To Whom Will We Listen?

O. T. #1617  "To Whom Will WE Listen?"
Jan. 31, 2020
Isaiah 36-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

Opinions are a dime a dozen. Listening to the wrong advice can get us into trouble. We need discernment as to whom we will listen and follow. Here are some answers.

We learned previously how it can be a blessing when the enemies attack us, whenever it drives us to God. We can be assured that God's power is stronger than everything.
Assyria was the enemy of Judah. The king of Assyria, Sennacherib, sent Rabshakeh means cup bearer), to deliver a message to the 3 messengers from King Hezekiah.
It was a challenge in the form of some questions. (We would do well to answer them for our self.) I have tried to modernize them:

• What are you trusting in that makes you so confident? 
• Do you think that mere words can substitute for skill and strength?
• Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me?
• Isn't your trust in the LORD pointless?
• How will your (little faith) result in victory against the smallest temptation?
• Isn't this trial sent by God to destroy you?
• Are you going to let a sermon or study direct you?
• Do you think it can't get worse for you and your family?
• What makes you think the LORD can rescue you from this problem?

Even with all the questions from the enemy, King Hezekiah told the people to not give an answer.
We don't have to get into an argument with unbelievers or the devil. Our answer is found in verse 7, which was meant to jeer the people-We are trusting in the LORD our God!

1 Peter 5:6-7 says it well, Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety (cares) upon Him because He cares for you.

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20:7)

In what or whom are we trusting?


LET IT GROW

Isn't it clear that Hezekiah had been assuring his people of God's ability to deliver them?
In verse 15, a cupbearer told the people to not let Hezekiah:

• deceive them (verse 14);
• persuade you (verse 15);
• speak and they listen to him (verse 16);
• nor mislead them (verse 18).

Christians should listen to instructions from pastors, teachers of the Word of God, and fellow believers.
Individually and personally we have to decide in our own heart whether we will trust our God in the midst of our storm, trail, problem, sorrow, or not.

LET IT GO
When in doubt, ask the Lord for wisdom.
Hear what godly people have to say.
Trust and obey, for there is no other way, to be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obey.

Overcoming Our Enemy

O. T. #1617  "Overcoming Our Enemy"
Jan. 30, 2020
Isaiah 36

LET IT GLOW

II. Historic Interlude
Here is a historical interlude placed in the middle of Isaiah's prophecies. King Hezekiah was on the throne in Judah and Sennacherib was king in Assyria. (There is a controversy as to when these events took place.) These two men and countries are enemies.
Here is some background: The king of Assyria captured 46 towns and over 200,000 people in Judah. Now his field commander, Rabshakeh, and his army are threatening to put Jerusalem under siege outside the city walls. Hezekiah saw this coming and he had the water supply brought into the city through the Siloam tunnel (2 Kings20:20). The Assyrians would not have water, then.

Even though we know how it all turns out in the end, stick with me, friend. We can apply this to our life. Remember, God is in control. His purpose for all of this is to bring the people of Judah to repentance and worship only God.

LET IT GROW

King Hezekiah sent three messengers to deal with Rabshakeh, who spoke for Assyria's king. Since these men are enemies, we can learn from the tactics of Assyria (using NLT):

1. The enemy challenges our faith. Keep in mind, he doesn't have the full picture. What are you trusting in that makes you so confident? (verse 4)
2. The enemy threatens to get us, but he's not stronger than God. With your tiny army, how can you think of challenging even the weakest contingent of my master's troops, even with the help of Egypt's chariots and charioteers? (verse 9)
3. The enemy tests our loyalty to God and challenges our knowledge of God's Word. We are tempted to compromise (Gal. 1:10). The LORD himself told us, "Attack this land and destroy it!" (verse 10)
4. The enemy threatens us with fear. They will be so hungry and thirsty that they will eat their own dung and drink their own urine. (verse 12)  2Timothy 1:7; Ps. 56:3
5. The enemy seeks to divide us. Don't let Hezekiah deceive you. He will never be able to rescue you.  (verse 14) 1 Cor. 12:26; Eph. 2-3
6. The enemy offers alternatives to spare us. Make peace with me-open the gates and come out. I will arrange to take you another land like this one-a land of grain and new wine, bread and vineyards. (verses 16-17)
7. The enemy challenges God's power to deliver us. What makes you think that the LORD can rescue Jerusalem from me? (verse 20) Ps. 103:19

Our enemy, Satan, is diligently working in the lives of believers to destroy our faith and our witness. May our faith be strengthened as we recognize his workings. Let us encourage each other.

LET IT GO
Keep my faith strong in Jesus.
God is stronger than the evil one.
Stay in the Word of God.
Let God replace my fear with His love, power, and a sound mind.
Recognize temptations to sin.
God has all power to deliver today.

The Right Way

O. T. #1616  "The Right Way"
Jan. 29, 2020
Isaiah 35-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

Folks, are you on the right way, the right road, that leads to heaven? There are a lot of ways, a lot of paths, a lot of roads out there for us to travel on in our life. Some are empty and ritual; some are made of stone; some look good but are the wrong way; some add to the only way to heaven. Friends, there is only One way to heaven, and that is through faith in Jesus Christ. There is only one way to live, and that is surrendered to the will of God, loving and worshiping the Savior and Messiah-Jesus.

We have been learning about the blessings that Judah would experience and those believers in the millennial kingdom of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. Gladness, joy, rejoicing, and singing will be the reaction of those who see the glory of the LORD, the excellency and majesty of our God. What an experience that will be. So everyone is admonished to be strong and fear not, for God will come in vengeance, revenge, and recompence, reward.

There are other descriptions of the blessings mentioned in this chapter:

• The blind, deaf, lame, and dumb shall all be restored. Those with physical defects will be made whole. (verse 5-6) Did you notice that those were the miracles of healing which Jesus did while on earth.
• The land will be changed from desert to a well-watered paradise. (verse 7)
• There will be a distinct highway, called The Way of Holiness, or The King's Highway, that will lead to the New Jerusalem. It is reserved for the saved, redeemed, and the ransomed of the Tribulation  Period who shall enter into the millennial kingdom. The believers will go there to worship their Living Savior and King. (verse 8)
• Unending joy will be there and the complete absence of sorrow and sighing. (verse 10)

Doesn't it sound like heaven on earth? And it will last a 1,000 years. That should inspire us to share the love and salvation of Jesus with others!

LET IT GROW

Matthew Henry's Commentary gives us some insight into The Way of Holiness or The King's Highway (as my rewording):

It is  the way both of holy worship and a holy conversation. Holiness is a conformity to the divine nature and will. We are to walk in The Way of Jesus.

1. The Way of Holiness is an appointed way, directed by divine authority. It includes God's commandments for the way of life.
2. It is an appropriated way, as God brings His chosen to Himself; it is a distinguished way, different from the way of the world; it is for those whom God set apart for Himself, the redeemed.
3. It is a straight way; directions from the Word and Spirit of God shows the way to live; a narrow way for only a few that follows it; the Spirit of Truth leads them into all truth while on this way.
4. It is a safe way; Satan, the roaring lion, will not be able to touch those on the way; the way of holiness will provide security and peace of mind.

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.

God's judgment of the Tribulation period shall cut off the unrighteous. Who and what are not going to be there? Those unclean and unsaved; no fools who heard about Jesus but rejected Him as Savior; no wild animals to prey upon men will walk on the King's Highway to go worship Jesus.

Now, I know the Bible gives a lot of instructions and commands for us to obey. Being a sinner, you and I don't always follow them, do we. That is when the forgiven, grace, and mercy of God is what we need. He picks us up, dusts us off, and puts us on the right way, the right road for our life. so if you know someone who as strayed from The Way, give them the good news.

