SCRIPTURE

Studied: Isaiah 65

OBSERVATION

Isaiah 65:1-7 ~ The Lord says, “I made myself known to people who were not looking for me. I was found by those who were not asking me for help. I said, ‘Here I am. Here I am,’ to a nation that was not praying to me. All day long I stood ready to accept people who turned against me, but the way they continue to live is not good; they do anything they want to do. Right in front of me they continue to do things that make me angry. They offer sacrifices to their gods in their gardens, and they burn incense on altars of brick. They sit among the graves and spend their nights waiting to get messages from the dead. They eat the meat of pigs, and their pots are full of soup made from meat that is wrong to eat. But they tell others, ‘Stay away, and don’t come near me. I am too holy for you.’ These people are like smoke in my nose. Like a fire that burns all the time, they continue to make me angry. “Look, it is written here before me. I will not be quiet; instead, I will repay you in full. I will punish you for what you have done. I will punish you for your sins and your ancestors’ sins,” says the Lord….

APPLICATION

Shame on us if we think that we can fool God! Let’s be reminded that He sees all things, hears all things and knows all things. We may fool a brother, or a sister, but we can’t fool God. In fact we are reminded here that it makes Him sick when He sees us trying to impress Him or trying to pretend to be something we’re not. He knows our inmost intentions and although we may feel like we have pulled something off on our neighbor, or our friends, or our family, or perhaps our church, or even pulled something off on God, I am here today to repeat God’s Word in saying that we can’t fool God. In fact, all we are doing is making God sick and fed up with our littleness and self pride. God is in charge of everything that happens everyday to all of us. No need to go anywhere else for direction, guidance or answers to life’s challenges (simple or complicated in our eyes). He knows every hair on our head. He knows when the sparrow is hungry. He is saying to us ‘Here I am, Here I am’. He wants to hear from His children. He would love nothing better than to take us by the hand and lift us up and lead us on a holy path of righteousness.

PRAYER

Father, please forgive me of my littleness, selfishness and self pride. Please continually remind me that there is only One Way to a successful, happy, holy life, and that is through taking Your hand daily and allowing You to control my thoughts, actions and words. It’s You O Lord that I seek to serve, please help me to stay focused on You then, so that I may not be distracted with all the sinful, worldly things that will take me off Your perfect path. May I not be a stumbling block to anyone, but instead be so filled with Your Spirit that others will see Jesus in all that I say or do, and consequently be led to a need to know You in a personal way.