Happy Sabbath to all! A day of rest, that is surely needed among the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. Praise and worship this morning was nice and set the tone for us to hear what God has in store for us.
“We are Who we Serve: But I invite you to abundant life” is our topic today out of Isaiah chapters 53, 54, and 55. Are you tired and there seems to be no peace in your spirit? Things just feel out of balance? No fulfillment in your life, in your being? Looking for love that makes your life complete, alive and at peace? That will quiet those quiet moments? A peace not as men call it, but a peace that will hug you when your down and out, or when you feel like your not even worth being alive? A peace when your mind has so many conflicts. Too many decisions so many questions. There is a peace, a peace that passes all understanding.
Isaiah 53:1-12, 55:1-13
Isaiah 53:5- “but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” The word chastisement means to punish bodily. In the greek its spelled PAIDEUO meaning to train children. The word stripes means strokes or blows with a hammer, the mark or print of blows in the skin. Iniquities means wickedness or wicked acts.
All this was done to him for us. He suffered all the pain, crying and headaches that we would have had to experience, and experienced for Himself on our behalf. Because He suffered for us, we should not have to struggle. All we have to do is live for Him. We lack faith, when we don’t see an opportunity for faith, we should sill have faith. Its hard these days to really hold on to something that we can’t see, because we want to do it our way. Thats why the word says lean not to your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path. We have to stop questioning His motives.
Isaiah 54:4-17
“Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood anymore. For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called” 4-5.
The name Christianity has become synonymous with fanatical, uncaring, unloving, vengeful people. The name Christian really turns people off today. So how will we be able to invite people to Christ; how are we going to overcome that stigmatism of Christianity that the world sees? In some ways we try to defend being a Christian. The term really means Christ like. When the world sees Christians (or people posing as being Christ like) acting a certain way, they say if this is the way God is, I don’t want to be a part of that God. Majority of times its a male who is seeing and saying these things. Even in the church, there are mostly all women in the church. If you see men, you’ll see them as musicians, a few deacons, a few ministers, security, or janitor. But in the actual service, you’ll see few, the church is full of women, which is not bad its a blessing. But God wants to bring men to cause that oneness to be there. So it leads you to the point; what are we doing to recover the whole family, the men to the house of God? We teach our women and children. Even in Isaiah 54:13 “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” We need to walk boldly in the words of God as a true Child of God, I don’t’ use the term Christian, but Child of God. We need to let men know that God needs them, young and old alike. So you need to welcome them to a life in God, showing them that they are needed and loved by God. In Isaiah 54:17 “no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” There is power in this verse for both men and women.
God is not so much concerned about your money or clothing or food to eat or money you may have to give. Isaiah 55:3, 6,7 “incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” This is not being told to men. When a church has a strong men foundation it makes for a strong ministry.
In conclusion, we need to begin to not talk like the church, but walk like the chruch. No matter what comes against us remember this “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, for whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth” Psalm 121.
If you have questions concerning what we’ve talked about today, comment below or email us ataocministries@yahoo.com.