LET IT GO

Holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, that was, is, and is to come. With all creation I will sing and adore You. Praise to the KING of kings. You are holy.

Jesus, You are THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE.
Lead me, Jesus, down this country road of faith that I travel on today.

There is Strength for the Tired and Weak

O. T. #1615  "There is Strength for the Tired and Weak Servant"
Jan. 28, 2020
Isaiah 35
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. (verse 3)

LET IT GLOW

Has your heart been broken? Do you feel downtrodden? Are you weary in serving? Does your pain continue? There is hope today, dear one. Continue on.

Shall we take time to review our study of Isaiah's prophecies, since it is a long book of 66 chapters? In this first section, we have covered a lot of things that will happen to Judah and others in their time, as well as during the future of the millennial reign of Christ.
Chapters 1-6: God shows Israel their sin, as well as Isaiah. He confesses and is forgiven, then
                       volunteers his life in service to God.
Chapters 7-12: King Ahaz did not believe God, lacking faith.
Chapters 13-23: God's power, purpose, authority, and destiny of nations.
Chapters 24-27: God's rule over the earth, devastation coming because man corrupted it, then His
                           coming kingdom.
Chapters 28-33: Woe to Judah and Jerusalem for not listening to God, for their land will be
                           destroyed as God deals treacherously with them.
Chapters 34-35: God is coming with vengeance, but there will be a Highway of Holiness for the
                           redeemed.
[Resource: Kay Arthur's study of Isaiah]


LET IT GROW

Aren't we ready for some good news for Judah's future and our future? This short chapter ends the prophetic condemnations. Whew! May the Lord bless you for your faithfulness to hang in there with me through it all.

What are some blessing mentioned here during the kingdom age, the millennial kingdom of the coming Messiah, Christ Jesus? All spiritual evil and physical catastrophe will be reversed, as well as the land and people being blessed.

• The desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. (verse 1)
• There will be rejoicing and singing.
• All will see the glory of the LORD and the excellency (magnificence; splendor; majesty) of our God. (verse 2)
• Weak hands and feeble knees will be strengthened. The persecuted children of God will be encouraged. (verse 3)
• To the fearful heart, tell them to be strong and fear not. (verse 4a)
• Say to the downtroddened, your God will come with vengeneance (revenge) and recompence (reward). (verse 4b)
• Our God will save us. (verse 4c)

God's acts of judgment are actually acts of mercy.
Hebrews 12:12 tells us to strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees.
As we live in a sinful world, let us find encouragement. God hears our SOS. He sent out an angel army to rescue Judah from the mighty Assyrian army, killing 185,000. And dear one, He can do the same for us. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Though the gates of hell rise against you, Satan can't prevail against Christ's church (see Matthew 16:18). Therefore, look to the Lord. If you focus on His will for you, it will bring you much joy. This, in turn, will strengthen you to keep fighting the good fight, because the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Tony Evans)

LET IT GO

Let the Lord Jesus heal my broken heart and strengthen my hands for His service.
Strengthen my weak knees to get up and walk the path of faith and do Your will.

How We Treat Others

O. T. #1614  " How We Treat Others"
Jan. 27, 2020
Isaiah 34
Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for My mouth it hath commanded, and His Spirit it hath gathered them. (verse 16)

LET IT GLOW

Thank you friend for continuing with me in the study of this very long book of the Bible. We are told to read the Book of the LORD, which apparently are the inspired books of prophecies, including Isaiah. These are divinely inspired Scriptures of prophecy and it will certainly come to pass as God has predicted it. It applies not only to the times after Isaiah's death, but also the future time mentioned in Revelation. God is warning people to repent and worship only Him.

Although Isaiah predicts destruction of nations, we can be encouraged, as I believe, that believers who are His remnant will be raptured out during the Tribulation. How gracious our God is to warn us. Doesn't that make us to want others to escape such a horrible time on earth?

LET IT GROW

We know that Judah eventually fell captive to the Babylonian Empire and spent 70 years there. That is enough time for a couple of generations Jews to be born in a foreign land. We know a remnant of God's people continued to multiply during that time, also.

Is it important how we treat people, especially God's Christians? Yes, we have a bad example here.

The nation of Edom was an ungodly nation which God would judge and destroy. And to beat all, they were relatives of Judah. Edomites were descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob. Why was Edom's destruction coming? You will recall that whenever Israel left as freed slaves from Egypt, they traveled to the Promised Land. On that journey, Israel came to the land of the Edomites and was not allowed to pass through. The Israelites and their animals promised they would not even eat from the vineyards nor drink their water of Edom, just travel on the King's Highway. Yet, the king of Edom would not allow it. So Israel had to detour around the land. This is found in Numbers 20.

The Prophet Obadiah tells 8 things Edom was not to do whenever Judah fell captive They were
not to gloat, rejoice over, nor boast over his brother's misfortune, destruction, distress, and calamity, nor to enter the gates of Judah and loot their brother's wealth nor imprison the survivors from Judah. The Edomites did not head the warning.
All of that lead up to the foretelling of the destruction of Edom by Isaiah in this chapter. God did not forget how Edom treated their brothers.

The cruelest blow dealt to the Israelites by the Edomites was when the latter assisted the Babylonians in destroying Jerusalem in 587 B.C. (The Broadman Bible Commentary)

Verse 8 says, For it is the day of the LORD's vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion.

At the end of the Tribulation Period, the Battle of Armageddon will take place as the wrath and vengeance of God on the ungodly and unbelievers. Edom will be destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah. Today, the land exists as Jordan. The land will unpopulated. Only scavenger-like animals will inhabit the land.

Wow! Let's remain faithful and stand for God's ways and His Word, dear one. He is our hope, our strength, and our way.

Jesus told us to treat our enemies with love, forgiving them, turning the other cheek, praying for them, and be reconciled. Need I say more? Is there anyone who comes to your mind when you read that?

LET IT GO
May I apply what I learn from Your Word today.
Help me to love others as myself and forgive them as You forgive me.
I trust You to take revenge for me.

Who is King of Your Life?

O. T. #1614  "Who is King of Your Life?"
Jan. 24, 2020
Isaiah 33-Part 3
For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us.
(verse 22)

LET IT GLOW

What things of beauty have you see lately? Here, we have had a light snow that covers the ground, twice. Now that is a thing of beauty which the Lord has made. Along with the snow, I have seen bright red cardinals and two bald headed eagles (actually, their head is white). But there is coming something even more beautiful than we can imagine. Read on to find out what it is.

During the time of the coming millennial kingdom, Christ will rule over all, with perfect peace and righteousness. All people will behold the King and Savior Jesus Christ in all His beauty.

Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.
 (verse 17)

No one loves us like Jesus. He left heaven to die on a cross in our place. To me, that makes Him beautiful.  One day we will get to bow before our King and behold His beauty.

Are you ready?

LET IT GROW

God's kingdom agenda, both for the future reign of Jesus Christ and for our lives today, is read in our key verse. He will exercise authority in all areas. He alone has absolute power. God operates His kingdom by His Word. The Bible is the divine blueprint by which all of life is to be lived. It is the benchmark by which all decisions should be made. Christians who are committed to living out God's kingdom agenda have a great future. One day this invisible kingdom will become universally visible when Jesus returns to earth, establishes His reign (Rev. 20:1-6).
[Resource: The Tony Evans Bible Commentary]

How does verse describe Jesus during this time, and now?
He is:

• our judge (pronounce sentence; rule; vindicate or punish); 
• our lawgiver (to enact; prescribe; decree);
• our King (royal);
• and He will save [to defend; deliver; rescue; bring (having) salvation] us.

