Some Intense Reading.

2 Chronicles 34-35

This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this city and its people. All the curses written in the scroll that was read to the king of Judah will come true. ­– 2 Chronicles 34:24 NLT

When Josiah heard the words of God found in the scroll containing the book of the Law, he was blown away. He was so shaken by what he heard, he tore his clothes in despair. He immediately called on his trusted officials to go to the Temple and make an appeal to God. "For the Lord’s great anger has been poured out on us because our ancestors have not obeyed the word of the Lord. We have not been doing everything this scroll says we must do” (2 Chronicles 34:21b NLT). But what could Josiah have heard that upset him so much? How bad could it have been? Well, a cursory look at the book of the Law will shed some sobering light on the subject. The book of the Law that Josiah heard was either the book of Deuteronomy of the entire Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible penned by Moses himself. Either way, part of what Josiah would have heard were the curses that God had promised to bring on the people of Israel should they disobey Him.

God's covenant with Moses had been conditional. It required obedience. And if they did obey, it came with blessings.

"You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God: Your towns and your fields will be blessed. Your children and your crops will be blessed. The offspring of your herds and flocks will be blessed. Your fruit baskets and breadboards will be blessed. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed." – Deuteronomy 28:2-6 NLT

But God's covenant also came with curses.

"But if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you: Your towns and your fields will be cursed. Your fruit baskets and breadboards will be cursed. Your children and your crops will be cursed. The offspring of your herds and flocks will be cursed. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be cursed." – Deuteronomy 28:15-19 NLT

God went on to assure them that He would be the one sending the curses on them. He would confuse and frustrate them in all that they did. He would send devastating diseases on them. He would afflict them with scorching heat and drought. He would cause them to suffer defeat at the hands of their enemies. He would curse them with boils, madness, blindness, and panic. They would suffer domestic difficulties. They would build houses and never live in, plant vineyards and never enjoy a drop of the wine produced, get engaged to be married to a woman and watch someone else marry her. The list goes on and on. And just to make sure they understand why these things are going to happen, God makes it painfully clear. "If you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and to obey the commands and decrees he has given you, all these curses will pursue and overtake you until you are destroyed. These horrors will serve as a sign and warning among you and your descendants forever. If you do not serve the Lord your God with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant benefits you have received, you will serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you. You will be left hungry, thirsty, naked, and lacking in everything. The Lord will put an iron yoke on your neck, oppressing you harshly until he has destroyed you" (Deuteronomy 28:45-48 NLT).

This was serious stuff and somehow the people of God had forgotten all about the curses of God. They had conveniently let the negative consequences of their sinful choices disappear from the memories. And as a result, they had lived in willful disobedience to God for generations. They had turned their backs on God and, because they were the "chosen" people of God, they believed they were invincible. God would not allow anything to happen to them because they were the apple of His eye. He had set them apart from all the other nations of the world. But that set-apartness required distinctiveness. It demanded that they live differently from the nations around them. They were to follow God's commands and live according to His Law. And if they did, they would be blessed beyond measure. But if they didn't, they would be curses beyond belief. And when Josiah heard the words of God, he was devastated and rightfully concerned. He knew the track record of his people. He knew what his ancestors had done. He knew what his grandfather Manasseh and his father Amon had done. The evidence of their sin was all around him, in the form of idols and shrines to all the other gods they worshiped. So Josiah was shaken. He knew they were guilty and deserved every one of the curses outlined in the book of the Law. So he did the only thing he knew to do. He repented and turned to God. He began to make changes. He sought to shift the tide back toward obedience. And God took notice. He would delay the inevitable. He would not send the deserved curses during Josiah's reign, but would hold off until he was gone.

But what about us? Do we need to fear the curses of God? Do we need to go back and read the words of Moses and begin to live obediently or else face the consequences? No, as believers in Christ, we no longer live under the curse of the Law. Paul makes it clear in his letter to the Christians in Rome. "But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are" (Romans 3:21-22 NLT). Paul goes on to assure us that we no longer have to live our lives attempting to keep the Law. "So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit" (Romans 7:4-7 NLT).

We have been released from having to keep the Law. We have been freed from the curses associated with disobedience to the Law. But this does not mean we are free to disobey the Law. It simply means we now keep the Law willingly and joyfully, not out of some sense of duty or out of fear of condemnation. Paul said he loved God's law, and so should we. We should love His law because we love the one who gave us the Law. Can we keep the Law perfectly? No. And we do not need to. We are not judged by the Law, because Christ has fulfilled the requirements of the Law once and for all. We now obey out of love, not obligation. But the curses associated with the Law should be a sobering reminder of just what we have been rescued from. We were just as deserving of those curses as Josiah and the people of Judah were. But God provided us with a payment for our sins. He provided a sacrifice to cover our debt. And because of what Jesus did on the cross, we stand as blessed and not cursed. "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1 NLT). Now those are words we should never get tired of reading.

Father, the curses associated with disobedience to Your Law were real. They revealed just how serious sin was and is to You. And I was deserving of every one of those curses. But because of what Jesus did on the cross, I have been freed from the curse of the Law. Never let me forget just how much I have been delivered from. Amen

Reform Is Costly.

2 Kings 22-23

Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since. ­– 2 Kings 23:25 NLT

Josiah was considered the greatest king. Those are pretty high words of praise, considering the reigns of David and Solomon. But the author of the book of 2 Kings believed Josiah set the standard for kings. He inherited a situation that was less than perfect. He became king at a time when the nation was in disarray spiritually, morally, and politically. He stepped into a very toxic environment and was expected to rule – at the tender age of eight! And by the time he was 18 years old, Josiah began to make a difference. He began by trying to repair the Temple, which had suffered from years of neglect, abuse, and plunder in order to pay tributes owed to enemies of Judah. Josiah instituted a major restoration project on the Temple. While this was going on, they discovered a scroll containing the book of the Law. This may have been the entire Pentateuch or possibly just the book of Deuteronomy, but irregardless, it contained the Law and the covenant that God had made with the people of Israel years earlier when they had left Egypt.

When Josiah heard the words contained in this scroll, he was blown away. He tore his clothes in despair, and knowing that God had to be angry with them for their neglect of and disobedience to the Law, he appealed to God. The covenant that God had made with Moses back at Mount Sinai had been conditional. God had said, "Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation" (Exodus 19:5-6 NLT). Years later, Moses would reaffirm this covenant with the people, as they stood on the edge of the Promised Land. "You must be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God, following his instructions in every detail. Stay on the path the Lord your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy" (Deuteronomy 5:32 NLT). But Josiah knew that the people had failed to keep the commands of God. They had lived in open rebellion to God. And Josiah had not missed the words written in the book of the Law that said, "If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods, worshiping and bowing down to them, you will certainly be destroyed. Just as the Lord has destroyed other nations in your path, you also will be destroyed if you refuse to obey the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 8:19-20 NLT).

So Josiah humbled himself before God. He repented. And because he did, God promised not to bring destruction on Judah during his lifetime. And as a result, Josiah began a massive reform effort to stem the tide of wickedness and rebellion in Judah. He could have easily just waited out his reign, knowing that he was safe. But he wanted to make a difference. He wanted to leave Judah in a better state than when he inherited it. He took the words of Deuteronomy 6 seriously. "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates" (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NLT). Josiah had all the people assembled and then personally read the book of the Law to them. He reminded them of their covenant with God. Then he began to do what he could do to make a difference. And he had his work cut out for him. This was not going to be easy. It was going to cost him. He would not be popular. But he didn't care. Just look at some of the things he did:

• He removed from the Temple all the articles used for worshiping Baal, Asherah, and all the powers of heaven.
• He did away with all the idolatrous priests.
• He removed the Asherah pole from the Lord's Temple.
• He destroyed the living quarters of the male and female shrine prostitutes that were inside the Temple.
• He defiled the pagan shrines.
• He defiled the altar of Topheth, where the people offered child sacrifices.
• He removed the horse statues dedicated to sun worship from the entrance to the Temple.
• He burned the chariots dedicated to the sun.
• He tore down pagan altars on the palace roof erected by his predecessors.
• He destroyed altars Manasseh had built in the Temple courtyard.
• He desecrated pagan shrines east of Jerusalem that Solomon had built.
• He had the sacred pillars smashed.
• He tore down the pagan altars at Bethel.
• He even destroyed that pagan shrines and buildings in Samaria, in the northern kingdom.
• He had the pagan priests executed on their own altars.
• Then he re-instituted the celebration of Passover.

