Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; give ear to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah. "What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?" Says the Lord. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle; and I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. When you come to appear before Me, who requires of you this trampling of My courts? Bring your worthless offerings no longer, incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and Sabbath, the calling of assemblies-
I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, they have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together," says the Lord, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they will be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.
Isaiah 1:10-18NASB
Many individuals are content to worship God with mere lip service, and through countless rituals. They somehow believe that God looks down on all of this and is pleased. They feel that this all God requires, and they are then free to live as they please.
All of the countless rituals, all the empty praise and meaningless prayer, are nothing more than an abominable stench before God. God is looking for hearts that are inclined to Him. He desires our devotion, our commitment of all we are and have to Him. Everything must flow out of a loving devotion to God, out of a passion for Him and His glory.
Those practicing a mere external religion lack that love to God, and love to their neighbor that is required. God desires justice and mercy, and that must flow out of the heart that has been touched by His love and mercy.
We often use the words of verse 18 as a call to the lost to receive salvation, but in the context, He is calling His backslidden people to repent and come back to the "religion" of the heart that pleases Him.
It is no different today. God still desires the worship of those who are truly redeemed. He desires praise that flows from a heart filled with reverence and awe. He desires the deeds done in love, and for His glory. He is looking at the heart.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Monday, February 10, 2014
The New Covenant.
"But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the Lord, "I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jeremiah 31:33 NASB
"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be my people and I will be your God.
Ezekiel 36:25-28 NASB
" 'Then you will no that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord have spoken and done it," declares the Lord' "
Ezekiel 37:13-14NASB
However you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. So then brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.
Romans 8:9-14 NASB
Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16NASB
Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of living God; just as God said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore, come out from among their midst and be separate," says the Lord. "And do not touch what is unclean; and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me," says the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 6:16-18 NASB
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us- for it is written "cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree" - in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Galatians 3:13-14 NASB
God required perfect obedience to the law under the old covenant. While the law is good, yet it could not empower anyone to obey it.
Now under the new covenant we have the law of God written upon our hearts. It is something that we want to do. God has removed the heart of stone, our stubborn wills have been subdued by the washing of regeneration in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Under the old covenant the presence of God dwelt in the temple, in the holy of holies, symbolized by the ark of the covenant. Worshippers approached God through a system of offerings and sacrifices, with a priest as an intermediary. It was only once a year that a priest could enter the holy of holies with a sacrificial offering.
Now we are the temples of the living God, He dwells in us by His Spirit. We enter into His presence through Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit came upon certain old testament saints at specific times for specific purposes. Now in this age of grace we can enjoy His presence and power for sanctification and service at all times.
All this is made possible to us through Christ Jesus. The broken fellowship has been restored. We enjoy sonship as God's children. God is our God and we are His people. We have access to the throne of grace that was not available under the old covenant, we have new changed hearts, power to live a holy life. We worship in spirit and truth, enjoying intimacy with a God who was once unapproachable because of our sin.
Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ!
Jeremiah 31:33 NASB
"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be my people and I will be your God.
Ezekiel 36:25-28 NASB
" 'Then you will no that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord have spoken and done it," declares the Lord' "
Ezekiel 37:13-14NASB
However you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. So then brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.
Romans 8:9-14 NASB
Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16NASB
Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of living God; just as God said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore, come out from among their midst and be separate," says the Lord. "And do not touch what is unclean; and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me," says the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 6:16-18 NASB
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us- for it is written "cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree" - in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Galatians 3:13-14 NASB
God required perfect obedience to the law under the old covenant. While the law is good, yet it could not empower anyone to obey it.
Now under the new covenant we have the law of God written upon our hearts. It is something that we want to do. God has removed the heart of stone, our stubborn wills have been subdued by the washing of regeneration in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Under the old covenant the presence of God dwelt in the temple, in the holy of holies, symbolized by the ark of the covenant. Worshippers approached God through a system of offerings and sacrifices, with a priest as an intermediary. It was only once a year that a priest could enter the holy of holies with a sacrificial offering.
