The Way-An in-depth study of God's Word with Paul Orr

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The passage we look at now brings both comfort and encouragement from the LORD. It was written to the remnant in Babylonian captivity. Yet it applies to the remnant in all generations. It applies most certainly to the remnant today.

Three times the remnant is told to, "Listen to Me". How important that we, as the remnant of Jesus, listen to His word with a determined intent to obey. Listening to God's word is a discipline. Stay in the word always. Stay under the Holy Spirit inspired teaching of God's word. Stay in true Christian fellowship that is built on Jesus Christ and His word.

We are living in the darkest, most evil and discouraging time of human history. Yet we have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. We are children of the Most High God. We are on a journey to the celestial city whose builder and maker is God. We are about to enter into eternal joy, peace and righteousness. We are about to enter an eternity without pain, sorrow or death. In eternity the knowledge of the glory of God will cover the earth. The glory of God will be everywhere. It will be beyond our imagination.

Look to God's word and remember all that God has done. Remember who god is. Look to the cross and remember the price paid for our salvation. Look to the empty tomb and remember that sin and death have been defeated once and for all. Look up, for our salvation draws near.

Maranatha

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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.

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Here we have a twofold message to the remnant in Babylonian captivity. There is a message for the believing remnant and there is a message for the unbelieving majority. Remember that it is never the overwhelming consensus of the majority that confirms truth. Truth is found in Jesus Christ and His word alone.

The message is given by three speakers. First God speaks to them. Then His Servant, Jesus speaks to them. Finally, Isaiah speaks to them. Warnings are issued to the unbelieving while challenges and encouragement are extended to the believing remnant.

A great take away for all who are a part of the believing remnant today; yes, times are dark and difficult now. They may indeed become more difficult than we can imagine. Never lose faith in the dark, God will always bring us into the light in His perfect time.  We are never completely without light. Our end, as followers of Jesus, will absolutely be peace and light.

What are we to do? Trust in the name of the LORD and rely upon God. We are to fear the LORD God and obey His Servant Jesus always.  Fear, obey, trust and rely; in these four words we have the simplicity of victorious Christian living regardless of how dark and evil the days are.

Jesus is coming my friend. Look up, our salvation draws near.
Maranatha!

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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.

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In this study, we see that Israel felt as though God had forsaken and forgotten them. God lovingly, patiently, assures them this is not true. He declares a wonderful promise sealed with an oath. However, Israel somehow thought that this promise was too good to be true. Once again God assures them. He lets them know that He is their Savior, Redeemer and the Mighty One of Jacob.

Here we are able to learn a lesson concerning discouragement. Satan loves to discourage God's children. Discouragement will follow us everywhere we go. It is in the face of great discouragement that great faith is developed. A great faith will always wait upon the Lord first. Once we have waited on the Lord in faith, we will than move ahead in faith to the glory of the Father.

The development of faith in the life of a believer is a wonderful thing. It is not a stroll in the park. Faith is not developed on the mountaintops of joy. Faith is developed in the valley of despair, darkness, loneliness and misery. It is in these times that we must remember the two most wonderful words, "but God". 

God is able in all things and at all times. God knows our circumstances but is above our circumstances. God sovereignly allows great difficulties into our lives in order that we may be all He has called us to for His glory. He allows it so that you and I may be more like Jesus in all that we do.

Keep your eyes on Jesus. Listen to Jesus. Obey Jesus always regardless of cost or consequences. This is the path we have been called to. This is the path that will bring glory to God!

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What a timely passage for the days we are living in. It is such a great reminder of God's faithfulness and the fact that Jesus is coming again. God has given to Israel and to all those who belong to Him unconditional, unchanging promises. The world at this time seems uncontrollably chaotic. Yet nothing could be further from the truth.

This passage speaks of mountains that lie before us. Yet these are God's mountains. He will make highways in the mountains that He sets before us. The moment we accepted Christ as our savior, our journey towards heaven began. We have been sealed with the Holy Spirit guaranteeing our eternity in heaven. As blood bought children of the Most High God, we are heading towards His kingdom where peace and righteousness will flourish in the presence of His glory.

Let us all lift up our eyes as our salvation draws near. Keep your hand to the plough and don't look back. Run the race to win. Lighten the load that we so needlessly carry in order that we may run unhindered. Now more than ever, we need to listen to all that Jesus says and we need to obey all that He says completely. That will be our only protection in these last days.

Maranatha

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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.

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As we begin this chapter, we see the severe chastening hand of God upon His people. Yet His chastening is never separated from His love, grace, mercy and longsuffering.

Israel then, as we today, had every reason to know that God alone is God. The proof found in predictive prophesy and in creation is indisputable. Therefore, they had every reason to live in obedience to Him. 

God lamented the fact that they did not live in obedience to His word. The lack of blessing and unfulfilled potential they experienced as a result of disobedience is sobering. How much blessing and potential have we not experienced due to our lack of courage to live in total obedience to Jesus Christ and His word?

Israel became comfortable with the luxury and comfort of Babylon. This brought great complacency. Can the same be said for the church today? 

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Store up treasures in heaven. Jesus is coming! Let us make every day count for the glory of God by living in obedience to Jesus Christ and His word always.

Maranatha

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In this chapter we see God's judgment that came upon Babylon and will come upon Babylon in the days before us.  The language used is filled with sarcasm and mocking toward Babylon. It is graphic and leaves nothing to the imagination.

