Tag: Isaiah

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Beginning to Forever, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study

A Rescuer

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Based on the Love God Greatly Study, From the Beginning to Forever/w4d4

Read: 1 Kings 12:16-20 and Isaiah 53:1-9/ SOAP Isaiah 53:5

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5

As we continue our journey from The Beginning to the End, this one statement bears repeating: from the beginning of time, God’s plans included a “Rescuer”. He is described in Genesis 3:15 as the One who will crush the head of Satan. Satan, of course, is the enemy (the serpent) who approached Eve in the garden, tempting her to disobey (sin) God’s command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve knew the commandment, she repeated the commandment to the serpent, but she saw that the fruit was attractive and desirable for making one wise ~ and she ate it. From that time forward, ‘man’ has needed someone to rescue them…to save them from eternal separation from God. Because as Isaiah wrote, “Our sins have separated us from God.”1

“And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strikeb your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Genesis 3:15

If you are a human being, you needed rescuing. Jesus came to save you. He saves us from sin by forgiving our sins (Luke 19:10; Acts 10:42–43; 1 Timothy 1:15). He saves us from God’s righteous punishment by justifying us with His blood (Romans 5:9). He saves us from death by giving us eternal life. He saves us from the degradation of the world by separating, empowering, and sanctifying us (Titus 3:3–8). He saves us from the devil, who deceives the world (1 John 3:8). For all these reasons and more, Jesus is rightfully worshiped as the Savior of the world (John 4:42; 1 John 4:14).

gotquestions.org/What does it mean that Jesus is the Savior?

Salvation is more than just a one-and-done ‘religious experience’ you check off a list and move on. Friends, true salvation is the beginning of a life-giving/eternity-long relationship with the one true, Triune God (Father, Spirit, and Son). The Father gave the Son, the Son gave His life to rescue/save us, and the Spirit fills us with life and power to participate in the Divine Nature.

In most superhero movies, the hero must intervene in a dangerous situation to rescue a powerless victim. At the end, the victim might exclaim, with all the force of a well-worn cliché, “You’re my hero!” In this moment, the grateful person is acknowledging that the hero has, potentially with great sacrifice, rescued him or her from mortal danger. Christians mean much the same thing when they refer to Jesus as the Savior, but on a much grander scale. In the Bible, the word Savior simply means “someone who saves someone else.” In the Old Testament, God is frequently referred to as the Savior, rescuing His people from all kinds of danger (Deuteronomy 32:15; 1 Chronicles 16:35; Psalm 18:46; 38:22). What does Jesus rescue us from? And what does He rescue us for?

To understand Jesus’ role as Savior, we must understand our own desperate situation. Humans have sinned against God, rebelling, and voluntarily separating themselves from the God of life (Romans 3:23; 5:12). Sin produces death, and so everything in our world is now dying (Romans 6:23; James 1:15). Because God is holy, He will punish sin, leading to eternal separation from Him (Matthew 10:28). Without Jesus, humans are helplessly enslaved by sin and cannot ever achieve holiness on their own (Romans 3:9–20). We were born on a one-way track to hell, rightly condemned for our sin (Ephesians 2:1–3).

Read the full answer here: https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-is-the-Savior.html

I love this analogy, Jesus is my ‘super-hero’! For He has saved me from my sins and the death they deserved! He has rescued me from so many pits, wrong turns, the power of hell, the deception of the enemy, the desires of the sinful nature… the list is long, but the evidence is sure and certain and liberating, for I have been set free from the chains of sin and death and from the condemnation that sin brings.

He’s My Rescuer is one of my favorite songs by Rend Collective, and I couldn’t help but think of it as I was writing out my thoughts on today’s journey.

[Verse 1]
There is good news for the captive, good news for the shamed
There is good news for the one who walked away
There is good news for the doubter, the one religion failed
For the Good Lord has come to seek and save

[Chorus]
He’s our rescuer (Hey!)
He’s our rescuer (Hey!)
We are free from sin forevermore
Oh how sweet the sound (Hey!)
Oh how grace abounds (Hey!)
We will praise the Lord our rescuer

[Verse 2]
He is beauty for the blind man, riches for the poor
He is friendship for the one the world ignores
He is pasture for the weary, rest for those who strive
For the Good Lord is the way, the truth, the life
Yes the Good Lord is the way, the truth, the life

The More We Know

  1. Isaiah 59:2 ↩︎

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Off the Beaten Path

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Our Best Defense Against Spiritual Drought1

Today’s Scripture: Isaiah 58:11

The Lord will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Isaiah 58:11 NKJV

Have you ever found yourself in a spiritual season of drought – droughts of finding words to pray, droughts of sensing His presence, or droughts of struggling to even pick up God’s Word? I know I have and my heart aches at the remembrance of such times or at the thought of them coming again. However, today’s devotion/blog by Michele Morin, offers great encouragement that even in our seasons of drought God is with us. Even then He is guiding us, strengthening our ‘bones’, as Isaiah wrote, and reviving us with streams of water that flow through the parched landscapes of our lives.

