AWAKE, ARISE, AND TRIUMPH
Tuesday – March 21, 2023, Adar 28, 5783
GOD SITS ABOVE THE CIRCLE OF THE EARTH
Greetings dear friends and partners of Eastern Gate Ministries Inc. and The Three Minute Word blog. Welcome back to our ongoing study of the wonderful Bible Book of Isaiah. What a ride! Please take a moment and share this teaching as widely as possible to expand our reach with this beyond good, good news. Thank you for sharing. The featured picture today is of a congregation presumably receiving instruction in righteousness to remind us to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Ephesians 1:15-17 (AMP)
15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints (the people of God),
16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.
17 [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him,
Notice in verse fifteen that the reason the Apostle Paul is praying this prayer is because he has heard these people are displaying faith in the Lord Jesus and love (agapē) towards all saints. I point that out because this is not the prayer for those who are not walking in faith and/or love (agapē). For the sake of space, I have only printed part of this prayer, it is well worth looking at the whole passage and making it a part of your regular prayer time concerning yourself and others. Now, let’s turn our attention to our primary Bible text in the Book of Isaiah continuing to read out loud.
Isaiah 40:21-25 (AMP)
21 [You worshipers of idols, you are without excuse.] Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? [These things ought to convince you of God’s omnipotence and of the folly of bowing to idols.] Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is God Who sits above the circle (the horizon) of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; it is He Who stretches out the heavens like [gauze] curtains and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in,
23 Who brings dignitaries to nothing, Who makes the judges and rulers of the earth as chaos (emptiness, falsity, and futility).
24 Yes, these men are scarcely planted, scarcely are they sown, scarcely does their stock take root in the earth, when [the Lord] blows upon them and they wither, and the whirlwind or tempest takes them away like stubble.
25 To whom then will you liken Me, that I should be equal to him? says the Holy One.
The Lord through His Prophet continues His rebuke of His people, remember, He is not talking to the heathen but those who at least with their mouths (give lip service) say He is their God. God is pointing out, haven’t you noticed that men (male/female) come and go, here briefly, but I remain always. Again as we draw to the end of this passage, God asks the question once again, “To whom then will you liken Me”. The answer is a resounding NO ONE, no one is even close! Idol worship is alive and well today, in America, and in the Church, it is not an ancient practice or only found in some third world country. Anyone, any words, anything, any activity that is placed before God is an idol and God detests. What brings compromise into my life, your life? Perhaps someone’s birthday or a championship game keeps us from gathering at Church.
Ephesians 4:16 (TLB)
16 Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly, and each part in its own special way helps the other parts, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
There are other people in the body of Christ that depend upon us whether we know it or not and whether they know it or not and so it is with us. Others in the body (local and at large) are helping us to be healthy spiritually (and physically), grow up into the full stature of Christ, and be full of love (agapē). Let us put all idolatry aside pursuing the Lord with our full heart.
Colossians 3:5 (KJV)
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Lord willing, I will pick up right here tomorrow.
By: Dr. David R. Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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.
PRAYERS AND QUESTIONS – please contact us and we will respond. Our goal is to build a solid foundation upon which children of God can become sons of God, stand and do exploits in Jesus’ name.
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CONTACT E-MAIL: pastordavidwood@gmail.com
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