Wednesday, September 24, 2008

A Bold Witness - Isaiah 50:4

 
A Bold Witness
 
Isa 50:4  The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
 
A tongue of the learned, the wisdom of God.
 
Stephen
 
Acts 6:8  And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
Acts 6:9  Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
Acts 6:10  And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
Acts 6:11  Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
Acts 6:12  And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
Acts 6:13  And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
Acts 6:14  For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
Acts 6:15  And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

 
They did not want to hear him, they wanted to kill him. Do not waste time with these, but go to those who need to hear the and they could not hear the truth of the Word of God.  Speak a word in season to the weary. All are weary, encumbered by troubles and sin. Speak the way of salvation to them.  Others are of faith, but satan has wore them out with much spiritual warfare. Encourage these in the LORD. Pray with them, sing psalms and hymns, remember His great promises and look unto Jesus.
 
 "Speak a word in season to him that is weary:"
 
2 Tim 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2 Tim 4:3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2 Tim 4:4  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
2 Tim 4:5  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

 
"he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned."
 
    The chorus of a favorite hymn: "Great is Thy Faithfulness"
 
Great is the faithfulness!  Great is Thy faithfulness!  Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.  Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
 
Lam 3:22  It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Lam 3:23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Lam 3:24  The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
Lam 3:25  The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
Lam 3:26  It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

 
We awaken to the Word of God, each morning; our daily Manna.
 
John 6:49  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
John 6:50  This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
John 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

 
John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God.

John 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

 
Isa 50:5  The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
 
Not rebellious as Jonah who ran from God, fearing the Assyrians. We are to obey God and serve him; not to rebel against his authority. The world is full of rebels.
 
1 Sam 15:22  And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
1 Sam 15:23  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

 
We are to obey all that God commands us to do. We do not change His words by our thinking and teach others a false message. Paul commended the people of Berea for checking his words by the scriptures. We are to prove all things by the Word of God.
 
Acts 17:10  And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
Acts 17:11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Acts 17:12  Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

 
Paul had to suffer many things as an Apostle to the Gentiles. Who were they who beat him? The religious Jews. They should have understood, but they were blinded by traditions and external ceremonies. These could be good, but their hearts were evil and satan stopped them from hearing.

Isa 50:6  I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
 
This describes our Lord Jesus as well. Jesus looked ahead, despising the shame, never complaining.
 
Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Isa 50:7  For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
 
This verse was given to me as a prophecy today, from a friend. It is for each of God's remnant in these last days. Peter spoke this:
 
1 Pet 2:6  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

 
To confound is : to insult, shame, humiliate, blush, be ashamed, be put to shame, be reproached, be put to confusion, be humiliated
 
We are not ashamed of our Lord Jesus and He is not ashamed of us, His Remnant.
 
Heb 2:10  For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Heb 2:11  For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Heb 2:12  Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

 
Isa 50:8  He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.
 
Be bold in faith like Joshua and Caleb. The were not afraid of the giants, for the new that the LORD stood with them with the angels.
 
Num 13:30  And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
Num 13:31  But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

 
Each servant is called and equipped. Jeremiah was called, but saw no strength in himself. We are not to be strong in ourselves, but to be strong in the Spirit wherein Christ dwells in you.
 
Jer 1:6  Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
Jer 1:7  But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
Jer 1:8  Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
Jer 1:9  Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
Jer 1:10  See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

 
The LORD will not call you to do anything in your own power. We are yoked with Jesus, our burden is easy. He is our joy and our strength. To follow Jesus as he leads us is our greatest joy. Be bold witnesses for the LORD.  Amen

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Amen.  He is ALWAYS with us.  Thank You, Lord