Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

July 31
Thursday


JUST AS I AM

READ
Isaiah 55:1-7
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Incline your ear, and
come to me. Hear, and
your soul shall live.
__Isaiah 55:3
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Good memories flooded my mind as I sat in a concert. The group's leader had just introduced the song they were about to sing: "Just As I Am." I remembered how years ago at the end of his sermons y pastor would ask people to come forward while we sang that song, indicating they would like to receive the forgiveness Christ offers for their sins.

But the leader of the musical group at the concert suggested on another occasion when we might sing this song. He commented that he likes to think that when he dies and goes to meet the Lord one day, he will sing in thanks to Him.

``````````Just as I am, without one plea````````````
```````But that thy blood was shed for me,``````````
````And that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee,`````````
````````````O Lamb of God, I come!```````````````

Years before writing this song, Charlotte Elliott asked a minister how she might find he Lord. He told her, "Just come to Him as you are." She did, and later during a discouraging time of illness, she wrote this hymn about the day she came to Christ and He forgave her sin.

In His Word, the Lord encourages us to seek Him. "Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near" (Isa. 55:6). He calls to our hearts: "Ho! everyone who thirsts, come to the waters....Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live" (vv.1,3).

Because of Jesus' death and resurrection, we can come to Him right now and will one day go into eternity to be with Him forever. Just as I am...I come! __Anne Cetas
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him
take the water of life freely. __Revelation 22:17

*******************************Today's Bible Reading __ Isaiah 55:1-7*****************************
1 "Ho! everyone who
thirsts, come to the waters;
and you who have no
money, come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and
milk without money and
without price. 2 Why do you
spend money for what is
not bread, and your wages
for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and
eat what is good, and let
your soul delight itself in
abundance. 3 Incline your
ear, and come to Me. Hear,
and you soul shall live; and
I will make an everlasting
covenant with you_the
sure mercies of David.

4 Indeed I have given him
as a witness to the people,a
leader and commander for
the people. 5 Surely you
shall call a nation you do
not know, and nations who
do not know you shall run
to you, because of the LORD
your God, and the Holy
One of Israel; for He has
glorified you."

6 Seek the LORD while He
may be found, call upon
Him while He is near. 7 Let
the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his
thoughts; let him return to
the LORD, and He will have
mercy on him; and to our
God, for He will abundantly
pardon.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Isaiah 55 has rich words of hope for us in its first seven verses.
Arguably, however, the chapter's most familiar words are found
in the next two verses: " ' For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways My ways,' says 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' " (vv.809). These verses offer hope
and assurance. God is in control and sees the big picture