Daily Bible Study for Wednesday
November 30, 2016
By: Hanny Lynn Stearns
Fish N
Loaves Ministries, Inc.
“Multiplying
God’s Word Around the Globe”
Chapter Reading
for Today: Please read in
your Bible before proceeding. Note that most translations are considered
paraphrases. The Young’s Literal Translation provides a more accurate
translation since he is the one who authored a concordance. Others are helpful
for seeing a different perspective, but we cannot always depend on their
wording. I trust this is helpful to you. If you are studying in another
version, that is fine. I am studying from the KJV.
***Please
note a change! We will look at everything for our basic study from the King
James Version going forward. It is helpful to stay with one solid version as we
study so as not to cause confusion. I may add other translations for specific
scriptures as the Lord directs.
One final note: I will put the scripture in italics to differentiate from my
own writing. I am adding red to the letters when
it is Jesus talking – just like the Bible. Thank you.
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
2 Peter 3:10-11
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in
the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the
elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are
therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be
dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and
godliness,
Psalm 111
When Understanding Really Begins
The first words in this chapter ought to be the cry of every
Christian heart – amen! Everything God does is great and greatly to be praised!
We are so blessed to be called the children of God and to know that our names
are written in the Lambs book of life. For such a short chapter, we see quite
an extensive list of the many wonderful things about our great God. But when
did we first realize how great He is? Let’s pray…
Heavenly Father:
Thank You for all You have done for us through Your covenant
of mercy and grace through Jesus Christ our Lord! We have so much to thank You
and praise You for. Indeed, it will take eternity to praise You as You alone
deserve Lord. Father, I ask You, our great and awesome God to give me the
anointing and the utterance to bring forth Your word with clarity, accuracy,
excellence and boldness. Cause this message to reach all the way up and down,
and all the way around this world. Change our hearts and minds as we renew our
thinking in Your word. I ask You to make this message to go out unhindered and
unchecked by any outside force or my flesh. Bring us a fresh revelation of Who
You are and how we should honor and reverence You. Thank You for always
watching over Your word to perform it when we do what it says in our lives. We
purpose to be doers of Your holy word and not forgetful hearers. Thank You in
advance for the answers to this prayer. We believe we receive it in Jesus name.
Amen.
Do you remember what it was like in your “BC” days? That
means your “before Christ” days? Did you think you really knew a thing or two?
Did you think at one point that you had it “all goin’ on” or, that you had it
all together? Or perhaps there are those of you, who, like me, went to church
for many, many years and thought you knew the Lord only to find out one
shocking day that you really didn’t. That is what I did. I asked Jesus to be my
Savior at 9 years old but never went to a church regularly after that until I
was in my mid-twenties. Once I got started going regularly, I became very
interested in Jesus. I was a Christian, even though I was a newborn and understood
just about nothing of what it means to have a close walk with God.
It took me many hard years of trying to do things my own way
and failing miserably before I finally saw who God really is as I listened to a
marvelous preacher tell me the word of truth from the Bible. I was struck by
the power of the Word and Holy Spirit, and my heart was convicted. It was then
that I realized that I had not seen God for who He really is, and I dropped to
my knees in humble desperation asking Him to fix me. Let’s take a look at some
situations in the Bible that the Lord showed me today.
Be prepared to do some reading my friend. But the time we
spend in the word of God is always time well spent. The word is what transforms
us, along with the power of Holy Spirit - like nothing else in all existence
ever could. Let’s look at the story of a king. He was living as high as one
could live and he thought he had it all. He desired to be worshipped above all
else, but there was a certain group of people who would not bow their knees to
this wicked king. Let’s look…
Daniel 3 (The Entire Chapter)
3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold,
whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set
it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather
together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the
treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces,
to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set
up.
3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains,
the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers
of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that
Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is
commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the
cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye
fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set
up:
6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall
the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
7 Therefore at that time, when all the people
heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of
musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and
worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came
near, and accused the Jews.
9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar,
O king, live for ever.
