This morning we are back in the book of Isaiah, let's start in ch 6:5. We see where Isaiah had a vision of angels crying "holy, holy, holy is the LORD". As a result in vs 5 he says, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts". Isaiah realized his standing in the eternal scheme of things, he realized just how sinful man is.
In vs 6-7 we see where one of the angels took a hot coal off the alter and touched it to Isaiah's mouth, and told Isaiah that the coal had purged his sin.
Now for what I want you to see, in vs 8 "Also I heard the voice of the LORD saying, Whom shall I send and who will go for us? THEN SAID I, HERE AM I: SEND ME". Isaiah found out there was a job to do, he did not ask God, who was going, he said, send me. Can we say send me? I don't know if I could say it, I mean if God wanted someone to go to the Bahama's, I'm there, but what about the jungles of Africa, or South America, I would have to think about it. What about my next door neighbor? Uh oh, now my toes hurt.
Now we all can't go to the Bahama's, or Africa, or South America, but what we can do is support missions. 1 Chor 12:12-31, and 2 Chor 9:7-8 describe how we should give above our tithe to support missions. The theme in these verses is "Here am I send my money, because God loves a cheerful giver". Phil. 4:14-19 continues this theme, finally saying in vs 19 you supplied my needs, now "my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus". According to HIS riches in glory. How rich is God? If He is going to meet our needs based on how much riches He has, do I really need to worry about being broke because I gave to missions? There you go on my toes again.
Second Tim. 1:9 says "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling". James 1:22 "Be ye doers and not just hearers". God knows what he is doing when He calls us to do a job. Why do we argue with Him? Why do we try to get out of doing the job He called us to do? I know with me, it's because I am lazy, I don't want to get out of my comfort zone, I'm afraid I won't have enough money left, those people are weird I don't want to talk to them, I am out of mayonnaise, (Hey one excuse is as good as another).
We all say "Pray for our world, it's in bad shape and something needs to be done, somebody needs to step up and do what God wants, just not me". Isaiah had the right idea, don't even worry about talking to anyone else "I'll go". Are you willing to say "God whatever you want, I'll do it", am I willing to say it?
We need to get off our pew, and into the workforce, there is no unemployment insurance in God's workforce, especially not when we are unemployed because we don't want to work. I am not able to travel thousands of miles to a jungle, but I am able to pray, to write a blog, to visit my neighbors and so much more that I can do, God knows what I am capable of, and if He calls me to go to Africa then I am wrong, I can travel that far. If He does call me for that, then I need to quit complaining, quit using my health as an excuse, and start packing my bags. Then again maybe I just need to take the church prayer list, and pray for each person on it daily, maybe I need to meet with the pastor before church, put my hand on his shoulder and pray for God's power and Spirit to fall on him, and give him boldness to preach the Word the way God intended. Maybe, prepare a meal for a elderly church member, and deliver it, and spend time with them. What about purchasing cassette tapes of the sermons for shut-in members that can't afford to purchase them, themselves. There is so much we can do, and God expects us to do it.
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