Isaiah 55:1

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price. (Isaiah 55:1 NKJV)

This is a beautiful verse that so perfectly explains the love of the Lord. He’ll meet you wherever you are. He comes offering the world and? He offers it for nothing.

Many people think that there are different ways to heaven – but there isn’t. There is only one way and His name is Jesus.

Theres no way to get to heaven without Jesus. He loves you. He wants you. He’s offering everything and all He wants in return is your love and oh the peace you will feel.

Cry out to Jesus friend. Cry out and ask Him to show Himself to you – and stand back cause He will.

Isaiah 52

Isaiah 52:4-6 (NKJV)

For thus says the Lord God:

“My people went down at first

Into Egypt to dwell there;

Then the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

Now therefore, what have I here,” says the Lord,

“That My people are taken away for nothing?

Those who rule over them

Make them wail,” says the Lord,

“And My name is blasphemed continually every day.

Therefore My people shall know My name;

Therefore they shall know in that day

That I am He who speaks:

‘Behold, it is I.’ ”

These verses are speaking of those times when Israel was being oppressed and His name was blatantly blasphemed. In v6 He is saying He will abide that blasphemy as long as His people glorify His name.

Well, dude.

How powerful and yet so merciful is that? It made me think of all the movies and tv shows that blasphemed His name. How has He not shown His wrAth?

Well because it’s coming at an appointed time.

Daniel 8:19 (NKJV)

And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be.

At the right time – when Gods people have been taken to heaven – He will show who He really is.

Doesn’t that make you think about yourself? It makes me so grateful how patient is – no matter how many times I fail, I confess and He forgives.

Thank you Lord.

Romans 11:36 (NKJV)

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Isaiah 51

For the Lord will comfort Zion,
He will comfort all her waste places;
He will make her wilderness like Eden,
And her desert like the garden of the Lord;
Joy and gladness will be found in it,
Thanksgiving and the voice of melody. (Isaiah 51:3 NKJV)

Last night I got really … well discouraged. I felt defeated, thoroughly beat down by a situation. This doesn’t hafta do with me personally, hence me beating-around-the-bush. Anyways, I was literally crying in bed last night and I cried out: “Jesus Save us please.”

I then fell asleep soon after, but this morning I woke up in a nasty funk. I knew my depression was hanging over my head so I knew I had to push through my desire to let it take over and? God blessed my attitude with these verses.

“I, even I, am He who comforts you.
Who are you that you should be afraid
Of a man who will die,
And of the son of a man who will be made like grass? (Isaiah 51:12 NKJV)

Thus says your Lord,
The Lord and your God,
Who pleads the cause of His people:
“See, I have taken out of your hand
The cup of trembling,
The dregs of the cup of My fury;
You shall no longer drink it. (Isaiah 51:22 NKJV)

See? God answers you. I was so blessed by this, felt more encouraged in the situation and ready to take on the day. Which had new challenges but I still feel more encouraged.

Whats the point?

Talk to God. He wants you to. Talk to Him. Tell Him everything. Ask Him stuff. He wants to help and bless you. It may not be in the way you want, but He does what is ultimately best for you (oh do I have a story to accompany that…but I’ll spare ya).

Friend, God wants to hear from you and? He WILL answer you. Just maybe not in your timeframe.

Isaiah 49

But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,
And my Lord has forgotten me.”
¹⁵ “Can a woman forget her nursing child,
And not have compassion on the son of her womb?
Surely they may forget,
Yet I will not forget you.
¹⁶ See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me.(Isaiah 49:14-16 NKJV)

 

During this time Zion ( a hill in Jerusalem – and the place of Gods people by association) was going through a tough time. Basically they were held captive by the babylonians and during this time, they questioned whether God loved them or that even God cared.

Its amazing how we go through that even now.

I mean God has our names, our lives, everything about us inscribed in the “….palms of..” His “…hands..” We are so precious to Him.

The thing is? To remember that.

Its so easy to get bogged down in the circumstance – believe me I am talking to more myself than anything – but God has a plan.

He is in control! Friend, lets remember the next trial/tribulation/hardship/what-you-wanna-call-it we remember how much God loves us.

Isaiah 48

“For My name’s sake I will defer My anger,
And for My praise I will restrain it from you,
So that I do not cut you off.
¹⁰ Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
¹¹ For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it;
For how should My name be profaned?
And I will not give My glory to another. (Isaiah 48:9-11 NKJV)

I write this in tears. I mean this is – I’m going through a bible study (of Job) with someone and she keeps telling me: God has a purpose for trials and sometimes you never know what its about.

