True Light or your light?

Isaiah 50:10-11

Who among you fears the LORD? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD And rely upon his God. 

Look, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with sparks: walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled-this you shall have from My hand: You shall lie down in torment.

Here the prophet spoke a word in season, to the weary. He addressed those who fear God but found themselves overwhelmed with afflictions, walking in darkness. Maybe they struggled with error, perhaps sorrow and possibly even death. Isaiah pointed the children of God of his day away from themselves and exhorted them to trust in the name of the LORD and rely upon his God!

He also had a word for the hypocrite, for the self-righteous and the self-reliant. It was a warning to those who lit their own fire, made their own light and looked to themselves for salvation. Thus says the Lord, “this you shall have from My hand: you shall lie down in torment”.

When the Servant, our Lord Jesus Christ, walked in this world he said; “come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light”.

May we be found looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

Relief

"Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast." PSA. 57:1

It is believed that David wrote this psalm while hiding in a cave from King Saul of Israel. You, perhaps remember the story of Saul and David. For many years, Saul, for no good reason, sought to kill David. Stop and think on that for a moment, to literally live from day to day with the threat of physical death lingering over your head.

These were the "calamities" that David sought relief from. The word translated 'calamities' carries the meaning of ruin, iniquity, evil, and wickedness. For me it is hard to compare my life's troubles with David's life's calamities. Nevertheless, I am reminded by him that true refuge and therefore true relief is found only in Almighty God.

To seek refuge in something or someone else is worthless. Jonah called these false refuges "lying vanities", Jeremiah referred to them as "broken cisterns". We might, perhaps, find temporary relief in these other refuges but in the scope of eternity they will eventually give way like the house built on sand.

Believers have a different hope and a different refuge. Jesus said; "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me." Our refuge is Christ; He, alone, is appointed by God as the way, the truth and the life. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

May we say with the psalmist; "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

What Does the Lord Understand? part 7

A continuation of excerpts from Dr. Jay Wimberly's sermon notes of a message delivered September 7, 2003 to The Main Street Baptist Church in Auburndale, FL.

The text is from Micah 4:12: But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.

What does the Lord understand about heaven?

Revelation 21:27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

God understands that not all who are talking about heaven are going there -- only those who have their full confidence and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.