Just take a look at that list. What a picture of the wickedness of the people of God. They were so far from being a holy nation. They were infested with idolatry. It was everywhere. They had taken unfaithfulness to a whole new level. Everywhere Josiah turned, he found altars, shrines, temples and symbols of their rebellion to God. He was inundated, but not incapacitated. He was willing to do something about it and he did. To took steps to toward positive change. And he probably made some enemies along the way. Not everyone was on board with his reforms. Not everybody agreed with what he was doing. But Josiah was going to do what God wanted. He was going to follow God's will, not anybody else's. Reform is costly. Obedience has a price attached to it. But for Josiah, it was worth it.

Father, too often I am unwilling to pay the price that true reform requires. I want to make petty changes that require little of me, when what I need is costly change. Give me the strength to examine my own life and see where true change needs to be made. Open my eyes to the idols in my own life so that I might remove them. Don't let me be satisfied with surface reform. Help me to make sweeping changes that result in a life of holiness. Amen

Restorer and Destroyer.

Nahum 2-3

Even though the destroyer has destroyed Judah, the Lord will restore its honor. Israel’s vine has been stripped of branches, but he will restore its splendor. ­– Nahum 3:2 NLT

This short, prophetic book was written to encourage the people of Judah who were facing possible annihilation at the hands of the Assyrians. They had watched their neighbor to the north, Israel, fall to the Assyrians, and now the enemy was coming against them. Assyria was more powerful and had a track record of success when it came to conquering nations. Judah was a small country with a relatively small army and few allies. They were no match for the Assyrians. Even the Assyrians knew that. Listen to the words of the Assyrian emissary as he taunted King Hezekiah. "I'll tell you what! Strike a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2,000 horses if you can find that many men to ride on them! With your tiny army, how can you think of challenging even the weakest contingent of my master's troops, even with the help of Egypt's charioteers?" (Isaiah 36:8-9 NLT). This was a classic mismatch with a certain outcome. But there was one thing the Assyrians had not considered. In fact, they had underestimated its importance. They had miscalculated the presence and power of God. They mocked God and downplayed His ability to do anything to stop them. The Assyrian emissary warned the people, "Don't let Hezekiah mislead you by saying, 'The Lord will rescue us!' Have the gods of any other nations ever saved their people from the king of Assyria?" (Isaiah 36:18 NLT).

But Nahum assures the people that God is not one to be overlooked, mocked or made light of. God was going to destroy the destroyer. He was going to bring complete destruction on the nation of Assyria. Why? "…because Nineveh, the beautiful and faithless city, mistress of deadly charms, enticed the nations with her beauty. She taught them all her magic, enchanting people everywhere" (Nahum 3:4 NLT). This was not just about Nineveh's treatment of Israel and Judah. As the most powerful nation of that day, the Assyrians had had a tremendous influence on all the nations. Their military successes had spread their culture all over the known world. With it came their pagan practices and idol worship. They had spread their unrighteousness and moral corruption around the world. Now they were spreading it among the people of God. And God had had enough. The destroyer was about to meet the Destroyer. The Assyrians had become the enemies of God – not a good place to be. And God was going to bring His own brand of destruction and devastation on the people of Assyria. God is righteous and just. He is fully aware of all the injustice going on in the world. He is not blind, asleep or impotent. He is waiting to mete out judgment in His own time. He will one day deal with injustice and humble all those who lust for conquest, practice violence and brutality to dominate others, abuse their power, oppress the weak, worship anything but Him, or seek help from the demonic world.

But at the same time, the Destroyer is also the Restorer. He will restore what Assyria and nations like it have tried to destroy. He is in the restoration business. Jesus Himself said, "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life" (John 10:10 NLT). The enemy is always out to destroy. He wants to steal our joy, kill our hope, and destroy our future. But God restores. He gives back what the enemy tries to take away. He brings life where the enemy attempts to bring death. Assyria was a great power. But it was no match for a great God. Nineveh no longer exists. It had its fifteen minutes of fame. It's day of glory ended in destruction at the hands of the Medes and the Babylonians. And those nations would meet their own destruction. Because ultimately, God is the one who is in control. He is the Destroyer and the Restorer. He rules over nations, kings, presidents, armies, dictators, juntas, terrorists, and even democracies. He alone is God. He alone is in charge. And while the enemy may be busy destroying, God will always be about restoring.

Father, thank You for the reminder. You are in charge. There is no enemy too big for You to handle. Nothing is ever out of your control, no matter how badly it may appear to us. Never let us forget that even when the enemy does destroy our joy, our hope, our health, our homes – You can restore. You can rebuild. You can make new. You can bring life. Amen

A Comforting Contrast.

Nahum 1

The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him. But he will sweep away his enemies in an overwhelming flood. He will pursue his foes into the darkness of night. ­– Nahum 1:7-8 NLT

Nahum was a prophet to the southern nation of Judah. He prophesied during a time when Assyria was throwing their weight around, conquering nations and taking their people captive. They were the neighborhood bully, imposing their will on any and all, including the northern kingdom of Israel, who they had conquered and taken into captivity. So Nahum was ministering to the people of God living in Judah. His message had two parts. He was warning the Assyrians of the judgment of God to come and encouraging the Jews in Judah to trust in God. His was a message of stark contrasts. Anger and love. Wrath and mercy. Justice and judgment. Destruction and deliverance. It's interesting that we, as modern-day Christians, find his descriptions of God's anger, wrath and judgment distasteful at times. We prefer a much more loving and compassionate God. We want a sanitized version of God minus the vengeful, angry side. But for the people of Judah, the words of Nahum regarding God's warrior-like attributes were comforting. When they were faced with the threat of a powerful foe who could wipe them out and take them captive at any moment, the picture of a powerful God who was willing to stand up and face that enemy on their behalf was encouraging. He wasn't complacent or uncaring. He was completely engaged and even angry over what He saw, and He was strong enough to do something about it.

We love hearing that God is good and a strong refuge when trouble comes. But God is not only defensive. He's offensive. He fights on our behalf. He hates evil, injustice, sin, and any who stand opposed to His righteous rule. Over and over again in this chapter Nahum uses words like vengeance, rage, revenge, anger, fury, and destroy. The repetition of these words creates a strong impression of an angry God. The word "rage" (Hebrew hemah) means "to be hot" and describes burning anger and intense fury. Why was God so angry? The rest of the book of Nahum will explain why. But His anger over the actions of the Assyrians was to be a comfort to the people of Judah. But God's anger, while intense, is not impulsive. Nahum says, "The Lord is slow to anger, but his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished" (Nahum 1:3 NLT). The word "slow" here means patient or long-suffering. He doesn't just explode in uncontrolled rage. He patiently endures, but then He acts, and He has the power to back up His anger.

We do not serve a powerless, impotent, uncaring God who is incapable of doing anything about the injustice in the world. It may appear that He has taken a holiday or forgotten all about us. It may seem as if He is unable to do anything about all the evil that is taking place in the world. But Nahum assures us that our God is anything but impotent or unresponsive. He will act. And when He does, He will do so with a balance of judgment and grace, justice and mercy, destruction and deliverance, revenge and restoration, wrath and reward. He will judgment on His enemies and a message of peace to all those who trust in Him. He is a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is good. He is great. He is in control.

Father, what good would it be to have a loving God who had no power? What benefit would it be to worship a merciful God who didn't have what it takes to make that mercy available? What would anyone want with a God who lovingly smiled on us all the while we suffered, but was unable to do anything about our suffering? But that is not the God we serve. You are a powerful, righteous ruler who loves us, but hates injustice and unrighteousness. And You can and will do something about it. You're not impotent. You're omnipotent – all-powerful and ready, willing and able to deal with the things going on in the world around us. May we find comfort in the words of Nahum. You are a refuge when trouble comes, but You are also a righteous warrior, fighting on our behalf. Amen

When Brokenness Brings Forgiveness.

2 Chronicles 33

Now that he was in trouble, he went to his knees in prayer asking for help – total repentance before the God of his ancestors. ­– 2 Chronicles 33:12 MSG

Manasseh took the throne of Judah at the age of 12, and he would prove to be one of the worst kings that nation had ever had. It didn't take him long to rebuild the pagan shrine his father Hezekiah had worked so hard to tear down. He reinstituted the worship of Baal and Asherah, reversing the religious reforms his father had set in place. He even erected pagan altars in the Temple and practiced human sacrifice, offering up his own sons on the fire. He practiced sorcery, witchcraft, divination, and consulted with mediums and psychics. This guy was bad to the core. He was a spiritual chameleon, changing his religious stripes to fit whatever circumstance he found himself in. He had no allegiance to God. In fact, he ignored God. God had given him warnings about what would happen if he continued to live in open rebellion to His Word, but Manasseh would not listen. So God sent the Assyrians against Judah and they captured Manasseh, taking him prisoner – with a ring through his nose and bronze chains on his hands and feet. The mighty Manasseh was now a prisoner in the pagan city of Babylon. He had rebelled against God and God had given him what he deserved.