10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man
that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and
dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden
image:
11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that
he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over
the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these
men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the
golden image which thou hast set up.
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury
commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men
before the king.
14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it
true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship
the golden image which I have set up?
15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the
sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all
kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well:
but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my
hands?
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and
said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this
matter.
17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to
deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine
hand, O king.
18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that
we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set
up.
19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the
form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego:
therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven
times more than it was wont to be heated.
20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were
in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the
burning fiery furnace.
21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their
hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst
of the burning fiery furnace.
22 Therefore because the king's commandment was
urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men
that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and
rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast
three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the
king, True, O king.
25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose,
walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the
fourth is like the Son of God.
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of
the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and
the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose
bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither
were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be
the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and
delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word,
and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except
their own God.
29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people,
nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a
dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
This is an awesome event that shows how great the power of
God is. Our Psalm today says that His works are great and to be remembered. We
can be quite sure that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego never forgot this event –
amen! Glory to God! One experience with the Lord Jesus can change a life for
all eternity. It happens all the time, praise His name forever! Now let’s move
on and look at the dream the king had and what happened next…
Daniel 4 (The Entire Chapter)
4 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people,
nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto
you.
2 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders
that the high God hath wrought toward me.
3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his
wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from
generation to generation.
4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and
flourishing in my palace:
5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the
thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
6 Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the
wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the
interpretation of the dream.
7 Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the
Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did
not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose
name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my God, and in whom is the
spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,
9 O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because
I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth
thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation
thereof.
10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I
saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was
great.
11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height
thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit
thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow
under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all
flesh was fed of it.
13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed,
and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;
14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the
tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit:
let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:
15 Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the
earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field;
and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the
beasts in the grass of the earth:
16 Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a
beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.
17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers,
and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may
know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to
whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.
18 This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now
thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the
wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation:
but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.
19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was
astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said,
Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee.
Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee,
and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.
20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was
strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the
earth;
21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof
much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt,
and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:
22 It is thou, O king, that art grown and become
strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion
to the end of the earth.
23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy
one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet
leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and
brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of
heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times
pass over him;
24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is
the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy
dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat
grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times
shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom
of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of
the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have
known that the heavens do rule.
27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable
unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by
shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the
palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great
Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my
power, and for the honour of my majesty?
31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there
fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken;
The kingdom is departed from thee.
32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy
dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat
grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the
most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon
Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his
body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles'
feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar
lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I
blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever,
whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation
to generation:
35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed
as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among
the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What
doest thou?
36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and
for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and
my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my
kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour
the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those
that walk in pride he is able to abase.
The king called in a bunch of his ungodly servants to attempt
to receive assistance in interpreting the dream, to no avail. What can we learn
right here? First of all, the king still had a heart that was not transformed or
turned toward God. He was still leaning on his own understanding, and he was
not acknowledging God in his ways. As a result, God was going to put him in his
rightful place – out in the field as a beast and not a man. How many know that
when God deals with our hearts, the judgment we experience can be severe. This
man had just seen the awesome power of God in three men’s lives that caused him
to order that God’s name be honored.
But he himself was not honoring God at all by turning back to
the world to handle this perplexing dream. It may have looked like he had been
changed, for a moment. But in reality, it would be like someone we would call a
“false conversion.” That is one who says they will receive the Lord, but then
turns back to the world and keeps on doing things their old way and not
receiving in their hearts the free gift of their salvation.
God was going to leave him in a very difficult place so he
would have plenty of time to “think about things” and come to his spiritual
senses. I recall staying in a dark valley for a very long time while I ran in
the opposite direction from the Lord. The longer I held out from turning to
Him, the harder things got. Was that God’s will? Absolutely not! He wanted to
me to turn to Him and repent and get back to Him – but I was a very slow
learner. It looks like the king was too. None of us are alone in this. It takes
everyone a bit of time before we recognize our wickedness before a pure, holy
God. It doesn’t have to be that way though.
