God is Faithful

Moses stood atop Mount Sinai with the stone tablets of the Law in his hands. He spent forty days transcribing God’s words. He brought these words to the people but saw they already turned to worship idols. Smashing these words on the ground Moses again made the trek up the mountain. God repeated these words for Moses and at the end of it, Moses made a request of God. He wanted to see God’s glory. God came and stood with Moses and declared His name as He passed by. One of the ways God described Himself as was faithful.

God cannot deny Himself. He cannot change His nature to be something He is not. He is faithful. He keeps His promises. Psalm 146:6 (NIV) says God “remains faithful forever.” The NLT translates it as “He keeps his promises forever.” A promise is not something one can earn nor can it be taken away. It is something someone else says they will do for you. They can be delayed if I am not cooperating with Holy Spirit in preparation for their fulfillment but they will not be taken away. If I did not earn the promises then it follows that I cannot work to keep them. God is not going to take His promises from you. God’s gifts and call are irrevocable (Ro 11:29).

If you want proof that God keeps His promises, you need look no further than yourself. We are a fulfillment of a promise. God promised Abraham that not only would he have children but that nations would come from him. This promise of children to Abraham was based on his righteousness, not based on the law (Ro 4:13). If it was based on his actions, then his actions could prevent the promise from coming true. We are children of this promise. And if you are Christ’s then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise (Gal 3:29 NIV). Because of one man’s faith nations are blessed with the knowledge of Christ.

We can see God’s fulfillment of promise in the books of the prophets as well. In Ezekiel God promised to give His people a new heart and place His Spirit in them. In Isaiah and Jeremiah God promised to never remove His Spirit from us. He promised to restore us and renew us. We are living in the fulfillment of these promises.

Wait for the Lord

It is hard to wait for things as I am sure you well know. I cannot tell you how many times I burned my mouth because I did not wait for something delicious to cool. I know what will happen yet  I still bite into that hot, molten-chocolate brownie. There is something to be said for waiting. With brownies, it prevents burns. With God, waiting prevents burn out and misstep. Waiting and rest is a time of renewal and of strengthening and of realignment. 

God wants us to slow down and rest with Him. Isaiah 30 is a great example of this. Israel did not want to hear what God had to say so their 'unhearing' became like a hole in a dam. At any moment the dam would break and the pent up river would destroy the land. However, God promised to restore His people even then. "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength" (Isa 30:15). Even then, Israel did not want to listen. They tried to rely on their own strength. Instead of asking God to fix the dam they chose to run from its consequences. 

"Therefore, the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore, he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him... He will surly be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the LORD give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, 'This is the way, walk in it' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left" (Isa 30:18, 19-22). 

Slow down and take time to rest with God. He renews our strength as we wait on Him and rest with Him (Isa 40:31). He does not shame us for asking direction and insight but loves talking with us (Isa 49:23). He loves the process. When we are still before the LORD and wait patiently for him, we can better see the desires of our heart (Ps 37). Rest with Him. Know His heartbeat. We do not need to try to run ahead of God's plan. You are not behind. He is right there with you. I do not care if you are eight or eighty, you are not washed up. God opens the way, and He can restore back the years you thought you lost.

Rain and Snow

I do not know why but whenever water is involved, I love to be in it. I love walking in the light rains and love dancing in the torrential downpours. I like walking through the snow as it silences the world and covers it in blanket of white. Time slows down in those moments. One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 55:10-11. I could probably say that about most of Isaiah, but this one is particularly special to me.

 

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so small my word be that go out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11)

 

Rain and snow fall from the sky (I know, pretty obvious). The only time I have seen snow go back up toward the sky was when I stood over the grates near the subway stations in Toronto. We would throw snow down there because it kept blowing back up. But it never stayed up for long. It always came back down to the earth. Its job was to water the earth. The earth needs to soak in that moisture.

 

In the same way we need to soak in God’s words. The rain and snow were made to water the earth just as God’s words were made to water our hearts. I had trouble with this for a while. What happens when I do not hear God’s voice? I know that God always speaks. He is not silent (Isa 45:19, 48:16). He does not hide His words from us but wants us to know His heart. So what happens when I do not hear those words? God still speaks them over me. Even though I cannot hear His voice all the time, my spirit still soaks in His words. I may not see the evidence of it right away but that does not mean God is not speaking to me.

 

The more I spend time listening and quieting my heart and mind, the more time I allow my spirit to connect with God. Even when I feel I accomplish nothing during my time spent sitting with God, it is not unfruitful. God still speaks to my heart. It may just take a while for those words to work their way from the depths of my heart.

More on this tomorrow. 

 

I am a big deal!... and so are you!

