Glorious morning this morning, after a fantastic message Sunday at Church. As I consider my path in this walk with God, I am blessed. God opened up the opportunity to go to a church where the Word of God was alive, we were quickened not only by the message, but by the love of the people. Isaiah 51:7-8 is powerful this morning. Yes, I am in the Old Testament this morning reflecting on the condition of Israel in times of trouble, including here captivities, and listen to the Prophet Isaiah. “Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law: fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.” We get caught up listening to the lies of the devil, Satan, and we weary in our walk. So many today who profess Christ, walk as dead men walking, without hope and strangers from the covenants of promise. Discipleship if far from them, and they stagger and fall for a lack of knowledge, and the strength of the Lord is far from them. God of late as been calling out to all of us, even those who draw near to God. Verse 9 is powerful this morning in this portion.

              “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, and the waters of the great deep: that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over. Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion: and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy: and the sorrow and morning shall fade away.” My heart rejoices this morning, knowing that all the promises of God in him are yea and amen. To as many as believe on Him, Jesus Christ, all the promises of God in him are true, and he lightens our path, and makes a way for us in the wilderness of this world.

                “I, even I, am he that comforts you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and the son of man that shall be made as grass; and forgets the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? And were is the fury of the oppressor. The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. But I am, the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waters roared: The Lord of Hosts is his name.” I love this next verse and rejoice as I read it. “And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.” The prophet by the Spirit of God, speaks loudly. He cried out in Chapter 52 “Awake, awake: put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust: arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come unto thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.” In verse 3 the Lord cries out. “Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.”

               Verse 7 of Isaiah 52 is wonderful, and yet so many are too busy to hear. “How beautiful upon the mountains ae the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace: that brings good tidings of good, that publishes salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! And yet this morning I ask the question. “Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? Verse 6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him, the iniquity of us all. “ Paul was in Jerusalem, standing before Agrippa and he testified of His conversion in Acts 26 verse 19. He stated that he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. In reality, He saw the resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus. Agrippa said to Paul in verse 38 of Acts 26. “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” If one is saved, I wonder in my heart this morning, how can one have assurance in their heart when they are double minded. They profess they love God, and yet instead of walking in the Spirit, they walk in the flesh and are fickle in their love for God. Having been a believer for over 51 years, I marvel that so many take vacations from God, the churches close down in the summer because people don’t come. How great a conviction do they have about eternal life? How can any afford to consistently miss services when the living God, the One who rose from the dead calls out to them. ‘How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.” Proverbs 6:9-11 As I write these portions I grieve from the church, that the call of God is not heeded in an evil day, as men and women depart from the faith, and give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. “Awake thou that sleepest, and rise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” Eph. 5:14 We also read in Romans 14:11, “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep,: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand, let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” He closes with verse 14 of Romans 14, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the luststhereof.”