Thoughts on Isaiah 43:10-12

¹⁰ “You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “And My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me. ¹¹ “I, even I, am the LORD, And there is no savior besides Me. ¹² “It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no strange god among you; So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “And I am God. 

Can you remember as a young child going on a sleep over to a friends house? I can remember those days and my mom giving me some instructions before I left the house. She told me that I needed to be on my best behavior. My actions represented her and all that she and my father had instilled in me.

Here in Isaiah 43:10-12 God is saying to His children that they are His witnesses that were chosen to represent the foundation of faith to the world. They are too declare to the world that God cannot be formed by the hands of men. He is the only one that offers salvation. He proclaims that His children are to be pure and not worship any other gods. They are to be a representation of who He is as Creator, God, Lord, Father, and Savior.

Today as you prayer, let you prayer be, God instill in me that which You desire for me to represent to those around me. My I be Your witness of grace, joy, peace, faithfulness, compassion, mercy, patience, humbleness, hope, and true salvation. Help me represent You today Lord. Amen...

Thoughts on Psalm 63:1

 ¹ O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
In a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Is there a food item that you enjoy so much, that if offered to you, you would take it, even if you were not really hungry? What would you be willing to do to get that item if you were starving?

David had felt the power of God upon his heart and knew the feeling of being spiritually well. In the opening of this Psalm David exclaims possession of God for his life. The challenges he was facing had worked up a spiritual hunger and thirst for God's touch. David is in a desolate area. He is in need of God's help.

We are always in need of God's touch. Jesus in John 4:13-14 tells us that: “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; ¹⁴ but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

The water that David had grown to enjoy was a well of spiritual water springing up within his soul. Removing all the doubts of his eternity. He had sipped from the well of salvation. David in the rest of the Psalm speaks about being under attack from those who desire to take his life. Thus, he has grown spiritually dry and weary. 

Maybe you have come under attack. Maybe you feel like David in dry and weary land longing to feel the presence of God surround you. You have tasted this water, you long for it, you feel spiritually dry. Just as David claimed a possession of God's relationship and earnestly sought the Lord to quench his soul. Claim your salvation through Christ. Seek to quench your spiritual thirst through the well Christ provides. 

Let you prayer be: O Lord, I have grown weary from the attacks and temptations that pierce my soul. Fill my heart with joy. Purify my desires like refining gold. Strengthen my courage to face the struggles. Guide me to the well of eternity that I might drink from it and be filled with spiritual power to fight the good fight.  Amen...  

Thoughts on Isaiah 26:1-6

 ¹ In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; He sets up walls and ramparts for security.² “Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter,The one that remains faithful. ³ “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You. ⁴ “Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock. ⁵ “For He has brought low those who dwell on high, the unassailable city; He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He casts it to the dust. ⁶ “The foot will trample it, The feet of the afflicted, the steps of the helpless.” 

I often wonder when and how we got off track in developing strong spiritual values and faith, in God the Father for our families. Parents, today no longer establish a wall of protection around the innocents of their children. We have become complacent in guarding the gates of their minds. We have allowed their values to be instilled by those who do not have the best interest at heart, but their agendas to destroy the foundation upon which real life can be fulfilled.

In the opening of Isaiah 26:1-6, Isaiah shares a song that will be sung by those who are faithful to the Lord. What is clear about the opening of this song, is that God is the one who provides the spiritual wall of protection. However, we as Christians must seek to enter through the gates of His protection; if we desire an unwavering resolution to the chaos that surround our lives.

Isaiah is clear that the one who remains faithful in God will receive prefect peace upon a firm foundation. Those who seek to serve themselves will be removed from their lofty positions. Those that have been afflicted by their actions and trusted in You will receive this land. This is not class warfare or social justice, this is a gift for those who remained faithful trusting in You as their Lord . You are about taking care of Your children who seek Your protection, correction, and grace as a means to know a real Parent's love.

The questions you must ask yourself this day are: Are you leading your family towards the gates of hell or heaven? Are you remaining faithful to the Lord as a parent? Have you establish a firm foundation for your children develop a relationship with the Lord?

