1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:06,730 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,790 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening 3 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:17,340 Speaker 1: to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. I'm John Stonge 4 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 1: and today we're in Isaiah chapter 57 and we'll be 5 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:28,780 Speaker 1: reading from the contemporary English version. God's faithful people are 6 00:00:28,860 --> 00:00:33,590 Speaker 1: dragged off and killed and no one even cares. Evil 7 00:00:33,650 --> 00:00:37,150 Speaker 1: sweeps them away, but in death they find peace for 8 00:00:37,270 --> 00:00:42,810 Speaker 1: obeying God. You people are unfaithful. You go to fortune 9 00:00:42,850 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: tellers and you worship idols. Now pay close attention. Who 10 00:00:48,229 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: are you making fun of? Who are you sneering at? 11 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: Look how your sins have made fools of you. All 12 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 1: you think about is sex under those green trees where 13 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:05,010 Speaker 1: idols are worshipped. You sacrifice your children on altars built 14 00:01:05,069 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: in valleys under rocky slopes. You have chosen to worship 15 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:12,820 Speaker 1: idols made of stone. You have given them offerings of 16 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:16,700 Speaker 1: wine and grain. Should I be pleased? You have spread 17 00:01:16,780 --> 00:01:19,500 Speaker 1: out your beds on the tops of high mountains where 18 00:01:19,540 --> 00:01:23,660 Speaker 1: you sacrifice to idols. Even in your homes you have 19 00:01:23,740 --> 00:01:28,590 Speaker 1: placed pagan symbols all around your huge beds. Yes, you 20 00:01:28,630 --> 00:01:32,870 Speaker 1: have rejected me. sold yourselves to your lovers and gone 21 00:01:32,930 --> 00:01:36,530 Speaker 1: to bed with them. You smear on olive oil and 22 00:01:36,750 --> 00:01:40,490 Speaker 1: all kinds of perfume to worship the god Moloch. You 23 00:01:40,569 --> 00:01:44,630 Speaker 1: even seek advice from spirits of the dead. Though you 24 00:01:44,690 --> 00:01:49,780 Speaker 1: tired yourself out by running after idols, you refused to stop. 25 00:01:50,780 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: Your desires were so strong that they kept you going. 26 00:01:55,050 --> 00:01:58,260 Speaker 1: Did you forget about me and become unfaithful because you 27 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,300 Speaker 1: were more afraid of someone else? Have I been silent 28 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: so long that you no longer fear me? You think 29 00:02:05,860 --> 00:02:09,820 Speaker 1: you're so good, but I'll point out the truth. Ask 30 00:02:09,860 --> 00:02:12,940 Speaker 1: your idols to save you when you are in trouble. 31 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:17,010 Speaker 1: Be careful, though. It takes only a faint breath to 32 00:02:17,070 --> 00:02:20,270 Speaker 1: blow them over. But if you come to me for protection, 33 00:02:20,830 --> 00:02:24,850 Speaker 1: this land and my holy mountain will always belong to you. 34 00:02:25,940 --> 00:02:29,220 Speaker 1: The Lord says, clear the road, get it ready for 35 00:02:29,260 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: my people. Our holy God lives forever in the highest heavens. 36 00:02:34,940 --> 00:02:37,820 Speaker 1: And this is what he says. Though I live high 37 00:02:37,900 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: above in the holy place, I am here to help 38 00:02:40,980 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: those who are humble and depend only on me. My people, 39 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: I won't stay angry and keep on accusing you. After all, 40 00:02:50,340 --> 00:02:53,300 Speaker 1: I am your creator. I don't want you to give 41 00:02:53,460 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 1: up in complete despair. Your greed made me furious. That's 42 00:02:58,740 --> 00:03:01,900 Speaker 1: why I punished you and refused to be found while 43 00:03:01,940 --> 00:03:06,060 Speaker 1: you kept returning to your old sinful ways. I know 44 00:03:06,139 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 1: what you are like, but I will heal you, lead you, 45 00:03:10,690 --> 00:03:14,380 Speaker 1: and give you comfort until those who are mourning start 46 00:03:14,540 --> 00:03:19,570 Speaker 1: singing my praises. No matter where you are, I, the Lord, 47 00:03:20,130 --> 00:03:24,390 Speaker 1: will heal you and give you peace. The wicked will 48 00:03:25,330 --> 00:03:40,050 Speaker 1: Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your word, and 49 00:03:40,070 --> 00:03:41,850 Speaker 1: we thank you for the privilege of being able to 50 00:03:41,900 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: look at it together today. Lord, we thank you for 51 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,420 Speaker 1: the reminders here of just how easy it is for 52 00:03:47,460 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: those who call themselves your people to drift in a 53 00:03:51,300 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 1: direction that is not of you. Lord, it's very easy, 54 00:03:55,420 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: and we'll use ourselves as examples here instead of just 55 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:01,270 Speaker 1: picking on other people. Lord, it's very easy for us 56 00:04:01,850 --> 00:04:05,510 Speaker 1: to bring idols into our lives, to rebel against you 57 00:04:05,670 --> 00:04:08,990 Speaker 1: in all kinds of ways. We give different and clever 58 00:04:09,070 --> 00:04:11,900 Speaker 1: names to our idols or to our areas of rebellion 59 00:04:12,350 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: so that we don't have to actually acknowledge that they 60 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:16,780 Speaker 1: are what they are. But you call us out in 61 00:04:16,820 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 1: a portion of Scripture like this. Yet you remind us 62 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 1: that you love us. You love your people. You call 63 00:04:24,420 --> 00:04:28,670 Speaker 1: us unto you through faith in your Son, Jesus Christ. So, Lord, 64 00:04:28,690 --> 00:04:30,950 Speaker 1: we pray that by your grace that we would walk 65 00:04:31,029 --> 00:04:34,250 Speaker 1: with you day in and day out, that we would 66 00:04:34,330 --> 00:04:39,860 Speaker 1: rejoice in your presence, and that we would welcome your power. Lord, 67 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:41,820 Speaker 1: thank you so much for your love. Thank you for 68 00:04:41,860 --> 00:04:44,380 Speaker 1: your goodness, and thank you for your grace. And we 69 00:04:44,420 --> 00:04:46,720 Speaker 1: commit this day to your care and pray this all 70 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: in Jesus' name. Amen.