Isaiah 6
Isaiah had vision of the holiness of God verse 1- 4
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the LORD sitting upon a throne
high and lifted up – and HIS train filled the temple
above it stood the seraphims – each one had six wings
with twain he covered his face
with twain he covered his feet
with twain he did fly
And one cried unto another
and said
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY – is the LORD of hosts
the whole earth is full of HIS glory
And the posts of the doors moved at the voice of him that cried
and he house was filled with smoke
Isaiah realized he was a sinful man verse 5
Then said I
Woe is me for! I am undone
because I am a man of unclean lips
AND I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips
for mine eyes have seen the King the LORD of hosts
Isaiah received forgiveness of sin verse 6- 7
Then flew one of the seraphims unto me
having a live coal in his hand
which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar
and he laid it upon my mouth
and said
Lo – this has touched your lips
and your iniquity is taken away
and your sin purged
Isaiah offers to serve the LORD verse 8
Also I heard the voice of the Lord
saying
Whom shall I send
and who will go for US?
Then said I
Here am I – send me
LORD gives him HIS message verse 9- 10
And HE said
Go – and tell this people
Hear you indeed – but understand not
and see you indeed – but perceive not
Make the heart of this people fat – and make their ears heavy
and shut their eyes
LEST they see with their eyes – and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and convert – and be healed
Isaiah given the duration of his ministry verse 11- 13
Then said I
Lord – how long?
And HE
answered
Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant
and the houses without man – and the land be utterly desolate
and the LORD have removed men far away
and there be a great forsaking in the
midst of the land
BUT yet in it shall be a tenth – it shall return – and shall be eaten
as the teil tree – and as the oak
whose substance is in them
when they cast their leaves
so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. (1819 “undone” [damah] means cut off, destroy, be ruined, perish, or be wiped out.)
DEVOTION: There are many Christians who would like to have a vision like this one. Job wanted a meeting with the LORD regarding all that was happening in his life. He had questions that didn’t receive the answers the way he would have like.
In this vision Isaiah is taken into the presence of the LORD. The LORD is on the throne. The seraphim were worshiping the LORD. They were singing HIS praise. Isaiah saw this sight and though this was the end of this life.
Why? He realized that he was in the presence of a HOLY God. He knew that he was a sinner. He knew that the proper judgment of a sinner was to die and go to a place of judgment called the LAKE OF FIRE for eternity. He understood his standing and it was not on solid ground.
However, the LORD sent an angel called a seraphim with a live coal in his hand and laid it on the lips of Isaiah and told him that his iniquity was taken away and his sin was purged. This will be covered more in verse seven.
Let us back up. God does accept us the way we are when we become a follower of HIM. HE knows that we are humans with a sin nature from birth. HE knows that we can’t save ourselves by any works we can do on our own. HE knows we need forgiveness. HE wants us to realize it too. Isaiah realized this fact.
However, once we become a follower of the LORD HIS intention is to change us into someone who is more Christ-like. It doesn’t happen quickly but takes the rest of our life. We have to be willing to allow HIM to change us.
Once we understand what it means to be in the presence of the LORD we will want to change. Isaiah did. We need to allow the LORD to do HIS work in our life.
How does HE do it? Does HE send an angel? NO!! HE sends HIS fellow servants to help understand what the LORD wants to do in our life. HE uses the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our life. HE speaks to us through HIS Word using the Holy Spirit to help us discern what others are teaching us.
CHALLENGE: The presence of the LORD in our life is for cleansing from not only past sins but present sin and future sin. Are we willing to let the LORD change us now into someone who is more Christ-like?
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. (3722 “purged” [kaphar] means to cover, forgiven, atone for, remove the guilt, to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel, a redemption price, ransom, satisfaction, atonement, or cleansed.)
DEVOTION: This is a powerful word. The blood of Christ covers sin. Our guilt is gone. Christ paid the redemption price set by the Godhead. We are declared clean in Christ. Isaiah had a vision of heaven. He saw the LORD in all of HIS glory. He observed the seraphim worshiping the LORD continually. He realized that he was a sinner in the presence of a HOLY God. He was shaking in his boots. However, one of the seraphim flew over to him and touched his lips with a live coal from off the altar and declared him forgiven. Halleluiah!!!! Once forgiven the LORD spoke about someone going out with a message to people in Isaiah’s world. He volunteered. The LORD told him that most people would not hear him or understand what he was talking about but he was still to spread the good news.
Those that understood would be healed of their sin. Isaiah wondered if there was a retirement age. The LORD said NO!!! He was to preach until there was no one left.