Our hope is in Jesus, that He  will judge in our favor, since He has provided the blood sacrifice required for our sins. If we have asked Jesus to forgive our sins and to cleanse us of our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. Is He your Lord and Savior?
During the millennial  reign, every thought within us is brought into obedience. His Word is law to us, and we will obey it. As our King, we will pay homage, tribute, and allegiance to Jesus. We will glorify His name as our Savior. What a wonderful time that will be!

Who is king of your life? Friend, Jesus wants to be King of our life now. Is He ruling over us or are we ruler of our life? Are we a faithful follower of Jesus Christ?

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

LET IT GO

How beautiful You are, King Jesus!
Your will,
Your way,
today,
I pray.

Doing What is Right

O. T. #1613  "Doing What is Right"
Jan. 23, 2020
Isaiah 33-Part 2
Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? (verse 14b)
He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil. (verse 15)

LET IT GLOW

Assyria, the brutal enemy of Judah, was at the gates of Jerusalem. They demanded King Hezekiah to pay tribute to Assyria (See 2 Kings 18.) and he did. He used the gold and silver in the Temple. When all looked hopeless and Judah could not save herself, nor could she depend on her alliance, it was time for God to move in.

In verse 10, God is speaking, Now will I rise, now will I be exalted, now will I lift up my self.

What word is repeated three times? It is the word now, which means at this time.
It was time for God to:

• rise, get up, make to stand up, strengthen, succeed;
• be exalted, to be high, exalt self;
• lift up myself.

As I said before, the angel of God slew 185,000 Assyrians. God was Judah's Deliverer and He can be ours, too.
Jesus stood up when deacon Stephen was stoned to death, for he was speaking truth.

It could refer to a time in the distant future when the Antichrist attacks Israel during the Tribulation Period. While in a period of inactivity, God will stand up to act in history. Jesus will come as King of His millennial kingdom and bind up Satan for that time.

LET IT GROW

The sinners in Jerusalem shook with fear. Terror seized the godless. Who can live with this devouring fire?
It is the person of God Himself who is the devouring fire. So awesome is the judgment of God that only the righteous shall be spared (Matthew 24:22). (Falwell)

What will the character of the remnant be like?

• He walks righteously. He renders all their due, to God His due, as well as to men theirs.
• He speaks uprightly-what is true and right with an honest intention.
• He is honest and fair, refusing to profit by fraud.
• He stays far away from bribes. He despises gain that is not come by honestly. 
• He turns a deaf ear to those who are plotting cruelty or murder, war, or revenge.
• He shuts his eyes to all enticement to do wrong, sin.

Wouldn't you like to have a friend like the one described above?
This person does not think one thing and speak another, nor look one way and then another.
Are we careful as to what our eyes watch and our ears listen to? Do we keep a standard for our children and grandchildren that honors God?

LET IT GO
I exalt Thee, King Jesus.
May my intentions be honest and true.
May I live right with You.
Remind me to guard my eyes and ears from temptations of sin.

Stability During Times of Fear and Broken Promises

O. T. #1612  "Stability During Times of Fear and Broken Promises"
Jan. 22, 2020
Isaiah 33
And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation; the fear of the LORD is his treasure. (verse 6)

LET IT GLOW

What word is used four times in the first verse? It is the word treacherously. Does that get our attention? Who is God describing here? Is there hope for God's people? Is there any stability for them? Let's find out.

God always has a remnant, those who have remained faithful to Him. There was a remnant in Judah during this fearful time. They were:

• waiting on the Lord to be gracious to them;
• crying out to God for strength and salvation in their time of trouble; (verse 2)
• comforted as God reassured them of His storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; (verse 6)
• receiving stability (firmness, security, faith) from God;
• told the fear (reverence) of the Lord would be their treasure (storehouse).

Are you fearful today, my friend? Our stability, security, is found in our loving God. Just reverence Him as our Provider and Protector and All-Wise God. Surrender our all to Him and He has got this for us. His way is better than our way.

Malachi 3:10 tells us to bring our tithes (which should be done cheerfully) into the storehouse, the house of God, which was the Temple back then and the local church now for us. He will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing of superabundance.  Trusting God with our money is only the first step of trusting God and the easiest one.


LET IT GROW

This is the sixth and final woe Isaiah shares. It is a message to Assyria, the empire that spoilest (destroyer) and deals treacherously (deceitfully; unfaithful) with others. Assyria was a destroyer of the land and people as they moved about to become the dominating world empire, which was never destroyed until 612 B.C. when their capital of Nineveh was destroyed by Babylon. They were traitors, but never betrayed until that time. The Assyrians experience annihilation as and destruction that they had done to other nations, Israel included. God used Assyria to bring His wrath upon His rebellious children in Israel, the northern kingdom. Assyria was threatening domination of Judah, if they did not continue to pay taxes to them. Assyria continually broke its promises, but demanded that others keep theirs.

Have you experienced people not keeping their promises? Broken promises shatter trust and destroy relationships. If we have broken our promises, then we should ask forgiveness, then determine to be a promise keeper. Treat others the way we want to be treated.

God is the One we can depend on, dear one. We may have to make adjustments in our life, but He knows what is best for us. He is our safe place when we come to Him.

LET IT GO

I am holding onto You, my God, for stability, hope, and strength today.
Lead me in Your ways.
You are so faithful; may I be faithful to You.

Peace, Quietness, and Assurance

O. T. #1611  "Peace, Quietness, and Assurance"
Jan. 21, 2020
Isaiah 32
And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.  (verse 17)

LET IT GLOW

Whenever Jesus comes back to earth, He will reign for a thousand years, establishing a millennium kingdom. How did Isaiah describe this time? It will be unlike anything Israel has seen:

• King Jesus and the princes will rule righteously. (verse 1)
• Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm; like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a parched land.  (verse 2)
• Everyone will be able to see the truth and hear it. (verse 3)
• Even the hotheads will be full of sense and understanding; those who stammer will speak out plainly. (verse 4)
• The ungodly fools will not be respected nor heroes. (verse 5)
• Generous peo0ple plan to do what is generous, and they stand firm in their generosity. (verse 8)
• The Spirit is poured out on us from heaven. (verse 15)
• Justice and righteousness will rule. (verse 16)
• Righteousness will bring peace, quietness (rest), and assurance  [a place of refuge, safety, hope; both the fact (security) and the feeling (trust)] forever. (verse 17)
• The LORD will greatly bless His people with bountiful crops and grazing cattle and donkeys. (verse 20)

What a time to look forward to.

LET IT GROW

In a little more than a year, when Sennacherib and his Assyrian army came against Jerusalem, their overconfidence would be overturned. (verse 9-11) Widespread destruction would occur throughout Judah (verses 12-14)-even though Jerusalem would be spared. The abandonment of the busy city may imply that dozens of other Judean cities would be captured and ransacked by the Assyrians, too. (verse 14) (The Tony Evans Bible Commentary)

This happened in 701 B.C. We spoke previously about the Lord's angel killing 185,000 Assyrians to protect Jerusalem.

LET IT GO

Trust  the Lord for my peace, safety, and security.
Father, thank You for having it all planned out and I can trust You with my future.

But For The Grace of God, Go I

O. T. #1610 "But For The Grace of God, Go I"
Jan. 20, 2020
Isaiah 31

LET IT GLOW

But for the grace of God, go I. How many times have we said or thought that when seeing? If God had not opened our eyes to our sin, we would be neck deep in it. Perhaps, if He had not delivered us, we would be in a live style of immorality. Or maybe we wonder where we would be if God had not intervened or saved us. What if...