I pray it encourages you as much as it did me 🦋

Staying motivated and excited about reading and studying the Bible is our best defense against the spiritual desert.

Living Our Days / Posted on  by Michele Morin
Read the Blog
How to Stay Motivated and Excited About Reading the Bible
  1. Title and quotes by Michele Morin as published on Living Our Days/July 21,2024 ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Christmas, From the Insideout, God is good, Know These Truths, Quiet Time

On the Eighth-Day of Christmas

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Originally posted January 2, 2021

Jesus, the Lamb of God
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:29

On the Eighth-Day of Christmas, my ‘True Love’ gave to me … A Lamb to take away my sins. That’s right, in God’s goodness He provided the Perfect Lamb, the Spotless Lamb – Jesus Christ. He did this so that my sins and those of the world might be forgiven. A lamb isn’t powerful like a lion, but this Lamb had all the power of heaven – for His blood was pure. He was the perfect and complete sacrifice – sent by the Father as a free gift of salvation to a lost and dying people whom He loved.

Me – from the Insideout

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Romans 6:23

Father, I celebrate Your Gift of Jesus Christ as the Lamb sacrificed for my sins. I praise You for the gift of His blood that cleanses me and makes me white as snow.

The More You Know

The only hope we have of Heaven is Jesus. If you don’t know Him or have questions about salvation I would love to help you. I invite you to visit my link, Know These Truths or email me at mryelnb@aol.com and reference “know these truths”.

Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time, The Promised Messiah

O’ the Depth of His Love

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Scripture: Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Philippians 2:6-11 / SOAP: Philip 2:8-11
THe Love and Example of Jesus –

Though he, [Jesus], was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,

he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

The Reaction of God The Father –

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:8-11

I love the way that the LGG Team worded it in today’s devotion (journal p 52)

When Jesus left the glories of heaven to come into our broken world, He emptied Himself, not of His divinity, but of His divine privileges as God. Jesus, the eternal Son of God, was willing to take on human nature, entering into all the pain, frustrations, and afflictions of our fallen world. he humbled Himself by submitting to the Father’s will.

Jesus’ obedience went beyond living as a human, even to the point of His gruesome death. He was humiliated and hated, murdered by the very people He came to save. Yet, because of that, God has highly exalted Him.

The Promised Messiah, by LGG, devotion journal p52

To know God is to love Him and to know the depth of His love is to worship and adore Him above all else. I mean seriously, our God is an awesome God! Yet we will never truly understand how incredibly awesome He is until we understand the depth of His love. Consider these closing words from today’s devo: “[Jesus] was willing to humble Himself completely to save us. He left His place in heaven so that we could have a relationship with Him. He gave everything so we could gain everything.” –

When we understand the depth of His love we will bow to the supremacy of Christ and we will follow/adopt His attitude toward God and man.

O’ Come let us adore Him! May we forever exalt His name – for He is forever worthy of our praise!

Father, God – thank You for sending Your Son to save us. Jesus thank You for Your obedience to the Father on my behalf and for His glory – Help me to live and love like You! In Your name I pray Jesus – Amen.

Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Promised Messiah

The Hope of Israel

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Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-7 / SOAP: Isaiah 9:6-7

For a child has been born to us,
a son has been given to us.
He shoulders responsibility and is called
Wonderful Adviser, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

His dominion will be vast, and he will bring immeasurable prosperity.
He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom, establishing it and strengthening it by promoting justice and fairness, from this time forward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:6-7

In our larger passage, verses two through five are a message from the prophet Isaiah that tells of a time when God will send light back to Israel. War will cease and Israel’s enemies will no longer rule over them. Verses six and seven tell us how that will happen.

