TODAY’S DEVOTION (SUNDAY 31ST October 2021)
Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?
For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,” Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.” Isaiah 66:1-2 NKJV
WELCOME TO THE 304TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF HIGHER HEIGHTS.
God has been so faithful and gracious to both the faithful and faithless. He has been so merciful to us even in seasons when we do not deserve mercy. He has been patient, so patient with us that many who swim in sin now think He does not even exist.
I remember a story told by the Late Billy Graham.
He said an Atheist once stood to Blaspheme against GOD. He screamed all kinds of unprintable names at God and said all manner of things to the preacher as well as he stood before him. Finally, he said to the preacher, “if your God is alive, let him strike me dead now for all I have said about him and you.” But the preacher looked at him with deep love for his soul and responded, “whatever you have said to me or to GOD is too small to exhaust His patience.”
That was the end of the story.
Our patience as men can easily be exhausted, sometimes by one moment of provocation, but God’s patience is too deep to be exhausted by an angry atheist, or by any other sinful soul that may be involved in any kind of wicked acts. God’s patience will not even allow Him to strike the most valiant offender dead.
Apostle Peter wrote saying,
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” 2 Peter 3:9-10 NKJV
One major reason why God is so patient with men is because of the nature of His fury. It can burn from generation to generation because everything about GOD is timeless.
SO HE APPLIES SO MUCH RESTRAIN WHEN DEALING WITH SINFUL MAN.
If you look at the second verse of the scripture above, you will see another reason why God’s patience cannot be easily exhausted by even the most valiant offender. His fury can consume the whole world. In fact, it is His fury that will refurbish the earth after the great tribulation period (a period described in Bible prophecy as 7 years of God’s fury).
So it is not easy to kindle that part of Him. That was why He was patient with the atheist.
If there is something you are doing wickedly that you have not receiving a blow from God for it, please do not take His patience for approval of your sinful deeds or wicked acts.
The purpose of God’s patience with sinners is revealed by what apostle Peter wrote in the scripture we just read – repentance. That is the purpose. The man of GOD wrote saying, “God is patience towards us because He is no willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
Sometimes, we wonder why certain wicked people in our age and time are not punished instantly by the LORD for the terrible things they do. Sometimes we wonder why people will touch God’s Holy men and women and go free. Yes, these things can be troublesome at times. Why is God not acting? We may ask.
God is not acting because what exhaust our patience does not exhaust His patience with them. He will not act because we are angry and bitter about what may be happening or may have happened. Even if our anger is justifiable, He will still not act. Our sentiments or temperament do not control Him. He will not pour His anger on people because they made you angry by blaspheming against Him.
NO HUMAN OR ANY CREATED THING CAN STAND THE POWER OF GOD’S FURY. THAT IS WHY HE IS NOT QUICK AT RELEASING IT.
However, this in anyway does not suggest that GOD does not judge the wicked. It does not suggest He approve of their evil deeds. God is just restraining Himself from using the nuclear option.
I have seen people who pray against wicked men, living shorter lives than the wicked men they prayed against. It does not mean God validated the wickedness of the wicked; His patience was what saved them from His blows.
You see, God’s patience with the erring can be confusing to the righteous a times. Yes, it confused Jeremiah, Jonah and so many men and women in Bible days.
I listened to the political leaders of nations with nuclear weapons share.
They said nuclear weapons are not to be used. The reason is simple; if one is dropped anywhere in the world the impact can go all around the globe. Within a short time, the world will be no more. Even the lives of those who fires the weapons may not be secured from the damning consequences!
That is how God’s fury is.
It is Heaven’s nuclear weapon which was not originally created to be released on humans. Sadly, it will be released on all humans who refused to divorce themselves from the devil in the day of the consummation of all things.
