WASHED by HIS WORD

WASHED by HIS WORD
by David Wilkerson

Many Christians today want a blood covering for sin but not a
cleansing! The ritual of the Old Testament Tabernacle provides a
clear example of the kind of walk with God Christians should have.

The Tabernacle had an outer court where the sacrificial animal
was slain. This provided the blood covering for sin. But outside,
too, was a laver where cleansing took place. No priest could
enter the Holy of Holies and commune with God face to face
without being cleansed.

Some Christians believe they can bypass the laver which, for us,
stands for the washing by the water of the Word. They believe
they can push into the holy place with sin caked all over them
and sinful habits deeply imbedded in their hearts. Just walk right
in and boast, "I am the righteousness of God in Christ."

The perfect heart is after more than security or a covering for sin!
It seeks to be in His presence to have communion! Communion
is talking with the Lord, sharing sweet fellowship, seeking His
face. And that is what you get in the Holy of Holies! It comes in
this order: covering, cleansing, commitment, communion.

Many believers, however, want nothing more than to be covered -
a quick ticket to glory! No pain, no cross, no cleansing! They
go about crying, "I'm under the blood! I'm safe!"

Yet they quote only one-half of the verse: "And the blood of
Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).
Read all of it: "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and
walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in
the light, as he is in the light . . . the blood of Jesus Christ his
Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:6-7). Jesus said, "Now
ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you"
(John 15:3).

We hear preaching that says, "You don't need to be searched.
All your sin is under the blood! All this digging and searching
out of sin brings only condemnation and guilt."

In Revelation 2:23, Jesus says, "All the churches shall know
that I am he which searcheth the [minds] and hearts: and I will
give unto every one of you according to your works." Beloved,
He was addressing the Church!

-Source-

http://sermons.worldchallenge.org/en/node/31457

© 2015 World Challenge. All rights reserved. PO Box 260,
Lindale, TX 75771-0260, (903) 963-8626

More GREAT QUOTES

More GREAT QUOTES

"It was strictly forbidden to preach to other prisoners. It was
understood that whoever was caught doing this received a severe
beating. A number of us decided to pay the price for the privilege
of preaching, so we accepted their [the communists' ] terms. It
was a deal; we preached and they beat us. We were happy
preaching. They were happy beating us, so everyone was happy."
- Richard Wurmbrand, Tortured for Christ

"The backslider likes the preaching that wouldn't hit the side of a
house, while the real disciple is delighted when the truth brings
him to his knees."
- Billy Sunday

"They tell me that I rub the fur the wrong way. I don't; let the cat
turn around."
- Billy Sunday

"I preached as never sure to preach again, and as a dying man
to dying men."
- Richard Baxter

"Any true definition of preaching must say that that man is there
to deliver the message of God... He has been sent, he is a
commissioned person, and he is standing there as the mouthpiece
of God and of Christ to address these people."
- Martyn Lloyd-Jones

TRUE and FALSE PROPHETS

TRUE and FALSE PROPHETS
by Zac Poonen

We read in Daniel 11:32, that those who are influenced by the
spirit of the antichrist will use smooth words (flattery) to draw
people to themselves. The one unmistakable characteristic of
every false prophet in history has been flattery. And the one
unmistakable characteristic of every true prophet has been rebuke.

False prophets flatter people in order to win them to their group,
or to build their own kingdoms, or to get honour, or to get money,
etc., Many of these false prophets correspond faithfully with
people, in order to retain their personal hold over them. Their
letters will not however contain words of rebuke and correction
(as in the letters of the Lord and of the apostles - as we read in
Revelation 2 and 3 and in the epistles). Instead, they will only
contain words of flattering commendation.

Smooth words will only defile your heart with pride and self-
satisfaction. Words of rebuke on the other hand will cleanse your
heart and make it pure. Jesus said "Those whom I love, I reprove
and I discipline" (Rev.3:19). Rebuke is one mark of Divine love.

When God sends a prophet into our midst, to rebuke us, that is
a proof of the fact that God loves us. When God forsakes a church,
it will "no longer have a prophet in its midst" (Psa.74:1,9) to rebuke
it. Instead, it will have preachers who preach smooth words (2 Tim.
4:3,4). That is a sad condition for any of God's people to be in.