This chapter is the fifth and last woe God sends out, this time to the compromisers. Judah's misguided attempt was to seek an alliance with Egypt against Assyria. It was a bad idea since Egypt was weak and had nothing to offer Judah in terms of any real military support. Actually, it was a deliberate attempt to avoid obeying God and trusting in His deliverance.

They do not seek the LORD. (verse 1)

Isn't it pitiful that Judah relied upon men, and not God. We know that it was only by the grace of God that He did not allow the Assyrians to wipe Judah off the map. But, Egypt was so weak that when Judah leaned on them for help, the would both all together. (verse 3)

Let's not be too quick to judge Judah. We could be in the same boat, because everyone, in some time in their life, has made a decision based on the flesh and not seeking God's will. Then we reap the consequences of our sin.
We can thank God when He has rescued us from our selves.

LET IT GROW

Jerusalem's only hope in this desperate situation, for Assyria was close to the wall, was to repent and return to the Lord. If they had any hope of a future, it was in turning again to Jehovah. We know King Hezekiah did such that, for the Assyrian army was wiped out one night by the angel of the Lord, not the armies of Judah. (Here is that word that I love, discomfited, which means cause to faint, in verse 8.
Isn't He a good, good Heavenly Father!

God remained faithful to His covenant. (verse 5)  To David, God promised he would always have an heir on the throne of Israel if the remained faithful to God. When the Lord declares it, it's as good as done.

Are we faithful to God?

LET IT GO

Repent and trust God.
Live by faith, not by sight.

A Song of Joy

O. T. #1609  "A Song of Joy"
Jan. 17, 2020
Isaiah 30-Part 3
Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept: and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD, to the  Mighty One of Israel. (verse 29)

LET IT GLOW

When the burdens are lifted, there is a light heart. When troubles turn to triumph, there is joy in the heart. When prayers are answered, there is a song in the heart. Are you in need of these, dear one? Read on to find out how to have them.

O Judah and Jerusalem, God warned you that you would be destroyed if you did not repent of your idolatry and only worship Him. If only you would have not trusted in Egypt for help instead of God,  but you would not. Anyway, Assyria was conquered by Babylon. They were told by Moses in Deut. 17:16 to not return to Egypt. So, their rebellion required the bread of adversity and the water of affliction from God. Well, since Judah did not heed the warnings, they went into captivity in Babylon and Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed in 586 B.C.

Keep in mind, there is a remnant of believers that God preserved.
Matthew Henry says, "When thou art doubting, conscience shall direct thee to the way of duty; when thou art dull and trifling, conscience shall quicken thee in that way. As God has not left Himself without witness, so He has not left us without guides to show us our way."

Eventually (after 70 years of captivity), Judah will experience good in these ways, with hope, as well as you and me:

• Waiting for God's help results in His blessings of grace and mercy, love and compassion. (verse 18)
• He will hear our cries and will respond. (verse 19)
• Although God gave us adversity for food and suffering for drink, He will teach us. (verse 20)
• God's Spirit will direct us in the right way to go, telling us whether to turn right or lift; our ears will hear Him. (verse 21)
• Destroy silver idols and precious gold images, throwing them out as rags; we will have a willing heart of obedience. (verse 22)
• The rain of God's blessing (literally and figuratively) will pour down; He will provide for your needs (grain, pastureland, harvest). (verse 23)
• Healing will come to God's people. (verse 26b)

Because God lives, we can face today and tomorrow. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He never changes, but is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He continues to love us and forgive us. We can trust in our God, for He is trustworthy.

LET IT GROW

After we repent and surrender to the Lord in obedience, what will we experience, like Judah did?

• We will sing a song of joy, like those songs (at the Jewish holy festivals) in our worship services. (verse 29)
• In spite of the judgments of God, we will sing with a heart of gladness (joyful, merry, exceedingly, rejoice). (verse 29b)
• You will be filled with joy, as when a flutist leads a group of pilgrims to Jerusalem, the mountain of the LORD-to the Rock of Israel. (verse 29c) Remember, Jerusalem is on a mountain.

Paul said in Ephesian 3:20-21, Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.

Paul concludes this prayer by pointing to the God who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think. He rescued 3 from a fiery furnace, Daniel from the mouths of lions, gave sight to the blind, save us completely, and is able to keep us from stumbling. God can work exceedingly abundantly beyond our wildest dreams. But it is according to the power that works in us. God's power works in accordance with a believer's spiritual strength, intimacy, and capacity-everything for which Paul pray an increase. (Resource: The Tony Evans Bible Commentary)

LET IT GO
Jesus, may I wait for Your direction and guide my steps on Your path.
Fill me with faith in You, trusting Your timing.
I know You will do above and beyond all that I ask or think.
Glory to the Mighty One of Israel.

Learning Through Adversity and Affliction

O. T. #1608  "Learning Through Adversity and Affliction"
Jan. 16, 2020
Isaiah 30-Part 2
And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers. (verse 20)

LET IT GLOW

How are we doing as we wait on the Lord? Is it with faith and patience? Is our strength in quietness (be still) and confidence? Israel did not repent of their sin of idolatry. This northern kingdom turned to Egypt for help and they ended up being taken into captivity by the empire of Assyria.
Judah is being warned in this chapter of the same things. Isaiah said that God was waiting on them to wait for Him to move. but they were unwilling to listen to the message of the prophets, so they had to learn through adversity and affliction.

The bread of adversity meant trouble and tribulation, distress; the water of affliction meant to distress, crush, force.

God was going to teach Judah through their awful circumstances of life-captivity by Babylon.
Are we in the same predicament? If we aren't willing to listen to what God is trying to say to us through His Word, then He may use other methods to get out attention, such as adversity or affliction.
Another thing, if we have heard what we are to do, whether it be wait or doing, are we submitting to His will. Ouch!

LET IT GROW

Verse 21 says, And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Here is a picture of the voice of the teachers who follow their students to admonish them from going astray, or the voice of a shepherd who follows his flocks in order to give them safe direction. The immediate context seems to best fit the idea that it is the voice of their teachers whom they have left behind and who continue to call them to walk in the way, the way of God. (Falwell)

Here are some ideas from Joni Eareckson Tada in her devotion book, Diamonds in the Dust:
God wants to:

• refine you, so your trial is refining (see Isaiah 48:10);
• sift you, so your trial is a sifting; each sieve is finer, (see Hebrews 12:11);
• prune you, so your trial is a pruning (see John 15:2);
• polish you, so your trial is a polishing (see Psalm 144:12).

God gives us the bread of adversity and the water of affliction for good reasons. With God's Word as your teacher, your own eyes can see the purpose of the Lord.

In Psalm 119:71, an anonymous writer said, Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word and in verse 71, he admitted, It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.

Can we look back over a huge problem we endured and agree that was a good thing in our life so we could learn a lesson from God? Time to ponder, friend.


LET IT GO
Stop going your way, Linda, and listen and obey what God is telling you.
Learn from afflictions and adversities which have occurred in my life.
Listen to God's voice telling me which way to turn.

Waiting

O. T. #1607  " Waiting"
Jan. 15, 2020
Isaiah 30
And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for Him. (verse 18)

LET IT GLOW

What am I supposed to do? Which way do I go? Am I supposed to nothing?

Here is the fourth woe. It is a warning given to Judah. Israel fell captive to the Assyrians in 722 B.C.
Don't you know it must have made Judah nervous? We can look back into their history. King Hezekiah reigned for 29 years (716-687 B.C.) and was a good king.

