September 23, 2012

“Most Holy One”

Scripture:

But now, O Israel, the LORD who created you says: “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (Isaiah 43:1-2, 3) NLT

Observation:

Although the LORD is speaking to His people Israel through the prophet Isaiah, these Living Words from God are also speaking to His Church today. This incredible, life changing truth is God’s promise to everyone who belongs to Him.

Application:

When we become a part of the Body of Christ, His Church, we are no longer like a lone wolf hungrily searching to satisfy its instinctive animal appetites to survive. But unlike the wolf that is driven by survival, we choose to consciously feed on the worldly things that bring pleasure to our sinful flesh, rather than feeding on every word of God in order to nourish our eternal souls (1 Peter 2:2). As sinful human beings we tend to spend more time feeding on the things that are spiritually unhealthy and lead us away from the Savior. But when we give our lives to God, He breaks the chains that hold us captive to the pleasures of sin that lead to Hell. Instead, we are adopted into God’s family, receiving everything we need to satisfy our spiritual hunger and thirst for God and eternity. And once we accept Christ’s sacrificial death on the Cross as the price paid for our sin-filled rebellion against God, we become His very own possessions—our lives are no longer our own, for we have not only been set free from our bondage to sin and death, but we are also made a new creation in Christ Jesus, our Lord (2 Corinthians 5:17). The price for your redemption has been paid in full, my friends. Your life has now been purchased by God and all He really wants in return is your love and obedience (1 Peter 1:14) and to live your life in ways that bring Him glory. One of the most incredible sensations you will ever experience is when you realize that you now belong to the Kingdom of God—you are now a citizen of Heaven. You will feel such an awesome sense of belonging to Something and Some One that is so incredibly greater than anything this fallen world has to offer. You will find yourself joyously praising the LORD Almighty—the Living God who saved you, for He will begin immediately rewarding you with an everlasting peace amidst the chaos, an everlasting joy in your deepest sorrow, and the unshakable confidence in knowing that you are a child of God. Realizing these amazing things about our Most Holy God allows you to be bold and unafraid, for He will give you both the Wisdom and Power to not only live righteously with the unrighteous, but to tell other lost souls about their desperate need to surrender to the Savior—the Most Holy One of Israel.

Prayer:

Thank You O God, for paying the price for our redemption. Thank You for setting us free from the power of sin and death. Thank You for giving me another chance to live righteously for You.  Amen