But the story doesn't end there. Manasseh's pride had led to his downfall. His spiritual adultery had ended up with him divorced from God's presence. But in the midst of his distress, he called out to God. It doesn't say he called out to Baal, Asherah, or any of the other pagan gods Manasseh had worshiped in his glory days. No, he "sought the Lord his God and sincerely humbled himself before the God of his ancestors" (2 Chronicles 33:12b NLT).  In his darkest moment, Manasseh prayed to God. The word used to describe Manasseh's condition is "distress." It can mean "to be bound or tied up." It is a condition that leads to distress or pain. It is a circumstance that causes discomfort. With a ring through his nose and chains on his hands and feet, Manasseh was bound up and feeling down. He was broken. So he humbled himself before God. In his humiliating condition, he humbled himself. The Hebrew word for "humbled" is one that carries the idea of "bending the knee." He willingly brought himself under subjection to God. And he did so completely. This was not some half-hearted submission to God. Manasseh's humility is described using a Hebrew adverb meaning "completely, absolutely, or thoroughly." Manasseh's humility was sincere and severe. He was serious. And when he prayed, God listened. And because of his sincerity, God was moved. So moved, that He took Manasseh from Babylon and returned him to Jerusalem. He released him from the chains and bondage of the enemy and restored him to his original place on the throne of Judah. What a turnaround! What a reversal of fortune. We're told "Manasseh finally realized that the Lord alone is God!" (2 Chronicles 33:13b NLT). His brokenness lead to an awareness of God's power and supremacy. None of his other gods came to his aid in Babylon. No other gods were able to break the chains of bondage and humiliation. Only God.

Manasseh was a changed man. He made reforms in his life and his kingdom. He made changes to the way he lived and ruled. He removed the pagan altars and encouraged the people to worship God alone. His sinfulness had resulted in brokenness. His brokenness had resulted in humbleness. His humbleness had ultimately restored him to usefulness. Psalm 51:17 is a timeless reminder to each of us. "The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God." Brokenness is a key to humbleness, which leads to holiness. That is the story of Manasseh.

Father, I don't like brokenness. In fact, I avoid it like the plague. I try to run away from it and escape it at all costs. But often times, the decisions I make lead to brokenness. I find myself chained and bound by my choices to disobey or disregard You. I end up bound up and feeling down. But it is at those moments that I tend to turn to You. In my distress I look to You. I am much more willing to humble myself when I have been humiliated by my poor choices and bad decisions. I am more apt to realize how much I really need You. So Father, thank You for brokenness. Never let me forget that it is a key to holiness. Amen

Be Strong and Courageous.

2 Chronicles 32

"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! He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!' Hezekiah’s words greatly encouraged the people. ­– 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 NLT

They were surrounded by a more powerful enemy who was constantly bombarding them with demoralizing propaganda, attempting to undermine their faith in God and cause them to surrender without a fight. This enemy mocked their God and ridiculed their faith. The people suffered a steady barrage of withering scorn and disheartening news that was weakening their resolve and causing their conviction to crumble. So as their leader, King Hezekiah stepped in and offered them much-needed words of encouragement. He called them to be strong and courageous. But these weren't just empty words or some kind of meaningless pep talk with no basis in reality. They were a reminder of the fact that "there is a power far greater on our side." Hezekiah was trying to get the people to recognize the fact that God was greater than their circumstances. No matter how bad it looked, no matter how dire the circumstances may appear, God was more powerful. The size of Sennacherib's army was a non-factor. The past victories of Assyria were meaningless. The taunts of the enemy were futile. As long as the people of God remembered that Yahweh was in control. Their faith had to remain firm. They had to rest in the fact that their God was big enough to handle any situation. No circumstance was too big for God.

What a timely reminder for us today, when we stand surrounded by the enemy, and bombarded by messages that question our God's very existence. We face circumstances and situations on a daily basis that cause us to doubt and tempt us to turn away from God. The enemy is constantly whispering in our ear that our God is too small. Or He is too busy. Or He doesn't really care. We can begin to think that our situation is too difficult for God to handle. So we either try to solve it ourselves or simply give up. It's interesting to note that the last verse of the preceding chapter states, "In all that he did in the service of the Temple of God and in his efforts to follow God’s laws and commands, Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful" (2 Chronicles 31:21b NLT). And yet, he found himself surrounded by the enemy. He sought God with all his heart and still found himself under siege. He experienced success and the threat of defeat simultaneously. And yet when you and I are seeking the Lord, we seem shocked and surprised if anything unexpected or unwanted comes our way. We question the difficulties of life as if we somehow think we should be immune to them. We wonder why we are under attack when we have been trying so hard to remain faithful to God. But faithfulness to God does not guarantee an absenceof trouble. But it does provide an opportunity for our faith to be tested and God's power to be displayed. Hezekiah was diligently working to fortify the city. He was repairing the broken sections of the walls surrounding Jerusalem. He had increased the production of military weapons. He enlarged his standing army. He took steps to defend himself and his people against the coming enemy. But then he reminded them that their real defense and protection was God Himself. He was their hope. And was their "secret weapon." And God didn't disappoint them. We're told that "the Lord sent an angel who destroyed the Assyrian army with all its commanders and officers. So Sennacherib was forced to return home in disgrace to his own land. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons killed him there with a sword" (2 Chronicles 32:21 NLT). The walls weren't necessary. The weapons never made it out of their boxes. The defensive fortifications never got tested. God did it all. He provided victory without the Israelites having to lift a finger. They didn't have to do a thing, but watch God work. Their difficulty had become an opportunity to witness the power of God on display. The enemy's presence provided a platform on which God could demonstrate His power. Our difficulties are God's proving ground. He shows up when things are looking down. But we must stand strong and be courageous. We must trust and believe that He is greater than our biggest problem. He is able to save. He is ready, willing and able to deliver. Our problems exist to help us recognize that He exists – to learn that there really is a power far greater on our side.

Father, may I see You in my circumstances today. May I see my problems as Your proving ground and as opportunities to watch You work. Amen

From Good to Worse.

2 Kings 21

King Manasseh of Judah has done many detestable things. He is even more wicked than the Amorites, who lived in this land before Israel. He has caused the people of Judah to sin with his idols. ­– 2 Kings 21:11 NLT

He was only 12 years old when he took the throne. But he reigned for 55 years. And they would prove to be five of the worst decades Judah had ever seen. While Manasseh's father Hezekiah had been one of the few good kings Judah had seen since the kingdom of Israel split in two, Manasseh didn't follow in his footsteps. In fact, he reverse engineered most of the reforms Hezekiah brought about. We're told that Hezekiah "removed the pagan shrines, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of Israel had been offering sacrifices to it" (2 Kings 18:4 NLT). Yet Manasseh "rebuilt the pagan shrines hsi father, Hezekiah, had destroyed" (2 Kings 21:3 NLT). Not only that, he constructed altars for Baal, the god of the Canaanites, and worshiped Asherah, the mistress of Baal. He went so far as to make a carved image of Asherah and have it set up right in the Temple. He practiced sorcery and divination. He offered up his own son as a human sacrifice to the false gods he worshiped. While Hezekiah had been faithful and obedient, Manasseh proved to be unfaithful and extremely rebellious. He was the antithesis of his father, leading the people of Judah into a lifestyle of sin that didn't just rival that of the pagan nations, it surpassed them.

