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

God vs gods.

Isaiah 44-46

For there is no other God but me, a righteous God and Savior. There is none but Me. Let all the world look to me for salvation. ­– Isaiah 45:21-22 NLT

There is only one God, and He makes that fact very clear to the people of Judah and Israel. He lets them know that He is not just one of many options. He is not just another deity from which to choose. He alone is God and there are no competitors. He alone created the universe. He is all-powerful and one-of-a-kind. He not only made every individual Israelite, He chose them to be His people. He even uses those who don't know Him or believe in Him as His tools to accomplish His will. Yet since the fall, mankind has found it necessary to make their own gods as replacements or substitutes for the one true God. These man-made deities are deaf, dumb, blind and powerless to offer any support whatsoever to the very ones who made them. "Some people pour out their silver and gold and hire a craftsman to make a god from it. Then they bow down and worship it! They carry it around on their shoulders, and when they set it down, it stays there. It can’t even move! And when someone prays to it, there is no answer. It can’t rescue anyone from trouble" (Isaiah 46:6-7 NLT).

Idle idols. Powerless gods. Pseudo saviors. How ridiculous it sounds to place your trust in them when you consider the God of the universe is offering you a chance to have a relationship with Him. But how easy it is to turn to someone or something else besides God when we're in need or trouble. How quick we are to find substitutes for God when we need direction or comfort. Of course, our gods are more sophisticated than wooden totems or golden statues that sit on a mantle in the living room. Our gods are more subtle. They take the forms of stock portfolios or resumes, plasma screen high-definition TVs, alcohol or drugs, sex and success. We worship everything from movie stars and musicians, politicians and pastors, to materialism and patriotism. We worship our success, significance, self-autonomy, cars, clothes, kids, money, health, houses, popularity, power, and possessions.

But let's just say we don't struggle with the worship of things other than God. What if idols are not our problem? Isaiah goes on to mention another problem we might suffer from: "What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’" (Isaiah 45:9 NLT). Questioning God. How many times have each and every one of us been guilty of that one? We question God about all kinds of things, from the shape of our bodies to the circumstances in which we find ourselves. We encounter a rough spot in life and immediately start demanding that God explain Himself. We want answers. We want changes and we want them NOW! We give Him our demands and our preferred list of solutions, then impatiently wait for Him to do what we want done. But God says, "Do you question what I do for my children? Do you give me orders about the work of my hands? I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command" (Isaiah 45:11-12 NLT).

Who are we to question God? What right do we have to give God advice? Where do we get the idea that we, the created, can tell the creator what's best? There's only one thing worse than making a god of our own choosing. It's trying to make God conform to our choices. Demanding that God operate according to your standards is no less offensive than making your own god. Because that is exactly what you are attempting to do. But our God doesn't work that way. He will not conform. He will not be controlled, cajoled, conscripted or coerced into doing OUR will. He is God and He alone knows what is best. We don't get to make God. He made us and He has a plan for us. "I will be your God throughout your lifetime — until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you" (Isaiah 46:4 NLT).

Father, You are not only my creator, You are my redeemer and sustainer. You are one-of-a-kind and will not be forced into a mold. You do not need my input or list of demands. You know what is best for me. You have a plan in place for me. There is nothing about me that escapes Your notice or falls outside Your control. I need to learn to trust You. I need to learn to submit to You. Your will regarding me is perfect. Forgive me for the many times I have questioned You. Who am I to doubt You? Amen

Chosen By God To Know Him.

Isaiah 42-43

"But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the Lord. “You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God— there never has been, and there never will be." ­– Isaiah 43:10 NLT

Over in the first chapter of the book of Acts we are given a recounting of Jesus' last days on earth before His ascension. He meets with His disciples one last time and gives them instructions. He tells them, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8 NLT). The Greek word translated "witnesses" here is martys, from which we get our word martyr. It meant someone who had personally seen, heard, or witnessed something and was able to recount it. It referred to one who was a spectator of an event. Jesus tells His disciples that they are to be His witnesses, telling people about Him everywhere. They are to speak about what they have seen. They are to tell what they have heard. They are to give first-hand testimony about the truth of Christ's life, death, and resurrection power. Theirs was not to be an academic recounting, a mere statement of the facts. It was to be personal and experiential. This was exactly what God was saying to the people of Judah through Isaiah the prophet. They have been chosen by God to be His witnesses. They had been chosen by God to know Him, believe in Him, and understand that He alone was God. They were to tell the nations around them of their personal experiences with the almighty God of the universe. They had had personal experience with Him. They had first-hand experience with His power, provision, protection, and even His loving punishment.

But they were deaf and blind. They wouldn't listen and they refused to see. "Listen, you who are deaf! Look and see, you blind! Who is as blind as my own people, my servant? Who is as deaf as my messenger? Who is as blind as my chosen people, the servant of the Lord You see and recognize what is right but refuse to act on it. You hear with your ears, but you don’t really listen" (Isaiah 42:18-20 NLT). What good is a deaf and blind witness? These people had been chosen by God to experience the power and the blessings of God, but they acted as if they were blind. They could see, but refused to do what was right. They could hear, but refused to do what they were told.

Over in the book of Luke we have recorded Jesus' entry into Jerusalem right before His betrayal, trials, and death. The people cry out, "Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!" (Luke 19:38 NLT). The Pharisees demand that Jesus rebuke His followers for what they were saying. Jesus simply responds, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out" (Luke 19:40 NIV). The very stones themselves would witness to the glory of God. Deaf, dumb, and blind stones would do what men were chosen and created to do. We have chosen by God to be eye-witnesses of His power. We have been chosen by God to personally know Him and tell what we know about Him to everyone we meet. We have a job to do. We have a responsibility to keep. The Psalmist put it this way: "We're not keeping this to ourselves, we're passing it along to the next generation – GOD's fame and fortune, the marvelous things he has done" (Psalm 78:4 MSG). But what is it we are going to pass along? Sunday School stories? Moral lessons and impersonal recollections of days gone by? We are to be witnesses. We are to have personal stories of the marvelous things He has done in our lives. Our personal testimonies are not merely to be recountings of how we came to faith, but up-to-date reports on the power and presence of God in our lives SINCE we came to faith. We are to talk about what He is doing in our lives on a daily basis. We are to give witness to His love, mercy, grace, power, provision, protection, goodness, kindness, and the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit. But we can't tell what we don't know. We can't describe what we can't see. We have been chosen to know Him and see Him. Look for Him today. Watch out for His presence in Your life. He will be at work in and around Your life. Will you see Him? Will you be able to tell others about Him? You are His witness.

Father, I want to be a witness of Your power each and every day. You are working in and around my life. You never fail to do so. I just fail to see it, recognize it and praise You for it. Open my eyes that I might see You at work and tell others about Your marvelous deeds in my life. Amen

The Nature of God.

Isaiah 40-41

Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening? GOD doesn't come and go. God lasts. He's Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. ­– Isaiah 40:28 MSG

Ultimately, the entire Bible is a book about God. It is not a collection of stories or moral lessons. It is not the road map for life. It is not a blue print for living. It is the revelation of God about … God. From cover to cover, from Genesis to Revelation, it reveals the character and the nature of God. The stories it tells, the histories it reveals, the characters it introduces, are all there for one purpose and one purpose only… to give us a greater understanding of who God is and what man's relationship with Him should be. His very creation shouts out His glory and claims His very existence. The wonders of the natural world give evidence of the creator. The universe is proof of His power and reveals the immensity of His essence. And in the middle of Isaiah's prophetic words to the people of Judah warning them of God's coming judgment, he reminds them of God's future deliverance. And it is a primer on the very character of God. Through the lips of Isaiah, God teaches them about His nature. He instructs them about His unequaled, incomparable character.

God is eternal – "The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever." – Isaiah 40:8 NLT

God is powerful – "Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm." – Isaiah 40:10 NLT

God is loving – "He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young." – Isaiah 40:11 NLT

God is without equal – "Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?" – Isaiah 40:12 NLT

God is all-knowing – "Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?" – Isaiah 40:13 NLT

God is incomparable – "To whom can you compare God? What image can you find to resemble him?" – Isaiah 40:18 NLT

God is transcendent – "God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them." – Isaiah 40:22 NLT

God is judge – "He judges the great people of the world and brings them all to nothing." – Isaiah 40:23 NLT

God is creator – "Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name." – Isaiah 40:26 NLT

God is sustainer – "Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing." – Isaiah 40:26 NLT

God is all-seeing – "O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?" – Isaiah 40:27 NLT

God is tireless – "The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary." – Isaiah 40:28 NLT

God is generous – "He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless." – Isaiah 40:29 NLT

God is merciful and kind – "Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion." – Isaiah 40:30 NLT

God is a restorer – "But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." – Isaiah 40:31 NLT

