ESOCS Devotional 5 January 2021
TEXT: ISAIAH 2:12-22
MEMORY VERSE: “Stop trusting other people to save you. Do not think too highly of them; they are only humans who have not stopped breathing yet. Isaiah 2:22 ERV
The easiest and simplest way to lose God’s favour and defence is to trust in anyone or anything else. As in every other thing, God has warned, “… for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God …” (Deut. 5:9 NIV). If we put our trust elsewhere other than God, it means we say and believe in our hearts that God is incapable of doing such a thing for us; and that the other one in whom we trust is capable! Such attitude towards God is great slight, rudeness, and insult; and quite unacceptable to Him. He is the omnipotent God; and with Him, there is nothing impossible, as the Scripture says, “… with God all things are possible“ (Matt. 19:26 AMP); and that “… with God nothing is ever impossible …” (Luke 1:37 AMP). There is nothing that God cannot do, absolutely.
The psalmist says, “It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in princes” (Ps. 118:8-9). Such attitude would endear us to the heart of God, and we would reap many good things. When we trust in God, we insure our life, health, prosperity, business, career, family, wellbeing, and others in Him. He will never fail us in time of need; of course, He has never failed anyone, for He does not fail (Deut. 31:6). He has promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5 ASV); and “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20 ASV). David prayed, “Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless” (Ps. 60:11-12 NKJV). Truly, the help of man is futile, worthless, unprofitable, insignificant, hopeless, and vain compared to the help that comes from God. Proverbs 25:19 says, “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint” (AMP).
Furthermore, we should not have confidence in ourselves either, but solely in God; for people who do such things “… shall lie down [sleep] in sorrow [torment, pain, grief, suffering, misery, punishment]” (Isa. 50:11 NWB). We should build our faith in God, trusting Him in all things, at all times, and in all circumstances. Let us not waver or doubt, for He alone has the power to do all things for us. Every other power and authority is subject to Him. He is all things and fills all things. In Him, there is no vacuum at all (Eph. 1:23). He is the authority in heaven, on earth, in the seas, ocean depths, under the earth, and everywhere else in the cosmos, spiritually and temporally. He is
God and God alone. He said, “I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me” (Isa. 45:5 NKJV). We should respect, revere, and hold in highest esteem and regard that declaration from Him.
Read yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
Some have confidence and trust in their wealth rather than God. At the least controversy with other people or the time of trouble, their minds go to their possessions, positions, and status in life, rather than God. But such things fail; only God does not fail. Let us be mindful of this truth always, lest we forget it and offend God. Paul told Timothy, “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17 KJV). Such a mind-set is profitable.
CHALLENGES
Where is your confidence – God, yourself, friends, or your wealth?
PRAYER POINT
Pray God to give you a heart that has absolute faith and trust in Him alone.
FURTHER READING: Isaiah 19:1-24; Matthew 23:19-39; Revelation 19:11-21
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ESOCS Devotional 5 January 2021
