Strong in the Lord

Today I read Isaiah 10, 11, 12, and 13:1-9 as well as Ephesians 5:23-6:. My favorite verses are:

Isaiah 12:2-3 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Ephesians 6:10-11 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

All of these verses are so encouraging when we feel weak or downhearted. We can draw strength from the Lord. He provides armor to protect us from the devil and his cruel attacks. He gives us joy in our salvation! Christians should be the happiest people on earth—because we know this earth is not our home, and it’s problems are only temporary. I rejoice in the presence of the Lord, but the last verse I read in Isaiah today was not one of joy:

Isaiah 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

Those who are not Christians have no hope; they will face the fierce anger of the Lord. They will be destroyed out of the earth and face an eternity of torment. They may seem to be happy in the lives they live on this earth, but for them it is only temporary. What a contrast! If you are not a Christian—if you have never asked Jesus to forgive your sins and save your soul, consider your end. Would you rather have temporary problems followed by eternal happiness, or do you want the temporary happiness followed by eternal torment? Seems like a no-brainer, but you must make a conscious choice to seek and follow Jesus. If you do not, you are condemned as Isaiah 13:9 clearly describes.