After the appointed time, according to the dream, the king
had a sudden change of heart. It was then that he looked up to heaven and saw
God for who He really is. God knew just how long it would take for this king to
finally “get it.” Like He knows for all of us. He wants us to get our salvation
sooner rather than later. He does not want any to perish…
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
As soon as the king acknowledged who God is by looking up to
heaven, his understanding returned to him. The fear of the Lord is where
understanding begins. Glory to God. That is where the beginning of wisdom is
for the human heart. Having a holy reverence and awe of God in our hearts
starts us down a path of truly having understanding and wisdom – just like our
chapter notes today. When the king turned back to God – he was healed on the
spot. That is how quickly the Lord wants to forgive us. He won’t sit around
thinking about it. The minute we repent and turn from our sin, He is right
there to forgive us and get us started on a path toward holiness. Look at this…
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Not only did the king get understanding, having his spiritual
eyes truly opened for the first time ever, but he was healed of his affliction
and the Lord restored to him everything in his kingdom and added excellent
majesty! Glory to God! Look at this…
Joel 2:25-27
25 And I will restore to you the years that the
locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my
great army which I sent among you.
26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the Lord your
God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of
Israel, and that I am the Lord your
God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.
Oh hallelujah! It could only be God – amen! He not only
restores us but He adds to us even more, all of which we do not deserve. Talk
about gracious! Now let’s look at a man who was also forever changed when he
saw the Lord for the first time. His name is Isaiah. He was dwelling among an
ungodly bunch and he knew it. Let’s look at the situation that was going on
first…
Isaiah 1:1-23
1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he
saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and
Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for
the Lord hath spoken, I
have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his
master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity,
a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of
Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will
revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head
there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores:
they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.
7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned
with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate,
as overthrown by strangers.
8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in
a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
9 Except the Lord of
hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and
we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
10 Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto
the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
11 To what purpose is the multitude of your
sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord:
I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I
delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.
12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath
required this at your hand, to tread my courts?
13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an
abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I
cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul
hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide
mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands
are full of blood.
16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of
your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the
oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith
the Lord: though your sins be
as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool.
19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the
good of the land:
20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured
with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath
spoken it.
21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it
was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with
water:
23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of
thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not
the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
An ox and a donkey certainly knows who their owner is, but
the people of Israel did not seem to “remember” who their God is. Look at the
sickness and disease that the people’s sin had brought upon them. Their
rebellion was an open door for the devil to attack their minds and their
bodies. Their land was devoured and their cities were destroyed. The devourer
had paid them an unkind visit – ugh! Do you suppose any of them liked what was
happening to them? Of course not.
Still they rebelled against their great God who had proven
Himself over and over again. Our Psalm says God’s works are to be remembered,
but those folks (can anyone relate here?) seemed to have a case of amnesia.
They forgot about all the awesome signs and wonders that God had done for His
people Israel.
Fortunately, there was a remnant of people who still wanted
to honor God – otherwise they would have been destroyed like Sodom and
Gomorrah. There had to be someone left in that place who would ask God to save
them. It is no different today. If we do not ask God to save people and send
the rain of His Holy Spirit on the hearts of the nations, they will perish.
Look at this…
Ezekiel 22:30
And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and
stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
God wanted someone to stand in the gap and pray for the
people, and He found none according to this passage in Ezekiel. Oh saints, may
it not be said of us. We will be held responsible on the day of judgment, we
can be certain. The Lord has set up the system in such a way that we have to
ask Him for what we want in order for Him to help. He will not force Himself
into our lives. He does not control us. He wants everything to be done by a
free will choice. It is a matter of the heart – just like we looked at in the
king. With all of this said, let’s turn our attention to what happened when
Isaiah encountered the Lord…
Isaiah 6 (The Entire Chapter)
6 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also
the Lord sitting upon a
throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six
wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and
with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy,
holy, holy, is the Lord of
hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of
him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because
I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean
lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a
live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this
hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom
shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye
indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make
their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear
with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered,
Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and
the land be utterly desolate,
12 And the Lord have
removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.
