Verse of the Day 10/13

Through the Bible - Isaiah 54-55, 1 Thessalonians 4

 

Good morning,

We've recently been considering what it means to "grow in grace and the knowledge of God" (2 Peter 3:18) and yesterday, who God really is.

Last night and this morning I read a couple of things that bring these thoughts together.

 

First, we'll go to Isaiah 57.  The real, the true God is the "high and lofty" One who humbled Himself sending His Son to redeem us.

Isaiah 57:15 (Amplified Bible)  For thus says the high and lofty One--He Who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, but with him also who is of a thoroughly penitent and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the thoroughly penitent [bruised with sorrow for sin].

Think about that, the eternal God, the God Most High, the high and lofty One, resides in the hearts of the humbled, not the proud.  Are you humbled by the thought?

 

I've been reading D.G. Barnhouse's commentary on Romans.  Last night I read the following:  "And to those of you who have believed that Jesus Christ is the eternal God, made flesh to save us, and have thrown yourself on His grace as manifested at the cross, I beseech you to walk in the light of this Word which He has left for us.  Begin by admitting all that He has said about the depth of your own heart, and ask Him to dredge to those depths in order that He may fill you with Himself and give to you the ever-fresh graces of the presence of the Holy Spirit to illuminate and to guide you.  For it is in the measure that you yield to the life of God through the cross of Christ and in the Holy Spirit that you shall grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

 

Living in the world, it is easy for our hearts to become silted with the debris of the cares and desires of this world.  There may not be a lot of room for God and His Spirit to dwell.  When was the last time that you asked Him to "dredge" the depths of your heart that you may be filled with the life giving water of His Spirit?

 

May we humble ourselves and do so may our silted hearts be revived.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

Healing for the Backslider

   Isaiah 57:14  And one shall say,

      " Heap it up! Heap it up!
      Prepare the way,
      Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people."
       ¹⁵ For thus says the High and Lofty One
      Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

      " I dwell in the high and holy place,
      With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,
      To revive the spirit of the humble,
      And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
       ¹⁶ For I will not contend forever,
      Nor will I always be angry;
      For the spirit would fail before Me,
      And the souls which I have made.
       ¹⁷ For the iniquity of his covetousness
      I was angry and struck him;
      I hid and was angry,
      And he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
       ¹⁸ I have seen his ways, and will heal him;
      I will also lead him,
      And restore comforts to him
      And to his mourners.
       ¹⁹ " I create the fruit of the lips:
      Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,"