To The Cities With Ears To Hear:
God, once again speaks to a nation, which of course is comprised of cities. What an effort in futility to attempt to impose antithetical instructions on a Christ-driven assignment. God's protocol is the only key that opens the door to rewards through His vessels. His instructions fit my ministry perfectly.
God, once again speaks to a nation, which of course is comprised of cities. What an effort in futility to attempt to impose antithetical instructions on a Christ-driven assignment. God's protocol is the only key that opens the door to rewards through His vessels. His instructions fit my ministry perfectly.
Isaiah 58 (MSG)
¹"Shout! A full-throated shout! Hold nothing back--a trumpet-blast shout! Tell my people what's wrong with their lives, face my family Jacob with their sins!
²They're busy, busy, busy at worship, and love studying all about me. To all appearances they're a nation of right-living people--law-abiding, God-honoring. They ask me, "What's the right thing to do?' and love having me on their side.
³But they also complain, "Why do we fast and you don't look our way? Why do we humble ourselves and you don't even notice?'"Well, here's why: "The bottom line on your "fast days' is profit. You drive your employees much too hard.
⁴You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight. You fast, but you swing a mean fist. The kind of fasting you do won't get your prayers off the ground.
⁵Do you think this is the kind of fast day I'm after: a day to show off humility? To put on a pious long face and parade around solemnly in black? Do you call that fasting, a fast day that I, GOD, would like?
⁶"This is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts.
⁷What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families.
⁸Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The GOD of glory will secure your passage.
⁹Then when you pray, GOD will answer. You'll call out for help and I'll say, "Here I am.'"If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people's sins,
¹⁰If you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down--and-out, Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
¹¹I will always show you where to go. I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places--firm muscles, strong bones. You'll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
¹²You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past. You'll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again.
¹³"If you watch your step on the Sabbath and don't use my holy day for personal advantage, If you treat the Sabbath as a day of joy, GOD's holy day as a celebration, If you honor it by refusing "business as usual,' making money, running here and there--
¹⁴Then you'll be free to enjoy GOD! Oh, I'll make you ride high and soar above it all. I'll make you feast on the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob." Yes! GOD says so!
Now write down everything you see: things that are, things about to be. Revelation 1:19 (MSG)
I see many cities recommitting themselves to God's code of conduct. Several cities have already begun to see the residuals from their faithfulness. Be patient, for He has long endured us. God's payoff is unparalleled.
His yoke is so very easy.
Get the latest Daily Offline Bible with KJV, NIV, NLT, NKJV, MSG and more bible versions from the Google Play Store.
²They're busy, busy, busy at worship, and love studying all about me. To all appearances they're a nation of right-living people--law-abiding, God-honoring. They ask me, "What's the right thing to do?' and love having me on their side.
³But they also complain, "Why do we fast and you don't look our way? Why do we humble ourselves and you don't even notice?'"Well, here's why: "The bottom line on your "fast days' is profit. You drive your employees much too hard.
⁴You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight. You fast, but you swing a mean fist. The kind of fasting you do won't get your prayers off the ground.
⁵Do you think this is the kind of fast day I'm after: a day to show off humility? To put on a pious long face and parade around solemnly in black? Do you call that fasting, a fast day that I, GOD, would like?
⁶"This is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts.
⁷What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families.
⁸Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The GOD of glory will secure your passage.
⁹Then when you pray, GOD will answer. You'll call out for help and I'll say, "Here I am.'"If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people's sins,
¹⁰If you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down--and-out, Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
¹¹I will always show you where to go. I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places--firm muscles, strong bones. You'll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
¹²You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past. You'll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again.
¹³"If you watch your step on the Sabbath and don't use my holy day for personal advantage, If you treat the Sabbath as a day of joy, GOD's holy day as a celebration, If you honor it by refusing "business as usual,' making money, running here and there--
¹⁴Then you'll be free to enjoy GOD! Oh, I'll make you ride high and soar above it all. I'll make you feast on the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob." Yes! GOD says so!
Now write down everything you see: things that are, things about to be. Revelation 1:19 (MSG)
I see many cities recommitting themselves to God's code of conduct. Several cities have already begun to see the residuals from their faithfulness. Be patient, for He has long endured us. God's payoff is unparalleled.
His yoke is so very easy.
Get the latest Daily Offline Bible with KJV, NIV, NLT, NKJV, MSG and more bible versions from the Google Play Store.
