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Lowell Brueckner

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The Need for Christ

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Remember: We will not be writing the whole portion of Scripture in the article, so you will have to have your Bible open and follow along, as I attempt an expository lesson.

5. An expository study of Isaiah, chapter 4

Chapter divisions are not inspired and sometimes this is quite obvious. For instance, the last verse of chapter two, “Stop regarding man, whose breath of life is in his nostrils; for why should he be esteemed.” connects perfectly to the first part of chapter three. The kind counsel from the Lord prepares his people for the deterioration of the leadership described in chapter three. As we enter chapter four, we can easily see a continuance of the last two verses of chapter three. In fact, the first verse begins with the word “for”, obviously joining it grammatically to 3:26.

The consequences of war

Verses 25 and 26 speak of war, the death of the young and mighty and the mourning that follows. As a result, the male population has been severely decimated and chapter four begins with a description of the conditions. “For seven women will take hold of one man in that day, saying, ‘We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach!’”

My Sister Jean

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The following excerpts are from a letter, given recently to my sister, Phyllis, from a friend of our family. She was a teenager during the years that our dad pastored a group of Native Americans in Oneida, Wisconsin. The lady’s father helped Dad in that work. The letter was written to this friend by our sister Jean, just a few months before Jean went to be with the Lord in 1957. She had acute leukemia and was 18-years-old. She graduated to her heavenly home shortly before she would have graduated from high school. The letter came to Phyllis about the same time, I think, that she received the document from our neighbor with Dad´s testimony, which I have recently posted on this blog.

If you have read, What Our Hands Have Handled, you know a little about Jean´s story and also about how the Holy Spirit was moving in that area in a powerful manner. I have never experienced anything like it since. The Lord allowed Jean to profit from those days, before her home going. If you have not read What Our Hands Have Handled, you certainly may do so. Please let me know. Some have shared how they were blessed through tears of joy and sadness by reading the book. The comments have been many. It has been translated into Spanish, German, Romanian, and, as I write, the book is at the printers, having been translated into Bulgarian.

I am not writing this, however, to push my book, although as I infer, I believe it would be a blessing to you. No, I just want God’s people to know that we have a Friend, who sticks closer than a brother and takes us through valleys, where no human friend can be at our side. Please be sure that you have that Friend… the Friend who died in your place and will be at your side, when you die. You will never have another like this one.

Words and Actions Uncover the Heart

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We will not be writing the whole portion of Scripture in the article, so you will have to have your Bible open and follow along, as I attempt an expository lesson.

4. An expository study of Isaiah, chapter 3

Not one Word in the Bible is wasted or insignificant. Here is a word that we might tend to overlook: It is “Behold!” Pay attention! Take your eyes and ears off all else, and focus on the Word of the Lord. Lay aside all the forms of media, the news, world events, teaching and information, and focus on the prophet Isaiah, the man who is hearing from God. What God is communicating has incomparably more value for your soul. Be sure you get the word from God. It is a word that never dies; that holds the same value today that it had when it was first spoken. Jesus saw that Isaiah also spoke to the people of His day, and so we should see that the living word addresses our generation.

Incompetent leadership

He is presented as the Sovereign, the absolute Lord over all… Lord over all lords. Jehovah of hosts means that He is the Captain of unnumbered armies, which He enlists from wherever He wants to enlist them, whether among angels in heaven or men on earth. He will not fail to carry out everything that He has said that He will do. If God be for us, who can be against us and, if God be against us, who can be for us. Regardless of who we are and when we appear in history, we don’t want to have God for an enemy.

The Story of my Life

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My sister, Phyllis, received this document from Ruby Gerner, a neighbor of ours, when I was growing up in Wisconsin in the 1950’s. It is typewritten on a page yellow with age. The Gerner’s had a farm next to our place and worked the land all around our home. They were Roman Catholics.

I’m sure that my dad gave them this document, not only so that they would know his story, but with the intention of sharing the gospel with them through it...a gospel that had nothing to do with the religion we profess My parents’ witness and the prayers for our neighbors that went up from our family altar every morning bore fruit. Ruby came to know the living Christ in her later years. I’m not sure of the details, but I have heard also that some, at least, of her children have also found the Lord and that her husband expressed hope in Christ on his death bed.

I have had an entire lifetime to observe the faithfulness of God in answering prayer and the sureness of the promises of His word. Read, then, this simple testimony of a simple country preacher, who only had the opportunity of going to grade school for six years. I have written his complete story in a book called, “What Our Hands Have Handled” and if you are interested in obtaining it, please let me know.

The Millennium

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We will not be writing the whole portion of Scripture in the article, so you will have to have your Bible open and follow along, as I attempt an expository lesson. Here, very near the beginning of his book, Isaiah refers to the Millennium. There will be more references to follow.

