Author: Carl

Thought for the Morning

Isaiah 30:21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.

This verse has always intrigued me. In the Old Testament we have many occasions where God speaks directly to man. We have Adam (Gen. 1.28), we have Noah (Gen. 6.13), we have Abraham (Gen.12.1), we have Moses (Ex. 3.4), and many others, including Isaiah. How does the Lord speak to us today? Is it like a voice behind us indicating to us which way we should go?

We know as a believer in the Risen Lord we have the Indwelling Spirit, (John 14.26, 1Co 2.12). It is the Indwelling Spirit that guides the believer in this dispensation. But how does He do that? His major way of communication is through the Holy Word. To Timothy Paul wrote, “ All Scriptureis given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2Tim. 3:16-17). It is by the word of God that we are told, “this is the way, walk in it”.

It is also through prayer that we are guided by Him. The Scripture says “pray without ceasing” (1Thes 5.17). Many times, it is prayer that leads us to the Scripture. It is by the words of the Scripture that we are to turn “to the right hand” or “turn to the left”.

There are times when we may drift away from the path the Lord desirers us to be on. It is at these times the Lord will speak to us as “a word behind us”. The Indwelling Spirit will convict us and lead us in the way we should go. The Spirit of God directs our mind to the Holy Word which is to is our guide

Psalm 119:104-105 Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way. 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

Psalm 130:4-5   But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.

We are to wait and listen for “This is the way, walk in it”. Just a thought for the morning.

Carl

Thought for the Morning

Habakkuk 2:1 I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected.

There are two times in this verse that the prophet Habakkuk uses the word “watch”. He is watching to see what the Lord has for him.

In the next series of verses the Lord answers Habakkuk. Included in His answer is the phrase in verse 4: “Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith”. This phrase is repeated three times in the New Testament (Rom.1.17, Gal. 3.11, Heb.10.38). Faith is a concept that is somewhat difficult to understand. In Hebrews 11.1 we are told that faith is a thing hope for, and the evidence of things not seen. We have not seen God, but we are to believe, or have faith that He is. Those who have gone before us have demonstrated their faith, and the evidence of their faith was seen in their actions. We are to have such faith. Our faith is to result in actions honoring our Lord.

The prophet Habakkuk, by his faith watched. When we watch we are to wait for the Lord to answer. Our rampart can be any place, but I picture a place of battle, struggle, and deep need. When the enemy is before us, whatever it may be, we are to watch in faith as the Lord deals with it. There is nothing too small, or too large that He cannot handle.

We also have the phrase, “And what I will answer when I am corrected”. How do we answer God? If we are to be corrected, it seems that we might be of limited faith. When the Lord directs us, it is by our faith that we respond to that direction. His will is that we might walk according to His precepts and it is our faith that puts us on the path.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
14 Let all that you do be done with love.

Habakkuk did not rush off and deal with what was before him, he waited for the Lord’s direction. He waited to see “what He will say to me”. We are to do the same. Just a thought for the morning

Carl