This chapter is a vision regarding the call of Isaiah to service for the LORD. When Isaiah met God in the vision, he realized that he was not personally in the right relationship with the LORD. He was a sinner. He dwelt with sinners. He saw the HOLINESS of God.
Seeing God caused him to become unglued or undone. When we meet God for the first time we need to realize that we are sinners. Once we realize we are sinners, we know that there is no other way to have a relationship with God without the sin being removed.
Isn’t it GREAT to know that our sins are cancelled because of what Christ did on the CROSS? We are still sinners but we have been washing in the blood of the Lamb. We need to remember that we are sinners reaching other sinners.
Sometimes we can get the idea that we are better than other sinners. That is not true. We are the same but forgiven. We need to watch our attitude toward fellow believers and those who are not believers yet.
Are we saying to the LORD – Here am I – SEND ME? Or are we sitting, soaking, and souring in a pew waiting for the LORD’S return? We need to be serving!
God wants us to use the gift HE has given us at the point of salvation for use in the local church. HE wants us to set the example others can follow. There has to be changes in our life. God can help us overcome our past training. God can help us establish new habits. HE doesn’t want us to stay the same as we were at the point of salvation. We come just as we are but have to change into something that is different from what we were.
CHALLENGE: If we are staying the same person we were before we became a believer we are not growing in the LORD. The LORD challenges us to change and serve HIM with the gift HE has given. Isaiah’s gift was a prophet. What is your gift?
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. (7725 “convert” [shuwb] means return, turn, restore, repent, to turn away from sin, or make linear motion back to point previously departed.)
DEVOTION: The human race under Adam departed from a proper relationship with the LORD. It was established that through animal sacrifice which looked forward to a sacrifice made by Christ on the cross that human beings could reestablish a proper relationship with God.
Throughout the Old Testament we find the people of God which were the children of Israel offered sacrifices looking forward to the time when the Messiah would come to deliver them from their sins. God plainly stated in the Old Testament that the animal sacrifices were not enough to reestablish a relationship with HIM.
In the New Testament we find that Christ came and died on the cross and was resurrected to establish the proper way to have a relationship with the LORD today. If we make a total commitment to follow the LORD through Jesus Christ our sins would be forgiven and we would be healed from sin.
The healing here is not talking about those who have become followers of Jesus Christ will never be sick again. That is a different healing. This verse is only talking about healing from sin.
Christians can be healed from diseases as well by making sure they have a proper relationship with the LORD but not all sickness will be healed even then because sometimes HE sends sickness to strengthen our faith or to cause us to confess our sins to HIM be in proper fellowship with HIM.
All sickness in a believer’s life is not caused by sin. Many in the New Testament were sick for normal human circumstances. Not all sickness is a sign that someone is out of fellowship with the LORD. There is a false teaching that states that believers should never be sick. That is not true. The healing in this verse is communicating only concerning the sickness of sin.
CHALLENGE: Realize that some physical sickness is because of our relationship with the LORD but not all. We can be close to the LORD and still have human sickness.
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: 13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten, as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. (7725 “return” [shuwb] means turn back, to do something again, come or go back, to turn back to God, or repent.)
DEVOTION: This is a warning that judgment is coming and that only a small group will return from the captivity.
The LORD knows what is going to happen in the future and HE is warning that only ten percent of the people are going to return from the captivity. HE wants them to realize that HE is the one who is allowing the captivity because of their sin.
They have turned against HIM and gone their own way and this is the consequence of their actions.
Today we find that even those in the church are doing their own thing instead of being obedient to the LORD they are more interested in entertainment instead of service and commitment to reaching the world for HIM.
We find that many churches are having more music than preaching. Many times the preaching is not challenging the people to move closer to the LORD. Many pastors are just tickling the ears of the people because that is what they want to hear. This is sin in the eyes of the LORD.
CHALLENGE: The church of Jesus Christ needs to be presenting the message of salvation and service to the LORD. We are to reach our world for the LORD.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Isaiah’s prayer in heaven verse 5
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Temple verse 1
Seraphim worship the LORD verse 3
Altar verse 4
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Lord – Adonai (Owner, Master) verse 1, 8, 11
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 3, 5, 12
LORD of hosts verse 3, 5
Whole earth is filled with HIS glory verse 3
King verse 5
Voice of the LORD verse 8
Whom shall I send
Who will go for us
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Seraphim verse 2, 3, 6, 7
Cried one to another
Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts
Whole earth is full of HIS glory
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Unclean lips verse 5
Iniquity verse 7
Sin verse 7
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Iniquity taken away verse 7
Sin purged verse 7
Understand with heart verse 10
Convert verse 10
Be healed verse 10
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Isaiah verse 1- 13
Woe is me for I am undone
Because I am a man of unclean lips
Here am I send me
Message given to for people
Asked: How long Lord?