God is faithful – "I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, ‘You are my servant.’ For I have chosen you and will not throw you away." – Isaiah 41:9 NLT

God is trustworthy – "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

God is our helper – "For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.'" – Isaiah 41:12 NLT

God is our redeemer – "Though you are a lowly worm, O Jacob, don’t be afraid, people of Israel, for I will help you. I am the Lord, your Redeemer. I am the Holy One of Israel." – Isaiah 41:14 NLT

God is our provider – "When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them." – Isaiah 41:17 NLT

God is our rescuer – "I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground." – Isaiah 41:18 NLT

What an amazing God we have! He is incomparable and at times, incomprehensible. He is beyond our understanding, but never out of the reach of our voices. He hears us, sees us, listens to us, cares for us and wants to have a relationship with us. Amazing isn't it?

Father, Your character and nature is so huge, it takes an entire book to even begin to touch the surface. You are complex and yet knowable. You are beyond the grasp of our finite understandings, and yet You make yourself known to us. May we never tire of looking for You in Your Word and seeing You in Your creation. Give us a growing understanding of just who You are. May we increase daily in our knowledge and appreciation of You. Amen

The Power of Pride and Presumption.

Isaiah 39; Psalm 76

Our boldest enemies have been plundered. They lie before us in the sleep of death. No warrior could lift a hand against us. ­– Psalm 76:5 NLT

More than likely, the writing of Psalm 76 by Asaph was immediately after the Assyrians had been routed by God. They were camped outside the walls of Jerusalem, issuing edicts and threats against Judah, taunting Hezekiah the king and warning him not to trust in God. But that night, an angel of God visited the camp of the Assyrian army, wiping out 185,000 of Sennacherib's soldiers without Judah having to lift so much as a finger. God had miraculously defeated a superior army and rescued Judah once again from their enemies. "God is honored in Judah; his name is great in Israel. Jerusalem is where he lives; Mount Zion is his home. There he has broken the fiery arrows of the enemy, the shields and swords and weapons of war" (Psalm 76:1-3 NLT).

God is honored in Judah. Really? It seems that not long after the defeat of the Assyrians Hezekiah received an official visit from emissaries of Merodach-baladan, the son of the king of Babylon. It seems that Babylon, an upstart nation, struggling under the superior power of Assyria, was planning a revolt against the Assyrians and was enlisting nations to form an alliance. When Hezekiah received the prince's envoys in Jerusalem, he proudly gave them the grand tour of the royal city, and "there was nothing in his palace or kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them" (Isaiah 39:2b NLT). That phrase is repeated over and over again in this chapter. "Hezekiah was delighted with the Babylonian envoys and showed them everything in his treasure-houses—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the aromatic oils. He also took them to see his armory and showed them everything in his royal treasuries!" (Isaiah 39:2a NLT). "'They saw everything,' Hezekiah replied. 'I showed them everything I own—all my royal treasuries'" (Isaiah 39:4b NLT).

So what was the problem? Why does Isaiah make such a big deal out of Hezekiah's "tour of homes" mentality? It seems that Hezekiah, in revealing all his wealth to the officials from Babylon, was acting in pride and presumption. He was proud of all his wealth. He wanted these officials to see just how rich and prosperous he was. His vanity got the best of him. He was presumptuous in that he failed to see that Babylon might one day become a threat to Judah's very existence. At this point, Babylon was just another nation, struggling under the heavy hand of the superpower of the day, Assyria. Hezekiah seemed to be trusting in his wealth and his weapons. He appeared to place his trust in a possible alliance with Babylon. He failed to remember that it was God who had delivered Judah from the hands of the Assyrians. Not Egypt. Not Babylon. Not even Hezekiah's own army.

So God tells Hezekiah the bad news. "The time is coming when everything in your palace – all the treasures stored up by your ancestors until now – will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left" (Isaiah 39:6 NLT). The fulfillment of this prophecy is recorded in 2 Kings 25. It would not take place during Hezekiah's lifetime, but it would happen nonetheless. Hezekiah seemed content with the knowledge that he wouldn't have to live to see it come to fruition. He could live out his life in peace and security. He was legitimately grateful to God that he would be spared having to see the destruction of Jerusalem, but there is a certain sadness to the fact that Hezekiah was so short-sighted and not concerned about the long-term security of the nation of Judah. His prayers had seen God defeat the Assyrians and heal him from disease, but in this case he doesn't even voice a single word of intercession on behalf of the nation. Hezekiah's pride and presumption had led him to trust in himself and a possible alliance with Babylon. He had taken his eyes off of God and become distracted by his own self-importance. God was to be his help, hope, and security. Nothing else. And the same is true for us today.