You are a big deal to God. You are so valuable that Father launched a rescue mission for you. He loves you so much that He gave His Son as a ransom for you. We were born into an opposing kingdom. We were enemies of God. But then Jesus came and took our place. He paid the ransom price for us so we could be restored to God. He rose from the dead so we could have a relationship with our Father again.

You are such a big deal to God that He knows the number of hairs on your head (Lk 12:7). He knit you together in your mother’s womb (Ps 139:13). He knows the intricacies of your person. He knows this for millions of people and yet He knows your name (Isa 43:1). Our God is big. His very words formed the universe. This is the God who holds you in His hands. The same God who holds us close to His heart also measured the waters of the earth in the palm of His hand (Isa 40:11-12). He cares for you and loves you so deeply.

We do not need to fear God will leave us. He will never leave us (Dt 4:31, Ps 9:10). We are a big deal to Him and He is not going to let us get away. He loves us so He is not going to leave us. Even when we think we walk away, He is still there with us (Ps 139). He chose us as His own. He helps us and guides us. When we mess up, he does not throw us away; instead, He stands with us and helps us get back on track (Isa 41:8-10). Once we are in God’s family, that standing does not change. Our fellowship with Him may but our sonship in the family does not change (Lk 15:11-32).

He created the world for you. He created the earth to be inhabited (Isa 45:18). You have a place in this world. When we are tired, worn out and unable to rise, He gives us strength. He calls stars out one by one and does not grow tired:

Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God”? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:26-31 ESV)

Eagles have this incredible ability to tell when a storm is coming. Instead of wearying themselves by trying to fly against the storm or to fight the storm, they use the wind currents to lift themselves above the storm. They can be resting on the winds of the storm. When we wait on the LORD and a storm comes, He lifts us above the storm. We are still in it, but He is holding us right next to His heart.

If this is what God does for a bird, imagine what He does for his children! In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said He takes care of the birds and makes sure they have enough food even though they do not plant. He dresses the fields with flowers. The flowers do not sew their clothes out of fallen leaves or grass. Instead, God provides their “clothes” and beauty for them. He cares for us so much more than birds and flowers! We do not need to worry about our needs. Our Father knows what they are and He longs to meet those for us (Mat 6:25-34).

Nehemiah and Restoration

Nehemiah lived during a time when the people of God were attacked. They were taken as prisoners of war and their land was destroyed. Nehemiah went back to Judah to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. The story of Nehemiah is an amazing story of restoration. It tells of the hardship he went through during the process and the provision and protection God provided.

Restoration takes time. God could have easily rebuilt His city overnight but instead He wanted His people to be part of the rebuilding process. Brick by brick they rebuilt. Their sweat and blood was in the wall of Jerusalem now. Their healing was not handed to them overnight but instead God wanted their DNA to be part of the story of restoration. They could now own their story of redemption. They could point at the restored wall and tell how they helped bring restoration. It was not just a story someone told about this thing that happened that one time. It was personal. There is something powerful about owning your story. 

Their past did not disqualify them from their future. Their sin did not disqualify them from restoration. Because they repented, God restored His city. Previously, Israel and Judah had turned from God. They sinned greatly and were even worse than some of the nations they displaced when they came to the Promised Land. They knew God’s laws and had stories of His provision yet they chose to ignore God. They were just distant stories bordering on fairy tales and myths. They did not own their history. God sent prophet after prophet to warn his people of the coming destruction if they did not repent. They did not listen and invading armies destroyed the two nations.

But God’s love is enduring, everlasting (Ps 100:5, Ps 136). His love does not end and does not change. Just as a loving father disciplines his children, so a loving Father disciplined His children. His children repented and God allowed them to rebuild their city walls in fifty-two days. “And when our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God” (Ne 6:16).

God longs to rebuild His people. This begins by spending time with Him. When we spend time with Him, He tells us who we are. He tells us who He is and how we are to respond out of that. Things change when they are restored. No longer is it weak and falling apart but whole.

Promises through Rest

In Isaiah 58 God talks about the kind of fast he desires: feeding the hungry, freeing the oppressed, taking care of the poor. In other words, the kind of fast God desires is a fast from self. God then gives a promise to those who choose this kind of fast:

“And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 58:11-14 ESV)

That first sentence is a great promise—“I will satisfy your desire in scorched places...” In a place of desolation, I will satisfy your desires. I will make you an oasis in the midst of brokenness. An oasis was a place of rest from the desert. Before this can happen though, God needs to rebuild what we thought was lost. He needs to raise up the foundations that crumbled and restore the ruins that were forgotten years ago. He wants to restore dreams and bring healing to the hurt places of our hearts.

