ISAIAH

We had a wonderful day yesterday with many saved (over 125), several baptisms (five adults and some younger), and many Christians making decisions as well.  It was a great day for Grand View Baptist Church.  We just started our Fall Enlargement Campaign and it runs four Sunday's in October.  Pray for us to keep reaching more and more people for Jesus Christ.  I'm in Isaiah again today, and I just finished up my reading and here are a few thoughts I had put in the margin of my Bible: 1) IT SHALL STAND- Isaiah 14:24 says:  "The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:"  God says something.... and that is it!  It will come to pass and it shall stand!  We need to wait patiently on the LORD for we know what He says in His Word, He will do!! 2) WHAT GOD HAS BEEN (AND STILL IS!)- In Isaiah 25:4, it reads:  "For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, ..."   These are qualities of our God, and He is still all of these and more!  He helps those who need help and look to Him for help!  Oh dear Christian friend, look to Jesus!  He is our source, our strength, our satisfaction, and our salvation!  He is all of these things and more and so sufficient for our needs! 3) ARE YOU WAITING?  In Isaiah 25:9, it reads:  "And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us:  this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."  Twice it says:  "we have waited for him".  Are we waiting?  That is so hard to do.  We want to act, to fix, to implement, to run with the plan.... but so often, God's plan is...... wait.  OK, LORD, I'll wait.... I'll keep my eyes on you.... I'll steer my heart towards You every day..... I'll humble myself in your grand and glorious presence each day.... I'll revel in your Word..... I'll cry in prayer to Your holy name.... I'll wait... (no matter how hard).... I'll wait!! 4) THE TEMPTATION FOR OTHER HELP- Yes, it is there.  That temptation to go to other help instead of waiting on the LORD.  (But, we will not give in to that today.)  In Isaiah 31:1 it reads:  "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!"   The temptation comes because "they are many", and because "they are very strong".  Yes, the world has some mighty good substitutes that seem so plausible, but it is not our way.  It is not God's way for us.  His way is for us to wait on Him to act.  Wait on His hand to move, His heart to guide, His mouth to speak, His mercy to respond, His grace to cover, His strength to prevail, His glory to be exalted,.....   Yes, let us wait upon our God!  For His glory... His honour... His plan to unfold in our lives.  Yes LORD.... I'm just waiting. Hope you have a blessed day!!  Pastor Mike Mutchler