As God's judgment unfolds, His people break out into a shout of praise. What other response can there be. Their captors have been cruel and oppressive. What other response can there be when God frees His people and brings final judgment on all evildoers?

This is a tough message. God's judgment is serious beyond what we can imagine. It is final. Once God's judgment comes upon a person, no one can save them!

What application can we make? Much of what we read aptly applies to America, although we are certainly not Babylon. However, we have embraced much of the character of Babylon. God's principles of judgment have not changed therefore America is on the precipice of God's judgment. We will go to bed one night in an America we have always known and wake up in an America that we have never known. It will happen with a sobering abruptness.

What are we to do!? We must be about our Father's business. We must keep our hand to the plough and never look back. Jesus is coming soon. Run this race with everything you have. Run this race to win. Always looking up as our salvation draws near. 

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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.

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There are two commands in this passage that stand out. Two commands that are critical to the walk of every believer.

First, we are commanded to listen to God. This is stated many times over in the book of Isaiah and throughout the scriptures. The importance of listening to God's word cannot be overstated. God speaks to us through His word by the power of the Holy Spirit. All that God says in His word will be without contradiction and will always point us to Jesus.

Do we spend time in God's word? Do we know God's word? Are we living in unqualified obedience to God's word? Do we view all things through the lens of scripture? If not, it shows a stubborn heartedness in us that must be repented of.

Next, we have the command to remember. One of the greatest dangers in our Christian walk is that we fail to remember. Much of the churches current condition is a result of not remembering.

Remember is a verb. To remember requires action on our part. It is our responsibility to remember. We must remember who we were before Christ saved us and what it cost Jesus to redeem us. We must remember all that God says to us in His word. We must remember God's faithfulness to His people throughout the Old Testament and His continuing faithfulness to them today. We must remember His faithfulness to you and me.

We are living in an incredible time. We are on the precipice of the return of Jesus. Do we remember the awesomeness of God and all the great things He has done?  Are we listening to and taking God's word to heart? Are we living in total unqualified obedience to His word? If not, then we are not being all that God has called us to be. If not, then captivity lies at our doorstep.

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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.

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In this study, we continue to look at familiar themes. We see the sureness and certainty of God's word. We are reminded again that God is the infinite almighty creator. We hear again that God is God alone and there is no other. These themes are repeated often because they are so critical to the foundation of our relationship with the LORD. 

But then we come to verse 22 and find wonderful jewel. " Look to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God and there is no other." What a powerful, amazing little verse. In it, we have the entirety of the gospel.

God's love is expressed to all as He says "Look to Me." The assurance of salvation that only God can give is declared as He says, "and be saved." And finally, we see the extent of the gospel, all you ends of the earth.

The simplicity of the gospel is incredible. All one must do is look to Jesus in order to be saved. 

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. John 3:14-16

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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.

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In these past few studies, we have taken a look at the incredible prophesy concerning Cyrus the great. First, we see that Cyrus is a type of Christ. Cyrus, as God's shepherd and anointed was raised up by God to deliver His people and bring judgment upon the evildoers. Cyrus returned God's people to Jerusalem in order that they would rebuild the temple. This was done not for a price or a reward. This points directly to the work of Christ at the cross, who through His redemptive work, freed us from the bondage of sin and freely justified all those who choose to believe in Him.

Also, God is the God of creation. In the vastness of His creation, He created you and I. He knows every detail about us. He has always known, even before the foundation of the earth.

God is the LORD of history. The world then was not out of control. The world today is not out of control. God's hand has been upon every detail of history. His hand continues to be upon the events taking place today. All of this leads to His soon return and the establishing of His eternal kingdom.

We more than any generation of the church before us, have every reason to trust God and live in full uncompromising obedience to His word. We need to live full to His glory. May we all run the race to win as the return of Christ is imminent.

Maranatha!

Contact Paul at [email protected]
Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.

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This week we continue to look at this amazing salvation prophesy that declares Cyrus by name as the one who will deliver those in Babylonian captivity. What makes this so amazing is that Cyrus will not be born for more than 100 years, and this conquest is more than a century and a half away.

The passage begins with thus says the LORD. This oft repeated statement throughout the bible reminds us that the bible is God's word. All that follows, "Thus says the LORD", is absolutely certain. There is no possibility of failure when it comes to God's word. The importance of God's word in the life of a believer can never be overstated. 

As we come to Cyrus, we see two amazing things. First, God calls Cyrus, a pagan king to be His Shepherd. There is much we will say about how God works through shepherds to do his great work. But in this case, God has called a pagan king as His shepherd. 

Secondly, God calls Cyrus His anointed. This word for anointed is the same word from which we get Messiah. The prophets, priest and kings that God called needed the anointing of God. Cyrus was called God's anointed because of the special purpose that God had called him to. Cyrus was to free God's people from bondage and to bring judgment upon unbelievers. Cyrus did both. In Cyrus we have a type of Christ. All the promises to Cyrus had spiritual fulfillment in Jesus. 

God knew Cyrus before he was born. All his days were already numbered. You and I have been known to God before the foundation of the earth. Our days are numbered. What has God called us to for the days we are living in. Stay true to Jesus Christ and His word. Keep your eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Look up always as our salvation draws near.

Maranatha! 

Contact Paul at [email protected]
Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.