STANDING FIRMLY IN FAITH

In reading the Old Testament, I see the admonitions to stand firmly in faith.  Every nation that came into Israel and Judah practiced their religion.  Tragically, Israel and Judah did not stand firmly in faith of God's promises to them.  They chose to blend in with the religious activities which were not of the LORD GOD.  

Isaiah was sent by God to King Ahaz who was of the line of David, to remind him to stand firm in faith or he would not stand at all.  Ahaz chose to make alliances with other nations to protect Judah from Syria and Israel.  He would not trust in God's Word  given to him by way of Isaiah.  

Whom all and what all have we as Americans and even some of us who claim to be Christ followers put our trust for protection, for needs met, for assurances, or for financial profit and expediency?  The year is 740 BC and the words were spoken by Isaiah, "...If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all."  (Isaiah 7:9 c,d)  Here we are in 2015, the words reverberate against the mindset of this present age.  We have bought into every ism, was'm, and ease mindset which screams in our culture.  Isaiah 55: 10-11, "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my Word be that goes out from my mouth, it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing who which I sent it."    We have choices:  we can stand firmly in faith or we can choose to sit in apathy and despair.  As Christ followers, we must stand in the faith and be the leaders/pace setters that God has purposed us. 

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