STREAMS IN THE NEGEV; THERE IS HOPE

in Spirituality By Mccuon on 22 Mar 2016

ISAIAH 1:1-20
PSALM 126:4
Rebellion is the deliberate action of going contrary to the authority in the policies, rules and regulations which have been stipulated. With authority comes power to exercise its mandate and thus, either punishment or forgiveness is justified from the one in authority. God in all His splendor and glory with all authority and His just nature punishes us for our wrongs .Yes he does .He did it to the Israelites and we know it .Yet His other side still remains; He is a very merciful God, who is willing to forgive and set free from every situation .That’s why He deserves to be God.
We see Him calling Isaiah, the son of Amoz. In the first chapter of the book of Isaiah and verse two God makes a public proclamation to the heavens and earth to hear of the great rebellion of His children Israel. He says of how well He brought them up and how insensibly they have forsaken him. He makes very serious allusions of them. He compares them to very low animals; oxen and donkeys. These are beasts of burden, yet God says they are better than the Israelites because, despite being animals they know their master. Likewise, many Christian are living below the level of donkeys and oxen; not knowing their master nor considering Him. It is my prayer that we will be wise and know Jehovah our God and consider His word.
God reveals the cause of this gross rebellion. He says that their heads are sick and their hearts are faint (verse 5b). The issues of life and the cares it brings about as well as all the confusion all around causes a sick head. A head that is confused and lacking direction: this happens all the times even to Christians. However, this is not the main problem. The real tragedy is having a faint heart. The heart is the controller of all our deeds. It is with our hearts that we believe the word of God and gain faith. It is also from the heart after gaining understanding of God through the knowledge of His word that true worship flows. If the heart is faint isn’t that a real tragedy to a Christian? let our hearts never grow faint , let them be forever strong in the Lord our God .Established on the rock who is Jesus Christ .
God was fed up with the Israelites and He let them know of it in verse thirteen by detesting their worship, gatherings and sacrifices. Nevertheless, as a merciful father, a God who gives a second chance , ever waiting for a soul to hearken to His word , ever sending a signal of hope. He speaks of restoration and hope.
Then, His voice was harsh!!! He now is tender. This is His strategy of correction. Brethren, how many Christians have we lost because we do not know how to pinch with one hand, and heal with the other? Let us think about it. Do we rebuke our brothers and sisters and “hand them over to the satan’’and the merciless world, or do we rebuke them in love as God our father does?
Come let us reason together, says the Lord.
This is the message of hope God had for a rebellious people, a children who had forsaken Him. Only if you are obedient and willing, He promises all the good things as an inheritance to you.
God makes it clear that He is aware of our past but still He will not consider it. No matter the magnitude of the sins we have been living in, He is ready to make us a new creation in Jesus Christ.
Does God really do it? Is there any proof?
A story is told of a young man from Machakos county. After many years of addiction to drugs and being a well known thief ,the mighty hand of God which is not short reached him and saved him . Withdrawal symptoms due to the drugs set in ready to take him back to where God had rescued him from, but, this mighty power sustained him and after long struggle he came out a conqueror. This mighty power of God did not only transform and sustain him but also empowered him and made him a vessel of noble use in the house of the Lord .Today, he is a preacher of the word rightly dividing the word of truth.
Today God is still saving and setting all the captives free. He is only calling to a wiling and obedient person .In all His majesty, He is ready to reason with you. Despite our past and current situation, He is still calling and giving us hope .Even in sexual immorality, drug addiction and all other kinds of sins that have entangled us, His power remains and His word is forever true. Just come.
There is hope for you.
And this hope does not disappoint us.
Are you obedient and are you willing to come and reason with your loving father?

Insights from the sermon : Streams In The Negev.
By Pastor Asunta Juma.
20th of March, 2016
Compiled by Annette Gatwiri.