In Revelation 2 and 3, we see that even though five of the seven
churches there were in a bad shape, yet the Lord had not forsaken
them as yet. The proof of this is seen in the fact that He sent a
prophet (John the apostle) to rebuke and correct them through his letters.

John had strong words even for the elders - words such as, "You
have left your first love....You are spiritually dead....You are
wretched and poor and blind and naked". If those elders and those
churches did not respond to those words of rebuke, and repent,
they would be forsaken.

Once the Lord "takes away the lampstand" (Rev.2:5), He will not
send His prophets to rebuke that church any more. The false
prophets will then take over, and smooth words will be heard
regularly at the meetings, Sunday after Sunday!! This has
happened in church after church, in generation after generation,
throughout these twenty centuries. And it is happening all around us today.

It is at such a time, that there is a great need for those "who know
God, who are strong, and who will do great things for Him" (v.32).
Because they know God, they will fear no man...

-Source-

http://www.cfcindia.com/

Why I Never Scheduled a Revival

By Scott Attebery

No Comments

As a pastor, church members would occasionally ask, “Why don’t we have revivals?” To which I would sometimes answer, “I don’t know, but I wish God would send one soon –don’t you?”
Of course, I knew what they were really asking. “Why don’t we have a series of services set aside each year for preaching and singing?”
First, let me say that I love preaching and I love singing. And I don’t have a problem with setting aside a series of services. However, I do have a problem with getting the cart before the horse.
Revival is the supernatural moving of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of men drawing them to repent of their sins and follow Christ more vigorously. During revival, the backsliders become worshippers, the self-absorbed become Christ-infatuated, and the nominal become evangelizers. True revival is evidenced by vast changes in the way believers talk, serve, work, and live.
Over the history of Christianity, God has never sent revival because a church scheduled services, hired a preacher, arranged for musicians, or invited crowds. (This is where the cart gets before the horse) Instead, God has promised revival “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (II Chron. 7:14)
This is the way it has always worked. Pick any famous revival in history (First & Second Great Awakenings, Welsh Revival, etc.) and you will find that they all started the same way: By men and women pleading with God to awaken their souls by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Then, God begins moving –not in specially designed services, but in weekly scheduled Sunday services. When the Holy Spirit moves it can spread like wildfire.  Families spend hours upon hours together in worship. Some depart from the services evangelizing throughout the community and returning to report to the church family.   Others go directly to the homes of loved ones who have strayed from the Lord in order to plead with them for their souls.
Often during revival, so many people are being revived that they determine to meet again before the next Sunday. Wouldn’t that be wonderful to experience? Won’t you pray, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” (Psalm 85:6).
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it is wrong for a church to hold special services. I don’t even think its wrong to call them “revival services” as long as it is communicated that the purpose is to ask God to awaken His people. We must remember that genuine revival is scheduled by Him and not us. For that reason, I would suggest the following:

• Encourage your church to pray for revival -not just when its time for special services.
• Consider renaming the services something like, “Spiritual Emphasis.”
• Be clear about the nature of genuine revival -we plead for it, God grants it.
• Never suppress revival. If God is moving, be open to extending a service or adding more services (that goes for normal Sundays just as well as for special meetings). Don’t let schedules, routines, and traditions cause you to squelch the Spirit.

What to Do When the Tears Won’t Stop

By C. E. Stowers

“Their words are painful and memorable because they come from people who should be the source of love.”

Recently, I ran across a startling statistic that blew me away.
When it comes to cruel and cutting remarks, 99 percent of the time they’re not from strangers; they’re from someone we know. Let that sink in. Their words are painful and memorable because they come from people who should be the source of love.
It’s hard to admit, but wherever a relationship exists, the possibility of someone getting wounded exists. How do you respond when the people you know hurt you? How do you stop the tears from flowing? You agree to release the grip resentment has on you.
You can’t hold onto a hurt and enjoy life. You can’t get well as long as you harbor resentment. For your sake, let go of the right to get even. The fact is, you only have a certain amount of emotional energy, and you must determine how you spend it.
One of the most difficult decisions you’ve got to decide in life is “Do I want to get well or do I want to get even?” You can’t do both. You don’t have enough emotional energy to do both. Getting even will not take away your pain. Let’s say you were given an opportunity to get back at the person who hurt you. You felt great for a moment, but did it solve the problem? No! You still feel the pain. There is only one way to get rid of hurt in your heart—forgive them.
You say, “But they don’t deserve to be forgiven!” I didn’t say they did. You’re right. They don’t. Neither do you deserve to be forgiven, but God’s forgiven you. You don’t forgive them because they deserve it. You forgive them for your sake.
You can’t get on with your life as long as you’re stuck in the past. As long as you hold onto resentment, you are stuck. That person is still controlling your life in the present even though they may have been out of your life for many years.

