Date: Monday July 30, 2012
Today's Chapters: Isaiah 37-39
Message Title: Prepared For Thieves

Hello My Friend,

Did you ever stop to think just how cunning and organized thieves are? They appear helpful, blend in with everyone, yet the entire time they are planning their attack. Thieves take more than just possessions, they take identities, lives, and even innocence away from people. It aggravates me, when the media and government tell all the world about the weapons we have and our strengths and weaknesses as a nation, sooner or later it will be used against is. That is why it is very important to watch for thieves, not only as a nation, but as a Christian as well. “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:5-8.

Isaiah gives us a recap of how Hezekiah was able to defeat the Assyrians during his reign in Judah, we learned yesterday of how Rabshakeh tried to get the people to lose their faith and confidence in the living God. Now, with them invading Jerusalem Hezekiah did the only thing he knew he could do to help his people, he began to pray. “And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD, saying, Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God. Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries, And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only.” - Isaiah 37:15,17-20.

When we do everything in our strength to prepare for an attack God can do His part, but unless we go to God nothing will change. The most effective way to reach God is through prayer, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” - 1 Peter 5:6-10.

God did help Hezekiah defeat the Assyrians, it had been about thirteen years since the invasion, and Hezekiah grew gravely ill. He receives a visit from Isaiah, “And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.” - Isaiah 38:2-5.

Now, having seen quite a few people die and recover the past couple of years I come to realize one thing that gives me peace, God's free will to man. God never forces Himself upon any of us, it's our choice whether or not we accept Christ. It is that same free will that a person can choose to ask God to prolong their life through illness or take them to heaven. I saw my brother go from a willingness to fight his illness to let God take him to heaven. God will never place anything before us that we cannot handle and I believe that if the person wants to prolong their life here on earth that He will do it, just as He did with Hezekiah. God can and still does produce the same miracles for us that He did for every person we learn of in the Bible. The key to seeing those miracles is believing in and remaining faithful to the only living God. “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” - 1 Timothy 4:8-10.

Now, here is where Hezekiah messed up, after his miraculous recovery he began telling all, even his enemies what God had done for him. Now, the error was not in telling the people about what God had done for him, but it was that he took bribes from the enemy as well as disclosed secret information to them. “At that time Merodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered. And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not. Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.” - Isaiah 39:1,2,5,6.

Hezekiah really thought that Merodachbaladan was sincere, but this is a warning to all of us that we cannot trust the enemy, they are thieves and always will be, that is unless they too receive Christ and repent. Many of the circumstances in the world, regardless of whether it is war, disease, or poverty, comes from trusting thieves. Many people wonder if there is a God then why all the war, why all the suffering, why all the disease, but in reality, none of these would have even come into play had we listened to God in the first place. “Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.” - Proverbs 13:18.

God has given us every warning and instructions on how we can be prepared for thieves, Christ is the only one who can protect us, He is life and all who allow Him to guide them will be prepared and be able to watch for thieves. “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” - John 10:9-11.

Today's Prayer: God, I know that you are the only living God and that because I put my faith and trust in Your Son that You are my God. I know the strength of my faith goes up and down like a roller coaster, but I also know that all I need is the faith the size of a mustard seed for you to produce a miracle in me. You already produced one by giving me eternal life, now, I am trusting in You to do more as you help me endure the circumstances in my life. Lead me and guide in me in Your will and Your way, Lord. I love you and ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? Visit: God's Price
Like Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
Subscribe To This Devotional: Subscribe
Unsubscribe From This Devotional: Unsubscribe

©2012 I'm Following Jesus