.

 

There is another aspect to God’s discipline that we need to consider.  1 Timothy 4:7-8 tells us, “But reject profane and old wives fables and exercised (discipline) yourself toward godliness.  For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and that which is to come.” (NKJV).  I’m pretty sure God helps us to discipline ourselves to stay on the narrow way.  Just like so many in my family who go to the gym on a regular basis (I am quite proud of them being so disciplined!), it is more important to be disciplined in Bible study, prayer, church attendance in a Bible-based church.  Those disciplines help us as we walk in this ungodly world and the promise of God’s eternal kingdom.

 

Our heavenly Father wants to “pour water on him who is thirsty”.  He wants to “pour My Spirit on your descendants”.  That promise comes through His discipline. Jesus said in Matthew 5:6, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”  The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 42:1, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.  I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and stand before Him?”  My encouragement to you this morning is to remove anything in your life that keeps you from walking with the Lord in this way.  Seek God like the deer seeks water and the promise is He will fill you with “floods on dry ground” and “blessing on your offspring”!  That is my daily prayer for all of my family and for each of you! 

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB

 

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Isaiah 43:4-7, “Since you are precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I love you; therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life.  Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendents from the east, and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not keep My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth – everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”

 

Chapter 43 of Isaiah is about the Redeemer of Israel; Israel will be redeemed from their captivity in Babylon.  Redemption is a very personal act by God who calls the nation of Israel by name (v.1).  This prophecy tells of a time God will gather His people from captivity in Babylon.  It is His promise “to be with them that brings assurance and calms their fear in the midst of troubles and distress” (DJSB).  It tells also of the obstacles that they will face as He gathers the people from the various areas they have been scattered to. 

 

Isaiah 43:1-7, expresses God’s love for Israel who has refused to repent (read Isaiah 42).  Because of their refusal to repent He disciplined them by sending them into captivity.  Throughout their captivity, God does not abandon them.  Instead, He will show His love and grace to them by bringing them out of their captivity.  It is important to understand that God is with them as they go through their captivity; He does not abandon them because He loves them.

 

The promise of bringing the scattered people back to Jerusalem is also prophetic for a future time as the Jews are once again scattered throughout the world.  Prophecy can have meaning for the Jewish people of biblical days; it can also be meant for time in the future.  After World War Two, Jewish people began to make their way back to the area known as Palestine.  In 1948 this area became known as the nation of Israel.  This is a significant time because the Jewish people began to gain the land God had promised Abraham – the Promised Land, the land of milk and honey.  Many would believe this date is significant with the end times time schedule.

 

I try to be careful to not over think how I relate Old Testament happenings to our life today.  It seems Isaiah’s writing about God’s love for Israel to be relevant to our lives today.  Consider the blessings mentioned here to the blessings those who are children of God have today.  God has created each of us.  He has redeemed us through the cross and He knows us by name!  I am overwhelmed that the God who created all things knows my name and cares about me – even after all I have done.  He is with each of as we go through all the troubles and conditions of life.  To know that you and I are precious to Him and even honored (see v. 4) amazes me!  Knowing this is an encouragement to me to stay on the narrow way that leads to His kingdom and eternal life!

 

“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…..”  

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Isaiah 40:18, To whom then will you liken God?  Or what likeness will you compare to Him?

 

When you think of God how do you picture Him in your mind?  If you were to try to draw a picture of Him what would His image be like?  Jesus said, that anyone who had seen Him had seen the Father.  How do you capture the holiness, the perfection of the Creator of all things? They couldn’t.  instead, they chose to make images of idols that they thought would aid them in living their lives.  They made graven images, the works of their own hands, to worship.

 

To understand the questions presented to Isaiah we must remember that Israel followed the pagan people they lived with in the worship of idols or images they gave to their many gods.  Those images came in many forms depending on what the god was supposed to do for them.  The challenge God gave the people through Isaiah was to contrast Him with the idols they worshipped.  God mocked the people’s idols.  Read verses 12-31.  These verses “emphasize God’s wisdom, greatness, majesty, and creative power.  The truths expressed here inspire His people to trust in Him, the only One who could deliver them and establish His kingdom forever.” (LSSB). 