Oh the beauty of a promise kept and of hope given. Through God’s Word we have seen the child, the son that Isaiah spoke of, born to a virgin who called His name Emmanuel. We have seen Him on a cross bearing the weight of sins that belonged to the world. We have watched as God let Him die and listened as He cried in agony, “My God, My God – why have You forsaken Me?” We’ve peered into the tomb with Mary and the others to see the grave clothes but no body and then watched as He later ascended into heaven. Perhaps we’ve even doubted with Thomas but then realized the reality of His presence and cried out as Thomas did, “My Lord, and my God!” By faith we now believe that He sits at the right hand of God’s throne interceding on our behalf. And by faith we believe and wait with great anticipation for His promised return. Yes, oh yes! There is beauty in a promise kept and that beauty comes in the hope, peace, and strength that come from knowing Him .

Feel free to share your thoughts (observations, application …) about today’s passage – in the comment section
Reflections on Today’s Journey
  • Who is Jesus to you?
  • Why is He such an important person?
  • Why do so many people still follow Him?
Going Further

For more insight on today’s reading be sure and ready today’s blog from the LGG Team

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Armor of God

The Feet of the Messenger

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Scripture: Isaiah 52:7

How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains the feet of a messenger who announces peace, a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance,who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Isaiah 52:7

I remember reading this for the first time in my late 20s or early 30s and was so intrigued by it. I was using the NIV study Bible then, which, along with the KJV and NLT translations, uses the word beautiful instead of delightful. It has the same meaning, but the word beautiful really struck me and has stuck in my mind all these years. When I hear the Gospel preached on Sunday morning or think of Billy Graham’s crusades that my dad had us watch when we were growing up, or in any other setting where I hear His Word of peace and salvation proclaimed – the Spirit raises this verse to mind, and I stand transfixed to that moment in time when the people first heard the messenger on the mountain, that Isaiah refers to.

How beautiful on the mountains
    are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,
the good news of peace and salvation,
    the news that the God of Israel reigns!

Isa 52:7 NLT

Isaiah’s word imagery is also used in the Old Testament by the prophet Nahum in Nahum 1:15, where we read:  “Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.” It is used again by Paul in the New Testament, in Romans 10:14-15, as a reference to “missions” and carrying the Gospel to the unreached – where Paul poses the question,  “How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.”

In Isaiah’s day, his words were meant to leave Judah rejoicing in deliverance from captivity to their enemy. The same was true in Paul’s day, and even now, the words can should evoke rejoicing in the “goodness’ of our salvation and the freedom it brought us. For by it, we have been delivered from captivity to the law of sin and death! (Romans 6:14-15)

Is this not a beautiful message of peace that Paul delivered, bringing us the ‘good news’ of our salvation?!


14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!

Roman 6:14-15
Other Notable Observations
  • Having learned from Ephesians 2:14 that “Jesus is our peace,” this could read “…the feet of a messenger who announces Jesus.
  • It wasn’t just the feet; it was the message – the good news of deliverance
  • Freedom comes through the Sovereign God who reigns!
One Obvious Application

While there may be other worthy applications, the one that jumped off the page to me was – be ready with the Gospel.

A Prayer in Response to the Word

Father, how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news that “our God saves!” Thank You for calling Your disciples – myself included to share this Good News with ALL! And, as Peter said, to be ready with an answer for the HOPE that is in me, 1 Peter 3:15. Help me to be excited about the message of Good News and not let the enemy keep me silent. Help me to live as Paul taught – unashamed of the gospel, the Good News about Christ, for it is You at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. Help me to remember that Christ himself united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us – so that I don’t hold back but share and work as He did to bring all people to You. – In His Name I pray – AMEN!

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.[a]

1 Peter 3:15 and Romans 1:16

Reflection on the Journey
  • How can we make sure that our feet are fitted with the “Gospel of Peace”?
  • What “mountains” can you ascend with the good news of the Gospel?
Going Further:

“God has called each of us to be a messenger of His love and grace to those around us.”

The LGG Devotional Journal

These are great and helpful links to understanding what Paul meant by not being ashamed of the Gospel and how to be ready to implement the Gospel in your everyday life.

By nature, we are not at peace with God, but are enemies to Him, living in rebellious pride. Our responsibility is to share the gospel of peace, telling people that they can turn to God and come to Jesus for forgiveness. Whether through our words, actions, or simply the way we live our lives, we have the privilege and responsibility to share the Good News of salvation and the peace that only God provides.