Revenge Is Messy

Never pay back evil for evil. Never avenge yourself. Leave that to God. For He has said that He will repay those that deserve it. Romans 12:17-19

The reason we get in such a mess is we forget God saw what happened to us. We believe we have to take matters into our hands, and it’s our duty to settle the score. It’s not your duty to settle the score. God says, “I will settle the score.” Trust God to balance the books. He saw the hurt and He’s going to give justice at the appropriate time.

God Keeps a Record of Your Tears

You, God, have kept a record of all my tears. Psalm 56:8

Did you know that God has kept a record of every one of your tears? He knows about the times that you have been abused, the times that you have felt injustice, or if you’ve experienced prejudice or you’ve experienced hurt or rejection? God keeps a record of your tears, and nothing slips His watchful eye.

Why Should I Forgive Those Who Hurt Me

Resentment poisons and consumes everything in its vicinity.

A bitter spirit is not only bad in itself but can also poison the lives of many others. Hebrews 12:15

1. Bitterness is infectious—we end up infecting the next generation
2. What you resist, persists—instead of getting better, you end up being bitter.  

The Reverend Clarence E. Stowers, Jr. was born on December 2, 1966 to Dr. Clarence (deceased) and Margaret Stowers, Sr. in Evanston, Illinois. He began his spiritual pilgrimage at Mars Hill under the leadership of Dr. Clarence E. Stowers, Sr. He accepted his call to preach the gospel in 1991 and was licensed and ordained at Mars Hill. More from C. E. Stowers or visit C. E. at http://www.cestowers.com/

Stop Preaching About All the Good People in the Bible!

By Brandon Cox

“I’ve done plenty of that kind of preaching in my life in ministry, and I wish I could go back and re-preach them all from a totally different perspective.”

There are no “good” people in the Bible—at least not in the theological sense—except for Jesus. Everybody else is wrecked and ruined by sin and desperately in need of a Savior. So the way we have traditionally approached character-based sermons has a tremendous flaw. Here’s the traditional approach …

---

1. Tell the story of a Bible character.
2. Highlight the good stuff they did.
3. Challenge people to follow their examples.

---

I’ve done plenty of that kind of preaching in my life in ministry, and I wish I could go back and re-preach them all from a totally different perspective. There are some major flaws with this kind of preaching. First of all, it’s moralism. It gives the idea that we can, in our own power, actually DO the good things we see the characters doing. But we can’t. We don’t. We fail repeatedly.
Second, preaching in this way assumes that the central protagonist of the story is a human being such as Abraham, David or Paul. But the real protagonist in both the metanarrative of Scripture as well as each of its rather diverse stories is God. It’s about him. It’s his book, he’s the hero, and it’s his character and will we see unfolded. The people involved just illustrate all the things we learn about God.
Third, it’s discouraging. I’ll never be an Abraham or Noah. At least I won’t be the kind of Abraham or Noah that we often preach about. I might be like the Abraham who lied about his wife’s identity a couple of times and failed to stick to God’s plan while trying to make things happen on his own. Or I might have a few things in common with the Noah who embarrassed his sons at the end of his story in his state of drunkenness. But we usually like to make the heroes sound positive.
But the heroes of the Bible are often misrepresented in our desire to make them look good in their faith. What we want to say to the congregation is, “See, Abraham believed God and he wound up being a really, really great guy because of it!”
So if this is the wrong way to preach from the life of a Bible character, what’s the right way? What should we be preaching about from the lives of Bible characters? Here’s my alternative approach.

---

1. Tell the story of a Bible character.
2. Explain how and why they failed or were incapable of doing God’s will.
3. Point out God’s grace was powerfully at work in their lives, redeeming them and re-shaping them.
4. Challenge people to look to Jesus alone for that same redemption.
5. Encourage people to try a better approach under God’s grace and in God’s power.