Father, how easy it is to get distracted by our own self-importance and the world around us. We can take our eyes off of You and forget that You alone are all we need. You are our provider and protector. We are to trust in nothing and no one else, including ourselves. Keep us focused on You. Keep us dependent on You. Amen

Seeing Is Believing.

Isaiah 37-38

But now step in, O GOD, our God. Save us from him. Let all the kingdoms of earth know that you and you alone are GOD. ­– Isaiah 37:22 MSG

The Assyrian army is at the door. They have threatened to destroy Judah just like they have every other nation they have come up against – unless the people of Judah surrender. King Sennacherib has sent one final message to King Hezekiah, warning him not to trust in God, because it won't do him any good. No gods have ever been able to stand up against the mighty Assyrian army. "You know perfectly well what the kings of Assyria have done wherever they have gone. They have completely destroyed everyone who stood in their way! Why should you be any different?" (Isaiah 37:11 NLT). Hezekiah took this letter from Sennacherib and went straight to the Temple where he spread it out before God. He called out to God in prayer, asking Him to intervene in this difficult situation. "Bend down, O Lord, and listen! Open your eyes, O Lord, and see! Listen to Sennacherib’s words of defiance against the living God" (Isaiah 37:17 NLT). Hezekiah took his problem to God. In faith, he called out to the only one who he believed could do anything about his difficult circumstance. He asks God to rescue the nation of Judah. He appeals to God to intervene, show His power, and reveal to all the nations of the world that He alone is God.

As a result of his prayer, God answers and tells Hezekiah that He will take care of the Assyrian problem. And He does. That very night an angel of the Lord killed 185,000 of the enemy right in their camp while they slept. As a result, the survivors broke camp the next morning and returned home. Not long after that, Sennacherib was worshiping his god in his temple, when two of his own sons came in and killed him. This prideful, arrogant man who had threatened to destroy the people of God and who had ridiculed the power of God, was destroyed by God. And Hezekiah was able to see the power of God with his own eyes. His faith resulted in reality. Not long after this, Hezekiah became ill and was facing death. Again, he called out to God in faith, asking for healing. God answered and extended his life. Hezekiah was able to see the power of God in action. One day he was mourning his own coming death. The next he was rejoicing in the healing power of God. God wants to reveal His power in our lives. He wants to put His power to work in our lives. It is not a concept, but a reality. His power is real and He wants us to experience it daily. Our faith in God should result in our getting to see the power of God. We trust. He acts. We call out. He answers. We rely. He responds. And we believe.

Father, I want to see Your power in my life. Sometimes You allow events to reach a point where I no longer have any answers. You cause circumstances to reach the point where I have to turn to You because I have no other options. But when I do, You respond. You long to reveal Your power in the lives of Your people. You want to show Your strength in the midst of my weakness. And when You do, my faith grows even stronger. Thank You for being there for me so often. Help me to trust You more. Amen

Who Will You Believe?

Isaiah 36

Don’t listen to Hezekiah! These are the terms the king of Assyria is offering: 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. ­– Isaiah 36:16-17 NLT

Hezekiah has been warning the people that destruction is on its way. Their sin against God has finally resulted in consequences, and now the Assyrians are literally at the gate. Their armies are camped just outside the city. They have left a wake of destruction in their path and now they are threatening to bring Jerusalem down as well. They demand surrender. They taunt the people, warning them to reject the words of Hezekiah and listen to their offer of peace. They paint an idyllic picture of prosperity and peace – if they will only compromise their convictions and surrender. All they have to do is open up the gates and give up.

