Isaiah 33:14-16
"Who among us can live with the consuming fire?
Who among us can live with continual burning?"
He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity,
He who rejects unjust gain
And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe;
He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed
And shuts his eyes from looking upon evil;
He will dwell on the heights,
His refuge will be the impregnable rock;
His bread will be given him,
His water will be sure.
As I read this this morning I was reminded of the e-mail I wrote a couple of weeks ago on perseverance. This ties right in with that same idea. This passage brings up that same idea of going through the fire, only rather than passing through it, in this passage it talks about living continually in it yet without burning up. And it describes what kind of person you have to be in order to do so.
Two things we need to do in order to be able to live within the fire.
1) Walk righteously.
2) Speak with sincerity.
Three things we need to not do.
1) Do not accept unjust gain.
2) Do not listen to bloodshed.
3) Do not look upon evil.
Four things that God promises the person who follows these steps.
1) He will dwell on the heights.
2) His refuge will be the impregnable rock.
3) His bread will be given him.
4) His water will be sure.
It all comes down to allowing God to control the members of our bodies.
-Walk righteously. Our feet need to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
-Speak with sincerity. Our mouths need to speak what's right. "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies."(Psalm 34:13)
-Don't accept unjust gain. Shake your hands so that they hold no bribe.
-Don't listen to bloodshed. Stop your ears from hearing about it.
-Don't look upon evil. "I will set nothing wicked before my eyes." (Psalm 101:3)
We need to allow God complete control. We need to have the mindset that God is always with us. We need to start thinking,
"If Christ were walking with me right now would I go into this place?"
"If Christ was standing here, would I be speaking this way?"
"If Christ were here would I accept this?"
"If Christ was with me right now would I be listening to this?"
"If Christ was sitting here with me would I be watching this?"
The fact is that Christ is with us, no matter what we're doing. And if we're not willing to give Him complete control of the members of our body, then we're not ready to live in the fire.
May God help us to surrender to Him.
"Who among us can live with the consuming fire?
Who among us can live with continual burning?"
He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity,
He who rejects unjust gain
And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe;
He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed
And shuts his eyes from looking upon evil;
He will dwell on the heights,
His refuge will be the impregnable rock;
His bread will be given him,
His water will be sure.
As I read this this morning I was reminded of the e-mail I wrote a couple of weeks ago on perseverance. This ties right in with that same idea. This passage brings up that same idea of going through the fire, only rather than passing through it, in this passage it talks about living continually in it yet without burning up. And it describes what kind of person you have to be in order to do so.
Two things we need to do in order to be able to live within the fire.
1) Walk righteously.
2) Speak with sincerity.
Three things we need to not do.
1) Do not accept unjust gain.
2) Do not listen to bloodshed.
3) Do not look upon evil.
Four things that God promises the person who follows these steps.
1) He will dwell on the heights.
2) His refuge will be the impregnable rock.
3) His bread will be given him.
4) His water will be sure.
It all comes down to allowing God to control the members of our bodies.
-Walk righteously. Our feet need to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
-Speak with sincerity. Our mouths need to speak what's right. "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies."(Psalm 34:13)
-Don't accept unjust gain. Shake your hands so that they hold no bribe.
-Don't listen to bloodshed. Stop your ears from hearing about it.
-Don't look upon evil. "I will set nothing wicked before my eyes." (Psalm 101:3)
We need to allow God complete control. We need to have the mindset that God is always with us. We need to start thinking,
"If Christ were walking with me right now would I go into this place?"
"If Christ was standing here, would I be speaking this way?"
"If Christ were here would I accept this?"
"If Christ was with me right now would I be listening to this?"
"If Christ was sitting here with me would I be watching this?"
The fact is that Christ is with us, no matter what we're doing. And if we're not willing to give Him complete control of the members of our body, then we're not ready to live in the fire.
May God help us to surrender to Him.
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