Purging From Sin

Then said I, 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 6:5.
As the prophet Isaiah beheld the glory of the Lord, he was amazed, and, overwhelmed with a sense of his own weakness and unworthiness, he cried, “Woe is me! …”
Isaiah had denounced the sin of others; but now he sees himself exposed to the same condemnation he had pronounced upon them. He had been satisfied with a cold, lifeless ceremony in his worship of God. He had not known this until the vision was given him of the Lord. How little now appeared his wisdom and talents as he looked upon the sacredness and majesty of the sanctuary…. His view of himself might be expressed in the language of the apostle Paul, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:24….
“Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” Isaiah 6:6, 7.
The vision given to Isaiah represents the condition of God’s people in the last days. They are privileged to see by faith the work that is going forward in the heavenly sanctuary…. As they look by faith into the holy of holies, and see the work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, they perceive that they are a people of unclean lips—a people whose lips have often spoken vanity, and whose talents have not been sanctified and employed to the glory of God. Well may they despair as they contrast their own weakness and unworthiness with the purity and loveliness of the glorious character of Christ. But if they, like Isaiah, will receive the impression the Lord designs shall be made upon the heart, if they will humble their souls before God, there is hope for them. The bow of promise is above the throne, and the work done for Isaiah will be performed in them.
The Faith I Live By p. 190
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Praise—Lou is out of ICU and into a regular hospital room. Thank you for your prayers. Please keep praying for her. Eileen
—-Requesting prayers for my son. He’s having emergency surgery this morning. Kathy
—-My friend Bobby needs prayer🙏🏼🕊He is very sick and . . . . his gallbladder is infected..Eva
—-The Lake Elsinore Holy fire has closed my grandchildren’s school. Please pray for my daughter and her family. Shirley
—-Please pray for our great granddaughter she was born a month early. Debbie
—-Got my knee unwrapped yesterday. Discovered doctor had used dissolving sutures rather than staples. My knee is pain free! I will have some muscle strengthening yet to do, but overall it is going to be mostly endurance. I am so happy! This is the first time in two and a half years my leg has been pain free. Thank you for your prayers. Lorna
****Note*** There will be no devotional for the next two days. Rose
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends
We have made quite a few trips between South Dakota and Kansas over the years and had tried different routes in order to find the fastest way. We drove that fastest way often, but one particular time we decided to try a new way home. We had looked at the route on the map before we left for South Dakota, but we had accidentally left it home so only had a vague memory of Highway 385 going down through Colorado to Interstate 70. Still, we were positive that we knew the way. We had seen the road on the map many times and had discussed trying that way, so we were confident that we would be able to find our way home with no problem.
In fact, highway 385 was part of our normal route, so all we would have to do was stay on it instead of turning off as we usually did. When we stopped for gas, we asked the clerk about the road. He advised us to go our normal way. A lady, paying for her gas, overheard our conversation. She told us she also was from Wichita and that our normal way was best.
When we got back to the car, we discussed the advice we were just given. Should we go our regular way? At last we decided to try the new way despite the advice of those who had travelled it before. Off we drove, feeling confident and carefree. We followed 385 for about 20 miles, and began to realize that it was running parallel to the Interstate where we could go much faster. Indeed, seeing a movement out of the corner of my eye, I saw the vehicles driving on I-80. We were that close to the fastest way! We decided to get back onto the Interstate and then when we would see a sign for 385 south, we would take it down through Colorado to I-70. It seemed like such a good plan, but we never did find the turn-off. What had seemed like a fun adventure made our trip much longer.
How often we do the same on our trip to Heaven. We are sure we know where we are going and feel we do not need the Road Map, God’s Holy Word. The Psalmist declares, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Ps 119:105; 130 Jeremiah exclaims, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” Jer 15:16
How vital to our present and future happiness is God’s Holy Word, yet, how many times we forget to hide its words in our heart that we may consult it along the way of life. In His mercy, our Great Redeemer sends messages to us to help us stay on the right path, but we stubbornly will not listen. Soon we become confused and lost and find ourselves travelling down the wrong path. As it is written, “there is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Prov 16:25
As we realize our feet are on the wrong path, we wish we had taken the advice so freely offered. Praise God! We have a Shepherd and Guide Who will bring us back to the right way if we will ask Him. He bids us through the prophet Isaiah, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isa 55:7 He pleads through Ezekiel, “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” Eze 33:11 He assures us “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:11
May we follow God’s Word just as it reads, laying aside our preconceived ideas and our self-confident wanderings. May we look always to our Shepherd and Guide “the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb 12:2 May we hide His Words in our heart that we may live the victorious Christian life His longs for us to have is my prayer.
Rose