And the result of his sin? The judgment of God. God would treat Judah with the same standard He had used on Israel. They had already been taken into captivity by the Assyrians. Now Judah, the slightly more faithful southern nation, would suffer the same consequences for their sinfulness as Israel had. God warned, "I will judge Jerusalem by the same standard I used for Samaria and the same measurec I used for the family of Ahab. I will wipe away the people of Jerusalem as one wipes a dish and turns it upside down" (2 Kings 21:13 NLT). But this was not a knee-jerk reaction on the part of God. He was not responding rashly or impetuously. He had been putting up with this kind of behavior for a long, long time. He makes that point painfully clear. "For they have done great evil in my sight and have angered me ever since their ancestors came out of Egypt" (2 Kings 21:15 NLT). This had been going on since the day He delivered the descendants of Jacob from Egypt. All throughout the wilderness the people had whined, complained, bickered, rebelled, disobeyed, and proven themselves to be highly capable of spiritual adultery. When they arrived at the Promised Land, they refused to go in, failing to trust God and suffering the results of their disobedience: 40 years of wandering in the wilderness until that generation died off. When the second generation finally did enter the land, they proved to be disobedient and unfaithful again. Theirs was a history of disobedience and unfaithfulness. And God had had enough. Manasseh was the final straw. And his son, Amon, would follow in his footsteps. Like father, like son.

Had Hezekiah proven to be a bad father? We don't know. Had he been so busy instituting reforms in the nation that he forgot about reforming his son at home? The Bible doesn't tell us. But it is a reminder that each of us has a responsibility to make sure that our efforts on behalf of God cannot overlook or overshadow the responsibilities He has given us as parents, spouses, employees and citizens. What good does it do if we reform the nation, but lose our kids in the process? What good does it do if we travel thousands of miles across the world to witness to a people group who speak a language we don't know, but we fail to share the gospel with our own children? What's the point in impacting the culture if we have no impact on our own families? You see this pattern over and over again in the Scriptures. Good, godly parents leaving behind less-than-faithful children. The task of reforming the culture begins at home. Our children are the future of this culture. Before we get busy removing the idols from the culture, we have to work at removing the idols from our childrens' hearts. Over in Psalm 78 we read these sobering words, "What we have heard and learned that which our ancestors have told us – we will not hide from their descendants. We will tell the next generation about the Lord’s praiseworthy acts,about his strength and the amazing things he has done" (Psalm 78:3-4 NET). We have a job to do. We have a generation to influence. Let it begin at home.

Father, in my zeal to serve You, never let me forget that You have given me children to raise, nurture, and teach. Sometimes I feel so inadequate for the task. I feel unqualified and overwhelmed. But don't let me get side-tracked and spend all my time making a difference in the world, while I neglect the ones who live in my home. Amen

Speak Up. God Is Listening.

2 Kings 20

I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you. ­– 2 Kings 20:5b NLT

God is listening. But does He hear anything? Not if we don't pray. Even God can't hear what isn't spoken. Yes, He knows our hearts, but He desires to hear our thoughts expressed in words – spoken directly to Him. When Hezekiah suddenly became ill, he was told by the prophet Isaiah to get his affairs in order because this illness was irreversible and he would not recover. Hezekiah's response? "He turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord" (2 Kings 20:2 NLT). Even though Isaiah had told him this news was directly from God, Hezekiah didn't let that stop him from crying out to God. He reminded God he had been faithful and single-minded in his devotion to Him. He didn't specifically ask God to heal him, but he just asked God to remember him. The news he had received was difficult and devastating. So he called out to the only one who could do anything about it. Hezekiah prayed and God heard.

And God gave Hezekiah an answer. He told Hezekiah that He had heard his prayer and seen his tears. He was listening and watching. And as a result, He was going to extend Hezekiah's life by 15 years. Then He added that He would defend Jerusalem from the threats of attack by Assyria. God showed compassion. He heard the prayer and saw the tears of Hezekiah and He answered. Now is this a prayer principle we can apply to our lives and it will always work out just the way it did for Hezekiah? Probably not. God is not obligated to always do what we ask Him to do. In fact, Hezekiah never really asked for healing. He simply pleaded for God to remember him. The real message in this story is that God hears us when we call out to Him. He is always listening. He is always watching. He is looking at our hearts and how we respond to the difficulties of life. Do we despair or do we call out to Him? Do we appeal to the mercy and compassion of God when faced with insurmountable problems? Do we dare ask God to remember us and reflect on our own faithfulness and single-minded devotion to Him? Now, I don't think Hezekiah was nearly as faithful and single-minded as he thought he was, and I don't think that had anything to do with God's healing of him. In fact, God said He was going to heal him and defend Jerusalem "for my own honor and for the sake of my servant David" (2 Kings 20:6 NLT). This had more to do with God keep His promises than acknowledging Hezekiah's righteous life.

But we CAN appeal to God's mercy and compassion. He loves us. He cares deeply for us. He is constantly listening and wants to hear from us. But He can't hear us if we don't pray. He can't answer if we don't ask. He can't respond if we don't request. Ask God to remember you today. Ask Him to call you to mind and reflect on you. To think about you. To concentrate His thoughts on you. He will. Because He cares. And whatever He does in response will be just the right thing for you, because God knows what is best. He will for you is always right. So don't tell Him what to do, just ask Him to remember you. Then leave the rest up to Him.

Father, remember me today. Think about me. Reflect on my situation. Look down from heaven and see what is going on in my life. You know what is best. I don't. You know what I need. I don't. So I am going to try and talk to You more. Because You are listening. You can't hear me if I don't speak. So I am going to speak up – to You. Amen

The Faithfulness of God.

Isaiah 66

"As surely as my new heavens and earth will remain, so will you always be my people, with a name that will never disappear," says the Lord. ­– Isaiah 66:22 NLT

This is a difficult book, filled with messages of doom and images of destruction. It portrays the unfaithfulness of mankind in glaring detail and shows how even those who call themselves God's chosen people can turn that relationship into nothing more than ritual and casual compliance. It is a book filled with warnings about disobedience and spiritual adultery. It gives us a picture of God that is sometimes disturbing, revealing His "dark" side that some of us don't like to see. But God sent Isaiah with his message of coming judgment in order to call the people of God to repentance. It was a warning of what was to come if they refused to repent and return to Him. But woven throughout the book are reminders of what was to come to those who remained faithful. God was going to bless. He was going to keep His promises. He was going to keep His Word. God would remain faithful in spite of man's unfaithfulness. Jerusalem would be restored to its former glory and prominence. A descendant of David would one day sit on his throne, ruling in righteousness. But that day has yet to come. It still lies unfulfilled. Jerusalem has no king. The people of Israel do not occupy the land to its full extent. God is not worshiped there. Where the Temple once stood is a Muslim mosque. The city of Jerusalem is more secular than sacred. The people of Israel put more faith in their military might and political muscle than in Yahweh. But one day, God is going to change all that. Why? Because He is faithful. Not because the people of Israel deserve it. He says, "I will give Jerusalem a river of peace and prosperity. The wealth of the nations will flow to her. Her children will be nursed at her breasts, carried in her arms, and held on her lap. I will comfort you there in Jerusalem as a mother comforts her child" (Isaiah 66:12-13 NLT). That event lies in the future. God is not done yet. He has more to do and we can rest in the fact that He will do it – because He is faithful.

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” – Revelation 21:1-4 NLT

In spite of man's sin, God is faithful. In spite of our rebellion, God is faithful. In spite of our unfaithfulness, God is faithful. He will finish what He began. He will do what He has promised. We can count on Him.

Father, You are faithful and true. You are reliable and trustworthy. Never let me forget that. Never let me doubt it. Don't let me judge Your faithfulness based on my circumstances. I can't see what You can see. I don't know what the future holds. But I do know that You hold the future. You are in control. You are faithful. Amen

The Ignorance of Ignoring God.

Isaiah 64-65

I've made myself available to those who haven't bothered to ask. I'm here, ready to be found by those who haven't bothered to look. I kept saying 'I'm here, I'm right here' to a nation that ignored me. I reached out day after day to a people who turned their backs on me, People who make wrong turns, who insist on doing things their own way. ­– Isaiah 65:1-2 MSG

Ignoring God can be dangerous. And we can do it without even knowing we are. Sometimes we just take Him for granted. We figure He must be there because He's God and God is everywhere. Other times we simply forget all about Him. We get busy with our lives and just don't even make Him part of the equation. He becomes an afterthought, someone we think about only if things go wrong or we need something we can't get on our own. But regardless of how we do it, we all ignore God at times. Which, if you think about it, is a really stupid thing to do. That's like having electricity available in your home, but living by means of kerosene lanterns and cooking on an old coal stove. A source of power and energy is available to us that would make our lives so much better and easier, but instead we determine to do things the hard way. God told the Israelites "when I called, you did not answer. When I spoke, you did not listen. You deliberately sinned – before my very eyes – and chose to do what you know I despise.” (Isaiah 65:12 MSG). These people willfully disobeyed and disregarded God in their lives. But we do the same thing. God calls us through His Word. He speaks to us constantly through the Spirit-inspired pages of Scripture. But even when we read it, we often choose to ignore what it says. Other times, we simply choose to not read it at all. But that doesn't change the fact that God has spoken. It doesn't let us off the hook. We can't plead ignorance. We can only confess that we have ignored what God has said in His Word.

