Call to Commitment

 

On October 19, 2015, I began an expositional study on the book of Isaiah, finishing it on May 9, 2017. In 2016, we were joined in the study by a large number of people. Although the order changes a little bit every year, those chapters from 2016 continue to be the most read articles on our blogspot. I will give you the top ten articles read up to this date in 2021.

 Other articles on the blogspot were outnumbered by those of 2016, but I want to give you a list of ten, which I think that you will enjoy and from which you will profit. They will be listed after the ten most visited articles from the beginning of the blogspot in 2010 which, as I mentioned, are chapters of Isaiah. There are two exceptions and one concerns the views of two famous preachers from the 19^th Century, over the return of Israel to its Promised Land: J. C. Ryle and C. H. Spurgeon. Also, please read what I believe to be an illuminating article about the meaning of the word hubris – the sickness of those, who believe that they know everything.

 Our grandson, John, created this blogspot in 2010 and so the statistics are dated from that time. As of today, the total number of visits to this English blog has risen to 189,157. This past year we have had 17,494 visits. When we add the visits to our Spanish blogspot, the total number of visits increases to 559,807 and the number of visits on both blogspots over the last year was 68,206 (obviously, we have many more Spanish than English readers).  

The Ten Most Read Articles from 2021:

 1.    Hezekiah’s Illness and Error                                11/04/16

http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com.es/2016/11/hezekiahs-illness-and-error.html

 This study covers both chapter 38 and 39 of Isaiah. It includes an attempt to explain a very complicated issue concerning the sovereign will of God.

 2.     Bel and Nebo Fall                                               1/06/17  

https://calltocommitment.blogspot.com/2017/01/bel-and-nebo-fall.html

 This is an article, which was not on the list of top 10 read in 2019, but now for some reason, it has risen to the number two position of articles most read. It covers chapter 46 and 47 of Isaiah and is about Babylon’s two major gods, Bel and Nebo. Babylon existed, but had not yet become an empire in Isaiah’s day. Isaiah, by inspired prophecy, sees its rise and its religion, which actually mothered many other religions to the present time. That is why she is called The Mother of Harlots in the book of Revelation.

 3.     Spurgeon, Ryle and the Jews                              12/17/16                     

http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com/2016/12/spurgeon-ryle-and-jews.html

 Towards the end of the 20^th Century, two men of God saw that His promises, given to the Jews by their prophets, must be fulfilled. These specifically referred to their return to the Promised Land. Around that time the Zionist Movement began, in which the God of Israel placed in the heart of His people to return to Palestine. This is one of two articles that are not expositions from Isaiah.

 4. Judgment upon Phoenicia                                       6/02/16                       

https://calltocommitment.blogspot.com/2016/06/judgment-upon-phoenicia.html

 This is a study of Isaiah 23, which also was not on the list of top ten articles read in 2019, but has risen significantly to this fourth position. It is about a powerful trading region north of Israel. In its day, its ships dominated the Mediterranean Sea. The most well-known cities were Tyre and Sidon. Tyre was an idolatrous city, home of the infamous Jezebel, wife of King Ahab of Israel. Isaiah actually prophesies the invasion of Alexander the Great, centuries later. 

5.      A Mighty Move of God                                       10/27/16                       

http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com.es/2016/10/a-mighty-move-of-god.html

 This is a study of Isaiah, chapter 37, with subtitles: Judah humbles itself before God; Jerusalem honors God above all; The house of prayer; The answer from God through Isaiah; and A mighty move of God.

 6.       Eight Tactics of the Enemy                                  10/23/16                     

http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com.es/2016/10/eight-tactics-of-enemy.html

 This is an important study about how the enemy works against the minds and lives of God’s people to this day. It is from Isaiah 36.

 7.    Divine Power and Attributes                                  11/17/16                    

http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com.es/2016/11/infinite-attributes-and-divine-power.html

 Here is one of the most powerful chapters in the book of Isaiah… chapter 40. It begins with these words from the Almighty, “Comfort, comfort my people!” You know this chapter particularly, because of its last verse: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

       8.  Blessing Follows the Curse                                     10/13/16                     

http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com.es/2016/10/blessing-follows-curse.html

My comments on chapter 34 and 35 of Isaiah, verse-by-verse, learning as the Holy Spirit teaches us from His textbook. It is wonderful to see, throughout the Bible, that the Lord’s stories have good endings!

 9.      The Syndrome of Hubris                                      10/01/16                     

http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com.es/2016/10/the-syndrome-of-hubris.html

 The subject of this article is one that I most frequently bring up in preaching these days. Understanding this Greek term Hubris, helps us to understand what is happening in the minds and hearts of many “Christian” leaders in our times.