The Bible calls that day the Day of the LORD. It’s says;
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up”
It is the fury of God that will burn up the things contained in this Bible prophecy. The fury of God burns in eternity and time. It is timeless! Nothing can quench it when it is kindled on the unrepentant. That was why Paul, God’s foremost apostle of Grace, wrote saying;
“For we must all be manifested before the judgment-seat of the Christ, that each may receive the things [done] in the body, according to those he has done, whether [it be] good or evil. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men….” 2 Corinthians 5:10-11 Darby
Many do not know that whatever we are doing while living in this body, will determine what god will do to us when we step out of it. The Bible says we will give account to God on the last day. That day is the day that His patience will no longer save anyone from His fury.
It will be the day of GOD’s severity! The day of His terror!
KNOWING THEREFORE THE TERROR OF THE LORD WE PERSUADE MEN….
A generation that does not have the revelation knowledge of God’s terror will never have the true fear of God in their hearts. If you do not have the true fear of God in your heart, you will be calling sin a mistake and abominations weaknesses.
At best you will have a religious fear that does not turn you away from your sin. In fact, it will redefine sin to you; and present a distorted definition of what it is in God’s sight.
You will come to the delusion that says nothing can separate us from the love of GOD – not even our active sins or wickedness. The Bible made it abundantly clear that our sins can separate us from the love of God.
Isaiah Prophesied saying;
“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity.” Isaiah 59:1-3 NKJV
Most sexual sins are committed with fingers. It’s really terrible that we will give account of even what we did with our fingers, yet many do not know.
The fear of GOD is the only way out of His fury. A heart that fears God will depart from evil. I heart that fears God will not call sin weakness or believe in the nothing-can-separate-us-from-the-love-of-God delusion. God will never pour His fury into the lives of those who fear Him. Though He is not partial. He is just! He as a special love for those who fear Him! The Bible says;
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.” Psalms 103:12-14 NKJV
INDEED, GOD HAS A SPECIAL LOVE FOR THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.
As a father pities his Children so the LORD pities them. He measures their frame and remembers that they are dust. He does not pour His fury on them but Himself.
Yes, show me a man or woman who fears God, and I will show you a man or women (a house) that God will pour Himself into. Many of us are yet to realize that we were originally created to be God’s house on earth. But lack of fear for Him can keep Him away from us.
God is looking for people who will fear Him enough to tremble at His word – a people He can pour Himself into and dwell in. That brings us to our devotional text for the day. It says;
Thus says the Lord:
“Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?
For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,” Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.” Isaiah 66:1-2 NKJV
Become part of the generation of those who tremble at God’s word! Become part of the generation that does not despise the word but tremble at it.
If God can find a people who tremble at His word, He will change their world.
We tremble at His word when we submit to it like Mary did. We tremble at His word when we fall in repentance each time we are rebuked or confronted by it the way David did.
If you look at the lives of David and Saul, you will see two generations of people. Saul represent the generation that does not tremble at God’s word. The generation will tear the garment of their prophet and that of anyone God may be using to bring a word that confronts the nature of their hearts.
But the David generation represents another generation – a generation of those who tremble at the word of the LORD! The David generation is that generation that is after God’s heart (will, ways, purpose and plans). God will give it a kingdom, and use it to open Heavenly portals strategically over nations.
If you want to be counted valuable in the Kingdom of God this end time, you must become part of the generation that fears Him enough to tremble at His word!
LET THIS SCRIPTURE BE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR YOU TODAY!
“But as for you, O man of God, flee from all these things; aim at and pursue righteousness (right standing with God and true goodness), godliness (which is the loving fear of God and being Christlike), faith, love, steadfastness (patience), and gentleness of heart.
Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold of the eternal life to which you were summoned and [for which] you confessed the good confession [of faith] before many witnesses.
In the presence of God, Who preserves alive all living things, and of Christ Jesus, Who in His testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I [solemnly] charge you. To keep all His precepts unsullied and flawless, irreproachable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Anointed One),
Which [appearing] will be shown forth in His own proper time by the blessed, only Sovereign (Ruler), the King of kings and the Lord of lords, Who alone has immortality [in the sense of exemption from every kind of death] and lives in unapproachable light, Whom no man has ever seen or can see. Unto Him be honor and everlasting power and dominion. Amen (so be it).” 1 Timothy 6:11-16 AMP