 

These verses draw each of us to the foolishness of idolatry because absolutely nothing can be compared to God!  Think about this for a moment.  Can an idol think, see, speak, feel, or know anything?  Can an idol, move or do anything? No.  It is absolutely ridiculous to put one’s faith in something made out of stone or wood.  John Ritenbaugh has said, “God is unique; nothing compares to Him.  There is no point of contact, no physical reference, to which a human being can compare Him, revealing the absolute folly of image-making. Even Jesus’ declarations regarding God are never about what He looks like, but are all about His authority, position, purpose, character, and attributes.”  We do not need to know what God looks like; He only cares that we know His character, His attributes, His power and His plan for each of us.  He only cares that we come to know and accept His plan of salvation through Jesus Christ; He wants us to get on and stay on the narrow way that leads to His kingdom and eternal life.

 

The questions asked in Isaiah 40:18 need to be answered by each of us. “To whom then will you

liken God?  Or what likeness will you compare to Him?”  Anything we place equal to God in our reverence becomes an idol to us.  The answers to the questions must be a resounding nothing can compare to God and we do not need to know what He looks like.  Believers are to only to acknowledge that He is great, holy, righteous and worthy of our confidence, our trust and our faith.  To place your worship in anything else is pointless!

 

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB.

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Isaiah 40:7-8, “The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass.  The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our Lord stands forever.” (NKJV)

 

In July of 1976 I asked Jesus Christ into my heart to be my Savior and my Lord.  Through a series of events, I was able to study His Word every day -for much of each day – for almost a year.  Since then, I have found tremendous joy sharing, teaching, even preaching from time to time what I have learned by my studies.  Now, I continue to learn as I study to make sure what I write in the blog is accurate and true.  I am thankful for those who question something from time to time.

 

2 Timothy 3:16tells us that “God’s Word is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  The Bible helps get us on the narrow way to God’s Kingdom and eternal life and then keeps us on it.  You and I do not need anything else!  It keeps us on it by correcting errors in doctrine, conduct and attitude; the Bible gets us back on the narrow way when we get off it!  The Bible is God’s inspired Word to us and is always truth!

 

Isaiah tells us that God’s Word will endure forever!  Through Isaiah, God compares mankind to grass, weak and frail and ultimately dies.  “But the word of our Lord stands forever.”   God’s promise will be fulfilled; it is eternal truth that cannot be changed! (LSSB).  It is necessary to put this verse into the context of the passage that it was taken from.  God was telling the people of Israel through Isaiah, His prophet, that He would return to Jerusalem and restore them.  His promise could be believed and would be done; this was in contrast to human beings and their promises that too often fail.

 

I have very little faith that the leaders of this country will keep their promises.  I have always enjoyed the political aspects of government.  But over the past few years, I can hardly stand to listen to it.  Who is telling us truth and who is not; or is anyone speaking truth?  Okay, I may have become cynical about politics, but, come on, how many promises are really kept? Through all the changes you and I have seen in world politics, through all the deceit and ungodliness in world governments, the Word of God holds true, steady and unchanging!  World leaders fail to fulfill their promises, governments change or fall, but God never changes!  Not one of His promises has failed!

 

You and I can rely on God fulfilling every promise He has given us in His Word.  He is going to return for His people; He is only waiting for that last person to accept His invitation for salvation.  He has promised to never leave you nor forsake you and He won’t.  Whatever you are going through, whatever the circumstance you are going through, look to Him to be with you.    He has promised to love you, to take your burdens upon Himself.  His Word never changes; it is up to each of us to believe that and cherish that in our heart!

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

1 Timothy 6:11-12, But you, Timothy, belong to God; so run from all these evil things, and follow what is right and good.  Pursue a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.  Fight the good fight (of faith) for what we believe.  Hold tight to the eternal life that God has given you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses.  (NLT) The parentheses are my addition from other versions.

 

I will get back to Isaiah’s writings tomorrow.  Today I want to add to the writings on faith. Reread the verses above by substituting your name for Timothy’s name.  Make the verses personal!

 

Paul’s final word of encouragement to Timothy was to fight the fight of faith by walking on the narrow way that leads to eternal life in the kingdom of God! The word “fight” is from the Greek word meaning “to contend persevering against opposition and temptation”; “to strive in a contest for a prize, straining every nerve to attain to the object” (from the Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words).  Paul sees the Christian life as a fight so intense that it requires each of us to persevere in being faithful in our devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ. That will more than likely cause us to have to oppose and struggle with those who do not believe in what the Bible teaches.  God calls you and me, as Believers, to stand firm in our faith and let nothing cause us to move.  When you and I gave our life to the Lord by accepting His work on the cross and His resurrection we became His.  Our joy is found in Him.  Our purpose is found in Him and we live to bring honor and glory to Him.  There is no room to follow anything or anyone else!