King Hezekiah's advisers urged him to turn to the Egyptians, not to God, for help against the invading Assyrians. Isaiah denounced this reliance. (MacArthur)

We can read the details in 2 Kings 19-20. In a nut shell, this is what happened: The king of Assyria demanded Judah to pay them money. Hezekiah took gold from the Temple to meet those demands.
Then Judah's ambassadors took a caravan of riches and treasures down to Egypt in order to attempt to bribe them to help Judah against Assyria. Meanwhile, King Hezekiah prayed to God to save His people, and He did. There were 185,000 Assyrians killed by the angel of God. They didn't need Egypt's help.

So, that brings us up to the prophesy of Isaiah in this chapter. Instead of hearing God's truth, the people wanted to hear smooth thing and deceits (verse 10). They wanted their ears tickled, not God's judgment was coming if Judah did not repent and listen to Him.

In verse 15, Judah had assurance that by turning to God in true conversion they would rest in the grace of God through salvation. It was God's plan for Judah to find salvation in quietness and in confidence (submission and faith). Did they do it? No, they would not turn to Him. How patient God was toward His children of Judah. In spite of their rebellion, God continued to be faithful and loving to Judah.

Matthew Henry's Commentary suggests:

• In returning to our God, confessing our sins, we can have a changed heart and life.
• When we seek His strength in quietness and in confidence, we can remain calm.
• In continual dependence upon God, we receive His power and goodness.
• As we do so, we can have holy quietness, suppress all turbulence and tumultuous passions, and keep our minds in peace.
• We must rely on God with a holy confidence that He can do what He will and will do what is best for His people.
• This will be our strength and will carry us with ease and courage through all the difficulties we may meet with.

Are we in need of strength, confidence, peace? Return to God and He will supply whatever we need.


LET IT GROW

Waiting on God to answer my prayers is probably the hardest thing for me to do. How about you? Our flesh wants something taken care of, a situation fixed, and fixed now.

Now here is another gold nugget for our soul. Read our key verse again.
What do we learn about God? Matthew Henry explains:

• He will wait (adhere to; long; tarry) to be gracious (to favor; to have mercy upon; have pity upon; to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior.
• He will wait for us to return to Him and seek His face, so He may do what is the best and fittest time to be gracious.
• Then God will receive the most glory and be exalted (to be high; to raise).
• It will come to us with the most pleasing surprise.
• He will continually follow you with His favors, and not let slip any opportunity of being gracious to us.
• He will stir himself to deliver you, will be exalted, will be raised up out of His holy habitation (Zech. 2:13).
• This is so He may appear for you in more than ordinary instances of power and goodness.
• In being gracious, He will hear and answer our prayer, which makes His kindness doubly kind.
• The Lord is a God of judgment, both wise and just in all the disposals of His providence, true to His Word, and tender of His people.
• All are blessed who wait for Him with their prayers and hopes, as well as anticipate their deliverance.

I know this was lengthy, but I could not omit such encouragement.

God is waiting for us to wait for Him. (Kay Arthur)

Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him! (New International Version)

Judah would not wait for God? Will we wait for God? Or will we rush in and handle the situation on our own and in our own way?


LET IT GO

Daily return to God.
Wait for Him to answer my prayers.
Exalt Him on high, sharing His goodness.

Is Our Religion Real or Routine?

O. T. #1606  "Is Our Religion Real or Routine"
Jan. 14, 2020
Isaiah 29
Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men. (verse 13)

LET IT GLOW

Again, Isaiah is pronouncing 6 woes (doom) upon Israel, Jerusalem, Judah, compromisers, and invaders.
The first woe, found in chapter 28, was spoken to Ephraim (Israel). God's judgment would come upon them using Assyria to take them captive.

Today, in chapter 29, we read of two woes, doom upon Jerusalem, called Ariel.
Ariel (ar-ee-ale')means lion of God or strong lion.
How is the lion compared to Jerusalem?

• The lion is king among the beasts; Jerusalem was the king among the cities, Judah's capital. The lion of the tribe of Judah was the ensign of a lion. 
• The lion is bold in attacking other animals of prey. David attacked other nations and dominated them as their king, and Jerusalem was his head quarters.
• Jesus is referred to as the Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah.
• In Jacob called Judah a young lion who crouches down like a lion to pounce on its prey. The scepter will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet until Jesus comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to Him. Jesus will reign as king over the world when He comes again to reign for 1,000 years.

God chose Judah to be the ancestor of Israel's line of kings. Judah's line would produce the promised Messiah, Jesus. (Life Application Study Bible)
We know King David was an ancestor of Jesus, according to Matthew.

LET IT GROW

We have an advantage of being to read in the Bible, that Jerusalem was conquered. First it was destroyed by Babylon in 586 B.C. and then in 70 A.D. by Herod of Rome. Those events happened because Judah would not submit to God in obedience.

Read our key verses. God was telling Jews their problem-they honored the Lord with their mouth and lips, but not with their heart (leb) which referred to their mind, emotions, and will. Their reverence for God was only outward and intellectual. Worship and religion became a routine, not real.
Jesus condemned the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, for they added hundreds of rules onto the laws of God (Matthew 15 and Mark 7).

We must guard our heart from the hypocrisy of routine patterns of worship and neglect to give our love and devotion to our God. We must be obedient and worship Him honestly and sincerely if we want to be called God's people.

How are we living today? Do we love God and His Word? Are we loving our neighbors? Or do we act one way on Sunday and another on Monday? Is our religion real or routine?

LET IT GO

Jesus, help me forgive people in the same way You forgive me.
Help me love others in the way You love me.
As I praise You with my lips, may my life honor You, too.

A Good Foundation and Corner Stone

O. T. #1605  "A Good Foundation and Corner Stone"
Jan. 13, 2019
Isaiah 28-Part 2
Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste.  (verse 16)

LET IT GLOW

Touring Israel last spring, we visited the old wall around Jerusalem, the Wailing Wall which is the only part of the original Temple, which is the western wall of the old Temple. We were amazed at the size of those stones, built upon another. So I checked out the dimensions of those huge stones. The smallest weight 2-5 tons, while the largest weighs about 570 tons, and is 45 feet long and 13 feet wide.
On the south side of the old wall around Jerusalem, we saw the cornerstone. It was where the eastern wall and southern wall met. Our guide told us that place is thought to have been where the devil tempted Jesus to fall down so the angels would catch Him.
Folks, those stones had no concrete between them and they were made of limestone. What an amazing sight.

Who is the foundation and stone our key verse of which our key verse is speaking? It is the person Jesus Christ Himself. Who laid this foundation stone? God did.
Here are some words and their Hebrew meaning. In Jerusalem, Zion, and for Christians, Jesus is:

• a foundation, which means beginning;
• a stone, which means to build;
• a tried stone, tested, trial, prove;
• a precious corner stone, precious means valuable, excellent, costly; corner-stone is pinnacle, chief, stay, tower;
• a sure foundation, sure is to set, settle;

What is God telling us? Jesus is our foundation (beginning) of our Christian faith. We can build our life on Him, following His ways. Jesus was tested by Satan (Matthew 4), and overcame the temptation to turn away from God and His will. Jesus is so precious (valuable) to us, since He gave His life to purchase our salvation. He is our sure foundation for our faith because He settled it for us long ago before we were born, paying our ransom so we would not have to pay for our sins. Although salvation is a free gift to us, it was very costly to Him-Jesus' life. Such love He showed.

How precious Jesus is to us, His followers!
Jesus is the cornerstone; came for sinners to atone; though rejected by His own, Jesus is the cornerstone.

