Category: Isaiah

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Beauty for Ashes

Yesterday I took some time for myself. Thank you for allowing me that privilege.

My brother left earth and his Alzheimer’s weaken body and mind on Friday. His eyes and hands were focused upward toward heaven and he told his wife that he could see Jesus. What a wonderful passing!

I know that the next time I see him his body will be perfect and so will his mind. Mine will be too. Heaven is wonderful! I filled most of my day yesterday with memories of my childhood and my life and experiences with him. Sweet.

I had this precious promise from the Lord and it brought me comfort.

“ He sent me to announce that the time has come for the Lord to show his kindness, when our God will also punish evil people. He has sent me to comfort those who are sad, 3 those in Zion who mourn. I will take away the ashes on their head, and I will give them a crown. I will take away their sadness, and I will give them the oil of happiness. I will take away their sorrow, and I will give them celebration clothes.” Isaiah 61:2-3 ERV

Today, I’m choosing beauty; focusing on the love of my heavenly Father. Jesus came to bring us comfort and to take away our sadness, to meet us in our time of grieving. Jesus grieved over the death of His friend Lazarus and then with His own death, He defeated the power of death.

“So this body that ruins will clothe itself with that which never ruins. And this body that dies will clothe itself with that which never dies. When this happens, the Scriptures will be made true: “Death is swallowed in victory.” I Corinthians 15:55 ERV

“How great is God’s love for all who worship him? Greater than the distance between heaven and earth! 12 How far has the Lord taken our sins from us? Farther than the distance from east to west! 13 Just as parents are kind to their children, the Lord is kind to all who worship him, 14 because he knows we are made of dust. 15 We humans are like grass or wild flowers that quickly bloom. 16 But a scorching wind blows, and they quickly wither to be forever forgotten. 17 The Lord is always kind to those who worship him, and he keeps his promises to their descendants 18 who faithfully obey him.” Psalm 103:11-18 CEV

Maybe, you are also experiencing a wave of sadness or a time of mourning, let the Lord fill you with beauty and joy!

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Hush Now!

I couldn’t sleep on Friday night and I was up at 2 a.m. praying.

Those of you who have been reading my blog for any length of time know that this is something that happens occasionally. I find it is one of the best ways to go back to sleep, praying for those I love.

But this particular time, my prayers were more intense. If I’m honest, I found myself doing some complaining and questioning why I haven’t seen a change in a couple of situations. The Lord let me prattle on for a few more minutes and then very distinctly I heard, “Hush now. Be still”.

Those words weren’t harsh or rude. They were comforting, corrective, calm and reassuring. Like the words of a parent who has picked up a crying child to comfort them, these words touched my heart.

And then the Scripture verses that I have committed to memory over the years came flooding in.

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10 NKJV

“Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” Psalm 100:3 NKJV

And then, in my heart the Lord took me back to that quiet place, the place I love to camp out.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.” Psalm 23:1-3 NLT

“My soul is quiet and waits for God alone. He is the One Who saves me. 2 He alone is my rock and the One Who saves me. He is my strong place. I will not be shaken.” Psalm 62:1-2 NLV

Now, unless you think I’m going through some great trial – it’s not that at all. There are just some things I have given to the Lord in prayer that I still haven’t seen answers to yet. I’ve gotten a little impatient in the waiting.

“I would have been without hope if I had not believed that I would see the loving-kindness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord. Be strong. Let your heart be strong. Yes, wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14 NLV

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Isaiah 26:3 NLT

I’d like to encourage you. If you hear the Lord hush you – telling you to be still, I want you to remember the rest of that verse. Be still AND know that I AM GOD! Go to a green pasture and rest while God does what only God can do.

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The Heart of God

We’ve all seen those little labels that are put on the products we buy. Made in U.S.A., China, Japan, Mexico, Canada…

Do you realize that we were made in the heart of God and He sees us as priceless?

