“His purpose is not the development of man; His purpose is to make man exactly like Himself, and the characteristic of the Son of God is self-expenditure. If we believe in Jesus, it is not what we gain, but what He pours through us that counts … Spiritually, we cannot measure our life by success, but only by what God pours through us, and we cannot measure that at all.
… Our Lord is carried beyond Himself with joy when He sees any of us … not being set on this or that economy, but being abandoned to Him.
… It is time now to break the life, to cease craving for satisfaction, and to spill the thing out.” -Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, September 2.
I am so very selfish. Everything about me, how I feel about it, where I will be satisfied, what I want, what will please me best. Striving for me, me, me. My wants will also affect other people in a positive way, but that is no justification.
Once again I’m reminded to appreciate what I have, where I am (literally and metaphorically) and do the best I can with what I “got” (I know it’s not proper grammar, but really the slang adds to the meaning).
Family meeting, told the kids we had to continue here as if we were going to be here forever. This house hasn’t sold, we want to move, but as of right now noting is going to happen. We’re going to concentrate on homeschool. The Lord convicted me–laid on my heart in dramatic fashion–that these kids’ upbringing was of utmost importance.
It’s the slow boat to China, but it is the surest way to change the world–teach your children and they will not stray from those ways. So my duty, my JOB, is to teach these children to be God-fearing, honest, productive citizens and functional adults. I’m not raising them to be children!
With the current conditions in America, parenting apparently went wrong somewhere; someone forgot to teach their children that throwing a temper tantrum was not the way to get something they want. Very sad that they didn’t learn this lesson when they were younger. As an of-age adult, this lesson will be tougher, more devastating, and possibly deadly. Sad, really. What a disservice their parents did them.
Isaiah 29:2
2 I will oppress Ariel,
and there will be mourning and crying,
and she will be to me like an Ariel.
What is an Ariel? Google says it is: a gazelle found in the Middle East and North Africa.
Isaiah 29:9
9 Stop and be astonished;
blind yourselves and be blind!
They are drunk, but not with wine;
they stagger, but not with beer.
This sounds like the “protesters” in the US today. They are blind and drunk, but their eyes still see physically and they have not been drinking alcohol. Their minds are addled, they have been brainwashed, indoctrinated to zombie-like status of belief by Marxist, Communist, which are socialism’s opposite side of the coin.
Isaiah 29:11
11 For you the entire vision will be like the words of a sealed document. If it is given to one who can read and he is asked to read it, he will say, “I can’t read it, because it is sealed.”
People are full of excuses why they can’t do something. How about some optimism? How about take on some of the hard things to improve the condition of humans in the world, to make a path, who them the way to Jesus. Downtrodden people kept in a perpetual state, will not see or come to God. Add some physical comfort and it opens doors, helps them to make the decision to look for God–or allow God to open their eyes to Him.
Conversely, those who are kept in earthly comfort and are fooled that they don’t need God are less likely to make the decision to follow Jesus–trials encourage humans to look for things to make them feel better. There is no greater comfort than Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 29:13
13 The Lord said:
These people approach me with their speeches
to honor me with lip-service,
yet their hearts are far from me,
and human rules direct their worship of me.
Ritual. Religion and ritual turn so many people away from God (and ironically suck so many into false beliefs–ritual, doing the right things, does not give a person salvation!). Almost everyday I get attacks from non-believers about things done by “the church” (religious leaders). From the molestation of boys by Catholic priests to how the Bible has been manipulated by man. These people are so opposed to God, they don’t just ignore Him or those that believe, they attack the believers *and* the beliefs.
Isaiah 29:16
16 You have turned things around,
as if the potter were the same as the clay.
How can what is made say about its maker,
“He didn’t make me”?
How can what is formed
say about the one who formed it,
“He doesn’t understand what he’s doing”?
Which is exactly what mass numbers of people are doing right now in America–and presumably around the world.
Isaiah 29:19
19 The humble will have joy
after joy in the Lord,
and the poor people will rejoice
in the Holy One of Israel.
Notice it does not say, “everyone will be rich and have all the comfort they could ever want”?
Isaiah 29:22
22 Therefore, the Lord who redeemed Abraham says this about the house of Jacob:
Jacob will no longer be ashamed,
and his face will no longer be pale.
With the giant issue–or supposed issue–in the US currently being color of skin, this verse stands out. Especially interesting because I had a discussion the other day and ended up watching this video. The person who sent it and when I was having the discussion was in Africa and claiming Jesus had black skin.
Skin color doesn’t really matter to me, but there were some valid points made; because if the video is accurate–which it has compelling evidence–God’s chosen people have been scattered around the globe, just as He said they would be–many in America, many most likely unaware of their heritage.
But what does this verse mean? No longer be pale—did the people from Jacob turn white or brown (faded, diluted black at some point)?
Isaiah 29:24
24 Those who are confused will gain understanding,
and those who grumble will accept instruction.
Vindictive of me, but I look forward to this day! I don’t know that I will see it in my lifetime ,but I look forward to it nonetheless!