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Today I would like to discuss this passage of scripture, Isaiah 6:1-13.
This passage of Scripture is a review of Isaiah's encounter with the Lord after the good king Uzziah died. After reading this chapter the thought that comes to my mind is this; am i available to be used by the Lord? So I entitled this blog just simply, "Are You Available?" The focus for the title is found in verse 8: Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. In this chapter I see 5 things that I want to share with you: 1. There's a Problem! Notice verse 8 again: Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. The problem is that the pool to draw from, for the Lord, is getting smaller and smaller. There are less and less Christians who are willing to make themselves available to be used! That is why so many churches are suffering today, people who could work and serve in the church are sitting on the sidelines doing nothing. If that is you today please reconsider and ask the Lord to burden your heart to get busy for Him! The second thing that I see is: 2. There's a Presentation! Notice verse 8 again: Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. So Isaiah hears and sees the problem and then he presents himself to be the answer to the problem! All of us are quick to point out problems in our church but very few are willing to present themselves to deal with the problem. Please consider making yourself available to your pastor to deal with problems in your church! The third thing that I see is: 3. There's a Plee! Notice verse 8 again: Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. The plee here didn't come from the Lord it came from isaiah, he said "Send Me." When I read this it is like Isaiah is saying, Please Send Me! It's like he is begging the Lord to send him. I've often pictured this verse as if Isaiah is that child in the classroom who when the teacher asks a question and if you know the answer to raise your hand, there's one child who is doing everything to get the teachers attention. That's how I picture Isaiah here in this setting! Are you someone who can't wait for the Lord to use you? Do you get excited when you think about the possibilities of being used? If not we need to ask ourselves why not! The next thin I see is: 4. There's a Prerequisite! Notice verse 9: Isaiah 6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. The prerequisite is that we can't go and do until the lord says so! here He says to Isaiah "Go." He may not always say that to you, and I can guarantee you that if you go and He doesn't want you to then you will regret it. In the book of Exodus when God is instructing Moses on bringing Israel out of Egypt Moses says to God, "If you don't go with me I am not going!" And there are plenty of stories in the bible where people and nations are told not to do something because the Lord wouldn't be with them and they did it any way. And we find that those people suffered because of their decisions. If you are ready to go and work for the Lord please wait till He gives you His approval! Now notice the last thing that I see: 5. There's a Plan! Notice verse 9 again: Isaiah 6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. The Lord will never send you out without a plan and keep in mind that His plan always revolves around evangelization! He tells Isaiah Go and tell this people. This is one area where we don't need for the Lord to tell us individually to go, because He has already spelled His desire for us to Go into all the world. Are you following the plan he has given you? What about the plan He has given all of us? Having looked at these verses let me ask you again, "Are You Available?" That's my question for today! Until next week, God bless you! Roger Penny Here in the Midwest we have experienced a very different summer so far, it has been cool and wet instead of hot and dry.
I got to thinking about the church and the fact that this is exactly what we need in our churches, the showers of blessings. There was a time when the church was enjoying the power of God and the blessings of God, those days have long since passed. I don't have the time nor the space to explore why I believe this has happened to the church, what I would like to do is just think about some of the benefits of having these showers in our churches today. Let's begin with a verse and then go from there: Ezekiel 34:26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. The reference here is to the land and the fact that rain was a precious commodity and God was saying through Ezekiel that He was going to bless them with not just rain but showers and that the rain would be a blessing. So when the blessings of the showers of His presence begins to fall on our churches what will be the byproduct? The first byproduct will be: 1. The Rain will Refresh us! After everyone of these showers we have experienced recently there is always a refreshing that accompanies it. Consider this verse: Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; When the showers of souls being saved begin to fall in the church then it always brings a refreshing among-st the church body. My prayer is, Dear lord please send the showers of souls to our church's once again! The second byproduct is: 2. The Rain will Renew us! Just like the recent rains we have had renews the greenness back to the grass and the flowers back to the plants these showers of blessings will cause us to renew our devotion and commitment to the Lord! Consider this verse from the pen of Isaiah: Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. When these showers of blessings fall upon our church there will be a renewal of strength, and that strength will cause us to be more devoted and committed to the Lord! When the showers of strength start to fall there will be a renewal of strength to every believer involved! Dear Lord please send the showers of strength to our churches once again! The third byproduct is: 3. The Rain will Remind us! The recent rains remind us how important it is to have the rain for things to grow and be green and vibrant. When the rains begin to fall in the church there is a new awareness of how dry and dead we have become, and we are reminded that we need the Lord to flourish! Consider this Psalm: Psalm 77:6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. When these showers of blessings began to fall on the church again there will be a reminder of our spiritual condition! When these showers begin to fall there will be a reminder of our need! Oh Lord please send the showers to remind us that we need you to grow and to stay on fire! The fourth byproduct is: 4. The Rain will Replenish us! During these recent rains I watched as the grass and plants were replenished by each shower! When the rain begins to fall on the church it will replenish our resources, it will replenish our joy and our excitement. Consider this verse written by Paul: Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. When the showers of blessings begin to fall on the church again there will be a replenishing of those things that have been lost as we began to give out of our love for the Lord! Lord please send the showers to replenish us with a new supply of your love mercy and grace! The fifth byproduct is: 5. The Rain will Revive us! Before these recent rains I watched as my newly planted grass seed died because of the lack of water, now because of the rain they have been brought back to life so to speak. When the showers of blessings begin to flow in the church once again we will watch as Christians will seemingly come back to life, we will watch as dead outreaches and ministries come back to life! Again listen to the Psalmist: Psalm 85:6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? When the showers of blessings begin to fall on the church once again there will definitely be a reviving. Lord please send the showers of revival once again that your people may rejoice and You be exalted! Oh how we need the rain! Until next week, Roger Penny |
AuthorsA few thoughts on current events, upcoming sermons and other matters of concern from a Biblical perspective. Archives
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