People, my whole life I’ve been a trial. Well, no wait – even when I wasn’t following the Lord. I mean the first time I was hospitalized – I was 9 months old. Its been one hospital trip after another – my whole life.

I can’t imagine what my parent went through – but it was difficult on me. It still is!

I can’t complain too much cause obviously other people have it worse, but its hard on me. This sucks! My body wracked in constant pain, not being able to eat what i want (though this one really ends up as a blessing).

And I’ve been constantly praying “God show me – what am I doing wrong?”

Maybe its just so I can bring glory to the Lord.

and Im okay with that.

Like? I just had a biopsy. The results? I don’t have cancer – Praise the good Lord Jesus. I have several ulcers – probably from all the pain meds I’ve been taking for my arthritis and not an infection like thought. Also? I have a gluten allergy – not celiac disease.

God is so good. His name be glorified.

Isaiah 45

Isaiah 45:22 (NKJV)

“Look to Me, and be saved,

All you ends of the earth!

For I am God, and there is no other.
Yesterday I talked about salvation and this verse talks about how simple salvation is. You see many people make rules, ideals on how salvation and the Christian life should be. And it isn’t true. Check out the verse….all you need to do is look to God.
Realize your sin and look to Him.

I know that just seems so simple – hence people making rules and by-laws and what-not. But its simple. Look to God. Realize you are a sinful person and look to God.

Isaiah 44

Isaiah 44:22 (NKJV)

I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions,

And like a cloud, your sins.

Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”
I have a …. weird testimony and in it….Ive done enough. I mean believe me when I say: I am the worst person I know. And I’ve dwelt on that, sadly enough. Its taken me a long while to get to a point that I finally understand….God has “…blotted…” out my sins.

I mean sometimes I dont even believe it. I know that’s the legalistic side of me, but God loves me for me! This drug addicted, psychotic person has a chance at heaven and only because He loved me. Not at all having to do with what I did.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
This chapter was a great reminder to me on how God works.

Hes so mighty, so powerful, so perfect. Yet so forgiving and patient.

Thank you Lord for your goodness.

Isaiah 41

Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
I know, I know. Everyone knows this verse. But think about it for a second – He is always with us. He will give us strength when we need it. He will help us. He will hold us in His righteous right hand.

DId you hear that? He’s holding us.

I mean He’s holding us and don’t ya know? He will never let you go.

I think, especially for me, in a time of trial you get overwhelmed in your circumstances. You can forget how powerful and mighty God is – unfortunately. But He’s telling us – dont be afraid. I got you.

Remember that friend. In whatever circumstance you are in….God is holding on to you.

Romans 8:35-39 (NKJV)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Isaiah 39

 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “At least there will be peace and truth in my days.” (Isaiah 39:8 NKJV)

This whole (short) chapter is Isaiah telling King Hezekiah about all the things that will go wrong with his country – after his reign. His response? ‘Great! At least things with me will go smoothly.’

Passing the responsibility on to someone else. As my husband would say: “Thats the futures problem.”

But friend, we need to think of the future – what will happen after you die? What will happen to your friends? Your family? Your kids?

Think about it.

What about others? What about those who need Jesus?

God wants us to be others-centered – which Hezekiah was in his early years; but after sometime he just became so selfish, so self-centered.

How much that is us friends! We need to (now bear with me, I know its cheesy but its true) make this our motto:

J – Jesus first

O – Others Second

Y – You last

Ok, maybe not cheesy per se. 

Seriously though, what about them? Those who remain. Who need Jesus. Who need extra love?

Hezekiah totally ruined the last years of his reign. He could’ve prepared, provided…..at the least, informed! He didn’t. Lets not be like that. I challenge us, lets make a difference in this world.

Job 19:25

Job 19:25 (NKJV)

For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;

I am going through a bible study through the book of Job; fitting as per what I am going through right? God has perfect timing. Anyways, this verse happens after all the pain he went through – and according to my teacher his physical deformities were so painful and revolting that worms would infest his boils (see Job 7:5). Ugh. the torment and pain is unimaginable.

Anyways, he’s there in constant pain (physically and mentally) and being wrongly chastised by his friends – repeatedly and the worst part? God is silent. Hes not answering Jobs cries for help and? Still he praises God.

Job 1:21 (NKJV)

And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Even when he first hears of the death of his children – he praises God.

Makes me think ya know?

How much have I been praising God through this time? So many things go wrong – car stuff, health stuff, job stuff, friend stuff – how much do we look to God in praise instead of whining and complaining? Or even turning our back on God?