If you listen to the news, it will seem all is lost.  Riots, fighting, political discord, socialism, pandemics, suffering, and no solutions.  You would think this is the worse of times and no hope exists for us.  Perhaps it is the final judgement coming and we cannot turn the tide.  As we read Isaiah, it would seem he was writing about us, our nation.  Intermingled throughout the book of Isaiah are truths that seem to have repeated themselves multiple times in history, despite it being written to Judah.  Beyond that it speaks of prophecies yet to come as well as those completed.  It stands as a symbol of the fact that we can rest assured all that He has planned will be accomplished.

Isaiah Chapter 13 through 24 detail the rise and fall of many nations surrounding Israel and Judah, including their roles in bringing judgment to Israel and Judah for their sinful, woeful disobedience to God.  This despite God’s great pouring out of blessings and mercy repeatedly toward them.  Yet, nothing has ever taken God by surprise.  He knew their choices and still had a plan to bring salvation to the world through His son.  His plan and promise to Abraham never swayed.  The remnant of believers, those who believed God in the worst of times, though humbled and meek would be the line through whom Jesus was born.

Isaiah 25 (NET)

Continue reading “All that He has Planned Will Be Accomplished!”

We look around at all the evil in this world and wonder where God is.  He is on His throne, high and lifted up as Isaiah saw Him described in Isaiah chapter 6.  Seeing the evil, He steadies His hand.  For Righteousness demands He do something.  Just as in the days of Noah, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the days when Israel fell followed by Judah.  As He repeatedly said in His warnings, His anger is not turned Away, but His hand is outstretched still.

Oh sinner, do you not see?  And Christian do you not believe?  It is His grace that bid Him wait while His eyes search out one more sinner to come to Him.  For this I wrote this poem.

His Anger is not turned away, But?

 

God sits upon His throne on high

And looks around this world

With heaviness, Oh, does He cry

Or does He breathe a sigh?

 

Evil spills throughout out land

The anger, bitter strife

While prideful people take their stand

To mock His nail scarred hand

 

The innocent lay cast aside

As bits and parts for sale

Upon an altar built from pride

My choice, the women cried

 

We mock the truth, embrace the lie

That humans are so good and kind

While right before our very eye

We see the plans of man awry

 

As fighting, bitterness, and pain

Replace all hope or joy

We cling to sin, its blood drenched stain

Chained to our pride in vain

 

And then we dare to scream at God

To come and fix this mess

We want Him with a blink or nod

Forsake that justice needs a rod

 

Creator God gave life to us

Stands reaching out in love

And though He ‘s angered by our fuss

It never should be thus

 

He gave man choice, oh what a shame

But how else could we choose

To know the truth or seek His name

Instead we seek to blame

 

The one who gave us liberty

And chose to love us still

He gave His Son to set us free

And there He paid on calvary

 

The debt that I did owe

And now He bids us come to Him

That He might therein show

His love, and then on us  bestow

 

The love and joy, He wants to give

If only we believe

He wants to show us how to live

Our sins He will forgive

 

If only we would now repent

And bow before His throne

So many times, His word He sent

That truth we circumvent

 

We cry, Dear God, do come today

As though He does not care

His anger is not turned away

His plan He does not sway

 

But for this moment and this time

His hand is stretched out still

To wretched sinners hear the chime

Of bells to seek His love sublime

 

Oh, judgement day will swiftly come

Like Noah’s time of flood

For those whose conscious remain numb

To fire and brimstone will succumb

 

While yet for those who seek His face

And bow before His throne

Will know the beauty of His Grace

 His Glory fills this place.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD?

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Or if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

Poetry Books Available

If you enjoyed this poem perhaps you would like to read more of my poetry in my newest book which can be found on Amazon

Other Books Available

If you want to know more about books I have written,then, click on this link to my Book Resources.

Another option is going to Amazon.com. Because, there you can find my books by searching for Effie Darlene Barba.  Or click this link to be taken there

Furthermore,  for inspirational photos or home decor click here.