Peter said in his first letter (2:6) that whoever believes on Him will not be confounded, put to shame.
Paul said in Romans 9:33 we would not be ashamed.

If you want to see some pictures, google the weight and dimension of the stones of Jerusalem.

LET IT GROW

In verse 17a, God tells Ephraim, I will test you with the measuring live of justice and the plumb line of righteousness.

These verses contain the two most essential elements in Isaiah's preaching, for throughout his ministry he exhorted the people both to trust God and to practice justice and righteousness. As a good builder always tests his work with the line and the plummet, so God measures the lives of His people with the line of justice and with the plummet of righteousness.  (The Broadman Bible Commentary)

The church, being founded on Christ, shall be formed and reformed by the scripture, the standing rule of judgment and righteousness. (Matthew Henry)

Are we practicing justice and righteousness? Are we formed and reformed by the scriptures? Is Christ the foundation of our life and our faith?

LET IT GO

Precepts vs. Pride

O. T. #1604  "Precepts vs. Pride"
Jan. 10, 2020
Isaiah 28
But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.  (verse 13)

LET IT GLOW

When God repeats something in His Word, it is time to sit up and take notice. How blessed we are to have God's Word preserved for us. However, many in our society do not want to hear it or read it. They remove the Ten Commandments from our courts and schools. Israel was in the same condition.

Isn't our key verse familiar? I didn't know where it was located, I had heard it before, verse 10 is similar to verses 13. It was to be taken negatively, not positively for Israel. The repetition was like a  imitating a young child's babbling, and as a ridicule of Isaiah's prophecy.

The word for  introduces the statement quoted by the prophet from the people who are weary of listening to his prophecies. The are complaining that his repetitious message is petty and annoying.

In Hebrew, a precept is a commandment; a charge; line upon line refers to a plumbline.

The idea is that the people are complaining that all they ever hear from this prophet is one rule and one standard after another, and they are weary of it because they have never learned to obey the One who is the Source of all law. (Falwell)

Here a little, and there a little refers to the fact that the people did not understand the prophet's message in its fullness, but merely regarded it as "incoherent, disparate bits of instruction cast here and there." (Young)

But God is speaking to Israel, Ephraim and Samaria its capital, with stammering lips (unintelligible mutterings) and another tongue (Assyrian language, not Hebrew). Well, since they would not listen to God's message anyway, and considered it a bunch of repeated annoying rules and regulations, He would speak to them through the Assyrian captivity. One way or another, God was going to God.

Were they ever slow to learn, rebellious, and full of sin? Rejecting the Truth does not change it nor does it do away with it. We learned in 14:24 that what God thinks will come to pass. And it did when Shalmaneser conquered in 722 B.C. this area.
Are we learning to apply God's Word in our life? It is written for our good and His glory. Are we only picking up a little here and a little there? Thank you friends for your faithfulness to study this very difficult book with me.


LET IT GROW

We are beginning a section in Isaiah that begins with Woe, written to Ephraim, the land of the northern kingdom of Israel.
How was Ephraim described?

• the crown of pride, for it was situated on a hill resembling a crown;
• a fading flower of beauty;
• drunkards overcome with wine; 
• it sits at the head of a fertile valley, so it is wealthy;
• their priests and prophets stagger with alcohol, too;
• their tables are covered with vomit;
• filth is everywhere;
• they question who the LORD thinks they are;
• they ask why He speaks to them like this.

I say they are a mess. Prideful drunkards. When Israel split into two kingdoms, their kings were evil. They set up idols to keep the people from going to worship at the temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 12). Isaiah warned them that destruction was coming if they did not repent.

What is our precept for life today? Worship only the One True God, not things, not Allah, not money, not jobs. Spend time in His Word, which is for us to learn what pleases Him.

Isn't God wonderful!

LET IT GO
Little by little, let me learn Your Word and apply it in my life.
Keep me humbling serving You, Jesus.

He's Going to Get It

O. T. #1603  "He's Going to Get It"
Jan. 9, 2020
Isaiah 27

LET IT GLOW

One of these days he's going to get it. Paybacks are rough. Don't we think that about those who mistreat us, tease us, or are down right mean to us? Well, one day the devil is going to get it. Continue reading to find out more.

If you have any highlighters, I suggest you spend a little time going back through the chapters we have studied and with different markers, highlight in your study Bible these words and phrases:
scriptures of encouragement, when the Lord says, the burdens or messages to different groups, the woes, in that day. It will help us as we look back at previous verses or chapters or even the chapter we are currently studying. Sometimes words are repeated, so we should take notice.

The phrase "In that day" appears in verses 1 and 2. Isaiah is writing about a couple of events that will take place in the latter days, found in Revelation, too.

First, the Lord will punish the serpent, Leviathan, monster of the sea, dragon, whichever your version calls him, that is in reference to the Devil, also called Satan.
Dragon, in the Hebrew language, is a marine or land monster; sea monster; serpent.

You will recall that in Genesis 3, the serpent tempted Eve and she sinned by disobeying God, then she gave the forbidden fruit to Adam, her husband. As a result, God reduced the serpent's position to slithering on the ground as a snake does now.

In Revelation 20:2, John wrote that the Devil, Satan, will be bound for a 1,000 years (while Jesus reign on the earth) in the Abyss. After that, he will be released to come out, but his destination is forever punishment there in hell. so one of these days Satan is going to get it, and from God.

During the millennial kingdom reign of Jesus, Israel and the other nations will be at peace, worshiping the One True God and Jesus, the Messiah.
What an encouragement all of this is for us believers in Jesus. Keep trusting in Him, leaning on Him, and serving Him, friend.

LET IT GROW

In contrast with His dealings with Israel, the Creator will deal a fatal blow to her enemies. After the judgment of her enemies at the end of Daniel's seventieth week, the faithful remnant of Israelites will return to their land. The prophet reiterates one of his great themes: future worship of regathered Israel on Mount Zion. (John MacArthur)

The vineyard is God's people. What will be the state of Israel's spiritual condition (the trees)? Like the trees, they were dried up and only good for building a fire.

The church and believers will have our spiritual works tested in time to come. In 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, we read about our works of wood, hay, or straw being burnt up with fire. Then our works of gold, silver, and costly stones will survive the fire. Is the foundation of our life and our works that of Jesus Christ? Are we working for Him or for our self? Are we using our abilities and spiritual gifts to build up others in the church or are we keeping them tied to us?

One day, the trumpet will sound and we will all be caught up in heaven with Jesus. No more evil, temptations, sin, and all will worship the Savior, forever. Will you and your loved ones be joining me there, friend? What a day that will be!

LET IT GO

May I be found faithfully serving You, Jesus.

Potholes of Life

O. T. #1602  "Potholes of Life"
Jan. 8, 2020
Isaiah 26
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.
(26:3-4)

LET IT GLOW

Is your mind troubled? Is your life in turmoil? Do you keep falling into the same potholes of life, like me? Read on friend to find out how to survive.

*Christians, pray for our military people in Iraq as you go throughout the day.
Iran launched missiles in our military bases last night. Ask God to intervene and stop this attack of evil. Also, pray for Israel's protection, too. Ask God to direct our President 'a decisions.

This is the last of two songs of praise that will be sung in the land of Judah. Isaiah say the remnant will sing over Jerusalem. After the Jews spent 70 years in Babylonian captivity, they returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple, city, and the walls. In the book of Nehemiah, we read in chapter 12 where the Jews sang, gave thanks, and had gladness as they dedicated the wall around Jerusalem. What a joyous time for them. During the millennial kingdom, when Christ reigns in the New Jerusalem, there will be singing by the righteous, also.