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, God has given us every spiritual blessing in heaven. 4 In Christ, he chose us before the world was made. He chose us in love to be his holy people—people who could stand before him without any fault. 5 And before the world was made, God decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. This was what God wanted, and it pleased him to do it. 6 And this brings praise to God because of his wonderful grace. God gave that grace to us freely. He gave us that grace in Christ, the one he loves.” Ephesians 1:3-6 ERV

We were conceived in God’s heart before He made the world! I know, it’s almost impossible to fathom that God had us in mind before anything that we know and see was created. He was thinking of us.

“You have looked deep into my heart, Lord, and you know all about me. 2 You know when I am resting or when I am working, and from heaven you discover my thoughts.3 You notice everything I do and everywhere I go. 4 Before I even speak a word, you know what I will say,
5 and with your powerful arm you protect me from every side. 6 I can’t understand all of this! Such wonderful knowledge is far above me.” Psalm 139:1-6 CEV

Our heavenly Father knows the words we will speak, where we will go and even the number of the hairs on our head. He has tattooed our picture on the palm of His hands.

“I drew a picture of you on my hand. You are always before my eyes” Isaiah 49:16 ERV

We are priceless to Him!

“ Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life” John 3:16 ERV

He gave the One He dearly loved so that we could be joined to them.

“Even before I was born, you had written in your book everything about me. 17 Your thoughts are far beyond my understanding, much more than I could ever imagine.
18 I try to count your thoughts, but they outnumber the grains of sand on the beach.
And when I awake, I will find you nearby.” Psalm 139:16-18 ERV

God has spent eternity thinking of us. The thoughts He has toward us are immeasurable.

“Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with everything God has for you.” Ephesians 3:19 ERV

“But Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this God showed how much he loves us. 9 We have been made right with God by the blood sacrifice of Christ. So through Christ we will surely be saved from God’s anger.” Romans 5:8-9 ERV

God, our heavenly Father, wants us to know Him personally. He wants us to know the depth of His love for us. He wants us to know that we are priceless to Him!

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Fall for Jesus

I love this time of year. Autumn, Fall, Harvest. It’s great!

Instead of focusing on the “scary” things, we can enjoy the rich harvest that God has produced in our lives.

Many have been haunted by their pasts and it can leave them paralyzed to face the future. We have all done things that if brought to light would either embarrass us greatly or ruin our reputation and cause close friends and family to walk away from us.

But that is the fear that the Lord came to free us from.

“But now [in spite of past judgments for Israel’s sins], thus says the Lord, He Who created you, O Jacob, and He Who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you [ransomed you by paying a price instead of leaving you captives]; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;” Isaiah 43:1-3a AMP

Do you see the first line of these verses, “in spite of past judgements for sins”?

The Lord redeems us from our past and gives us hope for the future! He knows all that we have done and are going to do and He loves us! He wants us to stay close to Him so that He can be our constant source of peace and joy. He wants us to keep our thoughts so focused on Him so that we can’t be plagued by our past. Now that’s freedom!

“God, you give true peace to people who depend on you, to those who trust in you.4 So trust the Lord always, because in the Lord Yah you have a place of safety forever.” Isaiah 26:3-4 CEV

When we fall at the feet of Jesus, we are washed of our sins and enjoy a harvest of His unconditional love and forgiveness.

“I say this because I know the plans that I have for you.” This message is from the Lord. ‘I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future. 12 Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:11-12 ERV

“You will teach me the right way to live. Just being with you will bring complete happiness. Being at your right side will make me happy forever.” Psalm 16:11 ERV

“16 “This is the agreement I will make with my people in the future, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts. I will write my laws in their minds.” 17 Then he says, ‘I will forget their sins and never again remember the evil they have done.’ 18 And after everything is forgiven, there is no more need for a sacrifice to pay for sins.” Hebrews 10:16-18 ERV

Our heavenly Father doesn’t like people trash talking His kids! Everything is forgiven.

