(Isaiah 56:1-12)
1 This is what the Lord says:
“Guard justice and do righteousness,
For My salvation is about to come
And My righteousness to be revealed.
2 Blessed is a man who does this,
And a son of man who takes hold of it;
Who keeps from profaning the Sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,
“The Lord will certainly separate me from His people.”
Nor let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
4 For this is what the Lord says:
“To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths,
And choose what pleases Me,
And hold firmly to My covenant,
5 To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial,
And a name better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name which will not be eliminated.
6 “Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
To attend to His service and to love the name of the Lord,
To be His servants, every one who keeps the Sabbath so as not to profane it,
And holds firmly to My covenant;
7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain,
And make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar;
For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”
8 The Lord God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares,
“I will yet gather others to them, to those already gathered.”
9 All you wild animals,
All you animals in the forest,
Come to eat.
10 His watchmen are blind,
All of them know nothing.
All of them are mute dogs unable to bark,
Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;
11 And the dogs are greedy, they are never satisfied.
And they are shepherds who have no understanding;
They have all turned to their own way,
Each one to his unjust gain, without exception.
12 “Come,” they say, “let’s get wine, and let’s drink heavily of intoxicating drink;
And tomorrow will be like today, only more so.”
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
“Guard justice and do righteousness,
For My salvation is about to come
And My righteousness to be revealed.
2 Blessed is a man who does this,
And a son of man who takes hold of it;
Who keeps from profaning the Sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,
“The Lord will certainly separate me from His people.”
Nor let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
4 For this is what the Lord says:
“To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths,
And choose what pleases Me,
And hold firmly to My covenant,
5 To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial,
And a name better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name which will not be eliminated.
6 “Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
To attend to His service and to love the name of the Lord,
To be His servants, every one who keeps the Sabbath so as not to profane it,
And holds firmly to My covenant;
7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain,
And make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar;
For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”
8 The Lord God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares,
“I will yet gather others to them, to those already gathered.”
9 All you wild animals,
All you animals in the forest,
Come to eat.
10 His watchmen are blind,
All of them know nothing.
All of them are mute dogs unable to bark,
Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;
11 And the dogs are greedy, they are never satisfied.
And they are shepherds who have no understanding;
They have all turned to their own way,
Each one to his unjust gain, without exception.
12 “Come,” they say, “let’s get wine, and let’s drink heavily of intoxicating drink;
And tomorrow will be like today, only more so.”
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
The Lord created all people, loves all people, and desires that all people come to know Him personally - as their eternal, perfect, heavenly Father! No one is born into this, not even the Israelites. Everyone must make a personal decision to accept or reject the Lord. So, no matter who you are, it doesn't matter what types of sins you have committed, or how many sins you have committed, one is to go to Him just as you are, humbly realizing that you are a sinner, in need of the Lord's forgiveness and salvation.
The only way to be saved - is not our way - but the Lord's way, which is to be born again through Jesus Christ. He does it for us! When we place our faith and trust in Jesus, we become a child of God! Therefore, as a child of God, we will have God as our heavenly Father, because He adopts us and this cannot be undone, ever!
The only way we are secure and confident - is not our way - but the Lord's way, because He seals us with the Holy Spirit of promise. He does it for us! Therefore, as a child of God, we can hold on firmly, because He holds us!
And the only way to be righteous - is not our way - but the Lord's way, because He clothes us in His righteousness. He does it for us. Therefore, as a child of God, we can strive to live in righteousness, because with the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit, He changes us from the inside out. And only through Him, as we ask and allow, He will continue to work for us, in us and through us. We can depend on Him for everything! With His strength, help and guidance!
As a child of God, we will have a desire to be just like our heavenly Father. And even with that, as we continue to seek His truth and get to know Him more, He does it for us. Since He is always with us, we are never alone. He even provides us with a spiritual family - of other believers. Even if one never marries or has any children, a child of God will never be alone.
And in all of this, we are blessed!
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