Isaiah Paints the Big Picture

I'm reading through Isaiah right now, and I really love this book. Isaiah gives us the big picture of what God is doing in the world. We see the depravity of mankind. Their bent on turning away from God. God's judgment of sin. His love for his sinful creation. The sending of a suffering servant to bear their iniquities. The ultimate triumph of his servant in the redemption of mankind and his earthly rule in righteousness and peace.

It's all there. And it's there to give us hope. This world that we live in is not all there is. For those who believe God, there is coming a glorious time when all wrongs shall be righted, and we shall live in justice and peace with our Savior.

Helping Little Ones Understand the Sermon

This is an idea I got from Edith Schaffer's book The Hidden Art of Homemaking, a book I recommend.

Today we were sitting in church listening to a sermon on Isaiah. My five-year-old was squirmy as usual. Then I recalled Edith Schaeffer's idea about illustrating the sermon with stick figures, or other drawings if you happen to be artistic. Part of the sermon was about how Jesus felt disappointed because his mission seemed to end with nothing to show for it. (Is. 49). So I drew a sad Jesus. But then God comforted him by telling him he would give him the nations. So I drew a cloud with the word "God" in it, and people bowing down to Jesus.The drawing was really pathetic, but my five-year-old sat still and even got something out of the sermon that otherwise would have been completely over his head.

The Purposes of God are Sure

"For the Lord of hosts has purposed,
   and who will annul it?
His hand is stretched out,
   and who will turn it back?" 
                         Isaiah 14:27
As I read through the book of Isaiah, I see the purposes of God for the wicked stated over and over, and these purposes are terrifying. Destruction of nations and cultures- it doesn't make for happy reading.


But when I contemplate on the fact that the same God who purposes destruction for the unrepentant wicked, purposes unimaginable good for those who turn from their sin and look in faith to Christ for salvation, my heart is filled with joy and thankfulness. He has purposed that someday I will be like Christ. He has purposed that I will be with him in glory. He will accomplish his purposes for me.


^" And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified;those he justified, he also glorified"
    Romans8:28-29


Just a parting thought. Anyone reading through Isaiah should check out Pastor Mark Minnick's sermons. What a blessing it is to hear this every Sunday in church.

I Will Trust, and will not be Afraid

Behold, God is my salvation;
  I will trust, and will not be afraid;
 for the Lord God is my strength
  and my song,
 and he has become my salvation.
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 12:2-3

Here's the lyrics from a song I heard as a child. I wish I knew the title and composer.

I will trust and never be afraid,
 Though I tread in sunshine or in shade.
Jesus walks along the road with me,
 And he guides my footsteps constantly.
Such a friend as through the years
 has been my guide,
Through the valley still will keep me
 by his side.
And some day when light grows dim and fades,
I'll trust in him,
I will not be afraid.

Dear God, help me today to trust in you. Help me to draw my strength from you. Help me to be joyful as I meditate on your salvation.

Volunteering for the Unknown Mission

Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up in the glories of his temple. The blazing light of God's glory enabled him to see his true sinfulness, his need of cleansing. He denounced his sinfulness.God forgave him..

And then Isaiah records "I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." And he said, "Go, and say to this people: "Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive." Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes..."
(Isaiah 6:8,9 ESV)

Many of us have heard this story since we were young children. We sing songs about his response. But did we know back then that Isaiah had no idea what he was going to do? God didn't tell Isaiah the nature of his ministry, that people wouldn't listen to him, that he was actually an instrument of God causing them to harden their hearts to their own destruction. God didn't say "Here's the plan, Isaiah. What do you think?" God asked for a volunteer, and when Isaiah volunteered, then he got his marching orders.

And so it is with us.God asks us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. We give ourselves to him, and he leads us, often in ways we never would have dreamed of and maybe wouldn't have chosen had we known ahead of time.

But now that Isaiah is with the Lord, I don't think now that he, that he regrets volunteering for a difficult mission. And neither will we. Eternity in God's glorious kingdom will make it all worth while.

Running in Circles

Ever feel like you're running in circles? As soon as the house is cleaned, it needs to be cleaned again. The grass always needs mowing. The dishes never get done. The bank account keeps needing more money. The kids want another meal, and don't forget the snack. Time to fill the car up again, weed the garden again, go to work again. Yes, life often feels like you're running in circles.

The amazing thing is that God planned it that way. He planned for life to seem futile, relationships unfulfilling, accomplished ambitions unsatisfying. The book of Ecclesiastes is about the senselessness of life apart from God.God has put "eternity in our hearts". Without him, we really do run in circles from the day we are born till the day we die.

Thankfully, the book doesn't end without hope, and life doesn't have to be hopeless either. "The end of the matter, all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man." Living in the fear of God, and walking in his ways gives hope and purpose to life.

Words Without Knowledge

 Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

      "Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?" 

       Job 38:2

Job is so human in his response to suffering, in his case intense suffering. He asks questions like "Where is God? I can't find him." "Why is He doing this to me? I haven't done anything wrong." "Where is God's justice? This is unfair." And he makes statements like "I wish I could die." And "God is out to get me. He chases me like a hunter."

