When God Speaks: How to Recognize God’s Voice and Respond in Obedience
Today’s study used Isaiah 41:10 to talk about hope and victory. I love that verse! It comes in the middle of a passage where God encourages the people of Israel.
“But you, Israel, are my servant.
You’re Jacob, my first choice,
descendants of my good friend Abraham.
I pulled you in from all over the world,
called you in from every dark corner of the earth,
Telling you, ‘You’re my servant, serving on my side.
I’ve picked you. I haven’t dropped you.’
Don’t panic. I’m with you.
There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.
I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you.
I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.
That is from The Message, I also like the traditional translation of “Fear not, for I am with you.” How can I not feel hope and victory, be encouraged when I read that passage? Blackaby also nails a view of the Bible that is prevalent among unbelievers and even many who profess to believe.
The Bible has been misunderstood as a book of rules designed to prevent people from having fun. It’s just the opposite. The Bible protects people from death!
How true that is! I hear it over and over, time and time again, that the Bible is just a book of rules. Nothing could be further from the truth, yet I allow this statement to stand without being challenged. At least I used to, haven’t done that for a long, long time.
He also gave a pretty good example of what would happen if we viewed the Bible as a protection against death. If you were a soldier in a minefield and had to make your way across it, wouldn’t it be helpful if your commander gave you a map listing the locations of the mines so that you could avoid them? That is essentially what the Bible is, a map to guide us through life.
This has been a good week of study; I’m looking forward to discussing it with CH and LB tomorrow during our weekly meeting.
Joshua 1:7-9
Make sure you are very strong and brave! Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep! Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in all you do. This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful. I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”
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