Notes from "God! Thoughts About God's Sovereignty from Isaiah"

from someone's personal journal...

6/20/2001

What struck me and really impacted me from the tape and from the book of Isaiah was the vastness of the magnitude of the power, majesty, and the glory of God, His wisdom, and His sovereignty over everything and everyone. He is Almighty, He is majestic, He is on the throne in the heavenly realms and must be on the throne of my heart (and I better not be).

He is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY. He hates sin. Also we see how he deals with His people, He disciplines His people when they (we) are ungrateful, disobey and/or rebel, but He does this for our good, His heart is redemptive.

He is God and I am not, and I must find my place under His authority and walk humbly before Him. God is telling His people, “If you want me to protect you, learn to believe what I say.” We have no reason to fear, do not fear anything except the Lord Almighty, He alone is the Holy One, if you fear Him you need fear nothing or no one else, He will keep you safe!!! If God be for us, who can be against us. Heaven reigns!!!! I must not fear!!

God takes His people to the “woodshed” for discipline, for our good. He is teaching us to listen to His voice and be obedient. He is also saying, “If you want my protection, you must believe what I say.” If His people do not pay attention to Him and don’t obey Him, it breaks His heart.

Anything I have or am is all from God—my talents, gifts, abilities, and He must get all the glory. To think that I am something, or have any self-confidence based on what God has done and given me is PRIDE. God must get all the glory, it belongs only to Him, and no credit goes to me. Honor God. We must apply ourselves and know God’s ways in order to obey Him. He says, “No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it, I can make you as clean as snow, as white as wool, even if you are stained as red as crimson. If you will only obey me, then I will care for you.”

God is saying to His people: Take your discipline and turn your face toward me in repentance and I will forgive you, I will break your chains. How is He going to do this? By sending Jesus, Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace! The Lord God is my strength and my song and He has become my salvation! If we get a glimpse of Who God is, we will be worshipers, and we will sing to the Lord, for He has done wonderful things!!!

These verses are not from Isaiah, but I read them today and they capture the heart of what God is trying to show us about Himself: “Who is like You—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? You stretched out Your right hand and the earth swallowed them. In Your unfailing love you will lead the people You have redeemed. In Your strength You will guide them to Your holy dwelling………The Lord will reign for ever and ever.” (Exod. 15:11-13 & 18) “the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men” (Daniel 4:17 and 4:25) “He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him, ‘what have you done?’…….those who walk in pride He is able to humble.” (Daniel 4:35 &37b)

Everything goes back to Who God is. No one can close a door He has opened or open a door He has closed. There is the passionate heart of God to say throughout all ages, I am God, listen to Me, hear my voice, bow your knee! I am God. This is holy ground! You think you can have it your way and you don’t have to listen to Me. You think you can be gods, knowing good and evil. Every shred of talent or wisdom or intellect, everything comes from Me. Honor Me, obey Me, don’t be self-sufficient, says the Lord.

The Lord will have mercy on His people. He may spank us to get our attention, but His heart is always to bring us back, to draw us close. “I have a plan for the whole earth, for My mighty power reaches throughout the world,” says the Lord. He can make His enemies and our enemies lose heart.

“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides on the heavens to help you and on the clouds in His majesty. The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the Everlasting Arms.” (Deut. 33:26-27)

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