3. An expository study of Isaiah, chapter 2

Knowing that there have been, and still are, wonderful Christians, who do not believe in a literal millennium, I hold the conviction that every true Christian should believe in the literal thousand-year reign of Christ, along with His saints, on the earth. Historically, there are many, who did not and I can understand their conclusions, due to the fact that in their day signs did not exist, such as those we are seeing today. Jonathan Edwards, in writing to other Christian leaders in the 18th Century, stated that it would be impossible to ascertain prophetical accuracy until the church drew near to the time of Christ’s second return. He was echoing Daniel’s frustration at the end of his book: “I heard but could not understand; so I said, ‘My lord, what will be the final end of these events?’ He said, ‘Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time’” (Dn.12:8,9). Even the tremendous intellect of Edwards couldn´t grasp them.

However, a great and clear sign appeared around the turn of the 20th Century that had men, such as J. C. Ryle and C. H. Spurgeon, talking about the literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 37. This chapter, 2500 years old, and many other Old Testament prophecies spoke of the literal return of the Jews to their promised land and their sovereign self-government. This is to happen in preparation to the literal reign of Christ from Jerusalem. “Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land” (Ez.37:21,22). This mass movement was underway as the 20th Century began and on May 14, 1948, Israel became a sovereign nation! On that day, the displacement theory (the assumption that the Church had replaced Israel) should have been thrown out the window, along with all the theories that the fulfillment of such prophecies was spiritual, not literal.     

Restoration through Judgment

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We will not be writing the whole portion of Scripture in the article, so you will have to have your Bible open and follow along, as I attempt an expositional lesson.

2. An expository study of Isaiah, chapter 1, verses10-31

The Lord God never accepts heartless, ritualistic religion. Isaiah addresses first the rulers of Israel in the name of the Lord and likens them to the leaders of ancient, extinct Sodom (v.10). That is their likeness and, as those rulers, they are headed for extinction. Their people, the remnant excluded, are like the evil population of Gomorrah and God lets them know His displeasure with their sacrifices (v.11).

Numerous sacrifices, assemblies, and prayers

The Lord’s assessment of their religion must have come as quite a shock to them. After all, they have been sacrificing to Him great quantities of animals, but He tells them that they are worthless to Him. God is never impressed with quantities, but always measures by quality. In the days of Isaiah, He spoke of multiplied sacrifice, burnt offerings of rams, fat of fed cattle, bulls, lambs, goats and incense. The Lord continues to see things His way, when He judges the state of the church. Quantities of money, beautiful buildings and fancy equipment are not taken into account.

God is not speaking of worshiping other gods in high places, but of legitimate sacrifice, offered in the right places. This is typical of the kind of worship, to which Isaiah’s book refers, and for this reason, it is often quoted in the New Testament. Jesus said, “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me, but in vain do they worship Me” (Mt.15:7-9).

Whose Image is on Your Life?

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I can testify of the mark of God on David's life from his youth. Even as a student in a Christian school, Dave was often called into the office to help counsel problematic students. As a teenager, the Lord began to move upon his life, preparing him for the future. For many years, Dave lived in the Republic of Ireland and gained a reputation there, as an able teacher of the Word of God. He worked with the youth and saw a gang of boys turn their attention towards heaven. Fruit still remains and even other members of their families now belong to Christ.  

Dave now lives in the same area of Vermont as his twin brother, Daniel. Daniel pastors the Swanton Christian Church and Dave contributes his valuable teaching from time to time. He also works in house construction, which might have something to do with his insight on the house of God in this message. He is also sought out as a photographer at weddings and I will add a little sample of his photography to this article. I will also introduce you, by photos, to his three sons. 
(click on any photo for a larger view)

Jared and his guitar
Jacob, the youngest
Ethan, JV soccer captain


Judah Abandons Its God

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1. An expository study of Isaiah, chapter 1, verses 2-9

Isaiah begins a declaration in the name of the Lord to Judah and to Jerusalem, but his message holds true in the entire world. How clearly and with what detail God speaks to His prophet! It is a protest against His people, but also gives counsel towards repentance. It is a call to rational thinking, with an intention of offering forgiveness, followed by blessing. The Lord speaks of Israel’s fall into corruption and they have become His enemies. From sons of God they become offspring of evildoers. In the end, they will be brought to repentance through a work of righteous judgment.

God speaks: Heaven and earth must pay attention

The Lord wants to be heard (v.2a); He wants to communicate, therefore throughout the Bible He commands His servants to write. His words sweep the heavens, fall down to earth and fill all of time. He reveals His thoughts and the feelings of His heart.