~Repentance: Isaiah 30~

   Yes, I am posting right now, and no I haven't read the chapter yet :) Well last night I had an inspirational moment, when I was doing my bible reading. Since we're going to start walking through the book Repentance I wanted to point out some verses that really spoke to me about Repentance. And what better book to find Repentance in, then in the bible? I will post again tonight, most likely, when I read my chapter. But here is what I discovered last night.

   "Woe to the rebellious children," declares the Lord, "Who execute a plan, but not Mine, And make an alliance, but not of My Spirit, In order to add sin to sin." --Isaiah 30:1  

   I thought this was a really interesting verse because it has it's own definition of Rebellion. According to this verse Rebellion is --those who execute a plan but not mine, and make an alliance, but not of my Spirit--. But if we think about it, most of the world, and a lot of the times we ourselves choose what we want our life to be. We try to dictate what we do in the future, what we will be, etc. And this verse just proves that God has a plan, it says it directly. It also proves that we fail him, and want our plan. And then we are rebellious children.

      "Who say to the seers, "You must not see visions"; And to the prophets, "You must not prophesy to us what is right, Speak to us in pleasant words, Prophesy illusions." --Isaiah 30:10

    Sound familiar? It does to me, but its not overly popular. And we probably have never met a 'seer', and I hope I never do. But this sounds like the Church, and America today! We want to here what is pleasant. And note, that the fallen people here, don't want to hear what is right. The Church doesn't want to hear what is right anymore. Words  hear are described as pleasant. In this instant I think that can imply that doctrine is hard to hear, and that sometimes it may not be pleasant. How many of us would choose a friend that gave us nice compliments, than a friend who corrected us? I would probably choose the compliments. Who doesn't want to hear something good about themselves? WELL ITS WRONG. We don't HEAR what is pleasant. If we heard only what was pleasant we'd GO TO HELL. We should settle for nothing less than the doctrine of God. And I'll tell you this, the the first doctrine of God is this: We are sinners, and we NEED to be corrected. We deserved hell, and don't deserve anything. WE began, and still could be, rebellious children. THAT is where we all need to start. Because we were born into Satans Kingdom, and we were born to hear what's pleasant. That is why we need to be BORN AGAIN. 

   For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, "In repentance and rest you shall be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength..." ---Isaiah 30:15a 

   Soak that in for a moment. For it's beauty is unmatched. God's grace IS SO FULL in this verse. Why? Because he says In Repentance and Rest you shall be saved. YES....so wonderful. The first step in Salvation is Repentance and Rest. That means, we don't have to do anything! We don't have to do 30 good deeds to be saved, we don't have to mourn in sadness not being able to fulfill the ten commandments, we don't have to be something that we can't. We weren't made to fulfill the ten commandments. God knew when he made them that it would only be by grace that we could have been saved. "For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith, and this is not of yourselves-it is a gift from God, not by works so that no one can boast." --Romans. It is by Grace that we have been saved. And in REPENTANCE, we shall be saved. And when he says, In quietness and trust is your strength.. you know what he means? I think what he means is in our quiet walk with God, in our Quiet bible studies, where we completely trust in him, is when we have his strength. Is that not wonderful?

    Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for him.--Isaiah 30:18

    I think that is one of the most beautiful verses I've ever heard. Wonder why God hasn't come yet? I'm sure the world is corrupt enough. Why then? 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." Here that? He is waiting for us. The God of Heaven and Earth, The Heavenly Host, The King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords, The Alpha and the Omega, The beginning and the Last, The prince of peace, HE is waiting for you. Isaiah 30:18 says he wants to be gracious to you. He waits on High to have compassion for you. He loves you. He's waiting for you. 
    So Repent. Be forgiven. Love him. 

~Hope your day is awesome!
{And may everything you do be for His glory}