God warned the people of Israel that He was going to destroy them for ignoring Him. He had had enough. He was going to repay them for their sins. But He would not destroy them all. He would preserve a remnant – a small portion of His people who had remained faithful to Him. He would one day restore them to their land and will one day make them residents in His new heaven and new earth.  But what about us? What happens to us when we ignore God? Are we destined for destruction if we fail to remain faithful? The good news is the Good News. Because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross, I no longer have to face condemnation and destruction for my sins – if I have placed my faith in Him as my sin substitute. If I have acknowledged Him as my Savior, I am saved from even the sin of ignoring God. But the real question is why I would ever ignore a God who loved me so much. Why would I not listen to someone who has done so much for me? Why would I ever prove unfaithful to one who has proven Himself nothing but faithful time and time again? Why would I not listen when He speaks? Why would I not obey what He tells me to do? Why would I not answer when He calls? Why would I not eagerly want to seek someone who sought me out when I was still a sinner and sent His Son to die in my place?

Ignoring God can be dangerous. For believers it will not end in destruction, but it can end in disappointment, disillusionment and defeat. It can leave us living lives that are nothing like what God has promised. We end up missing out on the joy, peace, contentment and power that God has promised. All because we choose to ignore Him in our daily lives. But we don't have to ignore God. We can make Him a vital part of our daily lives. We can give Him the prominence and importance He deserves. "For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! You welcome those who gladly do good, who follow godly ways" (Isaiah 64:4-5 NLT).

Father, forgive me for ignoring You so often. I can so easily leave You out of my day. I can leave You out of my planning and decision-making. I can get so busy living my life that I forget that I would have no life without You. Keep me in Your Word because that is where You speak to me. Help me to listen when You speak and obey what I hear You say. Amen

Pray Like You Mean It.

Isaiah 62-63

O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray day and night, continually. Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord. Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work, until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth. ­– Isaiah 62:6-7 NLT

What role does prayer really play in our lives? Is it a last-resort measure we take when all else fails? Do our prayer lives improve only when things take a turn for the worse? Do we pray half-heartedly and unexpectantly? Do we pray with power and passion? How much does praise factor into our prayers? This mornings readings in Isaiah 62 and 63 were a well-needed reminder of the multifaceted and non-negotiable nature of prayer. It is NOT an option, but a necessity for living the Christian life. Prayer should be like oxygen to the life of the believer. We can't exist without it. Isaiah seemed to know that. He said, "Because I love Zion, I will not keep still. Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem, I cannot remain silent. I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn, and her salvation blazes like a burning torch" (Isaiah 62:1 NLT). While Isaiah had the unenviable job of prophesying about Israel's coming judgment, it didn't mean he enjoyed it or relished the idea of Israel having to suffer discipline at the hands of God. He didn't look forward to seeing Jerusalem demolished and the Temple destroyed. So while he was busy prophesying, he also prayed. And his prayers were motivated by love. He loved the city of Jerusalem and the people of Israel. So he prayed. He couldn't help but pray. He couldn't keep his mouth shut. And he wouldn't stop praying until he was able to see Jerusalem restored. His prayers were motivated by love and persistent.

Isaiah reminds us, "Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work" (Isaiah 62:7 NLT). But the truth is, we get tired of praying. We grow impatient waiting for God to do something. When He doesn't answer according to our requirements or based on our timeline, we give up and move on. But Isaiah said that we should remain persistent and patient. Keep praying. Don't give up. Pray for God to do what He has promised to do. Prayer is NOT just about getting God to do something we want done. It is about asking God to do what He has already said He is going to do. It is about desiring to see God reveal His power and salvation in our lives. It is about wanting to see God display His power and presence in our lives. God reminds us, "It is I, the Lord, announcing your salvation! It is I, the Lord, who has the power to save!” (Isaiah 63:1b NLT). God alone has the power to save. God alone has the power to preserve. God alone has the power to bring salvation to His people. How badly do we want to see those things? How desperate are we to see God's power and presence revealed in our lives and in our world?

Another part of prayer that gets overlooked is the praise factor. We tend to relegate prayer to asking God for things. We try to turn Him into a glorified Genie in a Bottle, a cosmic vending machine dispensing what we want and satisfying our every desire. But a big part of prayer is praise. It is acknowledging who God is and what He has already done. "I will tell of the Lord’s unfailing love. I will praise the Lord for all he has done. I will rejoice in his great goodness to Israel, which he has granted according to his mercy and love" (Isaiah 63:7 NLT). Sometimes in our zeal to ask God for more or demands to ask God to do something new, we forget to praise Him for what He has already done.

A big part of prayer is the motivation behind it. What drives us to prayer? What makes us turn to God and seek His help? Sometimes it is the sense of loneliness. We feel like He is nowhere to be found. We feel deserted and alone. In verses 11-13, the people of Israel repeatedly cry out, "Where is the one?" They want to know where God is and why He is not doing something about their situation. He doesn't appear to be acting on their behalf like He did in the past. That sense of isolation drives them to plead for God's presence. They call out to God, "Lord, look down from heaven; look from your holy, glorious home, and see us. Where is the passion and the might you used to show on our behalf? Where are your mercy and compassion now?" (Isaiah 63:15 NLT). They plead for God to see their circumstances and intervene. Sometimes it takes a sense of aloneness and impotence to get us to cry out to God. Our desperation causes us to become more dependent on Him.

How desperate are you to see God work in your life today? How dependent are you on the power and presence of God to make it through this life? Or are you satisfied with your situation and smugly self-sufficient in living your life on this planet? God wants to hear from you today. He wants to reveal His power in your life. He wants to show You just how powerful He is. Do you long to see His power on display? Are you willing to plead and persist until it happens? While you wait, are you willing to praise Him for what He has already done in your life? Pray – persistently, patiently, pleadingly, expectantly, and accompanied with praise.

Father, forgive me for my prayerlessness. I tend to pray when I need something or I have run out of other options. My prayers too often lack praise. I rarely plead and seldom persist. I too quickly run out of steam and patience. I can tend to be self-sufficient, trying to solve my problems in my own strength. I make prayer a lost resort rather than my first response. May I continue to learn that prayer is non-optional, and a vital part of my relationship with You. It needs to become as natural as breathing, as life-sustaining as oxygen or water. May I discover through prayer not just answers, but the God behind the answers. May my prayers make me aware of You and Your power. Amen

Perfect Timing.

Isaiah 59-61

At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen. ­– Isaiah 60:22b NLT

Chapter 59 describes the litany of sins committed by the people of God. Murder, lying, corruption, dishonesty, violence, injustice, oppression, to name a few. Isaiah says, "Our sins are piled up before God and testify against us" (Isaiah 59:12 NLT). But the chapter ends with the encouraging words, "The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins" (Isaiah 59:20 NLT). Chapter 60 then goes on to describe the future glory of Jerusalem after the Lord does return. The glory of the Lord will shine on Jerusalem again, the Temple will be rebuilt, God will replace His anger with mercy, their days of mourning will come to an end, and the presence of God will shine brighter than the sun and moon combined.

But these events have yet to happen. The people of Isaiah's day didn't get to see them fulfilled. And they have yet to be fulfilled even now. But God says, "At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen." That's a promise from God Himself that He will do what He has promised. He always has and He always will. Chapter 61 opens up with the familiar words, "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come" (Isaiah 61:1-2 NLT). These are the words read by Jesus Himself when He stood in the synagogue in Nazareth. After reading them, He handed back the scroll, sat down and said, "The Scripture you've just heard has been fulfilled this very day" (Luke 4:21 NLT). God had made it happen. He had done what He said He would do. Jesus had come, bringing comfort to the brokenhearted, proclaiming release to those captivated by sin, and telling those who mourned that the time of the Lord's favor had come. He had brought it. Galatians 4:4 tells us, "But when the right time came, God sent his Son." His timing was perfect.