When we fall in love with Jesus, He gives us an abundant life!

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Don’t Be Afraid in the Darkness

I feel this is the message of Psalm 23. Yes, I am still in Psalm 23.

Do you have a loved one, a dear friend, that maybe you haven’t seen in ages and then you get together and catch up on all that has been going on in your life and theirs?

That’s where I have been the past several days by camping out in Psalm 23 with my dear friend, Jesus.

I’ve heard the Shepherd say, “Come lay down in the pasture. Get a cool and refreshing drink. Sleep, rest. Be still. I am filling your life with goodness, up to the very rim and more – I’m running your cup of life over with My love”.

Then my heart has said, “Lord, there are dangerous things happening all around me. Hurtful, heartbreaking situations, physical dangers and emotional unrest”. Then comes this reminder.

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.” Psalm 23:4-5 NLT

King David, before he was king, was a shepherd. He cared for his sheep, and he let his experiences be life lessons to teach him about the loving care of the Good Shepherd.

The Lord knows a lot about dangerous and frightening situations. Just ask Noah (the ark builder), David (the giant slayer), Daniel (the lion tamer), Peter (the water walker), Paul (the shipwreck survivor) and oh yes, Jonah (the fish bait).

These were all everyday people – there was nothing special about them except their willingness to obey God.

“ I pray that God will open your minds to see his truth. Then you will know the hope that he has chosen us to have. You will know that the blessings God has promised his holy people are rich and glorious. 19 And you will know that God’s power is very great for us who believe. It is the same as the mighty power 20 he used to raise Christ from death and put him at his right side in the heavenly places. ” Ephesians 1:18-20 ERV

The last few weeks I have had several people very close to me face some pretty tough stuff. As I was praying for each of them the Lord kept bringing me back these verses in Psalms and Ephesians.

In the darkest valley, don’t be afraid. Know the blessings God has for you. Know the mighty power of God.

“I, I am the one who wipes away all your sins. I do this to please myself. I will not remember your sins. 26 But you should remember me. Let’s meet together and decide what is right.” Isaiah 43:25-26 ERV

The Lord wants us to meet with Him, in the quiet places, away from the distractions where we can remember His power, His strength, His unfailing love. He wants us to be worry-free, completely trusting Him and filled with joy because His love never fails.

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In the Midst of the Storm

This morning when I opened my computer I was taken back by the images of the destruction in Nepal. And now for days and weeks ahead they will be recovering.

Others are facing storms that aren’t pictured on the news, the devastation may be visible but not captured by a lens or it may be internal and can’t be seen at all.

Whatever kind of storm you may be facing let God bring you peace.

“ Suddenly a windstorm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat, and it was about to sink. 38 Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?” 39 Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm.” Mark 4:37-39 CEV

Let God bring you peace in the midst of your storm. Keep your focus on His presence and not the size of the waves!

Peace – perfect peace!

When we’re in turmoil, confusion, stress we need to readjust our focus. I’ve heard it said that Christians just put their heads in the sand and don’t look at things right. Not true, our heads aren’t in the sand but instead they are in the air. When our focus is up, we will be in perfect peace even in the worst circumstances.

“The peace of God is much greater than the human mind can understand. This peace will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 NLV

Re-adjust your focus today. Looking at things the way the rest of the world does blurs the truth and causes you to “try” to fix things yourself. Being self-centered is a true recipe for disaster. Being God-centered is a place of peace and rest.

“You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. 4 So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].” Isaiah 26:3-4 AMP

Make God’s word the first and final source of focus and live a life of peace even in the midst of the storm!

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Don’t Rush – Rest!

How often have we all driven down the highway and seen those signs, “Rest Stop Ahead”? Most of us just keep driving. But it’s important to rest!

