Prayer: Father, You alone are God, declaring the beginning from the end. May I embrace and accept who You tell me You are. Amen.
Reading: Isaiah 46 key: vs. 9-13 “Remember the former things of old: For I am God—there is no other. I am God, and there is none like Me— declaring the end from the beginning, from ancient time, what is yet to come, saying, “My purpose will stand, and I will accomplish all that I please.” From the east I am calling a bird of prey, a man for My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; I will bring it to pass; I have planned it; surely, I will do it. Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness: I bring My justice near, it is not far off. So, My salvation will not delay. I put salvation in Zion, My glory in Israel.” TLV
Attention: Do we look around our neighborhoods, our cities, and our nation, and at all that is going on and see a purpose and intentionality to the things going on around us? Or do we shrug our shoulders and say it is all accidental and coincidental?
Through Isaiah, Adonai is telling the Hebrew nation, Cyrus is My purposed instrument of justice. You are “stubborn- (hard) hearted,” and “far from righteousness.” You are not “listening.” I will bring him to hopefully, turn your heart toward Me.
I mentioned in an earlier journal, I have observed that when we have a crisis, whether a health emergency, or a financial misfortune, or death of a loved one, we tend to turn toward God. If we have forsaken Him for years, a crisis tends to force us to reach out to the Supreme. We relent and call on Him. Then, when the storm passes, we fall back into our complacency.
I have heard tell that in times of great oppression and war, there is an increase in calling on God. I am inclined to believe that is true. Just a quick review of scripture. In Exodus we see the Hebrew nation crying out to God over the oppression they are receiving. In the book of Judges, numerous oppressors caused the nation to cry out to God.
In the book of Jacob (James) we are encouraged to, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
No matter what we call it, trials, hardships, oppression, all come to “test our faith.” Who is your trust placed in? Who do you run to when trouble comes? Once you call on the Lord, do you learn your lesson and stay in His presence, or do you lapse back into the same complacency? I encourage you to allow God to complete His work in You. Then stay in His presence and abide in Him every day. Feed on His Word. Eat daily from the scriptures. Pray daily in every circumstance, not just in emergency. Maintain a lifestyle relationship with God.
Action: I choose to maintain conversation with God at all times.
Yield: I choose to submit to the Lordship of Jesus.
Engage: I choose to engage with the Holy Spirit of God.
Relationship: I choose to live an abiding, holy, relationship with God.
Prayer: Father, I desire to live in Your presence. I never desire to be separated from Your presence but connected to You by Your Spirit. Amen.
Memory Verse: Jacob (James) 1:2-4 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Music Video: Andrae Crouch—Through It All https://youtu.be/xO5Qt2VQn4k?si=o36HUPsC4rFK-zwR
Remember, “Abide in Jesus, today!”