He was to preach until
Cities be wasted without inhabitant
Houses without man
Land utterly desolate
LORD has removed men far away
King Uzziah verse 1
Heart of the people fat verse 10
Ears heavy verse 10
Shut their eyes verse 10
Tenth shall return verse 13
Holy seed verse 13
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Died verse 1
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QUOTES regarding passage
9–10. The use of these verses in the New Testament (Matt. 13:14–15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; John 12:39–41; Acts 28:26–27) makes them especially important to understand, but at first sight what an odd commission they are: to tell people not to understand (9), yet to make sure that they will not (10)! This is its plain meaning. It specifies (9) the ‘outer’ (hearing, seeing) and the ‘inner’ faculties (understanding, i.e. ‘discerning’, and perceiving, i.e. ‘knowing’) and arranges them (10) into a rounded structure (heart … ears … eyes … eyes … ears … heart) thus emphasizing total inability to comprehend. The most helpful approach is to ask how, in the light of his subsequent ministry, Isaiah understood what he was commanded. The answer lies in 28:9–10, where we learn that Isaiah presented the truth with such simplicity that the ‘men of the world’ of his day would pack him off to teach kindergarten! And the whole Isaianic literature bears the same mark of a plain, systematic, reasoned approach. In other words, verses 9–10 are a very stark statement of the preacher’s dilemma: those who resist the truth can be changed only by telling them the truth, but to do this exposes them to the danger of rejecting the truth yet once again—and maybe this further rejection will push them beyond the point of no return and they will become irretrievably hardened in mind and heart (Heb. 6:4–8). The human eye cannot see this ‘point of no return’ in advance—nor necessarily recognize it when it is past, but the all-sovereign God both knows it and indeed appoints it as he presides, with perfect righteousness and justice, over the human psychological processes which he created. It was at just such a time that Isaiah was called to the prophetic-preaching office and understood what his terms of commission meant: he was to bring God’s word with fresh, even unparalleled clarity—for only the truth could win and change them; but in their negative response his hearers would pass the point of no return. The opportunity which could spell their salvation would spell their judgment. (Motyer, J. A. (1999). Isaiah: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 20, pp. 83–84). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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9–10 The suggestion, made by some modern scholars, that this passage was written only after Isaiah had already experienced the people’s hardness of heart is based on rationalistic presuppositions. It is of the same order as the idea that our Lord’s predictions of his passion were manufactured by the church ex eventu. Not only did the Lord Almighty know what would occur, but he planned it; for he is King (vv.1, 5). Some commentators consider the phrase “this people” (v.9) to be contemptuous, but O. Kaiser (in loc.) makes the relevant comment that it is not normally so in the OT (referring to Exod 3:21; 5:22; 17:4; 18:18; Num 11:14; Deut 5:28; Josh 1:2; Mic 2:11; and Hag 1:2). On the other side, however, passages from Isaiah himself, like 9:16 and especially 29:13, do suggest a measure of contempt. It is really not possible to be sure here.
The words of God to Isaiah are quoted in each of the Gospels (Matt 13:14–15; Mark 4:10–12; Luke 8:10; John 12:39–41) and twice by Paul (Acts 28:26–27; Rom 11:8). Each quotation is given as a comment on the rejection of God’s word in Christ. The synoptic references are of particular interest; for they all occur in connection with the parable of the sower, which, like this present passage, anticipates widespread failure to make proper response to the words but which also, as here (v.13), shows cause for hope. The holy seed of the vision finds its NT counterpart in the good soil of the parable.