---

In my view, this is a far more Christological and even helpful approach than using the characters of the Bible like shining examples of greatness. So don’t preach about all the good people in the Bible. Preach about the goodness of God to redeem sinful people and empower them to make different decisions based on his truth.  

Brandon Cox is Lead Pastor of Grace Hills Church, a new church plant in northwest Arkansas. He also serves as Editor and Community Facilitator for Pastors.com and Rick Warren's Pastor's Toolbox and was formerly a Pastor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. In his spare time, he offers consultation to church leaders about communication, branding, and social media. He and his wife, Angie, live with their two awesome kids in Bentonville, Arkansas. More from Brandon Cox or visit Brandon at http://brandonacox.com/

5 Mistakes Pastors Frequently Make With Finances

By Ron Edmondson

“As pastors, we have to remain above reproach, and that’s especially true in this area of finances.”

I came into ministry after a long business career, so I’m sometimes considered unique in my involvement or interest in our church finances. I work closely with our business administrator and finance committee on the budget and administration of our church finances.

I have been known to negotiate contracts, meet with bankers and I can intelligently analyze financial statements. I understand the business side of the church. It comes naturally for me.
Working with different churches over the years, I’ve seen lots of approaches by pastors in this area of finances. Some are completely hands-on, while others run from the issue completely. It’s helped me form some thoughts around the topic; specifically some mistakes I think we can avoid.

Here are the top five mistakes pastors make regarding money:

Not knowing anything. The pastor doesn’t have to be business-minded. He can surround himself with wise counsel, but the pastor needs some basic knowledge in order to lead the church effectively. Learn to read the financial documents of the church. Get some basic training in financial terms so you can lead people well. Especially in today’s world of speculation and trust issues, those who give to a church want to know that leadership has a handle on the finances of the church before they are willing to invest in the mission.
Handling too much. The pastor never, ever, ever needs to be the sole person to handle money. I’m careful even when someone hands me a check in the hall. I quickly find someone on our finance committee or our business administrator. I would never want to sign checks. As pastors, we have to remain “above reproach,” and that’s especially true in this area of finances. For appearances, but also to guard our own heart. Temptation is huge for all of us in the area of money.
Being Controlling. When the pastor is the only one who decides how the budget of the church is going to be spent, a few problems occur. First, great ideas are left off the table. Collaboration is the best approach to most decisions, but especially spending someone else’s (God’s) money. Second, the pastor becomes too powerful. Money is power. In the business world and the church world. The pastor doesn’t need that load of responsibility on his own. Finally, eventually people begin to mistrust the system, the pastor and even the church. The pastor will make some decision no one agrees with and the troubles begin. Beware. Invite trusted people into the process.
Not asking for money. If the church is going to disciple people, it can’t avoid the subject of money. This isn’t even as much about funding the ministry. God can take care of that. If you’re following His will on what you do, He can fund it. But, this is about leading people to be disciples. And as we know, God doesn’t fully have a person’s heart until He has control of their finances. Pastors, we have to teach this to our people.
Not being transparent. Tell everything. You don’t have to share details that people don’t care about, but there shouldn’t be any secrets when people ask. And keeping people abreast of the general financial welfare of the church is critical. I heard from a church recently that is in serious financial difficulty, but no one in the church except the pastor and bookkeeper even knew. When it was found out, there were obvious repercussions—anger, frustration, hurt. Those emotions can usually be avoided if people know in advance where you stand.
Money is a big issue for all churches—for all of us. Which is surely why the Bible addresses it so often. As pastors, we must diligently lead our churches wisely in this important matter of Kingdom ministry.  

Ron Edmondson is a pastor and church leader passionate about planting churches, helping established churches thrive, and assisting pastors and those in ministry think through leadership, strategy and life. Ron has over 20 years business experience, mostly as a self-employed business owner, and he's been helping churches grow vocationally for over 10 years. More from Ron Edmondson or visit Ron at http://www.ronedmondson.com/

GREAT QUOTES from JOHN WESLEY

GREAT QUOTES from JOHN WESLEY



"Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn
out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who
can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God?
O be not weary of well doing!"
- John Wesley

"What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace."
- John Wesley

"We should be rigorous in judging ourselves and gracious in judging others."
- John Wesley

"Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin, and
desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be
clergymen or laymen; such alone will shake the gates of hell
and set up the kingdom of heaven on Earth."
- John Wesley

"Catch on fire and others will love to come watch you burn."
- John Wesley

"Earn all you can, give all you can, save all you can"
- John Wesley

"Beware you be not swallowed up in books! An ounce of love is
worth a pound of knowledge."
- John Wesley

THE ANATHEMA of ENTERTAINMENT

THE ANATHEMA of ENTERTAINMENT
by A.W. Tozer

In our day we must be dramatic about everything. We don´t want
God to work unless He can make a theatrical production of it. We
want Him to come dressed in costumes with a beard and with a
staff. We want Him to play a part according to our ideas. Some
of us even demand that He provide a colorful setting and fireworks as well!

Then there are some among us these days who have to depend
upon truckloads of gadgets to get their religion going, and I am
tempted to ask: What will they do when they don´t have the help
of the trappings and gadgets? The truck can´t come along where
they are going!

For there are millions who cannot live without amusement; life
without some form of entertainment for them is simply intolerable;
they look forward to the blessed relief afforded by professional
entertainers and other forms of psychological narcotics as a
dope addict looks to his daily shot of heroin. Without them they
could not summon courage to face existence.

We now demand glamour and fast flowing dramatic action. A
generation of Christians reared among push buttons and automatic
machines is impatient of slower and less direct methods of
reaching their goals. We have been trying to apply machine-age
methods to our relations with God. We read our chapter, have our
short devotions and rush away, hoping to make up for our deep
inward bankruptcy by attending another gospel meeting or listening
to another thrilling story told by a religious adventurer lately
returned from afar.

The tragic results of this spirit are all about us: shallow loves,
hollow religious philosophies, the preponderance of the element
of fun in gospel meetings, the glorification of men, trust in religious
externalities, quasi-religious fellowships, salesmanship methods,
the mistaking of dynamic personality for the power of the Spirit.
These and such as these are the symptoms of an evil disease,
a deep and serious malady of the soul.

-Source-

propheticcollege.wordpress.com/category/tozer-on-entertainment/

YIELDEDNESS and THE SECRETS OF GOD

YIELDEDNESS and THE SECRETS OF GOD

by Smith Wigglesworth

The baptism of Jesus must bring us to have a single eye to the
glory of God; everything else is wasted time and wasted energy.
Beloved, we can reach it; it is a high mark but we can get to it.
You ask how? "What wilt thou have me to do?" That is the plan. It
means a perfect surrender to the call of God, and perfect obedience.

A dear young Russian came to England. He did not know the
language, but learned it quickly and was very much used and
blessed of God; and as the wonderful manifestations of the
power of God were seen, they pressed upon him to know the
secret of his power, but he felt it was so sacred between him
and God he should not tell it, but they pressed him so much he
finally said to them: "First God called me, and His presence was
so precious, that I said to God at every call I would obey Him,
and I yielded, and yielded, and yielded, until I realized that I was
simply clothed with another power altogether, and I realized that
God took me, tongue, thoughts and everything, and I was not
myself but it was Christ working through me."

How many of you today have known that God has called you over
and over, and has put His hand upon you, but you have not
yielded? How many of you have had the breathing of His power
within you, calling you to prayer, and you have to confess you
have failed?

If God can have His way today, the ministry of somebody will
begin; it always begins as soon as you yield. Paul had been
bringing many people to prison, but God brought Paul to such
a place of yieldedness and brokenness that he cried out, "What
wilt thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6). Paul´s choice was to be
a bondservant for Jesus Christ. Beloved, are you willing that
God shall have His way today? God said, "I will shew him how
great things he must suffer for my name´s sake" (Acts 9:16). But
Paul saw that these things were working out a far more exceeding
weight of glory. You people who have come for a touch from God,
are you willing to follow Him; will you obey Him?

What Wilt Thou Have Me Do?

-Source-

http://www.smithwigglesworth.com/sermons/misc15.htm


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POWER for TODAY

POWER for TODAY
by David Wilkerson

The apostle Peter was made of flesh and blood, just like the rest
of us. Yet he wielded spiritual authority over the devil. He said to
the lame man at the temple gate, "In the name of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6), and the man was healed.
The religious leaders of the day recognized this power in Peter and
asked him, "By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?" (4:7).