So many things vie for our attention. Demands come from career, from family, from current events and also from our own desires. Things happen so quickly it seems and we are caught up in another crisis and if not a crisis, just caught up in life. When life gets hectic like this, we react to circumstances instead of planning a course of action.

There’s no peace in that!

And if there’s no peace then we also know that we haven’t given the Lord permission to direct our steps. We need to be led by His Spirit so that we make wise and deliberate decisions; decisions that bring peace and joy.

I encourage you to stay focused today. Focused on God’s word and His promises.

“God, you give true peace to people who depend on you, to those who trust in you. 4 So trust the Lord always, because in the Lord Yah you have a place of safety forever.” Isaiah 26:3-4 ERV

The Apostle Paul was giving final instruction to the christians in Rome and this was his instruction.

“I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.” Romans 15:13 ERV

Check your heart in every situation. Are you at peace or is there turmoil? If there’s peace, then proceed and trust the Lord’s leading. If not, then wait – pray and don’t be in rush!

“You, Lord, are all I want! You are my choice, and you keep me safe. 6 You make my life pleasant, and my future is bright. 7 I praise you, Lord, for being my guide. Even in the darkest night, your teachings fill my mind. 8 I will always look to you, as you stand beside me and protect me from fear. 9 With all my heart, I will celebrate, and I can safely rest.” Psalm 16:5-9 CEV

“Wait for the Lord’s help. Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord’s help.” Psalm 27:14 ERV

Enjoy your day and let the peace of God which bypasses our understanding guard your heart!

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It Is Finished

When I went to bed last night the words of this song came to mind:

It is finished, the battle is over
It is finished, there’ll be no more war
It is finished, the end of the conflict
It is finished and Jesus is Lord

Yet in my heart, the battle was still raging
Not all prisoners of war had come home

These were battlefields of my own making
I didn’t know that the war had been won

Oh, but then I heard the king of the ages
He had fought all the battles for me
And the victory, victory is mine for the claiming
And now praise His name, I am free

It is finished, the battle is over
It is finished, there’ll be no more war
It is finished, the end of the conflict
It is finished and Jesus is Lord,

When Jesus said those very words on the cross all the angels in heaven and demons in hell knew what He was saying:

“A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. 30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” John 19:29-30 NLT

Jesus was talking about the work He had been sent to do, reconciling God and man, paying the price for sin, bringing salvation to all. He was talking about sin’s authority in our lives. It is finished – our lives being subject to fear, sin, sickness and separation.

“ He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” I John 2:2 NLT

“The fact is, it was our suffering he took on himself; he bore our pain. But we thought that God was punishing him, that God was beating him for something he did. 5 But he was being punished for what we did. He was crushed because of our guilt. He took the punishment we deserved, and this brought us peace. We were healed because of his pain. 6 We had all wandered away like sheep. We had gone our own way. And yet the Lord put all our guilt on him.” Isaiah 53:4-6 ERV

It is finished – the condemnation and shame.

“ So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 NLT

“‘Don’t be afraid. I saved you. I named you. You are mine. 2 When you have troubles, I am with you. When you cross rivers, you will not be hurt. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not hurt you. 3 That’s because I, the Lord, am your God. I, the Holy One of Israel, am your Savior. ‘” Isaiah 43:1-3 ERV

I want to assure you, I want you to have confidence in what Christ did for each of us on the cross.

“ So be humble under God’s powerful hand. Then he will lift you up when the right time comes. 7 Give all your worries to him, because he cares for you.” I Peter 5:6-7 ERV

God has provided all we need to live victoriously in this life. The enemy’s power has been broken.

It is finished!

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Don’t Be Discouraged

Wow! That’s easier said than done, right?

I read something the other day that said, “God is never late. He doesn’t wear a watch but He’s always right on time”.

We have our set schedule, our time frame and expectations on how things should be done and how long it should take but rarely, is that the same time frame that God uses. He wants us living in the moment, in His presence, regardless of the circumstances.

