"Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail." (Isaiah 51:6, NIV)
The NLT says, "....My righteous rule will never end;" the ASV says, "....My righteousness shall not be abolished." Notice the contrast between the Creator and the creation. Creation, "will vanish like smoke,..will wear out like a garment,..die like flies." The Creator and all that is His, "will last forever,...will never fail,..never end,..never be abolished."
This time through Isaiah I have been noticing the great promises of, "the Word of God," Jesus. Yet time and again, the people rebel, think He has abandoned them, give up. All this does is affirm our text. Mankind left to himself, mankind refusing to believe and act on the promises of The word of God, "will vanish like smoke...." Mankind believing, receiving, obeying, dwelling, abiding in the, "The Word of God," Jesus Christ, has a different end----"will last forever,..will never fail"------------ because He never fails.
This is true of men and nations. History proves that any nation, people group, or individual which leans to human understanding, refuses obedience to the "God-Breathed," Word, "will vanish like smoke." The majority of Americans, however, do not believe this. They believe America's power of the last century is forever; so they vote, raise families, conduct business in rejection of Jesus Christ and His Words. Who needs Him? The Supreme Court in 1962, 1963, and 1973 made decisions in the same thinking, decisions which sowed the seed of vanishing smoke, worn out garments, and dead flies.
Those who are of the, "never end,..never fail,..never abolished," people pray, work, vote for their "earthly" nation to come under Christ's authority. But their hope and allegiance is another Kingdom, another Nation, a new "people group." Their identity is no longer based on race, gender, or "national origin." Their identity is centered in Jesus Christ, under His Kingship, citizens of His Kingdom. Such will never, "vanish like smoke," but rather, in Jesus, "last forever."
Father, in Jesus' Name, life proves that without You I, "vanish like smoke." Surrender to You proves that in You I, "last forever." Amen.
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Unreached People Group: www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com ;
The NLT says, "....My righteous rule will never end;" the ASV says, "....My righteousness shall not be abolished." Notice the contrast between the Creator and the creation. Creation, "will vanish like smoke,..will wear out like a garment,..die like flies." The Creator and all that is His, "will last forever,...will never fail,..never end,..never be abolished."
This time through Isaiah I have been noticing the great promises of, "the Word of God," Jesus. Yet time and again, the people rebel, think He has abandoned them, give up. All this does is affirm our text. Mankind left to himself, mankind refusing to believe and act on the promises of The word of God, "will vanish like smoke...." Mankind believing, receiving, obeying, dwelling, abiding in the, "The Word of God," Jesus Christ, has a different end----"will last forever,..will never fail"------------ because He never fails.
This is true of men and nations. History proves that any nation, people group, or individual which leans to human understanding, refuses obedience to the "God-Breathed," Word, "will vanish like smoke." The majority of Americans, however, do not believe this. They believe America's power of the last century is forever; so they vote, raise families, conduct business in rejection of Jesus Christ and His Words. Who needs Him? The Supreme Court in 1962, 1963, and 1973 made decisions in the same thinking, decisions which sowed the seed of vanishing smoke, worn out garments, and dead flies.
Those who are of the, "never end,..never fail,..never abolished," people pray, work, vote for their "earthly" nation to come under Christ's authority. But their hope and allegiance is another Kingdom, another Nation, a new "people group." Their identity is no longer based on race, gender, or "national origin." Their identity is centered in Jesus Christ, under His Kingship, citizens of His Kingdom. Such will never, "vanish like smoke," but rather, in Jesus, "last forever."
Father, in Jesus' Name, life proves that without You I, "vanish like smoke." Surrender to You proves that in You I, "last forever." Amen.
*****************
Unreached People Group: www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com ;
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
