Title: Tell Us Pleasant Things/ Topic: Today's Church

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 29; Isaiah 30; Isaiah 31; James 1

Scripture: Isaiah 30:9-11, 15
9 These are rebellious people, deceitful children,
children unwilling to listen to the LORD's instruction.
10 They say to the seers,
"See no more visions!"
and to the prophets,
"Give us no more visions of what is right!
Tell us pleasant things,
prophesy illusions.
11 Leave this way,
get off this path,
and stop confronting us
with the Holy One of Israel!"

15 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.

Observation: These words of the prophet Isaiah sound like they were spoken of our current Christian culture in America. There are many who grew up in the Church who echo the thoughts expressed here. "Don't speak to us of anything negative. Tell us God loves us, but don't tell us our sins will be judged." Deception is embraced as people make God in their own image by passing judgment on the words of the Bible that speak of anything other than blessing and the power God gives us to create our own future by positive thought and speech. Repentance has become an ugly word, yet God tells us it is the key to our salvation. He has so many blessings for us if we will but submit to Him and listen to rebukes when necessary. His judgments are for our good, so that He can bless us and keep us on the right path.

Application: As our world, even the religious world, eschews what God has said and creates its own version of an "acceptable Christianity" that avoids any correction or judgment, we must not allow ourselves to get led astray from the truth of the Word. We need to embrace all of it, whether it is culturally popular or not. I think there may well be fewer and fewer churches that preach the whole counsel of the Word as we near the time when Jesus will return to earth again.

Prayer: Father, I thank you for preserving the whole Truth for us and I commit myself to listening to and following what you have told us in the Bible. Bless your people as they choose to obey and live by every word that proceeds from your mouth. May we who love you be kept from being led astray by our culture and may we be persuasive and fruitful in leading others into your full truth. Give us influence that we may see many others come into your Kingdom. And come quickly Lord Jesus!
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.