Wednesday, November 20, 2013

A devotional commentary on Isaiah 38 (to be read).

A life.

     No matter how long - is too short,

              Especially when told the end of it.

      For we were not supposed to die,

But live.

Hezekiah was told by God to get his house in order, “for you shall die”.  When a man tells another such a thing it is shocking, but it is only the opinion of another man.  Men have been wrong before, and will be so again.  But to receive such a message from the living God – that cannot be ignored!

Yet, though in bitterness, Hezekiah prayed, “Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.”

Dare any man bring to remembrance his ways before the Lord?!  I know I would be afraid, even ashamed, to do so, for who can stand before the Lord?  None, not even one.  But the one trusting in God’s love & salvation – he could stand…  Again I ask, Who dares to presume upon the Lord?

Indeed Hezekiah’s account (38:10-15) describes his struggle to stand reconciled before the living God.  I especially appreciate verse 14, “My eyes fail from looking upward. O LORD, I am oppressed; Undertake for me!”  In verse 16 Hezekiah begins to take a line from Psalm 46:10 (Be still, and know that I am God) and rests from all his defenses.  Oh that we would do likewise!  We cannot stand before Him!

He now begins to account for his sins and is quickly reminded that God is his only hope and has already delivered him from death of a much darker sort – the pit!  In verse 16 – 20, he simply repeats that the living shall praise Him and in that, Hezekiah means two things. While in physical life we do praise God, but after such life is over – only the living – not such as go down to the pit, will praise the Lord, and then in perfection!

Father, may my words be to your praise now and after my departure from this earthly pilgrimage.  Amen.

Originally published 23 March 2011 at 12:13 here:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/dave-cox-ii/a-devotional-commentary-on-isaiah-38-to-be-read/10150116984765869

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

A short devotion on Isaiah 41:8-10

8 But you, Israel, are My servant,  
  Jacob whom I have chosen, 
  The descendants of Abraham My friend.
  You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,  
  And called from its farthest regions,
  And said to you, 
 
9 ‘You are My servant,  
   I have chosen you and have not cast you away:
  Fear not, for I am with you;  
  Be not dismayed, for I am your God.  
  I will strengthen you,  Yes, I will help you,  
  I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Such a powerful and encouraging statement from the mouth of the Lord! Firstly we are told of God's encountering Israel.  This is no accidental meeting.  In his sovereignty God, of His own pleasure, chose Israel.  This is so significant that he repeats it in verse 9.

Have you ever thought how comforting the doctrine of election can be?  And though we do not merit this attention, yet He has some expectation for us - as He calls us twice - just as in choosing His servants.  To be a servant implies service.  We are not told or elaborated upon what the service is, however, is it not apparent that the choice is not based upon the serving?

Consider what the tenor of the passage is... It is to encourage the chosen.   I have called you, taken you, not cast you off, and will strengthen you!  Indeed, he says He will "uphold you with my righteous right hand" Not only do we not get His attention by merit, we do not keep it through our work, He keeps us!

It is true, that we can see our good works are a blessing to others and to ourselves, but not to keep His attention. Indeed our works are but filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) before a righteous judge such as He -- these works simply testify to ourselves and others of the amazing work that our God has done in us!
 
Father, let me never take for granted your choice of me!  Amen.

Originally published 13 April 2011 at 13:19 here:

Monday, November 11, 2013

The Plans of the Lord

I was reading in Isaiah this morning.  Isaiah 14: 24-27 says,  "The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, "Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, And as I have purposed, so it shall stand: That I will break the Assyrian in My land, And on My mountains tread him underfoot. Then his yoke shall be removed from them, and his burden removed from their shoulders.  This is the purpose that is purposed against the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. For the Lord of hosts has purposed, And who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?"

And it brought back a little song from a Vacation Bible School in the past.  The song was a paraphrase of Psalm  33:10-11, " The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.  The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations."

What an encouragement!  Though the plans of men seemingly go forward without hindrance, He is not taken aback!  His plans are not thrown aside!  And we know that if we are his children we can have confidence in His plan and way.  Consider this thought... Did not many true children of the Lord perish in the Holocaust of WWII?  Of course!  Was God's purpose pushed aside?  To say so would be to say He is not God, and that He is not able to save us who trust in Him.  On the contrary, “the counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations!”  That generation (WWII) is included in His purposes.   Though we may not see or recognize his plans does not in the least invalidate them.  He says the following through the mouth of Jeremiah the prophet, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (29:11) For a larger picture of our Gods plans and purposes, read the whole 33rd chapter Jeremiah!  What an encouraging place to read.

Of course, all these plans and purposes are to those called by his name.  Look at this well known verse from Romans, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (8:28)

Are you one of those “called according to His purpose”?  Those who perished in the Holocaust were not all his children.  And we do well to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith.  The very passages which to us who are being saved a blessing, store up a curse for those whose life is not shaped by His hand.  Does your life reflect the Savior?  Are you grieved at the things happening in this world which diminish His name?  True Christians will be known by our love one for another.  Do you get angry at the word sin, or does it cause you to be grieved at your own life?