And yet Job is described as the most righteous man on the earth, the greatest man of the east.

But he really had no idea what God was doing in his life. He had no idea of the cosmic forces at play. He had no idea that after his suffering would be twice as great as he had been. So he responds to his pain with words without knowledge.

Thankfully, because he was a man of faith, Job came to a correct view of God, and truly did come forth from his as gold purified in the furnace.

“I know that you can do all things; 
    no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 
 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ 
    Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me to know.

 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.’ 
 My ears had heard of you 
    but now my eyes have seen you. 
 Therefore I despise myself 
    and repent in dust and ashes.”

God is greater by far than man. His plans are beyond our comprehending. 

Lord, help us to trust your wisdom and love even when life is painful and doesn't make sense.

Friendship with Jesus

"And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ." I John 1

The contemplation of our relationship with God, our friendship with the creator of the universe, the sharing of our life with the omnipotent lover of our soul, is a fountain of unending joy.

Lord, let me drink constantly from this fountain today.

Called to Take Up a Cross

Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, "Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" ...Esther told them to reply..."I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish" Esther 4:12-16


And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:38-39

What has God given me to do today? Whatever it is, I must take up my cross, and like Esther deny my instinct for self preservation, and follow him. Only then will I truly find my life.

So I Prayed to the God of Heaven

In my reading through the Scriptures I have now come to the book of Nehemiah. Two things stand out to me as I read this book.

1. Nehemiah had God's interests at heart. He cares about God's people. He plans for their welfare. All of his actions are for their good. He has no personal ambition, no desire for personal gain.

2. Nehemiah is totally dependent on God to do the work.  He prays about everything. He realizes that God is the real doer of the work. God is the one who assigns the work and gives the strength, ability, resources and protection to complete the work. It's all about God, not "me".

So the wall was finished...And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. Nehemiah 6:15-16 (ESV)

Dear Lord, help me, like Nehemiah, to do the great work you've given me to do, totally depending on you for the strength and resources to do it.

Put on Your Bible Glasses

We have this rule at our house: Bible First. My children know they are to read their Bible before they do anything else, except maybe get a quick bite to eat.

Yesterday I was checking on them, to see how they were progressing on their morning routine, and there was my 12 year old reading a library book. "Have you read your Bible yet?" I asked. "No" she replied sheepishly. I put my arm around her. "Honey," I said, "Reading your Bible is like putting on your glasses. You know how I can't see without my glasses? Well, you can not look at the world right until you put on your Bible glasses. Read your Bible first, put on your Bible glasses, and then you are prepared to look at the world through your Bible lens."

Enough is Enough

The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy.
2 Chronicles 36:15-16 (ESV)

The Lord is patient and long suffering. Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But he is also holy. Absolutely holy. And just. But there comes a point when enough is enough. Our sins bring guilt- real guilt. Not just a figment of our imagination that we need to go to therapy for. We can either suffer the consequences of our sin (the wages of sin is death), or let Christ bear the punishment for us. "He is the propitiation for our sins (the satisfaction of God's wrath). And not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." I John 2:2 (ESV)

Thank you, Jesus, for satisfying God's wrath in my place.

Obedience, Prosperity, and Invasion

Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered. After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them for himself. 2 Chronicles 31:20-32:1(ESV)

Wouldn't it be great if the story ended after the word "prospered"? Hezekiah sought the Lord. He ridded the land from idols. He restored temple worship. He called the people from both Judah and Israel to celebrate the Passover. He pursued God with his whole heart. He prospered.

And then came trouble. Like my dad would say, if you don't have troubles now, don't worry. They're coming. Why the biggest battle of Hezekiah's life after all he's done for God?

I don't know if we ever get a complete answer in this life. We just get warnings from God that we will have trials, that the Christian life is a warfare, that our final rest and victory will be when we get to heaven.

Hezekiah's biggest battle turned into his biggest victory because he met it with faith and courage. Let's hope and pray it is that way with us. Let's pray that we too, till the end of our days, will meet whatever God sends us with  the same faith and courage.

It's not over till it's over. Keep on with God.

Relishing the Relationship

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." I John 3:1

Christian disciplines, like Bible meditation, are given to us, not as burdens to bear, duties to be performed or intellectual studies to be mastered.  They are given to us to help us deepen our relationship with God our Father. He has given us life. I am his child. I cannot begin to comprehend the ramifications of this fact. But in its contemplation, and as I grow in my understanding of it, I grow to love Him more. I am able to give Him more thanks for what He has done for me. Little by little I relish the immense privilege of being His child.

Prone to Wander

I'm reading through 2 Chronicles right now. As I read the lives of the kings I am amazed at the stupidity of the human heart. Why, after defeating someone in battle, would you want to take their idols and add the worship of their gods whom you defeated, to the worship of the true God, who gave you the victory. It is incomprehensible. There is something inherently wrong with the human heart to make us act in such a fashion. That's why we need a Savior.

Prone to wander,
Lord I feel it.
Prone to leave the God I love.
Here's my heart O take and seal it.
Seal it for Thy courts above.