ISAIAH 5: 18-21...
18+++Woe to those who drag iniquity with the cords of falsehood,
And sin as if with cart ropes;
19+++Who say, “Let Him make speed, let Him hasten His work, that we may see it;
And let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near
And come to pass, that we may know it!”
20+++Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
21+++Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
And clever in their own sight!
God's judgments have seized them, but they will not disturb themselves in their pleasures. The judgments are declared. Let a man be ever so high, death will bring him low; ever so mean, death will bring him lower. The fruit of these judgments shall be, that God will be glorified as a God of power. Also, as a God that is holy; he shall be owned and declared to be so, in the righteous punishment of proud men. Those are in a woeful condition who set up sin, and who exert themselves to gratify their base lusts. They are daring in sin, and walk after their own lusts; it is in scorn that they call God the Holy One of Israel. They confound and overthrow distinctions between good and evil. They prefer their own reasoning to Divine revelations; their own devices to the counsels and commands of God. They deem it prudent and politic to continue profitable sins, and to neglect self-denying duties.
"Light" and "darkness" symbolize good and evil throughout Scripture (1 Samuel 2:9; 2 Samuel 22:29; Job 29:3; Psalm 112:4; Proverbs 2:13; Ecclesiastes 2:13; Isaiah 9:2; Matthew 6:22; John 1:19; Acts 26:18; Romans 13:12; 1 Corinthians 4:5, etc.). They are sometimes mere synonyms, as here; but sometimes they express rather the intellectual side of morality. Bitter for sweet. More symbolism, but of a rarer kind. Jeremiah calls wickedness "bitter" (Jeremiah 2:9; 4:18), and the psalmist calls the judgments of God" sweet" (Psalm 109:103). But the terms are not often used with any moral bearing.
EVER the NEED for a SAVIOUR, and times have NOT seen humanity make great progress in their thoughts, actions, or reactions, though all generations IMAGINE themselves to be wiser, and more knowledgeable than any before them! People follow others, and are influenced by what is popular, common, or considered acceptable by the masses, which more than not, does NOT reflect what is of THE LORD *GOD*, TRUTH, and RIGHTEOUSNESS, but what is of the world, and it's askew ways...
*GOD* LOVES us, and in that LOVE, HE grants room for improvement, growth, and finally, acknowledgement of our errs, and that HE IS LORD, which DOES include discipline, in various forms, and being brought low enough to 'see' HIM...
Today the world embraces MANY wrongs, and IS hell-bent on independence from what is sound, wholesome, of LOVE, and OF *GOD*! It is NEVER too late, though time IS slipping quickly away, and as the wrongs increase, there IS certain after-effects, as well as reckoning...
IF we understood, and embraced THE LOVE OF *GOD*, the troubles of this hour WOULD not exist, for we would NOT be creating a perfect storm of consequence! Hatred has somehow, been popularized, and IS showing it's ugly head, from which, much will be suffered, by one, and all! LIES have taken the place of TRUTH, GOOD IS being mocked, evil IS accepted, especially if it is coming from those we admire, or follow, and well, times are being set up for disaster, destruction, and devastation, NOT because *GOD* doesn't LOVE, instead because WE DON'T as we COULD, and SHOULD!!!
IN LOVE, *GOD* GAVE us CHRIST JESUS, our SAVIOUR, and THE WAY TO LIFE! STILL, too many people, though they might proclaim HIM, and accept HIM, fight against RECEIVING HIM in heart, which would then, fill them thoroughly, and LEAD them PAST themselves, and the wickedness of this world! LOVE doesn't seem enough as many can't get beyond the fickle, selfish LOVE which is human! We are raised in human precepts MORE than HOLY TRUTH...
A sign of the times IS when people will not listen to, or acknowledge sound doctrine, and will exchange TRUTH for lies, and good for evil! Perhaps every generation since 'the fall' has reached such a point, but right now, it seems as if it is the worst ever, and that indicates it is time for THE CHURCH to get more serious about teaching TRUTH, as opposed to what itching ears want to hear...
People will turn away from the truth, they will grow weary of the plain gospel of Christ, they will be greedy of fables, and take pleasure in them. People do so when they will not endure that preaching which is searching, plain, and to the purpose. Those who love souls must be ever watchful, must venture and bear all the painful effects of their faithfulness, and take all opportunities of making known the pure gospel.
THIS CHRISTmas I URGE us all to consider that this time on Earth IS temporal, and decisive to eternity! As we ponder the wondrous GIFT OF CHRIST JESUS, OF LOVE, OF LIFE, let us go deeper, and ACCEPT our NEED of ALL *GOD* OFFERS! Let us admit that we been CREATED FOR HIM, and our souls BELONG TO HIM! Let us SEE what the shroud of falsehood has tried to hide from us! Let us HONESTLY RECEIVE THE LORD, and give our hearts TO HIM! Let us BE whom HE MADE us to be, in SPIRIT, and TRUTH! Let us VOW to be made NEW, and leave the rest behind! Let us celebrate HIS GIFT(S) by SHINING OF HIM, that all whom are lost in the darkness might notice HIM, seek HIM, find HIM, and follow HIM! This IS part and parcel TO OUR ONENESS WITH HIM!!!
The MORE HIS Children REFLECT HIM, the less tension, and negativity exists, which the enemy uses against us to bind us to this woeful world! We CAN'T give THE LORD anything better than a contrite, repentant, and aligned heart, which sees us HONOURING HIM in our ways, all of our days, and BEING GOOD, as we DO GOOD, FOR HIS GLORY, and the sake of souls!!!
BE SEPARATE from the world, as much as is feasible, for your TRUTH is NOT OF this world, it IS OF *GOD*, and THE KINGDOM! There is NO need to partake in the constant drama, and trauma of the days, instead, our time should be used to make sure more will be SAVED!!!
LWINSOR © 2019
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
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