Good morning, all!
Father, we know that Your ways are beyond our comprehension and understanding but we ask Lord that You make Yourself known to us in those moments of doubt. Give us the strength to walk this life out without fear, to walk it out with faith and courage and to love beyond measure so that You would be glorified, Amen
Isaiah 49
1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
Listen, O island, you who are isolated from the world, the Lord has called before you were born, the infant from your Mother’s womb He made mention of His name.
9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that [are] in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures [shall be] in all high places.
God called us to speak to the prisoners and say, Go forward you in darkness, show your true self. You will grow and be strengthened in the WAY for your pasture is in the HIGH place.
15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
As you grow, can a woman forget the child she breast feeds, would she not have compassion and feed her son? Yea, she might forget, yet I the Lord will NOT forget thee.
16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of [my] hands; thy walls [are] continually before me.
How could forget YOU? When I look at MY hands, they say it all, you are always before ME.
Bottom line
Have you ever felt alone on an island? Then you’re in good company this morning, you know why? It was the work of God, it’s His way of separating us from all the influences, distractions and conflicts in life. From what? LISTENING!!! I think we can all admit God is a better listener than we are, scripture says God always hears our cry, but the truth is we don’t always Hear His.
[Mat 23:37 NLT] “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. God is calling us BUT we won’t come to Him. And why does He call us? He wants to protect His children, He wants to gather US together…yeah that means UNITY, that means ONE tribe, that means we love and accept ALL. So why don’t we come when God calls? Well, He gave us a clue in the verse, we’re CHILDREN…immature. That’s what Isaiah is speaking about here in this passage, can a mother forget her child? They might but NOT God. And how could He? When He looks down at His hands He sees the ultimate proof of His love for YOU, the nail prints in His hands. Now we can’t disconnect what God just told us, it’s called connected truth…meaning…if we think God has forgotten us it’s an immature thought, you feel me? The bible has 144 verses that tells us to remember, why 144? It’s the 144,000 called in Revelation, they are the elect of the earth that are saved. Now, you know God saves the world so the 144,000 can’t be people instead scripture says the Lord’s Day is as a thousand years and how many minutes in a day? 1,440 but the Lord’s Day is represented as a thousand 144,000…the day of the Lord. We should always REMEMBER the Lord’s Day…news flash they’re all His. And what is the Lord’s Day?
[Rev 1:10 KJV] I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet. This of course is John on the Lord’s Day, now what made it the Lord’s Day? Well, a few things, first John was in the spirit…living by faith. Second, John HEARD…he was listening and why was he listening? Well interesting enough, he was on the ISLAND of Patmos, he was separated from seemingly everything but then again, he had God…our everything. God’s voice sounds like a trumpet, it’s clear and distinct and there’s NO mistaking it. You know what the trumpet says when we think God forgot about us? REMEMEBR the nail prints, REMEMBER I leave the 99 and go after you, REMEMBER I will NEVER leave you or forsake you. Now, how do we end up on this island? We’re a sinner? We’re guilty? We straight up blew it?
[Jer 10:23 NET] LORD, we know that people do not control their own destiny. It is not in their power to determine what will happen to them. Hello…it’s called providence…it’s called maker of heaven and earth decides if and when you go to that island. And what I believe happens when we’re on that island is we begin to mature, we quit acting like a child.
[1Co 13:11 KJV] When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. When the spirit of Christ matures in us, we put away childish things, what are the childish things? I believe they’re the reasons and excuses we give God on why we can’t love or forgive? If you think you have a good excuse that the Lord hasn’t heard yet…that’s childish, listen to the trumpet this morning for the call is loud and clear…love and forgive.
Point to Ponder
You know what else happens on that island? [Isa 60:9 ESV] For the islands shall hope for me, the ships of Tarshish first, to bring your children from afar, their silver and gold with them, for the name of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, because he has made you beautiful. God turns your island into HOPE…your ship has come in and He made you BEAUTIFUL!!!!
Let’s all listen cuz He us definitely talkin’, In Him Phil
Faith – Family – Friends