Morning by Morning, October 26 - “Justice is Turned Back” and “Truth has Stumbled” but God will Answer if We Do Our Part in His Power Good morning, Lord Jesus. I open up my heart and speak out Your name to begin my day abiding in You as You abide in me (John 15:5). ... “Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter. Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey” (Isaiah 59:14-15). Last night our local School Board met. On the agenda was the issue of whether we would allow pornographic books in our schools. As one advocate said, “This is the kind of pornographic material that would get any ordinary citizen arrested if you were reading it in the public park.” On an earlier vote by the School Board, the decision was made to take these kinds of books out of our schools. But last night justice was turned back and righteousness stood far away. Truth stumbled. The voices for what is right and good and true were no longer heeded and heard as the voices for what’s called “consciously awakened and culturally aware” in the local paper carried the day -- a day that makes me sick to my stomach to hear this is the kind of decision that was made in our community. As the prophet Isaiah spoke into the culture that was awakened to sin and calling it good in his day, he was not pleased with the failure of the people of God to stand up and speak out against the swelling tide of rebellion against the word and the heart of God. By the unction of the Holy Spirit, he declared: “We hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom. We grope for the wall like the blind; we grope like those who have no eyes; We stumble at noon as in the twilight, among those in full vigor we are like dead men. We all growl like bears; we moan and moan like doves; we hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us” (v. 9-11). He was saying there was too much hoping and groping and not enough praying through and standing up and speaking out to turn back the tide of rebellion and perversion of the godlessness that was washing over the land. But they were not alone. And we are not alone. There is One who is greater, One who ready and willing to hear and to answer our call if we will be available and ready to take our stand and allow His voice to be heard through us and His power to move through us. We must pray, but we must also act. We must pray, but we must also vote. We must pray, but we must also make phone calls, send emails, write letters to editor, show up for school board meetings, town hall discussions, and legislative committee meetings. Not in our power, but Yours. Not in our wisdom or determination or will power, but Yours. I’m convicted to do more. I’m awakened to say more. And I’m ready to join my fellow citizens who are followers of Jesus Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, listening for the heart of our Father who will take a stand in our community in our day. Isaiah expressed Your heart and Your response in His day and we pray the same in our day: “The Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then His own arm brought Him salvation, and His righteousness upheld Him. He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped Himself in zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, so will He repay, wrath to His adversaries, repayment to His enemies; to the coastlands He will render repayment. So they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; for He will come like a rushing stream, which the wind of the Lord drives. “‘And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,’ declares the Lord. “And as for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the Lord: ‘My Spirit that is upon you, and My words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring,’ says the Lord, ‘from this time forth and forevermore’” (v. 15-21). Yes, Lord. Put Your Spirit in our hearts, Your words in our mouths, and Your action to our feet as we get up off of our couches and get into this fight for the hearts and minds of our children and their children and their children. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. Be encouraged today! In the love of Jesus, Tommy Hays My friend, may you be empowered and emboldened by the Holy Spirit to stand up and speak out and take action as the Lord leads in your community and your nation to come against the tide of godlessness in our day, in Jesus' name. God bless you! Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries Mailing Address: 412 S. Adams Street #148 Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 Please share this word to encourage a friend! Anyone can sign up for free at: https://messiah-ministries.org
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