Date: Friday, July 25, 2014
Today's Chapters: Isaiah 15-19
Message Title: Being Prepared For Jesus

It has been almost 2000 years since Jesus ascended into heaven after being on the earth forty days upon His resurrection. While there have been many, many predictions to when He will return, no one will know, but when He does return we will surely know that it is Him. “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” - Acts 1:6-8.

While we will never know the second in which Jesus will return, we do know that some things must take place before that happens, everything must come to pass exactly as God says before that day. As we have been reading through the Book of Isaiah we are getting a glimpse of what will happen when God does restore the kingdom of Israel. God takes a detour away from the future of Israel to tell us of the judgments placed upon unbelieving nations, beginning with Moab. “The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off. In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly.” - Isaiah 15:1-3.

Those who do not know God, when faced with tribulation, have no comforter, they will literally search every means necessary to find relief, they weep and cry for help, but it cannot be found. Truthfully, until we have no other options, God cannot be found, so, we must come to the end of ourselves before God will show Himself to us. Why? Mans ways lead to death, God's ways lead to life. “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” - Romans 8:6,7,13.

God is no respecter of persons, meaning His judgments and grace is placed on every living soul, He gives every soul the opportunity to be saved from judgment. While God did judge Moab, He gave them all a chance to repent. “Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion. For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon. Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth. Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land.” - Isaiah 16:1-4.

Moab refused to turn to God and within three years, just like the prophecy said, Moab was destroyed. We cannot blame God or anyone else for destruction that takes place in our own nations. We all have a choice, otherwise we would all be under a dictatorship, which God certainly is not. Isaiah also foretells of the judgment placed upon a Egypt, this could be any nation of today. He also assures them that He will protect them and give them rest and a dwelling place away from the destruction.

“The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it.” - Isaiah 19:1-3,19-21.

While we can never know the exact time in which Jesus will return, we are given a command to be a witness to all who do not know Him. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” - 2 Peter 3:9,10,13.

Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for Your gift of free will, You allow us to choose what to believe, and I am certainly glad that I chose Your Son. While we can never know the time in which Jesus will return we can be prepared for that day. Lord, lead us and guide us, give us Your power to witness to those who do not know You and give us the wisdom we need to prepare others for that day. Open the hearts of those who do not know Your Son and help them to see the truth. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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