Lesson 204 - WHEN YOU FEAR YOUR FAITH IS FAILING (God's Plans and Promises for You from the Book of Isaiah)

By Frank Eiklor and the Shalom Team

"I, the Lord, keep it, I water it every moment; Lest any hurt it, I keep it night and day." Isaiah 27:3

This beautiful promise has a double meaning. First, it is God's guarantee to His beloved vineyard, Israel. And to those of us grafted into the olive tree of the faith of our ancient fathers, it is also the promise of the Father's constant care for us.

We must catch God's heart for the Jews and Israel if we are to understand His incredible love for us. He has guarded His chosen people through times when they loved Him and then when they sold Him out for idols (as we, too, have often done with our own idols of covetousness and self).

The Jews have suffered Inquisitions, pogroms and the Holocaust. Yet only three years after Hitler's suicide - he who had hoped to kill all Jews - Israel had a physical rebirth in 1948 that defies human reasoning. Now the God who has kept the Jews is watering this vineyard through the unconditional love of Jesus' followers and through a new Jewish thirst for the Word of God.

His love for His ancient people Israel is not more than His love for you. You are also in a vineyard - the choicest of all - reserved for those who trust in God's gift of the True Vine, His own Son. That's why Jesus called His Father the Vinedresser, Himself the Vine, and you and I the branches. And like today's scripture promises, the Lord will keep you from falling (Jude 24), water you every moment by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit and guard you night and day from any trickery or thievery of the enemy. Like the song says, "Nothing on earth can harm me; I'm holding my Savior's hand."

My prayer: "Your great love simply overwhelms me, dear Father. Thank You for keeping and watering me as part of Your personal garden of love. Cause my life to result in much fruit for Your pleasure and glory."

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" (I Corinthians 11:1)
The ST. PAUL SCHOOL, with Frank Eiklor, Eileen Young and Cecilia Contreras

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