The Shame Of Forsaking

"O lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters."  Jeremiah 17:13.  God is both a hope and a fountain.  From Him flows living waters.  Some fountains spew forth vile water.  But, God is a fountain of life and hope.  The water that flows forth from Him is both pure and clean.  This water produces life and cleansing.  The flow of water from the fountain of God is continuous and lasting.  The water comes without fail.  Therefore, God is the only hope. Everything else in which we can trust is futile and fails us.  Our hope in Him gives us victory over all the enemies of life.  But, some who will drink at this fountain will depart.  One can leave God and deny Him.  Those who do so shall ultimately be ashamed.  Their names will be written in the earth and, as the dust is blown away, so shall they come to nothing.  They who depart from God leave all hope behind them and forfeit all access to the fountain of living waters.  Soon shall they be blotted out and forgotten.  Therefore, never leave Him nor forsake Him.  Drink forever at His fountain.  Keep always thy hope in Him.

The Crown Has Fallen

"The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us that we have sinned."  Lamentations 5:16.    Indeed, this is a cry of woe.  The crown has fallen.  Glory has been lost.  Pride is gone.  The enemy has won.  Woe unto those who are left desolate by sin.  The promise of sin is never fulfilled.  In the end, sin brings woe.  At least, the problem is known.  The source of the fall has been acknowledged.  This is unlike so many who never see that sin has brought them down.  Sin leaves one deserted.  Sin takes one to the mire of depravity, and then, forsakes them.  "Woe unto us that we have sinned" may be a cry for help.  Those who are in sin need help.  They need God's help.  Only the true and living God can deliver one from the woe of sin.  Sin brings loneliness.  God gives companionship.  Sin brings emptiness.  God gives fulfillment.  Sin brings death.  God gives life.  Sin leaves dreams unfulfilled and hearts crushed.  "Woe unto us that we have sinned."  Forgive us, O Lord.  Cleanse us and heal us.  Restore unto our heads the crown.  Bring us home.  Glory, glory.  God has given life and hope.

God Will Speak

"And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee."  Ezekiel 2:1.  Ezekiel is a "son of man."  Let us always know our humble nature.  We are of man.  Therefore, we are weak and frail.  Our knowledge of who we are causes us to hear when God speaks.  Ezekiel is given a command to stand.  God commands and man obeys.  That will always be the process.  Never will it be the reverse.  We are to stand and be ready.  We cannot go forth when we are lying down.  We are to be always in readiness to do the Lord's will.  We must stand against evil.  We must stand for good.  When we stand, we manifest courage.  When we stand, we manifest strength.  We are to go forth in the service of the Lord.  Our service becomes known unto us when God speaks.  God has spoken.  We listen with a heart that is open and a spirit that is willing.  God does not speak of trivial things.  His words must rest upon our hearts.  His words are the very orders of our life.  His words give comfort and guidance.  God speaks to us.  We are men, and God speaks to us.  

His Salvation Is Forever

"Lift up your eyes unto the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished."  Isaiah 51:6.  Time and earth shall one day be no more.  As smoke is quickly gone, so will the heavens and the earth be gone.  All of those who dwell upon the earth will die and be no more.  As our garments become old and worn, the earth will become old.  The material universe shall vanish, but God and His plans shall stand. Isaiah, the prophet, is speaking of a time when a reformation will come.  God will bring an eternal salvation to all through Jesus Christ.  Though times change and death comes, the salvation in Jesus Christ will stand strong and lasting.  Happiness found in the things of this world will turn to sadness.  Hope found in this world will decay into hopelessness.  Unto those who find happiness and peace in the righteousness of God will forever know it even when time and earth are no more.

A Hope And A Future

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end."  Jeremiah 29:11.  God always thinks toward an expected end.  His plan is always at work.  The thoughts of God are always toward His people.  And His plan will come together in due time.  We must have patience.  Learning to wait on God is not always easy, but our faith must lead us to a knowledge that in time God will deliver.  God does not forget.  He never puts us from His mind.  His plan is for our peace and good will.  The plan which God has for us may take us through some difficulty, but the expected end is hope.  Our future is always secure with God.  God will not fail us.  Faith always has an expectation.  Faith knows that in the end all will be glorious.  There is always light after the darkness and calm after the storm.  Our journey in the valley will always take us to the mountain.  God controls our future, and that future is our peace.

From The Heart

"For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies."  Matthew 15:19.  One is not born to do evil.  He conceives evil in his heart.  We are as our heart is.  If we would do good, abstain, give, speak truth. and honor God, our heart must be good.  The evil of humanity is born in the heart.  The goodness of humanity is born in the heart.  As the heart is, so is the individual.  The corruption of a society erupts from the hearts of those who live in that society.  So, the heart must be changed.  Conduct is altered as the heart is altered.  Sin breeds in a heart of evil.  Righteousness only comes from a fountain that is pure and clean.  The heart is that fountain.  God works on the heart by using the gospel message.  The Holy Spirit abides in the converted heart bringing forth God's work.  Evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies are a blight upon society.  These evils bear the fruit of heart ache and pain.  These evils sow the seeds of discord and separation.  These evils bring forth God's wrath.  The fountain from which these evils spew is the heart.  May we be vigilant to change our heart.  Our lives will be blessed as well as the lives of all humanity.

Look To Yourself

"Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward."  II John 8.  The "elect lady and her children" were walking in the truth.  Growth was being made.  However, a danger that they might lose those things for which they had worked was present.  The elect can always slip away.  The devil can ensnare us if we are not cautious.  Faith can be lost if we do not exert watchfulness.  We must be mindful of our walk with God.  A relationship with God is a personal relationship and we must guard it with all care.  We must continue to move forward and never backward.  We must strive to attain the blessings that God provides.  This is our work.  Salvation comes by grace, but we must work to attain it and secure it.  The labor that we have already put forth must not be lost.  Yesterday is past and gone and tomorrow has not yet come.  Today and now is the all important moment.  God has promised a reward for our work in His vineyard.  This promise will be received at the end of the labor.  Work for our salvation is coming.