Isn't that just like the enemy. Of course, I'm talking about Satan, not the king of Assyria. Our great adversary, Satan, uses the same exact tactics with us each and every day. He taunts us. He gets us to question the faithfulness and effectiveness of God, asking, "So what makes you think the Lord can rescue you?" He tries to get us to doubt the Word of God and question the servants of God. "Don't let Hezekiah deceive you!" (Isaiah 36:14 NLT). "Don't listen to Hezekiah!" (Isaiah 36:16 NLT). "Don't let Hezekiah mislead you!" (Isaiah 36:18 NLT). If he can get us to doubt God then we are more apt to listen to his lies. And what he has to say to us is always a lie! Satan never tells us the truth. He misleads and misrepresents. He makes false promises and speaks in appealing half truths that cater to our fears and desires. The king of Assyria offers the people of God prosperity and peace. He offers to give them a land just like the one they are in. He promises them a land flowing with grain, new wine, bread and vineyards. He essentially offers them another land of promise other than the one God had given them. He offers a substitute to God's plan. And that is just what Satan does. It is what Satan did with Adam and Eve. It was what Satan did with Jesus during His temptation in the wilderness. Satan always offers us an alternative to God's plan. He presents us with a compelling alternative that comes with shortcuts and requires compromises. But if we do it his way, he promises it will be easier.

But who are we going to believe – the enemy or God? Whose word are we going to take? Whose promise are we going to believe? Every day we are given opportunities to trust God or listen to the lies of the enemy. He is the master deceiver. He is a pro at twisting the truth and making disobedience to God sound like good judgment and wise decision-making. He appeals to our self-interest. He plays with our emotions and preys on our fears. He knows we want peace at any price and desire pleasure above anything else. So he promises to give us what we want – if we'll just give up – open up the gates and let him in. In other words, surrender. And if we leave God out of the picture, that is exactly what we will end up doing. So who will you believe today? When the enemy comes to you with his lies and half-truths, will you listen to him? Or will you take God at His word and rely on His promises? It's a choice. It's a daily decision. It's faith on display.

Father, I want to believe You and not the enemy. Give me discernment to see through his lies. Open my eyes to see truth and not buy into the fiction he offers up as reality. Don't let fear drive my decisions and desire for peace cloud my decision-making. I want to trust You. I want to listen to You. Amen

He's On His Way!

Isaiah 35

Courage! Take heart! GOD is here, right here, on his way to put things right And redress all wrongs. He's on his way! He'll save you! ­– Isaiah 35:4 MSG

For 34 chapters we have read about God's coming judgment on His rebellious people and the nations that surround them. His holiness and justice demand that He deal with sin. He cannot turn a blind eye and act as if it does not exist. He is patient, but He is not passive. He is tolerant, but He will not tolerate the sin of His people forever. And while there have been messages of hope and deliverance woven into the warnings of pending judgment, the overall message has been less than uplifting. Then we come to chapter 35. In it we find a beautiful picture of hope based on God's future restoration of His land and of His people. God will balance His judgment with mercy. His moral perfection requires that He deal justly with sin. His love requires that He show mercy and grace to those who have sinned. And He done just that through His Son Jesus Christ. All those who accept Him as Savior will experience the blessings of God and enjoy not only a restored, renewed earth but a restored relationship with God Himself.

So Isaiah is to use this news to "strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who have weak knees" (Isaiah 35:3 NLT). In the midst of all the bad news, Isaiah is to share the good news of God's future restoration of His land and His people. Imagery of restoration and renewal is all throughout this chapter: Flowers blooming, deserts bursting with plants, the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, springs gushing in the wilderness, and streams in the wastelands. Parched land will become filled with pools of water. And a road will be built that leads straight to the city of God – the new Jerusalem where Christ will reign in righteousness. That road will be called the Highway of Holiness because on it only the righteous will travel as they make their way to worship God in His restored city. This road will be for the redeemed – those who "walk in God's ways" (Isaiah 35:8 NLT). "Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return that way.  They will enter Zion with a happy shout. Unending joy will crown them,  happiness and joy will overwhelmthem; grief and suffering will disappear" (Isaiah 35:10 NET).

This is a message of hope. Not just for the people in Isaiah's day, but for all of us who worship God and place our hope in the future return of His Son. He is coming. He will one day return to set all things right. He will restore the earth to its original splendor and glory. He will reestablish Jerusalem as the city of God. He will redeem His people Israel from their captivity to sin and return them to their land. He will do away with all sin and sorrow. Righteousness will be the order of the day. Sorrow and mourning will be replaced with joy and gladness. So be strong and do not fear, for your God is coming – He is coming to save you!

Father, help me keep my eyes focused on the future. It is so easy to become fixated on the here and now and think that this is all there is. I can begin to believe the lie that I have to find all my joy and contentment in this life. But You have promised more. You have a future planned out that is so much better than anything I can find in this lifetime. Your Son is coming again. I need to live for that day and not this one. When my knees get weak and my heart grows feint, I need to set my sights on the reality of His return. He is coming! Amen

Strength For the Day!

