Turn everything that is a care into a prayer.
– Charles Spurgeon
Author: Brian
Follower of Jesus, Husband, Dad, Grandpa, and Pastor
God Loves Us
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love….
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us….
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
on those who fear him….
– Psalm 103:8, 11-12, 17
His love shines forth in his mercy and grace and patience toward us.
His love is higher than the heavens.
His love removes our sin.
His love lasts forever.
To those who fear Him.
Toward His people.
Not because we are great,
But because His love is great.
We are sinners; we are dust.
But he loves us anyway.
God loves us!
Sermon Songs: Isaiah 33
Praise God with high exaltation
He is our strength and salvation
Stability in these dark days
We wait and trust your gracious ways
Fear God who reigns in holiness
Come walk with Him in righteousness
Do what is good – speak uprightly
Guard what you hear and what you see
Praise God – holy, holy, holy
We’ll see our King in his beauty
He will protect, he will provide
Forgiven we’ll dwell by his side
– From a sermon on Isaiah 33
(To the tune of the “Doxology”)
Church Connections
Here are some good posts to consider before you even think about leaving your church:
When It’s Time to Leave a Church – H.B. Charles Jr.
How To Leave Your Old Church – Kevin DeYoung
5 Things To Do Before Leaving Your Church – Thabiti Anyabwile
Not So Fast – Trevin Wax (Ligonier)
God Is Greater
In Isaiah 33, God reminds us that he is greater than all the things that come against us.
He Is Our Strength (v2) – He is our arm of strength for daily life. He gives us strength in the midst of those things that come against us. Indeed he gives us strength every morning. Each day there is a fresh supply of God’s mighty powerful strength to help us through our trials and struggles. He is our strength.
He Is Our Stability (v5-6) – He is the stability for our times – times of trouble, times of distress, times of difficulty. He is a sure foundation on which we can stand. He is a solid rock when the tempest blows all around us. He is exalted and dwells on high; he is not shaken by all that comes against us, and so we anchor ourselves to him. He is our stability.
He Is Our Salvation (v2-4, 6-12) – God not only gives us strength and stability in the midst of our trials, but in his perfect times he will save us from those trials. When God arises in our lives, all that comes against us scatters. He gobbles up the enemy. His judgment is like a great fire against all that comes against us. He is greater than those things that oppose us, and he will save us in his perfect time. He is our salvation.
And so we wait for him (v2). We don’t need to freak out about trials, threats, dangers, and struggles. We wait for Him with patience – resting in his strength and leaning on his stability. We wait for him with longing for the salvation that he will bring. This week, may we wait for Him who is greater than all that can come against us.
Reproach
How many people in the church,
which bears the name of Christ,
violate the third commandment
by allowing their misconduct
to bring reproach upon the name of Christ?
– J.V. Fesko in The Rule of Love
Prayer Quote of the Week
Always respond to every impulse to pray.
– D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Seven Ways We Must Not Misuse God’s Name
The Third Commandment tells us to not take the name of God in vain – to not misuse his name. There are several ways that we can use God’s name in the wrong way, which we must not do:
First, we must not use his name in an oath and then not keep our oath (Leviticus 19:12). In our day that could apply to testifying in court or to our marriage vows before God.
Second, we must not use his name offering praise to him with our lips while our hearts are far from him (Isaiah 29:13). As we praise God’s name, our praise must be true – not just empty words.
Third, we must not put words in God’s mouth (Jeremiah 23:31). We ought not claim that God said something that he did not say. The other day I heard a local radio station tell us that “Jesus says” – and then go on to read from a bestselling book. But Jesus didn’t say those words, and so that is a misuse of his name.
Fourth, we must not use God’s name with contempt – speaking of God with scorn or ridicule or hatred.
Fifth, we must not use God’s name as a swear word. “Oh my God” should be reserved for our prayers, not as an empty utterance.
Sixth, we must not use God’s name in a flippant empty manner. For instance, when we say “God bless you” – do we mean it, or are we just throwing his name around?
Seventh, we must not use God’s name as a joke. Christians like to tell “Christian” jokes, but God must not be the punch line – God’s name is not a joking matter.
All of these ways that we misuse God’s name ought to make clear the positive requirement of the command. We must use God’s name with reverence and awe. He is a great and glorious God, and we must treat him as such. May God help us to honor his name.
Make Every Effort
The positive thrust of the Third Commandment against the misuse of God’s name is a powerful admonition to make every effort to reverence His name.
– R. Kent Hughes in Disciplines of Grace
Sermon Songs: Isaiah 32
O God who reigns in righteousness
Whose truth and justice we confess
Who changed our lives and made us new
That we might turn and follow you
Lord give us strength that we might stand
As lights for you in this dark land
From temptation Lord help us flee
Your Spirit keep us from folly
Lord in the storms of life we face
You are our hiding, resting place
And in this dry and weary land
we find refreshment from your hand
O God our hope our coming King
Your promises and blessings bring
Your praise and honor we will sing
Dwelling secure under your wing
– From a sermon on Isaiah 32
(To the tune of the “Doxology”)
Brian J. Mikul 