Isaiah 1-2; Mark 1:1-22

Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Isaiah 1-2; Mark 1:1-22
The Lord gave Isaiah His vision concerning His people. Isaiah is the book of prophecy most quoted by Jesus so getting familiar with this reveals to us the heart of God for His children. His own did not understand Him and had become a nation of sin loaded down with guilt, evil, corruption and had forsaken the things of God and had become detestable in His sight. Their spiritual condition was such that God had turned His eyes from them and would not hear their prayers. It made them vulnerable. The power of God they had to overcome their enemies was gone and bitterness towards God had set in. Their country was in destruction and there was only a few of their people left in the country. God wanted them to confess their stubbornness and be redeemed. He wants restoration and victory in our lives. Then God told them the consequences of remaining as they were will be destruction. His plan for us is always restoration and remaining in intimate communion with him as He wants to have the place of other things in our life. His plan then is to gather His flock back in their fold:

2:3 "Many peoples will come and say,"
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths."
...5 "Come, O house of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the LORD."
...22 "Stop trusting in man,
who has but a breath in his nostrils.
Of what account is he?"

We all have a tendency to follow the advice of others before we seek Godly council. This was Israel's biggest sin and it always leads to not listening to God. We may listen to a friend at work or a neighbor and follow what they are doing. That is not where God has placed us, it may even be where He has placed them, but we end up taking their vision as ours because we do not like the message or assignment God has given us, or in Israel's case God stopped talking to them because of their attitude before Him. They did not understand where they were in Him, and became bitter toward Him and His prophets all because of decisions they had made that did not include Him. When we blame God and His people for our circumstances we tread on dangerous soil. They were listening to the prophets that told them what they wanted to hear rather than the one God had sent into their lives. That always puts us at odds with God and we end up following the vision or assignment intended for someone else. God may have them on a path for discipline and we will end up there with them.

In Mark 1 we see John the Baptist preparing the way of the Lord. He said make straight paths for Him. We are to clear anything out of our life that may be getting in the way for god to communicate clearly. We are to do this with anticipation of what God will do next. He baptized Jesus and then Jesus was sent by the Holy Spirit out into the desert to be tempted for 40 days. When He was there angels and wild animals attended Him. Testing is something that is necessary for growing in our experience with Him. God always sends those to attend us as we go through it. Jesus then called His disciples. He went to them and said 17"Come, follow me Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 18At once they left their nets and followed him. Where are you now? What is it in your life that is keeping you from following Him? If the Lord has placed you here to serve with us and you have been asked to join in that, take that as Jesus saying "Come, follow me" and He will bless you richly as you see Him work through you like never before. Will you follow Him, or take someone else’s vision and attempt to make it yours?

Posted by Dan Holley at 5:23 AM