As God begins this process we will begin to be known as a “repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.” In other words, as we are restored, God uses us to bring restoration in others so they in turn can bring restoration to others. This is true revenge against the devil. As we are healed in one area, we have special authority over it. We have a testimony. Revelation 12:11 says, “And they have conquered him [the devil] by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.” When we receive freedom, we get to go to others who are hurting in that area and we can tell them our story of redemption and walk with them through their story of redemption.

God promises insteads. Isaiah 61 gives a good list of instead. Instead of ashes, a beautiful headdress. Instead of mourning, gladness. Instead of a faint spirit, a garment of praise. Instead of shame, a double portion and everlasting joy. Where you were hurt, God wants to bring restoration and freedom. It does not mean the memory goes away but it does mean you are no longer controlled by the memory.

Rest is a big part of restoration. God created a Sabbath for a reason. When we take time to rest and be restored, we can quiet our hearts and can readjust where needed. We can find joy despite our circumstances. We can hear God’s voice and follow his direction. We can take delight in the LORD. He loves it when His people spend time with Him. He wants to show us off to the world. When kings took over a land, they would ride on the heights of that land. It was a thing of honor. They would inspect the land as well as display their power for the conquered lands. The Father wants to give us an inheritance. All we need to do is accept it. He is offering it to us through Jesus. Jesus is the Way to the Father and He longs to know you and tell you how much He loves you. It does not matter what you have done. He will always accept you. He will always bring restoration to His people. He is just waiting for us to come to Him.

Do you know who you trust?

In Luke 4:14 Jesus is in Galilee and goes to His home church. He goes up front to read and the attendant hands him the scroll. However, instead of reading where they left off last week- as was customary- Jesus instead searches out one of His promise verses. He finds Isaiah 61 and begins reading his mission statement.

 

The Spirit of the LORD is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favour...

 

The rest of the chapter beautifully describes the healing and restoration He will bring and the restoration we get to bring because He has restored us.

 

When Jesus says He is coming to restore, it would remind them of the year of Jubilee. Jesus came to release us into the year of Jubilee. Take a look at Leviticus 25. The 50th year was a year of Jubilee. It was a year of celebration. You would not plant or harvest this year because it was a year of rest as well. God promised the 49th year would produce enought for three years.

 

You would also return property. If someone sold property, it was because of financial hardship. You did not move around in those days. You had your town and your family had been there for generations. When you sold land, you took away from your sons' inheritance. God wanted that returned to the seller so His people were not dispossesed and homeless.

 

Go back to Luke 4 and look at the power of Jesus' words. They create life. There are multiple times in chapter four where His voice and words are emphasized:

 

• 4:22- "All spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth."
• 4:32-"[the people] were astonished at his teaching for his words possessed authority."
• 4:36-"For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits and they come out!"
• 4:41- In contrast, Jesus would not let the evil spirits speak. He only wanted His voice to be the one that speaks over us.
 

Jesus only needs to speak and things are created. He is, after all, His Father's Son. Back in Genesis the Father spoke and the world was created. Now, the Son is walking on Earth and His very words have healing power. another name for Jesus is the Word (Jn 1). Jesus follows His Father's example in this too:

 

John 14:10-14-- The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. Truly, truly I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am giong to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name this I will do that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. If you love me, you will keep my commands. And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth...

 

John 15:7-12-- If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments you will abide in my love just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you...

 

John 16:23-24-- Truly, truly I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive that your joy may be full...

 

Take a look at those chapters. There is a lot of good stuff there.

 

 

 

Jesus came to bring us freedom. His words have creative power. Where do you need to ask Him to bring you into freedom?

Promises of Restoration in the Prophets

...Pt. III

Continuation of Redemption Promised

All throughout the OT, we see Israel turning from God and God imploring them to return. The books of the prophets are some of the most beautiful writings on this. They do contain warnings and list Israel’s offenses against God but they also have the most beautiful promises of restoration.

You have Hosea, whose life is a living picture of how God pursues his unfaithful bride. She continues to walk away and commit adultery but Hosea keeps seeking her out and bringing her back even when she has children by other men.

Isaiah has the most beautiful promises of what God will do for his people and how he sees his people—chapters 40-66 especially. He tells the end story there of how He will restore His people and restore to them more than what they lost.

Isaiah 43:4, 5—Because you are precious and honored in my sight and because I love you, I give men in return for you and peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not for I am with you.

Isaiah 57:18-19—I have seen his ways but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace to the far and to the near, says the LORD and I will heal him.

Isaiah 61:7—Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion.

 

Isaiah 62:1-5— For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet until her righteousness goes forth as brightness and her salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall see your righteousness and the kings your glory and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no more be termed Forsaken and your land shall no more be termed Desolate but you shall be called My Delight is in Her and your land Married for the Lord delights in you and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a young woman so shall your sons marry you and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.