Previously

A King, A Prophet, and God’s Decree of Hope

Disclosures

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2020
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Credits

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Photo by Jude Beck on Unsplash

Isaiah’s life changed drastically after “seeing the Lord, high and lifted up.”  I daresay he was never again quite the same.  Yet, there were many years that passed between chapter 6 and chapter 7 of Isaiah, for it was 8 years after Uzziah’s death that Jotham reigned before his son Ahaz became King.  8 years would have been long enough for Isaiah’s zeal to have waxed cold; but it did not.  For some, that amazing moment of seeing God’s Glory, albeit with one’s spiritual eyes remains fresh with a blazing, passionate fire.  Yet, all too often we do not flame or fuel that fire, allowing them to become mere embers.  But for Isaiah, we find that he is listening close to God’s command.  Therefore, he is sent with God’s Decree of Hope to King Ahaz.

The northern tribes of Israel referred here as Ephraim had joined forces with the King of Assyria.  This posed a real threat to the Judah (made up of the tribe of Judah and half of the tribe of Benjamin).  Note how family conflicts can be so devastating for many generations.  Anyway, the alliance with Assyria which placed Assyrian troops at their borders, caused great fear among the people of Judah and their King Ahaz.  This is when Isaiah is sent to speak to King Ahaz, God’s Decree of Hope.  Along with him on this journey, Isaiah is instructed to take with him his son Shear-Jashub whose name meant “a remnant shall return”.  God does have a sense of humor and proclaims His plans even in the naming of Isaiah’s sons.

God’s Decree of Hope

Continue reading “A King, A Prophet, and God’s Decree of Hope”

Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up with the trane of his robe filling the temple.  The sight caused him to fall before Him and proclaim, “Woe is me, for I am undone.”  Recognizing he was unworthy to be in the presence of perfect righteousness,  feeling the penetrating wrath of God against the sin which separated him from God, Isaiah suddenly had a broken and very contrite heart.  Then, God had the angels place a burning coal upon the lips of Isaiah and declared him righteous.  Not by some merit of his own, but to the Glory of His Grace–God’s Glorious Grace.

God’s Glory includes the fierceness of His wrath against sin.  The same wrath that destroyed the inhabitants of the earth with a flood in the day of Noah, will bring judgement upon all those who deny Him and refuse His free gift of Salvation.  That gift only require one to acknowledge that God is Holy and I am not.  There is a gulf between me and a Holy God, I cannot cross of my own doing.  Then, laying aside all pride, I come to the foot of the cross and ask for His forgiveness, knowing that only He can save me-wretch that I am.  At that moment, He washes away my sin and gives me the Holy Spirit to guide me every step of the journey.

The Holy Spirit’s task is to transform me, whatever it takes into the likeness of Christ.  My heart will look like His one day, even if it takes burning coals to transform me.

One day, He will return.  “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man”.

To The Glory of His Grace

Continue reading “To the Glory of His Grace”

Throughout the last lesson we looked upon the woes spoken against the children of Judah.  Although the people did not respond to his warnings, Isaiah warned them of the judgement that would come.  For it was coming; yet, there was one thing missing.  Oh, yes Isaiah was called to be a prophet of God.  He was specially chosen and loved God, wanting to serve him.  Perhaps though one thing did he miss.  To fully be God’s messenger to these people, he needed a realistic view of God and himself in relationship to God.  Furthermore, He needed to see the fullness, intensity and fierceness of God’s Glory as well as the magnitude of His grace.   So, he needed to see God in the fullness of His Glory.  Only then could he understand the depth of his own sin and the magnitude of God’s grace.

It was an extraordinary time, in the year that King Uzziah died.  King Uzziah had been a godly, faithful king throughout most of his reign.  His time as King brought great prosperity and strength to the nation of Judah.  Nearing the end of his reign, he did make a fatal error in judgement because of pride, as too often happens.  Perhaps as a warning or benefit, Isaiah, who would bare the news of judgement and the coming Messiah needed an extra portion of humility.  Just as did Peter and Paul who were taxed with carrying the gospel into the nations.

Moses had asked God to see His Glory.  God allowed Him to glimpse upon it (protected by a cliff).  God knew that Moses would need to understand the fierceness of God’s Glory as well as the magnitude of His grace to lead the people through the wilderness.

In the Year that King Uzziah Died

Continue reading “What is the Intensity and Fierceness of God’s Glory?”