December 13

ISAIAH: THE PASSING OF A GOLDEN AGE

Isaiah 6:1- 7:16

And it came to pass…What?  The golden age of godly King Uzziah's reign.  Yes, he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but only to an extent.  And to an extent the people went along with him in serving God.  But neither king nor his people went the whole way—the high places were not taken away.  The high places were where the people worshipped either idols or God, but even where God was "honored", it was with an earthly tone and a sensuality.  That type of "religion" is still more attractive to most than the denial of the flesh and consecration of the whole heart, which is the true worship the Lord desires and requires.  The people were serving God in their own ways, wisdom, and fleshly emotions, rather than coming God's way in full surrender.

And so the "church" continues today.  How often do we choose a "church" based on how it entertains us, rather than seeking one which honors and walks by the Bible truth and calls for repentance and full surrender to the worship of Jesus Christ?  Well, God says ENOUGH! of your fleshly life, and worship to an extent, and He lets King Uzziah die.  THEN He gives us ability to hear and to become the voice of His prophet to sound forth the thoughts and intentions of human hearts, call to repentance, and declare the Mercy to come.  Already the Lord's man, Isaiah had preached against sin and apostasy, but God led him to receive deeper revelation and a new divine call.  And God calls His blood-bought Church deeper today, too, as He desires a people to declare Christ in all His fullness.  Are you born again, having received a new nature, new desires, and a new life, completely changed from what you were before?  If not, take time even now to seek Him, letting Him draw you to repentance as He reveals your sin and God's judgment, and receive His grace by faith.  Give Him perfect control of your life, and see old things pass away and all things become new!

If you have been born again, God desires to commission you with a deeper revelation and call, as He did Isaiah.  We, too, will see God "high and lifted up and His train filling the temple"—He has all authority in our individual lives and He has all authority in His Church!  We will know the need for the natural man in us to be finished and will submit to the fiery coal from God's heart!  We will respond in absolute surrender, "Lord, send me!"  And He will send us to proclaim His judgment and His mercy, and our cry will be—No more Christianity to an extent!  No more worship to an extent!  No more service to an extent!  Let the whole heart and the whole life of everyone who is called by His name, be given in absolute surrender and holiness to His Glory!  Who will go all the way with Christ Jesus?  Who will live for His purpose alone?  Those who will, shall know the name of Jesus Christ as "Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!"  Praise God for His perfect plan!

Glory to God in the Highest!

~ Cindy Warren