Daily Devotional

A Ministry of the Kerwin Baptist Church

August 10, 2018

by Pastor Hawtree

I AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE:

TO TURN HIS ANGER AWAY (part 1)

Isaiah 12:1 ……O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.

“O Lord, I will praise thee”
What a phrase. If only we could determine that, whatever the circumstances, to just “praise” the Lord. It is, after all, what our Lord deserves. No exceptions, no conditional gestures, and no requirement, just loving praise to our God. Whether we are healthy, or whether our health is gone. Whether things are good, or whether they are falling apart. No matter what, no questions asked, and no stipulations; just to choose to give authentic praise to the Lord.

* I Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
* I Chronicles 16:34 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
* Psalm 18:49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

“Though thou wast angry with me”
God hates sin. He always has and always will. God is angry when we allow sin to reign in our life. God is angry when we rebel against His authority. God even said that “rebellion” was “as the sin of witchcraft”. God loves us, but because He is a Holy God, God hates sin. Look at these verses:

* Amos 5:14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. 15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
* Romans 12:9 ….Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
* Psalm 119:163 I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.

You find here in Isaiah that there was the choice to praise God, even though there was anger felt from God. In my life, anytime I felt that God was angry with me, He always had good reason to be. I just needed to humble myself and admit it. Does God have reason to be angry with you today? Just acknowledge it, admit it, and ask His forgiveness for whatever has aroused His anger. God does not want to be angry with you and trust me, you do not want Him to be.