*DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL* *TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10 2019* *KNOWING THE TRUE GOD* *TEXT:* ISAIAH 26:12-21.

*DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL*

*TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10 2019*

*KNOWING THE TRUE GOD*

*TEXT:* ISAIAH 26:12-21.

_*🔑KEY VERSE* "O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name" (ISAIAH 26:13)._

When prophet Elijah and the prophets of Baal had a contest on Mount Carmel to determine who was the true God in Israel, the prophets of Baal called on their god for long hours without any response. But when Elijah, after repairing the altar of the Lord, called on Him, the fire of God fell from heaven and consumed all the sacrifice and every other thing there. The audience responded by proclaiming "the LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God" (1 Kings 18:38,39). In the days of prophet Isaiah also, only a recognition of the sovereignty of Jehovah brought peace and total victory to Israel.

The Lord could only "ordain peace" for Israel as soon as they realised that "other lords" beside Jehovah, that "have had dominion over (them)", were nothing but dead gods (verse 12,13).

Various tribes, languages and nations call the Almighty God by various names and titles. But it is also true that there are some deities worshipped by people to whom they ascribe the attributes of the only true God. These so-called gods are actually evil spirits who demand worship and sacrifices from ignorant people all over the world while they afflict them with deaths, strange sicknesses, disasters, etc. and yet these individuals keep on worshiping them. But our God is different. He is the God of light, love, power, faithfulness, creation and the God of grace. To know Him is the greatest benefit any human can have.

To know God means to become a child of God. And this can be done by repenting from one's sins and receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Salvation is not by works of man but through faith in the finished work of Christ at Calvary.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* Only those redeemed by Christ can know the true God.

*COVER TO COVER* JONAH 1-4.

*MEDITATION*

*THE INCOMPARABLE GOD*

*1. Our only source of peace and transformation is Christ, the only wise God* v1
a. Nothing and nobody can truly give the peace that satisfies except God of heaven v1.
b. He is the only one that can transform lives inside out v12.
c. He is the Owner of the universe and none can compete with Him v15.
d. He is the true Deliverer. Other gods can only deceive and afflict v16.
*Lord* I confess that you only is my God and confidence 🙏
*Lord* transform my life and make it more confirmed to your image🙏
*2. The other lords and gods are limited and powerless* vv 13,14.

*3. The prophecy of the impending Great Tribulation* vv16-18,
*4. The assurance of resurrection after the great tribulation* v19.
*5. The OT saints will not partake of the Great Tribulation but will remain in the grave until the Tribulation is over v20*

*Lord*, use the retreat to reveal Yourself to us the more as the only true God🙏

*HYMN*
*O WORSHIP THE KING*

1. O worship the King,
all glorious above,
And gratefully sing
His power and His love;
Our Shield and Defender,
the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor,
and girded with praise.

2. O tell of His might,
O sing of His grace,
Whose robe is the light,
Whose canopy space,
Whose chariots of wrath
the deep thunderclouds form,
And dark is His path
on the wings of the storm.

3. Thy bountiful care,
what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air,
it shines in the light;
It streams from the hills,
it descends to the plain,
And sweetly distills
in the dew and the rain.

4. Frail children of dust,
and feeble as frail,
In Thee do we trust,
nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender,
how firm to the end,
Our Maker, Defender,
Redeemer, and Friend.