Tag Archives: God

Isaiah 40-43; Hold On To Your Hats

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Do you not know? Have you not heard?

Reading these chapters today has me praising God, not only for what He does for His children (which is nothing short of amazing), but in the reality of who He is. I hope you’ll read these chapters today for yourself. Be ready to have your socks knocked off!

It starts off with God wanting to comfort us, to assure us His Word will stand forever. It was true back then, it’s true today, and it will be true a thousand years from now. There is something very reassuring about that fact. I don’t have to wonder, or stress, or hope what I believe is right. If it’s in there… it’s true!

Isaiah tells us God is exactly who He says He is. He’s the God above all gods, the Creator, and the Savior. There is no one like Him. Lift up your eyes and look to the Creator who gives strength to us who hope in the Lord. He gives us everything we need to face our day, and in every situation. He upholds his children (me and you) in His right hand. Doesn’t that give you confidence and peace?

I love 41:17-20. We are thirsty, but God doesn’t just give us a drink. He turns our desert into pools of water, flowing rivers, and bubbling springs. And He doesn’t even stop there. He grows shade trees, fragrant trees, and food-producing trees to sustain us.

I think that’s what Paul meant when he honored God as the one “who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine.” (Ephesians 3:20) We ask for a sip of water, God opens the flood gates!

Isaiah points us to Jesus who opens blind eyes, and sets captives free. He is God! He loves us, redeems us, forgives our sins and promises to never remember them ever again, and He takes us by the hand to guide us.

Isaiah 43:2 is a treasure you can take to the bank.

Oh dear one, take time to read these words God inspired Isaiah to write. But hold on to your hat. You’re going to be blown away. Then join me in praising God, the One who deserves our praise.

Psalm 19-24; The God the World Doesn’t Know

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Christianity gets a bad rap these days. Christians are painted as bigots, judgmental, homophobic haters. God is cursed for being unfair, cruel, jealous. If they only knew.

Most of us who spent any time in Sunday School as children probably memorized the 23rd Psalm. When I read it today I realized it describes the God unbelievers don’t know. It describes what God longs to be for all of us and them:

Our Shepherd.

The One who protects us from our enemy Satan, the One who provides everything we need because He provides Himself, His presence and strength. We don’t need Oprah or pop-psychology or self medication. We don’t need to fear, or to worry, or to feel anxious about anything because He leads us to calm waters even in storms.

He leads us toward righteousness, which is anything but politically correct. But He never leaves us or forsakes us no matter what kind of resistance we face. We go through difficult times, losses, illnesses, pain. But we need not fear because the Holy Spirit – the Comforter – has come and lives right in us.

He blesses us in ways the world can’t understand, because God wants the world to see that He is a God who blesses. He is always working in the hearts of men to draw them to Himself, the Shepherd who wants to be these things for them, too, who does not will that any of them die without Him.

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11) The God unbelievers don’t know is the God who went to the cross for love of them; the God who paid what none of us can pay, and who saves all who call on the name of Jesus. He’s not cruel. He is loving and self-sacrificing, and gracious.

Then, the psalmist ends with reminding us that this life is temporary. Eternity awaits. And those of us who know Jesus will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Why don’t unbelievers know the truth about God? Could it be because believers aren’t telling them?

Dear Shepherd, sometimes your children seem to think that everyone knows the truth about you and chooses to reject you. But I wonder if that’s true. I wonder if some of these people who are so critical of Christianity really have no idea who you are. Their knowledge of you comes from movies and FB. I pray that you will lay on the hearts of your people, the fervent desire to speak the truth to those who have no clue. Because the God they don’t know is a compassionate Shepherd who wants to spend eternity with each of them, and who died so that can happen.

Genesis 15-16 God Sees Me

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Hagar was an Egyptian girl working in Abram’s household. Was she able to observe Abram’s faith in God? Did Sarai talk to her servant about God? Did Hagar become a believer as a result of knowing Abram and Sarai? Scripture doesn’t tell us that. But God spoke to this Egyptian girl just like He spoke to Abram.

Hagar heard God’s voice. 16:7 tells us the “angel of the Lord” found her and talked to her.

God has many names. And I love them all. But the one Hagar gave God speaks to me today. “You are the God who sees me,”… “I have now seen the One who sees me.” (16:13)

When I am lonely or discouraged, depressed or afraid, I can look to my Heavenly Father and know He sees me. There is something very precious, very comforting about that Name.

I am not alone. The Creator see me, sees my circumstances, sees my heart. And He loves me, will never leave me, strengthens and keeps me.

I worship the God who sees me!

