Bible League: Living His Word "I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron."— Isaiah 45:2 ESV The Lord God is the Sovereign Creator King over all things. Everything in heaven and earth belongs to Him and He is in control of everything (Psalm 24:1). When He decides to go before you, nothing can stop Him. If He has decided to make a move through you, it's going to happen. If He has decided that you're the one He needs to accomplish some purpose of His, He will make it possible. It's a very good thing to have the Lord God of heaven and earth going before you. For one thing, it means that everyone exalted and lifted up will be brought low before you. That is, everyone who sets himself or herself up as an obstacle in your path will be leveled off. It's not actual mountains He has in mind, but those that act as if they were mountains—the proud who object to your advancement, thinking they should be the ones the Lord is using. To their consternation and shame, you will be lifted up and they will be brought down. For another thing, it means that every door that is closed before you, keeping you from moving forward, will be broken to pieces. That is, every hindrance to your reaching the goal God has set for you will be eliminated. It's not because you're so great; it's because the Lord God is great and has decided to go before you. To oppose you is to oppose Him. Jesus said, "The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me" (Luke 10:16). Finally, having this divine team means that the "bars of iron" that have locked you in will be cut through. That is, every situation of life that has locked you up tight in fear and anxiety will be cut through. Like the Apostle Peter in Acts 12, it will be as though the prison bars didn't exist. Get ready, then, to get moving! The Lord God is going before you. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJeremiah 49, 50 Jeremiah 49 -- Prophecies against Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar and Hazor NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Jeremiah 50 -- Prophecy against Babylon NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Hebrews 5 Hebrews 5 -- The Perfect High Priest NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.Insight We should consider ourselves dead and unresponsive to sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed. Just like diseased limbs of a tree, these practices must be cut off before they destroy us. Challenge We must make a conscious, daily decision to remove anything that supports or feeds these desires and to rely on the Holy Spirit's power. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Mark 14:14 The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?Jerusalem at the time of the passover was one great inn; each householder had invited his own friends, but no one had invited the Saviour, and he had no dwelling of his own. It was by his own supernatural power that he found himself an upper room in which to keep the feast. It is so even to this day--Jesus is not received among the sons of men save only where by his supernatural power and grace he makes the heart anew. All doors are open enough to the prince of darkness, but Jesus must clear a way for himself or lodge in the streets. It was through the mysterious power exerted by our Lord that the householder raised no question, but at once cheerfully and joyfully opened his guestchamber. Who he was, and what he was, we do not know, but he readily accepted the honor which the Redeemer proposed to confer upon him. In like manner it is still discovered who are the Lord's chosen, and who are not; for when the gospel comes to some, they fight against it, and will not have it, but where men receive it, welcoming it, this is a sure indication that there is a secret work going on in the soul, and that God has chosen them unto eternal life. Are you willing, dear reader, to receive Christ? then there is no difficulty in the way; Christ will be your guest; his own power is working with you, making you willing. What an honor to entertain the Son of God! The heaven of heavens cannot contain him, and yet he condescends to find a house within our hearts! We are not worthy that he should come under our roof, but what an unutterable privilege when he condescends to enter! for then he makes a feast, and causes us to feast with him upon royal dainties, we sit at a banquet where the viands are immortal, and give immortality to those who feed thereon. Blessed among the sons of Adam is he who entertains the angels' Lord. Daily Light on the Daily Path 1 Kings 20:27 The sons of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went to meet them; and the sons of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Arameans filled the country.1 Kings 20:28,29 Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, "Thus says the LORD, 'Because the Arameans have said, "The LORD is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys," therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.'" • So they camped one over against the other seven days. And on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel killed of the Arameans 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. 1 John 4:4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. Isaiah 41:10 'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' Jeremiah 1:19 "They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you," declares the LORD. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |