Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Your grace is enough 529-1 - 3 - 6

Isaiah 7:10-11, “10 Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying, 11 Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.” 
Isaiah 7:12, “But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.”
Do we fail to test the Lord out of fear or out of pride? Fear that we will annoy God, or pride of doing it ourselves.
Isaiah 7:13, “And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary (H3811) my God also?”
Weary, H3811, to be frustrated, trying their patience, impatient at doing something, It refers to physical exhaustion but it also indicates wearing oneself out even in religious efforts.
Here it is possible to pickup on God’s impatience with Ahaz. God provided Ahaz with a sign, the coming of Messiah.
Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” 
Luke 6:38, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete (measured) withal it shall be measured to you again.”
A Bosom is the gathered fold of the wide upper garment, bound together with the girdle, and thus forming a pouch. Reminds me of the aprons with several pockets vendors wear at markets to hold their cash and/ or their goods.
As an aside, Ruth 3:15, “Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.” The six measures of barley served two purposes. Boaz proclaimed his love of Ruth and as a code to Naomi that he would act on his feelings.
Isaiah 53:5, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” This verse is often quoted in the expectation of healing. In my opinion this is sometimes used to bully someone into claiming a healing that hasn’t occurred.
One of the Bible Studies I attend is using a book on authority from which comes this quote:
“They were all right until they got home, and after two or three weeks, their healing was gone. Why did they lose it? Because they didn’t know their authority. They didn’t know how to hold onto what they had, so they didn’t try to exercise authority themselves; or, if they said anything, they said the wrong thing.
I’ve seen polio victims completely healed—their feet and legs straightened out—and in 10 days’ time they lost their healing.”
[The Believers Authority- Legacy Edition by Kenneth E. Hagin]]
As a polio survivor with a rather deformed hand I was offended. If my hand isn’t healed, is the fault with me?
Mark 3:5, “And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.” The hardness of their (Pharisees) hearts was because they condemned healing on the Sabbath.  
Should I quote Mark 3:5 and test Jesus to restore my hand? No, perhaps it is somewhat akin to Paul’s “thorn in the flesh.” 2 Corinthians 12:9, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee…” Yes Lord Jesus, your grace is very sufficient!

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