Skip to main content

Isaiah – week 5

Captain’s Log, Stardate 01.20.2007

Blog book giveaway:
To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there.
Reclaiming Nick by Susan May Warren
Fatal Image by Lenora Worth

Win books and an iPod Nano! Contest ends January 31st. Get more info on my contest page!

Blog Bible Study: Isaiah 7:1 – 8:22

This verse struck me:

(God speaking) “Unless your faith is firm,
I cannot make you stand firm.”
Isaiah 7:9b

King Ahaz of Judah didn’t believe Isaiah’s prophecy. He either didn’t believe that Isaiah heard God or that God was really speaking.

Do I hear God speaking? Do I slow down enough to listen? Maybe the reason I think God isn’t talking is because I’m too busy running around to stop and ask.

God can’t make me believe. He can’t make me slow down to listen. He can’t make me stop and ask. I need to do that myself, to make it a priority.

“Ask the Lord your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.”
Isaiah 7:11

The study asked what this reveals about God’s character. I think it shows that God wants us to act to show that we truly believe Him. He wanted Ahaz to act, to ask for a sign, which would show that Ahaz truly believed God would do what He had said He’d do with Syria and Israel.

I think sometimes God does the same with me—asking me to act to show I truly believe. Sometimes He gives me a sign, but sometimes I have to act before He gives me a sign.

How about you? Do you ever feel sometimes like you have to act before He affirms your decision, or has He always spoken to you before you act?

Comments

Anonymous said…
There are a lot of time when I have to take that leap of faith first. Maybe it's because I'm such a wimp who's afraid of the unknown and God is showing me that I need to strengthen my faith in Him and in myself. (well, that's just the way I like to think of it, lol)
What a thought provoking post. Thanks for sharing :o)
Anonymous said…
Both I think. Depends on the situation. I love it when God does both--gives you confirmation to go forward, then gives you affirmation as you continue. He's so cool.
Anonymous said…
i'm just now reading your post, been away at a youth camp all weekend long and reading what you wrote really served to cement much of want GOD revealed to me. Last year I really wanted a sign from God for confirmation about a decision, but I kept coming to the verses in the New Testament about not seeking a sign. For this new year something has crept into the framing of life that once again needs confirmation, and reading what you write Camy, opened my eyes to the other side of signs from God. SO thank you!!

Popular Posts

Grace Livingston Hill romances free to read online

I wanted to update my old post on Grace Livingston Hill romances because now there are tons more options for you to be able to read her books for free online! I’m a huge Grace Livingston Hill fan. Granted, not all her books resonate with me, but there are a few that I absolutely love, like The Enchanted Barn and Crimson Roses . And the best part is that she wrote over 100 books and I haven’t yet read them all! When I have time, I like to dive into a new GLH novel. I like the fact that most of them are romances, and I especially appreciate that they all have strong Christian themes. Occasionally the Christian content is a little heavy-handed for my taste, but it’s so interesting to see what the Christian faith was like in the early part of the 20th century. These books are often Cinderella-type stories or A Little Princess (Frances Hodgson Burnett) type stories, which I love. And the best part is that they’re all set in the early 1900s, so the time period is absolutely fasci...

Insecurities in writing

Captain's Log, Stardate 10.31.2005 Happy Halloween! I'm filching--er, giving away candy at the front door to all these kids. (The Butterfinger Crisp bars are GOOD.) I just emailed Dee about something that's been bugging me--as I do the rewrites for my suspense, I'm feeling insecure. I got great feedback from Wendy and those authors' scoresheets, so I know what I'd like to do, but I'm having a hard time feeling confident that I can do it. Please, no fuzzy-wuzzy cyber-hugs or anything like that. This isn't something I need encouragement about. I need to sharpen my focus, sift through all I've learned from books, articles, and workshops. Most of all, I need to pray. I know my insecurity often comes from Satan. I give in too easily. I was even expecting it, ever since the ACFW conference . I can't shake it. It's like flapping your hand to get gunk off your fingers, but it's too sticky to let loose. I need t...

No Cold Bums toilet seat cover

Captain's Log, Stardate 08.22.2008 I actually wrote out my pattern! I was getting a lot of hits on my infamous toilet seat cover , and I wanted to make a new one with “improvements,” so I paid attention and wrote things down as I made the new one. This was originally based off the Potty Mouth toilet cover , but I altered it to fit over the seat instead of the lid. Yarn: any worsted weight yarn, about 120 yards (this is a really tight number, I used exactly 118 yards. My suggestion is to make sure you have about 130 yards.) I suggest using acrylic yarn because you’re going to be washing this often. Needle: I used US 8, but you can use whatever needle size is recommended by the yarn you’re using. Gauge: Not that important. Mine was 4 sts/1 inch in garter stitch. 6 buttons (I used some leftover shell buttons I had in my stash) tapestry needle Crochet hook (optional) Cover: Using a provisional cast on, cast on 12 stitches. Work in garter st until liner measures...

A Wallflower’s Slip of the Tongue – Free Regency eBook

If you enjoy Regency romance with wit, awkward ballroom encounters, and a heroine who can’t quite keep her thoughts to herself, you’ll love Lissa and the Spy . This free Christian Regency romantic suspense novella is the perfect entry point into my Lady Wynwood’s Spies series. Get it free when you join my newsletter (details below). Miss Lissa Gardinier survived her last London Season by pretending to be as inoffensive as possible. But at this ball, she lets her true thoughts slip yet again . And this time, they involve an unfortunately named spaniel. Excerpt Last year during that first dance with Mr. Collingworth, upon seeing him excitedly discuss his dog breeding, she had been encouraged to also speak without restraint. So she had voiced her exact thoughts rather than hiding behind a vapid facade. “Why in the world would you name a dog Lickspittle Furrybottom?” At Mr. Collingworth’s startled look, Lissa realized that she’d said that out loud now , in this dance with him. “… Not...

Free Christian Romantic Suspense Novels by Camy Tang / Camille Elliot

Curious about what my writing is like? Here’s a list of all my free books and the free short stories, novellas, and novels that you can read here on my blog. I’ll update this post as I add more free reads. Christian Romantic Suspense: Necessary Proof (Sonoma series #4.1, novella) Click here to buy the FREE ebook on all retailers Alex Villa became a Christian in prison, and because of his efforts to help stop a gang producing meth in Sonoma, he has been set up for the death of a cop. Can computer expert Jane Lawton find the evidence that will prove his innocence before the gang eliminates them both? Fantasy short stories: Pixies in a Garden in Kyoto There were pixies in the garden. Since she was in Kyoto, she was certain they were not called pixies, but she didn't know what they would be called in Japanese, and they certainly looked like what she imagined pixies would look like. The King’s Daughter The trees in the King's garden were full of colored pixie lights. The...