Are prayer should be: May the Rock of our foundation be secured by Your guiding us, to live out our faith as a road map to the City of Salvation. We thank you for given to us this City, through Your Son, who paved the road to the City of Salvation with His blood upon the cross of life. Guide us to be an example of humbleness, resolute in our faith, guided by the light of Your word, sharing the message of peace and hope offered to all broken on the roadway of life. May we all sing this song in that day. Amen... 

Thoughts on Isaiah 55:6

⁶ Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. (NASB)

To seek the Lord we must find the time to meet with Him. As Christians today we are being pushed in all aspects of our life to give up more time. These small attacks chip away at our ability to grow in our faith. There are work, family, friends, school,  and personal commitments. At first we guard our time in the beginning with God. Then the more comfortable we feel with our relationship with God we become more excepting of stealing time away from Him.

We will say to Him, "I know You will understand I need to focus on my (fill in the blank with one of these excuses) children, work, spouse, my friends in need of help. I know You know my heart. Only You will understand."

Then the next thing you know you feel like He is not there for you. And then we ask. Why did God forsake me in my time of need? What Isaiah is saying is that we need to always guard our time with Him and seek Him first. This is why Jesus said in "Matthew 6:33-34   ³³ But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ³⁴ “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (NASB)

He is always near. He always going to be there for you. But you must keep Him close, so that distractions do not separate you from His love and justice.  If you feel separated from Him, bend to your knees and cry out to Him to surround you with His presence. Read His promises, Worship Him with His people.

Our prayer should be. Lord as I grow close to you may I never forget that feeling of your love and justice for my life. When I am distracted speak to my heart that I might feel Your love. Open my ears that I might hear your voice. Restore my vision that I might see Your glory and know that You are near. Amen.   
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Thoughts on Proverbs 27:1

 ¹ Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

Have you every planed a vacation only to have something come up that caused the vacation to be canceled or placed on hold? Or have you expected a job promotion or raise only to hear that the plant is closing? Maybe you gotten married and planned a long life together, but now one of you are facing a disease that causes the future to be in question?

I believe what this verse is getting at is that we must not always think that everyday will be filled with blessings of joy, happiness, and peace. As Christians, I believe at times, we get so focused on God's blessings, we forget about the challenges this mortal life brings to test our faith.

Yes I believe that you should make plans for the future. But trust in the Lord always for He holds you real future even when life throws you a curve ball.

Thoughts on 1 Peter 1:3-5

1Peter 1:3-5 ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, ⁵ who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (version NASB)

I know that most parents that watch their children grow desires for their children to have the best they can provide. The opening part of this verse describes just that. God the Father out of mercy desires for all His children to be born again and to have a living hope. This living hope is what will get any child through the most difficult of struggles. It is knowing that we have someone, we can turn to and seek guidance from when the big decisions come our way. Most important all this comes through the death and resurrection of his Son Jesus Christ. When we come into relationship with Christ, we receive a future inheritance with the Father, which will never perish, not be defiled, and never disappear. 

For those who are reading this post and have not had the greatest of childhoods. Know that God the Father desires for you to have the best in Him. Trust in Him and the blessings you will receive will carry you through life.Turn to Him when you need help and He will be there for you. For by His power and your faith you will receive the inheritance you always deserved.

Thoughts on Proverbs 29:25

Proverbs 29:25 says, "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe."

When we allow the concern of man to persuade our beliefs we will soon begin to not trust our Lord. The idea that a scholar, educator, teacher, co-worker, boss, etc... Could make you think that you are simpleton because you believe that Christ died for your sins, rose from the dead, and now waits to come to judge the living and the dead is beyond me. If this is your belief, know that you must trust in the Lord, so that your faith is kept safe. Never allow your belief to be questioned but rather question those who criticize your beliefs. Seek to pray for them. Seek to offer them grace for their lack of unbelief. Seek to show them God's grace. Create a spiritual prayer snare for them.