Isaiah 33-34

Lord, be merciful to us! We wait for you. Give us strength each morning! Deliver us when distress comes. ­– Isaiah 33:2 NET

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by it all? Does attempting to live the Christian life in this world ever leave you feeling discouraged, disheartened and a little bit disillusioned? Just imagine how the faithful remnant living at the time of Isaiah's prophesies felt. There were a small number of "believing" Jews who were faithful to God and yet were having to go through the same circumstances as the rest of the unbelieving, unfaithful population. They were having to listen to the messages of warning from Isaiah. They knew that destruction was coming and fully understood why. They were appalled by the spiritual condition of their countrymen and knew that God was just in having to discipline them for their rebellion and rejection of Him. But that didn't keep them from calling out to Him and appealing to His mercy. As we read of God's plans for the destruction of Assyria and Edom, we run across this single verse reflecting the cries of this faithful remnant of God's people. They call out for mercy. The Hebrew word for mercy is chanan and it means: "to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior." It is an appeal for God to show them favor, to pity them and extend undeserved kindness to them. They are waiting for Him. The Hebrew word for wait is qavah and it carries the idea of eager anticipation, hope and expectation. They knew their only hope is in God. He is the answer to all their needs. There is no need to look elsewhere, because He is their strength. The word used here is actually zerowa and it means "arm." It is a figurative term for strength, might and power. They are waiting on the "long arm of the law" to act on their behalf. And they are very specific. They ask God to reveal His strength each and every day, because without it, they will not survive. Ultimately, they want salvation. That is really what they are waiting for. The Hebrew word for salvation is yeshuwah. It means "salvation, deliverance or victory." Again, they want God to save them, to give them victory and provide them with deliverance from their circumstances.

So who do you wait on? Are you eagerly waiting on God? Do you look to Him as Your strength, your source of power and protection? Where will you turn for the strength you need to make it through the day? Who will you turn to when you encounter the inevitable tough times along life's way? Why not turn to Him? Why not eagerly wait for His deliverance? Cry out for His mercy. Ask Him to reveal His power in your life. Appeal to Him for salvation in times of trouble. He is faithful. He will answer.

Father, we can count on You, even when things look bleak and hopeless. May we learn to call out to You and eagerly wait for You to act. Don't let us lose hope. Don't let us turn elsewhere. Keep our eyes and our hearts focused on You even on the darkest days. Because You along are our strength and salvation. Amen

A Righteous King Is Coming!

Isaiah 31-32

Look, a righteous king is coming! ­– Isaiah 32:1 NLT

There is a theme running through all the books of the prophets in the Old Testament. It is a theme of redemption and salvation. Yes, God will discipline, but He will also deliver. He will punish, but He will also restore. Ultimately, the message is one of hope. The holy, righteous God who is bringing destruction on His own people, will also bring salvation. And while the punishment is based on their behavior, their salvation is based solely on God's mercy and grace. He will restore them in spite of them. The day will come when God restores His people, the people of Israel, to a right relationship with Him. So He calls them to return to Him because He wants to restore them. "Repent, return, dear Israel, to the One you so cruelly abandoned. On the day you return, you'll throw away – every last one of you – the no-gods your sinful hands made from metal and wood" (Isaiah 31:6-7 NLT). But they will continue to live in rebellion to Him. They will continue to reject His offer of restoration for repentance. But one day, God will restore them Himself. "Until at last the Spirit is poured out on us from heaven. Then the wilderness will become a fertile field, and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops. Justice will rule in the wilderness and righteousness in the fertile field. And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever" (Isaiah 32:15-17 NLT).

The prophet Ezekiel gives us more details concerning this great day of redemption for the people of Israel. It has yet to happen, but it will one day take place. And it will be the work of God, not men. He will pour out His grace and mercy – totally undeserved and unearned. He will redeem and restore, bringing salvation in the midst of rebellion. Because that is the kind of God He is.

