Blog Archives - Created through Him

Created Through Him

Water out of the well of salvation

8/11/2012

2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:2-3).

The fact that God is sovereign is evident as a result of many things. The Creation itself is of course prime evidence that God is sovereign. But equally striking evidence, as is the Creation, is God’s plan for salvation. Salvation is the sovereign choice of God, at God’s own expense, that ensures God will have a people for Himself. God’s people trust in His provision. By placing trust in God we receive immeasurable strength and joy. We drink from a well that will never empty and which contains the living water that sustains our souls.

Glorious rest

8/10/2012

10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious (Isaiah 11:10).

The rest of God is glorious. Isaiah looked forward to a time when God would bring rest to all people. We now know that Christ is the Sabbath day rest. All of scripture points to Christ as the standard-bearer and fulfillment of law of God. The use of the word rest is significant here since it is on the final day of the week that God rested from His work in creation. So too is Christ the final action and rest of God in support of creation. And this action, this glorious rest, is for all peoples. Christ is the standard to which we should seek and the final glorious rest we all share.

The bricks are fallen down

8/9/2012

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. 8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. 9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, 10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars. 11 Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; 12 The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts. 14 Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day (Isaiah 9:6-14).

These verses contain both the best and worst news in scripture. And they are connected for a reason. The first verses are a clear messianic prophecy, a prophecy of the coming of Christ. Verses 6 and 7 are frequently quoted during the Christmas season as a sign of hope for the world. Indeed Christ is the hope of the world. But we always stop our quoting after verse 7. Verses 8-14 are verses of warning and judgment. I will emphasize too that these warnings are both individual and national. The verses warn us against going our own way and thinking that we can achieve lasting good without God. Verse 10 is the epitome of pride. We are to rely on God, not our own strength. So why are the verses of hope and warning connected? Because apart from the reliance on Christ, we are doomed to our own way and our way will not lead to life. But the good news of the Gospel is the salvation of our souls through the work of the Son of God, not by our might but by His. Rely on God and God alone.

God's way

8/8/2012

20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight (Isaiah 5:20-21).

It is important to note that God is the frame of reference for what is good. God is good and God is light. We as imperfect beings lack both the power and wisdom to decide what is right in God’s eyes. This is why scripture is very clear as to what God sees as good. We are simply to obey God and not rely on our own understanding or way. God as creator is sovereign over all of creation. This sovereignty means that His light is the light that will ultimately permeate the whole of creation. We should therefore seek the true light, and avoid the counterfeit light that in reality is utter darkness.

Swords into plowshares

8/7/2012

4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more (Isaiah 2:4).

This verse is a messianic prophecy and reveals that God in His sovereignty will one day bring about ultimate peace. This peace will be under the authority of Christ. People are literally turned around by the actions of Christ. Christ changes lives. This brings to light the realization that we need to be changed. This change in people must be total and complete in order for true peace to be possible. It is God that ushers in the era of peace, and is possible only once people have been changed. God according to His sovereignty will bring all things under Christ’s dominion.

As white as snow

8/6/2012

18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18).

The sovereignty of God is always aimed at the benefit of the believer. This verse from Isaiah is part of a promise; really it is part of a covenant as well. God is saying that He will not judge us personally for our sins. Basically, God will make us righteous in His eyes. Of course this is an amazing act of grace on God’s part since we are in fact not worthy and our sins are egregious to God. But God through His sovereign grace has elected to remit our sins. We are made white through the blood of the Lamb of God who takes away our sins. This is the gospel of Lord Jesus Christ, for God’s glory and for our good. Amazing Grace!

To everything a season

8/5/2012

3 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

For some reason I am very comforted when I read this verse. The verse is a reminder that we are not in control. It is God that is in control. God controls the both the purpose and timing of things. This really should relieve a lot of worry from our lives. We often worry about things we cannot control. God knows what is in store for us and he has ordered life such that everything has its’ place and purpose. While it is terribly difficult for us to understand God’s purposes and timing, scripture is clear that we are to realize that God is sovereign.

The Lord ponders the heart

8/4/2012

2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts. 3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice (Proverbs 21:2-3).

The only frame of reference we should have is that of God’s. God as part of His being, and consistent with His sovereignty; looks at the heart. The heart is where ultimate purposes are known. The bottom line is that the reason we act and do things matters to God. For example, God desires us to act with justice. When we act with justice in mind we are not just going through the motions, we are inwardly trying to do what is right in God’s eyes. This is important because it is only God’s perspective that really has any lasting purpose. That purpose is the regeneration of His children.

Eyes that see and ears that hear

8/3/2012

12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them (Proverbs 20:12).

There is not much ambiguity in this verse. We can’t hear God or see the message of the gospel unless God first does a work in us. This is God’s providence. The providence of God is always effective and is always for our benefit. The actions of God in the life of believers show that God’s sovereignty over His creation is very purposeful and personal. It is purposeful since it is directed at our salvation for His glory. It is personal because the actions are directed individually toward us. Lord, give us eyes that see and ears that hear.

Commit to the Lord

8/2/2012

2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits. 3 Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established (Proverbs 16: 2-3).

God in His sovereignty accomplishes His will often through the actions of people. The more that we commit ourselves to the Lord; the more it will become a pattern for us. We are judged according to God’s reference points, not our own. And while we are certainly not saved by what do, God is glorified when we act correctly. The bottom line is that we should look differently than does the world around us. God promises that if we commit ourselves to Him, our focus will be upon Him, and in turn our thoughts and actions will follow.

Created Through Him