God's Ways vs. Our Ways

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GOD’S WAYS VS. OUR WAYS February, 2005

By Mae Shurow

The Lord has been speaking more about building His House with "our ways" vs. "His ways."

In Isaiah 66:1-5, the Lord says, "…Where is the house that ye will build me?...Yea, they have chosen their OWN WAYS, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. " Read the whole of Isaiah 55: 7-11, but verses 7-9 in particular say:

· Isaiah 55: 7-9 "Let the wicked forsake HIS WAY and the unrighteous man his thoughts...For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are YOUR WAYS MY WAYS, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY WAYS higher than YOUR WAYS, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

The conventional explanation for Isaiah 55:8-9 is that it means God's ways are mysterious and we can't understand them. But that's not the point of this passage! He is saying, don't do things YOUR WAYS, do them MY WAY! These verses go on to say that God's ways are prosperous--like the rain that He sends waters the earth and makes it bring forth and bud, His Word will not return void, but will accomplish what He pleases, and shall prosper in the thing whereto He sends it.

Conversely, Haggai 1:5-7 gives us a picture of what happens when we do things our way.

· Haggai 1:5-7 "Now therefore thus saith the Lord of host: Consider YOUR WAYS. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag of holes. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider YOUR WAYS."

Our ways are not prosperous, our ways are vain. His ways bring forth fruit. Our ways may appear to be fruitful, but they only bring forth counterfeit fruit. We must consider our ways, consider how we do things, whether they are God’s ways or our own. We hold “revivals,” but are they of our own doing, or of the Lord? Do we see people’s hearts really changed, or is it back to business as usual when the “revival” is over? Programs like “Forty Days of Purpose” are storming the land, claiming revival, and swelling the ranks of church membership. But is it lasting revival? Are our methods birthing those who truly know the Lord? Are hearts truly humbled and lives truly changed? Are the people bringing forth the fruit of the Spirit in their lives? Are we building God’s House with HIS WAYS?

· Psalm 127:1 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
· Jeremiah 17:5-6 Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert,… but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness….
· Jeremiah 17:7-8 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. 8For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river,… her leaf shall be green;… neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
· Isaiah 50:11 Behold, all ye that kindle a [your own] fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.
· Jude 1:12…clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit…

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