t here at my keyboard there's plenty of stuff dancing around in my head but I've not really been able to slow one of them down long enough to know if it would be worth sharing. I do know I taught a lesson last night that was pretty tough on those hearing it. The subject dealt with why God at times will not accept our offering of worship and other services we render. The text was from Isaiah 58. There God tells Israel that while they were doing all the rituals on ti
me and technically correct, He was not buying any of it. Why? Because their personal lives were not inclined towards Him in both their hearts and their deeds. The reason I mention this is because at the end of that lesson there was no one more understanding of who that lesson was speaking to than I. Could it be that God would lead me to a text that I needed perhaps more than anyone else? I not only suspect He would, I know He did!Isra
el was told that bringing an offering to the Temple or Lord's House was an empty and vain exercise if they had failed to help those who were in need, failed to support the weak, and failed to live a life depicting righteousness. I came to this matter of being able to see God move as a result of my thinking about how we can make a difference on behalf of our families, our neighbors, our nation, and our world. James did write in the New Testament how the prayer of a righteous person avails much with God. Therefore, I conclude that we need people, like you and I, to be a person who meets the test of being able to intercede with 
God and to seek His help in our time of need. The folks back in Isaiah 58 were complaining to God because they were keeping the Sabbath, they were fasting, and afflicting themselves but God was not responding. When He did it was to inform them why He had refused to respect anything they were doing because they were only pretending since their hearts were not right as demonstrated by their day by day living. Hey, that's pretty heavy stuff when you think about it.
el was told that bringing an offering to the Temple or Lord's House was an empty and vain exercise if they had failed to help those who were in need, failed to support the weak, and failed to live a life depicting righteousness. I came to this matter of being able to see God move as a result of my thinking about how we can make a difference on behalf of our families, our neighbors, our nation, and our world. James did write in the New Testament how the prayer of a righteous person avails much with God. Therefore, I conclude that we need people, like you and I, to be a person who meets the test of being able to intercede with 
God and to seek His help in our time of need. The folks back in Isaiah 58 were complaining to God because they were keeping the Sabbath, they were fasting, and afflicting themselves but God was not responding. When He did it was to inform them why He had refused to respect anything they were doing because they were only pretending since their hearts were not right as demonstrated by their day by day living. Hey, that's pretty heavy stuff when you think about it. Those folks had the pomp and circumstance mastered. They could do on cue what
ever it was they were supposed to do, however, they were lacking in the area of personal faithfulness to God, which prompted God to refuse to hear their calling out to Him. Now I can make a really good application of this for us today. We express our love for God. We do our religious things. We show up, stand up at the right time, sit down at the right time, bow our heads at the right time, and perhaps we even shed a tear or two, at the right time. Meanwhile our world is turned upside down and it just might be because we are playing games instead of being serious about being who God would have us to be. In the days we are living in we desperately need those who meet that test of being able to avail much with God.
ever it was they were supposed to do, however, they were lacking in the area of personal faithfulness to God, which prompted God to refuse to hear their calling out to Him. Now I can make a really good application of this for us today. We express our love for God. We do our religious things. We show up, stand up at the right time, sit down at the right time, bow our heads at the right time, and perhaps we even shed a tear or two, at the right time. Meanwhile our world is turned upside down and it just might be because we are playing games instead of being serious about being who God would have us to be. In the days we are living in we desperately need those who meet that test of being able to avail much with God. I told the small group last night that we could probably not even imagine the potential from just a handful of people who committed themselves to being able to call upon and see God respond. I used to teach some lessons on what I called the 100% Solution. They dealt with how God desires and expects 100% of all that we are. We live in a world where anyone who gives a meaningful percent of their life to serving God would be considered either a saint or a reli
gious nut. But God wants it all. It really has little to do with the activities we choose but it has everything to do with whether we are 100% devoted to Him first in all things. The job, the service we render, the classes we attend, the choices we make, and everything else will follow and take their natural place behind His rightful place. This I believe is how we can become that individual that can cry out to God and as He told
the people in chapter 58, when you get your life straight, then you will hear from Me. What a promise and what a challenge! May God help us to do what we can to be that faithful servant who knocks and He is there to open. Maybe by tomorrow I will chase down some of these other thoughts that are sailing by. Until then, may God bless, and have a great day. Amen. ......More later.
gious nut. But God wants it all. It really has little to do with the activities we choose but it has everything to do with whether we are 100% devoted to Him first in all things. The job, the service we render, the classes we attend, the choices we make, and everything else will follow and take their natural place behind His rightful place. This I believe is how we can become that individual that can cry out to God and as He told
the people in chapter 58, when you get your life straight, then you will hear from Me. What a promise and what a challenge! May God help us to do what we can to be that faithful servant who knocks and He is there to open. Maybe by tomorrow I will chase down some of these other thoughts that are sailing by. Until then, may God bless, and have a great day. Amen. ......More later.
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