But God is going to send His Son again. The disciples were told that Jesus would one day return just the way He left. "Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!" (Acts 1:11 NLT). He would come again in the clouds. "Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory" (Mark 13:26 NLT). He is coming again, but we don't know when that day will come. Jesus told the disciples, "However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows" (Mark 13:32 NLT). Jesus didn't even know the day or time. But He went on to warn the disciples, "since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert! (Mark 13:33 NLT). Be ready. Be expectant. It is going to happen. At the right time, God will make it happen. He will finish what He began. He will complete what He started. He will make right every wrong. He will restore righteousness to the world. He will fulfill every promise He has ever made. We can count on it because God has said it. He will make it happen.

Father, Your word is faithful and true. You do what You say You will do. We can count on it. So thank You that one day You are going to make it all happen. You are going to bring an end to sin and sorrow. You are going to right every wrong and extend Your righteousness around the earth. You will redeem and restore Your people. You will establish Your kingdom forever. Your Son will reign and rule from Jerusalem. The enemy will be defeated once and for all. You will make it happen – in Your perfect timing. Give me patience to wait and an attitude of anticipation and alertness to remain ready. Amen

Pretentious Piety.

Isaiah 57-58

Tell my people Israel of their sins! Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near me. ­– Isaiah 58:1-2 NLT

"They're busy, busy, busy at worship, and love studying all about me. To all appearances they're a nation of right-living people – law-abiding, God-honoring. They ask me, 'What's the right thing to do?' and love having me on their side" (Isaiah 58:1-2 MSG). These words could very well be describing the state of the church today. We've turned busyness for God into an art form. We wear ourselves out doing things for God. We attend weekly worship services, take part in a small group, go to Bible studies, listen to messages on CDs and podcasts, serve, give, read our Bibles on occasion, and when necessary, pray. Then we turn to God and ask, "Why aren't you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don't even notice!" (Isaiah 58:3 NLT). We wonder why all our actions and activities for God don't seem to be scoring us any points with Him. But God makes it clear. He points out the problem – pointedly and painfully. We are inherently selfish and self-centered. All our pious-looking activities are marred by wrong motives and hidden agendas.

God told the Israelites that their fasting was useless if it was accompanied by fighting and quarreling. Their religious rituals were worthless if they were not coming from right hearts. Their fasting had all the outward indications of humility and sorrow for sin. They put on sackcloth and sad faces, but all the while they were abusing their employees and acting unrighteously. "You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the Lord?" (Isaiah 58:5 NLT). Isn't that what we do? We go to church, we serve, we pray, we sing, we worship, we give, we put on all the outward trappings of religious zeal and spiritual fervor, but all the while we wrestle with secret sins, selfish hearts, hidden agendas, and wrong motives. God isn't impressed and He certainly isn't fooled by our charade. He knows our hearts. He calls us to true fasting. He doesn't want pretense and show. He wants true heart change that shows up in acts of righteousness that impact our everyday lives. "This is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families" (Isaiah 58:6-7 MSG). God wants to see our faith impact our lives. He wants to see our religion make a real difference in the way we relate to the world around us. Bible study that doesn't result in a heart for the lost and a desire to make a difference in our world is ultimately useless. But if in our study of God's Word we are getting to know Him, we will develop a heart like His. We will want to reach out to the hurting, help the hopeless, share the Good News with the lost, and bless others because we have been blessed by Him.

God calls us to "get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people's sins" and to be "generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out" (Isaiah 58:9-10 MSG). The Gospel is life-changing. It is transformative. It should change the way we think, act, live, and relate to others. It is powerful and real, impacting our lives in such a way that we become salt and light, agents of influence and change to the world around us. He wants us to shine brightly in the darkness. He wants to bless us so that we can be a blessing. We are His hands and feet. We are His ambassadors. We are to be rebuilders of walls and restorers of homes (Isaiah 58:12). Let's get busy doing what He has called us to do.

Father, forgive me for my false piety and religious showmanship. Give me a heart for the things that burden Your heart. Open my eyes so that I might see the world the way You do. I want to be a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes, making a difference in the lives of those around me. Amen

Exclusivity Without Exclusion.

Isaiah 54-56

Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink — even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk — it’s all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. ­– Isaiah 55:1-2 NLT

This is an invitation from the God of heaven, issued to any and all who will accept it. It is exclusive, in that it is only available through His Son. There is no other way to enter into a right relationship with God than through the shed blood of Jesus. He is not one of many ways. He is the ONLY way. But this invitation is not exclusionary. It does not discriminate. It is not for the spiritual elite or one particular people group. It is is an invitation that is extended to all. God says, "Is anyone thirsty?" The only qualifier is a recognition of need. If you are thirsty, then come – even if you have nothing to offer in exchange. In fact, your inability to pay and admission of it is essential. Because what God offers is FREE! It is a free gift freely offered to all.

We live in a world where exclusivity and exclusion are everywhere. Prejudice and discrimination are all around us. It is a part of life. But in God's kingdom, the door is open wide to any and all who express faith in His Son as their sin substitute and Savior. No one gets excluded because of race, economic status, physical features, or their degree of sinfulness. God says, "Make sure no outsider who now follows GOD ever has occasion to say, 'GOD put me in second-class. I don't really belong.' And make sure no physically mutilated person is ever made to think, 'I'm damaged goods. I don't really belong.' For GOD says: 'To the mutilated who keep my Sabbaths and choose what delights me and keep a firm grip on my covenant, I'll provide them an honored place in my family and within my city, even more honored than that of sons and daughters. I'll confer permanent honors on them that will never be revoked.'" (Isaiah 56:3-5 NLT).

God's ways are not our ways. He doesn't think like we think. He is not hampered by our petty prejudices and partisanship (Isaiah 55:8-9). His love extends to all. His invitation is open to any who will listen and respond. "For the Sovereign Lord, who brings back the outcasts of Israel, says: I will bring others, too, besides my people Israel" (Isaiah 56:8 NLT). God has included you and me in His invitation. He has made His offer available to us. Our only qualification? Thirst. We have to come to Him. We have to come through His Son. The path is exclusive. But the offer is anything but exclusionary.

Father, thank You for including me in your offer. Thank You for extending an invitation that did not exclude me. You invited me and offered me a way to quench my spiritual thirst. My inability to pay was not a problem for You. My need did not exclude me. It qualified me. I am so grateful that Your ways are not like our ways. Amen

The Sinless Sin Substitute.

Isaiah 52-53

But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. ­– Isaiah 53:5-6 NLT

Chapter 53 of Isaiah is amazing. Written hundreds of years before the time of Jesus, it accurately foretells His coming, and the role He would play as man's sinless sin substitute. It painstakingly portrays His rejection, suffering and death at the hands of the very people He came to save. He would be the suffering Servant – the innocent lamb led to slaughter – all so that He could provide a way for us to have a restored relationship with God the Father. But even as I read these familiar words from my vantage point on this side of the cross, it amazes me that God chose to save the world in this way. It reminds me of the more recent Christmas song, Strange Way To Save The World. It talks of how bizarre this whole salvation plan must have been to Mary and Joseph, as they contemplated their role in God's redemptive plan.

Sure he must have been surprised At where this road had taken him 'Cause never in a million lives Would he had dreamed of Bethlehem And standing at the manger He saw with his own eyes The message from the angel come to life And Joseph said...

Why me, I'm just a simple man of trade Why Him, with all the rulers in the world Why here, inside a stable filled with hay Why her, she's just an ordinary girl Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say But this is such a strange way to save the world

To think of how it could have been If Jesus had come as He deserved There would have been no Bethlehem No lowly shepherds at His birth But Joseph knew the reason The love had to reach so far And as he held the Savior in his arms He must have thought...

Why me, I'm just a simple man of trade Why Him, with all the rulers in the world Why here, inside a stable filled with hay Why her, she's just an ordinary girl Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say But this is such a strange way to save the world

Why me? Why Him? Why here? Why her? Why did Jesus have to be despised and rejected? Why did He have be acquainted with deepest grief? Why did He have to be unjustly condemned? Why did He have to be struck down in the prime of life? Why was it the Lord's good plan to crush Him? This is such a strange way to save the world. But it was God's way. It was His plan. "And because of His experience, my righteous servant with make it possible for many to be counted righteous; for he will bear all their sins" (Isaiah 53:11 NLT).

Isaiah 53 makes it clear that Jesus died for my sins and in my place. He was struck down for the rebellion of His people (Isaiah 53:8). He bore all our sins (Isaiah 53:11). He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels (Isaiah 53:12). He carried our weaknesses. It was our sins that weighed Him down. He was pierced for our rebellions, crushed for our sins, beaten so we could be whole, whipped so we could be healed (Isaiah 53:4-5). What a strange way to save the world. But I am so glad that God chose to do it that way. The price for my sins could have been paid no other way. My debt to God could never have been satisfied any other way. My sin deserved death and God miraculously, mercifully, lovingly provided a substitute to stand in my place. He paid the price for my sins with the life of His own sinless Son. What a strange and yet amazing way to save the world!

