The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high!
He fills Zion with justice and righteousness!
He is the sure foundation for our times!
A rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge!
The fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure!
Isaiah 33:5-6
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if He were going farther. But they constrained Him saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” So, He went in to tarry with them (Luke 24:28-29 KJV).
Our faith is credited to us as righteousness – right standing with God – when we are fully satisfied and assured God is able and mighty to keep His Word and to do what He has promised (Romans 4:21-22 AMP). When we truly rely on God’s Word, on what our heavenly Father has told us, “My faithful love will never leave you! I will make peace with you, and it will never end,” Isaiah 54:10 ERV.
Throughout the many generations God has given His people His Word, “See, your Savior comes! See, His reward is with Him! His recompense accompanies Him! Zion will be called the Holy People, the redeemed of the Lord,” Isaiah 62:11-12.
Though they heard with their ears what the Lord spoke, God’s Word of Truth had yet to impact their heart! It is one thing to have knowledge of God’s Word, but quite another experience to abide in the Lord. For then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. When we believe in Jesus, when we abide in God’s Word, holding fast to His teaching and living in accordance with them, the Lord will be saying to you, “You are truly My disciple,” John 8:31-32 AMP.
When we abide in God’s Word, there is so very much to be gained: Knowledge, understanding, insight, wisdom, peace, joy, contentment, rest…And anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their own work, just as God did from His (Hebrews 4:10). We no longer have to reach into our toolbox to do the same things over and over expecting, hoping, praying for different results.
We can be absolutely assured it is for freedom that God has called us to be set free through His Word. So, make sure you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For God’s Word sums this up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom (Galatians 5:13-14 Message).
It is through God’s Word of Truth we learn to love ourselves, for only then can we truly love others as ourselves. There were many things I have learned about myself. Sadly, when I came to the Lord my resemblance was that of a fool. So, I guess it’s not surprising there will be much more I will be learning.
I am still guilty of doing foolish things, but the Lord has pointed me to resources that have helped me better understand and reconcile and be removed from under the pressure of those issues with which I have struggled: Codependency, emotional trauma, low self-esteem, people-pleasing, lack of boundaries, controlling…to mention a few.
Learning the Truth about myself is not easy, but the Lord has set me free from depending on my own judgments and those of others. My way of thinking never could offer the freedom to be content with who I am. There was too much fear and self-doubt and ego. This freedom God calls us to, miraculously sets us free from those issues that plague us. For me being set free from worrying about what people thought, or what they would say about me, lifted a huge weight from me.
God’s Word most definitely will grab the attention of our heart, when we experience the Lord doing for us exactly what God has said: The Lord our God, will deliver us from the hand of fear and sin and pridefulness, so as faithful servants we can truly know He alone is God (Isaiah 37:20). God has given us free-will so it is understandable that He said, “You are gods; children of the Most High, but you will die like mere mortals,” Psalm 82:6-7.
Yes, once we were not a people, but with our faith and trust set firmly in Jesus now we are the people of God. We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God. Once we had not received mercy, but now we have received the grace and mercy of our heavenly Father (1 Peter 2:9-10).
Therefore, we can be confident God’s Word is speaking to us personally: As surely as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring forth, so surely the Lord God will cause rightness and justice and praise to spring forth for us and from us, through the self-fulfilling power of His Word (Isaiah 61:11 AMP).
We will know with all our heart and soul we can overcome our hang-ups, our habits, our compulsions, our addictions because the One Who calls us is faithful, and He will help us do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24). What He has planned, so it will be! What He has purposed, so it will stand (Isaiah 14:24). For the zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish it (Isaiah 37:32).
Yes, the Lord looked and was displeased there was no justice. He was appalled there was no one to intervene. So, His own arm worked salvation for Him, and His own righteousness sustained Him. He put on righteousness as His breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on His head. He put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped Himself in zeal as in a cloak (Isaiah 59:17).
“Now will I arise! Now will I be exalted! Now will I be lifted-up! (Isaiah 33:10). So, God made manifest His Word (Titus 1:3 AMP). Yes, His Word became flesh, and made His dwelling among us (John 1:14a). For the Lord longs to be gracious to us! He rises to show us compassion! The Lord is a God of Justice! Blessed are all who entrench themselves in God’s Word (Isaiah 30:18). For they will see His glory, the glory of the One and Only, Who came from the Father full of grace and truth (John 1:14).
God’s Word is Christ Jesus and as we just read, He fulfills what He has said. We can know He is doing for us what He says He will do, “I will watch over you wherever you go, for I am with you. I will never leave you,” Genesis 28:15.
He is speaking to us personally when He says, “You will be called Hephzibah, for My delight is in you.” Isaiah 62:4. Yes, the Lord delights in those who fear Him. Who delight in Him, who reverence and serve Him in awe and wonder at His goodness, His loving-kindness, His mercy. The Lord delights in those who put their hope in His unfailing love (Psalm 147:11).
The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save!
He takes great delight in you!
He will quiet your fears and doubts and worries with His love!
He rejoices over you with singing!
Zephaniah 3:17