The LGG Devotional Journal

The Good News of salvation is not just for us: it is for everyone. We have been given the privilege of sharing it with the world. Let us take courage, lift up our heads, and go forth with joy, knowing that our feet are beautiful because they carry the Good News of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The LGG Devotional Journal

Posted in Bible study, From Broken to Restored, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time

Purpose Matters

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based on the LGG Study, From Broken to Restored / w6d1

Scripture: Nehemiah 13:1-14; Matthew 21:12-16 / SOAP: Matthew 21:13

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Matthew 21:12 and 13
A Look at Nehemiah

Our ongoing journey through Nehemiah is winding down this week and bears some close observation as we near the end. Today’s 14 verses deal with a time when one of the priest had repurposed a room that God had purposed for the the grain offering, the incense, and the vessels, along with the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil. The priest didn’t just repurpose the room but made it a large storeroom for a relative to use. Nehemiah makes it clear that during this time he had gone back to serving the King and had not been in Jerusalem when the priest had taken over the storeroom. When Nehemiah found out what “evil” the priest had done he became very upset and threw everything out and gave instructions for the room to be purified. Once it was purified he restored it to its original purpose – including the “grain offering and the incense; he also made sure it would no longer be neglected. Because he did these things all of Judah once again brought the “tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms.”

Nehemiah’s Prayer Request

Following Nehemiah’s return and restoration project he makes a humble request of God to remember him for what he had done. At first glance this prayer may seem less than humble but he clarifies the intent of his heart’s purpose by specifically asking God to “not wipe out the kindness [Nehemiah had] done for the temple of [his] God and for its services!”

It wasn’t about what Nehemiah had done but why he had done it.

A New Testament Example

Today’s SOAP passage, Matthew 21:13, shows Jesus’ reaction to a similar situation as that of Nehemiah’s. We see Jesus, the one typically so full of love and compassion, “[driving] out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts, and [turning] over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.” However, as with Nehemiah, Jesus’ words that followed his actions clarified His intent and heart’s purpose. Quoting from the Old Testament, He said to those involved, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are turning it into a den of robbers!”

Jesus’ anger was clearly ‘righteous anger’ aroused because the people were misusing the House of God, His Father. Not only were they cheating the people who had come to the temple for righteous purposes they were robbing God of the joy and glory and honor He received when the people sought Him in prayer and sacrifice. This explains the statement Jesus made when He boldly identified the guilty parties as “robbers!”

Jesus’ anger wasn’t just about Him not liking what they were doing. It was about His jealousy for God and what they were taking away from Him.

Make it Personal: Reflection

Today, God’s presence indwells our hearts through His Holy Spirit. As we look at the way the temple of God was supposed to be treated, what does that mean for our hearts?

Going Further

Today’s LGG Blog Post offers more insight

Read about the House of Prayer and Den of Robbers

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, He Sees He Knows He Cares, He Sees He Knows He Cares, He Sees He Knows He Cares, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

In the Power of The Spirit

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Scripture Reading: Luke 4:14-30; SOAP / Luke 4:18–19

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and the regaining of sight to the blind,
to set free those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Luke 4:18-19 NET

In our most recent post, we read about Jesus being tempted in the wilderness by the devil. Today’s encounter picks up sometime after His encounter with the devil, and it made me stop and think and appreciate Luke’s writing even more and Jesus’ life on earth just a little differently than I have before. Today’s passage, revealing yet another Jesus encounter as God in the flesh, caught my attention. Here’s what captivated my mind – as though I had never read it before. Picture it with me, this young man is God in the flesh and yet we’ve seen word pictures of His birth announcement, His circumcision, His presentation to the LORD at the temple, His baptism, and, what I can only imagine, was a grueling temptation by the devil in the wilderness. This brings us to today’s word-picture of Jesus, God in the flesh, being led by the Spirit of God, dedicated to God, Father for His life’s purpose. We so often focus on the price Christ paid on the cross, and rightfully so; However, as I look at these other encounters He endured on our behalf my heart is moved even more at what it cost Him to leave His place with the Father to die for us. Going through rituals meant for sinners, enduring temptations, mockery, insults, and all that we will witness moving forward may appear to be easy for this man who was God – but let us not lose sight of the fact that He was a man, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law. He felt pain, cried tears, sweat great drops of blood, worked hard, faced temptations, comforted the hurting, dealt with hunger, and needs just like us and He knew from the beginning that He was born to suffer and die a horrendous death that He did not deserve to die.

