Thoughts on Christ and His Word

Depression can hit any of us. When the circumstances of our life overwhelm us depression can easily set in. Some people have a personality that tends towards depression. They can get depressed more easily like the Prophet Jeremiah who cursed the day he was born and cursed the man who brought the good news to his father, that he had a son (Jer. 20:14-18). Jeremiah wished that he had died as an infant. He was a godly man and a prophet of God and yet he suffered with bouts of depression. So it's okay if we suffer from depression at times also.

Jeremiah 3 reveals Gods great mercy. God's Mercy is so great that even after he had kicked the Northern Kingdom of Israel out of its land by the hand of the Assyrians he beckons them back. Even though they had played the harlot with many lovers (idols) (v. 3), God says "return to me." in verse 12 God declares himself to be a merciful God and that his anger would not remain forever even though he had given Israel a certificate of divorce. And in verse 22 God says "return you backsliding children and I will heal your backslidings." God is always ready to forgive and embrace us when we are ready to confess and forsake our sin. He is a merciful God.

We can't blame God for our spiritual condition. Our sins and our turning away from him are our own doing and not caused by God. Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the Lord your God when he led you in the way?... Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty... I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine? Jeremiah 2:17‭, ‬19‭‭, ‬21 NIV God is the one who is leading us towards himself. He is the one who draws us and gives us the tools necessary to live for him. It is our own doing that we turn away from him into Wicked evil people.

Does God cause us to go astray? O Lord , why do you make us wander from your ways and harden our heart, so that we fear you not?"  Isaiah 63:17 ESV Are we not responsible for rebelling against God?  YES WE ARE. In Isaiah 64:10, the prophet is clear about who is to blame for our rebellion:  "In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled And grieved His Holy Spirit; Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought against them."  Isaiah 63:9‭-‬10 NASB When we rebelagainst God, He begins to resist us (James 4:6) and allows us to go down our own destructive path (Isaiah 6:8-10; Rom. 1;24, 28-29).  But all it takes is a repentant heart returning to God and He will return to us (Joel 2:12; Mal. 3:7).

And Isaiah 58 God gives us his instructions on fasting. As we know fasting is not eating any food for a certain period of time to devote greater time to prayer and meditation. Through this act of humility and devotion we try to show God how serious we are about our prayers and our needs.  After fasting the Jews complained that God didn't listen to them. God replied: They lament, ‘Why don’t you notice when we fast? Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’ Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, you oppress your workers. Isaiah 58:3 NET The fasting that God accepts is when we come to Him combining fasting and acts of love and justice. When we come to God leaving sin behind and with acts of righteousness and love then H e promises: Then you will call out, and the Lord will respond; you will cry out, and he will reply, ‘Here I am.’ Isaiah 58: 9a NET

Isaiah 53 makes the mission of the Messiah clear. He came to die to pay for our sins. Six out of the 12 verses in this chapter tell us that Messiah came to pay for sin. V.5 - He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him,  and by his stripes we are healed. V. 6 and the LORD has laid upon him the iniquity of us all. V. 8 for the transgressions of my people he was stricken. V. 10 when you make his soul an offering for sin. V. 11 for he shall bear their iniquities. V. 12 and he bore the sins of many. The blessing of the Messiah is that he came to pay for our sins and open the door for eternal life to all who believe.

All of us fear. Some of us hide it a little bit better than others but we all tend to have fears. But God does not want us to live in fear especially the fear of man. The fear of man is always a trap. God tells us: “Listen to me, you that know what is right, who have my teaching fixed in your hearts. Do not be afraid when people taunt and insult you;  they will vanish like moth-eaten clothing! But the deliverance I bring will last forever; my victory will endure for all time...The Lord says, “I am the one who strengthens you. Why should you fear mortals, who are no more enduring than grass?” Isaiah 51:7‭-‬8,12 GNT