All of us have and do sin and are sinful, even to the very core of our heart.  Scripture maintains that ""The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)  To look at our heart and think we have good within is to be deceived!  Look instead to the Bible and to God, by whom we ought to measure ourselves.  If we find we are lacking by His standard, cry unto Him and he will hear and save!  Then you will be able to, with all His children, find true hope in these times, for I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope!

Originally published 11 December 2010 at 08:09 here:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/dave-cox-ii/the-plans-of-the-lord/470356285868

Friday, November 8, 2013

Are you poor in spirit?

Thus says the LORD:
“ Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me?
And where is the place of My rest?
2 For all those things My hand has made,
And all those things exist,”
Says the LORD.

“ But on this one will I look:
On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word. (Isaiah 66:1-2)

Our Lord makes a plain statement of reality.  How often though do we forget?  We sometimes think that our offerings are special or new or helpful.  But are they?

Just 2 chapters earlier in Isaiah 64 we read of our righteousness’s being as filthy rags before the Lord. And even if our deeds were good in some way - what could we offer to Him who is enthroned in heaven?!  It would be like a child who takes o book off your bookshelf, wraps it up, and offers it to you as a gift!  We chuckle at the attempts of little children - but do we do the same thing?  And of that gift, when our child offers it in ignorance - we overlook such and accept it. Why?  Because of the tender contrite spirit that it is offered.

Oh that we would realize the only offering our Lord desires is a tender contrite spirit - this he will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)  How often we fail to see that "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit." (Psalm 34:18)  But if we want the attention of our God - His eye is on "him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at [His] word."  The Beatitudes of Matthew 5 speak of this in verses 3-5, and verse 10.

Our Lord is humble.  Paul in Philippians 2 tells us that he humbled himself to the point of death.  Death - not in some easy way... but of the long, agonizing, painful, public and wrongful death in crucifixion.  The Lord who did all this, on the night He was betrayed, took a bowl of water and wiped the disciples feet.  Those men who would deny him - abandon Him, and one of which would betray Him.  He washed the feet of Judas.  That.....is humility.

May we ever consider what it is to be of contrite heart, that we may gain the attention of the Father - for no gift is as sweet as the one which recognizes our position before Him.  Amen.

Originally published 10/25/2011 here:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/dave-cox-ii/are-you-poor-in-spirit/10150336717535869

Thursday, November 7, 2013

If God has a claim on you, you are sure.

Isaiah 63:11-14

Look at the following phrases:
vs. 11 brought them up out of the sea
vs. 12 led them... with His glorious arm
vs. 13 led them through the deep
vs. 14 So You lead Your people, to make Yourself a glorious name.

Our God not only remembers us when we are in the midst of the sea or the great deep, but He leads us out by His glorious arm to make a glorious name for Himself!!

Do you realize that God's claim on you, though carrying responsibilities, is your guarantee of His keeping you?  Or consider this - Would God risk His glorious name on the strength of a man to save himself?  God is leading you out of troubled waters not so much because of His love for you, though that love be great, but because of His namesake!  It is frequently considered that we cannot earn our way into heaven - which is ever so true. But consider this, though we fail at every turn, if we are His we will prevail - not because of our efforts, but because of His name and claim upon you.

So then - what do we do as followers?  Make sure of His claim upon your soul! Examine yourselves to see that you are in the faith - for His namesake, because He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it in Christ. 

Amen.

Originally published 10/6/2011 here:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/dave-cox-ii/if-god-has-a-claim-on-you-you-are-sure/10150319322530869

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Devotional thoughts on Isaiah 66:1-5

I am a morning person.  My Lord knows this. Yet even in the morning I struggle in the understanding of His Word.  It is not like a simple newspaper reading, written at a sixth grade level.  Our Lord – though he condescends is not condescending.  That is to say He does not make it easy – just because we struggle with it.  Sometimes wisdom comes in the struggle with the text.  We see that our God is not some one-dimensional being made up in the mind of a man – though many believe this foolishness.  God is.


And to say that is at once to assault the idea that He is a made up idea – a puppet of our imagination.  God is real and He does not act condescendingly toward us – though He condescends.  It is He who has made us and not we ourselves. (Psalm 100)Since this is so, He knows the stuff we are made of, and knows that those who are His children, who ask, can comprehend His Word.

In verses 1 and 2 (Isaiah 66) the Lord reveals that He desires those of a contrite heart to look upon.  For anyone to be in the eye of the Lord is a blessing indeed!  Yet the text moves quickly to those who are not the contrite.  Those who have banished the contrite – for the Lord’s sake!? (vs. 5)

Verse 3 speaks of those who twist the laws of God to their own way, those who by a crude spirit, carry out the Word of God as they desire.  They are not interested in true contrition for the breaking of God’s law – but a quick completing of its requirements to the letter…  And what does the One who sees from the heart see?

Abomination!

Swine’s blood!

The sacrifice of a dog!

Murder!

Following the letter of the law does not always get you the blessing you desire – doing so with a contrite heart of love to God always will!

Lord, may I be always right in my manner of offering, as well as the heart.  For your eye is on the tender broken spirit.

originally posted 26 October 2011 at 07:23 here:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/dave-cox-ii/isaiah-661-5-devotional-thoughts/10150337857165869