Isaiah 58

Our speaker during Family Bible Hour was Mr Warren Hagey.  He and his wife, Pam, are parents to Bronwyn and Aliyah.  Mr Hagey's message, titled "Word and Deed Evangelism" was based on Isaiah 58:

¹Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

 ²Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.

 ³Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.

 ⁴Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

 ⁵Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?

 ⁶Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

 ⁷Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

 ⁸Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.

 ⁹Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

 ¹⁰And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:

 ¹¹And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

 ¹²And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

 ¹³If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

 ¹⁴Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Evangelism is the battle for the souls of men. In Isaiah 58, we see what true evangelism is.  What is the pattern the God would have us follow? First, there is judgement for sin. Next, is the promise of hope and forgiveness.  Then, acts of mercy and manifestation of God's love follow.  This pattern of evangelism results in God getting the glory.  Mr Hagey's excellent message, in full and in context, is available on DVD.  Please see Romy.

Ephesians 5:18 to Ephesians 6:1-9

Our speaker during Family Bible Hour was Mr Warren Hagey.  Shown in the picture is Mr Hagey with his wife, Pam, and their two beautiful daughters.  God has been truly gracious to this family for the past couple of years, and we are pleased that He has brought them back for a visit.  Mr Hagey spoke from Ephesians 5: 18-33 through Ephesians 6: 1-9, on the marks of a Spirit-filled Christian:

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Chapter 6

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth....

In summary,  a Spirit-filled Christian is one who: 

- is filled with singing and praise to the Lord (vs 19)

- has a thankful attitude  (vs 20)

-is in submission to God-appointed authority (vs 21)

Someone trully filled with the Holy Spirit will make it evident in their daily lives, and in their closest human relationships.  Mr Hagey's excellent message, in full and in context, is available on DVD.  See Romy.