Isaiah 64:2-4a (TLV): When you did awesome things that we were not expecting, You came down—the mountains shook at Your presence! For from days of old no one has heard, no ear perceived, no eye has seen God, except You, who acts on behalf of the one waiting for Him. You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness, who remembers You in Your ways.
Has God ever showed up when you weren’t expecting it? Did you recognize Him? Or did it take until you looked back over the situation that you saw Him? God is with us; He does do awesome things. Some are tiny things that would only matter to me, that would only make me smile. Others are quite large. There are no coincidences in God’s kingdom. He rewards and meets those who rejoice in Him, and wait on Him.
God says that He stretches out His hand all day long, even to those who do not choose Him and do evil in His sight. (65:12) There is a fate for them that do not choose God. But I cannot wait until that time when sin is no longer a struggle, when this earth is passed away.
Isaiah 65:17-25 (TLV): “For behold I create new heavens and a new earth. The former thing will not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating. For behold, I am creating Jerusalem for rejoicing, and her people for joy. Then I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and be glad in My people. No longer will the voice of weeping or the voice of crying be heard in her. No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days. For the youth will die at a hundred years, but one who misses the mark of a hundred, must be accursed. They will build houses and inhabit them. They will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They will not build and another inhabit, nor plant and another eat. For like the days of a tree so will be the days of my people, and My chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. They will not labor in vain nor bear children for calamity. For they are the offspring of those blessed by Adonai, as well as descendants with them.
But better still:
And it will come to pass that before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent’s food. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,” says ADONAI.
The great mystery for me that is after all the rejection by His chosen people Israel, and also His Church, it is still His desire to bring us joy and rejoicing, peace and tranquility. It is still His desire to listen, hear and answer us. It is still His desire to be our God! God is so selfless. What I will be most happy about is that God will be worshipped and be the One all people look towards. That His glory will be known throughout the world, and to Him every knee will bow.
2 Corinthians 2:5-11 (TLV): But if anyone has caused you sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but to some extent—not to exaggerate—to all of you. For such a person, this punishment by the majority is enough. So instead, you should forgive him and encourage him. Otherwise, such a person might be swallowed up by excessive sorrow. Therefore, I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. For to this end I also wrote, that I might know your character whether you are obedient in all things. Now anyone you forgive, I also forgive. For indeed, what I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything), I did it for you in the presence of Messiah so that we might not be outwitted by satan—for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
Just as God is real, satan is real! His scheme is to make us believe the opposite of the truth of God. Paul was watching his converts struggle with sin, just as God does. One person’s sins affect those around them, not just the person committing it. And we should forgive, and love the one in offence, so he would not get stuck in his guilt and not be able to get back on his feet. Pour on the love, so that satan will not win, but God. The church needs to set the example of how to treat those who make mistakes. We should bring them to the feet of Jesus, and should kneel with him and ask for forgiveness together. Jesus forgives all who repent with a sincere heart. God forgives those who repent with a sincere heart. Don’t you see, they are one. What one does, the other does. God doesn’t want one person to perish. Jesus gave His life so they would not have to perish.
To one an aroma is from death to death, and to the other an aroma is from life to life. Which one will you choose? It is our choice, the way has been paved, will you take the path to life, or the path to death? Jesus is waiting with outstretched arms!
Oh God, I can never get used to the mercy and forgiveness you shower on us daily. Your love is beyond my comprehension. Help me to love others like you love me, so that satan does not have victory over even one soul. Help me to show mercy and forgiveness. You deserve all glory, honor and praise! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Carol (carolvorwe)
Sixty-six books in a year 