All throughout history God has called out to His people to serve Him, to Love Him, to follow His teachings, His commandments and His ways.  Time and time again mankind has rejected and chosen to live their lives in total disobedience and rebellion.  And time and time again our loving God has forgiven them if only they would turn back to His loving ways.  One such verse out of so many says it well in Joel 2:12,13  “ Therefore says the Lord, Turn to Me with all your heart.  Return to the Lord, your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.  v21 Fear not, be glad and rejoice for the Lord has done marvelous things.”

Just let these following verses speak to your heart and listen to what God is saying to us.  Do not just read quickly over these verses and not pay attention to what they say.  These words of truth are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago.  What speaks best to that is found in Ecclesiastes 1:9  “ That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.”  Generation after generation continues in what has been done since the beginning of time which is rebellion and disobedience and we are no different today.  Generation after generation continues to abandon God’s ways and live according to what they think is best and right in their own eyes on how to live their lives.

Psalm 32:8  “ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.  Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have not understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle.  Else they not come near you.”   Isaiah 48:17  “ I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you by the way you should go.”  The Prophet Isaiah spoke to the people of Judah who had abandoned God with their idolatry and immoral behavior and conduct.  Does this not sound familiar and relevant as to what is happening today ? 

These are the very words He spoke to the people as He began His 40 year prophesy.  Now keep in mind this was His message 2750 years ago but recognize that this message is as applicable to us now as it was clear back then.  It’s as though He could be speaking to us right now in the year 2020.   God never changes.  His words of truth, wisdom and knowledge found in scripture will always remain the same.  Hebrews 13:8  “ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”

All of God’s words and teachings, while written long ago, are to be followed, obeyed and acted upon with reverence and wonderous awe.  They are the priceless eternal words of truth and promises that God has made and continues to  make to all generations- past, present, and forever.  The choice is simple my friends -  ignore it, as most have, or embrace it.  Choose wisely !

 Isaiah 1:1-4.  “ Listen, O heavens ! Pay attention, earth !  This is what the Lord says;  The children I raised and cared for have rebelled against Me.  Even an ox knows its owner, and a donkey recognizes its master’s care – but Israel[U.S.] doesn’t know its master.  My people don’t recognize My care for them.”  Oh, what a sinful nation they are – loaded down with a burden of guilt.  They are evil people, corrupt children who have rejected the Lord.  They have despised the Holy One of Israel[U.S.] and turned their backs on Him.  Why do you continue to invite punishment ?  Must you rebel forever ?  Your head is injured, and your heart is sick.  You are battered from head to foot – covered in bruises, welts, and infected wounds- without soothing ointments or bandages.   Your country lies in ruin, and your towns are burned.  Foreigners plunder your fields before your eyes and destroy everything they see.  Beautiful Jerusalem stands abandoned like a watchman’s shelter in a vineyard, like a lean to in a cucumber field after harvest, like a helpless city under siege.  NLT  (emphasis mine)

Now, our country is the greatest nation on earth and far from desolate or ruined,  however should we continue with our rejection and abandonment of Christ as has been the trend, then we had better take heed of what God is telling us. 

Psalm 33:4-21  “ For the word of the Lord is right, and all His work is done in truth.  v5  He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. v6  By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.  v8  Let all the earth fear the Lord.  Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.  v9  For He spoke, and it was done.  He commanded and it stood fast.  v10  The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;  He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.  v11  The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.  v12  Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.  v18  Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, v19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. v20  Our soul waits for the Lord;  He is our help and our shield  v21  Our heart shall rejoice in Him because we have trusted in His holy name.”   (emphasis mine)

Jeremiah 7:23-28  “ Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people.  And walk in all the  ways that I command you, that it may be well with you.  BUT  v24 They did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.  v25  From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all My servants to them, day after day.  YET  v26  They did not listen to Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck, They did worse than their fathers.  v27  So you shall speak all the words to them, but they will not listen to you.  You shall call to them, but they will not answer you.  v28 And you shall say to them, This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, and did not accept discipline;  truth has perished;  it is cut off from their lips.” (emphasis mine)

Jeremiah 5:21-24 “ Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not.  v22  Do you not fear Me ?  v23  But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart;  they have turned aside and gone away.  v24  They do not say in their hearts, Let us fear the Lord our God.” 

Where is your heart and are you truly listening to what God is telling us ?

It is so amazing what the Bible has to say to us, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament.  Of course one has to spend time reading God’s words of truth.  The cross stands in the middle of God’s redemption story, which is the inerrant word of God, in the Bible.   Old Testament saints looked forward to it in faith; New Testament believers look backward in faith. One salvation, by faith alone, through the grace of God.  Jesus says it best in John 14:6  “ I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me.”

Start today – Don’t delay and change your life - Let the power of God’s words speak to you and be filled with a peace and joy beyond measure.  

Find additional inspiration and encouragement found in the books “Finding Calm in the Storm of Everyday Living” or “Heart and Soul” either going to Amazon directly or hitting home at the top of this blog and scrolling down to the books.