Hello everyone!
A couple of weeks ago, in “My Re-baptism” post, I promised to share what I had learned at a youth conference earlier this year on the beauty of the message of Isaiah 58; therefore, today’s topic is “Isaiah 58: A Recipe for Spiritual Revival and True Joy”.
While attending a wonderful youth conference earlier this year, I was especially captivated by the messages that one of the speakers was sharing. This speaker shared many wonderful insights, but I’ll only focus on one of them in this post; he encouraged us to live out the message of Isaiah 58.
What I gathered from what he shared is that by living life as God prescribed for us to live in this chapter, we will be overcoming sin. This makes perfect sense to me because sin began through Lucifer’s selfishness (Lucifer is now Satan: Revelation 12:7-9; Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-17). To become truly unselfish is to become like God because God is unselfish. How beautiful! Isaiah 58 is a chapter that encourages us to minister to the needs of those around us. I want to encourage you all to take some time to prayerfully read this wonderful chapter in the Bible (This paragraph and the one above it are adapted from a Facebook post I made in January of this year). https://www.biblestudytools.com/nkjv/isaiah/58.html
Now, I’d like to share with you a personal testimony regarding what practicing the message of Isaiah 58 allowed God to do in my life. This testimony is taken from a Facebook post I made in May of this year:
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“I am convinced: if anyone will prayerfully read, sincerely take to heart and practice the messages of John 15:1-9 along with the message of Isaiah 58, his or her life will be different. I know from experience.
I have been giving away clothing (gently used clothing which I no longer want and/or can use, as well as gently used clothing other family members are ready to give up) which has been sitting around my house, to people in need, and my joy has increased as a result. A couple of weeks ago, I got my eyeglasses adjusted at Walmart . While there, I learned that the Walmart Vision Center has a box where people can donate used eyeglasses. I donated an old pair of glasses that have been sitting in my drawer earlier this week. Yesterday, I found more things sitting around under my bed that I know other people can use. I know that God reminded me of these things.
My parents and I appreciate reaching out to struggling people. Whenever we do, we are always blessed. Last week, my mother and I came back from visiting friends in a poor neighborhood feeling very happy. We were SO blessed! Spending time blessing others blesses not only the people being encouraged but those who are reaching out too!
My heart feels so much lighter than it felt earlier this year when I was more focused on myself. I am really enjoying sharing my time and possessions with others. I realize that I am not going to be taking any of my earthly possessions to the grave with me, if Jesus doesn’t come first, nor will I be taking any of them to heaven with me when Jesus comes back. I’ll only take my character to heaven with me. Every time I spend time with those who need me, and every time I give unneeded things away, I feel happier and God uses these experiences to make me more like Him.
If you are in a mental slump, feeling down and discouraged, I highly recommend that you read these chapters, ask God to live in your heart every day, and purposefully practice the message of Isaiah 58. The abiding in Christ message of John 15:1-9 as well as the reaching out the message of Isaiah 58 are healing, beautiful messages. You have to abide in Christ in order to effectively reach out to others. Christ longs to live in each of our hearts and He will only make our lives better.
Blessings.”
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-Chapter-15/,
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Isaiah-Chapter-58/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMc9UjfemXc
Learn and Grow 4ever 