13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall
return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is
in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance
thereof.
Seeing the Lord like this would send every one
of us reeling to the floor! Isaiah knew that he was a sinful man and lived
among sinful people. It didn’t take him too long to understand his condition
before a holy God, did it? This was the beginning of wisdom and understanding
for Isaiah. Upon seeing the Lord, he immediately raised his hand and said,
“Here I am, send me.” How many of us can say this same thing? What happened
after you saw the Lord? Did it change your life so dramatically that you would
be willing to give it all you’ve got to do the Lord’s work in the earth?
Isaiah gave over 60 years of his life to the work of the
Lord. His ministry spanned the reign of four kings in Israel. He understood the
desperate need for laborers in the harvest field. The people of this earth have
had their eyes blinded by satan who is the god of this world until Adam’s lease
on the earth runs out. God needs us to pray for the lost. Day by day we are
walking through our daily lives and passing by the people who need to know the
good news of the gospel. Just yesterday while I was out walking, I passed a
tiny dead fish laying on the sidewalk. That was an unusual place for a little
tiny fish to be. He was way outside of his normal environment (the place that
would sustain him and keep him alive) and he died. That’s what is happening to
people who are outside the will of God – they are dying. Here is a picture. I
took it from my IPhone so you can see it…
The Lord has told us in the Bible that we can ask Him for the
heathen, and we should be…
Psalm 2:8
Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and
the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
And here is what happens if we do not ask…
James 4:2
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill,
and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight
and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Next, let’s look at a New Testament man who, once he saw
Jesus was never the same again…
Acts 9:1-22
9 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and
slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the
synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women,
he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and
suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice
saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord
said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the
pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what
wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the
city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless,
hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes
were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into
Damascus.
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither
did eat nor drink.
10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus,
named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said,
Behold, I am here, Lord.
11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into
the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one
called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias
coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by
many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
14 And here he hath authority from the chief
priests to bind all that call on thy name.
15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he
is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and
the children of Israel:
16 For I will shew him how great things he must
suffer for my name's sake.
17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the
house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus,
that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou
mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it
had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
19 And when he had received meat, he was
strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at
Damascus.
20 And straightway he preached Christ in the
synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is
not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and
came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief
priests?
22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and
confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
Friend, this should cause each of us to really stop and
consider how we are spending our lives. Every day that passes there are missed
opportunities that the Lord places right before our eyes to tell others about
the saving grace of our God through Jesus Christ. No matter where we are, we
need to be sensitive to the leading of Holy Spirit so that we do not keep
missing them when they are walking right by us.
Two nights ago, I had a dream.
It was the night before I discovered the dead fish on the sidewalk. I was in an
airport and I had a dog on a leash. I was hurrying to catch a flight obviously,
when a person became entangled in the dog’s leash. I have been seeking the Lord
on the meaning of my dream. I refuse to go to a person to interpret unless Holy
Spirit directs me to as some have been given the gift of interpreting dreams at
times, like Daniel did for the king.
The Lord did not reveal my dream’s meaning until tonight as I
am sitting here working on this study and we are talking about a king’s dream.
He is amazing. What is coming to me now is this: I may have been in a hurry to
get somewhere, but God had delivered someone right into my very presence who
needed to hear the gospel. That morning I got up and had gone to take my dog
for a walk and I thought I knew where we were supposed to go, but the Lord was
redirecting my path for the day. It turned out to be completely different than
I had anticipated.
What Holy Spirit has been leading me to do these past two
days is to study prayer and get my prayer journal done and operational. I have
been reading two books that are fundamental to every Christian in teaching us
how to pray and how to take authority over the devil. The Lord is impressing on
me that He wants me to be given to prayer. Why? Because in ministry and even in
the secular business arena, we need to be praying for the Lord of the harvest
to do this…
Matthew 9:38
Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth
labourers into his harvest.