We used to sing a hymn, nearly every Sunday evening. Our church let people request the songs we sang those evenings and inevitably someone would request “What A Friend We Have in Jesus”. And then they would share a testimony of God’s faithfulness and provision. I particularly like verses two and three.

“Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged—

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful,

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge—

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,

Thou wilt find a solace there.” verses 2 & 3 of What a Friend We Have in Jesus by Joseph Scriven

Never be discouraged – take it to the Lord in prayer. Listen to these words that the Lord spoke in the Old Testament to Joshua and Isaiah.

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NLT

“Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua told his men. “Be strong and courageous, for the Lord is going to do this to all of your enemies.” Joshua 10:25NLT

“Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side!” II Chronicles 32:7 NLT

No matter the circumstances, no matter the obstacles, no matter the enemy we have God’s promise to never leave us or abandon us. Keeping our hearts set on this promise will keep us from being afraid or discouraged.


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I Trust You!

Those are the only words I wrote in my journal this morning.

This is going to be a bit longer than my regular morning posts. Please read it through.

Up very early this morning praying for folks, folks going through storms. Not necessarily a literal storm like a toronado, hurricane or torrential rain, although that may be your storm, but any storm that brings fear into your life.

The wind of fear may be stirring up waves and ready to swamp your boat. Your boat may be finances, relationships, health, children, grandchildren, government, politics, employment, abandonment or loneliness.

You’ve tried to keep the boat on course. You see the land ahead of you, a place of shelter and refuge but a huge wind has come up and the waves are beating hard against the sides of the boat. The waves are crashing in on you and no matter how hard you row, no matter how powerful the engine of self sufficiency you find that your travel is impeded and it looks like you might sink.

Have you been there? Oh, I have! It’s a desperate feeling especially when everyone you know and depend on for help is either too busy sailing their own ship through life or they are completely unaware of your plight.

I heard it said once that there are 365 verses in the Bible that tell us to “not worry or be anxious”. God’s message is that there may be fear everyday trying to invade our lives but we can be of good cheer because He is in our boat and He will calm our seas.

There’s a story in the book of Mark. Jesus had been teaching all day. He had told the folks that God’s word was like a seed and when that seed is planted in our hearts that it will grow and bring a harvest. He also told them that some folks had hard hearts so the seed wouldn’t be able to germinate and that some hearts were stony so the seed would start to grow and die out because it couldn’t get good root and then there were some hearts that would have seed begin to grow and that weeds of fear, offense and worry would choke the Word, the seed. But He also told them that some hearts were good soil and the seed would grow well there.

When He finished this story Jesus said to his disciples that they should get in the boat and go to the other side. He gave them seed, going to the other side of the lake seed. So they all got in the boat, Jesus found a good place to lay down and He went to sleep. And just like Jesus had told them in the story about the seed immediately the fear came (the storm) to steal the seed so it wouldn’t grow.

These seasoned fishermen battled the storm for all they were worth and when they were exhausted and afraid they woke Jesus.

“That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the east side.” 36 So they left the crowd, and his disciples started across the lake with him in the boat. Some other boats followed along. 37 Suddenly a windstorm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat, and it was about to sink.

38 Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?”

39 Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm. 40 Jesus asked his disciples, “Why were you afraid? Don’t you have any faith?” 41 Now they were more afraid than ever and said to each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:35-41 CEV

Their question was don’t you care – aren’t you worried. We are going to drown. Their storm was too big, their fear was overwhelming. But you see Jesus was still holding on to that “going-to-the-other-side” seed so He spoke to the storm and it stopped!

So now I want to give you some “no more fear” seed.

“The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control.” II Timothy 11:7 ERV

“God, you give true peace to people who depend on you, to those who trust in you.” Isaiah 26:3 ERV

Father, thank you for showing us how to give you our fears. Thank you for quieting our storms and getting us safely to the other side.

I TRUST YOU!

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