What can you do when families, churches and cities are breaking apart? It begins with mourning over your situation. Mourn until you love your family, church and city like a nursing child does with his mother. Remember that God continually reveals Himself even when you are pursuing your own thing. Pursue the cultural mandate in seeking God’s blessings in practical areas of life (health, housing, work, economy and family life) and the spiritual mandate to make disciples in all the nations realizing that those without Christ will go to a place where the “worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched.”
The preparation for this work is seen in Isaiah 61-64 where it instructs you to preach good news to heal captives and pray intensely day and night laying hold of God’s name in asking for His help to transform your family, church and city.
God Continually Reveals Himself
God revealed Himself to those who did not seek Him. He held out His hands to a people who pursued their own imaginations, burned incense on altars of brick, ate unclean meat and asked God to stay away. He punished them for their sin and their fathers’ sin. He brought descendants from Jacob and Judah who sought Him so they could possess and inherit His mountains. He killed those who forsook the Lord when they spread a table for Fortune and filled bowls of mixed wine for Destiny (Is. 65:1-12). God continually reveals Himself to you but judges those who forsake Him,
Seek God’s Blessing (Cultural Mandate)
God said His servants ate, drank, rejoiced and sang but they went hungry with anguish of heart and broken in spirit. He gave His servants another name. They invoked a blessing in the land by the God of truth who forgot past troubles. He created a new heavens and new earth where former things were not remembered. God created Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. He rejoiced over Jerusalem and delighted in His people who no longer wept. Infants did not die and the elderly lived to an old age. They built and lived in houses while planting and eating the fruit of vineyards so they enjoyed the works of their hands instead of others. They did not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune but became a people blessed by God. The wolf and lamb fed together, the lion ate straw like the ox and the serpent ate dust (Is. 65:13-25). Seek God’s blessing in all practical areas of life to transform the environment.
Respond to God’s Word Humbly
The Lord said heaven was His throne and the earth His footstool, but asked where they would build His house and resting place since He made everything. God esteemed the humble in spirit who trembled at His word. Those who worshiped an idol chose and delighted in their own ways leading to harsh treatment and dread. When He called no one answered and when He spoke no one listened (Is. 66:1-4). Respond to God’s word with a humble heart.
Mourn Over Your City
Those who trembled at His word were hated and excluded by their brothers because of His name. They were put to shame when God repaid His enemies. While Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children like a country born in a day. Those who mourned over Jerusalem should rejoice and love her. They nursed and were satisfied at her comforting breasts while delighting in her overflowing abundance (Is. 66:5-11). Mourn over your city until you love her like a nursing child.
Receive Peace, Wealth and Comfort
God extended peace to Jerusalem like a river and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream. He comforted them over Jerusalem like a mother with her child. God revealed Himself to His servants and judged His enemies with flames of fire (Is. 66:12-16). Receive peace, wealth and comfort when God reveals Himself and judges your enemies.
Make Disciples in All Nations (Spiritual Mandate)
All nations and tongues saw His glory. God sent some to the nations of Tarshish, Libya, Lydia, Tubal, Greece and distant islands who had not heard of His fame or seen His glory. They proclaimed His glory among the nations. They brought all their brothers from all nations to His holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to Him like grain offerings. God selected some as priests and Levites (Is. 66:12-21). Make disciples in all nations by proclaiming His glory and equipping disciplemakers.
Consider Eternal Outcome
Their name endured like the new heavens and new earth. All mankind bowed down to God in every season. They looked upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Him. Their worm did not die and their fire was not quenched so all mankind would be disgusted (Is. 66:22-24). Consider the eternal outcome of those who rebel against God.
Do you believe that people are eternally separated from God if they don’t have Jesus Christ? Are you grieving over the devastation you see in families, churches and cities? Then mourn until it motivates you to pray. Gather others to pray with you. Then watch what God will do in raising up disciples among various niches and cultural spheres!
