Article for Sunday Oct 15, 2023
Isaiah 25:7 7And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.
Look at your life. Is it as you hoped for? Are there changes that need to be made? Are you the problem or are you blaming others as you suspect them to be the problem? We might find others to blame, but the responsibility for our lives is our own. If you blame others, then you need to blame yourself for giving control of your life to someone else.
You see, our personal history is the fault of the choices we make. Whether you chose to follow someone’s advice or chose not to follow someone's advice. It is your responsibility to make the choices for your life and weigh out any advice you receive. Please remember, most people make major choices based on little or no information, and they seldom find clarity in the information they receive.
But what does Isaiah tell us? God will swallow up the covering cast upon the people. In other words, God will and has swallowed up all the sin that covers us. This means whatever our past has been we will lose that life and gain new life through Christ who died for our sins. That is our sins are covered over and swallowed up as we are clothed in the righteousness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Philippians 4:4–7 4Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice. 5Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Realize your salvation is not your works but the works of God through the person Jesus Christ and the person the Holy Spirit. We can own the reasonableness that we are saved by grace through faith because of Jesus Christ. We can own the reasonableness that the Holy Spirit brings us to repentance so that we are forgiven. So yes, the Lord is at hand saving us every day.
We should now be able to reason that it is a great and loving reaction to pray to our Lord starting with praise and thankfulness. We now can reason that we have a Father in heaven who listens to our prayers, our tears, and our requests. We now can reason that we have a loving God who shows His great love for us through His forgiveness that leads to His mercy and grace.
We might not understand the full knowledge of God’s love, but we should at least know by now that God’s love for us is to save us for Himself as we are truly His sons and daughters.
Philippians 4:8–9 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Indeed, if you have learned anything from God working through me my hope is that we are to love God and one another. For it is God who is honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise. For through His Son, He has secured our salvation and saved us from eternal death by giving us eternal life.
We should be compelled to sing praises to our Lord Jesus Christ. We should be compelled to start each prayer and end each prayer with praise. We should be compelled to give glory to our God for every good we receive and every good work we do. For this is our God, He is love, He is the way, the truth, and the life. Amen, Amen, Amen.
Isaiah 25:8–9 8He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. 9It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
We all have something to look forward to. We are running a great race. But many are the winners who believe. We believe so Jesus Christ waits for our entry past the finish line. We who are poor, suffering, in need, and race against many who seem to be more fit. But I tell you Jesus Christ has made us all fit for the race and to reach the finish line and receive His crown. Rejoice because you are in His salvation.
Amen.
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