Sunday, February 09,
2014, 8:39 a.m. – When I woke this morning, the Lord Jesus put the song “His Tender Mercies” in my mind. Speak,
Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah
2 (NIV).
This is what Isaiah
son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
In the last days
the mountain of the
Lord’s temple will be established
as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised
above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come
and say,
“Come, let us go up to
the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his
ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out
from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He will judge between
the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their
swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take
up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Come, O house of
Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.
…The eyes of the
arrogant man will be humbled
and the pride of men brought low;
the Lord alone will be
exalted in that day.
The Lord Almighty has
a day in store
for all the proud and lofty,
for all that is exalted
(and they will be humbled),
…The arrogance of man
will be brought low
and the pride of men humbled;
the Lord alone will be
exalted in that day,
and the idols will totally disappear.
…In that day men will
throw away
to the rodents and bats
their idols of silver
and idols of gold,
which they made to worship.
…Stop trusting in man,
who has but a breath in his nostrils.
Of what account is he?
The Mountain
As I read these beginning verses concerning the mountain of
the Lord’s temple being established as chief among the mountains, I was
reminded of what the Lord Jesus taught me concerning this passage of scripture
just a little over a year now: I could not help but notice then the grammatical
transition in the sentence, “He will teach us his ways.” The pronoun “he”
appears to refer back to the subjects “mountain” and “house of the God of
Jacob.” So, the sentence basically reads that the mountain of the Lord, the
house of the God of Jacob will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his
paths.”
So, both the mountain of the temple (Jesus) and the house
(temple) of God are Jesus Christ/God, as well as they signify what he did for
us in dying on the cross for our sins, they represent the cross of Christ, and
they symbolize the gospel of Christ. So, all nations will stream to our Lord
Jesus Christ, to the cross of Christ, and to the true gospel of Jesus Christ,
i.e. they will come to faith in Jesus Christ. When we come to faith in Jesus
Christ, by God’s grace, through faith, we believe in the gospel, we come to the
cross in dying to our old ways of living in sin, and we turn to faith in Jesus
Christ to obey him with our lives (see Eph. 4:17-24; Luke 9:23-25). All this is
the working of the Holy Spirit of God within us.
Come, Let Us Go
Many peoples will say
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord…”
When Jesus Christ was ready to leave this earth he told his
disciples that when the Holy Spirit came upon them that they would be his
witnesses to the ends of the earth. He also commissioned his disciples to go
and to make disciples (of Christ) of all nations, baptizing them and teaching
them to obey all that Christ has commanded us. So, we, the followers of Christ,
are the “many people” who are (or should be) saying, “Come, let us go…” so all
nations may believe. We are the ones through whom the word of the Lord will go
out.
When we have come to the “mountain of the Lord,” by God’s
grace, through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, then the
Lord Jesus Christ can teach us his ways, so that we can walk in his paths. His
ways begin with the true gospel. Jesus said that if anyone would come after
him, he must deny (disallow) himself, take up his cross daily (die daily to
self and sin) and follow (obey) him. We read in Ephesians 4 that the way in
which we come to know Christ Jesus is by putting off (dying to; forsaking) our
old ways of living in sin, by being transformed in heart and mind via the
working and power of the Holy Spirit of God within us, and by putting on the
new person Christ has made us, “created to be like God in true righteousness
and holiness.” All this is the working of the Spirit of God in our lives.
If we don’t begin with this foundation, nonetheless, then
how can our Lord teach us his ways? How can we walk in his truth if we have not
forsaken our lives of sin, and if we have not made the conscious choice to
follow our Lord Jesus in obedience and in surrender of our lives to his will
for our lives? We have to first of all humble ourselves before God, repent of
our sins, and allow him to change us into new creatures in Christ Jesus. As
well, we have to daily die to sin, and daily choose to walk in obedience to
Christ, in the power and working of the Spirit of God within us, if we are to
hear him speak, if we are to be teachable to learn his ways, and if we are to
walk in his truth.