Father, thank You for Your plan. It all sounds so strange, and at times, unbelievable. But I believe it any way and I am grateful that You chose to do it just like You planned it. Thank You for Your Son. Thank You for coming up with a plan that could provide a way for me to escape eternal condemnation and death. I know I deserved it and I also know I could never have paid off the debt I owed. You took care of it for me. Even though I never deserved it. Thank You! Amen

A Longing For God.

Isaiah 51

Wake up, wake up, O Lord! Clothe yourself with strength! Flex your mighty right arm! Rouse yourself as in the days of old when you slew Egypt, the dragon of the Nile. ­– Isaiah 51:9 NLT

When you watch the news on TV, check it out online or listen to it on the radio, do you ever find yourself longing for God to do something? Does all the bad news ever make you wish for a bit of good news, some righteous intervention by God on behalf of His people and a world suffering under sin?  The prophet Isaiah had the job of warning the people of Judah about God's coming judgment. He was surrounded by sin and a people who had lost their moral compass. They had turned away from God and were committing spiritual adultery – proving themselves unfaithful to the One who had done so much for them. Every day Isaiah had to bring a message filled with doom and gloom to the people of God. And he saw few respond to what he had to say. So in the midst of all the negativity, he cried out to God. He longed for God to "wake up" and do something. And while we know God never sleeps or slumbers (Psalm 121:4), from Isaiah's perspective it appeared as if God had fallen asleep on the job. Things appeared to be going from bad to worse. So he called out to God. He asked Him to do something, to flex His muscles and intervene on behalf of the people of God. Isaiah wanted to see God do something spectacular like He did when He parted the Red Sea. Isaiah wanted a good, old-fashioned miracle to happen. He longed to see God do His thing. He rhetorically asked, "Are you not the same today, the one who dried up the sea, making a path of escape through the depths so that your people could cross over?" (Isaiah 51:10 NLT). He knew God had not changed, even thought their circumstances had. He was just as powerful, merciful, gracious, loving, patient and kind. So Isaiah asked God to do something great. He wanted to see the God of the universe do what only He could do to solve their predicament.

Do you long to see God work? Do you fully understand that He alone is the solution to all of our world's problems? God reminds you and me of our need for Him, just like He did the people of Isaiah's day: "Listen to me, my people. Hear me, Israel, for my law will be proclaimed, and my justice will become a light to the nations. My mercy and justice are coming soon. My salvation is on the way. My strong arm will bring justice to the nations. All distant lands will look to me and wait in hope for my powerful arm." (Isaiah 51:3-4 NLT). This has and always will be about God. This is His show. He alone is the central actor in this play called life. The universe revolves around Him and not us. He alone can do something about the mess we find ourselves in. But how bad do we want to see Him work? How desperate are we for God to intervene? How bad does it need to get for us to finally wake up and realize that it is we who are asleep, not Him? Rather than long for God, we have learned to long after all kinds of replacements for God. We long for wealth, health, ease, pleasure, recognition, comfort, power, possessions, fame, fortune, popularity, friends, peace, and a wide range of other things that are little more than poor substitutes for God. God wants us to long for Him. He wants us to call out to Him. He wants us to turn to Him and wait eagerly for Him to reveal His power on our behalf.

God assures us, "I, yes I, am the one who comforts you. So why are you afraid of mere humans, who wither like the grass and disappear?" (Isaiah 51:12 NLT). So go ahead, watch the news. But don't panic. Don't fear. Don't worry about all the evil you see taking place around you. God is in control. He can and will do something about it all. You can count on it.

Father, I long to see you work. I am tired of seeing what men can do. I am sick of watching how my own scheme turn out – usually for the worse. So I want to see Your power revealed in my circumstances. I want to watch as You do what only You can do. Flex Your might right arm! I watching and waiting. Amen

Our Deliverer.

Isaiah 49-50

Who among you fears the Lord and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God. ­– Isaiah 50:10 NLT

Let's face it. We live in dark days. Sin surrounds us. Immorality is everywhere. Every man and woman does what is right in their own eyes. The world-wide economy is in a shambles, godly leadership is in short supply, entertainment is the drug of choice, numbing us to the reality of the world around us. For those of us who are Christ-followers it can sometimes feel as if we are not making a difference – as if any light we give off just gets absorbed by the darkness that surrounds us. But these two chapters in Isaiah were words of encouragement to the people of Israel that should provide just as much hope for us. They speak of the Messiah, God's chosen servant who would one day come to earth to accomplish God's will. "At just the right time, I will respond to you. On the day of salvation I will help you. I will protect you and give you to the people as my covenant with them. Through you I will reestablish the land of Israel and assign it to its own people again" (Isaiah 49:8 NLT). Jesus came "at just the right time." He came as the suffering servant, the lamb of God, who gave His life as a sacrifice for the sins of men. When Jesus came the first time, it had all the appearances of a non-successful venture. "But my work seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. Yet I leave it all in the Lord’s hand; I will trust God for my reward" (Isaiah 49:4 NLT). Jesus' earthly ministry ended in death, not victory. He was crucified as a criminal. He left just a handful of followers. But God was not done. He died, but that was not the end. He rose again and He sits at the right hand of God the Father, and one day He is going to return to finish what He began. His mission did not stop at the cross or in the tomb. His followers, though few in number, took His message of God's grace and forgiveness and spread it around the world – to both Jews and Gentiles alike – just as God had said would happen. "You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6 NLT).

This message from God to the people of Israel concerning His Servant came at a time of great darkness. They were being told that their sins were going to be punished by God. They were surrounded by the enemy. Their hopes were dim and their prospects for rescue few. Yet Isaiah reminds them that God is not done with them. He has a plan. He has not forgotten them, no matter how dire the circumstances may look. God promises to one day restore His people to their land. He will bring them back from exile and dispersion. They will once again flourish and enjoy all the abundance the Promised Land has to offer. And only the Messiah, God's Servant will make that happen. He came the first time as the Suffering Servant, but the next time He will come as the Conquering King. He will return to earth to restore the world to its original splendor and to settle accounts with the unrighteous. The plan of God will not be complete until the work of the Messiah is done. But we must trust the Lord. We must stand on His promises and His character. He is trustworthy and faithful, loving and merciful. He will finish what He began. "Who out there fears GOD, actually listens to the voice of his servant? For anyone out there who doesn't know where you're going, anyone groping in the dark, Here's what: Trust in GOD. [Lean] on your God!" (Isaiah 50:10 MSG).

Father, You are not done yet. Your plan is far from finished. Messiah's work is not yet finished. Give me the ability to trust You even when things are dark and I can't see enough to take even the next step. Your plan is perfect and You will accomplish it. I can rest on that promise. Amen

Our Refuge and Strength.

Psalms 46, 80, 135

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble." – Psalm 46:1 NLT

These three Psalms in today's reading form a very fitting summary of Israel's life-long relationship with God. In Psalm 46 you see their attitude when all was going well. They have a confidence in God because He has given them the Promised Land and allowed them to build the magnificent city of Jerusalem containing God's dwelling place – the Temple. "God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it" (Psalm 46:5 NLT). They believed they were indestructible and that the city of God would last forever. Why? Because they were His chosen people and it was home to His Temple. But there is an interesting line in the middle of this short Psalm, and it is one that most of us are familiar with. It simply says, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10 NLT). This is a personal invitation from God to cease from striving and enter into a personal and intimate relationship with Him. That is what God wanted from the people of Israel and Judah. He wanted them to know Him – not just intellectually, but personally and experientially.

But we know the story. The people of God refused to remain faithful to Him. They disobeyed Him and turned to other gods. Instead of being a witness to the pagan nations around them, Israel adopted the lifestyles and practices of the world. They became infected instead of being an influence for good. And so God had to discipline them. Psalm 80 was probably written about the time that the northern kingdom was taken into captivity by the Assyrians. Judah to the south was under attack as well. So they called out to God. "Turn us again to yourself, O God. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved" (Psalm 80:3 NLT). They were in trouble and knew their only hope was in God. "ome back, we beg you, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Look down from heaven and see our plight. Take care of this grapevine" (Psalm 80:14 NLT). They claimed that if God would revive and restore them, they would never abandon Him again. They recall how God had chosen them, redeemed them from slavery in Egypt, given them the Promised Land and made them flourish there. But all that had changed. They were now the hopeless victims of Assyria's power and God's punishment. How quickly things had changed.

