He may not match your expectations and desires. You may have latched onto popular concepts about Jesus and what you would gain by following him. But each one of those expectations may have been shattered. 

John the Baptist expected Jesus to establish God’s physical kingdom here on the earth during his lifetime. But Jesus’ plan was not a physical kingdom but rather the rule and reign of God in the hearts of those who dedicate their lives to Him.   

John was in prison and sent messengers to verify if Jesus was really the messiah. Jesus told the messengers to tell John about the signs, then he said, “And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Matthew 11:6, NKJV) 

Jesus didn’t match John’s expectations. Maybe he doesn’t meet yours. But he is your savior. He gave his life for you, no doubt. Now allow him to do as he pleases. No need to be offended. Just line up with his plans and pattern of doing what he does. 

NOTE: What did you think of this post? Be sure to like, comment, and share. By the way, have you subscribed to yourBarnabas.com 

The events described in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, took place more than two thousand years ago. But when were these events actually written down? Records of kings may have been documented by court scribes, while prophets like Jeremiah had scribes to write on their behalf. Much of their experiences were likely passed down as stories, riddles, and poetry. But when were these oral traditions first recorded in written form?

Some scholars suggest that those who lived a few hundred years after the actual events could not have accurately written their history. They argue that stories passed down through oral tradition must have changed over generations, making them unreliable.

Now, thousands of years later, these modern scholars have taken it upon themselves to correct the history of Israel presented in the Bible. The aim is to present the real story of Israel’s ancestors. This is a bold assertion, to say the least.

My question for these scholars is based on logic and reason. Yes, the Hebrew writers may have been a few hundred years removed from the events they recorded. However, the stories of their ancestors were of great importance to them, and they would have been motivated to preserve them as accurately as possible. Shouldn’t we at least give them the benefit of the doubt that they aimed for accuracy?

Even if we assume that perfect clarity and accuracy were beyond the reach of these ancient writers, how can we conclude that modern scholars—who are now thousands of years removed from those events—are better positioned to write or rewrite the ancient history of the Israelites?

NOTE: Did you like this post? Be sure to like, comment, and share. By the way, have you subscribed to yourBarnabas.com?

Abraham asked this rhetorical question in a unique situation. Abraham said, “Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be it from you! Shall not the judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Gen 18:25) 

This was the same struggle that Job’s friends had. Since Job was suffering, they assumed that he was in the wrong and that there was surely some wickedness in him. 

Abraham asks the simple question, “Shall not the judge of all the earth do what is right?” But the question is not so simple. Abraham has his idea of what is the right action for God. His idea is based on what is good for him and his nephew. 

God has his own criteria, and his own agenda. You may be frustrated, scared, or confused. Just know that God is in control and he does as he pleases. 

NOTE: Did you like this post? Be sure to like, comment, and share.

Those who speak and walk differently from the crowd will be ridiculed. But God had a clear message for Isaiah, sternly warning him not to walk in the ways of the people. He was to walk, think, and speak differently. 

“For the LORD spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 12 “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread” (Isa 8:11-12).

God’s people walked away from the one who was the reason for their existence and turned to the gods and practices of other nations. They turned to spiritists, mediums, and necromancers for answers to their problems. The prophets clearly indicated that the threats they face are due to the sins of the people, and that God is the one calling the nations to come and bring punishment. 

Although speaking God’s message to the people brought ridicule, Isaiah was to continue speaking and doing only what God instructed him. He was not to fear the people nor to walk in their ways. He was to walk on another path, apart from the majority of the people in his nation. 

God was calling Isaiah to another level of living, and speaking. What is God calling you for today? Maybe it’s contrary to the common understanding of those in your community. But continue listening to God and let His Word lead you and ignore all other voices. 
NOTE: Did you like this post? Be sure to like, comment, and share.

We are reminded in 2 Timothy 1:7 that “… God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Either you can be self-controlled or you’ll be controlled by fear. In any situation, the control of your tongue, emotions, and reactions are in your hand. Until you give control to someone else, it is yours to use. 

But once you give in to fear, you lose control. You have made an exchange that is irrevocable. Now, fear is in control, not you. Once fear is in control, you have already lost the battle even before it begins. Stay in control of every situation. 

To keep control of every situation, you’ve got to be careful, be quiet, and don’t fear. 

NOTE: Did you like this post? Be sure to like, comment, and share.

Isaiah 7:4
These were the words spoken to Ahaz, king of Judah, as he faced the threat of being attacked by two kings from the north. He was instructed: “Be careful, be quiet, and do not fear” (Isaiah 7:4). The prophet’s words came at a critical time for the king and the nation. Let’s look at these three words in their context.

BE CAREFUL
Those who react emotionally to any situation will surely accelerate the problem. You never get a chance to step back from the event and take a broader look. An unemotional view gives you an opportunity to evaluate the situation with clarity.

Be careful to be intentional and not reactionary. Be careful to not react like everyone else. Take time to carefully consider your next steps.

BE QUIET
Words are powerful. Words that are driven by emotion can confuse the situation at hand. Words that come from fear can be destructive. Anger driven words can cause wounds that are difficult to heal. Words of faith can improve the temperament of any group of people.

Silence is often the best first response to any tragic or fearful event. You may have many words to speak, but silence needs to be your first choice of reaction.