 

You and I are going to be challenged in our walk of faith by Satan who is constantly trying to get you off the narrow way.  He will try to convince you that you can walk with one foot on the narrow way and the other in the world.  Satan “wants to destroy or seriously weaken our faith.  He wants to push our faith from the cross to other things” (JSESB).  Our faith is going to be challenged; we fight by confidently taking hold of our salvation, the promise of eternal life that we have in Jesus Christ.  Why do we do that?  The answer is clear – we fight the good fight because every battle has already been won by Christ’s victory at the cross.  Because of that we are to face every challenge in life by faith, trusting Him to bring us victory.  In doing so, we take hold of eternal life.  Eternal life is not only for heaven but it is for us now!  We run the race set before us; we do so in confidence because we know victory over the world and Satan has already been achieved for us by faith in Jesus Christ!

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Isaiah 30:15, For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest shall you be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”  But you would not (New King James Version)

 

I have been studying the book of Isaiah; it was not until chapter 30 that I decided to mark some things to use in the blog. 

 

Israel is about to be invaded by the Assyrian King Sennacherib.  This was God’s judgment upon the people of Israel because warning after warning had not brought repentance; the people had continued in their idol worship and disobedience.  Read Isaiah 30:1, “Woe to the rebellious children” says the Lord, who take counsel, but not from Me, and who devise plans, but not my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin”.  The leadership of Israel chose to find help from the Egyptians (symbolic of the world philosophies) and not God.  Did Israel not know that God knew everything they were doing? 

 

Chapter 30 of Isaiah is about the pointless confidence Israel placed in an alliance with Egypt. The people did not want to hear the prophetic words of Isaiah because they did not want to hear words that would threaten their sinful lifestyle.  Instead, they desired to hear encouraging and pleasant messages that did offend them.  Are we much different today?  Paul wrote that in the last days people would reject messages that proclaimed truth and would find those preachers that would tickle their ears by preaching things they wanted to hear.  Those would be messages that were pleasing because they did not reveal their sinful and worldly lifestyle.  We are there!

 

Isaiah 30:15 (above) is a word to return to God to find rest and confidence.  David Jeremiah gives this word, “Sometimes God lets us run the course of our own sufficiency until we have proven, not only to ourselves but to everybody else, that we cannot do it on our own.”  God says to us like He did to Isaiah that quietness and confidence (in the Lord) shall be our strength.  Quietness refers to stopping our activity and to just seek the Lord in order to hear what His desire is.  Psalm 46:10 tells us to, ”Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”  Too often it is believed that God will only be found if we do all sorts of activity; no, it is in the silence and stillness that we hear His voice.  It is when we declare that we are unable to do something on our own and that we need Him that we gain strength to accomplish the task.  Cease striving and put your confidence in God!

 

Read a little further in this chapter and see that God’s desire is to be gracious to His people – you and me!  It is His desire to pour out blessings to all who wait upon Him, who long for His righteousness and walk upon the narrow way.  God is patient, waiting for us to come to Him to direct our lives; turn away from seeking help from everywhere else but Him. Isaiah 30:18 ends this way, ”blessed are those who wait for Him.” Seek Him in quiet confidence that He hears you, loves you, desires to bless you; then wait upon Him.

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Matthew 16:2-4, He replied, “You know the saying, ‘Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow, red shy in the morning means foul weather all day.’  You are good at reading the weather signs in the sky, but you can’t read the obvious signs of the times!  Only an evil, faithless generation would ask for a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.”  Then Jesus left them and went away.  Jesus (NLT)

 

The Pharisees and Sadducees were trying to test Jesus claims by asking for a sign from heaven.  They had chosen not to believe Jesus was the Messiah because He had not fit into their expectations of a military leader that would deliver the Jewish people from the Roman oppression.  They demanded some sign from heaven that would open their eyes and convince them differently.  “Ironically, Jesus Himself was the ”sign from heaven” that the Jewish people sought” (DJSB).  Jesus had already given them many miracles to believe in; they chose not to believe them.  How many more signs would be necessary before the Jewish leaders and people would believe He was the Messiah?