Once again we are impressed by the structure of the book; for this chapter immediately follows and precedes examples of wrong reaction to God’s word. In 5:24 it is the people who reject it, and in chapter 7 Ahaz refuses it. Note also the statement that God “is hiding his face from the house of Jacob” in 8:17. Through his prophets of that generation, God warned his rebellious people that both the declaration of the word (Amos 8:11–14) and the grace of repentance in response to it were in the sovereign hand of God the King. We should note also that this hardening judgment was pronounced after centuries of his people’s defective hearing of his word, and so it may be seen to be judicial as well as sovereign. (Grogan, G. W. (1986). Isaiah. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, pp. 57–58). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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6:9–10. Probably Isaiah, responding as he did in verse 8, thought that his serving the Lord would result in the nation’s cleansing. However, the Lord told him his message would not result in much spiritual response. The people had not listened before and they would not listen now. The Lord did not delight in judging His people, but discipline was necessary because of their disobedience. In fact the people, on hearing Isaiah’s message, would become even more hardened against the Lord. Interestingly six of the seven lines in verse 10 are in a chiasm: heart … ears … eyes are mentioned in lines 1–3, and in lines 4–6 they are reversed: eyes … ears … hearts. This is a common arrangement of material in the Old Testament. Possibly this pattern emphasizes the “eyes,” mentioned in the middle. Jesus quoted part of this verse to explain that Israel in His day could not believe because they would not believe (see comments on John 12:40). (Martin, J. A. (1985). Isaiah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 1045–1046). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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Blindness: The nation could not see (Isa. 6:9–13). The Lord did not give His servant much encouragement! Isaiah’s ministry would actually make some people’s eyes more blind, their ears more deaf, and their hearts more calloused. Verses 9–10 are so important that they are quoted six times in the New Testament (Matt. 13:13–15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; John 12:40; Acts 28:25–28; Rom. 11:8). God does not deliberately make sinners blind, deaf, and hard-hearted; but the more that people resist God’s truth, the less able they are to receive God’s truth. But the servant is to proclaim the Word no matter how people respond, for the test of ministry is not outward success but faithfulness to the Lord.
God told Isaiah that his ministry would end in seeming failure, with the land ruined and the people taken off to exile (Isa. 6:11–12). But a remnant would survive! It would be like the stump of a fallen tree from which the shoots (“the holy seed”) would come, and they would continue the true faith in the land. Isaiah needed a long-range perspective on his ministry or else he would feel like he was accomplishing nothing.
“Go and tell” is still God’s command to His people (v. 9; see Matt. 28:7; Mark 5:19). He is waiting for us to reply, “Here am I; send me.” (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Comforted (p. 29). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.( Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Comforted (p. 29). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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10. Make the heart. The word heart here is used in the sense of the mind—to denote all their mental powers. It is commonly used in this sense in the Scriptures.
Fat. Gross, heavy, dull, stupid. That is, go and proclaim such truth to them as shall have this effect—as shall irritate, provoke, enrage them; truth, whose delivery shall be attended, in their gross and corrupt hearts, with this blinding and infatuating influence. The effect would be produced by the corrupt state of their hearts, not by any native tendency of the truth, and still less by any direct Divine influence. ‘Go, and proclaim truth to a corrupt and sensual people, and the result will be that they will not hear; they are so wicked that they will not attend to it; they will become even more hardened; yet go, and though certain of producing this effect, still proclaim it;’ see this passage explained in the Notes on John 12:40.
Their ears heavy. Dull, stupid, insensible.
And shut their eyes. The word here used means to spread over, and then to close. It denotes here the state of mind which is more and more indisposed to attend to the truth.
And be healed. Be restored from the malady of sin; be recovered and pardoned. Sin is often represented as a painful, loathsome malady, and forgiveness as restoration from such a malady; Isa. 30:26; Ps. 103; 41:3, 4; 2 Chron. 7:14; Jer. 3:22; 17:14. We may learn here, (1.) That the effect of truth is often to irritate men and make them more wicked. (2.) The truth must, nevertheless, be proclaimed. This effect is not the fault of the truth; and it is often well that the heart should be known, and the true effect should be seen. (Barnes, A. (1851). Notes on the Old Testament: Isaiah (Vol. 1, p. 144). London: Blackie & Son.)
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Following the assurance of forgiveness and cleansing came the call for service. The voice of the Lord was heard crying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” In response to this Isaiah exclaimed, “Here am I; send me.”
Who Will Go for Us? It has pleased God to commit the declaration of His truth to men rather than to angels. He is still calling for consecrated men and women to carry the offer of salvation and the warning of judgment to a lost world. Such must know for themselves the cleansing power of the blood of Christ if they would give effective testimony to those still in their sins.
The prophet was commissioned to “Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.” Even though the Word seemed to have no other effect than to harden them in their sins and rebellion, Isaiah was to proclaim the message faithfully.
