The Fruit of the Lips: Peace

Isaiah 57:18-19

I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.

The LORD sees the iniquities of the human heart, and every aspect of transgression and sin that is conceived in the heart is laid open before Him. He set out to make mankind in His own image, and He will perform it. It is the express will of God to remove all iniquity and heal us of its effects. When we repent and receive the Lord Jesus into our hearts, the healing can begin, by the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts. Then, by placing His Word in our mouths, peace will begin to flood our souls and the healing becomes progressive. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life: and He is restoration in our souls that leads to eternal right relationship. Glory to God!

See also The Lord and Harpazo; The Spirit Shall Lift Up A Standard; Daleth: Quickened By God’s Word

Related Scriptures: Hebrews 4:11-16; Psalm 107:1-43; Psalm 41:1-13; Psalm 23:1-6

Change Them As A Vesture

Psalm 102:26

They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed:

The garment of praise is next, the new garment with which the Lord will clothe the mourning saints before the whole universe. Every witness will watch in silent awe as the Lord redeems the earth, and then a thunderous chorus of praise will break forth. The earth and all the works therein will be rolled up like an old garment, and creation will be clothed in glory the way the Lord intended. Glory will radiate from all creation after all iniquity is purged.

See also Garments Rolled in Blood; Fallen Corn of Wheat; What Is the Chaff to the Wheat?

Related Scriptures: Isaiah 61:1-7; Revelation 8:1-4; Revelation 19:5-7; Hebrews 1:8-12; Romans 8:19-25

The Spirit Shall Lift Up A Standard

Isaiah 59:19

So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

When the children of Israel sinned in speaking against God and against Moses, the Lord sent fiery serpents (śârâph nâchâsh, or seraphim) of judgment among them to bite them. For those who realized their rebellious ways, repentance was rewarded by deliverance from death upon viewing a fiery serpent made of brass that was lifted up on a pole. Through the midst of the deep darkness in these end times, the LORD has promised to manifest Himself like the glorious sunrise. The gathering hosts of darkness, encamped round about the people of God, will be scattered by the brightness of His coming. In the midst of the flood of iniquity that threatens to engulf this earth, the Lord Jesus Christ will return to rebuke the wind and the waves and raise a standard against all His enemies. The Son of Man, once lifted up on His cross in death is now high and lifted up in resurrection and seated upon His throne. Those who have believed in Him will be delivered from the fires of judgment into the glorious light of eternal life in Christ. As it is written,

John 3:14-15

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

See also He Will Raise Us Up; The Mystery of Iniquity; Miry Clay

Related Scriptures: Isaiah 6:1-4; Psalm 68:1-6; Numbers 21:1-9; John 3:1-21; Job 12:7-25; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17; Numbers 10:34-36; Psalm 92:1-15

Mercy Rejoices Against Judgment

James 2:13

For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

God poured out His soul unto death to save mankind from the destruction of iniquity. He is just and right and all His ways are judgment, yet His first choice for mankind is mercy. His heart rejoices when men receive His mercy and truth, and the heavenly hosts rejoice with Him.

See also From the Four Winds; Depart From Evil; Run With the Vision

Related Scriptures: Isaiah 53:1-12; Deuteronomy 7:9-13; Deuteronomy 32:1-9; Jeremiah 32:36-42; Psalm 31:1-24; Isaiah 16:5

Increase In Lawlessness

Matthew 24:11-13 ISR98

“And many false prophets shall rise up and lead many astray. “And because of the increase in lawlessness, the love of many shall become cold. “But he who shall have endured to the end shall be saved.

The KJV translated "increase in lawlessness" as "iniquity shall abound." These concepts are synonymous to God: iniquity is a form of lawlessness, and He sees that as a demonstration of cold love toward Him. His wish is that the Church is hot or cold in these end times, and that all buy from Him the gold tried in His fire, which is the wisdom of His law. To endure to the end, we must hate every false way, stand against all lawlessness, and refuse to compromise. As it is written,

Joshua 24:20-22 KJV

If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then He will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that He hath done you good. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve Him. And they said, We are witnesses.

See also Smoking Flax; Valley of Vision; Building Spiritual Houses

Related Scriptures: Matthew 24:11-13 KJV; Revelation 3:14-22; Psalm 12:1-8; 1Peter 1:1-25; James 5:7-12; Joshua 24:13-28; Matthew 10:22; Psalm 119:104; Psalm 119:128

Smoking Flax

Matthew 12:20

A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory.

Isaiah 19:9

Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded.

Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together in a vain attempt to cover their sinful fallen state. Ever since, mankind has increasingly developed more intricate methods to try to escape the reality of the sinful condition of separation from God: working in fine flax and weaving networks of false white linen. These are nothing more than the garments of self righteousness, the same flax that has been smoking since Eden. Every attempt of man to put out the fires of iniquity apart from God will be exposed and confounded. Moreover, when the smoldering works of self righteousness are uncovered and these fires are fanned the lake of fire will burn hotter, consuming these works. Those who rely on the righteousness of God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will be like brands plucked out of the eternal fires of judgment and rescued from the punishment for spiritual death as the LORD rebukes Satan Himself.

As it is written,

Zechariah 3:2

And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

See also A Bruised Reed; Firstborn From the Dead; God Poured Out

Related Scriptures: Isaiah 19:1-25; Isaiah 64:1-12; Zechariah 3:1-10

The Valley of Vision

Isa 22:5

For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains.

When you commit to follow on into an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, you must realize that you are entering the valley of vision, and accept His chastening readily. When the day of trouble arrives, the aspects of iniquity within one's soul rise quickly to the surface as the Lord exposes them. If you have continually submitted to His correction there will be no perplexity, as the Holy Spirit will guide you through the shaping process into the image of Christ. You won't be found trying to hide in the valley of vision when He breaks down the walls of idolatry, and you won't be found crying for help to any false gods atop the mountains. No matter how it seems or what it feels like, when the Lord tears apart things in your life, His goal is always restoration and empowerment. As it is written,

Jeremiah 1:10

See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

See also The Image of the Invisible God; God’s Promise: Restitution of Peace; Run With the Vision

Related Scriptures: Isaiah 22:1-25; Job 5:17-27; Romans 8:1-39; Nahum 1:7-8 ; Hebrews 12:1-29