"Therefore, tell Israel, ’Message of God, the Master: I’m not doing this for you, Israel. I’m doing it for me, to save my character, my holy name, which you’ve blackened in every country where you’ve gone. I’m going to put my great and holy name on display, the name that has been ruined in so many countries, the name that you blackened wherever you went. Then the nations will realize who I really am, that I am God, when I show my holiness through you so that they can see it with their own eyes. For here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to take you out of these countries, gather you from all over, and bring you back to your own land.  I’ll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed. I’ll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands. You’ll once again live in the land I gave your ancestors. You’ll be my people! I’ll be your God!" – Ezekiel 36:22-28 MSG

The righteous King is coming. The faithful God is going to provide salvation for His people. He will do for them what they could never have done for themselves. He will do for the people of Israel what He has done for every believer – He will save them in spite of themselves. He will provide the righteousness of Christ in place of their own unrighteousness. He will give them new hearts and a new capacity to love and serve Him. Their rebellion will be replaced with devotion. Their stubbornness will be replaced with a willingness to follow Him. He will restore them to the land and to a right relationship with Him. All because of His unchanging faithfulness.

Father, Your faith is unfathomable. Your kindness is immeasurable. Your patience is unbelievable. What You have done for me by providing Your Son as my sin substitute and Savior is mind-boggling. I didn't deserve it. I could never have earned it. And I can never repay You for it. But You are going to do the same thing for Your chosen people – the people of Israel. Your faithfulness to them should be an encouragement to me. It should remind me of just how gracious, merciful and loving You are. You are an amazing God and worthy to be praised. Amen

Return To Him.

Isaiah 29-30

So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help. ­– Isaiah 30:18 NLT

God is waiting. Waiting for His people to return to Him. Sometimes He uses discipline to get our attention. He allows us to go through difficulty to increase our need for Him. He lets us discover that all the other things we turn to for hope, healing, satisfaction and salvation can't deliver. They always disappoint. But He is always there waiting. He reminds us through the prophet Isaiah, "He will be gracious if you ask for help. He will surely respond to the sound of your cries. Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes" (Isaiah 30:19-20 NLT). This promise reminds me of the words of Job that he stated at the end of his season of suffering and shame. "I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes" (Job 42:5 NLT). Job was a blameless and righteous man when his story begins. But suffering came his way and tested his faith and his view of God. He knew a lot about God, but his season of suffering was going to open his eyes to the reality of who God really is. Job's suffering was not the result of rebellion or sin, but God used it in his life to bring him to a deeper understanding of Himself. Job grew closer to God through his trials than he ever would have otherwise.

God was calling the Israelites back to Himself through the prophet Isaiah. But they were stubborn. They would not listen. They refused to pay attention to what Isaiah had to say. They didn't like his message of doom and gloom. In fact, they were telling the prophets, "Stop seeing visions! Don't tell us what is right. Tell us nice things. Tell us lies. Forget all this gloom. Get off your narrow path. Stop telling us about your Holy One of Israel!" (Isaiah 30:10-11 NLT). They didn't want to hear the truth. They didn't want to listen to what God had to say. They would rather be lied to as long as it was what they wanted to hear. But God reminded them, "Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me – The very thing you've been unwilling to do" (Isaiah 30:15 MSG). God was offering salvation, and all they had to do to receive it was return to Him. They had to turn away from their pseudo-saviors and God-replacements, and recognize that only God can truly save. He alone can rescue. And He promises to hear us when we cry. He promises to be gracious if we ask Him for help. But returning requires turning. We must walk away from our sin and all those substitutes we have made for God in our lives. We must acknowledge our need for Him. And when we return, He always responds. He is faithful.

Father, we can be just as stubborn as the people of Israel. We can be just as prone to trust in other gods and reject Your Word. We want to hear good news and don't like to listen to anything that convicts or condemns us. We don't like having our sins pointed out to us. And we reject suffering in our lives as unacceptable.Yet You allow us to suffer in order to make us more dependent on You. Even the suffering we see happening all around us is a reminder of just how much we need You. Open our eyes. Soften our stubborn hearts. Help us return to You for salvation and restoration. Amen

Rejecting God's Rest.

Isaiah 28

God has told his people, 'Here is a place of rest; let the weary rest here. This is a place of quiet rest.' But they would not listen. ­– Isaiah 28:12 NLT

Jesus Himself said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28 NLT). He was offering an invitation to escape the weary pursuit of self-righteousness and religious observance. He was inviting the Jewish people of His day to discover a way to come to God without trying to earn their way into His good favor. They were wearing themselves out with self-effort and futile attempts at keeping God's law, and had been going it for generations. All the way back to the days of Isaiah, the people of God had been trying to work their way into a right relationship with God, but had failed. They had committed spiritual adultery, turning to false gods and placing their hopes in their own military might or alliances with other countries. Rather than simply trust God, they came up with all kinds of alternate plans. Even when God told them He was going to have to punish them for their unfaithfulness, they came up with plans to escape His judgment. In their hearts they said, "We have struck a bargain to cheat death and have made a deal to dodge the grave. The coming destruction can never touch us, for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception" (Isaiah 28:15 NLT). Listen to how The Message paraphrases this verse: "We've taken out good life insurance. We've hedged all our bets, covered all our bases. No disaster can touch us. We've thought of everything. We're advised by the experts. We're set."