 10.    Only God Foretells the Future                           12/05/16                     

http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com/2016/12/only-god-foretells-future.html

 One of the reasons that Christians have determined that the Bible is the Word of God, is due to prophecies that have literally been fulfilled. A high percentage of the biblical writings are prophetic. There are over 300 details concerning the coming Messiah in the Old Testament, which were literally fulfilled. Prophecies have been astoundingly fulfilled in the past century and this will go on until the end of time.

  In addition:

 I want to bring to your attention other articles, which received hundreds of visits. If you have never read them, I greatly encourage you to do so. A short summary is given for each one…

 1. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit I, II, III                     1/15/19 – 1/18/19

https://calltocommitment.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-baptism-in-holy-spirit-i.html

 I begin with three consecutive articles on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. I consider it to be of the highest importance that this subject be explored and understood in this day of theoretical, intellectual, non-experiential, powerless Christianity, in which God is so unreal, and in which, as well, we hear of the sensationalism of false prophets. We need to go back to examine the power of the Wesleys, George Whitefield, Charles Finney, C. H. Spurgeon and D. L. Moody, among many others. We need to re-visit the revivals which occurred around the world, especially in Wales, Hebrides Islands, India, and in various Christian Colleges in the USA, even as late as towards the end of the 20^th Century. 

 2. Coach Luneau’s Story: Part I - IV                              5/03/21- 5/17/21

http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com/2021/05/coach-luneaus-story-part-i.html

 Recently, I decided to convert Matt Luneau’s various articles into one story with four parts. The link is to the first part. This year the Luneaus returned from a stay in Ilze’s native country of Latvia, where Matt coached a professional basketball team. People continue to read his stories on our blogspot. The coach suffered a stroke several years ago, but he is back on his feet. The following year, his high school team was undefeated, winning the Vermont State Championship! The top story on this list is that of a star player’s accident and how God moved through it to speak to hundreds of people (if not thousands). If you have never read this story of God’s mighty moving upon high school students, please read it. If you’ve read it, you may want to read it again.

 3. Introduction to Daniel                                                        10/05/17

https://calltocommitment.blogspot.com/2017/10/introduction-to-daniel.html

 I would never recommend a study on the book of Revelation, without first a careful study of the book of Daniel. This is an introduction into an expositional study on the book, which you might consider as your first step to taking on the challenge of going through this entire book.

 4. Daniel in the Lion’s Den                                                     12/15/17

https://calltocommitment.blogspot.com/2017/12/daniel-in-lions-den.html

 From the expositional study on the book of Daniel, here is the famous story of Daniel in the lion’s den. Because spiritual principles are unchanging, we should find modern similarities in all Bible stories. Here are a few that we will cover in these paragraphs: Anti-Semitism, the deification of man, supposed infallibility of high leaders, religious persecution, and evil, destructive opposition without constructive purpose.

      5. The Antichrist                                                                      1/25/18

https://calltocommitment.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-antichrist.html

      Also from the book of Daniel, a study on the antichrist. Chapter 11:5-20 relates the conflicts between the kings of the north and south; verses 21-35 prophecy the history of Antiochus Epiphanes and verses 36-45 take us to the end time to the 3 ½ year reign of the antichrist.

     6. What Does It Mean to be Used of God?                           5/26/14

http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com.es/2014/05/what-does-it-mean-to-be-used-of-god.html

This article brings us a surprising lesson! It tells the story of a young Spanish boy, killed in Croatia, and how God moved during the eight months that he was in a coma before he died.

       7. Quotes from Len Ravenhill's Letters, no. 11                       2/21/13

http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com.es/2013/02/11-quotes-from-leonard-ravenhills.html

 I introduce another series, which you can begin by reading this article. From 1983 to 1993 we received forty-five letters from Leonard Ravenhill. These are two of them that have been most read on the blogspot.

       8. Four Beasts                                                                         12/26/17

https://calltocommitment.blogspot.com/2017/12/four-beasts.html

     Again a chapter from the book of Daniel, this time chapter 7. Daniel prophecies of four world empires, a dream with a similar meaning to that of Nebuchadnezzar. That of the emperor concerned a four-fold image, which Daniel sees as four savage beasts.

 9. A Voice from Heaven,  by Dave Brueckner                       11/2/13

http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com.es/2013/11/the-voice-from-heaven-by-dave-brueckner.html

       I am always anxious to get articles written by our sons, Mike, Dan and Dave. Dan wrote an article, “I Have Found the Book” about King Josiah. I translated it to Spanish and it was one of the most read articles on our Spanish blog. I recently reprinted two messages by Dave and here is another. He tells us that heaven is a noisy place!

       10. Wake Up! It’s Later Than You Think                              3/19/12

http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com.es/2012/03/wake-up-its-later-than-you-think.html

      This article is an attempt to make God’s people aware of the great deception that is taking place, even in the area of Bible translation. Please be informed.