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October 29th 2020

David_Orr • October 29, 2020
The Light
' “Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord with slackness, and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from bloodshed. ' Jeremiah 48:10 Whenever I get weary of proclaiming God’s TRUTH my Bible will open to Jeremiah 48:10. I am reminded of Saul who didn’t kill Agag and kept the best livestock at the people’s bidding. “To Obey is better than to sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of Rams.” The 2 edged SWORD of God’s Word is a healing weapon to the believer: but death to the wicked. If a cancer had a consciousness do you think it would portray the surgeon’s scalpel murderous? If it seems some days I hit you with both barrels it is because God reminds me of this verse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21 ESV The mentality of Paul’s day and Isaiah’s day is the same way of thinking in our day. Solomon said there is nothing new under the sun and in this he was speaking to Human Nature. Evil and Oppression 1 'Behold, the Lord ’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. ' Isaiah 59:1-2 So Isaiah repeats the Lord’s Words from Isaiah 50 at the beginning of Isaiah 59. It seems we have become like the medical professions and are content to “Treat” instead of “Cure”. 8 'The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them knows peace. 9 Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom. 10 We grope for the wall like the blind; we grope like those who have no eyes; we stumble at noon as in the twilight, among those in full vigor we are like dead men. 11 We all growl like bears; we moan and moan like doves; we hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us. ' Isaiah 59:8-11ESV True Healing Removes the Offense There are weaknesses I have had to rely on God’s Grace to endure my whole adult life. So I am not saying if you have to fight your whole life to defeat something you aren’t saved. Lost people don’t fight those things: although I was greatly afflicted by those thoughts as a young believer. God has used those things to make me grow in faith because I constantly fight them. When we try to accept our wrongs as normal and justify ourselves we deny God’s Authority. It is not saying we won’t fail but when we fail we repent and seek forgiveness instead of excuse. We endure the Greater Pain of the Great Surgeons Scalpel because we know He will make us well. Modern Religion is like giving Methadone to the Heroin addict: it never gives freedom only renames the addiction. Judgment and Redemption 14 'The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them knows peace. Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter. 15 Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. ' Isaiah 59:8,14-15 ESV ' According to their deeds, so will he repay, wrath to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies; to the coastlands he will render repayment. ' Isaiah 59:18 ' “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord. ' Isaiah 59:20 Read all of Isaiah 59 and fill in the “In-between s”? But the point of today’s devotional is this. To know the freedom God’s Light gives you can’t try to darken it down to please the World or friends. To offer something that doesn’t do what God intended is good for no one including you. I will face one man asking me “Why didn’t you Shine Like God said to on my darkest night?” I don’t want any more: I can’t change that night but I can Shine today. The Truth may be hard but only the Truth can save. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 ESV “Won’t let Satan FFFF it out, I’m going to let it SHINE!"

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