Let's take a closer look at our key verses. Not only can it be encouraging words for the Jews, but also for us:

• God will keep us in perfect peace. Keep means guard, protect, maintain, preserve. Peace refers to happy, safety, rest. God will maintain and preserve us with His safety, rest, and peace.
• This happens when our mind is stayed on Him. Stayed is to lean upon or take hold of; sustain. What we do to receive His peace is to keep leaning upon Him.
• It happens because we are trusting in God. Trusteth refers to hope, confident, secure.

When we put our confidence and hope in God, trusting in Him totally, leaning upon Him entirely, we will be sustained by Him alone, with the peace  of God. He promises us complete security when we trust in Him. Where else can you get such a guarantee?
Who is the object of our faith? The LORD JEHOVAH is. He is our everlasting strength.
Where do we put our confidence? Is it in our bank account or Jesus? He is Jehovah Jireh, our provider.

LET IT GROW

Read over verses 7-11 now.  The NIV  makes it easier to understand:
The path of the righteous is:

• level; (verse 7a) 
• smooth; (verse 7b)
• a wait as we walk in His laws; (verse 8)
• the Lord as the desire of their hearts; (verse 8)
• yearning and longing for Him night and day; (verse 9)
• learn righteousness from God as His judgments come upon the earth; (verse 9)
• peace; (verse 12)
• accomplishments that God has done; (verse 12)
• honoring God; (verse 13)
• a whispered prayer; (verse 16)
• one whose dead live eternally and bodies rise during the millennial; (verse 19)
• shouting for joy. (verse 19)

Do we desire a life that is smooth? Live righteously. Potholes are on our path, but we don't have to step in them and stay in the pit. When we find our self down there, Jesus stretches out His arms to lend us a hand to get out-look up and reach up. Let love pull us out and live above our problems.
Do want peace in our soul? Live right with God, making Him the desire of our heart.
Are we praying without ceasing?
When our loved ones die, be assured that if they are believers in Jesus, they will rise again. As Christ arose from the dead, so shall we. (Philippians 3:20-21)

LET IT GO

Jesus, help me live above these potholes I keep stepping into on my country road of faith.
Help me get up again today and walk by faith in You.
Keep my mind in peace as I lean on You.

Christians, pray for our military people in Iraq. Iran has sent missles at our base and embassy. This is a serious situation. Pray for Israel,too.
God gives us perfect peace to those whose mind is leaning on Him. Trust Jesus with this situation.

Have You Accepted Your Invitation?

O. T. #1601  "Have You Accepted Your Invitation?
Jan. 7, 2020
Isaiah 25

LET IT GLOW

The horrid people of this world back in Isaiah's time broke God's Divine laws and moral laws. They worshipped pagan, false gods and idols, as well as immoral acts. The Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel. They were noted for stripping their captives naked and skinning them alive. The Babylonians, who later captured Judah, put captives in the fiery furnace (3 Hebrews) and into the lions den (Daniel). So God's judgment upon the earth was and is coming upon all people.

How did Isaiah react to this world judgment? In chapters 25 and 26, we read of the two songs of thanksgiving for redemption. He honors God with praises. Isaiah is looking into the Millennial Kingdom of Christ:

• God has done wonderful things.
• His plans of long ago will be implemented.
• The mighty cities become heaps of ruin.
• The strong walls turn into rubble.
• Beautiful palaces (of terrible kings) will be destroyed.
• All people will fear God.
• Proud nations will be brought low during the Great Tribulation.
• In Jerusalem, Jesus will invite the surviving believers to a feast. Invitations will go out and all will attend, Jews and Gentiles saved.
• Jesus will destroy death.
• He will wipe away tears from all faces.
• The rebuke of His people will be taken away.
• The feast of fat things will be the nourishing gospel that is digested.
• The refined wine will be the gospel that  makes glad the heavy hearts and raise their spirits.
• Those will be of good cheer for Christ has overcome the world.
• The light of Jesus will remove the dark veil of sin in hearts.
• The One on whom everyone was waiting finally arrived.
• We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.

Oh wow! What a day that will be! The world will see nobody but Jesus! Have you accepted your invitation, dear one? The invitation to come to Jesus as your Savior? Have you repented of your sins and asked Jesus to forgive you and be your Savior? If you have, then you are awaiting your invitation to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. One day it will happen, just as John wrote in Revelation 19.

LET IT GROW

Moab, all adversaries of God's people, will be down trodden under The LORD Jesus. That includes the devil and his demons being cast into the Lake of Fire, forever and ever. That includes the nations who oppose His beloved Israel. No more hate, sin, or temptations.

So are you happily awaiting the coming of Your LORD Jesus? We will be with loving people loving our Savior. Have you RSVP your invitation? Jesus personally holds it out to you.

LET IT GO

I will fear no more, what people say about me, what mean things they do to me.
I will praise Thy name, Jesus, for Thou hast done wonderful things!
Thank You for inviting me to come to You for salvation and being my Savior!!

When the Party is Over

O. T. #1600  "When the Party is Over"
Jan. 6, 2019
Isaiah 24

LET IT GLOW

Our children are being conditioned to the philosophy of eat, drink, and be marry, for tomorrow we die-party hardy while you can. Drugs and alcohol are becoming legal to use, but they are only an escape from real life. Where is the work ethic? Do our best. Serve others. But one day the party will be over. We will all stand before a Holy God and give an account of our life. Will there be singing or wailing?

Isaiah 's prophecies were first directed to Judah, then to Israel, and to the surrounding nations. Finally, it is directed to the whole world, found in chapters 24-27. In those last days when God judges the whole world, He will finally and permanently remove evil.

Look at verses 14-16. What is the remnant, the saints, going to be doing?

• They will raise their voices, shouting for joy. (verse 14a)
• From the west they acclaim the LORD's majesty. (verse 14b)
• In the east they will give glory to the LORD. (verse 15a)
• In the islands, they will exalt the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. (verse 15b)
• From the ends of the earth we hear singing, "Glory to the Righteous One."

These people will be singing songs, not sighing, of praise, honor, and glory to God.
Can we sing His praises as we survive times of trouble in our life?

LET IT GROW

When the party is over, there is a payday some day. Isaiah saw a terrible time coming to the earth during the Tribulation Period. We can read more detail in Revelation that John wrote.
Why is this coming? Verse 5 explains:

1. The people disobeyed God's laws.
2. They violated the statutes He established for their good.
3. They broke the everlasting covenant.

Mankind will be living for themselves and not for God; most will not worship Him, but false gods. Wickedness will be here as a result. It will be as in the days of Noah, when God sent water to cleanse the earth. The next time, it will be done with fire.  Only the righteous ones will escape, those believers in Jesus as Savior. Babylon will fall and Satan will forever be cast into the Lake of Fire, Hell. Jesus will reign a thousand years, and there will be a new Jerusalem. Afterwards, a new heaven and a new earth.

Folks, this is serious business. Do we know the laws, statutes, and covenants of God? Are we following them?

LET IT GO

In Christ alone my hope is found.

Giving

O. T. #1599  "Giving"
Jan. 3, 2020
Isaiah 23

LET IT GLOW

10. The Burden, Oracle, or Message to Tyre

This is the last of the messages, prophesies, that Isaiah had to deliver to the nations. For some background on this very old city, which dated back to about two millennials before Christ.
Tire, which is modern Lebanon, was:

• located on the Mediterranean Sea, so it was an important shipping city;
• very rich due to the sear merchants;
• a part of the Phoenician Empire, north of Israel;
• famous for their purple dye cloth-purple was extracted from the sea snails off its coast;
• the provider of lumber for Solomon's temple and sailors for his navy;
• part of the city-state politically independent unit;
• fell under siege 5 times between Isaiah's prophesy and 332 BC (Assyria, Babylon);
• Alexander the Great leveled Tyre and it was under captivity for 70 years;
• of the Canaanite religion, who had temple prostitution, child sacrifices, and Baal worship;
• the place wicked Jezebel was from.

