Learning how to tune out Channel One

Isaiah 20

As one who follows Christ, it is important to understand the challenge of tuning out Channel One, the deceptive channels message is your personal worth.  It has two subjects, both are about you or others, one is you deserve better, it reminds you of your status, your wealth, you mental ability, and it’s all about self.  The other is also about worth, your lack of, you’re a failure, you have always been a failure, and the world would be a better place without you.  Channel One has this going for it, the voice you hear in your mind sounds like your voice, and it seems to always be broadcasting.  Channel Two is a quiet voice, it never attacks your person, put it does put thoughts in your mind about areas of life, it reminds us to replace hate with kindness, to replace fear with faith, to trust God to supply all our needs, to forgive others, and to forgive yourself.

Rees Howell learned to tune out Channel One and listen intently to Channel Two, Rees was born on October 10, 1879, the sixth of a family of eleven, and he died on February 13, 1950.  If you have not read about this man of God please do so, he was known as the “Intercessor” and was used greatly to affect the lives of many.  You may be asking how does this tie into Isaiah chapter 20?  The two men had trained themselves to listen to Channel Two, and tune out the worldly control; what the Scripture refers to as walking in the flesh.

Norman Grubb gives this account in Rees Howell’s book, Intercessor, of how God will often ask a person do go or do something way out of their comfort zone.  It was an unheard-of thing not to wear a head covering when outdoors, but Rees when alone in the presence of God always bared his head.  It was always done when others were not around.  God began to show Rees he needed to die to the influence of the public, and not wear a hat in order to obey what God was telling him.  God showed Rees the hat had to go in order to keep in the attitude of prayer all day long.   For the first time he could not take his hat with him, but to walk through town without his hat was more than he would do, and he reported the glory he was experiencing was gone an a darkness came over him.  Never had anyone seen a man outdoors without a hat!  It was a battle and Channel One reminded him of how highly respected in the town his parents were, and the disgrace his action would bring, but the Holy Spirit told him to do as he was told.  It is recorded that he said the following; “Often in a test it seems that there is no God in the world.” 

Going hatless in a culture that requires hats is insignificant compared to what He asked of Isaiah.  We have the Assyrian king sending his commander in chief to Ashdod and fought against it and captured it.  The Lord spoke to Isaiah saying, “Go, and loose the sackcloth from your waist and take off your sandals from your feet,” and he did so, walking naked and barefoot.”  He did what God required, and it was not a streak through town, but his job for three years, “Then the Lord said, “as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush, so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian captives and the Cushite exiles, both the young and the old; naked and barefoot, with buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt.”

Some background may be of help; Assyria attacked the Philistine city of Ashdod after its king revolted and the Assyrians replaced the king with his brother.  His brother’s name was Ahimeti and Yamani deposed him so the king of Assyria sent his army back and Yamani fled to Egypt but Egypt turned the rebel over to Assyria.  The message was loud and clear from the Lord to Judea, do not look to Egypt for help, and look only to the Lord.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice