Monday, February 7, 2011

"Empty Pursuits"

Isaiah 5:8 "Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field..."

"It's been said that most people don't know what they want, but it is something different from what they have."

While this chapter speaks of the pursuit of bigger, better and more...homes, land, parties, drinking...God's children can also be distracted by seeking to do more ministries. Instead of seeking to be more like Christ...we seek to do more for Christ...which is really NOT for the LORD at all...but the search for significance.

"Empty pursuits" are Satan's most effective tool to distract God's people. If we are looking for significance and satisfaction in the pursuits of life, we are in for a rude disappointment. Purpose and meaning can never be found in the pursuit of things; they are found only in God himself.

We aren't called to pursue the American Dream...we are called to pursue God. Abraham, a very ordinary man became an extraordinary man for one pivotal reason: he pursued God in a life of obedient faith, not knowing where that decision would take him.

May you Father be our pursuit, our obsession.

Blessings,
Sharon

"Blessed Subtraction"

Isaiah 6:1 "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the LORD seated on a throne, high and exalted..."

Have you ever had something that you trusted in, something that you just knew would be the answer to all your troubles, NOT turn out the way you expected? Perhaps a job, a spouse, a friend,a church?

I remember reading a book years ago called the Cinderella Syndrome. It talked about how we look to things or other people to find fulfillment or joy in our lives:
If only I get that job...then I'd be happy, if only I could find myself a husband, if only we could buy a house, if only I could have a baby, If only I could lose 10 lbs...then life would be good.

King Uzziah became the “hope of Israel”..their savior. Here was a king who knew how to make Judah a great nation and, with God’s help, the wisdom to use that knowledge. The people trusted Uzziah because he was a man of wisdom and integrity.

Under his rule the land was made fruitful and the people were safe from their enemies...Everything was going great until we read 2 Chronicles 26:16 "But when
he (Uzziah) was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense." King Uzziah became prideful and God struck him with leprosy and then he died...

We all have those things in life that we tend to put too much trust and reliance on. But what happens when those things, those people are removed? With the death of King Uzziah...the hope of Israel died too!

"...I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted..." Isaiah 6:1b

Isaiah saw that the future of Israel didn't depend on Uzziah, but upon the LORD, sitting on His throne high and lifted up. God was in control, not Uzziah! And God is our source, not our job, not our spouse, not our business, our church, or anything or anyone else.

Sometimes things need to be removed for us to truly see the LORD....their removal becomes a "blessed subtraction."

Isaiah 6:1c "....and the train of his robe filled the temple"

Isaiah saw that the Lord's "train filled the temple". There is no room in God's house for anything other than God. No praise of man, no power of man -- nothing at all, for God fills his house and will share his glory with no one.

LORD, remove those things in my life that would get in the way of me
seeing You. Please bring your cleansing fire to my lips, to my heart, to my life and forgive me of my sin. May I place You and only You on the throne of my life...exalting You to Your rightful position. Fill me with Your spirit so I may glorify You and You alone. In Jesus name, amen.

Standing in Him,
Sharon