“Come… let us walk in
the light of the Lord.”
Complacent and
Distracted
God’s people today are no longer the Jews, but are all
people from all nations who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and as Savior of
their lives (including believing Jews). Yet, just like the Jews of old,
sometimes God’s people forget about him, they become complacent, busy,
distracted or they even revert back to their old ways and sinful habits. And
they, just like the Jews of old, become idolatrous and adulterous people who
have forgotten the ways of God, and who have become followers of men and of the
things of this world, instead. I believe that is where the church (overall) in
America is today, and I believe these Biblical words of counsel, correction,
rebuke and warning are intended for us today, too.
Many are guilty of following superstitions and traditions of
men. They are guilty of joining in with the world of sin and even becoming like
the world in order to entice the world into their “worship” services. They are
guilty of combining “worship” of God with the worship of men and earthly
objects of affection. They are guilty of putting their hope and trust in men, money,
possessions, prestige, honor, rewards of this life, careers, houses, government,
politicians, and military, etc. They are guilty of worshiping the things they
have made with their hands by giving to them their hearts’ devotion, praise and
honor. And, they are guilty of being prideful and arrogant, especially when they
think they should never have to suffer severe persecution for their faith, as
believers from other nations have had to suffer.
God’s Remedy
God’s remedy for the spiritual condition of his church today
in America, and perhaps in other nations, as well, is first and foremost and
always the cross of Christ. God desires that each one of us willingly come to
the cross of Christ, that we humble ourselves, that we repent of our sins, and
that we choose to walk humbly in obedience to Christ and in surrender to his
will for our lives. Yet, God has a day in store for all the proud and lofty and
for all that is exalted of men to be humbled. Revelation 2-3 contains 7 letters
to 7 churches, most of which have things for and things against the church.
Jesus Christ warns his churches that if they do not repent, judgment will
ensue. If we do not willingly come to the cross of Christ in revival in the
church in our nation, I believe we will experience the judgment (divine
discipline) of God upon us, which will then bring us to our knees.
When God/Jesus visits us in judgment in these final days
upon the earth, revival will take place, I believe, for it says here in Isaiah
2 that men will throw away their idols which they made to worship, though
certainly they could be tossing them merely because they are running for their
lives, as it also says they will flee into caverns in the rocks to try to hide
from the dread of the Lord. Yet, this passage also speaks of the nations
streaming to the mountain of the Lord’s temple, and of a time when war will be
no more when Jesus Christ comes to rule and to reign on the earth, so I believe
these judgments of God will bring revival to the church. Then the church will go
forth with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and will bring many people to Jesus
Christ. The Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
So, if you are just coasting along in life thinking that you
have plenty of time to accept Christ, or that it doesn’t matter to God what you
do now that you are “saved,” so you are just living your life to please
yourself, counting on heaven to be there for you when you need it most, then I
pray that you will prayerfully consider what has been shared here, and that you
will make that decision today to come to the mountain of the Lord’s temple,
i.e. to come to faith in Jesus Christ via repentance and obedience, by God’s
grace; that you will make Jesus Christ the Lord (master) of your life, and that
you will put your hope and trust in Jesus Christ and not in men, believing the
truth of his word instead of the lies of men. Come to the cross today while you
still have today. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow.
His Tender Mercies
/ An Original Work / January 26, 2014
Fear not! I’m with
you.
Be not dismayed!
God watches o’er you.
Trust Him today.
He’ll lead and guide
you;
Give you His aid.
He’ll love and keep
you
With Him always.
Walk in His footsteps.
He’ll lead the way.
Trust in His love;
Believe that He cares.
He will not leave you.
Faithful He’ll be.
His tender mercies
Now you will see.
Fellowship with Him
Throughout the day.
Tell Him your
heartaches.
He’ll heal always.
Rest in His comfort.
He is your friend.
Your faith He’ll
strengthen,
True to the end.
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