The Lord was speaking to me a lot yesterday about how much we
need to be led by Holy Spirit in everything we are doing. If we do not, we will
completely miss what He really wants us to do. We miss those opportunities to
talk to people while out walking our dogs. We miss people at the grocery store.
When our eyes are so self-focused, we can’t see past the end of our noses. He
was also showing me that I should not be led by the clock, “to do” lists, the
bank account or by people. We must be led by Him. When we are, we will be in
the right place at the right time doping the right thing, and then we will bear
much fruit for the kingdom. When Paul saw Jesus on the road to Damascus, he was
blinded by the pure light of Christ. In Him there is no darkness and a sinner cannot
stand before Him unclean. Look at this…
Revelation 21:27
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing
that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but
they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
We cannot enter into the presence of our holy God with blood
on our hands. When Paul’s eyes were opened, it was a sign of his spiritual eyes
being opened to see the Lord for who He really is. Then, suddenly, this one
encounter with Jesus caused Paul to begin to understand the things of the
kingdom of heaven. For him, it would be the beginning of a lifelong mission to fulfill
his calling in this life as a minister of the gospel of grace to the known
world. He was never the same again. They eyes of His understanding had been
enlightened. Then, this same experience became his deepest heartfelt desire for
all the church. Look at this…
Ephesians 1 (The Entire Chapter)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of
God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father,
and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in
Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the
foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in
love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of
children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his
will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein
he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom
and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his
will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times
he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven,
and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance,
being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things
after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory,
who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the
word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye
believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until
the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in
the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention
of you in my prayers;
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being
enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the
riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power
to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him
from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and
might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but
also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave
him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that
filleth all in all.
And speaking of faith, let’s look at a woman who had such
relentless faith, that she would not take no for an answer…
Matthew 15:22-28
22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the
same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of
David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
23 But he answered her not a word. And his
disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after
us.
24 But he answered and said, I am
not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord,
help me.
26 But he answered and said, It is
not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of
the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O
woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And
her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
In this final example, a woman who was not even of the house
of Israel had heard about the signs and wonders that Jesus was doing. She had a
desperate situation with her daughter, so she took her measure of faith and
sought after Jesus. Even though her initial requests were met with silence, she
persisted. In the end, she got what she had asked for. Friend, is this how you
are pursuing God in prayer for the lost, the sick, the demon possessed, the
hurting?
We have seen what happens to people when they really see the
Lord for who He really is – holy and awesome! We see where understanding begins
– at the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ into our hearts. Then we have a
calling to fulfill to reach out to a lost and hurting world. Anyone who has
encountered Jesus like the examples we looked at in the word today will have a
desire burning in them like a fire that won’t be quenched to help pull others
from the fire. Does that describe you?
There are three main points to
consider from today’s study…
We really begin to understand
spiritual things when we see the Lord for who He really is
God’s people are called to tell
others about the gospel
Asking God in prayer is the key to
getting things done in the earth for the unsaved
Questions:
What about this study meant the most to you and why?
What were you able to identify with the most?
In what ways do you believe this will change your walk with
Jesus?
How do you believe this will change your prayer life for
others?
Who can you share this study with?
Have you
seen God for who He really is?
Let’s pray…
Heavenly Father:
Thank You for opening our spiritual eyes today
through Your word. Father, I ask You to forgive me for being so caught up in my
own agenda that I miss the divine appointments You place right in front of me
every single day. Help me to see what You want me to do so I can change from
being off course to a path that follows after Your Holy Spirit at all times.
Lead me to the places and the people whom You want to speak to through me. Help
me to be a man/woman given to prayer so I can properly and scripturally intercede
for the lost while there is still time. Thank You Father for helping me to come
closer to the things of Your heart that matter the most in this life – the saving
and healing of lost souls. In Jesus name. Amen.
And God Said… You fill in the blanks.
Colossians 1:1-12
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of
God, and Timotheus our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ
which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the
Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus,
and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven,
whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the
world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard
of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear
fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;
8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard
it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with
the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all
pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of
God;
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his
glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made
us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