Following the temptation in the wilderness, Jesus, “in the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee” and began to teach in the synagogues. This encounter finds Him in His hometown of Nazareth where He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He opened the scroll to a specific place and read, ironically – but not mistakenly, about Himself to the people – telling them that He was sent to:

  • proclaim good news to the poor
  • proclaim release to the captives
  • restore sight to the blind
  • set free those who are oppressed, and
  • to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
    • It might be helpful to stop here for a minute and explain what is meant by “the year of the Lord’s favor”. From what I read and understand, the statement describes not a particular year or literal time but a space of time that is characterized by God’s grace, redemption, and deliverance. In its original use by Isaiah it is said to specifically refer to the restoration of God’s people from Babylonian captivity. In it’s reference here in Luke 4:21 it is specific to Jesus fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 61:1-2 through the reading of the Scripture.*

The people would have been familiar with the passage as it was from the prophet Isaiah, a passage they no doubt had heard or read often. However, when He had rolled the scroll back up He said to them,

“Today this Scripture has been fulfilled, even as you heard it being read.”

Luke 4:20 NET

This subtle announcement led to more conversation and filled the crowd with rage. Despite their rage and plans to throw Him down the cliff, Jesus was able to pass through the crowd and go on His way.

A Response to God’s Word

Thank You Jesus, for coming to set me free from spiritual captivity, blindness, and oppression – for apart from You there would be no way for me to come to the Father. Thank You for Your willingness to suffer not just on the cross but in this world for sins you did not commit. Thank You for Your Spirit within me, so that I can carry on Your work living as Your witness, and answering Your call on my life to encourage, equip, and empower others with Your Word. praise Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Want more?

Be sure and visit Love God Greatly for today’s blog

*For more insight on “The year of the Lord’s favor, visit https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/the-year-of-the-lords-favor

Posted in Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study, The God Who Restores

The Lord Returns

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The God Who Restores, a Love God Greatly Advent Study

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11

Today’s SOAP: Isaiah 40:10-11

9bSay to the towns of Judah,
“[Behold] your God!”
10 Look, the Sovereign Lord comes as a victorious warrior;
his military power establishes his rule.
Look, his reward is with him;
his prize goes before him.
11 Like a shepherd he tends his flock;
he gathers up the lambs with his arm;
he carries them close to his heart;
he leads the ewes along.

Isaiah 40:9b-11
Observations: Behold Your God!

From the first words of this chapter, Isaiah’s message changed from one of coming doom to one of comfort and peace and the coming of the LORD, the God of Israel. The message becomes one of hope and preparation for His return – a message of making a way, removing obstacles, and getting ready to see God’s work. Israel had known hills and valleys and mountain top experiences in their life time – but they were not to let them stand in the way of seeing God and what He would do. -They were to make a way for “all people to see” when His splendor that would one day be revealed (5)

The people of Judah are called to “behold [their] God”. Behold has such a different connotation than glancing or noticing, it is more like gazing or fixing your eyes on something. It was an invitation to take a lingering look, to look intently – as if to study God for who He is and how He is. For instance, as Isaiah points out- God and His Word are eternal and unfailing! He can forever be trusted!

Isaiah doesn’t just present the message/invitation for the people to Behold their God, but he gets specific, pointing out the mightiness and yet the tenderness of God:

  • The LORD our God will come
  • He will come as a victorious warrior
  • He is strong and mighty
  • He comes prepared to reward His people
  • He is like a shepherd
  • He cares for His flock
  • He is tender and protective with the lambs
  • He keeps them close and carefully, knowingly, tenderly leads the vulnerable
Application: So what does this mean for God’s people today?

Of course, this message was first given to the people of “Israel”, – but in light of the fact that we have been adopted into God’s family, as sons and daughters – we too are called to “Behold our God”. To look at Him, gaze upon Him, study His life, know His love, and pour it back out on others. In this there is both comfort and peace. I believe for the full scope and application of this passage we must not miss or hesitate to look at the full message of Isaiah in these eleven verses, namely verses three and four, where we read:

  • Clear a way for the LORD – (in other words, remove the obstacles)
    • level the road
    • elevate the valleys
    • level the mountains and hills
    • where there is rough terrain needs to be a level plain
    • the rugged landscape a wide valley

Why? Because if they don’t, if we don’t, we will miss what God is doing and is going to do.

Finally, we must not be afraid to present our God to others – boldly drawing their attention to who He is – “the Sovereign LORD, coming as a victorious warrior, a powerful ruler, who will reward those who belong to Him”; and also how He is – “A [tender] shepherd, who tends his flock, gathering up the lambs with his arm, carrying them close to his heart, leading the ewes along.”

Is there anything better to occupy a believer’s mind than to focus on God and then pour Him out to others?