But they were placing their hope and trust in the wrong thing. They were building their future on a weak foundation. Their attempts at self-salvation were never going to work. Rather than rest in God, they were going to keep trying to save themselves – from God's judgment and from death. But Isaiah gives us the only hope for any man – Jew or Gentile, in Isaiah's day and in ours. "Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken. I will test you with the measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness. Since your refuge is made of lies, a hailstorm will knock it down. Since it is made of deception, a flood will sweep it away" (Isaiah 28:16-17 NLT). This was a message from God regarding the coming Messiah. One day He would send His Son as the rock-solid foundation upon which every man and woman could build their lives. He would live a life of justice and righteousness. His sinless life would be the measurement by which all men and women are judged. But simple faith in Him would provide rescue from destruction and escape from death. "The Scriptures provide precedent: Look! I'm setting a stone in Zion, a cornerstone in the place of honor. Whoever trusts in this stone as a foundation will never have cause to regret it" (1 Peter 2:6 MSG). Yet even when Jesus came to the people of Israel, they would reject Him as their cornerstone and Messiah. "Then Jesus asked them, 'Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures? The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see. I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit'" (Matthew 28:42-43 NLT). Rather than find their ultimate rest in God's Son, the people of Israel would reject His offer of rest and continue to try and earn their way into God's good graces. Rather than build on a the solid foundation of Jesus Christ, they would work relentlessly to build their lives on a shaky foundation of self-effort and self-achievement. God's offer of rest still stands today – for Jew and Gentile alike. Jesus still calls out, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

Father, thank You for Your offer of rest. We still need it today. Even after coming to salvation through Christ, I can still find myself trying to earn favor with You through my own self-effort. I wear myself out trying to do good things that I think will make You love me more. I lose sight of the fact that You have already shown Your love to me by sending Your Son to die for me. I can't do anything to make You love me more. Help me to find rest from my own self-effort and relax in the knowledge that Your Son has done it all for me. Anything I do to live in obedience to Your Word is out of a sense of gratitude, not obligation. I obey because I am loved, not to be loved. Amen

Walk In His Ways.

Hosea 12-14

Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths sinners stumble and fall. ­– Hosea 14:9 NLT

"Return to the Lord your God." That is the appeal God makes in the closing chapter of the book of Hosea. He begs His unfaithful people to return and repent. He tells them to admit their sin, confess it, and simply ask for forgiveness. He tells them to reject their false gods and pseudo-saviors. They just need to return to God and acknowledge Him as the one true God. And He promises, "Then I will heal you of your faithlessness; my love will know no bounds, for my anger will be gone forever" (Hosea 14:4 NLT).

God reminds His people that it is He who answers their prayers and cares for them. He is the one who provides for and protects them. All He asks in return is that His people walk in His ways. He expects those on whom He showers His love, grace, and mercy to respond in obedience to His will revealed in His Word. When we do we find that His ways are true and right. They lead to blessing. They bring peace, joy, and contentment. But too often we choose our own way. We demand to live according to our own standards. We refuse to listen to God's command or follow His will for our lives. And we suffer. We reap the results of our disobedience.

God stands ready to restore. He wants to revive and rescue. He wants to bless and heal us. But first we must acknowledge our sin. We must turn from the other "saviors" we have made in our lives and recognize Him as the only true Savior. Ultimately, this book is about God's faithfulness in spite of man's unfaithfulness. God continues to love us even when we sin. He loves us even when we refuse to return that love to Him. But because God is holy and just, He must punish our sin. He must discipline us – because He loves us. He knows His way is better for us, so He brings discipline into our lives to encourage us to return to Him. He allows us to discover that our false gods and not really gods at all. Our replacement saviors can't really save at all. And when we come to the end of our rope, He always stands ready, willing and able to restore us and rejoice over us. Because He loves us.

Father, You are faithful. You are loving. You are patient. You are persistent. You are God. Never let me forget that. Open my eyes to the replacement gods I make in my life. Show me the false saviors I turn to instead of You. Help me acknowledge that there is no God but You and no other Savior. Amen