December 27 – Walking In Truth

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2 John; 3 John

John uses the term, “walking in truth,” several times in his last two letters. So I’ve been sitting here thinking about my own walk, the truth I live by. Here are some things that came to mind:

In the beginning God created… (Gen 1)

The virgin shall conceive and bear a son… (Isaiah 7:14)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us… (John 1)

Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one can come to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:5)

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (I John 1:9)

For we believe that Jesus died and rose again… (I Thess 4:14)

If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again… (John 14:3)

That’s the Truth I’m walking in. It’s the Truth that defines me, strengthens me, encourages and blesses me. It’s the only Truth by it’s very nature. I pray you’ll be walking with me in Truth today.

 

October 11 – It’s Obvious To Me

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Matthew 8:1-13; Luke 7

According to the Beth Moore Bible study I’ve been attending, healed lepers weren’t common back in the day. In fact, since Moses wrote the law concerning leprosy and what a person was required to do when healed, NO healings of the disease are recorded until Jesus. For thousands of years, Jews were taught what to do if they were healed of leprosy. And none of them were able to fulfill the requirements because none of them were healed.

I would think that, if Jesus had performed no other miracle, healing a leper should have been proof enough that He was the Messiah. Who else but God could heal that deadly disease with a word? It seems so obvious to me.

But there is ample proof of God yet today. And there are still many who refuse to acknowledge the proof, who still deny His existence, and who still do not bow to Him.

I don’t get it. It’s obvious to me.

September 5 – Becoming god

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Ezekiel 28-31

I know there are some who believe that with meditation, with good thoughts, with positive attitudes, with doing good deeds, and having compassion and treating people kindly, we can become a supreme being, a god, or attain a level of perfection. That is a dangerous theology, and it’s the belief that ended up causing Satan’s fall from heaven. It’s the lie that convinced Eve to disobey God.

Ezekiel reports that God will destroy Tyre, saying:

Because your heart is lifted up and you have said, “I am a god… you will die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers, for I have spoken,” declares the Lord God. (28:2-10)

Once again I am reminded that there is one God and it’s not me. Thinking otherwise comes with devastating consequences.

August 1 – Vindication

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Isaiah 54-58

Sometimes I think we read passages like these in Isaiah and forget that God’s ultimate plan is not the downfall of a disobedient USA, or the rise of the Jewish nation, but rather the end of the spiritual battle between God and Satan. I read how God promises to vindicate His people, to condemn accusers, to defeat the enemy, to establish His people in righteousness, and I realize He’s talking about something greater than planet Earth.

The ultimate vindication is when all of God’s enemies will bow before Him and admit He is who He says He is. Everything that happens up to that point happens in preparation of that great day. God wins. Satan is defeated. We who belong to God will see our accusers admit that they were wrong.

“No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the Lord. (54:7)

Vindication. Eternity. Done.

July 29 – The One And Only God

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Isaiah 44-48

I don’t know how many more ways God could identify Himself as the One and Only God. “I am God,” He repeatedly says through Isaiah, “and there is no other.” Then He goes on to give examples of His ultimate, exclusive power.

You can try to defend your imaginary gods, you can be “spiritual,” “tolerant,” “non-judgmental.” But you would be wrong.

Like it or not, believe it or not, the God of the Bible is the One and Only God. He says He is, and He backs it up.

I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone forth form My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back, that to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance. (45:23)

I am He, I am the first, I am also the last. (48:12)

And I will tell you that the One and Only God loves you, yearns for you, sent His Son to die for you in order to forgive you. The One and Only God wants you with Him forever.

Oh, what an amazing One and Only God.

May 24 – Steadfast Hearts of Praise

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Psalm 108-110

The friend I asked you to pray for a while back found out the cancer has spread to her lungs. She sings praises to God on her way to radiation treatments.

A 17 year old girl, who has been living with chronic pain, just had her gall bladder removed in hopes it will alleviate her pain. She faces each day with a smile on her face and praises God for His faithfulness.

A grandpa has suffered a series of stokes, yet he and his wife continue to praise God, and celebrate every hint of recovery. They trust God with this man’s life.

The psalmist says, “My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing praises, even with my soul.” (108:1)

What does it mean to have a steadfast heart toward God? To me it means praising God regardless of circumstances. It means more than giving lip-service praise, but praise from deep within my soul without a thought other than God alone.

God is worthy of our praise no matter what we are experiencing at the moment, just for the reality of Who He is. I want to praise Him with a steadfast heart.

May 5 – God. Period.

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Psalms 1-2, 15, 22-24, 47, 68

These psalms remind me that God is God. There is no one like Him. He is the One who blesses His people with everything we need for this life – He blesses us with Himself!

He protects. He strengthens. He clothes us with His righteousness because we have none of our own. He died for us, paying what we cannot pay.

Yes, He is to be feared because of His holiness. But He also deserves our worship and our praise, our obedience and our love. We are blessed because GOD IS WHO HE IS!

Loving my Lord today!