ACT ON IT!

SCRIPTURE Isaiah 30:1 "Doom, rebel children!" God's Decree. "You make plans, but not mine. You make deals, but not in my Spirit. Vs 18 But God's not finished. He's waiting around to be gracious to you. He's gathering strength to show mercy to you. God takes the time to do everything right—everything.   Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones. Vs 19-22 Oh yes, people of Zion, citizens of Jerusalem, your time of tears is over. Cry for help and you'll find it's grace and more grace. The moment he hears, he'll answer. Just as the Master kept you alive during the hard times, he'll keep your teacher alive and present among you. Your teacher will be right there, local and on the job, urging you on whenever you wander left or right: "This is the right road. Walk down this road." You'll scrap your expensive and fashionable god-images. You'll throw them in the trash as so much garbage, saying, "Good riddance!" Vs 23-26 God will provide rain for the seeds you sow. The grain that grows will be abundant. Your cattle will range far and wide. Oblivious to war and earthquake, the oxen and donkeys you use for hauling and plowing will be fed well near running brooks that flow freely from mountains and hills. Better yet, on the Day God heals his people of the wounds and bruises from the time of punishment, moonlight will flare into sunlight, and sunlight, like a whole week of sunshine at once, will flood the land. Vs 29 But you will sing, sing through an all-night holy feast! Your hearts will burst with song, make music like the sound of flutes on parade, James 1:2-8 Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open. Vs 12 Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life. Vs 13-15 Don't let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, "God is trying to trip me up." God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one's way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer. Vs 19-27 Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life. Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action. Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world. OBSERVATION Making plans that is God's plans and making deals through His Spirit. God takes time to do everything right! When I place my life in His hands and "do" His plans, my life will be fruitful because God is fruitfilled. Test are there to bring us to maturity - our faith and character. Don't run away from it, but if I'm not sure what to do PRAY and ask for His help. He's always ready to help! When I pray trust only in His help, don't whither and second guess His help. The temptation to give into evil comes from me and myself alone. Giving into evil is lust having a baby: sin. Don't let it grow up to maturity. LEAD WITH MY EARS, FOLLOW UP WITH MY TONGUE! God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger. Simple humility is what He desires from me. Let the Word come into my life and ACT on it!!! I WILL FIND DELIGHT AND AFFIRMATION IN THE ACTION. APPLICATION Act on EVERYTHING God speaks in His Word and in my heart! Ask for His help! It's Him leading me through me leading by listening and following up by speaking. PRAYER Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for Your Word! Thank You for the GREAT price You paid so that I can have this truth! Help me to act on every Word You say. Help me to follow through by listening first. Open my ears God and give me the courage to set my feelings aside and run in faith. God You are mighty and so loving. Thank You for the honor to speak with You every day and You speaking with me. Thank You for Your love and Your patients!!! I praise You today! Please direct me in Your ways! In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.