Jeremiah talks about what will happen to God’s people if they do not turn back to Him.

It talks about how He will restore them even though they won’t repent.

Jeremiah 29:10-14 – For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you declares the LORD and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you declares the LORD and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Jeremiah 33: 8-9—I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me. And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them.

Then we have Ezekiel. God tells the story of Israel as a faithless bride in Ezekiel 16. He saw her cast out as an unwanted child left to die in the wilderness and he saved her. He gave her beautiful clothes and jewelry and food. But she trusted in her beauty and paid people to sleep with her. Because of this Israel was exiled but God promises to establish an eternal covenant with his people. He continues to list the things they have done but concludes with I will restore you. This is what you have done but I will restore you.

Ezekiel 36:24-30— I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations.

Then right after this God brings Ezekiel to a valley of dry bones and tells him to prophecy over them life. The valley of bones would come from a great war. Man fought against God and lost and died. But God promises to bring life and to restore so he has Ezekiel be part of his picture example. He speaks life over the bones and restores the bones to people. No longer is it a valley of dead bones but now it is a valley of people restored to life. In the New Testament we get to see this more clearly with salvation. Jesus came to restore life to us. We fought against God and died. But Jesus came and raises us to life so that we may live in Him.

The amazing thing is that Jesus was never Plan B. Man’s sin did not surprise God. He did not have to scramble for a Plan B. 1 Peter 1:20 says Jesus was chosen before the foundation of the world. Before Genesis 1:1 the plan was already set to save mankind. Before Adam was even created God already had a way to restore him. Talk about amazing love!

God Will Confirm His Words

The book of John opens with John the Baptist stating this is who I am and this is who Jesus is. Then Jesus says this is who I am. In John 8, Jesus talks about who He is and almost point for point confirms what John the Baptist said about Him.

John 3—John the Baptist’s statements about Jesus    John 8—Jesus’s statement about who He is

Jesus came from heaven, we are from Earth (31)	I am from above, you are from below (23)
Jesus is above all (31)	I am judge (23, 26)
Jesus tells what he has seen and heard	I have much to say and judge, I declare God’s word (26)
We do  not believe Him (32)	We do not believe Him, specifically the Pharisees (13)
God gives words to those He sends (34)	I declare what I have heard from him  (26, 28)
God gives a limitless amount of His Spirit (34)	I am not alone (29)
If you obey the Son, you’ll have eternal life, if you do not obey, the wrath of God remains on him (36)	If you believe in me, you’ll live; if you don’t, you will die in sin (24)

Jesus confirms the words John spoke about Him. Remember that John said, “[H]e whom God has sent utters the words of God” (3:34)? Guess what, when we speak the words that God gives us, He will confirm them.

Now, we do need to be careful. This doesn’t mean we speak every thought that pops into our head and declare it as the word of the Lord. Be careful about this. God gives a stern warning about speaking presumptuously in Deuteronomy. “But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death. You may say to yourselves, ‘How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?’ If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him” (Dt 18:20-22).

However, when God does give us something to say, do not be afraid to say it. God will confirm His words. His words will accomplish everything He intends and will not return to Him empty (Isa 55:10-11). They will leave a lasting effect on the listener. When God declares something, it will happen (Isa 48:3). He teaches us what to say. “The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen as one being taught” (Isa 40:4). 

How do we know the difference between our words and the words of God? Get to know His voice. Spend time in the Word and in prayer. Test what you hear. “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good” (1 Th 5:20). Make sure it aligns with Scripture. God does not contradict himself. If it doesn’t match with Scripture, toss it. If it does, I find it helpful to write down the reference next to the word.

Spend time with other believers who hear God’s voice well. This is probably the best way to learn. When we are with other believers, we can learn from them and learn to hear God’s words. We can test things out on each other and together discern if it aligns with God’s Word.

You will begin to know your Father’s voice. The sheep know the Shepherd’s voice (Jn 10:3-5). Soon it will become second nature and you will just know that it is God’s voice. It isn’t always something you will learn over night. Maybe you’ll have a burning bush moment like Moses did but for many of us, we learn God’s voice by being in His presence. We learn His voice by practice. If you hear something and it doesn’t sit right with you, it’s likely that isn’t God’s voice. If you hear something and it touches your heart so deeply, there’s a good chance it is God’s voice. But again, test everything with the Bible.

 

“Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there” (Isa 48:16). God is not silent. Quiet yourself and be still and listen. This takes practice. In our busy world it is hard to still ourselves. But keep at it. God loves talking with us and wants to talk with you. He loves you so much and wants to tell you this and more.