Our Uniqueness

 God's Prayer Power - Session 3

 Before you begin today, let us pray and ask God to open our hearts to understand what His word is saying to us.

 Isaiah 63:17 says, "O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

These three words caught my eye:

1.  Err - to make a mistake.

2. Hardened -turned from God.

3. Return - repent.

Ever wondered how many times a day you make mistakes? Err or stray from the path?

If you read the entire chapter of Isaiah 63:17 you will have a greater understanding of this verse.

The NIV translations says, " Why, LORD, do you make us wander from your ways and harden our hearts so we do not revere you? . . .

If you think of the word err in biblical context you see the word means to make a mistake, fail to comply with. Now you can understand better what they said to God. They blamed Him for making them err. Ever done that? Blame God for you messing up?

They wanted to know why God made them err (wander from His ways) and then why did He hardened their hearts for what He caused them to do. Wow! 

But before we are too hard on them, think of the times, we have done the same thing. We are human and we make mistakes. But let us remember, God loves us, and still wants to help us get back on the right path.

To hardened our hearts against God, we might think that is not possible, but unfortunately it is possible. You see two people cannot sit on the throne of our heart. Either we will sit on it and rule our lives or we will ask the Lord to sit on it. If Christ is not in our hearts then our hearts become hardened over time. We turn away from Him. We eventually ignore Him altogether and live our lives as we please. 

Living this way we are in much danger. You see in these situations, it is easy to see yourself as a victim in anything that is not to your liking. Before long you are blaming everyone including God for your misfortune when all along, you problably created the world you are living in, by the choices you have made. If these seems harsh, there is a way that God made. You can repent and return to Him. That is grace. Undeserved grace. Praise God.

Zechariah 1:3 says, Therefore say to them, "Thus says the Lord of hosts," “Return to Me,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the Lord of hosts.

This week, let us think on this scripture Isaiah 63:17  and ask God to search our hearts and reveal to us areas where we may have been lax and to help us get back on the right track.

Prayer

 

Let us not see ourselves as a victim of fate.

We ask you, God, to cleanse us and purify us and

Help us to cooperate with you to free us from this

blight of our personalities that hinder

our uniqueness.

 

We ask you to unleash your power in us

and help us to step toward you in faith.

Help us to do what we need

to do to crucify our self-will.

Write down words that speak to your heart and write what they mean to you.

What is God saying to you? Write it down.

Write a note to God, tell Him what you need, in plain, specific words.

And thank Him for giving it to you. Continue in a heart of expectancy.