Date: Thursday, July 24, 2014
Today's Chapters: Isaiah 12-14
Message Title: Be Not Afraid

There are thousands of movies and documentaries that portray the end of the world, but it is clear that they are not getting the whole picture. The Bible explains exactly how Jesus will return to judge the earth, and reign as King. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” - Revelation 19:11-16.

Chapter 11 foretold of the wonderful kingdom in which Jesus Christ would reign as King, Chapter 12 follows with praise to God for providing a way for those who believe in Him to be saved from Judgment Day. “And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.” - Isaiah 12:1-4.

All who simply call upon Jesus Christ to save them will be saved, He is the only one who can save us. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” - Romans 10:9,10,13.

The events that Isaiah witnessed took place when the northern and southern kingdoms were still in tact, through God, Isaiah foretells of the the destruction of both kingdoms, which was about 180 years before they happened. “The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle. They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.” - Isaiah 13:4-6,9,11.

Every saved, born again person is a sinner, we are all sinners, and even the strongest, Christian can fall. We are all accountable for our own sins and can fall just as easily as anyone else, the majority of the time we fall because we forget God is our salvation. The key to staying upright is knowing God's Word and constantly keeping it in us, it gives us faith, keeps us in check, and reminds us that the flesh will always get us into trouble without God. “He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.” - Proverbs 15:32,33.

While we are all accountable for our actions, we get an interesting insight and revelation about the one who caused the fall of man in the first place. The devil, old Lucifer himself, he was one of God's archangels, arrogant and proud, he tries to take the throne himself and got cast out, bound for hell. He is still bound for hell and the lake of fire. “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” - Isaiah 14:12-15.

That old devil himself will truly pay the price for the fall of man, being cast down to the pits of hell along with every sinner who sides with him. Who are the sinners who side with him? Anyone who does not believe in or accept Jesus Christ as their only payment to save them. Incidentally, we must admit we are sinners, that is the first step. Who is a sinner? Anyone who has committed sin in their lifetime, even if it were possible to never sin again, that makes a person a sinner. We all sin, that makes us all sinners. “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” - 1 John 1:5-10.

It is a bit scary to know that the when Jesus Christ does return that the whole earth will be destroyed as Babylon, but we can also be put at ease because just as Israel will be restored so will the earth. As Christian's we have nothing to fear because we can proclaim that the Lord Jesus Christ will give us rest as we enjoy eternal life in His Kingdom “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” - Revelation 21:1-3.

Today's Prayer: Jesus, thank You for choosing to become the payment to redeem me of my sins. I should be in hell for the things I have done, but You took my stripes, you bore my pain, so that I do not have to be there. I know I have sinned after I was saved, I thank You for the chastening I got because it taught me true repentance. I know I never want to be in the mess I was in before I let You be Lord of my life, but I know I could fall if I let my flesh do the walking. Lord, lead me and guide me, give me Your power to avoid temptation, to stay in Your Word, and to live in it. In Your name, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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