Date: Saturday, August 02, 2014
Today's Chapters: Isaiah 45-48
Message Title: To Believe Or Not To Believe

Over the years I have gotten a lot of comments about my belief in the Word of God. As much as I try to ignore those who call me crazy for believing in my Jesus, sometimes I get a little annoyed and wish I could reach through the monitor and smack them. I know, not very Christian of me, but imagine how God feels? Even worse, imagine how God feels when His own people pick and choose what they believe from His Word. The Bible has one message, Jesus Christ, and whether we read the Old or New Testament, the same message applies. I know some Scripture seems a bit odd, and we all see things a little different, but every interpretation should lead to Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, coming down to earth, in the form of man, to redeem all who believe in Him. “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.” - John 5:39-43.

God always gives us a fair warning of the judgments faced, well before they are to take place, He does this so that the misinformed would get the truth and hopefully accept it and apply it before that day comes. Look at the days of Noah, those people saw Noah and his family building the Ark, and had plenty of time to join them, but they refused, thus leaving only eight people who believed and were save. Through Isaiah, God is warning Israel about the captivity they will be under when Babylon attacks. He encourages them to remove there false gods and seek only Him.

“Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.” - Isaiah 45:20-25.

Most people believe in God, but it's what they believe in that is the question. It is really not the fault of those who do not know God that are led to believe lies about Him. This comes from those who are misinformed or brought up in a false religion. It is the fault of those, who in fact, know God, but have created their own false image of who He is, and what He stands for. However, those who believe the lies are not off the hook, in the end, all will bow before Jesus, and if they are not saved, they will not be saved or justified. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” - Romans 5:1,9.

God is a God of free will, if you do not want to believe in Him, He will accept that, but He also has a challenge for those who reject Him for their false gods, try them, and see if they will be there for them when they fall. “To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like? They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship. They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:” - Isaiah 46:5-7,10-12.

There is no God like the living God, people make up all sorts of gods, gods with rules of sacrificing people and rules of strict discipline, which if broken, there is no mercy. That is not how God is at all, yes, He is a just and righteous God, but He is the God of life, and He only gives us life through His Son. Every soul is so important to God that He came here in the flesh to be the sacrifice to save man from judgment so that no other life would be cast into hell. We must accept God, the Son, if we want to know God, the Father. “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” - 1 John 5:11,12.

Keep in mind that the affliction we face, even as a Christian, is not a punishment from God, it's what makes us the way He wants us to be. We have a choice God's way, or my way, only one way can give us the best live we can live here on earth, and in His Kingdom. “Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another. Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous. Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me. Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as waves of the sea:” - Isaiah 48:10-12,15-18.

Those who reject God or make themselves to be a god will suffer greatly, the devil, thought he could be God, and while he may not be in hell right now, but when Jesus returns and begins judging the earth, he will not only be cast into hell, but the lake of fire, along with everyone else who does not know God. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” - Revelation 20:10,21:7,8.

Reading the Book of Isaiah has really reminded me of just how merciful God is, not to just the saved. No matter how wicked a person is, He never stops trying to get that person to open his heart to be saved from judgment. For those saved, He never stops hoping that they will trust Him completely and be obedient to Him. For the backslidden, He never stops trying to get them to turn back to His ways. Sadly, many, many, who do have knowledge of Jesus will die never knowing Him because they never believed in Him. “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” - Matthew 7:22,23.

Today's Prayer: God, there truly is no other God, You are the only living, Almighty God. Others may make up a god in their own image, but I know that You are the only God. I am so blessed to know that I can say that I know You, not by any righteousness of my own, but because I believe in Your Son, and that You are Him. You came here so we could know You and not face the judgment of hell. Lord, lead me and guide me, give me Your power to live in obedience Your commands to show how thankful I am for all You have done for me, and to be a witness to others. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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