AWAKE, ARISE, AND TRIUMPH
Thursday – August 4, 2022, Av 7, 5782
FOR GOOD MEN
Greetings precious saints of God and welcome back to this wonderful Bible Study of the Book of Isaiah. Remember, all Scripture is given as an example and for our learning.
1 Corinthians 10:11 (KJV)
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Romans 15:4 (KJV)
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
If we will study and do, we can avoid the disasters of those who have gone before us and we can rise to heights beyond those who have gone before us as well. There is no ceiling in God so let us not limit our thinking to that of Job, Abraham, Solomon, or even Jesus. The only ceiling in our life is the one we ourselves impose. The devils will tell us day and night we are worms in the dirt destined to suffer until Jesus comes or they (devils by way of our thoughts and mouth) get the door open far enough to kill us.
Please take a moment to share this teaching as widely as possible by every means available to you. Thank you for sharing. The featured picture today is of Donna and me from a couple of years ago.
Now, let’s turn our attention to our primary Scripture text for today continuing to read out loud. You are reading out loud, right? Our text is in The Living Bible translation.
Isaiah 26:3-8 (TLB)
3 He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord!
4 Trust in the Lord God always, for in the Lord Jehovah is your everlasting strength.
5 He humbles the proud and brings the haughty city to the dust; its walls come crashing down.
6 He presents it to the poor and needy for their use.
7 But for good men the path is not uphill and rough! God does not give them a rough and treacherous path, but smooths the road before them.
8 O Lord, we love to do your will! Our hearts’ desire is to glorify your name.
Today I will be moving forward into verse seven. On first glance one might exclaim that their path is indeed “rough and treacherous”. As we study Scripture it must be considered in context, who is talking, and who are they talking to, plus rightly dividing that Truth by other Words of Truth. The Lord speaking through the Prophet Isaiah says: “for good men the path is not uphill and rough!” This is Truth. This is given to us in the context of trusting the Lord always, maintaining a focus on the Lord, His Word, humbling ourselves to receive His strength, and being free of pride. This is not telling us that we will not have an opportunity, brought to us by devils, others, or our own lusts, for a rough and treacherous path. Let’s take a moment to look at another Scripture, which I hope is very familiar to every reader.
1 Peter 5:5-8 (KJV)
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Way too many people are looking for God to move, to do everything for them. They are begging and pleading for things they already possess. Dear saints He has done all He is going to do, it is now in our court to bring all good things into our lives by faith, doubting not, in love, led of the Holy Spirit. Likewise, the bad things come into our lives by unbelief, fear, and being our own god. Did you notice in the 1st Peter text that we have the first responsibility? We are to submit to elders, each other, all the while clothed in humility (absent all pride). When we do the Grace of God flows on our behalf. We must choose to humble ourselves to the leadership of the Holy Spirit and when we do, He will lift us up. We must cast our care onto Him, not make believe, but for real, and when we do, He will care for us. Then we must be sober and vigilant concerning the devil wiles for he wants to devour us. Looking back to Isaiah 26:7, it is in this way that we with Him responding to our love (obedience) have a smooth path in the place of an uphill, rough, and treacherous path. How good is our God!?
Lord willing, I will pick up right here next week. Remember we love you and there is nothing you can do about it.
2 Chronicles 20:20 b (KJV)
20 … Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Receive the blessing in Jesus’ name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (MSG)
24 GOD bless you and keep you,
25 GOD smile on you and gift you,
26 GOD look you full in the face and make you prosper.
By: Dr. David R. Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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