ISIAH AND JEREMIAH

It's a quiet Saturday morning and it's exciting to think that tomorrow is SUNDAY!!  YEAH!!!  It has been a good week.  A challenging week in some ways dealing with finances and the bills and other things, but God has been good and I did get to lead three people to Christ on Thursday evening, so that was a great blessing!  I'm still in Isaiah and going into Jeremiah so here are some items of interest: 1) WHO HATH BELIEVED?  In Isaiah 53, that great prophetic passage about the life and death of Christ, it starts off with this question:  "Who hath believed our report?"  As I read that this morning, I thought.... I did!!  I'm so glad that I believed the report.... the good news of the Gospel.  I'm very happy to be among the crowd who have believed and do believe the report of God's Word to man.  I'm not ashamed of that, I'm proud of that.  How about you?  I'm sure that you too have believed the report, but are you too proud of that fact?  I would believe so and is it not wonderful! 2) HERE I AM!- What a comforting thought is found in Isaiah 58:9: "Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am."  Wow!  We know that God is always with us, but what a comfort to know that when we are overwhelmed and cry out to Him, that He will lovingly say.... Here I am.  Thank you LORD, thank you for being so loving and caring.  Thank you for being there when I need you most and there when I'm oblivious to Your presence.  I wish it were not so, but I get that way LORD... please forgive me for that.... getting so involved in the day that I forget the ONE who made the day.  Love you LORD... thanks for loving me!!  Amen. 3) PASTORS-  The Book of Jeremiah has a lot to say about pastors, and not all of it is good.  Notice this good verse: Jer 3:15  "And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding."   This is the kind of pastor I strive to be.  I want to be this kind!  But, alas, there are other kinds as well:  Jer 10:21  "For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered."  and... Jer 12:10  "Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness."  and... Jer 23:1  Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.   There is the ONE verses in 3:15 that is so nice, and then many others speaking of corrupt Pastors...  NOW, here is the thought.... IF you have a good pastor.... let him know!  Pray for him and appreciate him.  1Thess. 5:13  "And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves."  IF they are a good pastor... "esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake."   WELL, I'm off to the Men of Destiny... a Saturday Morning Bible Study and Prayer time for men.  Meets each Saturday at 8:00am.  See you tomorrow .... on Sunday!!   Dr. Mike Mutchler