Tyre's false god worship and pride brought on the judgment of God, but was warned to repent through Isaiah.

We must be careful to remain faithful to our God even if we are prosperous or important.


LET IT GROW

In verse 18, we read of a time when Tyre's commercial enterprise would be restored during the millennial kingdom reign of Jesus. Her profits will be given to the LORD. Her wealth will provide good food and fine clothing for the LORD's. She will be holiness to Him.

We must first give up ourselves to be holiness to the Lord before what we do, or have, or get, can be so. 
Do we have a heart of God's love? Do we have charity? Are we supporting the ministry? When we do, then our wealth and works are not stored up on earth but in heaven.

LET IT GO

Use me to meet needs of people and ministry.
May Jesus be the love of my heart.

Keys to the Kingdom

O. T. #1598  "Keys to the Kingdom"
Jan. 2, 2020
Isaiah 22
And the key of the house of David will I lay upon His shoulder; so He shall open, and none shall shut; and He shall shut, and none shall open. (verse 22) 

LET IT GLOW

I can't say enough thanks to everyone who was a faithful Bible study friend with us last year. How I wish we could gather around my kitchen table with some hot tea and share what all we have learned this past year in studying God's Word together. Where has our walk of faith taken us in the Bible? Last year, on January 1, 2019, we were in Job 5. Then we studied Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. Dare I say that we have found some encouragement, wisdom, love, and principles to apply in our life? God has taught me so much, brought me through turbulent times, and has blessed me beyond measure. Especially when we traveled around His Beloved Israel and Jerusalem. I pray He has blessed you, too. Please continue to pray for God's leading and direction as I prepare each lesson for us.

9. The Burden, Oracle, or Message to Jerusalem

The Valley of Vision refers to the city of Jerusalem, where God revealed Himself. Although Jerusalem sits upon a hill, it is surrounded by high mountains. So it can be considered a valley, also.
The city would be attacked unless God's people returned to Him. However, they trusted in their water under the wall as a reservoir, weapons, and even pagan neighbors. They partied hardy. During King Hezekiah's reign over Judah, the Assyrian Empire came in 701 B.C., but because the king prayed to God, the Assyrians failed.

Although, the weapons, wall, and water were not enough to secure Judah. Their work was pointless because they never asked God for help. Then in 686, King Manasseh rebuilt idols and high places of worship to pagan gods, and Judah became a subservant to Assyria, paying them money.  In 612, Babylon crushed Assyria's capital of Nineveh. Finally, in 605, Babylon conquered Judah.

Do we concentrate on our work for achievements, ignoring God and doing His work?
Do we carry on life as usual without asking God for His direction and help?


LET IT GROW

Not only were Isaiah's words of prediction for Judah's time, but for the time in the book of Revelation.
In verses 15-25, Shebna, the treasurer in the royal chamber, would die a pauper in a far country (Babylon).  Eliakim would replace him and reign as Hezekiah's prime minister.

The key of the house of David refers his responsibility in advising and protecting the Davidic line. God would fasten him as a nail in a sure place, as a large peg built into the wall of houses in that day which were virtually irremovable. Eliakim's descendants would enjoy the permanence of his position while Shebna would not. However, his nail was removed when Babylon conquered Judah.

Verse 22 is quoted in Revelation 3:7 by Jesus as John wrote to the church in Philadelphia.
Jesus has the keys to the door of heaven and the door of hell. When we keep His Word and do not deny His name, in the end remain faithful to Jesus, we will enter heaven. It is not by our works that gets us there, but faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior, the Messiah. No one can pry open the door nor shut the door except Jesus.

Are we ready for eternity when the door is opened to us?
Jesus has the key to God's kingdom. Is He your Key?

LET IT GO

Thank You, Jesus, for being my key to heaven.
How wonderful that will be, when my Jesus I will see!!

Handwriting on the Wall

O. T. #1597  "Handwriting on the Wall"
Jan. 1, 2020
Isaiah 21

LET IT GLOW

Aren't these years flying by? Did you ever think about writing the year 2020? Not me. What if God gave you a handwriting on the wall telling you what was going to happen in your life this year, how would you react? Would you fall on your face before a Holy God?
This actually happened to the king of Babylon, Belshazzar. We find the event in Daniel 5. The great empire of Babylon was going to fall, but the king didn't repent of his sins.

First of all, recall 14:24-27 where God says as He thought it, it will come to pass; as He purposed, it will stand; His hand is stretched out to the nations on the whole earth; who can disannul His purpose and who can turn back His hand stretched out? (my summary)
God had all the nations under His control. He gave them a warning to repent and believe in Him, not idols, but they would not heed the warning. Sad isn't it?

Next, in verses 1-10 of chapter 21, we read of another prophesy to Babylon through Isaiah. Keep in mind that during these 200 years (600 B.C to 400 B. C.) there were battles over world dominance. The empires were Assyria, Babylon, Media, and Persia, yet God was in control of them. (Stick with us friend, for all of this information will come in handy later as we study other prophets during this time.) Again, I hope this timeline will help us keep these historical events in perspective.

--689 BC: Babylon fell to Assyria
--612 BC: Nineveh, Assyrian capital, fell to control of Babylon and Medes
--605 BC: Babylon conquered Judah under King Nebuchadnezzar
--586 BC: Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and Temple
--542-540 BC: Daniel was in Babylon under King Belshazzar, Neb's son; Belshazzar saw God's
                         finger writing on the wall that Babylon was given to the Medes and Persians
--537 BC: First group of Jews return to Jerusalem to rebuild it, under King Cyrus of Persia

During the 70 years of the Jews in captivity, God's prophets of Ezekiel, Obadiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel prophesied. Those empires mentioned above were going to fall. Their idols of false gods could not and would not prevent this.

Keep in mind that not only are Isaiah's predictions for those times before Christ, but also during the times Revelation speak about happening in the last times. Babylon will fall; Iraq will fall.


LET IT GROW

7. The Burden, Oracle, or Message to Dumah

In verses 11-12, we read of a prophesy to Dumah, which is Edom, located south of Moab. The people of Edom were descendants of Esau, and where usually were enemies of Israel. They rejoiced whenever Israel fell to the Assyrians (chapters 34 and 63) and this sealed Edom's doom.The watchman keeps watch night and day for enemies. The Medes and Persians took over this area after defeating Babylon.

8. The Burden, Oracle, or Message to Arabia

In verses 13-17, Arabia would fall. They allied with the Philistines to invade Jerusalem, but were later defeated by Uzziah. There were trade routes through Arabia, so the land was important during that time. Assyria first invaded Arabia in 732 BC and again in 725 BC.
You don't mess with God's people and get away with it.

Have you looked back over the last year? Was it a year of heartache and loss, tragedy and sorrow? Or was there happiness and joy, success and achievement? Did you close the book on last year with regret, or with relief? How do you think God looks on this past year in your life? Did it bring you any closer to Him? What lessons will you take from last year into this coming year? What did God teach you? (from Billy Graham's devotional, Wisdom for Each Day)

Philippians 3:13-14 says, but one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

LET IT GO

Learn from the past and let it go.
Live in today.
Look to the future in heaven.
 Happy New Year!