September 08, 2011
"Have I not ______?"
Those are the words that went through my mind last night while sleeping. Have I not provided for you? Have I not promised you? Have I not kept my promises? Have I not protected you? Have I not guided you? Have I not kept my word?
I've been a bit overwhelmed as of late. Our plates are full and running over. I'm tired.
Last night the voice was clear. I literally "heard" it. Male voice. Left ear. "Have I not _____?"
"Have I not provided for you? Have I not promised you? Have I not kept my promises? Have I not protected you? Have I not guided you? Have I not kept my word?" I guess I needed a holy kick in the seat of the pants. I wasn't grumbling out loud. I didn't think I was grumbling in my spirit either. But obviously, I needed confronting. I must have been trying to carry too much of the load and it was weighing me down.
What HE gives us to carry is light. What we take upon ourselves to carry is heavy. Matthew 11:28–30 - "Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The teaching I ask you accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light." Isaiah 40:31 - "But the people who trust the LORD will become strong again. They will rise up as an eagle in the sky; they will run and not be weary; they will walk and not be faint."
Why are our plates so full? I don't know. What I do know is that God has a plan and the things we are doing is in obedience to him, and we are willing to continue doing whatever it is He asks of us. I would rather be obedient—no matter what—than to try and walk through life doing my own thing and making my own way. God is still teaching us and we are still learning.
Hey!! "Have I not _____?"
I'm sorry LORD. Forgive me for carrying what wasn't mine. I didn't even know I was grumbling. Thank you for being my LORD and Savior.
Isaiah 56:10 - Because the leaders chose to disobey they were blind and didn't know what they were doing.
Isaiah 56:11 - They went their own way, doing what they wanted, satisfying themselves.
Isaiah 57:6 - God asks them, "Do you think this makes me want to show you mercy?"
Isaiah 57:10 - You've ignored me. You've done everything to please yourself. Even though you figured out it wasn't working, you still would not give up. You found new strength to keep going... you would not quit. You have not remembered me. Why did you lie to me?
Isaiah 57:11–12 - "I have been quiet for a long time. Is that why you are not afraid of me? I will tell about your 'goodness' and what you do, and those things will do you no good."
Isaiah 57:8 - "When you cry out for help, let the gods you have gathered help you. The wind will blow them all away; just a puff of wind will take them away."
Isaiah 57:20–21 - "Evil people are like the angry sea, which cannot rest, whose waves toss up waste and mud. 'There is no peace for evil people,' says my God."
God knows. Truth will be exposed. Justice will come. Evil may be persistent and relentless, but evil cannot circumvent God's will. He is our protector. He will free us from "the storm."
On the other side God says in Isaiah 56:7 - my temple will be called a house of prayer.
Isaiah 57:1–2 - "Those who do right are being taken away from evil and are given peace."
Isaiah 57:13 - "The person who depends on me will receive the land and own my holy mountain."
Isaiah 57:15–16 - Prepare the way! Prepare the way! "God lives forever and is holy. He is high and lifted up. He says, "I live in a high and holy place, but I also live with people who are sad and humble. I give new life to those who are humble and to those whose hearts are broken."
Life Lesson ~ God gives peace and satisfaction to those who love Him, but He punishes the wicked for their sins. Peace and comfort comes from God alone.
Psalm 29:11 - "The LORD give strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace."
Isaiah 26:3–4 - "You, LORD, give true peace to those who depend on you, because they trust you. So, trust the LORD always, because he is our Rock forever."
Addendum: 9/27/11 ~ See my journal entry for 9-27-11. Our plates being full is starting to make sense.
Next Entry: Isaiah 58:1 – 59:21
"Have I not ______?"
Those are the words that went through my mind last night while sleeping. Have I not provided for you? Have I not promised you? Have I not kept my promises? Have I not protected you? Have I not guided you? Have I not kept my word?
I've been a bit overwhelmed as of late. Our plates are full and running over. I'm tired.
Last night the voice was clear. I literally "heard" it. Male voice. Left ear. "Have I not _____?"
"Have I not provided for you? Have I not promised you? Have I not kept my promises? Have I not protected you? Have I not guided you? Have I not kept my word?" I guess I needed a holy kick in the seat of the pants. I wasn't grumbling out loud. I didn't think I was grumbling in my spirit either. But obviously, I needed confronting. I must have been trying to carry too much of the load and it was weighing me down.
What HE gives us to carry is light. What we take upon ourselves to carry is heavy. Matthew 11:28–30 - "Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The teaching I ask you accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light." Isaiah 40:31 - "But the people who trust the LORD will become strong again. They will rise up as an eagle in the sky; they will run and not be weary; they will walk and not be faint."
Why are our plates so full? I don't know. What I do know is that God has a plan and the things we are doing is in obedience to him, and we are willing to continue doing whatever it is He asks of us. I would rather be obedient—no matter what—than to try and walk through life doing my own thing and making my own way. God is still teaching us and we are still learning.
Hey!! "Have I not _____?"
I'm sorry LORD. Forgive me for carrying what wasn't mine. I didn't even know I was grumbling. Thank you for being my LORD and Savior.
******
Back to Isaiah. Once again comparisons between those who choose to go their own ways and those who choose to follow God's ways. Choose to disobey—choose to suffer. Choose to obey—choose God's blessings.
Isaiah 56:10 - Because the leaders chose to disobey they were blind and didn't know what they were doing.
Isaiah 56:11 - They went their own way, doing what they wanted, satisfying themselves.
Isaiah 57:6 - God asks them, "Do you think this makes me want to show you mercy?"
Isaiah 57:10 - You've ignored me. You've done everything to please yourself. Even though you figured out it wasn't working, you still would not give up. You found new strength to keep going... you would not quit. You have not remembered me. Why did you lie to me?
Isaiah 57:11–12 - "I have been quiet for a long time. Is that why you are not afraid of me? I will tell about your 'goodness' and what you do, and those things will do you no good."
Isaiah 57:8 - "When you cry out for help, let the gods you have gathered help you. The wind will blow them all away; just a puff of wind will take them away."
Isaiah 57:20–21 - "Evil people are like the angry sea, which cannot rest, whose waves toss up waste and mud. 'There is no peace for evil people,' says my God."
God knows. Truth will be exposed. Justice will come. Evil may be persistent and relentless, but evil cannot circumvent God's will. He is our protector. He will free us from "the storm."
On the other side God says in Isaiah 56:7 - my temple will be called a house of prayer.
Isaiah 57:1–2 - "Those who do right are being taken away from evil and are given peace."
Isaiah 57:13 - "The person who depends on me will receive the land and own my holy mountain."
Isaiah 57:15–16 - Prepare the way! Prepare the way! "God lives forever and is holy. He is high and lifted up. He says, "I live in a high and holy place, but I also live with people who are sad and humble. I give new life to those who are humble and to those whose hearts are broken."
Life Lesson ~ God gives peace and satisfaction to those who love Him, but He punishes the wicked for their sins. Peace and comfort comes from God alone.
Psalm 29:11 - "The LORD give strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace."
Isaiah 26:3–4 - "You, LORD, give true peace to those who depend on you, because they trust you. So, trust the LORD always, because he is our Rock forever."
Addendum: 9/27/11 ~ See my journal entry for 9-27-11. Our plates being full is starting to make sense.
Next Entry: Isaiah 58:1 – 59:21
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