Nowhere does the Bible suggest that this same power isn't meant
for us today. When did the Lord ever say to His Church, "I've
helped you so far. Now you're on your own"? What kind of God
would empower His people in the wilderness when they needed
it-would empower Israel's kings, prophets like Elijah, the crowds
at Pentecost-and then withhold it from his last-days Church,
when we need it more than any generation?

According to Scripture, Satan's power has increased in our day:
"The devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because
he knoweth that he hath but a short time" (Revelation 12:12).
Why would God permit Satan to attack a weak, powerless
church that has no defense? His people have never lost access
to His divine power.

Unfortunately, a number of Christians have a skewed idea of
spiritual authority. This is especially true in charismatic circles.
I know of a series of "power" conventions, where preachers lay
hands on people to endow them with an anointing of spiritual
authority. Yet, when the recipients return home, their efforts
against the devil still fail miserably. They end up asking the
same question the disciples asked Jesus: "Why couldn't we
cast out these spirits?"

You can't obtain supernatural power simply by having someone
lay hands on you. It isn't a gift, it's a way of life, of walking with
Jesus. And not everyone who asks for such authority will
suddenly be changed into a spiritual powerhouse. The fact is,
God entrusts His divine authority only to what Peter calls the
"hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible"
(1 Peter 3:4).

-Source-

http://sermons.worldchallenge.org/en/node/32700

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GREAT QUOTES on PRAYER

GREAT QUOTES on PRAYER

'He stood up and said, "Friends, I have journeyed into Wales with
the hope that I may glean the secret of the Welsh Revival." In an
instant Evan Roberts was on his feet, and with an uplifted arm
towards the speaker he replied, "My brother, there is no secret!
Ask and ye shall receive!!'
-The great Welsh Revival of 1904.

"We read in the biographies of our forefathers, who were most
successful in winning souls, that they prayed for hours in private.
The question therefore arises, can we get the same results
without following their example?"
-Oswald J. Smith

"I have so much business to do today that I shall not be able to
get through it with less than three hours´ prayer."
-Martin Luther

"Prayer is the first thing, the second thing, and the third thing
necessary for a minister, especially if he have revivals. Pray,
then, my dear brother, pray, pray, pray."
-Edward Payson

"The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying.
He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, and
prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom,
but trembles when we pray."
-Samuel Chadwick

WE MUST NOT MISS the MESSAGE

WE MUST NOT MISS the MESSAGE
by David Wilkerson

Ministers and theologians everywhere are saying, "God has nothing
to do with disasters. He wouldn't allow awful things to happen."
Yet, nothing could be further from the truth. This kind of thinking
is causing our nation to rapidly miss the message God wants to
speak to us through tragedy.

The fact is, we have to have a word from God. Like many pastors,
I've wept and grieved over awful calamities. I've sought the Lord in
prayer and through His Word. And I want to tell you, I've experienced
a grief that's even deeper than the mourning for innocent people
dying. It's a grief that says if we miss God's message, if we turn
a deaf ear to what He is loudly proclaiming, then much worse is
in store for us.

The prophet Isaiah speaks directly to what we've experienced.
If you object to using the Old Testament for examples, consider
Paul's words on the subject: "All these things happened unto
them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon
whom the ends of the world are come" (1 Corinthians 10:11). Paul
makes it clear that the examples of the Old Testament reveal just
how God moves in times like ours.

At the time that Isaiah prophesied, God had been dealing patiently
with Israel for about 250 years. The Lord had sent "light afflictions"
upon His people, calling them to repentance. He was trying to
woo them out of their brazen idolatry and back into His blessing
and favor.

All the prophets throughout the years had spoken to Israel the
same essential word: "Humble yourselves." Scripture says,
"They served idols . . . yet the Lord testified against Israel, and
against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying,
Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and
my statutes" (2 Kings 17:12-13).

But God's chosen nation rejected His call to repentance. "They
would not hear, but hardened their necks" (17:14). These people
mocked the prophets who called them to humility. And, instead,
they "followed vanity, and became vain . . . and they left all the
commandments of the Lord their God . . . and sold themselves
to do evil in the sight of the Lord. . . . Therefore the Lord was
very angry with Israel" (2 Kings 17:15-18).

-Source-

http://sermons.worldchallenge.org/en/node/32942

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