God Conciliation

Good Morning!

Have you ever felt like you were a disappointment to your Heavenly Father? I know we all have because all of us are sinners – and our sin causes us to feel unworthy. And I think God has pointed out to us at various times in various methods His disappointment. I know God felt that way about Israel. The prophet Isaiah begins his prophecy with God expressing His disappointment about His children:

Isaiah 1:1-20 (New International Version, ©2010)
1 The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
A Rebellious Nation
2 Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth!
For the LORD has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.”
4 Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption!
They have forsaken the LORD; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.
5 Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion?
Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted.
6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness — only wounds and welts and open sores,
not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with olive oil.
7 Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; your fields are being stripped by foreigners right before you,
laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.
8 Daughter Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a cucumber field, like a city under siege.
9 Unless the LORD Almighty had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.
10 Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
11 “The multitude of your sacrifices — what are they to me?” says the LORD. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings,
of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
12 When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts?
13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—
I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!
16 Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong.
17 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.[a] Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.
18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land;
20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 1:17 Or justice. / Correct the oppressor

Israel had been given favored position among the nations. God’s desire was that Israel would serve as a nation of priests – leading all mankind to Him. But Israel had begun looking around and became envious of what the other nations had … and had turned away from God. Oh, they held on to the feasts and festival; they continued to make sacrifices; they went through the motions of worship … but God saw through the façade. Israel really didn’t want to serve God … they wanted to be like everyone else. And God was disappointed. And He was disgusted.

Still, He offered Israel an opportunity to repent. God offered Israel an opportunity for a “do over”. What did He require for the do over? Verse 19a: If you are willing and obedient …

Yes, there are times I am a disappointment to God. How comforting to know He still offers me the opportunity for a do over.

Have a blessed day.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Feedback:
to yesterday’s post) – Thank you for the comments – they mean a lot to me. Mr. Jim

I absolutely love these kinds of stories! This is how we pass the love of God along. Thanks, Jim, and I have one: I asked the Lord to wake me this morning so that I could spend some time in His Word before I had to leave. I was dreaming that my children were in trouble and calling me, "Mama, MAMA!" I awoke with a start and realized it was exactly the time i needed to get up and get studying! God works in mysterious ways. . .

ellen brewer

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Mr Jim, Amen. God will always show up when we need him :-). Isn't God good.

Tamiko

Prayer Need:
Dear Prayer Partners,

Thank you very much for all your Prayers and Support.

We have transferred Mrs. Dolly Kumar from Southern Regional Hospital to Emory Midtown Hospital on January 13, 2011. Now she is in ICU in Emory Midtown Hospital.

Mrs. Dolly Kumar is on Ventilator and Doctors has decided to do Open Heart Surgery for our Mom on Tuesday, January 18th 2011. Two of her Valves are blocked. So they will repair Two Valves.

God has given us the promise from Psalm 41:3, "The LORD sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness."

Please continue to Pray earnestly for Mrs. Dolly Kumar. We need your prayers urgently.

GOD bless you.

Rev. Deepesh Kumar
Associate Pastor, Asian Indian Baptist Jonesboro
147 Church Street, Jonesboro, GA--30236