Now we are the temples of the living God, He dwells in us by His Spirit. We enter into His presence through Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit came upon certain old testament saints at specific times for specific purposes. Now in this age of grace we can enjoy His presence and power for sanctification and service at all times.
All this is made possible to us through Christ Jesus. The broken fellowship has been restored. We enjoy sonship as God's children. God is our God and we are His people. We have access to the throne of grace that was not available under the old covenant, we have new changed hearts, power to live a holy life. We worship in spirit and truth, enjoying intimacy with a God who was once unapproachable because of our sin.
Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ!
Friday, February 7, 2014
A Time For Repentance.
Why Should any living mortal, or any man,
offer Complaint in view of his sins?
Let us examine and probe our ways,
and let us return to the Lord.
We lift up our heart and hands toward
God in heaven;
We have transgressed and rebelled,
You have not pardoned.
You have covered Yourself with anger
and pursued us;
You have slain and not spared.
You have covered yourself with a cloud
so that no prayer can pass through.
You have made us mere off-scouring,
and refuse in the midst of the peoples.
All of our enemies have opened their
mouths against us.
Panic and pitfall have befallen us,
devastation and destruction;
My eyes run down with streams of water
because of the destruction of the daughter
of my people.
My eyes pour down unceasingly,
without stopping,
Until the Lord looks down and
sees from heaven,
My eyes bring pain to my soul
because of the daughters of my city.
Lamentations 3:39-51 NASB
These are the words of Jeremiah the weeping prophet as he weeps over the destruction and captivity of Jerusalem.
Just as the Israelites of old abandoned the true worship of Jehovah God, so also has a large portion of the modern church.
Where are the men and women who weep over the desolation of the house of God today? Where are those who mourn over the lack of God's presence in our midst as we come to worship with our lips but not our hearts? Where are those who will give God no rest night and day until He pours out His Spirit upon us once again?
Rise up and seek the Lord that He may raise up His Church in holiness and power once again, that the nations would look and see that The only God is indeed on the throne today. Cry out that God would restore His people for the glory of His name. Seek Him to remove the reproach from His wayward children, so that it would not hinder others from entering into His kingdom.
Cry out! Cry out! Stand in the gap until His righteousness falls like rain once again. Oh God revive us again for the sake of your name!
offer Complaint in view of his sins?
Let us examine and probe our ways,
and let us return to the Lord.
We lift up our heart and hands toward
God in heaven;
We have transgressed and rebelled,
You have not pardoned.
You have covered Yourself with anger
and pursued us;
You have slain and not spared.
You have covered yourself with a cloud
so that no prayer can pass through.
You have made us mere off-scouring,
and refuse in the midst of the peoples.
All of our enemies have opened their
mouths against us.
Panic and pitfall have befallen us,
devastation and destruction;
My eyes run down with streams of water
because of the destruction of the daughter
of my people.
My eyes pour down unceasingly,
without stopping,
Until the Lord looks down and
sees from heaven,
My eyes bring pain to my soul
because of the daughters of my city.
Lamentations 3:39-51 NASB
These are the words of Jeremiah the weeping prophet as he weeps over the destruction and captivity of Jerusalem.
Just as the Israelites of old abandoned the true worship of Jehovah God, so also has a large portion of the modern church.
Where are the men and women who weep over the desolation of the house of God today? Where are those who mourn over the lack of God's presence in our midst as we come to worship with our lips but not our hearts? Where are those who will give God no rest night and day until He pours out His Spirit upon us once again?
Rise up and seek the Lord that He may raise up His Church in holiness and power once again, that the nations would look and see that The only God is indeed on the throne today. Cry out that God would restore His people for the glory of His name. Seek Him to remove the reproach from His wayward children, so that it would not hinder others from entering into His kingdom.
Cry out! Cry out! Stand in the gap until His righteousness falls like rain once again. Oh God revive us again for the sake of your name!
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