September 11
Isaiah 8:1-9:21 | PS 55:1-23 | Prov 23:4-5 | 2 Cor 12:1-10
A prophet spoke forth God’s truth. This very often took the form of speaking forth things that were yet to come. We know many of their names as they stood boldly in the gap: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, etc. Those in their culture often disregarded their message to their own detriment, and being part of the majority, tried to cancel their message. But history remembers the names and the truths spoken by these prophets, while the names of those attempting to cancel them are forgotten. As opposed to the prophets in the Old Testament we have the completed Word of God, the Bible. We can speak forth God’s truths, His promises, as clearly outlined in Scripture. Like then, the majority does not want to hear what God is telling them. We are immersed in the cancel culture. Speaking for the truth of God’s word will get you ostracized, canceled from social media, and marginalized from “polite society”. Does this bother us? Are we not called to be holy, or set apart unto God? We must stand firm on the truth of His Word, unwavering. Though we may be canceled, we will not be canceled from the only book that counts, God’s Book of Life. Though we might be ignored, we will never be forgotten by our Heavenly Father. Fellow citizens of heaven, may we remember that we are God’s ambassadors here on earth. We know His book. We know that every single word of it is true. Now is the time not to hold back but to speak it forth fearlessly.
Notice the similarities during Isaiah’s times, as we read in Isaiah 8:11-15, “ The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said, “Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don’t live in dread of what frightens them. Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble. He will keep you safe. But to Israel and Judah he will be a stone that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare. Many will stumble and fall, never to rise again. They will be snared and captured.” Isaiah was told not to fear, and not to worry that he was being labeled a conspirator. People look to their worldly leaders now, as they did then, but we read in Isaiah 9:16, “ For the leaders of the people have misled them. They have led them down the path of destruction.” When we want truth and one Leader who will model that truth, we need to follow our Messiah, Jesus Christ, who was clearly revealed in Isaiah 9:6-7, “ For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!”
So, if you were called by God back in the Old Testament, would you tell God, “No, thank You?” I should hope that would not be the case for any of us. But we have that same calling now and the message is as clear now as it was then. It is not really a question, because God has called us, His children, His holy ones, His priesthood not to be ashamed or to cower to authority. No, now is the time to stand on what it is that we know is truth. May we speak forth with the boldness, knowing those who have gone did so before us.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: