Love and hate.

I once heard a preacher say “Hate is NOT the opposite of Love”. He said “the opposite of Love is selfishness because God hates”.

Hear the Word of the Lord spoken through the prophet Malachi.

Malachi 1:2-3 (NKJV)
2 “I have loved you,” says the LORD. “Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’ Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” Says the LORD. “Yet Jacob I have loved;
3 But Esau I have hated, And laid waste his mountains and his heritage For the jackals of the wilderness.”

Oh but you say…that is Old Testament.

Well, here it is in the New.

Romans 9:13-21 (NKJV)
13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!
How could God hate someone he made? For we have from scripture…

1 John 4:7-8 (KJV)
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

So I beg these questions from anyone reading this. How can God hate? Or maybe better said, what does God hate?

Like it or not, the scriptures clearly teach that God does hate and that there are those marked out for destruction…

1 John 3:11-12 (NKJV)
11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,
12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

Matthew 13:36-43 (NKJV)
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”
37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.
39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

So, does God hate you?

I would say not so. For the scripture says this.

Romans 9:13-16 (NKJV)
13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!
15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.”
16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.

And, so God has shown mercy. God has poured out his mercy through His Son Jesus Christ to our generation.

So God has demonstrated his great love for us by sending Jesus Christ his son.

Romans 5:6-10 (NKJV)
6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

All we must do is call upon the name of the Lord to be saved.

Acts 2:21 (KJV)
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Analyzing all this, it would seem to me that God does not hate the person…he hates sin.

For I can love my own children but yet hate unacceptable behavior.

And God does the same. God pleaded with Cain to repent but he would not.

Genesis 4:7 (NKJV)
7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

But rather than ruling over sin, Cain decided to murder his brother Abel.

What about you? Are you one of these vessels marked out for destruction?

The good news is God’s mercy is available to you right now.

2 Corinthians 6:2 (NKJV)
2 For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

2 Timothy 2:19-21 (NKJV)
19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.
21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

Note verse 21 above. Anyone who cleanses himself can turn from a vessel of dishonor to a vessel of honor.

And this agrees with the Word of Jesus Christ.

John 3:16 (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

The choice is yours. Whoever will believe on Jesus Christ will be saved from the wrath to come and will find honor from God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NKJV)
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 15:33-34 (NKJV)
33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

Galatians 5:16-21 (NKJV)
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Having so many warnings from scripture…I beg all men everywhere to repent and so did Jesus:

Mark 1:14-15 (NKJV)
14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

The choice is yours…

Joshua 24:15 (NKJV)
15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

So will you be the one God loves or the one God hates? Remember, God so loved the world…he doesn’t hate the person…only their rebellious sin.

Amen.

Sick or Not.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (KJV)
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

The word translated from Greek to English for infirmity was…ἀσθένεια…phonetically astheniah…some think that if you have an illness then you are not believing God for healing…some of these same people refuse to believe that Paul had an illness….but the word is very clear about this.

In fact this same word root in Greek is used in the book of James but it is translated as “sick”.

James 5:14-15 (KJV)
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

So if you are ill… don’t think God has abandoned you. By no means…for sometimes God strikes us to draw us closer to him.

If he would strike Paul, then how much more us?

Galatians 4:13-15 (KJV)
13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

Jacob did not prevail with God until he was broken…after his encounter with the angel he limped the rest of his life. So, like Jacob, on our journey to the promised land we may encounter brokenness too.

Genesis 32:24-32 (KJV)
24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew that shrank.

Psalm 119:67 (KJV)
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

Psalm 119:71 (KJV)
71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

There is something about being ill or something about knowing that your last breath here will be your first breath there in front of your maker. It changes you. You are no longer afraid to speak the truth and are hard pressed to do so…knowing that great reward awaits those who stand up for Christ.

But I truly believe God is still in the healing business and it will come at the appointed time.

Habakkuk 2:3 (KJV)
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Psalm 103:1-6 (KJV)
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

Isaiah 53:4-5 (KJV)
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

So today…I will rejoice in my infirmities and let Christ be exalted as He will. For in my weakness, He is strong.

Amen.

…………………………
Notes below of word used in 2 Corinthians to describe his infirmity. It was some type of sickness…the Bible tells me so.

The word in 2 Corinthians.

Greek Strong’s Number: 769
Greek Word: ἀσθένεια
Transliteration: astheneia
Phonetic Pronunciation:as-then’-i-ah
Root: from <G772>
Cross Reference: TDNT – 1:490,83
Part of Speech: n f
Vine’s Words: Disease, Diseased, Infirmity, Sick, Sickly, Sickness, Weak, Weakened, Weaker, Weakness

Usage Notes:

English Words used in KJV:
infirmity 17
weakness 5
disease 1
sickness 1
[Total Count: 24]

from <G772> (asthenes); feebleness (of body or mind); by implication malady; moral frailty :- disease, infirmity, sickness, weakness.

Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.

The word in James…

Greek Strong’s Number: 770
Greek Word: ἀσθενέω
Transliteration: astheneō
Phonetic Pronunciation:as-then-eh’-o
Root: from <G772>
Cross Reference: TDNT – 1:490,83
Part of Speech: v
Vine’s Words: Disease, Diseased, Impotent, Sick, Sickly, Sickness, Weak, Weakened, Weaker, Weakness

from <G772> (asthenes); to be feeble (in any sense) :- be diseased, impotent folk (man), (be) sick, (be, be made) weak.

Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.

Love never fails…1 Cor 13:8

In the King James version of the Bible, Love is Charity…it says charity never fails.

So which one is it? Well its both. The word in Greek is agape love…Godly love. Its not just a mere statement of I love you but it is God’s love expressed in our actions.

One day while reading a religious document from a major Christian denomination I read that it was wrong to give tithes from the church to Charity. It said there was no scriptural support for this. I immediately thought to myself…what Bible are you reading? For the Bible I read says Charity never fails.

But if that isn’t enough…hear the word of the Lord concerning tithes.

Deuteronomy 26:12-15 (KJV)
12 When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;
13 Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them:
14 I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me.
15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

In ancient times during the times of the Israeli kings, the people got this love message messed up too. They were wealthy. God had blessed them. When you are wealthy it is easy to just say I love you in mere passing but never show love in your actions or with the power with which God Almighty has blessed you.

Somehow when we get money we forget that it was God that gave us that money and not the power of our own hand. This world teaches that the power of our own hand gives us wealth but God’s word does not agree with this worldly teaching.

Deuteronomy 8:11-20 (KJV)
11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
****
18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. ****

19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
20 As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.

But somehow they fooled themselves and made themselves religious. Its a terrible thing to think you are religious but to break the heart of God.

One of the religious practices the ancients advanced was that of fasting. Man if you fast, you must be super religious…sounds like our day.

But listen to what God says about fasting. I think from this we see his heart concerning Charity, Love…Godly Love.

Isaiah 58:5-12 (NKJV)
5 Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the LORD?
6 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
12 Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

John 14:23-24 (NKJV)
23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

So today…let’s keep God’s word in our actions…not just with our lips.

Isaiah 29:13 (KJV)
13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

God has blessed us and given us power to get wealth…but we must never forget to ask ourselves this question…am I building God’s kingdom or my own? Am I building God’s church or my own? I often find myself asking the same question over and over again because it is so easy for me to get caught up in what I want and neglect what God wants. Come judgment day I hope these words said here are not spoken against me..because believe me I am preaching to myself.

So, Let us have lips that are the fruit of our heart and show out in our actions and true Godly love one to another. For this true Agape Love, Godly Love…Charity…it NEVER FAILS.

Amen.

Does anybody do this?…that is what the scripture says…what Jesus said?

1 Corinthians 6:1-10 (KJV)
1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?
6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Matthew 18:15-17 (KJV)
15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

John 14:21-26 (NKJV)
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”
23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

Amen.

Ezekiel 34:11-12 (KJV) 11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

John 10:14-18 (KJV)
14 I [Jesus Christ] am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

I’m so glad he called my name…do you hear him calling  yours? :^)

Call out to Him now…as it is written…

Romans 10:11-13 (NKJV)
¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.
¹³ For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

Call on Him now.   I guarantee you that your life will never be the same.

Amen.

When God sets you on a rock then you cannot be moved! So glad I have found the rock….Jesus Christ….the chief cornerstone which the builders rejected….he has taken the outcast and rejected and placed their feet on a rock…..He is now my shield, my strength, my portion, deliverer, my shelter, strong tower, and my very present help in time of need…Hallelujah! Amen.

Made Me Glad (You Are My Shied) by Hillsong…great song…click and listen here.

Psalm 32:10-11 (NKJV)
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Amen :^)

Can you imagine being like the prophet Isaiah or Jeremiah. Both of these prophets today are revered by Christians and Jews. But in the day in which they lived, no one would listen! For many of their contemporaries were rich and had great properties with abounding fruit. Isaiah and Jeremiah were treated like traitors…for they prophesied of a coming day where everyone would lose their stuff to their enemies…Oh God let not my stuff keep me from hearing from You or from those you have called to minister to this generation. Amen.

Jeremiah 20:7-18 (KJV)
⁷ O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.
⁸ For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.
⁹ Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.
¹⁰ For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.
¹¹ But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.
¹² But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.
¹³ Sing unto the LORD, praise ye the LORD: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.
¹⁴ Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.
¹⁵ Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.
¹⁶ And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;
¹⁷ Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.
¹⁸ Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?

Isaiah 6:9-13 (KJV)
⁹ And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
¹⁰ Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
¹¹ Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,
¹² And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.
¹³ But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

Both Isaiah and Jeremiah would be regarded as fruitless preachers in our generation….like John The Baptist…They were the voice crying in the wilderness calling men to repentance….but no one would listen.

Isaiah 40:3 (KJV)
³ The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

John 1:22-23 (NKJV)
²² Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”
²³ He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the LORD,” ‘ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

Matthew 21:23-27 (KJV)
²³ And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
²⁴ And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.
²⁵ The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
²⁶ But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.
²⁷ And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

Amen.