SCRIPTURE

Studied: Isaiah 1:21-25

OBSERVATION

Isaiah 1:24-25 ~ I am the LORD All-Powerful, the mighty ruler of Israel, and I make you a promise: You are now my enemy, and I will show my anger by taking revenge on you. I will punish you terribly and burn away everything that makes you unfit to worship me.

APPLICATION

I wonder if God’s anger has been provoked by our country, our churches or even us as individuals, to the extent that He is ready to show His revenge, like He told the rulers of Israel in these verses? It seems like we have done an awful job at following God’s commands and truly being a church that He could use for His glory to do His will in a lost world. I know that we have done nothing to be proud of, so God has every reason to show His anger in order to awake us out of the self denial, lackadaisical attitude that we have permitted ourselves to fall into. I’m reminded of us simply standing by and watching a building burn while making no effort to extinguish the flame, although we have hoses in our hands filled with water. So it is in the spiritual world, we stand by and watch a world die and go to Hell while having the truth about how our sacrificial Lamb, our Savior, having the keys to the glorious kingdom of heaven and could save those destined for Hell. Oh that we may have surrendered lives and allow God to work through us to save the lost.

PRAYER

Father, You have warned us in Your Word that no one knows the time that Christ will return to take His bride, the church, away. Please help us to treat with urgency the awesome job of sharing Your grace and Your love with those around us that still need to know You as Lord. Please help us to live our lives so pure before You that You could inhabit our lives and work through us to reach the unsaved and speak very soberly to the uncommitted and unconcerned Christians. You sacrificed so much for me, please help me to sacrifice self pride and personal will so that I may be usable by You today.