The servant of God is responsible to the Lord Himself. Having received his commission, he is to go forth in the name of the One who sends him, declaring the message committed to him. The results must be left with God. Whether men hear or whether they forbear (Ezek. 2:3–5), he who proclaims the Word faithfully has delivered his soul. The Apostle Paul entered into this when he spoke of being a sweet savor of Christ unto God both in them that are saved and in them that perish (2 Cor. 2:15). God is honored when His truth is preached, no matter what attitude the hearers take toward it, and that Word will not return void, but will accomplish the divine purpose (Isa. 55:11).
Faced with the solemn responsibility of proclaiming so unpopular a message, Isaiah cried, “Lord, how long?” It takes special faith and obedience to continue to preach to an unheeding people who are only hardened by the Word instead of being softened by it. The Lord’s answer was that the message must be proclaimed until there were none left to hear. (Ironside, H. A. (1952). Expository notes on the prophet Isaiah. (pp. 40–42). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
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Ver. 9. And he said, go, and tell this people, &c.] What is and will be their case and condition, as follows: hear ye indeed; the words of the prophets sent unto them, yea, Christ himself incarnate preaching among them; the great Prophet Moses said should be raised up unto them: but understand not; neither that he is the Messiah, nor the doctrines delivered by him; which were spoken to them in parables; see Matt. 13:13, 14, 15: and see ye indeed; the miracles wrought by him, as raising the dead, cleansing the lepers, restoring sight to the blind, causing the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak: but perceive not; that he is the Messiah, though all the characteristics pointed at in prophecy are upon him, and such miracles are done by him.
Ver. 10. Make the heart of this people fat, &c.] Gross and heavy, stupid and unteachable, hard and obdurate; which is sometimes done by the preaching of the Gospel, through the wickedness of man’s heart, that being the savour of death unto death to some, just as the sun hardens the clay; or declare that their hearts are thus gross and stupid; or that I will give them upto a judicial hardness of heart: and make their ears heavy; that they cannot hear the word, so as to understand it; they having stopped the ear, and plucked away the shoulder, it is in righteous judgment that they are given up to such an insensibility as not to be capable of hearing and understanding what is delivered in the ministry of the word: and shut their eyes; they having wilfully shut their own eyes against all evidence of the Messiah, and the truth of his doctrines, they are given up to a judicial blindness; which still continues upon them, and will until the fulness of the Gentiles is brought in: lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart; though only in a notional way, the things relating to the Messiah, the truths of the Gospel, and the ordinances thereof, and what may belong to their outward peace: and convert; or turn themselves by external repentance and reformation: and be healed; or forgiven in such sense as to be preserved from national ruin; which God willed not; for seeing they went such great lengths in sin, in rejecting the Messiah, and his Gospel, they were given up to a reprobate mind, to do things that were not convenient, that they might be destroyed; which destruction is after prophesied of. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 5, p. 37). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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It seems hard for our Lord’s disciples to learn these things, and it is evident that few of us have learned them today. We are so apt to overestimate the importance of our own ministry and to undervalue the work of our fellow servants. This is a subtle form of pride which is most hateful to God, and most harmful to the work of the Lord. (July 5, The Continual Burnt Offering by H.A. Ironside)
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Many people seem to be interested in knowing God for what they can get out of Him. (p. 25) I Talk Back to the Devil by A.W. Tozer)
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If there is grief in heaven, I think it must come from the fact that we want God’s gifts, but we don’t want God Himself as our environment. (p. 26)
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I feel that we must repudiate this great, modern wave of seeking God for His benefits. (p. 26)
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I can only ask: Is it fanaticism to want to go on until you can perfectly love God and perfectly praise Him?
Is it fanatical to find divine joy leaping up within your heart? Is it fanatical to find the willingness within your being to say, “Yes, Lord! Yes, Lord!” and thus live daily in the will of God so that you are living in heaven while you are living on earth? (I Talk Back to the Devil by A. W. Tozer)
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Lift Up Your Eyes __________________________________________________________ Revelation 4 At Christmas our thoughts are on Jesus’ birth, focusing on His |
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humanity. By radical contrast, this Christmas Day we see the throne room of heaven and the surroundings which magnify His deity. In the center is a throne – behind which an emerald-colored rainbow arises. Dignitaries dressed in white robes and gold crowns are seated around the throne. The floor of the massive room is like crystal. Unusual looking creatures constantly give verbal praise to God and the dignitaries form a celestial choir, worshiping and praising God. This is the normal abode of God’s Son. Yet we usually think of Jesus as a child in Bethlehem, a teacher on a hillside, or the One who bore our sins alone on a cross. Revelation balances that picture with a glimpse of Jesus’ majesty and grandeur. (Quiet Walk
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