 

Jesus’ answer was to draw them to the Prophet Jonah.  Jonah was given a task, chose to run from it, was swallowed by whale where he stayed in its belly for three days.  The whale spit him up near Nineveh where he was to deliver God’s message of repentance.  We have the ability to understand that Jesus spoke of Jonah as a type of Messiah referring to His death and resurrection.  That was the only sign they would get and they needed to figure it out.

 

All people, today, have the opportunity to read God’s Word and discern the signs of the times.  Too many want a sign from heaven before they believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior.  I am amazed at the amount of data receiving stuff that can tell us about the weather we will have days in advance.  Sometimes, the forecast is even correct! 

 

Many people today are wondering and asking if we are in the last days.  The Bible gives plenty of “signs” about the end of days as we know them.  They are occurring everyday all around us and people ignore them, not able to discern what is happening.  It is sad because most people still do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God, sent to save all who would believe in Him the greatest sign of all (JSESB).  Too many people today are blind to the second coming of Jesus Christ even though He was very clear to the conditions that would be occurring on earth before He did so.  Too many scoff and laugh, asking where is He?  They ask has not every generation since Bible times been saying their generation will see His return?  Like the Pharisees and Sadducees who questioned Jesus, many today do not believe despite the miracles that happen around them every day.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ still reveals Himself to those who earnestly seek Him.  He does not reveal Himself to spiritual frauds (DJSB).  We have been given warning after warning, sign after sign from the Bible and see them happening right now.  They are growing in severity, confusing the spiritually blind!  It is time to diligently seek the Lord and His discernment for what is occurring around us!  Do so in faith that He desires us to be able to be able to read the signs of the times.

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Psalm 11:1-4, I trust in the Lord for protection.  So why do you say to me “Fly to the mountains for safety!  The wicked are stringing their bows and setting their arrows in bowstrings.  They shoot from the shadows at those who do right.  The foundations of law and order have collapsed.  What can the righteous do?”  But the Lord is in His holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven.  He watches everything closely, examining everyone on earth.

 

“Even though there is no sure way of knowing, this Psalm was probably written when Saul was constantly threatening David with death.” (JSESB).  David found his help in the Lord when his life was in danger despite the constant urging from his counselors to “fly to the mountains” or to run and hide.  David believed he was much more secure in the Lord than hiding.

 

These verses of Scripture are quite relevant to what we are facing in this crazy mixed-up world that calls “evil good and good evil”.  What used to be hidden and considered shameful is now on full display and modesty is laughed at.  Living the life that the Lord wants us to live on the narrow way is mocked and many around the world are being killed for their walk with the Lord. 

It seems that every moral, spiritual, and governmental foundation is being shaken, being destroyed.  What do we do?  This Psalm seems to be telling us not to panic.  Don’t run and hide; place your faith in God.  Is this not what those in the Hall of Fame of Faith did?  We read that each of them believed God when “the wicked are stringing their bows and setting their arrows in bowstrings”. 

 

It is evident to me that the things we have trusted for so long are crumbling.  Look what has happened in this country in the last eight months – inflation is rising at a rapid pace, prices are going up at the gas pumps, in the grocery stores, moral standards are being challenged even more than in the past, war and rumors of war!  What do we do?  We place our faith and our trust in Lord until He returns for us.  If we don’t, everyday will be filled with anxiety, fear, and panic.

 

Read the rest of the Psalm.  “The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord still rules from heaven.  He watches everything closely, examining everyone on earth.”  What an encouragement!  God sees what is going on in the world.  He will test the righteous (that’s you and me) and He will deal with the wicked in a severe way. It is so much better for us to trust in the One who is in control of the politics of the world, the weather, and every plague that comes.

 

As Christians we are not immune from every day events.  The rain falls on both the righteous and the unrighteous.  But Christians place their faith in the One who is in control of all things.  As every generation of Christians have looked for the Lord’s return, we do as well.  We live our lives in anticipation of the return of Jesus; we do not know when that will be – next week, next year or when.  We do know that we are a lot closer than it has ever been.  Maybe He will return today!  Today is certainly the day to put out faith and trust in Him!

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB