Pastor Bob DuPar
September 17, 2008

Journal Entry



Scripture

Isaiah 25:1-28:13; Galatians 3:10-22; Psalm 61:1-8; Proverbs 23:17-18

Observation

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast (“whose mind is stayed on Thee” KJV), because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.” Isaiah 26:3

What a promise!

I found Isaiah 26:10-11 to be both sad as well as an interesting insight on those who reject God,

“Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord. O Lord, Your hand is lifted high, but they do not see it. Let them see Your zeal for Your people and be put to shame.”

Finally, I thought that Galatians 3:21b-22 was excellent,

“…If a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.”

Application

To be steadfast means to “stay” my mind on God – to make Him my focus, my goal, my obsession.
Isaiah 26:10 seems to infer that those who go on doing evil do so because they “regard not the majesty of the Lord.” The words of an old hymn come to mind: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth (including sin & wickedness) will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

Our task as Christians is to inform the world that as much as they think that they are “free” – free to live as they want, they are actually “prisoners of sin” (and ultimately Satan); and, the only way to become free is through faith in Jesus Christ.

Prayer

“Lord, please continually lead me to the Rock that is higher than me.”