Mefromtheinsideout –
Prayer: Response to God’s Word

Father, today’s passage calls us to look to come and behold You – to gaze upon You and see You not only in power and might like a warrior but as a shepherd who tenderly and lovingly leads Your sheep — keeping them close to Your heart and protectively leading those who are vulnerable. I’m so thankful to know You as a God of comfort and peace who will come in power and might! Admittedly, I rely on both.

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout
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Sin and the Need for Jesus

Day 4 of Jesus, I Need You – Part 2, a study of Thistlebend Ministries

Scripture Reading: Malachi 1:6-8, 3:1, 4:5-6; Matthew 11:14, Luke 1:17; and Isaiah 57:14-19

God Forgives the Repentant14 God says, “Rebuild the road Clear away the rocks and stones so my people can return from captivity.” 15 The high and lofty one who lives in eternity the Holy One, says this: “I  live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble  and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts. 16 For I will not fight against you forever; I will not always be angry. If I were, all people would pass away—all the souls I have made. 17 I was angry,
so I punished these greedy people. I withdrew from them, but they kept going on their own stubborn way. 18 I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway! I will lead them.
I will comfort those who mourn, 19 bringing words of praise to their lips. May they have abundant peace, both near and far,” says the Lord, who heals them.  Isaiah 57:14-19  NLT
 Observation: What’s the Message?

Every day, throughout this study, I have read the verses and looked for ways that they point us to our need for Jesus. Some passages have been more obvious than others but today’s proved to be challenging for me. Here’s where I landed …. Malachi 1:6-8 was a reminder that our sins require a sacrifice acceptable to God, but then it also prompted to praise God that Jesus is forever a perfect sacrifice. This reminded me that The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God will not despise a broken and humbled heart. The other two passages from Malachi as well as the ones from Matthew and Luke seem to point us yet again to John the Baptist and his role as the one who would prepare the way for our Lord.

The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.

Psalm 51:17

It is the passage from Isaiah however, that captured my attention. I confess it grabbed my attention mostly because I couldn’t figure it out and that always bugs me – so I chased down some information on its meaning and was glad I did. From all that I read, my synopsis is – it’s all about Christ making a way for us to have a relationship with God! However, I want to share with you a few bullet points from an article I read that I hope will help you reach the same ‘hallelujah’ I did.

  • Christ is the one who opens the way for a great returning to God (14)
  • Christ is the one in whom the “lofty one” – whose name is Holy comes to dwell with the oppressed and lowly (15)
  • Christ’s death is why God can acquit a guilty people without dropping the charges (16)
  • It is by Christ’s stripes that we are healed (18)
  • Everything hoped for in this passage comes to us – even to us Gentiles – in Jesus Christ.

Piper, from whose article I borrowed these points, went on to say, “We can read it as a personal offer of hope to any of us who will accept the healing of humbling and the cure of a crushed spirit.”

Application: How Then Should We Live?

From the inferior sacrifices of Malachi’s day to yet more reminders of John coming to prepare the way we are once again reminded of our need for Jesus. If we do not acknowledge this need daily, in both our hearts and minds, I am convinced that we will live as though we do not need Him.

We must not allow ourselves to live as though we can save ourselves or make ourselves better – we need a savior and that savior cannot be a pastor, a church, a child or spouse or friend, it can not be a job or good works. The only savior able to meet the demands of our Holy God is His Righteous Son, Jesus Christ.

Sin is the key because it is often the stumbling block that keeps us from dealing with the daily reality of our need for Jesus. We convince ourselves the questionable things we think, do, say, or watch really aren’t that bad. We play the grace card sometimes before we’ve even committed the sin – content that He will forgive us – we proceed with the sin. We should not make light of sin or treat it as a mistake – we need to humble ourselves before Him, confess our sin for what it is and deal with the sorrow that contrition brings. Remember, a humble and contrite heart He will not despise and according to this passage in Isaiah it is with the contrite and humble that He lives.

Prayer: Response to God’s Word

Father, how blessed we are that You sent Jesus to open a way to You, to acquit us of our quilt, to come and dwell among us, to heal us by His stripes, and to offer us hope and an eternal future with You. May we daily consider what You have done for us and live accordingly. Guard us from living in ignorance or rebellion – knowing what You’ve done for us but choosing our own way over Yours. Help us to be aware of our sin and may it make us contrite and humble, for it is with a humble and contrite heart You will dwell. To You be the glory, honor, and praise now and forever – Amen!

Your Turn:
  • What’s your take away from today?
  • How can you plan to walk humbly with your God?
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