But Psalm 135 brings it full circle. It reminds us of the power and praiseworthiness of God. "I know the greatness of the Lord— that our Lord is greater than any other god" (Psalm 135:5 NLT). This Psalm reflects an understanding that God alone is the source of all hope and deliverance. It is a reminder of God's goodness and faithfulness. It recalls God's deliverance of His people from Egypt and, more recently, from the hands of the Amorites and Canaanites. It reflects an understanding that God will deal faithfully with His people. He will not abandon them. "For the Lord will give justice to his people and have compassion on his servants" (Psalm 135:14 NLT). So He is worthy of praise. He will once again establish the city of Jerusalem as His dwelling place. The day is coming when He will restore His people to their land and dwell among them. In spite of their unfaithfulness, He will remain faithful. He will once again prove to be their refuge and strength. Because that is the kind of God we worship and serve. He is reliable and trustworthy. He is faithful and true. He is a covenant-keeping God who never abandons those He loves. No matter how bleak the circumstances may look, God is there. He is working behind the scenes in ways we can't see. He is faithfully and perfectly working out His divine plan. He is our refuge and strength.

Father, You can be trusted. You are always faithful. Your love for us never fails. Your plans for us never get derailed. You are and always will be our refuge and strength in times of trouble. So there is no reason for us to fear. Amen

Counterfeit Hopes. Substitute Blessings.

2 Kings 18:9-19:37

Make peace with me—open the gates and come out. Then each of you can continue eating from your own grapevine and fig tree and drinking from your own well. Then I will arrange to take you to another land like this one—a land of grain and new wine, bread and vineyards, olive groves and honey. Choose life instead of death! ­– 2 Kings 18:31-32 NLT

They always sounds so good – the promises of the enemy that is. He never comes to us telling the truth, but always veils the truth in subtle lies that sound so appealing. He knows what we want and he offers it to us – for a price. The enemy's promises always come with a price. And that price is surrender. We must give up and give in to his desires. We must do as he says. Sure, he promises us blessing and abundance, happiness and hope, but first we must give turn away from God and turn to him. We see this scene lived out in real life in the story of Hezekiah. This time, the enemy comes in the form of Sennacherib, king of Assyria. Ten years earlier he had defeated the northern kingdom of Israel, sacking the capital city of Samaria and taking the people into exile. Now he has come to besiege Jerusalem. His troops have camped outside the city walls and he has sent one of his officials to demand that Hezekiah surrender the city and its people to Assyria. King Hezekiah has mistakenly believed that he could buy off the Assyrians by paying the tribute money he had been refusing to pay. Eleven tons of silver and one ton of gold later, the Assyrians are still there. They had no intention of leaving. They would not be bought off with gold and silver.

When Hezekiah stubbornly refuses to surrender, the Assyrian envoy makes his appeal directly to the people. He warns them not to listen to Hezekiah and not to trust in God's deliverance. No gods had ever been able to stand up to the power of Assyria, and Yahweh would be no different. "Don’t let him fool you into trusting in the Lord by saying, 'The Lord will surely rescue us. This city will never fall into the hands of the Assyrian king!’" (2 Kings 18:30 NLT). Then the enemy does what he always does. He makes a promising offer. He appeals to their desires. He offers them peace. He invites them to open the gates and come out. Let down their defenses. Trust him. And if they do, he will let them continue to enjoy life just like it is – full of blessing and abundance. Nothing will change. There will be no cost to their compromise. Then he subtly hints at what comes next. He will arrange to take them to another land – but one that has all the blessings and abundance of the Promised Land. He even uses terminology similar to that which God used when He told the people of Israel about the Promised Land years earlier. He says it will be "a land of grain and new wine, bread and vineyards, olive groves and honey" (2 Kings 18:32 NLT). His offer sounds eerily similar to the one God had made when He had delivered the people out of bondage in Egypt. But the enemy offers them another promised land. He offers them counterfeit hopes and substitute blessings – replacements for the promises of God. And his offer is tempting. It always is.

But the enemy's offers never come through. They never deliver. Oh, they may for a season, but then the truth sets in. His promised land always ends up being nothing more than bondage. His blessings always turn into curses. His abundance dries up. His hope evaporates. His promises fade. And we are always left disappointed. But God's promises never fail. He always delivers. If we will trust Him and refuse to listen to the lies of the enemy, He will always come through for us. He did for Judah. He destroyed 185,000 of the enemy's troops in one night, without a single soldier from Judah having to lift a finger. God sent the Ethiopians against the Assyrians, forcing Sennacherib to return home with his troops to defend his own land. And when he arrived there Sennacherib was murdered by his own sons. Not a single arrow was fired against Judah. Not a single siege tower was built.  Because the people listened to God and not the enemy, they were delivered. Never buy into the counterfeit hopes and substitute blessings of the enemy. No matter how good they sound.

Father, the enemy is always out there offering us his version of Your truth. He wants to promise us what only You can give. And sometimes we listen and give in. The results are always the same. Disappointment and disillusionment. Open our eyes and help us to see the truth. Help us to trust You and reject the lies of the enemy. Only You can provide hope, joy, fulfillment, safety, blessing and abundance. Your promises never fail. Amen

The Furnace of Affliction.

Isaiah 47-48

I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering. ­– Isaiah 48:10 NLT

Suffering. We despise it and can see no good reason for it. We avoid it like the plague and when in it, do everything in our power to get out of it. Which is only natural. But as Christ-followers, we are encouraged to have a different perspective on suffering – to see it from God's point of view. Not all suffering may be God-caused, but it is all God-used. In the case of the people of Judah and Israel, God had brought upon them the suffering they were experiencing. And for good reason. They were rebellious and unfaithful. In spite of all that God had done for them, they had rejected Him. Isaiah described them this way: "You don’t keep your promises, even though you call yourself the holy city and talk about depending on the God of Israel, whose name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies" (Isaiah 48:1-2 NLT). So God had predicted what was going to happen. He told them that He would discipline them. But they refused to listen. And God knew why. "For I know how stubborn and obstinate you are. Your necks are as unbending as iron. Your heads are as hard as bronze. That is why I told you what would happen; I told you beforehand what I was going to do. Then you could never say, ‘My idols did it. My wooden image and metal god commanded it to happen!’" (Isaiah 48:4-5 NLT). God told them exactly what He was going to do and then did it. He predicted their punishment, and it happened just like He said. He allowed them to suffer so that they could see and understand that He alone is God. He did it to get their attention. Suffering has a great way of improving our prayer lives and destroying our sense of self-autonomy. It has a tendency to drive us to God. As the old saying goes, "There are no atheists in fox holes."

God refines us. He is out to purify us. And that sometimes requires heat. The flames of affliction have a way of burning off all that does not belong. When silver is refined, heat is used to burn away anything that is impure or foreign, so that all that is left is pure silver. But God says He does not refine us in that way. If He did, there would be nothing left. If God burned away all the impurity in our lives, we would be consumed. Instead, He takes us through the fires of affliction, not to consume us, but to remind us of our need for Him. He does it because He loves us. He wants us to turn to Him and sometimes it takes suffering and pain to make us do just that. The writer of Hebrews understood that concept. "And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, 'My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.'" (Hebrews 12:5-6 NLT).

God's discipline always has a purpose. He has a reason behind everything that happens in our lives. It's hard for us to see it when we are going through it, but we must trust that He loves us and has our best in mind. "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way" (Hebrews 12:11 NLT).

God is always teaching us. He is constantly trying to get our attention in order to show us that His way is the best way. "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow. Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea" (Isaiah 48:17-18 NLT). God's discipline is not punitive, it's instructive. He is teaching us. He is revealing Himself to us in the midst of our suffering. He wants to show us His power in the midst of our weakness. He wants to restore and bless us. But first we have to turn to Him. We have to trust Him. We have to rely on Him. Suffering has a way of making us do just that.

Father, I have to admit that I don't relish the fires of affliction. And it is because I don't fully understand or trust Your love for me. I disobey because I doubt. But You discipline because You love. Help me to understand that. I want to trust You more. I want to be able to rejoice in the midst of suffering because I truly believe You are there and You never leave me or forsake me. Help me to understand that the suffering I experience in this life can be a reminder of Your love. Amen