Silence gives you a chance to let your feelings settle. It also allows you to “buffer” your thoughts and think first before you speak.

It also gives you an opportunity to listen to the Holy Spirit. What is God saying to you in this situation? How does God want you to react?

DO NOT FEAR
We are reminded in 2 Timothy 1:7 that “… God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Either you can be self-controlled or you’ll be controlled by fear. In any situation, the control of your tongue, emotions, and reactions are in your hand. Until you give control to someone else, it is yours to use.

But once you give in to fear, you lose control. You have made an exchange that is irrevocable. Now, fear is in control, not you. Once fear is in control, you have already lost the battle even before it begins. Stay in control of every situation.

To keep control of every situation, you’ve got to be careful, be quiet, and don’t fear.

NOTE: Did you like this post? Be sure to like, comment, and share.

Isaiah 7:18

I’ve never thought of God in this way. It sounds too pedestrian, or common. But when this text says that God whistles and summons the flies in Egypt and Assyria, he is speaking of their armies. God is in control of every military force on the face of the earth. 

When God’s people were in fear, the prophet reminded them that it is a simple thing for God to summon neighboring armies (who were Israel’s enemies) to come and defeat their enemies. In other words, he’ll put their enemies at war with each other just to deliver his own people. 

Think for a moment of the things you fear. Who are your “enemies”? Is it sickness, debt, mental struggles, strife, bondages, or you just have fear for no reason. Now, think of your God as one who “whistles” to the situations in your life to come to order according to his plan. 

Of course, the problems and struggles in life will never end. As soon as one problem gets resolved, another one was brewing and getting ready for it’s attack on you.

But your can struggle without fear. You can go through difficulties with complete trust in God to bring you through.

 
NOTE: Did you like this post? Be sure to like, comment, and share.

“If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all” (Isaiah 7:9b).

 

Perplexed and helpless, the king of Judah feared the worst. Several nations gathered their forces to defeat Judah, and the end seemed to be near. 

Fear and dread seemed to be the only option, but God sent the prophet Isaiah with a word of faith, warning, and rebuke. The words were clear: ‘’If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’’ 

God already had a plan for the nations gearing up to war against Judah. God will work out his plan in spite of what the king of Judah thought or feared. The only thing that God desired of him was to stay firm in faith. Because if you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all. 

The only thing worth holding on to is faith in God who is able to act. Even before we ask, He already has a plan to handle the difficulties before us. For Judah’s problem, God’s solution was sixty-five years later. But that was the best solution in God’s eyes. 

Our side of the deal is that we remain in faith, trusting God to act. He will. He has done it before. Don’t fret because ‘‘If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’’

NOTE: Did you like this post? Be sure to like, comment, and share.

God has a way of bypassing those of affluence and power. He goes directly to the common people. He seems to prefer communicating with and doing his work through common people. These passages (Isaiah 6:1-8; 2 Chronicles 26:16-21; Luke 3:1-2) and many others attest to this. 

So if you’re a common person without much popularity, God certainly wants to use you for his work here on earth (of course he will use anyone, even the rich and famous). 

God uses those who are willing to take risks for his name sake. He uses those who are obedient to him. Those who remain humble will stay on course for their entire lives. Others fall by the wayside along the way. 

If you are used by God and become famous, guard your heart carefully. Your heart and emotions can play tricks with you, and Satan will use that to his advantage. He will trap you with fame and wealth. 

Avoid fame as much as possible. Jesus did. He avoided positions and prominence. Of course, the converse argument is that if you have popularity and fame, more people will hear the gospel. Maybe. But when you fall, more people will get notified of your fall and the name of the Lord will get discredited. I’m not assuming that all famous people will fail or fall into some serious sin. It just seems that Jesus avoided that at all costs. Maybe there was a reason for his refusal to accept the accolades of people. 

At one point, the people wanted to make Jesus their king, but Jesus refused. He ‘‘slipped’’ away from their grip. Often, he preferred solitary places where he could spend more time with his heavenly Father. 

There is a natural human need to be liked and accepted. We need to find our complete acceptance in Jesus. Just like him, we can fill that need by being with the the Father.

 
NOTE: Did you like this post? Be sure to like, comment, and share.

On the contrary, I did everything I could to help my children as they were growing up. Although I never made a fuss about it, I took care of things and was happy to do so at any cost. 

But when they went far away for college, things began to change. When they faced challenges in life, I felt helpless. There’s only so much you can do through phone calls. 

These were times where I really felt helpless. Things were certainly beyond my control. It was frustrating and I felt like I was in a place where I had no control. At first, they were a train ride away, and I took the train to go help in whatever way I could. 

Then they went further away to other countries, and things were even more complex. It was no longer as simple as an overnight train ride. At that point, my helplessness went to another level. This led to various emotions like fear, anxiety, and even anger. 

But God was doing his work in me through my helplessness. He was teaching me to let go of my children and to give them to him. He could help them better than I ever could. This requires a higher level of trust than I’ve ever had. 

God’s work still continues in me as I’m learning to give other areas of my life completely to him. Of course, this came through other areas of my life where I became helpless. Thus I continue to hear his voice calling me to higher levels of trust. He says, ‘’Give it to me.’’ 

NOTE: Did you like this post? Be sure to like, comment, and share.